Author's notes: Here's chapter 3! I hope you enjoy it. Anyway, could
someone please tell me if they're still going to continue showing Inuyasha
on Cartoon Network in March, because if not I need to know so I can begin
throwing my temper tantrum as soon as possible. Thanks. (lol)
Disclaimer: Don't own Inuyasha. I know. I'm sorry, too.
Some vocab I think I missed:
Oi- hey
Jii-chan- Grandfather
Miko- priestess
I'm pretty sure that's it. From now on I'll just put the translation next to it if I haven't written it already, okay?
Chapter 3: Revelations.
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After a quick display of swirling lights, Inuyasha was in Kagome's well house. He immediately leapt from the well, not even bothering with the ladder, and exited the mini shrine. The hanyou inhaled deeply as he attempted to locate Kagome's scent, trying to ignore the filthy smell that always seemed to penetrate the air in Kagome's time (A/N Air pollution. Really need to do something 'bout that). 'Hmm..there's Sota, and that old man's here..her Mom's scent is faint, probably a day old. and.there! Kagome.' He darted around to the other side of the house to the tree just outside her bedroom window. With a few graceful leaps he went from the ground, to the tree, to her windowsill. As he leaned into her bedroom, he could hear running water from her bathroom. 'Of course Kagome would take a shower while she's sick,' he thought. He settled against the wall next to her bathroom door, prepared to wait for as long as she was prepared to shower.
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Kagome was attempting to pull herself together. She forced herself up from the floor of her shower and began to rub conditioner through her hair and wash her face of all her tears, which she was trying to control (and failing, which only added to her frustration). 'So, that's what I've got to do, huh? Just tell him. Then I will. I will. I'll..try.' She turned off the water and reached for a towel. Her crying had nearly stopped by the time she was dry. Out of habit, she changed into her pajamas in the bathroom, her favorite pink ones with the stars and crescent moons on them. She slung her towel over her shoulder and began to brush her hair as she opened the door and walked into her room, wiping her eyes one more time.
She was very surprised to see Inuyasha staring at her from the floor next to the door.
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Inuyasha had just begun to relax when the door swung open to reveal Kagome, who was wiping her eyes. She was accompanied by the salty smell of her tears. When she stepped into the room, she seemed to notice she wasn't alone, and turned to face him. Her brush stopped midway the length of her hair as she stared at him. He saw how much she had really been crying. Her eyes were still watery and red, as was her face, and there were light trails from the tears running down her cheeks. They stared at each other, saying nothing, for what seemed like hours, although in reality it was probably only a few seconds. Finally the hanyou spoke, "Kagome, why are you crying? What's wrong?" Those words seemed to break her trance, and she finished running her brush through her hair, and knelt in front of him, the towel sliding to the floor as she went down. She looked almost pathetic in her pajamas, her eyes brimming with tears, hair wet, kneeling on the floor like she was. It made his heart wrench.
"Inuyasha," Kagome whispered. She didn't know what to say. He sounded so confused, so worried. She couldn't lie to him anymore. This was it. She was going to tell him. She could feel herself starting to cry again.
"Kagome, what's wrong?" He asked again. She looked him in the eye as she found her voice, and said the two words that had weighed her mind for weeks now.
"I'm pregnant."
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All he could do was stare at her, shocked, as she slumped forward, leaning on him lightly and began to sob. "I'm pregnant," she repeated in a broken whisper. Slowly he regained his senses and pulled her into his lap as he began to try and sooth her. With one hand he began to rub her back in small, firm circles, and with the other he ran his fingers through her damp hair. A couple of months ago he wouldn't have known to do this, but he had picked up on it now that he wasn't always the reason she needed comforting. "Shh.. It's okay. Don't cry, Kagome," He whispered in what he hoped was a steady and sure tone, " I'll always take care of you, both of you. I promise. Please stop crying." He hoped that would help to comfort her, because he wasn't sure he could keep up his confident act much longer, although he had meant what he said. He was going to take care of her, no matter what. He just needed to think this through, and that would be hard to do with her sobbing on his shirtfront.
Her crying died down to short, muffled sobs as she looked up at him. She asked in a soft voice just above a whisper, "You mean, you want the baby?"
This question stunned him a bit. "Hai," He answered, "Why wouldn't I? I promised I'd take care of both of you, didn't I?"
Once again, she pressed her face against his chest as tears streamed down her face and sobs wracked her smaller form. This confused him even more. 'Why did she start to cry again?' he wondered, 'Wait.. She didn't want me to say no, did she?' He looked down at her and cupped her face in his hand, tilting it up so she could look at him. "Kagome," He said, " *You * want the child, don't you?"
To his surprise, she quickly wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight hug. "Of course I do," She said through her tears, "but I was scared. that you wouldn't, and then. I couldn't have it." She hesitantly started to pull away from him so she could look him in the face. Tears were still pouring from her eyes as she said, "Because, no matter how many people might tell me it'll be okay. or tell me they'll help me out.I can't do it.without.you," She leaned against his shoulder, although she wasn't sobbing anymore, " I need * you*." Inuyasha pressed his cheek to the top of her head and said, "You won't have to do it without me. Don't worry."
Kagome sighed, relieved, and wrapped her loosely around his neck again. She slowly started to relax against him, and then suddenly he was scooping her up into his arms. After he had balanced her against his chest, he made his way toward her bed. He laid her on her bed gently and knelt down next to her. Kagome was confused. "Umm, Inuyasha?" She asked, "What are you doing?"
Inuyasha didn't trust those future healers or devices to tell him that she was pregnant. He was going to make sure of it, his way. He laid her out on her back and crouched next to her bed. He heard her question him in a confused voice. "Shh. Hang on a second," He said. Firmly, he pressed his ear against her lower stomach. He felt through her pajama top that her once nearly flat belly was now slightly rounder. For a moment he sat there, silently listening. Then he heard it. Two heartbeats. One steady and strong. Kagome's. Another, fainter, quicker, and slightly uneven, but a heartbeat, no doubt. Their child's. Inuyasha sat up and stared at her for a second. " Wow," he said, " Just.. wow."
"What?" Kagome asked. His expression worried her a bit, " Is something wrong?" He shook his head no, "It's just. I can hear its heartbeat." He seemed somewhat amazed by the experience. " So..," He began, " You're really..?" She nodded, " In my time, you can tell after only a few weeks." Inuyasha stood from his crouched position and sat up next to her on the bed, leaning against the headboard while she still lay flat on her back. He just stared up at the ceiling, as if deep in thought. Kagome pressed herself against his side, clutching onto his fire rat haori (jacket), looking up at him, as if for reassurance.
The hanyou looked down into her eyes as she pulled herself closer to him. It was then he realized how scared she must have been. She had carried this secret with her for weeks, maybe months. This girl, not even seventeen, had dealt with all this all alone. All he could manage to do was give her a small smile and snake his arm around her, pulling her to his chest. He sank down from the headboard to lay his head on her pillow so he could be level with her body. He could feel Kagome starting to relax against him once again. This time he had no intention of moving her until morning. The poor girl had had it hard enough.
Kagome hadn't felt this warm and comforted in nearly a month, and she had missed being able to completely relax when she was with Inuyasha like this. Now there was no more worrying about his youkai senses leading him to find out this secret she had carried with her, no more worrying about his reaction when he found out. He knew now. He understood. The one person she needed most was here for her. She felt now, more than ever that everything was going to be okay.
Soon there were no more sounds of people moving below, and Kagome quickly fell asleep against Inuyasha. He quietly pulled the blankets from under them and placed them over her. His fire rat clothing kept him warm enough since it was early summer, and any more heat would be uncomfortable, but he knew Kagome needed it. After making sure she would be warm, he relaxed and slowly began to fall unconscious. They both got the first full night of sleep that either of them had had in a long time, assured that the other would stay with them until morning.
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The next morning Inuyasha awoke to find the sun shining in his eyes, and he blinked rapidly to get used to the sudden change in light and rolled over. He saw that Kagome had woken up before him, and was now sitting up in bed, staring at the door silently as if she was afraid someone was going to run in and attack her at any moment. "Oi, Kagome, what are you looking at?" The hanyou asked groggily. She turned and looked at him. "Nothing," She said, " I'm just thinking."
He sat up to sit next to her, "About what?"
She let out an audible sigh, "About.. what I'm going to tell my family."
He nodded, "Just tell them the truth. That you're pregnant with my pup." He stretched and added, "I'll come with you if you want."
