Disclaimer: All I own is a sketchbook, some pencils, and my imagination. Not Inuyasha. And Takahashi Rumiko says I cannot have him.

Chapter 12 Seven, not Nine

Kagome wasn't feeling well by the time she finally made it out to the bathhouse. Saying nothing to any of the workers, she went directly to her designated bathroom. She turned to get a handle on the door and began to slide it closed. As she did so, she felt a pair of arms encircle her waste and hold her tight. When the door clicked closed, Naraku was kissing her neck.

"My lord, I am ill," Kagome informed as Naraku held her more tightly against him. He let out a breath of a chuckle and slacked his hold on her a little. Kagome turned in his embrace to face her master. "And very strange things have been happening on the sparring field." Naraku's right hand drifted from her side to her stomach.

"No need to worry, Kagome," he cooed in assurance. His hand was warm against her. "I know what has been happening," he paused to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Nothing is wrong."

"Then why have I been feeling so faint today?" she asked, bewildered. Naraku took her left hand in his right and placed it on her stomach, resting his hand on top.

"You can't tell, but I can," he half-smiled darkly as Kagome gave him a confused look. "You will feel much better in seven months' time."

"Seven months?" she voiced. "What's happening seven months from now?"

"In seven months," he began smoothly, "our child will be born." Kagome laughed at his joke.

"But we only did that yesterday," she smiled, "and it takes nine months for a baby to be born." She slid her hand from under Naraku's and rested it on his collar bone. She kissed him, still grinning from the prank.

"This is no human baby, Kagome," he informed sliding his arm around her waist once more. "This one is mine; part demon. It takes seven months for a child like this, not nine." Kagome started, realizing it was no joke.

"We're really going to have a child?" she asked. "You can tell already?"

"Yes," he answered with a grin. "You are, with no doubt, carrying my child."

Kagome nearly fainted.

Kohaku -listening at the door -felt his heart break in two.

...At Sesshomaru's castle...

"So, you've awaken at last."

"Sesshomaru..."

"I knew for some time you'd be slain for your petty love of humans."

"Drop it, would ya'!" Inuyasha shouted suddenly. "Just why did you bring me here, Sesshomaru?"

"Where is Naraku hiding?" the older of the two ordered through his soft tone.

"So that's it, is it?" Inuyasha asked with a grunt. "H'h, like I'd tell you." He paused. "Listen I don't need your help to get Kagome back, I'll do it myself!"

"I am not interested in helping you or that worthless girl," Sesshomaru corrected. "Naraku will pay for what he has done." "No one kid naps Rin and lives to tell about it..." There were soft footsteps coming toward the room Inuyasha and Sesshomaru -engaged in conversation -stood in. They were so quiet, Inuyasha's human ears could not detect them -in fact Sesshomaru could just barely hear the soft padding.

"My lord," came Kaira's voice from the doorway. Sesshomaru very slowly adverted his attention to the servant girl. "There's someone approaching the castle."

"Is there..." Sesshomaru said quietly. He moved swiftly passed his servant to the door. Inuyasha looked upon the servant vacantly. Kaira nodded in respect and was off.

Inuyasha grunted, though could not mask his worry from himself.

...In The Wilderness...

"Are you sure this is the right way?" Shippo asked sullenly. "I don't ever remember coming this way before. Yoshi disregarded Shippo's statement silently. "Helllllllllllllloooooooo!" Shippo said impatiently.

"Think about it," Yoshi reasoned. "He wouldn't stay in the same place, would he?" The fox demon sighed.

"I guess you're right," he admitted, "but still...What makes you so certain this is the way?" Yoshi pulled aside a tree branch in his way and let go when he was on the other side. The whip-like leaves swatted an unprepared Shippo.

"Because," Yoshi began as Shippo hopped up in down in pain, "this signature we're following looks just like the one he left when he visited my neck of the woods." Shippo rubbed his face and ducked the branch to follow Yoshi. All was quiet until the young leader's stomach began to growl.

"Maybe we should go fishing a bit," Shippo suggested. "There has to be a stream somewhere around here."

"I don't need to eat fish," Yoshi insisted through his pride. "They're not important right now."

"Come on, everyone needs to eat! Fish are good for you, and-" but Yoshi was already far up the path. "Hey, c'mon! Wait up already!" The moon demon slowed but didn't stop. When Shippo caught up with him, He jumped into a nearby tree. "What in the heck are you doing!" "Gosh, you're so weird!"

"Just getting lunch!" he called down. There was fumbling and grunting, but soon, Yoshi re-emerged with two birds.

...x...

"Wow these are tasty!" Shippo exclaimed as he began scarfing his food down.

"Take it easy, would ya'!" Yoshi scorned. "And stop getting your food juice on my shirt." Shippo glared.

"I'm doing no such thing!"

"Yes you are!" Yoshi exclaimed, shoving the fox demon off the log they were sitting on. The younger hit the dirt with a thud. "Now stop it!"

...x...

"Do you think she's alright?" Shippo asked quietly. Yoshi threw dirt into the woodpile and turned to walk off.

There was a very long pause before Yoshi spoke.

"I suppose so," Yoshi said as he thought. Wind blew through his mother-of pearl locks as he thought about what he would say next. "Naraku values her, she's probably very much alive."

