A/N: Time has gone by so fast. Before I knew it, years have passed since I last updated this story. Ugh. Real life keeps me so busy. That's how it is when you're broke and working all the time just to make ends meet. So, thank you for reading this. A special thanks to Inuyasharocks540, my #1 Inuyasha fanfic fan! ;) hehe.
Summary: If you're just joining us, welcome! Inuyasha and Kagome are married. They've adopted Shippo and now Rin is visiting with them. Until….
A New Addition
Chapter 7: Dearest
Inuyasha paced back and forth in front of the door. He clenched a letter and read the fancy scrawl:
Jaken and I must attend some important business. We will be gone for a month. Look after Rin for us while we are away. Inuyasha, take this as preparation for parenthood.
-Sesshomaru
"The nerve of that jerk," he mumbled under his breath. "Doesn't he know I already am a parent to Shippo?!" The kitsune interjected, "How can I consider you a father? You're more like a brother the way you're always barking at me." The elder demon whipped around and bared his teeth at Shippo. "Oh, Inuyasha, don't get so upset." Kagome stated as Shippo jumped into her arms. Inuyasha fumed, "I just hate how he assumes I'm going to do something just because he says so!" "Rin is probably lonely. We have to make sure she feels welcomed," Kagome suggested. "That means, Inuyasha, that you can't bad mouth Sesshomaru in front of her." Her husband growled and looked about ready to rip the letter in half when their doorbell sounded.
Kagome opened the door with a bright smile. Rin greeted with a bow and a very polite, "good afternoon." Several large suitcases stood behind her. "Welcome!" Kagome said. "Hi, I'm your cousin, Shippo!" He introduced. Everyone's eyes shifted to Inuyasha. "Salutations." He said sarcastically. His wife glared at him. He cleared his throat, then asked, "Keh, you need help with your bags?" "Yes, please." She answered as she removed her shoes upon entering the house, as was customary.
"I have a chauffeur who will drive me to and from school. I have piano classes 5 days a week until 5, then cram school until 7. I complete my homework by nine thirty. Then, I go to sleep and wake up at 5AM to study until I must be at school at 8AM." Rin explained. "Sounds like you got it all figured out, kid." Inuyasha relayed. She looked up at him with a smile. "Shippo, show her to her room, please." Kagome suggested. "Come on! I gave you some of my toys that you can borrow while you're here!" Shippo exclaimed as he lead her down the hall.
"This isn't very realistic preparation for us! Our child won't have all those extracurricular crap." Inuyasha snapped as soon as the kids were out of ear-shot. "At least Shippo will have a playmate." She said optimistically. "I don't know. She's got a pretty full schedule." He doubted. "Well, not on Sundays." Kagome replied matter-of-factly.
Rin sat quietly at the desk working on word problems. Kagome knocked lightly on the door. Rin turned, stood, and bowed. "Oh, you don't have to do that." She assured the young girl. "Thank you for your hospitality." Rin obliged as she sat back down. "Are you comfortable? Is there anything you need?"
"No, thank you, I'm settled."
"I see. Please, feel free to help yourself to anything in the fridge or ask for anything you need."
"Yes, thank you." Rin said as she turned back to her word puzzle.
"That child is self-sufficient for being 8," Kagome stated once she was back in the living room. "It's like Sesshomaru has her trained," Inuyasha remarked. "Too bad Shippo isn't more self-sufficient." "I'm still more independent than you!" Shippo shot back. "I wish you both were better behaved," the human woman stated. "I'm going to make dinner that way we can all sit down and eat together like a family.
At the dinner table, it was silent except for the clinking of chopsticks hitting the bottom of the rice bowls. "Would you like some soy sauce or some more pickled radishes?" Kagome offered Rin. "No, thank you." She said with a smile. "Look, isn't the way this sausage looks cute! It looks like those ghosts from Pac-man!" Shippo said as he sang the theme and demonstrated by having the sausage chase the yellow radish. "You shouldn't play with your food." Rin recommended. Shippo lowered his head in embarrassment and stuffed both foods into his mouth. "Ah, so there's pudding for dessert." Kagome said to lighten the atmosphere. No one responded.
The phone rang. Kagome answered. It was Sesshomaru. "How is Rin adjusting?" He asked. "She's well. We were just finishing dinner." She replied. "May I speak with her?" Her brother-in-law requested. Kagome handed the phone over to the child.
Her smile and eyes were bright and wide as she spoke on the phone. "Yes, I'm keeping to my schedule. How is your trip, Sesshomaru-sama? ….Wow, sounds like you are getting a lot accomplished….How is Jaken? Tell him I said hi!...Oh, hi, Jaken!...Yes, everything is very nice here…Oh, you have to go? Okay, please hand me back to Sesshomaru-sama…bye!" She seemed more like a child when she spoke to Jaken.
Rin hung up the phone. Her smile fell slightly at the edges. "Rin, I made you some warm milk to go with your pudding." Kagome offered. "Thank you." She said as she took the mug into her hands. "Rin, is there anything you've wanted to do lately that you haven't been able to?" Her host mother asked. "I've been wanting the updated Oxford English dictionary. Perhaps they have it at the downtown bookstore. Sesshomaru-sama gave me funds for the month." She replied. Kagome closed her eyes and smiled nervously. Her voice was soft, "Not exactly what I had in mind. I mean, like go the beach to play volley ball or ride a merry-go-round." "Could we visit the aquarium?" She asked. "Sure, it can be a girl's day." She promised the child. She figured since she spends so much time with males, she might appreciate some girl time.
