Inu-Yasha
Second chance

Scroll four

"To find the one you love"

Mika awoke to the sound of running water. As she slowly opened her eyes, she felt groggy and disorientated. The smell of rotted meat hit her nose and she nearly gagged. She gasped as her vision cleared.

She was in a small cave. The doorway was filled with a waterfall. She was lying in a bed of furs and a moment later she realized her top and coat was off. She sat up suddenly and almost fell back down. Her head was pounding and she felt sick. She saw her clothing lying neatly to the side. She crawled over to it and as quick as she could manage she put them back on. She tried to remember what had happened... the last thing she knew she had stood in front of that temple with Tenkai... then nothing. A feeling of dread went over her as she stumbled towards the waterfall.

'It couldn't be she thought as she carefully stepped through. 'He... he couldn't have...'

She shook her head and wiped the water from her eyes. She gasped. It was dark and on cliffs above where she stood were many wolves. Their eyes glowed softly in the moonlight. Fear rushed over Mika as she looked around for an escape. She didn't know what the wolves would do and expected them to attack her, but they just stared calmly as she crept forward. Suddenly one wolf stood up and howled. Mika let a small sound of surprise escape her lips and panicked. She bolted forward as fast as she could towards the trees. She almost fell as she ran over a rock, but picked herself up and kept going. She wasn't thinking, she just ran and ran. After a few minutes she started to lose her momentum and started to slow. She was breathing heavily and her head was pounding, she glanced back to check if she had been followed. Not seeing anyone or anything she stopped and leaned up against a tree, out of breath and spent.

"Why is this happening to me?!" She thought out loud through strained breath " ... why did I go with him ? god Mika, you are so stupid !" she started to cry

Suddenly she heard voices in the distance behind her, frantically she looked around, her sense of direction off, she started run through the trees again in the opposite direction that the voices were coming from.

As she was running she started to hear a loud noise come up behind her. It was if a tornado was coming. Mika didn't want to look back but the noise was getting louder and as she ran, she turned to see a large object coming towards her. Not paying attention she hit a tree root and fell to the ground. She scrambled to get away but before she could get too far what looked like a person enveloped by a wind tunnel and burst through the trees in front of her. Mika was shocked to see a person stop in front of her, as the wind died down she was confronted by a tall man, wrapped in brown furs. His black hair was pulled up into a pony tail and he had pointed ears and small unnatural looking blue eyes. He looked down at her and smiled.

"Where do you think you are going ona ?" he said

Mika didn't know how to reply, she grabbed a handful of dirt and stood up

"I- I don't know who you are..." she said, taking a slight step back "but- get away from me !!" she yelled, with all her might she threw the dirt at the stranger's face.

Without checking to see if she hit him she turned and tried to run. But he had her by the arm

"That wasn't funny girl.." he said as Mika tried to struggle, she hadn't even hit him.

"Let me go !!" she screamed,

He picked her up and slung her over his shoulder, pinning her in place by holding both her hands behind her back. Mika couldn't break free, he was as strong as Tenkai, as Sesshoumaru.. as any of them and she was helpless. She tried to kick him but it didn't seem to have any affect. Before she could scream again he started moving. She clenched her eyes shut as he sped through the forest. It was faster than when she had been with Tenkai and she felt sick.

"I found her..." she heard him say after a moment

"Mika..." she heard Tenkai's voice say

She didn't look up, she just lay there, stumped over the strangers shoulder, with her eyes shut. She felt like she would throw up. The man let go of her wrists and set her down. Her legs were shaking and she wanted to collapse but she just stood there with her eyes shut.

"Mika, are you alright ?"

She could feel Tenkai in front of her, he put his hand on her shoulder and she shyed away.

"Mika ? "

She opened her eyes and looked up, he was standing there, in front of her with a look of concern on his face, she looked to her side and saw the man that carried her back standing next to a smaller woman with brown hair and small purple eyes. There were wolves everywhere and other strange looking men and woman surrounding them. Suddenly she felt small and scared and it angered her.

"Mika ?" Tenkai tried again

She slapped his hand away "don't touch me !" she screamed "get way from me !! "

She didn't know where to go, so she ran for the waterfall. She ran through the water and collapsed onto the furs and cried. As she cried she heard someone step through the waterfall. She didn't look up, she hoped that if she kept her eyes closed, maybe ... just maybe it would all go away and she'd be back in her normal life... back before it all had happened.

She felt the person sit down next to her and not long after a hand was placed on her head.

"Mika.." Ayane said softly

Mika looked up to see the same woman she had seen before, the one standing next to the man that had brought her back. She was smiling kindly. She reached out and wiped the tears from Mika's eyes. Mika flinched automatically, the woman just smiled. Mika sat up and looked at her...

