~Chapter 20~
~Auntie Corana~

A/N: Damn I'm still poundin out the chapters. I just can't stop writing this. I was in class for like four hours this afternoon and all I could think of was getting home to write the next installment of my baby! Guess what! I'm going to add romance in now! You'll see why. Well actually, Flame Fox is hounding me to do something with Arctic, so I must oblige...and well I wanted Jin to be a dad...so y'know what..he has a mate now. Actually I just got this really cute and somewhat sad idea for a chapter with babies. Babies are so cute..unless they have Jr written on their foreheads and they can talk. Then they're just annoying. The reviews I must say quite simply rock. You guys are the greatest! I just look at the amount of reviews on this thing and that's not including the ones Issa had to email me because FF.net hates her right now and I just sit at my computer and laugh so happily and a little insanely. Checked in the library between classes and was grinning so wide I'm sure people thought I was watching porn. Don't ask me where that came from. I don't know. But thanks so much!

Things had settled into a comfortable rhythm. Jin was still recovering and Hiei and Yukina were reveling in their new relationship. When Jin had finally recuperated enough to return to the Makai, he took Corana aside.

"Corana. I have to go back." Jin insisted.

"Why? Aren't you happy here?" Corana drooped.

"Of course. But well..." Jin scratched his head uncomfortably. "Well, y'know how I said one day you'll have a family and one day I'll have a family? And...well...yeah..." Jin laughed nervously.

"You have a mate?" Corana blinked. Jin nodded. Corana grinned. "What's her name? Is she cute? What's she like? When can I meet her?" Jin was suddenly bombarded with questions. He smiled, happy his sister wasn't mad at him for not telling her. "Do you have any kids?" Corana asked suddenly.

Jin blinked and then grinned sheepishly. "We will soon."

Corana squealed in glee. "I'm going to be an auntie!!" She laughed. "Why don't you bring her here to have the baby? Just think, it's first breath will be in this wonderful air!" she grinned.

Jin brightened. "Hey! Do you think it'd be ok? As long as we promised to go back afterwards?"

"Let's go ask now!" Corana leapt up and dragged her brother towards the temple. "Botan! Botan!!!" She yelled. The bluette came running out, looking for the emergency. "I'm going to be an auntie!" Corana grinned.
Botan blinked. "Wait. Jin?" Botan looked at him for confirmation, and when he nodded, Botan squealed in delight, much the same way Corana had and hugged Corana.

"Can they have the baby here?" Corana asked. "Ask Koenma. They promise to go back once it's born, but this is a much nicer place than the Makai to have a baby." Corana rushed.

Botan giggled and pulled out a communication mirror. "Koenma?" She called.

"What is it Botan?" Koenma's face appeared on the screen.

"Jin's mate is going to have a baby and we want to have it here at Genkai's temple. Can we please? Please please please please...." Corana joined in with Botan in the chorus of "pleases" and soon Koenma was rolling his eyes and trying to cover his ears.

"Fine if you two will just shut up!" He finally conceded.

The two girls squealed in delight. "Thank you Koenma!" And they hung up before he could respond.

"Ok Jin. Go to the Makai and get your mate and bring her back here. We'll get everything ready for the baby." Corana began to shove her brother towards the door.

"Right now?!" Jin yelled in disbelief.

"The sooner you leave, the sooner you can return." Corana quipped. "Now go get her. I want to meet her anyways." When Jin just stood there staring dumbfounded at his sister she actually shooed him. "Now go!" She commanded. Jin just shook his head and followed orders.

"Ok we have to get all the girls together and go shopping for the baby." Botan gushed. Corana nodded and they began to round up all the girls. Darktydes and Arctic had to stay behind because they couldn't disguise their appearance, but Yukina, Keiko, Botan, and Corana went skipping happily towards the mall.

There was much excitement around the temple while everyone made ready for the expecting mother and the baby. The men learned to stay out of the way if they didn't want to be recruited for random tasks. The only one who seemed unbothered by all the femininity was Kuwabara, but then again, Yukina was excited and he was excited by anything that excited Yukina.

