Hello (echoes...)
Is there anyone still out there that wants to read a new chapter?
I have an extra long one! (trying to bride old readers to return...)
I know I haven't updated in a long while but my life hasn't been giving me time to sit down and write. I have classes to attend to, my grandma to take care of since she has been living with me for the past 3months so... yeah, it's been chaotic!
Nevertheless, I managed to have some time today to sat and finish this chapter.
I hope you guys will like reading this chapter, because the idea seemed funny for me so... I had much fun writing it.
Here is my newest chapter; Thank you very much for all your support so far and I hope to hear from you guys soon!
I'm sorry for any mistakes that might appear.
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA!
Enjoy! ;)
P.S - Since we haven't been in touch for a while, no matter how late it seems, HAPPY 2012 EVERYONE! :D
Chapter 13 - Double Birth
"NO!" – she shouted, jerking away from her sleeping position.
Calming her breath, Kagome glanced around to see what was wrong. Nothing seemed out of place except her heart, which was still beating uncontrollably. Leaning back against her bed frame, she exhaled slowly. It had been 6 weeks since Hiroyuki's appendicitis and since she had met Inuyasha and Miroku in the coffee shop. 6 weeks since she had been hold by Inuyasha like that and since she had started dreaming about her prom night again.
Closing her eyes, Kagome listened attentively as if there was any sound from the house. Nothing; Hiroyuki was still asleep, thank goodness. Sometimes, when she or he had nightmares he used to come in running into her bed and stayed with each other until morning, holding her close. Still, that dream wasn't a bad dream, she thought as she opened her eyes a little; it was a precious gift, a once in a lifetime dream she had the opportunity to live, whose result slept peacefully in the next room.
Hiroyuki had gone under surgery and recovery very quickly; he was a hanyou after all. Still, Kagome couldn't help but feel happy, whenever she entered his room, in the hospital, and saw Inuyasha and her son talking and laughing together. Felt natural but she was quite quick to hide her true feelings because whenever Inuyasha turned around, she already had a cold mask on her face. She limited her visits to the maximum and prayed that she wouldn't meet Inuyasha every time she had to go there. Still that seemed quite impossible; Inuyasha seemed to have made Hiroyuki's health his priority and seemed to spend quite some time with him. Merely when she brought her son home, she could breathe properly.
Kouga had been coming to the hospital a lot more often, bringing her gifts, flowers and inviting her for dinner and lunch. They weren't dating, for Kagome was more than confused about what her feelings were; still, Kagome understood quite quickly that she couldn't and wouldn't go out with Kouga if she felt something yet for Inuyasha. It didn't felt correct to any of them, her and Kouga.
Kikyo had been unbearable lately. She picked a fight with every nurse she could find, but most especially with Kagome. The young nurse, however, did not let herself get intimidated by her and answered in the same tune of voice. Kagome dreaded the day Kikyo would find out about Hiroyuki's father but was also ready to fight for him for as long as she could. After all, she ought to be prepared for any kind of attack that Kikyo could launch, even if she aimed to harm her son.
On the other side of the town, in another bedroom, Inuyasha also awoke with a startled gasp. Breathing heavily, he noticed he was covered in sweat.
"Dammit…" - he said, combing his hair with his fingers.
The dream had been plaguing his mind since he had left for the USA but after his return to Japan, his influence had become extremely stronger. Every night it started the same: he would fall asleep and dreamed about nothing for a while; then she'd come, dressed as a Greek goddess and they'd started dancing, he and Kagome. It felt so real… almost as if he had experienced it in reality. Then they stopped dancing and started another kind of dance where Inuyasha would kiss her neck, and lavish her mouth, and undress her and…
"Dammit!" – he shouted, muffling his voice in the pillow. He tried to get back to sleep but ended up with his belly upwards, looking at the meticulous wooden sculpted roof above his head.
He could feel pretty much how hard that dream had caused him to be and tried not to think about it. Still, the question was in his mind: why did it felt so real and so right? He felt as if it was his "duty", as if his place was beside her every day and every night… almost as if everything had happened but… why?
He wasn't feeling guilty for dreaming about her in that way. He had Kikyo, he had a girlfriend… shouldn't he be feeling pretty guilty?
Thinking back to his talk to Miroku, he realized that he couldn't feel guilty. There was simply no more love between him and Kikyo. He had barely met Kagome since then, respecting her decision of being simply her son's doctor; that didn't mean he wasn't spending every available minute he had with the kid, while he had been in the hospital. Miroku had also counseled him that becoming her friend once more was the best thing. But was that only what he wanted? Simply being friends?
In that moment, the door of the room in front of his was opened and crept into the silence of the mansion. Curious, he stood up, forgetting about his problems and went to the door. Listening quietly, he could hear someone was walking through the corridor. Cracking his door open a little, Inuyasha saw…
"Kikyo?" – he mumbled quietly. She didn't listen. He glanced at his desk table, and the clock marked 3h30.
