InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Lucky Ones ❯ Chapter Twenty-Seven ( Chapter 27 )

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

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Chapter Twenty-Seven

Autumn progressed and all the signs pointed to a particularly harsh winter. As Kagome studied and dealt with the added stresses of her senior year of high school, Inuyasha and the village men prepared for the coming lean season. Much of the village's winter firewood needs were already taken care of thanks to Inuyasha's tree cutting spree that summer, but larders and root cellars still needed to be filled with food that would last the winter.

When she wasn't studying, Kagome was helping Kaede gather and dry herbs that would soon no longer be easy to find. She also stocked up on medicines from her time, preparing for the winter cold season, although the villagers rarely became ill with something like the common cold. Infection was the worst fear most of the time and Kaede's poultices and tonics usually cured the minor cases, but her modern medicine was always welcome, especially her bandages and treatments for burns. Kagome made sure the old miko had plenty of gauze and anti-bacterial soaps and creams, plus her medicines for poisons and venoms.

Yukio had been with them almost nine months and soon he would be a year old. It was hard for her to believe that so much time had passed because it seemed to her that it was only yesterday that his mother had come staggering into the village with her hanyou infant. At the same time, she couldn't imagine her life without the giggling bundle of mischief the baby was turning into. Mobile and communicative, Yukio was getting into all the trouble a toddler almost twice his age would find, and both she and Inuyasha were having trouble keeping up with him. He was almost completely weaned now, with her down to nursing him briefly once a day before bedtime.

With weaning well under way, she'd tackled the chore of potty-training him, only to find that he practically did it himself. Inuyasha explained that Yukio knew instinctively not to soil where he slept, or as the adult hanyou had so colorfully put it, "Pups know not to shit in the den." Instinct or no, he was ridiculously easy to house-train, and was now just about off diapers. She had him in the walking pull-up diapers that served double-duty as underwear just in case he had any `accidents.'

It was a cool late autumn day and Kagome and the others were all sitting outside of Miroku's hut, when she suddenly felt the familiar tingle of a shikon shard. She and Inuyasha both snapped to attention at the same time.

"Kagome-sama?" Miroku questioned.

"Shikon fragments. Two of them, coming closer."

Inuyasha began to growl loudly, making Yukio hide behind his mother.

"It's that damn wolf. I can already smell his stink. And he's brought friends."

"Kouga?" `But Kouga usually approaches so fast…'

Gripping Tessaiga, the hanyou was off to face the challenge before Kagome could stop him.

"Inuyasha!"

"Kagome-sama," Miroku said and she turned to see the houshi and Shippou on the transformed firecat.

"I'll stay here with Kohaku and defend the village if something gets past Inuyasha," Sango offered, moving to put Miyoko into their hut.

"Thank you Sango-chan," she answered gratefully, hopping onto the firecat behind Miroku.

"It will be good to get back in action again," the taijiya admitted.

"Forgive me if I hope that doesn't happen," the monk said quietly.

"Okaa-san! Okaa-san!" Yukio cried, seeing that he was about to be left behind.

"Stay with Sango," she told him. :Pup stay with pack-female.:

"NO!" It was his new favorite word.

She growled at him. "Do as I say."

He started to pout and give her his tell-tale pre-temper tantrum face.

`I don't have time for this…' "Do it or Otou-san will scruff you," she warned.

"NO!" :Mother-female don't leave pup!:

:Pup stay with pack-female!:

His bottom lip started trembling and she knew he was seconds away from a full-fledged crying fit.

"I'll watch him Kagome-chan," Sango assured her.

`Only because he knows better than to turn his claws on you…'

"Okay. Let's go," she said, hardening her heart before she changed her mind.

Miroku urged Kirara ahead and they took off, hoping to get there before Inuyasha's brashness caused serious damage to the village. She heard Yukio's cries, but knew he would be safe with Sango. If Kouga was coming, she didn't want to give the wolf youkai any chance to take her son.

They found Inuyasha standing, Tessaiga at the ready, at the edge of the forest. They were surprised to find that the old miko was beside him, bow and arrows in her hand along with Kagome's bow.

"Here, child," Kaede said, handing her the bow. "There are many approaching."

"I know." `I can feel the jyaki. But… why is he coming here. He's never come to the village. Is he… is he coming to get revenge on Inuyasha and me?'

They waited, along with a number of the village men, for the wolf youkai to come out of the forest.

