Chapter 52

The moment the blizzard stopped, and the roads were clear, Kagome and Yasu were loaded up and taken to the hospital. Both were in perfect health, but still kept for three days which is the custom for mothers who had just given birth, then they were sent home.

Now a week later, Miroku and Kagome had developed a routine. Yasu was a relatively quiet baby, only crying when he needed something. He was already smiling, though he didn't know what he was smiling at. Touga insisted Yasu was smiling at him.

Now, as was the norm for a few hours during the day, everyone was piled into Miroku and Kagome's home to visit the baby. Even Aito and Souta had shown up, both anxious to meet their newest family member. They had yet to even see Yasu.

Kagome was sitting on her bed, Yasu to a breast as she sang to him. Her eyes were closed, exhaustion her new best friend. Both her and Miroku had gotten used to having full nights of sleep, especially after they used to only get three to four hours a night. Now they were having to get up every few hours to feed their baby, and they were struggling to get accustomed to that part of parenthood.

Miroku slipped into the room, smiling as he saw his wife starting to doze off. He sat beside her, jolting her awake once more. She looked at him and then yawned cutely. Chuckling, he kissed her temple, placing a hand on his son's head. "Everyone is getting impatient."

"They will just have to wait. He is hungry and he will eat his fill." Kagome rolled her eyes at her family, and Miroku nodded with a tender smile.

He didn't understand why he had been so scared to be a father. He loved his son and would do anything Yasu needed. The love that Miroku felt for his baby was unlike anything he had ever felt before. It was unique, an emotion that only a father could feel. "I want another, Kagome."

Kagome looked at him with wide eyes, making him laugh. Yasu hiccupped at his father's outburst, but then latched back on. It was as if he was telling his father not to interrupt his meal. Miroku smiled again, the motion seeming to always be on his face, and looked back to Kagome. "Not now. But I don't want to wait years either. Two at the most. I want my children to grow together close in age, like I was with my brothers."

"I can agree to that. Plus, I wouldn't mind trying to have a girl." Kagome smiled at him, seeing his eyes wide now. Turnabout's fair play.

"I never said anything about girls. I said I wanted another one, as in another boy. Girls are on a whole different level." Miroku frowned, as Kagome chuckled. "With Yasu I get to encourage him to run after the girls. No little boy would get their grimy fingers on my daughter."

Kagome laughed, looking down at her son as he grunted in annoyance. "Sorry, Yasu." Readjusting him so he could suckle once more, she looked back to Miroku. "First that is a double standard. Yasu is going to be taught to respect girls. Like his daddy. Second, I want a girl, Miroku. We can have as many boys as you want, but I want at least one girl."

Miroku pouted, though he wasn't truly upset. He would be happy with any gender of baby as long as he got to have more with Kagome. He wasn't joking earlier though. He would have a stick ready to beat away any boys that tried to chase after his daughter. It was a good thing their home was surrounded by trees.

Yasu gurgled then, letting go of the breast himself. Miroku immediately took him, placing him to his shoulder and patting his back as Kagome cleaned and redressed herself. When Yasu burped, they changed his diaper and then finally headed out to their impatient family.

"There is my grandson!" Aito smiled largely as he approached Miroku. He didn't notice Touga behind him grumbling about sharing his grandson, and Kagome gave him a look, reminding him of the conversation they had when Touga didn't want to share Kagome. Touga pouted, looking almost exactly like his son a moment ago.

Kagome watched as Aito held her son, a big smile on his face. He was doing baby talk, not even remembering all the others in the room. Souta was beside him, looking down at his nephew, though he didn't try to hold him.

Sesshomaru was the only other one that hadn't tried to hold Yasu. He looked at him, interacted with him, but he didn't dare try to pick him up. He had never held a person so small, and he wasn't about to start now. Of course, Miroku didn't let that last long before he was taking Yasu from Aito and forcing Sesshomaru to hold his son.

