Beautiful Souls

“Well, Inuyasha, it’s my understanding that these things just… happen.” Miroku wasn’t sure what else to say.

Inuyasha shook his head vociferously, “Not to youkai, they don’t. We’re pretty aware of these things… I’m telling you, there’s something else going on here.”

“You are a hanyou… maybe your senses are as sharp as those of a full-demon.” Miroku tenderly suggested.

“Keh! Do you really think that after traveling with Kagome for three years, I wouldn’t know when my bitch’s cycle is? She shouldn’t have been fertile for another two weeks!” Inuyasha snorted. “That mountain had something to do with it. I’m not sure what, but somehow it made this happen.”

Miroku crouched beside his friend as the hanyou flopped to the ground in a frustrated huff. “Are you not pleased that Kagome’s pregnant? You seem angry.”

Inuyasha’s face softened, “Of course I’m happy. Kagome’s carrying my pup… how could I not be happy about that? I just can’t explain it….” Looking at Miroku, he sighed, “Both of us felt nervous about things that happened in that village and on the mountain. She conceived while we waited out a snowstorm up there. I don’t believe in coincidences, and all the weird shit that’s happened, bugs the hell out of me.”

Miroku smiled, “Mt. Hakusan is holy ground. The Kami who dwell there are most powerful and climbing the mountain is said to be a spiritual experience. Maybe this is just the gods way of blessing you and Kagome.” He nodded as Inuyasha eyed him, “Whatever the reason, you’ve been given a great gift. Worrying about that should come first. When will Kagome be returning?”

“She should be back any time. We told Kagome’s mother first thing when we returned, and she started making all these plans….” Inuyasha shook his head, “You’d think it was her that was having the pup instead us.” He grinned, “At least she took it well though.”

“What about Kagome? How did she react?” Miroku questioned.

Inuyasha blushed, “Bitch started crying,” he chuckled. “I though she was upset until she hurled herself at me… said she wanted to have a family more than anything.”

“Did she find anything strange about the circumstances?”

“I told her my suspicions, and she agrees that there’s something strange about the place. Nothing else happened for the rest of the trip though, so….” Inuyasha shrugged.

Miroku nodded, “I guess we’ll just have to wait and see, then.”


Inuyasha’s ears perked up, “Oh, yeah! Kagome didn’t want me to tell Sango. She wants to do it herself. Where is she, anyway?”

Sobering, Miroku glanced at their shrine, “Sango woke up feeling ill this morning. I made her remain in bed. Shippou’s standing guard.”

“Well, if she doesn’t feel better by tonight, we’ll call Kaede over to take a look at her. Kagome would do it, but if Sango is sick, I don’t want her exposing my pup to anything.” Inuyasha frowned.

Standing, Miroku put a hand on the hanyou’s shoulder, “You’ll make a good father, Inuyasha.”

Following the monk inside for his first real look at their new home, Inuyasha tried to hide his smile, “Keh.”

******************

Kagome was beaming as she left the clinic with her mother. The visit to Jinenji had confirmed what Inuyasha had already told her – she was four days pregnant. The elated doctor had dutifully advised her that the few mothers-to-be who received such news so early into the gestation period, often waited several months before making the announcements… just to be safe. However, as the baby would be a hanyou like it’s father, chances of anything going wrong were very slim. Youkai rarely miscarried unless they were severely injured.

Promising to return for another appointment in two weeks, and picking up a prescription for prenatal vitamins, Kagome couldn’t suppress the excited grin that threatened to dominate her face. “Do you think it’ll be a boy, or a girl?” She asked her mother.

Mrs. Higurashi smiled, “I’d be happy with either. Although a little boy with Inuyasha’s adorable puppy ears would so sweet!”

Kagome giggled, “I’ve never seen a female inu-youkai… I wonder what they look like?” she wondered.

“Oh, a sweet little girl… just like you as a baby.” Kagome’s mother cooed, growing misty eyed.

Smiling, Kagome couldn’t help uttering a silent prayer for her mother. Ever since she was a little girl, Kagome had looked up to her mother, who raised two children and supported her father-in-law after the early death of her husband. Her mother’s strength, courage, and good nature throughout the young girl’s life, was an inspiration to her.

Never once had Kagome’s mother ever questioned her daughter about the dangers she faced in the Sengoku Jidai. She’d never worried about Inuyasha’s intentions, despite his frequently bad attitude and rude behavior, and she’d never pried when the girl had returned home in tears after a fight with the hanyou. For this, Kagome loved her best of all. She had never felt pressure from her mother to be anything other than what she was. Though most mothers would have been concerned if their eighteen year old got pregnant, even after marriage, Mrs. Higurashi had expressed nothing but delight and given her fullest support.

Souta was in the living room when the two women returned to the shrine, and the teenager immediately launched himself at Kagome the moment she walked in the door.

“Kagome! Is it true? Are you and Inuyasha really going to have a baby?” Souta hugged his sister tightly, surprising the girl.

“Looks that way.” Kagome grinned, messing up her brother’s hair. He was growing rapidly now and she realized that soon he’d be taller than she was. Souta wasn’t usually so affectionate, and she wondered if he was getting over his shyness as he got older. “How ‘bout that, oji-chan(1)?”

“All right!” the boy cheered. “Go, Inuyasha!”

Amused, Kagome’s mouth fell open, “Souta!”

Blushing, Souta stopped his victory dance, “I mean… congratulations, Kagome.” Encouraged by his sister’s giggle, the boy’s eyes brightened again. “So when’s it due?”

