Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, or any of the characters from the anime and/or manga. Everyone else is mine :)

Hello everyone! I hope that this update finds you well and safe.

As always, thanks so much for reading. I appreciate your continued support :3


Kagome knew that she shouldn't be doing this. She knew that she shouldn't be standing at the door to the study, alone, about to knock on the door of her brother-in-law to tell him some very dark, disturbing news, news that Inuyasha would rather they keep to themselves, and yet, she couldn't help herself. He was the only person she trusted to objectively listen to her and help her.

She told Inuyasha she was going to take a break from training and needed to rest. That wasn't necessarily a lie—now that she was nearing the end of her first trimester she was getting exhausted from her trainings more quickly—but she certainly wasn't telling him the whole truth. Because if he knew, he'd hit the fucking roof.

What she also hadn't told him was that the dream she'd had, about Kikyo and Naraku? It was not only recurring, almost nightly, but it was getting more detailed and more vivid. When she dreamed about them becoming intimate at an inn, she woke up dry heaving and panicked. She'd told Inuyasha it was morning sickness, and he'd maybe bought it. She was exhausted, and constantly stressed out. College exams were a few days away, and then her final kyudo tournament was the following weekend. She was hoping against hope that these were stress dreams, and that once exams and the tournament were over, the dreams would go away and she would be able to have a restful night's sleep again.

When she knocked on the study door and heard a curt, "Enter," Kagome opened the door and stepped hesitatingly into the room. She knew Sesshomaru's study well by now, but she was still in awe of how massive everything seemed inside: the massive mahogany fireplace, the massive leather couch (where she'd once healed Inuyasha), the massive conference table, and the massive mahogany desk, behind which Sesshomaru now sat, reading through some paperwork and looking, as usual, inextricably bored. He looked up when she entered; Kagome saw a hint of surprise on his face.

"What can this Sesshomaru do for you, miko?" he asked abruptly, but not necessarily in an unfriendly way. He was surprised to see her come visit him alone. He hated to admit it, but he was intrigued; the surprise she'd detected on his face was real.

"May I?" Kagome indicated towards the chair in front of the desk. Sesshomaru nodded, and she sat down.

"I have something to discuss with you, Elder Brother," she said politely. Sesshomaru snorted; he couldn't help it. The thought of her calling him "Elder Brother" was both bothersome and endearing; especially bothersome because he couldn't tell which emotion he felt more.

Sesshomaru laid his paperwork aside and leaned forward, his right elbow relaxing on the desk, his right hand cupping his chin. "Go ahead," he replied.

Kagome looked down and fiddled nervously with her sweater. How to say this…?

"Miko," said Sesshomaru suddenly. Kagome looked up; his face softened for her for perhaps the first time ever. "You are family. You have come to see this Sesshomaru without your mate. Whatever it is you wish to discuss, it must be important, and it must be something you don't want your mate to know about." Kagome gave an almost imperceptible nod. "In that case," Sesshomaru added, "this Sesshomaru will exert the greatest discretion. You have nothing to fear."

Kagome let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Sesshomaru," she said, reverting back to her more familiar name for him. She still fiddled with the hem of her sweater, but Sesshomaru could scent that she was much more relaxed than she had been. "I need to tell you about my dreams," she said at last.

"Dreams?"

"Yes," she replied. "My dreams about Kikyo…and Naraku."

Slowly but surely, she began to tell him everything: how the first dream occurred the night she told Inuyasha and the family about the pup; how the dreams had continued to recur; and how the dreams were now becoming more vivid and more detailed. When she confided that she'd dreamed that Kikyo and Naraku were intimate, it was difficult for Sesshomaru to hold back a snarl. Kagome sensed his youki starting to grow enraged, and grew silent.

"Do not stop, miko, please," Sesshomaru said reassuringly. "This Sesshomaru is not angry with you. Why do you think you are having these visions?"

"I am not sure if they are real or not," Kagome admitted. "I've never had them before. Are they stress dreams? A lot has been going on. Are they visions? Did this really happen? I don't know."

"And that is where you would like some help," Sesshomaru finished for her.

"Yes," she said, slumping back against the chair, relieved that someone was actually, really, listening to her.

"How can this Sesshomaru help you, little miko?" he asked.

"I want to know if my dreams are real," she said immediately. "I want to know if this was a real…thing…between Kikyo and Naraku, or if it's just the stress and the pregnancy hormones doing a number on me."

"This is a challenging request, miko," Sesshomaru replied. "How do you propose that we investigate?"

Kagome paused; she hadn't been expecting that question. She thought for a few minutes. "There must be lots of youkai around who were alive then," she said carefully. "Maybe see if anyone saw anything or heard anything? Maybe some who had ties to Naraku? He may have talked to someone about this?"

