Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha (much to my dismay). All I own are some movies, posters, dolls and a key chain.

Authors Note: Here's the next installment! Unfortunately this story will be coming to an end soon. I'm not sure exactly how many more chapters there will be but it will most likely be 4 or less. And as always let me know what you think!

Kouga was having a slight problem. His boss had given him a job to do and he as of yet had been unable to do said job. For most people, if they couldn't perform their job responsibilities to the satisfaction of their boss it might mean a warning, a cut in pay, or at worst being fired. Unfortunately for Kouga, he didn't have a normal job or a normal boss. He had a psycho for a boss and failure was not an option as failure would most likely result in his death.

He was supposed to bring the Higurashi girl to Naraku but she had not been alone since he had walked her home two days ago. If the dog wasn't around, then the fox or half demon were. He knew he could not win against the dog, the fox was a complete unknown as the breed was notorious for being difficult to judge their strength, and while was reasonably sure he could take the half breed, there was the potential he would put up enough of a fight that he wouldn't be able to get the girl before one of the others showed up.

He didn't know exactly what Naraku had planned for the girl, but he figured it wouldn't be pretty. He seemed pretty pissed off that she had left him, so he did not envy whatever it was. There was a pang of regret felt in his gut when he thought of the girl. She was pretty and would have made a good woman for him. Oh well.

He idly scratched his name into the roof with his claws, the cement and tar on the roof across from Kagome's place no match for his sharp claws. Watching the girl was becoming extremely boring. She went to work, school and came home with her demonic tag alongs trailing her the whole while. It was a bit frustrating. Would they never leave her alone!

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Kagome wanted to pull her hair out she was frustrated. She never had a minute alone! If Sesshoumaru had his way, she thought grumpily I wouldn't be allowed use the bathroom without one of them in there with me! She was tiring of the constant company. Not that Inuyasha wasn't fun to be around and of course she loved Shippo. And her feelings for Sesshoumaru were growing every day (when he wasn't smothering her).

She knew that they were doing it because they cared about her and didn't want to see her hurt. She appreciated it even. But they were driving her crazy. She needed to get out. Shippo was going to come in the morning and they were going to go to school together while Sesshoumaru ran an errand. Shippo her fun loving kitsune friend. There might be hope for a bit of freedom after all. . .

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As soon as he walked in Shippo knew that Kagome was up to something. She just had that look about her like she was going to do something she knew her mother would disapprove of. He could tell by her grin and the suspicious look Sesshoumaru had plastered on his face. Normally Shippo participated in this type of behavior, encouraged it even, but in circumstances like the one they were currently experiencing, he found he didn't like it. It made his stomach curl unpleasantly knowing she was going to include him in her plans.

Then again, just because she was up to something it didn't mean it was necessarily a bad or dangerous something. It could just be a spot of mischief to brighten their day and irritate the dogs. He was more than okay with that. He felt the worry lines in his forehead give way to an easy grin. He was definitely up for a bit of harmless, headache inducing pranks. Shippo graced Sesshoumaru with a cheeky wave as he was leaving and then turned an expectant grin on Kagome. "So what are you up to Kagome?"

Kagome crossed her arms. "Why would you ask that? What makes you think I'm up to something?"

"Because I know you and I know that look on your face."

"What look?"

"The one you have right now."

"I don't have a look on my face."

"Yes you do."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do." Shippo gulped and laughed nervously when another look he was familiar with came over her face: the one that said she was going to cause him a lot of pain if he wasn't careful.

"Shippo." Her tone was completely neutral, which told him he was in dangerous territory.

"Yes Kagome?"

"I don't have a look on my face."

Shippo nodded in agreement. "You're right I don't know what I was talking about."

"Good," Kagome nodded her approval of his acknowledgement. She clapped her hands together. "Now about what we will be doing today."

"I thought we were going to class today."

"We are going to class today," she paused and finished gathering her stuff. "But you are also going to let me leave class by myself so that I can have a few minutes alone."

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not."

"Shippo, yes you are."

Shippo rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Kagome," he mimicked her tone, "No I'm not."

"I'm going crazy."

"Too bad. Sesshoumaru would kill me if I let you go off alone. Heck, I'd help him dismember me if something happened to you."

Kagome sighed gustily. "Alright. Fine."

"That's it?" Shippo was instantly suspicious of her too easy capitulation. "No argument?"

"None," she threw over her shoulder as she crossed the threshold and held the door for the kitsune to follow her out.

"I find myself extremely worried."

Kagome gave him a sunny smile. "Don't be I'm agreeing with you that it's too dangerous. Sesshoumaru would be extremely unhappy with you if you helped me get some alone time."

Shippo gave her a quick hug and shouldered her bag. "I'm glad you see reason." He ignored the twinge of unease he still felt at how easy the conversation had gone.

"Thanks," she said drily. The walk to campus was quiet, each lost in their own thoughts. Shippo trying to convince himself that he had won the argument, and Kagome changing her plans. She needed to adapt now that she didn't have the help of her sly friend and it was no easy feat to give a kitsune the slip.