Normally Inuyasha would jump at any chance to quarrel with his older brother for he feared Sesshomaru very rarely, plus the thrill of knocking some heads was always fun, but today was definitely not one of Inuyasha's brave days. He could feel the heat of his brother's anger emitting from his body, the golden orbs that usually housed unemotion and uninterest in most things was fired up like an unstoppable forest fire, yes, he could tell, Inuyasha would definitely lose if he dared to fight. So he did was any obedient younger brother did, he did as he was told.
"Sesshomaru, I-" Inuyasha started.
Sesshomaru however was so angry that he couldn't even wait until they confessed. "What the hell is all this about?" His glare kept going back and forth between his idiotic brother and his blockhead of a client. "Do you two have any brains whatsoever? Do you two not realize that you have images to hold?"
"Sess, I-" Kagome tried.
"Kagome, I've been letting you off easily these past months only because Rin is pregnant and I have a duty to stay by her side when the need sees fit, but I had no idea you would go run amuck with out my supervision!" Sesshomaru snapped. Kagome's eyes were wide and glassy as if she were holding back her tears and her face had guilty written all over it.
"It wasn't her fault, I-" Inuyasha butt in.
"Didn't I tell you to stay away from her Inuyasha? Didn't we go over this the day after the little incident at the hotel?" Sesshomaru's eyes flashed at Inuyasha. Kagome looked from her manager to the boy beside her.
What are they talking about? Kagome thought.
"Yes, I know and it wasn't supposed to end up like this but-"
"Inuyasha!" Sesshomaru growled low. "End like what? What wasn't supposed to end like this? Are you telling me that what the press has written has even an ounce of truth within those mind-straining-stress-increasing words?"
Inuyasha looked at Kagome and Kagome looked back at him before they both looked up at Sesshomaru. "Sess…please listen to us." Kagome pleaded. Sesshomaru stared at her for a minute then let out a angry huff of breath and started to pace back and forth, but the silence allowed them to explain.
"It was an accident." Kagome said.
"A complete and drunken accident." Inuyasha sighed. Sesshomaru's eyes flashed at Inuyasha again but he remained silent. "It happened at the award ceremony…it started with Kikyo. She said a few things that really pissed me off so I drank…and drank some more until all I could remember was waking up in Kagome's bed."
Kagome rolled her eyes at Inuyasha. "It's true, I was drunk as well…Kouga…I had seen him kissing another girl before he left with her,"
"Didn't I tell you not to associate with him? He's nothing but trouble!" Sesshomaru snapped.
"Well after I saw him and you were completely right, I should have listened and I'm sorry," Kagome said quickly. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and muttered, "Suck up."
Kagome pinched Inuyasha's leg and continued with her story. "After I saw him I just drank to get rid of the image and the last thing I remember was waking up to Sango's call and then finding Inuyasha in my bed."
"Sango?" Sesshomaru asked. He turned on her and Miroku. "You were there? And you didn't stop them? Wait, wait, wait…why were they even in the same room?"
"Uh…well I had got a room just incase Kagome and I decided to drink too much and we could just crash but then she drank too much and Miroku had to pick her up and take her to the room, but then we saw Inuyasha completely making a fool of himself so we decided to take Inuyasha and her up as well so no paparazzi would make a headline of it the next morning and…" Sango said really quickly, feeling Sesshomaru's angry stare at her but it soon switched to Miroku.
"Miroku, you were there as well?"
Miroku kind of did a little step behind Sango and chuckled nervously. "Uhh…yeah, I was there too. We had them in separate beds, Sess, and they were knocked out by the time we left to go get something to eat and,"
"You left a drunken boy and girl together alone in the same room?!" Sesshomaru roared, rounding on Miroku and Sango. They backed up. "So it was your fault that they ended up like this!? Miroku! Inuyasha is supposed to be your best friend and as a manager, you are supposed to take responsibility of him, regardless of how close your age is!"
Miroku didn't respond, but he nodded guiltily.
"I have been taking care of Kagome since I was twenty years old! And not once have I let her image tarnish or has she been in a worse scenario like this! I will admit that because she is in this predicament is because of my own personal faults-"
"No Sess, it's not your fault!" Kagome cried. "I'm sorry! It's my fault! I know I should have known better! I'm sorry, Sesshomaru! Your personal life has nothing to do with this, Rin nor you is not to blame, never!" Kagome was starting to lose control over her emotions, any minute she felt as if she were to cry out all her tears.
