"Oh Sango, wasn't it wonderful?" Kagome gushed as she fell backwards on the bed after dinner that evening.

"Yes, I dare say that Jonathan outdid himself with dinner." Sango chuckled even as Kagome shot her a glare.

"You know that is not what I meant." Kagome groused before her face broke out into another smile. "I cannot believe that Inuyasha would not only listen to my suggestion, but actually go to take it to his tenants."

"It's not the first time he has listened to your suggestions, Kagome, so is it that surprising?"

"For something this big? Yes." Kagome pushed herself up onto her elbows. "It made me… I don't know Sango, as if I was his partner, an equal worthy of listening to." She groaned as she fell back against the bed. "Oh I hope I didn't read too much into his question. Its just – it's been so nice, no, so wonderful being able to spend time with him, the real him. Do I want him to ask one particular question so much that I cannot see anything else?"

"Kagome," Sango chuckled as she sat beside her sister on the bed. "No one looking at him, at you both, could ever think that he wasn't inferring exactly what you thought."

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH." Kagome grabbed her pillow and held it over her face as she screamed into it, her legs bouncing off the bed. All of a sudden she froze, the pillow shifting down to reveal one brown eye as she looked at her sister.

"What is it, Kagome?" Sango's brow rose as she met her sister's gaze.

"I'm a horrible person." The response was muffled by the pillow, but Sango was able to hear it clearly.

"Why on earth would you say that Kagome?" Sango chided as she leaned over to poke Kagome's arm.

"I just…"

"Kagome, if you are going to talk, I think you should remove the pillow from your face." Sango laughed as she grabbed the pillow away, revealing Kagome's concerned face. "Now what is it?"

"It just struck me, I'm here, excited about the possibility of Inuyasha and a future with him, while you…" Kagome sighed, "I feel like I got so caught up in my own world I did not think about what it would be doing to you."

"It is doing nothing to me dearest," Sango smiled as she reached out and took Kagome's hand. "Being excited for you has nothing to do with Miroku or Shima or anything of my situation, I can be over the moon for you without it affecting me at all."

"Dearest Sango, I do not want to be the cause of any further heartache for you. Please forgive me."

"Kagome, there is nothing to forgive." Sango squeezed Kagome's hand. "I am happy for you, truly, Inuyasha is a good man who I believe will make you happy."

"I know he will." Kagome grinned before her smile turned downwards. "Ohhhhh but what if he doesn't ask, how would I ever face him again?"

"With your head held high, showing him again and again why he would be mad to let you slip through his fingers." Sango let herself lay down next to Kagome, her head resting against hers on the bed. "Though I do think you should wear your red muslin dress tomorrow, it is so pretty against your skin, and I dare say the Colonel does seem to like red."

"Hmmm, he does, doesn't he." Kagome nudged Sango with her shoulder.

"Oh he truly does," Sango chuckled, "though we must be careful not to do your hair too well, or let Martha set your bodice too low, you want him to have enough wits to ask his question of Mama."

"Colonel Inuyasha speechless, now there is a sight I long to see."

"I am sure you will, perhaps on your wedding night?" Sango teased.

"Perhaps, but… Sango?" Kagome asked as she turned to her side, facing her sister, but waited to speak until Sango turned as well. "I… well… what happens on a wedding night?"

"I – I, actually, I do not know." Sango said wryly, as she realized she had no idea either.

"I hear all this talk about the wedding night, and the girls we knew at Shikon who all wed would blush and begin to fan themselves, or grimace and refuse to talk about it. I just was curious what a wedding night entailed."

"Well… I am sure it involves sleeping in the same bed as your new husband." Sango mused.

"Oh, well… that doesn't seem like something to blush about though." Kagome huffed as she flopped back again, grimacing when her head smacked the bed instead of the pillow. "And I doubt Mama would want to tell me, I remember her getting flustered when Hojo had asked Yura to marry him, and he is a man, who I am sure is more worldly than you or I." Kagome's eyes brightened as she had a thought. "OH, I COULD ASK MARTHA!"

"You coul… KAGOME!" Sango grabbed Kagome's hand as she began to jump out of the bed. "Martha is ASLEEP. You can ask her in the morning if you feel the need."

"Don't think I won't." Kagome grumbled as she lay back down, making sure to grab the pillow from the floor. "Oh Sango, I daresay I will not be able to sleep tonight."

"You will, though." Sango ran her hand down Kagome's hair, stopping at her sister's cheek. "Because the sooner you fall asleep, the sooner tomorrow will be here."

