Disclaimer: Don't own, believe me :)

I know I said I'd given up on one shots, but I figured with my mojo missing (we're still looking for the thief) I'd start off slow and write a one shot or two to just, you know, eeeease myself back into writing. I love writing and I don't want to be totally tapped out so quickly. So, enjoy and be brutally honest :)

*Christmas songs sound in background* Well I've never done it but I figure now is a better time than ever, my first Christmas Special! (probably my only Christmas Special but we'll see where we are this time next year :D)

A Feudal Christmas Tale

By: Sombra112

Kagome hummed to herself as wrapped the Christmas presents she just bought. The smell of freshly baked cookies was in the air along with the cinnamon scented candle that her mother had placed in the front hall. Joyful, beautiful Christmas carols were floating out of the stereo, played from the CD her mom had bought three years ago. The banister of the stairs was wrapped in brightly colored tinsel and lights and the door had a wreath with a big, red, velvet bow.

Gramps was out shoveling. His battle against the leaves was finally over until next fall but winter brought forth the new enemy: snow. He was bundled up in the bright blue scarf his darling daughter had knitted for him for last Christmas. The matching mittens on his hand were much older; a terrible job done by Kagome when she was just learning to sew and knit. Inside was cup of warm green tea along with a blanket and heating pad on the couch for when he came back in.

Souta was out with his friends building snow men or having snow ball fights, the latter the more likely. He would probably come back home just before sunset, his face flushed, his smile bright, and snow still coating his hair and jacket. He would run into the kitchen and steal a warm, gooey cookie from the still hot tray and talk to his mother as she prepared another batch or started baking pies.

Christmas was a time of near constant baking for the loving Ms. Higurashi. Cookies and pies and cupcakes and homemade gingerbread houses. The house smelled of nothing but warm, rising dough once December 1st hit. When Souta was around, he would be the self proclaimed 'poison-tester' risking his life to make sure the family was safe as he sampled the icing and the dough and the pie fillings.

Normally, Kagome would be right along side her. Doing both jobs of baking and poison-testing. Or, while Ms. Higurashi kept Souta and Gramps busy with their favorite treats, Kagome would wrap both of their presents and hide them before joining her family in the kitchen. Then, Christmas night, Ms. Higurashi and Kagome would get up after the boys were asleep and put all the presents under the tree. Everyone in the house was old enough to not believe in Santa anymore, but somehow the magic of Christmas Eve and Day was enough to make them want to. Then everyone would come down that morning, the only day of the year that Souta got up before everyone else, and unwrap gifts and laugh and take pictures for the Christmas Album and play with their new stuff.

However, that was before she met Inuyasha and the gang. She stilldid her part for the wrapping. But, instead of staying with her blood family on Christmas Eve, she was going to jump into her ancient well and go 500 years into the past to spend the time with her self chosen family.

She couldn't wait to see them she thought as she wrapped Miroku's gifts. She had finished, and hid, Gramps and Souta's already and now she was working on her other family's. Since they never saw each other anyway, she didn't have to worry about any of her blood family seeing them.

Kagome was so excited to see her 500 year old family. She knew they didn't celebrate Christmas, didn't even know about it in all likelihood, so she couldn't wait to introduce the concept to them and give them the presents she had spent so much time picking out. They wouldn't have anything for her but a smile but that's all she wanted. It was better to give then receive after all. Kagome smiled at the old saying as she taped the last edge of the present before attaching the ribbon and bow.

"So, sweetie, do you thing they'll like those things you bought them?" Ms. Higurashi asked walking kindly as she walked into the living room, a plate full of steaming sugar cookies with cute snow men made of icing on top in her hands. "I mean, I know you know their tastes better than I do, but they are from a different time."

Kagome laughed as she put the present in the ever growing pile of wrapped ones and pulled one off the ever shrinking pile of unwrapped ones. "Don't worry, mom. They've gotten pretty much used to my modern things and, as you said, I do know their tastes."

Complete opposite of her mother who was wearing her old, mostly faded sweater with a green Christmas tree on the front and her older, gray sweat pants, Kagome was dressed to leave. Her brown jacket was laying against the back of the couch next to Gramps blanket and heating pad and on top of that were her dark red scarf and mittens. Both handmade by Ms. Higurashi two years ago for just this holiday. Kagome was wearing her super warm, super comfy skinny jeans and her warm, fleece lined white snow boots that matched her long sleeve white shirt. As soon as she was done, she planned on going to the past and seeing her friends/family. She would give them the presents and they would unwrap them and she would laugh and take pictures and they would admire their new stuff then she would be back in time to put the other presents under the tree with her mom. It was perfect.

