Miko Twilight

by WhisperingKage

Summary:

Summary: Kagome Higurashi never thought moving to live with her father in Forks would change much. Yet here she was stuck between a vampire and a werewolf. Why couldn't anything ever be easy for her? AU

Chapter 1: Goodbye's and Hello's

Kagome sighed as she looked around her room one last time, it seemed so barren without her things in it, she would dearly miss it but dwelling on it would do nothing. She turned on her heel and grabbed the two suitcases sitting by her stripped bed.

She carefully made her way down the stairs trying not to fall down them, again. She blinked as someone grabbed the heaviest suitcase from her hand. She craned her neck and smiled at her younger half brother.

"Thanks Souta." He smiled back, his eyes red and puffy, he didn't want her to go live with her dad but he didn't want to make this harder than it was.

"No prob." With that both siblings made their way down the stairs and set her luggage down in the entry hallway. Once done he hugged her from behind and held to her tight. She sighed sadly and hugged him back.

"I don wan you ta go." His voice was muffled by her white tank top but she was still able to hear him.

"I know but I have to, it's for the best but don't worry I'll call, write, yahoo message, face book, and video chat with you." Her voice was layered with mirth, she was trying to cheer up her younger brother.

He pulled away and huffed as she turned to face him.

"You better visit to! Oh and I want to kick your butt on X box live!" She smiled and nodded, ruffling his hair.

"Hai, hai. I will now go get gramps for me please?" He nodded and ran out of the room.

She turned around and smiled at her mother who entered the room with a small sad smile of her own.

"I'm sorry we're making you do this dear." She threw her arms around Kagome and hugged her, guilt rolling off her in waves.

Kagome sighed and pulled her closer.

"It's not your fault and you make living with dad sound like it's a punishment." Her mother pulled back an unnamable look on her face. Kagome laughed.

"Okay wrong choice of words but still, it won't be that bad. Besides I'm almost a full grown woman. You just got married and you need time to spend it with your new husband, the brat, and gramps." Her mother nodded, easily letting her daughter cheer her up.

Yes, she knew she was not the best of mothers, that she had made mistakes, but she still tired her hardest and that was all that matter to her daughter. For so long it had been just them and her father and then she had met Kyo. He was a nice man and they had dated a bit she got pregnant and well things got complicated.

Kyo was already married, yes, she was the other woman. Nonetheless she kept the baby, knowing Kyo would not take an active part in raising him. For eight years they had struggled to stay afloat, they were all crammed into a two bedroom apartment at the time, yet it was around this time last year that Kyo had left his wife and pursued a real relationship with her.

Needless to say they had gotten married about a month ago. Now they, minus her daughter, were all moving into an old family house on the Sunset Shrine grounds. Sadly it was only a three bedroom and there were five of them. She and Kyo would take one room, her father would take another and the last one went to her Souta.

It was a hard decision to move in with her dad, Kyo offered to have another room built onto the structure of the house, but she had refused. It was far too much as hassle. So after a few phone calls had been made it was deiced she would move in with her dad. She hadn't seen him since she was ten, and yes she felt bad about it, and she deiced that now was a good enough time to get involved with him again.

Yes, many would see it as her sucking up so she would have a place to live. That she was using him and think she was a bitch but oh well. She was never one for gossip or caring about what others thought about her. She had never answered to anyone, except for her parents and grandfather, for anything and she was not about to start now.

"Hey now what's with the water works?" They both blinked and turned around to face a smiling Kyo. He was leaning against the doorway of the small and empty apartment, and he as usual looked handsome. That was not to say she liked her step dad that way, oh hell no, but for a man his age he was strikingly handsome, though not as handsome as her dad, no one could ever be as handsome as him, in her eyes.

Kagome smiled as her mother walked over to him and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"Oh hush up Kyo!" Kyo smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist. Kagome shook her head, they were still in newlywed mode. She blinked as her grandfather and Souta entered the room and made her way over to him. Souta sat down on the stairs and looked around the barren room sadly.

She hugged him lightly, he was an old man after all, and pulled away to smile at him.

"I'll miss you Kagome." She nodded.

"I'll miss you to old man." She smiled mischievously as he huffed.

"I'm not that old young lady." She nodded and pulled out of his embrace.

"Yeah, yeah. So are we all ready to go?" Everyone nodded. She sighed as she walked over to her suitcases and picked them up. She glanced around the barren room and walked out of the door.

She sighed as she walked towards the second taxi car and allowed the driver to take her luggage. She turned to her family and felt tears well up in her eyes as they all hugged her. A few escaped her eyes as they all whispered goodbyes and I love you's. She sniffled and pulled away from them and gave them one last smile as she watched them get in the taxi that would take them to Sunset Shrine.

She sadly got in the taxi and only once the car door was shut did it finally hit her and it hit her hard. She pulled her knees up to her chest and sobbed into them, completely ignoring the concerned look the driver was sending her. It was five minutes later that due to her exhausted emotional state she fell asleep.

"Miss wake up." She grumbled under her breath as she slowly started to come to.

"Miss we're at the air port." She groaned as she sat up, a kink in her neck making her frown. Once she cracked it and sat up fully she realized what was going on.

"Oh! Thank you!" She smiled at the driver, her sadness still there but dulled lightly at the thought of getting to see her dad for the first time in years.

She quickly got out of the car and grabbed her luggage from the man. Her step father had pre paid the man so she didn't have to pay him, thank kami because she had no idea where her wallet was at this moment in time.

She tossed the driver one last grateful smile and was on her way, pushing and shoving through the crowded airport in order to try and find her plane. She huffed under her breath, really! She blinked as someone bumped into her extra hard and down she went. Hard. She winced as her palms and knees broke her fall, her luggage fell to the ground but thankfully didn't open. Even so she was pissed, this was so not the day for this!

She quickly got up, her famous temper taking hold of her. She whirled on her heels to glare up at the person who had knocked her over. She blinked, he was most definitely not Japanese. He was tall about six feet and towered over her, he was built like a swimmer and his blond hair and lightly golden eyes were definitely not Japanese. He had to either be American or European.

"Oh I'm so sorry." She furrowed her eye brows at him, did he just speak in Chinese? Yes, while she could admit Japanese and Chinese were similar she still had no real idea of what he had just said and decided to go for English.

"Um, I don't speak Chinese…" He blinked and shook his head lightly as he picked up her luggage for her.

"Oh, I'm so sorry I just left a medical conference in China and I guess I'm still stuck in that mind frame." She nodded and took her luggage from him, her anger at him gone.

"Thank you Mr…" She trailed off not want to seem rude yet at the same time wanting to know his name.

"Oh! My name is Carlisle Cullen and you are?" She blinked.

"Oh, Higurashi Kagome. Nice to meet you, though I must say it was a bit painful." She laughed as he lost his smile.

"Don't worry about it I'm tougher then I look." He smiled at her.

"Well that's good, if you don't mind me asking where were you going in such a hurry?" Kagome blinked in horror as she realized why she was in such a hurry.

"Oh no! I'm looking for the plane to Forks Washington in the US. I'm afraid I've never been really good with directions…mou…" She trailed off chewing on her bottom lip.

He smiled, his nose twitching lightly making him gulp lightly, but he brushed it off.

"Well my dear you're in luck, I myself and going there as well." She smiled at him, glad she had made at least one friend and yes he was older then her by at least ten years she was a people person and was adept to getting along with everyone regardless of their age, race, or sex.

"Really? That's wonderful! I don't suppose you know where we board the plane do you? I've never been here before…" He nodded and pointed in the opposite direction that she was heading in.

"It's actually this way." She blushed and nodded.

"Great! Well shall we?" He nodded; she seemed like a nice enough girl besides he was sure he would get to know here sooner or later seeing as he was one of the only doctors in the small town they were heading to.

It was ten minutes later that they were on the plane and it was in the air, surprisingly their seats were right next to each other, not that either of them minded.

Kagome sighed as she relaxed in her seat, now she should have been scared shitless since this was her first time on a plane, yet she was strangely clam.

She glanced at Carlisle and raised an eyebrow at him, his hands were clenched around the seat's arm rests, he was scared.

"Are you okay?" He blinked and turned to her a small nervous smile on his pale handsome face.

"Oh, yes. I just don't like flying all that much. You would think with all the flying I have done in my life that I would be used to it but I'm not. Even so you don't have to worry about me." She nodded but patted his hand, making him stiffen more.

"It's in my nature to worry about others but okay. If you want we can chat?" He nodded, his eyes slightly wide in surprise.

"Sure. So what would you like to talk about?" Kagome blinked and thought it over, what did she want to talk about?

"How about the town? It's been about six and a half years since I've been there." He nodded.

"I see, if you don't mind me asking why is a young girl like yourself moving there all alone?" She blinked and blushed lightly.

"Oh, I won't be living alone I'm moving in with my dad, Charlie Swan." He nodded.

"I know your dad." She narrowed her eyes in mock suspicion.

"I don't know if I should trust you then…he is the town sheriff…" They both laughed lightly.

"Oh no, it's nothing like that it's just our line of work makes us cross paths once in a while otherwise I'm usually busy at the clinic or with my family." They were completely off topic, which was supposed to be the town, but neither of them cared.

"Oh? You're married? I should have know a handsome man like you would be, please tell me about your family." He nodded giving her a weary look.

"I'm not going to have to worry about any lawsuits am I?" She blushed and lightly smacked his arm.

"You wish. Sorry but I like my men around my age, don't need them dying on me anytime soon." His eyes lost a bit of their mirth yet he still laughed lightly.

"With that aside young lady. My wife's name is Esme. We have five kids, all of them are adopted, not that it matters. My oldest are Rosalie and Emmet both of them have found love in each other as odd as that sounds. Then again we don't judge." Kagome nodded, hearing the protective tone in his voice.

"I know what you mean I don't think love she be bound or judged on race, sex or age. Love is love it doesn't matter who you love just that you love them." Carlisle nodded his eyes widened in surprise.

"You are very wise for one your age." She smiled, a light blush dusting her cheeks.

"Thank you, but please do go on." He nodded.

"My other three are all the same age; your age actually, Alice and Jasper, like their older siblings, have found love in each other. Then there's Edward." She nodded.

"Well it seems as if you and your wife have your hands full. Maybe you should adopt me? It seems as if you're running a dating service." She laughed lightly and he joined her, he knew that she was merely joking around and meant no harm or disrespect.

"I highly doubt your father would be very happy though." She blinked and nodded.

"You're right, oh well. So what is your family like?" He smiled thinking of them.

"My wife is the most wonderful woman in the world, no offense, she's kind and loving, in a word she's perfect." Kagome giggled lightly it was easy to tell he loved his wife.

"Wow, I hope I marry someone as nice as you when and if I get married." He smiled at her.

"I'm sure you will any man would be lucky to have you." She blushed.

"Thank you." He smiled and nodded.

"You're welcome, now where was I? Oh yes. Rosalie is…stubborn and set in her ways, she's not that friendly but once you get past her stony exterior she's a sweet girl. Just be warned she has a sharp tongue, but she doesn't really mean it, most of the time. Emmet is…well he's Emmet. He's laid back about a lot of things and he really enjoys sports. He's whipped though, he jumps when Rose says jump." They both shared a laugh.

"Then there's Alice and Jasper. Alice is a ball of energy. She's out going and she's very nice sadly she has an addiction to shopping. Either way I think you two would get along very well. Then there's Jasper. He's quiet and likes to keep to himself. He may come off as an icicle but he's really nice deep, deep down." Kagome nodded she had a friend like Jasper, his name was Sesshomaru, if she could get along with him then she had no doubt she would be able to get along with him.

"Then that just leaves Edward. How to describe him…hmmm. Well he also sticks to himself mostly. He's also a bit…moody. I think it's a stage he's going though even so I wish it would hurry up and pass. That's pretty much it. I mean my family is one you would have to meet in order to really understand." She smiled at him.

"Is that an invitation?" He blinked but nodded.

"Maybe. Now I've told you all about my family it's your turn to tell me about yours." She lost a bit of her mirth but nodded.

"Well my family is a bit…um messed up? Yeah that's the word for it. Even so I love them all dearly. My mom and dad divorced when I was seven. I moved with my mom but visited my dad every summer but when I turned ten I stopped. From what I remember he's a really laid back guy, a bit to much into fishing and sports for my tastes but I still love him. I hope we can hit it off." Her voice was filled with worry.

Carlisle gave her an encouraging smile and patted her arm.

"I'm sure you will, please continue." She smiled and nodded,

"Mmm my mom is really nice, she's a bit immature but that's okay its part of her charm. My gramps is well old and a bit senile, he always goes on and on about legends of old demons and such even so I love him." She smiled lightly thinking about the time her grandfather had dragged them to a shrine and spent hours lecturing them on demons, spirits, and others.

"Um where was I? Oh yeah, then there's my younger half brother. He's a brat but a lovable one. He, like most boys his age, eight by the way, is addicted to gaming. But he also likes soccer; he actually got me into it. Then there's my step dad Kyo. He's a nice guy a bit immature like my mom, then again I guess that's what drew them to each other, but unlike my mom he knows when to be serious. He's actually the head of Higurashi Corps. That's about it." She smiled at him and he nodded.

"It seems we both have interesting families." She nodded and blinked when she glanced out the window. Instead of meeting white fluffy clouds she was greeted with scattered dark clouds and green, lots and lots of green.

"Oh my, we're already here? Wow!" He smiled and nodded.

"Time sure does fly when you're having f-UN!" He jumped lightly as the plane hit a bit of turbulence as it got ready to land.

Kagome smiled at him and patted his hand.

"It's alright we're just landing is all." He nodded with a small embarrassed smile.

"Please gather all your luggage and exit the plane in an orderly fashion."

Kagome smiled as she unclipped her seat belt and stood up to stretch a bit. She smiled at Carlisle as he stood up and grabbed his bag.

"Well it looks like we part here; I hope to see you around town…though I am the town doctor…hmm…" He trailed off offering her a smile.

She returned the smile and nodded.

"Hai. See you, hopefully not in the emergency room." With that they said their goodbyes and exited the plane.

Kagome blinked as she looked around the lobby, her luggage in hand, where was her tou-san?

"Kagome!" She blinked and looked around and smiled when she caught sight of her dad.

He was sitting in his police car and practically leaning half way out of the window to wave his hands at her.

She shook her head at him and made her way to him, once there he got out of the car and pulled her into a hug, making her drop her luggage as she hugged him back.

"Tou-san!" She laughed lightly as he put her back down and looked her over.

She was dressed in a white tank top and dark blue jeans. Her tank top clung to her breasts and showed off her pale skin, he frowned; her jeans also hung low off her hips, to low.

"Look at you, all grown up." She smiled at him as she put her luggage in the back seat of the car.

"It has been a while since I've been here." She winced as soon as the words left her mouth and with a hung head she shut the door behind her and turned to face her dad with a bright smile.

"Well let's get going! I'm eager to get home." He smiled and nodded as he got in the driver's seat.

"Yeah home." He liked the sound of that, and with that in mind he started the car and they were off.

Kagome smiled as they passed a sign that boldly said: "The City Of Forks Welcomes You - Pop. 3246."

Kagome looked out the window as the cruiser drove through the small logging town, every storefront had a wood carving. The Timber Museum's sign was two loggers sawing a stump. The police station was a small wooden building across from City Hall.

All in all Kagome hoped to Kami no one ever left a fire unattended, the town would go up in a few seconds.

Kagome smiled as the cruiser pulled up to the old two-story house. It looked the same on the outside and she had no doubt it would be the same on the inside.

With giddiness in her stomach she climbed out of the car and shut the door. She quickly turned to her dad as he opened the back car door and pulled out her luggage. They both walked up the creaky old wooden stairs.

She held her breath as he opened the door and let her in. She was right; everything looked the same as it used to be. Nothing had changed. It was the same old comfortable, lived-in house she remembered. It was filled with fishing memorabilia; photos of Charlie fishing with Billy. Handmade cards to "Daddy" and photos of Kagome. She winced at herself, age seven, in a tutu, sitting stubbornly on the ground and turned to face her dad.

"I can't believe you kept that…" He laughed and turned to look at the picture.

"Of course! You're my little ballerina." She shook her head.

"I stopped when I was fourteen, didn't have that much time for it." He blinked surprised, that was news to him.

"Well, you can always pick it up again." She nodded. Charlie sensing her uncomfortable vibe with the subject deiced to change it.

"I put Grandma's old desk in your room. And I cleared some shelves in the bathroom." She nodded.

"Thanks." He nodded and rubbed the back of his neck. It was a bit awkward for him, he hadn't seen her since she was ten and to see her now, six years later and almost all grown up was a shock for him.

"Well then, I'll just put these up in your room-" She shook her head.

"I can do it! Don't worry tou-san." Kagome quickly grabbed the bags before he could even reach for them and made her way into the living room.

She easily made her way through the small house, noting that the only thing that had changed was the flat screen TV in the living room, and made her way upstairs to her room. She opened the door and winced as she was met with pink.

Lot's and lot's of pink.

It had been a long time since she had been here. She shook her head and placed her suitcases on the moth eaten old pink comforter. She glanced around the room, looking over old childhood things. An old stuffed bear that her parents had bought her, before the divorce, a music box given to her by her grandmother, a small paint chipped vanity table handmade for her by Billy, her unofficial uncle, for her sixth birthday.

All were precious memories and dear to her heart. She smiled as she walked back towards her bed and began unpacking her things. She quickly put away her clothes, all of which were mostly dark colors, dark greens, blues, and browns.

She quickly put away her bathing and feminine products, grimacing at the state of the bathroom, she would be cleaning it later. Once she was done with that she placed her Ipod, laptop, and her X box three sixty on the side table. She frowned when she realized that she should have brought her twenty inch plasma TV instead of letting her brother buy it off of her for ten bucks.

Oh, well she would just have to buy another one later. She blinked when she heard a honk outside. She quickly got up to look out her window. She watched with confusion as a faded red pick up truck pulled up.

She quickly walked over to her bed and grabbed a dark green sweat shirt and made her way outside.

Once there she saw her father happily greeting two people. The driver was fifteen and was obviously of some kind of Indian descent. He had long black hair, permanently tanned skin, and a handsome face that was just starting to lose its childish roundness. All in all he was quite handsome.

The other was no doubt the father; he looked much like the young man in the driver's seat but older and wiser.

Both her father and the young man helped the older man out of the truck and into a wheel chair. Once that was done her father turned to her and waved her over.

"Kagome, you remember Billy Black." She smiled at him as she made her way over to them and nodded.

"Of course!" Billy grinned at her.

"Glad you're finally here. Charlie hasn't shut up about it since you told him you were coming." She laughed lightly while her father mock glared at him.

"Keep exaggerating, I'll wheel you down the hill." Billy popped a wheely.

"Right after I ram you in the ankles." He rolled towards Charlie threateningly.

Kagome shook her head at them and turned to look at the teenage boy that was shyly approaching her. She offered him a small smile.

"I'm Jacob. We made mud pies together when we were little kids." She smiled, memories floating to the front of her mind.

"Of course I remember you Jake!" With a happy grin she tossed her arms around him in a hug. He heartily returned it.

They pulled apart from each other, but were still in each other's arms.

Kagome tossed an amused look towards their fathers.

"Are they always like this?" He rolled his eyes at them but nodded.

"It's getting worse with old age." They blinked and pulled apart from each other when her father patted the hood of the big red truck.

"So what do you think of your homecoming gift?" She blinked and walked over to it, running her hand over the cold mental of the hood.

"No way. The truck is for me?" Her eyes were wide with excitement. He nodded.

"Just bought it off Billy, here." Billy nodded at her. Jacob smiled and mention towards the big red beast.

"I rebuilt the engine and-" She cut him off with a light squeal as she hugged her dad.

"It's perfect!" She let go of her dad and jumped into the car, Jacob joined her as well, equally as excited. They looked like children in a candy store.

Jacob grinned at her.

"Okay, so you gotta double pump the clutch when you shift." He handed her the keys which she took happily.

"Maybe I can give you a ride to school." He smiled at her and shook his head in amusement.

"I go to school on the reservation." She blushed lightly.

"Oh yeah. Too bad. Would've been nice to know at least one person." With that she started the truck and they were off, both feeling happy and giddy.

Maybe moving to Forks wasn't going to be as bad as her mother had made it out to be.

Chapter 2: Eventful Meetings

Chapter Two:

Eventful Meetings

________________________________________________________________________________

Kagome smiled happily as she parked her truck, Inu as she had name him, and got out of it slamming the door shut with her hip. She ignored all the curious stares she received from her fellow students and made her way to the school.

They were all talking about her. Well let them talk.

Once there she looked around for the office and easily found it. She quickly walked in and got her schedule and books. After that was done she walked back out of the office in order to find her first class.

It was five minutes later that a semi embarrassed and flustered Kagome looked down at the crudely drawn map and huffed.

"It shouldn't be this hard." She sighed and looked down at her feet.

"What shouldn't be hard?" She jumped and whirled around to look at the speaker of the light fairy like voice.

It was a young woman, her age, and like her voice she was very fairy like. Petit, skinny, and fair skinned. She even had her hair cut short in a semi pixie cut. She was dressed in a Dark yellow shirt, which complemented her yellow contacts, under a light jean jacket, a dark blue skirt with black leggings on underneath and had on dark tan Uggs. All in all she was very pretty.

"Oh um I seem to be lost…" She trailed off embarrassed. The other girl nodded a happy smile on her face.

"You're Kagome Higurashi, the new girl. Hi. I'm Alice Cullen, my dad told me about you! I think he was right! We are going to be the best of friends! Anything you need. Tour guide, best friend, shoulder to cry on. I'm there!" She smiled lightly easily amused by her and her eagerness.

"It's nice to meet you. Your father told me a lot about you."

Alice giggled lightly. "Leave it to him to tell embarrassing stories about us." She rolled her eyes. "It's okay though we know he doesn't mean it, he's just old, really, really old. Anyway you should sit with me and my family at lunch!"

Kagome smiled and nodded, Alice sure could talk. "Sure. I would be honored." They both giggled.

The warning bell rang.

"Oh dear! I probably should show you to your class!" Kagome smiled and nodded, noticing the young man that glanced at them from the other side of the hallway. He was pale, like Alice, had yellow contacts, like Alice, and was dressed in a pair of black jeans and a plain white shirt with a plaid dark blue and black one over it. He seemed drawn in on himself and she instantly knew who he was.

Jasper and he was waiting for Alice no doubt.

"Oh no it's fine you go on I'm sure I'll get there by myself." Alice moved to protest but Kagome easily cut her off.

"Don't worry about it! Like I told your dad I'm tougher then I look." With that she lightly pushed Alice in the direction of Jasper, tossing him a small smile, and waved her off.

Alice laughed and nodded lightly and waved goodbye to her.

"Okay! I'll see you at lunch!" Kagome nodded and watched her walk off once she was gone she sighed.

"Great…now I need to figure this map out." She glanced down at the piece of paper in her hand and frowned.

"This is so useless." She jumped as someone tapped her on the shoulder.