"My husband is a little rough, "Ayane said "but you shouldn't take it out on Tenkai, he is really worried about you, after you collapsed, he brought you here... if it wasn't for him, you'd probably be dead."

"What do you mean..?" Mika asked

Ayane smiled "what is the last thing you remember ?" she asked

Mika looked down, trying to recall, "I was... with Tenkai... we were in front of that temple.... Then" she closed her eyes "... then nothing"

"When he brought you, you had a fever and you smelled of death" Ayane patted Mika on the head "if it had been any later, if he had left you, I couldn't have helped you. It's because of him that you live now"

Ayane stood up and walked over to the entrance and looked back, she smiled at Mika's surprise

"He wouldn't leave your side, he stayed with you the entire night. Even when Kouga came back, he wouldn't even leave you then. We almost had to drag him out to get him to eat... it was my fault you were left alone and I apologize for that, but I honestly didn't think you would wake so suddenly and I had gone out to hunt. So don't blame him okay..."

Ayane stepped through the waterfall, leaving Mika to her thoughts. She was confused and relieved all at once, nothing had been done... she let out a sigh. She wished she could remember what had happened... She put her head down, she still felt sick.

"Why are you here ...?" She asked herself out loud

She reached up and wiped the rest of the tears from her eyes. She was so tired of crying and it seemed ever since she had come to this place, it was all she could do. She cursed at herself silently for being so weak, if her father could see her now, he'd be laughing at her stupidity.

She shook her head, wanting nothing more than to prove him wrong. She reached into her pocket to find the comfort of her ring. She had kept it because it was the only memory that didn't make her cry. She pulled the pouch free and opened it only to be struck ... it was gone.

She was mortified, she reached into her pockets to search for it. The only contents she found were the pictures and that crystal jewel she had found in the well. She tossed them onto the furs haphazardly and took off her jacket, turning the pockets inside out.

'No no no' she thought desperately as she searched.

She stood up and threw her jacket, the items, and the furs to the side, it wasn't anywhere to be found. She got down on her hands and knees and began crawling around, hoping beyond hope that she would find it.

Outside, Tenkai stood with a partially stricken look on his face. Ayane had gone in to talk to her, but he wondered if Mika would see him...

Kouga smirked "You sure chose a strange one, didn't you puppy... " he said, laughing slightly "she'll get over it"

Ayane shot Kouga a harsh look and walked back over to Tenkai

"She'll be okay, "Ayane said in a reassuring tone, "just go in and talk to her ..." she reached out and squeezed Tenkai's shoulder then walked back over to Kouga

She pulled him away and started to lecture him about tact

Tenkai took a deep breath and walked through the waterfall. He was taken aback by what he saw.

Mika was on the ground, on crawling around and muttering to herself. Her black outer garment was in a pile along with the furs clumped off to the side. She looked up at him, she had tears in her eyes

"It's gone..." she sobbed slightly

"What ? "Tenkai asked, stepping closer to her, she looked back down and started searching again

"M-my ring... it's gone !" she stood up and ran over to him

"It –it's gone !!" she reached out and grabbed his sleeve. She had such a stricken look on her face that Tenkai's heart began to race.

Then he remembered the ring she had been holding the night before.

"I .. I need to find it !" She started sobbing, grasping onto his sleeve, "Tenkai please ! I need it !!"

Tenkai wanted to reach out and hold her, she looked so much like a child, so frail, but instead he picked her up, much to her surprise.

"Tenkai ! What...?!" she started, caught off guard

"We'll go back to the temple, "he said, carrying her through the waterfall "you probably dropped it when you fell..."

Tenkai started to run back into the forest

"Oi ! " he heard Kouga say. They looked back to see Kouga and Ayane on the cliff above, looking at them with questioning eyes.

Mika quickly looked away, she still hadn't forgiven him for her earlier indignity. Kouga laughed slightly.

"We'll be back..." Tenkai yelled, he turned and began to retrace his steps.

As he ran, Mika put her face into his shoulder, she still felt sick and her mind was racing about her ring.

Tenkai made it to the clearing, the faint iridescent glow from the temple still emanated in the darkness. He set Mika down and together they began to search for her ring. Tenkai didn't completely understand why it was so important to her, but he felt an overpowering need to help her in any way he could.

Mika frantically looked around, each moment she searched, her hopes of finding it dwindled. After what seemed like an eternity, she just couldn't take it anymore, she fell to her knees and put her head down.

Tenkai turned around when he heard the slight thump. He sighed, knowing that she had given up, he slowly walked over to her, bent down and put his hand on her shoulder.

"It doesn't matter "he said, trying to comfort her "Shouka has a lot of jewelry... I'm sure she'll give you a better ring..."

