Chapter eight

Inuyasha was silent. Ok, he had some ideas, but that hadn't been in his list of things he would have guessed was bothering Kagome. His jaw dropped and he stared at Kagome in shock.

The door knocked before Inuyasha could respond and turned to see Mrs. Higurashi open the door. "Kagome, Inuyasha, I came as soon as I could!"

She glanced around the room and walked into the cold apartment, "Wow, it really is scary in here."

Kagome smiled and went to hug her mother and Inuyasha merely nodded before walking towards them.

"You just go grab your cats, and we'll be on our way," Mrs. Higurashi chirped happily, seemingly unaware that the apartment was cold and empty.

Inuyasha nodded and went to the cat's basket where Buyo and Kagome-neko were sleeping peacefully. Hauling the basket up as softly as he could, he sighed and walked towards the girls, who were already turning towards the door. Kagome didn't make eye contact with him.

Kagome sat in the window seat, watching the snowfall across the shrine ground. Inuyasha was outside lugging some heavy boxes around because her grandfather couldn't do it. He looked tired and reluctant, but the fact that her grandfather was hanging over his shoulder was keeping him going.

Kagome placed a hand on her stomach and thought back to the conversation she had with Rin. She had explained her sick symptoms and Rin had told her that they were all signs of pregnancy. Kagome, shocked, had gone out and bought a pregnancy test with Rin (being next to a department store was good in cases like these) and it had turned blue.

She was pregnant. Normally, she would have been ecstatic, all her life she wanted to have a family, but now, she wasn't so sure it was that great. She wiped away a tear and watched as Inuyasha entered the house with her grandfather.
Dinner was silent and eerie; nothing was really said between the young couple, just glances at one another before going back to the plate.

Kagome still had something on her mind and Inuyasha thought that Kagome was mad at him. Naturally, they kept silent, their relationship had been a little rocky the past few days, and so they really did need a break.

After dinner, Kagome allowed herself to help her mom in the kitchen and Souta convinced Inuyasha to play FFX and DDR with him. For the first time in his life, Inuyasha was in no mood for games.

It was nearly ten before the two of them were shoved into Kagome's old room and told that the full sized bed was large enough for them.

The room was warm and comfortable, but the atmosphere was anything but warm. They both glanced at each other before looking away quickly. Kagome fidgeted and Inuyasha looked at his feet.

The uneasiness between them was wearing at their senses and they felt like they would explode at any moment.

Finally, Inuyasha broke the silence, "Kagome?"

It was at that moment, when Inuyasha spoke, that the seriousness of this situation hit her full force. Every little emotion she had stored away came tumbling out in a massive wave of tears as she collapsed to her knees and clutched her head; her body racked with sobs and tears running down her cheeks.

Inuyasha kneeled down and cradled her body to his, rubbing reassuring circles on her back. He whispered to her, but was unheard because of Kagome's sobbing. She clutched his shoulders sadly and continued to sob.

"Kagome?"

His voice penetrated her mind, fogged with an emotional overload, and calmed her somewhat, her hands gripped his sleeves as she pulled back to look at him. Her eyes puffy and red. He reached up and whipped the extra tears away with his thumb, caressing her cheeks lovingly.

Kagome smiled the best she could without looking psychotic and looked down at their laps.

Kagome sniffed as more tears fell from her eyes and dropped onto her legs.

"Hey," Inuyasha whispered tenderly and lifted her chin, "Hey, stop crying."

Kagome tried to but every time she thought the tears were gone, more would come.

Inuyasha sighed and hugged her to him; "You know I hate it when you cry."

Kagome said nothing, just breathed in his scent. His own unique scent.

"Why are you sad, Kagome?" Inuyasha whispered into her ear, his hot breath dancing along her skin.

Kagome felt a lone tear fall down her cheek. "Inuyasha, don't you realize what's happening?"

"Uh, I thought we were having a baby?" Inuyasha asked, confusion in his eyes. It almost made Kagome giggle at his confusion. He was so innocent sometimes.

"No," Kagome said somberly, "I…we are...going to have a family. It's just..." Kagome looked away and sighed. "It's just, how are we going to support the baby?"

Inuyasha bit his lip.

"I mean, we can barely feed ourselves, let alone a baby! Our apartment is empty and unsafe! We're being fired from our jobs left and right, Inuyasha, how are we going to be able to pay the hospital bill? We'll need insurance to protect our baby!"

Inuyasha was silent, what was he supposed to say to that? How could he possibly answer such complex questions, especially when they were all true?

"Maybe I should get rid of the baby," Kagome whispered. The very thought made her want to burst into tears.

Inuyasha looked shock as a flash of hurt collected in his eyes. "Kagome..."

"It will be the easiest, Inuyasha," Kagome cried out and hugged him tight, sniffing.

"But Kagome," Inuyasha said softly, running his fingers through her hair, "It's your choice, if you think that...having an abortion is the best route, then I'll support you, even if I don't agree." Pulling away he looked into her eyes. "If we keep the baby, it is our soul responsibility as parents to take care him or her, it is our job to provide for our child and make sure that they are kept healthy. If we kept the baby, I would do everything in my power to enable you the right to be a mother who doesn't have to worry about putting food on the table."

"Inuyasha..." Kagome smiled softly.

"Ever since I met you, I've wanted to be a father," Inuyasha whispered and tucked some hair behind her ear, "and the fact that...I made you pregnant, is a consequence. We made the decision to do such a thing, and we need to live with the consequences. Good or bad. It's our responsibility now, Kagome, to kill an innocent child before it's had a chance to live is wrong, it's the cowardly way out of a consequence."

"I know...I just thought that you didn't want it," Kagome whispered.

Inuyasha snorted, "To have a child with you is all I've ever wanted. I could never deny you anything."

"Kagome!" Kagome and Inuyasha whirled around in shock as Kagome's mother stood in the doorway. "Why didn't you tell me!?"

"Mama," Kagome said, standing and walking towards her mother, "I just found out today!"

Mrs. Higurashi crossed her arms and looked at Kagome crossly, "How long were you going to hide it from me?" Inuyasha stood behind Kagome and offered his silent support.

"I was going to tell you," Kagome sighed.

Mrs. Higurashi smiled and hugged Inuyasha, "You're a good man! You're a great boy, Inuyasha, treat my baby well."

"I'll try," Inuyasha wheezed as Mrs. Higurashi's arms wrapped around his neck and chocked him. She hugged him tight, lifting the poor boy off the ground. "Yes, air is nice, can I have some air please ma'am?"

Mrs. Higurashi released Inuyasha in order to hug her daughter, "I'm going to be a grandma!"

After a few minutes of hugging, Mrs. Higurashi got a far away look in her eyes. "You know what this calls for!"

"Uh...sleep?" Inuyasha asked hopefully and eyed the bed.

"Nope, wedding plans!"

Inuyasha and Kagome's eyes bugged out as they stared at the woman in shock. Kagome regained her composer first, "Mama, Inuyasha and I don't have the money to do such a thing!"

"Nonsense, its custom for the family to pay for the wedding," Mrs. Higurashi smiled, "And Inuyasha will certainly be marrying you before you start getting round."

"Mother!"

Kagome blushed crimson partly from anger and embarrassment and chased her mother around the house. Inuyasha watched from the doorway and chuckled.

This was his family.

What a crazy sense of humor God had.