She blinked and whirled around to face them.

It was a young man around her age, he, like her was of some kind of Asian descent, though she knew he wasn't Japanese, he had a nerdy air around him but it was cute. He was dressed in a pair of light washed out jeans and a black top that had the words 'Asian and Nerdy' scrawled across it in fading white, it was obviously home made, and it amused her.

"Hi, my names Eric do you need some help?" She smiled at him.

"My name's Kagome and sure. I would love it, I'm not the 'suffer in silence type." He laughed lightly.

"That would be a good headline for your feature, I'm on the paper, and you're news, baby, front page." She blushed lightly but shook her head.

"I-no, I'm not news-I'm, seriously, not at all-" She never liked to be the center of attention, she was happy just blending in, most of the time.

Eric held up his hands in a 'I'm not going to hurt you' gesture and laughed lightly.

"Whoa, chillax. I'll cancel feature. Though I would like to know how you know one of the Cullen's but that can wait." She smiled at him relieved.

"Thank Kami, um would you mind me to Mr. Varner's class?" He nodded and led her away. Chattering away to her as she smiled and listened.

"You've missed a lot of the semester, but I can hook you up a tutor, cliff notes, medical excuses, the works." She laughed lightly.

"Oh, don't worry about the medical excuses my grandfather has that covered. You would not believe the things he comes up with!" They both laughed as he showed her to her class.

Once there he bowed to her.

"Your class my lady." She smiled at him and bowed back.

"Why thank you my kind sir." With that they parted ways.

________________________________________

Kagome sighed as she stood on the volley ball court. She glanced at the boys' basketball team; they were running drills on half the basketball court. She then glanced at the bleachers; a few of the juniors were sitting on them. It was a bit odd, to her, that they would have a gym class that mixed the sophomore and junior classes. If anything it should have been freshmen and sophomore but who was she to question it?

She sighed as she turned her attention back to the current volley ball game. The only good thing about having gym in America was that they didn't have to wear the gym 'uniforms' she had to wear in her old Japanese one. She was dressed in a pair of baggy bright red shorts and a white t-shirt.

Now Kagome was all for physical activity it was just she was still a bit jet lagged and not up to par, so…she had been playing dodge the ball and she had been succeeding…that was until the ball was hurled towards her face.

She epped and with lightening fast reflexes and closed eyes she hit the ball. With a resounding smack it went hurdling towards the juniors on the bleachers and smack dab into one of their faces, knocking him from the bleachers.

He landed with a thud and a loud cry of surprise. "Ow!"

Kagome gapped her face a bright red as she jogged over to him. "Oh my Kami I'm so sorry! Are you alright? I warned them not to make me play." He grinned as if knowing something she didn't and nodded.

"It's only a flesh wound. Though I must say you sure do pack a punch!" He grinned at her making her smile back, relived that he wasn't hurt.

They blinked as the bell rang signaling that class was over. They both stood up.

"You're Kagome, right?" She nodded as they slowly made their way to the locker rooms, which were side by side.

"Yup." He smiled charmingly at her, reminding her oddly of a big teddy bear.

"I'm Emmet, Emmet Cullen. I'm sure you know by now but our dad told us about you." She nodded a light blush on her face.

"Yeah, though I wouldn't be surprised if the whole town didn't know about me by now. I never thought a small town like this would be so full of gossipers!" He smiled at her, she was cute in a little sister way, and amusing as hell, though he could tell by the glare Rose was sending her that she did not feel the same.

Rosalie quickly and gracefully got up from her spot on the bleachers and made her way over to them, stepping between Kagome and Emmet.

Kagome blinked but smiled at the beautiful blond young woman. She was quite breath taking. Yet her sour attitude made her seem a bit ugly in Kagome's eyes.

Rosalie glanced at her like she was looking at a new interesting species of bug. She then turned to Emmet a sickening sweet smile on her face, making him let out a sigh.

"She's got a great spike, doesn't she?" Without waiting for an answer she turned to look at Kagome.

"So, you're from Tokyo, right? Aren't people supposed to be tan down there?" Kagome sensed the poison that laced her voice yet said held back her anger.

"Well not all of us are, I think you're thinking of Ko-gals and as you can see I'm not one of them. I don't like looking like a reverse panda." She smiled.

Emmet laughed, knowing what a Ko-Girl was, and Rosalie merely rolled her eyes as if saying whatever without having to voice her words.

"Well it's lunch time so I guess we all better go get changed. By the way Alice invited me to sit at your table so I guess I'll see you guys a in a few minutes." Emmet nodded a grin on his face.

"Yup." He leaned down to give Rosalie a quick kiss on her lips before bounding into the boys locker room.

Kagome glanced at Rosalie and smiled at her before walking into the locker room, Rosalie flowing behind her.

They changed in an awkward silence, either not knowing or in Rosalie's case not wanting to say anything to the other. They quickly changed and shut their gym lockers at the same time.

Rosalie turned to Kagome a foul look on her face.

"Look, I don't want to be friends like the rest of my family. In fact I don't even want them to be your friends so don't try acting all nice to me, it's a waste of time. You should just stay away from us." Kagome blinked at the sudden, rude, and mean words that escaped Rosalie's dark red lips.

Rosalie smirked thinking she had scared the girl off, it was necessary, but blinked when she felt a weird charge in the air and turned to look at Kagome. She gulped, suddenly feeling afraid of the young girl and not knowing why.

Kagome glared at Rosalie, her usual dark blue eyes were almost crystal blue and seemed to hold a charge.

"I have been nothing but nice to you and you say this? You know what I don't care. You can think what you want about me and say what you want but it doesn't matter. I happen to enjoy your families company, those of which I have met so far, and I will be their friends, that is if they want me to be, whether you like it or not." Rosalie glared at her, her anger over ridding her fear.

"Excuse me?" Kagome glared right back.

"You're excused. I can't believe I wanted to be your friend. You're so full of anger and hate that it leaks out of you. While I'm sure it's not your fault or your families it's still makes me mad and sad. I don't know what you have gone though in life nor do I want to but you should learn that everyone goes through shit. So stop using it as an excuse to be mean to everyone you meet!" By the end of her rant a small group of girls and a few boys had peeked their heads in the locker room to listen and see the fight.

Rosalie was stunned never in all her years had anyone talked to her in such a way. Yes, she was angry but for some reason she also felt relived. She didn't know why, maybe it was the fact that someone knew she had gone thought shit, not what it was exactly but they knew, or it could have been the fact that she knew that she didn't mean to be so angry and hurtful all the time but she was, or that she said it wasn't her fault. Even so they had an audience and she did not want to deal with them.

"Whatever." With that she stalked out of the locker room, people parting for her like she was Moses and they the red sea.

Once Rosalie was out of the room Kagome leaned against the locker behind her, a hand over her beating heart. She had a light blush on her face and her eyes had returned to their usual dark blue.

Never in her life had she gone off on someone like that and while she felt bad about it the older girl seriously needed it. While she did not have even an inkling about what the other girl had gone through she knew it had to be bad, she herself had gone through some shit and knew what it was like. Even so there was a point when you had to get over it or it would just drag you down.

From what she could see about Rosalie it was dragging her down and had been doing so for a while. Even so she was not a licensed therapist nor was she even the other girl's friend so she would leave well enough alone. She also supposed she should apologize for snapping like that. It was wrong of her to do so. While she would apologize she would not take any of what she said back. She had meant every word of it.

With her mind made up she walked out of the locker room, ignoring the gossiping girls, and made her way to the lunch room.

She blinked when Alice appeared, almost out of nowhere and latched on to her arm, her mouth going a mile a minute. She smiled as she let Alice's happy go lucky mood influence her own.

"So…I hear you got into it with Rose…" Alice trailed off and Kagome nodded guilty.

"Yeah…about that I'm sorry if it makes you mad…" She blinked when Alice shook her head.

"Oh no, I'm not mad at you. Yes, she's my sister but she needs to learn she can't do and say what she wants whenever she wants to. Anyway she's calmed down some…but she's still a bit wound up. So let's keep it civil no?" Alice winked at Kagome making her smile and nod.

"No problem, why don't you go get seated and I'll go get my lunch?" Alice nodded and skipped over to her table.

Kagome shook her head as she got in line, she blinked when someone tapped her on the shoulder she turned around and smiled when she noticed it was Eric. "Hey girl."

She smiled at him. "Hi, what's up?" Eric smiled as they moved along, very slowly, in the lunch line.

"Nothing much, waiting for my daily dose of poison. Oh! These are my friends. Mike, you had in gym, Jessica, and Angela."

All three of them nodded at her.

Kagome blinked as Angela snapped a picture if her, making her blink. "Wha?" Angela blushed and lowered her camera.

"Sorry, needed a candid for the feature-" Eric cut her off. "Feature's dead, Angela. Don't bring it up again." He turned to Kagome and winked at her.

"I got your back, baby." Kagome laughed and the frowned when she realized they hadn't even budged an inch.

"Does it always take this long?" Eric nodded.

"Yup." Angela sighed sadly and mumbled under her breath. "Guess we'll just run another editorial on teen drinking."

Kagome turned to her and offered her a small smile. "Sorry. There's always eating disorders, or Speedo padding on the swim team-" Angela cut her off. "Wait, that's a good one..." Everyone laughed.

Eric blinked as if remembering something. "Oh Kagome! Weren't you going to tell me how you know Alice." Kagome nodded and was about to answer when Jessica's cut into the conversation.

"You know the Cullen's? Doctor and Mrs. Cullen's foster kids? They all moved down herefrom Alaska two years ago." Kagome sighed and decided to let girl gossip, she knew better then to try and stop a girl from gossiping.

Angela timidly spoke up. "They kinda keep to themselves."

Jessica nodded. "Because they're all together. Like, together, together. The blonde girl, Rosalie, and the big dark-haired guy, Emmett…they're a thing. I'm not even sure that's legal." Angela piped up again.

"Jess, they're not actually related." Jessica rolled her eyes.

"But they live together. And the little dark haired girl, Alice, she's really weird...she's with Jasper, the blonde who looks like he's in pain. I mean, Dr. Cullen's like this foster dad slash match maker. It's kind of sick." By now Kagome had reached her limit.

She turned on the girls, mainly Jessica, and leveled her with a glare. "You know what. I happen to like Mr. Cullen and his children, well most of them, I don't like the way you gossip about them. It's not only rude but spiteful, so what if they're all foster siblings. I for one don't judge love on race, sex, or age, all that matters is that you love the person you're with. I think you're just jealous of them and take it on them by spreading rumors. So until you change your tune you best stay away from me." With that she stormed her way over to the Cullen's table and sat down, huffing under her breath.

She blinked as someone patted her roughly on the back.

"Way to go Kagome!" She smiled timidly at Emmet.

"Thanks…I didn't think I was that loud but yeah…" She trailed off a light blush on her face.

Alice giggled and leaned over to place her hands on Kagome's and gave them a quick squeeze.

"Thank you for standing up for us, though you know she will more than likely spread rumors about you now…" Kagome smiled back but rolled her eyes.

"I know, I knew girls like her back in Tokyo. I'm sure I can survive." Alice laughed and let go of her hands to sit back and lean against Jasper.

"The only thing that sucks is I got out of line before I could get any food…" She sighed but blinked when a plate of food was shoved in front of her, rather roughly. She blinked and looked up at the person who gave her their food.

Her thanks died on her lips when she realized it was Rosalie. While she was still a bit angered with her she was still raised right.

"Thank you." Everyone could feel the sudden tension that rose in the air.

Rosalie nodded and turned away from her. "I'm…sorry about earlier…I…might be interested in being your friend…" She trailed off and huffed as Emmet pulled her into a hug.

"Aw it wasn't that bad now was it?" She scoffed but nodded.

Kagome smiled happily as she nodded at Rosalie in thanks.

"It's fine, I tend to let my anger get the best of me and when it does I speak without thanking, while I won't take any of it back I am sorry for snapping at you." Rosalie stiffened but nodded.

"Whatever." With that Kagome eagerly dived into her lunch. She blinked when she realized something.

"You know what I just realized I haven't met Edward yet…" She trialed off, it was more of a statement that needed to be said then something that needed an answer.

"Well then I'm sorry about that." She jumped lightly as a lanky young man sat down across from her. He had untidy, bronze colored hair, pale skin, and yellow contacts, just like everyone else in his family. He seemed to be inwardly turned and mysterious.

She smiled at him. "I'm sure you already know but I'm Kagome Higurashi." He nodded and blinked at her in confusion before looking away from her, his gaze was tense and it made her blink.

She glanced at everyone else at the table but they merely shrugged.

"Oh don't mind him he's in one of his moods. So…how has your first day been?" Kagome smiled and turned her full attention to Alice.

"It's been okay, eventful, but okay. I think it would have turned out better if Jacob went to school here but it's fine. At least I made a few friends." She smiled at Alice but blinked when everyone else stiffened at Jacob's name odd.

"That's cool. So are you can Jacob close?" Kagome nodded at Alice's question, taking a sip of her water.

"We were when we were younger and now that I've moved back to town it seems as if we're going to pick up where we left off." She blinked when Edward stood up, slamming his hands on the table and turned dark black eyes towards her. She gulped lightly at the amount of anger in said eyes and blinked when Emmet and Jasper stood up as well and stood in front of her, as if afraid he would hurt her.

It was Alice that broke the silence. "Edward I think you should go for a quick walk." Edward tossed her one more angered and almost hungry glance before storming out of the lunch room, a wave of whispers following behind him.

Kagome blinked as Emmet and Jasper sat back down.

"What was that?" Rosalie looked up a small sad smirk on her face.

"The reason you should stay away from my family." Kagome blinked, there was no anger behind her words just sadness.

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Kagome sighed as she walked to class; lunch had been eventful, while she was lightly put off by what Rosalie had said Alice reassured it that everything was okay.

Kagome sighed as she passed by Mike. Mike looked unsure if he should talk to her or not, no doubt still a bit worried about her outburst in the lunch room. Yet he seemed to make up his mind.

"Hey Kagome!" She sighed but paused, waiting for him to catch up. Once he did she turned to him and offered him a small strained smile. "Yes Mike?"

Mike offered her a friendly smile. "Can I walk you to class?" She nodded, sure why not?

"Sure." He smiled at her as they walked to their next class, science.

Mike glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "So um are things okay between you and Edward?" He blinked as she sighed.

"Look, I know you're just trying to be nice but I would love it if you stayed out of my personal life." He nodded and held up his hands as if in surrender.

"Whoa, whoa calm down! I was just asking because I didn't know what else to talk about. Anyway we're here now…so I'm going to go to my seat now…see ya." Kagome instantly felt bad and shot him a bright smile.

Kagome noticed that Edward was also in her class and like an emo he was staring out the window a sense of doom and gloom about him. She ignored him for now, still a bit put off by his mood swings, and looked around for the teacher.

She noticed the teacher was standing with his back turned to her and walked over to him. A light breeze ruffled through the room and lifted her hair lightly making her push it behind her ear.

Edward stiffened as the breeze washed over him, bringing with it her scent. He grabbed onto the edge of the table, crumbling it slightly and tired his best to ignore her.

"Um Mr. Molina…" She trailed off waiting for him to turn to her.

"Oh! You must be Ms. Higurashi." She nodded and he smiled at her while picking up a seating chart.

"Let's see…ah here we go please take a seat next to Mr. Cullen." Kagome sighed but nodded.

With dreaded steps she made her way to the seat and sat down. She blinked as he slowly looked up at her, his eyes coal black with repulsion and fury. If looks could literally kill...

Kagome huffed at him but sat down none the less, she was not going to shy away from him, it wasn't her fault if he didn't like her.

"Today we'll be observing the behavior of planaria, a.k.a flatworms." Mr. Molina walked up and down the aisles distributing two petri dishes per table.

"We're going to cut them in half, then watch them regenerate into two separate worms..." Kagome glanced at Edward who averted his face, holding a hand over his nose as if he smelt something horrible.

Kagome huffed at him but shrunk away and lightly sniffed the air around her. She smelt nothing and mused that he was odd and left it at that.

She watched as Mr. Molina handed Edward two petri dishes.

"Yes, folks, zombie worms! They just won't die." Everyone laughed at his bad pun.

Edward ignored them all and took a dish and slid the second one across the table to Kagome as if she had a horrid disease. She took her dish, giving him a cold look and made a dark curtain of her hair between them, fighting the urge to ask him just what the hell his problem was.

Today was just not her day.

Chapter 3: Of Ranting and Raving

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Kagome had never been so relieved to hear a bell ring then she was that day. She quickly gathered her things and was out of the door in the blink of an eye.

She ignored everyone else as she made her way through the crowd to her truck, Inu as she had named him yes him, and got in. She let out an aggregated yell and hit her steering wheel making her horn blare.

She blushed lightly as people turned to look at her like she was crazy, she rolled her eyes and started up her truck and was out of the school parking lot like a bat out of hell.

It was fifteen minutes later that she was home and stormed her way into her room, making her dad pop his head wearily out of the living room, and tossed her bag on her bed. This day officially sucked, even so she mused that she shouldn't let it bring her down. So with lighter steps she made her way down stairs

She smiled as she entered the living room. Her dad turned weary eyes to her. "Everything okay there sweetheart?" She nodded at him, her mood having done a one eighty. "Yup, so…what are we doing for dinner?"

Charlie blinked and sat up. "Well…hmm…since today was your first day of school lets go out to eat." She smiled and nodded happily. "Sure! Oh! Can we invite Jake and his dad?"

Charlie blinked a sly smile breaking across his face making her blush lightly. "Don't you dare say a thing…" She trailed off letting the threat hang in the air. He merely shrugged innocently and moved to call them.

Kagome waved her blush away as she plopped down on the couch. Really! Her dad was silly, to think that she liked Jacob like that! It was just she hadn't seen him in forever and she had fun with him yesterday. Plus she had a horrid day and she wanted to rant to someone and who better then someone near her age?

She blinked as her dad walked back into the room and leaned against the wall. "Well…Billy can't go but Jacob's all for it, but we have to pick him up is that okay?" She smiled and nodded. "Sure…so let's go?"

Charlie nodded and with that they left the house.

It was five minutes later that Kagome blushed as she turned to her smirking dad.

"Um…I don't know where I'm going." Her dad laughed at her.

"Why don't you pull over? I'll drive." She nodded and pulled over to let her dad take the driver's seat. Once that was done they were on their way once again and it was fifteen minutes later that they were entering the reservation.

Kagome smiled as she took in the earthy little reservation, yes, Forks was full of green life but here on the reservation she felt at home, more so then she did in the town.

She smiled at everyone who turned to look at her and even waved back to a few. She vaguely remembered coming here when she was younger.

She grinned as they pulled up to Jacob's house and quickly jumped out of the still semi moving car, making her dad yell out, and tackled Jacob in a hug.

"Jake!" He laughed as he caught her and hugged her back.

"Whoa! I know I'm hot but really Kagome!" She rolled her eyes as she pulled back and grinned up at him.

"Yeah, yeah Jake. It's just I'm so glad to see a happy friendly face. My first day of school was…eventful." He smiled at her in sympathy. "Poor, poor Kagome." She stuck her tongue out at him and let him go in order to hug Billy.

He hugged her back and tossed Charlie a smile. "I told you, you should transfer her to the school on the reservation." Charlie rolled his eyes. "Um, she's not Indian duh."

Billy waved his hand as if dismissing a foul smell. "I can pull some strings."

Kagome laughed lightly at their banter. "Aw, thanks for the offer Billy but I'll stick it out. I'm not the kind of person who runs from my problems, but, I hope you won't mind me coming over here every day after school to rant and rave to your son." Her voice was full of laughter.

"No problem maybe you can come over whenever you want." She smiled and nodded.

Charlie and Billy shared a knowing look. Kagome narrowed her eyes at them and they looked away innocently.

Charlie cleared his throat. "So are you guys ready to go?" Both Kagome and Jacob nodded.

Kagome glanced at Billy a small frown on her face. "Are you sure you can't come?" Billy nodded. "Sorry, I have to wait for Sam and Emily to come over."

Kagome blinked. "Sam? Oh my Kami I haven't seen him in forever! He still owes me a candy bar!" Everyone laughed at her making her huff.

"It's not funny! He told me if I went to bed on time that he would buy me a candy bar! The jerk. What's he doing with Emily-nee-san?" She blushed when everyone blinked at her in confusion.

"Oh sorry when I get excited I sip back into Japanese. Nee-san means sister." They nodded and made small sounds of oh. "Well believe it or not they're engaged." Everyone blinked as Kagome squealed loudly and clapped her hands. "No way! Sam and Emily?" Everyone nodded and took a step away from her, or in Billy's case a roll.

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Kagome whirled around on her heels and smiled at Emily and Sam.

Everyone watched with wide eyes as she launched herself at them.

Sam let out a startled cry as she collided with them and nearly knocked them over. He looked over her head at a smiling Charlie.

"She still acts like the same ten year old I used to babysit. OW!" He mock glared at Kagome who was glaring at him. "I do not! Anyway Emily…what happened to your face?" Everyone tensed at the innocent question.

Emily glanced at Sam and sent him a small smile before turning back to Kagome. "Oh, um…I had an accident-" Sam cut her off. "I did it, it was an accident but I was the one who did it."

Kagome frowned lightly at the amount of self guilt that laced his voice and she walked over to him. "Sam, it was an accident there's no need to beat yourself up over it." He turned slightly angered eyes to her, making Billy, Jacob, and Charlie tense. "I did this to her! I hurt her, it's all my fault."

Kagome glared at him. "Get over it. Yes, you did it but it's done and over with. She loves you and she's forgiven you so forgive yourself or soon your love will be warped by your guilt." Everyone blinked at her wise words.

Sam didn't know what to say, but he knew deep down she was right. "Kagome…when did you get so wise?" She rolled her eyes at him, easily letting him change the subject. "Women are like wine, duh. Kami Emily you need to whip him into shape!"

Emily laughed lightly, blinking away the tears that were resting on her eyelashes and hugged her. "Thank you."

Kagome smiled and hugged her back before letting her go. "Well now that that's out of the way let me ask this. Can I be in the wedding please?"

Emily laughed lightly and nodded a huge smile on her face. "Of course! Actually I think you and Jacob should both be in it!" All the men present rolled their eyes as both women went on and on about the wedding.

Charlie glanced at his watch and cleared his throat. "Um I hate to be the bearer of bad news but the dinner closes in twenty minutes…I don't think we're going to make it."

Kagome blinked. "Oh…well. Hm…" She turned to Billy and an idea hit her. "Hey Billy can I use your kitchen?"

Billy nodded slowly. "Sure?" She smiled. "Great! I'm going to make us all dinner!" Everyone blinked at her like she was crazy. "What? I know how to cook you know…"

Charlie looked at her like she was God. "You can?" She sweatdropped. "Uh, yeah, mom isn't all that good when it comes to house hold chores, why?"

Billy laughed. "Well you see your dad here doesn't know how to, you're going to save him a pretty penny. He usually goes out to eat or comes over here to."