She just shook her head and resumed looking at the door. "It's not that simple," She said, "I'm not sure how to tell them, and I don't think it'd be a good idea for you to come with me. That would just make things more complicated. I don't think either of us wants my family to be upset with you. That's not going to help at all. I need to talk to them first." He nodded again. He really didn't want her family to hate him. He'd never admit it to anyone, but he really liked Kagome's family. They were almost like his own family now. Sota treated him like a hero, and Mrs. Higurashi acted like he was her eldest son. Her Jii-chan didn't really approve that he had youkai blood in him, but he had started to work past that and was pretty nice to him now. Besides, he wasn't in the mood to be pummeled with spell scrolls or to have his ears ripped off today. He just wanted to offer to help Kagome. He had promised to take care of her just last night, after all.
"So when do you think we should tell the others back in my time?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome pulled her knees up to her chest. "I don't know," She said looking at him, " I don't think I can face two groups of people right now." He patted her shoulder gently and stood up. "I'll tell them," he decided, "Don't worry about it." She smiled at him, "Thanks, Inuyasha. I guess I better get this thing with my family over with as soon as I can." She stood up next to him. " I'll come back tomorrow morning, OK?" He nodded his consent. " Good," She said, "I'd come sooner, but I don't know what my family is going to do. They'll probably want to take me to the doctor and ask all these questions, or something." She headed toward her bathroom to get dressed. It was going to be a long night.
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Inuyasha decided to leave while Kagome was picking a fresh change of clothes. There was no hurry since Kagome was on summer vacation, but Kagome intended to tell her family as soon as they were fully awake and get it over with, at least that's what she told him, and he wasn't sure when that would be. He left the same way he had come, through her window, and headed over to the well after listening carefully to make sure no else but Kagome and him were awake. Inuyasha was planning on how to tell his companions the news as he traveled through the well, and decided he needed to think about all this first before letting them know. He needed to go somewhere he could concentrate without anyone finding him and getting curious. And he knew just where that place was.
As soon as he was back in his own time, he took a deep whiff of the air, just to breathe it in. Whenever he went to Kagome's time for more than a few hours he always began to become accustomed to the smell of the air there, and it was nice to be able to breathe the fresh air in his time again. After pausing a moment the hanyou leapt from the well and headed west, toward the mountains. He wasn't planning on going into the mountains, just to a place near them.
Inuyasha pondered his situation as he walked. What was he going to do now? How was he going to defeat Naraku, find jewel shards, and avenge Kikyou when he had a child to take care of? He sighed. He remembered the first time he and Kagome had confessed their feelings for each other. It was then, right after he'd compared her to Kikyou again and made her cry, that he had made Kagome understand that Kikyou was no longer a lover to him, just a duty. She had been kind to him when she was alive, and he believed he owed it to her to avenge her and help her find peace. But now they both knew that he didn't love her, and he'd realized that he never really had. He had just been lonely, and when Kikyou had accepted him to some degree, he thought the feelings he had for her had been love, but really they were just feelings of mutual understanding, and perhaps an infatuation, and that was all. Kagome was the only one he'd ever really loved, and the only one who really made him feel loved. He'd told her all this over a month ago. That was the night they had mated.
Inuyasha was walking slowly as he thought since he really didn't have to be anywhere soon. He'd thought about how this child had come to be, even though he hadn't realized she was in heat. She must have gone into heat just before the child had been conceived. That was the only way he could figure it. He wondered if the child would be accepted. If him and Kagome would be accepted as mates when everyone found out. The thought 'What about the mission?' ran through his head for the hundredth time. 'I guess we could keep looking for Naraku and the shards for the next couple of months, and after that Kagome's staying in the village. No way am I going to let her look for jewel shards in that condition,' he thought, ' but after that. I don't know. I guess Sango and Miroku will keep looking for Naraku if they want, but I'll just have to stay with Kagome and the pup for a while, maybe even a year, or at least six months,' he cringed at the thought of all the jewel shards that Naraku could get in that amount of time, but decided not to concentrate on it, 'Then maybe Kaede could take care the baby whenever we're gone, or Kagome's Mom could..' He was so deep in his thoughts he hardly noticed that he was entering a large field until he felt long blades of grass sticking between his bare toes.
The hanyou knew this field and walked out into it. It was covered in tall grass that almost reached his waist as he walked through it, with the exception of a few patches clear of the grass at he edge of the field. The whole thing was surrounded by trees, with a few tall, thick oaks that grew inside the border of the meadow, and wildflowers could be found occasionally growing with the tall stalks of grass. On the western side of the field their was a stream pouring over jutting rocks, starting somewhere in the forest and leading to a large, freshwater lake. On the other side of the lake mountains could be seen, shrouded in mist, making them seem pale. It really was a nice, peaceful place. He settled himself in a large tree near the edge of the stream. This was where Kagome and him had spent the night together. They'd made love here.
He couldn't think straight. How could he have thought he could in a place like this? His mind kept wandering to that night. If he concentrated hard, he could still smell her pleasant scent mixed with the smell of her desire, he could still hear her warm, gentle voice, saying his name, softly pleading. He relaxed against the bark of the tree. He didn't like thinking anyway. He'd just let his mind wander for a little while.
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This was going to be hard. How could she tell them? They were going to be furious with her and Inuyasha. She didn't want to lose her family. She loved them. Sota probably wouldn't be to upset, since he was so young, and he adored Inuyasha so much, but what about Mama, and Jii-chan?
Kagome was nervous. She still didn't know what to say to her family about all this, and she'd been trying to build up her courage for hours. To tell you the truth, she regretted sending Inuyasha away. Maybe he could help her do this, but she knew that if her family was mad at her, they'd be madder at Inuyasha, and she didn't want them to say anything hurtful. Inuyasha was beginning to become close with her family, and she didn't want to ruin that by making him come. She'd do it alone.. eventually. She took a deep breath. 'Okay,' she thought, 'Just go in there, talk to them, and maybe hint it to them or slip it in at the right moment or something.' Before she could change her mind, she left her room and rushed down the stairs into the living room, where she saw her Mom finishing her breakfast and watching TV. " Hey, Mama," She said, almost timidly, "Where's Sota and Jii-Chan?"
" Oh, Kagome! I was wondering when you'd finally come down," Her Mother said cheerfully, " Jii-chan drove Sota to a friend's house for the day and then he's going to run a few errands. They'll both be back around mid or late afternoon." She took a sip of her tea and turned back to her TV show. "Mama, can I talk to you?" Kagome asked. Her Mom turned back toward her, "Can it wait, Kagome dear? I'm right at the good part."
"No, Mama. This is important," She replied as firmly as she could. Kagome was determined to get this over with. It would be easier just to tell her Mom right now. If she was on her side, than maybe she could help her tell Jii-chan and Sota. Kagome could feel tears welling up in her eyes, but quickly blinked them away. She wasn't going to cry. Not this time. She was going to be strong. Kagome's mom turned off the television and turned to face her fully. "What is it, Kagome?" She asked in a worried voice.
Kagome walked over to the couch and sat down next to her. "Mama," She said, bringing her knees up to her chest and let her chin rest on them, "I can tell you anything, right?" Her Mother nodded, " Of course. What are Mothers for?" Kagome sighed, trying to figure out how to begin. "Me and Inuyasha got together," She finally said quietly. To her surprise, her Mother let out a squeal, "Ooh! I knew you two liked each other! He really is a sweet boy underneath that tough shell. When did this happen?"
She shrugged, "Almost two months ago."
"Well why didn't you tell me?! You didn't think I'd be unhappy about this, did you? He's your first boyfriend! I'm happy for you!" Her Mother reached over and gave her daughter a hug. She was apparently excited, and didn't seem to suspect anything. For some reason, that only made what she was about to say harder. As calmly as she could she pushed her Mother away and said, " There's more." Her Mother frowned slightly, "Like what?" Kagome looked down at her feet and muttered so quietly her Mother barely heard it, "I'm going to have his baby."
Her Mother was silent. She simply stared at her daughter in shock. After they sat in tense silence for a minute, Kagome decided she couldn't take it anymore. "Mama, please say something," she said, "Please let me know how you feel. Do you hate me? Do you hate Inuyasha? Do you think I'm a terrible daughter? What?" Her Mother didn't respond, but instead leaned over and hugged her tightly. "I could never hate you," Her mother said, "I love you with all my heart. I don't hate Inuyasha either. I know you would never do something like. that with someone you didn't love and didn't love you back. You're not that kind of girl." Finally she let her go and had a long look at Kagome. "Tell me everything," She commanded softly. "What?" Kagome asked, confused as to what her Mother meant. "Tell me how this happened. I want to know," Her mother elaborated. "Oh," Kagome breathed.
