Chapter 38: Shocking Sesshomaru

Kaori had a good night sleep, but was shaken abruptly awake by Sesshomaru. He rolled into her, causing her to fall out of the bed. Kaori sighed, blew a few stands out of her face and looked up at Sesshomaru.

"Why did I marry him?" Kaori asked herself. She tilted her head, looking at his face. She never noticed how soft his face was, even in the demon form. She had touched it millions of times, but never actually noticed it. She placed a hand on his cheek, looking at his lips. She left a finger rub the lower lip of his, softly and slowly. He didn't make a single movement. "He's so peaceful. Innocent, lovely. He's, he's mine. For once I can say this. And it's true."

"Kaori, are you here?" Yori's voice could be heard downstairs.

Kaori was pulled from her admiration at Sesshomaru and got up. Kaori didn't take a single look in the mirror before going downstairs.

"Hey, Yori. How have you been doing?" Kaori asked, running down the steps. Yori poked her head out of the kitchen and looked at Kaori's choice of clothing.

"Uh, I really hope you don't plan to go out like that," Yori said, covering her eyes.

Kaori looked down and gasped, pulling the shirt as low as possible. She completely forgot that she went to sleep only wearing Sesshomaru's dress shirt of the night. She blushed a dark shade of red before running up the steps and into her room. Sesshomaru was still asleep on the bed, but he had rolled back over to his side. Kaori sighed as quietly as possible and went to the closet and got a halter top and jeans, leaving Sesshomaru's shirt at the foot of the bed. She returned to Yori, who was looking through some books that were on the coffee table.

"So, what, you two want a baby?" Yori asked, picking up a few books.

"Well, not really. I am pregnant," Kaori informed, taking the books and placing them on the kitchen table.

"REALLY!" Yori exclaimed and Kaori made gestures to quiet her down.

"Sesshomaru is sleeping upstairs," Kaori told Yori.

"Well, I didn't exactly expect you to be up, since last night was your anniversary. And from what I saw you come down in, my ideas were correct," Yori said, smiling.

"Aw, shut up. You always have a dirty mind, Yori," Kaori said, rolling her eyes.

"Well, since you won't have this perfect body for long, let's go shopping! We could get some clothes for you when that tummy gets big!" Yori suggested, jumping to her feet. She clapped her hands to get Kaori's moving. "Come on, get going. Move it!"

"If it'll shut you up, fine. Just if Sesshomaru freaks, I'm going tell him this is your fault!" Kaori sighed, getting her purse.

"Give him a note. He always leaves one for you," Yori said, passing a pen to Kaori. Kaori sighed and made her way to the kitchen.

Sesshomaru, dear,

Yori came over and invited me to go shopping. Be back before lunch. I'll make you something special, ok?

Love, dearest Kaori.

Kaori left the note on the kitchen table and skipped out with Yori to the mall.

Sesshomaru woke up around ten with no one next to him. He didn't freak; Kaori always woke up early after a good night sleep. He sat up and blinked a few times, looking around at the room. The first thing he noticed was the closet door open and the light on. Then he noticed his dress shirt at the foot of the bed. He crawled to it and placed it under his nose. Recent. So she had been there just recently?

Sesshomaru got up. He wore just his boxers (which was forced on by Kaori. She refused to sleep in the same bed as him naked unless they were going to do something) and made his way downstairs. He read the note and shrugged his shoulders. But he had no idea what to do. Kaori always have something to do for him when she went out. Either she would set the computer up for him, have him do some errands for her, or allow him to go to the past. But she had just left, no words to him except the note. He sighed and looked around. What could he do? What could he do?

He saw the TV and flipped it on, but the cable was out again. He reorganized the baby's room, but that only took minutes. He sighed and fell onto the couch, staring at the ceiling. What was he going to do until Kaori came home? Perhaps he should go to the past and check on Rin and Jaken. He hadn't done that in a while.

Sesshomaru dressed into his past clothes and hurried to the village Jaken and Rin were staying at. He quickly heard the events that had been happening by both hosts and then they started asking about their lady.

"She is fine," Sesshomaru stated, watching Rin cook. She burnt three fish until the fourth was perfect. She had explained a villager taught her how to cook.

"Then why did she not return with you?" Jaken asked.

"Busy," Sesshomaru answered briefly. Rin ate silently, just looking at Jaken and Sesshomaru. She had seen Sesshomaru change so quickly, she could barely remember the lord she had fell in love with (daughter - father style). She still loved him, but now she had another, so the love was shared. But she still admired her lord.

"Lord Sesshomaru, is there any news about Lady Kaori we should know? You usually aren't this brief," Jaken stated. Rin nodded in agreement.

Sesshomaru looked at both of them and then out the window. "She's pregnant," Sesshomaru said briefly again.