Kagome blinked. "Really? I remember eating dinner at home…"

Emily laughed. "I usually made it for him…and Sam dropped it off."

Kagome face palmed. "Wow dad…when we get back I am so teaching you how to cook."

Charlie mock glared at Billy. "You traitor!" Everyone laughed as they all piled into Billy's house.

Kagome smiled as she entered the small homey house. "Wow it's been forever since I've been in here." Billy nodded. "It has. Anyway Jacob show her to the kitchen." Jacob nodded and mentioned for Kagome to follow him.

Kagome deadpanned at the horrid mess the kitchen was in, it was worse than their kitchen at home and that was saying something! "Oh my God…when was the last time you cleaned?"

Jacob grinned sheepishly. "Um…a month ago?"

Kagome sweat dropped. "Baka's. Ugh, Jacob you're helping me clean this up and then we're going to start cooking." Jacob whined lightly in the back of his throat making her arch an eyebrow at him. He blushed but nodded.

"Fine, fine. Jeez still bossy as ever." She rolled her eyes and turned to Emily, who had followed after them, and smiled at her.

"Men." Emily giggled and helped Kagome attack the dirty stove.

It was twenty minutes later that the kitchen was semi clean.

Kagome smiled to herself as she wiped the sweat from her forehead off of her brow and turned to an equally winded Jacob and Emily. "Well, your jobs are done now get out of my kitchen."

Emily blinked and moved to protest but Kagome waved her off. "Nope, no butts out both of you." She pushed them both out of the kitchen.

"Out, out, out." Once they were out of the kitchen she turned on her heel and began talking out pots and pans and other things she would need to cook.

It was forty five minutes later that Kagome popped her head out into the dining room.

"Diners ready!" She smiled as everyone made their way into the dining room. She went back into the kitchen and garbed a few plates of food and back out of the kitchen door.

"There's two more serving plates in the kitchen." Emily got up and went to go grab them. Once all the plates were on the table and she was seated everyone praised her, making her blush. "It's nothing really."

Charlie shook his head. "No, it's really something!" She blushed and waved him off. "Hush now it's getting cold." Everyone nodded and began eating.

Charlie smiled as he took a drink for the ice tea and turned to his daughter, a proud smile on his lips. "How was school? Meet anyone?"

Kagome nodded glad for the diner conversation. "A few people...do you know the Cullen family?" Sam, Billy, and Jacob stiffened at the mention of them.

Charlie sighed loudly. "Are people talking about them again?" Kagome nodded. "Yeah."

Charlie rolled his eyes. "Just because they're newcomers. We're lucky to have a surgeon like Dr. Cullen in our podunk hospital. Lucky his wife wanted to live in a small town. Lucky his kids aren't like a lot of the hell-raisers around here."

Kagome nodded. "I guess, though I think their son Edward has some issues…he kind of acts like he wants to kill me…" Charlie blinked. "Really?" She nodded. "Yup, I don't get it. I didn't do anything either. Rosalie doesn't seem to like me all that much either but I don't really care I like Alice and Emmet, Jasper is just kind of there."

Sam snorted. "They're not a good lot to hang out with, no offense Charlie, I know you like them. But I want to say my piece. Kagome I think you should be careful around them, they're a bit odd." Kagome nodded, shooting her dad the look.

Charlie sighed under his breath. "I just don't like narrow mindedness."

Billy nodded. "I know but there are some things you don't know about the Cullen's." Charlie blinked. "Oh? What kind of stuff?" Billy and Sam shared a look. "Just things. Anyway, Jacob how was your day?"

Jacob blinked. "Same old same old. Paul got into a fight again." All the adults sighed.

"Again? What happened now?" Jacob sighed, remembering it. "Someone insulted his mom and well yeah. He's suspended for three days."

Kagome giggled. "That's it? I got suspended for a week once." She blinked as everyone looked at her like she was crazy.

"You what? For what?"

Kagome shrunk away from her dad's harsh gaze. "Um…well someone called me a gaki and a half breed. I let it slide but then they started talking about mom and Souta and well I asked her to stop and I tried to walk away but they followed me."

Charlie cut her off. "They?"

Kagome nodded. "Yeah, they, there were three of them, anyway they put their hands on me first and I remember you telling me that if anyone hits me I should hit them back…and I did and I won."

Charlie blushed a bit. "Er um. Well don't do it again!" She nodded.

Jacob lightly elbowed her. "Way to go Kagome! You're quite the little scrapper." She grinned. "I know how to take care of myself."

Charlie grumbled under his breath. "You shouldn't have to."

Kagome heard him but shrugged it off and turned to Jacob. "Hey…you should come over after school tomorrow. I have a feeling it's gunna be another not so fun day."

Jacob grinned and nodded. "Sure but why do you think it's going to be crappy?" She rolled her eyes. "I kind of pissed off the gossip queen while defending the Cullen's."

Charlie grinned, shooting Billy a smirk. "That's my girl, always standing up for people." She merely shrugged. "I hate it when people say mean things without even knowing the full story. Anyways I just know it's going to be a crappy day and a little ranting and raving will do me some good."

Jacob nodded. "Sure. I should be free."

Sam grinned. "Kagome and Jacob sit-OWE!" He whimpered as he cradled his hand, which Jacob had accidently stabbed with his fork.

Emily smiled and stood up. "Well, it was a very good diner but I'm afraid we have to get going."

Kagome smiled and got up hugging her. "It was good to see you." She turned to look at Sam. "It was okay to see you as well." He rolled his eyes and hugged her tightly. "Stay safe kiddo." She smiled at him and waved goodbye to them.

She then started to clean up the plates.

Billy glared at Jacob. "Help her." Jacob nodded. "Yeah, yeah I got it go chill in the living room."

Billy nodded and glanced at Charlie. "You coming? I think the game's on." Charlie nodded and wheeled them into the living room.

Kagome rolled her eyes as she brought her stack of the plates into the kitchen, Jacob following behind her. "What game are they watching?" Jacob shrugged.

"I don't know but they're watching a game." She rolled her eyes at him as she started washing the dishes, Jacob standing next to her and drying them.

"Really? Wow thank you captain obvious." She laughed as he bumped his hip into hers.

"Hey!" She lightly sprayed him with water and before they knew it they were having a splashing contest.

They laughed and in Kagome's case squealed as the water hit them.

"Ahem." Both of them paused and turned to look at the speaker. They both blushed red as they saw their smirking parents.

Charlie grinned. "Well what do we have here?"

Kagome flushed red. "Nothing!"

Jacob nodded. "What she said." Billy laughed. "Uh huh sure…anyway it's getting late. You both have school in the morning…" He trailed off so Charlie could pick it up.

"We have to get going." Kagome nodded and handed a soapy plate to Jacob. "Well you heard em, see you tomorrow!" With that she skipped out of the room. Charlie grinned at a gapping Jacob. "See you later."

With that they both left the room.

Jacob turned gapping eyes to his dad. His dad merely raised an eyebrow at him.

"What? You made the mess you clean it up." With that he rolled himself over to his front doorway to say good night to his guest. "It was good having you over, we should do this more often."

Kagome nodded. "We should!"

Charlie nodded and shook Billy's hand. "We still on for fishing this weekend?"

Billy nodded. "For sure, well good night you two, be careful on the way back. There's been some weird animals in the forest lately." They both nodded and got in their truck to leave.

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Kagome smiled as she walked into her room, her hair wrapped up in a towel. She was dressed in a white tank top and a pair of light blue sleeping shorts.

She sighed happily as she plopped back on her bed and unwrapped her hair. It fell in a messy tangled mess to rest across her face. She huffed lightly and laughed as she grabbed her brush and brushed it out. Once done with that she laid back on her bed and sighed.

"What a day." She rolled over and shut off her bedside lamp and settled down to fall asleep, her back facing the window. It was five minutes later that her breathing evened out and she was asleep.

It was a good thing she was asleep because if she had rolled over and looked out her window she would have screamed at the red rimed yellow eyes that watched her every move.

Chapter 4: Rumors and Mood Swings

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Kagome blinked as she looked outside her window and frowned lightly, everything was covered in a layer of light ice, from the freezing rain that was pouring down. It wasn't that she didn't like rain, she actually loved it, it was just well her truck tires didn't have very good grip.

She shrugged a second later, there was nothing she could do about it, except pray to Kami nothing bad happened, and got dressed. She pulled on a gray oversized sweater that showed off the white straps of her under shirt. She had on a pair of black skinny jeans and a pair of black fluffy boots. She looked herself over one last in her full length mirror and nodded before exiting her room.

She blinked as her dad popped his head out from the living room to smile at her.

"Kagome, I have a surprise for you." She blinked but smiled at him as he got up and tossed on his jacket and walked out the front door.

She followed him and shut the door behind her, shivering as a feeling of being watched washed over her, sadly she wasn't paying attention to where she was going and slipped on a puddle of semi frozen ice water.

"Ouch!" She winced as her butt met with the harsh cold and semi wet ground.

"You okay Kagome?" She blinked up and smiled up at him. "Yeah, ice doesn't help all that much, especially since gravity is always trying to kill me." She laughed as he helped her up and dusted her off.

"I know. That's why I got you new tires." She blinked and glanced at her truck and then at her smiling dad and hugged him.

"Thank you!" He laughed as he set her down.

"You're welcome now get to school." She nodded and got in her truck and was off. She smiled as she pulled into the parking lot, the rain had let up, and she was in a good mood thanks to her dad.

She quickly parked and got out of her truck. She blinked when she noticed Alice, Jasper, Emmet and, surprisingly, Rosalie were waiting for her. Thankfully Edward was nowhere in sight, she wasn't trying to be rude but he rubbed her the wrong way.

She smiled at them and walked over to them. "What's up?"

Alice smiled at her and once again latched onto her, like she was a child latching onto her favorite toy. "Nothing much, just wanted to wait for you." Kagome smiled and nodded. "Thanks, so, we have about twenty minutes before school starts."

She glanced over at Jessica, Angela, Mike and Eric who were kicking around a soccer ball nearby and turned her eyes back to a smiling Alice. "Do you want to just ha-" She was cut off by Eric.

"Look out!" She blinked and her eyes widened when she saw the soccer ball, it was heading right for them, mainly Rosalie, and without thinking she jumped in front of it and returned it back to them with a head butt.

She grinned as she looked up, a few pieces of hair covering her face. "Goooooaaaaal!" She laughed at her own joke and ignored the few shocked looks she got from those who were around to see her feat.

Emmet grinned. "That was so cool!"

She blushed and rubbed the back of her neck. "Thanks, I used to play soccer in Tokyo…" She trialed off and turned to Eric and Mike who came running over and hugged her. "Oh my God! You got skill!"

Kagome laughed at Eric and patted his back. "Thanks." She turned to look at Rosalie, who looked to be stunned. "You okay?"

Rosalie blinked but shook off her stupefied look. "Yes…thank you." Her words still held a bit of distance to them, and Kagome knew it was merely a defense mechanism and smiled at her.

"No problem. Mike…you can let go now." Mike laughed and let go of her and stepped back to stand next to Eric and tossed Rosalie look of apology.

"Sorry about…that…" He trailed off as she merely walked away from them.

Emmet shot him a look that said 'sorry bro' and ran after her, tossing Kagome a see you later.

Alice shook her head and turned to Mike and Eric, a semi indifferent look on her face. "Sorry about that." She turned to Kagome and gave her a warm smile. "Well, see you later then." With that she and Jasper trailed after Rosalie and Emmet.

Kagome waved them off and turned to Mike and Eric, both of who looked a bit pissed. "So…what's up?" She smiled, hoping they would take the bait and change the subject.

Eric smiled and waved over Jessica and Angel, both who slowly made their way over to them and sat down on a nearby bench, before answering her. "Well besides us finding out you're a soccer star I've been working with the Prom committee, by the way you are so totally going. Oh and I need your play list, if you don't mind. I'm in charge of music."

Kagome smiled and nodded. "Sure but most of it is Jrock and Jpop. Is that okay?" He nodded.

"It's fine something is better than nothing." She nodded and handed over her iPod. "I better get this back." He laughed and nodded. "Scout's honor."

Mike snorted at him and arched an eyebrow. "Did you tell her you got kicked out of the boy scouts?" Eric laughed and playfully hit him on the arm. "Whatever. Oh crap we better get to class." Everyone nodded and made their way towards the school.

She tossed Jessica a strained smile and Angela a real one as they passed them. She was still mad at Jessica but not so much at Angela, she was merely a pawn.

________________________________________

Kagome sighed as she made her way to Biology class. The day had gone by quickly, thank God.

Yet the rumors about her were vicious, Jessica had indeed lived up to her name. She didn't care much, plus she had Emmet and Alice trying to cheer her up, when they saw each other. Oddly none of them were at lunch and she was forced to sit at Eic's table. Which wouldn't have been so bad if Jessica wasn't there offering her fake sympathy for the rumors about her that were going around.

Add in the fact that Eric and Mike couldn't even look her in the eyes without blushing, rumors about being in a threesome did that to people, needless to say it was a very stressful lunch.

She hoped to Kami Edward was either gone, mean she knew, or had pulled the branch from his ass. She was so not in the mood to deal with him.

Poor Jacob would be hearing all about it later, she mused she would treat him to dinner to make up for it.

She blinked as she glanced at Edward and gave him a stiff smile as she sat down in her assigned seat. "Hello."

Kagome blinked at the sound of his low baritone voice. He was actually talking to her nicely, odd. Good, but odd.

"I'm sorry about yesterday." She merely raised an eyebrow at him.

"Okay?" He smiled at her, it was strained, and turned to look out the window.

Kagome shrugged and got out her notebook for the class. She sighed as Mr. Molina smiled as he addressed the class, he really was a fun teacher but she just wanted this day to be over.

"Onion root tip cells! That's what's on your slides. Separate and label them into the phases of mitosis. The first partners to get it right, win...the golden onion!"She blinked, a small smile on her face, as he excitedly held up a spray painted onion.

Mos of the class stared at him like he was crazy making him lose his cheerfulness. "Fine be that way, you all, save for Ms. Higurashi, are not worthy of the golden onion. Now, get to work. Tick tock." She giggled lightly as he winked at her.

She blinked as Edward pushed the microscope, already set up, towards her. "Ladies first." She grabbed the microscope and snapped the first slide in, adjusting the lens. "You weren't at lunch, none of your family was. If you don't mind me asking where were you guys?" He forced a small charming smile.

"We went out for lunch..." She nodded, her focus trained on the microscope.

"That's cool. What'd you have?" He glanced out the window.

"Food." She rolled her eyes as she stood up from looking into the microscope.

"Thank you captain obvious." He merely stared at her. She sighed and mentioned to the microscope.

"It's prophase." She began removing the slide. But he stopped her.

"May I look?" She nodded and slid it over to him.

He looked through it and looked back up a few seconds later a small smile on his face.

"You were right." She nodded.

"I know huh?" He merely blinked at her making her huff. Way to ruin a good joke. He must not have ever heard of George Lopez, then again he didn't seem like the kind of guy who would have.

They quickly wrote down their answers and sat back down to swap out the slides.

"Enjoying the rain?" Kagome blinked at his random question and paused mid step.

"You're asking me about the weather?" He nodded.

"It would appear so." She dead panned at him but let out a small laugh.

"I kind of am. I love the rain. I used to dance around in it…until my mom would yell at me to come back in. Though I must say the frozen rain isn't very compatible with someone of my grace." She trailed off a smile on her face.

He smiled at her, a real true smile, and she blinked at him a small blush on her cheeks.

"What?" He merely shook his head at her and turned to the microscope to look at the slide.

"Anaphase." She hid a small smirk.

"Mind if I take a look?" He smiled playfully and slid it over to her.

"Be my guest." She nodded and looked at it a few seconds later she looked up at him.

"You were right, it's Anaphase." He nodded.

"I know huh?" She glanced at him, and saw him smirk. She rolled her eyes at him and held out her hand for another slide.

He placed it in her hands, well he dropped it in her hands, making her blink at him as he pulled away a little.

She arched an eyebrow at him and he merely gave her a cold look.

Mood swing much? Maybe he was bi polar…it would make sense. Either way she ignored it and glanced at the slide.

"Interphase." He nodded and wrote it down. She blinked at him.

"Not going to double check it?" He shook his head at her.

"Naw, I think you know what you are talking about." She smirked.

"It's about time you realized it. Well it looks like we're the first ones done. I'm going to go claim the golden onion." He nodded and watched her walk over to the teacher. His eyes were lightly darkened and his posture stiff.

Kagome smiled as she walked back to a semi tense Edward and held up the golden onion.

"Well, how should we divide our golden onion?" He arched an eyebrow at her.

"You can keep it. I don't have any use for the golden onion." She pouted at him.

"Fine be that way you're so not worthy of the golden onion anyway." He smiled at her yet stared at her like she was a bit crazy. "What?"

He merely blinked. "I'm just trying to figure you out. You're very hard to understand." She merely smiled.

"I know I get that a lot." He shook his head at her.

"You really are an enigma." She merely smiled and held up the victory sign. Making him laugh a bit, she shivered lightly as it seemed to caress her. She shrugged it off.

"Then my job is done." She blinked as she noticed that his eyes had changed color.

"Did you get new contacts?" He lost any signs of being friendly and once again clamed up into the jerk he was yesterday.

"...no." Kagome shook her head, she knew she was right.

"I'm sure they were a diff-" He cut her off by glaring at her.

"It's just the lights." She glared right back.

"Jeez no need to bite off my head. Are you bi polar or something?" He ignored her and packed up his things before leaving the room.

Kagome huffed under her breath. "Jerk." She was more than glad when the bell rung, mere seconds later, and was once again out of the class room like a bat out of hell.

The only thing on her mind as she trudged though the cold rainy parking lot was that she was going over to Jacob's. Where she would be able to rant and rave to her heart's content.

She blinked when she noticed Edward and his siblings standing around a silver Volo. She shot everyone but Edward a small smile.

She blinked as a loud screeching noise met her ears. What was that? Her eyes widened as she turned around and was met with the sight of a van sliding towards her on the thin black ice that covered the parking lot.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion. People screaming. People yelling. Even though everything seemed to be in slow motion she wasn't going to be some deer caught in the head lights. She quickly turned around and tried to jump out of the way, catching a glimpse of Edwards horrified look before she went down, slipping on another patch of ice.

A small surprised gasp escaped her lips as she looked up and saw her impending doom. A dark green minni van.

Fuck.

She squeezed her eyes shut and gasped as something rammed into her and slammed her into her own truck.

BAM!

The minni van slammed into her truck the sound of metal scraping across metal resounded through the parking lot. People screamed glass shattered and people called out names.

Her vision was blurry as she tried to remember who she was. She blinked as she looked up, feeling a heavy weight on top of her, and met the scared and dark, almost black red ringed, eyes of Edward.

"H-how di-" She was cut off by people running towards them and the sound of footsteps He merely leaned down and moved closer and inhaled her scent before pulling her into his arms and carrying her out form between the two cars.

She merely let him carry her, her body hurting and her mind clouded with pain. She blinked, her vision out of focus as Eric and Mike approached them.

"Are you okay! Are you hurt?" Edward glared at them a weird growl like sound escaping his throat.

"What happened! Did anyone see what happened?" Edward glared t them his anger rising.

She glanced up at him, feeling his anger and whimpered, not liking it. She didn't know why but him being angry not only scared her but upset her.

Edward looked down at her and blinked as a weird soothing feeling wrapped around him. He blinked as he got a grip on his emotions and glanced towards his siblings, his gaze pleading.

They all walked over to him and stood between him and Kagome and Mike and Eric.

Emmet gave anyone and everyone a harsh look scaring them off.

A random voice called out, she thought it was Eric. "Someone call nine one one she looks really hurt." It was true, she had a few bumps and bruises yet no blood had been spilled, even so her middle section hurt a lot.

Alice held up her hands. "No, it'll be faster if we just take her." Without waiting for anyone's reply they quickly walked over to the Volvo and got in.

Edward sat in the back with Kagome in his lap. Alice was in the driver's seat, Emmet was in the passenger seat.

Both Jasper and Rosalie had jumped in another car.

Kagome whimpered in pain as she held her mid section searing red hot fire consuming it, her. Edward tensed, his eyes darkening even more.

"Edward calm down now!" Alice's voice was a bit frantic as she sped down the road, passing the cop cars and ambulance that were finally on their way to the scene of the accident.

Edward let out a strange hissing sounds that made Kagome's blood run cold and tightened his grip on her making her wince. "T-to tight."

Emmet turned around in his seat to glare at Edward. "Edward you're hurting her! Clam down now! We're almost at the clinic." His voice was cold and drove his point him.

Edward glared but let up on his grip and glanced down at Kagome in concern.

Kagome groaned in pain as her body seemed to light on fire, it hurt so damn bad. Like someone was rearranging the bones in her body. "It hurts." Her voice was full of pain and tears leaked from her eyes as she whimpered and shivered in pain.

"We're almost there Kagome it's going to be fine." Alice's voice was a pitch higher then it normally was.

Emmet glanced at Kagome before looking over at Alice. "I think she has a few broken ribs." His voice was low even so everyone but Kagome heard it.

Edward hissed under his breath and as soon as they entered the parking lot of the hospital he was out of the car and walking into the ER.

He glowered at everyone who tried to approach him until finally his father approached him, his face hard with furry and anger. "Edward follow me now!"

Edward glared at him but followed his dad into a room.

Kagome whimpered in pain as she was placed on starch white bed. "Itaaa…"

Carlisle went into doctor mode, after sending Edward a harsh glare. "It's going to be okay Kagome it looks like you might have a few broken ribs." He lifted up her shirt exposing her midsection making Edward hiss in anger and move to stop him.

He was stopped by Emmet and Jasper who appeared out of nowhere.

Jasper placed a hand on Edwards shoulder. "You need to calm down. You're losing it, you'll expose all of us."

Edward hissed. "I don't care!"

Jasper squeezed Edward's shoulder. "You are going to calm down now."

Edward blinked as a bit of reasoning entered his eyes and he let out a strained pained breath. "I need to hunt." With that he was out of the room his siblings following behind him.

Carlisle sighed as he probed Kagome's ribs making her hiss. He frowned but blinked as he felt something in her side shift. He pressed harder and his eyes widened with shock as he realized what he was feeling.

It was her ribs.

They were healing themselves.

He looked up at a delirious and semi loopy Kagome, from the pain, and gapped at her. "What are you?"

Kagome merely whimpered in reply as she passed out form the pain of her body healing itself.

Chapter 5: High Tensions

---

Kagome whimpered as she sat up, her body covered in sweat and glanced around. She didn't know where she was or what was going on. The last thing she remembered was pain, lots and lots of it.

What the hell?

"What happened?" Her voice was hoarse sounding yet she shook it off. She hissed as her head throbbed in protest and she held a hand to it. She gasped as broken flashes of what had happened flowed behind her mind's eye. They were fuzzy and the voices were hard to make out but she knew a bit of what had happened.

Ice.

A van.

Metal on metal.

Screams.

Pain.

