Chapter 9: To Be a Father- part 1

Once again the group had left the village and onto the next. Inuyasha and Kagome, as usual, took the lead with Kagome holding Ai again.

Shippo hitched a ride on Kirara, who walked behind Inuyasha and Kagome.

Miroku and Sango walked behind the rest down the dirt road.

Sango's head kept bobbing and her eyes kept wanting so desperately to close. She had spent the whole night getting up and taking care of Ai and it had made her very tired the next day.

She didn't want to complain to the others and let on she was so tired, she didn't want to slow anyone down.

Miroku looked over at her and a mischievous smile formed, he knew how to wake her. Holding his staff in his left hand he reached out with his right and stroked her rear.

Without opening her eyes any further than they were, Sango brought her hand upwards and smacked him right on the cheek, leaving a huge red hand print.

She yawned as he tenderly rubbed his throbbing face, so much for that theory.

Kagome looked behind her, "Are you alright Sango, do we need to stop and rest," as soon as she got the words out, Inuyasha grumbled the words, 'we don't have time.' Kagome frowned at him.

'Thanks for the concern Inuyasha,' Sango thought frowning, but put on a fake smile, "No, I'm alright," she lied stretching.

"There's the village," Shippo announced with a smile as he pointed ahead.

"Finally," Kagome sighed.

As soon as they had a hut, Sango had fallen deep asleep on her bed. Kagome smiled, 'Guess she got tired from taking care of Ai last night,' she thought, but was grateful.

Kagome looked over at Ai then over to Inuyasha, who lay on his bed, looking quite bored.

Kagome smiled, "Um, Miroku, can you help me with something," she asked making the monk jump as he was staring at the sleeping Sango, ready to act perverted again.

"Yes, of course, what is it," he asked, slightly confused.

Kagome took him by the hand and rushed out of the hut, "Watch Ai for me, ok Inuyasha," she had told him before exiting.

Inuyasha looked confused and slightly panicked, him watch the doll by himself?

Kagome didn't let go of Miroku's hand until they were to the nearby forest, "What is it Kagome," Miroku frowned.

Kagome didn't like messing with Inuyasha like this, but she knew if she wanted him to be a good father someday, he would have to learn how sometime and now was the perfect time, but Inuyasha wasn't the only one she wanted to teach something to.

"Miroku, how much do you know about being a dad," Kagome asked him staring at him.

Miroku looked at her like she was crazy, "Why do you ask?"

"You know, you and Sango having kids, being a dad," Kagome tried getting him to work with her on this.

"I don't know what you are talking about," Miroku said nervously, but Kagome wasn't giving up that easily.

Back at the hut, Inuyasha looked at Ai and over to Shippo and Kirara, who had also fallen asleep, he was truly alone with the thing.

Inuyasha liked watching Kagome take care of the baby and didn't mind holding her when Kagome was around to assist if he needed it, but now he was alone and didn't really know what to do.

He tapped his fingers on the floor and took a nervous kind of deep breath.

Soon Ai began crying and Inuyasha jumped. Sango groaned as she rolled over in her sleep and Shippo mumbled in his sleep. Inuyasha didn't want to wake the others, but what could he do?

He went over and grabbed Ai, trying to rock her, without luck. "Just great," he grumbled holding Ai with one hand and fishing through the baby's stuff in Kagome's bag with the other.

He came to a bottle, but apparently it wasn't Ai's feeding time as she continued to cry.

Inuyasha finally had to take Ai and the bag outside so the others wouldn't wake up. "Come on, stop crying," he said even though he knew it wouldn't work.

Inuyasha got another idea as he grabbed a diaper from the bag. He wasn't sure he could wrap Ai up in one, but he would try.

He mumbled to himself, "Place the doll here and wrap the diaper like this," following his own instructions and managed to get a clean diaper on her and expose of the used one.

Inuyasha smiled proudly, Ai had quieted down and as he was about to make his way back into the hut, she started to cry again.

"What now," Inuyasha growled, but then as he looked down he realized he was only holding her with one arm. He placed the bag on the ground and took Ai in both arms, rocking her gently.

Ai slowly got quieter until she only made one last low cry. Inuyasha smiled, 'she is cute,' he thought with a sigh. He knew it would be hard to be a father, but he knew he could do it, with practice, love and Kagome beside him.

Kagome decided to take a new tactic, "Look if you're going to ask every woman to bear your child sooner or later it will happen and you need to step up and be the father you should be," she said her hands on her hips and staring at him with a glare.

Miroku rubbed his head nervously and chuckled.

"That's why, I'm going to give you a test," Kagome smiled mischievously at Miroku. Miroku's face looked frightened, 'What is she thinking?' he thought to himself.

A/N: short, I know, but I'm running out of stuff, sigh, I'm working on other stories as well, so give me credit and please review.