I am starting to think my writing is going downhill and is no longer good. I am barely getting any reviews. I post up four chapters every Monday and get less than ten reviews for all of those chapters combined. If I am doing badly, please let me know. I also wonder if anyone is reading my authors notes, or if I have no readers left. So, this time, I am putting it in bold caps, hoping to get your attention. A lot of time goes into outlining and writing these chapters. I would appreciate a little feedback if at all possible.
…Copy and pasted from the last chapter…. Keep in mind, I am doing this as a way to interact with any fans that I may have.
I have decided to promote myself as an author. I'm not really sure if anything will come of it, but I am currently writing a book on top of writing my fanfictions. I have a Facebook page set up right now. If you follow this page, you will be able to receive previews for next week's chapters, and then every chapter after that. I will also have a question-and-answer post occasionally. As long as it does not contain a spoiler, I will personally answer any questions you have. I would also hold polls on which story idea I work with next and the pairing. Basically, it would be a way to get everyone more involved. With that being said, if you wish to go and check out my Facebook page, go to PatriciaCMathena and look it up.
I'm not going to keep bugging all of you about this, so you won't see it again after this chapter. I just wanted to make sure it was at least seen. As always, I hope you all enjoy this update, and I will see you next Monday.
Chapter 43
Kagome wiped her mouth, closing her eyes as she leaned over the toilet. This was the third time this morning she had been forced to run towards the bathroom. When she woke up originally, her stomach rolled, and she barely had time to make it to the restroom. Touga had been there, holding her hair for her as she violently heaved up the dinner from the night before.
When she was done, he helped her to rinse out her mouth and then tucked her back into bed. He almost called in sick, but she convinced him not to. He had an important meeting that could cost him money if he didn't appear. He was reluctant to go, and she could see it, so she had plastered a smile on her face and told him that she would be just fine.
That was hours ago, and she still felt sick. She had no energy and had been sleeping most of the morning. She only woke up when her body once more wanted to reject any food that may be left in her stomach. She had tried to eat but didn't get two bites down before her stomach rolled. Eating was not going to happen.
She wished whatever virus this was would go away, but she knew it would have to run its course. Her best bet was that it was a twenty-four-hour bug, and tomorrow she would be drained, but not sick. With a groan, she pushed herself up, making her way to the sink to brush her teeth.
When she was done, she weakly moved back to the bed and laid down. Her phone vibrated, and she groaned, looking at it. If she wasn't worried that it was Touga, she wouldn't have even bothered. However, if she didn't reply, he would become more worried, resulting in him coming home.
As expected, it was him, and she quickly told him that she was okay alone. Setting her phone back to the nightstand, she settled under the plush blankets, nearly burying herself as she closed her eyes. With a sigh, she relaxed, letting sleep claim her.
Just before she drifted off, there was a knock on her door. She grumbled, then called weakly for whoever it was to come in. Sesshomaru peaked his head in, still dressed in his work clothes. Slowly he made his way to her, reaching out to touch her forehead, feeling for a temperature.
"I'm just nauseous." She whispered, pulling the blankets around her tighter. "There is no cough or fever. I think it's a stomach bug. It should be gone soon."
"Hmm." Sesshomaru stood, discreetly sniffing the air, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "Rin is sick as well. Father has sent me home to care for the two of you."
"I'll be fine, just focus on Rin." Kagome tried to smile at the older demon, but he still seemed unsettled and deep in thought. "We will be okay Sesshomaru. You didn't have to come back for us. You know how paranoid Touga can get."
"Be that as it may, I am here." He finally looked towards her, schooling his face to his customary impassive look once more. "I must run to the store for something. It will not take me long. Would you mind if I brought Rin in here so the two of you aren't alone."
"That's fine." Kagome closed her eyes, out before Sesshomaru even moved. He looked at her for a moment, perplexed. Kagome and Rin had the same exact symptoms, though Kagome seemed worse. Rin was at least able to move around as long as she took an easy while Kagome was stuck in bed.
He had an idea about Rin's sickness. He was ever observant about his mate, and he had noticed that she seemed off a month ago, however, her scent never changed. Nothing alerted him to any difference in his mate, but now Kagome was showing the same symptoms. He needed to get to the store, and if his assumptions were correct, he needed to find out why he nor his father had been able to smell it.
…
An hour later and he was back, knocking on the door lightly. When he opened it, he was surprised to find neither of the women in Kagome's bed. It wasn't until the sound of a regurgitating Kagome, and Rin's soothing voice could be heard that he knew they were in the bathroom.
He knocked on that door, opening it slowly. The smell hit him first, and he sighed, looking at Kagome as she hovered over the toilet. She was heaving, but nothing was coming up. Her stomach was empty, but her body was still sick.
"Sesshomaru." Rin gave him a concerned look, and then patted Kagome's back as the woman heaved once more. "I haven't gotten sick again, but she has twice." Rin helped Kagome to sit down, watching as the other woman breathed heavily.