"I wanna know what the hell that stinking wolf is doing coming here," Inuyasha complained. "He should fucking know better."

"Inuyasha," she warned.

"What? Pup's not here, right?"

She sighed. `It's hopeless. I should just stop trying.'

"You say you know this youkai, Inuyasha?" Kaede asked.

The hanyou nodded. "He's always pawing at Kagome, and calling her his beloved. He even tried to take the pup. Kagome almost ripped his arm off."

"I sense shards."

"Kouga has two in his legs," she replied. `But something is different. I can feel it.'

"Don't worry, Kaede-babaa. I can handle these wimpy wolves without any problems."

"But please, let's see what he wants first before we attack, okay?" she tried. `I don't want to have to hurt him any more than I already have.'

"Bah! Woman, the way you talk I might think you have feelings for that flea bag."

"He's saved my life a couple of times. I owe him enough not to attack him unless he attacks first."

Inuyasha snorted but nodded in agreement.

When Kouga emerged from the trees, he was walking. That in and of itself was odd, but what really gave her pause was who was walking beside him. Although she hadn't seen the red-headed female wolf youkai in almost two years, she recognized her immediately.

"Ayame…" `Ayame. What is she doing with Kouga? Has he finally…' she wondered hopefully.

Hakkaku and Ginta were behind them, along with what seemed like the entire remainder of the wolf pack.

"Oi! Wolf! What the hell are you up to coming here?" Inuyasha challenged.

Kagome put a restraining hand on his arm and took a step forward. "Inuyasha, wait." `The shards are here, but they're not in his legs anymore. That's why he was walking. Could that mean what I think it means?'

"Oi, what the fuck are you doing, woman?" he hissed.

Kouga and Ayame looked at each other, then Ayame nodded and they both approached, their hands up in peace. Inuyasha and Kagome moved forward to meet them while the others stayed behind. Coming closer, she could see that Kouga's arm had healed rather well and for that she was glad. It was scarred but it looked like he had full use of it.

"Kouga. Ayame," she greeted.

"Kagome," the female wolf youkai replied, nodding.

"Whaddya want, wolf?" Inuyasha growled.

"I came to speak with Kagome," Kouga answered.

"Then speak to her and get the hell out of here."

"Alone," the wolf prince amended.

Inuyasha cracked his knuckles and bared his teeth. "Why I ought to…"

"Inuyasha," she warned.

He blinked at her. "You can't honestly tell me that you intend to go off with him!"

She touched his shoulder to reassure him, and spoke gently, "Ayame is here. I think I know what this means. I'll be perfectly safe. Besides, if he tries anything, you'll kill him, right?"

Inuyasha snorted. "Right. One wrong move, one twitch out of place, and I'll shred you," he threatened.

Kouga met his gaze without fear or submission, but nodded.

She stepped up to the wolf lord and nodded for him to lead the way. He turned and walked away from the group, leading her closer to the trees but not out of sight.

"We shouldn't go too far. You know how anxious he gets," she reminded.

"I just want to get out of Dog-turd's ear shot." He walked a little further then stopped. "This should be far enough."

They stood and faced each other. It was an awkward silence because there was so much between them and their last meeting had been so painful. Finally, Kagome gathered enough courage to speak.

"Your arm… it looks like it healed well. I'm glad," she commented.

He touched the scar, his eyes unreadable. "You did not damage me permanently. You could have easily killed me, but you didn't and for that I'm grateful."

She lowered her gaze, blushing with shame. "I… I never wanted to hurt you…"

"But I had your pup. I forgot because it had been so long since I had been around a breeding bitch how protective of her pups a mother could be. I was a fool to grab him."

"And Inuyasha and the others… they said you would kill him."

Kouga huffed. "Does he think I am that simple-minded? I am the leader of my tribe. It would be beneath me to kill a helpless pup."

`But you did say you would have killed any pups of ours…' she thought, but decided not to remind him of that. Words spoken in the heat of battle could often not be trusted.

She opted to nod instead. "I understand that now."

"I would never have harmed him."

"That makes me very glad to hear."

Kouga took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I came… to say good-bye."

`Ah, it's as I thought…'

"Good-bye?"

"The Eastern Cave is being abandoned. I am going with Ayame to the Northern Cave. We will rebuild our tribe together."

"You're going to take her as your mate then?"

He nodded. "Yes."

