Ch 27: Epilogue: Concert at the Rose Bowl

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Warning there is a lemon in this chapter—please do not read if that offends you.
You might want to play 'Why Don't You and I' by Santana & Alex Band and 'Everything' by Lifehouse while you read this chapter.

Songs for this chapter can be located on YouTube at:
'Why Don't You and I' by Santana and Alex Band .com/watch?v=MeCsRru0Uhk
'Everything' by Lifehouse .com/watch?v=fjDojEOiMcE

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I would like to introduce the wonderful betas who helped to shape this story:
Blackdeathmessenger: He was my first beta to help me out. Since he is also in a band he was instrumental with this story. He came up with Inuyasha's band name, helped me pick the musical instruments the band would use, helped with song selections and was extremely helpful in letting me know what was right or wrong about my band scenes.
Theleb K'aarna: He was my second beta to help out with this story (and my husband). Whenever I wrote something that he thought a guy wouldn't do, he would call me on it. His ideas helped to add to the realism. He also played college sports (volleyball here in CA), so he was also a great help with the sports scenes. He also went above and beyond the call of duty to teach me karate for the scene in chapter 15. (I was sore after that! Oh, what I do for this craft!)
Hedanicree: She was my next beta to join in. She's a journalist by trade and is probably the best copy editor that I have ever run across. She gave me the extra nudge to push my prose to higher standards. I don't think chapter 22 would have had the emotional impact that it did without her help. She was also instrumental I helping me pick the two songs used in this chapter.
Karaumea: She was my final beta. She's an excellent writer and after she gave me a smashing review I checked out her stories as well. Great stuff! Now we're collaborating on a story (and my next project) together. It's an Inu/Kag comedy called 'He's My Girl'.
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One Year Later…

Inuyasha walked into his father's palatial ranch style house. The home itself seemed to sprawl onto the immaculately kept grounds. It had actually been a horse ranch 150 years ago, however now new housing developments encroached on its 100 acres. He walked to the back room where he knew his father would be. Yellow-gray beams of sunlight filtered onto his dad's seated form.

As usual, his dad was facing the morning's rays in the sunroom in the back of their home. His mom had always loved that room and now that she was gone his father could usually be found there. Inutashio's long silver hair swept past his shoulders and down his sides. His face was serenely sad and lonely. His eyes bore trace wrinkles and his skin had a gray pallor.

Ever since his mom had died over fourteen years ago Inutashio had never been the same. It was always said that once a demon found their mate—that their souls intertwined. If one of the mates were to die, the spirit of the remaining mate would be torn. Inuyasha knew that his dad had never really recovered from his mother's death. It was almost as if he had one foot in the grave already. He rarely left his home and sometimes spent the entire day sleeping in his bed.

Inuyasha had always hoped that his dad would snap out of it, but he was slowly realizing that his dad had only hung on long enough to raise his sons. They were the only reason Inutashio had made an effort to keep on going. He feared that soon that reason would no longer rouse Inutashio in the morning. Perhaps one day his dad would decide to no longer wake.

The thought chilled Inuyasha. However, he tried to dismiss the dreary thoughts and forced a smile upon his face.

"Oi, Dad," spoke Inuyasha with strained cheerfulness. "I'm going to see Mom. Do you want to go with me? I think she'd like the company…" Inuyasha let his words fade into the mid-morning light as his father stared straight ahead into the sunlit beams. He waited silently as his father moved his head to the side as if he was contemplating something. Then the old man shook his head. Long graying hair rained down on either side of the man's head as he replied in the negative.

His son only sighed. It was the answer that he was expecting. Inutashio rarely left his bedroom or the sunroom. Now it seemed that even a visit to his mother's grave couldn't pull him out of his stupor.

"OK, Dad. I know that she'll miss you," Inuyasha paused and pulled two tickets out of his pocket. The boy looked at the tickets longingly and with trepidation. "I have tickets for tonight's concert at the Rose Bowl. Remember my band? Immortal Sin? We're doing really well now. And you could see Kagome if you came… If you want to go…," said Inuyasha as each word lingered in the air. The young man paused as he pulled out two tickets for row 'A' and dropped it next to his father's chair. "Uh, right. So I'll see you around, Dad."

Inuyasha paused for only long enough to see his father gaze away into the nothingness before him. It wouldn't be long, Inuyasha thought. 'He's going to join Mom. It's only a matter of time.'

The young man with long silver hair turned to exit the room. His white dog-like ears were folded low on his head as he left. He made his way around the corner to meet with an elderly woman who wore a white nurse's uniform. Her gray hair was swept in a long ponytail behind her. "Take care of him, Urusae," stated Inuyasha with sad acceptance.

"I always do," replied the woman as Inuyasha walked away and opened the sliding glass door that led to the backyard.

