Chapter Fourteen:

Kimi's Compromise

InuYasha stared at the well house as he sat on the back porch. Knowing the one demon he despised more then Sesshomaru wanted to talk about his pup angered both him and his demon side more then he could describe.

What are they up to? InuYasha wondered as he stared at the small shrine like building that housed the portal to return to his birth era. Maybe it would be better if he and Kagome stayed in the present to raise their daughter.

My daughter. I'm going to have a daughter. The idea still boggled the hanyo's mind. At least with a boy he'd know what he needed to be taught but he was at a complete loss on how to raise a girl. How did you teach a female if you weren't one?

I guess that's one reason why pups need a mother.

InuYasha closed his eyes and his mind conjured the image of a little girl with long silver hair and golden eyes that shone like the sun. Puppy ears like his own twitching on her head and he could imagine the child with Kagome's soft gentle smile.

"InuYasha?"

The half demon looked up to see Kagome in a t-shirt and shorts. She was looking at him curiously.

"What's wrong?" He asked, "Are you okay?" they had decided to stay the night with her family and return the next morning. The miko already had their things packed and ready to go in the morning. Kagome smiled as she sat in a chair that her grandfather often sat on during his morning coffee.

"I'm fine, I was wondering if you're okay. You've been really quiet since we got back from the doctor's." InuYasha smiled slightly and but his head in Kagome's lap and nuzzled her swollen belly where his daughter was growing warm and happy.

"You worry too much wench." He said gently as his cheek rested against the teenager's belly. "I'm just thinking."

Kagome laughed and softly flicked the hanyo's right ear making it twitch. "Don't hurt yourself there pal." Kagome said as she began to run her fingers.

"You know if something is on your mind you can talk to me. I'm not just your daughter's mother I'm your wife too. You can rely on me."

The half demon breathed deep and without moving from where he was currently listening to his daughter's heartbeat he began to do something he had never done before. He talked about his fears.

"I don't know what Sesshomaru's planning. I mean that bastard has never cared for half demons or humans so why is he coming here demanding I let him take my part demon child to be his heir?" As he talked he began to get more and more angry as to hide how scared he was about the unknown fate his pup could endure. It terrified him especially with how something like this worked.

"InuYasha maybe you should hear Sesshomaru out." InuYasha's head snapped up, his eyes wide. She could tell he was ready to protest but Kagome gently placed her fingers to his mouth and lovingly guided his head back to her belly. "I'm not saying you should agree but people do change and maybe this is your brother's way of reaching out and making amends."

"Half brother." InuYasha grumbled automatically like always. "And that cold hearted dumb ass may have taken a human in but that doesn't mean that he'll actually make our daughter his heir. Hell not only is she part human she's a girl too like hell his stupid council is going to be okay with that."

Kagome sighed as she rubbed her forehead. "Is that really what you're worried about?"

"That's part of it. Kagome You don't know what he is asking." InuYasha hugged her waist tighter and pressed his nose against her stomach getting as close to the sweet almost tropical scent that was his daughter.

Kagome sighed and closed her eyes as she tried to keep her fluctuating emotions and hormones from getting the best of her.

"Then explain it to me InuYasha. I can't understand if you don't tell me."

InuYasha closed his eyes as he allowed the fast beat of his unborn child's heart soothed him. It sounded like the beat of a hummingbird's wing, fast and strong.

"When a Lord names the child of another as his heir he has complete control of the child. Most times the Lord will take the child from his mother and father had have him raised in his court so he can learn how to rule. I will not allow our daughter to be taken from us Kagome. Especially not by that bastard brother of mine."

Kagome nodded and she began to scratch her half demon husband's ear.

"I'll do whatever you think is best InuYasha but hear what Sesshomaru's mother has to say in the morning and we'll go from there."

InuYasha sighed as he kissed his wife's swollen stomach. "Fine woman you win. Annoying wench."

Suddenly InuYasha felt like he had been hit in the nose. Not hard enough to break it but hard enough to hurt, like when you walk into a wall face first. The half demon sat up straight and stared at Kagome's belly as if he was seeing it for the first time.

"What the hell was that?" He asked as he watched Kagome rub her stomach and smile brightly.

