There were more humans lining the road to Musashi than expected. Refugees from more wars had heard the tales of the protected farming village. Inuyasha gave permission for the goods in the cart to be distributed as Miroku saw fit. The grain and the cloth and the finer elements gifted by Kiyohime were gratefully accepted by a mother and her three children. The cart was emptied but replaced by the neediest humans. Kagome dismounted so he could carry a boy's grandmother up the hill to seek Kaede's assistance.

Miroku went to find his own family while they helped the newcomers find a corner to settle. The air was already crisper in anticipation of the winter months that would bring snow and isolation and rest to their community. Kagome was exhausted by the time they joined Kaede for a prepared meal. Sango came with the twins bundled to assure herself that her friends were safe. They let Miroku impress her with tales of Kohaku's fight against the Crow spirit and Kagome's spirit arrows. Even Inuyasha was too tired to eat much. Hou Yi, the kirin, the princess Kiyohime, the Hojo, Tadasu no Mori, Kamimusubi, the Three Daughters, the Crow -

At least Miroku is keeping quiet about the baby or they'd never let us leave.

The house was a bit dusty but Kagome didn't care. Home! Inuyasha collapsed next to her on their futon in desperate need of airing.

It was mid-morning by the time either of them woke up. Just looking at the state of the house made Kagome tired. Still she welcomed visitors who came bearing 'welcome home' presents and wanted to hear about their long adventure. The most welcome was her adorable fan club. Inuyasha relented and didn't object when little Mai tied simple braids into the ends of his hair. Her posse had made a special trip to gather berries for them so they opened the doors to the garden to enjoy their company. Inuyasha even led the children in a quest to pull the most weeds from their poor sad garden while she excused herself, not that she needed the results from her modern test, but she wanted to check. The strip congratulated her in neon colors.

"Faster, doggy!" Mai rode on Inuyasha's back while she 'steered' with his ears. He barked at the kids to keep working but they only giggled. It was more fun to tease Inuyasha than accomplish any real work. They pummeled him with dirt clots until he lost it, then they retreated to Kagome's swing to gossip loudly about his temper. The girls were very confident that he was TOO grumpy and needed another nap because he was OLD. She had a brief vision of a house filled with Inuyasha's cute children until she remembered how they would have to arrive. Sango had been in labor an entire evening with the twins.

Kagome trembled with nerves at the Well. Inuyasha was already slung over the lip of the worn wood with his hand extended. Her yellow pack was filled with unfinished homework. Weeks and weeks she had been absent from college. How was she ever going to catch up? A baby and college and Inuyasha and her duties to the village -

What am I going to say to my mother?

Mama was writing letters in the kitchen. Her face must have spoken volumes because she found herself instantly in the impossible safety of her mother's arms. She apologized for missing Inuyasha's birthday party, for the disappointment they must have felt when no one showed up. A loving voice soothed her, smoothed her hair, promised her it was alright. Nothing brought her more peace than the scent of her mother's soap and perfume and hair. A chair scraped while hungry Inuyasha put the kettle on. She wiped her face with a hankie.

"You are on your last legs, Kagome. What has happened?" Mama gestured. Inuyasha pulled down a white cup with blue lines. The thought of Inuyasha going weeks and weeks without ramen made her sad. She covered her face. "What is the matter?"

It was easier to think with a cup of tea and toast slathered in berries and whipped cream and honey. The story came out between bites while Inuyasha fidgeted in his seat. Her mother was excited to hear that Inuyasha had found a long-lost cousin. She told her mother about the test. If her mother was surprised, she didn't show it. Mama was quiet for a moment before asking how far along it was, followed by a cheerful pat on the wrist and a refill of Inuyasha's drink.

"Y-you're not mad?"

"I knew if you missed school and Inuyasha's birthday, it must be important. It is a bit early, but it will work out. Things always do." Mama smiled reassuringly. "I fear Grandpa and Souta may be wagering the nature of your marital spat. I suppose they both lose. A little baby! Oh, Kagome. Why don't you head upstairs and take a hot bath and a nap? Inuyasha and I can sort through the details. Everything can wait until tomorrow. Then we can start planning Inuyasha's makeup party."

Kagome drifted upstairs listening to Inuyasha argue with the matron about the expense of rescheduling 'some stupid event'. She took a quick dip in the bath before wrapping herself in her favorite blue sweater and collapsing onto her soft modern bed. A pile of papers on her desk reminded her of school and how she didn't even know the date. It was nice listening to Inuyasha chase her calm mother around the house bickering about party favors and hearing him yell when a party popper exploded with confetti. Normal.

