InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Lucky Ones ❯ Chapter 12 ( Chapter 12 )

The Lucky Ones

By Terri Botta

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Sole copyright belongs to Viz and Rumiko Takashi. I'm poor so don't sue.

Rating: R for later chapters.

Pairing: Inuyasha/Kagome, Miroku/Sango

Summary: Sometimes Fate hands you a gift you never thought you'd ever get, and it's up to you to accept it for what it is.

Email feedback to: tci100@psu.edu

Webpage: http://www.wordsmiths.net/Botta

A/N: hey everyone. Kristin of www.kristinstudio.com has done THREE beautiful fan arts inspired b this fic. To see them go to her site, or follow these links:

http://www.kristinsstudio.com/inuyasha/FamBliss.jpg

http://www.kristinsstudio.com/inuyasha/YukioChest.jpg
http:/ /www.kristinsstudio.com/inuyasha/LO11End.jpg

*******

Chapter Twelve

Kagome awakened to find that she had rolled during the night and was now facing Inuyasha. Yukio had slipped down between them, and was now sequestered in the space between their chests. He didn't seem to mind, however, because he was sleeping soundly and looked perfectly content. She took the opportunity to study his little face while she could because she knew he would be waking up soon. His expression mirrored Inuyasha's: relaxed and happy in peaceful sleep.

`Inuyasha's told me before that he likes sleeping in here because it smells so much like me. I guess Yukio is the same way,' she thought.

As if on cue, the object of her scrutiny yawned a huge toothless yawn and opened sleepy eyes. They focused on her as he raised his fist to his mouth and made his `I'm hungry' sound. Smiling at him and patting his bottom, she rolled away from Inuyasha and sat up, pulling the haori down over her as she unbuttoned her shirt and gave him what he wanted. Behind her, heard Inuyasha move and when she looked, she saw he that he was now on his back.

"Morning," she whispered.

Golden eyes cracked open and he smiled softly at her as he scratched his chest and stretched.

"Morning," he answered, his voice still thick with sleep.

"Did you get enough sleep?"

He nodded. "You?"

"I think so. I'll feel a lot better after a bath. I still feel... dirty," she admitted with a frown.

"Don't. That doctor was a stupid bitch..." He paused to see if she would punish him for cursing in front of the baby. She gave him a dark look, but no `sit' left her lips. "She was wrong and she didn't know what you had done. Don't listen to her."

"I know. But I still feel... violated. She touched me... there and it hurt."

"She hurt you?" he asked, his voice almost a growl.

"Not badly, but no one's ever... Y'know? It wasn't very pleasant."

His eyes darkened and he nodded. "What will you do today?"

"I have to study. My first test is tomorrow, but I wanted to go shopping too. There are some things I need that really can't wait until after my tests are over. I thought I'd go out this morning and be back by lunchtime. Can you watch Yukio?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I'll watch him."

"I never asked... was he alright yesterday?
"Yeah, he was fine. We stayed in here and he slept most of the time, until he needed changing."

She gave him a knowing smile. "And did you do your duty and take care of it, or did you go running to Jii-chan?"

He scowled. "The old man wasn't here."

She laughed at the look on his face. "So you had to do it."

"It wasn't too bad. He only wet so it didn't stink as badly as it could have. I think I got it right."

She thought back to the tear-filled, sobbing haze that was the previous night. She remembered having to change Yukio at least twice and hadn't noticed anything amiss.

"You did fine. I didn't notice anything wrong with how you changed him. One of the things I'll be getting today is new diapers that will be easier to use."

"That would be good."

Yukio wanted to be switched so she moved him over. The act of nursing him was becoming so second nature that he barely had to make a noise before she was responding.

"Then this afternoon I'll start studying."

"Your test is tomorrow?"

She nodded. "The first one. I have three. The next two are on Friday."

"Both on the same day?"

"Yes, history and maths."

He frowned at the word `maths.' "You always worry about that math."

"It's my hardest subject."

"So I guess you will need to study hard."

She nodded sadly. "I'm afraid so. If I want to pass the tests and do well, and have a future, I will need to study a lot."

He sighed, clearly unhappy, but knowing there was nothing to be done for it.

"But it's easier now, right, now that you are in high scchhhkool? You don't have to pass that… what was it?"