She told her the whole story. About how Sango and Miroku had gone off to another village on their own. How their had been an epidemic in a nearby town and Shippo had gone with Kaede to help her carry her supplies, since they had been convinced that the old woman couldn't carry them on her own. How she had gone off in a different direction with Inuyasha, found the demon with the shard, fought (she left out the details of the fight) and killed it, and headed back. Then she told her about how they hadn't gotten back before dark, so they made camp for the night. Then she and Inuyasha got in a fight over her not wanting to continue to the village since night had fallen, and he had compared her to Kikyou again, which made her upset, so she went to bed. When he had fallen asleep, she'd walked off into a large, pretty field with tall grass and a small stream. So she'd taken her blanket and sat in the grass, hoping no one would see her, and cried. But Inuyasha saw her. He found her there and told her he didn't love Kikyou (whom she had to describe since her mother had forgotten), only her. She told him she felt the same way, and then, well.. She didn't need to finish.
After she was done with her story her mother once again stared at her silently. Then she settled against the back of the couch and took a long swig of her tea. Then she looked back at Kagome and asked, "And what are you going to do with this child, Kagome? Are you going to keep it, or put it up for adoption? I hope that you're not thinking of an abortion, but I can't really stop you if you are." Kagome sat back against the couch with her mother, "I'm not, especially not now that Inuyasha wants me to have it. I have to keep it. Do you really think a part demon baby would be adopted in this world? And I don't think I'd ever have the heart to have an abortion." Her mother nodded her approval. "So you've told Inuyasha then?"
"Yes."
"Good," Then she looked as if a thought struck her, "Speaking of Inuyasha, why isn't he here helping you explain all this?"
"He offered to come, but I told him not to," she replied, " He's really starting to warm up to you, and Sota, and even Jii-chan. I didn't want you guys to get really mad at him. I thought it'd be best to talk to you alone first." She looked her mother in the eye and spoke softly, " So your not mad at me, Mama? You don't think I'm a disappointment?" Her mother shook her head, " No, Kagome, I'm not mad. Shocked, but not mad. And as for you thinking I think you're a disappointment-," Kagome held her breath, "that thought never crossed my mind." Kagome breathed again. Her mother reached over and brushed a strand of black hair from her face before continuing, " You're beautiful, you're optimistic, you go into the past and fight demons on a daily basis, surrounded by friends that know almost nothing about your world, other than Inuyasha, of course, and you still always come home for tests, holidays, and birthdays, and do your very best to keep your grades up, despite the fact that your juggling two lives. How could I ever be disappointed in you? Besides, I've learned just to expect the unexpected and deal with it the best I can. That's what I intend to do now."
Kagome couldn't help it. She threw herself into her Mother's arms, hugging her for all she was worth. "Mama, Thank you," She said into her mother's shoulder, " I was sure you'd be furious. I thought you'd never want to look at me again!" Mrs.Higurashi wrapped her arms around her daughter, "It's all right, dear. I love you, and I always will. Now please calm down." Kagome presently pulled away from her mother's embrace and sat back down. " What do you think Jii-chan will say?" She asked. Her mother shook her head, "Don't you worry about that. I'll handle Dad for you. You just relax. When are you going back again?"
"Tomorrow," Kagome replied.
"Okay. You better get packed then. And you might want to take some loose clothing, just in case. Trust me, you'll need them eventually," Her Mother said, standing up and heading into the kitchen, " We need to make plans after I tell your Jii-chan, and in the mean time-," She sighed, " I need some sake (wine/liquor)." With that she walked out of the room.
Kagome smiled at her Mother's retreating back. It was a huge relief to know that she was on her side. Her Mother and Kagome herself were the only truly sensible ones (Her Mom didn't usually drink. Today was just an exception.) in the Higurashi household, and she knew her Mom would help her through this and take care of everything she needed in this time. Doctor's appointments, clothes, excuses, you name it. She was suddenly very glad Sota and Jii-chan had decided to leave.
"Hey, Mom?" She called into the kitchen. She could hear the sound of a bottle being popped open and her mother's reply, "Yes, dear?"
" Is it OK if I go for a walk?" There was a pause and then her Mother said, " All right, but don't go to far."
Kagome smiled again, "I won't." She stood up and headed towards the front door, grabbing her purse, which she took with her everywhere in her time, just in case, and her CD player. "Bye, Mom!" She called. Her response was a hiccup and the sound of a cup being placed on the table.
It was beautiful out. Not as beautiful as the feudal era, but it was nice for her time. She walked along the sidewalk, looking at the sky. She wasn't sure where she was going, so she just let her legs guide her. She took her CD player out of her purse and put on the headphones, adjusting the volume so it wouldn't hurt her ears. The soft, country melody of 'Landslide' was soon playing in her ears, and for some reason, the music seemed to fit her life right now perfectly. She found herself singing along with the words as she continued to walk aimlessly towards her unknown destination.
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Took this love and I took it down, Climbed a mountain and I turned around, And I saw my reflection in the snow-covered hills, Well the landslide brought it down...
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Kagome found herself at a small park her Father had brought her to a few times when he was alive. She sat in her old swing and began to rock slowly, chains squeaking as she moved. She was still listening to the song, which relaxed her and helped her clear her head so she could think about her situation as it was now. Things were looking up for her. She had told Inuyasha, who had told her that he wanted her to have this child, or 'pup', as he called it, and had promised to take care of both of them, and after that it was like she'd had a breakthrough. It hadn't been quite as hard to tell her mother, although it was nerve-racking. Now her Mother was going to help her, and she'd already had two children, so she'd know more about this than Kagome would. Mama was also going to tell Jii-chan, and help him accept it. Sota was no problem, and she had a feeling that her friends in Sengoku Jidai (A/N Is that's what it's called? I hope I spelled it right!) would take this well, although they'd probably tease her. In their time, it wasn't that uncommon for someone her age to be having children, but they knew here she would be considered to young, and she was sure she'd find comfort with them.
Kagome thought about how this would affect the mission. She was only one and a half months pregnant, so she'd probably be able to travel at least until her sixth month, although she was sure Inuyasha, with his protective ways, would argue with her about that, insisting that after the fourth month she shouldn't be aloud to travel outside the village at all. She smiled. That was her Inuyasha: strong, sweet, and stubborn. After she couldn't travel anymore she'd probably just stay around the village or at home. No, the village would probably be a better choice. Couldn't have any modern day doctors screaming when they birthed a child with puppy ears on its head.
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And the landslide will bring him Down...
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Kagome sighed, ceased her swinging and clicked off the CD player when the song ended. Her mind wandered back to her Father. If he were alive, how would he react to this? Would he be happy for her? She was only seven when he died. The Father she remembered was understanding, and perhaps slightly eccentric, which was another reason she loved him so much, and he was always smiling, always having these big plans and creative ideas. He'd probably throw a baby shower right now, she decided. That was just the way her Dad was. She sighed. She missed him. He had understood her, made her feel special and older than the seven-year-old she had been, and he liked almost everything she did. Her mother was fun, and always thinking of her well being, but she had loved her Dad differently. Not more, just differently. Her Mother was the one you could always count on to remember things like tests, recitals, and forgotten lunches, and she was the one who always had something meaningful to say, although she could act like a schoolgirl sometimes. Her Dad had been the one you could count on to make things interesting and keep you laughing.
Kagome decided it was time to get going and stood up from the swing, placing her CD player inside her purse again and walking off, not ready to go home, but not in the mood to sit here and reminisce any more, either. Once again she just let her feet go where they wanted to take her.
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Inuyasha decided it was time to head back to Kaede's now before the others got suspicious and came looking for him. Not that they'd actually find him, but there was no point in letting them get lost in the woods searching. He stretched and jumped down from the tree he'd been sitting in. He noticed the sky was now ablaze with bright colors from the sun beginning to set over the treetops. Had he really been sitting here that long? He'd probably dozed off at some point during the day. With one final stretch he began walking from the field in the direction of the village at a somewhat faster pace than he had used coming to it. He didn't have so much to think about now. Everything he could have wondered about had run through his mind about a million times, and he believed he was ready to face his companions now. He would just come out and tell them.
