531: And Lost Once More
Kagome was beyond livid.
How dare he walk away from her. After everything they went through together. All they'd promised one another. How dare he walk away from them.
But as she looked into his eyes, seeing only profound confusion, a sickening feeling twisted in her gut, rolling outward in horrible, creeping tendrils.
A sacrifice must be made, Pandora had said.
Her friends were alive.
So…
A sacrifice.
Kagome drew back slowly, releasing his hand. Blue eyes pooled, tears falling from dark lashes, and she ducked her head, hiding behind her bangs.
"You don't remember." She asked softly. "Do you?"
532: Confusion
A chilled breeze blew over the group as they tried to discern what was occurring.
Miroku held Sango protectively as she assured him she and the baby were well. Their gazes darted between the priestess and Daiyoukai, baffled by Kagome's behavior.
Ian struggled to understand why the female was bothering his employer, and Aila – untouched by the magic – looked on with sympathy.
"A hefty price you've paid," she whispered sadly, turning away. "Let's give them privacy."
Inuyasha watched the pair intently, Kagome's words coming back to him.
"I hope you can be happy for us."
He'd missed something. Something big.
533: Forgotten, Not Gone
Sesshomaru peered down at a dark crown.
Smelled the brackish scent of her tears.
His hand remained upon her stomach, for the moment she'd placed it there he'd been assaulted with memories.
His memories, though they weren't.
"I want your eyes on me. Your thoughts on me.
…I love you."
His breathing grew heavier, but Kagome was lost in misery and failed to notice.
What were these memories? How could he have forgotten them?
His ears rang.
Heart stuttered with fear as her lifeless body drifted through ocean waters.
The scent of her blood.
Tenseiga missing.
"What's happening?" He breathed.
534: Each One More Beautiful
"We haven't talked much… about the baby."
His fingers flexed against her stomach.
"Sesshomaru, I… I'm pregnant."
Kagome stepped closer, arms wrapping around him.
His lips pressed to her throat, tasting her on his tongue.
He'd found her taste exquisite.
"Remember, Sesshomaru," she begged, lifting tear-filled eyes. "Please remember."
He gazed at her through the darkness, grateful there was no light for her to see by.
Her soft, pleasured moans fanned the flame in his veins. Her desire so obvious, he felt his face heat.
With a racing pulse, he captured her lips as she once again captured his heart.
535: If I Was Whole
Memories flashed rapidly through Sesshomaru's mind, and he struggled to take it all in.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I never planned to tell you. Death… put many things into perspective."
"I died…" He mumbled in confusion, and Kagome held him tighter.
Feminine fingers trailed over broad shoulders, down a toned back, igniting another memory.
His fingers gripped her thighs, parting them.
She sighed heavily as he entered her, and he grunted his pleasure.
"I love you."
"And I, you."
"Kagome?" His voice trembled, but he couldn't care. "What happened?"
She met his eyes. Caressed his cheek.
"I'll explain everything."
536: Uncertain Sanity
He longed for her.
Oddly enough, it was a feeling he was familiar with.
These other feelings… these emotions, and memories… the ones that told him she was his… it was those he struggled with.
He longed for her, but he wasn't certain of his sanity at the moment, so he held himself still. Allowed her to lead.
"I wished on the jewel," she started. "But it was the wrong wish."
"I died."
"Everyone died."
The cloying scent of the underworld filled his nose, and he tasted the memory on his tongue.
"But we brought you back, Rin and I."
537: Ours
Kagome held his hand as she lead him somewhere.
He marveled at the feel of her fingers resting intimately between his own.
She stopped at a toppled tree, and bent to lean against it, pulling him with her.
Her familiarity with him lent credence to her words, and his memories.
Momentarily, he felt cheated. This – she – had been stolen from him. The memories they'd shared.
She pressed her hand to her stomach, a soft smile on her lips.
"The…" He swallowed. "The pup is –"
"Yours. Ours."
She placed his hand where hers had been, and his breath left him.
538: Make Me Whole
Sesshomaru listened, a patient, silent party, as she explained all they'd been through together.
"Tell me something about you. Something I don't already know."
"I was unplanned."
"And?"
"And, now I'm here."
He felt her irritation. Recalled his playfulness.
"Tell me more?"
Memories came to him as she spoke, lending images to her words.
"I'm going to bite you. It'll hurt. You don't have a say in it, so don't bother resisting."
His fist clenched, recalling his struggle.
"…I must apologize."
"Marked, Kagome. I marked you."
"You are now the mate of this Sesshomaru, and Lady of the Western Lands."
539: To Infinity
Sesshomaru jolted, and Kagome paused in her story.
"You okay?"