"Entrance exam," she offered.

"Yeah, that. You don't have to worry about that anymore."

"No, but I'm thinking about college."

"Collllaaagggee? What's that?"

"More school after high school, but more specialized. I decide what I want to study. But…" She looked at Yukio. "But now I'm not so sure I want to go. I know my mom wants me to get a degree, but with Yukio and hunting for the shards, I don't know if I can do both. It's hard enough for me as it is, and I'm only in high school. College is much harder. And the entrance exams are much worse than the ones for high school as well."

His eyes grew sad and he looked away, apparently thinking about something serious. She knew the look and also knew he wouldn't talk about it until he was good and ready, so she stayed quiet and focused on Yukio, stroking his back and hair as he nursed.

"Kagome… do you… do you want to stay here?" Inuyasha finally asked softly after a long silence.

"For another few days? That would be nice. It would give me time to really catch up on my studies and maybe even get a little bit ahead. And I want to come back for my seventeenth birthday. I want to spend a whole week here if you'll let me," she replied.

He laughed a mirthless laugh. "If I let you."

She gave him an indignant look. "Well, it's true. I have to fight you almost every time to come back. I know you hate it when I have to leave you, but you make things so much worse than they need to be. You know I always come back when I'm supposed to, even if I'm a little late sometimes. I don't know why you still don't trust me after all this time."

"I do trust you. It's just…" He stopped, his face pensive and far-away.

"Just what?" she asked, sensing that something much bigger was going on, and it was something she wouldn't like.

He shook his head. "Nothing. It wasn't important. But that wasn't what I was asking you. I was asking if you wanted to stay here for good."

She blinked, a shiver of ice running down her spine. "As in, not go back to the Feudal Era with you?"

"Yes."

A horrible feeling of panic seized her heart and she felt a lurch in her gut. Where was this coming from? Did he not want her with him anymore? What was going on? "But… but what about Yukio?"

"I'd take him with me. Kaede would help me raise him, and Sango. She and the monk will have their own whelp soon enough," he answered slowly, calmly- too calmly.

She swallowed hard, her heart pounding. Yukio had stopped eating and was lying still in her arms. He hadn't made a sound, and she knew he could sense her upset. She tried to comfort him, but she was fast approaching full melt-down. After everything that had happened in the past twenty-four hours, she just couldn't take this right now. Desperately, she grabbed onto her old reliable.

"What… what about the shards? You need me to find them."

"We would manage. Kikyou can see them if it comes to it…"

"Kikyou?! KIKYOU?!" she exploded, snapping. "Is that what this is all about? You'll take my baby and give him to Kaede and replace me with Kikyou?!"

He sat up, hands open and eyes wide. "Kagome…" he tried but she was in no mood to listen.

"How dare you? How dare you after all I've been through and suffered! How could you just throw me aside like some useless piece of trash?!"

"That's not what I meant!" Inuyasha argued, his face horrified.

"I can't believe you still see me as a weak human who is nothing more than your shard detector! After everything I've done for you and all the times I've saved you and proved my worth over and over. Now you want to take my baby away from me and replace me with an undead walking clay pot!!" she cried, weeping.

"NO! Kagome, listen to me!" he entreated.

"I swear if it wouldn't break my bed, I'd `s' you right into the floor right now, you ungrateful, stupid idiot! Baka! Baka baka baka baka baka baka! BAKA!!!!!!"

Yukio screamed. He screamed like he did the night his mother died, a deafening cry that found their spines and raked down them. Kagome clutched him to her chest and rocked him, trying to calm him as she wept, her face buried in his soft silver hair. He fussed against her, whimpering and whining.

"Shhhh, shhhhh, my baby. It's all right. Kaa-san is here. No one is taking you away. I promise. I promise. Don't cry anymore. Don't cry, Yukio."

"Kagome," Inuyasha begged, his voice pleading. "Kagome, please listen."

"I don't want to hear anything you have to say, baka!" she snarled back, making him cringe.

"But you've got it all wrong!" he argued. "I'm trying to save you!"

"Save me? How are you trying to save me?" she snapped, still rocking the baby.

"Your mother… last night, she said having a pup would take away your chances, and hurt your dreams, and you just said you might not be able to live both lives anymore..." he explained desperately.

