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Chapter Four
Catriona looked at Inu Yasha & the others out of the corner of her eye. They had arrived a second ago & already Inu Yasha had his Tetsusaiga drawn, ready to make an attack at Sesshomaru. Oh no, she thought to herself as she removed her hand from Sesshomaru's chest, where it had landed when she asked if she could touch his kimono to feel the fabric. She stepped away from the youkai, making her way to the group. "Put your sword down Yasha... He wasn't hurting me, we were only talking. He saved me from the demon," she said, pointing to the body on the ground.
"He only saved you because we're in his land," Inu Yasha responded, glaring at his older half-brother. "If you weren't on his land he'd have killed you himself."
"Now dear brother, you know that isn't true," Sesshomaru spoke, his usual bored face plastered on. "I would only kill her if she provoked me, but she hasn't. However, you are on my land & you are provoking me." Sesshomaru stretched his hand outward, his poison spraying out towards Kagome, but Inu Yasha stood infront of her, the Tetsusaiga protecting both of them until Sesshomaru had gone.
"Are you okay Kagome?" Catriona asked, moving to her shaken up friend. She had never seen Kagome so scared, even when she had come to spend her time at her home when she'd come to America. "Kagome?"
"I'll be fine," Kagome finally spoke, her legs shaking. This makes how many times I've almost been killed?! she screamed to herself as she moved from behind Inu Yasha. "Are you sure you're okay? I mean, you were alone with him all this time."
"I'm fine... I told you guys he wasn't trying to hurt me," she smiled. "We were talking."
"Looked like more than talking to me," Miroku growled, possessively even though he knew they weren't together as lovers. But her action earlier had him believing he might have a chance. "Is there a new way of talking only by hands Catriona? Because it sure looks like you & Sesshomaru have it mastered."
"What is your deal Miroku?" Catriona asked, moving to him. "We were just talking! The only reason my hand was on his chest was because he was letting me feel the material of his kimono. Or is that forbidden in this time?" she snapped.
"Hmph." Miroku walked past her to Inu Yasha. "We should keep walking," he stated as he began walking ahead of the group. Does she think I'm a fool? I saw the way they were looking at each other, he thought to himself. HMPH!
Kagome saw the evil look Catriona was giving to the back of Miroku as they all continued to walk. Did Miroku just accuse her of making moves on Sesshomaru? Kagome thought to herself as they all walked. Maybe I should have a talk with her about earlier & just now...
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
At the next camp, there were no rivers or springs around so they had to stay dirty until they could find a body of water big enough to bathe in. The girls & Shippo, whose head was in Kagome's lap, were on one side of the fire while Inu Yasha & Miroku were on the other side of the fire. Kagome looked at Catriona & waved her hand slightly to get the dazed girl's attention & it worked. "Perhaps you should forget about your plan Cat," Kagome sighed. "or at least let Miroku know you don't intend on getting with him."
"I guess I should choose, shouldn't I?" Catriona replied, looking from the sleeping fox demon to the woman who held him. "Would now be better?" When Kagome nodded, Catriona looked at Miroku who had looked up when his name had been mentioned in the conversation. "Miroku, can I talk to you a moment?"
What could she possibly want? he thought to himself as he rose to his feet along with her. They both walked away from the camp & found themselves out of Inu Yasha's hearing range, knowing he would most likely be trying to listen in. "What did you want to talk about?" he asked, an icy tone to his voice.
Catriona sighed. "Miroku... There really was nothing going on between Sesshomaru & I earlier," she said as she began her explanation. "I have never seen such beautiful material before & because of that I've never felt it & I really was just trying to see what it felt like. Believe what you want, but that right there is the truth."
It was Miroku's turn to sigh as he moved closer to Catriona. "I'm sorry for the way I acted about it. I had no right to act like that over some little touch you were giving him. Heck, we're not even together & I was acting like a jealous lover."
"Miroku, that's another thing I brought you out here to talk to you about."
"What is it?"
"You see, we can never be together, at all," Catriona spoke softly as she put her back to Miroku. "I'm only visiting Kagome for five months & after that, I'm going back home."
"Where do you live?"
"Across the ocean, in America." Catriona sighed again, a heavy one. "Which is why we need to stop what we're doing now, before it goes too far & I start to develop feelings for you. I'm sorry Miroku." Catriona turned to walk away but her arm was grabbed by a strong hand & she was pulled back to Miroku. "Let go of me or I'll scream loud enough for the whole group to hear," she warned & was promptly let go. She turned to face him.
"Catriona, we can be together. You could stay here in my time & be with me," he said, his tone suggestive. "We could have a future together & we'd be happy."
"Miroku, you're saying this after a few days... You're just getting used to having a new woman around for you to play your games with. I've seen enough men like you to know it wouldn't last & it'll be a cold day in hell before I think about leaving behind my life in my time in my country." With those words, Catriona turned on her heel & walked away, leaving Miroku to stare after her.