DISCLOSURE STATEMENT: This author has no financial or non-financial relation nor do they possess any right to "Inuyasha: A Feudal Fairy Tale" franchise. Full ownership of all characters is the sole intellectual property of Rumiko Takahashi.
Request Line
itzatakahashi
"Hello listeners! I'm your host kstewdeux. Our first request is from itzatakahashi. Your song request for Kagome is a surrogate for InuKik but falls in love with Inuyasha is up next!"
Truth be told it was the easiest decision she ever had to make. They had been friends since they were five. Been there for each other through the hardest of times. Without Kikyo, Kagome honestly didn't think she would ever have recovered after her father died. They had been there for each and every milestone. Kagome had even been the maid of honor at Kikyo's wedding.
So when Kikyo hesitantly approached her about being a surrogate, she immediately said yes. They had been trying for years and only a few weeks earlier she had held her sobbing friend when the doctor finally broke the devastating news. There would be no babies for the woman who had talked of being a mother for as long as Kagome could remember. She was willing to do anything to bring a smile on her friend's face again. Anything.
"Thank you," Kikyo whispered tearfully as she tightly embraced her dearest friend, "Thank you."
The procedure had been...strange. It would be her child in a way. Her egg was being used and Kikyo's husband was to be the "donor". Kagome honestly felt rather conflicted about the whole thing. The man had always been relatively reserved and despite the countless hours she'd spent near him, he'd barely said two words to her. Still, all that mattered was that he made Kikyo happy and by being their surrogate she would be bringing one of the most important people in her life joy. Besides...
It wasn't like he'd be touching her and that thought brought with it a strange sense of relief. The embryo would be manufactured, in a manner of speaking, in a laboratory. The transfer procedure was quick and painless. Six weeks later, it was deemed a success. She could've told them that herself though. Christmas morning her mother had produced apple cider and she swore it smelled like straight whiskey. Coffee reeked of cigarettes and the number of naps she was taking was borderline obscene.
She was due in September. Which meant she would be facing the hottest months of the year in the deepest throws of pregnancy. Something she wasn't particularly looking forward to but what was done was done.
It was after the first appointment, however, that something concerning began occurring. Kikyo couldn't bring herself to be there when they deemed the pregnancy viable or not. Not that Kagome blamed her. After three miscarriages, she knew her friend could not handle another heartache like that. Instead, InuYasha had been present. Although the possibility for awkwardness had made her cringe, Kagome readily agreed to his presence.
"Thank you," he breathed as they left the doctor's office before his face fell slightly, "Are you really okay with all of this? I...I know I've never really made an effort with you before. I just...I guess I was worried you might not like me. You guys have been friends for so long I always felt like a third wheel to the Kikyo and Kagome show."
"Oh no," Kagome laughed as she gave him a sympathetic smile, "You should have said something. I always thought you didn't like me. Not that I would blame you. Kikyo is so serious and I'm just, well, I'm not. People like what they like, you know?"
"We want you to be involved afterwards," he amended as they casually made their way back to the car, "But I worry it'll be too hard on you. Hell I don't know if I could do this. You know, if I wasn't so dick inclined."
Kagome snorted.
"I love Kikyo," Kagome hummed as she held a hand to her stomach, "If it makes her happy, I will have no regrets."
"I hope that's true," he murmured quietly before adding with a soft sigh, "I couldn't imagine giving away a child I wanted."
Kagome blinked at him and frowned.
"I know it's not mine," she replied in a confused tone. He cringed.
"I didn't mean...shit, I'm just not good at words," he stammered as a faint blush adorned his cheeks, "Um, lets just get you back to work. If...if you want, we'd love to have you for dinner tonight?"
Kagome agreed but otherwise stayed silent until they reached the car. As she buckled herself in, she gave him a soft smile.
"Sorry if I sounded mad," she muttered sheepishly and he visibly relaxed.
"Don't worry about it."
The next few weeks passed by without incident. Well, more or less. Kikyo was acting distant for some reason which both bothered and confused her. Every smile seemed forced and there was a snippiness in each conversation.
"She's just..." InuYasha sighed as he gave her a strained smile, "This is hard for her. She wanted this so badly and she's just feeling a little jealous is all. Don't let it bother you."
The more Kagome got to know him the more baffled she was that he was married to Kikyo. He was usually rather crass. Could be abrasive one minute and gentle the next. His tastes in music and pretty much everything were the very things Kikyo always proclaimed to hate. Opposites were said to attract but in many ways he was Kagome in male form. In that light, it made perfect sense seeing as how close she and Kikyo had always been. People liked what they liked.
It wasn't until she began to overfill her once a day coffee because she was thinking about him. When her eyes glaze over during staff meetings at work because she daydreamed about what he might be doing. That deadline she missed because she spent hours thinking about how he looked the last time she saw him instead of preparing for the audit. The realization he was the first thing she thought of every morning and her final thought before bed...