"Hnnnn." Kagome hummed, relaxing under the Sango's movements. "I am going to ask Martha though…"

"Oh, I have no doubt." Sango grinned as Kagome let out a little sigh and, despite her statement, slid to sleep.


"No."

Kagome's mouth dropped open as she stared at Martha, unable to process what she had heard.

"But…"

"No." Martha's face was beet red as she hurried away from Kagome, but Kagome was determined to follow her.

"Martha, please. I just want to know."

"No Miss Kagome, there are some things that one does not talk about in polite company."

"But Martha, it is just us! I asked Sango, and she did not know any…"

"Well I would hope not!"

"And I can't ask Mama but you are married, so I am sure that you know."

"Why this sudden interest in… indecent topics Miss?"

"Indecent? What is indecent?" Kagome's head tilted as her lips pursed together. "Sango said you slept in the same bed as your husband, is that what is indecent?"

"Miss Kagome, this is a better topic for your husband!"

"Yes, but seeing as I do not have one of those yet, I am trying to learn." Kagome reasoned, and Martha found it very hard to keep her lips from twitching.

"I am not telling you where babies come from from Lady Kagome."

"What does a wedding night have to do with where babies come from?" Kagome puzzled, and Martha turned, wide eyed, to stare at her. "I mean, babies are brought by the stork, at least that's what Mama said."

"I… oh Miss Kagome." Martha sputtered, torn between outrage and pure amusement at the sheer confusion on Kagome's face.

"Now I am even more curious, what exactly does a wedding night have to do with having babies?"

A deep cough from behind her had Kagome's cheeks flushing. No, that was not Jonathan, the cough was much to deep, that sounded more like…

"I have to say this is the most… amusing conversation I have walked in on."

Kagome turned slowly, her cheeks warming even more when she met the molten gold gaze of the man standing outside her mother's parlor, Mai behind him with her hand over her mouth.

"C…colonel." Kagome croaked as she gave a small curtsey, hoping at that moment that the ground would open and swallow her.

"Despite how – intriguing – I find this conversation, I was wondering if I may have a moment of your time, Miss Kagome." Inuyasha grinned, a fang peaking out over his lip as his mouth curved.

With a slight bow, Inuyasha held out his hand to Kagome, whose eyes snapped to her mother's. When her mother's eyes softened and she nodded, Kagome let her embarrassment fade as she reached out and placed her hand in Inuyasha's. When his hand closed over hers, the warmth from it seemed to envelop her as he led her out of the cottage and towards the willow tree that graced the property, its boughs sweeping the ground. Beneath its branches lay a red blanket, the Tessaiga crest embroidered on the edge, a basket of pink hydrangea resting against the trunk with a single white rose in the center.

"I… Colonel…"

"Inuyasha." He murmured as he turned her to face him.

"Inuyasha…" she breathed, her heart beginning to pound. "I…" she paused, suddenly finding herself without any words.

"Kagome." Inuyasha took a deep breath, as if to center himself before continuing. "I think… I hope you know why I wanted to speak with you. I ask that you let me finish, before you respond." When Kagome slowly nodded she saw his shoulders ease as his eyes closed. "When we first met, you were told that I had my heart broken, and that because of that, I had not let my heart be swayed by any other, do you remember?"

Kagome began to answer, then remembered his request and nodded, not wanting to interrupt him.

"I was – lonely, as a child. My father had unfortunately passed away when I was a child, and my half brother stepped up to rule his lands in his place. After his passing, my mother was not well with her health. The village I grew up in however welcomed us, and did their best to help. There was a girl who lived in town, Kikyo, who was around my same age. We spent all of our time together, growing, even though I began to age more slowly than she was by the time we were 15. By the time we were 20, I still looked the same as I had 5 years before, while she had grown into being a woman."

Kagome shifted as he spoke, her teeth catching her bottom lip as she listened. Inuyasha paused as he gave a soft smile and stepped closer, teasing her bottom lip with his thumb as she released it with a gasp.

"Let me finish Kagome," his voice was solemn as he watched her, "I want you to know the full story before I ask my question."

"Alright." She whispered, and his hand thumb shifted, caressing her cheek before his hand fell away.

"You see, I am not full yokai, my father was a very strong and noble Inu Yokai and my mother a human, but they fell in love, a true, deep love. But because of that, many felt uncomfortable around me. But not Kikyo. She was my only friend, and the only person of the opposite gender that would truly spend time with me for me. Others would seek me out for my strength, or my speed, but Kikyo was the only one that I felt spent time with me because she chose to. And, at the time, I felt fondness for her, fondness that at the tender age of 20, I felt was love. She had protested, saying that by the time we were 50 I would just then be looking like I was 20, and she would have been an old maid." He sighed, and then continued. "There is a ritual… a… binding if you will, that a yokai can perform, even a half yokai like myself, that will tie the life of their partner to them, something stronger than human marriage, more lasting than any other vow."