She was walking too carefully, he noticed, as if she didn't want to be found out. Inuyasha saw her turning around the corner and heard the first step of the staircase creak. Leaving his room behind him, Inuyasha followed her into the lower floor, into his father's library, where the light was up. He saw Kikyo through the creek of the door and how she picked her cell phone and waited. After a few minutes, she talked in a tune of voice Inuyasha had never once heard her before use:
"Hello, love…"
Inuyasha hold a breath. Love? Who was she talking to, like that? He listened more carefully.
"I know, I miss you too… my bed gets too big without you here… I know we can't take any risks… he's upstairs sleeping… of course I'm not sleeping in the same bed! You perfectly well know that, if it weren't for you, back in the USA… I guess I would never have been able to make so much exercise… thank goodness you were there to hold me… I love you too… you know I do…"
Inuyasha could hardly breathe, with all the rage he felt. Was he hearing correctly? Kikyo was cheating on him? And since the USA, when he was still in love with her?
"Yes, I know… I'm trying as hard as I can! She's a stubborn one… no, I mean… our plan worked in the past but now I doubt it… she simply doesn't care about Inuyasha anymore… we have to get a way to take her out of our way… they are the perfect patients but… there's no helping it then… Kagome has to be taken care of…"
Inuyasha had to hold himself not to break Kikyo's neck in that moment. She was threatening Kagome? And who was she talking to? What was she plotting?
A hand on his shoulder made him flinch and he turned to fight when he saw Sesshomaru placing a finger upon his mouth and holding his shoulder with another hand. He made a sign for him to keep quiet and Inuyasha complied.
"But dear… that's too risky! I might end up… of course I trust you… Inuyasha might get suspicious… of course I love you! Why are you asking? ... Ah! As if anyone could love a hanyou like that! I mean, except for that stupid girl... you perfectly well know why I am here… all I care about is our business… of course that a few jewels won't get me any extra weight…" - she said with a smirk that even Inuyasha could hear in her voice. - "Yes, I still have the powder… okay then… can we meet tomorrow? In your office? I promise I'll wear something spicy… okay, dream of me then… bye…"
Sesshomaru pushed Inuyasha out of the way and into the darkest corner of the living room, as they saw Kikyo got up the stairs silently. After they heard her door close and Sesshomaru made sure he heard her get into bed, both entered the library and, as Sesshomaru sat in one of the armchairs, Inuyasha punched and tossed every book he could, in a silent protest.
"Can you calm down? You'll wake her up if you keep doing this much noise…"
"I'm so stupid! Such an idiot!"
"Yeah, I had noticed already…"
Inuyasha turned to Sesshomaru and, seeing him so calm, he couldn't help being suspicious:
"You're not furious?"
"No. It isn't the first time she does this kind of calls… I've heard all the hideous things she says about you… including the way you can't fully please her…"
"Shut it! I don't need to hear it from you! Why didn't you tell me?" – shouted Inuyasha, furious and embarrassed. Sesshomaru quirked a brow.
"You wouldn't believe me now, would you? After all… you've done that in the past, remember?"
Inuyasha didn't answer, yet he tossed a book over his shoulder, furious.
"Now what will you do?" – asked Sesshomaru, still watching him closely.
"Toss her out. Immediately…" - Inuyasha said, turning towards the door.
"You won't do that." – Sesshomaru said, calmly and without lifting up. Inuyasha stopped and turned around surprised.
"What?"
"If you do that, I won't be able to protect Kagome…"
"You have been protecting her? Since when?"
"Sit down."
Inuyasha obeyed, waiting to hear some explanations.
"Who was Kikyo talking to on the phone?"
"That I don't know. I haven't figured out yet… still, since you came back from the USA, Kikyo has been planning this kind of thing. I've heard several kinds of calls like that, always made up at this time of the night. Until I figure out who she's talking with, I won't let you kick her out…"
"But why is she threatening Kagome's life? What did she do?"
"Well, let's just say that Kagome is some sort of "collateral damage" for them; she is the nurse of two of the oldest patients from Shikon Hospital, that own an international and multimillionaire company that I now represent."
"Are you saying… this is all for money?"
"Yes. As you might have noticed, Kikyo has a certain obsession for money and rich people…"
"Yeah," - Inuyasha said, bittersweet and averting his gaze towards a carpet. – "I've noticed that already…"
Sesshomaru looked at him again, like he was scanning him.
"Are you still planning on marrying her?"
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive. I never proposed it to her and thank goodness I won't…"
"Why? You were so in love with her…"
"Yeah. I think I was merely deluded at the time."
"Deluded? That you were in love with her?"
Inuyasha recalled the dream he had just experienced.
"Yeah. I think I was in love with someone else… that I still am… someone who I didn't want to admit I had feelings for…"
"Inuyasha…" - Sesshomaru said, quietly. - "… what do you know about mates?"
