'Patient sustained a substantial sized wound to the left side; further testing has concluded patient has also received damage to the uterus via poisoning from the altercation that caused other injuries. Due to the extended period between attack and treatment, patient will be unable to bear children.'

Kagome grunted and leaned back in her chair, flipping her file closed and tossing it onto the stack in the corner of her desk 'I think it hurts more reading it the second time.'

A knock on her door broke her from her thoughts, beckoning Sango in as she stood to greet her with a hug, "what are you doing here?"

"I had an appointment with the new doctor," Sango smiled and eased into the chair opposite Kagome, glancing around the office with a nod, "look at you moving up in the world."

Kagome gave a tight laugh, "I don't know if being moved to Labor and Delivery was supposed to hurt or help… another thing the Hokage hand-picked for me…" she rubbed her forehead and shaking her head, "how's your back?"

"It's fine… that's actually why I wanted to stop by."

"Oh?"

Sango smiled at the look of alarm that passed over Kagome's face and held her hands up to signal peace, "Miroku and I were talking last night before bed—"

"Gross," Kagome matched her smile and tilted her head back, swiveling gently in her chair, "I don't want to hear about your bedroom activities."

"Stop it!" Sango giggled gently, "with overlooking Tenten's solo training together we've really missed sparring…" she paused as Kagome righted herself, a look flashing in her eyes that said she knew where the conversation was heading as she began to shake her head negatively. "We want a sparring match between Team Tōga, just one—"

Kagome declined quickly, glancing at the clock on her wall and standing, she had patients to see… "As your former doctor I say it's not a good idea—"

"We feel fine."

"It's stupid, you could hurt your back worse and Miroku's hand is already messed up." Kagome tossed her hair over her shoulders, rolling her bishop sleeves up to her forearms as she stopped beside Sango's chair. "You two are crazy."

"Kagome stop, Kags!" Sango darted in front of her and gripped her shoulders before Kagome could reach the door, "you say we're crazy but you're the one that gets to go on missions… that day changed all of our futures, but you got revenge that we wanted to be part of."

"The Land of Ice wasn't that great…" she pushed her rolled up sleeves higher on her arms, lifting her hands to tie her hair back, "especially when you get sent with someone like Kakashi Hatake who flirts one second and threatens you the next… takes advantage of your state of undress and ki… um… I have to—"

"You better finish that sentence, what happened?" Sango stepped back to swing the door shut, leaning against the barrier, "what happened?"

Averting her eyes, Kagome unbound her hair nervously before splitting it into three sections to braid, "it's… it was a year ago it doesn't matter—"

"Kagome!"

"He kissed me…"

"I'm sorry, what?"

Kagome's head bounced as her fingers worked her hair, "then he pulled back and I pulled him in for a second one… oh god, shut up!" she lunged forward at Sango's squeal, "it didn't mean anything."

"You're an idiot," Sango laughed.

"Yeah well, look who we're talking about here… I'll have you know I'm scarred by his words because I heard them the first time he tried to kiss me and I denied him."

"Oh Kags," Sango sighed and sagged against the door, eyes softening in sympathy, "we're not kids anymore… with the way he looks at you, you'd think you hung every star in the sky." She reached up to place a hand on Kagome's arm, "has he tried to make amends?"

"He has."

"We all say stupid stuff when we're kids and I don't know him but Kakashi doesn't seem the type to mess with you by kissing you."

Kagome grunted and delivered a withering glare. "If I hear one word about this around the village—"

"Then spar with us tomorrow," a Cheshire grin split Sango's face, watching Kagome's fall at the threat, "we'll invite the new Genin teams to show them what real teamwork looks like—"

"Or failure? We haven't worked together in years."

"It's just like riding a bike," Sango countered, stepping to the side and swinging the door open with her, "spar with us or I tell the village what exactly you two do behind closed doors."

Kagome's glare returned as she moved past, tying the end of the braid off and shaking her head. "You're a cruel woman, Naraku didn't even torture me this much."

"See you tomorrow?" the older girl ignored the jab and tilted her head as she turned for the hall that led to the entrance, mentally congratulating herself at Kagome's reluctant acceptance. She didn't care that Kagome held that secret for almost a year, it gave her enough leverage for tomorrow, she'd berate her for the secret later; right now she just had to tell Miroku about the kiss.

