InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Lucky Ones ❯ Chapter Forty-Four ( Chapter 44 )

The Lucky Ones

By Terri Botta

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

Rating: R for later chapters.

Pairing: Inuyasha/Kagome

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 Forty-Four

It was still dark and relatively cold where they were, but Inuyasha was secure in his belief that Kagome was safe in the circle of his arms. She was silent and still, unresponsive and limp in his embrace as she worked on healing what was wrong with her physical body. He could feel her life energy through the cord that joined them, and knew she was deep within herself.

They were drifting now, floating like jellyfish in the inky blackness of an endless sea that had no light source other than the slowly swirling vortex in the distance and the blue glow of Tenseiga. The sword continued to create an eddy of safety against the pull of the vortex so that he could concentrate on supporting his mate, and he devoted all of his energy toward helping her heal, but it was taking a great deal out of him and he was growing weary. His power was slowly waning and he had begun to weaken.

Valiantly he was trying to hold on and give her the time she needed, even as he felt his own life energy fading and slipping from him like grains of sand through his fingers. He would give her every last drop of his strength if he had to if it meant that she would survive, and he knew that he was the only thing standing in the way of her Crossing Over. The knowledge was more than enough to make him reach deeper into himself and find untapped reserves of power he never knew were there.

He didn't know how much time had passed when he suddenly had the distinct impression that they were no longer alone, and he opened his eyes to see what it was. He could still see the vortex, although it was even further away now, and the blackness still stretched in all directions. But around them had clustered a number of brightly glowing spheres, six of them in all: round balls of light that floated close by.

`Souls...' he thought, recognizing them from the time when Kikyou had needed their energy to survive.

Were they using the protection of Tenseiga as a bulwark against the pull of the vortex?

`No. They've lost their form. These are the souls of the truly dead,' he answered himself although he did not know exactly how he knew that.

As he tried to puzzle it out, one of the spheres approached him and touched him lightly on the shoulder. Immediately he felt a shock of cold and shivered, but then an image coalesced in his mind of a brightly smiling green-eyed kitsune-hanyou with a bushy red tail.

`Akihiro?'

`Hello, Father,' came the answering voice.

`Aki?' he choked, disbelieving.

`Yes.'

`How?'

`We've been allowed to cross over to Between.'

`We?'

He looked at the other glowing souls around them and suddenly knew that each one represented someone who had been connected to him in some way.

`Yes.'

A feeling of dread ran through him and he held Kagome more tightly.

`Have you come to take us Across? Are we supposed to die?'

`No. It's not your time.'

He `sighed' with relief. `Oh good. I didn't think it was.'

Akihiro's laughter, so long unheard, echoed in his mind. `And you would have taken exception to me if I had said that it was, wouldn't you, Father?'

`I may have.'

`Would you have fought me? Told me what you thought of me?'

`Maybe,' he replied carefully, eyeing the remaining five souls warily as they floated around them. One tried to touch Kagome but he pulled her away.

More laughter rolled lightly through his mind. `You would have. I know you would. But there is no need for that. We aren't here to take you with us.'

`Then why are you here?'

`We came to talk to you.'

`Talk to me?'

`Yes.'

`Why?'

There was a moment of silence then the soul who had once been Akihiro replied, `Because none of us got to say good-bye.'

`Good-bye?'

`Yes.'

Emotions he had long suppressed rose up in him and he felt the crushing grief of that horrible day so long ago when his son took a fatal blow that was meant for Kagome.

`I'm sorry,' he blurted. `I wasn't fast enough. I couldn't save you. I failed you, my son.'

`No, you didn't. I knew I would die. I had made my choice. Better me than Mother or the littles. My only regret was that I died before I had a chance to tell you that I love you. I love you, Father. Thank you for everything you did for me.'

Tears began to roll down his cheeks. It was okay to cry here, wasn't it? There wasn't anyone alive to see.

`My son. I miss you. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't wish I had done things differently.'

`Don't. Both you and Yukio did everything you could. I don't blame you for my death. Please tell Yukio that I miss him and love him, and that I'm all right and waiting for him, for you.'

`Aki...'

`I love you. I always will. You don't forget that when you go.'

`I love you too, Aki.'

Akihiro moved away and another soul moved close. This one touched him on the arm and an image of Hiei, his eighth son who had been murdered on his way home with a caravan of traders that had gone to KÅtsuke, formed in his mind. Some villagers had seen the snake-hanyou and attacked him, and because he had been trying so hard not to seriously hurt or kill any of his attackers, he'd gotten cornered and eventually killed. At least, that was what the traders who saw the whole thing told him had happened and he had no reason to disbelieve them.

`Hiei?'

`Hello, Father.'

He reached out to touch the soul but his hand slipped right through it.

`Hiei...' he repeated, guilt and regret filling his mind.

`It's all right, Father. I know.'

`I'm sorry. I wasn't there...'

`You couldn't have known what would happen. I had gone with the traders many times before. But there is something you need to know about that day.'

`What?'

`The mob was just an excuse to rob the wagons. They hadn't really intended to kill me. They knew in the end that they'd brought their own deaths on their heads.'

`So it was a mistake?' he blurted, his heart twisting in his chest. How could this disembodied form still feel so real?

`Somewhat, yes. But my death roused the traders to fight back and chase them off, and in doing so the supplies the village needed were saved.'

`Those dishonorable bastards!'

`It's all right. I died a long time ago and I've forgiven them.'

`I don't forgive them!'

Hiei laughed softly. `You will. When you die everything becomes clearer.'

`How can you say such things? They murdered you for a few bolts of cloth and some baubles!'

`It doesn't matter. I'm beyond all of that now. But I didn't get the chance to say good-bye. To tell you how much I loved you and how grateful I am to have been your son. You gave me everything you had to give. Thank you.'

`Hiei...'

The soul moved away and a third came up to him. This one floated right in front of his face, just above Kagome but not touching her. Then he felt its coldness seep into his forehead and he shivered as a face he had seen but once in his life appeared in his mind's eye.

