The Trials and Tribulations of Parenthood

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. They are owned by their respective authors. I only claim ownership of the plot.

A/N: A special thanks to Ryukotsusei for helping me hammer out a few points and getting Hiei’s reactions right, so he stayed in character.

Chapter 14

“Perhaps not today, but we will be doing a sonogram. Although at this point the baby isn’t developed far enough to see individual features. And you are welcome to be there when we do it, in fact we prefer that the father be involved. So I’m happy you want to be there. It makes it so much easier on the new mother, having such support.” The doctor looked at both of them and smiled. “I’m sure you both have lots of questions, so lets do the physical exam first and then I will be wanting both of you to watch a movie showing a child being born. It will give both of you a far better idea what to expect.” Now the doctor looked only at Hiei “You will be in the delivery room for the birth of your baby?”

“Hn, of course I will be there.” The very idea that he wouldn’t be there was insulting, and he moved closer to where Kagome was sitting on the table, ready to take her out of there while he glared at the doctor. “It would not be wise for anyone to try to stop me.” He could already picture the hospital bathed in blood if that should occur. With that mental image a light touch came from Kurama.

‘My, we’re in a slightly gory mood today aren’t we. But you can’t go around killing humans, you know that.’ Along with the thought came the feelings of worry beginning to grow. Kurama had never been to one of these appointments. He trusted the doctor he had chosen for Yukina, if something had already happened to start Hiei thinking of a bloodbath, maybe there was something to worry about after all.

‘Perhaps you should be more worried about your hair. I have everything here under control.’ He sent a mental image of purple hair dye and chains for Yusuke’s bed, snickering when he felt the blanch that came back to him, along with the protest that it had been Youko and not him that had said all those things.

‘Whoa, wait just a minute here!’ Hiei let the link drop in shock as the doctor had Kagome lie down on the table and put her feet up in the stirrups. He moved closer to the doctor, looking at her with murder in his eyes, his hand having mysteriously disappeared under his cloak.

“Hiei please? It’s really all right I promise. This is what happens at these appointments. I tried to explain it to you.” Kagome had pleading in her eyes, hoping he would understand and accept it, even though she knew it was going to be very hard on him. Probably one of the hardest things he had ever done.

The doctor noticed his look also. While she didn’t look scared, a look of concern did cross her face. “I’m sorry, I forgot you’re a new father and probably have no idea what it is I’m doing down here. Would you like to stand beside me and watch or would you like to hold her hand? Either is fine with me.”

“Hiei, please hold my hand for me. The doctor knows what she’s doing.” She gave him one of her best and most disarming smiles, the one that had never failed yet to get to him, knowing if this failed she might have to jump up off the table just to save her doctor. It wasn’t an idea she thought she’d like very much, the doctor was doing her job after all. She held out her hand, offering it to him with another smile.

He looked at her hand and then at the doctor who was sitting there waiting for him to decide. There was no scent of fear in the air that he could detect, so he turned again to Kagome. “Hn, the things I have to put up with!” But he did take her hand in his, fingers curling through hers as the doctor turned back to continue her exam. His eyes grew very round as he saw her pick up a tube of KY jelly and his eyes went dark crimson at the memories that innocent tube brought back to him. ‘That’s where this whole mess started.’

‘Hiei, what the hell is going on there? You just dropped out on me. Is Kagome ok? You didn’t kill the doctor did you?’ Kurama’s voice was thick with worry. Hiei’s mood didn’t seem to be as black as it had been, hell, if he wasn’t mistaken he could almost feel a touch of …… embarrassment?

‘Kagome is fine. As is the doctor. I have killed no one.’ His fingers tightened around Kagome’s unconsciously as his thought turned towards his conversation with Kurama, making her smile slightly with relief. ‘But, I had another wonderful idea, before I chain you naked to Yusuke’s bed I shall coat specific areas of your body with KY Jelly. It would make for easier penetration you know.’

‘What the hell did I ever do to you? No, on second thought don’t answer that one, I don’t think I want to know.’ Kurama sighed and ran a hand through his hair. ‘Besides, there’s two huge flaws with your plan Hiei, the first is that Yusuke would never mistake me for Keiko.’

