Chapter 34: Errands and Wait..What?!

Kagome signed deeply as she made her way to the bone-eaters well. It was hard for her to feel sorry for Kikyo. There was just too much negative history to feel anything but distant pity. The only reason she even felt that was because of Inuyasha. They'd never be friends. The most that could even be hoped for was a grudging acceptance of her presence.

She truly did feel sorry for Inuyasha though. He cared about all of them but Kikyo he loved with all of his heart and to see her in torment was causing him so much pain. Not to mention the fate that the Kami felt fit to gift her with. The young priestess wasn't even sure how he felt about that part. She wasn't even sure how he felt about children, or if having them was something he wanted in his future. Sadly there was no hope for that now even if he did. With the way she knew he loved her though, he would gladly accept, overcome and endure that obstacle, just so they could be together.

To be completely honest she'd never really even thought of things from Inuyasha's perspective. She was so caught up in her own feelings that she neglected to out his on the table. In all of the years she'd pined for him, never once did she ever even really try to understand his feelings.

Thinking back on the talk they'd had, Inuyasha had said that even though he knew Kikyo was probably dead he never really grieved for her loss. He was asleep. And she, the love-stricken teenager she was, expected him to pretend like nothing ever happened and move on to a happy ending with her. How cruel she was to do that to him. For years she forced her own feelings down his throat when he was just trying to heal from his own broken heart.

A few tears began to pool within her eyes at the thought. He must of been hurting so bad, and all she did was pour salt in the wound. If only she'd tried harder to understand him then maybe she'd have saved them both from the angsty relationship they'd built and been able to move on.

Then again if things had gone differently she'd never of had the opportunity to find the love she now had.

Looking up towards the bright blue sky Kagome realized that maybe she never loved Inuyasha like she thought she did. If she did she would've done things differently. She would have put forth the effort to realize his feelings, sort though his chaotic emotions, and been there to shoulder the grief of his broken heart. She'd done that for Naraku hadn't she? She listened to him, got to know him, and is now doing what's necessary to get him to a place of peace.

No, she wouldn't call it love anymore. Kagome decided she was infatuated with him, selfishly so. That is all. It was hard not to be; after all he was her champion and saved her from so much. They went through hell and back together, relied on one another, and well he is boyishly handsome.

Chuckling to herself, the priestess wiped at the corners of her eyes dispelling the moisture gathered there. What they had was real. He was he best friend and her companion. They would always be connected and that's what really matters most.

Still, it didn't mean that she'd have to like Kikyo.

By the time the well was in sight her turbulent emotions all found a place to rest and her soul felt lighter than it had in literal years. With a smile she greeted the familiar clearing that would take her home.

'Inuyasha…' she thought to herself, 'we're gonna be ok. I promise I'll be there for you the right way from now on. Even if you stay with that twice-dead hussy.'

Slipping over the ancient bark Kagome decided to leave all of her old worries behind her and focus on the wonderful new things to come. Well, if everything goes according to plan that is. A leap later and she was surrounded by the comforting blue lights that would take he safely back to her era. Traveling through time never got old for the young woman; it never failed to take her breath away.

When her feet touched sold ground once more she made her way up the ladder and with a quick 'thank you' to the well the was off to her house. Sliding the door open she couldn't tell if anyone was home.

"Taidama…?"

Kagome took off her shoes and slid some slippers onto her feet before proceeding to the kitchen looking for signs of someone home. She heard some movement coming from upstairs and went to investigate. Reaching the top of the case she saw that the ladder leading to the attic was down and slowly made her way up.

"Hello?" She said getting to the top.

"Kagome?" A soft voice sounded from the back of the room.

"…Mom?"

"Yes dear, I'm over here."

Heading to the back she saw her mother going though old boxes.

"What're you doing up here?" Kagome asked curiously.

"Oh just some spring cleaning. I usually forget about up here, but not this year! I'm determined to de-clutter!" Her mom said with enthusiasm as she patted down a duty box and promptly fell into a coughing fit. "Maybe I should get a rag to cover my mouth up first, hm?"

Laughing Kagome agreed and followed her mom back downstairs.

"It's been a while since you came home, how have you been Kagome?" Mrs. Higurashi asked as they descended the steps. It wasn't until she reached the top of the staircase that the elder woman realized her daughter hadn't answered her. "Kagome?" She said as she turned around.

The young priestess all at once felt overwhelmed with chaotic emotions. So much had happened that she was at a loss of how to explain everything to her mother. Even on her last trip home, right after Inuyasha sent her back for a while she didn't exactly explain anything to her. She slept and ate almost the entire time. Yet her mother was always so understanding that she never even tried to pry.

Her mom deserved to know about what had happened and Kagome was sure that if she didn't tell her herself she'd find out eventually from Inuyasha. He would spill the beans for sure.

