Kagome helped Kakashi up off the floor, not that he needed the help, and watched him put his mask back on his face.

"So…" She trailed off…looking at the mess they made. "You better not leave me to clean this mess by myself."

She turned to look at him to see that he was all ready gone. She just shook her head.

Looking at her cousin passed out on the ground, she moved to wake her up. "Hana?" She gently shook her awake. "Hana, wake up." She got her awake and sitting on a chair.

"Oh. My. God. Kagome." Hana said slowly. "Why haven't you passed out? He's so hot!"

Kagome laughed at her cousins reaction. "I know he is…but it's like I don't want to let myself look at him like that when I don't know what we are…or what he wants…"

"You haven't talked about anything yet?" Hana practically yelled at her.

Kagome shrugged. "We're both not bringing it up."

Hana shook her head at her cousin as she grabbed what she needed for class. "Walk me back?"

X

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"So this is why you're both stupid." Hana said to her cousin. "How can you both not bring up the engagement?"

"Well yesterday he admitted to a crazy fangirl we're engaged but we didn't discuss it really. I don't want to make him uncomfortable…and to be honest…I don't know if being in an arranged marriage is healthy for anyone." Kagome twisted her hair around her finger lost in thought.

Hana rolled her eyes. "Say that to him. And then you guys will be 'official'. And then he can take off his mask and you can then faint on the ground because you'll let yourself like him."

Kagome shoved her playfully, "You just don't want to be the only one that fainted."

X

X

"Well aren't I lucky to run into the most beautiful woman in town!" Jiraiya said enthusiastically.

Kagome looked at him with a light glare. "I hope you realize I'm not going to be flirting with you every time we meet."

Jiraiya flexed his arms and said in a deep voice, "A buff man like me could only dream of someone as fine as you flirting with me."

Kagome continued to glare; she was clearly unaffected by the show.

Realizing she wasn't swooning at his feet, he stood up and scratched his cheek embarrassed. "Right…well anyways…the Hokage wants to see you immediately."

Her eyes went wide in surprise. "Oh! All right, I'll head over now…why are you walking towards me Jir-." He crept towards her and teleported them to the office.

"-iaya?" Kagome finished her word and then proceeded to hit his chest. "I hate being grabbed! Why couldn't I run here like a human?" She had anger in her eyes.

"Why act like a normal person when you can act like a ninja?" Jiraiya said wisely as he then poofed out of the Hokage office.

"…How annoying." She muttered to herself. A polite cough got her attention. She turned towards the Hokage with a blush.

"I just finished talking to a messenger sent by your uncle." The Hokage started as Kagome took a deep breath in. He took a drag from his pipe and said, "Proof was requested about your engagement with Kakashi Hatake. Naturally the request was denied."

Kagome's eyes went wide with surprise. "You didn't confirm it?"

"Well," he said with eyes twinkling in amusement, "To divulge this type of information that could leak to his or your enemies would jeopardize safety."

She listened confused and said, "…but."

"But we do need to discuss what the next step is to take. I'm sure that your uncle will be visiting us in person now. He will most likely try and take you back with him since he didn't get the information he desired."

She crossed her arms as she started to think a million things at once. "If Kakashi agreed to it, could we just tell my uncle that we're engaged? Then I won't have to go back to the Land of Iron."

"You pose an interesting suggestion but the question is…are you engaged Kagome?" The Hokage countered.

"…what if Kakashi agreed to say we were engaged?" Kagome hedged.

The Hokage shrugged. "Your uncle, although seemingly pious, is sneaky to get what he wants. I suspect that he will not back down until you are married and off the market so to speak."

Her anger was starting to rise. "You're the Hokage; you're my Hokage. Why can't you tell the Higurashi that my father set an engagement up and then that would be the end of it?"

"Politics unfortunately controls this decision." He looked apologetic as he spoke. "Your father may have made an agreement with the Hatake clan, but nothing was documented. Nothing can back yours or Kakashi's claim."

Her lip rose in an almost snarl as she said fiercely, "I am not going back there."

"I have an idea, but first I want to know why you are so passionate about staying here." He looked at her curiously with his hand propped on his chin. "You lived here for short time in comparison to the Land of Iron."

She nodded her head understanding where he was coming from. "Konoha will always be home. My family is here. I may have been young, but my best memories are here." Kagome looked at her empty hands and slowly allowed pink chakra to gather. Looking into the intrigued eyes of the Hokage she confessed, "This was the only thing I hid from everyone here and it was only because my mom asked me. When dad died and we moved in with the Higurashi, I had to hide everything about me. All I heard at my new home was how I was too loud, too impulsive, too rough, too energetic, and too Inuzuka." Her eyes were hard as she remembered. "My uncle tried so hard to make me like his perfect daughter Kikyo…believe me I tried to be like her. I tried to blend in and prove to my uncle that I was one of them."