Rin dropped her fish and clapped her hands while Jaken fainted and fell backwards. Jaken's mouth hung open widely as his eyes were swirls. He couldn't believe that his lord would do that! Rin still didn't understand how children came to be and was overjoyed that she would get to have a sibling, somewhat.

"So, when is the baby coming?" Rin asked, overjoyed.

"We don't know. Don't get excited, Rin. We don't even know if it will be coming," Sesshomaru told Rin, glancing at her once.

"Still, my lord, we must celebrate. If only Lady Kaori was here..." Rin sighed, returning to her fish. Jaken had gotten back up, pale and shocked.

"Lord Sesshomaru, are you sure she isn't just fooling around with you?" Jaken asked. He saw a sideways glare from his lord and his eyes bulged.

"What do you mean 'fooling around?'" Sesshomaru asked.

"Not like that, my lord! I just mean that she might be kidding with you. I mean, has she even showed yet?" Jaken asked, fidgeting with his fingers.

"Jaken," Sesshomaru said coolly causing the imp to look at him, "her pregnancy is only between me and her. You have no say in this, what-so-ever. If I find you asking her about this-" Sesshomaru stood up "-I will personally kill you in the most painful way possible. Remember what that is?"

Jaken screeched and fell backwards, fainting along with knocking himself out. Sesshomaru was satisfied and decided to return home. Kaori might had lunch ready for him. Waving one hand at Rin to tell him he was off, he made it back to the house just as Kaori and Yori were walking up the driveway, laughing.

"Where did you two go?" Sesshomaru asked at the doorway.

"The mall. We got tons of clothes for me and the child!" Kaori exclaimed.

"You told her?" Sesshomaru asked, an eyebrow raised.

"You didn't think I would?" Kaori asked, opening the door. "By the way, why were you outside?"

"I went to the past," Sesshomaru told her, taking the bags from her hands. "And found out Rin can cook."

"We should go over to her place and have her cook a meal for us. Wouldn't that be nice?" Kaori asked, watching Sesshomaru stop in his tracks and glance at her from the corner of his eye.

"She would have to make it three times before it is edible. You really want to take that chance?" Sesshomaru asked. He saw her laugh and he made his way to their room to drop the bags off. Returning, he found Kaori chopping some vegetables up. "And plus, what did you buy that took hours to get?"

"Oh, we went all over the mall. We also window shopped," Kaori explained, pouring the vegetables into a bowl. "How about you help? The celery needs to be cut and I can't reach the can of broth."

Sesshomaru helped out, making the meal excellent. They had some stew (human) with vegetables, chicken, and spices in it. Simple, but delicious. Sesshomaru even had some, but made his comment that demon stew was better. Kaori just rolled her eyes while cleaning up.

"So, while trying on clothes, did you see any increase in this area?" Sesshomaru asked, his hands falling onto Kaori's abdominal section. "Oh, I don't even need an answer."

"What are you talking about? I haven't gained at all!" Kaori said, placing her wet hands on top of Sesshomaru's.

"You checked every single day, so no wonder you never saw a change. But there is a slight increase right about... here," Sesshomaru said, two finger pressing a part on Kaori's belly. She giggled and he smirked. "Ticklish?"

"No, but that felt weird," Kaori said, sighing afterwards.

"So, you were wrong. You have increased. Little by little," Sesshomaru told Kaori in a whisper, resting his head on her shoulder and watched her wash dishes. She giggled halfway through and Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow. "What's so funny?"

"Your breath, it's picking up," Kaori told him, placing the last dish on the drainer. "Finished."

"No, clean something else. I really like the way your hands work," Sesshomaru complimented, his claws lightly running across her sides as he switched his hands to go on her hips.

"Sesshomaru, you had your fun, exactly how you liked it, last night. No more," Kaori said.

"Please, Kaori, dearest?" Sesshomaru asked.

"No, don't even try that. Now, I need to do the laundry, so if you don't mind," Kaori said, walking to her left to get away from Sesshomaru. He caught her arm and pulled her to his chest.

"Afterwards?" Sesshomaru asked.

"I still need to vacuum and put my new clothes away, take a shower and then I need to relax," Kaori told him. "I can't just sit around and have fun with you every single day."

"When you take your shower then?" Sesshomaru asked, whispering it into her ear. "You get dirty, then clean."

"Sesshomaru, first things first. Get that potion. I'm running low," Kaori told Sesshomaru, pulling herself from his chest. She would love to stay there in his arms and take up on his offer, but things needed to be done. Kaori walked away, but paused for a sec. "That's now, Sesshomaru."

Sesshomaru sighed and travelled to Kaeda's village to get the potion. That woman could be so annoying.

