Chapter Eighteen: The World Beyond the Well
With Inuyasha's sincere words of encouragement, everyone was able to compose themselves. Kagome was pregnant and that fact was not something anyone in the room could avoid. A child was too be born between her and Sesshomaru. Now, they had other things to deal with. Firstly, they now only held two shards of the jewel. They had a third, but it was keeping Kohaku alive. There may be one more jewel shard out there and they needed to find it, but with Kagome's powers protecting her unborn child, there was only one person who could sense the jewel shards. Kagome took that time to ask Kikyo if she would be willing to join their group and help them search. She also asked her to stay for the sake of her child as well. Kikyo was obviously very knowledgeable of this sort of thing and Kagome desperately wanted someone around to help her. Kikyo was perfect for that.
It was not a hard decision for Kikyo. She had traveled alone for a long time, but she couldn't deny the desire for comrades. Naraku was able to capture her so easily when she was on her own. Kikyo agreed it was safer for her, Kagome and her child, and the mission to collect the shards if she stayed. In the course of two days, the group gained Kikyo, Rin, Jaken, and Kohaku as new members. However, Kohaku may have been a problem. He was restrained and didn't speak. They blindfolded him and kept him locked away for fear of Naraku using him as a spy. Luckily, they had done that before the conversation about Kagome being pregnant came up. That information could not get back to Naraku no matter what happened. Kagome's child took priority.
With so many decisions having been made, the group getting bigger, and this new baby information being revealed, the group knew that they needed some sort of break. They didn't want to stay in Sesshomaru's castle. The battle that had been fought there was cleaned to a degree, but the dried blood and damage to the building were still depressing sights. It was also dangerous to stay where they were out in the open. The group decided it was time to go back to Kaede's hut and rest there. Kagome wanted to go back to her time in order to talk with her family about everything. It was going to be an awkward conversation, but it was time that everything was brought out in the open. Her family deserved to know the truth.
It took the group four days to get back to Kaede's village. The group was happily welcomed by a delighted Kaede. While she was surprised to see Kikyo among them, she admitted that she wished that her sister had been traveling with them from the beginning. She hated the idea of Kikyo always being on her own, a message that Kikyo was grateful to hear. She didn't know her sister was always worried about her.
"I did fear that ye' may have gotten pregnant in the encounter." Kaede said after they explained things to her.
"Why didn't you say anything?" Kagome asked.
"Why would I? If ye' thought pregnancy was a possibility for this whole time, ye' would not have healed your heart as nicely." Kaede explained. "Ye' needed time, child. The idea of a baby coming into your life would have put you on a time limit. Instead, your strong heart was able to heal and forgive more quickly than I imagined. Ye've all come together peacefully, found friendship and trust. While the incident of that day was horrible, the patience, love, and support ye' have shown each other has only brought about goodness. Look around at your group… Ye're more powerful than ever."
The group was uplifted by Kaede's speech. They all looked around at each other with smiles and light-hearted expressions. Even Sesshomaru couldn't help but feel a sense of belonging here, even if he wasn't going to show it on his face. A moment later, Rin and Shippo came charging through the doors.
"I win!" Rin shouted cheerfully.
"Aw, man. Okay, you can use them for today." Shippo rubbed the back of his head and then dug into his pockets. He pulled out a box of crayons that Kagome gave him a while back and handed them to Rin, who took them excitedly.
"Can you show me how to use them?" Rin asked.
"Sure, but it's not hard You use them like any other drawing tool. The crayons do the coloring themselves." Shippo explained as he dug through Kagome's yellow backpack and pulled out a pad of paper. "Here, use this to draw on. It's a really good paper that Kagome brings from her home."
"Oh, wow! Okay." Rin and Shippo picked their own corner of the hut to play in and shared the drawing pad.
"It's nice seeing him have someone to play with." Kagome said, happily watching the two.
"Rin doesn't act like it, but she did get lonely when it was just us." Sesshomaru added. "It is good that they get along."
"Kagome, I wanted to ask you something." Kikyo spoke up from her spot in the hut. "You plan on going to your time, correct?"
"Yes, today if I can." Kagome confirmed.
"May I come?" Kikyo asked and it surprised everyone. "Inuyasha gave me a theory on why he is able to travel through, which ends up extending to his brother, so I believe I may be able to follow you through as well. We do share the same soul."
"That's true. Out of everyone here, you'd be the one I figured could automatically get through." Kagome thought on it. "If you'd like to come, I have no problem with that."
"Oh, I'm so jealous." Sango sadly said and then sighed.
"Actually, I have a theory on how to get you guys through too, but you'll have to deal with your own word of subjugation." Kikyo said with a bit of a mischievous smirk on her face. "If the beads on Inuyasha's neck are what allow him through, all we have to do is put a similar spell onto everyone else who wants to get through and make sure that Kagome is the one who links to it with her chosen word."
"Wait, so we may be able to go see Kagome's time?" Sango said with the most excitement she's felt in years.
"If Inuyasha's theory is right about the beads, yes." Kikyo said.
"We'll be able to meet her Mom, her brother, and her grandfather?" Sango jumped to her feet and hopped in place with an amount of excitement that surprised everyone. She was so happy that she had tears at the corner of her eyes.
