CG XIV:
The pilot of the life flight helicopter was quite bewildered when the oddly determined young man with waist length white hair forcefully yanked open his door and pulled him out of his pilot's seat.
Dr. Suikotsu stood transfixed as he stared at the pilot sprawled on the ground and then looked up to meet the impatient golden stare of his previously comatose patient. He cleared his throat loudly, hoping to ease the obvious tension he felt straining his weary muscles. "Do you think that perhaps we should at least allow the licensed pilot to fly us?"
Sesshoumaru's glare would have cut through a lesser man like a hot knife through butter. "Surely you are not suggesting that this Sesshoumaru is incapable of flying?" He started up the controls and sent the blades of the helicopter spinning.
"Are you licensed?" Dr. Suikotsu dared to ask as he opened the door to sit in the passenger seat, making sure to secure his safety belt.
The impatient, white haired man spared him a rueful glance. "Of course I am licensed. I'm not some fool who would throw a man out of a helicopter if he didn't know how to fly." The spinning whirl of metal blades slicing through air accentuated his declaration.
"I realize that, but you did just awaken from a coma," Dr. Suikotsu calmly pointed out. Internally he was going over all the few hours of flight simulation training he had endured on the whim of his younger brother five years prior. He remembered enough that he was knew that if push came to shove and he was forced to engineer the craft they would both die in a cloud of flames.
Several tense moments passed in silence between the two men. Sesshoumaru shook his head, trying to clear the dizziness. Perhaps he should have made sure he was fully hydrated before undertaking his mad rush to New Orleans. However, he felt it imperative to leave as soon as possible. A little thing like physical weakness was not going to slow him down.
"Are you feeling any dizziness?" Suikotsu asked in the perfect, non-judgmental professional doctor voice of his. His professional tone only served to embitter Sesshoumaru.
"I'm fine," he snapped. He almost believed himself. However, he didn't offer a complaint when the good doctor handed him some sort of juice beverage that he happened to have within his black pack that he had not the time to remove before rushing into Sesshoumaru's room.
"I don't get it," Inuyasha declared in a frustrated groan as he tried to forcefully pry apart the bars in front of the windows. "These weren't here before. Where is everyone?"
Miroku shook his head in silent defeat. "I simply don't know what it is we're supposed to be doing."
"Well we certainly can't just give up," Sango brushed the dirt from her palms onto her pants leg. "Kagome's in there and she needs our help."
"That much we know. The key is getting to her," Inuyasha pointed out, as if trying to explain a basic concept to an especially dim-witted youth. Sango glared at him unappreciatively.
"Now children, let's not fight." Miroku tried to placate the two. He lost his train of thought however, when the sound of a helicopter broke the tranquility of the natural forest surrounding the plantation.
"A helicopter?" Inuyasha asked as the red and white chopper came into view. He squinted at the sight that made him even more confused. "Is that my brother?"
The helicopter landed and out staggered Sesshoumaru. Dr. Suikotsu quickly rushed after him to steady his balance and guide him to the trio of teenagers. "What are you doing here?" Miroku asked, trying to re-master the art of language.
"I'm here to save Kagome," Sesshoumaru ground out, his strength failing him much to his bitter disappointment. He had managed to fly the helicopter rather successfully considering he just awoke from a catatonic condition. However, the adrenalin that had previously been inspiring him was waning now.
The front door opened, and all in attendance turned in curiosity to see Onigumo standing before them with his arms crossed over his chest and an arrogant sneer plastered on his face. "None of you are welcome here, your business is elsewhere," he assured them with a voice that was oddly hypnotic.
Where as the others standing were in a trancelike state, eyes glazed and focused on the middle aged man, Sesshoumaru found a rage burning deep within. He made the first step towards the villain, breaking the unseen bondage that held the others rooted to the green grass.
"My business is here," Sesshoumaru answered coldly as he used his reserve strength to rush the man and try to dislodge his hold over his friends.
Onigumo easily side stepped the uncharacteristically fumbled attack. He raised an ebon brow at his opponent. "It's almost a shame to kill a man that just woke up from a coma."
He pulled the giant bowie knife that was tucked into the side of his pants and closed the distance between himself and the crumpled figure laying against the side of the porch. Golden eyes stared at him defiantly. "You will not defeat me," Sesshoumaru told him as he managed to pull himself to his feet, bracing his weight against the wall. He spared a glance towards his companions only to see them still incapacitated.
With a sudden, heart breaking, mind shattering comprehension, Sesshoumaru realized that in his weakened condition he would be no match for this supernatural being that stood posed above him with a deadly blade drawn.
The frustration that his pleadings were unheard and therefore unheeded tore at the remains of Kouga's soul. He tried to reason with Kagewaki-Naraku. However, the dark haired man whom once was his friend could not hear him.
