I don't know about anyone else, but my state is freeezing right now! I hope everyone is warm and safe inside. Also I am now the proud owner of two Kouga shirts, so thank you for letting me know about Hot Topic carrying it 3

"Be my girlfriend."

He had said it so calmly it hadn't fully registered at first, it had come out almost like a demand or as if he had been talking about some other topic, but she knew that wasn't like him anymore, to make demands that is, which is why it caught her off guard. Of course her brain had decided to have a complete shut down in the moment, and she wished she could take her word back or tell herself to think.

"Huh?"

To be fair, it had been before breakfast, she kept tossing and turning all night and had slept terribly, and somehow he knew she was awake, and offered to walk with her outside, and they watched the sunrise together while talking, and eventually the words slipped out, almost as if he had been talking about the weather.

Kouga being kouga had simply smiled at her and said, "You don't have to answer me now or ever." and her heart sank, she had missed the moment.

Breakfast had been awkward, even after a week after the incident and their kiss, looking into the eyes of her definitely not boyfriend was very hard, yet he acted so normal as if nothing had happened between them. They didn't talk about it, or talk much after that.

I need to talk about this, sit down and have a talk. Maybe, hey are you my boyfriend or not? Will you ask again? She shook her head banishing the thoughts, how the hell would she even bring that up to him in an organic way? She discreetly glanced over at him, he was talking to shippo who was on his shoulder. They were walking back to the village to bring him back home, and kagome felt nervous about him leaving. Shippo had luckily been the buffer between them whenever things got quiet, and things had most definitely been quiet since that happened.

As if he could tell she was thinking of him he looked over his shoulder to glance at kagome, and she offered him a weak smile. She knew her answer, but when would she have time to bring it up? How could she? He smiled back and turned his attention back to Shippo.

"You look unwell today inuyasha," Miroku eyed inuyasha warily, sango and the twins were sleeping at the same time, a miracle so he had quietly left to go sit in their meetup spot. He had really wanted peace and quiet but Inuyasha had found him. So much for peace and quiet when it came to his friend's love life.

Inuyasha grumbled, but even he couldn't protest it. Dark eye bags had started forming, still light but they were becoming more noticeable by day .

"Let me guess, another argument?"

Inuyasha nodded slowly, "yea, just another one. She kicked me out last night."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Inuyasha looked at Miroku, like he was about to say something but quickly he shut it down, "no I-" he sniffed the air, contorting his face into a look of disgust, "it reeks of wolf…" and then his face softened.

"It also smells like…her." He didn't want to admit it, but he… missed her, her softness and her forgiving nature and just…her.

Miroku eyed him, "Inuyasha no. Do not go looking for her."

Inuyasha nodded, and sighed "I know I know."

"I have to go now, Sango will be awake and the twins-" he yawned, "the twins will probably wake her up soon."

Inuyasha smiled sadly, he hadn't seen the twins up close and he knew he never would, "how are Kin'u and Gyokuto?"

"They are growing quickly day by day, we're tired all the time, especially sango." he smiled proudly, somehow they were managing it and no matter how tired Sango was, she was always smiling at the babies.

"D-do you know if I'll ever see them?"

Miroku shook his head, "I don't know, Sango would murder me if I snuck them out to you, she's pretty forgiving but in this situation…Kagome was her best friend. You know that." giving his friend a sympathetic look. He did his best to stay out of the situation, but at the end of the day he had to side with Sango.

"Yea I know."

Inuyasha stared at his cold tea, and pondered it. Had he made the right choice?

"You said what!" Sango somehow prevailed the urge to shake Kagome.

Kagome buried her face in her hands, "I said huh." her voice muffled, "oh kami I ruined it didn't I? He's been so patient with me and I messed it all up." she groaned.

Sango patted her shoulder, "it's okay, just explain it was all a misunderstanding and that you…accept? Decline?"

"No no I am definitely…I mean I want to be his…girlfriend." she whispered looking around, but he was nowhere near them, they weren't even at her house. She and Kouga had dropped off shippo and he offered to help with the kids while she and sango caught up.

