Author's Note: I do not make any claim to any of Rumiko Takahashi's characters or works. This fic is labeled as M for swearing and some suggestive and lemony scenes.

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Stuck with Us

Part II

A month and half later…

The morning sun was bright and the clouds breezed by Edo dreamily in the late spring. Birds were coming to life as the dew started to evaporate from the wildflower fields nearby. Animals left their dens to find food. And suddenly Kagome was desperate to get out of her own bed, too.

"Off! Off! Get off!"

Inuyasha woke to shouting and shoving from his warm spot on the futon. Kagome shoved him away from spooning her in their bed and jumped up to run outside.

"Kag'me? What the hell?" his question came from the bedroom. Rubbing tired eyes, he moved to follow her.

"Don't come out here!" she breathed, clutching a porch brace to stop from falling forward.

She heaved roughly and threw up everything but nothing. Bile rose and spilled over when she vomited but there was nothing else. Every muscle in her abdomen was spasming and her eyes were watering.

"I can hear everything, you know. And smell it, too." He wrinkled his nose as he ran a hand through silver hair to comb it a bit and rounded the corner. "Are you okay?"

"No, no I'm not- Oh no."

She was cut off by another bout of heaving. When she was done and attempted to stand, Kagome swayed on her feet and almost fell over. He caught her in time but she was pale and clammy, shivering from whatever was affecting her. He picked her up, holding her carefully to his chest and laid her back down in their futon. Checking her head with his hand, she didn't feel feverish but was still shaking and pale as she settled into the bed.

"Gods, Kagome. Hold on. I'll get you some water." He ran back in for a cup and brought the cool water back to her, concerned. Thinking it might be useful, he also brought back a bucket and a rag.

"I haven't eaten anything yet, damn it. What is wrong with me?" She took the water and swallowed a small sip before handing it back to him and shaking her head to let him know that was enough.

"I dunno. I'll go get Kaede. Stay here." He brushed her hair back from her face and laid a kiss on her cheek before dashing from their bedroom with his clothes.

He clothed himself in his white kosode and Fire Rat hakama, and ran into town as fast as he could, jetting past a confused Miroku carrying the morning's bucket of water into his own house.

"Inuyasha? Is everything all right?" He shouted after the panicky hanyou.

"Dunno! Kagome's real sick!" He shouted back, not breaking stride.

"Hmm," Miroku thought. Ducking down to enter his own house, he found Sango working on breakfast. "My dear, the strangest thing just happened…"

…

"Kaede! Wake up, old woman!" Inuyasha yelled outside her house.

"Inuyasha? Stop this yelling at once! Others are still sleeping, ye fool!" she hissed at him, peeking out of her house.

"Oh. Uh, sorry. But glad you're awake. Kagome is really sick. Can you come?" He was practically pacing as he spoke, worried. She'd never been ill like this before.

"Of course. Give me a moment to prepare. Come inside and wait, young one."

"No thanks. I'll just stay out here." He was glancing back down the road nervously. "Unless I can help?" 'To speed things up.' he added to himself.

"No need. I'll be along in a minute."

She re-emerged moments later with a sack and he couldn't help but sniff the air to find out what she might have brought. Not recognizing much beyond the scent of wood, he turned around and offered her his back to make the journey that much quicker. On most days, her pride might have compelled her to refuse but Kagome was her apprentice, for all intents and purposes, and if she was ill enough to worry her husband, it might be prudent to make haste.

"Very well, Inuyasha, but be careful with this old woman."

"Thanks, Kaede. I have no idea what's wrong with her…" He explained what happened on the way.

…

"Kagome?" Inuyasha called as he got home.

"In here!" Kagome hoarsely called from the bedroom.

'Good, she's still awake anyway.' he thought.

"I brought Kaede. How are you feeling?"

"Awful. I'm so tired but I can't sleep because I keep throwing up. My stomach hurts just from the vomiting this morning."

"Spring is not the time for illness like this. Usually, stomach afflictions come during the winter from food gone wrong." Kaede mused as she settled down on the floor next to the young priestess. "Stay there, dear, and let me assess you."

"I don't have a fever, I don't think, and Inuyasha ate everything I did yesterday…" Kagome groaned as Kaede pressed on her stomach. When Kaede felt again, she was momentarily stilled.

"Tell me, Kagome. When did you last bleed?"

That put some color back into the young priestess's cheeks. Inuyasha sputtered and excused himself to do… anything else... outside. They were close but he didn't need to know everything.

"What? Why would that be important?"

"Humor an old woman."

"Let's see… It was right after the last big storm swept through and that tree fell across the road in front. So…"

"Kagome, that was almost two moons ago, child. Are ye sure?"

But she was. And she suddenly understood. The sudden tears trailed past her ears as she laid there on their futon with a strange mix of shock and happiness. Sitting up, she found the old priestess' eyes and smiled at her. Kaede smiled back and patted her on the shoulder, whispering her instructions.

"Try to eat when ye can. Broth is helpful for the sickness and drink lots of water. Eat mild things that smell good and come get me if ye need me. Be careful with yourself, dear." Kaede patted her hand gently and tried not to look concerned. This would be uncharted territory for all three of them.