"She kicked!" Kagome exclaimed as she smiled smugly at the hanyo. "And I guess our daughter doesn't like her daddy calling her mommy an annoying wench."

InuYasha blinked then reached for Kagome's nightshirt. As he lifted it up to expose her mid section he stared at her belly with determined but curious eyes. The first time father's patience was rewarded when he saw his wife's belly seem to twitch indicating another kick. Kagome had told him that she had felt the baby move before but not strong enough that he could feel until now.

InuYasha smiled as his face lit up with pride. He placed a clawed hand over the baby and when he felt another kick his ears and eyes were zeroed in on the unborn little girl inside his wife.

"I guess she's really in there huh?" he asked as he relished in the feel of his baby moving around. Kagome laughed and put her hand over her husband's hand.

"Yeah she is. Our baby girl."

That was how the young soon to be parents spent the next couple of minutes just feeling their daughter kick as if reminding her mother and father that she was there. For those short few minutes there was nothing else in the world that mattered to InuYasha. Not the jewel, not Naraku or Kikyo, not even Sesshomaru's plans. All that was in his world was this, his wife and his daughter and he couldn't have been happier.

Next Morning

InuYasha leapt from the bone eater's well while carrying his pregnant female gently in his arms. Once he landed on the green summer grass he lowered Kagome to her feet keeping his hand on the small of her back incase she lost her balance.

Kagome smiled as she stretched her arms over her head making her maternity shirt rise up a little. "Oh its so good to be back." Kagome wasn't sure if it was her pregnancy or that the feudal era had become more like her home then her own era had, either way she had missed being among green forest and the villagers of Kaede's village.

"Come on woman you can sun bath at the river with Sango later lets get to the village already."

Kagome glared at her husband as he began walking toward the forest with her bag on his shoulder. "As if it'll just be me and Sango, you'll probably be somewhere near by." Kagome said as she jogged to catch up the half demon. "After all its not like you know the meaning of the word privacy."

InuYasha eyed his pregnant female from the corner of his eye. Her words were meant to tease but at the same time the hanyo knew that she was completely okay with the fact that he had been hovering over her since they found out about the baby. His gaze rested on the human woman's round belly that was swollen with his child, his daughter and he knew the further along she became the more overbearing and protective he'd become.

"You better get use to it woman, as long as your carrying I'm sticking close to you so no slimy, low level, cretin gets any funny ideas."

Kagome rolled her eyes and just allowed the subject to drop not wanting to cause an argument. She then brought out the ultrasound picture that Tanaka had printed for her before they left the doctor's office.

In the picture their daughter was sucking her thumb as she stared at the black and white picture she could almost imagine how the baby would look. As the young mother looked a little closer she though she could see what looked like the buds for little puppy ears.

I hope she has her daddy's ears. My little koinu.

So absorbed in the picture of her unborn baby Kagome was completely unaware that InuYasha had come to an abrupt halt and so she ran into the hard, muscled back of her daughter's father.

InuYasha stopped at the border of the village as the scent of the female Inu glided to him on the late summer wind. It was mid July meaning his pup would be born either during the late fall to early winter, it depended on whether the girl took more after her mother's human heritage or her father's Demon blood.

If the pup is born during the winter snows then I'm going to have to find a shelter that is easily heated.

Two Inu males stepping forward from the village brought the half demon from his worried thoughts concerning his child's birth and brought his attention back to the his lover's safety and wellbeing here in the present.

"Lady Kimi is waiting for you, Second son of Ryoichi." One spoke as he bowed his head respectively. InuYasha's body was tense as he eyed the two Inu males.

Their silver hair and golden eyes lead the half demon to believe that they were from the same pack as his brother, the Silver Inu pack. From what Myoga had taught him when he was younger there were three main Dog demon packs. The Black, the Golden and the Silver. According to the old flea the Silver Inu Pack had at one time been considered the weakest of the three Inu Yokai packs until InuYasha's grandfather's time. Since then the his birth pack had become one of the most powerful and well respected of the three types of dogs and most canine demons.

"I don't know who the hell this Ryoichi is and that bitch can go die in a fucking ditch for all I care." InuYasha snarled as he moved slightly back to shield his woman.

Instead of anger or offense, as InuYasha expected, they merely looked at each other with wide surprised eyes they then turned to the half demon.