Kaori fell onto the couch, panting. She had taken Sesshomaru up on his offer in the shower, but had no idea how Sesshomaru had planned it. She was exhausted afterwards, more so then before. She could barely keep up. But it was relaxing when she sat in the bathtub while her cleaned her. She was now laying on the couch, her wet hair fanned out under her.

"Didn't you say you wanted to relax?" Sesshomaru asked, drying his hair messily with a towel. He then tossed it to her. "Dry up."

"It's only my hair that's wet," Kaori told him, throwing it back. "Go hang it up."

Sesshomaru disappeared for a moment, but returned and sat at Kaori's feet.

"Massage?" Sesshomaru asked, his fingers lightly touching her toes.

"That would be so nice," Kaori sighed, her eyes closing. She felt him work both her feet, easing the soreness in them. "I've been on them all day. This will work well."

Sesshomaru finished and laid his head on her abdominal section lightly.

"I wonder, will this child have a heartbeat able to be heard outside of the womb?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Yeah, and then I wouldn't be able to move at all. You'll be connected to it by your ear," Kaori sighed, her hands running through his locks of hair, taking all the tangles out. She then twirled some strands between two fingers. He laughed.

"You might speak some truth there," Sesshomaru told Kaori. Kaori just laughed at that comment. She released his hair and raised his head up.

"Sesshomaru, would you still love me when I'm big?" Kaori asked.

"What type of question is that?" Sesshomaru asked.

"I mean, you married me like this. But I'm going to change. You won't leave me, right?" Kaori asked, looking at him straight in the eye. He nodded, and lifted his body up to kiss her lips.

"Never. You know how much I would do for you. How much I put up with you. So what? You gain a few pounds. I still love you for who you are," Sesshomaru told her, resting his head under her chin. "But the body is also a bonus."

Kaori rolled her eyes and shook her head, but pulled Sesshomaru's head closer to her.

"Thanks," Kaori told him.

"Any time. I'll tell the world I love you, if you want me to," Sesshomaru told her.

"Really?" Kaori asked.

"Always," Sesshomaru said.

It was silent for a while until Kaori got a cramp in her leg and had to stand up to shake it out.

"I remember watching you dance one day. Can you do it again?" Sesshomaru asked, leaning back on the couch.

"Dance? You watched me dance?" Kaori asked, a blush creeping across her face. "At Queen Kaori's palace?"

Sesshomaru nodded. "For me. I gave you how many massages?" Sesshomaru said, raising his eyebrow. "This is the least you can do."

Kaori sighed and turned the radio on. She just stood there, waiting for some specific song to come on. He heard her sigh when Hero by Enrique Iglesias. She was going at smooth paces and steps and Sesshomaru was nearly memorized by her movements. He watched everywhere she stepped, everywhere her hands went, where her head tilted to. She even mouthed the words.

She twirled a few times and was dancing around the couch. He sometimes had to move or adjust where he was sitting to watch her. He didn't want to miss a single movement.

Eventually the song ended and Kaori sighed before shutting off the radio and shrugging her shoulders while standing in front of Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru stood, but didn't say a word. He passed by her and to the CD player, confusing Kaori. She watched him and saw him place a CD into the CD player. Picking a specific song and putting it on repeat, he took Kaori's hand and started dancing with her. It was their wedding song! He had gotten it on CD!

"How-" Kaori started, but Sesshomaru put a finger to her lips.

"Quiet now. Just dance," Sesshomaru told Kaori.

Kaori sighed and enjoyed the comfort she was getting by Sesshomaru arms. They didn't hold her as usual when they danced, but one was around her body and another kept Kaori's head to his chest, like he was embracing her. Kaori didn't dare to move and ruin the comfort like that, but she was wondering why Sesshomaru was acting like this.

"Kaeda wanted you to go to her village to check up," Sesshomaru told Kaori. "I told her you couldn't, but she was persistent and told me to take you to her or no more potion."

"I guess I understand now," Kaori said. "You really don't want me to lose the child again, don't you?"

"I don't know what I'll do if we lose that child again. She already risked her powers for me. I really don't want that to be a waste," Sesshomaru sighed, pulling Kaori closer to his body.

"I understand how you feel, but if we lose it again, we lose it again. It's probably not meant to be," Kaori sighed, wrapping her arms around him.

"I'm going to be carrying you everywhere, understood? No straying away or anything, understood?" Sesshomaru told Kaori, releasing Kaori a little bit to look at her. She raised her head to look at him.

"Sure you can carry me," Kaori said, smiling. "I won't stray, promise."

Sesshomaru smiled just as the song finished for the second time.

"Come on. Let's get there and leave as soon as possible," Sesshomaru said, shutting the CD player off and walking past Kaori to the stairs. He didn't see Kaori move at all. "What is it?"

"I really don't want to lose this child either," Kaori mumbled. "I wish Kaeda could travel to my time so I wouldn't need to travel to your time and risk this child's life."

