35. Finding Sanity
Patients were escorted or carried from the hospital by firemen and ambulance drivers. Paramedics stabilizing those they could, but all were being taken from out of the hospital walls. Kikyo and Suki were the first two ambulances to leave for other, far safer hospitals. Kikyo tried to protest, yet once administered a dose of dilauded and Valium she was blissfully out of pain and combative mind.
Shippo eyed Kikyo holding onto Kagome's baby, the sight made his heart hurt, as the two were loaded into an awaiting ambulance. "Inumaru." Shippo whispered softly as the vision of the baby in the arms of the lovers' wife confused the young man. His feelings ranging from deep sadness, anger, then relief that the baby would be taken care of, and accepted so easily by this woman who had her life turned upside down by Kagome and the man fighting in the hospital. The man Kagome had given everything up for, this Inuyasha. The kitsune wondered if it was all worth it?
Shippo ran to the ambulance just at the EMT was about to shut the doors. "Are you really going to be his Mother? I mean even though he's the child of your husbands mistress? I have to know Inumaru will be alright." What would he do if it was otherwise, adopt the baby himself?
"Christ kid! Shut the fuck up!" Miroku yelled from the ambulance next to Kikyo's as he sat getting checked out, his eyes glaring, boring holes into the youth.
"This little boy did not chose any of this, it's not his fault, Inumaru is an innocent, he did not chose his father to be a philander. Nor can I choose not to love the brother of my daughters. Of course I will be his Mother, and I will love him like my own, and Inumaru will be with his family." Kikyo softly spoke. The medications finally putting her at ease, she even smiled to Shippo. "You are welcome to visit him whenever you want okay?"
Seemingly pleased with the answer Shippo smiled back shutting the door of the ambulance and watched it pull away. "Think her husband will make it out of there?"
"Kid I don't know exactly who you are but I'm about to knock the crap outta you. Of course Inuyasha and Sesshomaru are gonna make it out of there." Miroku left the EMT going to Sango who was watching the floor of the hospital the three were fighting on with great interest as room windows burst out. Sango jumped grabbing Miroku's hand in a death grip. "Don't worry, you know they'll make it out of there, Inuyasha is to stubborn to die on us, and Sesshomaru wouldn't allow anybody but himself to run there fathers company."
…
Sesshomaru took in a deep breath as his body began to fight off the poison delivered by Naraku's spike, his main concern was the numbness which was making it difficult for him to grip Tokijin firmly, yet he gave no sign of this to Naraku with his cool gaze.
"Lets just say a little pay back for you crucifying me to my back patio. Remember Sesshomaru?" Naraku grinned even though he was beginning to feel the effects of the prolonged fight with the brothers, and trying to keep the hospital under control. Now he had lost the hospital, and Kikyo, but he'd be damned to lose the Inu clan.
The roar of the sirens was music to Inuyasha's ears. Miroku and Sango had succeeded in their most precious task; they had gotten the family out, especially if he could so plainly hear the distinct call of the emergency vehicles. The hanyou's sensitive ears could also hear the swift running boots, as SWAT teams entered the hospital, no doubt their opponent did as well.
"You lost Naraku. You've let Kikyo slip through your fingers once again, just like last time, you will never lay eyes upon my wife and now you're gonna die. This time no waking up I'll make damn sure of that." Inuyasha smiled, invigorated that his family was safe, and Onigumo Naraku could not harm one member of his family they were safely out of his reach.
"Not as strong as you thought. Your type never truly is." Calmly Sesshomaru stood side by side with his brother, his body finally taking control and neutralizing Naraku's poison.
Inuyasha looked to his brother, the two meeting eyes, the hanyou nodded as he wiped blood out of his left eye, it was time to finish this, as the sun was beginning its assent into the sky. The Tashio used his acid whip quickly eating through the drywall of the room Naraku had himself backed into, the force blowing out the plate glass of the windows sending it showering down to the parking lot below. Pieces of drywall fell away in chunks, and a low hiss issued forth from the wall directly to Naraku's right.
Sesshomaru actually smiled as he turned to his brother, the acid from his whip had eaten through the pure oxygen lines that ran through the hospital walls. "Do you remember how to use that wind scar of yours Inuyasha? I know it has been over a hundred years since the civil war but you still recall the technique?"