Ms. Higurashi placed the plate on the table and grabbed one before standing up. To make up for all the sweets ingested during the holidays, the family didn't eat another sweat until Valentine's Day. Though Kagome felt she shouldn't have to follow that rule anymore as she was constantly running, fighting for her life, or being scared out of a year of her life all the time.

"The last batch of cookies are in the oven." Ms. Higurashi said as she took a bite. "I'll take those out, let them cool a bit, then pack them up with the others."

"Thanks, mom." Kagome smiled up at her. She wanted to make her ancient friends have the best first Christmas ever! It was going to be great! "I'll be home, hopefully, before midnight." The second part of that sentence was carefully not said. 'As long as nothing happens'. Momma Higurashi already knew her daughter could be killed at anytime in the Feudal Era. It was only Inuyasha's protection that made her able to bare it. She didn't need the reminder on Christmas.

"Well, no need to rush." Ms. Higurashi beamed. "Say hi to everyone for me."

"Oh!" Kagome's cry prevented Ms. Higurashi from leaving. "I totally forgot to get something for Christmas dinner!"

Ms. Higurashi laughed and grabbed her daughter's chin. "Just because you did doesn't mean I did. I just finished putting it in your backpack."

Kagome smiled and jumped up to hug her mom. "Oh, thank you! You're the greatest mom ever!"

"It's the first Christmas you're planning on your own. Of course you're going to forget something. It's my job to remember it for you." Ms. Higurashi squeezed her once before letting go. "Now finish with your pretty wrappings and bows so your friends can rip it off in a few hours."

Kagome laughed and returned to her wrapping as Ms. Higurashi returned to the kitchen.

It was going to be such a great Christmas! Shippo would laugh and cry with joy as he got new toys and new candies and more cookies than even Inuyasha could eat on his own. Miroku would thank her politely though the excitement in his eyes would betray his true excitement. Sango would smile so bright and hug Kagome and thank her and love both the feminine items and the directly opposite things Kagome got for battle. Keade would blush and thank her and admire the knew stuff. Inuyasha would scoff and pretend he didn't care one way or the other but inside he would really love the fact that Kagome remembered him and brought him stuff.

Christmas would bring its magic not only to the Higurashi household but all the way into the past with her other family.

An hour later, just as Souta ran inside and made a beeline to the kitchen, Kagome put the last present into the pile and sat back with a satisfied smirk. Of course only a few would fit in her backpack with all the food and cookies that would be there-despite the huge size it could achieve without breaking-, so she was putting the rest in two suitcases. One that would roll easily and one that had to be carried.

She practicallt bounced out of the couch so she could begin packing the brightly colored packages inside the suitcases which were already out and open for her use.

She hummed as she packed them, struggled to zip them, then set them by the back door. There was nothing like Christmas as the Higurashi's.

"Okay, mom. I'm done." Kagome called, the last few presents in her arms, as she walked into the kitchen. Souta was already pigging out on some chocolate chips that Ms. Higurashi was going to melt so she could drizzle it on different things. "Is my backpack ready?"

"Yep." Ms. Higurashi pushed the large yellow Thing to her across the table so Kagome could finish putting gifts in. "Are you excited about your first Fuedal Christmas?"

"Unbelievably." Kagome grinned as she tucked as many presents as she could into as many of the small nook and crannies the backpack offered. "If I get any more excited I'll be totally tapped out when I come back later."

Souta jumped up. "Hold on! I got something for Inuyasha! Be right back!" He ran out of the room, chocolate still smeared across his face.

"He adores him so." Ms. Higurashi said fondly. "You'd think they were brothers already."

"'Already'?" Kagome repeated looking up at her mother.

Momma Higurashi laughed 'innocently'. "Did I say 'already'? Oops." She blinked innocently before taking the chocolate chips off the table and turning to the oven.

Kagome rolled her eyes and finished stuffing the bag. Despite putting as many as she could in the suitcases, the bag still almost refused to shut, especially with the sloppily wrapped gift of Souta's. Still she had to keep one present out. It was the handmade scarf Kagome had knitted out of white yarn. She thought it would make that silver hair of his really pop out. She would have made him gloves but he would have hated anything covering his claws.

"Alright. That's all. I guess I'm gone." She said as she turned to put her arms through the straps.

"Say hi for me!" Souta said happily, his face getting redder from his sugar rush as the cookies and chocolate worked their way through his system.

"Okay, see you tomorrow." Kagome winked at Souta and left the house. Her mother tried not to see her off. After all, if she never said goodbye she never had to worry about not seeing her baby again. Instead, she would just wait patiently for the fond welcome back.