A few days after they sent him off, Jin returned with his mate, Brigid. She was a wind demon like him with blonde hair and azure eyes and at the present, a bulging belly. Corana greeted her warmly, though she was a little less than thrilled to find out her mate's sister was three kinds of demon rolled into one. Corana ignored it as shyness and made a huge fuss over her new "sister" and the baby that was to be delivered soon.

Over the next few days, Corana watched her brother tend to his mate with love and care and she grew just a bit jealous of his new family. It was evident that he had indeed begun a life that would not include her much anymore and she found herself wishing for a family of her own.

Neko catering to Botan's every whim now wasn't helping matters. Well that and Kurama's display of interest in the kitsuna under their protection. Everyone seemed to be happy with where they were and with each other. People would pair off at the end of dinner and Corana always managed to find herself alone and brooding. She didn't like to brood. Not when the closest thing to a son or daughter she was ever likely to have was about to be delivered into the world.

"You seem gloomy." Hiei muttered from behind her. "I'm the gloomy one."

Corana chuckled. "Not recently. Seems we've switched roles Hiei."

"Hn." Hiei smirked, but could tell something was seriously bothering her. "What's really wrong? I thought you were all excited about this baby thing."

"I am." Corana sighed. "It's just I see all this going on around me. And everyone's moving on...some with each other and...I just..." she halted. "I want that for me. I want a family. Of my own." She sighed. "You're the last person I should be talking to this about. You'll just tell me that only the weak need that and blah blah blah. Well then I'm fucking weak ok?"

"Now that I know how you really feel..." Hiei grumbled.

"Why aren't you off with your sister?" Corana asked suddenly. That's usually where he disappeared to before finding a tree to sleep in.

"Hn." Hiei glared. "She insisted on spending time with Kuwabaka."

Corana smiled a little at that. "Guess you see it too then, huh?"

"Hn." Hiei smirked. "I see it. It just doesn't bother me."

"Must be a female thing then. Probably just my hormones going nuts with all this baby stuff going on. And the constant romance my god! Can't these people think of anything else!" She groaned.

Hiei actually chuckled at her. "I think this baby thing has all the females around here in a hormonal uproar and the males are all catering to it. It's disgusting."

"Yeah. Thank God YOU'RE sane. Right?" Corana grinned.

"Hn."

"What the hell does 'hn' mean anyway?" Corana demanded. It was really getting irritating.

"Whatever the hell I want it to mean." Hiei replied. "I'm going to find a tree."

"G'night." Corana waved as he took off.

Three hours later, Brigid went into labor. Fifteen hours later, Corijin took his first breath. Darktydes came out of Brigid's room with a wrapped bundle.

"Congratulations Jin." She grinned. "You have a son. Corana, you have a nephew." She handed the baby to Jin who looked at it in wonder.

"I have a son." He grinned. "Who thought I was responsible enough to be a parent?" he laughed and handed the baby to Corana.

"I have a nephew." She was crying freely. "Hello." She whispered to the baby.

Everyone gathered saw the way she held the baby as if it were her own. Her very attitude suggested she would treat the child as her own as long as she could find a way to.

"Jin!" Brigid spoke sharply, leaning on the door. "Why did you let her hold it?" She demanded.

Corana stared wide-eyed at her brother's mate.

"She's my sister Brig. She's got as much a right to hold it as I do." Jin protested.

"She may take him. You told me yourself she's never been able to bear a child. He's my baby." Brigid snarled.

New tears formed in Corana's eyes, this time of hurt and anger. She handed the baby back to Jin, refusing to even look at Brigid now and took off out of the temple. She'd never been so insulted in her life.

"I think it's best if you go home tomorrow." Botan glared at Brigid. ~Where did this woman get off?!~ "Jin you are welcome anytime. You and your son. But you'd better leave HER at home." The others nodded. They had no connection to Brigid. And after all the fuss and work Corana had gone through for this woman she didn't even know, she had shown no gratitude towards the little demon.