"Kagome, I thought I taught you better than this…" Sesshomaru sighed. Kagome nodded sadly as tears started rolling down her cheeks.
"You have, Sess, I'm so sorry. It was a one night mistake that lead to this."
"Wait, you've been working with Kagome for almost five years now?" Inuyasha asked. "I thought you just hired her on?"
"No, Inuyasha. She has been my sole main focus for years now. Because she was so young, I didn't let her out into the public much, I didn't want to scar her. But now that she's older, I felt that she would be able to handle the social life and the harsh reailty of the entertainment buisness if it were to come, like it has now. You do realize that you two will now be under the public's entertaining microscopic eye. Some will try to support you and the others will try to rip your whole image down, as well as your emotions and confidence! This is exactly why I've kept her so under control!"
Inuyasha sighed and rubbed his hands all over his face in frustration. "Sesshomaru, I'm sorry."
"Sess, I'm sorry." Kagome said softly.
"Sesshomaru, I'm sorry." Sango said.
"Sesssssssy, I'm sorry." Miroku whined. Sesshomaru glared at him and instantly Miroku straightened up. "I'm sorry."
Sighing, he took a seat in front of Inuyasha and Kagome. "What do you plan on doing then?"
Inuyasha and Kagome looked at each other.
"Well, I've decided to keep it, only because I don't have the heart to abort it. But I figured I could raise it on my own, seeing as Inuyasha and I don't get along."
"Hey, wench, I told you I would take responsibility!" Inuyasha spat.
"Hey, ass, I told you that I don't want you to take responsibility!" Kagome spat back.
"Enough!" Sesshomaru growled. "Kagome, Inuyasha is the father so he does have say in this situation and it is fair to him. Not to mention, I don't think it would be advisable to be seen as a young mother raising her child concieved of a drunken one night stand with out a father figure around."
"Sess!" Kagome said. "Are you implying that I stay with this jerk?"
"Kagome, I think it's better that Inuyasha take care of you and the baby. That way both of your images will be saved and the baby will be happy later down the road." Sango piped in.
"I think the same. Inuyasha may be a stubborn ass at times," Miroku said, completely ignorning Inuyasha's face of fury. "But I think he has what it takes to be a good father and I know he can be a good friend."
Kagome sighed. "But…"
"Kagome, listen to me. If I were you, I would marry Inuyasha." Sesshomaru said seriously. Kagome's mouth dropped.
"Huh?"
"I think so too." Miroku and Sango both said at the same time.
"Wait…hold up! This is our lives your talking about! What if I don't want to marry her?" Inuyasha bit out.
"Weren't you just telling her that you would marry her?" Sango said.
"Yeah, Yash, you were the one who made the suggestion." Mirku called out.
"Besides Inuyasha, I don't think you have much of an option. Dad will be mad when he finds out about it but just wait till mom finds out, I'm not sure you'll survive to see the baby born." Sesshomaru said. His gaze fell upon Kagome who was looking down at her lap and twisiting her fingers. "Kagome, I know this is hard, but it's the right thing to do. It's the responsible thing to do now that you've decided to keep the child. It's to save yours and Inuyasha's image and provide the baby a happy future."
Kagome sighed in defeat. "Fine. I'll do it."
Sango and Miroku's eyes got wide. Inuyasha stared at the girl beside him in shock.
"I'll marry you, Inuyasha."
Sesshomaru sighed in what sounded like relief laced with a tinge of disappointment and stood up. "Good. I have to meet with these magazine publishers to get things straightened out. Inuyasha, if I were you, I would go have a long talk with mom and dad, you too Kagome. Also, once everyone is informed with the truth, I think we should talk over the wedding plans and what the future is to bring. I'll get back with the both of you soon so keep your cell phones on, you got it?"
"Yeah…"
"Alright, I'll let myself out." Sesshomaru said.
"Hey Sess?" Miroku called out before he left Kagome's home. When Sess looked up, Miroku smiled. "You're going to be a great father."
Sesshomaru looked back at all of them and sighed. "Thank you. I just hope I can say the same for Inuyasha. Good bye." He closed the door and everyone in Kagome's living room sighed in relief.
"Well that wasn't so bad." Sango clapped happily.
"Says you." Kagome said bitterly.