"You were never told of Ryoichi boy?"

When InuYasha only growled softly the other guard spoke up.

"Surely you don't think that Inu no Taisho was your father's name. That is merely a titled for the Lord of the West. You're father's true name was Ryoichi, son of Ryo."

InuYasha blinked and then shrugged. "Whatever, I stand by what I said. I ain't talking to that woman so she might as well high tail it back home."

Kagome quietly watched the exchange with interest until her mate's rude comments as he refused to set foot into their home until the demoness left.

Kagome lovingly placed a hand on the protective half demon's shoulder and once he looked back at her to see what it was she needed of him he was met with only an angelic smile.

"InuYasha please let's just hear her out. Besides I'm tired and I could go for some of Kaede's stew." When the young man shifted his eyes as if to protest the miko added. "Its not like agreeing to listen means that we'll allow them to take her. Please?"

"Keh, Fine woman."

As the mated couple spoke with one another the two males watched completely enraptured.

"He is certainly the Inu no Taisho's boy isn't he?" one of the guards whispered as the hanyo spoke with the pregnant woman behind him. Even to an outsider it was obvious that the boy loved the woman and worried for her safety constantly. Not to mention the way the silver haired man's clawed hand subconsciously rested on the swell of the girl's pregnant belly.

"Oh yeah," the other, older, Inu agreed. "I remember when Lady Kimi was carrying and Lord Ryoichi wouldn't be able to deny her anything she required. He was the same with the Lady Izayoi as well."

"Oi what the hell are you two whispering about?" InuYasha demanded when he noticed the two demons with their heads together like a couple of old gossiping biddies.

The older Inu, that had served the great Dog Lord since he ascended to the position of Lord, replied cheekily.

"We were marveling at the resemblance you bare to your great and powerful father. He too was rather whipped when it came to his pregnant women."

InuYasha's face turned bright red as it registered that he was being teased as if he were a pup himself.

"I ain't whipped!" He shouted as he took a threating step forward.

The younger guard cupped his chin as if in thought as he spoke matter-of-factly.

"It's only natural for a dog demon to want to please their mate while she's carrying. I mean I'm sure whelping and child rearing isn't exactly easy."

He then looked over toward Kagome. "Am I right Mi'Lady?"

Kagome smiled as she wrapped her arms around her lover's bicep and elbow.

"No it's certainly not easy."

"Feh!" InuYasha snapped as he pulled his arm slightly to get Kagome moving. "Lets just get this over with already."

As the couple walked Kagome became aware of the two demon men positioning themselves around her. The one that seemed to be the oldest was on her side and the other behind her. Kagome wasn't the only one that noticed as InuYasha drew her closer to his side as he scowled at the two men.

Almost as if reading the pup's mind the older explained their behavior.

"Lady Kimi ordered us to treat Lady Kagome as any other Lady of the West and we can't have a Lady of the West vulnerable in anyway now can we."

InuYasha allowed the men to surround him and his family, though he was bale to relax.

Once Kaede's hut came into view InuYasha sniffed the air and Kimi's scent of sakura, blood, and Sesshomaru reached his nose making him growl.

Why won't that stupid bitch just leave us alone?

He wondered as he allowed his wife to enter the hut before him and the guards take up their posts on either side of the hut's door.

"Ah InuYasha!" Kimi said as she smiled happily. "I'm glad to see you've returned." The noblewoman then turned to Kagome as she settled herself and listened to Shippo tell her about what all she had missed since they left two days ago.

"I trust the pup is well?" Kimi asked drawing Kagome's attention as InuYasha settled down behind her protectively.

"That's-" InuYasha began but Kagome's excited voice interrupted him.

"Yes the baby is doing wonderful. We were able to find out what we're having too."

Kaede looked up in surprise as everyone else looked at her in confusion.

"You're gonna have to explain Kagome." InuYasha said as he discreetly placed his clawed hand over his growing daughter.

"Oh yeah," Kagome mumbled as she blushed prettily. "The healers in my time are able to us this machine to see the baby while its still inside me." Kagome then brought out the picture and handed it to Sango who looked at it and passed it around.

When the photo finally came to Kimi she studied it and then looked to the soon-to-be-parents curiously. "So you know whether you're having a male or female?"