"Mates? Isn't that a legend? Something that was related to our ancestors…"
"No, no it isn't. It's quite true actually…"
"Kikyo always said she didn't believe something like that…" - Inuyasha said, his face growing dark. – "Since I already know she has been lying to me… what is this mate's thing?"
In that moment, Sesshomaru's cell phone started ringing. He looked at the screen and said, before picking up:
"It's Kagome. Yes?"
Inuyasha watched his brother's face turn into a worried one and he said:
"Calm down, dear. Rin is working tonight… yes… We'll be right there…"
"What happened?" – the younger brother asked as Sesshomaru turned off.
"Go and get dressed. Sango's gone into labor, things aren't going well and it seems like Miroku isn't listening to anyone… Kagome needs us there…"
"She probably won't want me there…" - Inuyasha admitted sadly.
Sesshomaru grabbed him by the pajamas and shook him strongly, saying in a dangerous voice:
"If you intend to let the woman you love go so easily, it's not my problem… but I warn you it might be the last time and the last chance you have to get her back…"
Inuyasha seemed surprised at his brother's affirmation. How did he know who he was thinking about? Still, he pondered his words for a few moments and followed his brother upstairs to get changed.
They arrived at the ER after a few minutes. Miroku was walking forwards and backwards, unable to stay still, under Kagome's attentive gaze. At her side, Hiroyuki was sleeping soundly his head in her lap, still dressed in his pajamas and with her mother's coat over him. When she saw them, her gaze laid a little on Inuyasha, before turning to Sesshomaru:
"Thank goodness you came! I don't know what else I can do to calm him…"
"I'll handle him." – Sesshomaru said, walking towards Miroku. Kagome and Inuyasha watched as he approached their friend and started talking with him. He saw Sesshomaru talk to him gently at first and then saw him starting to get angry.
"Miroku…" - he warned.
"No, you shut it! You have no idea what I feel right now! I can't do anything and I'm a doctor! I feel… what if…what if something happens?"
"Nothing is going to happen." – Sesshomaru said, as calmly as he could. Inuyasha could see his brother starting to get furious so he interfered, much to Kagome's surprise:
"Oy, Miroku! If you believe something is going to happen is because you don't trust Sango to be strong enough!"
"Are you stupid!" – Miroku shouted, looking at his friend. – "Of course I trust her!"
"Then stop being an asshole and stay quiet! That's the only way you can help now!" – Inuyasha shouted. Miroku seemed to get it and stopped talking. He gulped hard and looked around the room.
"Inuyasha is right, Miroku." – Kagome said, surprising the hanyou. – "You know how strong Sango is, and besides Rin is with her…"
"Then, why can't I enter? I want to be near my wife…" - he whimpered.
"Rin didn't let you in because you were too much nervous! She told you that once you've calmed down enough you could enter…"
"… I suppose you're right, Kagome… I'm going outside for a little…" - Miroku said, leaving the room.
Once they were alone, Sesshomaru asked her:
"Rin didn't let him in?"
"No. He was so nervous he called me before even remembering calling an ambulance! Seems like Sango's waters broke when she was in the bath but she only noticed she was in labor when she felt the contractions closer to each other…"
"Is that possible? I mean, don't every woman notice when they go into labor?" – Sesshomaru asked.
"It's a lot more common than you think, Sesshomaru." – Inuyasha said. – "Many woman mistake labor pains with strains and sudden movements they do, while being pregnant…"
"I see…"
At that moment Rin appeared, looking for them:
"Hey, guys! Where's Miroku?"
"Outside, why?"
"Sango has just completely done the dilatation. She'll start pushing any minute now so I came to get him…"
As if on cue, Miroku appeared running in their direction:
"What happened? Where's Sango?"
"She's fine. She's been a brave girl till now… do you want to come in?"
"Of course I want!"
"Are you calmer?" – asked Kagome.
"Yes I am."
"Remember not to piss her off… and don't forget that, no matter what you hear in there…" - Kagome pointed inside. - "… she doesn't mean it truly, ok?"
"Ok…" - said Miroku visibly sweating.
"See you later…" - Rin said, kissing Sesshomaru. – "Be sure to wait me, ok? You might have a surprise…"
There was something in the way their eyes clashed and in the way Inuyasha flinched his nose that told Kagome that, whatever it was, she didn't want to know…
"Of course I'll wait… we'll celebrate after…" - she heard Sesshomaru said in a low and rough tune. Kagome and Inuyasha both blushed and become even redder when their eyes crossed themselves, proving that both understood what Sesshomaru was implying.
After Miroku and Rin left, Sesshomaru had to answer a phone call so Kagome and Inuyasha were left alone in the waiting room. Inuyasha glanced around, nervously and Kagome smirked, when she saw he was nervous. Suddenly he turned to her, pointed to the chair beside her and asked, quietly:
"Can I...?"
Kagome looked at the chair and nodded. Inuyasha sat down, looking around. Kagome's hand went to Hiroyuki's hair, combing it gently as she looked at her son lovingly. That action seemed to catch Inuyasha's attention, as he saw her doing it over and over again.
