A/N: Ugh. Once the next fic starts, I think once a week is the only way to go...this is really interfereing with my homework. But don't worry, this story's almost over anyway.

And for you manga fans! How about that (hopefully soon to come) Inu/Kag awwwness moment, eh? I'm really hoping for Kagome either admitting her feelings soon to save him, or Inuyasha realizing that he cares for Kagome a lot more than he thinks he does. Well, now I gotta wait a week to find out, so its gonna be torture!


Chapter 39: A Secret Revealed

People say that life is cruel, and that we should just suck it up and live with it. But with what happened at my school that day…it was hard to remember it, let alone live it. The minute we landed in the Sengoku Jidai, I had made my decision. I could no longer waver between the worlds, I would have to choose one.

So that was the last time I ever set foot in my school. That night, while I cried in Inuyasha's arms, I told him that I was tired of living like this, in hiding. I didn't care anymore that Naraku was defeated…I just wanted to live my life with him, without having to wait. And I know it was more than pity for me that made him agree. He too, was sick of all our lies, and the suffering it caused.

We decided that the next morning, we would have to tell our friends, whatever the consequences. Inuyasha agreed more heartily than I expected, probably it was besides the suffering it caused both of us, because of my rapidly growing stomach, they'd soon find out. The prospect wasn't easy, but it needed to be done.

We sat under Goshinboku, all night, Inuyasha holding me while I recovered. On that night, I made him a promise, to live with him here, instead of trying to lead a double life in both. I can remember even now how at first, he tried to divert me, telling me that his world wasn't the best place for me to live in, but in the end, he smiled and nodded, saying that it would probably be for the best.

Though years before I had wondered where I would live after Naraku was defeated, assuming that Inuyasha did not love me, now I knew my true place that I belonged. I belonged with him, and soon to be, our child.

It was time to fess up, and admit the truth, once and for all.


The doorbell of the Higurashi home rang, breaking the silence that had sat on the house. Mrs. Higurashi, Souta, and their grandfather had been sitting at the breakfast table, without speaking or looking at each other. It had been this way since Mrs. Higurashi had explained what happened to Kagome at her school.

Mrs. Higurashi glanced at both Souta and Jii-chan, before sighing and standing up. "I'll get it."

She had a small hope that it was Kagome and Inuyasha who were at the door, since she was worried about her daughter, but her hopes were dashed as she saw it was only Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi, all looking troubled as well.

Each of the three girls glanced at each other, before Eri asked, "Is Kagome-chan here?"

Mrs. Higurashi shook her head. "No, she's with Inuyasha."

All three sighed. "We wanted to see if we could talk to her," Yuka explained. "We wanted to tell her we were sorry for what happened at school."

"She told you?" Kagome's mother asked, leading the girls into the living room, where they sat down.

Ayumi nodded, her eyes lowering, "We found out when she had to run to the bathroom to…" She didn't finish her sentence. "Anyway, she told us. We promised her we wouldn't tell anyone, but somehow, it got its way around school and—"

A small, sad smile appeared on Mrs. Higurashi's face. "High School is still like I remember it."

"Is Kagome-chan going to be back anytime soon?" asked Yuka. "We…we are worried about her."

"I don't know," sighed Mrs. Higurashi. "I don't imagine she'll be back for a while…what she went through was a terrible thing."

After a small silence, Kagome's three friends stood up, with somber faces. "We should probably go now," Eri said. "If Kagome comes back and she doesn't want to see anyone…"

Mrs. Higurashi nodded, "Yes, I think so."

"Mrs. Higurashi," Ayumi added, before they went out the door. "If Kagome-chan comes back, even if she doesn't want to see us, could you tell her we're thinking of her?"

Kagome's mother smiled slightly. "I will."


"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, looking up at him. They had fallen asleep leaning against Goshinboku, and had now woken up in the same position they had slept—Inuyasha leaning against the tree, Kagome pulled against his chest, his arms protectively around her stomach.

"Hmm?" He glanced down at her, "What is it, Kagome?"

"I was wondering," she began, shifting her position so she could get closer, to look into his eyes. "Have you thought of any names for the baby?"

Inuyasha's amber eyes opened wider in shock. A small blush broke out on his face. "Uh…no…"

Kagome giggled slightly. "Well, why not?"

The hanyou looked away with a grunt. "I don't know any names."

"Of course you do!" Kagome gave him a playful smack. "Come on, you must have thought of something."

