"Struggle"
All through the night, Inu-Yasha, kept his eyes and ears alert. He was full of sorrow and aggression-a deadly combination in a demon. His only concern was Nauki's recovery.
As dawn came, his defense lowered. Nauki was still unconscious, her head laying on his shoulder. He nudged her cheek lightly. She didn't move. "Nauki," he called her softly.
His daughter lay still, her breathing shallow, more shallow than it had been last night. Inu-Yasha was not too sure about moving her. He knew he had to get her back home. She needed Kaede and Kagome's care. Nauki was still in critical condition.
Inu-Yasha put his kimono back on. Nauki's blood stained kimono was wrapped around his eaist. He lifted her gently, her head falling backwards.
He pushed her head back towards him, carrying her as gently as possible. Inu-Yasha was hoping he wasn't hurting her. Nauki made no sound during the long walk home.
The closer he got to his hut, the more his heart raced when he thought about what their reactions would be. He still thought of it as his fault. Inu-Yasha only saw Kagome. She was doing laundry on the other side of the hut. Aya and Oda were not in the area. Their scents were not to be found.
Inu-Yasha approached their home very slowly. He fought back the emotions, but they erupted once Kagome glanced up. He looked at her sadly. "K-Kagome, I..need your help."
Kagome rushed to him. She gasped when she saw the blood stained kimono around his waist. "Inu-Yasha, what happened to Nauki?"
He went inside to one of the back rooms, not wanting to answer. Kagome watched as he laid Nauki down. The bandages were soaked with blood. "She..blocked an attack meant for me," he said with sorrow.
Kagome sat down next to him. She was afraid to ask if Nauki was alive or dead. Gently, she put her arms around Inu-Yasha, holding him tightly as she cried. Nauki was her daughter as much as his.
"Sh-She's not dead. Not yet. She..Nauki..saved my life, Kagome." He paused thinking of the fight. "My daughter died last night in my arms..Her blood was everywhere..A soul catcher came to claim her, but she spared her."
Kagome looked up at him, wipping the tears from his eyes. She didn't fully understand. "That's why you didn't come home."
He nodded slowly.
Kagome turned around. She crawled to Nauki checking the bandages. "We have to get this off of her. I need some water. Get me one of the sheets off of the line. It's going to have to be shredded."
Inu-Yasha did as he was instructed. Time was critical, and it wasn't in Nauki's favor. He came back in to find that half of the bandages were already off of her. Kagome used the water to get the other half off that were sticking to Nauki's body.
Inu-Yasha fearfully watched Kagome start to clean the wound. When the cold water came in contact with her body, Nauki's breathing increased. He could tell something was wrong. Inu-Yasha crawled over to his daughter quickly. Nauki's back was arched. Her legs and arms were lightly shaking.
Kagome instantly noticed. She stopped what she was doing, throwing the rag down. "Nauki?!" She lifted the girl up, holding her tightly.
Inu-Yasha felt his body trembling. Nauki was going into shock. Her body's system wasn't able to handle the large amount of blood loss. Inu-Yasha held down her legs, and Kagome her upper body. He could hear Nauki gasping for air.
Slowly, her body relaxed.
Kagome was tense as Nauki's body went limp. The girl's head fell backwards. She had stopped breathing.
Before Inu-Yasha could figure out what was happening, Kagome laid Nauki back down. She opened her mouth, holding onto the girl's nose as she breathed air into her lungs.
Kagome did not dare press onto Nauki's chest. She could easily cause the wound to re-open where it had closed in certain areas. Thus, killing her.
Inu-Yasha watched in horror as Kagome fought to get Nauki to breathe. If she couldn't do it soon, Nauki would be completely brain dead. The struggle was on for Nauki's life.
***************************************************************************
Aya and Oda were walking home carrying a bundle of fish and fruit. Oda had caught the fish all day while Aya picked the fruit in a nearby valley. They were planning on showing their mother what Sango had taught them how to make.
That's when they heard their mother scream "Nauki?!". The twins were two miles away, and considering their ears were very sensitive, they could hear just about anything.