"Wow, Sango. I didn't know it was that important to you." Kagome said.
"Kagome, you're my best friend." Sango dropped down to her knees in front of Kagome and hugged her. "I've wanted to meet the people who made you possible and shaped your life ever since I met you. I have a lot of thanks to give. I'm also curious about the girls there you call your friends: Eri, Ayumi, and Yuka, right? I've got to meet them! We said we needed a break, so if this works, can we stay there for a few days?"
"Uh… Well, I… You know what, sure. Yes." Kagome smiled widely and returned Sango's hug tightly.
With so much excitement from Sango, the trip was a done deal. They all just hoped that it'd work. Kikyo began working on beads for everyone she could think of. She instructed Kagome to come up with specific words for each person that she wouldn't normally use in a sentence. If she accidentally said something, she could really hurt someone like Rin or Shippo. Realizing how important those words were, Kagome thought hard on the list. It took three days for everything to be ready, so each spell was done separately from the other to make sure nothing overlapped.
Sango…Effervescent
Kilala…Guardian
Miroku…Tranquility
Rin…Treasure
Kaede…Eternal
Kohaku…Virtue
Seeing as Sesshomaru and Inuyasha were already able to get through, they didn't need anything more. Kikyo was theorized to be able to go through the well because she and Kagome shared a soul. So, last but not least was Shippo. The ritual was done and Kagome gave his word.
"Beloved." She said and winced as Shippo was pulled to the ground like Inuyasha had been so many times. She had to watch everyone deal with that. It was a little entertaining, but she felt mostly guilt over it, especially when Kaede had a hard time getting back up.
"Beloved, hm?" Kikyo questioned Kagome.
"Yeah." Kagome said and kissed Shippo's forehead.
Unknown to Kagome, that was the same word Kikyo planned on using for Inuyasha when the original beads were made. They chose the same thing…
Everyone was ready to go. There was some worry about bringing Kohaku along, but they had kept the boy bound and blindfolded this entire time. It was a little weird, but there was no way it was safe to leave him in the village without anyone protecting it. Now that everything was set, they all gathered around the well with the super excited Sango. The woman couldn't contain herself.
"I want to go last just in case people can't get through." Kagome said. That immediately meant that Sesshomaru, Rin, and Shippo were all last.
"You all be safe. I'll be here when you get back." Jaken waved them off. He insisted on staying behind even though he was invited.
"Ready?" Inuyasha asked.
"Yes!" Sango answered for everyone and took Miroku and Kikyo's hands. "Let's go."
The four of them all squeezed in together, Kilala being on Sango's shoulder, and hopped into the well. Kagome put her hands together as she watched them go. The light shined and when everyone else looked down into the well, everyone was gone. Kagome jumped for joy and hugged Shippo.
"Now, it's our turn!" Shippo said excitedly and clung to his Momma. Sesshomaru picked up Rin in one arm, having Kohaku thrown over his other shoulder. He tensed when he felt Kagome's hand wrap around his.
"Give them a moment to get out of the well." Kagome said with a happy smile. "We don't wanna squash 'em."
After about thirty seconds, the second group jumped in and all of them made it through the well. They looked up to see Kaede, Sango, Kikyo, Miroku, and Inuyasha waving down at them. The four were helped out of the well and quickly escorted by Kagome out of the small hut. The first thing that happened when they opened that hut door was that Kilala started sneezing. The little cat demon covered her nose and shook her head in disapproval.
"See, even Kilala thinks it stinks here." Inuyasha said.
"It does." Sesshomaru added.
"Ew. Yeah, it does!" Shippo agreed.
"I can't smell anything bad. It is different, but not bad." Sango said and took in a big breath.
"Wow, look at that." Miroku pointed out over the land to a large building he could see. "Is that one of those skyscrapers you told us about?"
"Uh'huh." Kagome nodded and motioned for everyone to follow her, so they did. "This is exactly where we were standing, but five hundred years in the future. See, there's the Sacred Tree. Over there is where my family lives. We've guarded this shrine for generations. My grandfather always tried to tell me stories about the past, but I never believed them until I met all of you. You guys have taught me how important this place really is."
"It's been well taken care of. What is with this stone?" Kikyo asked about the flooring they were walking on.
"It was done to preserve the site even more. The more people walk on it, the more degraded it becomes." Kagome explained and then pointed to the cars on the street. "See those things down there. They're like carriages, but they're not driven by horses. Instead, they move with machinery and can go like ten times the speed of a horse. Oh, and if you look up… That's a plane. These days, we can travel all around the world within a day because of those."
"The entire world? Not just the country?" Kaede asked in surprise.
"Yes, the entire planet. I can show you a world map while you're here if you'd like." Kagome offered.
"I'd love to see one, yes." Kikyo nodded as she looked around. "This… is amazing. What else can you show us?"
"We're going to be here for a couple of days, so I am going to show you everything I can." Kagome reassured them. "But you wanted to see where my family and I lived before I found out that I could go through the well, so let's go. I'm sure my they will be happy to meet you al-…"
"Sister…" a young voice called out, but it wasn't Kagome's younger brother. Instead, they all turned to Kohaku, who had woken up on Sesshomaru's shoulder blindfolded. He began struggling and Sesshomaru quickly put the boy down before he could fall.
