InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ As Fate Would Have It ❯ Chapter 16

Chapter 16

 

“Sango! Wait up!” Kagome hurried after her friend, panting slightly at the exertion. These pups were really starting to take their toll on her energy.

 

Sango stopped when she reached the edge of the river and turned, tears brimming in her lovely dark eyes. “K-Kagome…”

 

Coming to a halt next to the taijiya, Kagome paused to catch her breath. “I… have… an… idea…” she panted. She flashed a grin at Sango, and then proceeded to sit on the grassy bank. She motioned for her friend to sit as well.

 

After Sango had settled next to her, Kagome got right to the point. “Are your cycles regular?”

 

Sango blinked at her, somewhat confused by her question. “Cycles? You mean…?”

 

“Hai.”

 

The taijiya turned away and looked at the flowing river. She slowly shook her head. “No. Sometimes I go for a couple months without a flow. Other times, I'm right on time. I never know any more.”

 

She looked down at her hands. “I've thought so many times that… that I might finally be… but, then it comes. And it's like… it's like a little part of me dies every time.”

 

Kagome nodded in understanding. “I had an idea. I thought… maybe you'd like to try it? I mean, if you're really ready to have a baby with Miroku.”

 

Sango turned to her and blinked. “An idea? I'd be willing to try anything.” She looked back at the river, that sad look filling her eyes again. “I'd do anything to give my Houshi-sama a child…”

 

Kagome smiled. “Then I'll be right back. I have to go back and get Minako from my mother's anyway. Give me a day- two at the most. There's something from my time I want to bring you.”

 

“From your time? Kagome, is that wise?”

 

“For you, Sango, I'd take you through the well myself if I could stop your sadness.”

 

“Oh, Kagome. You are the greatest friend in the world.”

 

“Besides- I need someone to share the annoyances of pregnancy with!”

 

The sound of both women laughing mingled with the burble of the river, creating a music that reached deep into the village and eased the minds of one worried man and one irritated hanyou.

 

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Kagome smiled happily to herself as she brought the package into Sango and Miroku's hut. The young couple had built a home near Kaede, insisting that they wanted to be close to the aging miko while Kagome had been away. Minako walked patiently next to her mother, her blue eyes constantly looking around for her silver-haired father.

 

She knocked on the outside wall of the hut, entering when she heard Sango's voice bidding her to come inside. When Sango saw who it was, she immediately abandoned the garment she had been sewing and stood, hope clear in her dark eyes. Minako looked up at her mother.

 

“Baka papa?”

 

Kagome looked down at her daughter. “Why don't you wait for mama right there?” She pointed to a pillow sitting against the wall of the hut. The little girl giggled and hurried to the pillow, making a nosedive into the soft material.

 

Sango smiled. “She likes pillows, I see.”

 

Kagome laughed. “Practically lives in them. Here. This is for you.”

 

She hurriedly brought out the package out for Sango to see.

 

“What… what is it?”

 

“It's an ovulation kit. In my time, many women have irregular cycles, so if they want to get pregnant, they use these. It'll tell you when the right time is to… well, do it.”

 

Sango's eyes went wide. “This will help Miroku and I…?”

 

“I believe so, hai.”

 

Kagome pulled out the instructions and read them aloud to Sango so that the taijiya would know what was required of her. She blushed at the instructions- she had never heard of a woman doing that deliberately on anything, whether or not the item would tell her if she were fertile. How did a strange little stick know that just by urinating on it?

 

“Now, do you understand how to read it? If the two lines are both very dark, then that is the time to do it.”

 

“Would… would you be willing to double-check the stick-thing for me? I mean, that way… in case I'm wrong?”

 

“Of course. Two opinions are surely better than one.”

 

Sango looked worried. “But… what if this doesn't work?”

 

Kagome smiled. “Then I'll just buy another kit. For as long as it takes.”

 

Sango finally smiled, her eyes filled with anticipation. “Then… I guess I'd better start.”

 

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Inuyasha watched Sango leave her hut in a hurry. This was the third day in a row that the taijiya had rushed out of her hut and returned in a similar urgency. What had Kagome brought her? Or told her?

 

He sighed. The wench really was too helpful for her own good. But if she wanted to help Sango and that lecher have a pup, then good luck to her.

 

He hopped down from the tree he was sitting in and walked sedately over to Miroku, who was fishing by the river with Shippou. “Oi! Monk!”

 

“He's not a monk anymore, Inuyasha!” Shippou retorted.

 

“Quiet, gaki!”

 

“I am not a brat! Baka Inuyasha!” Shippou stuck his tongue out at the silver-haired hanyou.

 

“Shippou, you're scaring the fish.” Miroku never opened his eyes nor turned his head away from the river. Yet the kitsune immediately faced forward and focused on his pole. The ex-monk and the taijiya sure had changed Shippou a lot!

 

“Hai, Youfu Miroku.”

 

Inuyasha watched the two of them for a moment. They looked so natural, sitting side by side, fishing in the river. Would he and his son do things like that?

