Chapter nine

It was a few days later, when the family was outside building snow men that Inuyasha was able to be alone. He had positioned himself in the God Tree. Somehow, he had felt a strange connection to the large tree and found some inner peace while resting amid the branches and leaves.

He watched Souta and Shippou (Who had come to visit earlier) play in the snow as Mrs. Higurashi and the old man made a snow man, which looked more like a giant lump of nothing. Kagome sat supervising the kids, her face glowing and her smile soft. He leaned forward a little as he watched the two boys play in the snow. After looking at them for some time, he realized how much he'd wanted a kid. It wasn't until the fact that he was getting one hit him that he realized how much he ached for a charge.

He closed his eyes in a daydream as images of a child...a family. A family that he lost so long ago. He had had a rough childhood. When he was young, he wasn't allowed to be young. He grew up too quickly and never realized how much he missed it until it was gone.

He began to image the child...the child that belonged to Kagome and himself. Was it going to be a girl or a boy? After much decision, Kagome had decided that she would keep the baby. Would it have his dark raven hair, or would it have Kagome's black hair that had a slight bluish tint? Blue eyes or violet eyes? Fair skin like Kagome's or his dark easily tanned skin? Kagome's manners, or his brashness? He gulped, hoping it was Kagome's manners...but knowing his luck…How tall would they be? Would they have puppy feet or feet that were just right for them? Stubby toes like Kagome, or long toes that curl like his? Long fingers good for typing and piano? Or short fingers? Big ears...his ears had always been huge, and everyone at school had made fun of him.

He remembered how kids would think he was an elf or something. He didn't want his kid to go through that and silently prayed that they got Kagome's ears.

He also hoped that they didn't get Kagome's mood swings, that wouldn't be good.

A girl or a boy?

Inuyasha opened his eyes and looked at the cloudy sky where snow was falling softly. The baby was predicted to be born around June or July...a summer baby. Around the same time that he met Kagome. His lovely wonderful wife-to-be. He could hardly believe that it was so close. The fact that Mrs. Higurashi was already planning the wedding was overwhelming. Slightly funny too, since she insisted on having it before Kagome got a little round. Meaning it would be a winter wedding; something that he'd never really heard of, he'd always thought that weddings happened in the spring or summer. But by then the baby would be either really close or just about. And no one wanted Kagome going into labor during the wedding.

But still, did he want a girl or a boy?

A girl would probably be like her mother. Sweet and innocent, and completely adorable. But knowing Kagome...teenaged years would not be the greatest years to have a daughter like her mother.

A son would be nice. He would probably be cute too. But he'd probably be rough like he was. But he hadn't always been that way; it was just the way he lived. So maybe there was a chance he'd have a sweet boy…

But then again, girl or boy, the child still could be rotten.

That couldn't be too good.

Inuyasha gulped at the images but still couldn't fight the warm feeling spreading through him, starting near his heart.
Kagome glanced out of the corner of her eye for the umpteenth time that day at Inuyasha. He sat still in the tree, looking like he was in a dream. His eyes were distant in a long string of thoughts, wearing at his senses.

She smiled softly, knowing what he was thinking about, it had been all he had been thinking about over the past few days. She could tell by the way he would look at Shippou and Souta. Or the way he would glance at her belly before closing his eyes with a far-off smile playing upon his lips. Once you got to know the mysterious man, it was always so easy to tell what he was thinking. He was always so tough and rude on the outside, but she knew, she knew of the man who was really there. The person who never got a chance to show himself. He was forced to do things a normal person should never do, and he lost something. It was buried deep within him, and she had only seen glimpses of it.

She stood and walked inside the house, the snow piling up on her was getting annoying. She glanced at Inuyasha again and made a silent promise: To always love the man who resided in that tree.

She shrugged as she giggled, that wouldn't be too hard to keep.
"Hey Inu-niichan!" Souta shouted over at the boy still in the tree. "It's getting cold and dark, don't you want to come inside?"

Shippou looked up at his brother, his red hair swaying slightly in the breeze. "Inu?"

They both stared at the tree in silence, waiting for the figure of Inuyasha to come down. It was hard to see him in the growing darkness and through all the leaves on the Goshinboku.

They were so busy staring at the tree, they didn't notice that Inuyasha had snuck out of the tree and was currently sneaking up behind them. Souta and Shippou were growing impatient and were about to scream at Inuyasha again when something tackled them from behind with a growl.

Shippou yelped with Souta gasped loudly. They felt themselves turning in air as Inuyasha took the impact with his back and grinned up at his little brothers. "Oi!"

Souta grinned and scooped up some snow, "You're dead now, niichan!"

Inuyasha grinned and started to run away, Shippou and Souta throwing snowballs at him, "You'll never take me alive!"

Souta threw a snowball at his face and Shippou, being smaller, had this fetish with hitting him in the butt. Inuyasha grinned as he allowed himself to slow down and let the kids tackle him to the ground. They attached themselves to any part they could reach. Souta had managed to wind his arms around his neck while little Shippou had to grab Inuyasha's legs together to keep him from running away. The end result was a big giggling ball of boys.