Well, he had thought about it a bit before, but he didn't want to say anything. In fact, he had names, or part of them, picked out in his mind, but he would keep them to himself for now. "Do we have to think of this now?" he asked, glancing back at her. "We've got five months; isn't that enough time?"

Kagome sighed after realizing this was as far on this talk as she was going to get with him today. "Yeah, I guess we do…I'm just a little anxious, is all?"

Inuyasha gave a small chuckle as he gathered her in his arms once more. "You're that ready to have it, are you?"

"Maybe a little," she smiled, her head leaning on Inuyasha's shoulder. "I've always liked babies…but I'm a bit scared, too." Her smile dropped into a frown. "I'm worried what will happen if something happens to it, or if I'm not a good mother—"

"Don't think like that," Inuyasha cut her off, lifting her face to look up at his. "You'll be a wonderful mother, I know it. You are the kindest, gentlest person I know, Kagome. Being a mother comes naturally to you. I'm more worried about myself…" he turned a bit pink and turned away again, causing Kagome to giggle.

"Don't worry about it, Inuyasha," she told him. "I heard someone say once that the only way to learn about parenting is to be one, and you seem to be dong a great job so far…" Inuyasha's hand was already on her stomach, the baby wiggling in response to their voices.

When mentioning their baby, Kagome seemed to glow, and Inuyasha's eyes couldn't help but sparkle at that. "Yeah…maybe…" He leaned down to kiss her, having been denied the night before when Kagome was upset, but now that she seemed better…

Just as he had barely touched his lips to hers, Kagome suddenly jerked away, covering her mouth and sprinting for the nearest bush. Unfortunately, she didn't make it in time and…ended up getting her shirt slightly dirty.

Inuyasha cringed as he heard her continue her vomiting, and her rolled his eyes again. Those things said it would be gone by now! Almost every pamphlet or book he read in her era about pregnancy said that morning sickness was usually gone at four months, but Kagome had it as frequent as ever. I knew those healer guys knew nothing…

"Thank you, Inuyasha…" she murmured, sitting back up to look at him, and to cringe at the mess on her shirt.

"Here," He took off his haori and handed it too her, effectively covering the mess and her stomach at the same time. "Come on," Inuyasha said, helping her up. "That old hag might have something for you."

"Yeah…" They began walking towards the village, the villagers up and around during late morning. They walked into Kaede's hut, to see three very stunned friends.

"Inuyasha, I didn't know you were back!" Shippou piped up, jumping towards them. "I thought you were planning on staying the whole week in Kagome's time."

Kagome stiffened as she recalled that particular memory, and Inuyasha tightened his hold around her shoulders to reassure her. He didn't speak to Miroku or Sango, but looked directly at Kaede. "Hey, old hag, Kagome needs your help."

One look at the seriousness in Inuyasha's eyes was all she needed to understand the situation. "I see…" The old miko looked back at Sango, Miroku, and Shippou. "I think it best if you three leave the hut now."

"If you wish, Kaede-sama," Miroku stated without a blink, standing up and walking outside, but Sango stayed for a moment, glancing between Kagome and Inuyasha, before following Miroku and Shippou.

The minute his friends had left the hut, Inuyasha turned to Kaede. "She's still sick," he told her, taking the haori off Kagome to reveal a factor of the problem.

"Still?" Kaede asked, her eyes widening. "That's unusual." Kaede went to the back of the hut and retrieved some miko robes for her.

"Yeah…I don't quite understand it either," Kagome replied, taking the clothes. "I know this isn't unheard of…but it's still odd."

The miko thought a moment. "It's probably because the babe is a hanyou," she replied. "I thought it would act like a normal human pregnancy after the first few months, but it appears not. You're going to have a tough time, Kagome."

Kagome had already turned around with her back facing them as she unbuttoned her blouse. It didn't really matter—she still had her underclothes on, after all. She sighed, "It's never easy, is it?"

"It's not for humans, either," Kaede chuckled, remembering the dozens of human pregnancies and births she had witnessed. "Shall I tell the others they can come in soon?" she asked, standing up.

"Yeah, in a little bit," Kagome replied, handing Inuyasha's haori back to him. Once Kaede left, Kagome pulled on the miko hakama, before turning back to Inuyasha, who, to her surprise, chuckled.

"What's so funny?" she demanded, folding her arms and glaring at him.

