"Are you a dog like Inuyasha?"

"I'm not a mutt, I'm a wolf."

Kagome resisted the urge to smile as she kept pushing her rice around in her plate. The scene unfolding in front of her reminded Kagome of how Souta and Inuyasha used to interact. She was right; Kouga was associated with a lot of memories. She watched as her brother frowned at Kouga's answer. Souta did not think Inuyasha was a mutt; he was so cool! And he had the coolest sword ever!

"I never thought we would meet any other friends of Kagome from the other side of the well," her mother said very enthusiastic.

The other side of the well? What in the world was this woman talking about? Kouga turned his head to look at Kagome, hoping she would shed some light on the matter.

She resisted the urge to sigh; she did not want to get into it right now. She gave him a look that she prayed he would interpret as, I will tell you later. He gave her a quick nod and focused his attention back on Kagome's mother.

"There are not many of us left really. Most youkais only live to be about six hundred years old. Strong ones reach about a thousand."

What about hanyous?

It was the only question that crossed her mind but she did not ask.

No need to bring up those memories now. Even though it was getting harder to ignore the thoughts forming in the back of her mind. After all, Kouga found her and he did not know about her time traveling and where she lived. Inuyasha knew. If he was still alive… shouldn't he have come to her?

Unless, he was not – no. Nope, not thinking about that.

"I'm just glad we get to have you over for dinner!" Miyu added, almost as if she noticed the change in atmosphere.

Kagome's grandfather scoffed loudly.

Souta on the other hand was still mesmerized by the youkai sitting next to him. After the well closed, he never thought he would get see one again. "Inuyasha had dog ears. Why are yours normal?"

He almost answered, because I'm not a half bred mutt. Really, he only wanted to say that because he and Inuyasha always fought. Not because he thought hanyous were disgusting. After all, he had been ready to mate Kagome five hundred years ago, so he did not have a problem with them.

"Full youkais have pointy ears, but I'm hiding them," he said between bites.

"He does have a tail though," Kagome casually added.

Kouga could not help but grin. He did not know why but he was happy she remembered. It made him feel like she did notice him in the past even if it was just a little. Heck, she even seemed happy about the memory.

"A tail? A real tail?" Souta's eyes were wide open, amazement shining in them. "Can I see it?"

Kouga twisted his mouth, preventing a sigh from escaping him. He did not mind Kagome's kid brother, he just did not feel like displaying his youkai heritage for the sake of amusement. He was not a circus animal. That thought alone was enough to make him shudder as he thought about how some youkais ended up. Gotta do what you gotta do. It was the only way to live for some of them.

"Souta, why don't you let Kouga eat first," Kagome's mother said politely.

"Sorry," Souta mumbled.

Kouga offered Miyu a nod and resumed eating his own meal. There was meat. Very cooked meat. Although he learned to be civilized and even ate at restaurants, he always ordered his meat rare. Five hundred years went by but he still thought cooking it that much ruined the flavor.

"Is it too cooked for you?"

He tilted his head and saw Kagome watching him intensively. She wanted to say she remembered that even Inuyasha was not a big fan of 'burnt meat', as he liked to put it but she kept her mouth shut.

Could she stop thinking about him for at least one minute?

"Oh, no it's fine," he said dismissively before shoving a huge bite in his mouth.

The rest of the dinner went by fairly smoothly. Souta was eager to ask a million questions but the glances he was getting kept him fairly quiet. Kouga discussed where he lived and how his pack was still nearby, including Ginta and Hakkaku which made Kagome smile.

Once dinner was over, Miyu suggested Kouga and Kagome go catch up while she cleaned up the table.

Trying to shield Kouga from her brother's enthusiasms and her grandfather's glares she brought him upstairs to her room. It was not until she opened the door that Kagome remembered what her bedroom looked like. Her eyes widened but before she could turn around and back away, Kouga already made his way inside.

A blush decorated her cheeks as she covered her face with her hand. "Mm, yeah I've – been busy?"

"You should see my house," he said with a grin. "Wolves living together. That's all I'm gonna say."

She laughed before awkwardly smoothing her bed and offering him a seat. Kouga was a friend and he even helped them fight many battles. Despite all that, she never got to know him very well. Each time she saw him, he went on and on about how she was his woman and how much he loved her. Or he was fighting with Inuyasha. That never really gave her a chance to find out who Kouga was.