‘That is cured easily enough. Even I can get Yusuke so drunk he’d never notice the difference.’ A low chuckle escaped him, making Kagome turn and look at him in puzzlement, wondering just what he was talking about to Kurama. From the faraway look in his eyes she knew that’s what he was doing and for that she was grateful. ‘So, what’s the second supposedly huge flaw in my plan?’

‘My mate just happens to be your sister Hiei. Would you really hurt her like that? Hmm?’ There was a mischievous grin along with the question. ‘So, you see. Your plan is fatally flawed.’

‘You think so? I could do it and then erase everyone’s memories. The only one who would know would be me. Well, and your body of course, I’m sure Yusuke can’t be chibi sized. I could get great joy from knowing that the great Youko Kurama was brought so low.’

Whatever answer Kurama might have made was interrupted when the doctor pushed her stool back. “You may get dressed now. I will be back in when you are done. I think we are going to go ahead and do the sonogram today after all and I still want you two to watch the movie I spoke of.” With that she smiled and walked out, closing the door softly behind her.

“Why does she want to do a sonogram today?” Kagome looked at him, her soft eyes filled with an unspoken fear. “Could something be wrong with the babies? She had already said it was too early, they wouldn’t be developed enough to see much yet.” Her hands were shaking slightly as she pulled on her clothes and bent over to tie her sneakers. “I don’t think I could bear it if something was wrong with them.”

For once Hiei was at a loss for words, not knowing what to say or do that could bring any comfort to his mate. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, pulling her close against him as he murmured under his breath “Don’t worry, the young ones are fine. They have to be.”

The door opened and the doctor walked back into the room, pausing as she took in the scene before her. An understanding look crossed her eyes as she seemed to realize what was weighing so heavily on their minds. “I fear you might not have as much time to prepare the nursery as you thought you had. If the sonogram shows what I suspect it will, your baby is due sooner then you expected. Some women do continue to have their monthlies even after they become pregnant. But, we’ll know for sure after we see the results. Are your ready?”

“So nothing is wrong with them?” Both Hiei and Kagome let out a breath they hadn’t even realized they were holding. And then it hit them what the doctor had said. “Sooner then we expected? As in how much sooner?”

“If this shows what I suspect it will You are already over four months pregnant Miss Higurashi. Have you felt any movement that you might have passed off as being something else. Butterflies in your stomach perhaps?

Kagome gave Hiei an arch look promising a conversation after they got home for not telling her that pregnancy was a distinct possibility when his heat cycle had been at it’s peak. If a pregnancy was going to be forced every time that happened she was going to be sure to ask for birth control pills. ‘Either that or he’ll have me littering like a rabbit.’

“Right down the hall please to the first door on your right. Lie down on the table and lift your shirt enough to uncover your belly. Unzip your pants also. You won’t need to take your clothes off for this but your belly has to be exposed. The tech will be in shortly.” With those words the doctor left and they were alone once more.

“I wonder if we’ll be able to have pictures.” Kagome was starting to get excited at the prospect of seeing the babies. “If we do I can show them to my mom and Yukina, and Keiko, and just everybody.” She looked at Hiei who was standing there with a strange look on his face. “I’m sure you’re going to want to show them to Kurama too. And Yusuke and Kuwabara too of course.”

The tech came in and started setting up the machine. The screen flickered on. “This is where you’re going to see the baby. Of course pictures are a part of the bargain. Every new parent seems to want them. It’s a bit early but there is a chance we’ll be able to tell if the baby is a boy or a girl. Do you want to know? Not all parents do. The choice is yours.”

“Yes, I want to know. I can’t wait to find out if I’m going to have boys or girls. And I want the pictures too. Oh Hiei, this is so exciting.” On impulse she reached out and hugged his neck, startling him with her display of public affection. For a moment he stood there stiff as a board, then he relaxed enough to circle his arms around her and give a slight hug in return.

“Here we go, now this gel is going to be cold.” The tech squeezed a gob of the clear cold goop onto Kagome’s slightly round stomach and placed the hand held sensor in to middle of it, spreading a thin sheen across her belly. “Now to find the baby.”