The smell of small tears came from Kaori. A few tears rolled down her cheek and dripped off her chin. Her body shook with tears. Sesshomaru came over and place a hand on her shoulder.

"I will do everything in my power so that you do not lose that child, or die trying," Sesshomaru told Kaori. She sniffed and nodded. "Now dry those tears and let's get ready, ok?"

Kaori wiped her eyes with her sleeve and nodded, telling Sesshomaru to start to get changed and she would be up soon. Sesshomaru nodded and started up the steps. He heard her heading up the stairs just as he closed the door, but held it open as Kaori walked towards him. She kept her head down and quickly changed into a red silk tank top and black silk miniskirt; the same thing she wore when she met Sesshomaru for the third time. She roughly packed some essentials, but Sesshomaru placed a hand on hers and told her to just relax downstairs and he would pack. She nodded, the spray from the tears streaming down her face hitting his face. He wiped some of the tears and his shoulder was occupied by Kaori's head.

"This is so fucking complicated and I hate it!" Kaori yelled into his shoulder.

Sesshomaru just sighed and straightened her hair with his hand. He was sure if he said anything, it would upset her even more and make her mad at him.

"I really don't want to lose this child, Sesshomaru. I really..." Kaori said, the rest of her sentence cut off by flowing tears. He just closed his eyes and tried his best to comfort Kaori. They both didn't want to lose this child. They had gotten the farthest they had ever, and they both were afraid that they would never again.

"We'll go tomorrow, ok? We'll just rest today, ok?" Sesshomaru suggested and felt a nod on his shoulder before more sobs mumbled into his shoulder.

Kaori fell asleep crying into his shoulder. Sesshomaru rubbed her until her back went numb and her sobs decreased. He realized she had mumbled into his shoulder a couple of times, but she was so deep into his shoulder, he didn't hear a word. Around ten, her pulled Kaori away from his shoulder to find her limp. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was even, telling him she was fast asleep.

Sesshomaru carefully tucked Kaori into bed after quickly changing her into her pyjamas as good as possible. He kissed her forehead and left the room to let Kaori sleep without any disturbances.

He watched some TV until he got bored and turned off all the lights in the house before going to his room. Just as soon as he entered, he heard Kaori mumble his name, but she was still asleep. He smirked and quickly changed into his boxers.

Halfway through, Kaori awoke to find Sesshomaru taking his shirt off with his back to her. She watched in silence, half asleep still, but just wanting to watch Sesshomaru. Every movement of his hair, the way it curled after falling out of shirt or the way it fell over his shoulder when he sat down and bent over to get his socks off, memorized her. She smiled and just watched, never letting her eyes wander anywhere else. He finally realized he had an audience after he got changed and turned to see how Kaori had been doing.

"How long were you watching?" Sesshomaru asked, pulling the sheet down far enough so he could climb in. Kaori crawled over to his side, blocking his entrance to the bed.

"Long enough. Just, do something. Just amuse me," Kaori said. Sesshomaru moved his head to the side in confusion. "Your movements are so smooth."

"My movements are always smooth. Never noticed that before?" Sesshomaru asked and crawled into bed when Kaori moved aside. He sat up while Kaori sat on her knees. Her hand found his cheek.

"Skin so soft. Lips so delicate. Eyes so beautiful. Everything a girl would want," Kaori said, her thumb rubbing his lower lip, making his lips part in a small pant. "Enjoying?"

He nodded. "Anything in mind for tonight?" Sesshomaru asked in a whisper.

"Not at the moment. Now shh," Kaori told Sesshomaru, her massaging thumb replaced by a ordering finger. It traveled to his chest, never leaving his skin. "A chest of hard rock. Arms that are strong and protecting, but also comforting. Abs that any guy would die for. Any girl would die to touch them. And only I can."

Kaori's index finger touched every body part as she mentioned it, her eyes only looking at that body part. Her finger traveled up to his chin quickly, making Sesshomaru move his head to the side to avoid a moan, hitting the headboard.

"Now, only if this would last forever, never changing," Kaori smiled.

"It will, until I die," Sesshomaru told her in a rasp whisper. "This is torture."

Kaori's face fell in front of Sesshomaru's, her lips directly above his, slightly parted. They didn't touch, but their breaths combined, causing both to have shivers down their spines. They eventually touched, both wanted the same passion and love in that kiss.

"Only mine. Mine and only mine. My equal, but yet superior," Kaori whispered, her blue eyes looking into his staring amber ones. She was instantly rolled onto her back, Sesshomaru on top of her. "I guess that was enough torture for tonight."

"About damn time," Sesshomaru growled playfully, and attacked her neck. She sighed and realized that by the end of the night, both would be greatly pleased.