"My dreams? What do you know about my dreams? You've never asked me about my dreams! And you leave what my mother says out of this! She has no idea what I want!"

"I want you to be happy. I want you to have a good life…"

"So you'll make me happy by taking away something precious to me?"

"No!"

"Then I don't understand. You're not making any sense."

"I'm not… I don't… I don't want you to give up your chances for a good life. I don't want you to regret… regret being with me," he finished softly.

"And don't I get a choice in all of this?" she asked coldly, but her anger was fading.

He looked at her with stricken eyes. "Of course."

"Then stop trying to make my decisions for me. You've done this before and it really pissed me off. It's my life, these are my choices and I will make them. No one else. Do you understand?"

"Kagome…" he breathed, his voice broken. "Yes, I understand."

"Good. Then I choose you and Yukio. End of discussion."

He stared at her in disbelief. "Just… just like that?"

"Yes," she snipped back huffily, more peeved than anything else.

"Kagome…"

She turned away from him, comforting Yukio who was still whimpering. She patted him and cooed, soothing him and telling him it was all okay. He snuffled and pulled at her hair, his face worrying against her neck. She was so busy with the baby that she almost didn't hear Inuyasha's faint voice.

"Thank you."

She turned her head, surprised, and saw him kneeling on the mattress, his head down, ears drooped and his hands limp on the bed in front of him.

"Inuyasha?" she asked.

"Thank you, Kagome. I… I didn't know what I was going to do if you had said yes."

An immense weight lifted off of her and she relaxed completely at his soft words. He hadn't wanted to get rid of her after all.

"So you didn't want me to stay here."

He looked at her, his eyes heartbroken. "Never. But I wanted to do what was right for you…"

She turned around, held Yukio with one hand and grabbed Inuyasha's chin with the other. "Let me decide what's right for me from now on, okay?

He nodded gratefully. "Okay."

"Good," she said with finality then leaned towards him. "Now hold me you infuriating, rude hanyou because you just scared the hell out of me, and I just can't take any more upset right now."

He made a sound that was half chuckle and half sigh of relief, and wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm sorry I worried you," he apologized, burying his face in her hair.

"Just don't do it again."

"I was scared too. I was scared you'd choose to stay here."

"You should know by now that I'd never do that. I've told you before that I always want to be by your side."

"Yes, but you will sacrifice so much to do it."

"That's my choice."

"Yes," he admitted.

"But at least now you know how I feel every time you go off with Kikyou, and I don't know if you're coming back," she commented off-handedly.

He stiffened and was quiet for several moments, and she knew her words had hit home. She was certain that he was going to say something in answer when her mother interrupted them with a knock on the door.

"Kagome? Kagome is everything all right?" the older woman asked through the closed door.

"Hai, Mama. We're fine," she replied.

"Breakfast is ready."

"Thank you, Mama, we'll be down very soon."

"All right."

Kagome pulled away from Inuyasha, slipping out of his arms and stood up, still holding Yukio.

"We should go eat, then I need to take a bath before I go out shopping," she told him, giving him back his haori.

He nodded and took the garment, but he was frowning.

`Hmm. I really hit him with that, didn't I? Well, maybe it'll make him think twice about a few things.'

She reached down and picked up Yukio's blanket, wrapping him in it before opening her bedroom door. Inuyasha stood from the bed, his eyes still downcast, and came up behind her.

"Let's go eat," she offered, moving to leave the room.

"I'll always come back," he said suddenly.

She froze and stared at him in shock. "Inuyasha…"

"I promised you I'd never leave your side again. I know I've broken that promise- a little- after you… saved Kikyou, but I've always come back. And I will always come back. So don't ever be scared that I won't, okay?"

`A little? And what about your promise to protect her and go to Hell with her? How are you going to `always come back' from that?' she wanted to say, but she knew that would only start another argument. Besides, she knew what he meant anyway and knew he was sincere, at least in that moment. For now, she was content with his answer. "Okay. Now, let's go. I'm hungry and we didn't eat dinner last night."

He nodded and followed her down the stairs.

Once in the kitchen, Mama put plates with sausage and eggs down for them and bowls of rice and miso. Inuyasha nodded in thanks for the food, but detoured to the refrigerator. He opened the `cold box' as he called it, and pulled out one of the clay jars full of liver. This he gave to her mother.

