InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Purity 4: Justification ❯ Sacrifice ( Chapter 104 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

"Our second Christmas," Gin mused as she descended the stairs with Cain by her side.

Cain tried to smile.  "I know."

"And this year, we have Punkin, too."

"Yep."

Gin stopped short and gasped, whipping around to face her mate as her eyes flared wide; as she smacked her hands over her mouth.  "Oh, kami!  I forgot about dinner!"

He grimaced and caught her wrist before she could run off.  "It's okay, Gin.  I took care of that earlier."

"You did?  Good, because it would have burned if—"

"Well, I didn't say it wasn't burnt."

She groaned softly, cheeks pinking as she buried her face against Cain's chest.  "No . . . I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it.  You were a little sidetracked."

She sighed.

Cain hugged her for a moment then tipped her chin to make her listen to him.  "Thought you wanted your presents," he reminded her.

Gin grimaced.  "But I burned your dinner."

"Okay, then I want to give you your presents."

Her frown slowly faded as a little smile surfaced.  "Will I like them?"

"I think you will."

"Really?"

He nodded.

Reaching up to rub the frown off his brow, Gin tipped her head to the side and shook her head.  "Why do you look like that?"

"Like what?"

She shrugged.  "Like you've lost your best friend."  Snapping her fingers, the light of sudden knowledge made her nod her head.  "I get it.  You miss Bellaniece, right?"

That seemed like as good a reason as any.  "Something like that."

"You could give her a call," Gin suggested.  "I'm sure she'd love to hear from you.  Daughters never forget their papas, after all."

Cain nodded.  "In a bit," he agreed.  "Let's go open your presents."

"Well, since you're twisting my arm," she teased.

Cain pulled her back when she started to take off down the stairs again.  "Cain?"

"Just . . . don't run."

She giggled.  "Now you really sound like my sensei."

"You could fall," he pointed out with a wince.

"I have the dexterity of a cat, remember?" she pointed out but set off at a brisk walk.

Cain drew a deep breath as he watched her go before trudging down the stairs in her wake.

He stopped in the doorway to the living room, leaning against the frame and stuffing his hands into his pockets only to realize a moment too late that he'd forgotten his cigarettes upstairs.

'Fine thing, that . . . You shouldn't be smoking around Gin, anyway.'

'I know.'

Clutching her hands to her chest, she stopped short, shaking her head in confusion as she gazed at the things that hadn't been there before—the baby crib and other nursery items.  "Wh-Wh-What . . . is . . . this . . .?"

He couldn't even fake a smile.  His heart felt like it was going to explode.  The sensation that he was teetering on a vast precipice over a bottomless pit below, Cain winced and ground his teeth together, willing away the surge of panic that nearly brought him to his knees.  It was one thing to know that it was too late now.  It was another thing entirely, to put it into words . . . 'Don't let this be the biggest mistake I've ever made . . .'

"Cain?" she asked as she slowly turned to stare at him.  Gnawing on her lower lip as she wandered toward him and stopped, she looked like she really didn't understand at all . . . or maybe she just didn't want to.

"You . . . You wanted this, right?" he asked quietly, gaze raking over her delicate features, searching for some inkling that she knew what he was trying to tell her.

"But I . . . you . . . bought me a . . .?"

He swallowed hard, closed his eyes for a moment as he jerked his head in agreement.  "I did."

"Cain . . . You don't have to.  I'm . . ." she trailed off and swallowed hard.  "I'm . . . okay . . . We don't have to . . ."

He smiled sadly and shook his head.  "It's a little late for that, baby girl."

"But . . ."

Reaching out to brush her hair back out of her eyes, he shrugged.  "I told you.  I already gave you your present."

She shook her head, eyebrows drawing together as she struggled to grasp his meaning.  "You mean, the crib . . .?"

Cain stared over her head at the crib standing near the tree, loaded with assorted baby items and a huge stuffed dog.  He grimaced and stepped closer, gently placing a shaking hand over her flat stomach.  "You're the most beautiful mother-to-be I've ever seen."

"Oh, Cain . . ."

"Hey!" he chided gently as Gin buried her face in her hands.  Sobbing quietly, she let him pull her into his arms.  "You're supposed to be happy."