“Jinenji said I was due near the end of February.” Kagome informed as Jii-chan came to see what all the excitement was about.

“February, eh?” Jii-chan remarked, “We’ll have a lot to do before then. Souta! Why don’t you and I go through storage tomorrow and find the baby things we’ve put away? Somewhere, I have this old tonic that’s guaranteed to ease labor pains!”

“Gee… thanks, Jii-chan!” Kagome said weakly, catching the amused looks Souta sent her.

“You staying for dinner, Kagome?” Souta asked.

Kagome shook her head, “Not tonight. Inuyasha will worry if I don’t get back soon. I’m just going to get my things and then I’ll be off.”

Upstairs in her room, Kagome realized she had no idea what to bring with her. Clothes of course, but was there anything she wanted to take for their new home? Her gaze rested on photo albums, books, and each knickknack that decorated her desk. Used to living between worlds, Kagome couldn’t decide what she wanted with her. Her life was with Inuyasha, but that didn’t mean she’d never return here. Was this still her home too? Could she leave things here to return to, or would she have to get rid of what she didn’t take?

Eventually, a decision would have to be reached, but Kagome wasn’t up to the challenge today. With a sigh, she removed a suitcase from the closet, decided only to take the essentials for now. Soon clothing, shoes, toiletries, and a few miscellaneous items were packed, and Kagome went down to the kitchen, wanting to include ‘ninja food’ for her friends.

As she filled a bag with bowls of Ramen, boxes of pocky, bags of potato chips, suckers, candy, and bottles of soda, Kagome’s mother joined her in the kitchen.

“I hope you’re not planning on eating any of that. I don’t want an elephant for a grandbaby.” Mrs. Higurashi teased.

Kagome wrinkled her nose, “Don’t worry, Mama. I’ll make sure to eat healthy. Inuyasha’s so overprotective, he’ll probably monitor everything I do.”

“Make sure he brings you back to visit us. Even though you don’t have school, we love and miss you both.”

Turning to her mother, Kagome’s felt her eyes sting with unshed tears, “Mama,” she cried, wrapping her arms around her waist. “I love you, and of course we’ll come back.” Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, she asked, “Do you really love him?”

Mrs. Higurashi smiled and put a hand to her daughter’s face, “Inuyasha is a good man, Kagome… and he loves you so very much. You make sure he knows that he’s as much a part of our family as you are.”

Kagome kissed her mom’s cheek, “Thanks, Mama.”

Returning to her room, Kagome stuffed the food into her suitcase, careful not to squish the Ramen or Potato Chips, and was just about to zip it closed when her gaze landed on one last thing. Grabbing it and tossing it on top, she closed the suitcase and lugged it downstairs to say a last good-bye before leaving.

“Can you lift that thing?” Souta asked, eyes her bulging suitcase as she passed his bedroom.

“Just barely,” Kagome admitted with a grimace. “ If the clothes weren’t enough, the food weights a ton!”

“Here, let me help.” Souta got off his bed and lifted the suitcase, leading his sister to the well.

“Thanks, Souta! When did you get to be such a nice guy?” Kagome teased.

Souta grinned, “Inuyasha wouldn’t like it if you weren’t being careful. Someone has to keep an eye on you when he’s not around.”

Kagome’s eyes narrowed mischievously, “Oh, I get it. You’re not doing it for me, you’re doing it for Inuyasha!”

“Well, you are my sister. I don’t have to be nice... you’re family.” He dead panned.

Kissing his cheek, Kagome giggled when he blushed, “Thanks, pest.”

Souta rubbed her kiss off his cheek, “Welcome, nag.”

Holding tight to the handle of her suitcase, Kagome slid into the blue lit time slip and headed for home.

***************

“Oof!”

Inuyasha started at the sudden noise from inside the well that accompanied Kagome’s arrival. Rising from a crouch, he peered into the depths, spotting his mate struggling with a heavy suitcase.

“Oi!” Inuyasha called out as he landed beside her. She jumped at the sudden appearance, but smiled in recognition. The hanyou eyed the case suspiciously. “What’s that?”

“Just some of my things,” she replied mildly as he prodded her luggage with one toe. “Careful, there’s Ramen in there.”

Inuyasha’s ears twitched, and he lifted the suitcase in one hand and wrapped the other around Kagome. Leaping out of the well, he paused on the other side, putting the baggage down to give her a lingering kiss.

“Did you miss me?” she murmured sweetly.

“Keh,” he answered. “You should have come and got my help. You shouldn’t be carrying this thing in your condition.”

Kagome laughed, “Inuyasha, I’m not some frail little girl. Besides, Souta carried it to the well for me. He seems to think I need taking care of when you’re not around. I can’t imagine why.”

Inuyasha grunted, “You do need to be taken care of.”

“Oh? What do you mean by that?” Kagome frowned.

“ Well, you certainly get into a lot of trouble, for a human.”

“I see.” Kagome suddenly felt angry, “I’ll have you know that I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, Inuyasha.”

Surprised by her outburst, Inuyasha scowled, “So... what? You don’t need my protection then?”

“Maybe to you, I’m just a weak, pathetic human, but I’ve gotten a lot stronger, thank you very much!” She shouted.

“You think I haven’t noticed?”

“No, you’re too busy standing in front of me!”

“Fine! Next time, I’ll let you fight by yourself!” Inuyasha turned to storm off.

