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Disclaimer: InuYasha is the property of Rumiko Takahashi
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Chapter Fifty-One

Downpour


Kagome peeked open an eyelid to look out the window at the ominous black clouds in the sky, trying not to dread knowing that they signaled another storm. Already the river was overflowing its banks and though it was no where near the village she couldn't shake this feeling of impending tragedy that had sunk into the pit of her stomach the morning before.

She turned her head, keeping her breathing steady and deep, as if she were still asleep, then she opened her eyes to the tiniest of slits, just enough so she could participate in what had become her favorite part of the day.

It was almost three weeks ago Kagome had first felt the tiny flutters of the new lives moving inside of her. Since then the flutters had begun to feel more like a three hanyou soccer game. InuYasha had allowed his temper to ruin that moment for himself and Kagome, and he hadn't stopped apologizing and being contrite for it since.

Kagome wanted for nothing. He washed laundry, did dishes, fell to his hands and knees and scrubbed the floors of the entire hut just because she mentioned a little smudge of mud. He had gone through the well and searched half of Tokyo for a open store the other night just because she mentioned a longing for a box of strawberry pocky, before that, he had gone in and brought back hamburgers with extra ketchup and pickles, fries and shakes from wacdonals, for not just her, but Ayame and Sango. Since then he had gone in twice just for Sango for repeats because she had a wild craving for them and it was the only thing she seemed to want.

It didn't surprise Kagome much that he would do nice things for Sango, despite the fact that Miroku was still essentially on his shitlist, InuYasha had always felt a kind of bond with Sango. They had been through much the same thing because of Naraku, a brother-a past love, both killed then brought back, the pain of watching them do the unspeakable before they realized the full picture.

Deep down InuYasha had known that Kikyo had tried to kill Kagome, he suspected she had more than once, even though he knew Kagome would never tell him. Sango had seen the horrible aftermath of Naraku's control over Kohaku, in a horrible coincidence he too had tried to kill Kagome. But then, at times it seemed that half of the Sengoku Jidai had tried to kill Kagome at one time or another.

What had actually surprised Kagome was how EAGER InuYasha was to go through the well to make these cravings runs. He had even happily stopped to bulk up Sesshomaru's chocolate supply, and they had barely been civil to one another in three weeks.

Kagome couldn't resist a tiny grin at the memory, apparently Sesshomaru had raised freaking flaming hell and then some with InuYasha the night he had found her upset down by the river. Sesshomaru, who would have thought the scary InuYokai who tried to kill her the first time they met would have turned around to become her best friend? Well, second best, after InuYasha.

She peeked her eyes open again, moving her head for a better view. He lay in the now familiar position, enjoying the morning performance, the pups were on the move.

She had promised to wake him if she felt the pups move again so he could feel it too, but she hadn't felt it again that night, or much the next day. The couple of times she did, he was too far away to get to her in time.

The next morning had been the start of what she was enjoying now. What had begun as the morning watch.


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-Flashback-

Her head was groggy as it always was in the morning, she never had been particularly alert in the first fifteen minutes or so of the day. She didn't have to be alert to recognize that a pressure held her legs pinned down, and while her legs and upper body were perfectly warm, her middle was chilly.

She reached down for the blanket, pulling it back down over her stomach, only to have it slide back up to just under her chest. Frustrated, she pushed it down again, this time it was flipped up and over, covering her face.

Kagome was alert enough by now to realize that what was pinning her legs down was her mates upper arm and chest. She grit her teeth and pushed the blanket off her face and looked down to see him, elbow on the futon on the other side as he lay over her legs, his head propped in his hand while he stared at the slight rise of her baby belly, looking like he did in the grocery story the first time she took him shopping for Ramen.

"InuYasha?" she forced herself to keep her voice soft, and non combatative. "What are you doing?"

"Watching our pup's"

"What are they doing?" Kagome tried to keep an incredulous tone out of her voice. InuYasha just shrugged and glanced up at her with a sheepish smile.

"Nothing yet."

"So…you're watching our pup's do nothing?" Kagome winced, hearing the slight bit of condescendence. InuYasha was so intent on his task he didn't even hear it.

