Preparations

Kagome sat on the nest of fursand looked around the cave.

InuYasha defiantly went all out with this place. She thought.

There was a nice fire pit with river rocks placed around it, there where dishes he had borrowed from Kaede and the bed of furs was very comfortable.

The miko turned toward the entrance, which wasn't in sight for the long tunnel. Sesshomaru stood looking around the cave and then he turned to InuYasha who seemed a little tenser then he had been earlier before his half brother came in.

"You've made a decent den, little brother." Sesshomaru said as he inspected the den.

"Thanks, not that I care what you think." The hanyou scoffed. Despite his feelings toward Sesshomaru, he had stayed and help him protect his pack and his mate and his unborn daughter so even though he hated the hell out of his brother he was grateful to him.

The demon turned to his expecting pack sister and eyed the miko's large stomach. "How are you miko?" the demon asked, gesturing toward her belly.

Kagome smiled and rubbed her stomach lovingly and smiled up at her demon brother-in-law. "I'm fine, Sesshomaru, thank you for asking." The dog demon showed no emotion but he nodded in reply to the woman's answer.

InuYasha was getting antsy. He knew that Sesshomaru wasn't a threat, at lest not at the moment, but his instincts didn't like that another male demon was in the den he had made for his mate to birth safely.

"Ok you see she's fine can you leave now?" InuYasha snapped in his usual manor but his demon was just below the surface.

Sesshomaru nodded then turned to leave.

OOOOOOOOOOO

Sesshomaru walked from the cave and looked the three humans and the Kitsune.

"Return to the village and care for Rin. I will send Jaken for you when the miko goes into labor."

The rest of the members did as they were told but the monk stayed behind.

"I said to return to the village monk." Sesshomaru said without making eye contact.

"Yes I know but I must ask. Do you think Naraku will try something while Kagome is so vulnerable?" Sesshomaru lifted his nose to the air and gave a sniff.

"Possibly. Which is why the pack needs to prepare." Miroku nodded and looked to the cave where his friends where residing until the birth of their daughter. He wanted to help protect them, protect that child.

"Call for us when she goes into labor." Miroku said to which the demon lord nodded his consent.

OOOOOOOOOOO

Keade sat in her hut getting her birthing supplies ready. Kagome had just gone into her last month of pregnancy and the baby could come any day now. Best to be prepared.

The elder miko thought as she folded swaddling cloths to wrap the child in and other cloths and herbs meant to ease the birthing process.

"Lady Keade." The old woman looked to see Sango and Kikyo walking in to the hut.

"Ah, so InuYasha has gotten Kagome settled in his den?"

Kikyo nodded her head as she sat beside her younger sister looking over Keade's birthing supplies.

"InuYasha told me he wanted Izayoi to be wrapped his kimono. It'll defiantly keep the baby safe from the winter chill."

Keade nodded. "Aye, that fire rat fur of his will keep the babe very warm."

Miroku walked in then and sat down by the fire. "This weather doesn't seem good for a baby to be born in."

Kikyo looked toward the doorway. "Yes but InuYasha chose a good place for Kagome to give birth in. I'd rather have her here in this hut when she delivers but InuYasha's instincts won't have her out in the open."

Shippo hopped on Kikyo's shoulders, since the undead miko had joined the group Shippo had slowly began to get comfortable with.

"Makes since." The fox kit said. "Dog demons are very protective. InuYasha won't let anyone near Kagome even Sesshomaru, who hates InuYasha, will protect Kagome and Izayoi."

OOOOOOOOOO

The sun went down and InuYasha banked the fire in the den that he had Kagome would now reside in until Izayoi was born. InuYasha stood up and went to Kagome and kissed her head.

"You tired?" he asked her. Kagome nodded. "Little bit." The she looked down to her swollen middle. "But your little Izayoi doesn't seem to want to let me sleep." InuYasha smiled.

"I can take care of that." The hanyou said as he lowered his head to his mate's belly.

"Hey pup, give your mama a break, huh?" Kagome smiled as she ran her fingers through his silver bangs. "She ain't like us, she's only human." As soon as the gentle reprimand was given the kicking and moving Izayoi had been doing before stopped.

InuYasha looked to Kagome and smiled. Kagome smiled back. "Looks like she's a daddy's girl already."

No one could know how that made him feel. He loved his baby and her mother. He'd protect her and her mother.

The hanyou slipped underneath the furs next to his wife and held her protectively to his front.

OOOOOOOOOO

Ok readers there is only one maybe two more chapters left

Thank you to all of my readers that have patiently waited for each update and all of my positive reviewers, which are the only reviews I've had concerning this story. Thank you so much and Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.