Kagome walked back over to the pile of clothes and numbly dressed herself. Then, she picked up Inu Yasha’s garments and handed them to Midoriko.

"I do apologize, I had no clue that he would reawaken while I rested, but there is a reason that I have returned." Kagome turned to the apologetic spirit.

"You didn’t see anything, did you?" Midoriko shook her head.

"I saw nothing. Though, on another level I can sense thought, I am mostly aware of the body, or to be more specific, the status of the shards within the body, but I do not wish to upset you further. As I was saying, Inu Yasha’s awakening caused an adverse effect on the shards." Kagome’s eyes grew wide.

"Is that why he....." Midoriko dressed as she spoke.

"Most likely, not only did his demon blood cause them to become slightly tainted, but he began to absorb them faster. With me in control the process is slowed slightly. My best guess to as why is that my spirit is that of a full human, so I have no demon powers to mingle with the shards. Again, I apologize for any damage that I have caused upon my return, but it was most urgent that I do so." With the both of them fully clothed, they exited the cave.

"Why do you keep apologizing, you said yourself that it was the shards driving his actions." Kagome still held a pang of regret in her tone, but at the same time she was rationalizing the situation.

"Well, that may not be entirely true, even though we are unaware of each others actions, we are aware of our dreams and thoughts. He struggled when I tried to emerge."

"Was that why he was grasping his chest?"

"Possibly, but even though he is being suppressed, he is not happy about it. Currently, he is having a dream about getting rid of me in a rather uncivilized manner so that he can be truly alone with you."

"But I thought that it was his instincts being amplified by the jewel."

"This time it seems, the jewel merely broke down the barriers that kept his true feelings from you." Kagome just nodded with little understanding. Once the entrance to the cave was reached, she stopped and looked around.

"Um, I hate to say this, but I don’t know where we are, or how we got here. I kind of had my eyes shut the entire time." Midoriko shook her head.

"Just because I am a long dead spirit does not mean I cannot use a body. I still have a few of his senses, I am just not as experienced with them." She sniffed the air, then her Inu Yasha’s coat, then Kagome. "Interesting."

"What?" Kagome asked.

"Two things, from what I am comprehending of smell, the two of you came from the west. The other thing is, well, when I took in your scent, Inu Yasha calmed down within me."

"Really?" Kagome was full of one word questions.

"There is not time to sit and discuss the many aspects of our current arrangement. Now, I believe that I can get us back, but it would require me carrying you. Would that be too awkward for you?"

"Whatever it takes to get everything back to normal." Kagome climbed on to Midoriko’s back and they headed off towards the village.

***

Miroku had managed to regain consciousness, but this time he did have some memory loss. Too bad it was the hug he had forgotten, and not the beating. Now, he was refusing to talk to Sango. Their commotion had roused Shippou, and this caused him to become their little messenger.

"Why won’t you speak to me." Miroku’s back was turned to the girl. He then turned to look at Shippou.

"Please tell that madam over there that I do not wish to speak to her because she beat me into unconsciousness." Shippou walked over to Sango.

"Miroku says..."

"You were still conscious when I brought you in, it was...something else that made you pass out." Shippou looked to the both of them and wandered back to Miroku.

"Sango said....."

"Tell her that is not what I remember. Besides, if it were not the beating, what else could have caused such problems." Shippou shrugged and Walked to Sango, he opened his mouth to speak, but it did no good.

"Does it really matter what it was?" She screamed. She did not want to tell him because she was unsure of what his reaction might be. By this point, Shippou was beyond frustrated.

"Oh, fuck you two!" He quickly covered his mouth realizing that he had let that slip. Miroku stood and turned around to look at the blushing kitsune. Sango gave Shippou a blank stare that soon filled with anger. Anger she unleashed on the unsuspecting monk.

"You taught him that didn’t you?" Sango roared.

"Me? I am one with Buddha, I do not use such language. You know that it was probably Inu Yasha." The two argued back and forth each comment being worse than the last. Shippou relaxed and turned from the feuding couple, and gave a shrug.

"At least they’re talking to each other."

Shippou pouted in the corner as the couple continued arguing. Just as he thought his head would explode, a familiar scent wafted in through the door and began tickling his nose. His eyes lit up as he let out a scream.

"Kagome!" He jumped into the air and using Sango and Miroku’s heads as springboards, catapulted himself out of the hut. This action forced the two humans into a rather awkward position. It had brought their faces together and caused their lips to lock. Neither of them pulled away.

"Was it something kind of like this?" Miroku asked, referring to why the argument had begun.