Naraku cautiously eyed the two brothers sending out a host of tentacles from his remaining arm, Inuyasha destroyed them in an instant, seemingly using no strength at all. "Yea, but you better tell those humans…"
Naraku saw nothing but a blur of silver hair and Sesshomaru was gone. "I never took the great Sesshomaru for a coward, running away finally? Am I supposed to be scared or something?"
Sesshomaru intercepted the SWAT team on the second floor sweep. "Gentlemen, if you would radio your people and leave the hospital immediately. It is about to become a bomb in about 90 seconds."
The human in charge seemed overwhelmed with the massacre at the hospital, yet looking at the demon before him the man was on his radio without even questioning the youkai, he had his men running, relaying the message to the other team on the other side of the hospital to evacuate.
Miroku and Sango were loaded into the ambulance with Suki. Miroku let out a yawn, laying his head on his wife's shoulder. "Well off to yet another hospital." The exhausted lawyer yawned out letting his eyes close momentarily.
"Yes, but a hospital without Onigumo." Sango kissed the top of her husbands' head, as she held tight to his hand placing it on her abdomen. "Get some sleep while you can. 'Cause in about eight months your not going to sleep through the night again for a long time."
"Okay." Miroku drowsily agreed. Ayame who sat across from Sango smiled ear to ear realizing Miroku was oblivious to Sango's remark. "What?"
The ambulance had made it a few blocks when an explosion ruptured the mist filled early morning sky, shaking the streets, and causing the driver to swerve out of sheer fright. The ambulance precariously veered back and forth on the slick streets as a string of colorful expletives rang out from the driver as he regained control of the vehicle.
Miroku was wide eyed and jumped to the back windows of the ambulance searching for the source, knowing deep down he need only look in the direction of the Sisters of Mercy. The building was a bright pyre in the morning skyline against the rain hazy gray sky, Sango refused to look she kept her eyes on Suki, no one needed to really look anyway. She knew, like they all did, what had just happened, silently Sango said a prayer to herself that the two brothers had made it out alive, and that Kikyo and the kids were not just left without a father, husband and uncle.
…...
By the 4th of July Inumaru was growing just as fast as his sisters did at that age, maybe a bit faster even, the baby was only four months old and he was already trying to crawl all over the house. They had watched the fireworks display the college put on each year, but this time they got an extra surprise. It began to snow. People in this part of the country told Kikyo when they moved into the area they have three seasons; June, July, and winter, and they were not kidding as it was not just a little flurry of snow, it was coming down fast with large flakes, over an inch by the time they returned to the ranch, and Kikyo was glad she had traded in her luxury SUV for a top of the line Land Rover 4 x 4. The last time it happened in this part of the country was '92, but the kids loved it nonetheless. Kikyo was happy to finally make it up the drive and see the two-story ranch house that they had recently began to call home. It was a change for the girls to go from flat, rainy, Gulf coast to snow covered Rocky Mountains, but if it bothered either one of them neither one complained in the slightest. Suki was thrilled, she and Kari both seemed to heal more quickly up here, even the baby was thriving, or maybe Kikyo was simply starting to feel old after the ordeal over four months ago which left its scars on everyone.
As the girls rushed into the house, instantly shedding their coats at the door, both chattering away at how cool it was to see snow and fireworks. Kikyo followed with a sigh and with a wiggling baby, Inumaru was gurgling in her ear trying to grasp at snowflakes as she entered the doorway. The news was on the TV she could hear the weatherman, apparently the snow would last through the night then turn to rain by weeks end. Kikyo whistled, as both of her daughters turned to their mother with a question on their faces.
"Take the baby upstairs, and you two get in your jammies. Daddy should be here soon." Kikyo handed Inumaru to Kari and the three made there way upstairs, as Kikyo hung up the families snow damp jackets, finally getting to shed her own.
Suki came loping down the stairs moments later in her pj's a huge smile on her face. "Can we have coco since its snowing pleeeese?"
Kikyo looked out the huge window that made up the back of the living room. The lights on the property illuminating the back pasture and stable also casting its glow onto the beauty of the nights snowfall, Kikyo could not help but think of their Father that was soon to be arriving coming in from the Denver airport, the private jet had surely already landed, he was probably driving this way right now.
"Sure. An' I'll even put a fire in the fireplace." Suki squealed and jumped up and down. "If, little miss, make sure your brother is changed and ready for bed too 'k?"