"Kohaku?" Sango hurried over to him and removed the blindfold. His eyes were back to normal. They had been so lifeless before, but their color had returned. When the boy started tearing up, Sango pulled him into a tight embrace. "D-Do you remember me?"
"Yes. I remember everything." Kohaku said through tears. "I remember hurting you and Father, I hurt your friends and so many other people."
"Weren't you under Naraku's control, boy?" Sesshomaru questioned the boy.
"I was, b-…" Kohaku stopped when Sesshomaru interrupted him again.
"Then you did none of that. The memories will haunt you, the actions will not." Sesshomaru said in more of a commanding manner, like Kohaku wasn't allowed to blame himself. "It seems that coming through the well has severed whatever link Naraku had on him. This is good."
"Hi, Kohaku." Rin stepped over to him. "Do you remember me?"
"I do, Rin. I am sorry for attacking you." Kohaku said, but was caught off by a tight hug.
"It's okay! You're back to normal." Rin said, hugging him tightly. "I know you didn't mean it. We can be friends now, right?"
"I…" Kohaku looked to Sango for reassurance and received it with a nod. "I'd like that."
"Kagome?" A feminine voice caught the group by surprise.
"Mom!" Kagome hurried over and gave her Mom a big hug before taking her hand and dragging her over to everyone. "We figured out a way to bring everyone over from the feudal era. This is literally everyone good I've told you about in the past. Sango wanted to meet you the most."
"That's me." Sango stepped forward and held a hand out to Kagome's Mom. "I've wanted to meet you for so long. It was so strange being around Kagome so much but never being able to meet the family she's told us about."
"So, you're… Sango." Ms. Higurashi asked and Sango nodded. The confirmation got Sango's offer for a handshake ignored. Instead, Ms. Higurashi stepped in and gave Sango the tightest motherly hug she could give. "Thank you for taking care of my little girl. I never thought I'd be able to meet you."
"Thank you for letting her come back to us all the time. I know that has to terrify you." Sango returned the hug, a tear of joy falling down her cheek.
"She loves all of you so much, I couldn't make her stay here. Any time she is heading back to all of you…" Ms. Higurashi looked around at everyone. "Her entire spirit lifts. Her eyes brighten and her smile gets so big. No one here could do that for Kagome. She belongs with all of yo-…"
Kagome's Mother stopped mid-sentence when her eyes fell onto Kikyo. She was instantly taken aback by Kikyo's appearance. Ms. Higurashi walked by everyone and stepped up to the now nervous priestess. Kikyo stood strong, but glanced to Inuyasha as if she thought she were in trouble. Everyone else watched curiously. Ms. Higurashi eyes her so closely, but the curious smile on her face calmed Kikyo's worries.
"You look so much like Kagome…" Ms. Higurashi stated with a small smile. "Or she looks so much like you. Beautiful."
"Why… Thank you." Kikyo said with a small smile, truly flattered by the compliment.
"And you are?" Ms. Higurashi turned to Miroku, who bowed and introduced himself politely. "You're the perverted monk, aren't you?"
"I, well, uh…" Miroku sighed in defeat. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay. You've all got some really interesting personalities from what Kagome has told me." Kagome's Mother explained and then caught the little ones of the group. "Oh, my goodness. Aren't you three just precious? What are your names?"
"My name is Kohaku, ma'am." Kohaku bowed as he introduced himself.
"Kohaku? Sango's lost little brother?" Ms. Higurashi asked and Kohaku sheepishly nodded, only to get a kiss on the forehead. "I am so glad you're home safely. You do your best, okay? That is all anyone will ever want from you."
"Mom, you really paid attention, didn't you?" Kagome asked.
"Of course. I hang on every word you say, Kagome." Ms. Higurashi smiled and then looked to Shippo and Rin. "And you are?"
"My name is Shippo." Shippo raised his hand as if he were being called on.
"My name is Rin." Rin mimicked Shippo's mannerisms.
"Shippo and Rin. It's lovely to meet you both, but I think I have a question for you, little man." Ms. Higurashi kneeled down and picked Shippo up. "I was told something about you last time you were here. Aren't you the little one Kagome has taken in as her own son?"
"Yeah, that's me!" Shippo said proudly, pointing at himself.
"Welcome to the family, Shippo. That would make me your grandma." Ms. Higurashi said and Shippo's jaw dropped. "Oh? You didn't realize? If you're Kagome's family, you're my family. Would you like to meet your great grandpa and your uncle Sota?"
"Would I ever! Yes, please!" Shippo hopped up onto Ms. Higurashi's shoulder, which was startling at first, but he was so light it didn't bother her.
"Oh, hello." Ms. Higurashi just noticed Kaede standing there. "You have to be Lady Kaede. You're the woman who has guided Kagome in everything."
"Yes, I am Kaede." Kaede nodded, a happy smile plastered on her face. "Thank you for welcoming us to your home. We all hope to learn a lot about this time, Kagome, and her family while here. We will try our best not to be a burden. We brought a rather large group."