`My son,' Inu no Taishou said.

`Oyaji...'

`You never knew me, but I have watched you. You have surpassed my greatest expectations, Inuyasha. I am proud to call you son.'

A lump formed in his throat. `Oyaji...'

`I love you, my son. I will see you again. That is all I have to say.'

`I love you too, Oyaji. Thank you for Tessaiga.'

`It was always meant for you and you have used it well. Be strong. Live with honor until we see each other again.'

`I will. I promise.'

The fourth soul came up to him as his father's pulled away and touched him on the shoulder opposite to the one Akihiro had touched. The last face in the world he had expected to see flashed before his eyes and he trembled.

`Hi,' Hiro's voice, soft and edgy as it had always been in life, whispered.

`Hiro,' he replied, his heart aching.

`I just wanted to say don't feel bad about what you did. I don't blame you for killing me. I know it was hard for you to make the choice, but you made the right one. I would have killed Mother and everyone else who crossed my path. The fire in me had taken over and I couldn't control it anymore. If you hadn't stopped me when you did, nothing would have.'

`I wish I had known. I... I could have given you a sealing sword to curb your youkai blood...' he admitted.

`There was no way you could have predicted what was going to happen.'

`I tried to bring you back.'

`I know you did.'

`I didn't want to do it.'

`You didn't have a choice.'

`It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do.'

`I know.'

`I'm so sorry.'

`I forgive you. You... you were the best father I could ever have asked for. Thank you.'

`I always loved you.'

`I know. And I always loved you. I still do. Thank you for saving me from myself.'

`Hiro...'

`Good-bye, Father. I'll see you again when you come to the Other Side.'

Hiro receded and the fifth soul came forward to touch his cheek. He hadn't really stopped crying since Akihiro had touched him, but the sweet face of his mother made a fresh batch spill over.

`Haha-ue.'

`Inuyasha, my sweet boy. I love you so much. I'm sorry I had to leave you when you were so little and left you all alone.'

`I don't blame you, Haha-ue.'

`You've grown up into a fine man. I am so proud of you. You overcame so much and were so strong and brave.'

He looked down at Kagome who was still quiet and motionless in his arms.

`I had help, Haha-ue. Without her, I don't know what would have become of me. She saved me, not only from Kikyou's Seal, but from myself. She gave me back my soul.'

`She was always meant for you, my son. Her love and pure heart were exactly what you needed. Please tell her I could not have wished for a better mate for my beloved boy.'

`I will, I promise.'

`I love you. We'll see each other again.'

`I love you too, Haha-ue.'

He felt her kiss him just as she floated away. There was only one soul left who hadn't touched him and instinctively he knew who it was. His suspicions were confirmed when he felt a cold shiver run up his back, right between his shoulder blades.

`Sai...'

`Father. It feels so good to be here again Father. I remember all the days you carried me on your back. You'd go slow so I could hold on and wouldn't fall.'

`Sai.'

The image of his sixteenth son appeared in his mind, his twisted limbs and scaled skin, and a sob worked its way out of his throat as even more tears fell.

`Don't cry, Father. I wasn't in any pain.'

`It... it didn't hurt?'

`No. I was beyond feeling by that point.'

`I'm sorry. There... there wasn't anything we could do for you. Your mother and I tried and tried but nothing helped. We couldn't stand to see you lying there, gasping for breath...' he explained, brokenly.

`I know. I know everything. It's all right.'

`Forgive me.'

`I do. I forgave you the moment you did it. I was grateful. You refused to let me suffer.'

`We loved you too much for that.'

`I know. I never should have lived. My life was short and full of hardship, but you loved me all the more. I couldn't have asked for better parents, Father. I knew I was loved every day of my life. Thank you.'

`Sai. I love you.'

`I know. I love you too, and I'm waiting. We'll all be together again someday.'

The coldness on his back faded and he looked to see all six souls floating in front of him.

`We have to go now, Father,' Akihiro told him.

They began to rotate in a clockwise spinning ring, their light all blurring together.

`But we'll give you our strength to help you in your task,' his mother added.

`Don't let Mother go,' Sai said.

`Hold her close to you and keep her safe,' Hiei urged.

`Tell her we love her,' Hiro requested.

`Be strong,' his father reminded.

There was a surge of light from the spinning ring and he felt new strength pour into him. It flooded through his tired, grieving soul and suffused him with the power of their love.

`Thank you,' he whispered as he took the gift and put it into his bond with Kagome.

`We love you,' they all said in unison.

`I love you too. I'll never forget you.'

`We'll see each other again.'

`I look forward to that day.'

`As do we. Good-bye.'

One by one the spinning souls veered off and sped towards the vortex, blinking out as they entered its center.

Left alone with his mate, Inuyasha drew her even closer and felt for her through the cord. The strength the souls had given him had passed through the bond and rushed into her, spreading throughout her body and filling her with renewed energy. A moment later she stirred in his arms and opened her eyes.

`Inu... yasha?'

`Kagome.'

`Are we still here?'

`Yes. I'm still holding you, koi.'

`I know. I can feel it. Thank you.'

`Anything for you, koishii. I'll hold you forever if I have to.'

She smiled tiredly at him. `That won't be necessary.'

`Are you almost ready to go back?' he asked hopefully.

She nodded. `Soon.'

`Okay.'

`Hold me tight, koi?'

`Of course.'

`I love you.'

`I love you too, Kagome.'

She closed her eyes again and slipped away, but he knew it was almost time for them to return. The spirits of his loved ones had given him the extra bit of strength he had needed to complete his task and keep Kagome with him. A moment later, he felt her pull on the bond and knew she was telling him that it was time to go back. Gladly he tightly gripped Tenseiga and followed her back to the land of the living.

It wouldn't be until much later that Inuyasha would realize that all six souls, regardless of whether they had been youkai, human or hanyou had all looked the same.