“Ooh! Inuyasha – “ Kagome’s words were cut off as Inuyasha whirled around and kissed her fiercely. She fought for only a moment before relaxing into his embrace, enjoying the feeling of his aura as it wrapped around hers.

Inuyasha chuckled, “Finally… a way to shut you up!” He grinned, “I’ve wanted to do that every time we’ve fought.” His smile faded, as he smelled the salt of her tears. Lifting her chin in concern, he met her eyes, “You’re crying? Why are you crying?”

Kagome shook her head, rolling her eyes at herself, “I’m sorry, Inuyasha. I didn’t mean to start a fight with you.”

“Did something happen at home?” He asked, confused.

“No,” Kagome sighed, “It’s my hormones. Jinenji says that pregnant women often have weird mood swings, and because our baby is a hanyou, it’ll be harder at first. But I promise, I’m fine.” She finished, seeing the fear touch his eyes.

“Is there anything else that’s out of the ordinary? Because of the pup?” Inuyasha questioned.

“He said I’d probably get morning sickness earlier than most, and that will also be pretty rough until it calms down. Stop worrying,” Kagome admonished. “A little nausea is worth it.”

Inuyasha’s ears drooped, “I can’t help feeling guilty… it’s my fault you have to go through this.”

Kagome giggled, “Don’t be so silly! This is a good thing, remember?” She wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly, “I’m carrying our baby… our pup. So stop acting like you’ve got something to be ashamed of. I told you I wanted this.”

“I was thinking more in terms of years than days,” Inuyasha admitted with chagrin.

“It doesn’t matter. You didn’t know it would happen, but it did.”

“I should have known though.” Inuyasha sighed. Looking down at his wife, the love shining in her eyes touched him, making the hanyou forget his troubles. Holding her close, he tenderly placed a hand over the flat of her stomach, “In a way… I’m glad I didn’t know. I never thought I’d feel this excited about being a father, but….”

“I know what you mean,” Kagome grinned. Hand in hand, she and Inuyasha made their way to their home. Glancing at him sideways, Kagome asked, “Did you really just kiss me to shut me up?”

Inuyasha smirked, “Actually, I kissed you so that you wouldn’t ‘sit’ me. Making you be quiet was kind of an added bonus.”

“Why you little…” Her sentence ended in a shriek as Inuyasha swept her up and ran the rest of the way to the shrine.

“Kagome!” Shippou ran to greet them as the hanyou came into view.

“Hey, Shippou!” Kagome was still cradled in Inuyasha’s arm as the kitsune landed on her stomach.

“Oi!” Inuyasha dropped the suitcase in order to lift Shippou by his tail. “Careful, runt!”

The boy’s eyes filled with worry and for once, he made no protest at Inuyasha’s harsh treatment, “Why? Is Kagome hurt? What’s wrong, Kagome?” Checking her for signs of injury, Shippou suddenly wrinkled his nose, “You smell different.”

Kagome giggled and lifted the kit as Inuyasha set her on her feet, “Shippou, how do you feel about being a big brother?”

“You mean…?” Shippou looked back and forth between his adopted parents, awaiting confirmation.

Inuyasha smirked, “Kagome’s carrying my pup, so you gotta be careful around her, got that?”

With a sob, Shippou jumped down and raced off towards the trees, wailing loudly.

“What the…?” Kagome frowned, looking at Inuyasha. “What was that all about? Is he okay?”

Inuyasha scowled, “I’ll talk to him,” he grumbled. Before Kagome could respond, the hanyou took off after the kitsune.

The little youkai was quick, but Inuyasha was quicker. It took him no time at all to find Shippou’s scent and then track him down. The boy sat on a fallen tree near the riverbed, still weeping softly.

“Hey!” Inuyasha called out, making the boy jump.

“You followed?” Shippou sniffed, wiping tears from his face.

“Of course I followed? What do you mean by running off and worrying Kagome like that? Why are you sitting here, crying like some weak human?” Inuyasha growled.

Shippou looked down at the ground, “I didn’t mean to make Kagome worry about me. I didn’t think you’d care.”

Inuyasha’s eyes narrowed, “What the fuck does that mean? Of course Kagome cares about you, especially when you act like this.”

“No, I meant… I didn’t think you’d care… if I disappeared for a while.” Shippou kept his focus on the dirt below him. “I know you think I’m a pathetic excuse for a youkai, and I didn’t want to cry in front of you.”

“Dammit, Shippou, what the hell are you babbling about?” Inuyasha asked harshly.

Shippou winced, “Now that you’re gonna have pups of your own, you’ll have them to worry about… I’d just be in the way.” He said quietly.

Inuyasha frowned, “What does that…?” Suddenly, he got it. Eyes widening in surprise, the hanyou realized that the boy was afraid that there would be no room for him in their family once the pup was born. Inuyasha was surprised to recognize the fear of loneliness that had plagued his own childhood, harbored in Shippou’s heart.

All at once touched and frustrated, Inuyasha reacted in the way that was most familiar in these situations, “You damn kitsune!” He bellowed, “What the hell do you think I’ve been trying to do for the last year?”

Shippou’s eyes widened in surprise and fear, “W~what?” he stuttered.

“You think I’ve been letting you practice your tricks on me because I think it’s fun? I’ve been trying to train you to be a good hunter and fighter! Youkai only do that for their pups!” Inuyasha folded his arms, embarrassed at having to spell it out for the kid.

“You were training me?” Shippou asked incredulously.

