In case you missed the rating, please read with caution! This is an extremely intense and graphic story! If ER makes you queasy, turn back now! Do NOT read unless you are prepared for some scary material. If I had to say what my inspiration was for this story, I would probably chalk it up to immense pre-anatomy exam stress. Please review since I am not sure if I will continue as this might be a bit too much for everyone. I have some ideas about where to go next, but I really need some feedback on this one. Rest assured that I had a happy ending in mind. Now that I've scared you all to death…enjoy!


Life and Death and Rebirth: The Trinity

By Scarlet Tigress

Mugen:

How? How did we come to this? How did something so good get so bad…so fast? I never thought about it before, never thought about losing her, but I'm thinking it now. How does Jin do it? He looks so calm, but I know its just a mask. Jin is thinking it too and maybe he'll never say it, but the fear is written all over him. I can see the sweat on his face and his eyes getting really empty, watching her bleed and screaming on the inside. I ain't thinking of anything else, but how she sounds and how she looks and…and the blood. How does anybody stand this? It's just too sick, man, too cruel! I stare, open mouthed in horror as the stupid little chick I have somehow grown to love pours her life out in front of us. Why? Why Fuu? Jin sets his teeth and tries once again to reach for the baby, his robes already splattered with her blood.

Her face is pale and covered with sweat. Her body strains to deliver the child she wanted so much, but each breath hurts her. Whose kid is it? I don't have a damned clue and I don't really give a shit either way. She is my woman. She is Jin's woman. Somehow, in the midst of our travels the spunky little girl with a figure like a flat-ass katana became our woman. I don't know when I started loving her, but Jin might. He notices that kind of mushy shit. He fell for her after the whole mess with Shino, when Fuu didn't leave him even though he had gone chasing after another brawd. When she appeared, with me, in the rain to save his sorry ass…I think Jin began loving her then. It is hard not to love Fuu. She rants and she whines and she can be a bossy little bitch, but the girl has a soft touch and an even softer heart.

We both love her and now she is trying to die on us. The whole thing makes me MAD but there ain't nothing to fight. I hold her hand and try not to freak about how cold it feels to me. Jin isn't freaking so I won't either. I guess I should have known that the sex might get her pregnant, but I sure never thought of this. The loving was so good, so perfect for all of us. We all touched heaven together and I was really, truly fucking happy. The touch of her, the smell, the taste…it was something more beautiful than anything else I had ever known. Loving her with Jin, tight-lipped bastard that he is, was the best thing of my whole damned life. Fuu was so frickin' happy when she got pregnant too, guess it's a woman thing, but I didn't mind. Guess even with two big, tough warrior lovers the little chick was still a little lonely for something to snuggle.

She screams and I feel it in my soul. I don't know what to do and neither does that dumbass Jin, but at least he is doing something. We are men. Cut up twenty bad ass thugs? Sure, no problem. Slaughter rampaging sword masters who can kill you with air? Its all in a day's work. Save a terrified eighteen year old girl from dying in childbirth? Uh. Missed the training on that one. We don't know how to save the girl we both love from this, but we have to try. Of course we're in the middle of fucking nowhere without a midwife for miles. Fuu didn't want to stop wandering, even with the kid on the way. Now I know why Jin was being such a hardass about settling down for a while, but he couldn't say no to her either. She likes to travel. She is so fearless. I sponge the sweat form her forehead and give her a smile. She smiles back.

"It's okay. Always blood you know…" She says and then screams again.

Its funny, she's trying to comfort us. I laugh. She tries to grin, but screams again writhing away from Jin. I am glad we thought to have her lie on the slope of a gentle hill, otherwise I am sure she would drown in the blood. I try not to scream myself, but lose the battle and the cry is torn form my lips. Jin, all cold control as usual, bites his lip to keep from screaming too. Pompous bastard. He read about delivering babies once, why? cuz he's a freak, and so he's in charge. He puts on his best competent samurai face, but I can see the panic swelling in his eyes. Despite what Fuu says something isn't right. There is way too much blood, who even knew the girl had so much in her to start with? She shudders and I pull her swollen body into my lap, rubbing her cheeks with my rough hands to keep her awake. Buddy I knew once bled out after being stabbed in the guts and everyone said he died cuz someone let him drift off. I won't let that happen to her.

"Mugen, start rubbing her belly down like that, rub her hard." Jin commands me, leaving bloody smears over her taught belly as he demonstrates.

"What'll that do?" I ask. He looks at me with madness in his eyes, like he is about to snap.

"We have got to get the baby out now or she will die. I think an artery has been torn and she's gushing everywhere. I can't reach it without getting the child out first." He whispers, baring his teeth.

I release her face into my lap and press my hands into her swollen, pale abdomen. She is already covered with blood there from Jin's hands and her sweat makes my hands glide over her skin too fast. I dig in with my thumbs and rub down hard, even though I know it must hurt her. She is beyond pain, here eyes foggy as she stares up at me. Panic is growing inside me. I had forgotten how it feels to be afraid. It sucks.

Jin:

The blood, her life, just keeps flowing over me. I keep touching the body I know so well, like a landscape I have wandered many times. Her body is my sanctuary, may home. This must be how others feel when war comes to their beloved homeland. Fuu is being torn apart. All her rivers are being choked with blood, the sunlit forest over her hair sticky with sweat and her mountains are pale and cold. I am certainly no midwife, but I studied enough anatomy at the dojo to at least know where the important arteries are. One of hers is torn and the only thing keeping her from bleeding away in my arms is the pressure of the child holding it closed. When she pushes, the vessel opens and her life gushes out against me and I am helpless to hold back the tide. We must work fast. The rogue is massaging her belly roughly and for once I don't caution him to be gentle. We must be rough if we are to save her.