About an hour later the hanyou had reached the village. It was almost completely dark now, and no one was out, although lights could be seen from the windows of various huts. He walked toward Kaede's familiar home and slid away the shoji screen. Everyone in the room turned to look at him as he entered. Sango was sitting near the fire next o Kaede, Shippo and Kirara sitting in her lap, while Miroku stood in the middle of the room. "Ah, Inuyasha!" Miroku greeted him, "We were just about to come and look for you."
"Yeah, Inuyasha," Shippo piped up, "Where were you?"
"Nowhere," He muttered. A lecherous smile began to spread across Miroku's face. " Oh. You were with Lady Kagome all this time, were you not? I guess it's about time you two-," Inuyasha cut him off. "Shut up, houshi," He growled half-heartedly. Normally he would have whacked Miroku over the head for a comment like that, but at the moment he wasn't in the mood. Inuyasha walked over and leaned against a wall near the fire and closed his eyes, showing them that he wasn't going to talk about it anymore than he already had. Each of them continued to talk about what they had been discussing before Inuyasha decided to make an appearance.
Inuyasha just sat there, listening to them chatter and laugh cheerfully. The noise never stopped, but for a brief instant it died down enough for his voice to be heard without him needing to yell. It was that moment he decided to say what he had come back to tell them, "Kagome's pregnant."
The chatter and laughing stopped instantly. Everyone was silent as they turned to stare at the hanyou boy. "Wh-what?!" Sango stuttered.
"Are you serious?" Even Miroku was utterly amazed by this news. Inuyasha opened his eyes to look at him. "Of course I'm serious, baka!" He replied, irritated that the monk would ask such a question.
" So- that means Kagome's going to have a baby?" Shippo questioned, eyes wide. "That's what pregnant means," Inuyasha answered him.
"Inuyasha," Kaede called, " I'm going to assume you're the-" She trailed off.
"What? The father?" He asked, then he stared at the floor to hide his blush from his companions. " Yeah, I am," he said in a quieter tone. Other than an "Oh" from Shippo, who knew nothing about how girls get pregnant, everyone was silent again until Sango asked, " Where's Kagome?"
"She's telling her family," the hanyou replied. "When will she be back?" Shippo wondered. "Tomorrow morning," He said.
"How long?" Miroku asked. He had the same calm expression on his face again, although his voice revealed his amazement and shock. "What do you mean 'how long'?" Inuyasha growled. "How long has she been pregnant? How long have the two of you known? How long?" Miroku repeated. Inuyasha looked thoughtful for a moment, "Well, she's been pregnant for about a month and a half. I don't know exactly how long she's known, but she told me yesterday when I went to check on her."
"Inuyasha, is she okay?" Sango asked, "I mean she's young, not to young for this time, but still young, even here. In her time it's not as acceptable to be pregnant at her age, is it?" He nodded. "No, but don't worry, she's fine. I took care of her," he said. "Are you sure?" Sango was apparently worried for her friend's mental being. "She's fine," the hanyou assured. Really, he was worried about how her family was reacting to this. He knew how important they were to Kagome, and if they were furious with either of them she most definitely wouldn't be fine. He could just hope they wouldn't get to mad. He stood up and started to walk towards the exit, leaving them to their thoughts. "I'm going outside," he informed them. Miroku stood and walked behind him, "I'll join you." Inuyasha glared at him, but didn't say anything.
Miroku settled himself on the porch, while Inuyasha sat in a tree growing next to the hut. " So, Inuyasha," Miroku said after a while, " What do you think this will do to the mission?" Inuyasha shrugged, "Probably delay it for me, but I've decided to put it off for a while after the pup is born. You and Sango can just keep looking for Naraku, I guess." Miroku shook his head, " I guess that is the right thing to do on your part, my friend, but I don't believe that Sango and I will be going anywhere without you two. We are a team, you know." This surprised Inuyasha. They were going to wait for him? A half smile tugged at his lips. He didn't know exactly when, but at some point along this mission he had become good friends with a perverted monk, a demon exterminator, and old hag, and an annoying kitsune cub. Oh joy. Inuyasha's slight grin disappeared at the sound of Miroku's familiar 'Oh-woe-is-me' sigh. "It's like I said before, Inuyasha," Miroku stated, his lecherous smile appearing on his face, "You get all the luck."
Inuyasha could feel his annoyance level rising. " How could you be thinking of something like that when Kagome is sitting at home carrying my child! This is serious!" He yelled, but not loud enough to wake the local villagers. Miroku stood, his staff jingling lightly as he turned to look at the irritated hanyou. " Just trying to lighten the mood, Inuyasha," He said calmly, "You don't need to worry. I know you and Kagome care enough about each other to pull through this together." When that was said Miroku turned and walked back into the hut. Inuyasha watched him go and then looked up at the stars. 'We care enough about each other to pull through together,' his thoughts echoed the monk's earlier words, 'That's right.'
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Kagome had walked around the neighborhood all day, not really going anywhere important, just looking at things she had seen about a million times before. She'd never really noticed a lot of things about this place, and she figured now was as good a time as any. So she had come home with sore feet, ready to sink into a hot bath and go to bed, and then she saw her mother and jii-chan sitting in the kitchen. Quickly her mother had shooed her upstairs, whispering that she'd take care of this. So that's where Kagome had technically gone, although her mother had probably assumed that she'd go into her room and wouldn't hear a word, but she had sat down against a wall at the top of the stairs, barely hidden from view. She'd been sitting there ever since, listening to her mother break the news to her jii-chan. His words tugged at her heart.
"-Defiled by a youkai, that's what she was!" Jii-chan fumed.
"Dad, calm down-," Her mother tried to soothe him.
"Calm down?! Calm down, she says! My granddaughter is sixteen, sitting in her room quietly carrying some youkai's child," He spat the word youkai as if it were something utterly fowl and disgusting, "and you're telling me to calm down?!"
" Dad, I know it's hard for you to accept that Inuyasha is a half-youkai, but can't we try and work past that?" Her mother reasoned.
"Work past that?! That boy could kill someone on a whim!" Her jii-chan was refusing to calm down.
"But he won't unless he's trying to defend some-," Jii-chan cut her off as he continued to rant.
"He's strong and intimidating enough to scare a girl into doing something like *that * with him, even a girl like Ka-,"It was her mother who cut him off this time.
"DAD, BE QUIET!" She hollered. Her jii-chan quieted instantly. Kagome's mother had never yelled at her father like that before. She composed herself quickly. "Dad, Inuyasha would never force her into something like that. We both know how much they love each other, even if you are in denial. He may be a half-youkai, but he's much more than his heritage. Underneath it all, he really is a sweet boy and a good person, and it's about time you realized that. And you also need to realize that she is going to continue to see Inuyasha and have this baby, and there's really nothing you or I can do about it."
"." Her grandfather was silent. The sound of a chair being scraped across the floor and someone collapsing into it could be heard from where Kagome sat. "I guess..," Her jii-chan finally spoke, "You're right, as much as I hate to admit it. It's just too hard to believe. This is to much shock for someone my age." Kagome could hear her mother sit down with Jii-chan and say, " It's to much shock for someone of * any* age, but we'll get over it. We really need to be thinking more of Kagome right now." Her grandfather sighed, "Your right. Kagome is the main objective, isn't she? So what are her plans for all this?"
"I don't know. I told her I'd help her think of something after I told you, but it's really to late now. We'll discuss it with her in the morning," Her mother said. Her jii-chan stood up, the chair scraping along the floor again. "This is all a lot to think about," He said, "Perhaps a good night's rest will help me greatly." He started to make his way towards his downstairs bedroom on the other side of the house, but before he had exited fully her mother called, "Dad? You will be nice to Inuyasha whenever he's around, won't you? If not for Inuyasha's sake, than at least for Kagome's." Kagome peeked around the corner in time to see him nod, " I'll do my best.. for Kagome." Her Mother smiled, as did Kagome. She turned on her heel and walked into her room, instantly flopping down on the bed as soon as she reached it. She vaguely noticed her mother come in, pull up the blankets and say, "Mission accomplished. Everything's fine now."
Kagome nodded, "Thanks, Mama."
"Goodnight, Kagome."
"Goodnight."
The light was switched off with a faint 'click' and Kagome fell into the oblivion of sleep.
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Author's notes: Yeah! I think this is my best chapter yet!!! Whaddya think? I want reviews on this chapter to make up for the lack of them on Ch. 2. Thanks my two (only two *tear *) reviewers on that chapter. I appreciate that you're so considerate.