********

The hours passed in tense silence. No one left in the group wanted to leave long enough to get something to eat so Uncle ordered a catered meal to be brought to the waiting room. Yukio, Eri, Miroku, and Mama-baachan all sat together to keep vigil over Inuyasha while Uncle and Aunt Rin sat together to work on `The Case of the Switched Doctors' and Midorikyou sat pretty much by herself with Mariko set up as a self-proclaimed attendant. The immortal miko had decided to stay until Inuyasha awakened, although it was also decided that telling Inuyasha that they had been considering separating him from Kagome was a very bad idea. Midorikyou agreed that all that would be said of her presence was that she had been called to see what help she could offer.

Izayoi was also grateful for her presence after she and Tetsu returned around 5pm because, between Mariko and the immortal miko, they were able to set up strong enough barriers around Tetsu so that nothing got through to trigger his Sight. The young dragon-hanyou was so exhausted and worn-out from the stress that not even his sword was able to shield him completely anymore, and even though she had taken him back to the house to rest, he hadn't slept for more than two fitful hours. Midorikyou had a calming effect on him as well, and Izayoi saw her brother relax and some of the tension lines leave his face. He was asleep, truly asleep, within minutes and that was exactly what he needed.

The sun set and the shifts changed, giving them an entirely new set of medical personnel to deal with when they went up to visit Kagome or in to see the newborn. Yukio had been up to see his mother once with his sister Eri and that had been enough for him. It was difficult for him to see his father motionless and unresponsive on the waiting room couch. It was impossible for him to look at his mother, half buried under a multitude of tubes and wires, with the respirator tube shoved down her throat. She didn't even look like the woman he knew and adored, and seeing her like that was more than he could bear. In addition, his mother's night nurse had taken a shine to him, and had expressed deep sympathy when he told her of their situation. She had promised to let him know the moment his mother's condition changed. He knew that she was trying to gain his favor, and while she was attractive and very nice, he didn't have the heart to tell her he wasn't interested.

More police came in to speak with Mama-baachan and a detective even interviewed him about Dr. Hattori and his mother's care, although Miroku knew better than he about Hattori's first visit. It looked like the investigation was going rather well, even if things looked pretty grim for the young doctor. It didn't help any that he was quoted to as having said that he never knew humans were `so fragile as to die from something as insignificant as high blood pressure' in his statement to police.

Things calmed down after the officers left and they settled in to wait some more. The long hours were maddening, and they'd taken to playing card games to pass the time and get their minds off of what was happening. So far the staff up in the ICU had said there had been no change in their mother's condition and from what they could tell from their father that was true. By now Kagome had been in the coma for just under sixteen hours.

The newborn was doing fine although they worried about him being all by himself in the nursery. Inu-youkai pups needed contact with their pack members, especially their mother, for proper bonding and emotional support. Mama-baachan went in as often as they would let her and held the new pup just so he would have a pack member with him as much as possible. She wouldn't replace the pup's need to be with his mother, but she was better than nothing.

Yukio, Eri and Miroku were involved in a game of Five Card Stud when they heard Inuyasha draw a deep breath. Game immediately forgotten they all rushed to his side; all of them except Uncle that is, who remained impassive and silent against a nearby wall. As they watched, their hearts pounding, Inuyasha took another deep breath, then coughed and choked a bit. Yukio put himself in the fore and spread out his arms to keep the others back as Inuyasha began to struggle feebly, his head moving and his legs kicking out. Then he suddenly groaned and rolled, pitching himself right off the couch and onto the floor face-first with a crunching thud. Both swords clattered to the hard tile and landed right next to him.

"Otou!" Yukio cried, and knelt down next to him. "Otou-san can you hear me?"

A low moan was his answer, then his father slid his hands underneath himself and pushed up. It took him a couple of tries but he finally rose to all fours, his head hanging down as if it was too heavy for him to lift.

"Otou-san?" he called again.

His father moaned, then growled, then choked loudly and began to cough. The coughing escalated into gagging which culminated in his vomiting what little there was in his stomach after 16 hours of unconsciousness all over the white tile floor. When he was finished, he slumped back down, avoiding the mess he had made and rolled to his back, panting heavily. One hand clutched at his chest and his eyes stared at the ceiling, darting back and forth in confusion.

"Otou-san," Yukio tried a third time.

"Kagome," Inuyasha rasped hoarsely. "Where... where is Kagome?"

Yukio was so relieved to hear his father's voice that he almost started bawling right then and there, but he managed to hold his emotions in check as he looked down into the still dilated golden eyes.

"Okaa-san is in Intensive Care. She went into a coma after she had the seizures. But if you're awake..." `If Otou-san is awake, then Okaa-san must be alright. If he's conscious, then she must be out of the coma.'

"Seizures?" his father repeated, as if tasting the word. He didn't seem to be all there just yet.

"Yes. Okaa-san was in labor and something went wrong..." He trailed off. He didn't know how much he should tell his father so soon after his awakening.

There was a moment of silence, then Inuyasha whispered, "I remember. We... we were in the room, and... and Kagome's blood pressure went too high. The damn doctor was an asshole and then..." His eyes flared wide open as he gasped and struggled to sit up. "The pup! Where's the pup?! What happened to the pup??!!"

Yukio put a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder to calm him.

"He's alive. He's in the nursery."

Inuyasha reached into the collar of his shirt and pulled out the scrap of blue cloth.

"A boy. We had a boy," his father choked, bringing the cloth close to his nose. "Where is he now?"

"In the nursery," Yukio repeated. "I can take you to him if you want. Or... or do you want to see Okaa-san first? If you're awake, then she must be out of the coma."

"Coma? Kagome was in a coma?"

`He must not have heard me the first time...'

"Yes, Otou-san. Okaa-san was in a coma. Do you want me to take you to her?"

Yukio could see the indecision marring his father's face. On one hand, it was obvious that he was concerned about his mate, but on the other hand, he was worried for his newborn son as well.

