InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Torrent ❯ Circumstance ( Chapter 29 )

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

By: Sueric

~~Chapter 29~~

~Circumstance~

“Mama, we're here!”

InuYasha closed the door behind Kagome as she hurried off to locate her mother in the shrine. “You sure we should do this?” he asked as he caught up with his mate.

Kagome grinned. “Sure! I've gotten out of practice with my bow, anyway! I want to come along, and I'm sure Mama won't mind!”

Mrs. Higurashi came down the stairs with a warm smile and a kiss for each of them. She took Tajiko with an exaggerated grunt and opted to speak to her granddaughter as she led the way into the kitchen. “I can't believe how much you've grown, Tajiko! No I can't!”

InuYasha made a face at the high-pitched `motherese' Mrs. Higurashi used with the child. Kagome caught the look and tapped his stomach. “Mama, InuYasha's been asked to help out a neighboring village, and I wanted to go, if you'd watch Tajiko for us?”

Mrs. Higurashi's smile widened. “Of course, dear! I'd be happy to have Tajiko! Take as long as you need! We've got plenty of things to do! I'll take her to the zoo, and shopping, and the museum, and the summer festival is coming up! I'm sure Tajiko would love that! And Souta's girlfriend would love to meet her, too . . . .”

“It shouldn't be that long,” Kagome mumbled. InuYasha snorted as he set down the bag that Kagome had brought along with Tajiko's things. “Shouldn't take more than a few days, maybe a week.”

“It's fine, fine,” Mrs. Higurashi absently remarked. “Take your time!”

“Kagome---”

Kagome put a hand over InuYasha's mouth to stop whatever he was about to say. “Her clothes are in here, and a few of her other things. Be careful with the shampoo and soaps because she can't stand too much scent, and---eww!” she gasped, jerking her hand away from InuYasha. He grinned unrepentantly at her. “You licked my hand!”

“That'll teach you,” he replied. She wiped her hand on his haori. He laughed.

“We'd better go,” Kagome finally said, staring at her daughter for a long moment. She hurried over and kissed Tajiko's head, smoothing down her hair as she memorized everything about the child. “Be a good girl for Grandma. I love you.”

InuYasha reached for Tajiko. He kissed her and hugged her tight. Kagome didn't miss the fleeting look of near-panic that crossed his features before handing her back to Mrs. Higurashi. “I love you, baby girl. We'll be back soon.”

“Oh, go on! This little one will be just fine! You act as if you're leaving her forever, and you're not! Now shoo!”

It was Kagome who, after kissing her mother and her daughter both one more time, took InuYasha's arm and dragged him out of the shrine. “You sure this is a good idea?”

“You've never had a problem dragging me off to fight before,” Kagome remarked, deliberately trying to goad InuYasha out of his state of worry.

“Feh!” he shot back as they stepped back into the well-house. “That was different.”

“How so?”

Golden eyes serious, sparking with a thousand different emotions, he stared at her as they stood beside the well. “We've got more to lose.”

She leaned toward him, wrapping her arms around his neck as he bent over to catch her legs. “Maybe . . . or maybe we have more reason to come back.”

“She's so small.”

“What happened to the big, tough hanyou? What happened to the guy who thought he never needed anyone or anything to be strong?”

InuYasha grimaced. “I met you.”

Kagome softened. “She'll be fine. My mother will keep her safe. You know she will.”

His ears drooped slightly. The whole idea of leaving their young daughter behind was really gnawing at him. Kagome smiled, a tender expression of understanding lit her gaze as he muttered, “I know.” He sighed again. “Well, let's go before I change my mind.”

She hugged him just a little tighter.

He leaped into the well with Kagome in his arms.

The familiar sensation of falling was interrupted as InuYasha's feet hit the ground. Kagome's grip tightened once more as he lunged out of the well, lighting gently on the earth beyond. He stared around at the serenity of the meadow with a vague smile and an unmasked sadness in the depths of his gaze. “Kagome . . .” he began.

“She'll be fine.”

He sighed in argument. “I don't like that there's five hundred years separating us.”

“It's only until we defeat that youkai. Then we can go right back and get her.”

He didn't answer out loud and only shot her a very long-suffering glance.

Kagome giggled as he strode toward the forest. “InuYasha?”

“My mate?”

She flushed at the intimacy of the endearment but smiled. “You can put me down now.”

“Rather not, thanks.”

“Are you going to carry me all the way back to the village?”

“That was the plan, yes, so be quiet. We'll get there faster if you do.”

“You're so rude.”

“You're so beautiful.”

She gasped softly. “You . . . you think I'm . . . . Do you really?”

Her answer was a distinct rolling of his eyes. “Quit fishing for compliments, wench. You're only getting one a day, and if you miss it, I'm not repeating it.”

“I see,” she said just before she started squirming. His hold on her tightened, and she wiggled more. With a wicked smile, she went for the one part of him guaranteed to get him to put her down.

”Not the ears!” he whined, fighting to hold onto Kagome and jerk his head out of her reach. “Ka---go----me!”

She sat up straighter and grasped his ear firmly with one hand, using her fingers on her free hand to tickle the fine white hairs.

His laughter echoed through the forest, great gales of laughter that forced the same reaction from her. No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't escape her. “Stop!” he gasped. “It's not---my fault---if I drop---”

“Ow!” Kagome shrieked as she hit the ground hard. InuYasha wound down to a superior grin, arms crossed over his chest as he stared down at his mate where she landed. Kagome flopped backward with a pained groan. “That hurt!” she remarked.

His smile widened. “Did it? I didn't notice.”

She narrowed her eyes and pouted. “There you go, breaking me again. Are you sick of me already?”