I've decided that I'll try to get up a chapter every 5-7 days. It's the best I can do under the circumstances. Thanks for your patience, or lack thereof.
Disclaimer: Don't own Inuyasha. I know. I'm sorry, too.
Some vocab I think I missed:
Oi- hey
Jii-chan- Grandfather
Miko- priestess
I'm pretty sure that's it. From now on I'll just put the translation next to it if I haven't written it already, okay?
Chapter 3: Revelations.
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After a quick display of swirling lights, Inuyasha was in Kagome's well house. He immediately leapt from the well, not even bothering with the ladder, and exited the mini shrine. The hanyou inhaled deeply as he attempted to locate Kagome's scent, trying to ignore the filthy smell that always seemed to penetrate the air in Kagome's time (A/N Air pollution. Really need to do something 'bout that). 'Hmm..there's Sota, and that old man's here..her Mom's scent is faint, probably a day old. and.there! Kagome.' He darted around to the other side of the house to the tree just outside her bedroom window. With a few graceful leaps he went from the ground, to the tree, to her windowsill. As he leaned into her bedroom, he could hear running water from her bathroom. 'Of course Kagome would take a shower while she's sick,' he thought. He settled against the wall next to her bathroom door, prepared to wait for as long as she was prepared to shower.
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Kagome was attempting to pull herself together. She forced herself up from the floor of her shower and began to rub conditioner through her hair and wash her face of all her tears, which she was trying to control (and failing, which only added to her frustration). 'So, that's what I've got to do, huh? Just tell him. Then I will. I will. I'll..try.' She turned off the water and reached for a towel. Her crying had nearly stopped by the time she was dry. Out of habit, she changed into her pajamas in the bathroom, her favorite pink ones with the stars and crescent moons on them. She slung her towel over her shoulder and began to brush her hair as she opened the door and walked into her room, wiping her eyes one more time.
She was very surprised to see Inuyasha staring at her from the floor next to the door.
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Inuyasha had just begun to relax when the door swung open to reveal Kagome, who was wiping her eyes. She was accompanied by the salty smell of her tears. When she stepped into the room, she seemed to notice she wasn't alone, and turned to face him. Her brush stopped midway the length of her hair as she stared at him. He saw how much she had really been crying. Her eyes were still watery and red, as was her face, and there were light trails from the tears running down her cheeks. They stared at each other, saying nothing, for what seemed like hours, although in reality it was probably only a few seconds. Finally the hanyou spoke, "Kagome, why are you crying? What's wrong?" Those words seemed to break her trance, and she finished running her brush through her hair, and knelt in front of him, the towel sliding to the floor as she went down. She looked almost pathetic in her pajamas, her eyes brimming with tears, hair wet, kneeling on the floor like she was. It made his heart wrench.
"Inuyasha," Kagome whispered. She didn't know what to say. He sounded so confused, so worried. She couldn't lie to him anymore. This was it. She was going to tell him. She could feel herself starting to cry again.
"Kagome, what's wrong?" He asked again. She looked him in the eye as she found her voice, and said the two words that had weighed her mind for weeks now.
"I'm pregnant."
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All he could do was stare at her, shocked, as she slumped forward, leaning on him lightly and began to sob. "I'm pregnant," she repeated in a broken whisper. Slowly he regained his senses and pulled her into his lap as he began to try and sooth her. With one hand he began to rub her back in small, firm circles, and with the other he ran his fingers through her damp hair. A couple of months ago he wouldn't have known to do this, but he had picked up on it now that he wasn't always the reason she needed comforting. "Shh.. It's okay. Don't cry, Kagome," He whispered in what he hoped was a steady and sure tone, " I'll always take care of you, both of you. I promise. Please stop crying." He hoped that would help to comfort her, because he wasn't sure he could keep up his confident act much longer, although he had meant what he said. He was going to take care of her, no matter what. He just needed to think this through, and that would be hard to do with her sobbing on his shirtfront.
Her crying died down to short, muffled sobs as she looked up at him. She asked in a soft voice just above a whisper, "You mean, you want the baby?"
This question stunned him a bit. "Hai," He answered, "Why wouldn't I? I promised I'd take care of both of you, didn't I?"
Once again, she pressed her face against his chest as tears streamed down her face and sobs wracked her smaller form. This confused him even more. 'Why did she start to cry again?' he wondered, 'Wait.. She didn't want me to say no, did she?' He looked down at her and cupped her face in his hand, tilting it up so she could look at him. "Kagome," He said, " *You * want the child, don't you?"
To his surprise, she quickly wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight hug. "Of course I do," She said through her tears, "but I was scared. that you wouldn't, and then. I couldn't have it." She hesitantly started to pull away from him so she could look him in the face. Tears were still pouring from her eyes as she said, "Because, no matter how many people might tell me it'll be okay. or tell me they'll help me out.I can't do it.without.you," She leaned against his shoulder, although she wasn't sobbing anymore, " I need * you*." Inuyasha pressed his cheek to the top of her head and said, "You won't have to do it without me. Don't worry."
Kagome sighed, relieved, and wrapped her loosely around his neck again. She slowly started to relax against him, and then suddenly he was scooping her up into his arms. After he had balanced her against his chest, he made his way toward her bed. He laid her on her bed gently and knelt down next to her. Kagome was confused. "Umm, Inuyasha?" She asked, "What are you doing?"
Inuyasha didn't trust those future healers or devices to tell him that she was pregnant. He was going to make sure of it, his way. He laid her out on her back and crouched next to her bed. He heard her question him in a confused voice. "Shh. Hang on a second," He said. Firmly, he pressed his ear against her lower stomach. He felt through her pajama top that her once nearly flat belly was now slightly rounder. For a moment he sat there, silently listening. Then he heard it. Two heartbeats. One steady and strong. Kagome's. Another, fainter, quicker, and slightly uneven, but a heartbeat, no doubt. Their child's. Inuyasha sat up and stared at her for a second. " Wow," he said, " Just.. wow."
"What?" Kagome asked. His expression worried her a bit, " Is something wrong?" He shook his head no, "It's just. I can hear its heartbeat." He seemed somewhat amazed by the experience. " So..," He began, " You're really..?" She nodded, " In my time, you can tell after only a few weeks." Inuyasha stood from his crouched position and sat up next to her on the bed, leaning against the headboard while she still lay flat on her back. He just stared up at the ceiling, as if deep in thought. Kagome pressed herself against his side, clutching onto his fire rat haori (jacket), looking up at him, as if for reassurance.
The hanyou looked down into her eyes as she pulled herself closer to him. It was then he realized how scared she must have been. She had carried this secret with her for weeks, maybe months. This girl, not even seventeen, had dealt with all this all alone. All he could manage to do was give her a small smile and snake his arm around her, pulling her to his chest. He sank down from the headboard to lay his head on her pillow so he could be level with her body. He could feel Kagome starting to relax against him once again. This time he had no intention of moving her until morning. The poor girl had had it hard enough.
Kagome hadn't felt this warm and comforted in nearly a month, and she had missed being able to completely relax when she was with Inuyasha like this. Now there was no more worrying about his youkai senses leading him to find out this secret she had carried with her, no more worrying about his reaction when he found out. He knew now. He understood. The one person she needed most was here for her. She felt now, more than ever that everything was going to be okay.
Soon there were no more sounds of people moving below, and Kagome quickly fell asleep against Inuyasha. He quietly pulled the blankets from under them and placed them over her. His fire rat clothing kept him warm enough since it was early summer, and any more heat would be uncomfortable, but he knew Kagome needed it. After making sure she would be warm, he relaxed and slowly began to fall unconscious. They both got the first full night of sleep that either of them had had in a long time, assured that the other would stay with them until morning.
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The next morning Inuyasha awoke to find the sun shining in his eyes, and he blinked rapidly to get used to the sudden change in light and rolled over. He saw that Kagome had woken up before him, and was now sitting up in bed, staring at the door silently as if she was afraid someone was going to run in and attack her at any moment. "Oi, Kagome, what are you looking at?" The hanyou asked groggily. She turned and looked at him. "Nothing," She said, " I'm just thinking."
He sat up to sit next to her, "About what?"
She let out an audible sigh, "About.. what I'm going to tell my family."
He nodded, "Just tell them the truth. That you're pregnant with my pup." He stretched and added, "I'll come with you if you want."