Inuyasha looked around him and spied Tessaiga and Tenseiga lying beside him on the floor. Slowly he reached for them and picked up both swords by their sheaths, holding one in each hand as he looked dazedly at them.

"Tenseiga..." Yukio heard his father murmur, then Inuyasha raised glassy eyes to him. "How long?"

"Sixteen hours."

He could see higher brain function returning to his father and had to smile.

"Who's been caring for the pup?"

"The hospital staff. But Mama-baachan has gone in several times to feed him, and we wrapped him in a pillowcase from your and Okaa-san's bed so he would imprint on your scents."

"They didn't take him to his mother?"

Yukio shook his head. "They couldn't. Okaa-san was on a respirator. It was no place for a newborn pup."

Inuyasha fell silent again, his breathing slightly elevated, and he looked once more at the swords in his hands.

"This Sesshoumaru will take his sword," Uncle's voice announced.

Yukio turned his head to see the taiyoukai standing directly behind them, his face expressionless as he looked down at his half-brother. Inuyasha stilled and met the cold gaze, his face also uncharacteristically unreadable. In that moment, Yukio realized how very much the two brothers looked alike. His father's face was always animated with emotion, his eyes bright and flashing, but when he was calm and his features smooth it was easy to see that the two were related.

There was obviously some form of silent communication passing between the two siblings that no one else was privy to. They weren't even speaking inu-youkai but it was very apparent that messages were being passed and received. Finally, after several long moments, Yukio saw Inuyasha scowl then haphazardly toss Tenseiga to its rightful owner. Uncle caught it without hesitation.

"Thanks," Inuyasha said.

Uncle nodded once then turned on his heel and walked away. He did not stop as he strode right out of the waiting room and presumably out of the hospital. His aunt gave them a little shrug and a sweet smile, then hurried after her mate.

"We'll be in touch," she promised.

"Keh. Typical," his father barked, but there was no heat in it, then he put out a hand. "Take me to the pup."

Yukio immediately took the offered hand and helped him rise to his feet. Inuyasha's legs were weak and he stumbled several times before he got his balance. Still, once he was up he managed to look at the handful of his children who had gathered and offer them a tiny smile. Then his eyes fell on Midorikyou and they flared open with surprise for just a moment.

"Kikyou…" Yukio heard his father breathe.

The immortal miko approached and his father struggled to stand on his own, roughly pulling his arm from his son's grasp. He straightened and met her calm gaze with one of his own.

"We are glad you have awakened," she said with a little bow. "We were called to see if we could help."

"Well, ummm. Thank you for coming," Inuyasha said, his voice confused and tentative.

`He's always like this around her. It's like he doesn't know what to say,' Yukio thought.

"How've you been?" his father asked timidly, scratching the back of his neck nervously.

"We are well, thank you."

"That's... good."

Midorikyou smiled a soft and secret smile as if she knew that Inuyasha was tongue-tied and found it amusing. "We are pleased to have been of some small help and comfort." She turned to Shippou. "We are ready to leave now."

Shippou nodded and bowed, then approached Inuyasha.

"I'm glad you're going to be alright. We'll take Midorikyou back to Zenko-ji, go home to get some rest, and then we'll be back to check on you," he said.

Inuyasha put out a hand and the kitsune grasped him by the forearm.

"Thank you," his father whispered.

Shippou smiled and winked. "I knew you were too stubborn to let her die."

"Oi. If I had the strength, I'd pound you right now."

"Save it for the doctor who did this," Shippou warned.

Inuyasha's face darkened. "Yeah."

Shippou smiled and released Inuyasha's arm. "We'll be back."

"Okay."

Mitsiyomi gave them a little smile and a bow, then the three left quietly, leaving Yukio behind with just his father, grandmother and siblings. Tetsu, having slept a good four hours, looked much better, but he noticed that both Izayoi and Mariko were staying close to him.

Inuyasha looked at all of them and smiled again. "Let's go get the pup."

Yukio stopped him for a moment.

"Here. Kitarou brought fresh clothes for you. Why don't you change your shirt before you go in to see the pup? Yours has blood on it."

His father looked down at the blood splattered t-shirt and gave a slight nod.

"Yeah," he agreed, and took the cloth by the collar, ripping it cleanly off without any trouble.

Yukio fished a clean shirt out of the bag Kitarou had brought, snickering at the image of Homer Simpson and the line "I See Stupid People" winking back at him from the dark fabric, and helped his father slip it on. Then he helped fasten Tessaiga to his father's waistband.

"Okay, am I ready now?" Inuyasha asked, slightly annoyed.

Yukio tugged on one unruly lock of his father's hair and smirked. "Well, you could use a wash and trim, but I don't think there's enough time for that."

:Insolent pup,: Inuyasha barked in inu-youkai.

:Impatient Leader-male,: he barked back. `That's right. I'm not Alpha anymore.' He grinned, suppressing the urge to throw his arms around his father and weep with relief, and straightened out a wrinkle in his father's shirt. "Now let's go get the pup."

"About fucking time."

Yukio gave his father another grin and motioned for him to go through the maternity ward doors. Inuyasha snorted and took a step forward, but he stumbled and Yukio immediately caught him.

`Hmm, still a bit weak.'

Inuyasha recovered quickly, rolled his shoulders back and straightened up.

"You okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine," Inuyasha insisted and took another step, this one steady.

Two steps more and he was walking fine on his own, so they all fell in behind him as he threw open the ward doors with both hands, strode up to the side door of the nursery and pounded on it with his fist.

"Oi! Open up!"

A shaky voice tremored over the intercom next to the door. "Yes?"

"I'm Fushikenwa Inuyasha. I've come for my son."

There was a moment of silence, then the voice replied, "Only parents and grandparents may come in."

"That's fine. I'm his father. Now open up."

There was another moment of silence and Inuyasha started growling under his breath. Yukio saw him finger Tessaiga's hilt and gasped.