Inuyasha stood up and walked to the door with Miroku but before he left he said one last thing to Kagome. "I'll come by later tonight and we'll talk seriously over things. I'm going to talk with my parents, be prepared to have a meeting with them sometime this week, that is, if I live to tell you when they want to meet."
Kagome nodded.
"Alright…bye."
Once the boys left and it was only Sango and Kagome left, Kagome let the tears fall as if there was no tomorrow. "Sango, I don't want to get married, no not yet! Especially to him!"
"You'll be okay, Kagome."
"No I won't! He's going to make my life miserable!"
Sango was stroking Kagome's hair as her friend cried into her lap. "Kagome…" She said thoughtfully. "I've got an idea."
"Hmm…" Kagome sniffled.
"Why don't you and Inuyasha make a contract of some sort?"
"What?" The crying girl replied confused.
Sango smiled wide. "Yeah, like the kinds you see in those dramas! Like a marriage contract! You see it all the time! The girl and guy who hate each other end up having to get married because of a mistaken night of passion ends up in pregnancy and then they make up a marriage contract that no one knows about. Everyone's happy that they get married, but secretly it's like a cover. Like, I dunno…after the baby is born and you guys still haven't fallen in love, then divorce. Bam! That's a year of marriage to keep families happy and the press happy. Image saved!"
Kagome sat up abruptly. "Sango!"
"What?" Sango said. "Not a good idea? Fine then just forget it."
"No! No! Brilliant! Oh gosh! You genius! I have a genius best friend!" Kagome laughed out.
Sango laughed as well. "Well, you know…"
Inuyasha walked heavy in thought up his doorsteps. Sesshomaru could yell and yell all he wanted but nothing could prepare him for the rude awakening he was knew he was about to get from not only his father, but worse…his mother. Turning the knob he looked back at Miroku who waved and gave a 'good luck' flicker of a smile then drove off. Silence was what he received when he walked into the entrance hall even the lights were barely on causing a very gloomy atmosphere.
"Hello?" Inuyasha called out as he took off his shoes. Taking a step down into the game room he found it to be empty when normally his younger brother Shippo occupied it as much as he could. "Shippo, Rin?"
"Inuyasha…" A woman's voice was heard from behind. Inuyasha turned around to face his sister-in-law, Rin.
"Rin, where is everybody?"
Rin strolled herself to the bean bag like sofa and plopped down. "They are around."
Inuyasha gave her a confused look. "Around? Why are all the lights turned off?"
"It's cause Mom has a headache." Rin had started calling Izayoi, 'Mom', ever since her and Sesshomaru had gotten married, due to the fact that her own mother had died when she was very young.
Not a good sign. "Rin…"
Rin looked up into Inuyasha's eyes and he could see a tinge of disappointment swirled within her own orbs. "Yasha, I wasn't going to ask because I was going to wait for you, but seeing as your taking your sweet little butt of a time I'll ask anyway, did you really get Kagome pregnant?"
"I…uhh…" No use lying. "Yeah, I did." He watched as her eyes got really big then all of a sudden she jumped and wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug.
"Oh Inuyasha! This is so great!"
"Huh?" He blurted out completely confused.
"Now Kagome and I will be Sister-in-Laws! Our kids will be cousins! Good choice Inuyasha! Oh goodness, great choice!! If you had to knock anyone up its better that you got her pregnant!" Rin got up and started doing a little jig in front of Inuyasha, who couldn't help but laugh out a little relived.
Nice way of putting it…knocking her up. "So you're not mad?"
"Mad?" Rin gasped out. "Of course not! Once I read those papers, I feared that it was all a lie! I was going to be really disappointed if it was all just a hoax of the press! But now I know and I'm thrilled!"
The front door opened and closed and in walked Sesshomaru.
"Sessssy!" Rin squealed. She hopped off the couch and into her husband's arms. "Isn't this so great! Kagome is going to be our sister-in-law! Aren't you so excited?"
Sesshomaru looked down at his wife and gave her a small kiss on the forehead. " Ecstatic." He gave a small glare Inuyasha's way.
"And, and, and our kid's will be cousins! Isn't that just the best news ever?" Rin was now jumping up and down.
"Don't jump Rin." He held his wife a little tigher in his arms and she did as she was told and just hugged her husband happily. "Inuyasha, have you talked to our father yet?"
"No."
Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow. "Mother?"
Inuyasha shook his head.
"Well, it's better now then when they start coming after you."