She just shook her head and resumed looking at the door. "It's not that simple," She said, "I'm not sure how to tell them, and I don't think it'd be a good idea for you to come with me. That would just make things more complicated. I don't think either of us wants my family to be upset with you. That's not going to help at all. I need to talk to them first." He nodded again. He really didn't want her family to hate him. He'd never admit it to anyone, but he really liked Kagome's family. They were almost like his own family now. Sota treated him like a hero, and Mrs. Higurashi acted like he was her eldest son. Her Jii-chan didn't really approve that he had youkai blood in him, but he had started to work past that and was pretty nice to him now. Besides, he wasn't in the mood to be pummeled with spell scrolls or to have his ears ripped off today. He just wanted to offer to help Kagome. He had promised to take care of her just last night, after all.
"So when do you think we should tell the others back in my time?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome pulled her knees up to her chest. "I don't know," She said looking at him, " I don't think I can face two groups of people right now." He patted her shoulder gently and stood up. "I'll tell them," he decided, "Don't worry about it." She smiled at him, "Thanks, Inuyasha. I guess I better get this thing with my family over with as soon as I can." She stood up next to him. " I'll come back tomorrow morning, OK?" He nodded his consent. " Good," She said, "I'd come sooner, but I don't know what my family is going to do. They'll probably want to take me to the doctor and ask all these questions, or something." She headed toward her bathroom to get dressed. It was going to be a long night.
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Inuyasha decided to leave while Kagome was picking a fresh change of clothes. There was no hurry since Kagome was on summer vacation, but Kagome intended to tell her family as soon as they were fully awake and get it over with, at least that's what she told him, and he wasn't sure when that would be. He left the same way he had come, through her window, and headed over to the well after listening carefully to make sure no else but Kagome and him were awake. Inuyasha was planning on how to tell his companions the news as he traveled through the well, and decided he needed to think about all this first before letting them know. He needed to go somewhere he could concentrate without anyone finding him and getting curious. And he knew just where that place was.
As soon as he was back in his own time, he took a deep whiff of the air, just to breathe it in. Whenever he went to Kagome's time for more than a few hours he always began to become accustomed to the smell of the air there, and it was nice to be able to breathe the fresh air in his time again. After pausing a moment the hanyou leapt from the well and headed west, toward the mountains. He wasn't planning on going into the mountains, just to a place near them.
Inuyasha pondered his situation as he walked. What was he going to do now? How was he going to defeat Naraku, find jewel shards, and avenge Kikyou when he had a child to take care of? He sighed. He remembered the first time he and Kagome had confessed their feelings for each other. It was then, right after he'd compared her to Kikyou again and made her cry, that he had made Kagome understand that Kikyou was no longer a lover to him, just a duty. She had been kind to him when she was alive, and he believed he owed it to her to avenge her and help her find peace. But now they both knew that he didn't love her, and he'd realized that he never really had. He had just been lonely, and when Kikyou had accepted him to some degree, he thought the feelings he had for her had been love, but really they were just feelings of mutual understanding, and perhaps an infatuation, and that was all. Kagome was the only one he'd ever really loved, and the only one who really made him feel loved. He'd told her all this over a month ago. That was the night they had mated.
Inuyasha was walking slowly as he thought since he really didn't have to be anywhere soon. He'd thought about how this child had come to be, even though he hadn't realized she was in heat. She must have gone into heat just before the child had been conceived. That was the only way he could figure it. He wondered if the child would be accepted. If him and Kagome would be accepted as mates when everyone found out. The thought 'What about the mission?' ran through his head for the hundredth time. 'I guess we could keep looking for Naraku and the shards for the next couple of months, and after that Kagome's staying in the village. No way am I going to let her look for jewel shards in that condition,' he thought, ' but after that. I don't know. I guess Sango and Miroku will keep looking for Naraku if they want, but I'll just have to stay with Kagome and the pup for a while, maybe even a year, or at least six months,' he cringed at the thought of all the jewel shards that Naraku could get in that amount of time, but decided not to concentrate on it, 'Then maybe Kaede could take care the baby whenever we're gone, or Kagome's Mom could..' He was so deep in his thoughts he hardly noticed that he was entering a large field until he felt long blades of grass sticking between his bare toes.
The hanyou knew this field and walked out into it. It was covered in tall grass that almost reached his waist as he walked through it, with the exception of a few patches clear of the grass at he edge of the field. The whole thing was surrounded by trees, with a few tall, thick oaks that grew inside the border of the meadow, and wildflowers could be found occasionally growing with the tall stalks of grass. On the western side of the field their was a stream pouring over jutting rocks, starting somewhere in the forest and leading to a large, freshwater lake. On the other side of the lake mountains could be seen, shrouded in mist, making them seem pale. It really was a nice, peaceful place. He settled himself in a large tree near the edge of the stream. This was where Kagome and him had spent the night together. They'd made love here.
He couldn't think straight. How could he have thought he could in a place like this? His mind kept wandering to that night. If he concentrated hard, he could still smell her pleasant scent mixed with the smell of her desire, he could still hear her warm, gentle voice, saying his name, softly pleading. He relaxed against the bark of the tree. He didn't like thinking anyway. He'd just let his mind wander for a little while.
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This was going to be hard. How could she tell them? They were going to be furious with her and Inuyasha. She didn't want to lose her family. She loved them. Sota probably wouldn't be to upset, since he was so young, and he adored Inuyasha so much, but what about Mama, and Jii-chan?
Kagome was nervous. She still didn't know what to say to her family about all this, and she'd been trying to build up her courage for hours. To tell you the truth, she regretted sending Inuyasha away. Maybe he could help her do this, but she knew that if her family was mad at her, they'd be madder at Inuyasha, and she didn't want them to say anything hurtful. Inuyasha was beginning to become close with her family, and she didn't want to ruin that by making him come. She'd do it alone.. eventually. She took a deep breath. 'Okay,' she thought, 'Just go in there, talk to them, and maybe hint it to them or slip it in at the right moment or something.' Before she could change her mind, she left her room and rushed down the stairs into the living room, where she saw her Mom finishing her breakfast and watching TV. " Hey, Mama," She said, almost timidly, "Where's Sota and Jii-Chan?"
" Oh, Kagome! I was wondering when you'd finally come down," Her Mother said cheerfully, " Jii-chan drove Sota to a friend's house for the day and then he's going to run a few errands. They'll both be back around mid or late afternoon." She took a sip of her tea and turned back to her TV show. "Mama, can I talk to you?" Kagome asked. Her Mom turned back toward her, "Can it wait, Kagome dear? I'm right at the good part."
"No, Mama. This is important," She replied as firmly as she could. Kagome was determined to get this over with. It would be easier just to tell her Mom right now. If she was on her side, than maybe she could help her tell Jii-chan and Sota. Kagome could feel tears welling up in her eyes, but quickly blinked them away. She wasn't going to cry. Not this time. She was going to be strong. Kagome's mom turned off the television and turned to face her fully. "What is it, Kagome?" She asked in a worried voice.
Kagome walked over to the couch and sat down next to her. "Mama," She said, bringing her knees up to her chest and let her chin rest on them, "I can tell you anything, right?" Her Mother nodded, " Of course. What are Mothers for?" Kagome sighed, trying to figure out how to begin. "Me and Inuyasha got together," She finally said quietly. To her surprise, her Mother let out a squeal, "Ooh! I knew you two liked each other! He really is a sweet boy underneath that tough shell. When did this happen?"
She shrugged, "Almost two months ago."
"Well why didn't you tell me?! You didn't think I'd be unhappy about this, did you? He's your first boyfriend! I'm happy for you!" Her Mother reached over and gave her daughter a hug. She was apparently excited, and didn't seem to suspect anything. For some reason, that only made what she was about to say harder. As calmly as she could she pushed her Mother away and said, " There's more." Her Mother frowned slightly, "Like what?" Kagome looked down at her feet and muttered so quietly her Mother barely heard it, "I'm going to have his baby."
Her Mother was silent. She simply stared at her daughter in shock. After they sat in tense silence for a minute, Kagome decided she couldn't take it anymore. "Mama, please say something," she said, "Please let me know how you feel. Do you hate me? Do you hate Inuyasha? Do you think I'm a terrible daughter? What?" Her Mother didn't respond, but instead leaned over and hugged her tightly. "I could never hate you," Her mother said, "I love you with all my heart. I don't hate Inuyasha either. I know you would never do something like. that with someone you didn't love and didn't love you back. You're not that kind of girl." Finally she let her go and had a long look at Kagome. "Tell me everything," She commanded softly. "What?" Kagome asked, confused as to what her Mother meant. "Tell me how this happened. I want to know," Her mother elaborated. "Oh," Kagome breathed.