"Otou-san, there are pups in there!" he hissed.

His father's growl grew a little louder, but the hand dropped away from the sword.

"Fushikenwa-san! Fushikenwa-san!" came a new voice, and Yukio turned to see who it was.

Making her way through the seven of them to get to him was the night nurse from the ICU.

`Bless her. I knew she'd come to tell me the moment something happened,' he thought.

"I came to tell you, Fushikenwa-san, that your mother has regained consciousness," she told him breathlessly.

`Okaa-san woke up. But then, I knew she had.'

He smiled at the young youkai female making her sigh. "Thank you." `Love-struck already? Oh how I hate breaking hearts.'

"Great," his father snarled. "Now tell these idiots to open this door before I knock it down."

The nurse blinked at Inuyasha then back at him. He gave her a little shrug. "Our baby brother is in there and my father wants him."

Reaching past him, she buzzed the nursery.

"Yes?" came the same nervous voice.

"Open the door. Fushikenwa-san wants his son."

"The infant hasn't been cleared to leave the nursery yet," the disembodied voice replied.

"Oi! Open the fucking door before I fucking kick it down! I want my son!"

The ICU nurse cast Inuyasha frightened glance. "You'd better do as he says and just open the door."

"We'll call security," the voice threatened.

"More bull-youkais?" Inuyasha sneered. "Bring `em on. I'm in the mood for steak!"

"Just open the door!" the nurse pleaded.

There was a loud buzz and a click. The ICU nurse grabbed the door handle and turned it quickly, pushing the door open. Inuyasha shoved his way past her and entered the nursery, casting his eyes about for the owner of the voice. Finally, he looked down to see a diminutive tanuki youkai cowering by the intercom. She'd needed a stool just to reach the buzzer.

"Keh," he sniffed and blew past her, making a b-line for the bassinet that held the new pup.

"This is highly irregular!" the tanuki nurse squeaked as they all came in behind him. "Only parents and grandparents are allowed in!!"

"Don't worry," Eri assured her. "We're not staying."

Yukio followed at Inuyasha's heels until he stopped at the blue wrapped bundle at the end of the room. He paused and let his father have a moment with his newborn son, watching the older hanyou as he looked upon his pup for the first time.

Inuyasha's face was a portrait of stunned wonder as he gazed at the sleeping pup, his eyes wide and his mouth slack-jawed, but then the pup squirmed and opened his big golden eyes, and Yukio swore he saw his father fighting tears. With shaking hands, he reached into the bassinet and picked up its precious contents. He brought the pup close to his face, nuzzling him lovingly and licking him gently to get his taste. The pup responded to the scent and presence of his father by burbling and letting out a soft cry.

:Pup. My pup,: Inuyasha barked softly, then crinkled his nose. "Pup needs changed."

Nine sets of eyes looked to the tanuki nurse who turned three shades whiter.

"I'll do it," the ICU nurse offered, lifting a clean diaper from the stack of diapers on a nearby shelf.

They parted to let her pass and she changed the newborn with amazing efficiency, then gave him back to his grateful father.

"Thank you," Inuyasha said, all of his anger and upset forgotten now that the pup was in his arms.

`It's almost like someone flipped a switch,' Yukio mused.

Arms wrapped around his newborn son, Inuyasha smiled at the tiny face, his eyes soft and loving.

"What do you say we go see your mother, hm? You'd like that wouldn't you?"

"I'll take you up," the ICU nurse offered, smiling at Yukio as she passed him.

He rolled his eyes and shook his head. `She can try all she wants but she isn't going to get anywhere.'

His father nodded and they all followed her out of the maternity ward and up to the ICU. Once they were on the floor, most of them stayed behind in the ICU waiting room, leaving only Yukio to go in with his father and the pup.

"We don't want to overwhelm her all at once and you know she'll feel she has to pay attention to all of us if we're there," Mariko explained. "Besides, she should have a few moments alone with you and the new pup before we descend upon her."

Inuyasha gave her a grateful smile and nodded. "Thanks."

The ICU nurse buzzed them through and Yukio directed his father to his mother's cubicle.

"She's in cubicle six," he said, taking a right and heading down the short hallway.

The rooms in ICU weren't so much rooms as they were three-sided compartments with open fronts so that the ICU nurses could observe each patient from the central station. Each cubicle had a curtain that could be drawn across the open side for privacy while doctors and nurses were treating or examining a patient. They stopped short of cubicle six when they saw that the curtain had been drawn.

"They must be working on her," the ICU nurse told them sadly.

Yukio saw his father's ears go up and knew he was listening to the goings on behind the curtain. He put his own ears up to listen as well, ignoring the nurse's giggle when she saw him perk them up.

`Okay. She's been very, very nice, and very, very helpful, but she's starting to get on my nerves,' he thought dourly.

"... kenwa-san," he heard a male voice saying. "Can you hear us? Fushikenwa-san, if you understand what we are saying, please squeeze my hand."

"Nu...yash..." his mother's soft, almost strangled voice replied.

Beside him, he saw his father tense and put out a hand to stop him from going in.

"Wait until they're done," he admonished.

Inuyasha growled but backed down, his ears flattening then shooting right back up when his mother spoke again.

"Ba...by...ba...by."

"Did the patient recently give birth?" the male voice asked.

"Yes. The patient was admitted to the ICU for an eclamptic coma," a female voice answered.

"Did the child live?"

"Yes, he is in the nursery."

"Where is the husband? Is there a husband?"

He heard his father growl again, his face drawn into a scowl. The pup, somewhat aware of his surroundings, fussed a little at the angry sound and Inuyasha hurried to shush him. It was so amusing to see his normally gruff father lightly bouncing the pup in his arms and soothing the newborn so he'd be quiet.

`Hmmm, maybe his arms have been empty for too long just like Okaa-san's'

"Has the husband been notified of the change in his wife's condition?"

