Chapter Twenty-One: Lovesong

"Whenever I'm alone with you, you make me feel like I am free again. Whenever I'm alone with you, you make me feel like I am clean again. However far away, I will always love you. However long I stay, I will always love you. Whatever words I say, I will always love you; I will always love you."

-The Cure, Lovesong

Soul Society –

Byakuya was nervous standing near the gate; they'd finally caught the traitor and managed to get the location of his real sister who was recovering in the fourth squadron. Renji had been a large help in the abduction, his long running friendship with Rukia had allowed him to spot minute changes in her behavior that lead to the arrest after some help with other members of the court capable of dismissing such illusions.

It had only taken about two hours once they'd gotten the suspicion it was Rukia to arrange a capture and proof of real identity. With the offender in custody he presumed that Sestran would open the gate again, there was no threat to keep him from it. The slight concern that he wouldn't, that he would fall into this trap of Naraku grew with each moment the gate failed to activate. His fears didn't have long to cultivate as a few minutes after his arrival spiritual energy flared and a line of light connected Heaven to the soul society. Heaven had opened again.

Ukitake was the only other Captain present, such events were often things the society chose to keep a low key with and that perfectly aligned with Byakuya's needs. He doubted he could handle a crowd; even one other person was more than he preferred.

Then to his surprise it was only Sestran that stepped through…he wasn't sure if he should be worried, angry, or what else of the many emotions just beneath his cool exterior should be the most prevelent. Sestran glanced around and spoke as he watched Byakuya. "Captain Ukitake, leave us, there is something that Byakuya and I must discuss."

Ukitake glanced between them, the older man knew that it was better not to argue and a moment later he was gone, leaving the pair of men alone despite having his own reservations as to how dangerous they could be to each other.

"She doesn't remember me," Byakuya stated it before Sestran could speak. The king nodding once as he perked a brow, waiting for an explanation, Byakuya picked up the hint and continued, "The doppelganger we took into custody left me a note from Naraku in the case the vermin died. When you arrived alone I presumed its truth was logical."

"Yes, there are complications. I cannot undo what was done to her without it killing her." Sestran commented lightly, his tone more of a dirge than any form of lighter song today. "I wanted to leave her choices to her, but she is not in a state of mind to reasonably make choices…her memories have been scrambled to make her believe she loves me. I know this isn't true so I wished to speak to you before we proceed. She is your wife."

Byakuya was silent, the letter had explained a lot of that as well but he hadn't expected Sestran to tell him it was irreversible other than on pain of death. There had to be other ways to move past such a complicatin. "What of the demon? He healed my memory loss…couldn't he fix Kagome's as well?"

"It is the only other possibility, though I fear that the spider has already accounted for it I plan to take her and see what can be done." Sestran replied. "I will need to speak with him; though I don't expect he would refuse her. I would prefer given his distaste toward you to go alone."

"Sir," Byakuya hesitated, he wasn't someone to pause mid-sentence often but this was something that the King was right about. He wasn't sure how well he would handle the demon's mockery but it didn't matter…he had to see her.. "I would rather be there even if she cannot remember me now."

Sestran watched him another moment and then nodded. Accepting the decision and then holding out a hand. "Come then Captain Kuchiki, I would rather deal with this issue as soon as possible."

Byakuya's fingers had barely touched those of his liege when the world shifted, a show of Sestran's power that he need not open gates to travel. It took more energy than he often preferred to spend but Kagome was worth it as far as Sestran was concerned. As they appeared within an office Kagome was in Sestran's other hand, swaying a moment before she sunk to the floor from the dizziness.

Byakuya recovered more quickly but still had a moment of disorientation, by the time he'd focused there was already a pair of narrowed golden eyes glaring at them silently from behind a desk. Sesshomaru did seem rather unpleased to see them; he didn't speak; only stared as though waiting for an explanation for the invasion of his privacy.

