His heart leapt into his throat, thundering beats echoing through his head. His stomach flipped and tightened to the point he felt nauseous. Dyson was frozen, his lungs now depleted of air, left unable to breathe at the sight before him. Any strength he may have had was zapped from his body now overcome with a whitewash of pain and anguish that cut through his soul.
Across the way, sapphire eyes stared back at him, the sparkling pools glowing in the dim light of the bar.
"Kagome," her name leaving his lips in a whispered cry. His voice seizing as he wished to further his plead. His thoughts came in a jumble, stumbling over each other, leaving him unable to move beyond the sight before him.
She was here -there-, within his reach. She was alive, had been possibly. Or was she a manifestation brought on by his pain, his shame, and eternal longing for her? A mirage? Or her ghost, sent to haunt him for his failure?
The woman he loved was -had been- human, five hundred years separated their time together. Yet she looked so beautiful, so real, -so alive- and he yearned for her. Aching within his skin for her touch, his ears straining for a glimmer of her tranquil voice, his nose twitching for a hint of her scent.
But the pain held him to his seat. He'd betrayed her -failed her- forsaken the silent oath he made when she was his. The woman, he swore to love and protect over all others, could only be dead. If it be her, then it be a ghost, yet he begged for it to be true.
His eyes were transfixed on her face, the face of a woman he knew to be dead. This could only be a trick, a form of magic cask upon his mind, and perhaps it was the demon, this illusion brought on by her dark magic. And yet he still wished it, pleaded, that this vision be real -for her to be real-.
Anger rose like vomit, choking him and stealing any use of his already weak voice. This enchantress, had no right to wear her memory, to blanket herself in his mate's likeness, and steal the identity she had clung to.
She stood.
His heart hammering at his chest, each step echoing as the small distance stench on for what felt like miles.
From his seated position they were almost the same height, her large sapphire eyes peering into his. She looked older than he remembered, not all that significant, but it spoke of a period of time he didn't know of, when they weren't together.
"Dyson," his name came from her pink lips in a whimper, soft and pleading as it caressed his ears. Her scent came wafting up his nose, his senses swimming in the familiar fragrance.
Her nostrils flared, fear stroking at his heart before hurt streaked across her features and he almost sobbed. She knew.
He wished to scream: 'It hadn't meant anything,' that 'she meant nothing.' Because in the end, it meant nothing to him, Bo meant nothing to him- compared to the woman before him. Sleeping with Bo meant nothing to him; it only being an empty act of pleasure.
Her fingers rose to his jaw, a feather touch to his skin that made his entire being ignite bringing a spark of life into his dying soul. And with it pain sliced through his heart, his soul shuttering at the mix of pain and pleasure, he ached within her hands, a pathetic whine falling from his lips. It was her. It could only be her. And he hurt her, betrayed her, slept with countless women trying to run from her memory. He gave himself to her, promising to be only hers, then turned around breaking every promise he ever made to her.
"How?"
Her eyes grew glossy, emotions dancing in her sapphire depths, her voice trembling as she spoke in a whisper. "We have a lot to talk about,"
She straightened, a smile gracing her lips when facing Trick. "Thank you for your hospitality Mr. McCorrigan, what do I owe you?"
He quickly shook his head. "It's on me,"
She hummed, her closed mouth smile still on her face. "Well thanks again mage, we'll be sure to come back," She tipped her head, not missing the shock that spilled across the older man's face. And with a chuckle she winked, turning on her heel Kagome walked out, and Dyson couldn't move to follow. Her heels echoed along the wood, walking the small distances with a grace he didn't know she possessed. Within a handful of seconds, she was gone, walking through the door and out of his sight.
He was frozen, almost like a statue. His nerve endings burned, his body ached, refusing in his urgent desire to move, to follow her. He had to follow.
"D-man? You *hiccup* alright?" Kenzi asked, her drunken slur slowing her speech.
"Sorry, I have to go," willing the strength into his legs, he stood, and then he ran. He couldn't let her go, couldn't lose her, not again.
The alleyway was dark with only a few dim lights illuminating the slick cement.
Standing, seemingly waiting for him, at the end with the street, light shadowing her figure with a dark car behind her. Kagome offered him a small smile, her eyes shining in the dark, a glimmer of fear passing over her features before the door was opened for her by another shadowy figure.
"I hope you don't mind, but I thought it best we have this conversation in private,"
His raging emotions seizing his voice -again- leaving him unable to do anything but nod.
Following her into the limo, Kagome sat across from him by the other door, her hand supporting her head as she looked out the window while nervously biting at her lip.
Dyson wasn't doing any better. He couldn't look away from her, nor could he say a thing, after all, what could he possibly have to say to her other than 'sorry.' He'd been a poor mate if anything she has every right to turn him away and strip them of their mated status.
His heart all but broke at the mere thought.
The car came to a stop with Kagome exiting with the assistant of a gloved hand. He quickly followed, Dyson keeping his eyes pinned to her for fear of her disappearing, and this being a twisted, eerily surreal, dream.
They passed several people as they entered a building, all of them rushing out of her way or to grab a door before bowing deeply at the waist and remaining low until Kagome passed.