"Here is liver for Kagome. She needs the nutrients because she is making milk for the pup," he told her.

The older woman took the jar from him and gave Kagome a stunned look.

"Kagome?"

"Just take some out and boil it, please, Mama," she said, sitting down at the table and putting Yukio in her lap.

"But…" She stopped and Kagome knew she was going to say `But you hate liver.' but stopped herself. Instead she said, "Of course, Inuyasha."

"Kagome says the liver here in your time is not as good as the liver in mine, so I hunted and brought extra."

"You hunted?" her mother repeated.

"Inuyasha hunts in the Feudal Era, Mama. He's a good provider," she explained.

Mama Higurashi lifted the skin lid of the clay pot and looked inside, her eyes opening wide at the sight of the glistening contents.

"I can see that," she commented, then obediently retrieved a clean sauce pan and filled it with water. "How much should I put in?"

Inuyasha stuck his hand into the jar and pulled out a bloody handful, dropping it into the pot.

"That much'll do," he said, ignoring their stares.

He washed off his hand in the sink, took the jar from her mother, put the lid back on it and returned it to the refrigerator. Then he sat down at the table and began heartily eating his sausage and eggs.

Kagome just shook her head and turned to her own breakfast.

"Mama, I have to go shopping today. I want to get new diapers for Yukio and some clothes. And I need a few things for myself."

"All right. Would you like me to come with you?"

"If you want to," she replied, eating a spoonful of her miso. She knew her mother wanted to talk to her. An outing together involving shopping would probably be a safe way for her and her mother to reconnect after the debacle of the previous day.

"I think I'd like that."

Kagome nodded, then turned her attention to Yukio who was fussing a bit.

"He needs changed," Inuyasha said simply, crinkling his nose.

"Mmm," she agreed, putting down her spoon.

As if by previous agreement, they both stood. Inuyasha went upstairs to get a clean diaper and moss from her bag, and she went into the living room. By the time she had the dirty diaper off, he had brought her the new one and a dampened cleaning cloth.

"What is that?" her mother asked, seeing the layer of moss she placed on the inside of the baby's diaper.

"Moss."

"Moss?"

She nodded. "It absorbs the wetness and keeps it away from his skin," she explained.

"Is that… sanitary?"

Kagome shrugged. "He seems fine so far and all the women in the Feudal Era use it in their babies' diapers."

"They do?"

She nodded again, doing up the diaper around Yukio's hips and fastening it. Then she wrapped him back up in his blanket and gave him a cuddle. He gurgled at her and snuffled into her neck.

"How old is he?" her mother questioned.

"Ummm… almost nine weeks," she answered, standing and walking back to the kitchen. Inuyasha was already there and eating.

"Nine weeks? He's big for a baby that young."

"Inuyasha says youkai and hanyou babies develop faster than human ones."

"Can he turn over yet?"

Kagome nodded. "Yeah, and he can crawl on his belly pretty well too."

"Keh, he could probably do that from birth," Inuyasha commented. "Pups have to be able to squirm to find the teat."

She moved to sit back down in her chair so she could eat.

"Kagome, may I hold him?" her mother asked.

She paused, thinking, then gently pulled Yukio away from her shoulder and offered him to her mother.

"Ummm, sure," she said.

As the baby changed hands, he fussed a little, balking at the unfamiliar scent.

"Shhhh, it's okay Yukio. She's my mom and she just wants to hold you for a little while, okay?" she soothed.

The baby turned worried golden eyes her way and she gave him a scratch behind his ears.

"It's okay, baby. Kaa-san's right here."

Mama Higurashi brought the infant up to her shoulder the way she had seen Kagome do and rubbed his puppy ears. The action and the lack of fear from his mother seemed to calm him and he settled down. She sat down next to Kagome on the side closest to her so Yukio could see her.

"Ooof, he's heavy."

Kagome shrugged and returned to her breakfast.

"Heh, he eats well," Inuyasha said, a hint of pride in his voice.

"So I've seen," Mama commented. "Yukio… nourished by God."

Kagome stared at her mother, her mouth full. "Y… you know that?" she stammered, swallowing.

"I'm the daughter of a shrine family, and unlike you, I did pay attention to what Jii-chan was telling me."

Kagome blushed, then changed the subject. "Where is Jii-chan?"

