Kagome turned to the silver kitsune, "And you. Why didn't you stop them?"

Youko suddenly appeared in front of here causing her to step back at the sudden invasion, "I knew Shessy was only testing him if he wanted 'your fiancé' dead he would be."

Yusuke made to protest but Kagome shook her head, her finger wagging, "He's pretty strong according to what I sensed and saw and he's a lot like InuYasha, too stubborn to die."

Sesshoumaru retracted his whip, "Indeed."

Yusuke felt an odd feeling in his stomach at hearing the miko defend him. She squealed outraged when the kitsune bit her finger. Youko grinned smugly at causing the miko to blush but the expression changed when she poked him and sent him a small spark of her holy energy. Sesshoumaru turned to Yusuke, his gaze critical, before he walked gracefully to Kagome. Before he could speak to her, Rin ran up and grabbed Kagome's leg in a tight hug throwing the miko off balance and pitching her to the ground, "Kagome-nee-chan, can we have some of those sticks with the cream on them!"

Kagome smiled at the girl, "Later, okay, Rin-chan?"

She nodded abet sadly, "Okay, Kagome-nee-chan."

Sesshoumaru cleared his throat, "Rin."

The twelve year old girl strengthened up the upset expression vanishing in an instant, "Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama!"

Kagome sent a silent look to her brother, "Well, let's eat an early lunch before we head out for the shard."

Miroku spoke up thoughtfully, "Kagome-sama, when did you learn to make such an impressive shield?"

Kagome smiled, "Three days ago."

Youko whistled slightly, "And it withstood Sesshoumaru's ki, I'm very impressed."

She spoke sarcasm coating her words, "I'm so glad I impressed you."

InuYasha hid a snigger and lifted the flap to Kaede's hut entering and occupying his usual spot. Kagome smiled apologetically to the elderly miko but Kaede just stood up, "I need to attend to Yahiko, he appears to have eaten a bad mushroom, stay here and enjoy thy selves."

Kaede hobbled out of the hut and the others filed in after she left. Kagome had quickly set up the little kerosene stove and had a kettle of water boiling in mere moments.

After a minor disagreement on whether or not to share the ramen with the newer members of their group was resolved by Kagome subduing the protester and while he was down she passed the cups around. Kagome sat down next to Rin and Shippo while both children proceeded to fill her in on what she missed during her stay in her time.

The group packed up and began along the way. Sesshoumaru led the group with Kagome walking alongside him; the two holding a relaxed conversation all the while the miko keeping an eye on the two children who were running around basking in the presence of the miko.

InuYasha followed behind Youko and Yusuke wanting to keep an eye on the both of them and Miroku and Sango followed behind him with Ah-Un and Jaken off to the side.

Once the conversation fell into a lull she turned and realized that Yusuke wasn't talking to anyone and was looking rather out of place in the group. She slowed down to walk beside the detective and tried to pull him into conversation. He merely rebuked her efforts and Kagome sighed, "You realize all I want to do is to become friends with you. After all we know that the engagement between us is but a hoax."

That got his attention, "What do you mean?"

Kagome turned to look at the sky, "I thought it was obvious. Think about it, has your mother ever at any point regulated your love life?"

He shook his head, she was too busy enjoying her social life to at anyway shape or form worry about his. Kagome hummed, "Thought so, I believe it was my mother's idea, she had no problem with my love life until she realized that things tying me to that side were becoming more and more scant. After all, I graduated high school and there was no way I could even conceive going to college. All my friends hate me with the exception of Ayumi. I hardly know my family, I think she was trying to ensure after all this happens I have a reason to return there. After all, how can I relate with people there, they seem so…"

Yusuke finished, "naïve"

Kagome nodded, "You got it. So let's call it a truce in our problems and finish this thing and then after you can go back and join the 'I hate Kagome fanclub'."

Yusuke looked at her and laughed, "There is actually one of those?"

Pouting she shrugged, "I wouldn't be surprised if there was some sort of group of that nature, if not I'm sure you could make one with Eri and Yuka."

He nodded as if contemplating it and Youko seeing how the two were getting along wrapped an arm around the miko's waist and tugged her to his body, "

"Kagome-san, I would love to hear all about you such as how did you meet, Fluffy there?"

She sighed slightly, she and Yusuke were actually getting along before Youko interrupted and she had to admit she liked that. "Well, it was a rather long and convoluted story involving his father's sword."

Youko listened to her but turned his gaze at Yusuke and smirked viciously at him above the miko's head as she continued the story oblivious to the situation happening above her head.

Yusuke's fists clenched, 'Just who the hell did that fucking kitsune think he is?' But he breathed telling himself that he didn't care that the stupid fox was hogging Kagome's attention like a spoiled brat.

She stopped in her story telling when she was yanked from Youko's arm and she found herself at InuYasha's side, "You get into trouble far too often."

Kagome blinked, "Trouble? What do you mean?"