"I apologize for the lack of etiquette involved with our arrival but one of your personally proclaimed ward's requires the aid of the healing blade you possess." Sestran remarked, unlike the people he'd brought he wasn't at all distracted by his method of travel. "Naraku used a poison on her that altered her memories. I do not know if your blade will work but it is one of the only options in front of us at this time."

"No…" Kagome whispered, still trying to get her body to focus after being rudely pulled between multiple worlds without expecting it. "Sestran's wrong, it's his memories that are altered."

Byakuya had bent near Kagome and was helping her to her feet. At first she'd thought it was Sestran but when she realized it wasn't she pulled her arms away from him. Her brow furrowing in confusion, this was the warrior Sestran believed she was actually attached to? What was he doing? Naraku must have planned for this.

"Am I to be paid to fix yet another of the many mistakes of the spirit vermin." Sesshomaru remarked, he wasn't all that interested in payment but he wanted to hear more of the situation before he did anything. If Kagome did not want his aid then Sesshomaru was much less inclined to help only on the word of the ghost king.

"I will owe you a favor, something I'm sure you realize is a rare commodity." Sestran rarely offered such things, to do so in his position was dangerous but he had little choice…he had to see if this would work even if he feared that it would not.

"Stop…" Kagome had finally pushed away most of the black spots of dizziness. "Sestran don't you see, it's you with the problem."

"Kagome, do you care for Byakuya?" Sestran asked, it was cruel with the Captain there but the King had tried to get him not to attend.

"No, what are you talking about? I love you." Kagome walked closer to Sestran while ignoring Byakuya. She hadn't paused even a moment when Byakuya was trying to help her, only staring at the King. "Sestran I love you."

"Kagome…stand here quietly and silently while we discuss this." Sestran ordered a little more shortly than he meant. This was difficult enough without her confessing her love, false as it was it felt real enough given the desperation in her tone. Sestran looked away from the betrayed expression on her face when she grew quiet.

Byakuya glanced out the window, his jaw setting as Sesshomaru watched the exchange curiously…the king at least knew how to quickly make a point. Kagome was under some sort of influence other than just the royal. After all she'd done to try to retrieve Byakuya and here she was doting on the would-be god.

"You make your point, however, after all Byakuya has done why would Kagome not be better off with you?" Sesshomaru asked, unmoving from his chair as he leveled the question. His interest was what was best for his ward and nothing Byakuya had done had truly helped Kagome as far as Sesshomaru was concerned. Kagome was nodding animatedly and he added. "Besides, it appears she wishes to keep things as they are."

"Kagome deserves to make that choice for herself, unmolested by some sort of mental reconfiguration." Sestran replied, watching only the demon he dealt with. "As she is now her decisions are colored and you are aware of it."

Kagome was quietly crying, occasionally making a sniffle or muffled sob but overall she was remaining admirably silent. Sesshomaru was considering how useful this 'Majesty' of the King's was as he nodded once. "You are correct, this is unlike her…I will aid you for her sake, not yours."

The demon lord stood, drawing the Tensaiga from it's place at his side as he focused on her, energy curling around him as the blade began to glow. Kagome stared, silently begging him not to do this but knowing somehow he wouldn't listen. He 'struck' at her from across the room and a warm sensation swept over her. Sestran really was trying to have her healed…so was it her memories that were wrong? No…could it be?

"Sestran…Byakuya…" Her words faded off as a flood of thoughts and images disjointedly flooded her mind. It was difficult to sift through all of it but she could remember days she'd been with both – she could recognize her dreams for what they were. They were so realistic it was hard not to think it was Sestran but she knew it wasn't. She started to smile before pain arched through her body, she held her left arm as she stumbled and fell to her knees, trying to gasp for air as her eyes widened tears started to enter the edges of them. She could hear Sestran's voice, it sounded so cruel and even though she could recall it was just a vision it was still coming to pass.

"If I ever order you to remember the truth or it returns to you your heart will stop, your lungs will seize, and you will remember but you will die. You will be incapable of life with the truth. You'll die knowing that I told you to remember only to save my own skin. That not one person in life that loved you didn't stab you in the back."