"And you wanted that with her?" Kagome whispered, her heart hurting for Inuyasha, but also for herself.

"I… I thought I did." He admitted, his head lowered, unable to meet her gaze. "She was safe, she was comfortable, and I thought that was what love was. But… she did not agree. When I first brought up the thought of the two of us being together she had laughed. Oh, she didn't mean it maliciously, but the thought was so amusing to her because she had never once thought of me in that manner. Her heart belonged to a medicine apprentice in the next town over, who came to our village to trade with us. The next time the apprentice came to visit, she left with him as his wife, and never looked behind at me."

"Oh Inuyasha." Tears had formed in Kagome's eyes as he had spoken, and he lifted his head to hers, his gaze scanning hers.

"That was more than 400 years ago. At that time, Sesshomaru, my half brother, approached me and gave me a choice, join his military and stay in the same village I had grown up in, or leave."

"And those were your only choices?" Kagome gasped.

"Not every family is as close as yours is Kagome." Inuyasha gave a sad smile. "I chose to leave, to find my own place, my own path, one not burdened by memories and people who only knew me as the half-prince. To not be forced to relive memories that now hurt and burned." He turned to the side, his gaze drawn by the basket of flowers. "I made my way, fighting where I could, learning, providing aid, building a wall around my heart to keep myself from being hurt again. And then found myself in charge of Tessaiga. The property and its land were failing when I took it over 50 years ago, but it has begun to thrive, and most importantly to me, the people who live and work there are happy."

"But are you happy?" Kagome found herself asking, and Inuyasha turned to capture her gaze with his.

"I thought I was. I was content, and yes, I know it is not the same, but it was the best I had. And then…" Kagome found herself holding her breath as his smile grew. "Then a little spitfire entered into my life, playing the piano so passionately that it took me by surprise. A spitfire with locks of raven hair, and eyes the color of molten chocolate that saw the world in a way I had never seen it before. I watched that girl, the woman, grow, to come into her own, saw her stand on her own two feet when society sought to tear her down. She made me realize that what I had felt before was only the fondness of friendship."

He took a step closer, and Kagome found herself tilting her head back to keep her gaze on his.

"This woman showed me what it meant to truly have a partner," he continued, "to have someone you can talk to, to be yourself around. She is shrewd, so bright that she deserves all the accolades that can be given, she is joyful, bringing a smile to everyone who meets her or is honored to know her. And that woman has bewitched me, body and soul." His fingers swept across her cheek, carrying the moisture that had begun to fall at his words. "This beautiful, precious woman, she has shown me what it means to love, and to love desperately. There is a question, one that has been burning in my heart to ask her, but I hesitated, waiting to know where her own heart lay because gods above she deserves nothing but true happiness and joy in her life."

"And…" Kagome swallowed, trying to ease the butterflies in her stomach at his words, "and do you now know?"

"I hope so, no, I pray so." He took another step closer, close enough that Kagome could feel the heat of his body reaching out to her. "Kagome…" his voice softened, for her ears only. "I spoke with your mother, and informed her of my intentions, to ask her permission to approach you. But there is only one answer, one person's answer, that truly matters. I love you, I love you most ardently."

"Inuyasha…" Kagome whispered, her eyes closing at his words.

"Kagome, I would be forever honored if you would consent to be not just my wife, but my partner for life, to grow old with me, raise a family together, and to spend centuries letting me learn with you." His hand took hers, lifting it gently to his mouth as he placed a kiss on the back of it, his eyes capturing hers as they reopened. "Marry me Kagome, make me the happiest man in England, no, the world."

"Oh Inuyasha," Kagome smiled even as tears fell from her eyes. "How could you think the answer would be anything but yes?"

A small choked sound that was suspiciously like a sob broke from his lips as his arms came around her, drawing her into his chest as his nose buried itself in her hair.

"I swear I will make you happy." He vowed, his words whispered, but heartfelt.

"We will make each other happy." She whispered back, her own voice deep with emotion.

Inuyasha lifted his head for a moment, his golden eyes swimming with his own tears before he slowly bent, placing his lips against hers.

Kagome let out a soft gasp as a shiver ran through her at the feel of his lips against hers. Oh… oh this was what she had expected a kiss to feel like, the heat, the longing, the…

Her soft sound of disappointment as he lifted his head had Inuyasha chuckling before he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her, spinning her around in his joy.