Kagome strode happily across the snow cleared path to the well house. She didn't see him but she heard the grunts of her grandfather that followed the scrape of metal on stone. It was getting dark but she didn't worry. Her mother would pull him back in when she felt he had had enough.

She had some trouble getting down the few short steps to the ground floor and throwing her bags over the side of the ancient, creaky well. Well, she didn't exactly throw them. Usually she just jumped in, backpack and all, but since she had so much stuff she had to, one at a time, carry them down the wooden ladder her Gramps and Souta had made for her. She set each bag on the dirt, careful not to touch it herself as that would carry her over sooner than she wanted, before climbing back up to grab another bag and repeating the process.

The last thing down was the backpack, she didn't jump down like she normally did, afraid to hit her suitcases and break something like a gift or her ankle. She climbed down, put one foot on the dirt floor, and like magic she was floating away.

There weren't words proper enough to describe the place that she called the place between worlds. Colors and sounds rushed past her so fast she couldn't make them out. She supposed it was the actual time traveling part. There was a whoosh in her ears, like standing in a very strong wind and her pupils were confused by lights so bright as to blind her and darks so black she couldn't see into them. She felt weightless and completely free as if, for no reason other than they wanted to, her molecules would separate and roam this strange and wonderful place. But, like always, there was a sudden drop in her stomach like an elevator stopping after going down, and her feet were ever so carefully placed onto-

-cold, wet snow.

Kagome shivered as the pleasant roar was replaced with another one. The sound of a blizzard right above her head.

Snow was thick upon the well ground and it just kept coming unlike the delicate flakes that drifted slowly back home.

"No use turning back now." she said stubbornly. She was planning a perfect first Christmas and damn it she was going to get it!

So, using the rope ladder Inuyasha and Miroku had provided for her use a long time ago, she hauled her gifts up the ladder one at a time.

She climbed up last with the rolling suitcase then threw it over before going over herself. If the roar was loud inside the well, it was deafening outside of the well. She grabbed her scarf, wrapped it around her head, then pulled her hood up to protect herself from the cold.

Already feeling the cold leak through her gloves, she pulled her backpack on, unburried the carryinbg suitcase, put Inuyasha's scarf in her backpocket, then picked everything up and started walking.

Kagome had sludged through mud, felt her self turning into human jerky in the heat, run from many demons all of them bent on killing her in the worst way they knew how. But she had yet to try and walk through a feudal era blizzard. She had no hope of Inuyasha smelling her, unless she cut a major vein and let herself bleed out, because, much like a storm, the snow was blowing her scent away.

It was hard, if not impossible, to navigate through the snow and near blindness the blizzard brought. So she set her eyes on the Sacred Tree, it was taller than all the surrounding trees and, to her sight at least, it emmitted a pure glow. Not as strong as a jewel shard, not even close, but it did have its own light. Once she made her way to the Sacred Tree she could find the village.

If she didn't keep hitting her feet on rocks and unearthed roots or tripping on holes she could no longer see.

And, added to the weight of all her stuff, she was freezing. Her jacket and jeans were meant for the gentle cold of home, not the bone freezing blizzard of 500 years past.

It took her forever, longer than she really wanted to think about, to reach the sacred tree. She collapsed among it's roots, it's snow covered roots and shrugged off her giant backpack.

"I don't...remember...it being...that far...away." she panted as she tried to move. The cold had frozen her limbs and she was getting sleepy. Dangerously so. She didn't need to have gone to health class to know that falling asleep right now would be a monumentally bad idea. "Inuyasha..." She fought to keep her eyes open. "I need...Inuyasha..."

Slowly, way too slowly, she reached into her backpack and pulled out a small box that had Sango's name on a little tag though she couldn't see it.

She brought it to her mouth, ripped it open with her teeth and struggled to open the box with fingers that had gone numb. It took her a while, forever it seemed, to get it open. But the flash of silver told her she had done it.

"Please work." she muttered as she took off her gloves and removed the cold metal blade with ivory handle from the box. "Inuyasha, don't let me down."

In one desperate move, either way she could die, she slashed the blade quickly across her wrist. There was a flash of pain then warmth began spreading on the area. Kagome felt dizzy, even before she lost too much blood. There, a major vein cut. If there was anything Inuyasha would be able to smell in this storm, this would be it.

Kagome groaned and opened her eyes. The memory of, what seemed like, only a few moments ago still fresh in her mind. But it couldn't have been only a few seconds like her brain told her because she was laying on a warm futon next to a very warm, very nice fire. Her wet, snowy jacket had been taken off and, she could feel it without needing to look, there was a bandage wrapped firmly around her wrist.

"You're an idiot, you know that?"

Kagome smiled at the angry, irritated voice with a hint of worry lacing the words despite his best efforts to keep it concealed.