"Don't worry. We have two guest rooms that don't get used often, so we'll be able to comfortably fit everyone in the house." Ms. Higurashi stepped back toward the house and gestured for everyone to follow. She led everyone inside and brought them to the living room. Kikyo, Sango, Kohaku, and Kaede were told they could relax on the couch. Miroku, Inuyasha, and Sesshomaru sat on the floor on the other side of a coffee table. Kagome brought in cushions for the men and herself, but the children were having more fun exploring until they found the cat. Rin and Shippo were gentle with Buyo, petting him nicely. Soon, Sota and Grandpa came down stairs. The moment Grandpa's eyes met Sesshomaru's he rushed over with a bag of salt in his hand.
"Kagome!" Sesshomaru prepared himself, ready to jump to his feet. As Grandpa went to throw the salt, Kagome grabbed his wrist and stopped him.
"Coward, hiding behind my granddaughter!" Grandpa said as the bag of salt was snatched from his hands.
"Do not throw that at him. It's rude and it doesn't work anyway." Kagome scolded her grandfather.
"He's demon. He must be dealt with accordingly, Kagome." Grandpa said, reaching for the salt, but it was kept out of his reach.
"He's our friend and deserves respect. Next time greet him politely before deciding to be a menace." Kagome said with a smug smirk as she sprinkled a touch of salt on Grandpa's head. Kikyo, Kaede, and Sango couldn't help but giggle at the display.
"Ah, so cruel to an old man." Grandpa sprouted a few crocodile tears and then turned to the rest of the guests as if nothing happened. He bowed politely and introduced himself. "Good evening to you all."
"Good evening." All but Sesshomaru replied politely to him.
"Grandpa, look who's here?" Ms. Higurashi returned to the room with Shippo still on her shoulder. She had a tray of snacks and set them down in front of everyone. She loaded the tray with anything she could think of. Cookies, a bowl of potato chips, veggies, and some chopped fruit. "Your great grandson."
"Ah! This is the young boy that Kagome adopted?" Grandpa hurried over excited and took Shippo in his arms for a quick hug. "Wonderful to meet you, my boy. I never thought we would. How did you all get here? I assume all of these guests are from the other side?"
"Yep!" Kagome said and went on introducing everyone to her family again. This time, she was a little more thorough. She explained relationships of Sango and Miroku, Sesshomaru and Rin, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, and even Kaede and Kikyo. Their story ended up last because of the age discrepancy.
"Wow, you look so much like my sister." Sota said in awe at Kikyo. "You two could be twins."
"I have wondered if we are related down the family line." Kikyo thought out loud. "It is possible since you live in the same area I did, but since neither Kaede or I had children, I guess that's a little too outlandish."
"It'd be neat to find out we're blood related, but you're right." Kagome added.
"Hey, is it true that you use a big boomerang as a weapon?" Sota asked.
"A boomerang? That's right, yes. I forgot that you called my hiraikotsu something different here." Sango nodded and began telling Sota stories about how she and Kohaku would train and train back at their village. She talked up Kohaku like everything he did was perfect and how she was so proud of him. For the first time in a very, very long time, Sango was able to see her brother smile. Kohaku added to the stories by talking about Kilala and how Sango was the best in their village. He even added in the story on how he met Rin and how she was really nice to him. When Rin got a chance, she told the story of how she met Sesshomaru and brought him food when he was hurt.
"Who the hell hurt you that badly?" Inuyasha asked.
"You did." Sesshomaru answered. "It was the first time you hit me with Wind Scar."
"Wow, that was a long while back." Inuyasha said. "Good thing I did, otherwise you wouldn't have Rin in your life."
"… Correct. Good came out of it." Sesshomaru nodded.
"So, tell me something. Are you all after this Naraku person?" Ms. Higurashi asked and everyone answered 'yes' in their own way.
"Naraku is a fiend that needs to be destroyed as quickly as possible." Kohaku said angrily, his jaw and fists clenched tightly.
"Couldn't have said it better myself." Miroku nodded to Kohaku, allowing the boy to feel comfortable smiling again.
"It's good that you're all working together now." Ms. Higurashi said as if a weight had been lifted from her. "Kagome has told me a lot of what goes on over there. The more you have by your side, the greater chance of success for all of you."
"These are delicious." Kikyo suddenly spoke up as she finished a potato chip. "Salty and crunchy. What is it?"
"It's a chip." Inuyasha explained one of the few things he knew of this era. "Kagome sometimes brings things back for us to eat."
"Kaede, try one." Kikyo handed her sister some. Kaede tried and it was pleasantly surprised.
"It's delicious. I know Kagome brings these back, but I never partook in enjoying them myself." Kaede explained with regret.
Seeing them enjoy it so much, Rin had to try it. Kohaku was next. The two instantly loved it, but Rin ended up thirsty.
"Oh, Mom. Do we have any of that apple or orange juice?" Kagome asked excitedly. "Rin will love that."
"We have some of the apple juice. I'll get it." Ms. Higurashi went back into the kitchen. Shippo instantly jumped onto her shoulder and decided he was going to help. In the end, Ms. Higurashi came out with another tray with three pitchers and a cup for everyone on it. "I figured that everyone could try a bit of everything. This is apple juice. It's for people who prefer something sweeter. This is lemonade. It's sweet, but has a sour tang to it, hence the name lemonade. This is coke. It's carbonated, which means it has bubbles in it so be careful when you first try it. It's an unexpected… texture to liquid."