Inuyasha sighed, “Listen, runt. I know what it’s like to be an orphan. I didn’t have people around me, like Kagome, to coddle me; I had to learn how to protect myself. I figured out a long time ago that someone would have to teach you to be a youkai. If caring about that stuff makes me your father, that’s it then.”

Shippou looked hopeful, “So… you don’t hate me, then?”

“Keh,” Inuyasha grunted. ‘The kid wears his heart on his sleeve, he thought. “No, I don’t hate you. You may be a brat, but apparently you’re my brat.”

A wide grin spread across Shippou’s face, and he jumped up to throw his arms around Inuyasha’s neck. “Thanks,” he said quietly.

“Come on,” Inuyasha said, more gently. “Let’s get back to Kagome.”

As they started towards home, Shippou looked up at Inuyasha, “Can I call you ‘Father’?”

“Don’t push it, runt.”

“How ‘bout ‘Dad?’”

Inuyasha sighed, “Yeah, alright.”

Shippou smiled brightly and rushed on ahead to find Kagome. Inuyasha just shook his head. His life had certainly turned out differently than he’d thought it would. The thought made him smile.

Shippou ran into the shrine house where he’d been living with Sango, Miroku, Kohaku and Kirara for the past week. Calling out for Kagome as he entered, the kitsune followed her voice to their side of the house, where he found the girl bent over her large suitcase, unpacking.

“Hey, Shippou! Are you okay?” Kagome asked with a face full of concern.

“Uh-huh! Inuyasha said I could call him dad!” Shippou informed her, nodding excitedly.

Kagome grinned, only a little surprised. “He did, did he?” Looking up, her mate stood leaning against the doorway, watching them.

Shippou sat cross-legged on the floor beside her, “So can I call you Mama?”

Unable to respond through the lump that had risen in her throat, Kagome merely nodded, smiling at the boy. Shippou looked like he wanted to hug her, but restrained himself, remembering Inuyasha’s admonition. Recognizing the effort, Kagome lifted the kit into a gentle hug that made him giggle.

Shippou looked up at Kagome’s face, solemnly, “Can I feel your tummy?”

“Sure, but there’s really nothing to feel yet,” Kagome told him as the boy pressed his hand to her stomach. “It’ll be a few months before I start showing.”

Grinning, Shippou put his ear against her belly, “Will it be a boy, or a girl?”

Kagome giggled, “It’s still too early to tell… would you rather have a brother or a sister?”

Shippou thought. “A sister… a boy might be too much like Inuyasha!” Laughing at the snort of indignation from the doorway, the kitsune raced from the room before Inuyasha could get a hold of him.

Scowling after him, Inuyasha came to stand over Kagome, hands on hips, “I hope you didn’t drag that thing in here by yourself.”

“Miroku came to help. He says that Sango is sick; is it serious?” Kagome asked.

Inuyasha shrugged, “ I don’t know. I haven’t seen her since we’ve been back.”

Kagome looked worried, “Maybe I’ll check in on her after dinner.”

“Oh no you don’t,” Inuyasha grumbled. “Kaede can handle the healing stuff. I don’t want you or my pup near anyone who’s sick… even Sango.”

Frowning, Kagome silently counted to ten before replying, “Inuyasha, it’s really not that big a deal. It’s probably just a cold or the flu or something, and I have better means to help with either of those things then Kaede does. Besides, even if I did catch something, it wouldn’t hurt the baby.”

Folding his arms, Inuyasha refused to acquiesce. “Still, I don’t want to take any chances.” He smirked at her, “As my mate, it’s your duty to honor my wishes.”

Kagome tried not to giggle at his proud expression, “Duty-bound, huh? There’s just one problem though.” Standing, she reached up to rub Inuyasha’s ears, “How are you going to make me?” She teased.

“Like this!” Struggling to remain in control of the situation, Inuyasha picked Kagome up and carried her to the large tatami mat that served as their bed. Pinning her beneath him, he grinned at her pouting face. “Now you have to agree, or I won’t let you up.”

“You’ll squish the baby….” Kagome warned, wiggling.

Concern flashed on Inuyasha’s face briefly, before he realized she was joking, “I intend to do a lot more than squish you if you keep wiggling like that….” He murmured seductively.

With an evil grin, Kagome lifted her head and kissed her husband, sighing when he immediately responded. Inuyasha place his hands on either side of her head, tenderly framing her face as he kissed her fiercely, as though they hadn’t just spent the last week alone together.

“Oops! Sorry!” Shippou’s voice from the doorway startled them, but by the time they looked up, only his tail was visible as he disappeared down the hall.

Inuyasha groaned, resting his forehead against Kagome’s, “Doors,” he muttered. “We definitely need doors.”

Kagome smiled, brushing his hair back from his face, “So can I go visit Sango?” She asked, widening her eyes to look cute.

Inuyasha frowned, but couldn’t take his eyes off of Kagome’s face as she bit her lip, pleadingly. He sighed loudly; she was his greatest weakness. “At least wait until tomorrow, okay? Let’s see if she feels better then.”

Kissing his nose, Kagome grinned, “As my mate commands, so shall I obey.”

“Very funny,” he grumbled.

“Hey, I brought you something from home!” Kagome remembered.

Inuyasha’s ears pricked with interest as he let her get up. He watched as she crawled to her suitcase on all fours, giving him a pleasant view of her backside. Turning back to him, Kagome held out the stack of books she had purchased for him a few weeks ago. Smiling, Inuyasha took them from her, flipping through the pile. He had already finished 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and he was eager to start another one.

