Chapter 21: Caught In The Middle

Sesshomaru stood on the edge of a cliff with the wind whipping his long hair. He stared back at the moon that shining brightly illuminating his silver hair and garments. He closed his eyes and thought back to his wind must've felt overwhelmed therefore causing her to run and reject the son she once loved so much. He wouldn't admit it out loud but the pain in Ichimaru's eyes upon being rejected by his beloved mother killed him inside. As much as he wanted his son to learn strength and bravery, he didn't want to see him in pain.

The wind blew and the young prince sensed the salty air. He sighed and headed towards the castle. Things weren't going how it was supposed to be and up until then it was Kagura that took care of Ichimaru. He was still getting used to the fact that he has a son but that doesn't mean he knew how to handle it. Even though his mother had offered to take care of him while Kagura was out of the commission it will not do. He either has to find a way to get her back or he would have to raise Ichimaru alone.

"Sesshomaru, darling there you are!" Matsuhime stood from her chair and grabbed Sesshomaru's hand pulling him.
"Mother," he groaned, rolling his eyes at the woman's eccentric behaviors.
"Stop pouting!" she whacked his hand on his shoulder "It is your son. I'm afraid he needs your fatherly presence now that his beloved mother is no where to be found."
"Kagura?" his voice was stern. "Where is she?"
"Oh! Don't worry about her, I'm sure she is fine." Matsuhime sang. " I will look for her, but for now go see Ichimaru."
Sesshomaru turned his back from her ready to search for the wind mistress.
"I know you still have no idea how to handle the boy." she immediately caught Sesshomaru's arm once again. Hoping her speech would give a good outcome. "But he needs his father right now. I can't be his father. You're his father."
"Tell my son this Sesshomaru will bring his mother back."
"Please, I am begging you. I will have my guards find Kagura at once and I will talk to her. Meanwhile, talk to your son!"
"This Sesshomaru have no intention of doing such trivial things mother, the boy needs to learn how to deal with petty emotions such as losing his mother. My son doesn't need to be babied with ignorant speeches you want me to give. I am leaving."
Matsuhime silently cursed. She needed to find a way to get Sesshomaru to stay by Ichimaru's side knowing that it would make them closer. She contemplated on attacking him from the back and tying him up to a chair but decided against it, instead she decided to go for the best route that would surely make him comply to her wishes. The one that always worked despite his cold heart demeanor and smug face.

Sesshomaru was ready to leave when suddenly his mother broke out into a loud fit of tears. " OH! My dear son refuses his mother's wishes!" she cried. "My precious child! My only precious son won't listen to his Haha-ue no more! After giving birth to him thousands of years ago… only to abandon me!"

Sesshomaru turned his back facing her, rolling his eyes. "That's not what I meant, mother. Stop this foolishness."
"Good!" she cheerfully smiled once again pulling him towards Ichimaru's room once more. "Now, I've already told Ichimaru that he will be spending the day with his father so you need to come up with ideas on how you two are you going to spend it; and can you please stop frowning like that it will scare him…" she babbled on continuously.

Sesshomaru sighed nothing like a good dramatic water works from his mother. He hated her antics and could not stand her overly dramatic theater. Maybe it won't be as bad to spend time with Ichimaru and after all the boy was taught to behave well by his mother. And he is his son, maybe it's time to teach him a thing or two.

"Don't worry, I will look for Kagura myself." Matsuhime's voice was serious this time.
Sesshomaru nodded. "Bring her to me, I shall speak to her myself."
Matsuhime smiled at her son. "You will be alright. After all he is so much like you, and he has grown stronger the past few days maybe you can teach him a thing or two about battles."
"He is still young."
"He is your son." she winked at him.

Sesshomaru pulled away from her and entered Ichimaru's room. Matsuhime sighed wishing him the best. She touched her meido hoping to find some answers and guidance from her former husband.

"Oh Taisho, is this all my fault?" she spoke not really wanting to hear her deceased husband's answer.

Kagura soared above the skies completely admiring her new found freedom. It was different flying knowing that nothing holds her heart. Knowing she has full control of her mind and body. She collapsed on her feather feeling the soft bristles on her skin and her element around her hair.

