Inuyasha couldn't stop pacing. He had been huffing and puffing for a few hours now. I couldn't help but feel a little ashamed…but of what? I hadn't done anything in particular for this outcome. It wasn't my fault that we were going to have a baby. Wow, even as I thought about it, it didn't seem real. I guess I have always wanted to be a mom…but I didn't think it would be this soon.

Well, Inuyasha was furious. Or, that's how he acted anyways, but I think he was more afraid. The fact that he knew his child would be different like he was probably scared him to death. I decided to stand up and try to talk to him. Cautiously, I walked over toward him. I stopped suddenly when he drew Tetsaiga and a flash of light sprang from it. A roar ripped from the hanyou and I covered my face to protect myself from the debris.

Inuyasha growled and panted at the fiery sight. It was a few hundred trees burnt down in a straight cut through the forest behind our hut. Fires were dying down as they were isolated from any more trees to feed off of but smoke still arose from the rubble. He turned toward me with a look of hopelessness.

My eyes started to tear up as he sheathed his sword and came to take me in his trembling arms. He was still panting but it was shallow and slow unlike before. I wrapped my arms around him and whispered soothingly to calm him.

"I'm scared, too." I murmured to him.

A few days later we decided not to tell our friends. We knew they wouldn't judge, and that they'd willingly accept the fact of another little baby running around with their kids. We knew Shippou would be excited about it as well. He would rave about the idea of becoming a brother. But the fact is I was a bit young to have a child, especially one that has demon blood. Even Kaede told us there would most likely be complications during delivery or even during the pregnancy. So if anything happened, we didn't want them to be upset.

Inuyasha was a little concerned about not telling them. If we were called out to exterminate a demon they would be suspicious if I didn't come along too. I didn't worry too much about it, though. After all, there haven't been any demons lately.

Until today.

"No, Kagome. You can't come with us." Inuyasha said.

Sango and Miroku had told us that a demon was killing all the crops and eating all the cattle. Inuyasha dragged me away from them after I volunteered to go.

"I already told you before, this baby doesn't change anything. I'm going to help you guys out. I'm going with my friends."

"KAGOME, I SAID NO!"

I flinched at his fierce tone. He hadn't used that kind of tone with me since the Shikon Jewel was broken for the first time years ago. I looked up and he was already out the hut.

That's when I knew he cared. Well, of course he cared. Like any father would, Inuyasha loved this child. He was just scared. Just like me.

He came back in and held me in his arms, holding me tightly. He was trembling again.

"I just don't want either of you hurt…Please, stay here…I don't know what to do… I don't…" He choked off. I hushed him gently and told him to go ahead. He would tell Sango and Miroku and Shippou that I wasn't feeling well, and that Kaede had told me to stay home.

So there I lay for about twenty minutes. Ugh, it was so boring; I decided to start doing laundry: Two kimonos that Kaede had made me, a spring one with red pink lily flowers covering a white sheet, and a summer one that had orange summer flowers blooming. I also took some of the clothes I got for Inuyasha in my modern time that he wore on occasion, as if people didn't look at him strangely enough, but he did it to show he wasn't ashamed of me, or of my time. I had to admit, he looked very nice in modern clothes. He said it felt too tight sometimes, but overall I think he liked it. I didn't dare try to wash his slack jeans in the river, though. I always waited until I got home to do that, just to make them easier to get used to. I soaked them in the river and scrubbed them against the wash board.

I walked back up the hill from the river and started to remember how my mother would insist on washing our clothes, and then I'd tell her that I was old enough to take care of myself and Inuyasha. Little did I know that I'd have to take care of a baby anytime soon…Inuyasha and I hadn't even talked about it. The anxiety was just starting to bother me when a strong wind had suddenly hit me. The spring kimono flew off the line into what looked like an approaching tornado.

Immediately I knew Koga was here for a visit, and I panicked. I didn't want him to find out but I wasn't very good at keeping secrets, especially from friends. That's why I hadn't wanted to see anyone, but of course Koga wouldn't have known that.

"Hey Kagome, I got your kimono." He smiled as he handed it to me.

"Gee, thanks Koga…"

"Heard you weren't feeling well, but you look fine. Maybe that mutt just lied so I wouldn't see you. Hey, Kagome, why weren't you with the others on their way to slay the demon?"

"Yeah, I told them I wasn't feeling well, and Kaede told me I shouldn't go…"

He looked me up and down, a suspicious glint in his eye. Then he took me into his arms and hugged me tight. Too tight. I thought I might explode. I felt something in my stomach stir and I pushed Koga away suddenly and ran for a bush on the side of the house and once again threw up my guts. I cried and held my hair back until Koga's hands replaced mine.

"Kagome, you really aren't feeling well, are you?" He said gently and shockingly.

I nodded my head instead of answering him. My breath was putrid and my throat was burning. When I gained some composure and spat a few times, I asked told Koga thanks and walked down to the river to wash my mouth out. I felt a little light headed after that so Kouga carried me back to the hut and lied me down.

"So…what's wrong? You eat something bad?" He asked.

I chuckled weakly. I knew that he was being sincere, but this compared to food poisoning was laughable. Then I knew how to change the subject.

"Where's Ayame?"

He looked shocked and looked away a moment. He sighed deeply and looked back at me. "She's sick, too."