"I really do not recommend this." Sesshomaru was tense, his jaw and shoulders tight. Naomi sat beside him, rubbing Yusa's head gently. He watched her, his figure suddenly no longer tense. He had that light in his eyes that Miroku had when he first saw Kagome holding a baby. It wouldn't be long before Naomi was announcing her pregnancy if Sesshomaru followed in both Touga and Miroku's footsteps.

Kagome tried to help cook dinner, but Izayoi wouldn't allow it. Her and Sango could handle it while Kagome rested from giving birth a week ago. She pouted, much like everyone else seemed to be doing that evening.

Soon enough they were all eating, still passing around Yasu. They continued to laugh and joke, letting the peace Yasu brought with them coat them all. They knew soon enough Kouga would rear his ugly head, but for now, they pushed all thoughts of him aside, focusing only on the baby that had managed to light up their world.

"I want a family photo." Izayoi held up a camera and stand she brought, ordering them all to get in position. InuYasha grumbled loudly, but one look from his mother, and he quieted down. They all posed for the photo, Yasu deciding to cry as soon as the timer went off. The photo consisted of everyone looking down at the baby, making sure he was okay. It ended up being their favorite picture, and one that would hang on all of their walls for the rest of their lives.

…

Kouga yelled out in a rage, tossing anything he could get his hands on. Ginta and Hakkaku cowered in the corner, trying to stay hidden from Kouga's wrath. Kouga had tried to contact Hitomi, wanting to get more information on Kagome that he could use. However, she refused, stating that because she was stuck spending two years in jail, and he wouldn't help her out, she was no longer going to help him. She had lost everything because of him.

Her home, her father, her son, and daughter. Granted she didn't care about much of those, but she truly had nothing left. She didn't have money, or a place to live after she got out of jail. She would be on the streets. All because she sold her daughter to Kouga Wolfe.

After Hitomi was a bust, Kouga tried Naraku. However, the male was still unable to talk due to the burns over his entire body. Most likely, Naraku wouldn't have been any help anyway, because he was loyal to the Taisho's. He had been from the beginning.

The truth was, Kouga was clawing at the seams. There wasn't much more he could do that wouldn't result in him somehow giving himself away. He could keep trying to chip at the family, but that wasn't working. Every plan he had failed.

It seemed the Taisho's were untouchable. You hurt one, they all come back stronger than they were before. There had to be something else, something that Kouga could do to ensure Kagome became his. Sneak attacks weren't working, so maybe he needed to try something more up front, more bold.

But what?

If he were to succeed, he needed to make sure he was able to get away with Kagome without being caught later on down the road. He needed to be stealthy and calm. He needed to think, but the rage fueling his beating heart wasn't letting him.

Taking a few seconds to breathe, he tried to calm himself. He had heard Ginta and Hakkaku come in as soon as he began his fit. If they were here, then they had news for him. He hoped it was something devastating for the Taisho's

He had never expected Kagome to turn his letter over to the police, getting that back had been a pain, and his need for revenge had just risen. He wanted them all dead for taking what was his. They protected Kagome, circling around her like a pride of lions, protecting those that needed it. It made it nearly impossible to get his hands on her.

Turning his thoughts to Ginta and Hakkaku before he got angry again, he looked to his men. "Tell me what you learned." They looked at each other, both shaking their heads. Whatever it was, they didn't want to face Kouga's wrath. Kicking a chair across the room and watching it shatter, he ignored their whimper and demanded them to speak. "Now!"

"Kagome had the baby. He is healthy and they are all back home." Ginta was hiding behind Hakkaku, watching as Kouga digested the news he just received. The internal explosion that happened inside of their boss was visible to even them.

His eyes lit up, and then faded out, letting a new dark and sinister light grow. He was crazed, his mind shattering at the good news for the Taisho's. They still managed to win one over him, and Kouga could no longer tolerate it. "Change of plans. If I can't have her, no one can." At that moment, Kouga no longer cared about being careful. He was going to get Kagome, drag her back here, and kill her the most painful way he could. That would be her punishment for putting Kouga through everything he had endured since she left him.