"You used to do that to me too…" - he said, almost whispering.
"I know… he has loved it since he was a little baby…" - Kagome said, also whispering, without her eyes ever leaving her son. Hiroyuki mumbled something and she smiled.
Inuyasha watched her fascinated, for a long time. When Sesshomaru returned, he stayed out of view as he saw the way his little brother watched over his yet unknown mate and pup. He retreated to another corner of the room, from where he could see Rin if she appeared and the couple, but didn't approach them.
"Why did you say that to Miroku? About what Sango might say, inside…"
"Oh, that..." – Kagome said, giggling a little and earning a smile from him. – "I didn't want him to be ready to sign the papers for divorce once it all has ended…"
Inuyasha seemed confused so Kagome explained:
"Well, you know when woman go into labor… sometimes they blame their husbands for their pains… and they curse them and shout and say… well, strong words…"
Inuyasha smirked and asked her:
"You too?"
Kagome's smile was even wider when she stared at him:
"You have no idea! Sango was with me all the time and she says she didn't know I had such a filthy mouth…"
"How long did you stay in there, before giving birth?"
"12 hours."
"12 hours! How did you manage…?"
"Women are strong creatures, Inuyasha…" - she stated proudly. Then her voice grew sweeter. – "And in the end, it was all worth it…"
Inuyasha glanced at Hiroyuki's peaceful face.
"He's a good kid… you've raised him well…"
"… Thank you…" - she said, her voice breaking a little in the end.
"He talks a lot about you, you know?" – he said, for Kagome's surprise. – "He says you're the best mom ever!"
"He does?" – she asked, as if she was insecure. Inuyasha nodded and continued.
"While he was in the hospital we talked a lot about a lot of things, but you were the thing he wanted to talk about the most. He told me you had to raise him all alone and that you didn't let him do everything he wanted, only what was right to do. He said that you knew a lot of things, that you never cheated and he didn't do it too, and that you always answered his questions. He even asked me…" - he started but stopped, blushing.
"What? What did he ask?"
"I know I shouldn't have said that but he insisted he wanted to know…"
"What did he want to know?" – Kagome asked, suddenly afraid.
"He wanted to know where I knew you from. I told him we… we had been friends once…" - Inuyasha said, looking at the floor. Kagome couldn't help but smile at his embarrassment.
"It's okay. It wasn't a lie…"
Inuyasha looked at her, embarrassed and sad. Kagome was suddenly very eager for Sesshomaru to arrive.
"Kagome… I… I'm sorry…"
"…"
"I mean it… I know now you were right… you all were right, about Kikyo…" - he said, looking at his hands, not able to watch her. Kagome noticed how he seemed sad and even older so she listened while he talked. – "When you left, that day on the park… what you said about Kikyo… I think at the time I already knew you were right but I didn't ... I didn't want to listen… I was too blind to see that Kikyo was more interested in my money than in me…"
"…What made you understand that?"
"When I was in the USA… I noticed what kind of person she was, but I couldn't push her away because… because if I did, I would be all alone. I wanted desperately to believe someone was able to love me as I was, as a hanyou… I missed the signs all because of that…"
"…"
"Can… can you forgive me?"
"For what?"
"For the things I said… for not believing you… I really am sorry, Kagome…" - he said, lifting his eyes for the first time, since he had started talking.
Kagome gulped hard, at the contact their eyes made. Then she took a breath and glanced at Hiroyuki. Thinking about her son, Kagome said:
"You know that… that I can't say that I forgive you and everything goes back to normal. It doesn't work that way. I mean, you've hurt me…"
"I know. And I also don't expect you to forgive me as simple as that! That would be asking for too much… I'm asking for a chance to prove you I've changed."
"For the better, I hope…" - she said, a small smirk on her face.
"Yeah… I mean, I also hope that it has been for the best…" - he said, hope in his eyes. Looking at him, Kagome couldn't help but laugh.
"What?"
"You're still the same… you still look like a lost pup that jumps higher than anyone every time he gets a compliment!"
Inuyasha smiled openly.
"Well, it was a compliment from my former best friend, after all…"
Kagome couldn't help but smile tenderly at the memories that surged in her mind.
"Remember that time when you said that, in the future you'd always be looking after me? Because if I ended up alone I would mess things up big time?" – Inuyasha asked.
"Yes, I do. And if I remember correctly, you ended up throwing me in the pond for it, saying you didn't needed a babysitter."
"I dived after you, to rescue you; in the end, the one who needed a babysitter was you."
"But you did throw me on purpose."
"No, I didn't."
"Yes, you did"
"Did not..."
"Did too."
"Did not…"
Kagome couldn't help but laugh. He smirked.
"Seems like it was a long time ago…"
"Yeah… 5years is a long time…"
Recalling the conversation with Miroku, Inuyasha said:
"That day… in the coffee shop…"
Kagome turned at him, both insecure and curious.