"Uh huh." was all Sango cold mutter as she evoked a deeper and intentional kiss. Miroku reached out stiffly and did his best to pull her into an embrace, it was not working out too well, but she did not care and pressed herself against him. They each sighed deeply into each other just as Midoriko walked into the door.

"I really need to work on my timing." Midoriko turned to leave, but her presence had already been detected.

"You didn’t interrupt anything, Shippou just knocked our heads together, that’s all."

Sango was quick to make an excuse. Miroku just shut his eyes and rubbed the back of his shaking head. He wondered if he would ever figure this girl out.

"If you are sure." Midoriko was reluctant to step back in, but Sango’s reassurance eventually won over.

"Where is Kagome?" Sango questioned.

"She is back at the village entrance, the young fox has her temporarily occupied."

"Oh, well I suppose you are hungry. Give me a few minutes, and I should have some stew ready." Sango left to retrieve a pot, and as if on cue Miroku began a fire.

"You two have a special relationship." Midoriko’s statement caught Miroku off-guard, and he dropped the wood he was bringing to the infant flame. He quickly regained his composure and began picking up the logs.

"I would not say that we have a relationship." His voice was monotone, and his face stoic. Midoriko leaned against a wall with a slight chuckle.

"I did not mean to offend. I was merely making an observation, I myself never had time for one when I was alive. I just wanted you to know that what you two have is special, and that you should enjoy it while you can." It was now Miroku’s turn to chuckle. Sango had been listening, and became slightly angered over the monk’s outburst.

"Forgive me," he ceased his giggles, "it’s just hearing that statement from that body is quite funny to me." Sango released her angry breath.

"What’s funny?" Kagome entered the hut with Shippou cradled in her right arm.

"Nothing at all, Kagome." Sango reentered the main room lugging a pot. Kagome ran over to her to help out.

"Here, let me give you a hand with that." The two young ladies carried the stew pot and placed it next to the fire.

"So, where did you and Midoriko go? I thought she was going to rest." Sango was curious about where her friend had been. Kagome stiffened, Sango had not known about Inu Yasha’s awakening.

"Nothing, but we have found that the shards are absorbing faster than we thought, so we need to find a way to get them out, and fast." Kagome looked over at Midoriko who was sniffing the air.

"What are you doing?" Miroku was baffled by this strange behavior. Midoriko blinked three times, then looked at the monk as if she had just come out of a trance.

"Just calming down a bit." Sango and Miroku looked to each other, but neither of them had the answer to the other’s question. Kagome knew and decided she should clue in the rest of the group. Shippou sat in the corner oblivious to the situation. All he knew was that he was hungry and could not wait for the stew to be ready.

"Where’s Kaede? I think that she might need to hear this." Kagome was helping prepare the stew as she spoke.

"I think she mentioned something about a birthing, but I was a little preoccupied." Sango looked over to Miroku.

"Oh, well, I tell you anyway. I think you all have a right to know what happened earlier." They added the last ingredients to the pot and left it to simmer. Everyone sat around, including Shippou to hear the important information.

"When Midoriko went to rest, Inu Yasha woke up. He was fully demon, but he had some control over himself, so we, um," she looked to Shippou wondering how much she should tell. "Went into the forest for awhile, and when Midoriko felt what was going on she fought with Inu Yasha so that she could warn us. He wasn’t too happy with this, and began to let her know about it. We kind of found out that whenever she picks up my scent he calms down....."

"And now Midoriko is in a constant battle for control over the body." Kaede stepped into the hut. "I’m glad to see that you can take the initiative to cook for yourselves, I expect it a little more often." Kagome turned to look at her mentor, questions filled her eyes. "No child, I do not know how to remove the shards, but it is common for spirits to fight over control of the body once they become aware of each other. Lucky for you, he can be kept at bay for now. If you do not mind I would enjoy some of that stew." She brought out a bowl and began serving herself.

The group ate in almost silence. As they were cleaning and preparing for bed Kagome had to say something.

"So, is there anything we can do?" Both Midoriko and Kaede shook their heads. Kirara entered the hut, obviously back from getting her own dinner. She walked past Sango and over to her former master. Midoriko absentmindedly stroked the smaller form of her past partner.

      The group began to set out their sleeping material, and Kagome noticed Midoriko take a huge yawn. Kagome eyed the tormented spirit.

"Do not worry, I will continue to stay awake, I know of the danger if I do not." Midoriko’s voice did not sound convincing, but Kagome was too tired to notice.

***

to come from everywhere, yet nowhere all at once. Kagome merely felt a slight wind as she was snatched from her sleeping bag. Without opening her eyes she said the first thing that came to her.