A New Beginning
He paced worriedly outside their hut as he listened to his wife cry out and whimper in agony. Each cry, each whimper was like a knife to his heart. Why did he have to get her pregnant in the first place? Hadn't they been through enough while they had been hunting the Shikon jewel shards? Inuyasha continued to pace outside his hut while Shippou watched him nervously. He wanted to do something, anything to ease her suffering. He had lost Kagome for three years once they had defeated the Shikon No Tama. Now, two years later she was giving birth to their first born, and probably only child if he had his way. As much as Sango and old Kaede said that everything was as it should be expected with the birth of a first child, he couldn't help but feel that Kagome was in far too much pain.
He spun around as the loud screaming cries of his and Kagome's child. He was frozen in place as he listened to the cries. He wanted to go to Kagome and see their child, but he was also afraid of what he might come upon. What if only the child had made it through the birth? He didn't know how he would handle that situation. He had lost Kagome once and to lose her again with this time not being able to have her return to him… the thought alone was unbearable. He watched the flap of the hut apprehensively as he waited for news. Then a laugh filtered through the air. Kagome's laugh. She was fine and she was laughing. What could she possibly be laughing at? She should be resting not laughing. He marched up to the flap of the hut and as he reached for the flap he became nervous. He shook his head at himself. This was no time to be nervous. His wife and just born child were in there!
He opened the flap and walked in. "Kagome you should be…" his words were lost once he looked at her. She was pale and tired looking, but she was glowing in a way he had never seen before. She was holding his child in her arms smiling down lovingly at the newborn. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. She was glowing with love that only a mother knew. He stared at her and their child amazed at what he was beholding.
Kagome looked up smiling at him. He loved it when she smiled at him. He walked over to where she held their child in her arms. "She has your ears, Inuyasha."
He looked down and noticed that the screaming newborn in fact had his ears. He chuckled and stroked the baby's right ear. "She?" he asked.
Kagome laughed. "Yes, she. As in we have a daughter." She turned to looked at Kaede and Sango, who was trying to hold back her laughter at Inuyasha's expression. "You were right. He is shocked that we have a daughter. His face is priceless. Its almost like he's waiting for me to say the word."
Inuyasha shook himself out of his state of shock. He had a daughter. He had expected a son. He looked down at the newborn who was still crying loudly. He chuckled as her little fists went flying through the air. He sat down beside Kagome and opened his arms to receive his daughter. As he held her, he rocked her gently. She quieted but her little fists were still flying as if to say she meant business. He laughed. "She's going to be a fighter like me. Look at the way she flings her fists."
Kagome laughed. "Not to mention stubborn and hard-headed which is likely if she is already acting like you and she was only born just a few minutes ago."
Inuyasha frowned almost like a pout. "What's wrong with that?"
Kagome laid her head on her husband's shoulder. "There's nothing wrong with that. Those are some of your best, and worst, traits."
Inuyasha laughed. "She's going to be like me! I think we should call her Ayame."
Kagome looked up at her husband and tested the baby's name with her own tongue. "Ayame?" she said carefully. "Its perfect. Ayame it is."
He heard Sango and Kaede leave the hut. He smiled down at his daughter who was beginning to look rather pouty and mad. "Umm Kagome. Do I look like that sometimes?"
Kagome laughed as she looked at Ayame. "She's definitely her father's daughter. She makes your faces already."
Inuyasha pouted with his daughter, the two looking more and more alike with each passing second. "Sleep now, Kagome. You need your rest. Its been a tiring day for you. I'll take care of Ayame. Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to either of you ever, I promise."
Kagome smiled and nodded. She laid down on the mat and quickly was asleep.
He watched Kagome sleep until heard something that sounded like a small growl. He looked down at Ayame. She was growling. He laughed and shook his head. His daughter was very much like him. He fingered the small fist of his daughter carefully. When she grabbed his finger in her fist he was amazed at how strong she was for a newborn. He chuckled when she put his finger in her mouth and began sucking before she slipped into sleeping. He cradled Ayame closer to his chest protectively. "You're going to be a feisty trouble maker. I can tell that already." He began to gently rock his little Ayame in his arms.