"Yeah"

"Why?" She sat up and he gently pushed her back down on her back. "I'm not done yet, lay still."

Kagome couldn't hold it in anymore, she started to laugh.

"InuYasha, just how hard did Sesshomaru hit you in the head the other night?"

InuYasha grinned, reaching up to gently tug on a piece of her hair.

"shut up, smartass wench."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Will you at least explain?"

InuYasha's cheeks pinked a little, but he smiled and shrugged,

"I totally fucked up the other day and because of that, I didn't get to feel our pups move. It's been two days and I still ain't felt it."

Kagome's felt a little bad for him at the sad look in his eyes before she reminded herself it was his own fault he hadn't felt them. But she wasn't going to be so cruel as to remind him of this.

"Okay. So you are watching me to…?"

"I want to be the first one to SEE them move."

Kagome was speechless. InuYasha quite often could be the biggest baka to ever walk the face of the earth. He was gruff and insensitive and he had a temper that she swore if he concentrated he could level trees with a glare alone.

But there were moments when the depth of his emotions shocked her, sometimes he had thoughts that wowed her and surprised her with so much clarity and understanding. Then there were times like this one, when he let out the most tender part of his heart and soul, his sweetness, his innocence and his gentle sensitivity was left bare for her to see, to touch, to share…and in those moments, he completely took her breath away.

"InuYasha" Kagome felt a tear roll down the side of her face.

"What's wrong?" He looked up at her, worry troubling his eyebrows.

"You amaze me."

"Keh" he tried waving her off, but Kagome was having none of it.

"Keh yourself dog boy." She reached for his hand and pulled him up to lay next to her. "Sometimes InuYasha yeah sure, you are a world champion horses ass. But, others, you just…"

"KEH! Who are you calling a horses ass wench?"

Kagome didn't answer, instead she pulled his face down to hers to kiss him. She wanted him to know that he was everything to her, that any and all transgressions had been forgiven . She wanted him to be as breathless as she was.

Many precious and well spent moments later he rolled to his side, dragging her with him to hold her body close to his. InuYasha buried his face in her neck so his mouth rest on her collar bone. Kami how loved her scent, even more when she was pregnant.


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InuYasha was just about asleep, his eyes closed, his eyelids could not have possibly been any heavier. He felt what felt like her fingers softly tapping on his abdomen. InuYasha's head shot up so fast he knocked Kagome in the jaw, clicking her teeth together hard but thankfully not hurting her.

" Oh shit!" He grinned "Sorry." he laughed a little at the amusement in Kagome's eyes.

"Is that what I think it is?" He pushed her onto her back and settled his hand on her just over her womb.

"Yeah, that's them." She grinned at him. "Active little things aren't they?"

"Keh, just like you when your on my back when we travel."

Kagome blew him a raspberry

"Look who's talking."

-End Flashback-

Kagome woke up every morning to find him watching for sings of movement, when he finally did see her baby belly move, you would have thought he had just become an instant billionaire in the lottery.

A loud clap of thunder and Kagome's eyes shot open ending her charade. She had never been particularly afraid of storms, but recently she had begun to be bothered by the noise and violence of the storms they were suffering.

"Kagome?" InuYasha sat up as she did, taking her hand to help her.

"It's storming again." Kagome bit her lip nervously.

"Yeah, it looks like a fairly good line of them from what little I can see."

"InuYasha! InuYasha!" Shippo burst into the hut without knocking. He was one of the few who knew he could do it without recrimination. He was allowed.

"Were back here Shippo" Kagome called out, peeking down at the end of the futon and out the door at the sopping wet Kitsune.

"What's up runt?" InuYasha talked to Shippo as Kagome tossed him a towel.

"Miroku and Sesshomaru sent me to get you! The River is rising really fast, they said we need to figure out a way to hold the water back or people were going to be in trouble."

"Shit" InuYasha jumped up and began to dress quickly "Kagome, I want you to go through the well."

"InuYasha! I can't do that! What about sa…."

"I don't give a fuck about anyone but you and our pups, I need to know you are all somewhere safe damn it."

"InuYasha, I can't just leave Kaede, she's old and the village will need my help as well as hers. And Ayame is due anytime now, what if Kaede gets separated from her and she goes into labor?"