"Inuyasha." A gruff voice came from up the stairs. All of them looked up and saw Mr. Taisho walking down. He was holding what looked like the magazines that held unknowingly the truth. "Let's talk in my office, son."
Inuyasha walked pass his brother and Rin and walked down the long narrow hall and down the four steps to his father's office. Inside was a spectacular room with a large window viewing the rocky ocean side, ancient delicacies from around the world and antique swords that held captive in beautifully decorated glass containers.
Inuyasha took a seat infront of the large cherry wood desk that his own father sat behind. Lifting up his glasses with his thumb and forefinger, Mr. Taisho rubbed the bridge inbetween his eyes. With his other hand, he pushed the magazines lightly towards Inuyasha.
"True or not true." Inu No Taisho asked quietly.
Inuyasha for some reason felt that he didn't need to feel ashamed in front of his father. Yes he got a girl he hardly knew pregnant, but he was going to take responsibility. If that was something he should be ashamed of then he shouldn't be considered a man at all. "True."
Inu No Taisho sighed harshly before adjusting his glasses and staring his son straight in the eye. "I'm not going to ask how but I will ask why. Why Inuyasha, do you always seem to ruin any good chances for you?"
"It was a mistake that should never have happened, but did. And it's not like I asked for this, it just ended up like this."
"A mistake you say?" Mr. Taisho was starting to feel his temper rise. "This is one hell of a mistake Inuyasha, you imbecile! If she decides to keep this baby, that child will be with you for the rest of your life until the you die! You idiot! Ever heard of protection?! You are so young and not even married! Sesshomaru and Rin tried for a year since they were married and just finally concieved and Mr. One shot here had to only have a mistaken one night stand to get what they couldn't for so long!"
Inuyasha didn't reply back.
"Inuyasha, is she going to keep this child?"
"Of course, she doesn't have the heart to abort it." Inuyasha said.
"Argh. There goes your life, I hope you know!"
Inuyasha was now starting to feel his temper rise. "Exactly! It's my life! I plan on taking responsibility and I also plan on taking care of this child! If this means giving up my social life, then so be it! If this means no more women, the hell with them then! I don't care. I made a mistake and I plan on taking care of it myself because it is my life and no one else's!"
"DO YOU EVEN REALIZE THE HUGE RESPONSIBILITY IT TAKES TO RAISE A CHILD?! I DON'T THINK YOU DO, Inuyasha! ARE YOU EVEN MATURE ENOUGH TO HANDLE A CHILD AT TWENTY-THREE YEARS OLD? I DON'T THINK YOU ARE! ARE YOU MAN ENOUGH TO LOVE A WOMAN YOU HAVEN'T EVEN KNOWN FOR A YEAR? I DON'T THINK YOU ARE! YOU FIGHT CONSTANTLY, YOU HAVE A HORRIBLE ATTITUDE, YOU ARE SELFISH AND YOU DON'T RESPECT ANYONE BUT YOURSELF! WHAT IN THE HELL MAKES YOU THINK YOU ARE ABLE TO LOVE AND CARE FOR WIFE AND CHILD?!" Mr. Taisho's face was blown up with red rage. The constant yelling made his head feel dizzy so he had to rip off his glasses and slap his hands over his face and start rubbing out the pounding migraine that was starting to take place.
"I won't know until I try. Why the hell won't you give me a damn chance before I admit defeat and you can throw your failure speech at me, damn it!" Inuyasha yelled back just not as fierce. "By the way, don't fucking yell at me about not knowing how to raise a child so young, you got mom pregnant at twenty-two, that's one year younger than me! You were in the same predicament as me now! And you know what, Sesshomaru turned out fine! Okay, I admit, Shippo and I could have used some help when we were younger, but we didn't turn out like serial killers or nothing!"
Inu No Taisho looked at son seriously for a minute straight. Silence between father and son until, "Ha ha. Haha…hahaa." He laughed. "You are right. I shouldn't consider your failure until you actually do fail. I did get your mom pregnant with Sesshomaru at twenty-two. He did turn out just fine, but you two younger boys…I'm not so sure of."
It was Inuyasha's turn to chuckle. "We aren't that bad."
"What do you plan on doing then?" Mr. Taisho asked. It's no use crying over spilled milk. What's done is done, the best thing to do now is get to know the mother of my grandchild and support her and Inuyasha.
"I plan on taking responsibility."
"Yes, boy, I know this. I mean how."
"Oh." Inuyasha thought about how he had still not talked to Kagome about their plans for the future. "I, well I still need to talk things over with Kagome."