"I a-a-am happy!" she wailed.  "Are y-you s-sure?"

"Yeah," he insisted, casting her a rueful grin that didn't reach his eyes.  "I'm sure."

"A baby," she whispered, smiling through the veil of her tears.

"Gin, promise me, okay?  If anything hurts or doesn't feel right—anything at all—you'll tell me.  You won't wait.  You'll just tell me."

"I'll be fine," she assured him, pressing her hand to his cheek.

"Promise me," he maintained, his tone a little fiercer than he'd intended.

She nodded.  "I promise."

He shot her a disapproving glance.  "I mean it."

"So do I."

Cain heaved a sigh, carefully wiping away her tears.  "Baby girl . . ."

"I love you," she screeched, tugging him down so she could kiss his face.  "I love you; I love you; I love you; I love you!"

His eyes were bright but he blinked quickly to dispel the moisture that gathered in his eyes.  "Yeah, just . . . tell me that after you have the baby."

"I will.  I'll tell you every single day."

He nodded, kissing her forehead and holding her close.

"The presents I got for you seem stupid now," she half-choked, half-laughed.

"I've got everything I need, Gin."

"A baby," she murmured, slowly lifting her chin so that she could gaze into Cain's eyes.  "I'm really going to have a baby?  Your baby?"

He sighed.  "I think so, and it damn well better be mine."

She took his hands, dragged him over to the sofa and pushed him down before climbing onto his lap and kissing every inch of his face.

"Gin," he murmured, trying to get her to listen.  She ignored him.  "Gin . . . there's more . . ."

"More?" she echoed between kisses.

He chuckled and caught her hands, kissing her knuckles when she finally sat back.  "There's an envelope in the crib," he pointed out.

Gin stared at him for a moment before getting up and scampering over to retrieve the envelope from the crib.  "What's that?"

"Open it," he coaxed.

"Okay."

Slitting the envelope with a sharp claw, she carefully pulled out two sets of tickets and shook her head with a confused frown.  "Cain . . ."

"I figured you'd want to be around your family while you're pregnant," he said softly.  "Ben said that women . . . need their mothers . . . Something like that."

"But they're one way tickets."

"Yeah," he agreed with a self-conscious little shrug.  "That's why I was so busy.  I did as much work as I could . . . the generals have agreed to meet with me in Tokyo every few months.  It's just for a year."

"But you can't . . . A year's a long time.  You're tai-youkai.  They need you here . . ."

He shook his head and shrugged.  "Yeah, well, when I explained things to Ben, he was all for it.  Guess they'd rather have me gone for a year so long as there's a chance that you'll give birth to my heir."

"So you really did do all that work for me?"

"I did all that work for us," he countered.  "It's my pup, too."

"I'm pregnant? Really?"

Cain nodded, the barest hint of a smile touching his lips as she burrowed closer to him.  "Yes."

"And you're talking me back to Japan?"

The smile widened the tiniest bit.  "If I must."

"And you'll get along with my papa?"

"Yeah, that'd be pushing your luck."

She heaved a melodramatic sigh.  "Can't blame a girl for trying."

He shot her a dark look.  "Not a snowball's chance in hell, baby girl."

"You're not going to cuss around the baby, are you?"

He rolled his eyes but chuckled.  "And so it begins . . ."

She fell silent for a moment then leaned back to cast him a pensive look.

"What?"

Gin shook her head and grinned, her eyes still overly bright but her face glowing in her happiness.  "You really make me happy."

He blinked quickly and kissed her forehead.  "You make me happy, too."

She narrowed her eyes and smiled, leaning up to kiss his cheek.  "I'll be fine, Cain.  You can't get rid of me that easily."

"I know," he replied quietly.

"Good because you're stuck with me, Zelig-sensei."

He closed his eyes, breathed in the scent of her, tried to convince himself that she would be there with him forever.


"Hello?"

"Mama?"

"Gin!"

"Merry Christmas!"

"You, too!  I'm glad you called, but isn't it late there?"

Gin grinned and rubbed her belly.  "Yes, but I—well, Cain and I—wanted to tell you first."