He shook his head and knelt down beside her. “Not at all, wench. There are a few things you're useful for.”

Deliberately letting his eyes travel the length of her prone body, Kagome felt the instant rush of warmth wash over her. She swallowed hard. “And you say Miroku's a lecher.”

He sighed, shaking his head at her grumbled assessment. “Shall I carry you back to the village now?”

“You dropped me on purpose so I'd let you carry me, didn't you?”

He didn't deny it. Catching her hands, he dragged her to her feet. Kagome gasped as he hefted her over his shoulder so that she hung down his back. “InuYasha!”

“Stop wiggling around or I'll drop you again,” he warned.

She didn't listen. “Put me down!”

He loosened his hold on her legs. She screamed as she started to slip before he caught her again. “Told you.”

She grinned despite herself. `Incorrigible hanyou,' she thought. `I'll find a way to get him!' She couldn't help wiggling as she tried to keep herself from slipping further. “InuYasha, I'll get revenge for this,” she warned him. He turned his head to eye her. She gasped when he lightly bit her hip. “Don't do that,” she whispered as color filtered into her cheeks.

“Do what?”

“Don't . . . bite me.”

“Like this?” He did it again. She stopped struggling. He chuckled.

“Kagome!”

Pushing on InuYasha's back so that she could twist around enough to look over her shoulder, Kagome braced her elbows against his back to support herself. “Miroku! Help me!”

Miroku eyed the miko and hanyou cautiously. InuYasha looked way too innocent. He strode around to address Kagome instead. “Kimi's having pains. Her man worries that she will lose the baby. Can you come?”

InuYasha dragged her back over his shoulder and shifted her so that he cradled her against him. He didn't wait for Miroku, instead pushing off the forest floor as he launched them both back toward the village.

Kagome frowned. Kimi was a young woman of sixteen and was expecting her first child. She wasn't due for another five months, though, and if she was having pains, then it was something to worry over. She glanced up at InuYasha's face. “You and Miroku go on to the village. I can't leave if Kimi needs me.”

He didn't argue. The same thought obviously ran through his mind that had occurred to her. What would have happened if they hadn't been able to get through the well to her time?

He set her on her feet outside Kimi's hut and kissed her forehead. “I won't be gone long.” He started away then suddenly stopped and turned back. She understood. He was concerned for the unborn baby, as much as he had been for Tajiko. He understood all too well, the fear of almost losing a child.

She paused long enough to watch him go before turning to step inside.

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“Kagome? I thought you'd be out here.”

Kagome dried her eyes and smiled wanly at her friend. “I just wish I could have helped.”

Sango nodded and sank down beside her on the riverbank. “You tried. You couldn't do much more than that.”

Rubbing a shaking hand over her eyes, Kagome sighed. “I know.”

She'd been too late. When she entered the small hut, the smell of it had hit her immediately. Kimi's water had broken. There wasn't a way to stop the baby from coming way too soon. It had taken all day to deliver the child who came much too soon. Then to have to tell the mother that there was no way to save such a small one . . . . Tears welled in her eyes again. She was exhausted.

Sango squeezed her shoulders. “Kimi's strong. She'll be fine.”

Kagome nodded, wiping her eyes on her blouse sleeve. “I know . . . .” She shook her head, staring over the trees of InuYasha's Forest at the setting sun beyond. “Where's Kiyoshi?”

Sango smiled sadly. “He's sleeping. Shippou said he'd watch over him. I wanted to check on you.”

Kagome sighed. “I'm going to go home. I need to hold Tajiko. Will you tell InuYasha?”

Pushing herself to her feet, Sango nodded and pulled Kagome into a hug. “I will. I think I'll go back home and hold Kiyoshi, myself.”

Kagome squeezed Sango's hand before heading down the path that led to the dry well.

`How lucky am I?' she thought as she stared at the ground. `InuYasha . . . Tajiko . . . and friends who love me . . . .' She smiled sadly. `I've always been surrounded by love, and I've never truly appreciated it before.'

She sped up, an overwhelming desire to see her daughter washing over her. Was it selfish, to wish to hold Tajiko and to thank the gods that her daughter had been spared?

Breaking into a run as she came to the edge of the forest, Kagome gasped softly as the man stepped into her path. The moonlight that started to shine bright cast him in an odd blue aura. Pulling herself up short, Kagome stepped back, her heart thundering in her ears at the startling appearance.

He inclined his head toward her, acknowledging her arrival, as though he had expected her to come. She swallowed hard as she stared at him in the dusk. Minutes passed before either of them spoke. He broke the silence.

“Good evening, Miko. I trust you are well.”

She stepped back again, her hand nervously twisting the white prayer beads around her neck. “Sesshoumaru.”

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A/N:

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Food for Thought:

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akuma_river (MMorg):

I agree both I/K and S/K tend to make both Kikyou and or InuYasha as bad guys. I personally don't like that. But neither do I dislike either one. Actually (and I know I am going to get flamed) my favorite couple is N/K. I don't know I just like twisted romance. Heh. Keep up the good work. cools beans.

Ok, I'm clear on the N part of that (Naraku, yes)? But the K? which K? There'stoo durned many `K's here: Kagome, Kikyou, Kagura, Kanna (ewww not really, but she IS a `K'), Koharu … Kaguya …. HELP!!

As far as `twisted' … not so much, here, but I am not above twisting the couples in a bit of a knot to get them their happy endings… LOL

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Blanket disclaimer for this fanfic (will apply to this and all other chapters in Torrent): I do not claim any rights to InuYasha or the characters associated with the anime/manga. Those rights belong to Rumiko Takahashi, et al. I do offer my thanks to her for creating such vivid characters for me to terrorize.

~Sue~