"Kagome was a good friend and a good person," Shippo said more to himself than Yoshi. "She didn't deserve this." Yoshi huffed. The marking on his near perfect continence was carved into resentment...or was it pain?

"Of course she does," he disagreed. "It wouldn't have gone this far if she didn't submit to the bastard." The levels of hidden pain were high in his words.

"Don't say that! Kagome would do no such thing of her own will!" Shippo shouted defensively. "Kagome knows Naraku. She would never help him! Not for anything!"

"That's not what I heard," Yoshi said calmly. "She's afraid. She doesn't want to suffer, no matter how much that simple sacrifice could help someone else. Humans..they are," he began softly, "only ever worried about themselves..."

"You're wrong, Kagome's different!" There was no answer from Yoshi. "She's different!"

...Back at Naraku's Castle...

"Everything is coming together," Naraku thought to himself. There was a faint knock on the door. "Enter," Naraku admitted in his normal tone.

"I am here to fulfill your orders, my lord," Kohaku informed as he sat, bowed, on his knees. Naraku was silent for a moment.

"I want you to find Kagura," Naraku declared. "See that she gets back here soon." "Everything..."

"Yes, master," Kohaku agreed and was off. Naraku half smiled as the door clicked closed.

"Kagome..." he trailed to himself. "Soon your purpose will be fulfilled, and so will my needs of you. Your life is in my hands where I want it...Should I toy with you more, my love?" he half smiled through his sarcasm. "Do you love me, my Kagome?" another grin.

It was all so easily arranged...How much better could it have been? All his needs and desires accomplished, all he ever needed was the girl, and now, he had her. Through patience and planning he had what he required to become unstoppable.

"And I owe it all to you, My Kagome..." Naraku let out a breath of a chuckle. "I owe it all to you!"

The best part of it was he was beginning to think the poor fool actually did love him...and all the while, that boy loved her...It was like having a cake and eating it, too.

"But don't worry," Naraku thought. "Your credit is due soon."

...Kohaku's journey...

"How can I save you, Kagome?" Kohaku thought to himself as he walked along the forest path. It seemed that everything knew his mood today as the shifting clouds covered the sun."What can I do now that you're have that...that thing growing inside you?" Tears dropped down his face. "My only friend, my only anyone...There's no one left for me but you now...

"And still I'm here...Listening to him..Damn him...He took you away from me! I didn't come to his castle to follow him!...I came here

"...I came here for you...

"...To be with you!...It was for you." more tears. "I have to save you, Kagome. I have to save you from him. One way or the other, I will get you away from him...see a true smile on your face...like the one you used to wear." Kohaku tore through the forest when he could no longer contain his streaming tears. He ran with no direction but that of the wind; following Kagura's unmistakable trail...

Leaves fell from the trees sliding along his arms and legs as he ran. His hair was flowing with them, entrapping them within black strands for a precious few seconds as he ran. The way they softly slid across his arms reminded him of Kagome's gentle touch, yet the leaves eluded him...left him...just like she did... "I want to make it, the way it used to be, before the day you and Inuyasha left us behind..."

Flashback

"Kohaku what is this on your arm?" Kagome said as she put her pack beside her.

"Aw, it's just a scratch, nothing to worry about," Kohaku assured, but she very gently took his arm in one hand to get a better look. Kagome inspected it carefully. "Come on, Kagome," Kohaku grinned, "it's nothing, really!"

"We should really cover that so it doesn't get infected," she recommended. Kohaku started at her words and looked at the weeping wound as well. Dried blood stuck all around it. "Here," she began reaching into her pack, "I have some bandages left, and I can wrap it up for you." She smiled that beautiful smile. "You'll be all healed up in no time." Kohaku smiled back and nodded.

xcx

"What's that stuff?" Kohaku asked as Kagome pulled out a bottle and cotton ball from her pack. Kagome looked up at Kohaku from where she sat beside him.

"It's rubbing alcohol, it kills the germs that could cause the scratch to be infected," she said putting the cotton ball to the lip of the bottle. She turned the bottle and cotton ball upside down and right side up again. "This might sting a little," she warned as she held the cotton ball over the scratch.

"I can handle it," Kohaku assured. Kagome dabbed the medicine over the wound. Kohaku sucked in air through his teeth. "Ahh..."

"I warned you," she smiled...

End Flashback

"Your smile," Kohaku thought, "means everything to me. I will see it returned!

"And if I can't save you," he declared strongly in his mind. "I'll find someone who can! I promise you Kagome! I will do my best to see that you are happy!" The tears stopped, but Kohaku kept running. "I swear it! With everything I am Kagome!" he shouted suddenly, "Please, you just have to let me!"

End Chapter

AN: Okay, so this may be my last chapter for a while, so I want to get something clear. I know there are stories out there with way more reviews than mine, but it doesn't bother me. If they have 2000+ reviews, I'm happy for them. I'm just glad thatI don't need so many to know when my writings are appreciated. I would like to thank you all. My readers who've been with me from the beginning andthe ones who are just joining in. You guys are the one of the greatest parts of being a writer, and where it would be nice to have 1,000 of you, 25 or so is still way cool. Peace!