Sesshomaru held out the bag to Rin, eyes serious as he looked between the two women. "I have a theory." He watched as Rin opened the bag, digging out two pregnancy tests. She looked up to him confused. "Normally I would be able to smell it, but for some unknown reason, I can't. However, I noticed you missed your cycle last month, and now you are sick."
"And you think Kagome is also…" Rin looked down at her best friend who was laying on the floor, out of it. It made sense. "Okay. Give us a minute. I may have to help her." She watched as Sesshomaru nodded and then turned to leave. Letting out a sigh, she looked at her friend and tried to figure out how to do this.
A few minutes later, the deed was done. Rin struggled to get Kagome out of the bathroom, and when Sesshomaru saw, he picked up Kagome and deposited her back in the bed. She rolled over and went to sleep instantly, and Sesshomaru watched her with concern.
Rin placed a hand on his back, and he looked to her, eyes questioning. She smiled, leaning into him. "The tests take a few minutes. So, we will have to wait. What are the chances of Kagome and I ending up pregnant at the same time?"
"Low." Sesshomaru's lips tightened, thinking. "If you are both pregnant, it would be strange that Father and I can not smell it. The timing, the lack of scent, it would suggest that you two conceived because of an outside source. It would be sabotage."
Rin placed a hand over her stomach, swallowing. "Would it even be ours, or something else entirely? Would you even want it?" She looked up to him, eyes wide. Grabbing her shoulders, he nuzzled into her neck.
"It would be ours. The only thing an outside source could have done was to make you fertile and hide the scent of pregnancy. As far as me wanting it, that would be our pup. I would never deny it." Sesshomaru held her, and then looked to Kagome. "Father on the other hand… I worry for Kagome."
"Would he really reject his baby?" Rin blinked, tears forming in her eyes. She knew how much Kagome wanted to be a mother. It would devastate Kagome if Touga chose not to acknowledge the possible child growing in her womb.
"I am not sure. Father fears losing Kagome most of all. He has not let go of Izayoi's death, and he is projecting that into fear for Kagome's life. I am not sure what he will do if she is pregnant." Sesshomaru sighed, rubbing his forehead. "It is likely that is was the tea that would have caused you to become fertile. Something that tea did made you irresistible, and the way I reacted… it was as if you were in heat. The scent was off, so I didn't think anything of it, but now…"
"Let's check it. It should have been enough time now." Rin grabbed his hand, pulling him into the bathroom. The two sticks were sitting beside each other ominously.
He was about to ask which belonged to who, but then realized it didn't matter. "You are both pregnant." He let out a sharp breath, elation for his child filling his chest, and worry for Kagome and his father pooling in his stomach. He took a moment to celebrate with Rin, kissing her as he placed his palm over her belly. When he pulled away, he ran his hand down her cheek and then sighed. "We will celebrate more later. Right now, give me any tea that you had leftover. I am going to go to an herbal remedy store, and see if they can analyze the ingredients, and then I am going to buy a tea for you and Kagome that will help with your morning sickness. Rest while I am gone."
…
Kagome groaned, opening her eyes slowly. The first thing she noticed was she felt amazingly better. She had her energy back, and her stomach growled in hunger as if she hadn't eaten in days. Sitting up, she stretched, yelping when she saw a movement out the corner of her eye.
Sesshomaru was there, sitting in a chair. He had been reading a book but was now looking at her. "You feel better." It wasn't a question; he could see it. "I brought back an herbal tea. We had you drink it while you slept. It has been a few hours since then."
"That tea works wonders." Kagome smiled, standing from the bed. "I need to use the restroom and brush my teeth. My mouth feels and tastes disgusting."
"Rin will be back with food soon." Sesshomaru turned back to his book, and Kagome just shrugged her shoulders.
Locking the door behind her, she did her business, washed her hands, and brushed her teeth, making sure to take her time. When she was wiping her mouth dry with a towel, she noticed something sitting on the corner of the sink.
Two pregnancy test.
She picked them up, eyes wide as she realized what they meant. Running out of the bathroom, she looked straight at Sesshomaru, smiling at him. "Is Rin pregnant?" He nodded, and she jumped up and down squealing. "I am so happy for you two! She and Sango can go baby shopping together now. Their kids will grow up together. It will be so cute."
"Only one of those tests is hers." Sesshomaru flipped a page in his book, his other hand turning the container of tea sitting on the table beside him. It had a stencil drawing of a pregnant woman on the front, and Kagome's smile fell.
"The other is mine?" She didn't remember taking a test, but she was so out of it, she wouldn't have realized what she was doing. A hand went to her belly, her stomach rolling once more. She only had one thought. "Touga."
Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes, setting his book down. He walked up to Kagome, placing a hand over her belly. "Whatever father does, you will not be alone. You will have Rin, Sango, Miroku, and myself." He met her eyes which were filling with tears. "He will be home in less than an hour."
When he left, Kagome let out a sob. She should be happy that she was pregnant, but instead, she was scared. She didn't know how Touga was going to react, and she worried that he would reject her and their baby. She would be devastated. She already was.