"He had to go out to a neighboring shrine this morning on business. He'll be back later."

"Liver's ready," Inuyasha interrupted, noticing the steaming pot on the stove.

Kagome stood up, took the pot and poured out the boiling water, then she crumbled up the cooked liver with a bread knife and put it into her miso. It was as good a way as any to eat it, and might just make it more tolerable.

"So, Kagome," her mother questioned, bouncing Yukio lightly on her lap. "What else can Yukio do?"

"Ummmm… he makes special sounds for when he's hungry and needs to be changed, and other things too. It's like his own little language. He's really smart. He's already learned not to bite me when he's nursing."

"He has?" the older woman said with a wistful sigh. "If only your brother had been so easy. He drew blood on more than one occasion."

Kagome grimaced. "Ouch. Well, his jaws are really strong and if he bites me when he has teeth, he could really hurt me so it was important that he learn not to do that before he started teething."

"He's very alert for a nine week old. I see him following your every move and responding to your voice," Mama noted.

"He responds to scent as well, and he's real sensitive to emotions. If I'm upset, he starts to fuss and worry."

"Does he sleep through the night?"

"Ummm, mostly. Usually he'll wake me up once or twice because he's hungry, but because he's right in bed with me, I don't even have to get up, and sometimes he just feeds himself."

"We should get him a cradle while we're out today."

"Why?" Kagome asked.

"What's a cradle?" Inuyasha questioned.

"It's a little bed for babies. It usually rocks back and forth, and babies sleep in them," Mama answered.

"Keh, we don't need that. The pup sleeps with Kagome."

"He shouldn't."

"Why not?" both of them asked.

"Because it's dangerous. Many babies die or get hurt when they fall out of bed or their parents roll on them."

"Bah! Kagome won't roll on him, and even if she did, she wouldn't hurt him. He's a hanyou pup. He's made of tougher stuff than human whelps."

"She could roll on his head and suffocate him, or he could get tangled up in the sheets and strangle himself," the older woman warned.

Inuyasha snorted. "You think he's that stupid? This pup knows better."

"Still… as he gets older, he'll grow much larger and take up more room."

"It's okay. Shippo still sleeps with me too."

"Shippo?"

"The kitsune kit."

"Oh, yes. Now I remember him. How old is he?"

"He's three but he looks older."

"Hmmm, I see."

Kagome finished her miso. "Inuyasha says he'll start teething any day now, and he thinks he'll be walking and talking by seven months."

"Seven months? That's early."

"Not for a hanyou," Inuyasha said.

Kagome stood up and put her dirty dishes in the sink. "I'm going to go take a bath. I'll be ready to go after that."

"All right."

Yukio made a distressed sound and his eyes opened wide as he watched her leave the room.

"Here, give the pup to me before he starts fussing because he can't smell his mother," Inuyasha said, coming over to get him.

Mama Higurashi gave him the baby and the infant settled down immediately, recognizing his father. He sat down and cuddled the baby while she did the dishes. She watched him as he kept the baby entertained with fingers and locks of hair.

"You make a good father," she commented fondly.

Inuyasha shrugged. "I try."

She nodded and turned to the sink.

"I told her you wanted to talk to her," he said.

"Thank you. I'll try to talk with her while we're out."

"Kagome likes shopping so I think she will be in a good mood."

"Exactly."

"I'm going to take the pup back upstairs," he told her.

"Alright."

Hefting the baby to his shoulder, Inuyasha stood and left the kitchen. Once upstairs, he knocked on the door of the bathroom and waited for Kagome to acknowledge him.

"Yes?" came her concerned voice.

"The pup and I are going into your room. Is that okay?" he said.

"Ummm… yeah. It's okay."

"Alright then."

Turning away from the door and ignoring Yukio's questioning gurgle at sound of his mother's voice, he carried the pup to Kagome's room and lay down on the bed beside him. He unwrapped the pup from his blanket and put him on his back. The charm the old man had put on him was still around the pup's neck and he fingered the dark stone absently. Yukio kicked a little and waved his fists, wanting attention. He was dry and fed after all, and that meant playtime- at least until it was naptime. He took one tiny hand in his own and let the pup draw the fingertip to his mouth. He felt the beginnings of lumps forming on the pup's gums, and knew teeth were not far behind.