Once he made it past the back door he leapt high to bring himself closer to his goal. With three more long jumps he was near his target. He stopped to walk forward. This area was calm and tranquil, it seemed sanctimonious to be running or leaping here.

Before him was an ancient, gnarled oak tree that was anchored on the top of the grassy hillside. His father had chosen this location especially for his mom since they had often picnicked here under this very Californian oak tree. His father had also eschewed a public burial site. He was afraid that the racists who had killed her might also choose to deface her grave. Inuyasha bent down on a knee and knelt next to the tombstone.

"Hi, Mom," Inuyasha said as he scratched the back of his head. "I wanted to talk to you." He ran his finger across the engraved lettering on the cold marble surface. "I wish you were here," he whispered and he closed his eyes. Then a gentle spring breeze caressed his face and made his long silver hair flutter in the breeze.

"Is that you, Mom? Are you here?" he asked.

The breeze brushed up against him again and he sighed.

"Mom, I…I found someone," he said while keeping his eyes closed. "She…her name is Kagome, Mom, and I think she's the one for me."

The wind rustled across the grass and played with his hair.

Inuyasha smiled. It was a brief smile that rarely crept across his lips—something momentary, something rare.

"She accepts me, Mom. She accepted me as a hanyou and as a human. Maybe you remember her? She was that little girl with freckles that I played with whenever we visited the Sunset Shrine."

The wind blew again, wrapping itself around him and blowing gently.

"I guess, Kagome knew it then. Maybe I knew it, too. I was just too stubborn to realize it. She…she had a crush on me for years. And she kept on reaching out to me…even when I was a jerk…even when I had lost my way." He paused and took a deep breath. "She…she helped me Mom. She found the good in me, when no one else saw it."

The wind rustled briefly.

"Oh, I know, Mom. You always knew there was good in me. Sorry. It's just…it's just…no other girl had ever been like that with me before. I know that you'd like her, Mom. No one else gave me the strength and love that she did. Now I…Now there's no one else I want to be with."

The breeze played across his face. His hair drifted to the left and right with the wind. His face was calm and serene. With his eyes closed, it almost looked like he was meditating.

"Tell me that I have your blessing…"

The winds of spring were gentle as they caressed his face and hair again. Silver strands of hair lifted and fell with the breeze. And then all was silent.

Inuyasha opened his cool amber eyes. There was a sense of peace within his orbs.

"Thank you Mom…"

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Later that night…
Immortal Sin in concert
Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, CA

Inuyasha's feet tapped nervously along the floor with the beat that was coursing through the stadium. Myoga was leading him down past the winding, dark pathways under the stage. His former coach looked at his watch and then gently nudged Inuyasha onto a lowered platform.

"You ready?" Myoga asked.

Inuyasha patted his jeans' pocket to make sure that the little item he needed was there. After breathing a sigh of relief, he gripped his black and chrome Fender Stratocaster guitar closer to his body. "Always," he replied with absolute surety. "Now you made sure that my acoustic guitar is already out there, right Myoga?" asked Inuyasha with a degree of temerity that was not normally heard in his voice.

Myoga rolled his eyes, "For the last time, Inuyasha. It's already on stage…"

"You do know how important this night is? Don't you, Myoga?" asked Inuyasha as he stared steadily into Myoga's eyes.

His former coach smiled warmly at his former player. "I know, son. Now go knock 'em dead." Then Myoga pressed one hand to his earpiece and motioned his other hand in front of him in an attempt to let Inuyasha know he was listening to someone speak over the microphone. "Got it, Terry. OK. Showtime!" Myoga rubbed his hands together nervously. "Be prepared, this platform will lift you onto the stage in…" Myoga paused and started to count down. "15…14…13…" Myoga's counting fell into the background to the heavy rhythm of the music pouring past the speakers. Had it really been almost a year since Myoga had become their band manager?

Myoga had joined in with their band almost immediately after the fateful day when they ran into the vice-president of Sony Music. The man had offered them a once in a lifetime recording contract. Soon after the entire band was swimming in contracts, legal paperwork and the type of red tape that would require a lawyer to properly understand. Ginta used to handle all of their bookings and contracts. But now they were in the big league and things were frightening. They needed someone who understood contracts, they needed someone who was ruthless, they needed someone who could push back when they were being pushed—they needed Coach Myoga.

Inuyasha felt some initial guilt when his long-time coach lost his premier position as head coach of the UCLA Demonic Team. Kagome argued that it was his own fault for not playing by the rules. However, it didn't take long for the Hollywood idol-makers to try to reshape their band into a plastic image devoid of any soul. It was about the time that a showbiz consultant had told Kagome to get a boob job and to dye her hair three different shades when she finally relented to Inuyasha in her frustration. At that moment, Kagome finally acceded to Inuyasha's demand to let Myoga work his magic.