"Why do I extend so much personal effort to keep you alive if you're so intent on killing yourself?"

Kagome tilted her head back to look at the irritated hanyou who was glaring down at her sitting cross legged with his arms in his haori sleeves like he did when he was feeling a particularly strong emotion.

"Hey." Kagome croaked. Litterally croaked.

"Here." Inuyasha lifted her head and brought a cup of some liquid to her lips. "It's an elixir, Keade said it would keep the cold away."

Kagome opened her mouth, even before he explained what it was, and started to drink it. If Inuyasha was giving her something when she was sick or injured she could be sure it was healthy and beneficial.

"Thanks." she said happily, her voice sounded more like her now and less like a bull frog.

"So, do you care to explain why you seem to want to come here in the middle of a blizzard carrying all your stuff?" he asked as he set her head gently back on the pillow. He was so careful with her sometimes she wondered how it was possible those same hands could literally tear a human or demon limb from limb.

Kagome looked across the hut and saw her two suitcases and her yellow backpack leaning against the wall. "Oh, yeah. Merry Christmas, Inuyasha." She beamed up at him.

"Chris-miss?" he repeated as he turned his head curiously. "What's Chris-miss?"

"Where is everyone?" she asked instead of answering as she sat up. As if by reflex, he reached out and helped her.

"Keade's with a sick kid, Shippo's probably playing in someones house. As for Miroku and Sango, I can only guess they've found shelter and are waiting out the storm." he shrugged. He wasn't worried, Sango could look after Miroku.

"NO!" Kagome jumped up then immediately regretted the decision as her world tilted.

"Watch it!" Inuyasha warned as he jumped up and steadied her. "Do I need to mention that you just lost a lot of blood in freezing weather? You're lucky you're not dead."

"Why aren't they here?" Kagome demanded to know. It was Christmas, dang it! Their first one! They couldn't be gone!

"Shippo wanted to play, Keade needed to treat a sick kid and Sango and Miroku were out chopping firewood. Why does that bother you suddenly?" he asked while looking deep into her eyes. Maybe she had suffered more than just blood loss and severe cold.

"Because they need to be here!" she moaned unhappily. "I brought them presents for Christmas."

"Chris-miss?" he inwardly groaned. Damn her! Why does she insist on looking so damn cute and pathetic? "Alright. I'll go get them. Just lay down."

"Oh, no. You don't need to do that." Kagome shook her head. "It's way too dangerous outside."

"I came and got you, didn't I?" he asked.

Kagome cried out in shock as he suddenly reached under her legs and picked her up bridal style. "Now, I'll go get everyone if you promise to stay here and rest." As gentle as a mother laying her baby to sleep, Inuyasha placed her back on the futon and covered her up. "Okay?"

Kagome smiled at the direct contrast between his harsh words and his gentle actions. "Okay. Just be careful."

"Keh." he scoffed. "How many times do I got to tell you? I ain't a weak human like you."

And just like that he was gone.

Kagome waited a few minutes, then he was back with a sullen Shippo tucked into the crook of his elbow.

"I don't see why I gotta-"

"Shut up runt. Kagome wants you here for Chris-miss." Inuyasha dropped the suddenly joyous fox kit on lap.

"Kagome! You're back!" The bushy tailed, red headed fox demon ran up and snuggled into her neck. "What are you doing here?"

"Hey, Shippo." Kagome nuzzled him back. "I came for Christmas."

"Chris-mess?" Shippo looked confused.

"No, runt." Inuyasha snorted and looked superior. "It's Chris-miss, not Chris-mess."

"Oooh." Shippo looked impressed. "So, what's Chris-miss?"

"Kagome can explain." Inuyasha changed the subject. "I have to go pick up a wrinkly old bag of bones." Before Kagome could chastise him, he was out the door again.

"Kagome, what's Chris-miss?" Shippo asked as she sat up despite her promise.

"It's a holiday." Kagome smiled. "Where everyone gets gifts and food and candy-"

"Candy!" Shippo looked up excited.

"That's right." Kagome nodded. Slowly, so as not to bring on the dizziness, she walked over to her bags and opened her backpack. "I brought you a whole bunch of stuff."

"Oh! Oh! Can I have it?" Shippo begged so cutely.

But Kagome shook her head. "Not until Christmas."

"But you just said it was Chris-miss." he pointed out with a pout.

"Not until everyone gets here." Kagome smiled. "Christmas isn't Christmas without family."

"Fine." Shippo sulked over to the mat and curled up in the warm spot left by her body.

Kagome was pulling presents out of the bag when Inuyasha came back without Keade.