***That weekend***
Shippo and Inuyasha hung out at home, frequently taking naps. Tomorrow they would visit Miroku and family, so they decided they were due a lazy day while Kagome was out. "Enjoy your last weekend of freedom." The half-demon suggested. "Stop using school like it's punishment!" Kagome scolded. "Yes, teacher." Her spouse remarked on her way out with Rin.
"Inuyasha's funny." The eight year old commented. "Despite his rough exterior," Kagome added. "I think Sesshomaru and him have that in common."
At the bay, Rin took lots of pictures and sent them to Sesshomaru immediately from her smart phone. Even though the full demon was busy, he still managed to reply to her every message. "Sometimes it's Jaken." She elaborated.
She squealed with glee when she pet the fin of the baby sting ray. "They have a giftshop, maybe Sesshomaru and Jaken would like something." Kagome suggested. They walked through the shop. Rin's face was scrunched up in contemplation. Nothing seemed good enough.
"There's a pier filled with shops. Maybe we can find something there."
The two ladies talked and laughed at some of the souvenirs. Could you imagine Sesshomaru with a fluffy seal keychain? Or Jaken with jellyfish sandals. Kagome tried on some lace scarfs that flowed in the ocean breeze. Rin tried on a straw hat with a big bow. She snapped pictures for Rin on her phone. "Oh, look, rings!" The youngster happily skipped to the stand.
Each ring looked like a drop of candy set in a band of silver. Lavendar, pastel pink, blue hues, and clear. "It's very grown up of you." Kagome noted. The child bit her bottom lip. She eyed a charm bracelet beside it. Each charm ranged in price from $35-75 and up. "Charm bracelets are special," Kagome explained. "The idea is you get the bracelet and someone special to you gets you a charm. You slowly collect them for special occasions and different friends and family." "Wow." Was all Rin could muster. Her eyes seemed to sparkle like the jewels she gazed upon. "Tell you what, I'll get you the bracelet and once charm." Kagome offered. "Oh, I couldn't let you do that." The younger female said in a breathy voice. "Please let me, as your auntie," Kagome said with a wink. "Also, the bracelets are buy one get one free." The girls giggled together.
Rin admired her twinkling charm in the sunlight. It was a little white enamel dog with pointy ears and gold-topaz eyes. Kagome got a matching one, though her bracelet was black leather while Rin's was silver. Both had a rose-gold clasp. The small girl flipped through the charm booklet. "I already want Sesshomaru-sama to get me the dragon one holding the tiger's eye." At that moment, Kagome heard screeching tires. That was the last thing she remembered.
Sesshomaru rushed into the hospital, Jaken trailing behind him. Shippo was at home with Sango. Miroku sat while Inuyasha paced. They could only wait. The elder youkai spoke with the doctor. No updates. "Kagome and Rin were out on a girl's day." The dark-haired male friend of Inuyasha stated. The lord made no comment. He sat silently across from them.
Rin was out of surgery now. She had gotten pretty banged up and had needed several stitches. Kagome had been stabilized and was now resting comfortably. "They should both wake up soon," The doctor reassured. "Only one visitor at a time per patient, please." Sesshomaru glared at the old doctor, who darted away rather quickly.
"I'm going to wait right by the nurse's station." Miroku told his best friend. Inuyasha didn't care about anything else except Kagome. "Sir," the doctor addressed. Sesshomaru was already inside sitting beside Rin. Inuyasha turned to the doctor. "Your wife needs to be kept under observation for a few days. When she gets home, she should be on bed rest." He advised.
"Whatever she needs."
* "Dearest" by Ayumi Hamasaki began to play from the hospital radio*
"She's pregnant. It's only about a month along."
Inuyasha's eyes widened. He felt he might actually faint. He rushed to his beloved's side and held her hand.
"Congratulations." Rin whispered. She had just come to and overheard the news. "Did you give my bracelet for Master Jaken to hold?" She asked softly. Sesshomaru nodded. "Rest now." He said and put a hand on Rin's forehead. She slipped back into sleep. He didn't leave her side. Jaken went home to get things they would need until she would be well enough to go home.
Kagome's eyes fluttered open. She surprisingly felt fine, but when she tried to move, everything felt sore. "Inuyasha?" She whispered. He jumped up to his feet and asked, "What, do you need anything?" She shook her head in the negative. "Just you." She said and smiled softly. Inuyasha couldn't hold back the tears. He shed a few and wiped them away. "Don't cry, I'm Okay now." She promised. He sat back down and laid his head on her abdomen, softly, keeping the pressure and weight of his body on his arms. "You're pregnant." He said, looking up at her. Kagome's chocolate eyes widened and welled up with tears. She choked back a smile. She was actually worried now. "Yeah, you'll have to be on bed rest. But, I'm going to protect you and take care of you."
Inuyasha stepped outside to tell Miroku the good news. "I think you should go. I don't know how Sango can handle all those kids on her own." He said. His best friend nodded and offered his help in any way before departing. Just then, Kagome's mother and Sota arrived. They took turns visiting, too.
Mrs. Higurashi came out of the room and put a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder. "It's going to be okay," She assured. He nodded in agreement. "You should go home and rest. We are here with her." "No—" he began to protest, but she insisted. "She needs you to be well for her." With that, he reluctantly left, but declared he would return in a few hours.
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A/N: Time to get this story rolling! I'm so behind. Thanks again. I know this chapter is quite dramatic. The only way to come back. I tried to keep the characters in character. Sesshomaru might seem cold and uncaring, but that's the way he comes off. ;) I subtly showed and if you read into it, you can really tell how much he cares. Until next time! I'll be updating much sooner. I promise.