It was only after all of that that she realized there was a problem.
The twenty week sonogram came faster than she could blink. The nasty symptoms of pregnancy had for the most part passed. Sure, she ached and was generally uncomfortable but that was par for the course.
Again Kikyo failed to show.
"Look at that," he breathed and subconsciously reached for her hand when the baby appeared in all its fuzzy glory.
"Do you want to know the gender?" the technician asked and it hurt Kagome's heart when he looked to her to answer. Kikyo making that decision hadn't even crossed his mind.
"Y-yeah," Kagome answered hesitantly hating the part of herself that wished, even if just for a moment, that InuYasha was really there as her husband. That this was a special moment in both of their lives. But this baby wasn't hers. It was Kikyo's. It had always been Kikyo's.
"A girl," he laughed as he grinned down at the sonogram before giving her the most adoring look. It had her heart melting and plummeting all at the same time.
A few more weeks passed and Kikyo had stopped talking to her entirely. Kagome too had not been over to their house although not to avoid her dear friend. It was to avoid him.
A knock on her door one dreary and rainy Saturday morning nearly gave her a heart attack.
"Kagome?" she heard Inuyasha's strangely desperate voice, "Are you in there? You...you haven't been answering your phone."
Sighing heavily, Kagome awkwardly scooted to the edge of the couch before literally having to push herself up to get to her swollen feet. She might not have eaten the healthiest second trimester. Craving gummy bears more than fruit and gestational diabetes had caused some...unfortunate side effects.
"I'm coming," She hummed despondently. She hadn't seen him in so long. Wanted desperately for him to both stay and leave. Hadn't talked to Kikyo either for at least a month because for the first time in her life, she resented her friend for having something she wanted. Ironically, the same sentiment was shared by Kikyo.
"Oh thank god," he breathed when she answered the door and he pulled her immediately into a tight hug, "I honestly thought you weren't going to answer."
"Sorry I haven't been answering my phone," Kagome laughed awkwardly as she gently escaped his grip, "Just been so tired. I'll try to come over soon. I know you guys probably want to be there for all the kicks and...and..."
She trailed off when she saw how his face fell.
"Kikyo didn't tell you," he asked bluntly as he looked like he wanted to crawl into a hole and die. Kagome's blood ran cold.
"Tell me what?" Kagome asked quietly as fear settled on her heart. InuYasha swallowed.
"I shouldn't have pushed her," he blurted out as he muscled his way into the house and ran his fingers agitatedly through his hair, "I was the one who wanted to try other avenues and she wanted to get a second opinion but we're not getting any younger. The doctor, multiple doctors, told her..."
"What happened?" Kagome asked hoarsely as she waddled over to the couch and sat down. Trying to slow her rapidly beating heart. InuYasha cringed and shook his head as his face contorted in pain.
"She left me," he admitted bitterly before rolling his eyes, "She found someone else. Some asshole attorney she worked with. But we have a kid on the way and...and I don't want to be left out of my kid's life, y know. I thought...I thought you weren't answering my calls because...because..."
"So where does that leave me?" Kagome asked hoarsely as she tried to digest this information. She sure as hell didn't want to become a single mother forever tied to a man she had no right to pursue. Whether Kikyo left him or not was immaterial. It wasn't right. No matter how much she wished otherwise.
"If she doesn't want it, I'll take it," InuYasha replied immediately as he paled and knelt down before her. Taking her hands in his, he looked like a man begging for his life, "I know this isn't what you signed up for. You...you haven't known me that long. But I swear I'll raise it right. I'll...I'll involve you if you want even."
"Inuaysha," Kagome sighed as she rested her hand on her stomach, "Maybe there was a misunderstanding. She might..."
"She filed for divorce last Monday," he informed her as the look of desperation grew, "I know...I know you'll need to talk to her first but please don't cut me off from my kid."
"I don't know if that's my choice to make," Kagome sighed heavily, "I signed a contract InuYasha. It says it's hers."
"And mine," he argued a little more harshly than he intended and he wrinkled his nose before paling and looking down at her stomach, "Sorry I didn't mean...I know being upset could hurt the baby. I...I didn't come here to..."
"Do you still love her?" Kagome asked quietly and InuYasha looked even sadder. She hadn't thought that was possible. He nodded and averted his eyes.
"We shouldn't've done this," he admitted quietly, "If I had just been...if I had paid more attention to...this is my fault."
"I've still got a month to go," Kagome swallowed thickly, "Let me talk to her first, okay?"
InuYasha looked devastated but nodded silently as he stood and headed towards the door.
"I shouldn't've come," he replied wearily as he opened the door and gave her a tired smile, "Sorry."
Kagome didn't even bother calling first. After waiting until she saw InuYasha drive away, she drove straight to Kikyo's house and damn near beat down the door.
"Kagome?" Kikyo replied as her eyes widened in shock and realization. She didn't get further than that when her now former friend delivered a harsh slap across her face.