They watched in fascination as images started to appear on the screen. At first Hiei and Kagome were having trouble making out what anything was until the tech started to explain it to them. “See, here is the baby’s head.” She pointed out the round object on the screen. “And this is the backbone.” She snapped some pictures and took some measurements for the doctor, then turned to Hiei and Kagome. “Oh, now this is a surprise, it looks like there is two of them. Congratulations, it looks like you’re having twins.”

‘Hn, as if I didn’t already know that.’ The thought was tempting to say that out loud but then he thought better of it, deciding to wait and see what else this tech had to say.

“Let’s see if we can get them to cooperate here and find out if you’re having boys or girls or one of each.” She pushed gently on Kagome’s stomach, encouraging the babies to move around and turn. Finally the baby in the front did just that giving them all a spread eagle view. The tech quickly froze the image and took her measurements as she had on all the previous pictures. “Taking the size measurements is how we determine to age of the fetus. Well, it looks like at least one of them is a girl. Although that could be wrong, they’re still very young yet to be certain.” After that the babies just didn’t seem to be in the mood to cooperate. “I guess that’s all we’re going to get for today. You can go back into the room, the doctor will be with you again shortly.”

The doctor walked back into the room smiling. “You got to see your babies? Good. There is two of them and they look to be fine. But my suspicions were also confirmed. You are much farther along then you thought you were. Another five months and your babies will be here.” She fixed Kagome with a hard look. “I might put you on complete bed rest, let me know if you have any complications: bleeding, shortness of breath, fainting, dizziness, that sort of thing. And now I’d like you both to watch the movie. When it is finished please schedule another appointment for two weeks time. I consider this a high risk pregnancy due to how much farther along you are coupled with the fact you are carrying twins..” With that she turned and walked out of the room.

They were escorted into a darkened room where two other couples were sitting waiting for the movie to begin. The chairs didn’t inspire comfort but Hiei supposed that was to make sure you didn’t all asleep. After the first few minutes he didn’t think he could have fallen asleep anyway, he was learning far more about human anatomy then he had ever wanted to know.

“And the babies head pushes against the cervix, causing it to become thin so the baby can be pushed out the birth canal.” The voice on the movie droned on, oblivious to the gasps that were being heard in the room. Hiei just sat stock still in his seat, unable to fathom how something as large as a baby could come out of a space that small and was beginning to understand why female demons were alone when they littered. Any male demon in the vicinity would be torn to pieces if he dared to intrude when a female was in that much pain. It was a miracle there were any young littered at all, he was surprised the females hadn’t figured out a way to revolt and put an end to the process.

“And now the top of the head can be seen. This is called crowning.” Hiei wished the voice on the damn tape would just shut up. He’d seen and heard enough, more then ready to get up and walk out. Kagome put her hand on his arm, keeping him firmly seated in his chair. “You need to finish watching this with me. You’re going to be my coach when these babies are born so you need to know what to expect.”

“Surely you do not expect me to sit and watch all this happen to you. I do not intend to end up dead because you are in pain.” The truth of the matter was he wanted to see the young born but he didn’t know what he would do with his mate yelling and screaming. The thought of the doctors hands being all over her was even worse, even if it was an ugly old woman.

“Actually, yes I do expect it of you. Hiei, you were a big enough demon to start this whole process, I expect you to be a big enough demon to see it through to the end.” She whispered this in his ear, giving his hand a hard squeeze at the same time. “And now you also understand why there is no sex allowed for six weeks after the babies are born.”

“There is no way I intend to go for six weeks without rutting!” That thought put him more on edge then the movie was doing. “If it comes to that, you have a beautiful mouth and lovely hands. It would cause you no pain to use them.”

He must have said that slightly louder then what he had intended because all of a sudden he found himself the center of attention rather then the movie. Snickers were coming from the two other men in the seats behind them while the other two women were giving him some of the blackest looks he could have imagined a human being able to produce. Kagome put her head into her hands and tried to sink down into her chair.

“What? It simply proves I love my mate.” He growled out the words and turned his back on everyone, choosing to ignore them all.

One of the other ladies turned to her husband and slapped him. ”I swear if you ever get that selfish and demanding you'll never have to worry about sex again because I'll tear your dick off and feed it to you.”

LOL, I had fun writing this chapter and hope you had fun reading it. Please take a moment of time to review it.
Thank you to all my reviewers past and present, I love you all.