Things had been easier for the band after Myoga had taken the helm. Coach Myoga was nothing short of merciless and exacting. Immortal Sin never felt like they had to bend to cooperate image making or greed again. For Myoga's part, he finally had a high paying job that let him call the shots and considering the band's popularity—enormous prestige. It was even rumored that Myoga had managed to start dating Coach Kaede. The two respective coaches had long since buried the hatchet after Myoga was kicked out of the sport and had become Kagome's mentor.

Kagome had continued on with her college studies despite their hectic concert schedule and the constant pull of media and fans. She even managed to take most of her classes online. Inuyasha snorted. He gave up on his studies long ago. 'What was the use of a piece of paper ?' he thought. He was making good money and had no material wants. As far as he was concerned a diploma was good for bragging rights and little else.

'Oh and speaking of bragging…,' he reflected with a grin. Despite Sesshomaru's newfound success as a player for the Denver Demons, Inuyasha—the younger brother—was still making more money in one week than his brother did in one year. It wasn't often that Inuyasha outshone his older sibling, but now he gloried in the sudden change.

"4…3…2…1" Myoga's voice pulled Inuyasha from his thoughts. Inuyasha crouched on all fours as the panel he sat on started to move upwards. He was swept away from the dark recesses under the stage to the blinding light and billowing fog. The loud beat, the screaming crowds and steadily pulsing music would have normally been too much for his sensitive ears to handle. Luckily, Kagome had put two cotton swabs in his ears before the concert started. The volume that was blasting through the speakers would have normally been enough to nearly deafen him for days.

Koga was the first band member to play. A lonely Caribbean melody erupted from his Washburn electric guitar, quickly followed by Hakkaku's drums that beat lazily to the tune. Ginta soon joined in with his bass guitar and added a heavy, mellow element to the streaming music.

As he was being lifted onto the stage, he heard Kagome's voice echo across the stadium and his earpiece. He couldn't help but smile when he heard her voice. What made it even better was that the lines she was about to sing were for him alone.

Since the moment I spotted you
Like walking 'round with little wings on my shoes
My stomach's filled with the butterflies
Ohhh…and it's alright
Bouncing round from cloud to cloud
I got the feeling like I'm never gonna come down

Halfway through Kagome's lyrics, he pulled himself up from his crouching position to stand tall. His half demon form slowly appeared past the white fog. Red lights swept past his left and blue lights swept past his right.

His silver hair looked indigo under the lights as Inuyasha looked ahead. Luckily he couldn't see the crowded stadium before him. His eyes drilled forward and he could only see floodlights. If it wasn't for the roaring voices that surrounded him or the scents of a large crowd all around him—he might not have ever known there was a stadium of more than 90,000 fans before him. He turned to look at Kagome before he sang his lyrics but the sight made his jaw drop.

Clouds of fog parted before her as she stepped forward into the blue limelight. The wench was wearing her high school uniform. The azure floodlights streamed past her body, making her long, wavy, black hair look like a cerulean waterfall that fell down her back. She wore that ridiculously short green plaid skirt of hers. Long silky legs erupted from under the cloth, falling down to meet tall white socks and loafers. Damn, the wench knew what that outfit did to him!

It had been about a year ago that Inuyasha had found all of her old high school uniforms in her closet. When his hands had first touched the miniskirt's fabric—she had offered to wear the outfit for him. It had amazed her to see the hunger and desire that coursed through his features when she tried on the uniform. Like most schoolboys, he had a deep-seated fantasy about having sex with a young schoolgirl. Kagome was now twenty years old, but when she wore the pleated mini-skirt, diaphanous white cotton blouse and Mary Jane loafers she looked like a young girl of fifteen—and something out of Inuyasha's long suppressed fantasy.

'Fuck,' he thought as he tried to focus on the song and not on Kagome's legs or what was hidden under her miniskirt. His throaty baritone voice beamed across the stage.

Every time I try to talk to you
I get tongue-tied
Turns out, everything I say to you
Comes out wrong and never comes out right

Hakkaku started banging heavily on his drums as the music crested to a louder crescendo. Ginta's bass started to belt out heavier riffs as Inuyasha and Kagome sang the chorus together. Kagome strolled over to Inuyasha and he met her in the middle of the stage. She stood in front of him and he gripped either side of her shapely hips. He was going to simply give up on playing his guitar until he got touching her out of his system. She placed each of her hands directly on top of his on her hips. He looked directly into her eyes and she pivoted her torso to match his gaze. Their hips rocked together as they sang their verse.

So I'll say why don't you and I get together and take on the world, be together forever?
Heads we will and tails we'll try again
So I say why don't you and I hold each other, fly to the moon
and straight on to heaven?
Cause without you they're never gonna let me in

Inuyasha couldn't help but smirk at Kagome as he held her form in his hands. 'I'm actually getting paid for this?' he thought for not the first time. 'I get to touch my girlfriend on stage and play my guitar?' He gazed into her eyes again and pulled her forward in a kiss that was deep and lingering. The audience started to scream in appreciation. It seemed that the crowds would go wild whenever they kissed in public. For some reason, no one seemed to forget that infamous kiss they had shared more than year ago in this very stadium.