“Thanks,” he said after choosing ‘Journey to the Center of the Earth’ as his next adventure.

Kagome held out something else, “I also brought you this… I thought you might find it handy.”

Inuyasha gave her a puzzled look, “What is it?” he asked, flipping through the pages of a large book.

“It’s a dictionary,” she told him. Explaining, “ it’s a long list of words we use and what they mean. You told me that some of the words are unfamiliar to you, so I thought this might come in handy.”

Grinning widely, Inuyasha leaned back against the wall with his novel and the dictionary in hand, settling himself comfortably.

Kagome stood and kissed the top of her husband’s head, “While you do that, I’ll take this food to the kitchen and see about getting some dinner made for everybody.” She smiled as he nodded distractedly. He would be content to have her out of his sight… at least for a while. Though Kagome loved the attention Inuyasha had been giving her since their relationship changed for the better, but she didn’t mind the occasional space from his overprotective tendencies.

Carrying the food filled bag into the kitchen, Kagome was surprised to see Miroku, Shippou and Kohaku already there… and cooking. “What’s going on, guys?” She asked curiously, giving Kohaku a hug hello.

Shippou proudly threw back his shoulders, “We’re making dinner! Miroku said I could help.”

“Since Sango is ill, and Shippou said that you and Inuyasha were… indisposed, I decided that the boys and I would entertain ourselves by preparing the evening meal.” Miroku tried to hide the teasing grin that twitched around the corners of his mouth as Kagome blushed in embarrassment.

“Why don’t you all help me find places for this stuff,” Kagome suggested, handing the bag of goodies to Kohaku as she ignored the monk.

Shippou immediately leapt into the shopping bag to peruse its contents. “Ninja food!” he announced with glee. “Pocky! Dried potatoes! Ramen! Candy!” The decibel of the kitsune’s voice rose with each joyous exclamation.

Miroku shook his head as he reached into the bag and extracted the rapturous youkai, who emerged clutching a chocolate bar to his chest. “Not till after dinner,” the monk reprimanded gently.

“But chocolate is food!” Shippou whined.

Kagome took the kitsune from Miroku, removing the candy from the boy’s hands, “ True, but it’s not the kind of thing you should eat for a meal. Got it?”

Shippou sighed, “Yes… Mama.”

Surprise momentarily appeared on Miroku’s face at the maternal appellation. Recovering quickly, he smiled. A peace had settled over Kagome since Inuyasha had made his true feelings known to the girl, and the monk was pleased to see the glow that exuded from her happiness. The familial bond with Shippou had strengthened as well, and along with the new baby, having a family to protect and fight for would only serve to increase the miko’s power. Miroku could not help but admire her.

“Let’s get these things put away and then see to dinner,” the monk recommended as he removed the soda from the shopping bag.

Soon, Miroku, Kagome, Shippou and Kohaku were busily involved in their separate tasks contributing to the meal. Kohaku stood at the counter, chopping vegetables with the dexterity of a professional chef. Shippou placed fresh wood in the fireplace and started the blaze by using his kitsune-bi. Miroku meticulously removed scales, bones and guts from the fresh fish Kohaku had caught for dinner not long ago. Kagome had already set a pot of rice to simmer over the fire, and was gathering ingredients for a soup to help Sango get well again.

Kohaku offered some of his evenly sliced vegetables to Kagome for her soup and blushed when she smiled widely in reply. After the battle, everyone had been so caught up with worrying about Kagome, that even he had momentarily forgotten his guilt over all he had done. He remember Naraku’s multiple orders for him to murder this girl, who even now chattered happily to him as if they were friends... or family. Even under that monster’s control, Kohaku had always resisted. Just the same, he couldn’t keep from wondering how long his sister’s friends could continue to pretend that he was innocent of any wrongdoing.

True, in the end Kohaku had redeemed himself. His part in the battle with Naraku had resulted in his own death... until Kagome had restored him. That part he remembered much better than he believed was possible. He remembered watching his sister cry over his body, until the girl surrounded by a pink haze had turned her luminescent red eyes on him. Kagome’s hands on his chest had felt scorching hot for a moment, until he’d heard Sango say his name, and he’d opened his eyes....

As he listened to Kagome telling them him about an old cold remedy of her Jii-Chan’s, Kohaku wondered why she’d restored him. He could vividly remember the splash of red from a time he’d tried to kill her. He had been able to resist the command enough so that she only sustained a minor cut to the arm instead of a severed neck. He’d figured it was only his sister’s love that allowed him to remain among them, except Midoriko had included him in her gift of immortality. That act had strengthened the group, and even he found himself growing more and more comfortable around them all.

Allowing himself a laugh as Kagome’s story reached it’s conclusion (with her Jii-Chan dancing wildly around the living room to invoke the spirits of their ancestors to help speed the healing process of her chicken pox), Kohaku dared to hope that he was indeed forgiven. Maybe someday they could even grow to love him as much as his sister did... as much as he already loved them.

“Get your own, boy... this one’s mine.” Inuyasha’s eyes sparkled as he teased Kohaku for staring at his mate.

Jumping at the hanyou’s sudden appearance, Kohaku swiftly turned back to his side of the counter, surreptitiously watching from the corner of his eye as Inuyasha wrapped his arms around Kagome from behind, trying to sneak a taste of whatever she was cooking. The boy grinned as she slapped her husband’s hand, telling him that dinner was only a few minutes away. Inuyasha was the most interesting member of the group.

