It was a horrible night. Kagome still had nightmares. The night when the jewel was completed. As soon as the last piece was in place, the jewel began to hum and glow. Kagome's first sense was to run, but she stayed where she was in fear. Inuyasha, still bloody from the battle to retain the last sliver, sheathed the Tetsiga once again in victory.

But only seconds later, as the light from the jewel filled the sky, any and all demons were transformed into full blooded monsters, the jewel releasing them from thought or feeling. This was their one night to do whatever they wished, and Kagome felt her stomach knot as she watched helplessly as Inuyasha changed. His eyes turned red, he grew to twice his size, and his fangs grew as the jewel allowed. Kagome was paralyzed with fear as she watched on, knowing she should escape.

"Kagome!" Sango cried, looking on but too far away to help her. She, Miroku, Shippo, and Kirara were at the base of the village, over fifty yards away. Kagome could still see her tremble in fear. She knew what might happen.

"Sango! Go! Hide in the cave of Omigumo! Set up a barrier and..." Kagome felt her voice break, "And don't turn back. Don't look for me, don't leave for ANY reason." With that, she could feel her companion's hesitation. But one second's time could cost them.

"GO!" She shouted, and they obeyed robotically, letting instinct run them. Shippo gave a shout of protest, but was silenced by Miroku, who picked up the young demon and carried him away. Kagome felt a wave of relief rushed over her. But it was not enough to free her from dread.

"Kagome." Inuyasha's voice came from behind her. "Run, Kagome. Get away."

She turned back to Inuyasha cautiously, wondering if he could fight the power of the Shikon. She knew he couldn't. He was already transformed, standing before her in full form. He grabbed her by the arm and drug her away, letting his lust be fulfilled. Kagome only sobbed in protest, yet knew better than to try to fight a full demon. After it was over, Inuyasha only slunk away in the spitting rain, unaware of his actions.

The next morning Kagome awoke weak and exhausted. She didn't have the energy to reach for her clothes, only barely aware she was naked to the world. She looked up, then closed her eyes. The morning rain fell on her, easing her pain. With the muster of all her energy, she slipped on her underwear and bra.

She tried to stand a while later, wishing to go back to the village and sleep, her body soaked thoroughly. She was able to make it four steps, but on the fifth her vision blurred and she fell, fainting once again.

She regained consciousness hours later, wondering where she was. She sat up, studying her surroundings and trying to make her head stop spinning. She looked for weapons should there still be any lingering demons, but found nothing she could use. Her heart raced, and it took her a moment, but she realized she was safe, tucked inside Kaede's hut, wrapped in Inuyasha's kimono.

The demon himself appeared in the doorway and she grimaced, drawing back in fear. He only glanced up, only half-concerned and lifted an eyebrow.

"What?" he asked, a weird uncomfortable feeling rising from his throat, "What the hell are you afraid of?" She only began to tear up, something she didn't do THAT often anymore. Inuyasha had announced his love of Kagome to Kikyo, keeping the corpse far from them. She didn't know he had declared his love, but that was probably for the better.

"What were you doing out by the river? Alone, all night? I found you collapsed on the beach, in the rain no less." He crinkled his nose, he was sounding to caring. At least, to caring for her to think he wasn't in love with her.

He had protected her, her friends, and anyone else she asked him to. He watched over her, making sure she slept well, was okay and was happy. He loved her. He didn't understand what was going on. Was she shrinking away from HIM?

He erased the thought and walked up to her, until he was at her bedside. By now she was curled into a defensive ball. He looked at her, gazing at her body until he met her eyes. They were still teary, and he thought they held a secret, a horrible, unspeakable secret.

They stood (well he stood and she sat) in silence until Kagome cleared her throat, attempting to speak. "Inuyasha?" She asked, making sure she had his attention. She figured he was off sniffing the air for some sign of his beloved Kikyo. She saw his ears perk in her direction, and she figured this his way of saying "what?".

"Inuyasha, do...do you remember last night? At all?" By the way he was acting, she figured not.

"Yeah, of course." he smirked, wondering what the hell this had to do with anything. Her body language urged him to continue, so he did. "The Shikon jewel gave us all demon powers, and I was a true demon. The jewel evaporated into nothing...but my memory gets hazy after that." he admitted, smiling sheepishly. She would've laughed at his expression at any other subject, but her worst nightmare had come true.

He'd even marked her. She was bound to him for destiny, and he didn't even know it. If he did, Kagome knew he'd go insane. He'd curse himself for marking her and not Kikyo, and that would be the way they lived. He would long for Kikyo, and she would be his unwanted housewife, unhappy as he but unable to admit it. She began to cry.