I press my hands into her, feeling the familiar ridges and curves, but everything is distorted. I am desperate, pushing and searching for…something…anything! The vessel is bleeding again, her scorching blood running through my fingers. Now it my chance, I have to pull the baby out now! Suddenly, something gently brushes my hand and grips my finger. At first I pull away, but I have to keep my fingers pressed against Fuu or the river will star again. The hold is strong and my slight jerk does not dislodge it. I look down in surprise to see a minute hand holding my index finger. Our child…it's… alive. At first I cannot breath, but then the pirate is shouting at me.

"Jin! Jin! What the fuck are you doing! Stop messin' around and get the kid god damnit! She's going man! She's goin', hurry the fuck up!!!" His voice is cracking under his bravado.

Shaken from my momentary shock, I gently follow the arm up and feel the crown of a tiny head. Gritting my teeth, I slip my fingers over the infant's face trying to protect both its throat and my lover's spewing artery. Her body is tight, agonized, but looser than it was a moment before. I push in further and grip the tiny body around the middle. Mugen is rubbing bruises into Fuu's belly, but without the massage her muscles would crush me and the child too. I pant and adjust my hold, linking my fingers tightly. Fuu is white as snow and looks garish in the fire light. Her hands hang limp in Mugen's lap and I see that her eyes have closed. My heart constricts, I cannot lose her now.

"Mugen, go heat your dagger in the fire. We will need it." I say. The idiot's face is violent, but for once he does as I say.

As he rests the blade in the flames I try to think of something, anything to tell the woman I love…in case I never have the chance again. I do not know what to say. I never know what to say. I will NOT lose her! I shake the thought away, and gesture with my head for Mugen to bring me the knife. In some strange way, she and the uncouth pirate have become my life and I cannot let them go. I need them, I need her and I will only have one chance at this. I take a deep breath, steadying my spirit, and pull. The baby comes out in a rush, its little hands holding tight to my own. I practically toss the child to Mugen, and press hard against the artery that has finally broken completely. I will have to trust him to save the baby; I must save Fuu. The dagger is scorching and it burns my hand, but I barely feel the pain. Somewhere in my home a dam is broken and the river is drowning us all. I must find the artery and close it.

Fuu:

I feel cold. I feel cold deep inside, but at least the pain is almost gone. Mugens hands kind of hurt, but I cannot find my voice to tell him to stop. I am floating and my soul is trying to float away, but I hang on. I know it is strange, to love two men as I do, but the love is real nonetheless. I cannot leave. They need me. My baby needs me and I haven't even held her yet. Mugen says that the child is surely a boy, but I know better. She is a girl. I just know it! Jin hasn't said anything either way, but I know he agrees with me. He's quiet, but his body always tells me what he is thinking. Mugen never shuts up. Why is he so quiet now? Why is everything so quiet…and dark?

Mugen:

Jin leans in and the air is filled with the smell of burnt flesh. Gods I hope he knows what the fuck he's doing. Fuu just lies there, all cold and uncscious, her naked body pale and limp. My heart is hammering like a freakin' tyko drum and Jin still hasn't said anything damn him! I am freaked. Totally fucking freaked. So afraid that she will die that I can barely even breath. Suddenly, there is a jerk of movement from the damp little thing in my hands. I gasp. The baby I forgot I was holding, so sue me, is slowly opening her eyes. The little marmot crinkles up its face and starts wiggling in my grasp. She is a girl! My heart stops in my chest. I cannot believe she is alive! I cannot believe the little thing made it! I move my thumb carefully over her mouth to free her face from the gore and allow her to breathe. She still hasn't made a sound. Aren't babies supposed to cry? I bring my mouth to her tiny face and deliver a deep breath into both her mouth and nose. I feel whatever it is blocking her breath give way. Her little fists beat on my face and she gives a lusty yell. Yep, definitely our kid.

"That's my girl! Shout it sweetheart!" I crow in triumph, hugging her as gently as I can.

With a quick slash of my katana, I cut her free from Fuu and tie the end closed with a piece of horsehair. Jin had the foresight to get some cloths and warm water ready. The guy really is efficient sometimes. I test the water and it feels okay, but hey what do I know? Oh well! I dunk the little girl morsel into the pot of warm water and she screeches in annoyance. Lotta voice for such a little package, but it makes me happy all the same. Soon she is clean and wrapped up like a nice little piece of sushi in a warm, blanket. Her little eyes look so serious and I almost feel like laughing, but Jin is still totally silent. I look up from the strange little animal in my arms and feel the laughter die in my throat.

Jin has stopped the bleeding, but he is crouched over Fuu, listening for her heartbeat. His stupid blank face is pale and bloody and as grim as death. I cannot see Fuu's chest rising and she is so still…so pale. Damn him! Didn't that bastard close it in time? Come on, didn't Jin read about this…once. My breath hitches in my throat and I can practically feel my own blood turning to ice. I practically leap over to him and hand him the baby, as he hangs his head letting all that hair hang down into his face. Jin holds the child, but his shoulders are low and slumped. He has given up! Well screw him! I am not going to give up on her! She needs me. I scoop the chilly girl into my arms and give her a little shake.

"Fuu! Wake up damnit! Come on girly, you can't get off that easy. Wake up Fuu! Don't you drift off! Come on girl!" I shout at her and Jin is crying, letting his tears drip onto the tiny infant in his arms. He face hangs limp against my hand.

* * *

Two Years Before…