Disclaimer: I do not own the Characters! Except a few of my own; no spoilers... ;)

It's Saturday somewhere...^_-

Chapter 3

Kagome sat restlessly in the room in the main house tapping her chin with her pen. In front of her was her journal and she had been furiously writing the last hour. Her curtains were open and she looked up at the sky with apprehension. Tomorrow would mark the third week she had been with Kurama and Hiei in this house.

Yesterday she passed out and had been sick in front of them, and for a brief horrible moment she had thought her secret had been discovered. The new moon had come again already last night; the one month anniversary of Inuyasha's death. The thought made her feel empty and guilty that she had allowed herself to laugh and act normal when he would never again do those things. However Hiei had been right. Inuyasha would be furious with her for moping around and feeling sorry for herself, especially since she had more to worry about now. Kagome placed her hand lovingly over the small swell of her belly and smiled.

Tomorrow she would have been officially moving in to her own house and beginning her life on her own but then on a whim yesterday after she had collapsed Kurama decided to wait on the carpet installation and had had the whole house remodeled before he would let her move in. He had already replaced the paint and all the appliances and they were now all in a storage room on the first floor.

She glanced at the clock and grinned Yuusuke would be arriving anytime to pick her up to go to the arcade and then out for a shake as he had invited yesterday at dinner. Once he had found out that she liked video games he had asked if he could come by every day after work to get her out of the house for a few hours before Kurama got home. Kagome told him that she would look forward to it. She liked hanging out with Yuusuke, he made her laugh and feel like herself again. Their friendship had come easily but her friendship with Hiei and Kurama? Not so much.

Before when she was mute she and Hiei would "talk" quite often but since her voice returned fully, Hiei had been scarcely seen except in the evening and at night. He rarely spoke to her when he was there. She had tried asking Kurama about it but He had shrugged and told her it was just Hiei.

Kagome sighed and set down her pen and put her journal back in the drawer. With a press of a switch she turned on her latest gift from Kurama and waited for it to boot up changing out of her Miko robes and into one of the loose dresses Kurama had given her. Since speaking to her mother, Kurama had gotten her family a computer and Kagome had faithfully written her mother emails daily as part of their agreement. Today though Kagome looked at her emails and seeing nothing new logged off and stood up to stretch. Her stomach had been growling loudly and Kagome patted it gently. "Hungry? Lets go find something to eat then." She said lovingly and got up to look for some food.

Stepping into the kitchen Kagome rummaged through the cupboards and sighed nothing looked remotely appetizing. At the back of one of the cupboards Kagome spied a blue box that looked like some kind of pasta and though curious she could not reach it. Grumbling about tall males and hiding things she got out the bread and made herself a sandwich. Then she glanced through the cupboards again and got out the ingredients to make melon pan.

Crouching in front of the oven waiting for the second batch of melon pan to bake Kagome felt the nausea hit and she scrambled for the bathroom. She made it in the nick of time but as she was waiting between retching and recovery she heard the front door open and heard Kurama call out his usual greeting and then she heard him question if something was burning.

"Oh no! The melon pan!" she gasped. Her limbs were still shaky and there was no way she could get out there in time to save them. Weakly she laid her head on her arms and drew her knees up to her chest. She heard his footsteps coming down the hall as she felt another wave of nausea hit and she couched over the toilet to retch till there was nothing left. She could sense him behind her and she raised a shaky hand to wipe the tears from her eyes. With her other hand she flushed. She felt Kurama kneel beside her and rest a cool hand on her forehead.

"You don't have a fever Kagome." He said softly as he gently brushed her sweaty bangs back and used his thumb to wipe away a tear.

"It will pass." Kagome said as she felt the strength coming back into her limbs. "You are home early it's just barely five." Kagome said as she got up and washed her hands and then swished a mouthful of water around her mouth and spit to remove the nasty taste.

Kurama glanced at his watch and then looked back at her thoughtfully. "It is exactly five o clock how did you know that Kagome?"