"Hey! What did I tell you?" he growled upon seeing her up and moving.

"Shippo stole my spot." Kagome pointed at Shippo who was curled up into a cute little ball on her futon.

"You're head weighs more than him." Inuyasha growled. "What are those?" he asked suddenly noticing the brightly wrapped boxes.

"Presents!" Kagome smiled. Then she frowned. "Where's Keade?"

"She says she's staying with the sick kid." he tilted his head as he examined the pretty things. "She says she doesn't know what Chris-miss is but it can't be more important than helping a sick kid."

Kagome sighed. "I suppose that's true. I guess we'll just have to do without her."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Don't look so bummed out. I'll go get the twit and Sango."

Kagome groaned unhappily as she began putting Keade's stuff in a pile in a corner. This perfect first Christmas was definitely not going the way she wanted.

"Does that mean Chris-miss won't happen because Keade's not here?" Shippo looked sad.

"No. It will still happen." Kagome tried to smile. "It just wont be...perfect."

"Huh?"

"Nothing." Kagome shook her head. "Here, eat this!"

She tossed him a candy cane.

"I haven't seen this kind of candy before," Shippo examined it as he unwrapped the plastic. "It's not chocolate." Chocolate was his favorite.

"Just try it." she insisted as she unloaded the cookies.

Shippo stuck the long end in his mouth and beamed. "This is good! What is it?"

"Cinnamon." Kagome laughed. "Traditional favorite."

"Yummy!" Shippo sucked on it with all apparent joy as Kagome unloaded the, now, cold food. This was definitely not her dream holiday.

Inuyasha didn't return until she had unloaded everything and was trying to rewarm the food by the fir.

The irritated hanyou walked in, both friends on his back and neither looking particularly happy.

"Hey, Kagome." Sango said, nearly as frustrated as Inuyasha as she got off of him. "It's nice to see you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" both Inuyasha and Miroku grumbled. The normally happy monk looked completely irate.

"Not you, Inuyasha." she said though she didn't look pleased with him either. "I was talking to that blockhead." She glared as Miroku.

"I said I was sorry." Miroku said through gritted teeth as he closed his eyes, obviously praying for patience. "I didn't think the storm would get this bad this fast."

"Well you were wrong." Sango growled. "We're lucky Inuyasha came!"

"We were doing okay." he protested angrily.

"But for how long?" Sango demanded to know.

"Um..." Kagome said unhappily. "Guys, you shouldn't fight. It's Christmas."

"Yeah!" Shippo, completely unaffected by the fight, said. "We get candy and gifts!"

"Oh. You brought us gifts, Lady Kagome?" Miroku asked kindly. "That was-"

"Don't change the subject." Sango growled, clearly not done with him.

"I already apologized. What more do you want?" he asked.

"Guys." Kagome stood up. "It's Christmas, a time for family, not fighting." She held out a box to Sango. "Sorry. I unwrapped it. And...got it bloody."

"Bloody?" Sango looked and just noticed how pale and weak her friend looked. "Kagome, what happened?"

"She got stuck outside." Inuyasha said looking disapprovingly at her. "I thought I said to take it easy."

"But-"

"No buts." he went to her, picked her up again and made as if he was going to lay her back down.

"Wait!" Kagome stopped him. "I'll sit down, just let me give you guys your presents."

Inuyasha sighed and went to the wall where her presents were. Gently, he set her down then sat right beside her as if to guard her from moving more than he thought was safe.

"Okay." Kagome settled back. "Sango, open it. Sorry...again."

Sango opened the box and gasped. Kagome wasn't kidding. The blade was very bloody, blood that had even worked it's way up to the hilt. A quick look at the bandage around Kagome's wrist told her what happened. "Uh..." she said trying to cover her gasp. "It's a...beautiful knife." She examined it without picking it up. She wouldn't until she could clean it. But, even under the dried blood, she could see the careful craftsmanship in the lovely white handle and the blade was obviously sharp. "Thank you."

"Sorry about that." Kagome said sheepishly.

"It saved your life." Inuyasha said gruffly. "Don't be sorry."

"How pretty." Miroku said looking at it.

Sango glared at him as if she wanted nothing more than to stab him with it.

"Okay, Shippo." Kagome smiled at the kit who was sniffing at some of the boxes. "That red bag is yours." She pointed to the top of a small pile.

Inuyasha reached up to grab it and passed it to Kagome.

Shippo took it happily and poured it on the floor. "Kagome! Look at all this!" Little gray, plastic cartridges came pouring out. Games for his Gameboy. "These look so fun!" He grabbed them and looked at the titles as his mind was already trying to decide which one to play first.

