Inuyasha leaned against the wall facing the elevator and dreamed of better days. Twelve hours had passed since he'd last seen Kagome and he hated every second of it. It was as if his soul was being sucked right out of him. For the first time in a long time, he felt lifeless. His worst nightmare had come true, and if anything else went wrong, he wouldn't have Kagome anymore . . .

He turned and punched the wall that supported him, creating a large crater. He scowled at the 'baby' that Kagome what carrying. The 'baby' he helped create. Inuyasha could have hit himself. He slid down the wall and held is head, letting the guilt take over.

I should have been more careful . . . I should have held my ground with her! Dammit, this is all my fault. I swear, if Kagome dies, I'll kill that little demon. He thought to himself, then frowned. But what would Kagome want me to do? She loves that monster. If I killed it, Kagome would never forgive me. I couldn't kill something that is so precious to her, something that she risked her life for . . .

As he sat thinking, he heard the elevator's doors opening. He stood quickly and backed up against the wall, unsure of who would come out.

The machine connected to Kagome's heart made a continuous high pitched noise, never pausing, just humming along for what seemed like forever. The sound broke Chihiro's heart. She pounded on Kagome's chest, unwilling to give up on saving her.

"Time of death: 3:17 AM." a nurse said, gathering paperwork for Kagome's body.

"No! I can save her!" Chihiro called out.

She kept pushing Kagome's chest, willing her heart to beat again, but it just wouldn't. Tears started falling from Chihiro's cheeks as she pounded desperately. Kagome just wasn't going to live. She was dead when she entered the hospital, there was nothing she could do to save her.

"Damn!" Chihiro cried out. She stopped pounding and looked at Kagome's face. It looked so sad. She was so beautiful, but in death, she couldn't have peace. She lost herself in Kagome's face for a while.

"Doctor?" the nurse spoke out.

"Yeah. Time of death: 3:21 AM. Go check with NICU. I want to make sure the baby is still okay. Come to my office when you know his status." Chihiro said, turning from Kagome's body.

She walked slowly towards the elevator, not wanting to tell Mr. Taisho that his wife was dead. It would crush him completely . . .

She walked into the elevator and let the doors close. She pressed her floor button then grabbed her mouth. She couldn't believe how this day went so wrong. She didn't want to believe anything that just happened. She just wanted it all to be a dream. The elevator beeped, then the loud doors slid open to reveal Inuyasha pressed against the wall.

Chihiro stepped out and spoke, "Inuyasha! Did you wait here the whole time?"

He simply nodded then stepped towards her, grabbing her arms.

"How is she? Is she okay?" Inuyasha asked.

Chihiro looked into Inuyasha's hopefull eyes, then had to look away. It was too much.

"Mr. Taisho, I'm so sorry . . . "

"No. God no, please don't say that she's dead. Please don't. She's alive. She has to be!" Inuyasha said, almost shaking Chihiro.

"Taisho. She was dead on arrival. There was absolutely nothing I could do . . . " Chihiro said sadly, looking at Inuyasha's chest to avoid his eyes.

Inuyasha made a choking sound, then dropped to his knees. He could have died right there.

"Taisho . . . " Chihiro said softly, kneeling beside Inuyasha, "I'm so sorry. I wish there was something I could have done . . . . . . She was beautiful."

Inuyasha couldn't hold in his greif any longer. He howled into the air, then wept. Chihiro rubbed his arm and looked away from him. She didn't want to see how deep his heart wept for his wife. He sobbed into the floor of the hospital, and held on to Chihiro's arm. She might have been a stranger, but she was alive. She was warm. And she was holding on to him. This comforted Inuyasha a slight bit, but it would never help him recover from what just happened.

Chihiro continued to hold him, and let him cry for the longest time. It hurt to see a man so broken, so she tried to talk to him and calm him down. She sat up and shook his shoulder a bit.

"Taisho. I remember you had a daughter. What was her name?"

Inuyasha was silent for a while, still crying, but not as hard. He sat up and inhaled deeply. Finally he answered, "Aki."

"Ah yes, Aki. She was such a beautiful little girl. She must be getting so big."

Inuyasha exhaled, "She is getting big. And she's even more beautiful now."

"Is she a daddy's girl?"

"You bet she is. She's got me in the palm of her little hand. Kagome would get so jealous . . . " Inuyasha said, looking away.

"What are you going to name your new baby?" Chihiro asked, trying to take the focus off of Kagome.

Inuyasha looked back at Chihiro. "Akihiko. Kagome loved that name."

"Akihiko. Beautiful."

"Doctor!" a nurse called out, runnig towards them.

"Hang on Taisho." Chihiro said, getting up and walking to the nurse.

"Doctor, the baby is in perfect condition. He's ready when you are."

"Thank you. Go ahead, I'll be down shortly."

Whe the nurse was gone, Chihiro turned and walked back to Inuyasha and held her hand out to him.

"Come with me, Taisho. I want you to meet your son."