"Miroku was telling me about Hiroyuki's father…"
Kagome hold her breath and felt her heart going wild. What had Miroku told him?
"I think that guy was a jerk… for leaving you…"
Kagome almost fell back, on her seat, surprised by his answer.
"Why… why do you say that?" – she said, trying to rearrange herself.
"Well, Miroku said he left you for his girlfriend… and… and what went through your head, Kagome?" – he asked, sounding almost scolding. – "Why did you let yourself get involved with someone who already had a girlfriend?"
Kagome stared at him for a while, incredulous.
"Miroku…" - he said, calmer and quietly, glancing at Hiroyuki. – "He told me you suffered a lot… because of him…"
Kagome gulped hard. She had suddenly understood what Miroku had done and internally, she smiled. Outside she tried to hold herself to answer his conversation in the best way she could.
"What else did he told you?"
"That you were in love with him…" - Inuyasha said, looking in her direction. She took one deep breath and stared at his eyes as strongly as she could.
"Yes. Yes, I was. But he didn't love me, in return. He was deeply in love with his girlfriend and we had drunk too much that night… it happened…"
"And you didn't care that he was compromised?"
"How can you say that? Of course I cared, I was thinking about that as soon as I wake up!"
"Then why…?"
"How do you command your heart, Inuyasha?"
"What?" – he asked, surprised.
"How do you say to your heart that you're not supposed to love that person? Your head knows it, but your heart insists… how do you win that fight?"
He was silent for a while, before saying:
"I'm sorry I wasn't there… when… when you needed me the most…"
"… It's… it's fine… it's in the past..."
"Yeah…yeah, you're right…" - he said. For Kagome he seemed a little dejected, but she quickly convinced herself that she was seeing things.
After a few moments in silence, Inuyasha asked once more, his eyes on Hiroyuki:
"How old is he?"
"He turned 5 this year, a few months ago…"
"And… does his father…?"
"We haven't spoken in 5years and he doesn't even know that he exists." – Kagome said, cutting him and looking away.
"He's really an idiot… he doesn't know what he's missing… but your son says he is going to meet his father. Is he coming back?"
"No. Leaving me, even without knowing at the time that Hiroyuki may come to happen was his choice. If he ever appears again… well, of course I want Hiroyuki to meet him. He already starts asking the kind of questions where even I can't answer him truthfully."
"He's curious?"
"Too much! And stubborn!" – she sighed, with a smile. – "Whenever there is something he wants, he doesn't stop until it's his! He has troubles listening to people around him… his opinion is always correct and he does too many questions!"
Inuyasha laughed and smiled at the tune of voice he heard in hers: it was filled with adoration, proud, playfulness and, most of all, love.
"You seem to love him a lot… I mean, of course you do, you're his mother… still, it was really brave of you, Kagome… having to raise a hanyou by yourself…"
"Don't call him that, please…" - she asked, in a calm sweet voice. Even he was surprised by the gentleness in her. – "If I recall correctly you didn't seem to like that expression too much yourself. Being a hanyou doesn't mean he's less than anyone. He is the most important thing to me, right now… he's been the one who gives me strength to get up every morning and fight for a future. He's my life…"
Inuyasha merely nodded, surprised by her speech. Instinctively he reached forward and grabbed her hand. Kagome's breath hitched in her throat. In his corner, Sesshomaru smirked.
"I... I wanted to… I want you to take back what you said…"
"Wh… what did… what I said? What did I say?"
"About us not being friends… it hurt me, hearing you talking like that…"
She took her hand out of his. Her eyes were firm.
"I'm not taking it back, Inuyasha."
"But you said…"
"I said I had forgiven you. That's not the same as forgetting."
"So tell me what I have to do to make things right between us!"
"Us!" – shouted a voice, across the hall.
Kouga was standing, staring at them perplexed, still dressed in his police uniform.
"Kouga… it's not…"
"You big son of a…!" – Kouga shouted, jumping into Inuyasha's direction. Inuyasha merely was able to stand up to block the attack as Kouga punched him straight in the face. Inuyasha stumbled back and Kagome raised herself, as Hiroyuki awoke with the commotion.
"Stop it, you two!" – she shouted.
"You bastard! You hurt her and now that you're back, you want her back once more! Want more fun? Regretted it, was it?" – Kouga shouted, as he walked in Inuyasha's direction, who tried to steady himself up.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Kouga! Inuyasha!"
"Well, I have news for you, pal! Kagome's not interested. She doesn't need you anymore! So you can go back and disappear! 5years or 50! I don't care!"
"What, you're deciding her friends for her?" – Inuyasha asked, smirking. He was bleeding from his forehead. He made a giggling sound, mocking him. – "What, you're afraid of competition?"
"You son of a…!" – Kouga said, launching himself forward, ready to punch him again.
In a blur of silver, Hiroyuki stood in front of Inuyasha, his arms opened wide, in a protective position. He even showed Kouga his fangs, much to Kagome's surprise and shock. Kouga was too fast and barely saw him.