"A nurse was dispatched to tell the family. Most of them have been waiting down in the maternity ward."

"Did you hear that Fushikenwa-san? A nurse went down to tell your husband that you've awakened. I think he will be very happy to hear that. He'll be even happier to hear that you'll be moved to the Stable ward just as soon as your blood work comes back and we confirm that everything is how it's supposed to be," the male said.

"Yash... b...by," Kagome whispered brokenly, then whined very clearly in inu-youkai, :Mate? Pup. Where pup?:

That was it. Not even a dozen bull-youkai's could have stopped his father from going to her at that point. Inuyasha strode ahead, pulled aside the curtain, ripping it down halfway off of its sliding rings and moved to Kagome's side.

"Kagome!" he blurted, then stopped when he saw her surrounded by machines and tubes, his eyes opened wide in surprise.

Two youkai were standing next to the bed, a male and a female, both in white lab coats.

"Ah, you must be the husband," the male said then spied the infant. "Sir, this ward is no place for an infant. We have patients up here with infectious diseases..." He looked at the now cowering ICU nurse. "How could you let him bring a newborn up here?"

The ICU nurse bit her lip and looked chagrined. "I..."

"It's all right. My pup's a hanyou. And my mate's a doctor. The pup'll be fine. I won't let him get close to anyone here," Inuyasha insisted, overcoming his initial shock and muscling his way to Kagome's side.

Yukio saw his mother turn her head wearily in Inuyasha's direction.

"Kagome?" he breathed softly.

"Yahhh...ssshhhaa."

His father held the pup in one arm and took Kagome's hand with the other. "I'm here, koi. I'm right here."

"Baaahhhyyybbeeee?"

He tilted the bundle in his arms so Kagome could see the newborn. "He's here too, koi. We had a boy. See? He's perfect. He looks just like you."

Yukio saw tears well up in his mother's eyes and she lifted one tube-riddled arm to reach for her son, lightly brushing the edge of the blue blanket with her fingertips.

"Boy," she choked, wetness rolling down her cheeks as the pup looked at her and she saw her infant's face for the first time.

"When will you move her?" Yukio asked, commanding the doctor's attention.

"As soon as her blood work comes back, which could be in as little as another hour."

He tugged at his father's sleeve. "Otou-san, we should take the pup out of here. The doctor is right. This place isn't safe for a newborn."

His father seemed reluctant to go and looked to Kagome.

"Kagome?"

She gave him a tired nod and squeezed his hand. "Go," she whispered. "No... saaaffe." :Protect pup.:

Yukio saw his father swallow hard and nod. "Okay. But I'll be right there when they move you. I won't leave your side."

Kagome gave his hand another squeeze then released it and made a slight shooing gesture. Then Yukio took his father by the shoulders and urged him out.

"We'll know when they move her. They won't be able to sneak past us, I promise," he assured his father then looked to the doctor. "Tell us the moment you move her."

The doctor nodded. "We will."

It was on that promise alone that he was able to get Inuyasha to leave his mother and go back to the ICU waiting room. Once in the waiting room, his father chose the seat closest to the ward doors so he would be certain not to miss when they moved Kagome. Yukio didn't have the heart to tell him that they'd probably use a patient elevator in the ward and not come through the waiting room at all. Still, they'd be sure to smell her the moment they moved her from the cubicle.

While things were still tense, the mood had changed and there was an air of relief around them. Now that they knew Kagome was going to recover, the pressure was off and they could relax. His father cradled the pup close and they all gathered around him in a tight group. Yukio sat in the chair to his right and Mama-baachan sat in the one on his left while the others clustered nearby, bringing chairs around to make a tight circle. Up until now the pup had been relatively quiet, but now that the "pack" had stopped moving and his natural instinct to freeze had subsided, he let them know he was there, loudly. Inuyasha shushed him and rocked him, hushing his plaintive cries as Mama-baachan went back down to the nursery to get a bottle of formula.

"What?" his father said to the pup. "You got a problem? You got some complaint?"

His words were harsh but his tone was completely neutral, if not on the gentle side.

"Look, I know you want your mother, but you can't have her right now. You're stuck with Oyaji so get used to it and quit the caterwauling, eh?"

The pup snuffled and hiccupped, but stopped wailing. That was when Yukio noticed that his father had very discretely placed one hand on the scruff of the pup's neck and was applying light pressure.

"There. That's better," his father praised. "Now Oyaji can hear and you're not making his head ache. Oyaji's had a bitch of a day, pup, and he feels like he just smashed a motorcycle into the side of a barn at 110km an hour. And believe me, he'd know coz he's done it- twice. Remind me to tell you about it later, when you're old enough to drive."

Mama-baachan returned with the bottle and Inuyasha sniffed at it and frowned, but brought the nipple to the pup's mouth and held the bottle for him while he fed. Yukio watched the display with mild amusement. He, being the oldest, had vivid memories of his father with pups and knew quite well how Inuyasha behaved around them. With the sole exception of Eri, however, all of the others gathered had either been too little themselves or had already left their parents' house when a new pup had arrived, and they had never seen the change come over their father when he became paternal. He looked over and saw what he thought was a hint of jealousy in Miroku's eyes.

"If you think he didn't act that way with you when you were that size, you're dead wrong," he whispered, nudging his brother.

Miroku looked at him and flattened his ears.

"He barely put you down. Okaa-san sat him more often because of you than any other pup I'd ever seen them raise. Then again, we were living with Uncle and he was worried that one of the courtiers who supported Her was going to try to kill you at any moment. So other than when you were nursing, being changed, or Okaa-san was holding you, he was the one who wore the baby sling. I'll pause a moment to let you digest that image."

He saw Miroku considering his words and he knew his brother was conjuring a picture of their father, dressed in the Fire-Rat clothes he wore pretty much exclusively until the turn of the 20th century, holding Tessaiga in one hand and looking very intimidating, but with a baby sling hooked over one shoulder and an infant version of himself peeping out of it. Miroku licked his lower lip, then pursed his mouth but it was too late. A strangled snicker escaped and Inuyasha's radar-ears came up immediately.