"Oh?"

Gin's smile widened as she shifted her gaze to the side at Cain, who was lying on the floor with Punkin's head on his chest.

"I'm . . . going to have a baby."

Dead silence greeted her words.  Gin bit her lip, waiting for her mother's reaction.  "Oh, Gin!  That's fantastic news!"

She giggled.  "He bought me a crib and stuff for the baby . . . I'm going to be a mama, like you . . . Mama?"

"Hmm?"

Her ears flattened just a little, and she turned away, voice dropping to nearly a whisper.  "Do you think I'll be a good mama?"

Kagome's gentle laughter was a soothing thing.  "I think you'll be a wonderful mama."

"I'll try to be . . ."

"So . . . How's Cain-san?"

Her smile resurfaced as she glanced over her shoulder at her mate.  "Sleeping . . . At least, he looks like he is.  He gave me plane tickets, too."

"Plane tickets?"

"He's bringing me back to Tokyo.  He thought I should be around family while I'm pregnant."

"That's really sweet of him."

"He is really sweet."

Cain snorted but didn't open his eyes.  Gin giggled.

"Your father will be so happy for you, too!  You could call him.  He's—"

The loud wail interrupted Kagome's statement, and Gin winced as Mikio howled.  "Mama, is he okay?"

Kagome sighed as the crying grew louder before winding down to whimpers and sniffles.  "He'll be fine.  He fell down, is all . . ."

She caught the hint of worry in her mother's gentle voice.  "Is everything all right?  With Mikio?"

Kagome sighed again.  "He's fine—just a little clumsy sometimes.  Oh, your father's home now.  Would you like to talk to him?"

"Okay."

There was a moment of dulled rustling as Kagome covered the receiver and murmured something to InuYasha.  A minute later, her father's voice greeted her, and Gin's smile returned.  "Gin?"

"Papa!  Guess what?"

"You've decided that you don't want to be mated to that baka anymore?"

Gin rolled her eyes and giggled.  "Absolutely not.  Cain and I are going to have a baby."

InuYasha didn't answer right away.

"Papa?"

"'Bout time," he grumbled.

"And I'm coming home."

"Oh?"

She knelt beside Cain and idly ruffled his hair.  "Yes.  Cain thought I should be around family while I'm pregnant."

"Keh.  So he finally figured out that you don't belong with him."

"Papa," Gin chided.

She heard Kagome talking in the background but couldn't discern her mother's words.  InuYasha snorted again.  "Fine, wench, fine . . ." he growled.  "Be careful, baby girl."

"I will, Papa."

"Make sure that bastard takes care of you."

Gin sighed.  "He does.  He loves me."

"Whatever."

"Merry Christmas.  I love you."

"You, too."

Gin shook her head as she hit the button to end the call.  "Cain?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you . . . want to call Bellaniece?  I mean, she's your daughter.  Maybe you should tell her."

Cain popped an eye open and stared at her.  "Don't you want to?"

"I could."  Her smile faded, and she shrugged.  "Do you think . . .?  She'll be happy, right?"

Cain sat up and kissed Gin's cheek, placing a gentle hand on her stomach as an inscrutable look clouded his features.  "Of course she will be.  She'll be thrilled."

"I think you should call her."

"Okay."

Gin stood up and handed Cain the phone.  "You do that, and I'll find something to replace your burnt dinner."

He nodded, and she hurried out of the room, giggling softly as she rubbed her belly again.

'Be careful, doll,' her youkai warned.

'Careful?'

'Cain wants this baby as badly as you do, but . . .'

Gin pulled a package of shaved ham from the refrigerator and returned for the cheese and mustard.  'He's worried, and I can't blame him.  He's frightened.'

'Just make sure you watch out for his feelings, even if he gets a little overbearing.  It's all because he loves you.'

She nodded as she split a Kaiser roll and opened the ham as a silly little grin broke over her face.   'I know.'


Bellaniece grabbed the phone on the third ring and smiled, recognizing her father's number before she answered it.  "Daddy!" she greeted.  "Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas, my lady."

Adjusting a crystal ornament of a graceful ballerina, Bellaniece stepped back from the Christmas tree and sighed.  "Get anything good?"