"I see. Well, when you do, please get back to me. Has she seen any doctors? I know a great doctor that I recommended to Rin. What does she do? What's her family back ground like?" Mr. Taisho asked.
Inuyasha sighed in relief. At least he's not yelling anymore. "She's a model, like mom."
"Oh?" Mr. Taisho asked interestedly.
"Yeah, she's really famous, supposedly one of the greatest super models of her time at the moment. Everyone seems to love her." I don't see how, she's really something, that woman. "I'm not sure about her family background."
"Is she pretty?"
"Erm…" Inuyasha replied a bit embarrassed. "Yeah, I guess."
"Shy, are we?" Inu No Taisho teased.
"Feh."
"Alright, I'll see for myself when I meet her tomorrow. Bring her over for dinner around 5:45." Inu No Taisho softened his voice. "Have you seen your mother?"
"No." Inuyasha shook his head. Shit, I forgot.
Standing up, Mr. Taisho led his son towards the door. "I would go talk to her, she's pretty upset. I believe she's in Rin's nursery."
Inuyasha stepped out of his father's office feeling half happy inside that he had got his father's approval but the other half was starting to feel guilty once again because of his mother. She always had felt a bigger urge to spoil him then the rest because being the eldest son, Sesshomaru would always be respected and well liked by their father and being the youngest, Shippo always got the attention from the rest of the family members leaving Inuyasha to be loved dearly by his mother to make up for behing tossed in the middle. How could he face her now? He had lied to her face many times when he was angry with Kagome whenever she would ask what was wrong, he even had snapped at her for being too nosy when he indeed found out he was going to be a father. His heart felt like it was shriveling up inside.
It felt like the longest walk up the stairs he had ever taken and knocking on a nursery door he knew he would someday have of his own made his mouth start to dry up. She's there on the other side...she knows...she's going to yell and scream at me for being irresponsible...she might even hit me and pinch me...Inuyasha took a deep breath and opened the door. He found his mom sitting in Rin's rocking chair flipping through his baby photo album.
"Ma?"
Silence.
He gulped down the extra saliva building up out of nervousness and slowly walked to her. "Mom, are you okay?"
No response.
Inuyasha knelt down in front of her and the moment he did, she stopped rocking in the chair but didn't even glance at him. Inuyasha's heart dropped like a bag of stones into his stomach. "Mom, please talk to me. Are you okay?"
Nothing.
"Mom, please, don't do this." He put a hand on her leg. Inuyasha hardly ever felt sorry for anyone nor did he ever feel the urge to cry, but at this very moment watching his mother ignore him was enough to bring the sting to the eye. "Please, talk to me."
Her eyes kept blinking really fast as if she were trying to keep her tears to herself and she sniffled very softly but she still refused to look at her son there at her knees begging for her to speak to him.
"Mom, I'm sorry. I'm going to be a dad and I'm sorry if I'm disappointing you by saying this but it's the truth."
Hearing this instantly brought the tears rolling down her cheeks. She sucked in her sad patchy breath and let out a small whimper. "Oh Inuyasha, you stupid boy! Why! Why! Why!" She started to hit him on the shoulder but Inuyasha never swayed to deflect it, he just took it so she could release the anger and sadness she was feeling. And it was out of sadness and frustration because with each hit it got softer and softer as she cried harder and harder. "Inu...Inuyash...why...oh gosh..."
"Ma, I'm sorry." He held her legs together with his arms in a hug like motion and layed his head down gently on her lap like a little child. "I'm sorry...I really am."
Izayoi threw her head back softly agaisnt the rocking chair and looked up at the ceiling letting the tears roll down the side of her face. Once she felt she was calm enough, though she still was crying just not as hard, she put her warm hand on her son's head and started to stroke his hair. "It's going to be a tough road Inuyasha, I hope you know this."
"I know." He mumbled in her lap.
"Are you ready for the responsibility?" She sniffled.
"I am."
"When do we meet her?"
Inuyasha looked up at his mother's sad face and smiled lightly. "Tomorrow for dinner."
Izayoi closed her eyes and sighed. "You stupid boy." She continued to stroke her son's hair and thought through half of her disappointment and sadness that half of her was happy that she was gaining another grandchild.
Now that this part is over...the harder part will be talking to Kagome... Inuyasha thought as he relaxed while his mother continued to run her fingers through his hair.
