*Attention - please read before going on to the story*

InuyashaForever1989: I can't do it anymore!!! Sorry people but I need to stop writing this fic. I just can't think of anything for it anymore. I've posted what I had of this chapter so far although it stops in the middle so I don't know if you people want to read it or not. Maybe someday I'll come back and finish it but if anyone else wants to continue it just let me know and it's all yours. Once again I'm really sorry.

"Speech" 'thought' flashback/dream 'other thought'

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Chapter 9:

Kagome wound up falling asleep on the edge of the hot spring and awoke a few hours later. She looked at her hands and sighed and then spotted some towels that someone must have brought in while she was asleep; she was a little surprised they hadn't woken her seeing as normally she was a very light sleeper. She grabbed one of the towels and dried herself off and redressed. She walked back down the path to the main cave and through the waterfall she could see it had gotten late.

'I guess I'll go say goodnight to Rin,' Kagome thought, seeing as how the girl would be going to bed soon. She looked around trying to remember which way she had gone to get to Nira's cavern. She started walking and miraculously got there without getting lost.

She walked in and she didn't see Nira or any of the kids. She walked to the back wall where there was a curtain hanging over another entrance. Pulling back the curtain she found Nira putting everyone to bed. The back room had about ten beds lined up against the wall.

At the moment Nira was tucking in Rin when the little girl shot up and yelled, "Mommy!"

"Hi, Rin. I just wanted to say goodnight," Kagome said and smiled at the little girl.

"Will, Rin see you tomorrow before you leave?" Rin asked as Kagome walked to the bedside and Nira backed away.

"I'm not sure how early we're leaving," Kagome said.

"If you wake up before they leave we will go out and see them off, ok?" Nira said to Rin.

"Wouldn't that be too much trouble?" Kagome asked.

"No, not at all, there are a few other children who want to go say goodbye to there parents as well," Nira explained.

"Yeah!!" Rin yelled and simultaneously threw off her covers.

"Shhh," Kagome tried to quiet the girl. Rin settled down and placed her little hands over her mouth, and Kagome fixed the girl's blanket and kissed her forehead and said, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, mommy," Rin said with a yawn and then she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. Kagome stood up and smiled at Nira who smiled back.

"She's a very good girl," Nira said.

"That's good to hear," Kagome said back and Nira escorted Kagome to the entrance.

"Will you be able to find your way ok?" Nira asked as Kagome started down the tunnel.

"I'll manage, goodnight," Kagome waved and made her way back to the main cave. She got there easily enough and then she stared at the door that led to Kouga's room. She wondered if he was asleep already or if he was still preparing for the trip tomorrow.

'We can't keep sleeping in his room like this,' her miko voice whispered to her.

'And why not?' the youkai argued back.

'It's not right if we're not, mated,' the miko said the word awkwardly, like it was strange to her and Kagome admitted it probably was, after all Kagome had always thought of herself getting married not being mated. 'Besides it's not fair to him.'

'What do you mean?' the youkai questioned.

'He wants us so bad but we won't let him just yet, I would think that sleeping in the same bed would be like torture for him,' the miko pointed out.

'She has a good point,' Kagome finally butted in. 'Perhaps I should ask Kouga for my own room until I'm ready for this whole mating thing.' She could sense her youkai roll her eyes at the suggestion but she didn't say anything further on the matter. Kagome pushed the door aside and entered the room. Kouga wasn't there so she sat down on the bed of furs to wait for him.

Kagome was determined not to fall asleep but as it got later she became very tired and she had almost nodded off when Kouga finally came into the room. "Kouga, we need to talk," Kagome said as she tried to unsuccessfully stifle a yawn.

Kouga smiled down at her and sat on the bed. "What about?" he asked.

"Well, I was thinking since--" Kagome was cut off when Kouga wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled Kagome onto his lap. He leaned his head down and nuzzled her neck taking a deep breathe. Kagome was tense for a second then relaxed. "Kouga," she said then trailed off as she closed her eyes and sighed. She just wanted this feeling for a few more minutes.

Apparently a few more minutes were a few more minutes too long and she nodded off in his arms.

Kouga smiled down at the beautiful woman in his arms. He didn't want her to talk, he had this feeling that she was trying to push him away again and he wouldn't allow it. Weather she was fully committed to the idea or not she was his.

He put her down onto the furs and settled in behind her with an arm wrapped around her waste pulling her close to him.

-- (morning)

"Kagome, Kagome," Kouga whispered and put his hand on her shoulder to shake her gently awake. Kagome shot up breathing heavily. "I didn't mean to scare you. I was trying to be gentle."

"No, it's not your fault. It's more of a habit now."

"I see. Well, we will have to fix that now won't we?" Kouga asked/whispered as he leaned in close to her ear.

"Um," was all Kagome could muster before they were interrupted.

"Kouga everyone's ready to go--oh, sorry," Ginta announced and then apologized when he noticed the scene he had walked in on.

"No reason to be sorry let's get going," Kagome spoke quickly in her embarrassment and gently pushed Kouga aside so she could get up. Kouga simply stood up and grabbed her hand to pull her up. "Thank you," she said and began to walk out the door after Ginta with Kouga behind her.

As they approached the entrance of the cave Kagome saw Nira and the children currently in her care waiting for their parents to say goodbye. Rin stood there rubbing sleep from her eyes and yawning. Kagome walked over to her and held out her arms and Rin ran right for her.

"I'll miss you, mommy," the girl whispered sleepily.

"I'll miss you too, baby," Kagome whispered back and let the girl go as she stood back up. "You behave while we're gone, ok?" The little girl nodded her head and went back over by the rest of the children who had finished their goodbyes as well.

Kagome turned to Kouga who was talking to his men about what they were going to do once they got to the Northern pack. Kagome didn't really listen; she would get the details later.