Technically speaking, it kind of felt like they were strangers. Especially, since she was certain he changed during the past five hundred years.

For one, he had not grabbed her hands yet and proclaimed his love.

At the thought, she could not help but giggle.

"What's so funny?" he asked with a boyish smile.

"Nothing," she dismissed with a wave of her hand. "I- was thinking about, mm when you would-"

"Ignore how uncomfortable I made you and yell how much I love you?"

She cringed. "Yeah."

He rubbed his neck, uneasy. "I was pretty young back then. And you were all – different." Oh yeah, time to change the subject. "Which reminds me, other side of the well?"

Kagome sighed heavily and dropped her head down. "Oh yeah, that story." She ignored the way she felt her heart squeeze. The well. It was still a bit of a sensitive subject. "Mm, you remember the well – near Kaede's?"

"The bone eater well?"

"Yeah. Well, it's in my backyard. And I –hm. When I jumped through it, I landed five hundred years into the past."

Simple and straight to the point. Now came the part where he might think she was crazy.

"A time traveling well?" he said, almost as if he did not believe her.

"Yeah. Trust me, I didn't know what the heck was going on the first time. I thought I was still in Japan – my Japan."

"Can you still-"

She interrupted him before he could finish his question. "No. It stopped working after we got rid of the jewel."

Kouga did not miss the sadness in her voice. "So that's what happened. I came back looking for you, you know. I mean, I was just checking up on you." He did give her up before the final battle. "Muttface said you were gone. He didn't really explain it though. I tried to fight him but he didn't even try to defend himself."

It might be the only time Inuyasha did not want to kick his ass.

As soon as he said that, he felt the shift in Kagome's scent. "Are you okay?"

Her throat was dry and her eyes were burning with tears. "I – Inuyasha could go through the well too." She did not even mean to say it. She did not even mean to tell him how hurt she was. "He- he knew where I lived."

Kouga's heart dropped as he approached her and gently rested a hand on her arm. "Kagome, I said it earlier. Youkais usually live about six hundred years. Inuyasha was a hanyou. I doubt he made it that long." Gently, he rubbed his thumb against her skin.

"Bu-t he could have."

"If he had, I'm sure he would have come see you."

Her pain was still – so fresh. She never got over Inuyasha. He did not think she ever would. "How long has it been for you?"

"About two years."

She knew she was being stupid; she did not want to cry. It was just – Kouga's presence was so unexpected. She was convinced there were no youkais in her time and then he came strolling in, shattering the little bubble she created for herself. She was happy to see him but it was like a whirlwind went through her, messing with all of her emotions.

Her scent was highly disturbed and suddenly he felt out of place. Maybe coming was not such a good idea. He was so excited at the idea of seeing her again that he did not think it through. He especially did not think all her wounds were so recent. Heck, for a moment, he thought she actually was five hundred years old.

"Maybe I should-"

"No! I'm sorry, I just. I didn't think any youkais were around. I just – it's all, it hasn't been that long for me. But I'm happy to see you."

She lifted herself on her tippy toes and wrapped her arms around his neck. Once again, he welcomed her embrace and found himself yet again burying his nose in her hair. He forgot all about her scent. He liked it. She was tiny in his arms, almost fragile but he knew better.

Kagome remained in the safety of his arms a bit longer before pulling away. "So, what about you? How does a prince youkai live in the modern world?"

"Pretty shitty," he said with a chuckle. "I mean, it's fine to get by when you're nobody and all, but if you try to become someone it gets complicated. Not aging is the biggest issue. But, you know. I gathered a decent fortune over the centuries. So I'm alright."

"Do you work?"

"Here and there sometimes. Mostly cause it gets boring. Some nights I do bartending, other times some security gigs. Nobody can outrun me."

Somehow, that fitted the Kouga she knew perfectly. She certainly did not see him working in an office.

"Are you going to school?"

"Wanted to, but traveling in the Feudal Era doesn't give you much time to study. My grades are pretty bad."

She could probably apply to a community college and they would accept her but she did not even know what she would study. Despite the two years that went by, she did not have a clue what she wanted to do with her life. She spent so many years focused on the jewel that she thought it was going to be her whole life.