Kagome took a deep breath choosing her words carefully. Partly hoping he picked up on her meaning and partly hoping he wouldn't, "since before I left the Feudal Era I get sick at 4:45 and it passes at exactly five o clock. Then you get home at five forty five and we eat dinner at six fifteen. It is almost clockwork, give or take depending on the days." She replied simply.

Kurama frowned at her retreating form. Why was he just hearing about this now? The first occurrence was over three weeks ago! She had been sick like that every day, like clockwork?

He sighed as he continued down the hall to his room to change out of his work suit and into more casual attire. His ears picked up the sound of a door opening and a rather frantic apology and a greeting and then he heard nothing as Yuusuke must have gone into the kitchen with Kagome. The smell of her melon pan was delightful and he had just managed to save the ones that had been in the oven when he walked in. They were a little darker but not burned. His mouth was watering in anticipation but before he could indulge he wanted to check what Kagome had said against some of his medical references. He had a pretty good idea now that the pieces were coming together…

Yuusuke caught the scent of the fresh baking melon pan and quickened his steps as he ran up the long drive. Just as he had been ready to leave to meet up with Kagome he had gotten a whole mess of customers wanting lunch. He didn't have the heart to throw them out so he fed them and then discovered one of his guests was a potential client. Hearing the guy out had taken some time and then doing some preliminary leg work, had made him several hours later than he should have been. He hoped Kagome wouldn't be too upset he had missed their first arcade visit.

Now that he was picking up the scent of her baking he knew she wasn't upset with him and so as he opened the door he gave a quick apology and followed her into the kitchen.

She brushed off his apology with a shrug and a casual, "It happens." Leading him over to the cupboards she sighed "Yuusuke can you reach that blue box up there for me?" Kagome asked pointing up.

"Sure." Yuusuke said plucking the box down for her and handing it to her with a chuckle. "If you will give me a piece of melon pan, I'll cook this for you." He said.

Kagome studied the box. It looked really good and she liked macaroni. "Ok, it's a deal." She said walking over and placing a hot piece of crispy melon pan on a saucer. Kagome had already started a pan of water to boil for dinner so Yuusuke dumped the noodles into the pan. In a few minutes he checked the macaroni and drained the noodles adding the remaining ingredients he stirred it and placed it in a bowl setting it down on the counter in front of her. "There you go. One bowl of bachelors specialty, American style."

Eagerly Kagome picked up her chopsticks and started to eat the noodles Yuusuke had prepared. Yuusuke watched her in amusement as he picked up his snack and took a bite delighting in the crunch. Kagome devoured the bowl full and Yuusuke willingly gave her the rest. Kagome had just taken a single bite of her second bowl when it vanished from in front of her.

"You cannot eat such things Kagome." Kurama said as he walked towards the garbage can. Yuusuke plucked it out of his hands and gave it back to Kagome, who shrugged and lifted her chopsticks again.

"Kurama, what the hell is wrong with you?! She can eat what she likes, I made it for her, she asked me to. She is an adult so she can do as she pleases."

Kurama picked up the package and studied the list of ingredients. "Can you even pronounce all of this? No? Then she can't eat it." He announced plucking the bowl away from her again.

"So what if I can't pronounce them, why does that give you the right to take it from her? Yuusuke argued taking the bowl and giving it back to Kagome.

Kurama took it a third time and Kagome had had enough. "Kurama give me my damn food!" she snapped.

"No."

"Give it back to me right now this isn't funny." Kagome said getting angrier tears pricking her eyes. She had been enjoying her snack. The cheesy gooey concoction was just what she was hoping for.

"Not a chance, it's unhealthy." Kurama said holding the bowl high out of her reach.

"So I'll go for a walk later. Give me my macaroni stuff!" she tugged at his arm but it didn't budge. Angrily she raised her hand a flicker of her power at her finger tips. "So help me Kurama if I have to I'll singe your tails a little to get it." She warned, the first angry tear sliding down her cheek.