Inuyasha only stared at her nervously, unsure what to do. What had he done? So he muttered an excuse to leave, something about Miroku and a roof, then vanished into the forest, to get away from his emotional (unknown) lover.

Kagome slept the rest of the day and the next Sango helped her prepare to resume the hunt for Naraku. Although they had been able to separate him from his jewel, he had escaped into the darkness to tend to his wounds. Kagome was still weary, but she was able to make it and keep up with the help of Kirara and Shippo.

That night at the campfire, miroku began to pester Inuyasha with questions about Kagome's mood.

"What did you do, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked, poking the fire with a stick,

"Feh. I didn't do anything. At least, not that I can remember." He replied, staring into the trance of the flames.

"You probably hurt her last night, you big bully!" Shippo shouted acrimoniously. Inuyasha clenched a fist but let it drop as Kagome's figure came into view.

Her eyes were red and puffy, but she wasn't crying. Inuyasha stood as she approached him. She instantly enclosed him in hug, Inuyasha almost jerking away in surprise.

"What happened, Kagome?" He cooed, smoothing her glossy black hair.

"Nothing." She whispered, freeing him from obligation. "Forget about it."

A month had gone by without any hint in where to find Naraku. Kagome was better now, not as tired, but was sick near everyday for the past couple of weeks. Countless times did they have to stop the search for her to vomit by the trees. Inuyasha was growing tired of it. So, one day without warning, he exploded.

"Kagome! Why are you so sick? Are you sick?" Kagome only looked at him lethargically, then turned back for another round of expelling her breakfast. He didn't wait for an answer.

"Of course you're sick. You smell funny." He groaned and leaned against a tree. Miroku raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean funny?" He asked incredulously. Inuyasha shrugged casually.

"I dunno, her scent's weird, like...ugh! I dunno." Kagome, deep in thought and expulsion, worried her nightmare was true. Could she really... She cast the thought from her mind and thought of a way to find out. She stood straight, with some difficulty. She was having trouble keeping her balance lately.

"Yeah, I guess I've been sick ever since..." She didn't finish, so Miroku did for her.

"Ever since the night of the Shikon Demons." He whispered, remembering the fear he felt that night. He knew something had happened that night, but his polite manners had been keeping him from asking her what. And besides, Sango would tell him.

Kagome began to walk away, carrying her book bag with some difficulty.

"Whoa, wait a minute. Where are you going?" Inuyasha asked, scampering after her.

"I'm going to go home, so I can take some medicine and get better. I'll be back soon, before nightfall. Don't worry." She said in a soft, weak tone. She hoped that's what he would believe. Inuyasha picked up his pace and stood in front of her, ready to demand she stay here.

"You can't leave! We've still got to find...I won't let..." Her eyes told her story and silenced Inuyasha. What was up with her, anyway? He said nothing more in protest, much to Kagome's exhausted delight. She needed to go home and found out exactly what was wrong. Then she could cure it, or deal with it, she reminded herself in afterthought.

She jumped into the well slowly and climbed back into her time even more slowly. As she got to the top she collapsed, wondering how she had used all her energy climbing the well she had climbed all her life (or at least it seemed).

Luckily, she already had a pregnancy test, from when she first went over to the era, before Kagome's worrisome, woeful mother had met Inuyasha. Her mother had told her that she had better not have gotten raped by some freakish ogre demon thing. If only she could see me now, Kagome thought to herself.

Kagome sat on her bed, drifting off to sleep. She let her head rest against the wall. She had her lags crossed and her bed spread covering her. She didn't want to check it, she really didn't. She didn't want to know. She just wanted this all to go away, and let things be the way they used to be. She wanted time to freeze so she wouldn't have to find out. But somehow, she knew she had to go.

Dutifully, she trudged into the bathroom. She looked over the cardboard box once more. Blue circle: pregnant. Red X: not pregnant. She glanced over it, hoping the sharp red color would assure her. But she found only the blue circle and sat down in shock. She looked at it again. Blue. She yelled and threw the test on the floor, not wanting to care if it broke. After sitting traumatically for a few minutes, she climbed into the bathtub and cried. She cried in a huddled ball, holding her knees against her chest. She exhaled sharply when a pain in her side hit her. She let her knees fall and she stared at her striped shower curtain.

Was the baby alright? What was this pain? She wondered, still sitting in the tub, letting her mind wander. Would she tell Inuyasha? The last question was really the only one she dwelled on. Her pain subsided quickly and she only dwelled on the question further.