When he finally let her leave his arms, he bent and took the basket of flowers, his face almost bashful as he handed them to her.

"Flowers have a language," he murmured, "and in case you knew it, I wanted to make sure I chose ones that showed you how I felt."

"I don't know it," Kagome smiled as she sniffed the rose, "but I would love to hear what they mean."

"I… the pink hydrangea means love, sincere emotion. And… they are from my… well our… garden, the hydrangea that I planted after your first visit. And the white rose, that is you, what you are to me, and it means eternal love."

"Eternal love, I like the sound of that." Kagome smiled as she again lifted the basket to catch the scent of the rose. "An eternity by your side."

Inuyasha's arm snuck around her waist to hold her close to him, his eyes closed as he relished the feeling. Kagome let her own arms circle his waist, holding him as close as he held her, as she breathed in his scent, forever imprinting the scent of sandalwood and musk that surrounded him.

"I do have another question though." Inuyasha mused, an eyebrow raising as he drew slightly back, putting a small bit of distance between himself and Kagome.

"Hmmm?" Kagome hummed, to happy to give it much thought.

"Why were you asking about what a wedding night had to do with having children?"

Kagome's face turned bright red as she tried to pull out of his arms, only for them to tighten around her as he grinned. "Uh uh, I want an answer Kagome." he chuckled.

Kagome pouted, the gesture making Inuyasha's grip around her waist tense as he groaned before she answered.

"It was… it was just a comment that Sango made last night, about something happening on the wedding night… and…" her voice trailed off as she buried her face in his chest.

"And…"

"Andneithersangooriknewwhatwouldhappenandiwantedtoknow."

Inuyasha went still as he tried to make sense of her words, and then his shoulders began to shake before he broke out into full body laughter.

"It wasn't that funny." Kagome groaned.

"It is, and one day you will realize why." Inuyasha's laughter faded to chuckles as he lifted her chin to meet his gaze.

"Why won't anyone tell me though?"

The smile that curved his lips sent sensation through Kagome, one she had felt around Inuyasha before, but never quite as strong. When he bent down, his breath hit her ear and she found herself shivering, not with cold, but with the sensation that it caused.

"Because, Ka-Go-Me," he breathed, saying each syllable of her name slowly as she gasped, "some things are better experienced in the moment, it just isn't the same when you are told."

A soft nip of teeth against her ear had her trembling, her knees threatening to buckle as Inuyasha straightened, his eyes shimmering with a deep copper.

"I…" She stammered, her breathing ragged.

"I can give you a small preview, if you would like," Inuyasha's voice was husky, the sound sending another wave of sensation through Kagome, making her entire body pulse. "Just a taste… because god your mouth is a temptation."

At his words Kagome's breath caught, and her teeth began to worry her bottom lip.

"Just a taste…" Inuyasha growled as he watched her lips, and then he descended, his mouth capturing hers as he pulled her close against him.

If she thought their first kiss was everything a kiss was supposed to be, she was wrong, oh so wrong. The basket of flowers fell, forgotten, to the ground as her hands caught at his shoulders. The slant of his mouth changed and she felt herself whimper, her body caught in a sea of flames as his tongue teased the seam of her mouth. When she opened it tentatively Inuyasha groaned and pulled himself away from her, placing his forehead against hers as he panted, struggling to bring his emotions under control.

"That is what it will be like on our wedding night, and every night thereafter." He groaned, his eyes opening to meet hers. "That and more, so much more."

"Oh…" Kagome whispered, her own eyes closing as she tried to get her breathing back under control.

"Come, let us tell your family the good news, and then I will head to the church, to ask that the bans be read."

Kagome nodded, letting Inuyasha claim her hand, her fingers tightly wound around his, as he knelt to put the flowers back in the basket and handed it to her.

As Sango, Mai and Martha chattered excitedly around her, Kagome kept her gaze on Inuyasha, and the happy twinkle in his eye. No, the wedding night was no longer something to be feared, but something to be anticipated.

She was going to be his wife. Inuyasha's wife.

When her smile formed she tipped her head back and laughed. She was going to be Inuyasha's wife!


Yeah... so... this chapter got away from me but... I love InuKag and I couldn't help it. Then add to that a fascination with Bridgerton, and there was a scene in Season three that I could not help but pay tribute to in this, and it kinda grew the chapter into what it is now.

And I'm not even mad about it lol.

This story should be finished in about two chapters now, next chapter we go back to our beloved MirSan, and what has happened between Miroku and Shima.