"Kagome…" Sesshomaru, Byakuya, and Sestran said her name at the same time but she was already getting dizzy, unable to breath, and only sitting because Sestran was holding her up. Another wave of energy came from the Tensaiga and she took a long gasp of air and felt her body relax only for it to seize again a moment later. She had a harder time seeing but a third wave hit her…the same momentary reprieve came before the pain returned again…was this how she was going to die? Unable to recover because of a vision Naraku put into a dream?

She could feel each of them holding one of her hands, Byakuya had caught her when she fell but both he and Sestran were by her side. She wanted to speak, to tell them what she wanted, but her lungs wouldn't allow her to get the breath, her body wouldn't relax enough for her to try to communicate what she desired.

"Make her forget again…" Byakuya's voice was calmer than it should have been but she could sense the underlying fear and sorrow. "Sestran she'll die, you have to make her forget again."

"Kagome, look at me." Sestran's voice somehow made her able to control her body enough to look up at him. Why was he crying? What were they going to do? Was Byakuya giving up on her? "This is an order Kagome…forget the past few minutes. Pass into unconsciousness unaware of your true memory and rest peacefully until I tell you to wake."

"Sestran…" His name was all she had time to even think before the black oblivion of unconsciousness stole her. There was no way of knowing if she would approve or not of the decision made.

"What is happening here?" Sesshomaru demanded, walking up closer, still holding Tensaiga at the ready. "Why did my blade make her worse would be god? What harm did you allow to come to her now, you knew this would happen."

"You cannot help her demon…your blade only allows the problem to be made present. The memory damage inflicted on her is permanent until pain of death." Sestran's voice was surprisingly clear, there was the musical edge that seemed to only mock the situation. He was a little shocked himself at how level he managed to keep it, how much he hated it for the way it sounded. If it wasn't the truth he might have struck out at the powerful creature. Still, in the end it was the harsh reality – Sestran had a feeling this would happen but he had to know for certain. "She was programmed by Naraku, to believe she loves me as opposed to Byakuya…but she would never make that choice. So the spider put in a failsafe, if she ever remembers the truth, she dies…"

"Get out of my house spirit vermin, all you bring here is strife. The dead curse that which they touch; some old tales are quite true." Sesshomaru remarked, he was irritated suddenly by this news. More so by his Tensaiga's incapability to fix it as the healing blade should, by the fact that Naraku haunted him beyond the grave…

"Is there any other way?" Byakuya asked. "You've been alive longer than I or Sestran have…surely…"

"Don't you realize if I knew of another way to aid memory loss I would have pursued it for Kagome when she was chasing after you worthless curr? If the Tensaiga cannot fix this and your mystical orders cannot, there is nothing I can do but tell you to treat her well. Now, I will not repeat myself a third time: get out of my house spirit king." Sesshomaru didn't care if it was a godlike creature and one of the warriors, he did not take well to intruders in his home. As far as the demon lord was concerned they were pups without real ability to take consequences for their own inability.

Sestran leaned down, accepting the abuse for what it was as he pressed Kagome back into the heavenly realm where he'd stolen her from. In her unconsciousness she wouldn't even notice and after his order she wouldn't remember ever having left the Gate. He vanished, pulling Byakuya with him back into the Soul Society exactly where they'd left it only minutes ago.

"It won't work." Byakuya nodded slightly. He seemed to be taking it with the same zeal as someone discussing the weather. There was no passion, the times Sestran had watched Byakuya attack him seemed such a far cry from the pathetic man in front of him now. Apathy could destroy even the great Byakuya Kuchiki…and Sestran knew what he was going to say but couldn't quite manage to rouse as much anger as he hoped. "You should take her Sestran, if she loves you the two of you can be happy. I can't stand to watch her die again."

"She is your wife Byakuya Kuchiki, would you give her up without any fight at all? I thought you loved her? We can still research…" Sestran was slightly disgusted at how easily Byakuya was giving up.