He turned to her, gripping her hand gently.
Pausing, he warred with himself.
When he pulled up her sleeve, revealing the creamy skin he knew was there, would he also see his mark upon her skin?
Part of him yearned for it.
He was also ashamed; to lack control in such a way?
"It's okay, Sesshomaru."
Her soft voice filled him with peace, and like a man starved, he consumed it.
She pulled her sleeve up, markings to match his own coloring her skin.
She is mine, he thought, gobsmacked.
540: Tell Me More
Sesshomaru was… overwhelmed.
"This is… a lot to take in," he confessed, still trying to absorb it all.
It saddened Kagome to hear it, but she tried to empathize. With a nod, she pushed herself to her feet.
Her hand fell softly upon his shoulder, and she squeezed gently.
"I understand. Take some time. I'll be waiting."
Her fingers slid from his shoulder, and he caught her hand.
"Stay," he said when she looked at him questioningly. "Tell me more."
With a soft smile, she started to lower herself to the ground when she suddenly found herself in his lap.
"It's softer than the ground," he reasoned, and her laughter soothed his frazzled mind.
541: Well, Damn
After rejoining her friends, she offered them a foot-note version of what she'd told Sesshomaru, hoping they'd have some sort of miraculous semi-recovery, as he'd had.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.
Shippo had no recollection of the underworld, for which Kagome was grateful.
Inuyasha hadn't either, but he'd swear the scent of death lingered in his nose.
Miroku and Sango took it all in stride, as usual.
Oddities were a normal part of their lives, after all.
Speaking of oddities: Ian Rosen was on a whole other level of memory troubles.
It seemed as if Ian had forgotten her entirely.
542: Crippling
"Dinna werry o'ermuch, Kagome."
Aila strolled up beside the priestess as she surveyed the damage they'd caused. So much destruction, she couldn't even tell what she was looking at.
"How do you suppose you weren't affected by… whatever it was that stole everyone's memories?"
"My charms protect me," she revealed, lifting a large pendant from beneath her cloak.
"I'm going to need to get some of those," Kagome laughed, her eyes falling back to the devastated clearing.
"I don't even recognize it anymore."
Blue eyes slid slowly over the ruins, trying to discern what used to be where, and a sudden, crippling realization hit her.
Kagome gasped, dread filling her.
"The well!"
543: The Goshinboku
"The well's magic disappeared shortly after you began your journey, Lady Kagome," Miroku explained gently, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We're not sure why, but I stopped sensing it one day."
"Not that it would matter," Inuyasha grouched from the branches of the only tree left standing in the area. "It was destroyed either way."
I'll never see my family again, Kagome thought but couldn't bear to say aloud. They'd all lost so much.
Sesshomaru, sensing her turmoil, came to stand beside her.
"You'll see them again," he offered. "In the meantime, perhaps you can send them a message." He glanced down at her. "Let them know you're well."
"How?" She eyed him with curious, blue eyes.
He nodded to the tree that started it all. "The Goshinboku."
544: Message To You
"Mom!" Sota yelled, wide brown eyes staring up at the God Tree. "Mom! Hurry!"
His mother rushed from the house, looking around for danger or disturbance. "What? What is it?" She asked, coming to stand beside her son.
He pointed, and her eyes followed his finger.
"No," she breathed, her eyes filling with tears.
"What does it mean?"
His mother cleared her throat, blinking back tears that threatened to fall.
"It means that your sister has been delayed. She may be gone for longer this time."
She's lying, Sota thought as his mother turned to go back inside.
"Come inside, Sota. Dinner's ready."
Looking back to the tree, he sighed sadly, shoulders drooping.
"Coming," he said softly.
It closed, but I'm okay.
I love you.
–Kagome
545: Legacy
He was born at the end of summer, in the year of the Monkey.
Years later, his mother and father would realize how fitting that was.
Presently, however, Kagome had never been more in love, and Sesshomaru had never been more proud.
"He shall be known as Yaketsuku," Sesshomaru stated firmly, eyes on his son's gleaming silver hair.
"We talked about this. Takibi is much cuter."
Kagome's mate glared at her, and she giggled because he looked so much less intimidating with an infant cradled in his arms.
Her laughter soothed him, and he smirked, easing closer to her side so that they might both gaze upon their creation.
Their sons eyes blinked slowly open, though he couldn't yet see well.
"Asahi," Sesshomaru suggested, his fingers brushing over tiny, triangular ears.
"Asahi." Her smile reflected in her soft, melodic voice. Hand searching, she found her mates willing fingers and entwined them with her own. "You're loved, sweet Asahi."
Sesshomaru's lips curled slightly, hardly believing his luck. "Hn."