Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

Pairing

: Kouga x Kagome

Summary

: Inuyasha was there when the well closed but he's different. He's not the same. She knows it and Kouga knows it. Being with Kouga is the only thing keeping her sane in her not-so-happily ever after with Inuyasha.

Demon Within
Chapter One: Something Dark Curls

x . . . . x

Inuyasha wasn't... the same.

Too much time had passed - too much time without someone to tether his darker self.

Or maybe he was just too old now - mentally, how long could a hanyou live without going crazy?

His mind was different, darker - maybe he had just seen too much.

Five hundred years was a long time.

All she knew was that when she stared into Inuyasha's eyes... what stared back wasn't 100% her hanyou.

He touched her and sometimes she shuddered and it wasn't always from pleasure.

She saw what moved behind his eyes.

And it wasn't pleasant.

.

Kagome took a deep drag of the cigarette she was smoking at a small dessert cafe that sold the absolute best four layered chocolate cake she had ever had. She didn't have a job – it was unnecessary as Inuyasha made more than enough to support ten families at his brothers company – at Inuyasha's insistence. Actually, it was more of his demand.

Long gone were her regular clothes, when he appeared in her life the same day she had left him, he had ensconced her away to a beautiful condo in the city in a building he owned and promptly burned any clothes she had brought with her. He dragged her into the best stores in the city, bought her designer hand bags, designer clothes, and anything else she could have possibly needed. Kagome happily went along with it. Who didn't want to be spoiled after what she had lived through? That had been seven months ago.

The Inuyasha she had known before and now were different but the same.

This one was needier, more demanding, too-over protective, and a variety of other things that was sending little warning signals in her mind.

He called her eight to ten times a day wanting to know where she was and who she was with.

In the beginning she had thought it was because he had been without her so long and that made sense but last month he had grown angry at her for seeing her mother and little brother. Too angry and had even shown up at the restaurant they were at and had demanded she go home with him immediately. Souta, who was growing older, had felt that Inuyasha was out of line and attempted to tell him so but the look in Inuyasha's eyes had Kagome placating Souta and leaving with Inuyahsa who had gripped her arm so tight that she was left with bruises.

Taking another drag of her cigarette Kagome felt that maybe Inuyasha and her needed to get used to one another again. Was it a little concerning at times? Yes, of course. But this was Inuyasha and he would never hurt her. She was confident of that. Closing her eyes behind her Gucci sunglasses, she leaned back in the chair she was in, her hands slightly shaking as her phone rang Inuyasha's tune.

He wouldn't hurt her.

She said it, a mantra in her head.

But this morning.

There was a coldness in his eyes that reminded her of Sesshoumaru when she had first met him.

She had asked him one thing, something small, "What happened to all of our other youkai friends?"

"You don't need to worry about them."

He had said it simply but everything in her screamed not to pursue the subject – not to ask further questions because there was a violence that rode the air and made her throat dry.

But Inuyasha wouldn't hurt her.

But he scared her sometimes.

Scared her like Naraku had scared her.

This was Inuyasha though.

The same Inuyasha who had bled to keep her alive.

The same Inuyasha who held her when Buyo died two months prior.

The same Inuyasha who surprised her with dinner from her favorite restaurant.

She touched the phantom bruises from that lunch she had with her mother and brother. They had been ugly and hard enough that they were just starting to fade.

Her phone vibrated again and she ignored it.

A voice rumbled in front of her, soothing, and familiar, "I thought it was you but couldn't tell through the cigarette smoke."

Kagome's cerulean hues snapped open and she sat up.

Her voice caught in her throat and she looked up to meet a pair of crystal blue eyes. Dark hair was pulled into a low ponytail rather than the high one she had come to know in the past. His skin was still tan but he was different. The promise he had when he was younger was fulfilled by the broad shoulders and muscled arms. He was taller – taller than he had been before but his grin was the same wolfish grin she remembered. He was dressed simply – a white tee-shirt that contrasted against his dark nicely and dark jeans with a pair of work boots. There was a twinkle in his eyes that made Kagome's eyes water.

She wanted to say his name but she was too stunned. Just this morning she had asked the question she had wondered about since her return. What could have happened to Shippo, Jinenji, Shiori, and…

And there he was.

Kouga.

The cigarette fell from her trembling fingers and to the floor. She tried to move her hands to push herself in order to stand but she couldn't. She kept looking in his eyes – unable to tear them away. She had known from the moment she saw Inuyasha that there was something different. Would she be able to tell the same of Kouga? Kouga who had been her friend? Kouga who had fought with her? Kouga who had professed his love a thousand times before? His crystal gaze was steady and that darkness that curled through Inuyasha did not curl through Kouga.

