Two weeks later

Kagome was home with Inuyasha and Sota. Sota had run away to her house because everyone was stressing him out and putting him under a lot of pressure to excel in school.

"Kagome, I'm trying my best. Really, I am. I'm in your homeroom and I'm playing Inuyasha's position on the team. You two are a tough act to follow." He told her as he lied on the couch.

"I know. I'm proud of you for trying so hard. Even your teachers are proud. You're doing very well." She comforted as she rubbed his forehead. "You should at least let mom and grandpa know you're here. If you don't, I will."

"You do it. I don't want to talk to either one of them right now."

Kagome sighed and called her mother. She knew her brother was very soft hearted and didn't like to be reprimanded or get into confrontations with people.

Inuyasha was in the kitchen making an attempt to cook—something, anything for that matter. He absolutely hated the deal he made with Kagome two years ago…

Inuyasha and Kagome finally settled into their home and sat on the couch.

"Now we just need a little staff around the house and—"

"No!" She shouted adamantly.

"Whaddya mean no?!"

"No butlers, maids, chefs, assistants or anything. We can take care of ourselves."

"What?! What the fuck am I supposed to do if you're not here!?"

"You'll learn. If we're going to have children, we should teach them to be independent."

"B-But Sesshomaru and Rin have Jaken!" He argued in a whiny voice.

"And they can both cook, clean and take care of themselves!"

Inuyasha pouted and crossed his arms. "Fine. But what if I burn the house down while I'm cooking?"

Kagome laughed as she stood. "Then you buy me another one. Deal?"

Inuyasha glared at his wife. "Whatever."

Inuyasha sighed and started pulling utensils out the cabinet.

"Hey, Kagome!" he shouted from the kitchen. "What's this?" He asked, holding up a utensil that appeared foreign to him.

Kagome came in and stared at him disappointedly. "It's a melon baller. Put it back."

"Why do you have all this extra shit in the kitchen?"

"It's not extra! We need those things."

"I've never seen you ball a melon!" he said as he went in the drawer. "And what is this?"

Kagome sighed annoyingly. "It's a potato masher!"

"Oh. I need this."

"For what?"

"Mashing cheese."

"We have a cheese grater!" She yelled as she took the potato masher from him and threw it into the drawer. "You know what? Get out. I'll do the cooking for tonight."

"But—"

"Out! Geez. You can't even make ice!"

Inuyasha hung his head down and walked out the kitchen. Once he was out of Kagome's eyesight, a sinister smirk found its way across his face as he lied out on the couch across from Sota.

"Hey, bro. I thought you were cooking." Sota said in a confused tone.

"I pretended I didn't know what anything in the kitchen was and Kagome kicked me out."

Sota laughed heartily. "Nice."

Suddenly, the doorbell rung. Inuyasha quickly went to get it. He knew the family wasn't expecting company but he was in for a big surprise.

As he opened the door, a phenomenal, hourglass figured, large busted woman with a short bob, seductive red eyes and red lipstick stood at the door in a pink dress with a white cashmere sweater draped over her shoulders. Inuyasha might have found her attractive if it weren't the same little girl he remembered from his younger days.

"Damn, what a surprise! Hey, Yura!"

"Oh, my! Is that my big brother? I missed you so much!" She said excitedly as she jumped into his arms.

When Inuyasha was younger, Yura was the only female friend he ever had. He and Miroku used to play with her all the time until her father found a job in China and they were forced to relocate.

"It's nice to see you. You haven't changed—" He paused as he looked at her. "Except your two buck teeth are gone and you're not chubby anymore."

"Well, Do you think I could be Miss Universe if I still looked like that?" She told him as he brought her inside.

"Inuyasha, who was at the door?" Kagome called out.

Inuyasha dragged Yura into the kitchen. "You won't believe who just dropped in on us." He said happily as he pointed to Yura.

"Whoa what a beaut!" Yura bowed before Kagome.

Kagome dropped her spoon and squealed excitedly. "Miss Universe! Is in…my house! I watched all your pageants! You are so amazing! I'm one of your biggest fans."

Yura laughed. "No need to be starstruck, honey. We're family!"

Kagome blushed heavily and smiled. "But I admire you so much for your success!"

"And I admire you as well for turning this boy into a married man…and a father too!" She said as she poked Inuyasha.

Inuyasha stared angrily as the two women laughed at him. "Uh…let's leave Kagome to cook and you and I can catch up." He told Yura as he lead her out the kitchen.

"I know you've been busy and all, but we've only spoken a few times a year. I didn't even know you were coming. What's brought you all the way to Japan?"

"You know that sports magazine spread you and the rest of your team are doing? I was called here to do a "summer in the winter" spread for the same magazine."

"That's great! Miroku would love to see you too."

"He already knows I'm here. I just wanted to surprise you since you were always the nicer brother."

Inuyasha laughed as he recalled those fond memories.

"Miroku stop touching my hair!" Yura shouted.

"Not till you say 'uncle'!" He teased as he continued to pull at her hair.