Aya stopped. Her ears twitched as she sniffed the air for clues. Something wasn't right. "Oda, something's wrong."
Oda stopped, lowering the fish onto the ground. He tilted his head, his gold slit eyes narrowing. "I don't smell anything," he said firmly.
"It's not a scent. I heard mama scream about Nia." Aya closed her eyes, her mind reaching out. She wasn't suppose to use her telepathic abilities unless she had to.
In her mind, she saw the trees ahead going past her. Her mind found the hut sitting on the hill. Extensions had been made when her parents had gotten married. The sheets were on the line blowing softly in the wind.
The air was tense.
Aya went on further, past the door, around a corner, into one of the back rooms. She saw her mom over Nauki, caring for her. Her father was in total shock, watching.
Nauki was covered in blood.
Aya saw the gash going from her sister's collarbone to her stomach. Kagome was trying to get Nauki to breathe. *I've got to help!*
Aya pushed until her mind seemed to connect with Nauki's. Her sister was completely unconscious, unaware of what was going on around her. Aya started to search fo the cause that was preventing Nauki from breathing.
Within seconds, she was searching her sister's body. Aya soon found it. Nauki's lungs were collapsed. One appeared to have collapsed a long time before.
She started to push both of the lungs up with her mind, so air could fill them. Once they were filled with air, the lungs would restart. (And her mother didn't believe she listened when she explained future remedies to her.)
Nauki started to gasp, her lungs being rushed with air. Her chest burned from the wound. Now she was only semi-conscious. She couldn't move, or feel anyone, but she could faintly hear her Kagome breathing hard.
Nauki felt like someone was in the back of her mind. She tried to push her mind in the direction of the prescence, but as soon as she did, it left. Nauki had a good idea who had helped her.
Aya opened her eyes, holding her chest. She was breathing hard from exertion. Oda raised an eyebrow at her. Aya didn't say one word. She knew he was going to remind her abou tth erules concerning her telepathic abilities.
"What happened," he demanded.
"Nia's in trouble. She stopped breathing. I HAD to help, Oda, or she was going to die!"
Oda crossed his arms like his father. He had Kagome's hair color, but his physical appearance and attitude was entirely Inu-Yasha. Oda held no sympathy, or regret in anything he did.
"Is she hurt bad," he asked, looking off. Oda constantly fought with Nauki and figured his older sister hated him. He wasn't sure if he liked her, or not. Aya tended to get on his nerves because she was such a whiner and a ditz. Nauki, on the other hand, tended to foil his plans.
Aya watched his emotionless face. She started to walk slowly to the hut, afraid of her sister dying. "What do you care," she huffed.
Oda narrowed his eyes. He walked up behind her, pulling her hair. "I didn't ask for your attitude."
Aya pushed him. "Why do you care, Oda? It's apparant that you don't! You hate her and you know it!"
"What is the matter with you?" He bent down picking the fish back up, slinging the catch over his shoulder. "I can ask!"
"You can, but it doesn't mean you should!"
**************************************************************************
"She's breathing...She's breathing!" Kagome touched Nauki's face as she watched the fifteen year-old girl get her lungs under control. She wasn't really sure what had happened, but she was greatful.
Kagome held Nauki until she stopped gasping. The girl wasn't able to open her eyes. She watched Nauki fight to move her limbs, but wasn't able.
Inu-Yasha was being torn apart inside as he watched her suffer in agony. Nauki's wound hurt so much that she couldn't take anything touching it. Pressure would kill her; water stung it.
"I am so..selfish," he said through clenched teeth, his eyes downcast.
Kagome rocked Nauki softly until she passed back out. She was staring at the floor. "It's not selfish to love someone to the extent that you would never want to give that person up. But it is selfish to love someone and hold it back, or to never show that affection due to fear."
"I don't want her to suffer, Kagome. It's not fair for her to be brought back when all she has is pain!"
Kagome looked at him sharply. "No, she didn't come back to pain, Inu-Yasha. She came bck to someone whom she knows loves her, is just too afraid to show it."