"Teething already, eh? You'd better not bite your mother," he warned.

Yukio just gurgled and half-barked a little yip. Inuyasha growled softly under his breath and answered the pup with a small bark of his own, knowing the pup would instinctively know the language of the inu-youkai. Pups were born knowing the basics.

The pup's eyes opened wide as he smiled and laughed at his father. Inuyasha smiled back, and lowered his nose to snuffle the pup's belly playfully, mock growling and snarling. Yukio responded with a high pitched happy squeal that was all human because no youkai pup would ever make such a noise that blasted poor inu-ears so badly. They were still ringing when the pup grabbed two handfuls of hair and pulled.

"Ow ow ow ow ow! Leggo! Leggo!" he complained, trying to extract his hair from the pup's fists, putting it behind his shoulders and out of pup-reach.

Yukio reacted to the loss by sticking his fist in his mouth and looking forlorn. Inuyasha rubbed his belly in silent apology.

"You're growing fast, pup. I can see the difference in you already and you haven't been with us two weeks.

Yukio had nothing to say in answer. The rubbing action on his belly was lulling him and his eyes were growing sleepy. Inuyasha watched the big eyes open and close slowly as the pup tried to fight sleep, but eventually lost the battle. His little face relaxed as he fell asleep, his fist dropping from his mouth to land on his chest. Inuyasha nuzzled his hair with his nose and covered him back up with his blanket. The pup gave a soft sigh as Inuyasha closed his own eyes and lightly dozed.

A short time later, Kagome opened the bedroom door and slipped in.

"I have to get some clothes. Don't you dare peep," she warned.

He cracked his eyes open just a little bit to see her dressed in her robe with a towel wrapped around her hair, but closed them quickly when she turned his way.

"I'm not peeping," he replied honestly. `At least, not anymore.'

"You'd better not."

He smiled, his eyes still closed. It was an old joke between them because both had seen the other naked on a number of occasions for various reasons, all accidental or unavoidable. The incident with the Peach Man came to mind, and another time when Kagome and Sango were bathing and they were attacked. Of course, Kagome had seen him when Sesshoumaru's toad had stolen Tessaiga when he and Miroku had been in the hot spring, and also during the time Souta had tricked him into getting into a steaming hot bath (he still didn't know how modern humans could tolerate such hot water!)

The most recent time had been a few weeks before they killed Naraku. The bastard had known his time was running out, and had sent a puppet to attack them when he thought they were vulnerable. He and Miroku had been bathing when the puppet blasted their camp, and there had been no time to worry about anything but grabbing Tessaiga and running to protect Kagome. He'd fought nude, heedless of his bare skin or the shocked looks from the women, and sent the puppet back to hell with a series of Kaze no Kizus that had blasted it into tiny pieces. Well, Kagome had helped too… and Sango, she'd gotten a few good shots in with Hiraikoutsu, and Miroku with Kazanna until the Saimyoushou showed up… but it'd been mostly him. Or at least, that's how he remembered it.

When the danger had passed, he had turned to make sure Kagome was alright. She'd blushed furiously and screamed for him to sit, slamming him to the ground. Miroku had tossed his clothes on top of him, making him realize the full gravity of what had happened, and he'd been more mortified than the time he'd gone full youkai and slaughtered humans. Afterwards, however, it had been the running joke for weeks, and a source of pride. Inuyasha could fight Naraku stark naked and still beat the shit out of him.

After that incident, it sufficed to say that Kagome had seen all he'd had to offer, and he'd stopped being body conscious around her. He still covered up for modesty's sake but after someone sees you slicing up an enemy with nothing on except a sword and a wicked smile, it took the mystery out of things. She'd relaxed a little around him as well. The last time he'd rushed in on her at the hot springs, she'd only sat him once, and the time here, when he'd come in while she was feeding Yukio, she hadn't sat him at all.

`Hmmm, maybe… maybe she doesn't mind so much anymore if I see her naked,' he thought.

Of course, with the pup and the new closeness they were sharing, it was only natural for him to once again entertain fantasies of what it would be like to be with Kagome. In fact, he was more hopeful for a more intimate and permanent relationship with her than he had been in a very long time. This morning she'd chosen him and Yukio without a moment's hesitation. Did that mean she would choose and accept all of him if he offered it? Sango had told him that she would, but he'd told the taijiya that he'd never doom Kagome to a life of danger and ridicule.