"NO!" – she shouted, frightened.
Inuyasha reacted instinctively and placed his arms around the child, protecting him from Kouga's punch and offering his back at his enemy. Kouga's hand never reached Inuyasha's, since Sesshomaru intervened and grabbed his wrist in the last minute.
"I wouldn't do it, if I were you…" - he warned coldly, as Kagome raced between them. Kouga saw her coming, her eyes on Inuyasha and reacted instinctively, grabbing her arm and yanking his other one from Sesshomaru's grasp.
"Kouga! Let go!"
"Stay away from him!" – he ordered her, livid and grasping her a little too much.
"What? Kouga, let me go! You're hurting me!" – she said, surprised and trying to break free.
"He hurt you!" – he said, stopping her for moments. – "Remember that… don't fall for him again…"
"Kouga…" - she said, confused.
"Let go of my mom!" – shouted a voice behind him. Kouga turned to stare wide eyed at a miniature of his rival. For moments he was amazed at how Inuyasha couldn't see the similarities, even when the child was standing in front of him. Then he realized that he was still grasping a fighting Kagome and let her go.
Kagome, massaging her wrist walked hurriedly towards Hiroyuki, kneeling and grasping him in her arms.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes. Inuyasha protected me!" – he said, proudly.
"Don't you ever do that again! How many times have I ever told you not to fight in battles that aren't concerned with you?"
"But… Inuyasha is a friend!" – he said, pouting a little, trying to defend himself.
"Thank you, kid, but this time your mom is right…" – came Inuyasha's voice from behind them, while he ruffled the kid's hair. – "I can defend myself."
"But you're hurt!"
"It's nothing…"
"Let me take a look…" - Kagome said, motioning him to kneel too.
Kouga simply stared, as despair took over his form while watching how close Inuyasha was of Kagome. Looking at them so close, with Hiroyuki beside Kagome and with her touching his forehead they looked almost like a perfect family.
"How bad is it?" – Inuyasha asked. His eyes were concentrated in Kagome's lips and for some reason he couldn't pry them away.
"It's nothing serious, but… you'll have to get a few stitches…"
"Dammit…where's the nurse?" – he asked, glancing around.
"I'm in front of you, Inuyasha… geez…"
"You'll stitch me?"
"Consider it a payment for protecting Hiroyuki…" - she said, with a smirk.
That was what triggered Kouga's reaction. He walked towards Kagome, whisked her away from Inuyasha's presence and, grabbing her by both arms much to everyone's surprise, forced his lips into hers. Kagome stared for a while, her brain looking like she was trying to understand the situation and then she struggled to get away from his grasp.
Inuyasha, who seemed to have frozen in place, when he saw Kagome struggling to get free, got up so fast that even he didn't know how he did it. His blood boiled so he dived for Kouga and punched him straight on the face, making him stumble backwards.
"What do you think you're doing? You bastard…!" – shouted Inuyasha, hiding Kagome behind his back.
"Shut up, you mutt face! She's my girl! Stay out of this!" – Kouga said, as he walked in Inuyasha's direction. Kagome moved from behind the silver haired man, walking past him and into Kouga's direction.
"Kagome…"
SLAP!
The sound echoed by all the room. Kouga stared wide eyed at Kagome, his hand upon where she had slapped him, while she stared too.
"Kagome…"
"Leave."
"Wh… what?"
"Leave now, Kouga."
"But…"
"I don't want to see you right now… you disappointed me… how could you?"
"Kago…"
"Don't. Just… just leave…"
Kouga stared at her, surprised.
"I'll call you tomorrow, ok? "– he said, hesitantly.
She didn't look in his direction when he left, or when he grabbed her hand and kissed it. Meanwhile, Inuyasha was experiencing some sort of strange combination between jealousy and happiness. When Kouga forcedly kiss Kagome, he had almost seen red in his head and was merely relieved when Kagome slapped Kouga. That meant she wasn't interested and that he still might have a chance… In his mind, the phrase "Kouga is leaving!" kept repeating itself as a mantra and in his face a smile was starting to appear.
Sesshomaru noticed it, so to prevent him from looking like an arrogant bastard, elbowed him and the action made him wince in pain. Kagome, who seemed lost in thoughts and looking at the place where Kouga had been just a few minutes ago, turned around quickly, surprised.
"Inuyasha… sorry, I forgot…"
"You'd better stitch him quickly, Kagome… if he loses any more blood, he might became even more stupid than he already is."
"Feh… it's nothing…"
"It's not "nothing"!" – she said, motioning him to get up. – "Sesshomaru, can you keep an eye on Hiroyuki?"
"Sure. Go on."
"Mom will be right back, ok?"
"Ok. You're going to treat Inuyasha's wound, right mom?"
"I am." – she said, smiling. Hiroyuki walked forward and motioned her mother to approach. She did and he placed a kiss on her lips, much to Inuyasha's envy.