"You're going to stand up for a mutt like that?!" Brigid was incredulous.
"In case you haven't noticed miss." Neko began. "I myself am a mutt. As is Illeio over there. Darktydes who tended you in labor and Arctic Fox. Corana has been nothing but kind to us ever. What right do you think YOU have to come in here and look down on her? You're on her turf sweetheart. She opened up her house to you. And you walked all over her. If you're not gone tomorrow, Illeio and I will make you leave." Neko expressed what everyone had really been feeling. "I'm sorry Jin. We all like you a lot. Maybe you should have learned of her prejudices before sealing yourself to her."

Jin's ears had drooped. The two most important people in his life hated each other. Well he knew Corana would probably get over it, but he wasn't so sure about Brigid. "Don't worry. We'll be gone tomorrow." He sighed heavily. "Brigid, you should get back to bed." He said softly.

"You're trying to push me aside." She accused.

"Just GO to Bed!" He barked, handing her the baby. "I have to go find Corana."

"Always Corana." Brigid muttered, turning.

"She's my sister and she was there for me long before you were. She IS a part of my life and she WILL be a part of my life. Get used to it." Jin really wasn't going to look like a good guy no matter what way he handled the situation so he just did what he could. "Just go to bed." He said wearily.

"Fine." Brigid slammed the door.

Jin sighed and left the temple to go find Corana.

"She's in the garden." Hiei told him, his Jagan glowing.

"Thanks Hiei." Jin muttered, tiredly. He headed in the direction of the garden until he heard muffled sobs. "Corana?" He asked softly.

"I'm here."

"Look I'm really sorry." He started, but she shook her head.

"It's not you." Corana interrupted. "The things she said were hateful and bigoted, but it's not your fault. She doesn't understand what I've been through. She doesn't know what it's like to be an outcast and sterile all for the same reason. She's got a fabulous mate, a beautiful son, and right now as perfect a life as any woman could ask for so why the hell should I have expected her to understand or even accept me?" Corana wiped her face. "I don't hold it against you and I don't hold it against her and I don't hold it against your son."

"Well who do you hold it against?" Jin chuckled.

"Hiei. He's easy to be angry at." Corana grinned. "I'm just kidding. I don't hold it against anyone. Maybe a little against myself and my parents to be honest, but not anyone else. I'll just smother her with kindness. Then she'll have to like me right?" Corana smiled hopefully. "I don't want to be the reason you can't have a family of your own."

"You sure you'll be ok?" Jin asked.

Corana nodded. "You'd better get in there before she kills everyone, or they kill her though." She chuckled. "I heard the mutt comment. I don't think Neko's too happy about that."

"Good point. But I don't think she's too happy with me right now anyway." Jin grinned sheepishly. "I did yell at her a bit."

"That makes me feel better." Corana grinned ruefully. "Just go. I've been watching you two. I don't think she'll stay angry at you for very long. You're too cute." She giggled.

Jin got up and left.

The next morning, Jin, Brigid and Corijin were packed up and ready to head home. Corana came flying in to say goodbye. She gave Jin a big hug. "Come back soon big brother." She murmured in his ear. She kissed Corijin on the forehead. "I'm sure we'll meet again." She grinned at his sleeping face and then, to everyone's surprise, hugged Brigid. "I'm going to make you like me no matter what." Corana grinned at her shocked face. "Just keep one thing in mind on the way home. I want to give you something to think about. You wouldn't have a mate if I hadn't gone in there and brought him back. Have a safe trip." The three departed, Jin shaking his head at Corana's dig at his mate. She couldn't resist he knew. ~Man she can be a bitch.~ he chuckled inwardly as they slipped through into the Makai.

A/N: Damn...Pretty long chapter! And no it's not the last! After all, I promised more romance. My fingers hurt so I'll make the ending notes short. Flame Fox, the email address you sent me is not working. Just email me at jaffj83@yahoo.com from your email. Thanks! Hope you enjoyed the chapter! You kinda get to see a new side of Corana. One I knew was there all along, but then I created her. Hope you like it!