"Mom, I need to tell you something…" she trailed off.

"Hm, well how about we go have a cup of tea and you can tell me all about it."

And they did. It was somehow always how they had their talks; over hot tea. Maybe it was the soothing aroma what made her feel safe, or just knowing that her mother was nearby giving off a blanket of security. Either way the young woman told her mom everything. The whole entire truth. Sure she was going to tell everyone else the other version of events but her mother deserved the whole truth. Not one detail was spared, well, aside from the graphic sexual details. There were just some things that a mother should't know about. Everything else however was laid out bare on the table and the feeling of sweet relief came over her as she finished her tale.

The tea had since been finished and Mrs. Higurashi waited patiently to ask her questions. Taking their cups and empty kettle she placed them in the sink before sitting back down.

"Well dear, I have a few questions…" the older woman asked as she gently grasped her daughters hand, "…but first I want you to know that I love you dearly and none of what you told me will be repeated again, nor do I judge you for it. My, it seems that you've truly grown up my little one."

"Oh mama, I was so worried you'd be angry, or disgusted, and you'd never want to see me again. But then I remembered that you're my mother and my first best friend. You've never judged me or turned your back on me. You've always been on my side. So I had to tell you the truth."

"I'm so glad you feel that way, honey." Mrs. Higurashi said as she grabbed her daughter into a fierce hug. She'd always hoped her children fostered that kind of faith in her, and for her daughter to show this level of trust for her was absolutely monumental. Sitting back down, the older shrine maiden took a deep breath and decided to begin with the first thing she wondered about. "So…that explains why you slept the majority of your visit last time."

A boisterous laughter escaped both women and eased the seriousness of the room.

"Yea, I'm sorry about that." Kagome said with a fierce blush.

"Oh dear don't apologize. If I could see your father again in my dreams I would do the exact same thing. Especially if they were the kind you were having…"

"Mama!"

"Ah I miss that man dearly. Did you know that when I first met your father that I absolutely couldn't stand him?"

Looking absolutely perplexed Kagome shook her head in the negative. "What? I thought…it was like love at first sight?"

"Goodness no, more like violence on sight. He got on my every last nerve. Many a time I wished to throttle him. You see, he was always trying to compete with me at every level. Academics, traditions, manners, you name it and he was always trying to one up me. What's worse is that he was always so stoic that he never even acknowledged me completely. It was always a snotty side glance." She said shaking her head. " One day we were at lunch when he made a comment about my cooking purposefully in my earshot and I lost it. I stood up, marched to his table and slapped him across the face."

Gasping Kagome covered her mouth. "No! You hit papa?"

"I sure did. Good and well. I told him if he ever insulted me again I'd show him my foot was just as gifted as my palm." Mrs. Higurashi said with her nose pointed into the air.

Kagome couldn't help but laugh gleefully. She had never heard this story before. "What did he do?" She asked trying to calm her mirth.

"Well, when I realized that the entire lunchroom was staring at the scene I'd made I bolted off in embarrassment. I didn't realize it but he actually followed after me. When I reached my locker I cried out of both hurt and embarrassment. I could take his petty behavior, but to insult the one thing I knew I was good at stung even if I knew it wasn't true. Add to it that I let my emotions get the best of me and made a fool of myself in front of everyone and well it was more than I could take. He was standing behind me though I didn't know it, so when I turned around and saw him there I was shocked. Still, I was just as angry as before and began to loose more of my venomous words. He simply stood there staring at me, and when I'd had enough of his idle silent staring I threw my hands at him to push him away from me. Only he caught my hands, pinned me to my locker, and stole my first kiss."

"Hyahh!" Kagome screeched. "How romantic!" She screamed and giggled.

"Oh honey, I lost my ability to stand and if he hadn't of been holding me up I would of hit the floor like a ton of bricks. He stole my heart with that kiss and from that day forward we were inseparable. It turned out he'd always had a crush on me, but was too shy and uncertain of how to catch my attention. Apparently he only joined the kendo and sports clubs to impress me," Mrs. Higurashi chucked fondly, "…only to realize that I'm not that type of woman. He wa at the end of his rope until the day he got a better score than I on a test. He said that I was livid and looked at him with fire in my eyes. That's when he changed tactics, and it's when my dislike of him began."

"I never knew any of that mama."

"Well its not really something I've had the opportunity to talk about. I loved your father with every fiber of my being, and he loved me. That doesn't mean however that it made our life perfect. You know, for a time he was uncertain about our relationship and we grew apart."

"Oh no, why?" Kagome gasped.