Inuyasha separated from Kagome and shook his head as if confused. He knelt in front of her to sing his next verse with his arms stretched out wide.

When's this fever gonna break?
I think I've handled more than any man can take
I'm like a love-sick puppy chasing you around

Inuyasha waggled his eyebrows at Kagome and she smiled. He really didn't know how Kagome had convinced him to sing a line about him being a 'love-sick puppy dog.' Then his mind quickly brought up the memory that supplied the answer. Her persuasion came in the form of her legs wrapped around his hips while he pounded into her. 'Oh yeah, that was the reason.' He grinned as he tried not to think about their escapades in the middle of the concert they were putting on. That would get entirely too uncomfortable... He could think about it again once this concert was done and he could get Kagome alone. His singing partner walked up to him and stroked his dog-like ears in front of the entire stadium among coos and catcalls. Kagome bent down to kiss him on the forehead as he stood up and continued to sing.

And it's alright
Bouncin' round from cloud to cloud
I got the feeling like I'm never gonna come down
If I said I didn't like it then you know I'd lied

Kagome turned to look over Inuyasha as she sang the next verse. Inuyasha pretended not to notice her and strutted back and forth in front of her. He swaggered in a way that let everyone know that he was playing with her. Kagome's eyes seemed to linger over his form as he walked.

Slowly I begin to realize this is never gonna end
But about the same time you walk by
And I say oh here we go again, oh…

Hakkaku increased the tempo on his drums and Koga started to play a heavier riff. Ginta dropped to his knees and held his flaming red bass guitar in front of him as he moved his hands up and down the guitar's neck. As the musicians played the segway part of the song, the beat sped up.

Inuyasha met up with Kagome on the center of the stage. He let his hands roam from the sides of her face all the way down to her long legs. 'God, I love this job,' he thought. Then he nudged her legs apart with his own and pressed his body up to hers. Kagome rocked back and forth against his thigh as they sang the final verse together.

So I'll say why don't you and I get together and take on the world, be together forever?
Heads we will and tails we'll try again
So I say why don't you and I hold each other, fly to the moon
and straight on to heaven?
Cause without you they're never gonna let me in

The music faded. Inuyasha looked down at Kagome again and her brilliant smile beamed at him. He kissed her briefly once more before they reluctantly pulled apart. Inuyasha grasped Kagome's hand in his. He raised their hands above their heads and then brought them down to a bow. Among the cheers and hooting Inuyasha couldn't help but to grin.

"Thank you, Los Angeles for the warm welcome!" yelled Inuyasha. "Some of you might remember the last time Kagome and I played here!"

The audience started to scream in an uproar! The crowd certainly remembered the last time the infamous duo had played here as members of opposing teams and how the game had ended so memorably with the two players kissing. "Kiss" "Kiss" "Kiss!" was yelled across the stadium.

Inuyasha spoke into his microphone. "Well, wench. You know how the saying goes—'You've got to give the crowd what they want!'" Kagome grinned back at him and winked.

Without a pause, Inuyasha dipped Kagome on the stage and kissed her soundly. Her arms reached up around his neck and pulled him even closer. This time it was Kagome and not Inuyasha who was deepening the kiss. 'I've created a monster,' thought Inuyasha smugly to himself. 'How did she go from being a virgin to a vixen?' As he got lost in their kiss, all he could think was that he really didn't mind the change.

Eventually the need for air pulled them apart. Inuyasha kissed her forehead and returned her upright next to his side. He held her waist possessively as he announced, "We're Immortal Sin. Prepare to rock!" Inuyasha released Kagome to swing his guitar around and then held it as he prepared to play.

The audience screamed again and the next song started to rock the stadium. Kagome took her place behind her Yamaha Synthesizer on the left hand side of the stage and Inuyasha took center stage and played his electric Fender guitar. The band continued playing and performing throughout the long evening. Most of the songs they played were originals that they had recorded for their first album, 'Seven Deadly Sins.'

Eventually their playing grew to a close and Inuyasha picked up his Epiphone acoustic guitar. He liked the way it felt in his hands. Unlike his electric guitar, it was purely wood and produced a warm and heavy sound that only natural materials could make. He plugged his guitar into the sound system and sat down on a stool.

"Folks, I have something special for you tonight," he announced while smirking. "Kagome could you come over here please?" he asked, motioning to Kagome to join him at center stage. Kagome tilted her head to the side in puzzlement as she walked over to him. She was clearly confused since this next song wasn't part of any official playlist for tonight.