He wouldn't look at her.
"You love Aya and Oda, Inu-Yasha, and you show it. Why are you so afraid of Nauki? Is it because hs eis your daughter, and was meant to be Kikyo's? Because she is the reminder of the lost true love you two had? Or is it because she looks and acts like you more than Aya and Oda?"
Inu-Yasha looked at her painfully. "It's all of those things, Kagome."
"I wouldn't look at her like she's an obination." Kagome stroked Nauki's long hair, fixated on her dog ears. "I would look at her in a different aspect. And I wouldn't be afraid of a child's love."
Inu-Yasha slowly crawled up behind Nauki. Without thinking, he places his arms around her waist. Then he laid his head on her back, closing his eyes. "I know I shouldn't be afraid, Kagome. I've tried so many times to walk up to her and just hold her. I've tried to kiss her on occassions, and show her that I love her, but every time I have, I knew I was looking at something that should have been." He swallowed. "Kikyo is the past, and I want her to remain that way. I love you, and not her. You are wrong about one thing: She was not true love. True love means loving someone no matter what that person does. You have loved me all along."
Kagome kissed his forehead. "Please look at your daughter in another way. Nauki is fully aware that she's not suppose to be here. I see the expressions on her face and in her actions every day. She feels like a loner, Inu-Yasha. That's why she only fights with Aya and Oda; mainly Oda. She knows they don't accept her."
Inu-Yasha rubbed his nose along Nauki's shoulder. "She has never given up on me. No matter what I have done."
"Take that into consideration, Inu-Yasha. She's the innocent part of you that you lost when you were a child."
He looked up ather Kagome very quicly searching her face. "W-What?"
Kagome blinked. "She's the innocent part of you that you lost when you were a child."
He looked down at Nauki. *How blind have I been?!* Inu-Yasha moved Nauki's face towards him so he could look at her. She had his face, hair, ears-the whole works. The only things different were her eyes and the fact that she was female.
"Kagome.."
"Huh?"
"You're right...She is beautiful."
All through the night, Inu-Yasha, kept his eyes and ears alert. He was full of sorrow and aggression-a deadly combination in a demon. His only concern was Nauki's recovery.
As dawn came, his defense lowered. Nauki was still unconscious, her head laying on his shoulder. He nudged her cheek lightly. She didn't move. "Nauki," he called her softly.
His daughter lay still, her breathing shallow, more shallow than it had been last night. Inu-Yasha was not too sure about moving her. He knew he had to get her back home. She needed Kaede and Kagome's care. Nauki was still in critical condition.
Inu-Yasha put his kimono back on. Nauki's blood stained kimono was wrapped around his eaist. He lifted her gently, her head falling backwards.
He pushed her head back towards him, carrying her as gently as possible. Inu-Yasha was hoping he wasn't hurting her. Nauki made no sound during the long walk home.
The closer he got to his hut, the more his heart raced when he thought about what their reactions would be. He still thought of it as his fault. Inu-Yasha only saw Kagome. She was doing laundry on the other side of the hut. Aya and Oda were not in the area. Their scents were not to be found.
Inu-Yasha approached their home very slowly. He fought back the emotions, but they erupted once Kagome glanced up. He looked at her sadly. "K-Kagome, I..need your help."
Kagome rushed to him. She gasped when she saw the blood stained kimono around his waist. "Inu-Yasha, what happened to Nauki?"
He went inside to one of the back rooms, not wanting to answer. Kagome watched as he laid Nauki down. The bandages were soaked with blood. "She..blocked an attack meant for me," he said with sorrow.
Kagome sat down next to him. She was afraid to ask if Nauki was alive or dead. Gently, she put her arms around Inu-Yasha, holding him tightly as she cried. Nauki was her daughter as much as his.
"Sh-She's not dead. Not yet. She..Nauki..saved my life, Kagome." He paused thinking of the fight. "My daughter died last night in my arms..Her blood was everywhere..A soul catcher came to claim her, but she spared her."