"You forgot to pull it up, woman." Kagome looked down…and noticed that the hakama, which was made in a high-waist style, was down underneath her stomach. She hadn't worn stuff like this in years, and with the clothes in her time and the baby, she had forgotten. Giving another glare back at him, she pulled it up over her waist. "Now, how do I look, baka?"

Inuyasha looked at her, and then glanced back at him himself. "In that, we really do look like a hanyou and miko."

That odd statement caused Kagome to raise her eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you know how whenever we're in a fight with some dumb youkai, and they call me 'hanyou' and you 'miko'? I was thinking how until now, you didn't look much like a miko—besides your powers. But by the time the youkai saw them, they were probably already finished."

Kagome glanced down at her stomach, which still stuck out a bit under the hakama. "I don't think that my powers will be reappearing for a while. Ever since the baby came I've been feeling them start to recede."

"The hag told me about it," Inuyasha began to explain, one of his hands rubbing her belly in soothing circles. "She said that because it's a hanyou, your powers have to disappear for a while. She says they'll probably come back once it's born, so it's not like they'll be gone forever."

"That makes sense." Kagome glanced down at the outfit on herself again, and then back at the hanyou now caressing her stomach. There was that sparkly eyed look again, but this time, it caused her to think of something else. "Hey," she glared at him firmly, removing his hand from her belly. "You weren't thinking of Kikyou when you said that, were you?"

Inuyasha's eyes got wider at the mention of his former love. "What? Why would I be thinking of her?"

"It's this outfit, baka!" Kagome got closer to him, and her intimidation worked. "Last time I wore something like this, you kept thinking about her! I want to know, were you thinking about Kikyou when you saw me wear this?"

"No, why would I think about her at a time like this?" Inuyasha demanded, angry. He wasn't exactly truthful—when he first saw Kagome, he did think, for a second, that she looked like Kikyou. But she was so different. She smiled when Kikyou did not, her heart was kinder than any person he had ever known, and then there was that bulge in her stomach…a constant reminder of what Kagome had won, and what Kikyou never had the chance to have. Maybe he still felt a little guilty about Kikyou's death and that she never could have made a family because of it, but he was different than he was two years ago. Kikyou was his first love, but Kagome was the one he would eternally love, the child she carried in her belly a constant proof of that.

"I don't know!" Kagome yelled back, "It's just that I'm worried you'll start thinking about her and then you'll forget about me…" Tears began streaming down her face, and she turned away from him.

"You're a baka then!" he bellowed back at her, grabbing her arm so she looked at him "Kagome…I thought we had an understanding. As mates, we can't leave, or forget each other. Besides," he placed his hand over her stomach. "Do you think this means nothing to me?"

Kagome eyes, which before had been a chocolate brown lit with fire, now filled with tears and sadness. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha…" she said in a watery voice. "It's just that now, more than ever, I'm worried about this and I can never really forget…"

The hanyou sighed; it was just as he had suspected, one of her infuriating mood swings again. "Kagome, you know I'd never do that. I love you." He leaned forward and placed a small peck on her lips, before moving downward. "And you, too." Inuyasha spoke to her stomach, before giving her large belly a light kiss too. The sight seemed to be enough to make Kagome nearly burst into tears…again.

"What are you doing?" she asked, this move of Inuyasha's very uncharacteristic of him.

"I'm letting the pup know who its daddy is," he grinned, before kissing her stomach again. "It's gotta learn who the boss early, you know."

Kagome gave a small growl of annoyance. "You are such a—" But she was cut off, as she heard a gasp in the doorway. She and Inuyasha froze, and turned—to see Miroku, Sango, and Shippou staring at them with wide eyes.

Inuyasha slowly rose back to glance at Kagome, and without communicating, they knew what they had to do. Her stomach was much bigger now, and she was surprised they weren't making accusations already. It's time, Inuyasha, time to tell the truth…

The hanyou got the message before standing up again, leaving Kagome sitting on the floor. "What is…what is going on here?" the monk asked, when his voice returned to him.

"Come on, monk," Inuyasha sighed in defeat, indicating to the doorway of the hut. "We've got something we have to tell you."

Miroku glanced from Inuyasha, to Kagome, and back again. But he made up his mind, and followed Inuyasha out of the hut, leaving Kagome, Sango, and Shippou behind. With the men leaving, a silence drifted on the hut, Kagome turning away and her two arms crossing over her belly protectively.

Sango, holding a sympathetic look, sat down next to her friend. "Kagome-chan?" she asked, "What's wrong?"