She winced as she tried to remember more. She vaguely recalled someone or something slamming into her. After that she was in someone's arms…whose arms where they? She focused harder on the vague images floating around in her head.

A pair of dark black red rimmed eyes fought their way the surface of her mind. Whose eyes where those?

She raised a shaky hand to her temple and winced as a headache washed over her.

She blinked as her dad entered the small white room she was in and rushed to her bedside.

"Kagome. Are you alright?" She gave him a small smile, forcing the pain of her headache to the back of her mind, as ironic as that sounded.

"I'm fine, dad. Calm down." He hugged her, pulling her into his arms and just held her. She hugged him back equally as tight.

They pulled apart as Tyler, the one driving the van, was wheeled into the room. He looked at them with wide panicked and apologetic eyes.

"I just wanted to say I'm so, so sorry, Kagome. I tried to stop. I swear I did." She gave him a small smile strained smile. "It's okay, Tyler."

Charlie glared at him. "It sure as hell is not okay."

Kagome placed a hand on arm. "Dad, it's not his fau-" He cut her off, turning a pale and distraught face to her. "I nearly lost you."

She nodded; knowing he was scared even so she didn't want him getting too worked up, it wasn't good for his health. "But you didn't. So it's okay now."

He nodded but glared at Tyler one last time as he was wheeled out of the room. "You can kiss your license goodbye!"

Kagome shook her head as Carlisle entered the room a small smile on his face. "I understand you're excited Charlie but please don't yell."

Charlie nodded a light blush on his face. He never lost his cool, let alone in public. Yet, this was one time where it was okay, even so he felt bad. "Sorry. So how's my daughter?"

Carlisle held up her chart. "Perfectly okay. When she first got here we thought she had a few broken ribs but she's fine, not even a scratch on her."

Charlie nodded relief flooding his face. "Thank God."

Kagome smiled lightly.

"So does that mean she can come home today? Jacob and Billy are pacing a hole in my living room as we speak."

Carlisle nodded. "Yes, she can go home tonight though I advise keeping her home for a few days just in case and keep an eye on her tonight just in case she has a concussion."

Charlie nodded. "Okay, well I'm going to go fill out the papers and I'll meet you in the lobby."

Carlisle nodded. "Of course, I'll wheel her out myself." Charlie nodded and left the room, leaving them alone.

Kagome gave him a small smile as he let out a tired sigh. "How long was I out?"

He blinked at her. "You don't remember?" She blinked but shook her head. "Not really it's a bit blurry. I remember bits and pieces but I can't; make any real sense of it. Though I do recall someone carrying me...pain…and a pair of dark black eyes. That's about it."

He nodded, a hopeful glint in his eyes, maybe things weren't as bad as they seemed. Though he recalled Charlie mentioning Jacob ad Billy and he knew that was a headache waiting to happen. "Well, you passed out a bit after you got here. You were out for about ten minutes."

She nodded. "I see, so are you sure I'm all good to go?" He nodded. "Of course I am a doctor you know." She nodded and laughed lightly. "That you are. It's a shame that we had to meet again under such circumstances."

He nodded as he got out a wheel chair and brought it over to her. "It is. At least you're okay. Now, let's get you in the wheel chair no?"

She nodded and stood up, only to stumble a few steps. "Oh dear…not smart…ow head rush…" She looked up at him a small smile on her face as she eased herself into the chair.

Carlisle frowned at her once again in doctor mode. "Are you sure it was just a head rush?"

She smiled at him as she got as comfy as she could in the wheel chair. "I'm fine. No need to worry. Now on ward!" She pointed towards the door making him laugh.

They exited the room and quickly made their way to the lobby. She smiled as he wheeled her over to her dad, doing a fancy wheel chair move, and came to a stop a few feet in front of him.

Charlie rolled his eyes at them. "Ready to go Kagome?"

She nodded and stood up, once again feeling a bit dizzy. She blinked as a pair of hands steadied her.

"Can't you do anything without hurting yourself?" The voice was amused yet it had an underlining edge.

"Edward." Carlisle voice was cold and it made her blink.

"You can let go of my daughter now Edward." Her dad's voice was lightly annoyed yet seemed grateful. Odd.

She blinked as Edward let go of her and stepped back to offer her dad a small charming smile. "Sorry about that. It's a habit I guess."

Charlie nodded. "Yeah, she's not the most graceful of people out there. I guess I have you to thank for watching out for her. That being said I heard about what you did. Thank you Edward, if there's ever anything you need feel free to let me know."

Edward smiled. "It was no problem Charlie."

"Just keep that in mind, well Kagome let's get going. I'm sure Jacob has just about gone insane by now." She nodded and let her dad take hold of her arm. She tossed one last smile back towards Carlisle and Edward. She blinked when she met Edwards's eyes, they were pitch black, and then they were gone, blocked by the door that closed behind them.

Her own eyes widened slightly before she stumbled and had to look where she was going lest she fall down the stairs and break something and have to make a U turn right back into the hospital.

"Kagome pay attention!" She rolled her eyes as she slid into the passenger door of her dads cop car.

"Jeez dad calm down. I'm in the car and look I'm putting on my seatbelt." She laughed lightly as her dad grumbled under his breath.

"That's not funny Kagome, you almost died today. If it wasn't for Edward you just might have..." His voice was shaky and his hands were a bit sweaty, revealing how sacred he actually had been at the thought of losing his only daughter.

She frowned at his worried face and turned to face him. "I love you dad."

He blushed lightly and nodded. "Love you to kid."

She nodded and looked out the window; she knew how awkward father daughter moments were for him. She blinked when she recalled something.

"Dad, you said Edward saved me…is that true?" She looked back at her dad waiting to hear his answer.

Charlie's gaze darkened at the thought of losing her but he nodded. "Yeah, in fact from what I gather he actually tried to shield you from the impact. Then he and his family rushed you to the hospital. Though I wish they would have let the ambulance take care of that. Waste of tax payer's money that was. Did you know it costs about one thousand dollars for an ambulance?" He continued to grumble to himself as Kagome zoned out, lost in her own thoughts.

Edward had shielded her? Well she did vaguely remember someone leaning above her. It was the same person who had those dark black, red rimmed eyes. The same ones she had just looked into not even ten minutes ago. Were they contacts? Maybe, yet she knew he would deny it if she asked him.

She jumped as her dad placed a hand on her arm making him jump. "Kagome are you okay? Does something hur-Jake what was that for?" She blinked as she tried to process what had just happened. One minute she was sitting in the car thinking about Edward and the next she was in Jake's warm arms.

"Huh?" Her voice was confused.

Jacob smiled down at her as he inhaled her scent, letting out a small inaudible growl at the scent that was all over her, and walked her up the steps and into her house, tossing Charlie an apologetic smile. "Sorry!"

Charlie rolled his eyes as he followed after them and shot Billy an annoyed glance.

Billy laughed lightly as Jacob sat, more like plopped, on the small love seat in the room. "Son let her breathe; she's had a long stressful day."

Jacob huffed yet held her closer, like a child holding to his favorite teddy bear. "Don't want to." His voice was childish and it made them all crack a smile, yet there was a weird almost inaudible possessive undertone to it.

Kagome rolled her eyes as she sat in Jacob's arms, it wasn't that she minded it was just that he seemed unnaturally warm, and did he have a fever?

"Jake, are you sick?" Jacob blinked but shook his head negatively.

"No, why?" He blushed as Kagome leaned up and pressed her forehead to his.

"Liar you're a bit warm…dad can you grab the cold medicine from the cupboard? I think Jacob has a light fever." She watched with amused eyes as her dad grinned as evilly as he could and went to do as she asked.

Billy laughed lightly as Charlie came back a few minutes later with an old crusty looking half used bottle of herbal cold medicine.

"Oh you're in for it now son, that's the stuff Sue gave to him when Kagome had a fever…years ago." Everyone laughed as Jacob made a face.

Kagome smiled as her dad dropped the bottle into her awaiting hands and turned to Jacob a small mischievous smile on her face, it was almost like she didn't just have a life or death experience not only an hour ago.

"Say ah~" She laughed as he pouted and tried to pry the bottle out of her hands.

"I'm fine I swear now, what about you?" His voice was soft with worry and it made her sigh and relinquish her hold on the cold medicine.

"I'm fine. Really I am you guys are just overreacting." She blinked a bit as he held her closer to him.

"We are not we, I, almost lost you." He turned to look at Charlie. "So what'd they say? Obviously nothings broken, but what about sprains? Brain damage, er well more than it already is?" He winced as Kagome elbowed him lightly.

Charlie laughed lightly as he took a seat in a chair across form them and next to Billy. "Miraculously she's fine, she might have a concussion, so I have to keep an eye on her tonight, besides that she's A okay."

Kagome grinned. "I told you guys I'm tougher then I look." She lost her grin as three sets of annoyed eyes met hers.

Charlie's eyes burned into hers. "Kagome it if wasn't for Edward you could be dead right now." She shrunk back from his gaze.

Jacob stiffened at the mention of Edward's name. Billy shot him a warning glance and he forced himself to relax yet he still grumbled under his breath. "Stupid bloodsuckers." Kagome blinked at that but before she could comment on it her dad spoke up.

"Now, now I know you guys don't like the Cullen's but I owe one no two of them my daughter's life so I won't have any of it." His voice was edged and they all knew he was serious.

Jacob nodded and held up his hands. "Sorry, sorry it won't happen again…I hope." He grinned at the end making Charlie huff but nodded as he turned on the game, this was way too much for him to handle in one day.

Kagome yawned lightly as she tried to get out of Jacob's arms but found she could not.

"Jake let me up~ I want to change and I have some homework to finish." He shook his head.

"Nope, I'll carry you to your room and I'll make sure you're okay. We don't need you falling asleep." He glanced at Charlie to make sure it was okay.

Charlie grumbled but nodded, he liked Jake he really did but he was wary about the thought of them being alone in his daughter's room.

Billy sensing his old friend's hesitance spoke up. "Don't worry about it so much Charlie; I'm sure we both raised our kid's right…besides we all know Kagome can take care of herself. Plus she does need someone to keep an eye on her, what with her possible concussion, unless you want to do it and miss the game…" He trailed off as Charlie mock glared at him.

"Thanks for the monologue there Billy. Anyways I trust you Jake just know that I have a license and a gun to shoot." With that he turned back to the game.

Jacob laughed lightly as he stood up with a pouting Kagome in his arms. "Don't worry Charlie I would never hurt her, you have my word on that." With that he made his way up to Kagome's room, carrying her like she weighed almost nothing, and sat her on her bed.

Kagome huffed under her breath. "Jerk, I can walk you know." He grinned and straddled her spiny computer chair and spun it to face her.

"I know but it made me feel manly." She cracked a small smile as she got up from her bed and moved around him to grab a night shirt and some sleeping shorts.

"Yeah, yeah. What are you on? Steroids? Jeez are you sure you're younger than me?" She tossed a quizzical look over her shoulder at him.

He grinned his eyes looking older then they should have been. "I'm just old for my age, besides you know you liked it. Being in my strong muscular arms." He laughed as she tossed a pair of socks at him.

"Whatever I'll be right back I better not catch you looking in my underwear draw when I get back or else…" She let the threat hang in the air as she left the room.

He quickly lost his smile and turned the chair around to face her window, a dark almost hostile look on his face that made him look much older than he was.

"Look bloodsucker I know you're out there." He paused yet received no reply, not like he thought he was going to get one.

"You better watch your step. She is mine so you and yours better back off." A low hiss meet his ears followed by a dark sinister voice.

"She is not yours yet mutt." Jacob growled lightly under his breath.

"Treaty or no treaty I will kill you if you don't back off." He paused to let his threat sink in. He smirked when he heard a low growl.

"I'm not scared of you…but you should be of me. I will protect what is mine." He grinned as a pair of black red rimmed eyes glared at him from beyond her window.

A low snarl met his ears followed by the same gravelly voice from before. "Where were you when she almost died today?"

Jacob growled low in his throat and bared his teeth at the window. A light yet dark chuckle met his ears making his anger rise.

An eclectic charge seemed to fill the air as the very wind outside seemed to still, as if waiting for something.

Both readied themselves to attack the other, to stake a claim to the young woman who was mere feet away in another room getting changed.

---

Kagome paused as she pulled her sleeping shorts on, something felt wrong. She furrowed her eyebrows as she let her hands fall to her side.

Something was terribly wrong, something felt…dangerous. It sacred her and irked her at the same time. She had to be imagining things, everything was fine. Her dad and Billy were downstairs watching the game and Jake was in her room most likely going through her panties.

All was right with the world, minus the raiding of her panty draw.

Yet…she couldn't shake this feeling, something was very wrong and she did not like it, not at all. She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself, surely she was just imagining things, an aftershock of her near death experience?

So she decided she needed to calm down and get a grip on things before she had a panic attack. She quickly forced herself into a semi meditative state, something her grandfather had taught her how to do when she was younger and things were less then great in the family.

Once she found her center she tugged on it and let it wash over her, she let the calm feeling take over her body and fill her to the brim almost to the point of it spilling over, she let it.

---

Jacob let his growl rise in volume as his muscles quivered under his russet skin, his vision reddening around the edges.

A low hiss matched his growl and the pitch black eyes were slowly being taken over by the red tint.

A bloodlust seemed to fill the room.

Both of them froze as a weird yet non threatening feeling washed over them. It was not natural yet at the same time it was. It surrounded both of them and seemed to wrap itself around them and fill them to the brim, making them feel calm and whole.

The charge in the air vanished as the wind once again picked up. The aura of hostility was gone and replaced by a sense of forced calm but calm none the less.

Slowly their anger faded until nothing was left but a dull ache of dislike. Seconds later the weird and foreign feeling was gone, leaving behind nothing but silence.

Dark brown eyes met light golden ones.

Both eyes were confused and suspicious yet did not show it.

---

Once Kagome was one hundred percent calm she pulled her overflowing sense of calm back into her and opened her eyes, a small content smile on her lips. She shook her head a light laugh on her lips, how silly she must look. Getting worked up over nothing and being reduced to on the spot meditating.

She would most likely have to call her mom later and let her know that she almost had a panic attack. It wasn't too bad but she had promised to let her mother know if anything changed. She just hoped her mother wouldn't over react and call her therapist.

She scrunched her nose at that thought, it wasn't that she disliked her therapist; oh no she was a nice old woman. It was just; she didn't think she needed one. Sure she was a little messed up but who wasn't? So what if she gave up her childhood to not only take care of her younger brother but her mother as well? Shit happened and you dealt with it simple as that.

She quickly forced those thoughts to the back of her mind. No use jumping on that band wagon. She did still have homework she needed to get done, assuming her dad even let her go to school the next day, plus she also had a teenage boy in her room alone and unsupervised.

She smiled at the thought of Jake, even though she had just been reunited with him after years of being part it felt like things between them were the same as they had left off. Like they had hit the play button as soon as they saw each other and were back on track as best friends. There was no awkwardness between them, it felt right, as natural as breathing.

She blushed at that thought and shook it off. She opened the door of the bathroom and rounded the hall towards her room, calling out so that Jacob could hear her.

"You better not have a pair of my panties on your head." Her voice was full of laughter as she entered her room a smile on her face.

She eeped as something flew at her and hit her lightly in the face. She blinked as she looked down at her feet and saw a rolled up pair of socks. She looked back up at a smirking Jacob and let out a small growl of anger.

"You did not just do that." He merely smiled at her his boyish charm, which would usually make her blush; only served to annoy her as he chuckled.

"Revenge is a dish best served cold my dear Kag-" He was cut off by her dirty clothes being tossed at his face. He retched as a certain scent flooded his nose, burning it and bit back a growl as a light chuckle reached his ears from outside of her window. He ignored it and turned his attention back to Kagome.

"Oh, you are so going to pay for that…" He stood up and stalked towards her a mock glare on his face. "Prepare to meet your maker!" With that he lunged at her.

She squealed, like a school girl, and tried to dodge him. She twirled on her feet and got about four steps towards the door before she was yanked from behind and dropped on her bed. She oofed as she landed and glared up at him only to burst into laughter as he tickled her sides.

"Gahh! No! S-stop! I-I'm going to h-hurt yOU!" Her laughter made her threats void.

Jake grinned as his fingers attacked her sides, the pale and soft skin felt like silk under his slightly rough and calloused fingers.

"Uh huh I'm shaking in my boots." He oofed as she kicked her foot out and landed a kick on his leg.

"Ouch! Oh no more mister nice guy!" He shoved her shirt up a bit more, tossing a cocky grin towards her window, and let his fingers attack the newly exposed flesh making her laughter double in volume.

"Iiiieeee~ Yatta! R-rape!" Her cry for help was less then serious as her laughter not only overlapped it but followed the accusation.

"JACOB I'M GRABBING MY GUN!" They both froze at Charlie's angered yet amused cry before breaking into laughter, they both knew he was merely joking.

 

Chapter 6: Playing Hooky

---

Kagome groaned as she opened her eyes and groaned again when she glanced at her clock. It was three in the morning. Damnit, she grumbled as she looked around her pitch black room and jumped when she thought she saw someone at the foot of her bed. She quickly sat up and turned on her lamp, knocking things over in the process, and prepared to meet the gaze of whomever or whatever was in her room.

She blinked when she met nothing and let out a deep and relived sigh. She slumped back against her head board and rubbed her eyes. How silly she was letting herself get worked up, she truly thought she was going to see a ghost or something at the foot of her bed.

Now, she wasn't an overly religious person but growing up in Japan, with a grandfather who was uber religious, she couldn't help but to believe in the legends of days long since pasted. Of demons, ghost, and mikos oh my! Even so she felt a small blush creep up on her face; thank God Jake wasn't still there to see her freak out over nothing.

She ran a hand through her hair and got out of bed there was no way she was going back to bed after that little scare. She just hoped her dad would let her stay home today, she was not ready to deal with everything that would follow after what happened yesterday. Ugh, just thinking about it irked her.

She shook her head as she quietly opened her bedroom door and tip toed to the bathroom, she shivered as her feet hit the cold floor and once again was glad that Jake had gone home because she knew it was a tad bit nipplely. She grumbled as she used the bathroom and washed her hands seconds later.

She loved Jake that she did but he had been a tad bit overwhelming after they had their laugh fest. He acted like she couldn't do anything by herself plus he was uber touchy feely, not that she really minded. But he offered to spend the night and keep an eye on her, her dad shot that down right away. At the time it was cute but now that she thought about it, it was a tad bit annoying. She could take care of herself; yes the thought was nice but Kami!

She walked into her room and grabbed her laptop, her mind still thinking about Jake as she turned it on, he really was a great friend and yes if she was be one hundred percent truthful she might have a small crush on him, but if he was going to keep doting on her and treating her like she was made of glass she would kick his ass.

She blinked as her computer picked up a wifi signal, wow, she really didn't expect anyone to have the internet way out here but yay for her! She quickly synched up with it and did a mental dance as her internet browser popped up. She quickly went to check her e-mail and blinked when she realized she had a crap load of e-mails from her mom and brother.

She sighed as she looked them over. Most were I miss you, I love you, and call soon ones. She made a mental note to call her mom later, and then logged into her yahoo messenger. She doubted anyone would be on but it didn't hurt to try.

She blinked as a window popped up.

Pianist101: Hello Kagome. How are you?

She blinked as she looked at the penname, she did not know anyone by that penname, even so she did not want to be rude, plus they obviously knew her or at the very least her name.

So she decided to reply.

Yaoifangurl: Do I know you?

She stared at the screen and waited for the other person to reply.

Pianist101: Yes.

She blinked and waited for the other person to expand more, they didn't. Her eyebrow ticked and she considered exiting the window and blocking the person. She changed her mind and deiced to ask again and more precisely.

Yaoifangurl: Well who are you?

She waited as Pianist typed a reply, checking over her Deviant account.

Pianist101: I'm wounded that you don't know. But I guess I'll tell you. It's me Edward. Edward Cullen.

She blinked, Edward? Well that brought up a whole lot of questions. How he got her penname. What he was doing up at three thirty in the morning. Why he wanted to chat and more importantly she wanted to know more about what happened yesterday.

Yaoifangurl: Edward? What are you doing up at three thirty in the morning?

She decided to stick with the normal questions and then gradually work her way up to the 'what happened yesterday' and all that jazz. She may not have known him for long but she knew enough to know that if she jumped right into the 'what happened yesterday and why/how did you save me' he would turn tail and run.

Pianist101: I can't sleep. I never can what about you?

She blinked, he was an insomniac? That sucked. She used to have trouble sleeping when she was younger but thank Kami she out grew it.

Yaoifangurl: That sucks and same, I woke up about thirty minutes ago and can't go back to sleep. So…whatcha doing?

Yeah, she was being a bit of a coward. She was beating around the bush but she had a feeling that she should take it slow with him. Besides if he had one of his bipolar fits she would let him have it. Plus, from what she heard and had gathered she did owe her life to him. It was only fair she be nice to him.

Pianist101: Nothing much, I was just watching the most interesting thing though. I guess you could call it a movie.

She blinked, 'I guess you could call it a movie', what was with that? She slowly got a small grin on her face and decided to mess with him a bit, you know open with some humor and then move onto the dramatics.

Yaoifangurl: So…you were watching porn?

She knew there was a fifty-fifty chance of him getting mad and logging off but she couldn't resist; if he did get mad then she would ask him about yesterday when she saw him next. If not then she would continue with her plan.

Pianist101: No, though to be truthful I wouldn't mind if it was. JK, JK.

She blinked, did he just joke? She smiled lightly and went along with it.

Yaoifangurl: Le gasp! The Edward Cullen not only cracked a joke but one about porn! The world is going to end!

She smiled as she closed her other windows and gave his chat window her sole attention.

Pianist101: I know, huh? XD Anyways, are you going to school tomorrow?

She chuckled under her breath as she replied.

Yaoifangurl: Well seeing as it's, mmm what? About four AM in the morning I'm guessing not. Why?

She sat back and cracked her back and got more comfy on her bed. She was sitting up her legs crossed with her laptop on her lap.

Pianist101: Well I was going to offer you a ride to school but I guess it can wait. So what are you planning to do on your day off?

She blinked; he was going to offer her a ride? Well that was a big change from his forced politeness. Then again she had already discovered he was bipolar. Plus, she mused, saving someone's life did make you look at that person in a new light.

As it was she could honestly admit she did have a bit of hero worship starting to bloom, small as it was, it was there. She wasn't going to jump on the band wagon and kiss his ass, oh hell no, but she was going to make a better effort at being nice to him and befriending him. It was the least she could do.

Yaoifangurl: Thanks for the offer; can I take a rain check?

Pianist101: Of course. So…what are you going to do tomorrow?

She blinked, that was a fast reply.

Yaoifangurl: Nothing much, probably lay around the house and be waited on hand and foot by Jacob. He's one of, er well, he is my only bff. He's been really worried about me; he acts like I'm going to break. It's a bit annoying, but I love him anyway.

She blinked as a few minutes went by with no reply. She was just about to poke him he replied to her.

Pianist101: I see. Well have fun. I'll see you at school. Bye.

