Disclaimers: I do not own InuYasha or any of the manga/anime characters. They belong to the wonderful genius Rumiko Takahashi. I also make no claims on the song "Silver and Gold." It belongs to St. Nicholas Music and Johnny Marks.

Measure a Treasure

Kagome wondered what prompted the lyrics from an American Christmas special, and an old one at that, to suddenly pop into her head. Why would she be thinking about something from "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" at the end of summer? She smiled as she looked at InuYasha talking quietly to his brother. ‘Silver and gold, that must be why,' she thought to herself. Hair that was various shades of while and silver blew gently with the breeze, framing faces that contained eyes the color of molten gold. ‘They really are like a treasure. There is no way to measure their worth. InuYasha means the world to me. I knew I could not be happy if I were not by his side. I'd choose him over any fortune. It would not matter how wealthy I was without him to protect me and love me. That was why the well reopened and allowed us to be together again.'

The young miko studied the impassive face of the older, taller sibling. She wasn't certain what had happened between the two, though she had been slowly but surely encouraging InuYasha to make amends with his brother. They did not fight after the Shikon no Tama had been purified, but instead they tended to try and pretend the other was not there. However, when Sesshoumaru was on his way to visit Rin after Kagome's return to the Feudal Era, she had abruptly and loudly reminded the two of their relationship by calling out to the Daiyoukai, "Brother-in-Law!" as he flew by. The glares that one comment brought her from each of them might have made her angry when she was younger, but she was so happy to be back and to be with InuYasha that she just smiled and waved.

Kagome knew that the elder sibling must have some faith in his brother since he had left Rin in the care of Kaede. She was pretty certain he would not leave the child just anywhere because he doted on her like a father that's forced to travel a lot. Sesshoumaru was always dropping by with gifts for her. While some may have thought he was courting her, Kagome was fairly certain he was feeling something that he wasn't used to - guilt. He knew it was in Rin's best interests to be in the care of humans rather than wandering the countryside with him, so he had left her with the old miko. And as many men who had to travel on business did, he was always bringing something back. She just couldn't see that the Daiyoukai was courting a ten year old girl. She could see him keeping an eye on her, and then when she was of age, on any potential suitors.

"Oi, what are you grinning at?" InuYasha asked as he approached her.

Kagome snapped her head up, startled. "I was just thinking, that's all."

"That's a scary thought," InuYasha muttered. "What bright ideas have you got for me and the asshole now?"

Kagome held her hand up and the hanyou pulled her to her feet. "I know you don't think of your brother that way any more, so you might as well quit pretending."

InuYasha just raised his eyebrows.

"I can tell by your posture when you two are talking. You're not on guard like you used to be; you're relaxed. You two are comfortable with each other whether you want to admit it or not. Will you tell me what happened?" Kagome asked softly.

"I never could hide much from you," the hanyou replied. "I'll tell you, if you'll tell me what you were thinking about."

"You go first," Kagome insisted.

InuYasha knew he wouldn't win, and he was surprised she hadn't already found out, anyway. "I pulled Rin out of the river - that's all."

Kagome gave him that look that let him know he wasn't done yet. "I know there's more to it than that."

"Do you remember when the river was up because of all of the rain? Well, Rin isn't afraid of anything. I'm not certain what that girl was trying to do, but the next thing I knew she was being swept away. I went after her and pulled her out and told her not to go near it again while the water was so high. I guess she told the bas- my brother about it." The hanyou fell silent.

"Did he thank you?" Kagome asked.

"Not exactly - but he acted differently after that. And then he asked me to help him kill some troublesome youkai in his territory - you remember when that happened," InuYasha prompted.

"Yeah, I thought he just wanted Tessaiga's abilities. So there was more to it - he was kind of trying to show you he accepts you," Kagome pondered.

InuYasha just nodded. "We've gotten along okay. It's been kind of weird. So, what were you thinking about?"

"Would you believe an old Christmas song? It goes:

Silver and gold, silver and gold
Everyone wishes for silver and gold.
How do you measure its worth?
Just by the pleasure it gives here on earth.

I was just thinking what a treasure you are," she answered.

InuYasha grinned and pulled her to him - he knew Sesshoumaru was long gone and they were all alone. One hand threaded through her hair to cup her head while the other wrapped around her back. His lips found hers and he kissed her thoroughly before leaving a trail of soft kisses from the corner of her mouth to her ear and then down her neck. He felt her shudder in anticipation. "So were you thinking about the measure by pleasure part?"

The miko moaned as he continued working his way towards her cleavage. "I was actually thinking about the silver and gold part, but pleasure works." She cupped his face and pulled it back to hers as he lowered her to the thick grass.

The hanyou drew away just enough to look into her eyes filled with love and lust. "I can live with that." And then his mouth found hers again.

*finis*