Panicked at the idea Kurama looked at the determined expression in her eyes and his mouth moved unbidden. In an undignified cry he said "It's not good for the baby!" The bowl of macaroni- as he had seized it from Kurama once again- fell with a wet sounding splat and a tinkle of breaking glass from Yuusuke's hands, shattering the silence that had fallen after Kurama's words.

Hiei who had just walked through the door in time to hear Kurama's words moved swiftly to catch Kagome as her legs gave under her and she collapsed in a heap.

Kurama looked unnerved and slightly frantic as he watched Hiei carry her to the couch as both he and Yuusuke followed. "Kagome, are you alright?" he questioned realizing she was crying.

"I want to know just what all of that was about and I want to know now." Hiei stated fixing them both with a deadly glare. He sat down with Kagome in his arms and on his lap unwilling to release her to the fools who had obviously upset her. She cried in his shirt, her fingers twisted into the fabric. Hiei put his arm around her to secure her as he glared equally at the two who had been in the room.

"Kagome asked me to make her the pasta that is now on the floor and Kurama took it away from her and when Kagome threatened his tails, he freaked out and said she was knocked up." Yuusuke said still in shock himself. He didn't know what to think honestly. If it was true...

Kurama sighed heavily that had not been his finest moment. He wanted to slap himself. The father had to be Inuyasha, as her scent had not mixed with any one of theirs. He rubbed his temples. Shit. This was not how she should have found out she was going to be a mother. An argument over something so stupid and he had blurted it out. Hiei was still waiting for an explanation. "Yuusuke really, there is no need to be crass. Hiei, Kagome is expecting a child."

"A pup," Kagome whispered softly, correcting him automatically. Yuusuke sat down and stared at Kurama.

"A pup? Is it-" Hiei asked slightly in shock, setting her down as though she were suddenly made of glass and moving a small distance away as though afraid he might suddenly break her. His eyes were wide.

"Inuyasha's? Yes it is." Kagome said answering Hiei's question before he began. Her voice quivered with tears as she touched her abdomen in shock and wonder. If Inuyasha were there she was certain he would have cried. Now that the words had been said out loud it had all become real.

Since Hiei had let her go, Yuusuke sat down beside her and wrapped her into his arms. She hadn't even realized what this all meant yet. That was alright, when the shock hit they would be there for her. He would never let her face the future all alone. It just wasn't his way and whether Kagome wanted to admit it or not she would need them to stick by her more than ever.

Kurama tapped his chin thoughtfully before sitting down on the other side of her. "I hate to ask this but did Inuyasha have any obvious youkai features, ears, a tail, markings?"

"Inuyasha had ears like yours in your fox form. He was the son of the great Inu general after all. I adored his ears but he never would let me play with them…" her voice trailed off her fists knotted in Yuusuke's shirt "I'm so sorry I didn't say anything, I didn't know what to do and I didn't want to believe it! But it's real, I'm pregnant! What am I going to do?!" she whimpered before dissolving in to hysterical sobs. Yuusuke wrapped her up in his arms and murmured soothing words as she cried. When she calmed some he loosened his arms and sat back tucking her to his side.

"So then you did know before?" Kurama asked eying her for a moment as she nodded. "I'll tell you what you are not going to do, and that is panic. Kagome, you have three able bodied males here who are ready and willing to share your burdens. We are your friends and your allies we should have realized sooner we could have been more help to you. Now that we do know however we shall assist you in every way possible, right Yuusuke?"

"Yeah of course, you won't need to worry over anything Kagome. Let us handle all the crazy stuff and you take care of you and the pup. I'm due for a vacation anyway so how would you like to take a small trip to Kyoto?" Yuusuke asked trying to make her smile. "We have a friend there who would be an awesome midwife."