"Inuyasha I need a favor." Yura requested.

Inuyasha already knew what she wanted so he sat in the grass in front of her as she used her demon powers and controlled the lengths of his hair to smack Miroku into a tree.

"You know, he still has that little scar on the side of his head from hitting that tree." He said with a smirk, pointing to his temple.

"Oh, that scar. Scars, you know, are like stories written on our skin."

He nodded in agreement. "And in our hearts."

Yura raised an eyebrow at him. "When did you become so wise?"

He shrugged and laughed. "I've been learning from Kagome."

"I see." She nodded approvingly as she turned her head to the other side of the room. "Now tell me, who is this fine young man who has been gawking at me since the moment we sat down?" She asked as she waved at Sota who was staring wide-eyed and mouth open.

"That's my brother in law, Sota." He walked over to Sota and closed his open mouth. "Sota, that's—"

"Yura…I know who she is. She's in your house. She's pretty." He replied wistfully.

"Dinner's ready!" Kagome told them from the dining room.

Inuyasha pulled out his wife's seat as Sota pulled out Yura's chair and sat next to her with a slightly creepy smile on his face. Yura shot him a sweet grin before she turned away.

"Oh, it all looks so delicious!" Yura told Kagome graciously. "It's such a shame Inuyasha wasn't in there helping you more."

"But…I can't cook."

Yura gasped. "Inuyasha! Your mother was a genuine culinary artist! She would be disappointed to know you can't make a morsel of food for your family. I guess everything she taught you was worthless."

"What exactly did she teach him?" Kagome asked curiously.

"Just the basics. Baking, Identifying kitchenware. He knew every utensil in his kitchen blindfolded."

Kagome kicked Inuyasha in his shin as he grimaced slightly. "So…he was just pretending earlier to get out of cooking, huh?"

"Oops! Did I get you in trouble?" Yura smiled and covered her eyes.

"I'll deal with him later. And Sota it's rude to stare." She reprimanded as she noticed his eyes were glued to Yura.

"Oh, I'm not staring. I'm admiring fine art."

Kagome slapped her forehead and shook her head as Inuyasha laughed.

"Hey, the kid's got game at least."

Yura tried to ignore the odd stares Sota was giving her. "Inuyasha. I wanted to make you a proposition."

"What kind of proposition?"

"Well my father has gotten word that your company is looking to expand, as is our family's. I was thinking we could become partner companies and branch out as far as we could. It would benefit us all, don't you agree?"

Inuyasha nodded. "You, me and my brother should have a meeting discussing all the terms. I'm sure he'd love to expand to China."

"Great!" Yura said excitedly.

After dinner, Yura went back to her hotel and agreed to drive Sota home as long as he didn't drool on her upholstery. Once they were gone, Inuyasha tried to hide in the closet from Kagome.

"Inuyasha, this is childish! I am too pregnant to chase you around!" She shouted. "If you know you're in trouble, you could at least rub my feet. They're killing me!"

"You're not gonna hit me with a rolling pin right?"

"I don't even have a rolling pin in my hand! Just come to bed."

Inuyasha walked out of the closet and went into his bedroom where Kagome was rubbing her quickly growing stomach. He knelt down and kissed her stomach as he felt his baby move for the first time.

"Talk to her. I'm sure she'd love to hear her father's voice."

"Hi, Sakura." He spoke sweetly and softly as she quickly reacted to the sound of his voice.

'When did we ever agree on that name?' Kagome thought.

"It's daddy. I can't wait to see you. I got a picture from the doctors and I can already see you have my ears. I hope you're as beautiful as your mother. Even though I may have to kill a few people."

"Ow! She kicked me right in my ribs!" Kagome cried out as she rubbed her stomach.

"Well I guess you can defend yourself." He smiled and kissed her stomach again. "You'll be here in nine more weeks. I got you the most beautiful bassinet to sleep in. But for now, sleep in mommy's stomach and don't kick her anymore. You're half demon so it probably hurts her a lot. I love you."

As the kicking slowly stopped, Kagome lied back and pushed her feet in Inuyasha's face. "They hurt!"

Inuyasha slowly rubbed Kagome's feet to help ease the pain and swelling.

"Yura certainly is beautiful in person." She said.

Inuyasha sighed. "I hate that she's doing this."

"Doing what?"

"All this modeling, pageants, looking the way she does. She's still the same on the inside but on the outside…she's a stranger. I remember her as an awkward 6 year-old. She was fat and smelled like cabbage all the time."

"You were very protective of her, weren't you?"

"I had to be! Everyone picked on her. So I guess I still feel the same way. But…I can't protect her anymore."

"People grow up and sometimes they don't need a protector anymore. She still seems to look up to you. But now you have someone else to protect. Sakura will be here in a few weeks."

"So you like the name?"

Kagome shrugged. "It didn't seem random. Knowing you, it probably has a special meaning."

"Y-yeah. My mom used to say if she ever had a daughter, that's what she would've named her."

Kagome smiled and nodded approvingly. "It's a beautiful name."

"You're beautiful too."