 

At the thought of his son, a grin spread across his face. Keh… told that wench I'd be having a son.

 

He grinned wider at the thought of his daughter. And a girl pup, too. She'll probably look like her mother. And just as moody too.

 

“Did you need something, Inuyasha?”

 

The hanyou turned his attention back to the ex-monk. “Any idea what Sango and Kagome are up to?”

 

“None whatsoever. However, ever since Kagome returned, Sango has been absolutely delighted. Her disposition has really turned around.”

 

“Keh! Wench is up to something.”

 

Suddenly a squeal of delight broke through the afternoon air. A second squeal followed the first, causing Inuyasha to flatten his ears.

 

“What in Kami's name is going on now?” Inuyasha grumped, wincing against the high-pitched squealing.

 

Miroku looked similarly bewildered. “I have no clue. It sounded like Sango and Kagome though.”

 

About five seconds later Sango came hurrying down the grassy bank, her face flushed with excitement. She ignored Inuyasha and headed straight for her husband.

 

“Miroku.”

 

The ex-monk looked up at his wife, taking in her enthusiasm. “Hai, Sango? Is something wrong?”

 

“N-no! Just… come with me, okay?” She grinned at him, a certain twinkle in her eye.

 

Miroku recognized that twinkle. He shot to his feet, dropping his fishing rod on the ground.

 

“SorryShippougottagobye” he said in one breath as Sango grabbed him by the hand. The couple practically ran up the bank toward their hut and out of sight.

 

Inuyasha stared after them, befuddled. What the hell just happened here?

 

Shippou snorted. “She must be `in that mood.'”

 

The hanyou turned and looked at the kitsune. “What mood?”

 

Shippou gave him a Look. “That mood. The one that got you and Kagome mated.”

 

Inuyasha blinked. Oh, noooo…

 

Trying to get the image out of his skull, Inuyasha left in search of his own mate. He found her, lounging comfortably against a tree on the outskirts of Inuyasha's Forest.

 

“What did you do to Sango?”

 

Kagome looked up at Inuyasha and blinked. She had one hand resting on her ever-growing belly and the other propped up on the side of her for support. She wore a sunny yellow shirt, white shorts, and white flip-flops.

 

He thought she never looked more appealing.

 

“I… simply helped her figure out when was the best time to try for a baby.”

 

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at her. “With stuff from your era.”

 

She blushed. “Well… yeah.”

 

He sighed. She knew she wasn't supposed to do that kind of stuff, but he knew her- she wouldn't be able to rest until her friend was happy again.

 

“Well… I think your plan might work. She came to get Miroku at the river and he ran after her like she was in heat or something.”

 

She giggled. “I know. Her ovulation test said that today's the day.”

 

“You knew?”

 

“She asked me to double check the test for her.”

 

He shook his head, and then crouched down next to her. “We didn't need anything like that.”

 

Kagome looked away. “No. We didn't.”

 

“Kagome…”

 

She turned to look at him, her eyes holding a great deal of sadness.

 

“Where's Minako?”

 

“Kaede said she wanted to spend some time with her. I think she's starting to feel her age, and Minako is the closest thing to grandchildren she's really got.”

 

“Keh! Great-grandchildren, if you ask me.”

 

“Inuyasha?”

 

He looked at her, his lower body tensing in a familiar way when he saw how she was looking at him. It was the same way Sango had been looking at Miroku.

 

“Kagome…” He didn't want to believe it, didn't want to hope that she might…

 

“Inuyasha…”

 

He kissed her, long and passionate, trying to make up for the four long months of separation. She responded as she had so long ago, sliding her hands into his silver hair and holding him close to her. He ran a hand down her shoulder to her chest, pausing right above her swollen breasts. He pulled away, slightly panting. She looked at him with bright eyes.

 

“Kagome… I… I want…” he gritted his teeth, irritated with himself for being unable to tell her what he was feeling.

 

She blinked at him. He leaned closer, placing a hand on her shoulder and bringing her closer. Gold eyes gazed into brown. “I want you, Kagome. I need you.”

 

At her look of wariness, he shook his head. “No. I promise you, Kagome, that I won't hurt you this time. If I hurt you in any way, I want you to say something. Don't just let me be… a monster… like I was last time.”

 

Her gaze softened. “You weren't a monster, Inuyasha. I… I found out later… that it always hurts the first time. I… we… just didn't know how much.”

 

“Then… will you… will you let me…?”

 

In reply, she took his hand, stood up, and led him deeper into the forest. She led him to Goshinboku. He looked at her in complete surprise.

 

“Are you sure? I mean… here? After what happened last time?”

 

She smiled, placing a finger over his lips to silence him. “Last time, we were given a very special gift, Inuyasha. Let's make a better memory- for them.”

 

He lifted a hand to her face and gently rubbed her cheek with his knuckles. He had wronged her the last time- he would do everything in his power to make it up to her now.