"Yukina and Kuwabara, are the two you are thinking of going to see? " Kurama said tapping his chin. "That is a good idea with Kuwabara now a pediatrician though he hasn't found a practice that I know of yet. However as we do not how far along Kagome is at this time I'm not certain how wise it would be for her to travel. Perhaps inviting them here would be wiser."

"Shizuru and Botan, too Kagome is going to need female friends not just us. It would be slightly out of our way but do you want to check in with your family Kagome?" Yuusuke said curiously ignoring the advice of the kitsune.

Slowly Kagome shook her head 'no' "I'm not certain that would be a good idea." Kagome felt tears well up in her eyes as the thought of what her family would think of her situation. Her mother would be ecstatic but Gramps, he would be disappointed in his unmarried granddaughter who was baring the child of a youkai. Kagome just couldn't face that kind of rejection right now no matter where it came from.

Tears, Hiei hated tears. Kagome of course had every right to be upset and to need a release of her emotions but somehow Yuusuke and Kurama's words were making her cry more. Hiei walked over and shoved Yuusuke off the couch ignoring his cry of outrage and sat in his place. "Stop crying onna." He said locking his gaze with hers. "I know as much of babies as I do of hugs and cuddles but I will help in any way I can. I vow, Kagome that you and your child will want for nothing."

If Hiei had anticipated the affect his words would have on Kagome, he might have avoided the move she made next. Cobalt met carmine as a light blush dusted his cheeks but he refused to end the contact before she did. To do so would be like him running away and he would never run from Kagome. He assumed in hind sight that she had meant to kiss his cheek and that he sensing her movement should not have turned towards her. But her soft lips and her gentle scent were like a drug that dulled his sense of what he should and should not do towards her. Almost of their own accord Hiei's hands came up and threaded through her hair he would have closed his eyes and deepened the kiss but he tasted the bitterness of her tears on her lips. Confused Hiei pulled away.

The stress and strain of the evening was too much for Kagome and on top of everything she had just kissed Hiei. Whether unintentionally or not it had happened and now she felt her vision tunnel as she embraced the waiting darkness of unconsciousness willing to have a reason to put off the fall out of her accidental contact with the hiyoukai.

Yuusuke stood up and with all the control he could muster to keep a reign on both his temper and his power he carefully took Kagome's limp form from the apparition. He didn't know if he was more jealous of Hiei or Kagome. "Hiei, Kurama don't go anywhere I want to talk to you both. I'm going to put Kagome in her bed and I will be right back. I think we have some things to discuss." He said over his shoulder. Though he spoke quietly his words carried with them his authority as a Lesser King.

"I thought for sure that you were interested in the stronger sex. How long have you and Kagome been so intimate, Hiei?" Kurama demanded icily.

"Are you implying that I am interested in males Kurama?" Hiei asked in a deadly whisper. Never mind that it was half true in Yuusuke's case "Does it irritate you that badly that you are asking stupid questions? Kagome is not my lover and she never will be. That kiss meant nothing Fox. For being so intelligent you are being horribly foolish."

"Oh excuse me, but I saw her kiss you and you certainly didn't object. You never took notice of females before and that kiss was so very clumsy. One might think it was your very first time kissing a woman."

"Kurama I swear if you say one more word- it will be your last." Hiei growled.

It had been his first kiss in fact, though he was not by any means a virgin. He had never bothered with the softer expressions of affection he had no use for them when he had no intention of becoming attached to any of the women he had been in contact with. Kissing Kagome had been a mistake that he had immediately regretted because now he wanted more. Damn. And then there was the fact Yuusuke witnessed it, god damn it!

"Guys! Shut up!" Yuusuke snapped as he walked in and sat down his hair had lengthened and his Mazoku markings showed clearly. "It was an accident, Kurama. Kagome was aiming for his cheek and it happened, so what?" Yuusuke glared at the kitsune. "I think there is more to worry about than a kiss here guys. Kagome is pregnant with an hanyou pup that-"

"Should not be possible" Kurama interrupted. "Genetically Inuyasha being a creation of human and youkai should have been sterile. Yet Kagome is pregnant and I could only smell one scent mingled with hers as would happen with sex. It was the scent of the male whose blood was on her that night we found her. We have no reason to doubt her when she says it is Inuyasha's child."