Inuyasha sighed and picked the two boys up effortlessly. He placed Shippou on his shoulders and Souta under his arm like a suitcase and trudged for home. "Well, I don't know about you guys, but I am dying for some food!"

"Ramen!" Shippou exclaimed happily.

"Ramen!" Souta agreed with his own proclamation. The two boys began to chant 'ramen' over and over again until Inuyasha smirked and did a little flip in the air. The two boys shrieked and clutched their older brother.

"Ramen!" Inuyasha declared and began to sprint to the house. "I want ramen too!"

"Yay!" The two boys shouted happily.

Boys will be boys...
"Kagome get your butt up!"

Kagome groaned loudly and pushed her head underneath Inuyasha's neck, trying to shield herself from her mother.

"Kagome, get up!"

Inuyasha grunted and rolled over, exposing Kagome to Mrs. Higurashi. He yawned loudly and tried to get back to sleep.

"I'm up, I'm up," Kagome drawled out and closed her eyes.

Being hit with a pillow made her shoot up in bed as she glared at Souta. "You're dead!"

"Nope, Mom told me to!" Souta declared and stuck his tongue out before running away.

Kagome glanced at the clock. Noon. She wasn't supposed to wake up this early.

Inuyasha grunted and rolled off the bed on the other side. The dull thud signified that he had hit the floor and was not getting up any time soon.

"Why do I have to get up?" Kagome mumbled darkly.

"Because we're going shopping," Mrs. Higurashi said, grabbing Kagome's wrist and dragging from bed.

"Mooooooom," Kagome whined as she stared longingly at her bed and the foot that was still on top of the bed.

"Don't you 'mom' me, we need to go shopping and you know it." Mrs. Higurashi said as she walked around the bed and gently nudged Inuyasha. "Inu, dear?"

"Mm?" came the grunted reply of a half-awake man.

"We're going to go shopping for a while, grandpa is downstairs, when you're awake, will you watch the boys for me?"

"Mm..." gentle snoring was heard and Mrs. Higurashi scribbled down a note just in case he forgot.

"Let's go!" Kagome's mom said happily and began to walk out the bedroom door and down the stairs.

"Mother!"

"What?"

"I'm not dressed," Kagome muttered darkly and stared at her pajamas.

"Oh silly girl, get dressed," Mrs. Higurashi giggled and started to walk down the stairs. "I'll be in the car, take any later than ten minutes and I'll come up for you."

"Yes mom," Kagome muttered and got dressed quickly, knowing not to mess with her mother's wrath.

After she had pulled on some lazy clothes she made her way to her mother's car. "Where are we going?"

"Well, duh Kagome," Her mother said happily and clicked on the radio. Some American Oldies song was playing and, like Kagome, Mrs. Higurashi was absolutely in love with American music. Thus, both girls started singing along to 'L-O-V-E' by Nat King Cole.

"L is for the way you look at me," Mrs. Higurashi said in perfect English.

"O is for the only one, I see," Kagome chimed in.

"V is very very, extraordinary," The both sang.

Suddenly, Miroku popped up from behind the backseat, "E is even more than any one that you adore!"

Mrs. Higurashi screamed in surprise and swerved around the road as she tried to calm her senses and regain control of her car.

"Miroku!" Kagome screeched, "You freaking idiot!!"

"Is it my fault that you both were driving in my house?" Miroku asked innocently.

"This is my car!" Mrs. Higurashi screeched as she parked the car to prevent putting anyone in danger. "What on earth are you doing in here? And how on earth did you get in here?" the song blared on in the background until:

"Love is more than just a game for two!"

Kagome clutched her heart, "Jesus, Inuyasha!" There was a pause when her eyes snapped out of her skull, "How did you get in the car so fast without mom noticing?"

Inuyasha twiddled his fingers sinisterly, "With powers."

Mrs. Higurashi snorted, "Well since you boys are here you can help me with your measurements."

"What measurements?" Miroku asked.

"Duh, for tuxedos," Mrs. Higurashi said like she was addressing small children. Both boys paled.

"Great, you tricked me," Kagome muttered darkly to her mother while she smiled sinisterly. Both girls ignored the boys trying to get out of the car.

Mrs. Higurashi hummed a happy tune as they turned into the fancy place where Kagome was sure they would rent out the tuxedos.
After hours of shopping for Kagome and Inuyasha's wedding, Mrs. Higurashi was seen in her study typing something on her computer, her fingers flying over the key board a mile a minute and her eyes practically glued to the screen as she grinned happily.

Leaning back into her chair, she clicked the 'send' button and giggled. "Perfect."

"What's perfect, mom?" Kagome asked as she came into the doorway, holding a bin of laundry under her arm.

"My life," Mrs. Higurashi smiled at her pregnant, engaged, and cute daughter.

Kagome raised an eyebrow and shrugged, "Nice to see someone in this world is happy."

"Damn straight," Mrs. Higurashi said before she could stop and think about what she was thinking.

Souta walked by the room and flashed his mom a thumbs up, "Right on mom!"

Mrs. Higurashi blushed but either that, ignored her son.