She quickly tried to reply to him before he logged out but he was already gone before she was able to finish her sentence. She huffed in annoyance yet hit the send button regardless knowing he would get the message when he logged back on.

Yaoifangurl: I was wondering if you would like to hang out after school tomorrow. But never mind Mr. Moody pants.

With a sour mood she shut down her computer, after sending a short message to her mom via e-mail and put her computer on the night stand. She groaned when she realized that it was five thirty and that the sun was starting to rise. She flopped back in her bed and threw her arm over her eyes.

She groaned lightly as she rolled over and closed her eyes, her mood was shot to hell and she suddenly felt very sleepy so she was going to go back to bed.

With one last tired sigh she forced herself into a dreamless sleep.

---

Kagome moaned as she sat up, feeling like she was zombie, and looked at her clock. It was eight thirty…ugh. She flopped back on her bed and winced as her head hit her head board with a resounding thunk. She held it in pain and grumbled under her breath as she heard her dad make his way to her room.

Charlie blinked as he saw his daughter, looking like crap, holding her head in pain. He shook his head as she tried to hide her head under her blankets. "Wakey wakey, sleeping beauty" He chuckled as she groaned at him.

"Noooooo….dun wannnaaaa…go away." She knew she sounded like a whinny little brat but come on now, she had only gotten like four hours of sleep. It was far too early for this. All she wanted to do was roll over and go back to sleep.

"Now, now Kagome; I know you want to go back to sleep but you have to get up. Carlisle will be here soon to check in on you and then I'm off to work and you'll have the house to yourself. Oh and Jake isn't going to be over until later, Billy wouldn't let him skip." He rolled his eyes as she shot out of bed, giving him a full look at her horrid bed head and her glare.

"Dad! I told you yesterday I'm fine there's no need for Carlisle to come over! I'm perfectly fine. Besides I don't want you to be late to work because of me now shoo I'll be okay." She plopped back on her bed and turned her back to him.

Charlie rolled his eyes, something he was doing much more often since having his daughter move in, and walked over to her bed and pulled her covers off from her head making her groan in discomfort. She was so not a morning person. "Kagome, I love you but you need to get up. Carlisle is on his way here and I'm not going to be late, unless you drag this out longer then it needs to be, in which case I will be late and then I'll probably get fired and then we'll lose the house and have to live on the street or shack up with Billy."

"Wow dad thanks for guilt trip, geez. Way to make a girl feel bad. I'll be down in like ten minutes." Kagome dead panned at her dad and huffed as she sat up.

Charlie nodded and grinned as he exited her room a small bounce in his step.

Charlie: Five

Kagome: Two thousand two hundred and thirty five.

Kagome yawned as she stretched and popped her back before grabbing some random clothes and making her way to the bathroom. Once there she brushed her teeth, her hair, washed her face, and got dressed. Since she was no doubt staying home and going to be alone for the better half of the day she threw on a pair of dark grey sweatpants and one of her dads old plain white t-shirts. She also pulled her hair into a sloppy high ponytail.

She glanced at her reflection one last time before making her way downstairs, hearing the tall tell voice of Carlisle and her dad talking about a recent game. She smiled at them both as she entered the kitchen, where they were talking, and poured herself a glass of water. She took a sip of it before addressing them. "Good morning Carlisle. I'm really sorry about you having to come over, but what can I say? My dad is Charlie." They both laughed as Charlie grumbled under his breath.

Charlie took a seat at the table and took a sip from his coffee and grumbled to himself. "Excuse me for caring about my only daughter."

Kagome smiled at him before turning her attention to Carlisle. "So…what's up doc? Gunna take some blood samples? X-rays? Operate?" She grinned lightly as he shook his head at her, his signature smile on his face.

"No, no none of that my dear, though I am going to have to ask you to strip down." He grinned as she lost her grin for a second and her dad spit his coffee back into his cup. He quickly shook his head and held up his hands. "I'm just kidding! No need to take the safety off your gun Charlie."

Charlie grumbled under his breath as he huffed.

Kagome shook her head, not expecting Carlisle to crack a naughty joke, well as naughty as Carlisle could get, and lightly punched his shoulder. "Nice one, and here I thought I was going to have to crush your hopes again. Like I said old man, I only date guys around my age." She smiled playfully as her dad grumbled to himself.

Carlisle laughed lightly as he started to take his stethoscope out of his bag. "I'm deeply hurt Kagome. I am not an old man. That aside I'm going to need you to take a few deep breaths." He held the stethoscope to her back and listened to her breathes as well as her heart beat, not that he needed a stethoscope to do so.

He quickly moved onto the steps of the check up, checking her pulse, hearing, sight, etc. Once that was done, and she passed with flying colors, he checked her ribs and was not all that shocked that they were completely fine. He smiled at her as he stepped away from her.

Kagome smiled at him lightly. "So what's the diagnoses doc?"

He chuckled and put his things away. "You're completely fine so far, but I'm going to ask you some questions and I want you to answer them truthfully okay?"

She nodded. "Sure."

Carlisle finished putting his things away and leaned against the counter across from her. "Have you had any headaches? Blackouts? Dizziness? Anything out of the ordinary?" He paused for her to answer.

She furrowed her eyebrows as she tough about his question. "Well, I did have a bit of a headache last night but that's about it, no blackouts, dizziness, or any of that fun jazz."

Carlisle nodded. "I see; were they horrible headaches, like stabbing pain, or just your normal everyday ones?"

Kagome thought about it. "It was normal, though I did think I saw someone or something in my room last night, I think it was just my mind playing tricks on me."

Carlisle resisted the urge to sigh, he had no doubt as to whom that someone was, and even so he didn't want to alarm her. "I see, that could be it but if you have any other problems feel free to call me. From what I've seen you check out A-ok."

Kagome smiled and turned to her dad and stuck out her tongue at him. "See, I told you I was fine, now both of you should get off to work. Shoo, shoo I'll be fine."

Carlisle smiled and nodded to both Kagome and Charlie before making his exit. Charlie sighed as Carlisle showed himself to the door and turned to his daughter worry floating in his eyes. "Are you sure you're okay? I can take the day off if you want."

Kagome shook her head and mock glared at him. "After the guilt trip you put me though? What if you lose your job and we're forced to shack up with Billy, hmm?"

He dad flushed lightly but shot her a small grin. "Well, obviously you and Jake would get along just fine. If anything I'd have to worry about you two sneaking off to-"

Kagome cut him off. "Dad! Don't you dare finish that sentence! What is it with you and Billy trying to get us together hm?"

Charlie chuckled as he stood up and gave her a small peck on the cheek, flushing bright red and refusing to meet her gaze. "Well since you insist you'll be fine I'll get going. I'll come back for lunch around one though. I'm thinking Mc Donald's?"

She rolled her eyes at his change of subject but let it drop and nodded. "Yeah, I want a number twelve with BBQ sauce and sweet tea. Love you dad, have a nice day!" She waved him off and quickly made a bowl of cereal for herself.

She slowly walked into the living room and curled up on the couch her bowl of cereal in her hands and the remote next to her on the arm rest of the couch. She turned on the TV and put on cartoon network. She was going to enjoy her time being in control of the remote, the HD was an added bonus. She made a mental note to go to town this weekend and pick up her own plasma so she could game in peace.

She placed her empty bowl on the table and got more comfy on the couch, yeah she could get up and put it in the sink but she wanted to relax, she blinked when someone knocked at her door. She sat up, wondering who could that be? Her dad said that Jake wouldn't be able to stop by…so maybe it was someone else from La Push? Sam? Emily? Oh~ she hoped it was Leah and Seth. She hadn't seen them in forever!

She quickly got up and bounced her way over to the door, letting her imagination get the best of her, as she thought about who it could be and who she wanted it to be. Her face fell lightly when she opened the door and was not greeted with Leah and Seth as she had hoped it would be but with Edward's calm collected face.

She furrowed her eyebrows. "Edward? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at school?" She blinked as he smiled at her; it was not one of his forced ones but a friendly one.

"Well I was worried besides you shouldn't be the only one who gets to ditch." His voice was layered with humor.

She smiled at him and blushed realizing how rude she was being. "Oh! Please come in." She let him pass by her and shut the door behind him. She turned around and smiled at him as she led him into the living room. "Please have a seat. Also excuse the mess. As you can guess things have been a bit hectic since yesterday."

He smiled and nodded, chucking under his breath as he took a seat on the couch. "I understand. So… no Jacob today?" His eyes steeled at the mere mention of the mutt.

Kagome shook her head negatively. "Naw, Billy wouldn't let him stay home today. He's going to come over later though, I think." She chuckled lightly. Now that he was in her house and it was just the two of them she was a bit nervous. Why, she didn't know, but she just was.

Edward smiled as if sensing her nervousness and decided to change the subject. "I'm sorry about last night, er well this morning. I was rude to you." He blinked as Kagome waved him off.

"Oh, no problem. It's understandable. It was about four in the morning but if it happens again I won't be as nice. So…why are you here? Not to be rude, but I can think of a million better things to do while ditching then visiting me, not that I'm not grateful for the company." She gave him a small smile.

Edward smiled back and got comfy on the couch, making sure to press into to it leaving his scent on it. "Well I was worried about you, plus I wanted to see you." He smiled charmingly at her as she flushed a bit.

"Well, um thank you and as you can see I'm A-ok. I keep telling you people I'm tougher then I look but does anyone believe me? Noooo~" She chuckled as he shook his head at her.

"Yes, but you are more accident prone then the normal human." He laughed as she huffed lightly and waved him off.

"Yeah well you're just jealous of my special-ness." She grinned as he nodded.

"Oh yeah, you caught me. I'm so jealous." He chuckled as she laughed lightly and relaxed next to him.

She smiled as briefly noted that he wasn't as bad as he seemed, he was generally being nice to her and it was nice to just be able to chill with him. She just hoped he didn't get all moody on her again. She wasn't sure she'd be able to put up with the whip lash of his quickly changing moods.

"Yeah well you better be." He mock glared at her and she smiled smugly at him.

Kagome blinked as they fell into a semi uncomfortable silence and glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "So…um are you going to chill with me then?"

He nodded. "If you don't mind, besides I'm playing hooky it wouldn't do for me to be seen around town."

She laughed. "Yeah but my dad is coming home for lunch, if you're not gone by then you're so caught. He is the sheriff you delinquent you." She laughed as his eyes widened.

"Well then I'll be sure to hide in your room if he does come back." He grinned as she blushed lightly.

"Uh huh, Suuure~." She winked at him.

He chuckled lightly as he shifted closer to her, making sure that his scent was all over the couch. He blinked as she reached across the couch and grabbed the remote.

"Any requests? Though you should be warned most of the channels my dad has are sports related." She blinked as he smiled and shook his head negatively.

"I'm good with anything; I've seen it all by now." He arched an eyebrow at her as she shrugged and turned on SpongeBob square pants. "Sponge Bob square pants?"

She huffed at him a light blush on her cheeks. "Don't diss the sponge."

He nodded and held up his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, Okay."

They fell into a semi awkward yet comfortable silence, both running over things in their head.

Edward was thinking about what the repercussion of his little visit with Kagome would be. Not that he was sacred of the mutt it was just he was already skating on thins ice with the mutts and his own dad. Plus he was intrigued by what his father had been researching since her miraculous recovering and self healing yesterday.

He had narrowed it down to the legends of Japan, logically since it was her birth place, and was now researching mikos and youkai, or priestesses and demons as they were called in English.

He seriously doubted she was a soulless demon like him but the thought of her being a miko irked him as well since they were the sworn enemies of demons like him. He did not like the thought of her as his enemy, no. He was drawn to her like a moth to the flame and yes, he had been a grade-A asshole to her before but it was for her protection.

She didn't need to be involved with a monster like him, so he pushed her away and it was working, but the pull was too strong, so he was going to try for a friendship with her. Though it was proving to be hard, she was too smart for a normal human. She had taken notice of the change in his eye color yesterday, he had to push her away and he was going to leave her like that, mad at him and wanting nothing to do with him, yet when he saw her life in danger his body reacted without hesitance and he paid for it. Yes he saved her but he not only hurt her, but risked exposing him and his family. He was in an almost feral state when he had her in his arms. His instincts were screaming at him to protect her, to get her away from those people and keep her safe.

It was scary, never in his long life had he lost control like that. It sacred him but it also beckoned him like a sirens' call.

She was a siren and he a sailor that was being called to his doom, even so he liked it. Maybe Emmet was right, maybe he was a secret masochist.

Kagome glanced at Edward out of the corner of her eye and realized that he was lost in his thoughts and took the time to get lost in hers.

Yet, just like her in real life her thoughts bounced around from topic to topic. Maybe she did have ADHD.

Did Edward have split personas? Not that she was trying to be rude but being near him was like being on a roller coaster. His mood swings were all over the place and could happen at the drop of a pin. Though from what she had seen from today, she really liked this Edward, he was nice and relaxed and she wondered why he didn't act like this in school.

She was also wondering how to broach the subject of what happened yesterday in the parking lot without sparking a drastic mood swing. She really wanted to know what had happened, she had the gist of it but she wanted to know all of it. He was the one who saved her, the one who had been with her through all of it so he would know.

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye; he was still lost in his thoughts. Even so she was a curious being and once it had been sparked it was hard to put out. Even so, she knew if he went into one of his moods she would flip out at him just as bad. She chewed on her lip as she thought of possible ways to not only break the silence but ask him about yesterday.

She could start off talking about random stuff and then work her way up to it. Or she could man up and just ask him, risking him getting all moody. Choices, choices. Aw, to hell with it, she was not one to beat around bush, much like Leah. Why she had been for the past two days was a mystery to her, but she was going to toss caution to the wind and just ask him. If he flipped out, then so be it, she was more than capable of taking care of herself, not that anyone believed her.

She turned to him and offered him a small smile when he blinked and finally came out of his thoughts. All rightly, here we go. She took a deep breath before opening her mouth. "So, Edward…I was wondering, what really happened yesterday? I mean I only remember bits and pieces but from what I've been told I owe you my life."

Edward blinked, so what his father said was true, she didn't remember anything, well she mentioned remembering bits and pieces, so she must have hit her head. Although it was a very good thing that she had forgotten, for him and his family, it also disappointed him to no end. He wanted her to remember, to ask questions, to find out what he was if only for the sole purpose of her wanting to know more about him, to be with him. He was no fool, teenage girls loved the idea of a romance that was not only forbidden but dangerous and dating a vampire was as dangerous as one could be.

Yet, once again fate was cruel and she didn't and he would have to lie to her and feed her the story his dad had told him to feed her if she did ask about yesterday. So with dread and annoyance, at his father, in his heart he schooled his face into a mask of indifference and opened his mouth to reply.

She knew the moment his eyes became hard and shielded that he was pulling back in on himself. That he was becoming the Edward she knew from school, the bipolar jerk. So it was no surprise to her when he spoke, his voice cold and distant. It irked her and it made her sad, why, she didn't know but it did.

"Well, I was standing not too far away and when the van rounded the corner. I saw it and was about to push you out of the way but you tired running and you slipped so I ran over to your side and pulled you out of the way. I too slipped on the ice and we fell to the ground next to your truck. That alone probably saved our lives because as soon as we fell the van slammed into the side of your truck and we were saved by the small pocket of space between the two vehicles." He paused to let it sink in, watching as she scrunched up her nose as if trying to picture what he said.

He watched her for a few more seconds before continuing, not wanting her to remember what actually happened. "Though because we did fall you hit your head and must have passed out in my arms but you wouldn't let go of my shirt so me and my family were forced to take you to the hospital. Once there my dad treated you and I and my family waited out in the lobby. You know you're lucky you weren't hurt worse, what with your luck that is." He smiled half heartily, knowing, just knowing she didn't buy any of it.

Kagome furrowed her eyebrows, what he said did make sense but… she had a feeling he was keeping something from her, and that something he said was wrong. Even so she could tell by the look on his face that he did not want to go into any more detail then he had and she would respect that because even if he was leaving something out or lying to her he did save her life.

So with suspicion in her mind she nodded her head and forced herself to return his smile with one of her own. "I see, well thank you. I owe you my life Mr. Hero." She blinked as her praise had the opposite effect, it was supposed to cheer him up but instead it only seemed to annoy him.

Edward frowned lightly at her words, he knew she was saying them to lighten the mood but it still irked him. He was a monster, he had hurt her, and he didn't deserve her praise. "You're too kind, it was nothing. Now can we please let the subject drop?"

Kagome rolled her eyes, her mood quickly souring. This was why she was so standoffish with him, why she always second guessed herself. Every time she tried to be nice to him and get to know him more, to befriend him, he pulled back and honestly it was really pissing her off. Especially the way he was brushing off saving her life, he almost acted like he didn't want to, like he was forced to and it really pissed her off. "Look if you didn't want to save me you didn't have to. I was just trying to be nice. God, see this is why I can't stand you! One second you're nice and the next you're this dark brooding emo little bitch!"

Edward's eyes darkened, as soon as she implied that he didn't want to save her, that he regretted it he tuned her out. How dare she imply that? He risked exposing not only himself but his family to save her. He got shit from said family for saving her and she had the nerve to imply he regretted it? He was instantly consumed by anger, where it came from and why he felt it he did not know. All he knew was that for her to doubt him, to doubt his actions, it really pissed him off. "Look here, Kagome, I saved you because I wanted to, not because I had to." His voice was an octave lower then it normally was even so he didn't care. He needed her to understand, what he wanted her to understand he did not know but she had to.

She cut him off with a glare. "You didn't have to do anything Cullen." Her voice was icy cold and it only added fuel to the fire.

He let out a small hiss and ran a hand through his bronze hair before turning to look at her, his eyes a shade darker and darkening with every second that passed by. "Would you let me finish?" He didn't wait for her reply. "I saved you because I had to, yes, but the reason I had to was because the thought of you hurt, dead, scared the shit out of me. My body acted on instinct I felt that if I didn't save you that my world would end."

Kagome blinked as his words registered, he-her-what? Wow. That was all she could think of, wow, it was a lot to digest. He saved her because he had to, because he was sacred of her getting hurt? "I thought you couldn't stand me." Her voice was low, her emotions and thoughts were all jumbled up. She didn't know what was going on anymore; it was like she was in the Twilight zone.

Edwards sighed again and leaned back again her couch, keeping his gaze on the ceiling. Shit. That was the only word that could sum up everything that was going on right now. He was so close to spilling it all, all of it. What he was, what her felt for her, the mutts, the treaty, why she had to understand, all of it. Even so he knew he had to reign in his emotions, he could not afford to let anything else slip. "I'm sorry if that's how I made you feel, but do you honestly think I would save you, feel the insane urge to save you, if I didn't?"

She looked at her hands in her lap and answered honestly. "I don't know! That's the thing about you Edward, when it comes to you I have no idea what to expect. One minute you're nice to me the next you're glaring at me like I'm the bane of your existence. It's so-so…" she trailed off, not really knowing what it was.

He smirked knowing exactly what word she was looking for. "Frustrating."

She nodded, and turned to look at him, he met her gaze. "Yeah, that's it. It's so damn frustrating."

He nodded his head. "I know, that's how you make me feel."

She blinked. "Me? How? I mean not to be mean but you're the bipolar one, I can barely keep up with your mood swings, not to mention that you just dropped this on me, making it sound like if I died it would be the end of your world. I mean you don't even know me all that well and from what I gather you force yourself to tolerate me."

He sighed in frustration and looked back up at the ceiling. "Look, you're nothing like anyone I've ever met. You see things in a different way, you say and do what you want and don't care about anything else. It frustrates me that I can't get a real read on you, that I can't figure you out. You plague my thoughts all the time. When I'm around you I act differently…I…just…you really, really frustrate me and I'm sorry if I take it out on you. I just don't know how to act around you."

Kagome blinked as she tried to process his words; once she did she blinked again. "Edward, you don't have to act like anything but the real you. That being said I don't know who that is. Is it the bipolar jerk at school? The nice guy who came over to check up on me? Or the angsty jerk you are now? Who are you Edward?" In all honesty she wasn't expecting an answer. He gave one none the less.

"I…don't know. When I'm with you I act differently that much I do know…though if you want to get to know the real me…I can only suggest that we spend time getting to know each other." He slowly turned to look at her, a small sense of fear in his eyes; she had more than enough right to reject him point blank.

Kagome sighed as she held a hand to her temple, God, Edward Cullen sure knew how to confuse a girl. Her head was reeling and there was a small voice in the back of her head that piped up saying that this was why she should avoid him like the plague. She squashed it down, having learned long ago that listening to the voices in your head usually ended badly. She rubbed the bridge of her nose in a vain attempt to stop the oncoming headache.

"I…am really confused right now. Do you realize how much whip lash I have from your mood swings?" She didn't wait for an answer. "That being said I know you are a very complicated person, I am to, so I guess if you want to hang out so we can try and solve the puzzles that are us that's okay. But, if you get all stuffy with me like you did the first day we met know that I will kick your ass." She smiled lightly as him as he turned to look at her.

"Okay?" He really didn't know what to say but he was glad at what had happened. He had his foot in the door so to speak.

Kagome smiled at him as she picked up the forgotten remote. "So we have an understanding?" He nodded and she grinned happily. "Good. I'm glad we've come to an understanding, now let's start our hanging out process. I say we watch a movie on demand and enjoy the rest our day, because seriously what's playing hooky without watching a movie?"

He smiled lightly and shook his head in agreement. "Sure. Anything you want Kagome, anything." She smiled as she went to the on demand page, completely ignoring the serious look on his face. For when a Cullen, mainly Edward Cullen, said anything, he truly did mean anything. He would do and be anything for her, and as she relaxed next to him on the couch, he knew he had found the person he wanted to spend forever and a day with.

Chapter 7: Fangirl Moments

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Kagome laughed as she sat next to Edward, it had been hours since he had shown up, and in all honesty it wasn't that bad. Once they got all the nitty gritty out of the way he had opened up and she was enjoying herself. Who knew that the Edward Cullen dabbled in America's Funniest Videos? The serious Edward Cullen liked to watch stupid people be stupid! Le gasp, it was the end of the world.

Yeah, it took her by surprise as well, but it was fun. The only thing that sucked was the fact that they kept making bets, with imagery money mind you, and she kept losing! It was like he had seen all of them before and it was full of fail. She now owed him ten thousand in imagery dollars. "I think you're cheating…" Her voice was slightly suspicious and he laughed.

"Come now, I would never."

She snorted and grabbed the remote. "Uh huh, well I'm changing it now….oh! Smallville is on, yes!" She quickly changed the channel not caring that she sounded like a total fangirl, but what could she say? Clark Kent could rock her world any day. He was so dreamy, not all that bright but dreamy none the less. Oh and Lex, yum~my.

Edward watched with an amused smile as Kagome drooled over the actor playing Clark Kent, what was it with women and being fangirls? Rose was obsessively stalking some douche, Emmet's words not his, actor named Robert Patterson. Alice was hung up on Johnny D. and Tim Burton, then again they all knew she had a darker side, and Esme was embarrassingly in love with Fabio. How old school.