"So Los Angeles, would you like to hear the song that I wrote for Kagome?" Inuyasha grinned at the announcement. The crowd screamed and Kagome's face softened to a knowing smile.

"For me, Inuyasha?" she asked tenderly. "Is this the song you've been working on that you wouldn't let me hear?"

"The very one," added Inuyasha with a grin. "Every word, every note is for you." This song was close to his heart. He was never good at expressing himself when he spoke, but somehow writing lyrics let his emotions have free reign. He didn't think that he could truly express to her how he felt unless it came as a ballad from his guitar.

He strummed lazily against his guitar and let the warm, soft tones of the acoustic guitar fill up the stadium with its gentle rhythms. He looked up at Kagome and his golden eyes gazed up at her intensely. He wouldn't let his eyes break contact with hers as he sang.

You are the strength, that keeps me walking.
You are the hope, that keeps me trusting.
You are the light, to my soul.
You are my purpose, you're everything.

He sang softly and purposefully as he continued to gaze into her eyes. He noticed a single tear making its way down her cheek.

And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?

You calm the storms, and you give me rest.
You hold me in your hands, you won't let me fall.
You still my heart, and you take my breath away.
Would you take me in? Take me deeper now?

Inuyasha then moved up to stand. He pushed the stool away and kept his eyes trained on Kagome. The rhythms from his guitar became harsher, needy and more desperate. He raised his voice to a feverish pitch as he sang his next lines.

Cause you're all I want, you're all I need
You're everything, everything…
You're all I want, you're all I need
You're everything, everything…

His voice then quieted, as if in defeat. He almost whispered the final lyrics.

And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?

With the last strum of his guitar, Inuyasha set the acoustic guitar down and walked over to Kagome. He took her cool hand in his sweaty palm. "Kagome, I have something to ask you," he murmured. His voice was low and quiet, but it echoed across the stadium as everyone waited in silence. He touched the pocket to his jeans one final time. It was still there! For some reason, he had been desperately worried that he would somehow lose it during the concert. With her hand in his, he trembled as he bent down to kneel on one knee in front of her.

"Kagome Higurashi. Would you be my wife?" he asked as he tried to keep his voice from breaking. Kagome gasped as he pulled out a gold and diamond ring from his pocket. A glittering three caret pink diamond gem sparkled across the stage as it reflected the blue floodlights. Immediately the crowd started screaming in excitement. He fixed his nervous, but hopeful gaze on her stunned face. His honey colored eyes met her warm chocolate orbs.

"Ye…yes," choked out Kagome as her entire body quivered.

Inuyasha let out a breath that he didn't even know he had been holding. He took the ring and slipped it on her shaky finger. Tears streamed down her cheeks as Inuyasha stood up to kiss her tenderly. It seemed so similar to that famous kiss they had shared in this very stadium. Salty tears wet her lips, and he couldn't let go of her. Just like the last time, it was a public kiss, with a screaming audience, and just like the last time, Inuyasha was lost in his own world. There was only Kagome and him—nothing else was around them, nothing else mattered. He didn't even notice when Koga announced the end of the concert.

"Thank you, Los Angeles!" yelled Koga. "I think we need to get the love birds off of the stage. Have a great night!"

Inuyasha grinned mischievously as he took Kagome's hand in his and lead her off of the darkened stage. He liked the way the cool gold metal band and the cut diamond felt against his warm hand. Demons could easily tell by his scent marking that she was his, but humans wouldn't be able to tell unless there was a ring on her hand. 'Humans can be so oblivious,' he thought. He pulled her down the corridor outside of the stage. He really didn't want to deal with anything right now. He had one thing on his mind and one thing only.

Myoga unfortunately didn't seem to understand the severity of the situation, but then he never did.

"Inuyasha and Kagome. I think congratulations are in order! When is the lucky day going to be?"

Kagome actually tried to start a conversation with Myoga, which nearly had Inuyasha growling in annoyance at the interruption. "Oh, I don't know. I mean he just proposed…," answered Kagome with a shy smile.

His former coach had a warm fatherly smile on his face as he looked at the girl who was positively glowing with happiness. Inuyasha didn't want to share this moment with anyone but Kagome. The lead singer looked down upon his erstwhile coach and had a hard time keeping his anger in check. His own demonic instincts were rising and cresting past his control.

"Later, Coach!" yelled Inuyasha as he swept on past him and picked Kagome up before carrying her off.

"Wha…what, my boy?" asked Myoga in surprise as the two singers brushed on past him. Kagome smiled meekly at Myoga as she was being carried over Inuyasha's shoulder.

Luckily for everyone, Ginta interceded. "Coach! You should know better than to interrupt Inuyasha and Kagome after a concert."

"What? Interrupt what?"

Ginta's cheeks took on a red hue. "He does it after every concert coach…," Ginta tried to explain.