Kohaku had never met a youkai he liked before, but there was something about Inuyasha that was just so...cool, as Souta had phrased it. The half-demon he had encountered on various occasions over the years had been surly, rough, certainly protective of his friends and even Kohaku himself at times. Since the battle had ended their need to be constantly on guard, a tenderness had emerged in the hanyou. Shippou had informed him that it was all due to Kagome, and the boy could easily believe that.

In a way, it was this aspect that made Inuyasha even more intriguing. That he could be such an awesomely intense fighter... and then still be able to show such tenderness to those he gave a damn about was a balancing act Kohaku thought he could never even hope to master. All of them had this quality, even Shippou, and the young taijiya wanted so badly to learn it from them that it made him ache.


Miroku noticed the odd expression enter his brother in-law’s eyes as he watched Shippou telling Inuyasha about how he’d let the others ‘help’ with dinner. Unable to discern the emotion causing it, the monk called Kohaku’s name. He wanted to ask if everything was alright, but as the boy turned in response to his call, Miroku realized that the youth might not be ready to speak openly with them yet.

“Why don’t you bring this tray to Sango while we set the table,” Miroku suggested. As Kohaku nodded and disappeared with the food, the monk could only hope that Sango would be well enough to help her brother feel more at ease in their company. Laughing as Kagome made Inuyasha set the table, he couldn’t help but worry that the boy was allowing his guilt to consume him. Miroku hoped that he was wrong.

********************

Sango sighed, staring up at the ceiling and trying hard to ignore the laughter drifting from the dining room. She had felt well enough for most of the day, but since it was the third day in a row that she’d felt ill, Miroku had insisted that she remain in bed. He’d even sent Shippou to stand guard over her, although the kitsune insisted he wanted to keep her entertained so she wouldn’t be lonely. Sango hadn’t the heart to upset the little guy, so she’d spent all morning and part of the afternoon telling him stories and coloring pictures instead of her daily exercises and patrols of the village.

Feeling guilty over all the fuss made over the group’s return, Sango had talked Miroku into the patrols as a way of earning their keep. Each morning and afternoon, one of them would circle the village, keeping an eye out for demons, or any other disturbances they could help with. Most days, there was nothing going on. Not long ago, Sango had even stopped to help an old woman pick the vegetables in her garden, so quiet was the morning. Still, the villagers had grown accustomed to their presence, and she would often see them waiting in their doorways for her to pass by, ensuring in their minds that all remained well.

A soft knock in the doorway announced her brother’s arrival. Kohaku brought a tray to her as Sango sat up to great him. A large bowl of a delicious smelling soup made her stomach growl, and she had no trouble believing that she could finish it easily.

“Kagome-sama made this for you. She said it should help you get well again.” Kohaku mumbled, giving his sister a hug. “Are you feeling better?”

“Much. This looks wonderful! Give Kagome my thanks,” Sango smiled. Looking up from her soup, she realized that her brother looked troubled. Setting the bowl down, the woman frowned, “Is there something wrong, Kohaku?”

Kohaku shook his head, then frowned and nodded. Taking a deep breath, he sank to his knees beside his sister. “How can they be so nice after all that I’ve done?” he asked finally.

“You have nothing to be ashamed of...” Sango began.

“No. That’s not true. You even said so yourself one time... remember? That was before you knew I remembered everything and you caught me with the rat’s nest. I thought that killing Naraku would make it better, and it has ...a little. I just can’t understand how they can have forgiven me when I can’t even forgive myself?” Kohaku sighed.

“You’ve never mentioned feeling like this before... has anyone said anything? Inuyasha, or....”

“Nobody has said anything. That’s part of the problem. It’s like it never happened, but I know it has.”

Sango shook her head, “What I said before... it doesn’t matter. You couldn’t control what you were doing, and when you could, you did everything in your power to fix what was wrong. You came to help us destroy Naraku when it would have been safer to hide and wait for death. It’s Naraku’s fault that father and the others were slain... he used you, damn him.” Anger filled her voice as she spoke.

“Why did Kagome bring me back?” Kohaku whispered, not meeting Sango’s eyes.

Sango was silent for a moment, “I don’t know. Kagome is... different from most people. Somehow, she can sense pain in others and it makes her hurt too. I think she must have sensed my pain, and did the only thing she could to ease it.”

“I though so... that she did it because she cares for you.” The idea seemed to make Kohaku feel sadder.

“No, it’s more than that.” Sango tried to explain. “Kagome believed in the goodness inside you. She knew that you were a victim of Naraku, just like the rest of us... otherwise, she never would have done what she did. I’ve seen her fight. I’ve seen her kill hundreds of demons, and I’ve seen the anger that wells up in here when an injustice is done. She forgives much better than most of us, but it never prevents her from doing what must be done.

“There were things she did for Kikyou that I never could have, and that I even questioned her for. In the end, had Kagome not made the decision to save her rival’s life on more than one occasion, Kikyou wouldn’t have sacrificed herself... Naraku couldn’t have been defeated.” Sango smiled at Kohaku. “Understand? Kagome gave you back to me, but she gave you another chance at life... to do things right. Don’t waste it regretting what can’t be changed. Father would have told you that.”

Kohaku looked thoughtful. Nodding, he kissed Sango’s cheek and thanked her before heading to his own dinner. A second chance? he wondered.

**********************

“I think Kohaku has a crush on you,” Inuyasha commented as he watched Kagome change for bed.

“What?” She laughed through the material of the t-shirt covering her head.

