Chapter Eleven

"We need to talk." Kouga said the moment he managed to get Kagome alone. The "alone" was when she retired to the small room the Slayer had offered in the back of the small hut. He caught himself one handed against the top of the wooden window plate and smoothly slid through the opening, ducking his head before standing to his full height in the small room.

Kagome looked up, startled at his sudden appearance. "About what?" She asked uneasily.

Kouga closed the window frame and was thankful that she hadn't chosen tonight to go back to the small hut she had shared with Inuyasha. Eventually, she was. The two still had things to settle and whether it resulted in the hut being occupied by one or two, he didn't care right now.

Kagome had the feeling she knew what he wanted to discuss. The look on his face was taunt—he was angry. She walked to the door across the room and twisted the lock. She couldn't even begin to imagine how she would explain to Sango if she saw Kouga climbing through her window.

"About you."

"What's there to talk about?" She retorted.

His eyebrows slanted down. Kouga stalked around a chair blocking his way. "A lot, I'd say."

He was still angry. Kagome sighed. "I'm alright, Kouga."

"Keep being stupid and you might not be next time."

"Is this why you came? To chastise me?" Kagome bristled, watching him fold his arms over his chest. "I can take care of myself, Kouga. You yourself said they weren't poison."

They hadn't been. He would have known. But knowing that she willingly put it on herself, he wasn't having it. He'd be damned before letting her put herself in that position. Watching her vomit, unable to control the shudders and the sour tang of bile—Kouga would take her away himself if the others continued to let her endanger herself. How dare Inuyasha let her?

"They weren't poison. But you might not be so lucky next time, Kagome. Are we clear?"

"Excuse me?" Kagome asked, her voice faltering.

His eyes narrowed as he repeated his own words in his head. Not poison. Something flashed through his eyes. "Are you pregnant?" He asked evenly, his words low.

"Excuse me?" Kagome repeated, though this time her sentence was directed at his question. Had she heard him right?

"Are you with child, Kagome?" Kouga asked again, his tone never changing. His lips thinned at the thought. His heart tightened clenched—what if she was? What if it was his—what if it wasn't?

Kagome paled. What? No. No, of course not. Realizing the reason for his question she could feel her cheeks heating. She would have had to have sex to get pregnant. She'd had sex with Kouga. She'd woken up wrapped in his arms, just as naked as he.

"Kagome?"

Realizing he was waiting for an answer, Kagome cleared her throat. "No. No, of course not."

"Are you sure?" Kouga pressed on. His eyes dipped down, moving over her flat stomach.

God, of course she was sure. "I'm sure, Kouga." Kagome said awkwardly.

Kouga retained his silence and then his nose twitched as he sniffed the air between them. "I don't smell any blood."

"Blood?"

"Your time of the month." He said flatly. The image of her sick played in his mind, over and over. He didn't like it.

"Kouga!" Kagome whispered, her cheeks heating in mortification but Kouga didn't look repentant in the least. He was serious. She shook her head. "I swear, Kouga. I'm not...you would have had to..." She faltered, but only because she couldn't bring herself to say what was on her mind. She wasn't pregnant. It was mortifying going over this with him. She didn't completely remember that night, but vague memories still haunted her dreams. "Did you?" She forced herself to ask.

Kouga knew what she was asking, even if she didn't say it. Had he come in her? He shrugged.

Kagome had made up her mind that they were going to leave that night behind. She hadn't wanted to talk about it. Talking about it made it real. Talking about it wouldn't let her forget that she cared for him.

She shook her head. "I...I'm not, Kouga." She wasn't going to explain, he wouldn't understand.

Kouga exhaled, some of the tension leaving his shoulders. What would he have done if she had said yes? He didn't know. The thought that if she had been, he would have had to wait until the child was fully developed in her womb to know if the child was his or Inuyasha's.

His lips thinned at the reminder.

Then again, he hadn't smelled Inuyasha on her. Not even now. He nodded. Seeing her expression, he unfolded his arms. "I had to ask. You understand that, right?"

Kagome nodded. Of course he'd want to know. But she wasn't. The truth of that was harsh. She wasn't. She wanted children someday. She wanted... She looked away. "Are you done bitching at me?"

His lips quirked. He didn't understand the term, but he was sure it was some kind of insult from her time. The impact was the same. "Only if you're done doing stupid things." Kouga started towards her and when he reached her, he sighed and tilted her face up to his with two fingers beneath her chin. "But I don't want to be done with you, Kagome."

Kagome didn't have it in her to chastise him for what he was doing. He was doing it again, asking for what he had wanted for years now. Except this time around, he was being verbal about it. She had told him before, she couldn't promise him anything.

This time, she actually wanted to promise him something.

She hated the way she blushed around him. It was an involuntary reaction that happened around him. It didn't make sense why she liked him. She rarely saw him. The past was catching up to them, bringing feelings she didn't understand.

Sooner or later, she was going to have to go back to her and Inuyasha's hut. She couldn't continue to stay with Sango and her growing brood.

Kouga pushed the dark hair back from her face. She was quiet. "Will you at least give me a chance this time?"

Give him a chance? Kagome looked through his blue eyes, searching for something, but not knowing what. What if she said yes? What if she said no? Before, he had said he wasn't going to push for anything. Now he was asking for it. He wasn't begging. He wasn't taking. He was asking.

Her tongue slid over her lips. "I want to." She finally admitted. "I just...I don't want to hurt you."

Kouga's lips quirked. "I've always imagined you saying something like that to me." His eyes moved over her face. He was still angry, but at least they were on even ground now.

He was still waiting for an answer, but he wasn't voicing his question again. He was leaving it up to her. Kagome finally nodded slowly. A small smile spread over his lips. There was nothing smug about it. It was just a small smile. There was contentment there.

Hope.

Her heart skipped a beat when he lowered his head, cupping the side of her neck. His clawed thumb swept over her pulse. He hadn't come here for this and she certainly hadn't been expecting it but she didn't protest when he kissed her.

He'd come here angry. He'd come here with the intent to show her just how stupid her actions had been. Instead, he found himself doing something he'd said he wouldn't. He didn't regret the action.

Kagome sighed at the gentleness in the kiss. His tongue swept over her bottom lip and Kagome tentatively yielded, sinking against his armored body. He smelled like the woods and he tasted like the forest. Something dark and animal.

Her fingers closed over the armor covering his wrist and he lifted his arms, breaking her hold so that he could form his own around her.

"As much as I want to make some memories that I will actually remember, I'm not going to push my luck." Kouga murmured huskily, breaking the kiss.

Kagome kept her eyes closed, pressing her forehead against his chest. Time would tell how she was going to push herself forward. But Kouga was here to help her, wasn't he? She stepped back, the expression on her face shy as she smiled and looked up into his tan face. "...thank you."

He gave her a smile brilliant smile that sent her heart into over time all over again. She hadn't promised him the world—but he was being given a chance. He just had to make sure he beat Inuyasha to the finish line.