Relief moved through her swiftly and before she could do anything to try and move to Kouga, his hand was there, warm and gentle on her forearm as he helped pull her up. He was beside her in an instant, his lips curling upward as his other arm moved to wrap around her shoulders. He brought her to his chest where Kagome wrapped her arms around his lithe waist and breathed and suddenly began to cry. Somewhere in the recesses of her mind she thought they were all dead. Everyone but Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru.

But here he was.

Here was Kouga.

His youki thrummed through her pleasantly and he became her support as she sagged against him.

Finally after a moment of calm she murmured through tears, "Kouga."

His chuckle rumbled against her cheek as he responded just as quietly, "My woman."

And Kagome laughed.

.

Kouga settled across from Kagome at her table and when the waitress came by, he ordered a coffee while Kagome removed her glasses and sat wide eyed across from him. Her treat had been pushed to the side and she was enthralled by the youkai before her.

"Sooo…" he began after it was clear she wasn't ready to speak. "How long have you been back?"

Kagome's brow arched and she tilted her head, "You know?"

Kouga scoffed and rolled his eyes, "Of course I know. I found out after the last time you jumped but I know."

Nibbling her lip nervously she leaned back and then sighed, "Who told you?"

"The kit."

Kagome's eyes were wide and she leaned forward, "Shippo? Do you know where he is? Why would he tell you?"

Kouga leaned forward and the atmosphere shifted as his eyes sharpened, voice deepening, "Shippo… is in America. He has been for about thirty years and he told me because after you left he went to the kitsune school until his training was completed. I happened to be in the vicinity of the school when he was done and he followed me home." Kouga sniffed several times deeply and when he didn't find what he was looking for his eyes narrowed. "Have you been alone since you've come back or did someone find you?"

Kagome turned away and after several moments she murmured, "I was found."

Kouga's voice was urgent, "Kagome… who found you?" Kagome didn't answer, the intensity in his voice was frightening as though he already knew who found her and wasn't happy at all. There was a hint of a growl though not angry, "Kagome! Who found you?"

Again, she didn't answer and her phone rang.

Kouga looked down at her phone and caught the name on her screen.

Inuyasha.

"Shit." He cursed as he leaned back in the chair. He repeated the curse several times before sitting back up. "Does that bigger asshole know?"

Kagome assumed by 'bigger asshole' he meant Sesshoumaru and she nodded her head, "He does. In fact he visits with me every Tuesday for lunch and tea to make sure that I am settling alright in this world."

She had thought it weird in the beginning. Sesshoumaru had been her ally in the past and very few words passed between them. When he actively sought her out that first week she had been completely thrown. He appeared on her door step, asked if she was well, and took her to lunch. It was ritual now. He didn't speak much but Kagome spoke enough for the both of them. She enjoyed his quiet company and Inuyasha never commented on these lunches and maybe that was because Sesshoumaru would have speared Inuyasha through his poison claws.

Inuyasha may have grown stronger over the years but it was nothing compared to the youki that crawled off Sesshoumaru.

Kouga breathed a quick sigh of relief and he leaned forward again, his crystal eyes searching, "Has he talked to you? Said anything about the mutt?" Kagome shook her head and Kouga's eyes were dark, "Kagome… has he ever hurt you?"

Eyes wide, Kagome asked, "W-why would you ask me that?"

Kouga leaned forward even closer, "Answer the question." Her phone rang again and again it was Inuyasha. "You gonna answer that?"

It was a lose, lose situation.

If she ignored the call she would have to answer Kouga.

If she answered the call she would have to play twenty questions with Inuyasha.

She did neither.

She stood up, dug in her purse for some cash, and placed it on the table.

Then she turned tail and ran.

To Kouga… that was answer enough.

.

.

.

'Gome Yuki:: I'm revamping this story. Originally titled 'Face Down'. It's going to be a four or five shot. Maybe three shot depending on how it comes out. I'm on a Kouga x Kagome kick. I'm really going for the idea that Inuyasha is part human and the human mind isn't supposed to live that long so maybe something in Inuyasha is completely messed up? I don't like stories where Inuyasha is just this rampaging abuser because I think Inuyasha would rather die then hurt Kagome so there is going to reason as to what happened to him. This chapter will appear as chapter two in your notifications but it's actually chapter one. Sorry!