"Miroku, that small blue one is yours." she said. Immediatly, Inuyasha reached over her to grab it and pass it on. It was clear he didn't want her to do anything more exhausting than talk.

Miroku took it. "It's a lovely box. Thank you." He examined it.

Kagome giggled. "You have to tear the paper off."

He looked uncertain. "Are you sure? It's very pretty."

"Just do it." she urged.

He shrugged and tore the shiny blue paper off revealing a box that said 'Wood Polisher'.

"It's for your staff." Kagome grinned. "It's supposed to make it look good and make the wood stronger as you continue to use it."

"Why thank you." he grinned. "That's very thoughtful. You are always so thoughtful."

"You trying to say something?" Sango glared at him as she closed the knife box.

"Of course not." Miroku said haughtily. "I'm mearly commenting on the fact that Kagome is a nice person."

"That's it!" Sango screeched.

Kagome gasped as she tackled him and they went flying right into her presents.

"Hey!" Inuyasha growled as he grabbed Kagome and pulled her out of the line of fire preventing her from saving her precious presents.

"No!" Kagome cried as Sango punched him into the presents and she heard a terrible crunch.

Miroku, only a gentleman when a woman wasn't punching him, kicked out his feet, tripping Sango and sending her crashing into the cookies. As she stood up she swept a good portion of the food into the fire.

"NO!" Kagome begged as tears fell but neither of them heard her as Shippo squealed and tried to protect his new games.

"Watch it!" Inuyasha kept trying to keep Kagome out of harms way but it was getting increasingly hard as she was wiggling, trying to save her Christmas.

"You dense headed-"

"-oversensitive, overreacting-"

"-who won't even listen-"

"-can't let go of one mistake-"

"Please!" Kagome's pleas were drowned out by their fight.

Inuyasha set her down and turned to his fighting friends. In one quick move, he had grabbed both of them by the back of the collar and had separated. "Knock it off!"

Kagome sat on the ground, tears pouring down her face as she surveyed the damage.

"Kagome?" Miroku blinked as if he had just noticed her. "Oh, I...uh, don't..."

"Look what you did!" Sango accused.

"Hey, you started it!" Inuyasha growled. "Just because it's your moontime doesn't mean you have to take it out on everyone else!"

Sango blushed fire red. "How- You- I-UGH!"

"Yeah, get over it." Inuyasha dropped them both to the floor. "Kagome, they-Kagome!"

He looked behind him but she was gone.

"She ran out." Shippo said as he piled his games in a corner, to protect them from any future fights. "Took her jacket and left."

"Damn her!" Inuyasha howled as he made to follow.

"Wait!" Miroku stopped him.

"Look, she's already injured she doesn't need to be-"

"I know." Miroku held out her gloves and scarf. "Take these to her."

Inuyasha snatched them and ran out.

Kagome felt the tears on her face freeze and burn as she stumbled through the snow but she didn't care. Her Christmas, her supposed to be perfect Christmas, was in tatters. She had given everything to make this a perfect time for her and her friends but-

She pulled her jacket close but she was cold and dizzy and her fingers had gone numb. This day had turned out horrible. No one had been there, Keade ended up not coming at all, Sango's knife was ruined, the food was destroyed, the presents were in pieces, she was suffering from blood loss and hypothermia; the day couldn't get worse.

Kagome cried out and fell.

She looked up and noticed she had stumbled all the way back to the sacred tree. Whatever blood spill there was had been covered by snow but, she saw through the thick snow, a piece of blue wrapper sticking out of the snow.

Thinking it was a piece of Sango's knife wrapper, she reached out and grabbed it. Then was horrified to discover that it had weight to it.

"No." she moaned. That would make it worse.

She pulled, forgotten in the snow, Inuyasha's scarf that she had placed in her back pocket. She must have dropped it and Inuyasha hadn't seen it when he rescued her and her stuff.

The crying got worse as she curled up under the Sacred Tree, holding the scarf to her chest as if it were her own child.

"There you are!"

She looked up as a black shape in the snow materialized itself into Inuyasha as he knealed next to her.

"What's wrong with you! You really do have a deathwish don't you?"

He picked her up and opened his haori so he could pull her inside it so she could be closer to his body heat and wrapped in his fire rat fur.

"Jeez. Here."

She looked up in shock when he wrapped her scarf around her head.

That was it, she couldn't take it anymore. She really started cry then. Incomprehensible sobs tore from her throat as her body was wracked with the force of her tears.

"Calm down, calm down!" he said desperately.

She was crying so hard she almost missed him start moving as he turned from the tree.

"It's okay. I don't know what Chris-miss is but it can't be worth all this."

He kept her bundled close as he walked with her. She didn't know where he was taking her but found out when she felt them fall and a very familiar weightlessness came over her.