Kakashi eyed the entrance of the hospital with thinly veiled anticipation, he had never promised Kagome the previous day that he'd tell her personally the fate of the blonde boy but something propelled him from the grounds to the woman's workplace before anyone else could tell her first. 'I wonder if she'll be happy,' he entered the building and eased to the nurses station, "could you tell me where I might find Kagome Higurashi?"

He knew from the Hokage's conversation with the Higurashi twins she had a new position in the hospital, never thinking it important enough to ask. Now that he was at her place of work he wondered if rumors would swirl, this was after all, new territory for him.

"She's in labor," the nurse pointed, "take a left and the third right, you'll find someone that can tell you better."

He thanked her and followed her instructions, hands tucked neatly in his pockets as he contorted his face of all emotion. He wanted her to guess, not give it away. "Excuse me, Kagome Higurashi?"

"Oh," the nurse he stopped turned, "in the nursery right over there… you can't go in but tap on the glass gently she should be able to hear you."

Kakashi thanked her too and followed where her finger pointed, drawing to a slow stop at the line of windows. His breath hitched at the image before him, Kagome facing the window with a small bundle wrapped in her arms, head bent to give her full attention to the tiny baby as her finger stroked a little cheek. 'She was born to be a mother,' the thought startled him, knowing it would never happen the way she wanted it to.

Lifting his hand he tapped the glass gently with his nail, watching love filled eyes lift to his before giving him a soft wave. He returned the gesture, watching her turn to the bassinet and place the baby inside gently before walking to the sink. She traded some words with the two women inside, head nodding at their responses before moving for the door as she dried her hands.

"Hey," she smiled gently as he met her at the door, paper towel continuously moving over dried hands.

"You look good with them," he waved his hand vaguely at the babies beyond the window.

Kagome beamed and puffed her chest out lightly with pride, "thanks. So what's up?"

"I thought you'd want to know my verdict…"

Kagome's smile faltered, holding her hand out before leading him to her office. She wouldn't yell at work but having a barrier in case an exchange slipped that she would be embarrassed about made her more comfortable, "have a seat."

"This is a bit formal; don't you think?" he swung the door shut behind him, glancing around the room carefully. Kagome shook her head and sighed, tightly winding her fingers together, "Kakashi?"

He hummed in thought, enjoying her anticipated squirming as she waited for him to say something. Making his way to the desk, he bypassed the chair across from her and shoved her chair back to perch on her desk in front of her, "I evaluated Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke… thoroughly."

Kagome bit back the order for him to get off her desk, leaning back instead to stare at him, "and?"

"It was a very difficult decision." Her knuckles were turning white with the pressure she was inflicting on them, "but I did have to make one."

Shooting up from her chair, Kagome stepped between his knees as her face flushed in an attempt to keep her anger at bay as he droned on without an answer, "tell me."

Kakashi's eye dropped, from his slight vantage point he could see down the 'v' of her kimono styled shirt, noticing the shade of green looked much better on her than the vest had. "I think I've changed my mind; I should go…" his eye lifted and crinkled, he rather enjoyed getting her this riled with his teasing.

Kagome growled and tossed her hands up before crossing them as she moved to stare out the large window behind her desk. Her thoughts whirled as she attempted to calm them and her blood pressure, she had promised to herself there would be no yelling. 'Why must you test my patience at every turn?'

Releasing a final deep breath, she froze when Kakashi's arm looped around her middle and his chin rested on her shoulder. "They all passed." She heard the smile in his voice, pleased with himself for putting her through the hoops he held or because he finally had new students she wasn't sure as she turned in his hold, "what?"

"I'm the leader of Squad 7." He was impressed she hadn't pulled away yet, keeping his arm anchored around her waist as he tilted his head to gauge her reaction fully.

A soft laugh bubbled in her chest, overflowing quickly into hysterically happy laughter as she launched her full weight against him, sending them toppling to the floor. "Seriously?" she moved to kneel between his legs as he sat up with a groan, rubbing the spot on his head where there would be a bump.

"Yes Kagome, I'm serious about this."

He was more prepared to catch her when she launched at him in excitement, shifting to straddle him as she pulled back and cupped his face. Kakashi could swear he stopped breathing, his eye raking over the light pink dusting over her cheeks and the sparkle in her eyes, cursing himself mentally when he gripped the back of her head and waited.

Kagome pulled her hands back as his fingers delved into her braid, taking note of their position with a soft stutter. "Kakashi…"

"Yes or no?"

Kakashi resisted the automatic movement to grab her hand as it lifted for his mask, letting her tug it down before leaning closer.

"Yes."