*All thoughts of the characters are in italics*
Chapter 1: Kagome's Secret
Kagome stepped into Keade's hut and the old priestess turned to her. "Welcome child what brings ye to my home." Keade gestured for her to sit down. "Maybe I should keep it to myself, it could be nothing." Kagome thought as she sat across from the wise old woman. Keade quietly waited for Kagome to explain herself. "Well, I had something I'd like for you to help me analyze. I'm not quite for sure about this and I don't want to bother Inuyasha with this until I know for sure. He's been busy working with Miroku to help villages nearby with demon problems and that can be stressful, but if I told him this he might just overly stressed." Kagome started and Keade passed her a cup of tea.
"My dear girl, I don't know if I completely understand the situation I am to help you with." Keade said confused. "I have to tell her, but I might just be fretting over nothing." Kagome shifted uncomfortably "I have been worrying about this so much here lately that I haven't got much sleep. I don't want Inuyasha to notice, but he is getting increasingly suspicious of me. I haven't told him, but I didn't have my, you know, last month and I haven't had one this time either. I was hoping you could confirm my fears." Keade smiled and sighed "Kagome are ye saying you're with child? The only signs I can think of are changes in eating habits, new back pains and stuff like that, a nauseous feeling from time to time, and fast changing emotions. Have ye had any of these?" Kagome thought about it a moment and one applied a few applied to her.
"Yes, I eat a little more and my emotions are unpredictable." Kagome noted and frowned. "Now listen to me dear child, if ye are truly pregnant only time can tell, but I believe ye are indeed with child." Keade confirmed Kagome's fears. Kagome stood and handed the cup back to Keade the tea untouched "I have to go and let this sink in. I'll tell Inuyasha when I can be sure he won't be overly dramatic. Thank you Keade, I'll come by again real soon for you to teach me about herbal remedies and my priestess powers." Kagome hurried out of the hut and saw Sango walk out of her hut with her kids hand in hand with her while the baby slept on the carrier on her back.
"Kagome, would you like to join us for our afternoon walk while Kirara surveys they area for any threats?" Sango smiled. "Sure, I could use a walk to clear my head. I need your opinion on something big." Kagome joined her and the kids. "On something big you say? Is Inuyasha teasing you again or something?" Sango smiled. "I can't speak with her while he kids are here, they can be very impressionable." Kagome eyed the twins "No, it's something bigger than a fight." "This can't be good; I thought they were so happy. Are they separating, I've never heard a marriage to end like that?" Sango stared at Kagome's long face "Then what is it; my kids are smart enough that if it's a secret I can get them to keep it." Kagome sighed and stopped turning to her quickly "I just found out something and I'm unsure how to tell Inuyasha. Keade helped me confirm it. It's our secret if I tell you okay; I need to tell Inuyasha when I feel the time is right."
"Kids, remember what we do when we're told a secret?" Sango looked at her twins who laughed and nodded. "We zip our lips and take it to our grave, unless told." The twins said in unison like little professional secret keepers. Kagome smiled softly "Alright, but it better stay a secret until I speak to Inuyasha. I'm pregnant, I'm with child, and I haven't been sleeping well due to my worries about Inuyasha's reaction and he is starting to get suspicious of me." Kagome felt a weight being lifted as she spoke to Sango. Sango beamed from ear to ear "That's fantastic news! Inuyasha will be thrilled, to know about it!" Kagome looked at the twins and the twins grinned "We didn't hear a thing."
Suddenly, there were footsteps behind Kagome and then heard Inuyasha sigh "Stupid monk, Miroku just ripped off another village. Now, what was it the twins didn't hear?" Kagome turned nervously "Nothing really just some girl talk. I guess your day was the usual." She stepped toward Inuyasha wiping some dirt from his face. "Yeah we got rid of the demon and then Miroku made them give us a bunch of food." Inuyasha set some baskets on the ground "She looks more tired than she did earlier today." "Inuyasha, I have a whole family to feed or did you forget." Miroku appeared with a wagon of food. "Inuyasha, are you okay?" Sango was confused. "Yeah, I'm fine. Kagome do you want to go back home and rest a bit you look tired today." Inuyasha looked Kagome over. "Yes, I could use some rest." Kagome wobbled and Inuyasha caught her. "Kagome, are you feeling alright?" Inuyasha picked her up bridal style. "I just got a bit dizzy. I'll be okay; I can walk on my own." Kagome hopped out of his arms and fell on her knees to the ground. Inuyasha knelt by her "You're not okay let's let the old priestess check you out." Kagome got dizzier and then passed out. "Kagome!" Inuyasha caught her and then picked her up taking her to the wise old priestess unsure what she'd uncover.