She also never thought she would be locked on the other side of the well forever.

"Meh, school is stupid anyway." He went a few times but he did not like it. They expected him to go every day and sit in a chair. He was antsy any time he had to be still for more than a few hours.

She smiled and nodded. Inuyasha would have agreed with that.

Inuyasha. Inuyasha. Inuyasha. He never left her mind and yet she was sure she never thought about him as much as she had today.

"Ya know, Ginta and Hakkaku really wanted to come with me. They were really excited that we found you."

"Are they still calling me sis?" She remembered the first time they used that nickname. She was stunned to say the least. Granted, it was right after Kouga man-handled her and proclaimed she was going to be his.

"I don't think they ever stopped." It did start because she was supposed to be his but now it was much more than that. More than once she saved their lives and they were all grateful for it. "Whether you're my woman or not, you're still pack, Kagome."

She looked lonely. In the past, he would never use that adjective to describe her but now it was too obvious to ignore.

"Thanks, Kouga."

It did make her feel better. She spent more time in her own era than in the past and yet she felt like she belonged there more than she did here. It was not the same.

"You should come visit, the boys would love it."

Going out the other day to pick up groceries was probably the first time in a while she actually was outside. Her friends were pretty far and since they were at university, hanging out usually meant going to a party and Kagome was not a party girl.

She could hear in her mind her mother saying, it would be a good idea. You could use some fun!

"Sure, I'd like that."

"I can come pick you up tomorrow if you want."

Oh. Right away? "Hm- sure. Tomorrow works." It was not like she had anything to do. Ever.

"Great."

Suddenly, Kouga felt an annoying presence behind him and he turned his head to see Kagome's grandfather standing in the doorway. "It is late."

"I guess that's my cue to go," Kouga said, smiling at her.

"Grandpa is just grumpy."

"It's alright. It is getting pretty late. Thank you for having me over for dinner." He bent down forward and pressed a kiss on her forehead. "I'll pick ya up around ten or eleven."

She nodded and waved at him while he walked out of her room. Her grandfather and him shared a glare and then he was gone. She sat on her bed, a small smile on her lips.

Life always knew how to throw a curve her way.

-U-

"So was it her?"

They sniffed.

"It is sis!"

"How!"

"What she like? Is she old? Why is she still alive?"

"Was she a youkai this whole time?"

"Would you both shut up?" Kouga snarled as he tried to make his way inside his house.

The moment he arrived, they jumped at him and began harassing him with questions. "It was her. She looks the same. She's basically the same age. No, she isn't a damn youkai."

Ginta blinked. "But then, how is she alive?"

He sighed. "She was – it was time traveling."

"Time traveling? How?"

"I don't know okay. She just traveled through time." He did not really feel like explaining about the well and anyway it did not matter. Kagome was here and she was… Kagome. It was all he needed to know.

"Are we gonna see her?"

"She's coming here tomorrow."

Their lips twitched into smiles. "Really? Great!"

"Wait, shouldn't we clean this place then?"

Most of the time it was just the three of them but often they had other wolves staying over. Times were harder for some than most, especially if they were trying to conform to human laws as much as possible. Some lost their apartment and they came to Kouga. As the pack leader, he always gave them somewhere to stay and some food. Then, once they got back on their feet, they left.

Except for Kouga's room, which was off limits, most of the house looked like a tornado blew through it.

He ran his fingers through his bangs and sighed. "You guys better get to it."

"UU-us?"

"Well, it ain't my mess. I ain't gonna clean it."

He rose to his feet rapidly and climbed the stairs to reach his bedroom. He would help later but now he wanted to be alone in his own room. He tossed himself on his bed and buried his face in his pillow. His nose was filled with her scent. He could not get rid of it. She hugged him and imprinted her scent on his shirt. His clothes, his skin; they were covered in it.

Although her scent was slightly different than he remembered. The stench of sadness ruined it a bit.

It killed him that she was depressed. She hid it behind her beautiful smile but she could not fool his nose. Five hundred years ago, he promised he would be the one to make her happy. He swore he would not make her as miserable as Inuyasha was making her.

Five hundred years later, she was still sad over Inuyasha.

The mutt was probably dead. She should not feel rejected by him. Back then, he did not know what he had and if he was still alive now, he apparently still did not have a clue.