"What were you doing just now, mom?" Kagome asked curiously as she casually leaned against the doorway and glanced at her mother.

"Why I sent out invitations," Mrs. Higurashi said and began naming off things, "an invitation for the baby shower, the wedding shower and of course the wedding itself!"

"Mother!" Kagome shouted and dropped the laundry basket; "I don't think having a baby shower this early is a good idea!"

"Nonsense," Mrs. Higurashi waved her arm around. "Better late than never!"

"Speaking of which Kagome," Mrs. Higurashi glanced at her daughter, "We should go to the doctor and check that baby of yours out."

"Yes mother," Kagome muttered and bent down to pick up the basket she'd dropped.

Miroku walked by and glanced at the butt. He stared at it for a long time, contemplating, before groping Kagome's ass.

The two Higurashi's eyes widened as Kagome screeched and glared at Miroku. They would have killed the poor boy if Inuyasha hadn't come marching down the hallway, half naked, throwing random objects at Miroku and brandishing a lamp as a weapon.

"Miroku Ugu you are dead!" Inuyasha screamed as he threw a bowling ball at the boy's head.

"I swear! I thought it was Sango, don't hurt me!"

Kagome watched the two men continued to fight and argue before turning to her mother. "So, when's the baby shower?"

"In two days."

Kagome groaned, "How about the wedding shower?"

"One week."

"And the wedding?" Kagome secretly doubted that she'd like the answer.

"Two weeks," Mrs. Higurashi said with a tone that suggested that she was discussing the weather.

"Great," Kagome glared, "How are you supposed to plan a wedding in less than two weeks."

"With the powers of a mother, now run along and read those pregnancy books I bought you."

Kagome grumbled and complied, trying to ignore the agonizing screams of her friend and the victorious laughter of her future husband.
Two days later Kagome was sitting in the living room glaring at her mother. The plans had been made remarkably fast considering the time the invitations were sent out. Her mother constantly astonished Kagome at the organization her mother possessed. She felt kind of stupid sitting in the living room and she wasn't even pregnant! Weren't baby showers supposed to happen near the ending stages of pregnancy?

She huffed and glared at her mother some more. She couldn't blame her for her unorthodox ways, but she sure as hell could blame her for making her do this.

Inuyasha, Shippou, Souta, Grandpa, and Miroku had been whisked away for the day and were residing at Miroku's house. Her mom could be unusual, but she could also be a sap for tradition. Meaning: No men allowed. Kagome was slightly peeved at this declaration; she would have liked her husband's support in this. After all, it was their child not just hers.

The doorbell rang and Mrs. Higurashi squealed like a schoolgirl, causing Kagome to stare. This was going to be a long night.

Hours later, Kagome was sleeping on the couch and Mrs. Higurashi was picking up all the trash the guests had made. The turn out had been wonderful. Sango and Rin were perfect best friends, along with Kagome's other friends Eri, Yuka, Ayumi, her cousin's, Kaede had sent a gift via mail, and some other friends of Kagome had appeared throughout the day.

Men had stopped by and left presents on the doorstep, knowing the wrath of the older woman. Myouga, Sesshoumaru, Miroku, and even Kouga had sent gifts. Kouga's had been papers for an abortion. She had been more than happy to kick that boy's butt off the property.

The presents had been awesome as well. Every guest had gotten diapers, which was good. They'd also received baby clothes, bottles, the sweetest little booties in the world (hand knitted by Mrs. Higurashi herself), baby bedding, a car seat, Grandpa had gotten her a diaper bag complete with demon wards, and, being the loving mother she was, Mrs. Higurashi had gotten her baby a crib, stroller, high chair, diapers of course, a baby jumper, a safety gate, carrier, and some baby toys. She was just the perfect mother, she thought with glee.

Kagome had been overwhelmed and simply went crazy with the baby shower games. Mrs. Higurashi looked at her sleeping daughter and couldn't help but smile. Her baby was growing up, and she was helping her child with her child.

She squealed softly: She was going to be a grandmother!

With that thought, she skipped down the hall and into bed.
The wedding shower had gone along the same lines, only this time Inuyasha and the rest of the men had been present. The day had been filled with happiness on the couple's part, partly because they were getting free stuff. The guest bedroom was packed with all the things, since the two didn't feel safe returning to the apartment they had been living in over the past few months.

Now, the wedding was drawing near and Kagome couldn't help but feel a little jittery. Her mother had pushed it aside as a natural feeling, but Kagome still felt silly and scared at the same time. Inuyasha's comforting words were the only things that would calm her down and she silently prayed that her wedding day would be as wonderful as she had dreamed so many times.

It was hard for her to believe that it was finally happening, but some how inside Kagome, she knew that this was only the beginning of something wonderful.

"Kagome hurry your ass up, we need to leave in fifteen minutes!" Inuyasha shouted from down stairs were the rest of the family was waiting for her.

"Fuck off!"

"No," Inuyasha shouted back and she heard him marching up the staircase, "I'm going to get you, woman!"

Kagome giggled and rolled over in her bed, she had a few minutes of sleep left.