"Sure." Suki happily smiled to her mother and raced back up the stairs. "Kari! Mom's making us coco!" The girl yelled at the top of her lungs, her sister gave a happy yelp back, as their 75-pound German Shepard with the odd name of Bunny came trotting through the electronic doggie door through the kitchen, shaking off the slight dampness of the snowflakes. "Bunny is hungry." Suki chimed as she smiled at her dog on the way up the stairs, Kikyo heard Kari yelp in surprise and the baby laugh. "Inumaru got Kari's earring again!"
"Be careful Kari, he's just playing! An' Bunny is always hungry." Kikyo turned looking down into the dogs deep brown eyes, her tail sweeping the tile in anticipation of food to hopefully come. "Never a moment for myself. Coco for the kids, food for the dog…."
Kikyo laughed to herself as she glanced back at the TV for a second. Houston was not on the news this time, or maybe she already missed the segment, slowly she was hearing less and less about the Bayou city and the Chinkara name meaning the companies PR machine was running full steam ahead. The devastated Sisters of Mercy hospital was going to be basically rebuilt from the foundation up. Built 10x better and with the newest technology medical science had invented thus far in the 21st century. Kikyo thought she would never hear the end of it all from the families of the dead; all the bodies and those pour souls that could not be identified except by dental records. The Chinkara family had paid out a small fortune to each even though it was truly not their fault any of it had happened. Rin had become the face of the family, grieving with the families of the lost, helping out with not only money but making sure they would emotionally heal, offering to pay for continuing psychiatric care for those in need, especially the children. No public relation team could ever do what Rin was capable of with her calming voice and sincere smile, no wonder she thawed the frozen heart of Sesshomaru so many years ago. Needless to say the company would make it through with its black eye, but the wolf clan took the brunt, it would take a couple generations to recover from such a coup d'état if they ever could. Kikyo was in awe the destruction two men could wreak upon so many helpless lives.
For a while she tried to blame everything on Inuyasha, the massacre at the hospital, the car accident, every wrong for the past year and a half, problem being she was half of the marriage as well. Kikyo didn't cheat, but when she and Inuyasha stopped talking she didn't try to fix things either. Fate just kicked her butt when she called a P.I. and it happened to be a psychopath from her past, what type of luck was that? Sesshomaru had spoken to Kikyo while Inuyasha was still hospitalized, that she was being far too hard on herself after the incident at Sisters of Mercy. Even Rin had come to forgive Inuyasha, it seemed most had forgiven him, due to his selfless sacrifice to kill Naraku, putting himself at deaths feet voluntarily. It took Inuyasha nearly two months to be released from the hospital even with his healing abilities, and yet, he was still healing; however he never was one to follow doctors' orders and take it easy.
The news of her move with the girls shocked him out of the hospital she supposed, he could have put up a pricey legal battle to make them stay in town but he did no such thing, yet another reason for Kikyo finding it hard to continue to hate the man. All he asked was to visit every couple of weeks, and he kept fervently to the schedule, he was being the perfect Father from a distance, calling each night or video conferencing with his children so he could at least see them during the weeks he was gone. Kikyo could ask for nothing more, other than be relieved of the loneliness in her heart for human contact, and the tiny amount of guilt which ate at her when she sometimes looked at Inumaru, her heart aching for his dead Mother.
Scratching Bunny behind the ear, Kikyo went into the utility room, locking the remote doggy door and fed the dog to at least getting one responsibility out of the way, she could hear the girls upstairs laughing, undoubtedly trying to change their brother and get the little wiggle worm dressed. She walked back into the living room, shutting off the TV, pausing to briefly watch the fast falling snow, out of the corner of her eye, Kikyo could have sworn she saw movement in the front Paddock about 100 yards from the back porch. A chill raced up Kikyo's spine as she numbly walked closer to the window, her stomach feeling suddenly sick.
"Mom! We're ready to watch the movie now!" Kari screamed out from the top of the stairs, instantly breaking Kikyo's trance on the shadows in the night snowfall.
It was nothing; it had to be nothing more than the play of light in the snow. At most maybe it was a coyote? Then again a few miles away one farmer lost some goats, finding wolf tracks. Kikyo felt suddenly very exposed. "Oh…okay honey…just, just give me a minute." Kikyo rubbed her temples blinking hard; it had to be simply a trick of the pasture lights and the snow, there was nothing out there, it was her nerves again.
