Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.

Where Have My Feet Gone?

Dear Baby,

Your mama has blown up to the size of a hot air balloon.

I love you always,

Mama.

"I'm uuuugly!"

"You are still quite beautiful, lady Kagome."

"What do you mean she's beautiful? You keep your eyes on your own mate, monk!"

Kagome sniffed, then started wailing.

"Whaaaaat?"

"You think I'm ugly!"

"WHAT?"

Kagome pointed a finger in Miroku's direction as she screamed at him. "You told him I'm ugly!"

"What? I did not!"

"YOU DIIIiiiiiiiid!" Kagome's scream turned into the sniffles. "You all think I'm ugly now!"

"You are not! You're beautiful, Kagome. Tell her she's beautiful, monk!"

There was no answer. Kagome looked back and saw Sango waving goodbye to her from Kirara's back as the firecat took flight. Apparently Miroku and family thought it best to take the shorter route back to Kaede's. Great, she had driven her friends away with her bad temper. She would have plopped down on the ground in frustration, but she was too big to be plopping anywhere. The thought made tears well up in her eyes again. A hand landed gently on her shoulder, and she looked into concerned golden eyes.

"You ok?" he asked nervously.

"I'm fat!" she wailed, then tried to hug him, only to find that her arms wouldn't quite reach around him with her belly in the way. This only made the wail increase in pitch and volume. "And I'm uuuugly!"

Quickly Inuyasha moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her from the back, holding her close. "You are beautiful," he whispered in her ear before nuzzling her shoulder. "And you are carrying our baby. There is nothing ugly about that."

Kagome sniffled again, then wiped at her eyes. "I've outgrown all my clothes… and I haven't seen my feet in forever," she complained.

"They are still there," he assured her.

"And I haven't been able to shave my legs or anything. I look like a gorilla!"

"What?"

"And I waddle!"

"That's because you're..." he paused. Then changed his mind about what he was going to say. "You don't waddle. And you don't look like a gorilla. If you tell me how, I'll shave your stupid legs for you if it's that big of a deal."

Kagome stopped crying (thank the stars above) and looked up at him with star struck eyes. He was her hero. "You will?"

"Uh... sure."

"And paint my toenails?"

"Kagomeeeeee... that stuff smells!"

Her eyes welled up in tears again.

He caved, albeit grumpily. "Fine."

"And we'll have strawberry scented bubbles for the bath?"

"Sure, whatever."

She snuggled into his shoulder and his mind went a little blank.

"Will you get some yummy strawberries too?"

"Huh? Aren't they out of season?" he glanced at her quivering lip then cringed. "Um, yeah, I'll get some strawberries too. No problem." Surely somewhere or somewhen there must be strawberries available. Maybe a trip to one of those grocery stores in the future…

"And we'll pick out a place to build our cottage to raise our baby along the way."

"We ca... what?" He pulled back a little bit from his mate. He narrowed his eyes at her, slightly suspicious. "We talked about this, Kagome. We're going to your time to have the baby. It's safer."

She frowned at him. "My mother was just a little over protective, Inuyasha. She didn't really mean it. I'd rather be surrounded by friends and family when I have the baby, not in some cold impersonal place like a hospital. Ok, maybe not while I'm actually having the baby. I want our baby to be surrounded by love the moment he or she comes into this world."

It was Inuyasha's turn to frown. "You don't want to have it in your time because you think that people will think the baby is a freak if there are ears on top of the head."

SHE BIT HIM! She actually bit him!

"You bit me!"

"SIT!"

For the first time in quite some time, Inuyasha hit the ground. He hadn't really missed that particular pull of magic.

"Don't you dare say that to me!" she yelled down at him. "I love your ears! And if our baby has your ears I will squeal like a giddy school girl! You hear me?"

"Kagome... be reasonable..." The magic wasn't budging.

"SIT!" She took a breath, and he prepared himself for the following three sits. He recalled a bit late when the book had said about mood swings. She took another deep breath and he braced himself for some more sits. But instead she got a sort of a strangled look and she gasped.

"I...Inuyasha?" she said in a small voice. Then she grabbed her stomach and fell to her knees.

"KAGOME!"

The scent of blood had his adrenaline pumping, but the magic of the rosary still had him trapped. He screamed in frustration as the magic kept him bound to the ground as his mate screamed in pain.

"It's too early," she panted as she leaned against a tree for support. She looked at Inuyasha in terror. "Inuyasha…. "

He watched helplessly as Kagome began to bleed and cry. With a fierce roar he managed to break free of the spell and he scooped Kagome up in his arms just as her knees buckled and she passed out. No no no no no no no. Gods no!

He would NOT lose Kagome.

He couldn't lose her.

The forest went by in a blur. His feet flew past Kaede's village and took them farther. On the race towards the well he remembered Kagome's mother's story about when nearly lost Kagome. Images of tiny claws ripping at his mate's stomach flashed in his mind. He had claws as a baby hadn't he?

Why hadn't he turned human for her? Why had he been so selfish and put her in danger like this? Would having a partial demon baby kill her? Hadn't his own mother nearly died giving birth to him? She never fully recovered. What kind of life had he doomed Kagome to? If she... no. No. No thinking that. Never think THAT.

Please don't take her away from me, he begged whoever may have been listening. I can't live without her.

Inuyasha leapt into the well and slowed down just long enough yell for her mother as he raced through the well house doors and past the shrine. He barely got a glimpse of the frightened woman opening the door as he ran at full speed to the hospital. Luckily he had been there often enough for checkups with Kagome that he didn't have to waste time asking anyone directions.

Humans in white and green clothing took his mate from his arms... but only after the doctor he recognized showed up. He had to let her go so they could save her. He knew that. But it didn't make letting them take her any easier.

The pain in his soul was ripping him apart. He roared her name in anguish.

Please Kid,

You and your mama need to survive. You have to.

Your Dad (Inuyasha)

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo

Author's Note:

Too evil?