Inuyasha was sitting with her grandfather in front of a sumo match when she came down. Souta pushed past her to wash his hands at the sink from dragging in the trash cans from the road. She pushed him back without any real malcontent. It took her a moment to realize he seemed taller in comparison to her shoulders. A month away from home and the little pest sprouts up! His voice cracked at the end of a question. She desperately wanted to bust him for it but her mother made a point to hold up a magazine. Kagome hustled the celebrity gossip magazine away with the pregnant model on the cover, she definitely wasn't ready to have that conversation with Grandpa and Souta. The image made Inuyasha spew soda everywhere. She cracked the pages open to show him the pictures but he went pale. The Chinese model was wearing a white sundress and a wide hat cradling a cute baby bump and pouting at the camera.

"What's the matter with you?"

There was a squabble at the door while she fought with Souta about which of them would be allowed to accept the pizza delivery. The girl was a bit put off from the climb up the shrine stairs and the tip flung in her direction. Souta ultimately won because she practically tackled Inuyasha to the wall before he could round the corner without a hat. Souta made an unabashed attempt to flirt with the seventeen-year old girl in shorts and a cap.

"Learn to pick your women, kid! Even if she does smell like food. Gimme that," Inuyasha grumbled.

Kagome called Sara from the phone in the hall after dinner. Her fingers curled around the cord while she tried to ignore the argument in the kitchen. How could Grandpa tell them I got mononucleosis? Now everyone is going to think I kissed someone besides Inuyasha. Sara promised to meet her at the copiers to trade notes in the morning. Kagome quickly sketched out a schedule on the notepad. Her mother had taken notes from her friends during her absence. An elderly neighbor had asked Mama if she could hire Souta and Inuyasha to help clean out their gutters and their shed. She thumbed through advertisements and other mail that had come while Sara gossiped about their teacher and the cute male librarian at the school.

Inuyasha was peeling open a colorfully-wrapped square package when she returned to the family room. Grandpa's present was better than she expected. The old-fashioned pocketwatch was no longer functional but it fascinated Inuyasha since it could 'capture time' and had survived through the Second Great War. Kagome actually teared up while Grandpa showed him how one would wind it and explained how the gears worked and how to care for the silver. Souta didn't care for the relic, he was set to inherit Dad's valuable gold watch when he graduated from high school. Souta presented tickets to an upcoming boxing match, which prompted him to explain about the 'sport' that involved humans punching one another. Mama apologized but they had already eaten the Wagyu steaks two weeks ago.

"It's good, Higurashi. I don't mind."

Kagome used a letter opener to open a thick envelope postmarked weeks ago with fancy address labels. She unfolded the crisp paper to peruse the contents addressed to her husband. The papers contained big serious verbiage trying to explain something. She found a sheaf of contact information in the stack and picked up the phone. On the third ring the phone immediately went to a plain robotic voicemail. It has to be a mistake. Who would be crazy enough to send Inuyasha this much money?

Inuyasha found her on her knees in the hallway. He squinted at the papers but didn't recognize any of the names either.

"What's a corpse ration?"

"Corporation. It's probably a paper company. I have never heard of this 'E.D.O.'. Their return address is a PO box in the Philippines. I bet the phone number is fake too."

Inuyasha didn't understand but she dragged him down the Shrine steps to the ATMs on the corner. Her hands trembled while she punched in her pin. The fuzzy screen took an inordinate amount of time to warm up. The numbers on the screen made her swoon. The machine took its sweet time to print the list of the last ten transactions, Inuyasha caught her. The latest entry was only very vaguely listed as 'WIRE FROM BRANCH' and a transaction number.


Ayumi's mother worked in the medical district across town. Inuyasha insisted on escorting her to her appointment even if he wouldn't enter the building. Mama had offered to escort her but it was embarrassing. She distracted herself from the wallpaper and the paper gown and the uncomfortable exam thinking about money. The bank refused to reverse the wire because there was 'nothing fraudulent' about it. Yuka's dad had even confirmed the information in the legal documents with the other bank. We could buy our own car. The baby expenses are covered. Grandpa could hire help for the shop. Mama could take that vacation to the hot springs.

Dr Akiyama let her sit up so they could chat about the results of her physical exam. Inuyasha had barely understood what the little home test meant. The nurse had called her in to discuss the results of her blood test. In a matter of minutes she reclined so Dr Akiyama could performa Doppler test. Kagome gulped in the dimmed room. Dr Akiyama was a very petite woman but she had energy to spare and a kind face like her daughter's.

Lub-dub-lub-dub-lub-dub.

"That's her heart?"

"It's not always a guarantee at nine weeks but sometimes you get lucky. Baby has a beautiful heartbeat."

Kagome's head was in the clouds when she left the offices. Nine weeks. Nine weeks! She was studying her calendar when Inuyasha abandoned his perch on the wall.

"So didya pass the test?"

"...yeah." Kagome shuffled. He was curious about the papers in her arms. She showed him the least embarrassing pamphlets.

"You have to study?!"

Kagome giggled at his horrified expression. As promised she led him down the street to a beautiful cafe. Inuyasa chose a table outside under a tree blooming in shades of red, orange and yellow. It was a temperate October day. Inuyasha occupied himself with ordering from the stylish paper menu. The private folder she stuffed deeply into her purse. The waitress brought fresh cups of tea in real porcelain. The girl complimented her bracelet. The cool jade surrounding her wrist was very pretty. She could feel Miroku's spell hiding her aura from curious demons. Whispers of a tiny aura made her sigh. Inuyasha squirmed.