"Sort of . . ."

"Sounds mysterious.  What'd you get?"

"Well, it's not really what I got so much as it is, what I gave Gin something . . ."

"Oh?"

"Yeah."

Frowning at the slight catch in Cain's voice, Bellaniece sank down on the sofa.  "You don't sound very happy."

He sighed.  "No, I am . . . Gin thought I should call you, to tell you . . ." He drew a deep breath, seemed to be gathering his thoughts.  Bellaniece remained silent as she waited for her father to speak.  "She's . . . We're . . . well . . . Gin's pregnant."

Bellaniece felt her heart slam to a stop before plummeting to her feet only to jerk right back up where it lodged in her throat.  "Gin's . . .?  Really?  Daddy, that's so great!"

He let out his breath in a loud whoosh.  "Yeah, it is."

"And you're okay with it?"

She could almost see him wince.  "Not really, but it's what she wants."

"Did she tell you that?"

"No."  He sighed.  "That's how I know she wanted it."

"She'll be fine, Daddy, you'll see."

"I know.  So . . . how is your Christmas?"

Bellaniece laughed.  "Very nice.  Kichiro is taking the afternoon off to spend with me."

"You mean, he worked today?"

"Just part of the day.  He went in late, too."

"What the hell kind of mate works on Christmas?"

"Daddy, Kichiro is Japanese.  Christmas isn't one of their official holidays."

"Yeah, well Dr. Brainfart should realize that his mate is American, and Christmas has always been your favorite holiday."

"He knows, and I'm fine with him working a little while.  I was cooking anyway, so it isn't a big deal."

"You can cook?"

Bellaniece giggled.  "I'm learning.  Ryomaru's taught me some.  I can make a few things."

Cain snorted.  "Ryomaru can cook?"

"Yes.  That was apparently one of the reasons they hadn't started a family of their own.  Neither of them knew how to cook, so he took lessons."

"That's . . . a little disturbing."

Bellaniece sighed and grinned.  "I really am happy for you, Daddy.  Tell Gin I can't wait to meet the baby."

"Well, about that . . ."

"Hmm?"

"I'm bringing Gin home."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"When?"

"A couple days.  We'll be there by New Year's Eve."

"I'm so happy for you!  Daddy, this is wonderful!"

"I think so, too."

Bellaniece smiled compassionately, hating the reluctance in her father's voice.  "She's remarkable, you know.  She'll be just fine."

"I want to believe that," he said quietly.

"I know.  She looks a lot weaker than she is."

He fell quiet, and Bellaniece wished she could hug him.  "She'll be an awesome mother, and we already know you're the best daddy, ever."

"I don't know about that, but thanks . . . I'll see you in a few days, okay?"

"Okay.  Love you, Daddy."

"I love you too, my lady."

She hung up the phone and smiled.  She knew that Cain wouldn't have agreed to the baby for any reason if he didn't know on some level that Gin would be fine.  Still, she supposed that she couldn't really blame him for being worried.  It was going to be hard on him, but Gin would understand.  Gin always understood Cain . . .

Reaching for the phone, Bellaniece started to dial Kichiro's number.  He'd be so glad to hear about this, she didn't doubt.  He'd been so anxious to start a family of their own . . . Would he still want to do that?

Of course he would.  He'd never made any bones over the idea that he wanted to start their own family.  He was waiting because she'd asked him to, and now the wait was over.

'Yeah, well, don't forget, your father still thinks that you don't want children, remember?'

Bellaniece wrinkled her nose.  'So I'll tell him I changed my mind. I'm a woman.  I can do that.'

'The power of your logic astounds me.'

'And the perfidy of your cynicism knows no bounds.'

'All right, but don't be surprised if your father isn't pleased with your lies.'

'They weren't lies, exactly.  More like . . . erroneous disclosures.'

'. . . Isn't that the same thing?'

'Not even your pessimism can ruin my mood now.'

'Okay, fine . . . but I warned you.'

Bellaniece let the handset drop back onto the receiver as she stared at the small calendar on the table near the phone.  'The full moon is next weekend,' she mused.  'Interesting . . . Very, very interesting . . .'