Sesshomaru couldn't help but almost chuckle at Kagome's endearing, but ignorant, questions. "This Sesshomaru highly doubts that we will find anyone like that, little miko. But," he added, seeing her crestfallen expression, "perhaps this Sesshomaru's spies can go to work on this for you."

Kagome let out a whoosh of air she hadn't thought she was holding. She leapt to her feet, fighting the desire to rush around the table and hug her brother-in-law. She had to remember who he was. "Thank you, Elder Brother," she said instead, bowing deeply.

Sesshomaru nodded in return. "You are most welcome, little miko." He paused. "You have grown quite a bit in your power since your return here, you know," he commented. "Your mate should be proud of you. This Sesshomaru certainly is."

Kagome blushed right up to the roots of her hair. She bowed again. "Thank you, Elder Brother," she replied. "I will do my best to continue to make you proud."

Sesshomaru nodded and waved his hand at her. "We will speak again soon, miko," he said. She turned to go, and then hesitated for a moment. "Is there something else?" Sesshomaru asked her.

"Yes, Elder Brother," she said, turning back around. "Have your men found out anything about Shippo? Inuyasha won't tell me anything."

"That is because there is nothing to tell," he replied. "This Sesshomaru's men have looked for the kitsune, but have not found him. You know quite well, miko, that if a kitsune doesn't want to be found, he will not be found. That said, there is no record of his death; merely of his disappearance. Take heart in that."

"Will you continue to search for him?" she asked.

He wanted to say no, but he could scent her sadness and nervousness and stress. Her aura crackled a faded pink. "If we get a lead that is solid, we will follow it," he agreed.

Kagome smiled thinly. She knew he was trying to placate her. Quite frankly, she appreciated it. She had enough to worry about without the guilt she felt about the kitsune's disappearance.

"You should get back to your training, Miko," Sesshomaru said gently. "Your mate will be looking for you."

Kagome bowed again. "Yes, Elder Brother," she replied. "Thank you…for everything." Kagome smiled slightly and left the study, Sesshomaru's gaze following after her thoughtfully.

Leaning his head in his hands, Sesshomaru sighed. The miko's dreams were obviously disturbing for her and for his brother, and even he had to admit that they were surprising and unexpected. He knew that the miko didn't necessarily have the power of sight, but perhaps something about her pregnancy had awakened these memories of her past life that had been previously buried.

That thought made him pause. Was it possible?...

Sesshomaru picked up the phone and dialed a number he never thought he'd have to use. "Yes," he said. "It is time for us to meet. You may have information that is of use. When is a time that is convenient for you?"


Inuyasha and Kagome stood in front of the test site, tickets in hand.

"Two days of testing," sighed Kagome, adjusting her backpack on her shoulders.

Inuyasha grunted. "I wish you'd let me carry that for you, mate," he said.

"I'm pregnant, Inuyasha," Kagome growled, "not helpless."

The look on his face made her regret her flash of anger. She reached out and grasped his hand. "It's gonna be okay," she said gently. "You'll do great."

He sent a smile her way; she could sense his fangs even under his disguise. "You too, wench."

Together they made their way to the entrance, handing their tickets to the proctor. "Higurashi Kagome," he said, "You will be in Room 135. Fujimura Inuyasha," he added, looking surprised at Inuyasha's name, "You will be in Room 140. The tests will begin in 15 minutes. Please find your seats quickly." The proctor paused. "Good luck," he added.

"Thank you, sir," they replied, hustling inside the doors to the center. Quickly they moved down the halls, searching for Kagome's room first. When they reached it, Kagome reached out and pulled Inuyasha into a deep kiss. He blushed at her very public display of affection.

"Good luck, anata," she whispered.

"Good luck, mate," he replied, winking at her as he pulled away and headed off to his room. "I'll see ya at lunch."

Kagome smiled and went into the room. Inside there were rows and rows of students, preparing and psyching themselves up for the tests. The tests were to take place over two days; today was Kagome's very long and challenging day. She had decided to study history in college, focusing on Sengoku Jidai. Her original plan was to go to medical school, but her grades in math and science weren't good enough. But studying history would allow her to focus on something she was passionate about—youkai and miko history—with the hopes of one day becoming a teacher or an archivist, things that she could easily imagine herself doing.

For her planned course of study, Kagome would take four tests on the first day: Japanese History, Geography, Japanese Literature, and English. There would be a reading and a listening portion for her English exam, which she knew she'd do fine in. Inuyasha was also taking four exams as part of his application to university as a business major: Ethics, Politics and Economics, Japanese Literature, and English. He'd wanted to apply to a major that focused on something more exciting, but Sesshomaru insisted on him being a business major, so he begrudgingly agreed.