"Are you h-healthy?" Dr Akiyama had shown her all the test results. Blood pressure, cholesterol, sugar, kidney function, HCG levels – normal. Nothing in the blood work had alarmed her doctor that the father was a half-demon from the Feudal Era.

"Perfectly." Dr Akiyama had been surprised by her lack of morning sickness. Perhaps she was a bit moody and tired but her clothes still fit. She could be grateful for that much. Her husband would not react well to a sick human wife. Per her mother's instructions she made a quick meal of an omelet chock full of protein. Inuyasha kept his head down to eat in silence. She couldn't quite shake the sound of the baby's quick little heartbeat from her ears. The conception dates staring up at her from her calendar came back in a flash. She set down her orange juice.

"What about Tanabata?" Inuyasha grumbled.

"You remember. In the room?" Embarrassment flooded her cheeks. Her husband blinked. "You started it!"

"You mean...before the festival? That was nothing!"

Kagome groaned. Tanabata is lucky for lovers.

They were both quiet on the walk home. Inuyasha stopped her from prematurely crossing the street under a redlight. They had already promised to return to the village for a family meal with Kaede, she suspected the wise woman already knew. Sango and the babies were reportedly well. The bounty they had reaped from their journey bought Miroku a winter home with his family. The image of him fawning over those precious twin girls made her sniff. No one will appreciate their babies more. Inuyasha's ears twitched when she looked up.

There was plenty of work waiting in the village. The newcomers staying at the visitor's hut had been promised a visit with the Shrine Princess who carried so many magic cures in her yellow bag. She met a wounded samurai managing on a makeshift crutch because his leg was broken who sat outside with Inuyasha to tell him the latest news about the human battles. Kagome helped an old woman and her grandchildren take turns bathing to remove layers of soot and char from their skin. They could hardly believe the candies and sweets gifted them as promised for their good behavior.

"It's only a chocolate bar!"

Inuyasha disappeared from the porch to run the length of the village with the promise of a private dinner. Rin helped her bundle up all the laundry to take down to the river for a thorough cleaning that made her wish for modern appliances. The sweetheart with brown eyes told her all she had missed. She told Rin about the battle at Matsumoto Castle and how Sesshomaru had helped them defeat the Crow which made her glow with pride. Sango came down the path with a baby in her arms and another in a sling on her back. They helped her collect her laundry from the line while they played with the babies. They had already gained weight since she had last seen them. Sango's reminder about resolution to meet Miroku first thing in the morning to begin spiritual training made her tired. Meditation and recitation and spiritual awareness.

Her husband was in a mood when he came through the door that evening. She kept cooking while she listened to him grumbling about punks on the road. Dinner was postponed when she realized what had occurred. A tussle on the mountain road had left his hair in a snarled mess of mud and twigs. Poor Inuyasha had taken a long soak in the river but the sediment had only hardened in his hair. It took some time but she happily sacrificed her good conditioner to comb it shiny again.

"I smell like a girl, what's that?"

"My present, silly. Open it." Kagome folded her hands together on her lap. Inuyasha glared at the little envelope but he peeled it open. Her brother had begged her for money for tickets to the boxing tournament but she had simpler plans.

"A haunting?"

"A visitor came to the shrine while we were gone to ask Grandpa about a cursed statue, so of cooourse he sold him an amulet but it sounded suspicious. Do you wanna go check it out with me? The guy mentioned all the scary stuff happening after dark so we can go tomorrow evening?"

"Eejit, you can't go around chasing ghosts!"

"I want to help them. The man runs an orphanage! Don't be so selfish, Inuyasha." Kagome rolled her eyes. "I have practice with Miroku tomorrow morning, then school, but we can go after that. Can you meet me at the park with my stuff?" Before he could object, she removed the lid from the pot to reveal their Special Return Home dinner. The smell of perfectly cooked homemade ramen complete with eggs from their neighbor's chickens silenced him. Her dumplings were not on her mother's level but she could certainly cook. Perhaps he was not tearing up like in her fantasy but sudden silence from Inuyasha was a close second!

Inuyasha went to check the perimeter around the house for anymore 'sneaky bastards' while she brought out the futon. It was nice to be home in her own bed. He was still complaining about how she often attracted trouble. The futon shifted under his weight. His leg jiggled in irritation.

"Are you ignoring me, wench?"

"Shut up and look at the picture, will you?" Kagome pushed the paper into his chest. The blurry black-and-gray picture caught his attention. She explained what it was the best she could. Thankfully her husband was also too embarrassed to ask specific questions, he just quietly ordered her to get some sleep. The oil lantern was extinguished. Memories of the last few weeks played through her mind while she tried to relax. At least they were home.