"Oh Clark you moron!" He jumped lightly and turned to face a slightly annoyed and pouting Kagome and bilked. What had he missed? Kagome, as if reading his mind spoke up. Yes, he saw the irony in that. "God…he's such a…baka! I mean he has feelings for Lana." She scrunched up her nose in diastase at the name. She obliviously didn't like the girl. "Yet he continues to push her away yet wallows in self pity she does stay away. It's so annoying."

Edward blinked yet he quickly caught onto what she was saying and he had to disagree because he knew what it was like to be different and have to push others away for their own sake. "He's only doing what he thinks is best. He's afraid of her getting hurt because of him, of hurting her himself."

Kagome nodded. "I know, but the thing is she does get hurt just by being in the same town as him, it's kind of an occupational hazard. So he might as well tell her the truth instead of lying to her. I mean if she knew why he acted the way he did then I'm sure she would understand. Plus, she would have a heads up about what to expect when it comes to being a part of his life."

Edward shifted so he was facing her and nodded while relaxing against the couch. "That's true but I think he's scared of her reaction. Would she reject him? Call him a freak? A monster? Would she be afraid of him? You have no idea how hard it is to try and share a secret that big especially if it's with someone you care very deeply about. The fear of rejection can be a very powerful thing."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I get that he's scared of her reaction but he doesn't give her enough credit. She has stood by his side since the beginning, and she has befriended others that were affected by the meteor rocks without judging them. So I doubt she would turn on him and call him a monster, and if she does then she is not who he thought she was. I honestly think he needs to get over her and get together with Chloe because she would understand and she wouldn't judge him. She would most likely take it in stride."

Edward frowned. "So you think he should give up on Lana? The woman he loves because it would be easier for Chloe to understand him more? Isn't that a bit hypocritical? You just said that he should tell Lana because she might be able to understand him but if she doesn't she isn't who he thought she was. I think you're biased because you're clearly a Chloe fan."

Kagome glared at him. "So what if I'm a Chloe fan, I'm not totally biased. I try to see the argument from both sides. I'm just saying Lana is what he wants, not what he needs. He needs someone who will understand him and love him no matter what. Yeah, Lana could be that girl but you have to consider their relationship. As soon as it gets too hard for either of them they pull away and then get all emo about being alone or jealous when the other shows any interest in the opposite sex. It's not healthy."

She held up her hand to silence his protest. "What I'm trying to say Edward is that Clark either needs to tell Lana the truth and deal with that fall out or he needs to stop stringing her along. He does this to Chloe as well and it's not right. I understand he's afraid to tell either of them the truth because of his fear of rejection but if he doesn't try then how is that any better? If you're not willing to take a chance on love then how can you truly call it love?"

Edward gulped lightly as he rolled her words around in his head; they held some truth but still… "What if he did tell Lana the truth and she got mad at him? She clearly values trust above all else and I doubt she would let it slide that he has been lying to her for years. Then what? Should he just go to Chloe on the re-bound? Would that make everything okay?"

Kagome scrunched up her face in thought. "Well, honestly as horrid as it sounds yes. Clark has dug himself a whole. He's lied to the people he cares about the most, yes, it was to protect them but he's still lied. Lies are like poison, all it takes is one prick and it enters your system and from there it just keeps getting worse and worse. The best thing he can do is purge it all, to tell the truth and then try and deal with it. Yeah, Lana and even Chloe might hate him, be disgusted by him but it's the path he has chosen."

She paused to re-gather her thoughts, how in the hell did this turn into such a deep conversation? "Ugh I don't really know how to explain this but um…he's made his bed and he has to lie in it. And you never really know who your true friends are until the shit hits the fan. Like I said earlier, if you're not willing to take a chance on love then how can you truly call it love? Now enough of this deep talk. I didn't stay home to have a psychology lesson." She smiled at him lightly as she turned back to the show. "Oh yeah Clark take off your shirt. Ooooh you to Lex, you to….yeeeessss it's about to get a little bit of yaoi in here."

Edward shook his head as he smiled lightly at her, it had been so long since he had an actual conversation with someone who was an actual teenager and not on who looked like one but was actually over one hundred years old that he forgotten how flighty teenagers thoughts were. He chuckled at that thought; here he was the mind reader gripping about how flighty teenage minds were.

Kagome blushed lightly thinking he was chuckling at 'Oh yeah' comment and she fidgeted lightly. He had this weird way of making her feel like she was a little kid, it was kind of annoying. So she deiced to humor herself and grumbled under her breath. "Oh shut up." He merely shot her a small confused smile.

"Excuse me?"

She huffed now feeling a bit bad about snapping at him. "Nothing, geez…I'll be right back I'm going to get something to munch on. You want anything?" Edward smiled charmingly at her, making her blush lightly, and shook his head.

"No thanks I'm good. Do you need any help in the kitchen?"

She rolled her eyes at him as she stood up, grabbing the almost forgotten bowl from earlier, and arched an eyebrow at him. "Awww are you that desperate to stay by my side?" He smirked at her and stood up.

"Of course, don't you know I watch you in your sleep?" He laughed as she blushed and turned away from him muttering under her breath.

He chuckled lightly at his own inside joke and followed after her making sure to rub against as many things as he could on the way. Take that mutt. He leaned against the kitchen counter and watched her move about. She quickly placed the dirty dishes in the sink and then moved about grabbing random things form the fridge and counters. He couldn't help but smile as she moved around the kitchen like a pro, in all honestly it stirred something deep inside of him. Something primal. He wanted her, he wanted her to smile and hum like a newlywed in his house.

He shifted lightly as he felt his thirst try and creep up but he pushed it back down and decided to watch her, much like a predator watching its prey. He smirked lightly as he saw her try and fail to reach a plate from the cupboard. She turned to his much taller form and sent him the puppy dog eyes.

"A little help here?" He nodded and stalked over to her, he couldn't help but purr at the thought of her helpless and needing his help.

He quickly stepped up behind her, pressing her into the counter and making her squeak as he easily reached above her to grab a plate. Once he had it he placed it on the cupboard in front of them and silently inhaled her scent. He had no doubt his eyes were now a very dark brown if not black already and darkening by the second as her heart beat sped up and pushed her sweet smelling blood through her veins.

Kagome blushed a bright red as he stood behind her unmoving and she knew, just knew he could hear her heart beating like a humming bird's. She was embarrassed beyond belief yet she couldn't help but to notice how well defined his chest was, nor the way her soft curves fit his much harder and manly ones. Oh God. She bit her lip and tired to think of anything else but the way he was pressed against her back. Dad…food…dad and his gun…Jake…Jake!

She felt her breath hitch in her throat as she thought about said boy and easily found the courage to dance out of Edwards arms and shoot him a small thankful and embarrassed smile at him from the other side of the kitchen. "Thanks." She turned away from him and quickly grabbed an apple and a knife with shaky hands and began peeling it as she leaned against the counter and hoped to God the lust would go away.

Edward had to bit the inside of his mouth to keep the growl from leaving his throat and scaring her. He had acted brash and now he had no doubt she was going to tense up around him again. He had, in the span of five seconds, undone what had taken him all morning to do. He had just put them back in that awkward zone of kinda friends but not really. He resisted the urge to groan, what was it about her that made him feel like a bumbling teenager? Either way he needed to answer her, no use making things worse. "No problem."

Kagome nodded at him and flashed him a small smile. "Sometimes being pocket sized sucks. I mean if Jake was here he'd be teasin-OW!" She hissed as she dropped the apple and the knife in favor of cradling her now cut and bleeding finger in hand. "Shit it stings!" She was so wrapped up in looking at the ridiculously deep cut that she failed to notice the way Edward's eyes turned a dark pitch black as his body seemed to freeze.

Oh God, the scent was overwhelming, it circled around him and wafted under his nose seductively. It called out to him and he wanted nothing more than to give in. To sink his fangs into her neck, into any part of her delicious body and suck until she had nothing left but a few drops. Hell he didn't even know if he could stop. All he wanted to do was to taste her. He hadn't realized he had moved until he held her pale slim hand I his own. His eyes zeroed in on the copious amounts of blood that escaped the deep cut in her thumb.

Drip, drip, drip. The sound of her blood hitting the floor echoed in his ears.

Kagome gulped lightly as Edward held her hand in his, his grip was harsh and she had no doubt she would have bruises come the morning yet she didn't know what to do. It was plain to see he was not himself at the moment; he had a semi crazed look in his eyes as they gazed at her blood stained finger. She had never really ever felt the need to be fearfully wary around Edward before now. Yeah, she'd felt the need to guarded, because he did give off an asshole-ish air, but never truly was there a moment when she was wary of him hurting her.

This was not the same. Even so maybe she was just overreacting? Not everyone dealt with blood the same way, right? Some fainted, some blanched, hell some even ran from the room screaming, like her mom. Even so the way he was gazing at her made her feel like a slab of meat and she did not like it so with a wavering voice she tried to snap him back to attention. "Edward?"

Edward gasped as he pulled himself away from her, letting her hand fall lifelessly to her side, and in the blink and an eye he was on the other side of the room gasping for air. "I-I'm sorry. I-blood…I don't…I'm not good with blood." He had to physically restrain himself from grabbing her hand again and sinking his teeth into her. He wanted her like he had never wanted anything or anyone else in his life.

Kagome's eyes widened as she understood, she quickly turned on the faucet and shoved her finger under it, hissing in pain as the water invade her cut but stopped the blood flow. Once she was sure that her blood flow was much slower then before she turned off the faucet and grabbed a napkin and wrapped it tightly around her finger. Once all of that was done she turned back to Edward. "I'm so sorry, I mean I never would have thought you of all people would have a phobia of blood. I mean you're a doctor's son." She laughed lightly as she bent down to wipe up the blood with a random washcloth and threw it away.

Edward let out an inaudible hiss as the scent of her blood was carried to him on the rush of air that followed her action but stiffly nodded his head. If she wanted to call his reaction that then she could, all he knew was that he needed to get out there now and find a nice juicy mountain lion to sink his teeth into now. "Ahem, er yeah. I um...I need to go now…I'll see you later." He left as soon as she nodded.

"Okay…" Kagome blinked as he ran for the hills and shook her head lightly. "Wow…" She honestly didn't know what else to say so instead of dwelling too much on it she picked up the fallen apple and knife. She frowned at the blood stained apple and threw it away, it was the last apple, and put the blood stained knife in the sink. "Well that sucked." She huffed as she walked back into the living room to finish the episode of Smallville. "Where's Superman when you need him? I'm hungry."

She jumped as someone chuckled at her from the doorway. "Well I can't fly but I did go through the drive though at the local McDonald's." She quickly turned to face it, giving herself whiplash, and let out a sigh of relief when she realized it was her dad.

"Dad!" He chuckled at her as he walked into the living room holding up a bag full of wonderful smelling McDonalds.

"What?" He used the same whiny tone she had used.

She huffed at him. "You almost gave me a heart attack!"

Charlie chuckled as he plopped the bad of fast food into his daughter eagerly awaiting hands. "I'm sorry but don't worry about it, I'm sure your number twelve will do that for you." He laughed at his own joke as he sat down in the chair next to the couch and opened his own bad of yummy greasy fatty goodness.

Kagome rolled her eyes as she set all her foot out in front of her on the table. "Oh, ha, ha, dad." She smiled as he shot her a grin, ketchup hanging off of his mustache, and took a drink of his pop.

"I only live to make you laugh." She laughed lightly as she dug into her food and savored the grease that rolled down her throat.

"Mmmmmm." She quickly killed her food and sucked up her drink.

Charlie arched an eyebrow at her. "That had to be the most unlady like killing of a number twelve that I've ever seen." He smiled lightly as she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Well I've never been much of a lady you know." He smirked and nodded.

"I know. Weren't you the one who used to run around the Rez in Jakes clothes beating up Paul and Jared?" He laughed as she blushed at that memory.

"No! It was Paul and Jared who did the beating up but don't worry dad me and Jake got 'em back good." He laughed lightly.

"That's my girl."

She beamed up at him. "Yup, speaking of Jake I'm surprised that he didn't try to sneak out of school to come and see me even though Billy said no."

Charlie dead paned. "Believe me darling he tried, three times and was caught each time. I swear, if that boy wasn't Billy's son I'd..." He let the threat hand and shook his head light heartedly.

She rolled her eyes. "Uh huh , suuure. Oh! Speaking of juvenile delinquents guess who dropped by today?"

Charlie perked up. "Someone stopped by?" She nodded.

"Yup and guess who it was." He furrowed his eyebrows. Who would stop by….

"Carlisle?" She rolled her eyes.

"No, he gave me an A ok remember?" He nodded.

"Hmm….Sue?" She shook her head.

"Nope though I wish she would have I'd love to see her again. Now guess again."

He settled into a thinking pose. "Sam? Emily? Leah? Harry? God?" She laughed lightly at his last guess.

"No~ you goober. Edward, Edward Cullen did. He played hooky just to visit little old me." She smiled as he sat up.

"Edward? Edward Cullen? Well I'll be damned. One of the Cullen's playing hooky, geez Kagome what'd you do to the poor boy?" She huffed in indignation.

"Why do you think it's my fault that he ditched?" She honestly wanted to know. He waved off her tone.

"Nothing it's just, I mean the Cullen's never break any of the rules…" She let out a small snort.

"Well did it ever occur to you that maybe he was worried about me? I mean he did kind of save me from getting killed yesterday….geez did you forget already my oh, so doting father?"

Charlie laughed lightly at her disgruntled figure. "No, my dearest darling daughter." He laughed lightly as she scrunched up her nose in distaste at his mushy words. "I didn't it's just I mean his dad is the town doctor and if he said you were A ok I see no reason why he would question it. None the less that was rather nice of him. Now," He lost his playfulness "what did you two do here, all alone, two teenagers alone in a house alone. One male and the other female. Alone in the house…alone."

Kagome flushed red. "Dad!" He shook his head sternly.

"Don't you 'Dad!' me young lady. I'm your father and I have a right to know if I have to grab my shot gun and start planning a wedding." Kagome blushed more.

"I-er..you…no! Just what kind of girl do you think I am? I've already raised one kid I think I'm good for a while. Geez you perverted old man." By now her face was beet red.

Charlie leveled her with a stern gaze. "I'm just making sure. Can't ever be to careful…you remember that Bella girl? She got knocked up last year by her boyfriend. What a waste it was she was barely eighteen then again everyone knows she jumped into that relationship way to fast. She was far too desperate to keep him in her clutches." Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Dad, I'm not Bella okay? Besides when did you become a cackling hen?" He looked her up and down but nodded.

"I was just saying, besides Jake would be heartbroken you know."

Kagome groaned loudly and buried her face in her hands. "Dad! Just stop talking!" He laughed lightly as her muffled words reached him. Honestly he couldn't help it, he hadn't been able to mess with her like this for years and to be honest he missed being able to joke around and embarrass his daughter like this. He was more than glad that she had decided to come live with him, even if it was only to make things easier on her mother. He lost a bit of his mirth at that thought.

Her mother…she was…well there was no way to… actually there was a way to describe her. She was selfish, and that was being nice, and no he was not talking as a jaded bitter ex. The woman was selfish plain and simple she looked out for herself first then everyone else. She had left him because he hadn't wanted to leave his home in Forks and go back with her to Japan. Which was something they had talked about before getting to serious, and at the time she had agreed. They were going to stay in Forks and build their life there.

Yet, not even a year after Kagome had been born, and they had been married for two, she change her mind. She didn't like the small town of Forks, she missed the hustle and bustle of Tokyo and she was sick and tired of people asking her what kind of native she was. Of course he tried to change her mind but she would not have it, she was used to getting what she wanted and she wanted out of their marriage. He gave in, like he did to all of her whims, and they were divorced a few months later. In all honestly, yeah, he could have fought harder but there was no use. Why fight a losing battle?

None the less she was gone the day after the papers were signed and she left without a look back taking with her his only child, Kagome. For the first few years she kept up her end of the bargain and let Kagome visit him for the summer but by the time she was eight Ku-Loon, his wife, once again changed her mind and Kagome was no longer allowed to visit him. It wasn't until he got the call asking if Kagome could stay with him that he knew why. He of course thought it was his ex wife being a bitch, and he was right in a sense. She had gotten herself knocked up, by a married man, and needless to say she left Kagome to take care of not only the child but herself under the pretense of having post pregnancy depression or whatever it was called.

Bullshit. She just didn't want to deal with the consequences of her actions. None the less Kagome, his darling little Kagome, had stepped up and been forced to take on the responsibilities. Oh yeah, that was a very colorful conversation but he had agreed. How could he say no? Yes, it pissed him off that Ku-Loon had the nerve to pretty much toss aside their daughter after everything she had been through but he was way past caring anymore. All that mattered was that his daughter was back where she belonged, with him, and he was going to do his best to make up for everything that his wonderful ex had fucked up.

"Dad?" He jumped lightly as he came out of his thoughts and focused on the worried face of his daughter.

"Uh, yeah?" He blinked as she frowned.

"You're thinking about it again aren't you?" He swallowed but nodded.

"Yeah…I…I'm sorry." Kagome's frown deepened.

"Dad, I told you it's not your fault." He frowned.

"It's hers." The acid in his voice was more than clear.

Kagome sighed. "Dad that's not fair…we both know she's not very strong…she just…she needed my help." He scoffed.

"You were a child, she had no business thrusting that kind of reasonability onto you."

Kagome refused to meet his eyes, "I know daddy but I took it upon myself. It's not her fault and it's not your fault…shit just happens and you have to deal with it." He snorted, ignoring her use of fowl langue.

"She should have dealt with it herself."

Kagome knew there was no changing his mind so she nodded. "Yeah…anyways I'm not feeling too good. I think I'm going to take a nap." He nodded feeling bad about ruining her mood.

"I love you." She smiled at him as she got up and kissed his cheek lightly.

"Love you to daddy. I'll see you after work." He nodded and watched her walk out of the room.

As he watched her small frame round the corner to go to her room he once again vowed that he would never forgive Ku-Loon for what she had done to his poor daughter. Nor would he ever forgive himself for not being there for her, for not noticing.

Kagome sighed as she slid down her closed door and sat on the floor trying to blink back her tears. She…she didn't know how to handle situations like the one she was just in all that well. She knew very well her father's thoughts on her mother and what she had done and vice versa. She was after all a child of a divorce and like most children of divorces she grew up listening to her parents bad mouth each other. Though her dad tried to avoid it, unlike her mother who was never void of a mean thing to say about her dad and like all children she loved both of her parents.

So, it was hard growing up hearing all of that, and coupled with the responsibilities that her mother had unintentionally forced onto her was more then enough to ruin her childhood. Instead of playing with girls her age she was forced to take on the role of mother while her own mother acted like a teenager, yet she took on that role willingly because if she didn't no one would have.

She had come to terms with that while in therapy, shit happened and you dealt with it. That was her personal motto and it was true. Her mother didn't deal with her shit and left it to her to deal with. She did and she was a better and stronger person because of it. She let out a shaky breath as pushed those thoughts to the back of her head and stood up.

She numbly walked over to her dresser and pulled out a tank top and a pair of sleeping shorts. She mechanically changed out of her clothes into her chosen sleeping clothes and tossed her dirty ones across the room not caring where they landed. She quickly crawled into her bed and curled up under her blankets hugging a worn old teddy bear to her chest. She sighed under her breath as she forced herself into a dreamless sleep completely oblivious the heated gaze on her body.

Chapter 8: Hello Again…My Old Friend Embarrassment

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"Dude…I think she's dead." Kagome scrunched her face up as she slowly woke up. Who was that? They sounded really young, maybe thirteen fourteen at the most.

"Shut up Seth that is so not funny." She knew that voice, even though it was slightly angered she knew it. She groaned lightly as she cracked open her eyes.

"Jake?"

Jacob smiled and tossed the cute and sleepy Kagome a smile. "The one and only." He chuckled as she opened her eyes and blinked.

"What are you doing here? What time is it?" It was easy to tell she was still half asleep as it was, when she sat up her shirt was barely covering her breasts. It must have gotten turned around while she was sleeping.

Seth blushed as he caught sight of her pale creamy stomach and the hint of a light blue bra. "W~ow." He winced as Jake elbowed him in the side. Okay, he totally deserved it but still, she was hot.

Kagome blinked as she fully woke up and blushed as she realized that Jake was not alone and that her shirt was a tangled mess. "Get out! Both of you get out!" She tossed her pillow at them and huffed as it hit the door they closed behind them.

She glanced at her clock, also taking note that Jake and his company were making their way downstairs, noticing it was six pm. Ugh, her sleeping schedule was fucked up. She yawned lightly as she stretched making her tangled shirt rise up some as she popped her back.

"Mmmm, it's too early for this shit." Even so she got up and grabbed a change of clothes. Once she had them she quickly walked into the bathroom, noting the laughter coming from downstairs and jumped in the shower.

Since it was obvious that they had company she only took a ten minute shower and quickly got ready, not even bothering to blow dry her hair. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror. She was dressed in a large old beat up sweater with the words 'La Push' scrawled across it, which she had stolen it from her dad, and a pair a scrubby sweatpants. She wasn't going anywhere today and yeah they had company but it was just Jake, his dad, and his friend.

She smiled at herself and made her way into the living room only to blush a bright red when she realized that they indeed had more company, it was like half of La Push was crammed into her living room!

Emily and Sam were there, Sam was snickering at her. The Clearwater's were there, Sue, Harry, and Leah, she vaguely wondered where little Seth was. There were also four other really buff guys, besides the one that was in her room with Jake, crammed into her dads small living room.

She flushed even redder as they all stared at her. "Ohmigod!" With that she ran back upstairs, the laughter of her so called friends and family ringing in her ears. Once she reached her room she slammed the door shut and quickly rummaged around her room for something more appropriate to wear. She frowned when she couldn't find her clothes from earlier in the day and cursed her laziness, if only she had put them in the hamper instead of throwing them into the abyss. She huffed and moved to her dresser and grabbed a green knit sweater and quickly put it on. She also grabbed a pair of black skinny jeans.

She glanced at her reflection and was mortified to discover that her hair looked like a mess because it was one, still semi wet, and two, mussed around her head by her rapid wardrobe change. She looked around for her brush but frowned when that too came up missing. "Shit." She cursed under her breath and briefly noted that she was doing so a lot more often and made a mental note to put some effort into putting a cork in her potty mouth. So with an indigenous huff she ran her fingers sloppily through her hair and semi tamed it before creeping out of her room.

She felt her blush return ten fold when she neared the living room and heard their laughter and joking. "Dude! She blushed so red that I thought she was going to pass out!" She huffed as she rounded the corner and glared at the speaker, one of the tall muscular boys that sat on her couch.

"Well excuse me for freaking out but hey, it could have been worse. At least I wasn't in just my bra and panties." She snickered as everyone blushed at her comment and ignored her dad's mock glare.

"That's not very lady like." Charlie frowned at her, the thought of her walking around in her bra and panties weirded him out, and the thought of them all seeing her in them irked him. He could see the boys trying to picture it in their minds. He scowled; he was going to have to talk to her about her sense of humor.