Kagome nodded mutely and moved to help Kaede up from the floor. Her husband appeared in the doorway looking concerned.

"Why are you crying? Are you okay? What is it?" he took Kagome's hands and peered into her eyes, hoping it wasn't so serious.

"Take Kaede home and I'll tell you when you get back, Inuyasha." She looked serious but vaguely happy so he quelled his instincts for the moment.

"What? Why?" He cocked his head to the side and looked confused.

"Because this old woman has things to do today, thank you." Kaede shooed him outside to take her home but looked back with a wink for his wife.

"Fine but rest until I get back." he ordered over his shoulder.

She saluted him and moved to lay back down. Satisfied she was okay until he returned, he followed Kaede outside and took her home.

As he settled Kaede on his back, he asked her anyway.

"So what's wrong with her?"

"She'll tell ye when ye return. She will be fine, Inuyasha. Worry will only make her worse. Be gentle with her."

"Keh. Always am."

'Well, not always actually…' He remembered their intimacy not long ago and the weird predatory way he'd taken her. It was a good memory, he thought.

They made it back to the priestess' house is record time and he made sure she had everything.

"Here ya go, old woman. Thanks for this morning. I guess? Still don't know what the hell's going on."

"Go home, Inuyasha. All will be well."

"If you say so." And then he turned and bounded for home.

…

'Pregnant. At 19. Married for a whole month.' Kagome was lost in thought and trying to make sense of the new truths in her world.

'Married to a half-demon. Living in the Sengoku Jidai. Pregnant.' Her thoughts would come back to that one a lot, she knew.

But happiness was there, too. She felt the fresh spring breeze waft through her window and inhaled greedily, enjoying the peace it brought her soul and her stomach. It was cool but smelled of sunlight and fresh flowers. She was happy to be here. Happy to be with him. Happy they were to become parents, if she was honest.

For the first time, she allowed her hands to touch her womb tenderly. It was a feeling foreign and strange. Adults had babies. Not her. Not him. But not anymore. Now it was time to be a mother. She had practically been mother to four before during the quest but an infant of her own was entirely different. But she wouldn't be alone. Her feudal family would be here for all of the milestones. She could share their happiness with them. With her husband.

Inuyasha. He would be a mess, right? A worrisome, overprotective mess. She couldn't wait to tell him. But when her stomach growled, she got up slowly, testing her nausea, and moved to the common room to hunt for something to snack on.

"Eat when I can. Okay, let's try."

She found some leftover rice and popped a small clump in her mouth. It tasted good and seemed to settle so she tried a few more. Feeling the satisfaction of something in her stomach and no more gnawing hunger making her head hurt, she drank some water and went outside to pick some flowers. If the smell of flowers was a good one, maybe they'd be nice to have in the house too.

And that's how Inuyasha found her when he got home. She was sitting in the field next to their house, surrounded by wildflowers in the morning sun, and holding a small bouquet.

"Kagome? What are you doing? You looked close to death a while ago and now you're smiling and picking flowers? Are you okay?"

"Mm hmm. Sit down here with me, Inuyasha." She patted the ground next to her.

"Okay…" He sat down, crossed his legs and stared at her; eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Remember a few weeks ago when my scent was driving you crazy?" She set her small bundle of flowers down and folder her hands in her lap before meeting his eyes again.

"Yeah, it was a good night. Why?" He looked down at the flowers around his feet and absently picked one up and twirled it between his fingers as he thought.

"Do you remember why it was driving you crazy?"

She was ducking down to peer up at him. It would be so much more fun if he figured this out for himself. He knew this was important, apparently, so he thought seriously.

"You asked me about the moon and said it was because it was your-"

His eyes grew wide as saucers and he snapped his head up to lock eyes with her. He caught sight of the first few tears silently running down her face, but she was smiling like the sun. He knew we was right.

"Really?" he whispered.

She could only nod as a happy sob escaped her.

"No. Really?"

He was up on his knees, leaning towards her but afraid to touch her because at any moment he'd wake up from what was becoming a perfect dream.

"Yes, really. Congratulations. You- You're gonna be a father, Inuyasha." She managed before the sobs took her again.

"Kagome…" He knelt beside her and wrapped her up in his arms. Silver hair fell across her chest and her back as he enveloped her in acceptance and love. He kissed at her tears and nuzzled the side of her head, causing a new wave of her tears to fall.

"And you're gonna be a mother. The best."

He pulled back and grinned but laid a hand to his own forehead as the realization hit him.

"Holy shit, a kid!"

"Eloquent as always."

"Don't make fun of me. This is… Gods, Kagome, a baby. Our baby."

"Mm hmm. I know. I'm still getting used to the idea. Now we can get used to it together." She took his hand.

"You're gonna have to tell me what to do, you know. I'm not good at this stuff but I'll do whatever you need me to, okay?"

She paled as she started to answer, putting a hand over her mouth, dropping his, and shaking her head.

"I need you to go away! Now! Oh no-"

She turned around and managed to get on all fours to throw up again. He was there in an instant, pulling raven hair away from her face and rubbing her back.

"Not a chance, wife. You're stuck with me."

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