(A/N:Now, I would've done the author's note on the prologue, but this just seemed more fitting. Anyhoo! Welcome to my third and final installment of the Saraku trilogy. I hope everyone will enjoy this. I will try to live up to my reputation for cliffies , romance and the like!)
Chapter One-Change of Pace
Kagome stretched out on the long bank , watching Chibi and Miroku play together. It was almost too hot even for swimming that day. Inuyasha was helping Kaede with something, and Sango was taking a nap. The now eighteen-year-old girl was thinking about doing the same thing, when she winced in pain. Her child was kicking. "ooh.......it's all right..." She rubbed her stomach slowly, as if it would sooth the unborn child."She'd kill Inuyasha for this, if Sango didn't do it for her. She got up, and began to pace around, trying to ignore the kicking to her ribs. She scowleds suddenly, remembering the harsh words her mother had spoken to her just days before she'd returned to the feudal era for good. Why couldn't you stay here? Why not marry Houjo? Why does it have to be...that...Inuyasha ? Kagome sighed. "She didn't get it....I didn't love Houjo. I love Inuyasha."
"Penny for your thoughts, Dear?" It was Kaede who spoke up from behind her.
"Oh...it's nothing, Kaede...I'm just wondering what's so wrong with my loving Inuyasha. My mother didn't seem to think he suited me.."
"Love is a very personal feeling, I'm afraid. Your love for him cannot be denied, but your mother needs to be here to witness that love."
"It's never going to happen." Kagome replied, wincing as the child within her kicked again. "Where is Inuyasha anyway?"
"He'll be around soon. He's helpin g Shippou build a hut for himself."
"I see.....so Shippou won't be travelling with us anymore?"
"Appearently not." Kaede smiled kindly. "I think you five have done enough travelling in your time. The rest of the Shikon shard has been retrieved, and Naraku is defeated. It is time for you all to settle."
"I agree,Lady Kaede." Miroku spoke up now, as he approached with Chibi in his arms.
"I gree toos !" Chibi put in, reaching for Kagome. "Gome!"
Kagome laughed, and plucked the one year old out of her father's arms. "Hey, Chibi! Did you have a nice swim?"
"Uh huh." She scrambled down and ran for Sango. "Mommy, wakes up!"
"No, Chibi! Mommy's sleeping..." Miroku sighed. "She's a mama's girl all right."
"That's how mine is going to be too." Kagome decided for her child. "If it's a g irl."
"Inuyasha claims it's going to be a boy." Miroku mused, as he dried himself off.
"So what else is new?" Kagome retorted, but she was smiling. "Maybe we'll get lucky and have twins."
"Well, being that Inuyasha is part demon, that could happen." Kaede nodded. "Where is that niece of his? Saraku, wasn't it?"
"Oh, she's due to come to us any day now." Miroku realized. "That's probably why Inuyasha was scouting for a building site yesterday."
"He was?" Kagome frowned. Inuyasha usually told her these things. "Is he planning on building a castle?"
"Who knows..." Miroku replied dully. "Well, I'd better go start dinner. It's my turn." He headed into the direction of the village, where he and Sango shared a small hut with Chibi.
"Maybe he didn't tell you because he wanted to surprise you..." Kaede suggested, seeing the upset on Kagome's face. "At any rate...perhaps I should go and get him."
"Please do. I'll have dinner ready for him by the time he gets back." Unlike everyone else in their party, Inuyasha and Kagome still lived outside of the village. It wasn't until two months ago that they'd serious considered building a house to live in. "Thank you, Kaede." She watched the elder Priestess go, and sighed. "I can't wait until I have a place to sleep that doesn't include the ground."
Sesshoumaru was guiding Saraku along their usual path to Kaede's village. She was on her very own two-headed beast, which she'd named Kanna. "Remember, Sara. You're in charge of it. It's not in charge of you." Sesshoumaru smiled proudly.
"I like her a lot." The eleven year old told him. "She's nice."
"I'm glad." Sesshoumaru chuckled to himself. "Now, I got a message from your uncle a while ago. Kagome's with child. So she won't be much for playing."
Sara's eyes lit up. "Oh! A new baby's coming! How exciting!"
"Yes, it is..." Sesshoumaru smiled slightly. "But that means you'll have to help them out by staying out of trouble this time. Okay?"
"I wasn't trouble last time..." Saraku argued. "I just had to have a piece of that rabbit." The rabbit she referred to was one that both she, and Kouga's daughter Kyoko had caught at the same time. "It wasn't my fault we were both there at the same time..."
"But still...." Sesshoumaru sighed. "No more hunting while you're here, okay? At least not without someone to supervise."
"Okay, Lord Sesshoumaru." Even after being with him for nearly nine years, she could never bring herself to call him her father. As she was thinking about this they came to the camp where Inuyasha and his group were staying.
Sesshoumaru helped her down, then handed her her pack. "I shall see you in two seasons. Please be good."
"I promise!" She scrambled up the rest of the way to meet Shippou.
Shippou didn't meet her. "Shippou?" She frowned. It was unlike Shippou not to meet her.
"He's in the village." It was Kagome, who indeed, looked very pregnant.
"Kagome!" She hugged her aunt tightly, but not too tightly.
"Look at how much you've grown! Inuyasha, come see!"
Inuyasha had already been walking towards them. "Life in a large castle will do that to you." He chuckled, before scooping her up. "How was your trip? I hope it was uneventful..."
"It was." She smiled, snuggling into Inuyasha's arms. She missed him a lot when she was with Sesshoumaru. "Where is everyone else? Why aren't they out here?"
"Well, they've all taken to the village. We're going to be moving there as soon as I have what I need to build what I want." Inuyasha explained. "I'll take you over to see Sango and Miroku in the morning."
"Okay." She sniffed the air. "Mmm. Smoked herring!"
"Very good. I see you've sharpened your senses." Inuyasha set her down now, and they walked over to the remaining dinner. "We saved this for you."
"Thanks. I'm starving...uh...I mean, thank you very much." She remembered her manners, just like Jakken had told her. "I've got lots of news too."
"Oh really." Inuyasha wondered what she would have to tell that the whole of Japan didn't already know.
"Rin moved into a village to learn medicine. She met a boy." She swallowed t he lump in her throat. "It's really far away from the castle where we grew up."
"Awww. I bet you miss her a lo t don't you?" Kagome pulled her into a hug. "Yeah. I'm the only one Jakken has to pick on now, and it's lonely during the day when Lord Sesshoumaru wanders off."
"I'n sure it'll all work out. She'll probably be back to visit..." Inuyasha soothed now. He cursed himself for being so soft. But then again, that's all he could get himself to be when Kagome was around anyway. "Eat up, before it gets cold." So, the young girl ate, and Inuyasha pondered. "Saraku.....do you think you're ever going to get married?"
"Eww. No way." The girl replied with a giggle. "I'm going to breed two-headed beasts on my own plot o f land. Lord Sesshoumaru says I'll be really good at it."
"He does, huh?" Inuyasha wasn't unkind. "Well, if that will make you happy..." He chuckled now, watching her yawn. "You're tired."
"A little. It takes a lot to control a two-headed animal, and I have my own now."
"What do you call it?" Kagome asked with interest.
"Kanna. I just liked the name." She began to unroll her sleeping roll. It was the same one Sango had given her four years ago, when they first found her. It was almost too small for the growing girl. "I think I'll go to bed now.."
"Good idea. We'll talk more in the morning." Kagome helped her get settled in, before crawling into her own sleeping roll.