InuYasha thought for a moment. Koga's hut was the farthest from the River and almost on top of the well to boot. Not to mention if Koga had been right, she was due at any minute.

"Damn it! Okay, but you go to Koga's, no where else unless it is to go home. Try to get a message to me if you go, but if you can't don't worry about it. Don't do anything dumb over getting a message to me okay?"

Kagome nodded, jumping up to begin to dress.

InuYasha gave her a kiss and was gone.


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Kagome was about to leave when she was stopped by pounding on the side of the hut. Outside stood Ayame, Kuroki and Rin, she ushered them in, tying the mat in place quickly. Kuroki cuddled up into Kagome's lap while Rin sat close between both.

"Ayame! I was just on my way to stay with you."

"Not much point. Our hut is gone."

"Oh Ayame, I'm sorry."

"Thank you. It was hit by lightning, it didn't take much from there."

Kagome winced "No, I don't imagine it would."

The talked for several hours, the morning became afternoon, then afternoon became early evening and all the while the villagers fought the rising river. Kagome had just remarked that they should lay the girls down in the bedroom when they heard the warning yelled from outside.

"The water's coming! Get to higher ground!"

"The water's coming! Get to higher ground!"

"Oh my …Kami…what do you suppose…" Kagome looked at Ayame in horror.

"KAMI! Kagome! Your shoes!" Kagome's shoes were wet, and both now stood in about an inch of water.

"We've got to get out of here." Kagome looked around desperately for something that could be used as floatation for the smaller children, just in case, but found nothing. The water was now up to their calves.

"Shit, Kagome, we can't wait anymore."

"Right." Kagome picked up Kuroki and put on her sweater and jacket. She pushed open the mat just in time to be greeted by a rush of water.

Kagome screamed, dragged under the water, she held onto Kuroki and desperately kicked her way to the surface. She quickly grabbed onto the small trunk of a tree, it was something to hang onto, a small hope and better than nothing. She was swept further and further, until she was being carried in the swift current of the river.

The rushing current was extremely strong and filled with debris scraping and cutting her delicate skin. Her face was cut and she tasted blood in her mouth, all the while the current pulled at her and threatened to pull Kuroki from her arms.

All the while the horrifying thought remained constant in the front of her mind

'My pups! Can they survive this?'

"Kuroki! I'm going to throw you up in the air, you transform into a bubble and save yourself okay? " Kagome had to yell to be heard, it left her throat raw and sore.

"What about you Kagome?! I can't leave you here alone!"

"Find InuYasha as fast as you can and tell him where I am and that I need help!"

Kagome jumped as lighting and thunder continued to clap and rage behind her.

"Okay?"

"I don't want to leave you Kagome!"

"You have to Kuroki, it's the only way to get help!" Kagome had to yell to heard of the storm and rushing water. "Just be brave, I know you are! Now get ready."

They counted 1.….2.…..3.…..

Then Kagome was alone, being hurled down the raging Sengoku Jidai river while the storm continued to rage aground her, with only a wide long part of a tree to help her stay afloat.

'Tired, so very, very tired.'

She was cold, more cold that she remembered having been

And tired. That was the worst of all. She longed to sleep, but with the risk of hypothermia so high, she didn't dare even think about it. 'but I'm tired, so very, very tired.'

"

Thoughts came to her randomly, from no where near making sense in order or reason until she remembered Ayame.

"my pups…I don't think they can't take this cold water…"

'Tired, so very, very tired.'

'What happened to Ayame and Rin?'

'Tired, so very, very tired.'

Kagome opened her eyes, straining to see where she was in hopes that she might be able to kick her way to a vine or something to hold onto. Anything to get out of this horrible fast current. She realized that the water seemed to suddenly just end, as if it was the end of the world or something. Then she realized what it was.

A water fall.

A treacherous rock strewn water fall.

'Tired, so very, very tired. Maybe it just wasn't meant to be…maybe this is suppose to be my…end…finis'

The last thing she saw was a flash of lightning illuminating how far down she had to fall.

Kagome closed her eyes and didn't open them again. She allowed her mind to lose itself in randomness.