It would ruin him, to have a fourth-demon child. Especially since it was out of wedlock. She wondered, though, how she would keep it from him. Or would she let him know, and hide the father's identity instead. He would be upset, she knew that. He would probably curse and shout and kill something. But would he understand?

She wondered of his loyalty. Was it to her or to Kikyo? She knew that answer in her heart. He would never fully be hers and she had to suffer that fate. The one which bound her to keep this secret. MEANWHILE...

"Inuyasha, what do you think's wrong with Kagome?" Miroku asked as they ate their morning rice and fish.

"I don't know." He managed to say between bites of his grain.

"Inuyasha! I'm being serious. She's been acting so strange lately, even towards you, the one that confessed your love to-." He was unable to finish.

"Shut up, you bastard! I know what I've done. You don't think I keep trying to figure out what's wrong? I don't understand. I can't find anything on it." They both got quiet and are their rice silently and solemnly.

"Why does she do this? She acts like I don't care. Why would she think that?" Inuyasha asked, turning to face Miroku.

"Because, Inuyasha, you act as if she's only worth finding the jewels. A woman needs to feel wanted, appreciated, loved." Inuyasha stared at him blankly and replied with a quiet "keh".

Suddenly, Inuyasha began to sniff intently. He sighed after a moment and leaned back against the log.

"What is it?" Miroku asked.

"Nothing, just a funny smell. But it's only a pregnant woman from the village." He closed his eyes, unaware of the connection he just made. But sure enough, minutes later a woman walked out of the hills, a bread basket on her hips. She hummed lightly as she made her trip to the nearest village.

"Inuyasha!" Miroku hissed as soon as the lady was out of earshot. "Do you know what you just said?" He asked dramatically. Inuyasha only yawned and stretched, giving him an answer.

"Inuyasha, funny smell? Pregnant woman? Oh, come on, make the connection!" Miroku shouted, scaring away the nearby sparrows.

Inuyasha's face grew dim and dark. Miroku then knew that he had figured it out. But the baby mustn't be his, Miroku decided, or he'd be happier or well, at least happy.

"Kagome's going to bear a child." Inuyasha stated acidicly. He stood in a sort of protest, but Miroku knew what he would do. He would retriever her and bring her back. He sighed and stared up at the clouds, folding his arms behind his head. It was going to be an interesting day.

Kagome was still in her mindless mode, letting her instincts once again guide her. She didn't think, only did. She carried the even heavier back pack to the well. She wondered how much a pregnant woman should be carrying. Out of breath, she threw it into the well and collapsed against the wooden railing.

She just sat there a moment, trying to think upon what just happened. She was about to accept it when she heard footsteps in the well. She groaned. Inuyasha had come back for her and he wasn't going to take no for an answer. She decided then that she would have to hide it from him, no matter how hard.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted as he leaped from the well. He landed before her, but Kagome could only see him from the corner of her eye. She couldn't see his face, twisted with anger and pain. She couldn't see his fists clenched so tightly he was beginning to bleed.

She turned to look into his eyes to find him swelling up, his eyes watery with tears. Inuyasha doesn't cry, Kagome thought silently. Then she gasped.

"Inuyasha! What's wrong? Did something happen? Is Kikyo okay?" She asked, although not caring if Kikyo was dangling off a cliff or safe in Kaede's hut. He blinked away his frustrated tears and grasped her by the arms, staring intently into her eyes, searching for a hint, and answer, anything.

"Who is it?"Inuyasha asked, his voice unable to hide his concern. She raised an eyebrow.

"Inuyasha, what are you talking about?" She questioned, trying to get him to loosen his grip. It was beginning to hurt is was so tight.

"Who is the father?" he asked, and Kagome's eyes immediately widened. He knew. How? She asked herself, I didn't...Inuyasha shook her lightly, to regain her attention.

"Who the HELL is the father?" He shouted, Kagome wincing. He let go of her and she stumbled back, about to fall into the well. Inuyasha caught her and picked her up bridal-style.

"I-I don't know." She glanced down, knowing this only gave the (correct!) indication that she was lying.

"YOU'RE LYING!" He roared, but didn't let her go. She looked up, no longer feeling safe in his arms and felt her lip quiver. She wished at this very moment Inuyasha still had his beads on so she could Sit him to Alaska.

"Please, let me go." She pleaded in a whisper, very unconvincingly at that. He only glared down at her.

"You're in no condition to jump that far down." he declared, and then carried them both inside the well, letting the blue orb consume them.