Mika looked up with a mix of anger and grief "You don't understand ! It..it was all I had left !!" tears were streaming down her face, she felt horrible, as if she had betrayed her dead husband...

"It was .... all I had..." she brought her hands up to her face and cried.

Without thinking, Tenkai grabbed her and embraced her. She didn't fight him like he thought she might, she just stayed in his arms and cried harder than she had in years. With one ring lost, she felt like her world had caved in.

Tenkai held her while she cried. He breathed in her scent... she smelled sweet and gentle, almost familiar. He felt guilty suddenly that her helplessness exited him, that holding her in such a state made him feel needed. Tenkai closed his eyes briefly, he had just met this woman and yet he already felt that he could hold her forever. He wanted to protect her from what ever demons plagued her, he wanted to wipe away the tears she couldn't seem to help shed, he wanted to see her smile again....

His feelings overwhelmed him. He had never felt this way before, for the first time in his life, he felt as if he had a reason to live... a purpose. His heart raced as he held her, he brought a hand up and ran it through her hair, golden strands that shined lightly in the moonlight.

Mika, still sobbed as she looked up at him, she realized just how handsome he was... shiny golden eyes and ebony hair, hair that reminded her a little too much of her husband. He bent in, put his nose close to her face and licked the salty tears from her cheeks.

"T... Tenkai ?" she whispered, his mouth was so close to hers and before she could say anything else he kissed her.

Mika's eyes widened, she was awe struck and yet she didn't pull away.

Tenkai was caught up in the moment, kissing her tasted so sweet. He was drowning in her scent. He wanted to take it in, he wanted her more than he had ever wanted anything.

Forgetting herself, Mika pulled her arms around Tenkai's body and held him. Tenkai slid his hands up underneath her shirt and gently ran his claws up her back, slowly feeling every intent and bump of her scars.

Mika's eyes snapped open, what was she doing ? she pulled away suddenly, aware of what had happened. Tenkai looked at her, seeing her hesitation he wasn't sure what he should do... had he stepped over a line by kissing her ?

"Tenkai, I -I'm sorry... I shouldn't have... "She looked down, self conscious and finding it hard to get the words to work right.

Tenkai reached out and put a finger on her lips to stop her, he wanted to taste them again, and it took everything he had not to.

"I'm sorry we couldn't find your ring..." was all he could think to say.

A moment later he realized it had been the wrong thing... tears rose up I Mika's eyes as she was brought back to the reality of her loss. Tenkai couldn't stand it, he needed to know why it was so important.

"Come with me, " he said , turning towards the temple "we might be able to find it..."

Mika stood up, trying not to cry, it hurt so much that she had lost it... her last memory. Tenkai started towards the temple and she followed. When he stepped through the barrier, she hesitated, it looked almost like a soap bubble to her. He turned and put his hand out, she took it and he pulled her through. The air inside was damp, and Mika found it hard to breath. Tenkai seemed almost unaffected as he led her into the temple. As they walked down a corridor, Mika looked around in awe. It was wasted, vines were everywhere, but the walls were lined with the most intricate sculptures she had ever seen. There were torches, glowing softly on all the walls, giving the hall a faint light. Mika wasn't sure what he meant when he said they might be able to find her ring, but even the faint hope made her follow him.

Tenkai turned into a the main hall, hearing Mika's shallow breath behind him, smelling her scent... she probably wouldn't forgive him for what would happen, but he wanted to know and she wasn't forthcoming in the information... he hoped she'd understand. The fact that she could even see the temple meant something profound...

In the center of the room was a shrine, on the shrine was a small crystal orb, very much like the one Mika had found. Tenkai stopped and turned back to Mika.

"Who is it that you bring me child...? " a soft aged voice said

Mika's eyes widened as a figure appeared over the shrine, where the orb rested. She was glowing white, see through in appearance and she had very long white hair and fancy armor and hakama. She had no eyes, but she stared at Mika with a calm face.

"Ah... you seek something, do you not..." words came from the woman, but her lips never moved.

"Tenkai ? " Mika asked, not being able to look away from the figure "what's is going on... ?"

"She'll be able to help you" Tenkai said, "....trust me"

The woman smiled at Mika and suddenly Mika felt light and dizzy, she heard her speak again, but the words seemed more like a thought "come to me young one..."

Without thinking, Mika stepped forward, she couldn't seem to control it, as she stepped closer, the room melted away. She was walking on air, the dank smell was gone, replaced by the smell of lavender. As she looked into the glow of the woman's eyes, she felt her body fill with a warmth-ness that she had never known. The woman reached her transparent hand out to Mika and she took it. She was solid to the touch and the instant she had taken her hand the room spun. Mika closed her eyes, it felt like she was spinning in circles and the only one to hold her upright was the hand she had taken.