"So this is freedom." she smiled feeling the wind in her hair. She touched down the soft grass into the woods. "Kinda boring…"
"Then come home," a harp like voice entered the clearing. Kagura could feel the smirk in the woman's lips even with her back turned.
"It is you," Kagura turned around shutting her fan close and resting it on her chin.
"Of course, it is me." she smiled, her magenta lips expanding into a tight smile.
She sighed. "What do you want?"
"Mother just misses you," she feigned her heartbreak.
The wind sorceress grew bored and began to fan herself. "Oh, please I do not have a mother. I am the wind."
"So this is the real you huh? A little selfish and rude."
"You are Sesshomaru's mother." Kagura stated as a matter of fact.
"I'm glad you still remember me, though I'm kind of sadden that you have forgotten the close bond we had formed years back,"
Kagura shrugged not really sure what bond the woman talked about.
Lady Matsuhime walked towards the witch. "Come home, he needs you."
"He's better off without me," Kagura thought about the young boy that claimed to be her son. She tried to banish it off her mind. "Before all of this, and I'm sure you know; all I ever wanted was freedom… and now that I have it I have to hold it with both hands…"
"What about Sesshomaru? He needs you."
Kagura scoffed at the thought that the great demon she once knew ever needed her; but the look in the older demoness' eyes was so sincere that she almost believed at the thought of Sesshomaru needing her. "Don't make me laugh,"
Matsuhime sighed in defeat. She knew there was no way she could convince Kagura to stay and the only way to get her back is if she let her be and maybe she'll change her mind later on. Sesshomaru probably won't do much of convincing either; they'd probably end up killing each other in the process.
"Do as you wish, wind witch." she stared right into her red eyes. "Just remember that you are always welcome to come back."
Kagura sighed. She didn't think Sesshomaru's mother would back down so easily. It made her think of the young boy's face; he didn't look anything like her, not his eyes, nor his mouth and nose. He looked exactly like Sesshomaru but he seemed to have a great attachment to her and it was almost too bizarre for her. She's never had anyone longed for her the way that boy did. "Look, just give me some time to think, alright?"
Matsuhime smiled. "So you'll be home later then?"
"I didn't say that." Kagura reached for the lone feather tucked in her hair. "I'm saying I'll try… in time…I don't know when,"
It wasn't what Matsuhime hoped for but Kagura's response was something worth holding on to. "I understand. Go on, darling." she smiled as she watched the wind sorceress hopped on her giant feather and with a smile Kagura ascended up in the clouds and soon vanished in sight. "Be free."

Kagura cursed aloud once she was alone. She cursed that moment of weakness she had thinking about the young boy. The thought of easily succumbing to his cherubic face made her sick, she didn't want to say something to Matsuhime that would make her think that there could be any possibility that she would stay with them nor she didn't intend for them to rely on false hope. All she wanted was to be free.

Yet his face burned scars in her mind; the way he longingly looked at her with his burning amber eyes-much like his father's; and she's never been good at ignoring one of Sesshomaru's smoldering looks.

She let the wind carry her down an empty clearing where she lay trying to relax and not wanting to think about the boy; but it was futile. She spent a long while trying to decipher her next step: whether to go away as far as she could or go back and give Ichimaru a shot. Going away would've been easier if only Ichimaru didn't look at her like she was abandoning him. She couldn't understand the struggle in her with the thought of leaving him, after all she didn't know him. And it was still hard to wrap her mind around the idea of having a child. She didn't think motherhood was ever in the cards for her. She began to think about Sesshomaru. It was him that made her absent heart skip a beat, it was him she longed for when she was broken and used. If she had seen this coming, she would've laughed her self to death. She didn't think Sesshomaru would ever share the same feelings with her. She didn't think the cold hearted demon was capable of anything she felt for him. Yet it was him who openly expressed his feelings for her through a hot searing kiss. It was unexpected…yet hot. It was her first kiss. At least her current mind was telling her it was her first kiss. It hasn't occurred to her before with everything that has been going on but in order for her to bear Sesshomaru a son then they would have to…

Her face was suddenly warm at the thought of her and Sesshomaru spending the night together and at the same time it made her curious to how it happened. The thought of Sesshomaru kissing her was enough to send her crazy but the thought of them having a passionate time together was just a thought that would never cross her mind before. But still it happened… at some point they made love and thus Ichimaru was born.

"Damn it all." she muttered to herself. "I gotta stop thinking about that damned dog and his son. I am free and that's all that matters…"

The rustling of the bushes nearby made the wind witch stand on guard. She was so deep in thought that she had missed someone's presence close by. A few moments later a scrawny teenager emerged from the bushes and behind him was a demon cat carrying a young dark haired girl. The young man was obviously a demon slayer and the young girl with him was not a day over 12. The wind sorceress then realized the boy was Kohaku.