"Love you…"
"Love you too…" - Kagome said, smiling lovingly.
None of them talked as Kagome stitched him in a nearby office and Inuyasha's eyes kept on staring at Kagome's lips.
"… Does it hurt?"
"…huh? Oh, no. It's not hurting at all… you have really gentle hands…" - he said, extremely red. Kagome almost laughed.
"… Sorry for that. Kouga is a bit extreme…"
"Apparently he knows about our broken friendship…"
"Ye… yeah, he does…"
"… You two are together…?"
"No! We're simply friends…"
"He seems to disagree with you on that."
"… It's the truth…"
"… I believe you…" - he said, looking directly into her eyes. She seemed surprised by his words and stared at him too. Their eyes seemed to be locked in each other.
Time seemed to stay still as Inuyasha stared into her eyes and instinctively leaned forward. Kagome simply stared into his eyes, trying to figure out what was the message he was trying to convey as he leaned near and near her.
The loud bang of a door somewhere nearby and the shouts that followed after awoke both from their delusional state, making Kagome blush quickly and turn around and Inuyasha curse whoever had such bad timing.
"Inuyasha! Inuyasha!" – shouted someone outside. Inuyasha quickly got up and closed the door even more.
"Inuyasha? What are you doing?" – asked Kagome surprised. Inuyasha motioned her to stay quiet and she obeyed, still confused. Then she recognized the voice outside and almost froze in place.
"He's not here, Kikyo…" - said Sesshomaru, as cold as usual, as they could hear.
"Where is he? I wake up and find out neither of you is home! What is going on?"
"Miroku is about to be a dad so I came here to help calm him down…"
"Oh, it's only that?" – laughed Kikyo coldly. – "You could have waited until morning and we would have all come together… it's not like the runts are going to run or something… and who's that?"
Kagome tried to leave, scared of what Kikyo might say about Hiroyuki. All she knew was that she had to be near her son right now. Inuyasha tried to stop her but Kagome didn't let herself get caught. Walking proudly out from the nurse office where she had been stitching Inuyasha, she marched towards where the voices came from.
Hiroyuki was looking suspiciously at the petulant woman in front of him, because his eyes never deceived him and he didn't trust her one bit. Even his uncle Sesshomaru seemed displeased by her presence; sensing his mother before she arrived, as soon as she was in his line of vision he made a run for her.
"Mom!"
"Hello dear! I'm back…"
"Where's…?"
"Schh… he's hiding…" - Kagome said, near his ear, and lowering herself at his side. – "Wanna go and find him?"
"Yeah!"
"But you can't say anyone where he is… can you do it?"
"Sure." – he said, leaving his mother's hand to search for his new friend.
"Kagome…"
"Kikyo."
"What are you doing here?"
"Not that's any of your business but I'm Sango's best friend so… I'm here for both her and Miroku."
"How nice… was that your son?"
"Yeah, any problem with that?" – asked Kagome, mentally prepared for what she might say.
"None. It just seems too much of a big joke…" - said Kikyo, controlling herself for not laughing too hard. – "You, mother of a hanyou…"
"Oh? Does it bring back memories, Kikyo?"
"Of course it does! How could I ever forget that you were the one who constantly kept on defending those creatures? Kagome, the hanyou's holy protector…" - she laughed coldly. Kagome took a deep breath and Sesshomaru's brow twitched.
"Very funny Kikyo… is there anything more you want to say?" – the taiyoukai asked, standing protectively behind Kagome, his hands on Kagome's shoulders.
"What? Isn't it funny…? I mean, Inuyasha was kept away from here because of her hate against hanyous…"
"I DON'T hate half demons! You were the one who made that up!"
"Yes, but it was me that Inuyasha believed, was it not? So much for your supposed friendship…"
"You were the one who ruined everything, Kikyo! The only one who hates half demons is you!"
"Kagome, Kagome… still so naive… look at me!" – Kikyo said, her eyes turning to slits and her smile wide and wicked. – "It was me that he chose. I'm the one who he makes love to and with whom he is! I'm his fiancée…"
Kagome gulped hard and stood in front of her proudly.
"One day, Kikyo… one day the mask is going to fall. Then everyone will see the horrible person you are… even Inuyasha…"
"Speaking of him, where is my fiancé? Stop distracting me and tell me where he is…"
"I'm right here, Kikyo…" - said a voice from behind her which made her turn surprised to look at Inuyasha and at the same time Kagome hold her breath. Inuyasha was standing a few feet away from them with Hiroyuki sitting on his shoulders. Unknown to them, both carried an annoyed expression that scarred her by their similarities; she gulped hard as she grabbed a hold of Sesshomaru's jacket.
"Sess…"
"I know. It's amazing, right?" – he whispered. Inuyasha's gaze fell upon their close proximity, and he didn't like it.
"Inuyasha! Dear, what are you doing?" – Kikyo said, leaning against his body and not paying attention to the kid on his shoulders.