"Does what?" asked Myoga.

Ginta sighed. "Mating, Myoga…," he answered.

"Mating? After every concert?" Myoga raised an eyebrow and then laughed. "Oh the young. Now my boy... Since Inuyasha is indisposed, can I go over these latest contracts with you?"

Ginta rolled his eyes but decided it was best to keep Myoga preoccupied. He didn't want to deal with a sexually frustrated hanyou tonight.

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It was taking too long to walk down the hallway—too long to carry her inside the dressing room. Inuyasha walked into the room and glared at it in apparent anger. After that scum, Lenner, had interrupted their time together after a concert a year ago—he always checked out the room to make sure that no one was there. He wasn't going to be interrupted ever again. When Inuyasha realized the room was empty, he set Kagome's feet on the ground.

His nostrils flared as he breathed in the scent that surrounded Kagome. Cherry blossoms and his woodsy bouquet lingered on her body, but not nearly enough. His aroma was rapidly fading from her body and he needed to scent mark her again. There should be absolutely no misunderstanding with any other demon—everyone should know that she was his.

However, his scent also had to come from the inside of her body. That was the only way to make it last. This feeling he felt, it was maddening. Did his father go through this with his mother? This driving need to have her exude his very aroma both outside and inside of her body. The bizarre feeling of panic that crept up at the edge of his senses whenever his scent on her skin started to dissipate… The way he marked her with his aroma, it was more than just a way that he designated her as his. It was a way of stopping time. As long as his essence lingered within her, she would age as he did. Nothing made him panic more than the thought of her aging and dying. He would stop time for her if he could. Luckily for him, the act was very pleasurable.

He sniffed the air again to make sure that they were alone. The fragrance that assailed his senses devastated him. It was the marine, musky aroma that only Kagome could produce and it was so pungent and fresh. The salty taste danced on his lips.

His eyes fixed on her smoldering gaze. One of his hands reached behind him to latch the door shut and his other hand drew her to him. He paused for only a moment to gaze at her. His fingers gathered the hem of her short green skirt.

"You know that I love this uniform," he murmured huskily.

She smiled. "I wore it just for you."

"Fuck! Your scent and this outfit… You don't know what you do to me, Kagome," he uttered.

"Show me," she answered seductively.

His lips latched onto hers as if she would try to run away. His fingers moved from the hem of her short skirt to move up her smooth, warm thighs. "Are you my fangirl?" he asked.

"Your one and only, most dedicated fangirl, Inuyasha," she murmured. "I've been following your career since you joined UCLA's Demonic Team B."

"Is that so?" he murmured as he tugged at her thin cotton panties and pulled them away from her silky bottom.

"Yes," she said while breathing sharply. "When I saw you…" Kagome gasped as his fingers moved to the apex of her thighs. His warm hands cupped her sex.

"When you saw me?" he teased. His fingers found their way to touch warm, wet folds that were exposed to the air.

"Ah," she mouthed as his warm fingers dipped into her while his thumb rubbed her pearl. "I…I wanted you from the moment I saw you play on the UCLA team."

"Is that why you're so wet for me, fangirl?" he asked with measured coyness.

"Yea…yeess," she answered as his fingers danced in and out of her moist velvety heat. Kagome was pinned against the door and her breathing soon came out in gasps. She didn't have anything to hold and soon her fingers clutched the red cotton t-shirt that Inuyasha was wearing. Her hands moved under his shirt to touch his washboard stomach and his muscles quivered under her heated touch. It was too much. She needed to touch more of him. She was writhing in pleasure under his dominating will. She needed him to feel the burning desire that was coursing through her. All she wanted to do was to make him loose control so that it would be his wonderful cock and not his fingers that were within her.

One hand dipped under his jeans. A warm, hard shaft pressed up against her fingers. She used her other hand to unbutton and unzip his jeans. Inuyasha couldn't help but to sigh once his hardened length was freed from it tight confines. Kagome moved both of her hands to the sides of his pants. With fingers under his jeans and underwear, she pushed down to shove the offending garments down to his knees.

Inuyasha kicked off his athletic shoes and then shimmied out of his denims. He really didn't care that he was standing there with a t-shirt on, but with nothing else. He continued to rub her nub and used his other hand to plunge unmercifully into her passage.

Kagome continued to squirm against his hand, moaning and panting in pleasure. Her body was shoved against the doorframe, but she didn't seem to mind as her form was pushed repeatedly against the entrance as his fingers worked her wet folds. Her fingers crept up against his body and gripped his warm cock in her hand. Clever digits played up and down his shaft and for the first time he felt the coldness of a metal band against his most intimate part. The subtle contrast between her warm playful fingers and the cold, slick metal had him throbbing in anticipation and pleasure.