"Then do it, go tell him. He's been crazy about you for forever, don't pass up a guy like him. I am begging you."

Kagome sighed, "I know I know, I'll find a way to bring it up, I-" her voice quieted as she saw kouga approaching them. How long had he heard their conversation?

"Sango, sorry to interrupt but can I take kagome?" kouga asked, he looked nervous and kagome gulped. She had never seen him nervous and it made her anxious, what did he need to tell her? Hey, I'm done with you.

"Of course, I was heading back anyway." she smiled at him, and turned to kagome and winked.

He was taking her deeper into the forest, he hadn't said much except he wanted to show her something important, he gave her no other clues.

"Kouga?"

"Hm?"

"Where are we going?"

"Here." he stopped at the sacred tree and she looked up at it, it had been a while since she had seen it and she frowned. He wanted to show her…the tree?

"Go talk to it." he said, nudging her forward gently with his palm.

She turned to look at him with bemusement "you want me…to talk to the tree?"

He nodded, "go."

She looked at him again, and walked towards the tree.

"Hello tree." she said, patting it gently as if it were an animal, where was he going with this?

"Kagome?" The voice made her heart lurch and her breath hitched. She hadn't heard that voice in years.

"Mom?" Her throat felt tight all of a sudden.

Am I dreaming? This has to be a dream.

"Oh Kagome honey it's so good to hear your voice"

"Mom!" she cried out and slumped at the tree, sobbing against it.

"How did you know my mom would be on the other side?"

They were walking back to the village, Kouga had waited patiently while she talked to her mom about life and Kagome told her what had happened between Inuyasha and her.

"Well-"

Kouga sniffed the air, the boar had ran away from him and he was following its scent.

"Damn it." he cursed, the one task that kagome had asked him to do and he was failing at it.

"I wonder how kagome's doing." He heard a voice beside him. Goosebumps crawled up his arm. He heard a woman clear as day, but when he looked around no one was there.

"Hello?" he wasn't in danger, he knew that much.

The voice paused, and he was sure he had lost his mind, he looked around again and was about to resume his boar chase when the voice resumed.

"Hello?" the woman's voice responded. He swore it was the tree talking to him.

"You said…you said Kagome's name."

Another pause, "you know…do you know kagome Higuarashi?"

He nodded and then face palmed himself, the person or whatever couldn't see him, "yes I do." he paused, "who are you? Are you stuck in the tree?"

The woman laughed in a kind manner, "no, I'm on the other side, I'm in another world." Then her voice softened, "I'm kagome's mom." she replied in a sad tone.

"I'm kagome's friend Koga I-"

"You're Koga! She's talked about you before!"

His heart hammered against chest, she had? The idea of Kagome talking to her mom about him made him feel warm. What had she told her about him?

Oh kami, I hope she didn't tell her about being my woman.

"I- it's nice to..meet you Kagome's mom." he replied, red faced, praying that she had not told her about that.

"You can call me Mei or . Is kagome there?" Her voice was hopeful and he felt a tinge of regret.

"No she's not, she's helping her friend. I'll be back in a week, can you be here? I'll bring her with me."

"I'll be here. Is she with Inuyasha right now?"

He paused, unsure of what to say.

"I should…"

"It's okay dear, I'll wait. Thank you Kouga. Please take care of my daughter, or as you would say your woman." her muffled laugh came out, and he felt his cheeks burn red.

"I promise. I'll bring her."

Kagome's eyes were rimmed red, and she hugged him burying her face in his chest, fighting the urge to cry again.

"Thank you kouga, " she sniffed, "and I don't know when I'll be able to bring this up or get the courage to do this again…but about your question..I" she blushed looking up at him.

"I would love to…be your girlfriend.."she whispered, burying her face against him again, "only if you still want to."

He smiled at how cute she was being but then he sombered, "I…if this is about me bringing you to your mom, I was going to anyway you don't have to than-"

His words stopped as she pulled him down with a force that surprised him and kissed him. He tasted the salt on her lips and he sighed against her.

"No." she replied, breaking away, "this isn't about that."

He wasn't going to argue and he kissed her back, smiling against her lips.