"I was going to say she would have to raise it alone, but now that you mentioned that fact we have bigger worries."

"Obviously genetics were wrong. " Hiei stated acidly.

"Obviously." Kurama retorted his eyes narrowing angrily.

"You two fight like an old married couple!" Yuusuke said throwing up his hands.

"Yuusuke you will withdraw that comment this instant." Kurama warned reaching into his hair.

Hiei drew his katana with a hiss of steel. "I will not tolerate such an insult. I have no interest in the Fox."

"Tell us then Hiei who does have your interest?"

"Shut up Kurama!" He looked at the smug satisfaction on Kurama's face and prayed he would stop there.

"Shit guys, no need to get violent I was just saying you fight a lot. I was trying to get you back to the subject at hand. Us fighting won't help Kagome through all of this." Yuusuke said quickly.

Kurama drew a deep breath lowering his hand. "You are absolutely correct Yuusuke. Our fighting amongst ourselves will do nothing to help her. I propose a truce Hiei. I apologize for my loss of composure. Obviously I over reacted and I took it out on you. What do you say Hiei?" Kurama asked thoughtfully.

"For Kagome's sake- I agree." Hiei snapped slamming his sword back into the sheath "For the record I believe the term is bisexual."

Yuusuke swallowed ignoring the last comment by Hiei. "Good, now that's solved what are we going to do to help Kagome?" Yuusuke said crossing his arms in thought.

"Kagome will need special care: food, clothing and items for herself and the baby. If she hasn't already she will soon grow out of the clothes she has. Her dresses I purchased for her are too light to properly insulate her through winter. She stated to me that she has been sick at precisely 4:45 pm like clock work since before she left the Feudal Era, now as far as I can figure that was three weeks ago but clearly Kagome's pregnancy has advanced beyond the three week stage from the weight she has gained and the way her belly has rounded a little." Kurama voiced as he considered the issue at hand.

"At best I can only assume that since this child is hanyou that it has youki and that it is growing at a faster pace than a regular pregnancy. With that assumption the pup could be anywhere from one month to three months developed. To be certain of an estimated delivery date, I would have to conduct a blood test."

Yuusuke sighed, "Alright Kurama, I'll put you in charge of figuring that all out, in the mean time Hiei and I will try to get the other items and stuff Kagome will need. I can pick up some catalogs for Kagome so she can pick some things out herself and then we will pick them up. I think it goes without saying that this pregnancy will have to be kept under wraps."

Kurama raised a hand and placed it over his eyes wearily. "Inari, I didn't think of that. It's a hanyou or at least a child with some youki, keeping it under wraps may not be enough. He has eyes and ears everywhere. Yuusuke I know you meant well, but I don't think taking her out of the city is wise. Here she is hidden by our combined youki as long as she doesn't use her energy to fight and it never over powers ours. I believe I can safely seal her energy using a kitsune method that will be harmless to her and the child. It will be temporary at best but effective." His lips turned down, "I think I will go do that right now before another possible flare of her energy takes everything out of our hands. Pregnant women do tend to get a little violent and unreasonable according to mother." He concluded darting down the hall and up the stairs, Hiei and Yuusuke right behind him.

Stopping in his room Kurama walked over to his desk and sat down reaching up to his scalp he plucked four long strands of his hair and turned to Yuusuke. "I need four hairs from you too." He said before standing and plucking them.

"Do you need my hairs as well Kurama?" Hiei asked frowning.

"No, from you I'll need something a little different." Kurama muttered as he began to braid the strands together.

"And that would be?" Hiei demanded flatly.

Kurama set down the hair he had begun to braid, "I need you to cry Hiei."