An Heir Before My Death

by Zaru-san

Pairings: See previous chapters

Summary: See previous chapters

Disclaimer: See previous chapters

A/n: Thank you all so much for your waiting of this 11th chapter, I know that it's been taking me a long time just to get it through. So here you go and enjoy! This is a filler chapter as well. Gomen.

Chapter 11

The portal to the Higurashi Shrine opened and Zaru walked through along with Kagome carrying the bags. Razico, Zaru's green and silver neko companion, walked through in his kitten form and allowed the portal to close behind them. Zaru looked around at her surroundings. She had not seen the shrine in ages and wondered if anything, or something, ever changed or happened while she was away. But Kagome assured her that nothing big or terrible had happened at the shrine while she was at medical school. The schoolgirl could see the sadness in Zaru's eyes as she eyed the place.

"Zaru, are you okay?" Kagome asked, setting a hand upon her shoulder.

Zaru smiled small. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just that I haven't been here in so long. It's like time stood still years ago and I was still growing up with the world around me."

Kagome smiled as well. "Well, we always keep it clean and make sure things are in order as usual."

"Well, duh, you have to if people come to visit, Kagome."

The miko just sighed and gazed at her house. "Come on. Let's get inside. I'm sure mom will be really happy to see you here again, Zaru. She says sometimes she wishes you would visit when you had time, but when you do have time, you never come."

"Well, I barely have time for myself anymore unless it's when I'm asleep which I do a lot more these days." Next to her, Razico mewled and she looked down.

"Yeah. I'm in the feudal era so much that I don't spend much time in school anymore." She sighed. "I wish I could go back to school."

"Kagome, you can go back to school whenever you want. Even if you're pregnant."

Kagome gasped. How'd she know? "Hey! I never told you I was pregnant! How'd you know that?"

"I'm a doctor, Kagome. It's what I do."

"B-but blood tests and pregnancy tests do that when you're a doctor! How could you know without any tests?"

"I've been around people long enough to know, Kagome. Besides, Razico kind of gave me the hint." She snickered a little.

Kagome put her hands on her hips and glared down at Razico. "Razico, how could you tell her? I wanted to tell her." Razico just tilted his head to the right a little bit and mewled. She sighed and rolled her eyes. "You were gonna find out eventually, right, Zaru?"

The green-haired demon slayer smiled and nodded. "Yep. You can never keep anything from me for long."

"Kagome, you brought a friend home?" Kagome's grandfather walked up to them, hands behind his back wearing his shrine outfit.

"It's Zaru, Grandpa."

He blinked. "Zaru?" He squinted his eyes a little bit. "Well, this is certainly a surprise. You are growing quite fast, young lady."

"Thanks, Grandpa Higurashi. It's great to see you as well. I've really missed visiting the shrine."

Grandpa smiled and bowed to Zaru who bowed back. "I hope you will come back more often now that you have returned again."

"I will. See you later, Grandpa Higurashi." Kagome, Zaru and Razico grabbed all the bags around them and brought them to the house.

The house smelled of sweet and spicy teriyaki chicken, rice and plenty of delicious vegetables. Kagome's mouth watered at the sight of the food displayed on the table in the dining room. Ai looked up from the table seeing Zaru with Kagome.

"Zaru. It is so nice to see you again." Kagome's mother stood up and wrapped her arms around the girl in a hug.

"It's wonderful to see you as well, Ai. You have been well, I hope."

Ai smiled warmly and nodded. "Of course. I have been well. Please, have a seat, Zaru. We are just about to begin dinner."

"Oh, Ai, I hate to ask this, but do you have some extra fish? I forgot to feed Razico before we came here."

"Of course. I'll be right back."

Not even a couple minutes later, Ai was back out with a dish in hand and some cut up fish without bone for Razico to munch on. She set the plate down and the male feline gobbled the food.

"Razico, don't eat so fast! Otherwise you're gonna choke and I don't know how to give a cat the Heimlich."

At her words, the cat slowed down chewing contentedly.