She smiled at him and walked over to give him a small peck on the cheek. "Aw, daddy dearest we've been over this before I'm not a lady." The unknown boy snorted.

"You're telling me. I still cringe in fear every time I think back on all the times you practically clawed my face off. Ya damn runt." She blinked before smiling, knowing by the runt comment who it was.

"Paul!" With that she launched herself into his arms and hugged him tightly before pulling away to swat him on the back of the head. "And I'm not a runt, you're just overly large." He laughed lightly and set her back on the ground.

"Yeah, yeah you'll always be my damn runt."

She rolled her eyes. "Baka." She blinked as she was pulled into another pair of arms and stiffened. "Oi! No man handling the 'runt'!" She eep'd as she was spun around and turned to face the one who still had her in his arms.

"Awww. Now I'm hurt, really hurt. Don't you remember me? I mean geez we used to prank Jake all the time…" He trailed off and let out a sniffle. She blinked owlishly as she looked through her mangled memories.

"Oh! I remember you!" She grinned happily. "You're Todd right?" She laughed as he frowned and let out a strangled whimper. She shook her head and hugged him tightly. "Oh, I'm just kidding Embry of course I remember you." She tossed a grin at the other two people in the room having put the pieces together. "I remember you guys too. Jared you ass, and you Quil, you big pussy." She laughed as he hugged her tightly and got mock glares from the other two.

Jared mock glowered. "You better."

"Psh, whatever Jared, I bet I can still kick your ass." She eep'd as her dad glared at her.

"Kagome, Language!" She pouted as she pulled out of Embry's embrace.

"Sorry daddy, old habits die hard." She smiled as Sue and Harry enveloped her in a hug.

Harry smiled as her let her go and arched an eyebrow at her. "And where pray tell did you pick up that kind of langue?" She blushed.

"Uh…the TV?" She laughed lightly hoping they would let the subject drop because if they didn't then she'd have to tell them that she picked it up from Inu Yasha, a fellow teenager with issues, while sitting in the lobby of a mental institution and that was not something she wanted to talk about, at least not yet.

Sue smiled and patted Kagome's head lightly. "Well you should drop that habit or you'll be just as bad as our lovely Leah." Kagome grinned.

"I can only aspire to be as great as her." She giggled as Leah stepped forward and ruffled her hair.

"You can dream."

Leah grinned as Kagome huffed and mumbled under her breath. "Damnit I just fixed my hair."

They both laughed at Charlie's warning look. "Kagome."

Kagome huffed but nodded. "Yeah, yeah I know. By the way, where's Seth?" She blinked as she looked around for the, as she remember him, a young scrawny little boy that used to trail behind her, Jake, Leah, and Emily when they were younger. She blinked when everyone shared knowing looks and snickered at her. She turned her gaze to the last unknown boy in the room as he steeped forward a familiar goofy grin on his face.

"Hey Gome."

Kagome's jaw dropped slightly as she looked up, yes up, at the self proclaimed Seth. He towered above her by at least half a foot if not more! "That's, that's Seth? No way! I mean jeez I can see Paul, Embry, Quil, and Jared getting that big but Seth too? He's what, only fourteen?" They all nodded at her, small smiles on their faces.

No way. She gaped. That wasn't fair! "Are you guys all on steroids? Gezz way to make a girl feel tiny." She huffed as they chuckled at her, and made her way to stand by Leah once again and wrapped her arms around her.

"At least you're still the same old bitc-, er, girl!" She shot her dad a small smile and he rolled his eyes at her but shot her a smirk.

Leah laughed lightly as Kagome hugged her side. Now, after everything that had happened with Sam and Emily, she had become known as the bitter bitch of La Push, but having Kagome here in front of her made her feel a bit like the old Leah. It was like nothing had changed between them, like they were still good friends and she liked it. At least one of her best friends/sisters from another mister kept their promise to never betray her.

Paul wiggled his eyebrows at the embracing girls. "Dude, that's hot." He grunted in pain as Sam smacked him upside his head. "Ow." He playfully cradled his head in his hands and whimpered. "Meanie."

Everyone laughed at him. Leave it to Paul to make naughty jokes, then again it was a nice distraction from the horrid scent that laced Kagome's house. As it is they were all going to have to not only pull double shifts around La Push but Kagome's house and they had to send the bloodsucker a message they could not ignore. Kagome was theirs and they did not share. She was, to all of them, their pack sister and to Jake she was so much more. The bloodsuckers would back off or they would make them.

"So…what's the occasion for the visit?" Kagome blinked as everyone turned to look at her with glares on their faces and whimpered lightly. "What? Why are you all looking at me like I killed your puppy?" She hissed in pain as Leah tugged on her hair painfully and pulled out of her embrace to glare at her. "What?"

Jake instantly felt and gave into the urge to pull her into his arms and hold her tightly. "Now, now calm down Kagome." She huffed but nodded.

"I still don't get why you're all looking at me like that…." She trailed off grumbling under her breath.

Paul rolled his eyes at her. "What? Do we need a reason to come visit you now? I bet you didn't give the Cullen a third degree about his visit."

Kagome blinked at the anger in his voice when he mentioned Edward. One, how did he know that Edward had visited? Well truthfully that was a no brainer, her dad probably told them but still the amount of anger in his voice was odd and it irked her. He had no right to talk to her like that. "Not that it's any of your business, but yeah I did give him the third degree."

Jake glared at Paul from his spot next to Kagome making Paul shrink back. He had warned everyone not to bring up the Cullen yet here was hot headed Paul doing just that. He had also warned everyone to be nice and not rile Kagome up, she was after all still recovering from her near death experience. Paul was going to get it when they were back in the woods, that was for sure.

Leah rolled her eyes as Jake glared at Paul, no doubt thinking of horrid ways to punish said asshole for not listening to him. She for one loved to see Paul get in trouble but he did kind of have a valid point, Jake was being way to lenient with the leeches advancement on Kagome. It was unacceptable, Kagome was a claimed woman, not that she knew it yet, and Jake needed to sit down and explain things to her before everything got too out of hand. She planned to bring this up at the next pack meeting, she was after all his beta and he had to listen to her.

Looking around she smiled lightly as she took in the sight they made, Kagome was laughing as she sat on Jakes lap and bantered with Paul Jared and Embry, Jake himself was positively radiating happiness and smiling so much she was surprised that his face hadn't broken yet. As much as she hated imprinting, with a fiery burning passion mind you, and for good reason, but when she saw these two, she had to bite her tongue and agree that sometimes, once in a blue moon, it did know what it was doing.

Kagome and Jake were quite literally made for each other and even if Jake hadn't imprinted on Kagome none of them had any doubts that they would have fallen for each other anyways. The only thing that irked her was that Kagome was a good girl and she, like Emily, Kim, and Claire, was going to be dragged into their world. She clenched her teeth in anger, she did not want Kagome to get hurt, not that Jake would hurt her on purpose, but Sam had proven that, wanting to hurt someone or not, it happened. That coupled with the fact that one of the bloodsuckers was sniffing around her only made it worse.

The tensions between her pack and the coven of bloodsuckers had been high even before Kagome had come back but now that she was here it was even worse. She wasn't trying to blame Kagome but it was true, everyone knew it. For some unknown reason that one bloodsucker was hell bent on making Kagome his and it was infuriating that they couldn't just get rid of him without starting a war. Her nostrils flared in anger at that thought, she wanted nothing more then to wipe out the whole fucking coven so things could go back to normal, well as normal as they could.

Kagome frowned as she stared at Leah, she was off in her own little world yet she was pulsing with anger, hatred, and sadness and it in turn upset her as well. "Leah? Are you okay?" When Leah didn't respond she got up and walked over to her waving off Sam and Paul who tried to stop her advance. Once she as by Leah's side she poked her cheek lightly and smiled as Leah jumped and let out a loud squeal.

"Oh my God! Dude Leah sounded like a pig!" Paul almost choked on his laughter as Leah turned a horrendous glare towards him.

"Shut the fuck up." She then turned to Kagome and huffed at her. "Way to go Kagome now he'll never shut up about that and I hope you guys know I can hear you snickering, jerks."

Kagome laughed lightly. "I'm sorry Leah but you were miles away and I was afraid you wouldn't come back. I didn't mean to make you squeal." She ignored Paul and Jared's perverted snickers. "Oh I know, to make up for it how about I go get us all some snacks?" She blinked as she was practically shoved into the kitchen. Laughter and shouts of yes echoing behind her, she rolled her eyes but quickly walked over to the fridge to take stock of what they had.

Based on what they had and the amount of people in the living room she opted to make some mini weenies in barbeque sauce, cut up some cheese, dig out the crackers, and combine the various opened and half eaten bags of chips that littered the kitchen. Leave it to her dad to stock the kitchen with things that one would only find on super bowl Sunday. She smiled and shook her head as she started to get to work, depending on what else she found she would or would not be adding more to the snack list. Needless to say she would need to go grocery shopping as soon as possible.

She quickly started the mini weenies and barbeque sauce and fluidly moved onto cutting the cheese. She easily chopped away not really paying attention but getting away with it from years of practice. Once the cheese was cut she placed the knife in the sink and put the sliced cheese in the fridge until everything else was ready.

Sue smiled as she entered the kitchen and saw Kagome moving around like a pro, she had heard a bit of what Kagome had been through from Charlie and frowned. She had known that Ku-Loon was no good for Charlie but had bitten her lip and tolerated the other woman, she made Charlie happy and that was what he needed. None the less the woman was needy and a whiny selfish bitch. It never ceased to amaze her that such a woman could produce such a nice young girl. She shook her head free of her thoughts and decided to offer her assistance, after all her boys, and girl, could eat God knew that. "Need some help dear?"

Kagome yelped and spun on her heel, yet was slightly dizzy from the whiplash and stumbled lightly. She quickly grabbed a hold of the counter to balance herself and let out a relieved breath when she didn't eat the hard wood floor.

Sue quickly ran over to her, worry shooting through her veins, and helped steady her. "Kagome! Are you okay?" She vaguely noted that half of the living room burst into the kitchen at her shout, Charlie and Jacob at the front.

Kagome gave her a small strained smile but stood up fully and nodded taking note of others that had invaded her kitchen. "I'm fine now all of you get, the food is almost done."

Charlie huffed and walked over to her to check her temperature. "Kagome, are you okay? And don't you dare lie to me. I need to know if I should call Carlisle."

The pack stiffened at the question but held their tongues, leech or not Carlisle was a damn good doctor.

Kagome's smile softened as she gazed at her worried dad. "I'm fine daddy I just got a bit dizzy when I whipped my head around, there's no need to freak out. I'm tougher then you think. How many times do I have to tell you that before you get I through your head? Now go back into the living room, please. I need to finish cooking."

Charlie frowned but nodded. "Fine," he turned to Sue. "Would you mind staying with her?"

Sure smiled but nodded. "Of course now all of you get unless you want to be put to work." She smiled as everyone rushed out of the kitchen but Leah and Jake.

Kagome huffed and muttered under her breath. "I don't need a babysitter."

Jacob grinned. "Oh yeah, of course not. I mean you almost got hit by a truck yesterday, almost ate floor today and need I bring into account all of the times you tripped on air?" He chuckled as she glared at him.

"Shut up Jake or I'll bring up the 'incident'." She smirked in triumph as he paled but nodded.

"Now let's get back to cooking, dad doesn't really have much...so we're going to have to make due with what we have. Which so happens to be minni weenies in barbeque sauce, cheese and crackers, and chips."

Sue frowned lightly knowing that wouldn't even begin to sedate the pack and turned to Leah with the look, the 'Honey, why don't you offer to go to the store' look. A look she had mastered in the past year and a half.

Leah rolled her eyes as she got the look but sighed. "Hey I have an idea why don't I go to the store and pick up some things? In fact why don't we have a barbeque in the back yard?" Okay, she could have sounded a little less rehearsed when speaking, judging by their expressions, but she didn't really care. Food runs generally ended up with her having a headache.

Kagome blinked lightly but nodded. "O…kay? But isn't it a bit late for a cook out? It is a school night you know." It was almost seven at night.

Jake grinned. "Kagome…it's Friday, how hard did you hit your head, you goober? Besides, we've had cook outs at midnight before, so don't sweat it. We know what we're doing."

Kagome blushed lightly because she honestly had no idea what day it was, she thought it was Wednesday, but rolled her eyes at Jake and tried to brush it off. She couldn't have him thinking he was right. "Sure I guess. Leah, are you sure you don't mind running to the store?"

Leah nodded. "I'm sure; I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't, now would I? That was a rhetorical question by the way. Anyways I'll be back in a bit with the food and junk." With that she walked into the living room and bellowed out orders. "Okay guys food run Embry, Quil, and Seth you're coming with me. Jared you got grill duty go clean that baby out and Paul you better go look for some fire wood. I have a feeling we're going to be here a while. Dad hand over the wallet and keys. Charlie you just sit back and relax."

Kagome giggled as she heard everyone get up to do what she said. "Wow, she has them whipped."

Sue smiled and nodded. "Yeah, she does. Well since we've got a while until they get back I say we go relax in the living room."

Jake grinned. "Sure but first I'm going to devour these minni weenies." As if to prove his statement he pulled the whole pot of minni weenies and barbeque sauce off of the stove and shut it off.

Kagome glared at Jake as he walked over to her counter and poured the batch of mini weenies and barbeque sauce into a large bowl and grabbed a fork. "Excuse you? That pot goes in the sink and you better rinse it out."

Jake sighed but put down his food and did as she said and shot her a small charming smile. "There, happy?" He blinked as she scooped up the large bowl of yummniness and rushed into the living room. "Hey!" He quickly ran after her and plopped down next to her on the couch and tried to pull the bowl away from her. "Gimmie those!"

Kagome laughed as she held the bowl out of his reach. "No I made them they're mine! You can wait until the others get back!" She giggled as he pawed at her trying to grab the bowl from her. "No! Stop it!" She gasped as he practically had her pinned to the couch her back pressing into his front as she leaned over the back of the couch in a vain attempt to get away. The bowl of weenies in one hand as the other steadied her against him, by holding onto the back of the couch. She blushed a bright red at their position and eep'd as Paul ran back into the house and paused mid step.

"I just came back for the keys and I get live porn…..dude way to go Jake and on the couch no less!" Her face flushed even more as he grinned at them perversely and walked right by them to grab the keys from Harry.

"Shut up Paul you pervert!" Kagome glared at him in mortification.

Paul merely snickered at her and grabbed the bowl of yummy smelling food on his way out. "Uh huh like you're not enjoying it, and thanks for the food! We'll be back in like twenty minutes. Try and behave yourselves!" With that he shut the door behind him.

Charlie snickered as Jake gaped at the door having been stuck on stupid since Paul first opened his mouth and then glanced at his beet red daughter who was sputtering and making odd noises. It was his civic duty to make it as embarrassing as he could and he never shrunk his duties so with a wicked grin he opened his mouth.

"Well…as much as I'd love to be a grandfather, want to wait a few years? So if you don't mind Jake, can you dismount my daughter?" He chuckled lightly as Jake practically threw himself off of her and sat down on the opposite end of the couch, not meeting anyone's gaze.

Sue laughed lightly as she sat down next to her husband and turned to Charlie. "Oh come on now Charlie, I'm sure they would make beautiful babies together. I mean with his dark skin and her bright blue eyes. Oh and his thick long black hair combined with her wavy locks. They would be breath taking."

Kagome gaped at the new topic. "Sue!" Her voice was an octave higher than normal and with due cause. They were talking about her would be babies which couldn't be made without her and Jake getting it on! The perverts!

Sue merely shot her a smile. "No need to be so embarrassed my dear. We all know any babies you guys have will be adorable!"

Kagome blushed more then humanly possible and tried to block out their words. She shot a horrified glance at Jake and looked away at the look in his eyes. It was easy to tell he was embarrassed yet at the same time he seemed to be thinking over Sue's words and picturing their would be children. She felt her whole body heat up from the embarrassment and looked down at her feet, her mind running over what their possible children would look like.

Damn Sue and her ability to make you think of things you didn't want to. Then again she had to admit Sue was right, every time she thought of all the possible combinations of her and Jake's looks the children turned out adorable.

Chapter 9: Cook Out's and Freak Out's

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Kagome smiled in relief when she heard the others return, no longer leaving her and Jake alone with the chuckling adults, and the loud laughter of Paul and Billy? She grinned as she got up and quickly left the room a smile on her lips that grew into a full blown grin as she spotted Billy getting wheeled towards the house. "Billy!"

Billy smiled as she quickly leaned down to hug him and returned it shooting his son a smug look, oh yeah he still had it. He chuckled as his son stepped up behind him and lightly jarred his wheelchair as Kagome let go of him. "Well I think I could get used to this kind of greeting."

Everyone laughed as they made their way to the back yard and Kagome was the only to blink when she realized that everyone had already stared setting up. Paul had arranged the make shift fire pit and was attempting to light it. Her dad and Harry were already hovering over the grill as Jared started the flames and Leah and Sue were sorting out food.

"Well, dam you guys do really know what you're doing." Everyone laughed at Kagome as they all settled into their respective areas. The boys flocked to the grill and watched as Harry and Charlie cooked the meat. Leah, Sue and Emily all sat around the fire pit, dragging Kagome with them and in turn Jake.

Even though the sun had set there was more then enough light from the fire pit, the grill, and motion detector lights that were mounted on the wall facing the deck porch, something Harry and Billy had insisted on and even paid for them to be installed. Why, Charlie didn't know but he did know to never look a gifted horse in the mouth.

Everyone was having a good time eating, catching up, and teasing the 'couple' about pretty babies. All in all everything felt right, like it was meant to be and everyone knew it. This was how it was meant to be, hanging out with pack and just enjoying each other's company, and it was for moments like this they were more than willing to become warriors and defend their family, their pack, from the bloodsuckers.

Kagome blinked, pausing mid sentence, as she realized Emily and Sam were gathering together leftovers and saying their goodbyes and stood up a small frown on her face as she approached them. "Aw~, do you guys have to leave?" She pouted at Sam and Emily hoping she could convince them to stay.

Sam smiled but shook his head negatively. "Sorry, but those of us who are mature and know what we're doing in life have to get up early in the morning to go to work." He gave his fellow pack mates a pointed look hoping they would understand. If they did they didn't acknowledge it but he brushed it off, they were still pups and had the unfair advantage of being able to stay up all until all hours of the morning and still get up for patrol, totally unfair.

Emily smiled as she pulled Kagome into one last hug before pulling away to stand next to Sam. "I really am sorry dear. We would love to stay but like Sam said we have work in the morning, but don't worry we'll be sure to stop by when we have the time."

Kagome pouted but nodded. "Fine, go, see if I care Mr. and Mrs. Mature and Grown up old farts." She laughed as they frowned and shook her head. "I'm just kidding! Geez lighten up. Anyways I'm going to hold you to your promise and if I don't see or hear from you guys in three days I'm going to come looking for you!"

Sam and Emily laughed lightly at her but nodded. "Sure, sure see you guys." With that they walked around to the front of the house and left.

Kagome smiled after them and quickly made her way back to her seat between her dad and Jake around the campfire. She smiled as Jake handed her a cup of hot chocolate and smiled at him in thanks and slowly began to sip at it. She rolled her eyes at Paul and Jared who were sitting across from her and turned to her dad to continue their earlier conversation about going into town tomorrow to buy a new TV for her room.

Leah blinked as she heard the phone ring from her spot on the wooden deck and glanced around waiting to see if anyone else heard it. She rolled her eyes when no one even twitched. "Phone!" Her voice fell on deaf ears and she huffed as she grumbled under her breath about morons with super hearing but being too lazy to answer the phone as she stalked into the house to answer it. She blinked as soon as she answered it as she was bombarded with rapid and broken Japanese and quickly hurried off to find Kagome. "One second." If they understood her or not she had no idea.

Said girl was sitting on a fold up chair next to Jake and her dad as they sat around the make shift fire pit and chatted about random things. Leah quickly tapped Kagome on the shoulder and held out the phone a semi worried frown on her face. "I don't know who it is but I think they're speaking in rapid Japanese…they sound upset."

Kagome paled as she quickly grabbed the phone. "Moshi, moshi? Souta? Wait, calm down. Yes, yes I'm fine. No, Souta listen to me take deep breaths. Come on I'll do it with you in and out, in and out. Good boy now tell me what's wrong."She waved off the worried looks of everyone else and got off of her chair and made her way into the house. She felt her heart clench in pain as he tried to get control of his sobs and calm down enough to tell her what was wrong.

She quickly walked up to her room and shut the door behind her to talk with him in private. Once his sobs were reduced to sniffles and dry heaves she decided to talk again. "Souta tell me what's wrong."

She heard him hiccup and instantly got the mental image of him standing in his room with the phone clutched to his ear as tears and snot dripped off his face and his eyes clenched. How she wanted to hug him.

"I- you…mom found out what happened from grandpa and she freaked out and was ranting and raving around the house and I asked her what happened and she said you were hit by a car and on your death bed an-and…"his voice waivered as he started crying again.

Kagome felt anger flood her system; leave it to her mom to do and say something so stupid. She was famous for flying off the handle while not even having one third of the story and once again, she had. She quickly pushed down her anger when she heard Souta sob into the phone.

"Shh Souta, she was wrong. I'm fine dear I promise. In fact I'm going to get on my Xbox and we can video chat. I want you to go to your room and turn yours on okay honey?"

He sniffled. "Ngh okay, but don't hang up okay?"She nodded to herself as she ripped open the box containing her Xbox three sixty and gathered it in her arms, holding the phone to her ear with her shoulder. It would be easier for her to video chat with him on her computer but his computer had a virus from downloading various games and apps and would be touch and go. It would just be a lot easier if they chatted on Xbox live and hopefully she could sway his worry with a game or two of Halo.

"Kagome are you still there?"The worry in his voice was evident and she cursed herself for making him worry more.

"Yeah babe I'm still here. I'm on my way downstairs to hook up my Xbox."To prove her words true she maneuvered her way out of her room and quickly walked past the worried faces of her company towards the living room. Once there she set the Xbox on the coffee table and sat down on the ground to sort out cables and plugged in everything that need to be plugged in.

"Hush now Souta it's almost all done. I'll meet you in chat room three okay?"She got a muffled 'uh huh' and heard him turn on his Xbox. She cursed when she realized that she forgot to grab the camera adaption and the remote and turned to the person closet to her. She pulled the phone away from her head and addressed them. "Leah can you go into my room and grab my Xbox controller and camera adaption?" Leah nodded.

Kagome gave her a weak smile. "Thanks." She quickly turned back to the phone and continued to chat lightly with Souta to wane his worry.

Leah quickly ran up the stairs to grab what Kagome had asked for. She wanted nothing more then to ask what was going on and what was obviously wrong but she knew now was not the time. She quickly reached Kagome's room and found the damn things, she was always stepping on them in her own living room, and quickly raced back downstairs to hand them to Kagome who was chattering away in her native tongue of Japanese.