"He wasn't sure how I'd feel about running a shrine with him. You see, I always wanted to go to college and get a degree in business or accounting. I loved my education and he was worried that I wouldn't want to give it up to be a shrine keeper. Our relationship suffered because he never shared his fears with me. It caused a strain between us that almost tore us apart. Eventually I got so tired of his elusiveness and half-truths that I confronted him and treated to slap him into the future if he wasn't honest with me."

"You know mom, I never knew you had a pension for violence." The young priestess said jokingly.

"There are always things to learn about your parents dear. Then again there are things you'd never want to know."

"Ew mom!"

"Well your father never seemed to mind. That's why we had you and Souta after all…"

"Mama please I really don't want to know about THAT part of you and papa!" Kagome said turning green.

"Alrighty then," Mrs. Higurashi said laughing. "Well, he finally told me the truth and I decided to slap him anyways. I was so upset he'd keep something so minor from me. All he had to do was tell me and we could of discussed it. I'm a very straight forward person. Your father however was not. I didn't speak with him for exactly two days before he went to my house and begged for my forgiveness. I accepted his apology and told him that I looked forward to fulfilling my role at Sunset Shrine. He looked at me with hopeful confusion urging me to continue my statement. I told him that when I became his wife I would handle all of the finances and funding of the shrine to make it flourish and prosper. When he still looked confused I grabbed him by the ear and shouted, 'Well you know you're going to be my husband right?!'."

"So wait…YOU proposed to dad?" Kagome asked with mirth.

"Yes, yes I did. Taking initiative is something you inherited from me after all." The elder woman said making them both laugh.

"Wow, I had no idea you were so assertive though." The priestess said wiping away the tears gathered at the edges of her eyes.

"I find it easier to cut through to the important things. Being direct is crucial and he always knew where he stood with me, or when to hide."

"No kidding, mom."

"Sweetie, I can't tell you how happy I am that you've found someone who makes you whole. I do however have some questions for you."

"Mmk, what is it?"

"This Nar…well, Kaen I supposed I should get used to saying, are you certain that he isn't going to stop you from visiting?"

"Oh no, he'd never do that. He knows how much I love my family and already told me that he wants to meet you in person if the well will let him though."

"What exactly will be the relationship between you both? Will you be getting married or …I'm not quite sure what the demon equivalent would be."

"We'll be mated. Thats what they call it. I'd love to be married too, but I don't think that's possible."

"Well I'm sure there are plenty of priests there or shrines that can perform the ceremony."

"It's not that, really. It's more or less because I'd want everyone to be there for it. If I can't have that then I'll pass. Being mated to him will be enough anyways."

"If that's what you want then I suppose it'll have to do. I wonder…Inuyasha can come though the well because of his necklace, could you perhaps do the same for your young man? I'd love to meet him."

Wrinkling her forehead Kagome realized that she'd never thought about it before. "I have a lot of shopping to do today, so I'll look for something I can use to try that."

"One other thing sweetie, now I know you've been enjoying your love but have you been 'safe' or should I be expecting some grand babies?"

A blank look crossed Kagome's face.

"You look just like your father right now. So I'll assume that it took a back seat in your mind."

"I…I never really…"

"Yes I know dear. Now, I know that you're not a teenager that I should scold but I do think it would be best if you were until you've had a talk to your partner. Be sure to stop by the pharmacy to pick up some things for yourself."

Groaning the priestess bowled over and put her face in her hands. No, preventing pregnancy was the furthest thing from her mind. She'd run out of birth control probably a month before this whole fiasco even began. She was never even that faithful about taking them in the first place! She obviously didn't take them with her when she was with Naraku at his castle and by then she'd slept with him dozens of times, and that's not even including what happened with Sesshomaru! Oh Kami, how could she be so reckless!

"Sweetie, don't hyperventilate now. You're going to be mated to this man regardless. I just wished to know and I've gotten my answer." Taking Kagome's hand in hers Mrs. Higurashi tried to calm her daughter down. "Look at me, honey." She said, grabbing the young woman's chin when she kept staring at the table. "Kagome."

Whimpering the young woman looked at her mother.

"Good. Now, you're and adult. When things happen unexpectedly you need to handle them with a clear head and dignity. You have a lot of errands to run today because you are a responsible young woman who cares for many. Don't panic. Simply do what needs to be done and buy yourself a test. If its positive I'll be overjoyed. If it's negative I'll be disappointed in your efforts but I'll survive."

Releasing a breath Kagome managed to laugh despite her worry. "Way to take a serious thing and downplay it mama."

"This is life, baby. We can't get too worked up or it will give us wrinkles. Besides, you did mention that Sango was already expecting yes? Come on, you should go back with me upstairs into the attic. I have all of my old pregnancy kimonos and gowns up there. I'm sure she'd love some of those."

Nodding at her mothers wise suggestion, they both grabbed some face coverings, cleaning and dusting supplies and a bag to place the clothes she chose for Sango. It was really dusty but with the effort when she emerged with a bag full of clothes and a clear head to take on the rest of the day.