"Kagura?" Kohaku lowered his weapon upon realizing it was Kagura. "Is that really you?"
"Kohaku, you're still alive I see." she smirked shutting her fan.
"Yes," Kohaku smiled. " It's good to finally see you!"
"I suppose." Kagura studied him. His maturity was just another reminder that time had passed since she had once lost her freedom to Naraku. "You've grown a lot, Kohaku."
He nodded. " I didn't believe Rin when she told me you have returned from the dead,"
"I told you I met Ichimaru, I don't know why you can't believe me." the young girl that was on the back of the demon cat chimed in. Kagura then realized it was none other than Sesshomaru's ward, Rin.
"So you're Sesshomaru's brat," Kagura smirked at the young girl.
Rin frowned, she didn't appreciate being called brat but soon ignored it. "How is Ichimaru?"
"He's fine." Kagura answered not really sure if Ichimaru really was fine, given that his mother just abandoned him.
"That's good." Rin smiled. "Tell him to come visit me soon… I'd love to show him around… I'm sure he gets bored a lot."
Kagura mentally laughed. Despite Rin's age she was still as talkative as ever. She then reached for her feather hoping to bid Kohaku farewell and avoid Rin's incessant ramblings.
"Take care, Kagura!" Kohaku called.
"Yes, take care!" Rin added. "Maybe you can tell Lord Sesshomaru to visit sometime. He hasn't come in a while, but that's okay! At least now I know he's happy and found his family!"
"You think Sesshomaru is happy?" Kagura could not help but question Rin's comment.
"Of course!" she beamed at her confidently. "He hasn't visited me in a while, he only sends master Jaken now… but I understand… I'm glad Lord Sesshomaru has you Miss Kagura, and Ichimaru too… he seems like a nice boy."

Kagura cursed in her mind. She knew she should've gone away before Rin started yapping.

"It's because she died twice. Life is not something you can get so many chances with, when you die you die." Lady Matsuhime sat on her futon with her long fingers resting on the side of her face. Her eyes on her son's; his face was blank and unreadable. "Tenseiga probably erased the memories she had while living on the life my meido had given her. So it was as if she was only revived once. I'm afraid there's no way to reverse it,"

Sesshomaru's frowned deeper. If there was no way of getting Kagura's memories back then the only way to get her back is if she agreed to stay.
"Tell me, what are you thinking my son?" Matsuhime stood and extended a hand touching Sesshomaru's face. "Ichimaru is still young but I believe he will be fine in my care. I spoke to Kagura and I'm afraid she's made up her mind."
Sesshomaru nodded. "I am leaving,"
"Where are you off to?"
"I will search for the witch, I myself will talk to-" he stopped mid sentence after sensing the winds changed around the castle. Moments later both Inu youkai saw the wind sorceress emerging from a tornado. She appeared radiant with her eyes closed and her winds blowing her hair.
"I understand you wanted to talk?" she smirked at the prince.
His eyes narrowed at her. It was the old evil incarnate talking. The strong woman he fell in love with. Sesshomaru turned to his mother and she immediately read his silent words and left.
"Wind sorceress, Kagura." his face was graced in a light grin that made her stomach churn.
"Sesshomaru-sama" she rolled her tongue with his name that made the hair on the back of his neck rise.
"I intended to speak to you," his stare intensified. Gold to Ruby.
"So I've heard." she gulped feeling like a prey on lock. He was silent and only watched her. "Well?"
"It has been quite a while since Naraku died," he started. "You died… I was there."
The room seemed to be thick as she listened to him speak. It felt bizarre seeing the cold hearted demon talk without insulting her or reprimanding her like old times.
"And the freedom you sought was taken the minute you had it," he continued.
"Look I'm here to talk about what is now, not the past." she began to feel frustrated.
"I want you to stay," his words took her by surprise. She didn't expect him to openly express his feelings and intentions. He was blunt and straight forward. She had to look away.
"I apologize…" he paused throwing away his pride by apologizing for the first time in his long life. "For blatantly expressing my feelings for you. I now understand that your feelings for this Sesshomaru has vanished with the memories of the life my mother had bestowed upon you. However, I only ask that you stay for the sake of our son, and I will not stand in your way."

A/N: Killer cliff hanger I apologize :P

and I'm sorry for the late installment, I have been shamelessly going to the beach everyday for the past month and now have the really dark skin (possibly skin cancer) (knock on wood)) to prove it. I hope you like this chapter, I honestly felt really sad in the end when Sesshomaru's breaking up with her so she stay with Ichimaru ;( but anyway I know what's going to happen next so tune in :D thanks for all who reviews, your input is very important and mistakes are on me ( I don't have a beta ) AND of course there's always room for improvement. I would also like to extend my thanks for those who read and put my fic on fave/follow list. Your support is very much appreciated.

A hui hou!