`But will her staying with me to raise the pup be any different than if we were fully mates?'

The thought gave him pause and he knew he needed to do some serious thinking.

In the meantime, Kagome had gathered the clothing she'd wanted and headed back out to the bathroom to dress. She returned a few minutes later with her mother behind her.

"Mama wants me to bring Yukio along with us," she told him.

That made his eyes flare open wide. "What?"

"She has a hat for him to hide his ears," she said, picking up Yukio's baby sling and her bag with his clean diapers.

"You're going to take the pup out there with you?" he asked with alarm.

She blinked at him. "Yes. Why? Is there something wrong with my taking him? He'll need to be fed in a few hours anyway. It's better if he's with me."

"Because your world is hard on my senses. What will it do to the pup?"

"Oh… Well, we'll try it and if he's too fussy and unhappy, I'll bring him back, okay?"

He looked at the sleeping pup, his face full of concern.

"I don't know…"

Kagome giggled and gave him a scratch behind his ears. "Don't worry, Otou. Kaa-san won't let anything happen to Baby."

"Feh. Oyaji," he corrected again.

She gave him another fond look, but picked up Yukio, covered his head with a little blue knit cap, and put him in his sling. He made a gurgling sound and a sigh, but otherwise did not stir. She put the sling on and positioned it so the pup was against her front, slightly to the left, then she moved to leave.

Inuyasha stood and followed her and her mother to the outside doors.

"You'll come back if he starts to fuss and cry?" he asked, a growing worry in his guts. She was taking the pup out into that stinking, noisy place he hated.

"Yes. I'll bring him back the moment is starts to object. I promise."

"Protect his ears. Your town is too loud."

"I will. I will. Stop fussing," she assured, putting on her shoes.

"Do you have his diapers?" he asked, walking with her and her mother as they crossed the shrine grounds. Mama Higurashi was giving him amused looks and he could tell she was trying to keep from laughing.

Kagome patted her bag. "Yes. I have clean diapers, cleaning cloths and moss."

"And you'll be back at lunchtime? Remember you have to study for your test."

"Yes. We'll be back by one. If you get hungry, you know how to make yourself some ramen, right?" she asked.

"Boil water on the gas stove, put it in the cup, count to 90," he replied.

"Right."

"And you have everything you need to feed him?"

She gave him an incredulous look. "I have my breasts. What else do I need?"

Mama snickered behind him.

"Something to cover yourself with, woman," he snapped back, irritated at being laughed at even as he was taking off his haori. "Here, take this."

"I really don't need it. I have my jacket," she answered, indicating the light blue coat she wore.

`But you always wear this when you nurse…' "Still, it smells like me, and it's strong and will protect the pup," he insisted, shoving it at her until she took it, folding it and slipping under the strap of the baby sling.

"Thank you, Inuyasha. We're going now," she said, looking a little miffed.

They'd come to the steps and the shrine archway. Mama walked ahead, giving him a moment alone with Kagome.

"You'll be careful?" he asked.

Her impatient look faded and she stroked his cheek gently. "I promise. Everything will be fine."

"Come back safe," he whispered, touching his forehead to hers.

"We will."

He gave her a quick hug then let her go.

"I'll watch the clock. If you're a minute later than one, I'll come looking for you," he warned.

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, overprotective Outo."

"Oyaji!" he yelled back as she descended the stairs, leaving him behind and feeling oddly bereft.

She waved a hand and joined her mother, going off into that world of stink and racket. He stood at the top of the stairs and watched until he couldn't see them anymore.

`Alone again,' he thought sadly. `I hate it here. I hate having to stay here in this shrine while she goes out there. The only thing worthwhile in this damned place is the food.'

He turned to walk slowly back to the house, but detoured to the God Tree. He stared at it for a moment, then leaped into its branches, climbing high so he could see the city. Friday. Kagome had said her tests were done on Friday. If he'd learned her calendar correctly, today was Tuesday. That meant they had four more days including today before they could go home.

`Four more days, Kagome. Then we're gone. I can't wait to get back so I don't have to be left behind anymore.'

He stayed in the God Tree, keeping vigil until Kagome returned with his son.