'If I die, who will bring Shippo Pocky? Who will bring Sesshomaru chocolate?'

'I think….I am pretty sure…I'm going to die…'

'I'll miss them, I'll miss InuYasha the most…but he will be okay. He knows its okay now. It's okay to love again after you've lost someone'

'Kikyo…will I see you there when I come?'

Kagome closed her eyes

"I never thought I would die at 18. So much I haven't done."

'I guess that's okay. I…gosh…So tired.'

'If I sleep, I won't feel the rocks…'

"I love you InuYasha…."

Kagome's world went black.


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Chapter 52 Preview

InuYasha and the others search for the lost

In the aftermath of the flood.

More heartache for InuYasha and Kagome awaits, and the worst is yet to come.

Sesshomaru meets the enigmatic young yokai who rescued a family member.


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My darling readers,

I have truly been over come by the outpouring of support from

you guys. I couldn't keep up with the review alerts I kept getting on Wednesday it was truly one of the most amazing outpourings of kindness and good will that I have ever seen, it definitely is the most amazing I have ever experienced.

I've give a lot of thought into my reaction to the flame and have posted my thoughts at Mitsukai's café. The link is on my FF profile page if anyone would like to check it out. The support you guys gave me during this little meltdown of mine ….well shit, the words just don't exist to say how much it, and you, mean to me.

Of course, there always has to be one doesn't there. The only reason I am responding to this is because the person was a real chicken shit who signed in anonymous with no e-mail, and I can't NOT respond to this 'review'

Reviewed By: natthecat On: March 15, 2007 17:32 CDT

This much drama because someone missunderstood your work?

You're a great author, but if you can't take an honest misunderstanding with stride then you shouldn't be posting on public sites like this. I hope you calm down and continue writing, because your stories are great. But honestly look at the fact that sites like mediaminer and fanfiction net open you up to that. Either find a more private place to post (your own website for example), don't accept / read reviews, or grow a thicker skin. Not everyone is going to love you. Not everyone is going to agree with you. That's life. This person wasn't even mean, they just misunderstood a factor in your story. I'm sorry if you're upset, but it's part of the gig. Generous praise from people who appreciate you, minimal grumbling and growling from people who are either jealous or just unhappy, and the occasional misunderstanding. We'll all miss your stories, hopefully you come back when you've calmed down.

Well, first let me say, I really wish you had the guts and proper respect to leave an e-mail or sign in so I didn't have to do this at the tail end of a chapter. Even the flamer , who BTW, has e-mailed twice and graciously apologized, had the guts to be signed in, which is more than can be said for you. Nothing like coming in, kicking someone and then running away huh?

How much more rude can you get? Was it really necessary to talk down to me with that condescending bullshit word "drama"

My work was NOT misunderstood. Misunderstood is thinking I meant zig when I meant zag. This person admitted to me that she saw the word abortion, got, upset, made assumptions and went no further. You my friend, have NO right to tell me what to feel and how to handle my feelings. You have no right to tell me where to post my stories. If you have a problem with the way I manage my writing at these sights use that little red box with the big X in it up in the right hand corner of your browser.

In this case it wasn't as much WHAT was said as it was the accusation that I would write a story with a character having an abortion. We all have had experiences in life that alter the way we look at things, sometimes they make us react strongly to topics. Abortion is something I react strongly to. I am EXTREMELY Pro Life, and to me that felt like an attack on my entire belief system and things that I hold precious. I value NOTHING more than life.

And THAT is what upset me more than anything else.

I would request in the future that you think before you spew out criticism and remember that sometimes there is more going on than what is visible on the page. Until then, these are MY works and MY feelings and I will react however I will.

In the future, at least have the guts to sign in so the rest of my readers don't have to hear the rest of your "Drama"

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Note to Lil Aki

Your apology is accepted of course. We all make mistakes and have things we feel passionately about, and I have been a little quick with the review button, myself. We just really need to learn to calm down and read further before we jump to conclusions and remember that these are more than just words on a computer screen, there are real people with real feelings.

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To all you peeps who offered me cookies…Grrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks a lot for inciting a hellish craving for chocolate chunk cookies!

---Specail Thanks ---

and

puppy love

To

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