All chapters have been slightly edited. Nothing severe as to warrant re-reading the story but you can if you want.

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Kagome picked up Shippo with an amused smile on her face, "So how did your man to man talk go?"

Shippo smiled and snuggled into his mother, "Sorry, I can't tell you; you aren't a man."

She laughed and headed towards the McDonalds where she was to meet Kouga and InuYasha. Kagome smiled as she saw Shippo run into InuYasha's arms and cry before bopping him on the head, "Baka, how could you not tell us you were alive?"

"Oi, runt, don't hit me besides I told Kagome."

Kagome looked between the two glares, "I was going to tell you but you looked so cute eating the mudpie I forgot. Please find it in your heart to forgive this lowly ningen for her terrible memory and thoughtlessness."

Shippo nodded imperiously, "Don't let it happen again."

Kagome sighed dramatically, "Thank you for forgiving me, Shippo-sama"

He giggled before giving her a hug and watching her sit down beside Kouga. The miko kissed the youkai on the cheek in greeting and watched as he finished his burger with the etiquette that only a wolf could possess. Stretching, he slung an arm around Kagome, "You and I need to talk about this leaving on your own thing you seem to have."

Kagome raised an eyebrow and InuYasha sympathetically flinched for the youkai who seemed to not know the situation he was heading towards. "Excuse me…"

Kouga's instincts were screaming at him to backpedal as fast as possible. The ookami's eyes widened when she grabbed his ears and pulled his head towards her mouth, "I am not a child so do not treat me like one."

He grinned wolfishly, "You're anything but a child."

He leaned towards her and kissed her quickly. Kagome pushed him away, her face beet red, "There are children here."

"Let them see. Let the whole world know how I feel about my woman."

InuYasha gagged, "Jeez, you two just fuck and get over it."

Kagome sent him a swift kick earning a yelp. The hanyou rubbed his shin sending the girl a heated glare but he kept silent. The group then left the fast food establishment and walked along the sidewalk each of them enjoying the tranquil atmosphere. Shippo watched Kagome's interactions between the two. She seemed much happier than she had been for a long time.

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Houjo stood up from his position at the Talon and sending a brief smile towards Lana he paid for his meal and began to return to the hotel. As he was walking towards his room he spotted Kagome sitting with two men, Kouga he recognized; the other looked familiar but he couldn't place where he had seen the white hair man before. He decided to investigate the matter later on. First he had to meet up with the girls who were fast becoming dead weights in his pursuit of Kagome. He only kept them around to gleam information from and currently they knew less than he did. There was only one thing left to do. He pulled out his cellphone and called Eri, "Can you guys meet me at the hotel at 6? I'd like for us to eat together tonight."

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Going over the last question from her history assignment, Kagome growled at Kouga, "Can you please stop that. I need to write about what humans believe. I don't think that my history teacher will care that the Great Chicago Fire was actually caused by a fire youkai with a head-cold."

Kouga grumbled good naturedly, "Humans ignore what is in front of them. It is quite convenient in a way. Speaking of ignorant…what are you still doing here, InuYasha?"

"Shut up wolfie. I just wanted to see Kagome. You forget I have not seen her in 500 years as well."

Biting her lip, Kagome, "InuYasha, are you going to be okay? I mean you being out on this night of all nights?"

"Feh."

"Fear not, Kagome, I will protect InuYasha for you."

Giggling at InuYasha's sputtering, she stood up. "I'm going to shower and put up my homework. You two try to behave. I'll be back soon."

Drying her hair Kagome flinched at seeing Sesshoumaru in her bedroom. "Holy shit, Sesshoumaru! You scared me. Why couldn't I sense your youki?"

Sesshoumaru smiled, "That is my reason as to why I don't want to be sensed."

That unlike Sesshoumaru response sent alarms ringing through her head. The alarms started to blare when he ran a finger along her cheek.

"Sesshoumaru, I need to fix my hair. Can you wait for me?"

The Sesshoumaru nodded and allowed her to return to the bathroom when she closed the door and turn on the hairdryer. Using the sound as a muffler Kagome pressed the silent alarm button that Kouga had installed in all the rooms. He had teasingly called it the rape button.

Sesshoumaru had just arrived to the study with Kouga and InuYasha when they noticed the light flashing. Kouga cursed. It was Kagome's room. "InuYasha, stay here. You won't do much good as a human."

"Fuck you. You don't think I know that. Just take care of Kagome."

Kagome locked the door while still running the blowdrying. "Sorry for closing the door, Sesshoumaru. I know how sensitive your hearing is. So let me finish up and I'll get out for lessons."

"That is fine."

"KAGOME!" Kagome sighed relieved as she heard Kouga come into the bedroom. "Who are you? And what the fuck are you doing in Kagome's room. Much less looking like Sesshoumaru."

Kagome opened the door a sliver to see two Sesshoumarus and Kouga. The one whose youki she couldn't sense was near the window. "It doesn't matter who I am. All that matters is I have someone precious to Kagome and if she cares at all for his well-being. She will come with me. After all, I'm certain he misses his 'kaa-chan by now."

Her heart froze when he said that. She closed her eyes and took a breath and began to concentrate, she needed to scan the castle for Shippo's youki. Going to the far reach of her ability which happened to just include all of grounds and still not finding him, she threw open the door. "Where is he!"

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Totally had most of this written years ago. Just the last page was written in the past month. I wanted to post this on Monday but because I was chilling without internet that day I couldn't. So in honour of my Papi who died Octo 26, 2005. I hope my writing is still enjoyable for you.