Her mother decided to launder the clothes while Kagome went into town and got all of the supplies she needed. The shopping was actually quite therapeutic as well. She got everything they'd asked for, plus food and other miscellaneous supplies. When the main shopping was completed she stopped at an antiques shop to see if she could find something to use as an anchor for her powers.

The priestess was on the verge of giving up when she found a necklace made of black leather twine that had a beautiful Burmese ruby pendant shaped like a teardrop set in blackened silver. It was beautiful and reminded her of his old eyes. The jeweler polished it before setting it in a beautiful box and didn't charge her for either of those things. Felling wonderfully hopeful about getting him to see her home one day she made her way to the final stop: The Pharmacy.

All of her good feelings took a back seat to her growing anxiety. She found the prenatal for Sango and also got her some Dramamine for nausea. Her mama said it would be really helpful and pregnancy safe. After getting all the first aid supplies it was time for her own personal purchase. Taking huge gulp she chose the most expensive home pregnancy test and added it to her cart. While she waited in line she hoped and prayed that she wasn't knocked up. There was a definite chance she was obviously, but by Kami she wished she wasn't.

It was a quick drive home and thankfully it gave her almost no time to think about anything but the road. As she parked the car in the driveway of the shrine she froze in the driver seat. What if she was pregnant? She couldn't really remember when she had her last period due to her irregularity. If she were honest it wasn't really the pregnancy itself that was freaking her out, but the fact that most people going through this were already married, not out having sex with not only one but TWO different people. Sesshomaru being the most recent!

Shaking her head and steeling her nerves Kagome decided that she needed to find out if she was pregnant first, then take it from there. After taking all of her purchases inside she practically ran to the bathroom, tore open the box, and took the test. Just to be sure of the results she waited an extra few minutes before deciding that it was time to bite the bullet and look at her future.

Looking at herself in the mirror she said, "You were grown enough to get yourself in this mess. Now we have to deal with the consequences. It will be alright, no matter what."

Taking a deep breath she took the test out of the cup and looked at the result.

Negative.

"THANK KAMI!"

A knock sounded on the door and Kagome threw it open to see her mother there with a large bag in her hands. "I take it I won't be a grandma quite yet?" She said with a smile. Kagome answered her with a strong hug and relief flooded though the little priestess.

"I dodged a bullet this time mama, but when the time is right I promise to give you some grand babies."

"Yes dear, that sounds delightful. Anyhow I've put away those kimonos for Sango and started sorting the supplies you bought. Now that you're done in here you can help me finish."

Shaking her head in the affirmative, Kagome mentally vowed to never forget to take her pills again, and headed downstairs. They finished right around the time she was due back to meet Naraku, so wishing her mother a quick goodbye she threw her legs over the lip of the well.

"Wait, Kagome, I forgot to tell you something."

"What is it mama?"

"I just wanted to say that…I'm glad you didn't choose Inuyasha. He is on his way to becoming a great man, but you both would of ended up resenting one another. When you have a friendship like you both have, becoming more would ultimately of ruined it. Especially since you always felt so insecure about Kikyo and he felt obligated to honor you forcing your love onto him. I am happy that your heart has finally found its pair, and maybe one day I'll get to meet the man lucky enough to be chosen by my daughter."

Reaching over and hugging her mother one last time, the priestess said, "I had a feeling it would end up that way too. I'm glad that it won't and that I get to keep my best friend. Besides, if my idea works I'll be able to bring Nar…Kaen, to meet you. I need to get used to calling him that!" She laughed.

Patting Kagome's head indulgently, Mrs. Higurashi replied, "Yes, I'm sure he'd appreciate that."

With that, the Shikon no Miko hopped off into the well with all of her supplies ready to face her next objective. The Kaen Introduction.

A burst of cool wind tossed the leaves around the well as Kagome lifted all of her loot outside. The group was lucky she was used to carrying a heavy bag, or else she'd make them all come and get their own stuff. Shaking her head at herself she knew she'd never actually do that. Her friends meant the world to her. There's no way she'd force them to do something she could do herself. The best part about being back in this time is that the air was so much cleaner, and the view, no matter where you looked, was always spectacular.

Looking up at the sky the priestess realized that it was just approaching sunset and no sooner had she made that distinction did she feel the tingling of her lovers aura as it caressed hers. Looking around wildly for him she was both excited and anxious about seeing him again after so long.

As he stepped out of the treeline all of her worries fell away. The only thing she could do was stare at the glorious new appearance of her future mate, and thank every Kami for their mercy. Walking slowly towards him she knew that it didn't matter what he looked like, only that he was hers and she was his, and nothing in this world would keep them apart.