"I was in the bathroom…"
"Oh, right… and what are you doing? With that… that… thing on your shoulders?"
"What did you call my son?" – said Kagome, starting to get furious.
"Oy! Woman!" – said Hiroyuki, surprising everyone, aggressively. – "I'm not a thing! I have a name! It's Hiroyuki!"
"Yes, well… Hiryuki…"
"Hiroyuki." – corrected Inuyasha, making Kagome's heart pound strongly.
"Yes… well you see, pumpkin… I asked because it seemed strange… Inuyasha usually doesn't carry any of his patients like that and…"
"I'm not his patient, I'm his friend!" – stated Hiroyuki proudly, placing his arms above Inuyasha's head and flattening the older half demons ears. Inuyasha simply smirked.
"He has already enough friends." – said Kikyo, starting to get annoyed with the child. – "He doesn't need any more… right, Inuyasha?"
The older hanyou looked at Kikyo strangely and looked up to see Hiroyuki's eyes appearing above his head.
"You don't need me as your friend?" – the little boy asked pouting and almost at the verge of tears.
"Well… I could always use a best friend…" - Inuyasha smirked at the lighting up of happiness in the child's eyes.
"Really?"
"Really…"
"Great! Mom, did you hear? I'm Inuyasha's best friend!" – the kid shouted, making his older friend look in the same direction. To his surprise, even though Kagome was smiling, he could smell and see the fresh loads of tears, running down her face. Why was she crying?
At that same moment, a shaking and crying Miroku walked out of the room and in their direction. His smile was bigger than the world and everyone turned to see him.
"They're born! They're born… I'm a father…" - he said, while his legs kept on shaking. Sesshomaru helped him to sit, smirking at his clumsiness, before he lost complete strength and fell on the ground.
"Congratulations!" – said Kagome, smiling widely.
"I'm happy for you, man!" – said Inuyasha, also smiling and approaching Miroku.
Hiroyuki looked at his mother's smiling face and asked:
"Did the babies come out, mom?"
"Yes, they did, honey." – she said, approaching Inuyasha to pick her child up.
"So I'm a big brother now?"
"No, dear." – Kagome said, smiling and extending her arms to him so that he could get down from Inuyasha's shoulders. – "You're their… cousin…"
"Oh!"
Miroku was crying and smiling at the same time, while telling how brave Sango had been and how he was feeling like bursting into tears of happiness.
"And guess what! Guess what! They're two girls!"
"What?" – shouted Kagome. – "But you were almost certain that they were going to be boys!"
"I know! It's a surprise! At least the beds are white!" – laughed Miroku. – "Girls! I have two girls!"
Inuyasha was smiling when he turned to look at Kagome, who was holding her son in her arms. She was explaining to Hiroyuki how he just had gained two baby girls in his extended family. His smile quickly died when he started thinking on how Kagome had been alone since the beginning of her son's conception. Whoever the jerk that had left her was he deserved to pay, he thought.
Still she was still treating him like a mere common friend and was still keeping him at bay on her life. Suddenly he felt the urge to hold her and never let go of both her and Hiroyuki.
The voice of Kikyo beside him brought him back to reality. He had listened what she had said before his approach but had acted as if he hadn't listened anything. As furious as he was, he still needed to keep Kikyo under his reach to protect Kagome. So he had to bear with her comments, when all he could think about was to kick her big, fat ass into oblivion.
"Inuyasha!" – she shouted once again, making him wince in pain from her shout.
"Ouch! Speak lower, women!"
Kagome hid her face in Hiroyuki's shirt to stop herself from laughing out loud. Inuyasha, however, misunderstood and took that as a sign of her despise. And that hurt him more than he could have imagined.
"What do you want, Kikyo?"
"I don't like your tune of voice… what is wrong with you?"
"There is nothing wrong with me!"
"Well, I'm glad. You hurt yourself?"
"Yeah…"
"When?"
"A few minutes before you came."
"How?"
"… I collided with the door…"
Sesshomaru turned around to hide his laughter and Kagome did the same.
"The door? How did you…?"
"It happens."
"Inuyasha?" – Hiroyuki called, making him turn his attention towards the kid.
"Yeah?"
"What is she?"
"Hiroyuki!" – Kagome reprimanded. – "She has a name and she is not a thing!"
"Badly behaved as his mother…" - said Kikyo. – "Kagome, couldn't you have taught your son some manners?"
"I like him the way he is." – Kagome said. – "If you feel bad, move."
"Inuyasha! Do something!"
"…" - the half demon choosed to ignore Kikyo's tantrum and turned to the child, saying – "She's my… the woman I like…"
Hiroyuki looked at Kikyo, as she looked at him and Kagome, smiling triumphantly. After a few minutes of silence Hiroyuki said, looking seriously and straight at Inuyasha:
"Liar."
Aaaahh... the wisdom of children...
Hope you guys liked it! Next chapter there is a KISS coming up!
See you guys next chapter!