With reluctance Kikyo turned away from the window and went back into the kitchen to get the girls there promised coco, and Inumaru's bottle for the night. Ever since the hospital incident her nerves had yet to recover. Of course Kikyo's doctor attributed it all to PTSD, and that like returning soldiers she was dealing with shell shock, and that in time and xanax, plus a couple other drugs, things would return to normal. The silence in the house was suddenly unnerving; the kids must have started their movie, as no noise was coming from them. Kikyo absent-mindedly made their coco, and had the baby's bottle, checking over her shoulder every few moments to look out into the back of the property. Luckily the open concept of the home made nearly the entire ranch visible through the large ceiling to floor windows, normally Kikyo loved the view but tonight it unnerved her, making her feel completely out of control of her environment.
"Alright you are just being plain paranoid." Kikyo chastised herself as she loaded up a small tray with the girls' drinks and baby bottle going quickly to the stairs, making sure to look out the window once again, and of course all that greeted her was snow. "Paranoid." Kikyo laughed to herself looking up the stairs to be greeted by Suki.
"You're not paranoid mom." The girl smiled as she played with her silver hair done in a braid, twisting it around her finger. "Daddy said Mr. Myoga was paranoid, and you are not like him." Suki waited on the landing at the top of the stairs, taking the baby's bottle and running towards Inumaru's room with it. "I already put him in his crib."
"Thank you, and don't tell your father I'm like Myoga." Kikyo felt a fool especially if Suki was trying to tell the difference between her actions and Myoga's, that little man truly was paranoid, making mountains out of mole hills, a sneeze into the flu and running the other way.
Entering her bedroom she found Kari set up on her bed with a mountain of pillows and blankets, and Avatar already playing, her daughter was oblivious to Kikyo even entering the room until her Mother put a mug in front of her nose.
"Oh, thanks." Kari didn't even break eye contact from the screen; Kikyo just shook her head and loaded logs into the fireplace in the corner of her bedroom.
Suki appeared just as the logs lit, a deep frown on her face as she glared at her twin. "I told you to wait Kari! It's not fair! Mom!"
Kikyo scooted Suki over to the bed offering the mug after her perturbed daughter climbed into bed. "Here, you have seen the thing like what, a million times. Be happy I'm letting you watch it and sleep in MY room."
Suki instantly hushed, but still glared at her sister, as she made herself comfortable. Kikyo could do nothing but stifle a laugh at the look on her child's' face. It was sad though, in reality, she couldn't help her feelings of fear to be able to protect her children, more nights than not, since the move the girls were sleeping with her. Also for the first time in her life Kikyo felt it necessary to purchase and become effective with handguns, at the gentle nudging of Sesshomaru when she voiced her trepidation about being so far away from family. Even though the move was drastic to everyone, Kikyo was unable to look at the city where she spent her entire married life in with clear eyes without seeing Onigumo lurking around every corner.
However confident Inuyasha was that the bastard was killed in the hospital explosion, it was the lack of a complete corpse that screamed in the back of her mind he was still stalking her, even though her psychiatrist stated her suspicion was a classic PTSD indicator. Feeding into her fear, masking it as a gift, for Easter the girls were given an attack dog in the fur of a German Shepard, which they so aptly named Bunny, as Kikyo had tied pink bunny ears atop the dogs head allowing her to roam free Easter morning. The dog found Suki first and it was love at first lick, wherever Suki was Bunny trailed right behind her. The black and white Shepard was wonderful for the girls' recovery, and at night Kikyo felt safer, so now at times when Kikyo thought she was completely out of her mind. The home was outfitted with cameras interior and exterior, top of the line security system with all the bells and whistles, she was a proficient marksman with a 9mm, and a dog named Bunny that could kill a man within a minute flat. Okay she was paranoid as Kikyo ran down the security list in her head, wondering if she had armed it when she came in the door.
However tonight Bunny ate little food and went to sit at Kikyo's side as she leaned against the fridge, not trotting up the stairs to be next to Suki, the dog's big, brown eyes trained on Kikyo as she opened a bottle of red wine pouring herself a large glass now leaning against the kitchen island watching out into the pastures which could be hiding something insidious in the snowfall trying to convince herself she saw nothing and that her eyes were simply playing tricks on her. Just as she had herself convinced nothing was wrong, Bunny suddenly stood staring toward the window, her hackles raised and a menacing growl reverberated in her chest causing Kikyo to almost drop the wine glass.