“He kept staring at you all night. I was afraid he’d drown in the soup if his jaw dropped any lower.”

Kagome giggled, “You’re exaggerating,” she insisted.

“Maybe a little,” Inuyasha allowed, pulling her down beside him. “Besides, he doesn’t stand a chance against me.”

Surprised, Kagome smiled, “When did you become so confident?”

Inuyasha grinned tenderly, “When your scent changed.”

“Changed?” Kagome questioned.

“Yep. You smell more like me now. Like us. No one else can touch you, because you accepted my mark.” Inuyasha grinned, letting his fangs show wickedly, “If they do, I can shred their throats.”

Kagome tried to keep a straight face, “Then I’ll make sure to warn Kohaku before he starts acting like Miroku.”

Inuyasha frowned and began tickling his mate’s sides, “Funny, aren’t you, Bitch?” He chuckled as she screeched with laughter and begged him to stop.

Finally, Kagome climbed on top of Inuyasha to pin his arms, effectively stopping the torture. Tears rolled down her face as she sat up, still straddling him and holding his hands still while she tried to catch her breath from laughing so hard. Looking down, she saw that Inuyasha was watching her, grinning smugly. Freeing his hands, Kagome leaned over to kiss him, and was surprised when he leaned over and grabbed his book, using it to block her as he opened it to read.

“Inuyasha!” Kagome gasped in amusement.

“Sorry... I’m busy.” Inuyasha said, barely able to contain the giggle rising within him.

“Oh really?” Kagome raised her eyebrow.

“Yeah. They’re in a place called Iceland, where some of the people have this disease called leprosy.” Inuyasha explained while turning a page.

Kagome grinned. A slight snicker from Inuyasha gave him away completely. “Well,” she sighed airily, “I guess I’ll just get some sleep then.” Rolling off her husband, she turned her back to him, pretending she was getting ready to close her eyes.

A soft thud preceded Inuyasha’s arms wrapping around Kagome as he rolled his mate onto her stomach so that he hovered above her. “On second thought,” his whispered huskily into her ear, “Iceland sounds a little boring right now.”

**********************

The morning sun crept through the bamboo shutters of the bedroom window as Kagome opened her eyes. Immediately, she moaned, wincing as the light assaulted her rudely, making the room spin. Struggling to sit up, Kagome felt as though she were having trouble catching her breath, and she pulled on a robe as she stumbled to the door.

The fresh air outside seemed to help for a moment, but as Kagome started to sit down on the porch, a wave of nausea hit her hard, making her scramble for the privacy of the forest where she retched into a pile of dead leaves. Finished heaving, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, wondering if she’d eaten anything she shouldn’t have.

An echoing retch sounded nearby, and Kagome rose to her feet, following the sound to find Sango kneeling beside a rock. The taijiya smiled weakly as Kagome came into view and sat down a few feet away.

“Sorry,” Sango apologized finally.

“I just did it too. I’m thinking it was the fish,” Kagome commented as Sango came to sit beside her.

Sango shook her head. “I only had the soup last night. Besides, this is the fourth morning I’ve felt like this.” She frowned, “You don’t think we could have been exposed to something poisonous, do you?”

“I don’t think so,” Kagome sighed. “This is the first time we’ve been in the same place in a while so it doesn’t make sense, does it? It doesn’t look as though any of the guys are affected either. Maybe it’s some kind of....” Kagome’s voice trailed off.

“Some kind of what?” Sango prodded.

“Oh.” Kagome hit herself lightly in the head. Turning to Sango, her eyes widened. “Oh!”

Sango now looked worried. “What’s wrong?”

Grabbing her hand, Kagome pulled Sango to her feet and began running back to the shrine house. Dragging her bewildered friend through the front door, Kagome called out to Inuyasha the second she entered, waking up the whole house. “Inuyasha!”


“Kagome, will you tell me what’s wrong?” Sango urged.

Kagome was grinning, “Nothing... I think. Inuyasha!”

The hanyou appeared in seconds, only half dressed. “Kagome!” He said frantically, grabbing her shoulders. “What’s wrong? You threw up? Are you sick? Is the baby okay?”

“The baby...” Sango repeated, her eyes widening as she turned to Kagome in amazement.

“Smell her.” Kagome pushed Inuyasha towards Sango.

Inuyasha frowned in confusion, but did as she asked. Sango paled as he approached her. She looked at Kagome with a strange expression.

“You mean...?” Sango couldn’t finish the sentence.

Kagome nodded, eyes flicking over to her mate.

Inuyasha inhaled gently. The smell of vomit hit him first, and he remembered that she was sick. If Kagome had thrown up as well, had she caught something from Sango? Below the odor of sickness was Sango’s personal smell. He was about to ask Kagome what she was after when Miroku, Kohaku and Shippou came to see what all the fuss was about. As Inuyasha’s eyes fell on the monk, a sudden thought occurred to him.

Ignoring Miroku’s questions, Inuyasha stepped close to Sango, and sniffed more deeply. Kagome placed a hand on his shoulder as he straightened up and looked at the taijiya in front of him. Her eyes were closed, but when she sensed his attention had shifted, she opened them and met his eyes, questioningly.

Inuyasha nodded, “Congratulations.”

Kagome shrieked in delight, clapping her hands as she began jumping up and down. Sango turned to her, looking astonished.

Mirkou still didn’t know what the hell was happening. “Sango?”

Sango turned to her husband and opened her mouth, still not sure if the words would come.