Later on, the family was enjoying dinner and listening to Zaru about her life. This was the first time in a long time they had heard from the girl and always enjoyed hearing about how things were going for her. Especially since she had been accepted into medical school and never had the time to come to the shrine and visit. Hours went by for the group, but it only seemed like minutes to them. It was when Tisho spoke up, they realized how late it was.

"I am very sorry for interrupting this wonderful assortment of memories, but I'm afraid we must return immediately. Lord Sesshomaru depends on it."

Ai looked over at Kagome. "Sesshomaru? Isn't he Inuyasha's elder brother, Kagome?"

Kagome nodded. "Recently, he and Tisho came to us with a request."

"What request?"

"That one of us mate with Lord Sesshomaru so that he may produce an heir before he dies."

Ai gasped. "Oh, dear! What's wrong with him?"

Kagome's eyes welled with tears. "We don't know, mom. One day he was a ruthless youkai attacking Inuyasha and the next?" She shrugged. "We find out he's dying. And Sango mated with Sesshomaru, but not long after, he collapsed in the hall and now he's bedridden."

"But why did you come--I see! Zaru, are you absolutely certain you can help him?" Ai's eyes were filled with worry.

Zaru smiled. "I'm gonna try my best. I'm not sure exactly what's going on with him, but I am certain I will be able to find out what is actually going on with him as best I can."

"We better get going."

"Oh, Kagome, do you want some supplies with you?"

She smiled. "Please, mom?"

Ai wiped her eyes from the few oncoming tears. "Of course. I'll get your bag set for you shortly."

"Thanks, mom."

Kagome wondered what was taking her mother so long to get the stuff together. Ten minutes had already passed since they went to the wellhouse to leave, but Ai had not shown up yet.

"Where's mom?" Kagome wondered looking at her watch. "If she's not here in a couple more minutes, I think we should just go."

Soon, the wellhouse door opened up revealing her mother, panting. "I'm sorry, dear. The phone rang and I had to answer it."

"Who was it?"

"It was Eri. She wondered if you were feeling well enough yet to come back to school," She laughed slightly. "Of course you aren't well yet, Kagome. But you will be in another several months." She set a hand on her daughter's stomach. "My first grandchild. I didn't think I would be this young of a grandmother, but I guess it can't be helped, huh?"

Kagome's eyes widened and she glared over at Tisho. "What?"

Tisho held up his hands in defense. "I swear I didn't say a word to her."

"But, mom, how'd you..."

"A mother knows." She whispered and pulled Kagome into a hug. "Be careful, honey, and remember to come back soon to visit, all right?"

Kagome nodded. "Right." She grabbed her bag from Ai. "Thanks, mom."

"Sure, honey." She turned to Tisho. "I'm counting on you to protect my daughter, Tisho."

Tisho bowed deeply. "I would give my very being for her safety."

Ai smiled warmly and nodded acceptingly.

"Let's be off." Zaru stated as she looked down to Razico who opened a portal within the well for all of them.

"Bye, mom!" Kagome waved as she jumped in with one of Zaru's bags and her own.

Tisho bowed yet again and jumped in as well with a few of the bags in his hand. Zaru held the rest of them and sat on the side of the well with Razico sitting next to her.

"Don't worry, Ai. I'll keep an eye on her as well."

"And please, help Sesshomaru feel better. He may be a demon, but he is still a living creature that deserves a chance at life."

She saluted. "Roger." And that's when she jumped in along with Razico.

"Be safe." Ai whispered once more, hands clasped together in front of her. The light from the well dispersed and she sighed heavily. Kami-sama, watch over them.

TBC...

A/n: Okay, did you like that filler chapter, lol! It's something for now. I'm gonna have a much longer chapter out sooner than you think since I finally got my muse back. muse tries running again GET BACK HERE! grabs it Okay, so let this chapter sink in and I'll get a much LONGER LONGER chapter out for you all to enjoy, ne?

Ja Ne,

Zaru