"Wow, Mom. Thanks." Kagome said as she handed out cups to everyone.
"Thank Shippo. It was his idea to get everyone to try a little bit of everything." Ms. Higurashi said and kissed Shippo's cheek.
"Thanks, grandma!" Shippo said with a tint of red in his face.
Everyone tried a little bit of everything. Everyone was surprised by the texture of the coke. Kaede decided coke was not for her. Kikyo and Inuyasha loved it. Miroku, Sesshomaru, and Kaede preferred the lemonade. Sango, Rin, Kohaku, and Shippo all preferred the apple juice. Kagome reassured them that there was much more where that came from and ended up on a whole spiel about different flavored sodas and what people have done with alcohol. Of course, she ended up being scolded by grandpa for wanting talking about alcohol.
"Oh, don't worry, Grandpa. There's no way I'd drink it now anyway." Kagome said and then realized what came out of her mouth. She couldn't drink because she was pregnant. That was one of the big reasons they came back here. She was going to tell her family everything that went on. She got so caught up in having fun and showing off her world that she forgot the big important news. While Kagome was lost in thought, a couple of people noticed her trance. Firstly, her mother did and it only worried her. Sango and Kikyo noticed it as well and became slightly concerned.
"Lord Sesshomaru." Rin spoke up and broke Kagome's trance. "Can I talk to you?"
"Of course." Sesshomaru stood and led Rin back outside. He could tell the child wanted to talk in private. "We'll return in a few minutes."
"Take your time." Kagome said.
"Hey, sis." Sota pat Kagome's shoulder. "How did you get everyone here? I thought it was impossible."
"I thought it was to, but Inuyasha and Kikyo came up with a way to make it work." Kagome said happily. "How come?"
"Is there a way we could go… you know, back there?" Sota asked hopefully.
"I don't know. I've never tried using my powers here before." Kagome thought and then looked to Kikyo. "What do you think?"
"My power here is diminished greatly. I don't know about the reverse." Kikyo shook her head in uncertainty. "If you'd like, it is something we can try."
"Maybe. The feudal era is dangerous. I don't know if I want you guys going there." Kagome admitted with concern for their safety. "You've met everyone now and they can come here and go as they like. I don't think you need to come back to that world. It is safer for you here."
"It's okay, dear." Ms. Higurashi said and looked to Sota. "I agree. I don't think it is safe for us."
"There is… something I have to tell you though." Kagome took a deep breath, the words catching the attention of the adults in the room.
"What is it?" Ms. Higurashi worriedly asked.
"Mom… I'm pregnant."
.
.
Sesshomaru followed Rin until she was ready to talk. She looked upset about something and he was worried about her. Rin got a safe distance away from the house so people couldn't hear anything she said. She turned around to face Sesshomaru, a few tears at the corners of her eyes.
"Rin, what's wrong?" Sesshomaru knelt down and asked.
"Can we be family too?" Rin asked, taking Sesshomaru by surprise. "Shippo calls Kagome Momma even though they're not related. I want… I mean, can I call you my Daddy? I understand if you don't want me… I know you sometimes don't like humans and I'm human, but…"
Sesshomaru took a deep breath as he watched the girl in front of him ask such a huge question. She was being so brave, but he could sense her fear and did not like that she was crying. She had a hard time looking at him too. Sesshomaru couldn't help but have his heartstrings pulled at.
"Rin, I'm going to tell you some things before I answer that question. If you choose to ask again, after I've explained what has been happening, then I'll answer, but it is possible that you'll change your mind." Sesshomaru warned her to the best of his ability. She just looked at him and waited. "When I left you at the castle, it was because of my demon nature taking over. It was possible that I could hurt you, the servants, or anyone else that I was near. I was losing control of my own mind and I could not put you at risk. I traveled far away from you and kept losing my mind. I ran into Kagome when I lost all control and I hurt her very, very badly. What I did was awful and sickening. It is not something I can take back and it has brought a lot of new things into my life. I am now part of their group and I do plan on traveling with them until things get better. But a big thing that it has brought into my life is a child."
"Do you mean Shippo?" Rin asked, tilting her head to the side.
"No, Rin. Kagome is pregnant with my child." Sesshomaru told her clearly. "She has a brand-new baby growing in her stomach."
"Oh. So, are you and Kagome going to get married?" Rin asked.
"I… Well, I don't know." Sesshomaru bent the truth a little. They technically were, but not by human standards.
"Wait, does that mean Shippo and I are family now?" Rin asked, taking a few extra leaps in her mind.
"Rin, calm down." Sesshomaru put his hands on the girl's shoulder and sighed. "There is a lot of adult stuff that I can't tell you here. I will tell you one day, but right now you are too young to understand any of it. I am telling you the facts that you can understand and need to know. Because I hurt Kagome, she's having a baby with me. We do not love each other. We have to deal with this for the child's sake. I am telling you this because I want you to be sure that you really want a man like me as your father. I am a demon. I have done very bad things. If you're okay with that, you can ask your question again."
Rin stood silently, staring at Sesshomaru. She had lots to think about in a short amount of time. However, nothing he said swayed her. She wasn't mad or scared or anything that someone else might be at him. The fact that he even told her about it means he cares, right? Rin smiled widely.