Kagome nodded; her grin so big that it looked painful.

"Yes, we're having a girl."

Kimi smiled as the young mother to be flushed with pride and joy. It wasn't hard for the demon to see that the pup would grow loved and safe with or without the protection of her more powerful family members.

This kind of family is the kind that raises good pups to be honest, wise adults. It'll be interesting to see what kind of ruler you turn out to be little one.

InuYasha glanced between Kimi and Miroku. He had expected Miroku to hit on the demoness like he did every other beautiful woman he came across but the monk showed no signs of being maimed, mauled, or beaten.

"Oi Miroku!" InuYasha said drawing the monk's attention. "You didn't ask Kimi to bare your kid did you?"

The color bled from his face and InuYasha got the distinct impression that the monk's imagination was working against him.

"Miroku was going to ask her." Shippo said as he lazed in Kagome's lap, his head propped up by his unborn little sister, and sucked on a sucker. "But as soon as she said she was Sesshomaru's mother he chickened out."

"Smart." InuYasha commented as he eyed the group pervert. No matter how evil, cold, and cruel an Inu is there are three things no one does and lives. One is mess with an Inu's mate, mess with his children and of course you never mess with an Inu's mother.

Miroku cleared his throat as he pretended he was unaffected by the group's stares and words.

"Well if we are all done with harassing me can we get to the reason behind Lady Kimi's visit?"

Sango glared at Miroku as he tried to get everyone from looking at him like he was, well, a pervert.

Coward. The taijiya thought harshly.

"Oh yes," Kimi said as she delicately handed the ultrasound picture back to Kagome who was currently eating stew that the older priestess made for her.

"Now from what I understand Sesshomaru came with his ridiculous 'this is how it is going to be no ifs ands or buts about it,' way of doing things and that's all."

InuYasha raised an eyebrow as his hands formed a barrier of claws between the world and his offspring inside Kagome's womb.

"Oh InuYasha you shouldn't look so hostile. I'm here to make this easier for you and your little pack. Now as Sesshomaru's mother I have a little bit more sway over him then most so what I am about to say is what will be.

Now, tradition states that an heir must be raised by the Inu no Taisho in the Western court so the child will be more easily acknowledged as his heir and the parents rarely have any say in the child's upbringing. However in this very special case I propose that Sesshomaru merely act as the girl's guardian, you, the parents will retain custody and you may raise her in the West."

Seeing InuYasha's protest she held up her hand. "I am not saying that the child cannot come here to visit this quaint human village and of course it will remain under the protection of the West but for the pup's sake she must be born and raised in the Western Palace. There are guards there and other precautions that will insure your family and pack's safety. Sesshomaru will be in charge of the pup's education and where as I will be in charge of teaching her how to act as a proper Lady of the West. You and your brother will teach the pup the ways of combat and her mother will teach her how to control her spiritual powers. Is this not acceptable?"

InuYasha held Kagome close as he listened to his stepmother, for lack of a better word. He didn't like the thought of agreeing to anything that Sesshomaru wanted but with Kimi's compromise the offer sounded like the perfect solution to his worries. The Western Palace was well guarded and there was no way Kagome would be able to freeze while she delivered.

As much as he hated to admit it this was what was best for his family.

InuYasha looked up at Kimi with steel determination.

"If we agree to this I want your word that my daughter will stay with me and her mother. Even after my death Kagome and the pup will be protected and cared for."

Kimi then lowered herself into a bow. "You have my word, Lord InuYasha of the Western Lands."

A/N: Okay so I made up the whole Heir tradition where the Lord would take the child and raise it and never let the parents see it blah, blah. I also thought long and hard about InuYasha's father. Now officially he is just the great Dog General or Inu no Taisho he is never given a name in the Anime, Manga, or the movies. So instead of Toga I decided to name him Ryoichi which means first son of Ryo, whom was the original Inu no Taisho, (More on that back story later.) P.S. I have decided to just call Sesshomaru's mother Kimi instead of Inukimi. I have made a few changes in the previous chapters. I corrected a few typos and spelling mistakes but in chapter thirteen I had to rewrite a few things.

Thanks for reading Please review and let me what you think!

Disclaimer: I do not Own InuYasha or any other characters affiliated with the show.