A year and a half later…

Eko was playing with Rin in the garden. I couldn't believe he had grown so fast. Already he was walking and talking. Rin and Micheko could expect another playmate soon. It's been five months and Sesshomaru and I are certain that I am pregnant again. As a matter of fact I was going to see him. Well I was going to wait for him.

I entered our bedroom and walked to the balcony. I was getting so big so quickly that I'd be forced to ware only decorative yukatas soon. I let my hands rest gently on my belly. That's when the doors were thrown open violently and then slammed shut. Sesshomaru was in a bad mood. He looked at me evilly.

" You didn't go see Sukia today. " He said icily.

" I went to see Ginje. " I told him confused. Sukia was my new 'woman' doctor. She wasn't very nice to me. I think Sesshomaru is jalousie because Ginje is a man.

" Ginje! ", Seethed Sesshomaru, " What need have you to see him? "

" Because he is my friend! ", I yelled at him, " I can't be jalousie when you go to see Yura! " Yura was his new secretary from the South. I knew I had crossed the line when I said this. I knew there was nothing going on between them, but to accuse him of it was wrong. Sesshomaru came toward me. I felt the back of his hand come down on my cheek. The force of the hit sent me to the floor. I landed on my belly. The pain tore through my body and brought tears to my eyes. I clutched my stomach and tried to crawl away from him. I didn't get far when I felt his hands grab my arms and shake me.

" You dare to accuse me of this?! This! " Sesshomaru raised his voice venomously. His eyes were no longer their gold color. They had turned a vibrant red. He pulled me to my feet and flung me across the room. The side of the table hitting my already sore belly. I cried out and turned around only to be struck down again. This time when I hit the floor, the corner of my foot stool hit the underside of my belly. Exactly where the baby's head and shoulders would lay.

" What about your infidelity?!(A/N: I have no idea if this word existed then.) I am beginning to wonder if these children are even mine! " I let out a small gasp. Sesshomaru either did not realize or did not care how much his words had hurt me. How much they angered me. He stood above me and glared down at me. Then he grabbed my arms and yanked me up. His claws biting into my arms and staining my kimono sleeves with red spots of blood. He shook me.

I screamed at him and tried to break free of his grasp. I managed to get one of my arms fee. Sesshomaru tightened his grip on my arm that he still held and yanked me closer to him. With all my strength I pushed him away and brought my hand down as hard as I could on the side of his face. This shocked him and I broke free of him completely. I hurriedly took a few steps away from him.

" Is that what you want?! ", I yelled, " Then I'll leave and I'll take the children with me! " I turned my back on his still shocked face and walked out of the room. I half ran down the hall to my children's room. I gathered a few of Rin's kimono's and some of Eko's clothes and a few of their toys. When I turned to lift the bags on my shoulder, I felt a tearing pain in my lower abdomen. I felt a warm, wet, and sticky substance slid down my thighs and I knew without a doubt that it was blood.

Cold fear trickled slowly through my whole body. I couldn't breath, I had to sit on the bed. It was still a possibility that my baby could live. I just had to be careful. I took a towel from the chest by Eko's crib and wiped the blood from between my legs. I tossed it on the chair by the same chest and headed for the garden.

I saw my children playing under the Giant Sakura. For a moment I watched them play. Then I remembered the reason I had searched for them. I hurried forward and picked Eko up. Placing him on my hip, I took Rin's hand and led her to the arch way connecting the garden to the castle hallway.

" Rin I am leaving. I am not coming back. " I looked into her eyes as I spoke. They were starting to fill with tears.

" I know its not fare to ask you this, ", I went on, " but I have your bag here with me. You can come with me or you can stay with Sesshomaru. " I stilled myself at the pain hearing his name brought me. I looked at her. She hugged me and led me down the hall.

" I want to go with you mommy. " She told me. I smiled and took us to the stables. Ah-Un was there laying around like he usually does when he's here. I told Rin to sit on the bench and sat Micheko next to her. Their eyes watched me as I moved about, readying Ah-Un to leave. It took much longer than normal, for my hands were trembling and my fingers shook uncontrollable with the tremors. I tried to still their shaking, but to no avail.

Once I had everything loaded, I sat Rin on the front and then slid on behind her, placing Eko between us. Taking the reigns, I led Ah-Un forward. As we started up into the air, I heard a deafening roar. I looked back and saw a giant white dog rise up from behind the castle. It looked in our direction and ran the other way. Once the dog was gone, I masked our scents and pushed Ah-Un faster. We had been riding for hours before I finally stopped us. I reigned in Ah-Un and we descended slowly. I slid off his saddle and then helped the children down.

" Watch your brother . " I told Rin as I unloaded the bags from Ah-Un's saddle. I rummaged through them. Hoping that some miracle would happen and there would be some food. My miracle didn't happen. Taking the children to the stream, I caught as many fish with my hands as I could.

Rin and Micheko helped me carry them back to camp. Ah-Un watched over the children as I smoked the fish that we would need for a few days journey. It wasn't much, but berries and fruit would help. I wasn't hungry, but I cooked three fish any way. I gave mine to Ah-Un and gave the children theirs, I helped Eko eat his.

Of course children being children, were dirty after they ate, so Ah-Un and I took the children to bathe in the stream by our camp. I let them play in the stream for a while. I called them in and Rin dressed herself while I dressed Eko. I took them back to camp and made their beds and stoked the fire. I put them to bed and sat with them until I was sure they were asleep. My hands still had not stopped shaking and I hand stopped trying to make them quit.

" Watch them Ah-Un. " I told the dragon. Ah-Un moved his massive body behind the children's and curled his tail and one giant head in a protective circle around them. I walked slowly back to the stream. I laid my cloths, folded neatly by the river's edge. I ignored my shaking hands as best I could. I would go to the doctor in the next village and see if I could still have my baby.

Slowly I undressed and slipped into the icy water. I washed my body and then my hair slowly. I went under the water and when I came up, I could hold it in no longer. An agonizing wail escaped me and I pressed my hand to my mouth, I knelt in the stream and wrapped my other arm around my body, trying to hold myself together.

I began rocking back and forth, sobbing uncontrollably. I pressed my hand harder against my mouth, trying to stifle my sobs. Tears coursed in twin floods down my already wet face. My heart beat hard and fast in my chest and I could feel it breaking. I couldn't breath. I tried to get enough air into my lungs, but they weren't listening to me. My stomach and throat burned and I felt like retching.

I cried until I had no more tears to cry. And still after that. I'd left and he hadn't come after me. After a while I was able to wash my face and dress myself. Small trails of tears ran down my face as I headed back to camp.