"I want you to be my Daddy, so can I call you Daddy now?" Rin asked with firm certainty.
Silence…
"Yeah. You can." Sesshomaru nodded and Rin's face lit up. She jumped up into Sesshomaru's arms and hugged him tightly. He returned the hug.
"This is the best day of my life." Rin said with tears in her eyes as she let him go. "First, we go through a magic well to a new world, I get to drink the sweetest water ever, and now I have the best Daddy in the whole wide world. Nothing could get better than this."
"You do know that means you'll be a big sister, right?" Sesshomaru asked. It took Rin a moment to realize what he meant.
"Yeah! Since you're having a baby, I get to be the big sister!" Rin said and jumped up and down for joy. "I can't wait!"
"For now, Rin, keep that a secret." Sesshomaru asked her kindly. "Kagome needs to tell her family on her own. We can't do that for her, so stay quiet about it for now."
"I will, Daddy. I promise." Rin reassured him and took his hand. Sesshomaru fully smiled and wrapped his large hand over her small one. She was practically skipping back to the house, an act that made him speed so he didn't slow her down.
The two made their way back into the house. Sesshomaru let go of Rin's hand as she rushed in to try more snacks. Sesshomaru closed the door behind him and turned back into the room. He immediately sensed a shift in the atmosphere of the room. Kagome, Sango, Miroku, Inuyasha, Kaede, and Kikyo all had their heads lowered. Grandpa was standing on the far end of the room, his eyes focused angrily on Sesshomaru. Sota looked dumbfounded, like he wasn't sure whether he should cry or not. Kohaku was shocked and had a hard time looking at Sesshomaru, though he couldn't help but glance back at the demon the moment he reentered the house. Ms. Higurashi was stunned. The worst part of it all was hearing Ms. Higurashi's heartrate. It was like anger induced adrenaline was coursing through her veins while her conscious mind forced her to keep a calm demeanor for everyone.
"I am telling everyone now because I want it to all be clear. I don't want anything being hidden anymore." Kagome said with a tremble in her voice, as if she were utterly terrified of what was going to happen. "A lot has happened and we're all doing better. I'm okay. To be honest, I think I'm happier now that everyone is together than I've ever been. I know it started off with… this bad event, but it wasn't something any of us were in control of. It was an accident. There were even some bad choices made immediately after it all happened, but we're working hard to be friends."
"Kagome, did this happen before or after I first met him?" Ms. Higurashi asked, her eyes shifting to Sesshomaru for a brief moment.
"Before." Kagome answered nervously.
"I see." Ms. Higurashi closed her eyes and took her daughters hand. After a deep breath, she opened her eyes and seemed as normal as a person could in that situation. "Do you know how proud I am of you?"
"What do you mean?" Kagome asked in confusion.
"Honey, you have such a strong and pure heart. Instead of pointing blame and being angry, you chose to forgive something that you did not have to. You could have chosen hatred and bitterness, but you didn't. You chose compassion." Ms. Higurashi began crying as she spoke to her daughter. She knelt down next to Kagome and pulled her daughter tightly into her arms, unaware of the squishing of little Shippo, who was in Kagome's lap. "I am so, so sorry something like this happened to you. You never deserved that, but instead of letting things go bad, look at what you've done with your kindness. He's standing in our living room, practically a part of the family." When Ms. Higurashi looked up to Sesshomaru, everyone turned to him as well. He tensed, but stood his ground. "Kagome explained everything, including this frenzy thing. She is quite adamant that you would never have committed this… act if you were in the right of mind. I trust my daughter's judgement. The fact that she has forgiven you for something like this is… remarkable. From what I can tell, you've shown her great respect since you were invited to join them. You've protected her due to this magic bond you now have. Now that a child is a secondary result of this incident, I expect you to continue to do so. Whether that mark is removed or not, you owe my daughter everything."
"You are correct." Sesshomaru nodded and bowed politely. "I owe your daughter much. Her forgiveness has been a blessing. She has allowed me to not only obtain friends, but I've gotten to know my younger brother and finally have the courage to call Rin my daughter. I will work to repay her every day."
"Hey, you." Sota said and Sesshomaru stood up straight. Sota walked up to Sesshomaru and looked up at him. The two stared at each other for a few moments. Suddenly, Sota punched Sesshomaru right in the groin as hard as he could. Even a demon's testicles were a very sensitive area. Sesshomaru dropped to one knee, gasping and groaning in pain. Sesshomaru looked up at the kid, but didn't even show anger. Everyone else looked on with dropped jaws and fear. Kagome stood up, ready to pull Sota away from Sesshomaru just in case, but when she saw that he wasn't angry, she just watched.
"Hey!" Rin shouted angrily at Sota and ran at him. She was ready to punch him right back, but Sesshomaru curled an arm around Rin and pulled her away from Sota. "But… He can't just hit you like that!"
"It's okay, Rin." Sesshomaru said, a bead of sweat dropping down his forehead. "Remember what I told you outside? This is a well-deserved punishment and because of Kagome, it's the only real punishment I've gotten for hurting her. Just let it go."
"Are you sure?" Rin asked and Sesshomaru nodded as he hunched over even more. He took a few minutes to let the pain fade.
"That's for hurting my sister." Sota crossed his arms and stood proudly.