"Research what? Everyone knows a royal's Majesty is absolute. The only options are her death or you revoking her prior orders and that could kill her as well." Byakuya interrupted Sestran, his frustration more present. "Am I to risk her death when I have already attempted to kill her with my own hands? I do love her Sestran, that's why I'm willing to let her be happy. Do not attempt to tell me you are unhappy with this change, you have desired Kagome for years."

The backhand echoed through the open air around them, clouds had gathered into the often clear skies and lightning curled between Sestran's eyes, playing across his face without any personal harm. There was an electrical burn that ran along Byakuya's cheek and down his neck where he'd been struck. It was a testament to Sestran's control that the sky wasn't darker…

Byakuya left his head looking away where the backhand had knocked it to one side, his jaw slightly set again he didn't reply to the attack. Perhaps he deserved it. "She deserves to be happy Sestran, you can give that to her. I can't stand in your way when the alternative is her death."

Sestran walked through the gate, letting it shut as he left the Captain even if Byakuya had more to say, stalking away in disgust at the lack of any fight. Wasn't she someone he loved? Even with the recent events how could he just give up on her? Ever? He stalked straight into her room as he exited the gate from the opposite side, looking at her slumbering form. Kagome was such a strong, pure creature…she was someone Sestran had wanted for years. How could Byakuya simply give her away?

"Kagome." Sestran whispered it lightly. "Wake up."

Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled at him brightly, none-the-wiser for her several near death occurrences in the land of the living. She was minus the troubled expression she so often wore when she lived somewhere other than the Gate. She could be happy here…having her here would certainly make Sestran happy…so why did he continue to hesitate when even her husband wanted to hand her over to him? What good was in an honor no one would ever truly see, know, or understand? What honor was there in making a woman cry by refusing her love?

"Hey, what's wrong?" Kagome's hand was on his cheek again. Her flesh warm and soft, her caress somehow managing to help put a bit of calm into the storm of perplexing emotions that ate at him. "You look like you've seen a ghost. If something frightened you then I think I should be worried."

Fear, that certainly was one of the many feelings rushing through him in the last hour, he'd watched her nearly die. Now, he was going to make a mistake that he feared would make him lose her forever someday when she could remember…

He smiled lightly at her concern and shook his head. "It was nothing; Naraku has been defeated, you're safe now Kagome. I'll keep you that way."

She blushed slightly and glanced at her lap a moment before raising her eyes back to him. "Thank you, but I can't even remember a nightmare but that's great news, what happened?"

"It doesn't matter, only that he's gone." Sestran mirrored her action, stroking her hair back from her face before putting a hand on her cheek. She nuzzled into his attention immediately; she seemed so content in that moment.

"I'm glad, thank you for…" He cut her off; he didn't want to discuss the spider. Even if his web remained and this might be some strand of his plot Sestran refused to play the part of the chaste knight. That had been Byakuya's occupation; the king didn't have the desire to wait lifetime's. Sestran pressed his lips into hers, his hand gently settling on the nape of her neck as she joined the tender kiss after a moment of surprise. Her eyes sliding shut a moment before he allowed his to do the same. He reveled in the sentiment of this moment; shoving aside any regrets for later.

End Chapter

So, we finally get a kiss between Sestran and Kagome. He just was like 'look I tried to be nice but I'm not going to just set her aside if Byakuya won't fight for her'. I'm currently undecided if I wanna do a full out lemon next chapter… Sestran's been lonely a long time.

-Aura

To my reviewers:

Tohru78 – Thank you, we're excited about the bebe! And Kagome's memories will likely be fixed sometime…though damage is already done.

Sugar0o - *waits for the Sestran hate* Yes, Naraku is pretty sinister in this one – I'll give you one hint: he's not done yet.

Neo-Crystal – Yeah I got a lot of writing done lately thanks to the being off my feet more. Though we're moving back to the states in a month so I have to stop writing and start cleaning the house soon : (. And Byakuya going all Emo is what pushed Sestran forward. But there is more to come with this particular story arch.