"You bitch," Kagome hissed as she pushed her way into the house, "Never, never in a million years would I have thought you do something like this. Never. I did this for you! All of this for you. You cut me out. You cheat on your husband. You're not the victim here Kikyo. Everyone involved lovesyou because we thought you were this loving, caring person. Instead you're just selfish."
"I knew you wouldn't understand," Kikyo countered defensively, "All I've ever wanted is to have my own baby. This one isn't even mine."
"Yes it is!" Kagome screamed angrily ignoring the baby as it began to kick in response to her anger, "Stop playing the victim here! You're the one in the wrong. All we've ever done is love you and all you've done is throw us away like trash. InuYasha has been there for every doctor's appointment. Every sonogram. Where have you been?! It would feel more like yours if you'd been involved at all."
"I don't want it!" Kikyo snarled before paling. The rest of her argument stolen from her lungs as she took a instinctive step backwards.
"Wait, Kagome," Kikyo muttered as Kagome recoiled like she'd been slapped and left without another word. Except one.
"I want a new contract," Kagome replied acidly, "By Monday. Get your new side piece to draw up the papers giving InuYasha full custody and you're paying for my attorney to review them."
"He doesn't want it either," Kikyo replied coldly and Kagome merely gave her a withering, knowing look before slamming the door.
InuYasha was waiting for her when she pulled back into her driveway less than thirty minutes later.
"Are you okay?" he breathed as he rushed to help her out of the car. Kagome gave him a weary, apologetic smile and nodded.
"I didn't want you to do that," he chided gently as he helped her into the house before adding guiltily, "But I'm glad you did."
"Well it'll be yours," Kagome replied bitterly, "I'll sign over my rights or whatever. I don't want to be involved after that."
A piece of her died as those words left her mouth.
"Okay," he replied a little sadly as he waited for her to open the door, "But...but I can still be here for you at the end, right? I just...I'm living in a hotel right now. If...if you wanted I could stay here with you. You know, to help. You're getting pretty big."
He grimaced and swore softly as those words left his mouth.
"Wait, shit, I didn't mean how any of that sounded," he groaned, "I just...I want to be here for at least part of it. I haven't felt her kick or...or anything."
A twinge of guilt flickered through Kagome's heart.
"Sure," Kagome replied dourly even as she mentally screamed. The last thing she needed was for him to move in here with her. After months of denial, she had finally admitted it to herself.
She loved him.
The thought made her feel lower than dirt.
Every day she felt lower and lower as she fell for him more and more deeply. He worked from home and she had gone on maternity leave forcing her to spend countless hours with him. At times they fought, bitterly, over stupid little things but to her horror she even loved that. She loved every minute of every day. There were times she thought he might love it too but he never said.
At least not until they were driving at the attorney's office to sign the new paperwork.
"I wanted to ask you something," InuYasha began quietly as he glanced at her, "But you don't have to answer right now."
"Go ahead," Kagome replied miserably as she rolled down the window and let the wind hit her in the face. She hated driving anymore. It made her feel like she was going to vomit or pass out or both.
"Would you...would you ever consider," he began hesitantly, "Trying to start something between us?"
"I beg your pardon?" Kagome asked as she whipped her head towards him and immediately a wave of vertigo hit her, "Oh god pull over."
"I'm sorry. It was a stupid thing..." he began apologizing immediately before his eyes widened in realization and he took a sharp turn into a gas station. He hopped out of the car and was trying to hold her hair back with almost inhuman speed while she upchucked violently onto the cement.
"Fuck I'm sorry," he cringed as she moaned, "Do you need a sprite or...something?"
Kagome nodded weakly before gingerly getting her huge whale like body back into the car. He hurried into the gas station and came back a few minute later with some saltines and the promised soda.
"I'll drive slower," he mumbled miserably as he rubbed her back.
"About what you..." Kagome swallowed back bile, "About what you asked..."
"Forget I said anything," he rushed to cut her off as he jumped to the wrong conclusion, "It was stupid."
"Let me finish," she huffed and he nodded while looking like a man about to be executed, "I wouldn't mind trying. I wouldn't mind at all. After all, this baby is technically ours."
Without a moment's hesitation, he leaned in and kissed her before pulling back and wrinkling his nose.
"You taste like vomit," he teased as he gave her a playful grin.
"No shit."
Birth...birth wasn't pleasant. Imagine your worst gastrointestinal cramps. Except instead of relief they get progressively worse until it feels like something is ripping you apart from the inside and you completely forget to breathe. Even when it wanes it hurts. Kagome deeply, deeply regretted her decision to go natural. As it was happening anyway.
Still, InuYasha took it like a champ. Even though he would joke later that she probably broke his hand. He was there for every moment of it and every moment after. Pregnancy had been a strange journey and surrogacy more so. What a strange way to find love.
In both InuYasha and their daughter.