"Well done, kid." Sesshomaru said and sat down right in front of the door. He had no interest in moving now.
"Yeah, nice shot. If I did that, I think he'd beat me up." Shippo said, walking over to Sesshomaru. "Wish I had thought of it."
"Hey, kid." Inuyasha called out to Sota. Once Sota looked over, Inuyasha held up a hand. Sota gave Inuyasha a high five. "Nice."
"Well, now that it's all out on the table, we can all officially move on with our lives." Kagome said and took in a deep breath to calm down. "We should get the sleeping arrangements dealt with here and have some dinner. Tomorrow, I want to see Kikyo and Sango wear some modern clothing. We're so going shopping. Oh, and one thing that I can never bring with me is ice cream. We're definitely taking the kids to try some of that. Also, Shippo and Rin will have fun at the park. We can even go to the movies; I bet Kohaku will really love some of those. Kaede, some of the music from here, you'll enjoy."
"You sound like you have a lot of plans." Kikyo said with a smile.
"I do! I've always wanted to bring people to my time. Thanks to you, it happened and there is so much to do." Kagome explained and then looked around at everyone. "But first, we get through the night and start off in the morning. Sango and I can share my bed. Kikyo and Kaede can take one guest room. Inuyasha and Miroku could take the other. Shippo and Kohaku can sleep in my room with Sango and I. Sesshomaru should be comfortable here in the couch with Rin. It'll give everyone just enough space and a decent place to sleep. Is everyone okay with that?"
"Where should Kilala sleep?" Sango asked.
"She can sleep wherever she wants, but she has to stay in her small form." Kagome said and pat Kilala on the head. "Don't transform here, okay? If someone outside the house sees you, they'll go crazy." The only reply Kagome got was a small high-pitched meow. Kilala understood.
"Alright, let's get out the spare pillows and blankets." Ms. Higurashi told Sota and they went off. Kagome began preparing dinner and showing Kaede, Kikyo, and Sango the differences between cooking methods. Kaede was especially impressed with the pots and pans. Kikyo and Sango loved the instant fire on the stove. The three helped Kagome with whatever they could. In the living room, Sesshomaru still hadn't moved.
"You alright?" Inuyasha asked his brother.
"Yeah." Sesshomaru replied, nodding.
"He got you good, didn't he?" Inuyasha asked, chuckling.
"Are you making fun of me?" Sesshomaru retorted in annoyance.
"Not really. Getting hit there really sucks. Wouldn't wish it on anyone, but I've never seen Sota that mad." Inuyasha explained and sat down next to his brother. "He loves Kagome, so it was interesting to see him get protective of her."
"I deserve more than this for what I did to her." Sesshomaru admitted.
"True, but sometimes forgiveness stops that kind of stuff." Inuyasha told him and pat Sesshomaru's shoulder. "You're good with us."
"Can you forgive me?" Sesshomaru asked curiously. Inuyasha looked at him confused. "My actions did throw a wrench in your relationship with Kagome. Shippo told me what you and the monk were talking about before we confronted Naraku. Apparently, you think she's actually falling for me."
"Yeah, I do." Inuyasha nodded and shrugged. "And somehow I'm okay with it."
"You are?" Sesshomaru question, surprised.
"I am. You know, um… I do like having an older brother." Inuyasha said sheepishly, barely able to hold eye contact with Sesshomaru. "I grew up with you hating me. I didn't get it. It's not like I chose to be half-human, you know? I think… you don't hate me anymore."
"I don't think I ever did." Sesshomaru told Inuyasha and took in a deep breath. "I think I hated our father for leaving my mother and I. I took it out on you because you were the product of that and he was dead. I couldn't be angry with him, ask him why, so you were the outlet."
"Oh… Never thought of it that way." Inuyasha replied sadly.
"Until recently, neither did I." Sesshomaru said and then nudged Inuyasha. "Having a younger brother isn't bad at all."
"Heh… Thanks." Inuyasha said, a genuine smile on his face.
"Dinner is almost ready. Everyone, wash up before you eat." Kagome called out. "Sota, you mind showing people where the bathroom is?"
"Got it, sis." Sota said and showed everyone where they needed to go. They were taught how to use the hand dispenser soap. A couple of them got it in their eyes and the sweet smell led Sesshomaru to tasting it, an act he quickly regretted. Sota had quite the show watching them all.
Dinner was eaten and the night went on. Kilala got to go outside and show off her larger form. She flew around the yard with Sota on her back, but was warned not to go too high so no one would see her. The group had a lot of fun talking to each other and learning about more of the world. The television was something that fascinated them all. Kagome had to explain the cartoons and other animations they came across, but it was fun. When it got late enough, it was time for everyone to go to sleep. There had been enough excitement in one day.
It ended up a little different than Kagome suggested. Kaede decided she was more comfortable on the couch. She didn't enjoy walking up the stairs at her age. Since Kikyo wouldn't be sharing a room with her sister, she decided that one person shouldn't take the large bed and would gladly hand it over to someone else. Inuyasha insisted she take it and everyone agreed. Kikyo deserved a bed. Sango and Miroku took the second guest room with Kohaku and Kilala. That left Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, Rin, and Shippo with one room to spare. Sesshomaru asked Kagome if Rin could rest with her since the girl hadn't had a good night's sleep since being taken by Naraku. Kagome agreed without hesitation and brought Shippo into the mix, so the three of them would share a room. The brothers were used to sleeping on the floor, so they were fine with that. However, Kagome suggested Inuyasha and Kikyo share.