They didn’t need to. At that moment, Shippou hopped into her arms, sniffing closely, mimicking what Inuyasha had done. Before Sango could speak, the little kitsune grinned and turned to Miroku, “She’s pregnant” He stated matter-of-factly.

*******************

The seven of them sat on the front porch for most of the day, relaxing and enjoying one another’s company. Shippou and Kohaku displayed the most energy, jumping up every now and then to play in the yard for a while. Sometimes Kirara would even join them, leaving the four parents-to-be alone to bask in the excitement of the morning’s discovery.

“Sango, I think you should go see Jinenji. He can get papers for you and Miroku so that you can get decent medical attention during your pregnancy.” Kagome suggested.

Sango nodded, “Doesn’t something like that cost money? How would we pay the doctor?”

To everyone’s surprise, Inuyasha was the one who answered. “Jinenji can take care of all that too.” Seeing the looks of astonishment, the hanyou frowned. “In the papers he gave me so that I could exist in Kagome’s world, there was one that said something about free medical treatment... not that I’d ever need it. I’m sure he can do something like that for you.”

Sango didn’t look convinced, but Miroku nodded. “It’s worth a try. I want Sango to have the best treatment possible.”

The wind stirred, and Inuyasha’s ears stood straight up as he tested the air. A low growl rose in his chest and he leapt up, landing squarely in front of the porch, facing the woods. “Get inside... all of you.”

Kagome opened her mouth to ask questions, but Miroku recognized the defensive posture Inuyasha had adopted and quickly ushered her inside. The children and Kirara sensed something was wrong, and they followed the adults without a word.

Inuyasha tensed a moment before a flash of white announced Sesshoumaru’s arrival. The inu-youkai stopped before his half-brother as the hanyou reached for Tetsusaiga.

“You shall have no use for that, little brother.” Sesshoumaru mocked. “This Sesshoumaru wishes to see your Miko... now.”

“You fucking bastard,” Inuyasha grated low in his throat, “I warned you what would happen if you came near her....”

Sesshoumaru’s one arm shot out and in an instant, Inuyasha was dangling above the ground, suspended by the youkai’s hand around his throat. “This Sesshoumaru will not ask again. Either you command your bitch to come forward, or you will die. Take your pick.”

******************************************************************************
Chapter Glossary:

1) Oji-chan - Japanese for uncle.

A/N: Almost all the characters in this story were brought to you by the genius of Rumiko Takahashi, and the letters I, E and W. I do not own the characters, they own me.

Sorry I’m a day late guys! Somehow, my sleep schedule gets all screwy on the weekend, so I slept all day yesterday, and got up at 1:30 this morning!

Just a note: Due to chapter 19 being a BIG pain in my ass, I’m going to have to slow down my postings... a little. The next post will be next Saturday or Sunday. I can’t pin down an exact day because I’m moving next weekend and it’ll depend on how fast I get my computer back up. Don’t worry though! I’m so close to finishing this story and there’s nothing I hate more than an unfinished story.

I’ve only gotten one entry in the baby names contest. (Thanks Ofir!!!) Keep ‘em coming guys! E-mail me at BrethlessM@aol.com and the winner gets a special prize from yours truly!

Also as a reminded - go check out Diane’s site! She’s doing the art for Beautiful Souls, and her work is truly amazing!

On the same note, Stuey just sent me an update on the website and it’s starting to look fantastic! We’ll let you know more details as soon as it’s ready. Thanks Stuey!

Crossbow Trueshot - Thanks for all the advice you gave me... it worked! I’m well on my way again and I feel much better!

Juice - Oh, you guys are all so smart! Hope you enjoyed this update!

BakaInuGirl - Hey, World Mythology is so interesting! Embrace your geekitude! Hooray for Tourette’s and A.D.D.! Yep, you guessed it! And I was trying to be so sneaky too. I’m a Sess-girl too. I think it’s an inu youkai thing. Both him and Inuyasha ah-hem... ‘scuze me. Ah, the inn owners... We shall see them again! (Mwaa-haa-haa....)

Stuey - Yeah, I totally understand that. It’s hard to go from amazing to general stuff. I hope it didn’t affect ch. 16! You know, I didn’t catch the Ryokan thing... that’s interesting. I chose the place because, well, it’s the only hotel in the area! Plus, it was actually around 500 years ago, so it seemed perfect. Did you notice that the first part of the name, ‘Houshi’ is Miroku’s title as a Buddhist priest? Interesting... it must be fate!!! Don’t worry, there will definitely be lemon in the sequel.... We still have at least one more lemon coming in THIS story. Plus, lots and lots of lime. I love lime... it makes me all squishy (okay, that sounded a lot sicker than I meant it too....)

PJ - Funny story about the shower scene... I’ve said how difficult lemons are to write, so I only intended to put two in this story. So one night, after writing Inuyasha and Kagome’s big lemon scene, I’m taking a break and reading some facfic on-line. I noticed that a lot of writers have a tendency to give those two an ALMOST S&M kind of sex life. Sometimes it’s a little too far for my preferences, but as I was reading, I started getting all these hentai ideas... so thus was born the shower scene! As for the Jewel affecting the fighting... go back and read the fight scene at the end of chapter 14.... They might be a hint there! Kouga will definitely be back... how could I pass up THAT opportunity!

Vikki - I’m glad to hear that he’s good to you. I’m really glad you liked the chapter! Hope this one’s good too. I thought you’d like the history stuff! I knew that if anyone would appreciate it, you would! Thanks again and I’ll talk to you soon!