She smiled. "Good. I am glad."

He shrugged. "She is not you, but she is a good woman. She will make me happy and bear good pups."

"Kouga… I'm sorry…"

"Don't be. That stinking dog-turd had your heart long before I ever met you, and nothing I ever did swayed it," he admitted.

"I always appreciated your affections, Kouga, even if I didn't return them."

He gave her a sad nod. "You always treated me kindly, and helped me whenever you could. That is another reason my behavior was so unforgivable. You thought of me as pack, even protected my followers, and I repaid you by stealing your pup. Even Dog-turd's saved me more than once, though I hate to admit it."

"I know you think he's nothing more than a stupid, violent jerk, but you don't know him like I do and you've never seen the side of him he shows to me. He is a good man and I love him very much," she said softly.

Kouga sighed and looked away, his face pensive and weary.

"I wanted to see you one more time before I go; to apologize for taking your pup, and also… to give you these."

He reached into his armor and pulled out the shikon fragments, placing them in her upturned hands.

`His shards…'

"Kouga-kun, thank you."

"There was a time when we were at war with the Gokuraku-chou when these were invaluable, and again when we were fighting Naraku. But Naraku is dead and the Gokuraku-chou are as decimated as my tribe. Now these shards only attract power-hungry youkai to my den. If I am to have pups and rebuild my tribe, it would be better not to have something that attracts so much attention. It is true that I will not be as fast, but I am strong, and I think it is time for me to stop depending on them," he explained, holding her hands.

She gave him a tender smile. "That is good to hear Kouga-kun."

"This will also assure that Dog-turd doesn't come hunting for them himself, and hopefully I'll never have to see him again."

"Oi! How long are you gonna hold her hands, you fucker!" Inuyasha yelled, looking like he was going to come storming over.

Both she and Kouga rolled their eyes and she gave Kouga a little wink.

"Inuyasha. Osuwari!"

The hanyou immediately hit the ground with a thud and a series of colorful curses.

Kouga chuckled. "Although I think I will miss hearing you do that."

She giggled, then grew serious. "The northern lands? They're cold."

"Not too cold, and they are more remote; fewer humans."

"Will you go back to hunting humans?" she asked fearfully.

He shook his head. "No. We won't attack humans unless they attack us."

"I'm glad."

She put the shards in the vial around her neck, then placed her hand on his scarred arm.

"I'm so glad I didn't cut your arm off. I was afraid that I had or that you would lose it because it wouldn't heal properly," she admitted.

He touched the scar as well, threading his fingers with hers.

"It took a long time to heal and delayed our trip to the north. We had wanted to leave earlier than this to make sure we could get through the mountain passes before the snows. It will be a bad winter."

"The weather readers here say the same thing. I hope that you will get to your new cave safely."

Her concern made him smile. "There's no need to worry about me, Kagome. I don't need looking after like that mangy mutt of yours."

She smiled and shook her head as she gently pulled her fingers from his. "The two of you will never get along. I'm amazed that you haven't killed each other, although I am glad that you are both alive."

"How is your pup?" he asked suddenly.

She beamed. "He's doing really well. Walking, talking, and becoming more like Inuyasha every day. He'll be a year old in a little over a month."

"That is good to hear."

"His latest thing is to say `no' to everything I tell him to do. And of course, he's learning all of Inuyasha's bad habits…"

She looked over at Inuyasha to see him holding Yukio and frowned. `He must have gotten away from Sango…' Sure enough, the taijiya was running towards him, her face flushed and sweaty from exertion.

"Like refusing to stay where he's told," she added dourly.

Kouga laughed softly. "While I hate to pass up a chance to insult Dog-turd, from what I remember of pups, they're all that way."

She sighed as Yukio caught sight of her and she could hear his "OKAA-SAN!!!" as he screamed at the top of his lungs, making everyone around him cringe.

"We'd better go back before Inuyasha pops a vein. We've been here for a while and I've already sat him once, and he's glaring at us as if looks could kill."

Kouga chuckled. "And we should go. The wolves are making your villagers nervous."

She looked at Kaede and the village men and saw them looking very uncomfortable. Turning to Kouga, they both walked back to where Inuyasha, Ayame, the breathless Sango and the suddenly contrite Yukio were waiting.

`Hmmm, must have just remembered that I told him to stay with Sango,' she fumed.