Kagome looked up at him, wipping the tears from his eyes. She didn't fully understand. "That's why you didn't come home."
He nodded slowly.
Kagome turned around. She crawled to Nauki checking the bandages. "We have to get this off of her. I need some water. Get me one of the sheets off of the line. It's going to have to be shredded."
Inu-Yasha did as he was instructed. Time was critical, and it wasn't in Nauki's favor. He came back in to find that half of the bandages were already off of her. Kagome used the water to get the other half off that were sticking to Nauki's body.
Inu-Yasha fearfully watched Kagome start to clean the wound. When the cold water came in contact with her body, Nauki's breathing increased. He could tell something was wrong. Inu-Yasha crawled over to his daughter quickly. Nauki's back was arched. Her legs and arms were lightly shaking.
Kagome instantly noticed. She stopped what she was doing, throwing the rag down. "Nauki?!" She lifted the girl up, holding her tightly.
Inu-Yasha felt his body trembling. Nauki was going into shock. Her body's system wasn't able to handle the large amount of blood loss. Inu-Yasha held down her legs, and Kagome her upper body. He could hear Nauki gasping for air.
Slowly, her body relaxed.
Kagome was tense as Nauki's body went limp. The girl's head fell backwards. She had stopped breathing.
Before Inu-Yasha could figure out what was happening, Kagome laid Nauki back down. She opened her mouth, holding onto the girl's nose as she breathed air into her lungs.
Kagome did not dare press onto Nauki's chest. She could easily cause the wound to re-open where it had closed in certain areas. Thus, killing her.
Inu-Yasha watched in horror as Kagome fought to get Nauki to breathe. If she couldn't do it soon, Nauki would be completely brain dead. The struggle was on for Nauki's life.
***************************************************************************
Aya and Oda were walking home carrying a bundle of fish and fruit. Oda had caught the fish all day while Aya picked the fruit in a nearby valley. They were planning on showing their mother what Sango had taught them how to make.
That's when they heard their mother scream "Nauki?!". The twins were two miles away, and considering their ears were very sensitive, they could hear just about anything.
Aya stopped. Her ears twitched as she sniffed the air for clues. Something wasn't right. "Oda, something's wrong."
Oda stopped, lowering the fish onto the ground. He tilted his head, his gold slit eyes narrowing. "I don't smell anything," he said firmly.
"It's not a scent. I heard mama scream about Nia." Aya closed her eyes, her mind reaching out. She wasn't suppose to use her telepathic abilities unless she had to.
In her mind, she saw the trees ahead going past her. Her mind found the hut sitting on the hill. Extensions had been made when her parents had gotten married. The sheets were on the line blowing softly in the wind.
The air was tense.
Aya went on further, past the door, around a corner, into one of the back rooms. She saw her mom over Nauki, caring for her. Her father was in total shock, watching.
Nauki was covered in blood.
Aya saw the gash going from her sister's collarbone to her stomach. Kagome was trying to get Nauki to breathe. *I've got to help!*
Aya pushed until her mind seemed to connect with Nauki's. Her sister was completely unconscious, unaware of what was going on around her. Aya started to search fo the cause that was preventing Nauki from breathing.
Within seconds, she was searching her sister's body. Aya soon found it. Nauki's lungs were collapsed. One appeared to have collapsed a long time before.
She started to push both of the lungs up with her mind, so air could fill them. Once they were filled with air, the lungs would restart. (And her mother didn't believe she listened when she explained future remedies to her.)
Nauki started to gasp, her lungs being rushed with air. Her chest burned from the wound. Now she was only semi-conscious. She couldn't move, or feel anyone, but she could faintly hear her Kagome breathing hard.
Nauki felt like someone was in the back of her mind. She tried to push her mind in the direction of the prescence, but as soon as she did, it left. Nauki had a good idea who had helped her.
Aya opened her eyes, holding her chest. She was breathing hard from exertion. Oda raised an eyebrow at her. Aya didn't say one word. She knew he was going to remind her abou tth erules concerning her telepathic abilities.
"What happened," he demanded.