"Oi! What are you two laughing about?" their father complained, trying to look menacing which was very hard to do considering he had the pup in one hand and the bottle the infant was nursing from in the other.

Miroku looked at him and they both started giggling. "Nothing," they both said in unison.

Inuyasha growled but that only increased their mirth, and Miroku dropped his head to Yukio's shoulder, still snickering.

"Thanks. I needed that," his brother admitted.

Yukio gave him a soft smile. "Anytime."

The pup finished eating and the two snickered some more as they watched Inuyasha burp him and pat his bottom.

`We are going to be in soooooo much trouble later,' Yukio thought, but there was no fear in him. In fact, the idea of his father going into one of his `I'm not going soft' tirades sounded like pure bliss to him right now because it meant both of his parents were alive and well.

"Okay, now it's my turn. I haven't held this little scamp," Eri insisted, opening her arms.

Yukio watched his father size Eri up, almost as if deciding if she was capable of holding the newborn, then slowly handed him over.

"Watch his head!" Inuyasha scolded when she took him a little faster than he liked.

Eri scowled and gave her father a dour look before bouncing the pup lightly.

"Hey there, little man," she said tenderly.

The pup responded with a little whine.

"Yeah, I know. So far this whole `life' thing's kinda sucked hasn't it? First you get pushed out of your warm home, then all these strange people poke and prod you and leave you all by yourself. Then more strange people come and they pick you up and move you this way and that, and cart you all over and you have no idea where you are or where Mom and Dad are. And they feed you from a bottle and stick plastic on your butt. Then to top it all off, you find out your dad is a dog. It's enough to make anyone want to crawl back into the womb and never come out, huh?"

"Oi! Will you quit it with the dog jokes!" Inuyasha complained.

Eri stuck out her tongue and cuddled her baby brother close to her chest.

"Don't worry, baby. He's all bark and no bite," she cooed at the infant who snuffled into her shoulder.

Inuyasha growled but that only made them smile wider. Finally, he lifted his nose, closed his eyes and snorted.

"Keh," Yukio whispered to Miroku, a smile tugging at his lips just as his father let out a loud "KEH!," crossed his arms and turned his shoulder to them.

"I can too bite. I just don't do it in public anymore," Inuyasha sniffed indignantly.

"Ohhhh! Poor Otou-san!" Izayoi comforted, hugging him and fuzzling his ears.

"Oi. You're just humoring me, aren't you?"

Izayoi giggled and kissed him on the cheek, then turned to her sister and opened her arms.

"My turn."

Inuyasha scowled and watched them like a hawk as Eri passed the pup over to her sister. Izayoi's eyes brimmed with happy tears as she looked at her baby brother's face.

"Hi," she whispered, stroking one round cheek.

They spent the next forty minutes acquainting themselves with the new pup, and aside from a few American football references wherein Miroku encouraged Izayoi to "go deep" and toss the pup to him, everything went well. Tetsu even took a short turn holding the pup in his lap where he could put one hand on his little brother and keep one hand on his sword.

"I'm not the baby anymore," was all he really managed to say.

Almost exactly one hour to the minute later, a nurse came out of the ICU to inform them that Kagome was being moved to the Stable ward. While her blood pressure was still rather high, she was no longer in need of intensive care and would be relocated to a different floor. The doctors predicted that she would remain hospitalized for at least another twenty-four hours or until her blood pressure went down far enough that they were satisfied she was at no risk of a relapse.

En masse the family relocated to a third waiting room, this one on the same floor where Kagome had been hospitalized for observation after her false labor. Tetsu, a huge Star Trek fan, jokingly dubbed the floor The Observation Deck, and they took over the small room and called for pizza and salads to be brought in for supper- even managing to sneak in a couple of servings of ramen for Inuyasha. Then they began making calls to everyone in order to spread the good news. By now it was close to eleven at night and visiting hours were over, but none of them were going anywhere until they'd seen Kagome, and of course, nothing short of the End of the World as they knew it was going to pry Inuyasha from her side (and probably not even that would do it.)

Finally, at almost a quarter to midnight, a nurse came to tell them they could go in to see her, but to keep it quick and stay quiet in the corridors because other patients were sleeping. Yukio motioned for his father to lead the way, although he needed no encouragement, and they quietly filed behind him as he carried the pup down to Kagome's room.

Kagome looked exhausted and her arms were riddled with bruises from where the IV lines had been connected to her, but she smiled at them from her hospital bed and Yukio thought his heart might burst right then and there because he was so happy. Still, he stopped himself from running over to her and hugging her breathless, and even managed to stand back at a respectable distance, which was hard with so many of them in a relatively small room, in order to allow his father to be the first to stand beside her.

:Mate,: Inuyasha said in inu-youkai.

:Mate,: Kagome answered.

Inuyasha leaned down and nuzzled her lovingly, and Yukio didn't miss the lick he gave her on her chin right before he kissed her sweetly. One hand came up to stroke her hair and tenderly hook a stray tendril behind her ear.

"Kagome," he breathed.

"Inuyasha," she replied.

Yukio saw his father turn the sleeping pup in his arms and present him to his mother. Kagome put one hand to her mouth as she saw him turn the pup to face her and started to cry.

"We have another son," he told her.

Kagome looked upon the newborn and smiled, tears rolling down her cheeks as she nodded silently. Then she opened her arms and Inuyasha gently placed the pup in them, tucking the blue wrapped bundle close to his mother. The pup immediately woke and began to fuss.

"He's got your eyes," she whispered.

"Yeah, but he looks just like you."

"No he doesn't. He's got your chin too," she disagreed as she lowered her hospital gown.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha asked. "Kagome, are you sure you're up to that?"

She nodded. "I told the staff I'd be nursing so they didn't give me anything that could hurt the baby through the milk."