A hand was placed on her forehead and a moment later the spinning stopped. She started hearing the cries of her children, faint at first, then to her shock they got louder.

Her eyes snapped open and she was there, in the car, pinned to her seat by the seat belt. The smell of smoke was suffocating, she looked over and her husband was slumped over the wheel, blood was everywhere.

Mika heard them screaming behind her, she frantically tried to get her belt loose, she was coughing, her head was on fire as pain shot through it.

"A.. Nata ?!! "she coughed, trying to shake him, her children were crying, she saw in horror as the car burned.

She finally got the buckle undone, and turned trying to free her children, but Victoria and Alexander had fallen silent. She was going to die, they were going to die ! She struggled with the door and it broke open, she spilled out onto the ground, coughing and gagging as smoke spilled up out of the car. Mika struggled to break open the back door, the car was on fire now and she felt the searing pain of the flames as she tried to free her loved ones. She couldn't get the damned door to open, smoke was billowing and a moment later the car exploded. Mika was thrown back and then she felt nothing.

Mika opened her eyes, she was in a hospital bed, she was face down, disorientated and in pain.

"h...he...lp... me... "she struggled to say

"she's awake !" she heard a woman say, a voice she didn't recognize

A moment later a doctor came into view, he looked down at her and tried to smile.

"How are you feeling today ?" he asked in a gentle tone, while a nurse did something to her IV

"Wh...ere... are... my...?" she couldn't find the strength to finish the question.

"There was an accident " he replied

Mika's eyes widened, it came back to her... like a nightmare.

"Where is my family ?" she found the strength to say

The doctor looked at her, he glanced up at his nurse then back down at her.

"I think it's best you get some rest, we'll talk more when you are feeling better..." he started to turn away

"N..no, I want to see them, where are they ?!" Mika was scared now, really scared.

"Get some rest" the doctor repeated

Mika sat up, all the pain shot through her body but she didn't care "NO ! Tell me where they are !!" she yelled, trying to get out of the bed

The nurse ran over and tried to force her back down, she struggled to break free, ignoring the excruciating pain that went through her head and back, the doctor also tried to force her down, but her adrenalin was going and she wouldn't lay down, the nurse pushed a red call button next to the bed as she struggled with Mika. Mika kept yelling, why wouldn't they let her see them ? She needed to see them ...Moments later 2 other nurses came in, one of them carrying a needle and while the doctor and two of the nurses held her down, the third pushed the needle into her arm and emptied the contents into her veins. The affects were almost instantaneous, Mika felt like she had been hit hard up against the head... then blackness.

"it's such a shame..." a voice so far away said

"was she really the only one who survived ?" another voice asked

Mika teetered in and out of consciousness, the women sounded so far away

"yes, the crash incinerated the husband and the two children... it's a miracle she survived ... "the first woman said again.

"that's so tragic... who's lucky job is it to tell her when she gets better?" the second asked callously

"God Tracy, you are so cold... "the first said, but giggled "The doctor thinks it'll will be a while before she's strong enough to hear it.. I mean just look what happened when she first woke up, she went crazy !"

The two women laughed quietly and Mika had heard enough... tears were streaming down her face, each drop burned as if it were acid she was crying, she pulled her heavy hands up and placed them over her face... it had to be a bad dream, it just had to be. She couldn't take it anymore, she started with a whimper and then screamed.

A moment later the pain was gone and she opened her eyes. She was standing there holding the woman's hand as tears streamed down her face. The woman looked at her with no emotion. Mika pulled her hand away and spun around. Tenkai was staring at her, his eyes wide and his hand over his mouth, as if he had seen what she had gone through.

"Mika I.." he started, taking a step closer to her "I'm so sorry..."

Mika realized a moment later that he had seen it, that somehow that woman had projected her memories for them to see.

"You..." she started, walking up to Tenkai, his look of sympathy was mixed with... guilt, and she realized that he had known what he had brought her too, it angered her to the fit of rage "You bastard ! "

she pulled back and punched him as hard as she could in the face and ran, ran down the hall, ran towards the entrance, angered to have the screams of her children fresh in her mind, angered that Tenkai had done it, angered that she had trusted him. She ran through the barrier and into the forest, she didn't care where she went, she wanted to get away from him, from the world, from the screams in her head. She ran and ran until she couldn't anymore. Mika fell to the ground, sobbing and I pain again. Her heart ached, her body ached. She wanted to die.

Despite herself she started to drift off to sleep, the ground was cold and she was in pain. She heard some rustling in the trees ahead of her, but couldn't find the strength to stay awake, before everything went black she saw strange feet walking up to her... they almost looked ... fox like.

Notes and Such-

anything between the '' is a thought.

I don't think I've really figured out how to manage the chapers yet so I'm sorry that everything looks sort of squished together.