She told her the whole story. About how Sango and Miroku had gone off to another village on their own. How their had been an epidemic in a nearby town and Shippo had gone with Kaede to help her carry her supplies, since they had been convinced that the old woman couldn't carry them on her own. How she had gone off in a different direction with Inuyasha, found the demon with the shard, fought (she left out the details of the fight) and killed it, and headed back. Then she told her about how they hadn't gotten back before dark, so they made camp for the night. Then she and Inuyasha got in a fight over her not wanting to continue to the village since night had fallen, and he had compared her to Kikyou again, which made her upset, so she went to bed. When he had fallen asleep, she'd walked off into a large, pretty field with tall grass and a small stream. So she'd taken her blanket and sat in the grass, hoping no one would see her, and cried. But Inuyasha saw her. He found her there and told her he didn't love Kikyou (whom she had to describe since her mother had forgotten), only her. She told him she felt the same way, and then, well.. She didn't need to finish.
After she was done with her story her mother once again stared at her silently. Then she settled against the back of the couch and took a long swig of her tea. Then she looked back at Kagome and asked, "And what are you going to do with this child, Kagome? Are you going to keep it, or put it up for adoption? I hope that you're not thinking of an abortion, but I can't really stop you if you are." Kagome sat back against the couch with her mother, "I'm not, especially not now that Inuyasha wants me to have it. I have to keep it. Do you really think a part demon baby would be adopted in this world? And I don't think I'd ever have the heart to have an abortion." Her mother nodded her approval. "So you've told Inuyasha then?"
"Yes."
"Good," Then she looked as if a thought struck her, "Speaking of Inuyasha, why isn't he here helping you explain all this?"
"He offered to come, but I told him not to," she replied, " He's really starting to warm up to you, and Sota, and even Jii-chan. I didn't want you guys to get really mad at him. I thought it'd be best to talk to you alone first." She looked her mother in the eye and spoke softly, " So your not mad at me, Mama? You don't think I'm a disappointment?" Her mother shook her head, " No, Kagome, I'm not mad. Shocked, but not mad. And as for you thinking I think you're a disappointment-," Kagome held her breath, "that thought never crossed my mind." Kagome breathed again. Her mother reached over and brushed a strand of black hair from her face before continuing, " You're beautiful, you're optimistic, you go into the past and fight demons on a daily basis, surrounded by friends that know almost nothing about your world, other than Inuyasha, of course, and you still always come home for tests, holidays, and birthdays, and do your very best to keep your grades up, despite the fact that your juggling two lives. How could I ever be disappointed in you? Besides, I've learned just to expect the unexpected and deal with it the best I can. That's what I intend to do now."
Kagome couldn't help it. She threw herself into her Mother's arms, hugging her for all she was worth. "Mama, Thank you," She said into her mother's shoulder, " I was sure you'd be furious. I thought you'd never want to look at me again!" Mrs.Higurashi wrapped her arms around her daughter, "It's all right, dear. I love you, and I always will. Now please calm down." Kagome presently pulled away from her mother's embrace and sat back down. " What do you think Jii-chan will say?" She asked. Her mother shook her head, "Don't you worry about that. I'll handle Dad for you. You just relax. When are you going back again?"
"Tomorrow," Kagome replied.
"Okay. You better get packed then. And you might want to take some loose clothing, just in case. Trust me, you'll need them eventually," Her Mother said, standing up and heading into the kitchen, " We need to make plans after I tell your Jii-chan, and in the mean time-," She sighed, " I need some sake (wine/liquor)." With that she walked out of the room.
Kagome smiled at her Mother's retreating back. It was a huge relief to know that she was on her side. Her Mother and Kagome herself were the only truly sensible ones (Her Mom didn't usually drink. Today was just an exception.) in the Higurashi household, and she knew her Mom would help her through this and take care of everything she needed in this time. Doctor's appointments, clothes, excuses, you name it. She was suddenly very glad Sota and Jii-chan had decided to leave.
"Hey, Mom?" She called into the kitchen. She could hear the sound of a bottle being popped open and her mother's reply, "Yes, dear?"
" Is it OK if I go for a walk?" There was a pause and then her Mother said, " All right, but don't go to far."
Kagome smiled again, "I won't." She stood up and headed towards the front door, grabbing her purse, which she took with her everywhere in her time, just in case, and her CD player. "Bye, Mom!" She called. Her response was a hiccup and the sound of a cup being placed on the table.
It was beautiful out. Not as beautiful as the feudal era, but it was nice for her time. She walked along the sidewalk, looking at the sky. She wasn't sure where she was going, so she just let her legs guide her. She took her CD player out of her purse and put on the headphones, adjusting the volume so it wouldn't hurt her ears. The soft, country melody of 'Landslide' was soon playing in her ears, and for some reason, the music seemed to fit her life right now perfectly. She found herself singing along with the words as she continued to walk aimlessly towards her unknown destination.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Took this love and I took it down, Climbed a mountain and I turned around, And I saw my reflection in the snow-covered hills, Well the landslide brought it down...
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Kagome found herself at a small park her Father had brought her to a few times when he was alive. She sat in her old swing and began to rock slowly, chains squeaking as she moved. She was still listening to the song, which relaxed her and helped her clear her head so she could think about her situation as it was now. Things were looking up for her. She had told Inuyasha, who had told her that he wanted her to have this child, or 'pup', as he called it, and had promised to take care of both of them, and after that it was like she'd had a breakthrough. It hadn't been quite as hard to tell her mother, although it was nerve-racking. Now her Mother was going to help her, and she'd already had two children, so she'd know more about this than Kagome would. Mama was also going to tell Jii-chan, and help him accept it. Sota was no problem, and she had a feeling that her friends in Sengoku Jidai (A/N Is that's what it's called? I hope I spelled it right!) would take this well, although they'd probably tease her. In their time, it wasn't that uncommon for someone her age to be having children, but they knew here she would be considered to young, and she was sure she'd find comfort with them.
Kagome thought about how this would affect the mission. She was only one and a half months pregnant, so she'd probably be able to travel at least until her sixth month, although she was sure Inuyasha, with his protective ways, would argue with her about that, insisting that after the fourth month she shouldn't be aloud to travel outside the village at all. She smiled. That was her Inuyasha: strong, sweet, and stubborn. After she couldn't travel anymore she'd probably just stay around the village or at home. No, the village would probably be a better choice. Couldn't have any modern day doctors screaming when they birthed a child with puppy ears on its head.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
And the landslide will bring him Down...
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Kagome sighed, ceased her swinging and clicked off the CD player when the song ended. Her mind wandered back to her Father. If he were alive, how would he react to this? Would he be happy for her? She was only seven when he died. The Father she remembered was understanding, and perhaps slightly eccentric, which was another reason she loved him so much, and he was always smiling, always having these big plans and creative ideas. He'd probably throw a baby shower right now, she decided. That was just the way her Dad was. She sighed. She missed him. He had understood her, made her feel special and older than the seven-year-old she had been, and he liked almost everything she did. Her mother was fun, and always thinking of her well being, but she had loved her Dad differently. Not more, just differently. Her Mother was the one you could always count on to remember things like tests, recitals, and forgotten lunches, and she was the one who always had something meaningful to say, although she could act like a schoolgirl sometimes. Her Dad had been the one you could count on to make things interesting and keep you laughing.
Kagome decided it was time to get going and stood up from the swing, placing her CD player inside her purse again and walking off, not ready to go home, but not in the mood to sit here and reminisce any more, either. Once again she just let her feet go where they wanted to take her.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~**~*~*~*
Inuyasha decided it was time to head back to Kaede's now before the others got suspicious and came looking for him. Not that they'd actually find him, but there was no point in letting them get lost in the woods searching. He stretched and jumped down from the tree he'd been sitting in. He noticed the sky was now ablaze with bright colors from the sun beginning to set over the treetops. Had he really been sitting here that long? He'd probably dozed off at some point during the day. With one final stretch he began walking from the field in the direction of the village at a somewhat faster pace than he had used coming to it. He didn't have so much to think about now. Everything he could have wondered about had run through his mind about a million times, and he believed he was ready to face his companions now. He would just come out and tell them.
