InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Purity 4: Justification ❯ Reassurances ( Chapter 107 )

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

'Why don't you just tell her?'

Cain scratched his chest, idly rubbing his knuckles up and down the center of it, as he stared out the window.

'I can't.'

'Don't be stubborn.'

'I'm not.'

'Oh?  Then what do you call it?'

Staring up at the overcast sky, Cain dug a rumpled pack of cigarettes out of his trouser pocket.  'It makes her happy, doesn't it?  That's all that should matter.  It's all that does matter.'

'Yeah, except you can't remember the last time she spent any time with you.'

He lit the cigarette and slowly shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest, scratching his shoulder blades with his thumbs.  'Gin matters.  Her happiness . . . it's the only thing that matters.'

She'd rake him over the coals if she caught him smoking in the house.  If she got home and smelled it, even slightly, she'd get that disapproving look on her face—the one that made him feel like the biggest jackass on earth.

'She gives me 'the look' for smoking in this little room I'm using as a studio, but she runs herself ragged and won't eat vegetables without arguing . . . There's something wrong with that picture, isn't there . . .?'

Grimacing as he tried to repress the guilt that surged through him, he leaned his temple against the cool windowpane and tapped his ash in the shallow tin he was using for an ashtray.

She was over at Nezumi's house today.  The morning sickness wasn't going away, and it seemed that Nezumi couldn't even take care of the basest of tasks around her house without becoming violently ill.  It didn't help, either, that it just got worse whenever Ryomaru was called out on a hunt.  She insisted that he keep his job because she knew it was important to him, but he had been arguing with her, and that, in Gin's opinion, was only making Nezumi's morning sickness worse.  In any case, Gin tended to go over there whenever Ryomaru was out, and lately, he'd been out more than usual.

If it wasn't Nezumi, then it was Sierra.  She'd gone home with Toga the next day, but she was having trouble keeping up with her girls.  After Sierra but luckily not nearly as frequently, there was Kagome and Mikio.  Gin often went to the shrine with Kagome to help her aging grandmother with the care and maintenance of the shrine.  Souta's oldest son was going to move in there soon, but Grandma Higurashi was nothing if not insistent that she didn't need the live-in help—yet.

And then there was InuYasha.

It seemed like the hanyou had a personal vendetta, and maybe he did.  Refusing to go a single day without taking Gin for a walk with him through the forest, he had the most uncanny way of showing up just when Cain had finally convinced his wife to lie down for a nap.

Well into her fourth month of pregnancy, she wasn't showing outside of a very slight thickening around her waist, and Cain had to wonder in those times when she was away whether or not she bothered to eat.  He knew that she wouldn't refuse to eat, no, but if she got busy, and he didn't doubt for a second that she was constantly busy, she probably didn't remember it, either.

It wasn't so much that she wanted to spend time with her family, really.  Cain worried that she was trying to do too much for everyone and not enough for herself.  Worse were the nightmares that would wake him in a cold sweat; the choking fear that something was going to happen to her despite her reassurances.  The dreams were torture, plain and simple.  Reliving the past, over and over, and then, at the end Isabelle's face shifted, changed, became Gin's . . .

He grimaced.  Gin tended to laugh at him whenever she thought he was being overprotective.  She'd kiss his cheek and assure him that he was worried about nothing.  He couldn't help it.  He'd spent too long, dwelling on the things that could go wrong.  He'd seen for himself, hadn't he?   He knew . . . he knew just a little too well.

At least Gin hadn't suffered any bouts of morning sickness.  That was something that he had worried him in the beginning, too.  Her doctor said that she was doing very well, and her only concern had been Gin's lack of gained weight.  She'd gone on to say that some women just didn't gain weight at the start of their pregnancies, but that normally changed in the middle and last trimesters.

Taking one last drag off his cigarette before smashing it out in the makeshift ashtray, Cain pushed himself away from the window and headed for the door.  Nearly four in the afternoon . . . he figured that Gin would be home soon, and she'd most likely be famished . . . if he were lucky, he could see that she was fed before her damn father showed up to sweep her off for her daily walk.

Gin pushed through the door with a heavy sigh as Cain dug through the refrigerator for something to cook for her.

"How's Nezumi?" he asked without looking up.

"She's okay," Gin commented, her words drawing out as she yawned.  "She keeps saying that it's only one more month . . . I feel for her.  I'm not sure how she's been able to gain weight.  She throws up so easily . . . Ryomaru swears that they'll never have another pup, and that'd be a shame, but I can't say I'd blame him."