He tried to rub Kagome until she was thrashing and screaming, but the wench fought him. Her face was flushed as she moved away from his hands, gripped his shirt and pulled it away from his body. The annoying garment was tossed aside. Her warm hands touched the smooth skin of silk and the hardened muscles that lied underneath the surface. Inuyasha was standing nude before her, with only his long silver hair covering his body. Kagome had lost her panties long ago, but to an observer she would have looked to be fully clothed with her miniskirt and blouse.

Kagome dropped to her knees in front of him. Before he could pull her back up, her warm mouth had enveloped his hardened length and he groaned. Her tongue danced around his tip and then leisurely flicked down the underside of his shaft before she swallowed his warmth again. It felt so wonderfully bizarre to have her sucking on him. The familiar warmth and tingling sensation that started in his gut now moved to his balls. It felt so fucking good. He could let her do this forever, but he wasn't going to propose to her and not see her orgasm before the night was over. Regretfully, he pulled himself out of her warm mouth. Salvia and pre-cum wetted his engorged shaft. He really needed Kagome. He needed a release.

Kagome smiled and pulled herself up to a standing position. Then, she walked forward and made her way to the leather couch that was in their dressing room. She knelt on the cushions and turned around so that her backside was facing him. She pulled up her short plaid skirt to reveal her smooth, silky bottom and the slippery wetness that was starting to soak her thighs. She turned around to eye him coyly as she brought her digits to her mouth. She licked each finger in turn before letting her hand dip to the junction of her thighs and then plunged her fingers within her heat. Kagome moaned at the sensation and her eyes glued shut in grimaced pleasure.

"Fuck!" Inuyasha yelled as he practically ran up behind her. "Fangirl, that's mine!" He stood behind her and his shaft touched the warm smoothness of her curved backside. "Move your hands out of there," he ordered. "I need to get inside of you."

Kagome complied after a moment's hesitation. Her hands gripped the top of the couch as she leaned forward to make room for him.

Inuyasha grasped his own length and guided himself under her warm cheeks into her velvety wetness. As he slid into her, he really didn't have any coherent thoughts other than, 'Home.' Within her was home, inside of her was heaven.

"Kagome," he moaned. He forgot that they were playing a game and that she was pretending to be a fan that was willing to do anything for him. Once he throbbed within her, he could do nothing but call her by her real name. "Dammit, I want you. I love you," he muttered almost incoherently as he pulled back and plunged within her walls again and again.

Once he was fully sheathed inside of her he moved his fingers above her soft folds to touch her clit. He was satisfied to feel the pearl at the apex of her pleasure zone was already hardening. "Let loose for me, Ka-Go-Me," he demanded, punctuating each part of her name with a thrust.

As he plunged repeatedly into her tight slick heat, his fingers played her nub like the accomplished musician he was. Her gasps, changed into moans and her moans became incoherent cries. Soon she was screaming unintelligibly and her snug passage started to pulse in waves against his hardened length as she orgasmed.

Pushing, shoving, pulsing, grinding… He felt the steady build up of pressure that had to be released. Instinctually he felt the need to lose himself within her. He pounded away at her core before the pressure built up to a crescendo. He couldn't breathe as he throbbed and pulsated inside of her. His life fluid streamed out of his body and made its way to hers. It would mark her as his, lengthen her life for yet another day and bind her to him.

He bent his head over her shoulder and kissed her neck. "Ka-Go-Me," he uttered. He was spent. It felt like every ounce of energy had been drawn from his body. But he was so satisfied and incomprehensibly happy. His arms wrapped around her midsection and drew her even closer to his warm and sweaty body.

"I love you, wench," he sighed into her neck.

Kagome's arms reached back to encircle his neck and to draw him forward. "I love you too, my sexy fiancé," she cooed.

"Sexy fiancé?" repeated Inuyasha as he quirked an eyebrow.

"Is there anyone else in this room?"

"Better not be," he growled. Inuyasha moved his naked form to lie horizontally on the couch. He situated Kagome to lie directly on top of him. Inuyasha found it strange that most of her clothes were still on while he was nude. One of his hands found its way under her skirt so that he could squeeze and caress her bottom.

Kagome smiled and gazed at his face. Her fingers drew invisible lines over his jaw and lips. "I like being your fiancé," she said while grinning. "And you'll look gorgeous in a tux."

"You'll look even better out of your wedding gown," added Inuyasha playfully as he nipped at her neck.

"Is that all you ever think about?" asked Kagome with a mischievous smile.

Inuyasha pretended to think for a moment. "Ever since I laid eyes on you…yes!" he murmured.

Her eyes softened as she looked back at the man she was going to marry. "Strange how things work out…"

Inuyasha gave her a puzzled frown. "What do you mean?"

"We went from childhood playmates, to hated rivals, to lovers, to…to two people who …"

"Can't get enough of each other?" Inuyasha finished.

"Something like that," added Kagome with a grin. "I think I'm going to like my new name."