Miroku and Sango both having caught InuYasha move aught up to them and Miroku sighed, "Why what he means is that you, Kagome-sama, seem to have this ability to attract suitors to yourself."

She blushed slightly, "What are you talking about?"

Her gaze shot off to the side and muttered a slight curse as she sensed two jewel shards coming their way. Seconds later InuYasha began to growl and Sango, Shippo, and Miroku recognizing the familiar situation beckoned Youko and Yusuke to sit in the grass off to the side to watch the show. Miroku continued, "Well here comes one of these suitors."

Kagome flushed, "He doesn't like me like that. He only does it because he knows it annoys InuYasha."

Kouga appeared and freed her from InuYasha's grasp. "That's merely a plus, love. But how is my woman?"

Kagome detangled herself from the wolf shook her finger, "I'm not your woman Kouga-kun. But have you seen Ayame recently?"

Kouga shook his head but before he could speak Sesshoumaru quickly appeared and threw the wolf away, "Leave, ookami."

The prince stood up, and spat some blood, "What the fuck is it to you?"

Rin had gasped and when Kouga was knocked away ran into Kagome's arms frightened of the wolf and his followers. Kagome recognizing the terror called out to him, "Kouga-kun, could you please leave? You are frightening Rin."

He noticed the 12 year old clinging to the miko shaking like a leaf and nodded before he left in his stereotypical whirlwind his pack following behind him.

Kagome ran a hand through Rin's hair, "Shh, Rin it will be alright. Do you think your Sesshoumaru-sama and I will let anything hurt you?" She leaned to whisper conspiratorially, "Besides there is Sango, she's very scary when she wants to be."

Rin turned to look at the demon slayer and watched as she knocked out Miroku for groping her. Then she broke into giggles and Kagome smiled, "Told you."

Yusuke stood up, "Who the fuck was that pansy?"

The miko turned to him now used to his vocabulary, "That's my friend."

Yusuke snorted softly but he didn't comment while Youko stood up his nose wrinkling at the stench of wolf marring her pleasant scent. So knowing that woman wouldn't appreciate being tossed into a river to clean her scent decided to do the next best thing cover the wolf's stink with something else preferably his own scent. Kagome squeaked, surprised as the kitsune pulled her into his embrace seeming to cover her entire body. She sighed as she was manhandled, "Is there a sign on my head that says 'Kagome-chan umo, molest me at will?'"

InuYasha grabbed the girl free from the fox, "You stink, Kagome."

The miko sighed, "Does Kouga's scent annoy both you and Youko that much?"

She turned to the fox, "Yes I knew what you were doing. He's just a friend."

Sessoumaru sniffed, "We are going to take a break and, Miko, you will bathe and have Rin join you."

She gaped at him, "Et tu, Fluff-butt?"

Every looked puzzled at the foreign language but Yusuke paused, "Wasn't that from that play by that Queer?"

"Shakespeare."

She huffed slightly and walked to her bag her back stiff as she pulled out her bathing supplies before she smiled at Rin and turned to InuYasha, who realized that that was not the time to say anything and he simply pointed the way to the nearest body of water.

Sango mentioned that she would stay to keep an eye on the guys while the two bathed.

Rin followed the miko quietly as the older girl fussed and fumed under her breath, "Is Kagome-nee-chan angry at me?"

Kagome pause and looked at the girl and kneeled down, "No, Rin-chan, I'm not angry with you. I'm just upset, but let's not let that disrupt our bath."

Rin nodded happily and took the miko's hand and pulled her the rest of the way to the water. Where Kagome lost balance on the slick rocks and fell into the cold river water

The new members of the group stiffened when they heard Kagome scream but Sango shook her head, "No, she's fine. That's her 'I just fell into cold water yell' and Houshi-sama, stay there where I can clearly see your hands."

Miroku looked at her innocently, "You wound me, my fiancée."

Sango shook her head, "I'll wound you if you dare spy on Kagome-chan and Rin-chan."

They waited fifteen minutes for the two to return and when they did Yusuke had to control himself, the miko smelt heavenly once the stench of pollution, wolf and fox didn't mask it.

Kagome stood there her arms crossed, both her and Rin's hair damp. "Happy?"

InuYasha merely snorted, "Hurry up, wench. We wasted enough time waiting for you."

Youko pushed past the hanyou and held her hand, "Don't listen to the puppy. Beauty like yours cannot be rushed."

Kagome ignored the fox holding her hands, "Gomen, InuYasha, but lets get going."

Yusuke watched the whole thing confused, from what he knew of Kagome, she hated to be called names. Why did she allow that to slide?

Miroku feeling that he would have to enlighten the toushin, placed a hand on his shoulder, "Kagome doesn't strike a person as to allow someone to call her names, does she? But they are pet names, Sesshoumaru-sama calls her Miko every now and then and InuYasha uses the word wench."

Guys you can thank two people for this update, Alicia Blade, for her fiction inspiring me to write AND my sister I wanted to get her something for her B-day today (She's 23 now)