Bunny bolted to the large windows, the growl intensifying as Kikyo slowly followed the dog, the glass in her hand suddenly trembling, but she had to see what the problem was causing such a response from the dog. Peering out she could have sworn she saw the shadowed form of a man slip into the barn. The attack dog training kicked in with Bunny as she now began barking furiously, spittle flying to the glass. Kikyo stepped back startling herself, as fear raced through her body, she began to shake uncontrollably, the glass slipping from her hand shattering on the floor at her feet. The angered dog raced to the utility room, trying to exit the house through the doggy door her claws tearing at the locked barrier. To the dogs upset Kikyo had locked it up for the night, the frantic animal clawed at unwavering door still growling and her fur on end. Kikyo silently cursed at herself for dropping the wine glass as she hurried to gather paper towels and the dust pan, Bunny was whining still scratching, gouging trails with her claws at the back utility door trying to get out franticly. Out of fear Kikyo closed the large curtains over the back windows before she began her clean up, she whistled and Bunny trotted back into the living room to her master, even though the dog was still irritated, her tail hung low and a intermittent growl rumbling around in the dogs throat.
"You're becoming just as paranoid as me girl, maybe we need something stiffer than wine?" Flustered with herself Kikyo threw out the remnants of her glass, and wine soaked paper towels, as she went to the liquor cabinet her cell phone rang causing Kikyo to cry out in surprise. "God please don't let me be going crazy."
She picked up her cell, noticing her hand was still shaking violently, yet a sigh of relief when it was Inuyasha who was calling, was she expecting anyone else, maybe a ghost? "Thank goodness it's you Inuyasha. Where are you? How far out are you from the house? When—"
"Whoa, whoa, Kikyo. What's wrong with you? Your voice is trembling? Did something happen? Are you and the kids alright honey?" Inuyasha was driving his rented 4 x 4 through the mountain pass on his way to see his family, yet unconsciously hearing fear in Kikyo's voice he stepped on the gas. "What happened?"
"Oh, it's more than likely nothing, but Bunny thinks it is something, and she's not crazy like me, so I don't know Inuyasha. I saw a man in the back, looked like he went into the barn. I'm just too afraid to go out there alone leaving the kids in the house. But I have the gun, and the dog so I guess I could—"
"Listen to me, don't be stupid Kikyo stay in the house. Get the gun and keep it with you, are the kids all right? Did they see anything?"
"No, just me and the dog. I feel foolish Inuyasha for being afraid of the dark, it is probably nothing but my mind playing tricks." Kikyo let out a nervous laugh.
"I should be there within ten to fifteen minutes. You just hold tight and keep the house locked up. I'll be there soon, just promise me Kikyo that you won't do anything rash, and just stay in the house with the kids. Okay?" Kikyo nodded to the phone against her ear. "You hear me?"
"Yes. Just hurry please." The fear in her voice spoke volumes to the hanyou. "Inuyasha…thanks."
"Hey, it's what I do baby. I will always be here for you. I love you see you in a minute." Inuyasha reluctantly hung up the phone, but he had to concentrate on getting to the ranch house as quickly as possible to safeguard his family without killing himself on the roads. "What the fuck is going on up there?" The now worried hanyou pushed the car a bit to fast on ice slick roads, but all he cared about was getting to see Kikyo and his kids.
Headlights shone through the lead crystal etched front door, Kikyo ran to the door actually beating the dog, which was already jumping up and woofing in excitement of the visitor. Quickly Kikyo disarmed the alarm. Bunny always seemed to know the moment Inuyasha arrived; maybe it was just a dog thing. Kikyo threw open the door running out to the SUV grabbing Inuyasha in a panicked embraced, kissing him before she realized what she was doing.
Stepping back in embarrassment Kikyo allowed her still husband to retrieve his bag. "Come into the house, hurry." She walked briskly to the front door, the dog now jumping around Inuyasha, holding the door watching him Kikyo smiled and felt herself relax. He was here, and Kikyo still loved him. "You bastard you still have my heart."
She whispered to herself, yet Inuyasha gazed up at her with a smile, he heard each word spoken. He tried to keep his posture relaxed until he could get the house locked up tight, he didn't want Kikyo to know the air hung heavy with not only snow but blood.