Cain stood up and glanced at Gin.  He stared at her, eyes narrowing, slowly shaking his head as he let the refrigerator door swing closed.  "Gin?  Are you all right?"

Gin wrinkled her nose and waved away his concern with a wan smile as she rolled her head back from side to side.  "Fine, fine, just tired.  It's been awhile since anyone moved the furniture in the living room to clean underneath it, and—"

"Oh, good God!  If you tell me you moved the furniture, I swear I'll . . ."

She grimaced, twisting her hands together in the hem of her billowing dress.  "Well . . ."

"Gin!"

"I'm okay, though, I swear!  It was just filthy under there—all dusty and stuff . . . You know, that can't have been good for Nezumi . . . I wouldn't wonder if it was making her feel worse."

"You moved the furniture all by yourself?"

She flinched at Cain's rapidly escalating tone.

"What the hell were you thinking?  You could have hurt yourself—"

"I didn't."

"—Or the baby!"

"I'd never—"

"Damn it!"

"Cain . . ."

He lifted his hand to stop her, lowering his chin as he closed his eyes and drew a deep breath.  "Forget it," he grumbled with a shake of his head.  "Just forget it."

Turning on his heel, he strode out of the kitchen, not stopping or slowing until he'd closed himself into his studio once more.  Stomping over to the window, he dug another cigarette out of his pocket and lit it.

Gin knocked on the door.  He didn't bother to answer.  He heard the soft click as the latch released, heard the door as she pushed it open.  "I didn't overdo it," she said, hesitantly reaching out to touch his shoulder.

Cain narrowed his gaze as he saw the unmistakable form of InuYasha slipping out of the tree line.  "Your father's here," he said, careful to keep his tone even, neutral.

"Do you . . . care . . .?"

He sighed and shrugged, hoping for a nonchalance he just wasn't feeling.  "It's fine.  Go on."

"I won't if you don't want me to . . ."

"Can't let Papa down, can you?"

"I'll spend the whole day with you tomorrow," she promised.

Cain nodded slowly, staring out the window as Gin hurried through the house.  Moments later he heard the front door close in the distance then watched as Gin ran over to her father, giving him a quick hug before the two hanyous headed back toward the trees again.

Cain sighed.  "Don't make promises you won't keep, Gin," he murmured.  He watched until she disappeared into the trees before slowly turning away and shuffling back toward his work table.


"I miss you."

Kichiro grinned and unfastened the seat belt before stretching out his legs and slumping down in the thickly cushioned seat.  "I'll be home soon."

"I know, I know.  Just a few more hours, right?  Are you sure you won't be too tired for me?" she admitted.  "Jetlag's a bitch, or so I've heard."

"I've only been gone a couple of weeks, and you had Sierra and the girls to keep you busy."

"Oh, she went home the next day," Bellaniece remarked.  "Didn't I tell you?"

"No, you didn't.  Toga grovel enough?"

Bellaniece laughed softly.  "Actually, no.  She got sick the next morning, and she started crying because Toga always helped to calm her morning sickness with the girls."

"So you got him?"

"As if you didn't know that he hadn't gone far.  Coral knew it, too, and she got him.  Toga said he was sorry; Sierra said that she was, too . . . She sent him to work, she went to the doctor, and they picked up the girls after they had a nice little evening out."

"That doesn't really surprise me."

"Not really . . . they adore each other."

"You spent an evening with all four girls?"

"No . . . Gin stayed and helped me with the twins.  They certainly are a handful."

"That's not surprising."

"Kelly's surgery went well?"

"Yes, and she said that she'll never speak to you again if you don't send her pictures of our pup as soon as it's born."

Bellaniece laughed again.  "Of course I will!  I'll send pictures to everyone."

"You're feeling okay?"

"Never better."

"And you got plenty of rest?"

Her giggles took on a breathy quality.  "Yes, I did."

"Good, because, jetlag or not, I plan on showing you what happens to little princesses who stick surprises in my suitcase."

"I thought you said you liked the DVD."

He grinned, body reacting to the memory of what was on the DVD in question.  "Oh, I liked it," he replied.  "I liked it a lot."

"I didn't want you to forget about me while you were gone."

"As if that would ever happen."

"And I didn't want you to find someone to take my place."

