Author's Note: Hello good friends! Sorry it took longer than usual to update, but I was really busy this weekend. Nice long chapter for you (at least I think that it's long!) You guys have been doing great with reviews! But that still doesn't stop me from saying this: You stop reviewing; I stop writing. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Roses are red, violets are blue, I don't own InuYasha, and neither do you!
Wretched
Chapter 11: Birth So Early
Sango gritted her teeth as another contraction raked throughout her body. Slowly, she lowered herself to the ground, groaning as the pain subsided. How could this be happening so soon? She couldn't have been pregnant with this child for more than three months or so. It had only been that long since the faithful night. Not to mention that InuYasha hadn't told her until a few days ago.
She screamed desperately for help, sitting amid the slightly damp floor of the forest. Forlornly, the exterminator sighed, curling her fingers into some moss that grew under the tree. She wished with all of her heart that Miroku was there.
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Pulling on his robes, Miroku turned to go back to the village. He longed to see Sango. He had done nothing but think about her the entire time; he had to see her.
After walking a few paces, he heard a scream. The monk's head immediately jerked up, for he would know that voice anywhere. Without a second thought, He ran towards the sound, hoping that he was going the right way.
His beloved Sango was in trouble.
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"Miroku… Help…" Sango groaned during another contraction.
"I'm here, my love," He whispered into her ear, taking her hand gently into his own. She had been so absorbed in the pain that she hadn't seen or heard him coming. With a weak smile, she squeezed his hand, and looked up into his face.
The monk smiled back to her, reassuringly. His dark hair fell into his face, still wet from his recent bathing. His eyes glittered in the moonlight, and his smile was so comforting. He reached over and smoothed a strand of her hair out of her face.
"We need to get you back to the hut, where Kaede can take care of you," He said softly. She nodded her head, and he picked her up carefully, and made his way back to the village.
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"Ye couldn't have gone into labor so soon. It is not possible. How long have ye been with child?" Kaede said, as she guided Miroku to a bed of straw in the corner of the hut.
"Three months or so," Sango forced out. She tightened her grip around Miroku as pain racked through her. This wasn't going to be easy.
Kagome stood up from her spot next to the fire when she saw the two enter. "Sango, are you alright?" She asked, worriedly, as she ran to the monk. Sango looked up at her, and nodded her head again. Talking didn't seem like a desirable thing at the moment.
"The pains are close together, are they not?" Kaede asked yet another question. The exterminator sighed; she simply wanted to sleep. That was impossible at the moment, though, for more of the throbbing came up from her abdomen. She clasped her eyelids tight, and gritted her teeth.
Kaede understood, and stood back as the monk lowered the girl to the hay. He looked up at Kaede, asking a wordless question.
"Ye may stay here," She answered, slowly bending down next to Sango with a heavy sigh. Kagome stood and stared at her place by the fire. She was unsure whether she should stay with her friend, or leave her to privacy.
"Kagome, go get more blankets from the other village women. I do not have enough. While ye are at it, go find InuYasha, and tell him to be on guard." Kaede spoke quickly, as she leaned over the exterminator.
Kagome nodded hastily, and dashed out. Her heels kicking up dust, and her hair whirling in the wind, she sprinted to the closest hut.
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"Oh, yes, dear," A young woman with a tattered, brown apron on over a plain green dress gladly handed Kagome two thick blankets. The woman smiled sweetly as the girl ran off, yelling a 'thanks' over her shoulder.
Kagome almost tripped a few times over hidden rocks and roots as she jogged back to the hut. The moon was beginning to descend behind the tall forest trees now, leaving little light for her to see by. All the same, she scanned the treetops for the tell tale red robes.
She saw them, a glint of crimson in the top of thick tree not far outside of the hut. Breathing heavily, she cantered over to the base of the tree. Leaning against it for support as she caught her breathe.
InuYasha looked down at her, wondering what was going on now. Hadn't he done enough for one night? "What is it now, Kagome?" He asked in an even tone.
"Sango… Is having her…baby," She choked out. InuYasha's head jerked up. She was in labor? But he had left her in the forest…
"Is she okay? Is she with someone? Should I go somewhere? Should I get something?" He asked, jumping out of the tree, a bit frantic. He was worried that Sango was still lying out in the forest. The hanyou could have kicked himself for being so careless.
Kagome smiled slightly, turning her head towards him as she leaned against the tree. "She's fine, InuYasha. She's in the hut with Kaede."
InuYasha let out a deep sigh, leaning against the tree as well. After a few moments, Kagome remembered the blankets, and forced herself up. "I have to go take these to the hut," She said, as she began to jog away, "Stay on guard, okay, InuYasha?" She called to him. He nodded his head, jumping back into the tree with the speed of a bird in flight.
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"The baby is coming, Sango! Ye must push!" Kaede spoke with excitement in her raspy voice. She was kneeling at the far end of the exterminator, overseeing the birth. A pile of thick blankets rested next to her knee, waiting their time.
Sango felt drops of sweat trickle down her face as she pushed for what seemed to be the hundredth time. Her hair was in a greasy tousle around her head, bunching underneath. The pain was almost unbearable as she felt the baby move a bit. Clutching Miroku's hand for dear life, she forced herself to push for one last second.
The poor monk gently pulled his hand away after the most recent bout of pushing. It was a deep shade of crimson, and he felt as though the exterminator had crushed it. He glanced over at her still beautiful face, and put his hand back into hers, just as she began to push again.
Sango yelled this time in pain filled fury. She knew that howling wouldn't help her pain at all, but squeezing Miroku's hand helped a bit. She glanced over at his face. He winced with pain as she grasped his hand even tighter, but he bared it for her.
InuYasha chose that moment to walk in. He glanced at the situation, and wordlessly moved to sit next to Kagome near the fire. The hanyou was curious about what had been going on in the hut for the past few hours, and had decided to come check up on everything. Did having a pup actually take that long? It seemed like forever.
"Here it comes! Push once more, Sango!" Kaede called to the girl, holding her hands out to catch the child when it entered the world.
"I can't…" Sango gasped out. All she wanted to do was sleep. It had been so long, and she was so tired. Looking up at Miroku for some form of comfort, she saw that he was smiling down at her.
He bent down and kissed her gently on the forehead. "Once more, beloved. Once more…" He promised in his ever-comforting tone, squeezing her hand gently.
And once more was all it took. It all happened so quickly that Sango barely realized what was happening. She felt searing pain, but it slowly ebbed away. And then an unearthly screech filled the hut.
Kaede lifted a tiny bundle of blankets towards the exterminator's chest. Sango took it gently in her arms, rocking it back and forth to hush the child. She moved one hand to carefully smooth the blanket from the child's face, and gasped.
For there, on top of the child's head, where two, pointed, pink ears set amid a thick fluff of silver hair. The baby yawned, staring up at his mother with questioning, amber eyes.
"You!" Miroku snarled as he leapt at a stunned InuYasha.
Extra Author's Note: Cringes from behind her computer Please don't hurt me… If you kill me now, I won't be able to sort this all out, will I? Ducks all of the things thrown at her Please review? Runs away