"Nia's in trouble. She stopped breathing. I HAD to help, Oda, or she was going to die!"
Oda crossed his arms like his father. He had Kagome's hair color, but his physical appearance and attitude was entirely Inu-Yasha. Oda held no sympathy, or regret in anything he did.
"Is she hurt bad," he asked, looking off. Oda constantly fought with Nauki and figured his older sister hated him. He wasn't sure if he liked her, or not. Aya tended to get on his nerves because she was such a whiner and a ditz. Nauki, on the other hand, tended to foil his plans.
Aya watched his emotionless face. She started to walk slowly to the hut, afraid of her sister dying. "What do you care," she huffed.
Oda narrowed his eyes. He walked up behind her, pulling her hair. "I didn't ask for your attitude."
Aya pushed him. "Why do you care, Oda? It's apparant that you don't! You hate her and you know it!"
"What is the matter with you?" He bent down picking the fish back up, slinging the catch over his shoulder. "I can ask!"
"You can, but it doesn't mean you should!"
**************************************************************************
"She's breathing...She's breathing!" Kagome touched Nauki's face as she watched the fifteen year-old girl get her lungs under control. She wasn't really sure what had happened, but she was greatful.
Kagome held Nauki until she stopped gasping. The girl wasn't able to open her eyes. She watched Nauki fight to move her limbs, but wasn't able.
Inu-Yasha was being torn apart inside as he watched her suffer in agony. Nauki's wound hurt so much that she couldn't take anything touching it. Pressure would kill her; water stung it.
"I am so..selfish," he said through clenched teeth, his eyes downcast.
Kagome rocked Nauki softly until she passed back out. She was staring at the floor. "It's not selfish to love someone to the extent that you would never want to give that person up. But it is selfish to love someone and hold it back, or to never show that affection due to fear."
"I don't want her to suffer, Kagome. It's not fair for her to be brought back when all she has is pain!"
Kagome looked at him sharply. "No, she didn't come back to pain, Inu-Yasha. She came bck to someone whom she knows loves her, is just too afraid to show it."
He wouldn't look at her.
"You love Aya and Oda, Inu-Yasha, and you show it. Why are you so afraid of Nauki? Is it because hs eis your daughter, and was meant to be Kikyo's? Because she is the reminder of the lost true love you two had? Or is it because she looks and acts like you more than Aya and Oda?"
Inu-Yasha looked at her painfully. "It's all of those things, Kagome."
"I wouldn't look at her like she's an obination." Kagome stroked Nauki's long hair, fixated on her dog ears. "I would look at her in a different aspect. And I wouldn't be afraid of a child's love."
Inu-Yasha slowly crawled up behind Nauki. Without thinking, he places his arms around her waist. Then he laid his head on her back, closing his eyes. "I know I shouldn't be afraid, Kagome. I've tried so many times to walk up to her and just hold her. I've tried to kiss her on occassions, and show her that I love her, but every time I have, I knew I was looking at something that should have been." He swallowed. "Kikyo is the past, and I want her to remain that way. I love you, and not her. You are wrong about one thing: She was not true love. True love means loving someone no matter what that person does. You have loved me all along."
Kagome kissed his forehead. "Please look at your daughter in another way. Nauki is fully aware that she's not suppose to be here. I see the expressions on her face and in her actions every day. She feels like a loner, Inu-Yasha. That's why she only fights with Aya and Oda; mainly Oda. She knows they don't accept her."
Inu-Yasha rubbed his nose along Nauki's shoulder. "She has never given up on me. No matter what I have done."
"Take that into consideration, Inu-Yasha. She's the innocent part of you that you lost when you were a child."
He looked up ather Kagome very quicly searching her face. "W-What?"
Kagome blinked. "She's the innocent part of you that you lost when you were a child."
He looked down at Nauki. *How blind have I been?!* Inu-Yasha moved Nauki's face towards him so he could look at her. She had his face, hair, ears-the whole works. The only things different were her eyes and the fact that she was female.
"Kagome.."
"Huh?"
"You're right...She is beautiful."