"I think I'll beat you for that."

"Do you promise?"

"Just you watch."

"I have to say that masturbating just isn't as good as the real thing," she pouted.

Kichiro laughed and shook his head since he knew exactly what she meant.  "I know.  I'm sorry," he said, smile widening as sudden inspiration hit him.  "I'm sorry, it was thoughtless of me, I love you, and I swear I'll never do it again."

"Oh, you really are an ass."

He chuckled.  "I'll be home soon, princess."

"Now you owe me."

"Absolutely."

Kichiro switched off his cell phone and turned to stare out of the window.  'Soon, Belle-chan . . . I'll be home soon . . .'


"You're quiet today."

Gin blinked and cast her father what she hoped was a bright smile.  "Am I?"

InuYasha nodded.  "That bastard upset you?"

Her smile disappeared, ears flattening as she grimaced.  "Papa, Cain's not . . . Don't call him that, please."

InuYasha snorted, glancing up through the trees at the overcast sky.  "If he upset my pup, then he damn well is a bastard."

"It wasn't Cain," she insisted.  "He's just worried about me."

"Don't he realize you're carrying a pup?  He'd better not be giving you any shit, baby girl."

"No, Papa, it's not like that at all!" she maintained.  "Really it's not . . ."

"It's not too late to kick his ass," InuYasha grumbled stubbornly.

Gin grimaced and sighed.  "Papa . . ."

"At least he had the sense to bring you home where you belong.  What the hell's he thinking?  Moving you across the world like that . . . Damn baka . . ."

Sinking down lower in the tub, Gin sighed and swished her hand, sending ripples ebbing through the water.

Cain was still angry when she'd gotten back.  Spending the majority of the afternoon and evening in his studio, he'd only grunted at her when she'd peeked in to say that she was going to take a bath and go to bed early after she'd choked down a peanut butter sandwich along with a bowl of salad, in hopes of appeasing her mate.

'Come on, doll, you can't sit in the tub all night.'

Gin carefully stood up, pulled the plug, and stepped out of the tub onto the small white towel.  Taking her time drying off, she heaved a sigh.  'I wonder if he's still angry at me . . . I hate it when he's angry at me . . .'

'Cain never stays angry.  Just give him awhile.'

She grimaced as she reached for the little pink nightgown hanging on the back of the bathroom door.  'I'll spend the day with him tomorrow . . . that will make him happy . . .'

'That will,' her youkai agreed.  'It's been awhile since you spent the day with Cain . . . have you spent the day alone with him since you came home?'

Gin paused as she tugged her hair out of her nightgown and considered the question.  'I . . . I don't know . . .'

'Yeah.'

Sighing, she reached for the door handle and shivered as the cooler air in the hallway hit her damp skin.  'I'll make it up to him; I swear.'

"Gin."

She whipped around, coming face to face with her scowling husband as he strode toward her.  "Cain?  Is everything all right?"

He shrugged.  "Depends on your idea of 'all right'."   He made a face and sighed, seeing the alarm that flashed over her features at his cryptic words.  "Nezumi's in labor."

"What?  But it's too soon!" she exclaimed.

"It'll be fine," Cain assured her, grasping her shoulders and holding her at arm's length.  Bending down to look her in the eye, he nodded.  "Listen to me, Gin.  It's early, sure, but not that early.  Thirty-seven weeks is not that early.  She'll be fine, okay?  I promise."

"Would you think that if I went into labor at thirty-seven weeks?" she challenged quietly.

He grimaced.  "You'd better not."

She shot him an imploring stare.  "Cain?  Do you think . . .?"

With a sigh, he pulled her into a hug.  "Get dressed, baby girl, and I'll take you to the hospital."

She hugged him quickly and hurried away, but stopped on the threshold of the bedroom and turned back to smile at her mate.  Cain stood where she'd left him, hands jammed into his pockets, ponytail falling over his shoulder, hair shining in the dull light filtering from the living room.  "Thank you."

He met her gaze, his eyes serious despite the slight lifting at the corners of his lips.  "Hurry up, Gin.  Your family . . . they need you."

She nodded and scurried off to change.  The exhaustion that had been hanging on her seemed to vanish as she grabbed the first dress she laid hands on.  'Everything's going to be okay; Cain said so,' she thought with a cautious little smile as she discarded her nightgown and pulled on the clothes.  'I'm finally going to be an aunt!'