Kagome felt as if her heart had dropped into the pit of her stomach. So now it was time to tell the truth to their friends…the truth of what she and Inuyasha had been doing, and what it had resulted in. She didn't look back at the youkai exterminator as she whispered, "I'm sorry, Sango-chan…"

"Sorry? Kagome, what are you sorry for?" Sango asked, trying to lighten the mood, but it did no good.

Turning back to her friend, Kagome felt the burden lifted, despite that she felt horrible inside. "Sango-chan…" She took a deep breath before removing her arms, revealing her bulging stomach. "I'm pregnant, Sango-chan."

Both Sango and Shippou couldn't help but stare. Shippou, because he could have never guessed this was the scent he had smelled on her, while Sango was surprised that Kagome had grown so much in so little time. "I know what Inuyasha and I did was wrong, but I didn't care…" Kagome continued to tell her story while tears formed in her eyes. "I really didn't care…and now this happened, and though Inuyasha's happy about it, we both know what would happen if Naraku finds out, and that's why we didn't tell you, and—"

"Kagome-chan," Sango put her hand over Kagome's in a reassuring hold, to offer her strength. "I know."

The tears stopped abruptly as brown eyes got wider. "You…you knew?"

The exterminator nodded. "I'm sorry, but…one night, I heard you and Inuyasha talking…he said you were his mate. And about a month ago…Shippou told me of a new scent on you, and when I saw Inuyasha and you again…I knew what must have happened."

Kagome gulped. Sango had known? All this time? And yet she had kept her secret for her? "Sango-chan…"

Sango didn't reply; Shippou jumped into Kagome's lap and sniffed her. "Yep, it's what I smell…It smells like you and Inuyasha, Kagome."

She couldn't help but smile slightly at that. "That's because it's Inuyasha's baby, Shippou-chan."

Kagome suddenly saw a new emotion in Shippou's eyes, hope. "So…does that mean…I'll be a big brother?"

She couldn't help but give a small laugh. "Maybe, Shippou-chan."

"I can't wait!" the kitsune exclaimed. "I can't wait to show it all sorts of things, and to teach it how its daddy is such a baka."

Both women laughed. "Shippou-chan!" they scolded, before looking back at each other.

"Kagome," Sango finished her prior words. "Don't worry about a thing; we'll be here for you, no matter what. I know this is probably a hard time, but I want to help…you and Inuyasha deserve a little happiness after what you've gone through."

A smile broke out of Kagome's face. She had told her friends. They didn't hate her, nor scorn her for it. Things just might turn out okay, despite everything. "Thank you, Sango-chan."


And so I told my friends. And several things that I had expected to happen, didn't. The world didn't end. They didn't blame me for my actions, they didn't hate me or tell me that it was wrong of me or Inuyasha to create this life. In fact, they were happy for us, knowing that we had both always wanted a family of our own.

Yes, telling our friends went all right for me, but Inuyasha was a totally different matter…


"Kagome is what?" Miroku yelled at Inyasha, who stood before him, looking away with his arms folded, ears drooping.

"Kagome is pregnant," Inuyasha repeated, his voice softer. It wasn't like he was announcing this to the whole world, after all.

Like Inuyasha had expected, the monk kept on bellowing. "How did this happen?"

"The same way it always happens," the hanyou muttered, wondering why he was being accused like this from a man who had done it several times before, and with many different women.

"But if you and Kagome-sama have…" Miroku trailed off for a moment, but the anger on his face had not faded. "Do you know what this means, Inuyasha? Do you know what will happen if Naraku—"

"Yes, I know!" Inuyasha cut in, glaring back at him with angry amber eyes. "I know what happens if Naraku finds out, you don't need to remind me."

"Someone should have reminded you before this happened!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, folding his arms and turning away. "Whatever, but the point is that Kagome is pregnant, and there's nothing we can do about it."

Miroku continued mumbling, "You are so…irresponsible."

"I'm irresponsible?" the hanyou shot back. "Keh! Look in a mirror, monk!"

Seeming to collect his thoughts, the purple clad monk turned back to Inuyasha. "I understand these things cannot be foreseen, but I hope you realize, Inuyasha, that because of all this, you have put Kagome-sama in great danger."

Inuyasha didn't even bother to argue as Miroku walked away. He knew he deserved every word of it, every letter. It's true, he thought, clenching his fists, She's in great danger now…and so is our child…

I am such a baka…