Ayame was cooing at the toddler and fussing over him. She turned to her betrothed with an irritated look in her eyes and her hands on her hips.

`Oh-oh… looks like Kouga's in trouble already.'

"This was the pup you threatened?" the female wolf youkai demanded.

Kouga stammered and looked chagrined. "I wasn't going to hurt him!" he defended.

She whacked him on the head with her fist. "If it had been my pup you took, I would have done a lot more than almost sever your arm!"

"Hah, take that you wimpy wolf," Inuyasha taunted, earning him a thump on the head from her as well.

"Hey, don't call my mate names!"

"Mate?" the adult hanyou repeated.

Ayame smiled and hooked her arm with Kouga's who was still rubbing his head. "Kouga and I are to be married."

Inuyasha looked at the two wolf youkai and then smiled wickedly.

"Well this means you won't come sniffing around Kagome anymore, will you? That is good news!"

"Congratulations," Sango offered. "I hope you're very happy together."

"We will be, and I hope to have lots of pups that are just as cute as you," Ayame replied, scratching Yukio's ears.

Yukio giggled at her, then saw his mother glaring at him and flattened his ears.

`You'd better submit, you little stinker.'

Inuyasha looked at her, saw her glare and looked at his son.

"Okay, pup, what did you do?"

"I ordered him to stay with Sango and he obviously ran away from her," she ground out angrily, making Yukio shrink against his father.

Sango looked apologetic. "He's just so fast, Kagome-chan."

"It's okay, Sango-chan. I understand. And he's at that age where he's going to push his limits."

Inuyasha sighed and then pinned Yukio with a look. :Did you disobey mother-female?:

Big golden eyes blinked and turned misty, but he was honest and nodded. "Okaa-san go `way."

"Okaa-san told you to stay with Sango-chan," she said firmly. "Okaa-san thought there might be danger."

Yukio sniffed and turned eyes to Kouga, sniffing again. :Not-pack male.: Then his eyes widened and it was obvious that he remembered the last time he had smelled that scent. He let out a frightened whine and scrabbled at his father's haori. :Leader-male! Leader-male!:

"Relax, pup. You're safe. But this is why your mother told you to stay where she put you. You wanna get scruffed?"

The toddler shook his head. "Noooooo."

"Then you gotta listen to what we tell you," he scolded, then turned to Kagome. "So what do you think we should do with him?"

He was asking her what kind of punishment they should mete out, but he winked at her and that told her it would be more threat than actual discipline.

"Oh I dunno. Maybe we ought to toss him," she answered, referring to the practice of making him lie down on the ground and submit. It was similar to pinning him, but without the hand to his throat.

"Noooooooo!" Yukio cried, kicking.

Inuyasha grabbed his son's legs and stopped him. "You don't kick me. You don't kick anyone. Understand?"

Sniffling, Yukio nodded and began to chew on his fist like he always did when he was upset.

"If you don't want to get tossed and you don't want to get scruffed, are you gonna listen?" Inuyasha said.

He nodded vigorously. :Pup good! Pup good!:

"Okay."

Inuyasha turned to Sango and handed Yukio to her.

"Here, take him back to the village. He is to stay with you until we come for him."

:Stay with pack-female,: he ordered Yukio. "If you don't stay, you will be punished. Got it?"

Yukio nodded again, tearfully, as Shippou hopped onto Sango's shoulder.

"I'll come with you, Yukio," the kit offered.

"Shippou…" :Pack-brother.:

"See, Shippou is going with you," she comforted. "Stay with Sango-chan and we'll come get you when we're finished here, okay baby?"

"'Kay."

"C'mon. I think I have some sweet roots in the hut," Sango told him as she carried him off.

Kagome watched them go.

"Why is it that when you tell him to do something, he does it, but when I tell him, he ignores me?" she commented.

"One, because he's attached to you and he doesn't want you out of his sight if he can help it. Two, I'm the one who punishes him. You're the push-over," he explained.

"I am not," she complained. "I've scruffed him before."

"Keh, like when? You keep threatening to do it, but I've never seen you follow through. I'm not telling you to be harsh with him, but if you say you're going to punish him and he wheedles his way out of it, he'll never respect you."

"Respect me?" she repeated, getting angry. "Are you saying my baby doesn't look up to me?!"

Inuyasha cringed and flattened his ears just like Yukio had only minutes before. "Eh…"

"We… should be going," Kouga interrupted.