"Oh?" asked Inuyasha

"Kagome Taisho," she said while smirking.

"I like it, too," he added. "I like it so much that we'll need to make some little Taishos to add my last name to."

"Children? Inuyasha?"

"Sure. Your daughter would be gorgeous. A cute button nose, long black hair…"

"Adorable fuzzy ears on the top of her head…"

"Feh. I don't think so," muttered Inuyasha as he tried to cross his arms, but the half-hearted attempt didn't work very well with Kagome on top of him. He simply ended up holding Kagome closer to him.

Kagome turned so that her face was right next to his. "Nothings cuter than your ears. I want all my kids to have them," she added as she moved lithely up his body so that her mouth was above a furry ear. Kagome let a warm breath cascade over the appendage before her tongue started to lick the rim.

"Oi, God damn, Kagome. Do you want round two?" said Inuyasha. He had thought he was spent, but there was something about having her warm form on top of him and her mesmerizing scent surrounding him.

A sultry smile could be seen from Kagome's face as she left the question unanswered and continued to run her tongue over his furry ear.

'I'm right. I have created a monster,' he thought to himself with a self-satisfied smile. He lifted her skirt and grabbed Kagome's body to situate her wet folds directly over his engorging length. He was going to enjoy tonight and the feeling of having his fiancé in his arms.

He thought of the song he had just sung for her as she started to ride him.

'Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?'

The End

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Please read and review if you liked this story!
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Author's Notes:

#1: What was your favorite chapter of 'A Grudging Loss' and why?

#2: A reviewer asked me if I have anything planned after this. I am currently co-authoring 'He's My Girl' with Karaumea. It is a sexy comedy. Inu/Kag of course! Here's the summary:
When Sesshomaru said he would help them, Inuyasha and Kouga, the notorious bad boys, did not expect to find themselves as two of the hottest girls in a boarding school. Inu/Kag Rated for language and sexual situations.
I think you'll have a lot of fun with this lighthearted adventure. It is posted on Fan Fiction dot net and Mediaminer dot org under Karaumea's name. It is under my name at Adult Fan Fiction dot net and both of our names at Eternal Destiny. (If you have an ED account, please check it out over there since it is the only fan fiction site that can actually handle co-authoring.) I also have about five different Inuyasha stories percolating through my mind. The one I will probably write first is a canon-ish story where an older Inuyasha goes through the well and meets up with his younger self and a younger Kagome. But I won't start any new stories under my name until 'He's My Girl' is done. Just put me under an author alert and you'll find out when I post something under my name again.

#3: Brakken did a little math and determined that since Inuyasha and Kagome were six-years-old during the 1992 LA Riots that most of this story took place in 2004. The epilogue was in 2005. Thanks Brakken!

#4: I wanted to apologize to SilverFeather. I was going to use 'Iris' by the Goo Goo Dolls in this chapter. But after careful consideration, I thought that 'Everything' by Lifehouse worked out a little better.

#5: A big thank you goes out to Hedanicree and Lissa for recommending 'Why Don't You and I' by Santana and Alex Band. Once I heard the lyrics 'I'm like a love-sick puppy chasing you around' I knew that I had to have Inuyasha sing it! Great idea!

#6: I sometimes get asked where my story inspirations come from, this story as I have already noted was inspired by Inuyasha and Romeo and Juliet. As you read the story you will also notice that the 1992 Los Angeles riots also feature prominently in my story. (I still remember the unusual silence that I was met with in downtown Los Angeles one week after the riots occurred.) However there were two other facets that also inspired me. The first was following around behind a USC acoustic rock band in Los Angeles while I was in college. (Just call me a roadie.) I helped them carry their equipment into clubs so that I could avoid a cover charge.

The other large inspiration for this story was Todd Marinovich, a famous quarterback at USC who was dubbed "Marijuanavich". (He was at USC while I was covering college sports.) The boy's life started clean, but due to the pressures of college sports he soon fell into marijuana and cocaine use. He tried to make the transition from college sports to the NFL Los Angeles Raiders (now the Oakland Raiders), however his NFL career ended amid his drug abuse problems. If you look him up in Wikipedia you can read about his sad story. Inuyasha's story in this fan fict was a close approximation to Marinovich's story. However, unlike Marinovich I had Inuyasha find someone who loved him and someone who changed him for the better. (I'm such a sucker for happy endings.)

The last inspiration for this story was from a review I read online that was complaining that the 'real' manga Inuyasha was too OOC (out of character) at the end. I couldn't believe it! Rumiko Takahashi's Inuyasha was OOC? He changed over the course of the manga and he was no longer the same angry half-demon at the end—he even smiles! He wasn't out of character. He had changed. I wanted to write a fan fiction piece that mirrored his development in the manga.

I hope you enjoyed my story and I hope to see you online for my next story!