Kagome's nerves were threatening to get the better of her, so she closed her eyes and concentrated on her third eye. Taking deep breaths, she thought of Inuyasha: his golden eyes, dripping with desire for her; his fangs, skimming across her skin; his claws, gently teasing her skin. She ended up flushed with desire, but at least she wasn't worrying about the test anymore. When the proctor handed out the first test and began to read through the directions, Kagome smiled. She was ready to tackle whatever these tests threw at her.


A few doors down, Inuyasha was really fucking nervous. The knowledge wasn't going to be an issue; he'd mastered the material months before. The monk had been working with him on test-taking skills, and that's where his nerves lay. He worried about taking too long, about making the wrong choices, about rushing…basically, about everything. Sesshomaru was expecting him to not only to do well, but to be exceptional enough to get into Tokyo University. Inuyasha knew his brother expected nothing less. He would be the first person to admit this kind of pressure was not something he did well with. He'd much rather be facing down a thousand youkai single-handed than take one exam. Inuyasha gripped his pencil so tightly that it broke in his grasp. A few people turned to look at him; he ducked under the table to get another one out of his bag, grimacing.

Inuyasha decided to meditate. He and Kagome had been working on it for a few weeks. He was used to her presence being a soothing force in helping him focus, so if he just thought of her, maybe that would help. He closed his eyes, remembering what Kagome and Hideaki had taught him about using his third eye. He drew his attentions there and took a deep breath, thinking of Kagome: her full, lustrous hair, her bright brown eyes, glowing cheeks, and soft, supple lips. He unconsciously shifted in his seat. Calm down, man, he told himself. This is supposed to relax you, not get you excited in a different way.

Without thinking, he felt himself reaching out for her; he unfurled his youki, letting it spool forth in waves across the room. He could feel the cloaking enchantment chafing against the unleashing of his youki, but he didn't give a shit. He needed to feel that his wife was somewhere close by.

"My Lord," hissed a voice nearby. "Dial it down."

Inuyasha turned, surprised. A young man sitting at the table next to him was eyeing him sternly. His blue eyes narrowed when Inuyasha faced him.

"Every youkai in the building can feel your youki, my Lord," he murmured, so low only the youkai nearest would be able to hear. "You can't unleash it in a place like this."

"Fuck off," Inuyasha replied. "I'm looking for my wife."

"I am sure she is fine, my Lord," rejoined the young man, a thin smile flitting across his face. "Worry about yourself; I am sure the Lord of the West would rather you stay focused on the exams."

"What the fuck do you know about my brother?" whispered Inuyasha harshly.

The young man laughed lightly. "Do you think that the Lord of the West would allow you and the Lady Miko to go anywhere unprotected?" he asked. "Unfortunately, my partner and I got the short end of the stick today; we've got to take university exams with you."

Inuyasha growled, but not because of the young man. Fuck it, Sesshomaru, he thought angrily, as if I need protecting!

The proctor distributed the exams at that moment, distracting Inuyasha from his target. As the proctor began to read the directions in a bored voice, Inuyasha settled down and got his pencil ready. There would be plenty of time to sort this out later.


Eight hours and four exams later, Inuyasha carried Kagome out of the testing building. They'd be back tomorrow for the final tests; a lighter day for Kagome, a tougher day for Inuyasha. The young man who'd kept Inuyasha from unleashing his youki on the unsuspecting test takers followed them out of the building, accompanied by a young woman in a downy winter coat and hat. Inuyasha reasoned that she must have been the one keeping an eye on Kagome.

"My Lord," said the young man, bowing slightly, "we will see you tomorrow."

"Keh," replied Inuyasha, pulling Kagome closer around his waist and holding her thighs tightly. He wouldn't be able to carry her like this much longer; once her belly became round with the pup, he'd be carrying her in his arms for as long as she'd let him.

"Who are they, mate?" asked Kagome sleepily. The exams had taken a lot out of her.

The young man bowed. "Yamamoto Kenji," he said to them both. "And this is my partner, Tendo Aoi." The young woman bowed as well.

"Sess sent them to keep an eye on us, mate," he told Kagome.

"How nice," she murmured sleepily. "I hope you did well on your exams, too."

Kenji grimaced. "We'll see, Lady Miko. Until tomorrow, my Lord." He bowed again briefly and he and Aoi headed in the opposite direction of the shrine.