"But?" He asked when she stopped and seemed to be lost in thought.

Looking at him again Kagome said, "No matter what he says, I will always be too Inuzka for him. I will not start a family there and have my kids be told there is something wrong with them by supposed family when that is not the case."

"Interesting, so you want children?" He asked.

Kagome looked at him confused. "…yes. I mean eventually."

Whatever the Hokage was going to say next was interrupted by the ninja Kagome met two days ago entering the office. Genma took his senbon needle out of his mouth and said in a casual voice, "Two of your guests are approaching at a faster pace than the rest of their group."

The Hokage stood and approached Kagome. "So this is why I was able to not confirm your engagement without the fear of losing you." Kagome looked confused as he continued, "I need your help to be the liaison between Konoha and a rogue clan approaching us now."

Kagome's mouth opened and closed before she said, "Of course I would help you, Hokage. I just don't know how I would be of any help."

He stood in front of her and put his hands on her shoulders in a grandfather like way. "You don't give yourself enough credit. As the leader of the Inuzuka clan, you will be a great help to Konoha."

"What!"

"Genma, take Kagome to the gate to intercept our guests. I will inform Tsumi to meet her there." At the Hokage's command Genma grabbed Kagome and transported them to the gate.

X

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Kagome practically leaped out of Genma's stronghold.

He muttered, "Touchy much."

She blushed. "It's nothing personal; I just don't like being grabbed." At his blank stare she felt she needed to continue, "I can smell the scents that get on me."

"My apologies, Miss Inuzuka." He said with a smile and poofed away.

Now that she was alone in front of the gate she started to listen. She could hear a scuffle in the trees. Being curious she went towards the noise. The closer she got to the noise the more expletives and insults she heard. From what she could hear, the two fighting knew each other. She stepped around a big tree and saw the two men that were fighting.

One had long white hair and ears on top of his head. "Ears on top of his head?" She whispered to herself. The other had a tail. "What the fuuu-"

"Do you really think it's wise to be this close to fighting ninja?" A deep voice whispered in her ear.

She screamed.

Kagome whipped her head towards the voice to see Kakashi's face.

"Kakashi Hatake!" She yelled and pushed him away from her. He quickly grabbed her and put her behind him.

"How cute." A rough voice said sarcastically. "He's protecting her." The men were now standing and looking at Kagome and Kakashi suspiciously.

Kagome popped around Kakashi with ready to say something when Kakashi said in a friendly voice that only Kagome knew was fake, "Welcome to Konoha Kouga Wolf and Inuyasha Taisho."

Kagome got out of Kakashi's hold and said, "I think I'm supposed to meet you guys."

"You think?" The sarcastic voice said again.

Kagome sent an angry stare his way as the one with a tail approached her with a smile. "I'm Kouga."

Kagome blushed as she realized she forgot her manners. "Sorry I'm Kagome. It's nice to meet you." She slid a glance at his counterpart and asked, "Who's Mr. Grumpy?"

"The HELL you say?!" The sarcastic man yelled as he approached her. Kagome tried to look innocent

"That's Inuyasha." Kakashi supplied.

"Hello Inuyasha." Kagome said to him but she wasn't looking at him in the eye. She was mesmerized and was being controlled by a force stronger then she thought possible. It was like an out of body experience as she watched her own hand gently touch the dog-like ears on top of Inuyasha's head which elicited a yell.

"Get the fuck off woman!"

"I'm so sorry I couldn't help myself!" Kagome said horrified.

"Keh, you don't see me touching your boobs because I want to."

"What!" Kagome yelled and she crossed her arms over her chest.

He just gave her a look that said, 'you know you heard me'.

She just glared at him when she heard her aunt headed their way. "Just follow me back towards the gate so my aunt doesn't have to walk over here." She promptly turned around and headed back towards the path. "How'd you know I was here?" She asked quietly to the man walking silently next to her.

Kakashi walked with his hands behind his back and just slid a glance her way and said nothing.

"I didn't even know I had to meet these guys til five minutes ago." She said incredulously.

"Is it bad that I want to near you, Kagome?" He asked casually.

Her mouth hung open. Her cheeks were pink as she huffed, "You still didn't answer me."

"Maybe he's a stalker!" Inuyasha yelled at them.

"Maybe you should shut up!" Kagome yelled childishly back.

Laughter erupted from Kagome's aunt. "I'm glad you and Inuyasha are getting along."

Kagome's eyes rolled, "That's a matter of opinion."

X

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Hey everyone! It's been a long ass time…I know…

I'll spare you all the excuses that I can give you about how delayed I am and just want to thank everyone who sent me comments about this story!

Hope you all enjoy this tiny chapter.

What do you think will happen next?!