Maybe it would ease her heartbreak to have an answer.

He groaned. Was he really going to try and find him?

It would make Kagome happy. Hopefully. It was not like he was trying to be with her or anything so why did it matter if he found Inuyasha for her? He was done chasing after a woman whose heart belonged to someone else. They were friends. At least, they were in the past. It was not that long ago for her.

Yeah, he would try to see if anyone knew anything about Inuyasha's fate.

Now if he could only get his heartbeat to stop speeding up every time he inhaled deeply, everything would be great.

-U-

The clock ticked ten in the morning when Kouga knocked on the shrine's door. A happy, smiling Miyu opened the door. Her lips stretched even more when she looked at him.

"Kouga! Good morning! Please come in!"

Without even giving him a chance to respond, she moved out of the way and gestured for him to enter.

Once he was inside, he offered her a small bow. "Thank you."

"Would you like some tea?"

"Oh – hm, no thank you. I'll just wait for Kagome here."

"Nonsense. If she's expecting you, just go upstairs. Do you remember where her room is?"

He nodded.

"Then, please, just go! I'm sure she's waiting for you."

Why was he somewhat uncomfortable about being allowed upstairs so easily? Actually, maybe it was how nice her mother was to him that disturbed Kouga. Nonetheless, he smiled.

"Thank you."

He frowned. "For what?"

"For making her smile again."

Apparently, he was not the only that noticed how unhappy she was. He thought, knowing Kagome, that she was trying extra hard to hide it from her family. It seemed her sadness was so great that everyone could see right through her smile.

"I want her to be happy."

"I know."

Kagome looked like a happier person the moment she walked in the house to announce Kouga was staying over for dinner. She even allowed herself to act like her old self. After watching her daughter wallow in unhappiness for two years, it was a breath of fresh air. She did not know much about the man in front of her but her daughter trusted him and it was enough for her.

"Go," she said before waving him off.

Now someone else was trying to get Kagome out of the house and she was glad. Although, she did not think her daughter would appreciate Kouga coming in her room while she was still sleeping. Unfortunately, it was the only way to get her going. Kagome was not a morning person and she could be quite stubborn.

She would be a little angry at first but it would all be better in the end.

Kouga hopped the steps two a time. It took him a moment to re-familiarize himself with his surroundings but quickly enough he located her bedroom. He gently knocked on the door and waited.

Nothing.

He pressed his ear to the door and listened. After a few seconds, he realized there were no sounds coming from her bedroom. Maybe her mother was wrong, maybe Kagome was not in there.

Should he try to go in? He frowned before wrapping his fingers around the handle. If she was not around then it would not to any harm to peek inside. Although it was not his bedroom… If she walked in on him she might feel like he was invading her privacy.

He did get her mother's permission though.

To hell with it.

He turned the knob and opened the door. What he found inside was nothing like what he expected.

Instead of emptiness, he found her. Sleeping.

There, in the left corner, was Kagome sleeping in her bed with a bundle of blankets covering her. It looks like she fought with them during the night – and they won. Her hair was a mess and the pink shirt of her pajamas rose above her bellybutton, exposing just the right amount of skin. Oh, and she was snoring.

Yes. Focus on the snoring.

As if on cue, she snored even louder. He could not hold back his laughter.

Unfortunately for him that noise, and his aura, was enough to stir her out of her sleep. Before her eyes were even opened, she mumbled. "Sit."

All of a sudden, he was not laughing anymore.

Obviously Inuyasha would be the one to ruin his good mood.

Kagome groaned as she forced her eyes opened. Something felt odd about her bedroom and it disturbed her dreams. She glanced at the well only to feel a familiar zing in her chest. Immediately, she sat up and tossed her body in direction of the door.

First, she looked at Kouga with eyes wide open.

Second, she screamed.

Third, she became angry.

And fourth, she threw at him everything she could get her hands on.

Kouga laughed a bit more as he ran outside of her bedroom. He remembered hearing that Kagome was not a morning person. They never described it accurately enough. He was laughing so hard that his stomach hurt.

Meanwhile, Kagome rushed to her feet and slammed the door closed before pressing her back against it. The adrenaline died down and her brain finally processed what just took place. After a few more deep breaths, she re-opened the door and glared at Kouga who was patiently waiting on the other side with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"What are you doing here?"