Inuyasha carried her back to the village, much to Kagome's protest and only set her down once they were inside the cottage. Kagome watched him leave, an emptiness filling her. She didn't want him to leave. He wanted him to understand, to hold her while she cried. But she knew he wouldn't do that. He was probably going to search for Kikyo.

Sango waited for Inuyasha to leave earshot, then gave a comforting smile to Kagome.

"Hey," She said soothingly, "You wanna go down the river and talk?" Kagome smiled back in a fake grin.

"Yeah, sure." She said and they left together, arm in arm just like the way it used to be. Kagome was glad that something hadn't changed.

"He was the one?" Sango asked, sitting next to Kagome, though unable to see her through the waterfall.

"Yeah," Kagome whispered, "From the night of the Shikon. He didn't know what he was doing. So I can accept that-." Sango felt her anger rise.

"So you mean to say that it's his and he's not going to do anything about it? What a jerk." Sango hissed. Kagome flushed.

"Actually, Sango, he doesn't know." She admitted, closing her eyes as the water poured down onto her face lightly.

"Are you going to tell him?" She asked, her face full or worry and concern. Kagome didn't look to see it.

"No. Sango it wold ruin him! I don't want to do that to Inuyasha. If he knew I would be bound for all eternity. We would be bound to each other, and I know he doesn't want that. I almost wish he had marked Kikyo instead. Then I wouldn't be in this disaster." She looked down at her oddly protruding stomach. It was very big for her just conceiving a month ago.

"Demons grow much faster than humans. The whole process only takes near three months." Sango told her, reaching out to grab her arm, making sure she didn't fall.

"That means I'm already in my second trimester!" Kagome sobbed, although you couldn't distinguish her tears from the water from the river.

Kagome rushed from the river to the shore and quickly shoved on all her clothing. She was wearing a Kimono from Kikyo, and it barely fit. She only sobbed louder and ran into the forest, not knowing where she would go.

Sango was too late to stop her. She glanced at a noise from a nearby tree. She threw her boomerang and sighed when it showed the intruder.

"How long have you been there?" She asked Miroku, who only grinned sheepishly.

"Since the beginning, my Sango. I knew Inuyasha was the father, but I wonder if she'll ever tell him." he took her arm and began to kiss it, making his way up to her shoulder. She pulled away from him and stared him in the eyes.

"You have better not tell Inuyasha, or I'll..." Miroku only gulped and nodded. Sango smiled warmly and kissed his cheek. "Thank you!" She skipped off, back to the village with Miroku watching her breathless.

"Women." He scoffed, and began to follow after her, wondering where Inuyasha was.

Kagome leaned against a tree, sobbing quite loudly. Why, why was this all wrong? She sat to herself for awhile until a rustle from the bushes silenced her. She knew he was there.

"Inuyasha." Her voice urged him out of his hiding spot. He sat next to her against the tree, letting her fall into his arms.

"Why won't you tell me?" He asked her. "Why?" Kagome only gave a weak smile.

"Because you'd only hurt him, and I don't want that." Inuyasha scoffed.

"Why not? If he's not here and he did this to you. . .Why aren't you angry at him?" Kagome wanted to laugh, but she couldn't.

"Because love is an act of endless forgiveness, Inu. Besides, I...I kind of want this baby." Inuyasha's ears perked in disbelief. Is she serious?

"Why?" He sputtered, instantly regretting it. She smiled and put her hand on his chest, letting his arms wrap around her more.

"Because when everyone is long gone, I'll still have someone. When Sango and Miroku are gone, and you and Kikyo..." She faded off, sadness filling her being. Inuyasha was about to protest, then decided against it. He inhaled her flowery scent, wishing it was he who had done this to her. Then he wouldn't have to wonder...

Kagome stood, with some difficulty and Inuyasha scrambled to his feet.

"We should probably go back to the village, I need to pack my stuff for tomorrow's walk." She said, beginning her way through the bushes.

"What journey?" Inuyasha asked, walking beside her.

"Naraku, silly." Inuyasha stopped, putting his arm on Kagome's shoulder.

"Kagome, we can't go on. Not if every time we find ourselves in battle we are all worrying about not just you, but the baby too." His eyes, thoughtlessly lowered to her protruding stomach. She had her hand rested on it, painfully aware of his reaction.

"Fine. We'll stay here and be log-cabin dwellers for a few months!" She shouted, then stomped away. Inuyasha didn't follow, wondering what he had done to upset her. He'd only tried to voice his concern.