That brief moment in between time calmed her down enough so that she could look up and notice herself being put back in her tiem with Inuyasha carrying her.

"Huh, guess there's no blizzard here." he said his ears twitching from the sudden silence.

"Inuyasha."

He looked down and was pleased to see she had stopped crying.

"You done then?" he asked gruffly as he jumped them out of the well. "Good, let's get you inside."

"Wait." she said softly but he stopped. "Put me down." When he hesitated she said, "I just don't want to go inside yet."

He shrugged and set her next to the well so she could lean against the stone and sat next to her.

"Merry Christmas." she said passing him the present.

He took it and took one look at her depressed face before opening it without a word. One small slash of his claw had a slit in the paper and he reached in and pulled out the soft and hand made scarf from inside.

"Huh?"

"I made it myself." she said dejectedly. "You were the hardest to shop for, I just couldn't think of what to get you. So I got a few things and made that."

He unfolded it and admired her handy work. It was as soft as a dream and as white as a cloud.

"Thanks." he said and wrapped it around his neck like he had done to her.

Kagome looked at him and blinked in surprise.

"What?" he asked, looking cautious. He knew he was wearing it right...right?

Kagome smiled, just a little upturn of the corners of her mouth.

He looked...he looked like a very skinny, very young, very sexy, Santa Clause.

She felt her lips tremble and he jumped.

"Hey! Don't cry! What did I do?" he asked worriedly.

"Everything." Kagome said with a smile.

This whole terrible, ruined Christmas, Inuyasha had been trying to make it work for her. He brought her friends, her brought the gifts, he saved her life-again-. He passed out the presents, he kept making sure she was alright. He was just like a very sexy, young Santa Clause.

"Santa, baby..." she said quietly.

"Huh?" he looked totally confused.

"Thank you!" She jumped at him and threw her arms around his neck.

He sighed. "It's not yourmoontime yet so why are you being so weird?"

Kagome laughed and shook her head. "Why are you so good to me?"

Inuyasha blushed though she couldn't see. "I-uhh...um..."

"Merry Christmas, Inuyasha." she smiled into the crook of his neck.

"Yeah, you too." he blinked.

He sat back against the well but didn't let go, he took her with him and set her in his lap. She wasn't moving again without his permission.

Kagome looked down at his chest at their scarves which had wrapped themselves around each other and she smiled.

Inuyasha sat there with her snuggled into his warmth as he stared up at the crease where the wall met the ceiling. He didn't move again until he felt her breathing steady and he heard her heartbeat slow.

He then looked down at her and smiled slightly. She looked like a sweet angel with her head on his chest and her hand resting on their scarves.

Being careful not to jar her, he stood up and bundled her close. He walked up the stairs and slid open the well house doors. The gentle winter wonderland outside was an almost stunning contrast to the blizzard from home. He checked her to make sure she was still sleeping before jumping over the house and landed gracefully on her window sill. It only took a moment to slide open her window, which she always kept unlocked for his use, crawl inside and lay her on her bed.

She was so tired and worn out from blood loss and the hard crying that she didn't notice when he slid her jacket off, unwrapped her scarf and took of her boots. He pulled her pink blanket up and tucked her into it. He patted her hair, took a deep breath of her scent, a habit he formed to make sure she smelled the same when he came back after leaving her in case some demon or human had done something to her, before he left the room.

Immediately, like a tidal wave, the smell of baking and food reached his nose.

He walked down the stairs and followed Kagome's families scent into the kitchen.

Ms. Higurashi was pulling something that smelled delicious out of the oven as Souta ate more of the sweet things and Gramps sipped sedately at his tea.

Souta noticed him first.

"Inuyasha!" He yelled and ran over to him as the other two looked up.

"Hello, dear." Ms. Higurashi smiled at him. "Welcome. Is Kagome here too?"

"She's sleeping upstairs." Inuyasha said as Souta stood at his side and beamed up at him with hero worship in his eyes. Personally, he had never been sure how to respond to it, disgust was the emotion most people had in their eyes when they looked at him, so he was always kind of awkward around the boy. Ms. Higurashi, however, was easy to like. She reminded him exactly like his own mother, the kindness and care she offered was nearly identical, so he found himself drawn to her.

"Is she alright?" Ms. Higurashi asked.

Inuyasha looked awkward. Because the woman was so motherly he found it nearly impossible to tell her when Kagome was injured.

But he didn't need to say anything, she got it anyway. "So, did you get your gifts?" she changed the subject knowing if it was anything to worry about Inuyasha would have told her.

"Well..." he trailed off. "There was a little...issue back there."