"That's not what I meant. You just came out of a coma..."

His mother smiled. "It's fine Inuyasha. Besides, all I have to do is hold him. He's going to do all the work."

"They had to bottle feed him a couple of times," Inuyasha admitted.

"I guessed as much. It'll be okay. I know some babies get confused switching between bottle and breast, but almost all of them get it eventually."

A moment later the newborn proved that confusion would not be an issue.

Yukio watched as his parents went into their own little world that consisted of only each other and the new pup for several minutes as the pup fed. His father was standing as close as physically possible to her without being in the bed, and they were looking at each other lovingly. The expression on his father's face was one of adoration and quiet pride. Seeing them, he felt his own pang of jealously at being excluded from such a profound and tender moment, but then his mother looked his way and smiled and all his resentment disappeared.

"Yukio. Eri. Tetsu. Miroku. Izayoi. Mariko. Mama," she called softly and that was their invitation to gather around the bed.

"Okaa-san," he whispered, standing next to his father beside the bed.

"Mom." "Mama." "Kagome." The others greeted as they clustered close.

"We're so glad you're all right, Okaa-san," Izayoi said, reaching to hold her mother's hand.

"Me too," Kagome replied tiredly. "I love you all. I'm so happy to see you."

"Mama," Tetsu choked. "I'm sorry, Mama. I Saw it but I couldn't change it. I'm so sorry."

"Shhh. You shouldn't blame yourself for what happened. I know you did all that you could," Kagome comforted as Tetsu started to cry.

"But I should have tried harder. I..."

"There wasn't anything you could have done differently," she reassured him, releasing Izayoi's hand and squeezing his.

"I was so scared," the dragon-hanyou admitted.

"I know. It must have been terrible for you. I'm sorry to have worried you so much."

`She's sorry she worried us?' Yukio thought.

"Okaa-san. As always, thinking of others before yourself," Mariko commented gently.

A soft knock interrupted them and a nurse peered into the room.

"You ought to let her rest. It's almost midnight and visiting hours have been over for two hours. Why don't you go home and come back in the morning?" she said.

"I'm staying right here," Inuyasha insisted.

The nurse squinted at him and furrowed her brow. "Oh. It's you. I remember you from the last time you were here." She sighed heavily. "I'll bring a chair and blankets."

"And we'll need a bassinet as well," Kagome added. "I want my baby to stay close to me."

"I'll see what I can do," the nurse replied and left the room, closing the door behind her.

"We should go. We've been here almost eighteen hours," Izayoi commented.

"And tomorrow will be insane because everyone will be coming in to see Okaa-san and the new pup," Mariko agreed.

"You should rest, Mama," Tetsu said.

Yukio leaned over and kissed his mother on the brow. "I love you, Okaa-san."

"I love you too, sweetheart."

"I... I don't have words..." he tried.

She stopped him with a tender kiss to his cheek. "I know. I understand."

"I'll be back first thing in the morning," he promised.

"Okay."

He stepped back and let Miroku take his place.

"I put your overnight bag on the floor near the window," Miroku told her as he leaned over to give her a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you, sweetheart."

"I'll be back with Yukio," his brother pledged.

"Okay."

"I'll be here around noon," Eri stated, coming over to kiss her mother on the cheek as well as Miroku yielded to her.

"Always the late riser," Kagome teased lightly.

"Hey, at least one of your kids had to let you sleep in," the neko-youkai quipped back.

Kagome chuckled. "I'll have to get used to sleep depravation again."

"Kagome, what have you decided to name the child?" Mama asked innocently.

"Oh, ummm. Well, we haven't decided, Mama. After the second miscarriage... we stopped naming them beforehand," his mother admitted.

"Oh."

"We'll start talking about a name tomorrow," she added.

Yukio approached his father. "Is there anything you want me to bring with me tomorrow?"

His father thought for a moment. "Some clothes. And my portfolio from my office. That has some of the plans I'm working on now. And some ramen."

He giggled. "Okay."

The nurse returned with two orderlies. One was carrying a chair and blankets and the other was wheeling a bassinet from the nursery.

"I think that's our cue," Eri said.

"We'll be back tomorrow, Mama," Tetsu assured her.

"I'll see you all then. I love you very much."

One by one they kissed her and said goodnight to their father, then they filed out slowly. Yukio let out the breath he was holding and felt the tension drain out of his shoulders.

`Gods... 18 hours... I've been stuck in this horrible place full of sickness and death for 18 hours. God I need a drink. I know Otou-san wouldn't really approve, but there is something to be said about the virtues of a good quality liquor.'

"So? Where to? Back to Tokyo House?" Miroku asked him as they walked down the hall.

"No. I am feeling a desperate need for a drink... or two... or ten. How about you?" he replied. `We haven't gotten drunk together since the Winter Olympics were in Calgary in 1988. '

"Lead the way."

"Count me in," Eri added, stepping up to join them.

"Ooo, can I come too?" Tetsu asked.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Tetsu. Remember the last time you drank too much, you grabbed a woman's wrist and told her she'd be giving birth to twins in 9 months from the one night stand she'd had two nights before," Izayoi reminded.

"Oh, yeah. I remember. She slapped me. Hard."

"Exactly. So I think it would be best if we passed this time. I'm sure there's a stocked bar at the house if you want a drink."

"Okay. That sounds fine."

"Mama-baachan, would you like to go with Izayoi? She can take you back to the shrine," Yukio offered.

"Actually, a large quantity of alcohol sounds surprisingly good right about now. I'll go with you if you don't mind."

He shrugged. "The more the merrier."

"I can go along and be the designated driver," Mariko offered.

"Why don't we just go to that bar down the street from the house? That way we can just stagger our way home after Last Call and not have to worry about driving at all?" Miroku suggested.

Yukio slung his arm around his brother's shoulder.

"Miroku, my brother, that's the best idea you've had all night," he answered as they exited the hospital and headed into the parking garage to get their cars.