Their surroundings shifted, but he paid little attention as he followed close behind, eyes pinned to the sway of her raven hair against her clothed lower back. There were words exchanged between what he preserved as other youkai and Kagome; they spoke low without making eye contact and keeping their head slightly bowed.
Questions race through his mind faster than he could comprehend them but continued to follow the woman into the elevator silently.
The polished gold doors opened to reveal a small youkai in a tailored suit. This one spoke with a loud squawk and authority, he talked directly to Kagome, not even bothering to acknowledge his presence.
"That boy of yours better not ruin another bed," the youkai hissed.
Kagome laughed lightly but said nothing as they joined him in the elevator. It was done in black with a golden railing, which he clung to for support. His legs felt weak under him, his body heavy with waring thoughts and emotions.
As much as he expected the ride to be awkward, long enough to where he could try to relax, there was a ding and Dyson followed Kagome out, the youkai staying with a good night wish to her as they passed.
Entering what could only be an extravagant and very expensive apartment dressed in black leather and marble with white and gold accents. The room automatically lit up at their presence, while still keeping the light slow. The far walls were tinted windows allowing for a full view of the city.
Walking through the living room, she gestured for him to take a seat before going over to the kitchen. "Can I get you anything? Water?"
He nodded quickly, still not able to respond verbally.
She nods back before returning with two glasses, setting his on the coffee table she then took a seat on the opposite couch. Cradling her glass she looked at it, the awkward silence stretching on for what felt like hours.
"I'm sorry," it filled the silence in a whisper, soft and trembling as it touched his ears. For a second he thought he'd said it, catching her eyes so full of worry he knew it had been her.
But why? Had he not been the one to leave? To forsake their bond with -some of them nameless- lovers? He should be groveling, yet his voice still refused to obey. A low growl escapes his throat, his frustration building.
"You have every right to be mad at me," she sighed mistaking the growl as anger towards her. "Back then, I had wanted to tell you but the time never felt right, then again it never is," she laughed bitterly "I just wanted to enjoy us, not have you thinking I'd disappear suddenly, but I guess I did though,"
"I don't understand," his voice was weak, even to his ears.
"The short version is I'm, was, a time-traveler, and I last saw you 286 years ago,"
"But that was over 500 years ago!"
She nodded, tightening her grip on her water. "For you it was, but I fell through time first to 500 years into the past where we met, then back to my birth time and then 283 years into the past,"
Anger filled his chest, whether, at himself or her, he snarled out: "I want to know everything,"
With a quick nod, she set her cup down and fell into a tale that explained so much about the woman he had fallen for all those centuries ago. It sounded absurd, a bazaar of fantasy to which he, a mythical creator, only read about.
Realistically this story should be chalked up to an elaborate lie to either force a break in their union, or a cover-up story. But even to him, a cop, those both didn't fit as to why she was telling him this elaborate story if that were the case. He scented no lie as she spoke, only sorrow. If this were a lie logically, he should be able to smell it, or she, somehow being youkai, could hide her scent as she had been doing when in the bar earlier.
"When I disappeared, after the final battle with Naraku, I was brought back to the future several years ago. I was still sixteen, at the time so I continued with my schooling as I waited for the well to open up again, so I could get back to my friends, and back to you," she traveled off tears forming in her eyes. She looked up blinking rapidly in hopes of getting rid of her tears.
Her eyes fell to him, glossy and hollow, pleading with him. "I was with child though when I left,"
He sucked in a ragged breath; it was as if he'd been stabbed, pain and anger swelling up in his chest.
"My body couldn't take the strain of being away from you, and I lost our daughter," several tears slid down her cheeks, and she lazily whipped them away, her eyes distant as she continued.
As quickly as he'd been ready to scream and yell out his frustration and anger, he deflated, a whimper at the back of his throat. Dyson was so ashamed; he hadn't been there for her when she needed him most. If he had listened to his instinct, stayed at her sild like a proper mate, so much of this could have been avoided. And right now all he wanted to do was hold her, comfort her of the loss she'd had to suffer through alone.
"Nearly three years passed, and then the well opened. I'd half expected you there, that my group would have explained everything in my absence, but instead, Sesshomaru was there with Shippo. He had felt the magic of the well and when he saw me, he made me a member of his pack. From there I was pulled into a war that has lasted over a century and a half.
"And now I'm here, not asking you to forgive me, but to set you free,"
His ears were ringing. Her words distant echoes in his ears. Free? Why would he ever want to be free of her? He had spent centuries longing for her, and now that she was here, the very thought of losing her renched at his heart.
"I shouldn't have waited so long-"
No.
"It was selfish of me to keep you chained-"
"No," his voice barely able to form a whisper.
"To trap you in this union, I don't deserve your forgiveness,-"
"No," his voice grew louder.
"As of tonight though, I plan on releasing you from any and all obligations to our previous union and me,-"
"No." he growled lowly.
"I ask that maybe, someday, in the future, you could find it in your heart to forgive me for being so selfish as to hold onto our bond as long as I have-"
"No!" He finally yelled, surprised sapphire eyes finding his face as he stood, his body trembling as it looms over her. "I won't have you leaving me again, not if I can stop it!"