"Wh-What?" Kikyo was surprised and would have blushed if she had any blood in her body.
"I know it's weird for me to suggest, but you will always love him, Kikyo." Kagome took Kikyo's hands and smiled at her. "He's always happy with you too. I understand that things have changed. The fact is, I'm having his brother's baby. I will not stand in between your guys' happiness. Please, if you have a second chance at being with each other and want to take it, do it. Do not even consider holding back because of me."
"Kagome…" Kikyo thought for a moment and then smiled. "Thank you."
"Go get him." Kagome playfully nudged Kikyo toward Inuyasha.
"Inuyasha…" Kikyo stepped up shyly and glanced away. "Would you care to share the room with me?"
"Uh…" Inuyasha instantly looked around the room at everyone who was watching. When he saw Kagome excitedly nod, he realized she had to of suggested this. "Yeah. That'd be nice." He said and pulled Kikyo into a hug. It was the first time he could hold her without feeling guilt.
Everyone went off to their rooms. Kagome made sure that everyone was comfortable and explained the different things in the rooms, such as how the lamps worked and the locks on the doors. She even had to give a presentation on how to use the toilet if needed. Once everyone was settled, she returned to her room to see a sad Rin sitting on the bed with Shippo. Kagome walked over and ruffled Rin's hair.
"You okay?" Kagome asked.
"I want Daddy to sleep here too." Rin asked. "I don't wanna be alone."
"You're not alone, Rin. You have Kagome and me." Shippo reassured her.
"But Kagome isn't my Daddy. She's your Mommy." Rin explained, fiddling nervously with her fingers.
"Sure. I'll go ask him." Kagome stepped back outside the room and walked through the dark halls until she came to the stairs. Everyone was already on their way to sleep, so she made sure to be quiet. She turned on a light over the stairway and walked down. Unfortunately, the light woke Kaede up.
"He's over there, child." Kaede pointed toward the closed sliding door that led to the dining area.
"Thanks, Kaede." Kagome smiled. Kaede always understood what was going on. Kagome walked over to the door and opened it to see Sesshomaru laying on the ground with his hands behind his head. He looked over to her and sat up. "Rin needs you to sleep near her."
"She'll be more comfortable on the bed you have. Has she not tried it?" Sesshomaru asked.
"Come on upstairs." Kagome held out a hand to him. "I'd rather you share with us than be alone down here."
"Kaede is alone."
"And that's how Kaede likes it." Kaede spoke up from the other room. "Go, Sesshomaru. Be with your child… and wife."
"Are we suddenly taking this mark more seriously?" Sesshomaru questioned as he took Kagome's hand and stood up. "Wife is a strong title."
"Strong title or not, it's technically true." Kagome rubbed the back of her head. "Besides, my bed can fit us all. It'll be a little snug, but still more comfortable than the floor. Another strong title is Dad. You've recently gained that one, so come on."
"You two sleep well." Kaede waved to them from her comfortable spot on the couch.
Sesshomaru sighed and walked with Kagome back upstairs. The two made their way to the bedroom and once he entered, Rin was able to smile again.
"Are you alright, Rin?" Sesshomaru asked.
"I don't wanna sleep in this place alone. It's scary." Rin lowered her head. Sesshomaru glanced to Kagome, who just shrugged. She was fine with it.
"Alright. I'll stay." Sesshomaru admitted defeat. He was planning on sleeping in his armor, but being in Kagome's room changed that. He took it off and set it gently to the side. He had also planned to just sleep on the floor in here, but Rin pointed to the bed. Kagome got in first and scooted up against the wall. Sesshomaru got in next and the two waited for the kids to get it, but…
"Ohhh noooo, there's no room." Shippo said mischievously. "It looks like the kids have to sleep on the floor."
"What are you talking abo-…" Kagome said until she was interrupted.
"Yeah, oh no…" Rin said sarcastically and both of them quickly pulled out their pillows and blankets. They tucked themselves in and Shippo turned off the light using the switch like Kagome said. "If you get up, you'll step on us, so stay in bed until the sun comes up."
"… Were we just tricked?" Kagome asked, though the answer was obvious.
"It seems so…" Sesshomaru said and looked at Kagome. There was a curiosity in his eyes, a look that interested her. He was already laying down next to her, so there was no point of getting up to walk out. In fact, Sesshomaru found that he didn't care enough to. He laid his head down on the pillow, watching to see her next move. Kagome glanced from the kids, though she could not see them in the dark room. While keeping their eyes locked on each other, Kagome chose to lay down as well. She pulled the blankets over them both, so he turned onto his side to face her, which made her blush.
"Goodnight." Kagome whispered softly.
"Goodnight, Kagome." Sesshomaru said and closed his eyes. Kagome watched him for a few quiet minutes. She didn't dare move. While they were laying next to each other, they weren't touching each other. There was about a foot between them, with Kagome's back against the wall. Soon, Kagome found herself falling asleep without much problem. Kagome felt safe with him there, so she relaxed much easier than recent weeks.