"Oh?" she asked as Souta grabbed his hand and led him to the table.

"You have to taste this, Inuyasha." he said eagerly.

"Can you explain this Chris-miss to me?" he asked her.

Ms. Higurashi grinned happily. "Have a cookie, dear." she said pointing to the sugar cookie Souta was trying to give him. "And let me tell you all about it..."

Two hours later Inuyasha jumped down the well much more knowledgeable about Christmas and exactly why Kagome had been so upset.

"Inuyasha!" Miroku jumped as his friend walked back inside the hut and shook the snow off his head. The blizzard had calmed down slightly but it was by no means calm.

"Is Kagome okay?" Sango asked worriedly. Shippo was sleeping in the corner, surrounded by his games his Gameboy still on his lap.

They had both obviously tried to clean up but presents were still dented and ripped, the food wasn't ashes was burned to a crisp, the cookies were ground to dust, and everything still looked shabby.

"She's back in her time." he said unhappily as he walked over to her present pile. "She's pretty upset."

"Oh, we're sorry Inuyasha." Sango said sadly. "We didn't mean to make her cry."

"Yeah." Miroku said. "We even made up, see?" He through his arm around Sango's shoulder and she put hers on his waist and they smiled brightly.

"I don't need to know that, Kagome does." Inuyasha pointed out as he picked up a box that had been squished to an unrecognizable shape.

"We know." Miroku nodded.

"Don't worry though," Inuyasha smirked as he looked at them, "I know how to make it right."

"Is this really necessary?" Kagome asked as Inuyasha wrapped his scarf around her eyes and tied it.

"Absolutely." Inuyasha smirked proudly.

The blizzard had blown itself out yesterday and Inuyasha had taken her through the well claiming he had a 'surprise' for her.

"Okay, now I'm going to put you on my back, okay?" he said so as not to freak her out.

"Alright." Kagome said smiling at the air.

He grabbed her arms and put them around his neck, bent down and grabbed her knees and stood up with her. She was so light and delicate it was a wonder he didn't break her, he thought as she adjusted herself.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Yeah." she said eagerly.

He jumped into the air and Kagome squeaked. She was used to him doing this with her but she had never done it with her eyes covered, it brought a new level of fear/excitement to the act. But it also brought a terrifying new level of perception. She could feel him making arks in the sky because her stomach was dropping as he did so but she could also feel his muscles in his back working as he jumped and the power of his thighs as he pushed. Kagome bit her lip and prayed the wind blowing past his ear would drown out the sound of her heartbeat.

"Okay." he said as he stopped. She felt him lower himself to the ground and he guided her legs to the ground.

Kagome smiled and kept her hands on his shoulders to keep herself steady.

He ran behind her and grabbed her shoulders instead and pushed her forward slowly. "Ready?" he asked as they moved.

"Yes?" she giggled and she jerked when he stopped her.

"Okay." she felt his claws on the back of her head. "3...2..." he undid the knot but kept it over her eyes. "1!"

He yanked it off and Kagome heard several voices call out, "Merry Chris-miss!"

Her eyes adjusted to the light and she felt tears well up.

In the corner of Keade's hut was a small tree, an oak not a pine, and it had been decorated with colored obi like tinsel. The fire was crackling merrily and acorns were roasting over it. Someone had sewn six pieces of cloth into cones and had hung them on the wall like stockings and her presents had been meticulously reshaped, though they still looked roughed up, and put in pretty piles around the tree. Miroku was smiling at her wearing a strange hat made of white rabbit fur and Sango had a red kimono on with white fur around her waist instead of an obi. Keade was sitting next to the fire, the rabbit that had sacrificed it's fur dressed up like a Christmas turkey in front of her. Shippo had a candy cane in his mouth and two more pocking out of his vest. Each of them were smiling brightly.

"Guys..." Kagome laughed. Then she noticed among all her carefully wrapped and destroyed presents were a few wrapped in spare cloths, big leaves, one was even encased in a box. She realized they were her friends' own attempt at making Christmas presents.

"Just like you wanted. Right?" Inuyasha asked nervously.

"You did this?" Kagome beamed at him. She hugged him before he could deny it and say something stupid. "Thank you so much!"

"Come on!" Sango gestured her over and Kagome noticed her knew knife, freshly cleaned, at her side. "Let's unwrap our gifts!"

Kagome laughed as Miroku held up her camera.

She took it from him and quickly snapped a picture of them.

A few hours later, Kagome looked at Inuyasha who was trying to figure out the nail file she had thought he might get a kick out of. "This is the best Christmas ever."

He smirked at her. "Of course."

"Merry Chris-miss, Inuyasha."

"Merry Christmas, Kagome."