The sky was growing dark as Inuyasha and Kagome trudged home, each occupied with their own thoughts. Inuyasha couldn't help but be angry with his brother. His concerns churned through his mind, ranging from his fury that his bastard brother would have them followed, to concern for his mate, to worry about how he did on his exams.

"Don't worry about the exams, Inuyasha," Kagome mumbled, leaning forward and kissing his mark, making him sigh. "We can check our answers against the rubric and see how we did when we get home."

Inuyasha grumbled. "It'll be fine, mate," he said. "I'm not worried about our scores…much."

"We have exams tomorrow too, anata," she reminded him. "Plus, if we make the list, we'll still need to take the exams for Tokyo University."

"Don't remind me, koi," he replied, his voice gentler than his words allowed. "Let's just go home and relax. Mama promised me ramen and you oden for finishing day one."

She nuzzled his neck, her arms clasping around her tightly. He felt her body press against his back; her breasts, beginning to swell with the influx of hormones in her body, felt firm and delicious. He could feel the tiny bit that her belly had started to round, and if he really focused, he could hear the rapid heartbeat of their pup. He loved the idea that in this position, they formed a protective shell around it.

With so much going on, Inuyasha hadn't had much time to process the whole impending fatherhood thing. Sure, he was excited; who wouldn't be? But their talk with Mama Higurashi had given him pause on just how good they were going to be at parenting. Well, he was sure his mate would be a kick-ass momma, but him? He'd only had his mother for a short period of time, and he'd never known his father. Fuck it all, he'd never had a father figure in his life. How would he know what to do?

"Anata, what's on your mind?" Kagome asked him. The nervousness rolling off his youki caused her to become fully awake in her concern.

Inuyasha rumbled and said nothing. "Inu-ya-sha," she continued, needling him slightly by burying her face in his neck and tonguing his mark. He moaned in response; he couldn't resist her.

"Do you think—I'll be a good father, Kagome?" he asked.

He could feel her start in surprise. "What?" she said.

"A good father," he repeated.

"Why on earth wouldn't you be?" she replied.

"Because fuck it, mate, I never had a father," he said. "I've never really had any family except for my mother, and I would imagine being a father is different."

Kagome sighed. "I don't really remember my father much either, Inuyasha," she reminded him.

"But you have your mom," he pointed out. "You have, like, the best fucking role model in the world."

"Wow, nothing like pressure," she laughed.

"That's not what I meant, mate," he responded. She dug her thighs into his sides and he hitched his breath at the pressure.

"Well, we've got no role model and the best one in the world," she replied. "I would imagine we will fall somewhere in the middle."

"But will that be good enough for our pup?" he asked, massaging her thighs now as he carried her.

Kagome sighed. "We'll learn by doing, mate," she said brusquely. "People have been having babies for tens of thousands of years. We'll have my mom and we'll have Rin. We should be fine. Lots of people have insecurities about becoming parents. We're not the first."

"Wait, are you insecure, too?" he replied, surprised.

"Of course I am!" she exclaimed, a little too close to his ears, which she could sense were flattening against his head. "This is really scary. I've got a new life inside me. It's going to do weird things to my body—it already is!" She meant to laugh, but it came out as more of a sob. Inuyasha felt his chest tighten as he thought about what he had done to her. He'd always thought it would be impossibly sexy to see Kagome pupped, and so far it was, but maybe also it wasn't something that she necessarily saw in the same way.

They were at the steps to the shrine now, and Inuyasha gently set his mate down at the entryway. He made to go up the stairs, but Kagome stopped him when she grabbed his hand.

"I want you to understand," she said quietly. "The next few months might be tough for me. Pregnancy isn't easy, and being pregnant with a hanyou might be even harder. There aren't books out there on this. I'm going to need you in ways that neither of us had ever thought possible. My emotions are going to be insane, and you will have to deal with them shifting by the second." He looked at her, surprised and terrified. "I read a book on human pregnancy," she admitted. "Several, actually."

"But the important thing is that we're doing this together," she continued. "You…and me. We have each other, and that's not going to change. And we already love this pup."

He smiled softly then and reached up to caress her cheek, tucking some of her flyaways behind her ear. "We do," he replied. "That's why I'm scared. I don't want to fuck this up."

She nuzzled into his touch and looked up at him, gentle brown eyes so full of love. "You won't. You're going to be the best papa any inu hanyou has ever had."

"And you're going to be the best mama," he said immediately. He bent down and slowly took her lips with his own. They stayed like that for several moments, chaste, but relaying all the love they had in their hearts for each other, and for their unborn pup. Inuyasha's mind settled, and the dust that had been brewing up around his fears of the future finally began to dissipate. He could do this. And he was going to be fucking awesome at it.