Kagome smiled took them with a thankful nod and quickly finished setting up, she could feel the worried gazes of everyone in the room but brushed them off, yes she felt bad but her brother, who was more like her son, needed her. Once she was sure she had everything plugged in right she turned on the TV and the Xbox.

"I'm turning mine on now, so I'm going to hang up real quick while set up my mic. Okay? Talk to you in a minute."She hung up and quickly turned on her remote and plugged the microphone adaption into the console.

Charlie quickly asked the question that everyone had been dying to ask seeing as she had put down the phone. "What's going on?"

She didn't even turn to look at him as she migrated through the various screens that would lead her to the chat room that she promised she would met her brother in. "Mother dearest freaked out when she heard about the accident. She thought I'd been seriously hurt and was on my death bed. So she told my brother that I was going to die within the hour and he freaked out and is now having a mini panic attack. So I'm going to do my best to calm him down, you guys are welcome to try and help but please don't get in my way." With that she clicked the button that linked her to chat room three and smiled as she saw herself on the feed.

Her smile wavered when her brother's video feed popped up, he looked like hell. His face was pale, his eyes were glassy and were rimmed red. He had dried tear tracks on his face and looked horrible, and it made her heart throb in pain.

"Nee-chan!"She smiled at the relief in his voice and nodded as she got comfy on the floor.

"Hey brat, as you can see I'm perfectly fine, see?"She held up her arms for him to see for himself and grinned making him smile lightly and rub his eyes.

"Ano Kagome who are those guys?"She blinked but looked back at everyone and then back to her brother a smile on her face.

"I can introduce you to them but…how good is your English my dear slacker of a brother?"She grinned as he huffed in anger.

"Me English is fine!" She giggled at him and rolled her eyes.

"I think you meant to say 'My English is fine' silly. Now, let's see where to start the introduction. Guys this is my pride and joy Souta. Souta this is my dad Charlie."

Charlie waved and gave a small smile. "Hey there it's good to finally meet you."

Souta nodded politely. "Good to meeting you."

Kagome frowned she would get on him later about working on his English but continued on with the introductions. "The guy practically pulling me into his lap is Jake and you better get that grin off your face Souta because I do have Hitomi's number on my cell….which I have no idea where it's at but still you get the gist of my threat."

Souta grinned lightly at her. "Why you tell me threatening? Is because I know what you writing in your dairy?" She flushed red as everyone chuckled at her.

"Oh shut up you guys and introduce you're damn selves." She forced herself to keep a straight face yet failed and smiled as everyone started introducing themselves.

Billy grinned and waved at the obviously distraught young boy and tipped his hat at him. "My name's Billy I'm the father of the guy man handling your sister but don't worry, they're going to make great little babies." He grinned as Kagome let out a startled cry.

"We are not you dirty old man! Souta ignore him! Move on with the introductions!" She glowered at the floor when everyone lightly laughed at her.

Sue smiled lightly at Billy's joke and stepped forward lightly. "My name is Sue and this is my husband Harry, and these two poor excuses of children are Seth and Leah." She smiled lightly as Leah and Seth shot her a glare.

Leah huffed. "Whatever mom, it's nice ta meet ya squirt."

Souta smiled at her and looked towards the others in the room.

Paul grinned as he leaned towards the screen. "Yo, my name's Paul and what was this you were saying about knowing horridly embarrassing things about your sister?"

Kagome groaned and gave Souta a pointed look. If Paul and Souta got to know each other too well, then she'd be dead from constantly blushing! "Souta…." The warning in her voice was clearly there but he ignored it and grinned towards the camera his mood easily swayed by not only hearing from but seeing her too. "Oh, I knowing many secrets she no want you know. One time she be writting about liking Inu Yasha and him brother Sesshoumaru-"

"SOUTA!" Kagome flushed bright red as he laughed along with Paul and every freaking one else in the room.

Paul grinned. "I think we're going to be great friends, I'll add you on my Xbox roster."

Souta beamed. "Really? Cool! Who be you other friends?"

Jared shoved Paul out of the way and dragged Quil and Embry with him. "Hey little dude I am the great Jared and these two are Quil and Embry, my lackeys." He chuckled as they shoved him away playfully.

Souta laughed as he was easily entertained by their antics and let himself be distracted by their banter and was easily drawn into it.

Kagome smiled as she watched Souta engage, as much as he could with his limited and horrid English, and enjoy himself. She let out a small sigh and turned to look at Jake who was sitting behind her leaning against the couch and offered him a small smile. He returned it and fully pulled her into his arms.

Jake smiled and held her closer; it was easy to tell she was still upset and worried about her brother. She would make a great mother some day and it made the wolf inside him purr in happiness. Said wolf then frowned when it remembered her brother's words about some guys named Inuyasha and Sesshomaru. "So Souta, what were you saying about her liking two guys?"

Souta smiled as his sister paled and decided that he would cut her some slack since he was just glad and thanked Kami-sama that she was okay. "Oh was nothing, just crush she really liking you for long time. S-"

"Souta shut up! I am so calling Hitmoi tomorrow!" She blushed lightly as Paul leaned over towards her and arched an eyebrow. "What was that Kagome? Care to repeat that in English this time?"

Kagome blushed but looked away "No, not at all."

Everyone chuckled at her as she pouted like small child.

Charlie smiled at the interaction between his daughter, her brother, and the others. It was rather cute, and it took away from the horrid way it had started out. He frowned at that thought and made a mental note to call Ku-Loon next week when Kagome would be able to go back to school and lay into her. He glanced at Sue, Harry, and Billy and gestured for them to go back outside and they nodded. So they all quietly got up and left the teenagers alone.

Charlie sighed as he took in a deep breath of fresh air and leaned against the railing of his deck. He glanced at Billy, Harry and Sue and gave them strained smiles.

Billy rolled towards him and stopped next to him his face grim. It was easily to tell that Charlie was upset, not many could see it because the man was good at hiding his feelings but he had been his friend since childhood. "Charlie it's going to be fine."

Charlie snorted. "I doubt it, I feel bad for that boy being left with that woman."

Sue sighed and glanced at Harry.

Harry nodded and stepped up next to Charlie and leaned against the railing. "Charlie, it's not your fault and he has his dad as well as his grandfather. Besides even if you wanted to do something you can't, he's not yours. The best you can do is to try and make things easier for Kagome and him to keep in touch and that means getting your own wifi instead of bumming it, you cheapskate."

Charlie grinned and nodded, leave it to his two best friends to cheer him up. "Yeah, yeah you still owe me fifty from the last game."

Harry snorted. "Psh, I think you're losing your mind old man. I don't owe you fifty that's Billy."

They all laughed as Billy huffed. "Do not! You old badger!"

Sue smiled and shook her head at the three men that were acting like children. She glanced back towards the house and sighed, hopefully things between everyone in the house would be just as good when they turned their age.

She rolled her eyes as her husband and his two best friends proceeded to horse around and decided to leave them to it before she heard something she really didn't want to hear. At the same time she didn't want to bother the kids and opted instead to put the fire out on the grill and tend to the fire pit because if it was one thing she had learned in the past it was that untended fires usually ended up bad, that and teenagers had horrid memories.

Kagome smiled as Souta and Paul teamed up to mercilessly slaughter newbie's on Halo all the while keeping her gaze on Souta's smiling face. She knew leaving him behind with that woman was a risk but there was nothing she could do about. Yes, she had single handily raised him since birth but the fact was he was not her son, by blood at least, so she had no legal rights to him. She often reassured herself that he would have his father to take over for her and yes, after the incident her mother had stepped up to the plate, a bit, but obviously it wasn't enough and she didn't know what to do.

"Kagome are you okay?" She blinked as Jacob leaned down so he could rest his chin on her shoulder and turned her face to look at him. She blushed lightly noticing their faces were mere inches apart but nodded lightly and spoke in a low voice as to not be overhead by her brother.

"I guess, it's just, I worry about him Jake. You should have heard him when I answered the phone…I'm regretting my decision to leave him…" She trailed off, her gaze once again on Souta's face on the screen.

Jake frowned, his wolf growling at her words, but he brushed it off. Kagome needed to be comforted and she needed to be reassured that this was for the best, and yes he was biased because he did not want her to leave but at the same time he wanted what was best for her and her pup. "Well, you're here now and yes, you could go back to him but would that change anything? Yeah, you'd be together again but you would fall back into the same routine no? I mean, not to be rude but I have overheard our dads conversations, and if you do go back…your mother will never step up and be the mom he needs. He may view you as his mother but he needs his real one."

Kagome paled and barely controlled her urge to rip herself out of Jakes arms and run upstairs. He knew, she didn't know how much he knew but he knew. How many of the others knew? Did they know about the incident as well? Her breath started to quicken a bit as black dots danced across her vision, a small panic attack starting to take over her.

"Kagome!" While it was whispered those near them heard the worry in his voice but did not react lest they draw Souta's attention to it and scare the poor boy.

Kagome blinked back the darkness and through sheer will power she calmed her breathing and gazed straight ahead a fake but believable smile plastered on her face. "How many of you guys know?"

Jake whimpered at her void voice and instinctively nuzzled her neck. "Just my dad, Harry, Sue, and me..." He trailed off even though in truth he should have just said everyone. As a pack they had no secrets, annoying at times but was necessary. They didn't know much but they did know Kagome's mother was not a very good mom and that it was often left up to Kagome to cook meals and such but beyond that they could only guess at things. Something they didn't want to do because their imaginations, while twisted, were shared amongst them all and no one wanted to face Jake's wrath for making him think of unpleasant things.

Kagome sighed but nodded, they would all find out everything sooner or later and while she wished it was later she would roll with the punches as she had done before. "I see…I don't want to talk about it right now if that's okay?" Her voice was soft and it made those that were near her feel pity and they didn't know why.

Jake nodded and wrapped his form more surely around hers and rumbled lightly to her, his wolf purring in happiness as she unconsciously took in his comfort.

They all jumped when a shrill voice echoed through from Souta's mic. "Souta! Where are you? Dinner's not made and your dad will be home soon!"

Souta paled at the shrill Japanese words and Kagome growled under her breath but forced herself to smile a Souta as he turned to her his eyes begging for something that she could not do.

With sad eyes Souta quit the halo game and focused on his sisters, nay, his mothers face and ignored the rest. Rude as it was they did not matter at the moment. There was so much that he wanted to say, that he needed to say yet as his 'mother' yelled for him again her voice layered with annoyance he knew now was not the time. So with a sad smile he met Kagome's eyes and whispered in a small almost broken voice. "I miss you…"

Kagome smiled sadly. "I miss you too baby. I love you, don't ever forget that okay?"

Souta nodded as fresh tears welled in his eyes and nodded. "I love you too, talk to you soon?" She smiled and nodded. "Of course. I love you."She blew him a small kiss and gave him one last smile.

Souta forced himself to smile, dread welling in his stomach. He didn't want to have to say goodbye but he had learned as a young child what you want and what you get are two very different things. So with a forced smile he said goodbye to the only loving and caring mother he had ever known and would ever know. "Love you too, good night."His screen went black and with shaky hands she turned off her Xbox and stared with watery eyes at the blank screen.

She jumped lightly when Jake wrapped his arms around her upper body and forced herself to give him a watery smile. She had in all honesty forgotten he and the others were in the room. "Uh-I'm going to go clean up the mess from the cook out." She cursed at herself as her voice wavered with emotion but quickly got up and brushed off imaginary dust from her pants and walked outside where she proceed to mechanically clean up the mess they had made and systematically shut down.

A nagging voice in the back of her mind told her she should go take her meds, which she had missed since her departure from her home, but she ignored it and continued her task of cleaning up the backyard. She was barely aware of the time that had gone by or the worried faces of her friends and family as she cleaned around them. It was only after someone pulled the dirty sponge from her hand that she blinked and left the safe realm of her inner mind and looked up to see worried dark brown eyes.

"Kagome, you've been cleaning the same spot for the past ten minutes. I think it's clean." She blinked and looked down to see that he was speaking the truth. Without knowing it she had cleaned up the mess on the porch and steadily moved into the kitchen where she was trying to remove a stain that did not exist on the kitchen counter.

"Oh." Her voice was low and surprised, as if she had no idea what she had been doing for the past forty five minutes and it worried everyone in the room yet they, for once in their lives, were scared to voice it. They could face armies of blood suckers, rogue demons and other feral packs of were shifters but they cowered at the thought that of one of their own suffering and there was no way for them to help.

Charlie frowned as he hung up the house phone and entered the kitchen to see Kagome, while semi alert, standing in Jake's arms looking like she had just woken up from a dream and with dread for what he was about to do he opened his mouth and spilled her secret in front of those that she had been trying to hide it from.

"Kagome? Have you been taking your meds? I just got off the phone with your mom and she told me to make sure you have and if you haven't to call you therapist Kaede, so have you been taking them?" He ignored the startled gasps of those in the kitchen as his words allowed them to put two and two together and zeroed in on his daughter's dreary face.

"Meds? No I don't think so…maybe? I'll take them now." She genuinely sounded confused as she walked over to the closet and pulled out a small traveling bag that she had yet to unpack and pulled out a small bottle of weird looking pills and without a second thought opened it and downed them all in one gulp.

Everyone paled as the empty bottle hit the floor and she smiled lightly. "There, I took them." With a flutter of her eyelids her body started to go limp as the weird looking pills took immediate effect.

The last thing she heard and saw as her world faded into a peaceful slumber was people running around like chickens with their heads cut off and shouts of her name and to stay awake. She frowned at that thought, she just wanted to sleep and with that she fell into the warm welcome embrace of the darkness.

Chapter 10: The Shit Hits The Fan

---

Kagome groaned in pain as her head throbbed, her eyes squinted shut to block out the bright light. She vaguely heard people talking but she was to confused to make it out. All she knew was that her head hurt as did her throat and her stomach. She tried to fight through the fog yet it won and she passed out once again.

"I can't believe she would do that…." The voice was male and layered with disbelief and pain. She heard shuffling. "It's not your fault Charlie. It was obviously that woman's. At least she's okay? Right doctor?"

Carlisle Cullen nodded, a chart in his hands, he turned to Charlie and the Clearwater's, both of whom were on edge being around him. "Yes, we got all the contents of her stomach out, so she should be fine. Her throat will hurt as well as her head. But we're going to have to keep her here on suicide watch. I'm also going to have to call her doctors in Japan, there was something odd in the pills that we can't identify it."

Charlie buried his head in his hands. "Suicide watch…" The words were whispered almost like he couldn't believe that his daughter had just tried to kill herself. Then again what sane father would want to believe that?

Harry put a hand on his friends shoulder and turned to look at his wife. She nodded and stood up a pressed smile on her face. "I'm going to let the others know she'll be okay." With that she left the small private hospital room and went to the lobby where not only the pack was waiting but so were the Cullen's.

The tension was thick and foreboding. The pack sat on one side of the room and the Cullen's sat on the other. Both were trying to ignore the other, the hospital was neutral ground, yet everyone was ready to snap at a moment's notice. "She's going to be fine. They want to keep her over night just in case."

Before the words were even fully out of her mouth Jake was on his feet. "I'm going to check on her."

He moved to push past Sue but froze when a low hiss echoed around the small lobby. Everyone tensed as Edward Cullen stood up and with a blink of an eye was slamming Jake into the wall. "You have no right!"

Jake growled low in his throat as everyone got to their feet. Leah and Seth stood in front of their mother, ready to defend her should the shit hit the fan. "She's my imprint! Now let me go you fucking blood sucker!"

Edward lifted him higher on the wall and snarled in the whelps face. "Then why is she laying there in that bed? That never would have happened is she was with me!" Jake glared harshly at him but didn't respond. Edwards stared into his eyes, reading the boys thoughts and merely let him fall to the ground.

"Disgusting." With that he stalked back to his family and was greeted by harsh whispers from his mother.

Jake sat on the floor his head in his hands as his pack came over to him and he clenched his fists harshly. "I'm sorry…" He pressed his fists into his closed eyes hoping to stop the tears from falling. He hated feeling this useless! How was he supposed to protect her from herself?

He bit his lip as Carlisle and Charlie entered the room.

Charlie cleared his throat, sensing the tense atmosphere. "I want to thank you all for being here but…I think it's time we all go home. Kagome is going to stay the night and then afterwards she will be going to the Cullen's where she will be under observation to make sure she isn't…a…threat to herself. Esme is a trained nurse and Carlisle is her primary doctor. So um yeah…when she's better she'll come home and we'll go from there." He blushed as he coughed into his hand not really knowing what to say or how to say it.

He was just grateful Carlisle offered his house up to his daughter, otherwise she would be stuck in the mental ward and he didn't want that. It hurt him that he was, in his mind, giving her away to them to fix but he worked every day and there was no way he could keep an eye on her, just in case.

He would be calling her mother and tearing her a new one as well as start the process for getting sole custody of Kagome. There was no way in hell he was going to send her back to that woman, with just one phone call from her his daughter was trying to kill herself. He also made a small note to look into getting Souta away from that woman as well. As much as he had loved his ex wife one thing was certainly clear, she was still to selfish to be a mother.

Esme placed a hand on his arm and gave him a small smile. "We'll take good care of her, you of course are free to come over and visit her whenever." She paused and turned to the others in the room and gave them a small smile. "All of you are, now I think it's time we all head home. It's been a long night."

Everyone nodded, though the pack grit their teeth, wanting so badly to object to their Kagome being under the care of the bloodsuckers. Yet they held their tongues, it was Charlie's choice and there was no way to voice their opinion without having to tell Charlie what they were and that would void the peace treaty.

The Cullen's were the first to leave followed by the pack, Charlie wanted to sit with Kagome for a while longer before heading home to his now dark and empty house.

Jake growled as he punched a tree in the parking lot, his rage was over flowing. He was mad at himself, at Kagome, at the Cullen's, hell he was mad at the word!

Leah sighed as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Jake, it's not your fault its nobody's fault. We didn't know she would do that now stop blaming yourself. She's okay, that's all that matters. We just have to make sure she never gets the chance to do that again okay? If that means being civil o those bloodsuckers then we have to suck it up and do it."

Jake nodded but clenched his jaw. "I don't like it, not all at."

Sam sighed and patted his back. "We don't have to like it we just have to deal with it. Come on it's late we can talk about this more in the morning okay? Maybe we can work something out with them to make sure she's okay."

Jake grumbled but nodded and let himself be lead towards his car, his mood dark and angry.

---

Kagome moaned as she came to, this time fully free of the fog that plagued her before. "Owww what hit me?" Her voice was low and raspy and he throat burned. She slowly opened her eyes and was surprised to find herself in a dark room, her wrists tied to bed. She felt tears well in her eyes as she recalled what had happened and put two and two together.

She sobbed quietly as the severity of the situation washed over her. She had…oh God. She bit her lip as the tears rolled down her face. "Oh god…" She jumped as a cool hand touched her cheeks and wiped away her tears. Her eyes flew open and met red tinted brown eyes. She tried to move away from the hand but her restraints made that impossible. She was about to scream when the bed side lamp was turned on.

"Edward?" She coughed as her throat burned.

Edward merely stared down at her as he grabbed a nearby glass of water and held it up to her lips. He watched as a few drops slide down her chin as she greedily drank the water. Once she was finished he pulled the glass away and set in on the table next to her.

"T-thanks." Her voice was quiet and with just cause. He had seen her crying and he no doubt knew why she was here. She blushed a bit not in embarrassment but with mortification. "I-uh I guess you know what happened huh? So um where's my dad?"

Edward merely sat down next to her on the bed and stared at her. She bit her lip feeling a bit uncomfortable. She avoided his eyes and glanced at a clock. Her eyes widened, it was three am! Just as she was about to ask him why he was there at such a time he spoke.

"You're so stupid Kagome." While he wasn't yelling it was clear he was pissed off. She turned surprised eyes to him. "W-what?"

He merely stared at her. "You heard me, what you did was stupid and selfish."

She quickly got mad. "Excuse me? You have no right to judge me! You don't even know me!"

She glared at him as he moved closer to her and she pulled at her restraints to try and back up. "I don't need to know you to know that what you did was stupid and selfish! You sacred everyone! Your dad cried. Even the mutt cried! While I do partly blame him for this it is mainly your fault."

Tears once again welled up in her eyes as his words washed over her, she made her dad cry. She worried everyone…she didn't mean to, she just wanted it all to stop. After that call from her mother everything came rushing back at once. It was just too much for her to handle.

She just wanted it to all go away…

"I-I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…" Tears rolled freely from her eyes as she sobbed like a baby.

Edward sighed as he moved closer to her and pulled her into a hug, freeing her wrists form their restraints. "Shhh. I understand what it's like to want it all to just stop. To make it all go away, but Kagome you can't do that again. You have people that care about you, that love you."

It was true many times he wished for death, being a vampire was not all glamorous like it was in the movies. It was a long lonely tiring existence. They always had to keep people, humans, an arms length away in fear of hurting them. They had to move and change their names every seven or so years to keep suspicions low. Over all it was lonely and repetitive. More so for him then his family, they had all found their singers, their mates. Yet he was still alone and she had almost made sure he would stay alone!

She clung to him as she sobbed and nodded her head. "I-I won't I pr-promise. Waaaaah!" She clung to him like he was her life line as she sobbed and let everything go, all the years of her mother's neglect, all the years she gave up to raise her brother, everything. She just let it go and he held her while she did so. Not caring that she as covering his shirt in tears and snot, to him she was beautiful like this, she let down all her barriers and was raw with him. It made his heart stir, he was seeing a part of her no one else had ever been allowed to see, not even the mutt. He held her tighter vowing that he would keep it that.

He held her and rubbed her back as she cried neither knew how long she cried, just that she did and he was there for her. "Shhhh Kagome, it'll be fine…go to sleep." She merely whimpered but clung to him weakly. "Will…will you stay with me? Please? I don't want to be alone."

He nodded. "Of course Kagome, I will always be here for you now sleep; tomorrow is going to be a big day."

She nodded as she let her eyes slide shut. "Thanks Eddie…" With that her breathing evened out and her grip on him loosened. He merely kissed her forehead as he laid her down and made her comfortable.

"You're not supposed to be here Edward." The voice was cool and low.

Edward merely looked at his father as he sat down in the chair next to the bed. "You're the one bringing her home."

Carlisle glared at his son. "She needs help Edward, you trying to steal her from the wolf won't help her. It'll just make things worse."

Edward snorted as he kept his gaze on the woman before him. "I can't steal what isn't owned, she may his be imprint but she is my singer." His eyes flashed red.

Carlisle sighed as he stared at his son, of course he wanted him to be happy. Yet never before had a wolf and one of their own 'imprinted' on the same woman. It was unheard of and it strained the already fragile peace treaty they had with the wolves.

As it was he had a suspicion that Kagome wasn't entirely human and it worried him. Over all this situation was over complicated and he just hoped that all parties involved would make it out of this alive. With that he left the room and shut the door on his son and left him to his silent vigil over the poor young girl that was no doubt going to be pulled head first into their world, whether she wanted it or not.