I looked at him, confused for a moment. I wondered if it was the same "sickness" as mine.

He answered my unspoken question. "She's been really weak, her face and lips are pale, and she hasn't eaten in a few days…I came down to find the cure."

"There's a cure?" I asked silently. I wish I had a cure for my aches and pains.

"Yes, well…I've been coming down to find a plant that may cure her. But, I've had to bring my pack with me to feed them…they've been helping me search fields…"

"You're the one ruining the fields?" I asked.

"No. There's a bigger demon out there ruining the crops before we even get there. It's just hungry, not worth my energy to kill."

"I'm sure when the others return, they'll help you find the plant you need…"

"Well…thing is…"He hesitated. "I don't really know what plant I need..."

I stared over at him and smiled slightly. "Well, we can go ask Kaede. I'm sure she will know."

"No, no you need your rest. I'll find it."

"But you don't even know what it is you need to find." I insisted.

After 5 minutes of discussion, Koga helped me out of bed and I led him to Kaede's hut. She was shocked to see me and let me sit down.

"Kaede," I said. "Koga is looking for an herb to cure his mate. She's very ill…"

Koga just sat in the corner with his arms crossed.

I spoke for him. "She won't eat, she's very weak, and she's pale."

She looked up and over at Koga and smiled. "I have what ye need." She got up and moved the herbs he had in bottles and searched for one that was labeled something foreign. She handed it to him and he frowned slightly, probably upset that he couldn't find it himself.

"Thank you." He said to Kaede. He looked over at me. "And thank you, Kagome. I'll say hello to Ayame for you…I hope you feel better as well, I'll come visit as soon as Ayame is better." And then he walked out of the hut and ran off in a dust tornado.

"Wait, Koga!" I yelled as he got further from sight. "I have to tell you…ugh, never mind…"

"How do ye think he would have reacted?" Kaede asked behind me.

"The same as Inuyasha…but about a thousand times worse."

That stupid mutt was heading over to Kagome, and I couldn't let him near her. He'd know as soon as he smelled her that she had mated with me, and I didn't want him to blow up with fury around her. But first I had to take care of that damn demon. I ran ahead of everyone and followed the smell of something foul and bloody.

I found the beast eating the meat of a cow. Blood was smeared all over the demons mouth. He looked at me with beady red eyes and licked off the blood.

I laughed. "This is going to be easy."

Tetsaiga laughed with me by pulsing in my hands and transforming with a blaze into the large blade. I raised it over my head and got ready to cut this monster down.

"Inuyasha!"

I turned around and saw Sango and Miroku run up behind me. They both had shocked expressions on their faces. I turned back and-

SMACK!

"Ugh!" I was hit and by back slammed into the forest. Sango and Miroku had already gone into combat. Shippou was with Kirara using his new techniques.

"Perfect." I mumbled.

My ears then perked up to hear Kagome grunting and coughing. She wasn't far, and I could smell that wolf all over her. I could tell our secret would be out if she told him, which was why I had to get to her. Miroku, Sango, Shippou, and Kirara were all gonna have to face this one on their own.

"Kagome!" I called out, rushing back to the village.

I ran into our hut, looking for her. But she wasn't there. Panicking, I looked outside, down at the river, but she wasn't there. "Kagome…"

"Inuyasha!" Great. Second time today I have to see this damn wolf boy…

"What is it, Koga?" He was standing next to me on the bank, looking at me with cold, blue eyes. His hair was whipping in the wind furiously.

"I know…that you mated with Kagome. I also know your little secret." He said lowly.

"What. Secret?" I growled.

"You know, Kagome's having a pup." He said.

"SHHHH!"

"Ah, so it is a secret."

"You can't tell anyone. Kagome doesn't want anyone to know. Not yet."

"Why is that?" He asked, curious.

I looked away from him. "Don't you get it? She's carrying a child with demon blood. A fragile, human girl…is carrying a demon…"

Koga's eye's changed. He looked back at where the hut was like he was looking for something. I saw worry, the worry that was in my heart since we found out about the pup.

"She could die…" That was the worry that has been eating away at me since the news, and he just spat it out in the air.

"Yes. It's a risk. That's why we don't want anyone to know…"

"Smart idea. I'll keep it to myself." He jumped over to the other side of the river and walked off, a bit of weight noticeably added to his shoulders. I almost felt bad for pointing it out, but he if he knew about Kagome, he might as well know all about the risks.

"Hey, Koga! Say hey to Ayame for me!" I shouted out.

He turned with a grim look on his face, and then smiled a little.

I walked back up the hill slowly, trying to remember to breathe when I felt like I was losing hope. I know that Kagome was hopeful, yet just as scared as I was. That was what kept me sane, the fact that I wasn't alone. Not like when I was younger, when my mother died. I had no one…no one…until…

"Inuyasha?"

I looked up to see Kagome standing in the backdoor, her hands resting on her stomach, and her eyes filled with sadness.

"What's wrong, Kagome?" I asked gently, standing there.

Kagome didn't say anything. She strode towards me, then she ran towards me, and then she jumped into my arms. I hugged her close, whispering "I love you" over and over again until she fell asleep, and then we lay down in our hut, with her in my arms. I never could let her go…And so I wouldn't.