Chapter 23: Secrets

Ino brushed the sweat from her brow. It was the end of her first shift, meaning it was almost time for lunch. The other two had already packed up their stuff and were already out the door. She was just closing her bag now when Kagome entered the room.

"Did you need something, Kagome-sama?" She looked to the older woman.

"Come with me, Ino." Ino nodded and followed Kagome into an exam room. Kagome closed the door and turned to Ino. "Gather your healing chakra, Ino." The blonde was confused but did as she was told. "Come here and place your hand here." She placed Ino's hands an inch from her stomach. "Now use your chakra to feel." Ino did so, not sure what she was supposed to be looking for. "What do you feel?"

Ino closed her eyes as she felt around. "There's this weird swirl," she started. She moved her chakra around a bit. "And something like a heart beat, but it's too fast and hard to tell."

"This swirl, does it feel like my chakra?" Kagome looked at her blonde haired apprentice. "You should be familiar with how my chakra feels."

Ino was familiar with the feel of her sensei's chakra. "It feels like your chakra, only diluded, sort of like it is..."

"A mix of another's," Kagome supplied. "What do you think it is?" She watched as Ino retracted her chakra.

Ino was trying to put the pieces together. Something that felt like a heart beat but was too fast, swirled chakra that felt like her sensei's but not at the same time. In the vicinity of ... "You're pregnant," Ino finally said when it dawned on her.

Kagome smiled but nodded. "About five or six weeks," Kagome admitted.

"Does Kakashi know?" Ino asked.

"No. I wanted to be married to him before conceiving. My calculations were off, it seems." But she still smiled. She opened the door. "It just means I have to move the timeline of my wedding up and need a bit of assistance," she admitted. They entered her office. "I was wondering if you could handle the flowers for the wedding and reception."

"Of course." Ino took the seat across from Kagome. "Are there flowers you had in mind and how many?" Ino took out a spare notebook from a side pocket of her bag. Kagome gave her the details of what flowers, how many arrangements and the day she wanted them. Ino nodded and bid her mentor a goodbye. She had a list of things she needed to get and lunch that she wanted to eat. Of course she wouldn't spread that Kagome was currently pregnant with one Hatake Kakashi's child. It wasn't anyone's business but Kagome and Kakashi.

Kagome looked at the list in front of her of things she needed to accomplish. She was on a strict deadline. She wanted to be married before she showed outward signs of being pregnant. She didn't need rumors spreading, though she still knew that Inuzuka and Hyuga clan members would be able to tell. They didn't get involved with the rumor mill so they wouldn't say anything about it. She was going to talk to Kurane to see if she would help with the cooking. She didn't want the wedding and reception to be a large affair, probably just Naruto, Sasuke, Kurane and her child and husband, Keichi, the Hokage, Maito Guy and his team, the other rookie teams, and Mikoto and Fugaku. Fugaku would go because he would be worried about his very pregnant wife. Mikoto of course would play peacemaker and stop Fugaku from making a fool of himself.

She already decided where to hold the reception. Kakashi and Keichi had worked so hard on the back of the property, now there were flowers everywhere and had even cleaned up the koi pond. The koi were surprisingly still alive. Apparently they had lived off the growth in the pond. They had even put in a gazebo. She had already talked about renting tables and chairs for the reception. The food could easily be cooked in her kitchen if Kurane agreed to help. Ino was going to take care of the flowers. She still had to get the invitations done, find a place to hold the wedding, get her wedding kimono situated and get Kakshi's attire and Keichi's. Decorations for the reception and wedding needed to be taken care of too. She sighed as she stopped in front of Kurane's apartment. She knocked on the door and a tiny face opened the door. She smiled at the innocent child.

"Is your mama home?" He blushed at her smile.

"Mama, miss Kagome is here," he called from the door before letting her in.

"Kagome, what brings you here?" She came into the room drying her hands.

"I need your help," she admitted easily, a blush on her face.

"Is this like the last time?" Last time Kagome asked for help it was because she didn't know what to do in the bedroom.

"No." She scratched her head. "So I know this is going to sound shocking, but I am kind of planning mine and Kakashi's wedding, without him knowing." She stopped scratching her head at Kurane's serious look. She blushed and looked down. "I wouldn't rush this, but with the circumstances being what they are, I kind of have to."

"And what are these circumstances, Kagome?" She asked, arms crossed and serious red eyes locked on her form.

"Well," her blush darkened. "I wasn't planning for this to happen." She sighed and looked up at her only female friend. "Kakashi is going to be a father."

"He's already a father. Has been one since you and he became a thing." She waved the statement off.

"I meant by blood," Kagome said.

"You're pregnant?" Kagome nodded. "And from your behavior I am thinking he doesn't know yet." Kagome nodded again. "Am I the only one to know?"

"Not quite. I'm pretty sure a few of the Inuzuka and Hyuga know. Not that I told them. And Inoichi's daughter. She's studying to be a medic nin and is going to be working on the flowers. No one else knows." Kurane nodded.

"What do you have left?" Kurane looked at the list. "I'll help with the food. The guest list is relatively small. You do realize this list might change."

"I know. I reserved three times the amount of chairs that is on the list." Kurane nodded. Knowing some of the clans, they would invite themselves over or worm their way onto the guest list, Tsume for example. The Inuzuka matriarch knew of the involvement of Keichi with a packmate, and an Inuzuka learning to be a medic under Kagome. Chances were the matriarch would want on the guest list once word of the wedding got back to her. Inoichi and his wife would probably approach her soon too. Their daughter was learning from her and they would know about the wedding before others, seeing as their family would be handling the flowers. With the Hokage in attendance, Jaraiya might show up unannounced.

"I'll help you finish this list, Kagome. We are friends, aren't we?" Kagome nodded.

"You're the best." She hugged Kurane.

"Have you eaten lunch yet?" She looked to her friend.

"No. I came straight here from the clinic." She blushed when her stomach growled. "I was going to go home and eat something since Kakashi is off with his team on a mission they got assigned this morning."

"Come on. I made more than enough." Kagome joined Kurane for lunch and they caught up on everything they missed in the past few months they hadn't talked, making promises to do it more often.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I ahve been sitting on this chapter for three years, apparently. Sorry for the delay. It's been a really busy three years. As always, Read, Review, and ENJOY!