Hey everybody! Long time no see, huh? Well you'll all be happy to know that I am just about halfway through my exams. Only Thursday, Friday, this coming Tuesday, and Wednesday... dang that's still a handful of exams left... and I've already taken two! sigh It's not fair... damn school and the person who started regents exams... Oh and Kiyoshi means quiet one.

OH and thank you all for the reviews. Over 300! I'm speechless!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything.

Winter's Night: Chapter 20

Kagome's POV

I awoke to the smell of green tea in the air. I rubbed my eyes and looked around the hut. I saw the pot hanging over the fire, steam spraying out of the spout, but no one was around. I sat up and felt a little dizzy at first but it subsided.

"Morning." Startled, I jumped a little and looked in the direction of the voice. In the doorway stood Inuyasha, wearing only his pants, his hair dripping wet, holding our son wrapped up in his haori in his arms. He walked over and crouched down beside me, holding the Kiyoshi closer to him as he crouched. I smiled and took him from him.

"Hey baby." I cooed, rubbing my nose against his. He smiled and stared up at me, his golden eyes wide and shining brightly. I noticed that what hair he did have was damp and I looked up at my mate for an explanation. "Inuyasha?"

"Yeah?"

"Why are you and Kiyoshi wet?"

"Feh. He needed a bath, so I gave him one." He replied, getting up and walking over to the fire. I watched him as he took the tea pot from the fire and poured its contents into a small cup. He set the pot down and walked back over to me, holding the cup out. "The hag said to have you drink this when you woke up."

I nodded and held Kiyoshi in one arm, taking the cup from his hands. I blew on it a little and sipped at it so I wouldn't burn my tongue.

Once finished I handed the cup back to him and leaned back against the wall behind me when I felt Kiyoshi squirm in my arms. I looked down at him and he started to fuss.

"Guess you're hungry huh baby?" I asked as I shifted him in my arms so that I could pull down part of my kimono to let him to feed.

"Do you want me to go?" I looked at Inuyasha, standing by the doorway, not looking at me, but still looking away.

"Why?" I asked, trying to calm Kiyoshi as he began fussing more.

"Because you're um... you're..." he trailed off looking a little flustered, a blush rising to his cheeks. I giggled and shook my head.

"No, you don't have to go. You've seen it all before, haven't you?" I blushed at my own statement, but focused on Kiyoshi. I got my kimono down far enough and Kiyoshi began to feed right away. Jeez, I hope he doesn't grow up as impatient as his father or else I could have problems once he gets older...

I was brought from my musings when I heard movement and I looked up to see Inuyasha sit down beside me, his back to the wall. I smiled softly and carefully leaned against his shoulder so that I wouldn't disturb Kiyoshi.

"He's going to be a handful in about a year." Inuyasha said quietly.

"Really? But he won't even be that big yet, will he?"

"He has demon blood in him so he'll grow up faster than a human pup." I nodded waiting for him to maybe continue, but he remained quiet. I looked up at his face and frowned a little. He was staring off at the wall across from us, a sort of half glazed look on his face, his eyes closed slightly.

"Inuyasha?" I asked quietly. "What's wrong?"

"He's a hanyou." He said just as quietly.

"Yeah, so? You're a hanyou too. Besides it doesn't matter." He shook his head.

"I'm half demon, half human, and you're all human. It doesn't work out. He should be mostly human, but he's not." He said.

"Well, maybe demon genes are dominant over human ones."

"What?"

"Eh, nothing, never mind." I switched Kiyoshi in my arms and pulled down the other part of my kimono, letting him feed again.

"Feh." He snorted and crossed his arms, but then just as quickly uncrossed them.

"That's not all that's bothering you, is it?" I asked quietly, laying my head on his shoulder. He sighed and laid his head on mine.

"No, that's not all..." he whispered a hint of worry and... fear in his voice.

"Please tell me what's bothering you." I whispered back.

"He's hanyou... so... he'll be an outcast..." he whispered sadly. "I don't want him to go through what I went through..."

"He won't though." I whispered. "He has us to watch over him, as well as the others. No one will hurt our son. No one..."

He nodded but didn't say anything so we sat there in silence until Kiyoshi squirmed a bit signaling that he was done. I sat up and patted his back gently until he burped. I wrapped him back up in his father's haori and held him in my arms, rocking him gently. I was startled when I felt myself be lifted up and looked at Inuyasha as he picked me up in his arms.

"W-What are you doing?" I asked him.

"Taking you two outside." He said, somehow grabbing a blanket with his foot and getting it up to where his hand could reach it without letting go of me. I nodded and leaned against him as he walked out of the hut. I felt the cool breeze wrap around me and I held Kiyoshi closer so that he wouldn't get cold.

We went quite a ways, passed the village and up the hill over looking it. Once at the top of the hill, Inuyasha set me on my own two feet and I watched him lay the blanket out on the grass. He then motioned for me to sit and I sat down leaving enough room for him, but taking up enough to stretch my legs out. He sat down beside me and then pulled me into his lap, his arms wrapping around my waist holding me close to his chest. I smiled and relaxed against him, closing my eyes and enjoying the comfort of being there with him, the sun shining brightly on both of us and the coolness of the air seemingly gone. I sighed in contentment. He seemed fine now, everything would be alright.

Suddenly I felt his muscles tense and he began to growl lowly. Kiyoshi squirmed in my arms and I heard him whimper. I held him close as Inuyasha released me and stood up looking around, his body tense, eyes narrowed.

"W-What is it?" I asked, fear taking over my body.

"I smell wolf..." he growled and turned towards the field on the opposite side of the hill. My eyes widened as I looked and saw Kouga running towards us, an angered aura surrounding him.

"Kagome, go back to the village." I turned to Inuyasha. He was growling louder, his fangs bared, his hand tightly gripping the hilt of Tetsusaiga. He turned to me. "What are you standing there for? Go NOW!" He yelled.

I jumped and was about to run when I felt someone grab me and jump away. I looked behind me at Inuyasha and then looked at where I had been standing to see the ground broken up and what appeared to be claw marks. We landed a good distance away and my eyes widened as I saw a red eyed Kouga standing there.

"What have you done to my woman you dirty half-breed?!"

Alright, that's it for now. I know, I'm horrible with cliffies, and the whole thing with Kagome and Kiyoshi in the beginning of the chapter was probably weak... I promise to try and do better on the next chapter. It probably won't be up until I'm completely done with exams though. I'm really sorry, Please don't hate me.

Oh, Demon-Inuyasha1, we think alike, ne? I had this idea with Kouga before I got your review. thanks though!

Please review!

Ja ne !