About an hour later the hanyou had reached the village. It was almost completely dark now, and no one was out, although lights could be seen from the windows of various huts. He walked toward Kaede's familiar home and slid away the shoji screen. Everyone in the room turned to look at him as he entered. Sango was sitting near the fire next o Kaede, Shippo and Kirara sitting in her lap, while Miroku stood in the middle of the room. "Ah, Inuyasha!" Miroku greeted him, "We were just about to come and look for you."
"Yeah, Inuyasha," Shippo piped up, "Where were you?"
"Nowhere," He muttered. A lecherous smile began to spread across Miroku's face. " Oh. You were with Lady Kagome all this time, were you not? I guess it's about time you two-," Inuyasha cut him off. "Shut up, houshi," He growled half-heartedly. Normally he would have whacked Miroku over the head for a comment like that, but at the moment he wasn't in the mood. Inuyasha walked over and leaned against a wall near the fire and closed his eyes, showing them that he wasn't going to talk about it anymore than he already had. Each of them continued to talk about what they had been discussing before Inuyasha decided to make an appearance.
Inuyasha just sat there, listening to them chatter and laugh cheerfully. The noise never stopped, but for a brief instant it died down enough for his voice to be heard without him needing to yell. It was that moment he decided to say what he had come back to tell them, "Kagome's pregnant."
The chatter and laughing stopped instantly. Everyone was silent as they turned to stare at the hanyou boy. "Wh-what?!" Sango stuttered.
"Are you serious?" Even Miroku was utterly amazed by this news. Inuyasha opened his eyes to look at him. "Of course I'm serious, baka!" He replied, irritated that the monk would ask such a question.
" So- that means Kagome's going to have a baby?" Shippo questioned, eyes wide. "That's what pregnant means," Inuyasha answered him.
"Inuyasha," Kaede called, " I'm going to assume you're the-" She trailed off.
"What? The father?" He asked, then he stared at the floor to hide his blush from his companions. " Yeah, I am," he said in a quieter tone. Other than an "Oh" from Shippo, who knew nothing about how girls get pregnant, everyone was silent again until Sango asked, " Where's Kagome?"
"She's telling her family," the hanyou replied. "When will she be back?" Shippo wondered. "Tomorrow morning," He said.
"How long?" Miroku asked. He had the same calm expression on his face again, although his voice revealed his amazement and shock. "What do you mean 'how long'?" Inuyasha growled. "How long has she been pregnant? How long have the two of you known? How long?" Miroku repeated. Inuyasha looked thoughtful for a moment, "Well, she's been pregnant for about a month and a half. I don't know exactly how long she's known, but she told me yesterday when I went to check on her."
"Inuyasha, is she okay?" Sango asked, "I mean she's young, not to young for this time, but still young, even here. In her time it's not as acceptable to be pregnant at her age, is it?" He nodded. "No, but don't worry, she's fine. I took care of her," he said. "Are you sure?" Sango was apparently worried for her friend's mental being. "She's fine," the hanyou assured. Really, he was worried about how her family was reacting to this. He knew how important they were to Kagome, and if they were furious with either of them she most definitely wouldn't be fine. He could just hope they wouldn't get to mad. He stood up and started to walk towards the exit, leaving them to their thoughts. "I'm going outside," he informed them. Miroku stood and walked behind him, "I'll join you." Inuyasha glared at him, but didn't say anything.
Miroku settled himself on the porch, while Inuyasha sat in a tree growing next to the hut. " So, Inuyasha," Miroku said after a while, " What do you think this will do to the mission?" Inuyasha shrugged, "Probably delay it for me, but I've decided to put it off for a while after the pup is born. You and Sango can just keep looking for Naraku, I guess." Miroku shook his head, " I guess that is the right thing to do on your part, my friend, but I don't believe that Sango and I will be going anywhere without you two. We are a team, you know." This surprised Inuyasha. They were going to wait for him? A half smile tugged at his lips. He didn't know exactly when, but at some point along this mission he had become good friends with a perverted monk, a demon exterminator, and old hag, and an annoying kitsune cub. Oh joy. Inuyasha's slight grin disappeared at the sound of Miroku's familiar 'Oh-woe-is-me' sigh. "It's like I said before, Inuyasha," Miroku stated, his lecherous smile appearing on his face, "You get all the luck."
Inuyasha could feel his annoyance level rising. " How could you be thinking of something like that when Kagome is sitting at home carrying my child! This is serious!" He yelled, but not loud enough to wake the local villagers. Miroku stood, his staff jingling lightly as he turned to look at the irritated hanyou. " Just trying to lighten the mood, Inuyasha," He said calmly, "You don't need to worry. I know you and Kagome care enough about each other to pull through this together." When that was said Miroku turned and walked back into the hut. Inuyasha watched him go and then looked up at the stars. 'We care enough about each other to pull through together,' his thoughts echoed the monk's earlier words, 'That's right.'
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Kagome had walked around the neighborhood all day, not really going anywhere important, just looking at things she had seen about a million times before. She'd never really noticed a lot of things about this place, and she figured now was as good a time as any. So she had come home with sore feet, ready to sink into a hot bath and go to bed, and then she saw her mother and jii-chan sitting in the kitchen. Quickly her mother had shooed her upstairs, whispering that she'd take care of this. So that's where Kagome had technically gone, although her mother had probably assumed that she'd go into her room and wouldn't hear a word, but she had sat down against a wall at the top of the stairs, barely hidden from view. She'd been sitting there ever since, listening to her mother break the news to her jii-chan. His words tugged at her heart.
"-Defiled by a youkai, that's what she was!" Jii-chan fumed.
"Dad, calm down-," Her mother tried to soothe him.
"Calm down?! Calm down, she says! My granddaughter is sixteen, sitting in her room quietly carrying some youkai's child," He spat the word youkai as if it were something utterly fowl and disgusting, "and you're telling me to calm down?!"
" Dad, I know it's hard for you to accept that Inuyasha is a half-youkai, but can't we try and work past that?" Her mother reasoned.
"Work past that?! That boy could kill someone on a whim!" Her jii-chan was refusing to calm down.
"But he won't unless he's trying to defend some-," Jii-chan cut her off as he continued to rant.
"He's strong and intimidating enough to scare a girl into doing something like *that * with him, even a girl like Ka-,"It was her mother who cut him off this time.
"DAD, BE QUIET!" She hollered. Her jii-chan quieted instantly. Kagome's mother had never yelled at her father like that before. She composed herself quickly. "Dad, Inuyasha would never force her into something like that. We both know how much they love each other, even if you are in denial. He may be a half-youkai, but he's much more than his heritage. Underneath it all, he really is a sweet boy and a good person, and it's about time you realized that. And you also need to realize that she is going to continue to see Inuyasha and have this baby, and there's really nothing you or I can do about it."
"." Her grandfather was silent. The sound of a chair being scraped across the floor and someone collapsing into it could be heard from where Kagome sat. "I guess..," Her jii-chan finally spoke, "You're right, as much as I hate to admit it. It's just too hard to believe. This is to much shock for someone my age." Kagome could hear her mother sit down with Jii-chan and say, " It's to much shock for someone of * any* age, but we'll get over it. We really need to be thinking more of Kagome right now." Her grandfather sighed, "Your right. Kagome is the main objective, isn't she? So what are her plans for all this?"
"I don't know. I told her I'd help her think of something after I told you, but it's really to late now. We'll discuss it with her in the morning," Her mother said. Her jii-chan stood up, the chair scraping along the floor again. "This is all a lot to think about," He said, "Perhaps a good night's rest will help me greatly." He started to make his way towards his downstairs bedroom on the other side of the house, but before he had exited fully her mother called, "Dad? You will be nice to Inuyasha whenever he's around, won't you? If not for Inuyasha's sake, than at least for Kagome's." Kagome peeked around the corner in time to see him nod, " I'll do my best.. for Kagome." Her Mother smiled, as did Kagome. She turned on her heel and walked into her room, instantly flopping down on the bed as soon as she reached it. She vaguely noticed her mother come in, pull up the blankets and say, "Mission accomplished. Everything's fine now."
Kagome nodded, "Thanks, Mama."
"Goodnight, Kagome."
"Goodnight."
The light was switched off with a faint 'click' and Kagome fell into the oblivion of sleep.
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Author's notes: Yeah! I think this is my best chapter yet!!! Whaddya think? I want reviews on this chapter to make up for the lack of them on Ch. 2. Thanks my two (only two *tear *) reviewers on that chapter. I appreciate that you're so considerate.
I've decided that I'll try to get up a chapter every 5-7 days. It's the best I can do under the circumstances. Thanks for your patience, or lack thereof.