"We agreed I was gonna pick ya up tomorrow. Remember?"

"I didn't think you meant in the morning!"

"It's ten."

Her mouth formed an oval and then she smacked her lips together. Already? Was it too late to turn down his invitation and go back to bed? Though her dream was kind of too familiar. She did not particular enjoy dreaming about sitting Inuyasha. As a matter of fact, anything Inuyasha related made her unsettled.

"Look, Kagome if ya don't wanna come…" Sometimes, he was certain she forgot he could smell her emotions. Way to make him feel guilty.

"No – I just – mornings are evil. Go wait downstairs." She almost cringed. She was not trying to be rude but she was not a nice person to be around five minutes after she woke up.

He nodded and sheepishly walked away from her bedroom. Okay, now she felt bad. She slowly closed the door and sighed. She wondered if by now Kouga realized she was not the same Kagome as before.

Downstairs, Kouga was awkwardly standing in the kitchen. Miyu was preparing lunch not far from him but he did not dare to interrupt. Also, he was thinking about what happened with Kagome. Five hundred years later and she still was not happy to see him when he showed up at her door.

He still could not get a hint apparently.

"I guess she was still sleeping."

"Hm – yeah."

He did not know how to deal with parents. He was never really good with any of that stuff and to be honest he did not have much practice.

"I remember you now. Kagome talked about you once."

"She did?" He did not mean to sound so impatient but it slipped him. Hopefully, she told a good story. He nearly cringed; there were not really any…

"Yes. You're – you're the one who asked her," she paused, looking for the right words, "to be your woman, if I'm not mistaken."

He blushed. He more like demanded it hence why she slapped the heck out of him. "Something like that," he mumbled.

"She misses him. It was really hard for her to be unexpectedly thrown back here. I think she – I know she had decided to stay there." Miyu already knew Kagome's choice long before Kagome realized she would have a decision to make. Losing her daughter would make her sad but having her here unhappy also made her sad.

He never understood why. Sure, Inuyasha protected Kagome a few times but… at what cost? She had to let him hurt her over and over again. Why would she ever tolerate such a situation? She was strong willed and stubborn. She was not like any woman he ever met. How could she take that kind of crap from him? What did he give her that made it all worth it?

"She's Kagome. She'll bounce back."

Miyu nodded and despite her smile, he knew she was not convinced.

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of loud footsteps. Kouga looked up only to see Kagome going down the stairs. Her long hair was finally straightened up and she was wearing a blue dress with a yellow small coat over it.

The moment she arrived downstairs, her stomach growled to announce her arrival to everyone. She blushed and kept her gaze down.

"Breakfast, then we go."

-U-

"A car? You get around in a car?"

"It's actually a lie. This isn't my car. I use jewel shards to speed through the streets of Tokyo."

"I just – it's weird."

"Tell me about it."

He felt like using a car undermined his natural abilities but what else was he supposed to do? Everything was about blending in nowadays and he had no other choice. He would much rather carry her in his arms and bolt to his house like in the good old days.

Kouga opened the door for her and watched her smile. This was a little funny. He might be used to the whole 'acting human thing' but she was not. Her morning grumpiness wore off, especially after she ate and now she was actually looking forward to the day. Wolves in modern times. That was going to be interesting.

Once they were both settled in, Kouga decided to break the silence. "Sorry about earlier. Your mom told me you were ready."

"I don't like mornings."

"Yeah, kinda got that."

"Inuyasha used to wake me up at dawn and I'd sit him all the way through hell." At first, she laughed at the memory but after a few seconds, a bit of sadness settled in.

Inuyasha. Again.

The rest of the drive was fairly quiet. Luckily, Kouga's house was near hers. A few minutes passed and then he parked in front of a large house.

"This is where you live?" she asked as she came out of the car.

"It has to be big enough for everyone."

She raised an eyebrow. "Everyone?"

"I'm the leader," he said with a smirk. "I take care of everyone who needs it."

She never forgot that about him. Kouga really cared for his own and he risked his life more than once for them.

While Kagome looked at the door, she saw two heads poking from the window. "Is that-"

"I told ya they were excited."

He put his hand on her back and guided her forward. He did not seem to think twice about it but she could not help but feel the warmth transferring from his palm to her back.