She turned to the wolves and blushed, realizing that she had been on the verge of creating a scene right in front of them.

`Not that that ever stopped me before, but…'

"Yes, you should," Inuyasha replied brazenly.

"Inuyasha," she warned, and he cringed again. `I'm a push-over, huh? Then why are you submitting all over the place?'

Kouga took her hands in his and looked into her eyes. "Good-bye, Kagome. I'll never forget you. But you'll have to learn to live without me from now on," he said to her.

His voice was sincere, but she could see the twinkle in his eyes that told her he was doing it just to irritate Inuyasha. It worked because the hanyou bristled and started to growl low in his throat.

"Get your hands off of her, you bastard! And in front of your own woman too!" he seethed, swiping at the wolf youkai.

Kouga leaped out of the way, but just barely. "Hup!"

"Keh, you've gotten a lot slower, haven't you wolf!"

"I'm still fast enough to outwit you!" Kouga countered. "But you'd better take good care of her, Dog-turd. If I get a whiff that she's unhappy, I'll come gut you myself."

"Just get out of here and mind your own fucking business!"

"C'mon Ayame. It's time for us to go."

The female wolf youkai smiled and nodded. "Good-bye."

"Take care and be happy," Kagome said.

"We will."

Hakkaku and Ginta approached as their alpha-pair moved off.

"Thank you, Nee-chan," Ginta said.

"Yes, thank you for everything. We'll miss you," Hakkaku added.

She smiled at them. "I'll miss you too. Safe travels to your new cave and good luck."

"Oi! We're leaving now!" Kouga warned as he and Ayame began to run back to the trees. The wolves followed.

"Good-bye, Nee-chan!" "Bye!" Hakkaku and Ginta called as they hurried to catch up.

"Bye!" she called after them, waving.

"And good riddance!" Inuyasha added.

"Osuwari," she commanded, making him hit the dirt.

"Gah! What'd you do that for, wench?"

"Because you were being rude."

She turned away, feeling oddly subdued herself. She was glad that Kouga was alright and had finally moved on from his hopeless love for her, but part of her was sad to see him go. He had always been kind to her and, like Houjou in her time, she could have loved him if not for Inuyasha.

`I hope you live a long, happy life with Ayame and have many pups, Kouga-kun. You deserve it.'

"He gave you his shards?" Kaede asked her, breaking her out of her thoughts.

She touched the vial at her throat. "Yes. He said that they would attract attention to his den that he didn't want."

"Feh. Wolf might actually have a brain after all," Inuyasha grumbled.

Kagome just sighed. `At least I know Kouga would have been completely devoted to me. Unlike Inuyasha who still hasn't resolved things with Kikyou. No… that's not true. I'm not being fair. He hasn't resolved things because no one has seen her for over nine months. The last time she appeared was two weeks before we got Yukio and there's been no sign of her since.'

She knew Inuyasha was worried about the undead miko because he'd finally gotten up enough courage to ask her if she had felt anything happen to Kikyou. After her initial irritation wore off, she realized that he was just concerned for his former love's welfare, and was glad to be able to tell him that as far as her soul was concerned, Kikyou seemed fine.

"Oi, Kagome, what are you brooding about that has that look on your face?" Inuyasha demanded.

"Nothing," she replied and tried to make her smile reach her eyes. "Let's go get Yukio. I'm sure he's giving Sango a hard time."

"I hope we will still have a hut left to live in," Miroku commented, joining them as they headed for the village.

"Keh."

"So Kagome-sama, Kouga gave you his shards?" Miroku questioned.

"Yeah."

"That means you have collected quite a bit of the Shikon no Tama."

She looked at the fused jewel on the chain around her neck, along with the vial of shards that she had yet to add to the main piece.

"About two-thirds I'd say."

The houshi nodded. "If things go as they have been, soon you will have the whole jewel in your possession."

She nodded. "Yeah." `And then what? Will Inuyasha make his wish? Will I have to go back to my time and stay there? What will happen to us? To Yukio?'

Inuyasha sensed her distress and came close, his presence a welcome comfort. She cast him a grateful look and reached for his hand. Like the situation with Kikyou, the final solution was out of her hands, and there was really no point in worrying about it.

`I'll enjoy and cherish what I have while I have it. The rest will have to take care of itself. I'll just have to trust Inuyasha, and have faith that everything will work out alright,' she resolved as they returned to the village to pick up her son.