Before they even made it to the door, it burst open. "Sis!"

Ginta and Hakkaku ran towards her with huge smiles on their faces. They both threw their arms around her and squeezed as tightly as possible. Kagome gasped and despite the fact that she felt like she was being crushed, she tried to hug back.

"Give the girl some space, will ya?"

They blushed slightly before pulling away. "Sorry, we just – we missed ya so much, Sis. We never thought we would see you again! Kouga was so sad when he thought you were dead. I mean, he was cr-"

Ginta never got a chance to finish his sentence since a hand was clamped down on his mouth. "I think that's enough catching up," he said before dragging Ginta inside the house.

Once Ginta and Kouga were in the house, Hakkaku leaned in closer to Kagome. "He cried," he finished with a teasing smile.

Kagome never thought much of Kouga's crush on her. He was nice and sweet, a bit persistent, but she never thought it was real. He did not know her and they never really talked. She believed he thought he was in love with her but he was not actually.

Maybe, she was wrong.

She felt bad that some people were out there hurt, never knowing what happened to her. She never meant for it to go down like that. If she could have, she would have stayed.

Kagome followed the boys inside, staring in awe at the house. It was much more different than his old den.

"What do ya think?"

"It's more human," she said with a smile tugging at her lips. "So you all leave here?"

"It's just us three most of the time," Ginta said with a shrug. "Sometimes, we're more."

"Like today."

Kouga frowned. "What the hell are you talkin' about?"

"Oh, some of the guys showed up this morning. They couldn't pay rent and now they ain't got nowhere to live. We told them to stay."

Kouga kept his anger checked, a growl threatening to come out. They spent the morning cleaning so that everything would be perfect for Kagome's visit. Now, he was certain everything was a mess again. Not only that, but Kagome was not used to wolves. They might act more human in public but when they were in the safety of their pack, they remained who they were.

"Shit."

His choice of words surprised Kagome. She did not really care if he cursed but Kouga was… well, he remained fairly polite and… unlike himself ever since he showed up at her house last night. Even his trademark cocky attitude was missing. Did five hundred years really change someone that much?

"You alright, Sis?"

"Oh yeah, I was thinking how much Kouga changed. He's not really as cocky as before."

Ginta and Hakkaku stared at her for a moment as if she had just said the craziest thing they ever heard. Then, they began to laugh out loud. They grabbed their stomachs, bending in two with laughter.

"Ko-uga, not co-cocky?"

Kouga glared in their direction but it did not stop them from laughing. Kagome might have just said the most hilarious joke ever.

"Are you sure you've been hanging out with her?" Ginta asked before trying to catch his breath. Man, he laughed so hard he was almost crying.

Kagome stared at all three of them, clearly confused. "I'm not sure I understand."

"Just – trust me, he's still a cocky wolf." Ginta grabbed her hand. "Come on, I'll introduce you to everyone."

"Why are you acting all weird with her?"

"I'm not," Kouga said harshly.

"She thinks you're not cocky."

He did not know how to explain it but he had to be a bit more in control when he was around her. She might have laughed at his courting before but she was more fragile now. Also, he did not want her to push him away. It was safer this way. On top of that, he was not that cocky.

Kouga glanced at Hakkaku for a moment before meeting up with Kagome and the rest of the pack. As soon as he stepped into the kitchen, the loudness of his wolves hit him full force.

"Is it always like this?" she asked, amused.

"Most of the time."

They all had each other and it was enough. She envied them.

Suddenly a beer was shoved in her face and she backed away slightly. "Want one?" one of the many strangers offered.

Her face cringed a bit. She never drank alcohol before. It was not really something she was interested in.

Kouga reached out in front of her and took hold of the beer. "I'll take that." Making her comfortable was going to be more difficult than he originally planned.

"Can I try?"

He raised an eyebrow, wary. "I don't think…"

"If a grandpa like you can have a sip then I think I can handle it."

"Grandpa?"

"You are over five hundred years old."

He laughed. "Here you go."

Kouga tilted the beer her way and she pressed her lips to it. The moment the taste overtook her taste buds she pulled away with an expression of disgust.

"Told ya," he said with a smirk before bringing it to his own lips.

Despite the bad taste in her mouth, Kagome laughed. Brightly. For real.

Maybe there was hope.