Kagome lay pinned beneath Naraku. Her arms were crossed above her head, secured in Naraku's strong grip. His thighs were weighing down hers. Their bodily alignment was alluring to the impure intentions that were surely racing through his mind.
"It will soon be over my love," Naraku cooed softly as he kissed away the tears that were flowing freely from Kagome's eyes. However, she did not resist, though she loath his plans, she could not find the will to fight him. He was stronger but she sensed such a longing in his dark cinnamon eyes that she felt trapped.
'Was this how Christine felt when the Phantom of the Opera, Erik, revealed his need for her?' Kagome wondered to herself, as her heart broke in pity for the man that was beginning to make love to her body without her consent.
"I have loved you for so long my precious baby doll," Naraku told her as he paused to look her directly in the eyes. "Once you had promised yourself to me and we sought comfort in one another. Would you break that promise now that I hold you to it?"
Kouga was absolutely disgusted. He knew Kagome would give, and not that Naraku was such a horrible guy, but he knew, he KNEW that if Kagome broke the curse that Naraku suffered that it would also free Onigumo. He wasn't entirely sure what sort of chaos would ensue, but he could NOT allow it.
With one last attempt, Kouga tried to wrap his arms around Naraku and pull him away from Kagome, but as before, his arms swept through him like he was nothing but an apparition.
However, in that moment, he felt a remarkable pull to see Sesshoumaru. Something needed to be done outside. He looked at the scene before him that looked like a reunion between two old lovers, perhaps that was what it was in some sick sort of way. He looked closer though and saw that Kagome was looking away.
He knew that this was not something that could be allowed to happen. There was only one way he could think to stop the madness from continuing.
Sesshoumaru knew it was the end and from the looks on the faces of his companions they knew it too and yet were incapable of coming to his aid. He cursed his weakness and was all but resigned to his fate when he felt the jarring impact of two souls combining.
"I don't think so," he heard his voice speak as the knife was stopped with an inhuman strength by catching Onigumo's forearm. "You will not kill any more to further your selfish gains."
Sesshoumaru's golden eyes were no longer golden. An icy blue cast had begun to glow in their stead. Onigumo knew fear for the first time as he stared into those familiar eyes.
"This can not be," Onigumo argued with the ghost standing within the white haired man's body.
"You will not defeat me this time," Kouga growled as he threw Onigumo away from him with such a force that he fell against the porch with a heavy thud. Kouga stepped back his dazed body as the other four people returned to their conscious will.
White hair flew as he raced inside the large plantation home where he knew Kagome was with Naraku. 'What is going on?' Sesshoumaru mentally questioned in confusion.
"I'm borrowing your body for a few moments, I didn't think you'd mind since you were about to give up living. I'm not quite ready to share the world of the afterlife with you. It's bad enough that you get my girl," Kouga answered with Sesshoumaru's own lips aloud.
Sesshoumaru didn't protest as Kouga guided his body through the passages that would lead to the hidden chambers were Kagome was about to be taken by force. The sight rekindled Kouga's anger and grew anew in Sesshoumaru.
Together they bodily threw off Naraku. Caught of guard, Naraku flew into the stone walls with a heavy thud. Sesshoumaru pulled Kagome off the damp stone floor and held her securely to his chest. The love felt by both Sesshoumaru and Kouga was shown in the tender embrace.
Naraku stood to stare in shock as he witnessed his old friend Kouga holding Kagome to him tenderly. "Kouga?" He whispered in disbelief, but is unheard.
Sesshoumaru's golden eyes still showed bright with Kouga's icy orbs. He smiled teasingly at Kagome, the way he always did in her dreams of the creek. Without waiting for permission from the body he was borrowing he kissed her possessively and fully upon the lips.
Kagome melted in his embrace and responded in kind. Kouga pulled back and ran his fingers through her tangled hair before smiling sadly at her. He didn't speak another word as he stood up, leaving Sesshoumaru holding Kagome cradled to his chest. He turned his back on the couple and approached his old friend Kagewaki-Naraku.
Sesshoumaru continued to keep Kagome close to his heart as he placed a tender kiss to her temple. Her arms circled his neck as they watched the scene unfold silently.
Kouga held out a hand to Naraku and smiled at him as he pulled him away from the wall he was leaning heavily against. "My friend, it is time you join me. Your time of suffering because of your father and the voodoo priestess are at an end. It is time for you to move on."
Naraku looked over at Kagome, sadness and regret apparent in his remorseful eyes. Kouga followed his gaze and shared the longings that his old friend obviously felt at having another chance denied. Kouga placed his arm amiably around Naraku's shoulder, he looked like an angel and a bright light began to glow around both him and Naraku.
"She loved us both, be comforted by that. But the demon lord had her first, so she was never truly ours. We must be content to have been fortunate enough for her to bestow her love on two lowly men such as ourselves." Kouga replied with a tight lipped smile, trying to hide his own bitterness at that.
Naraku smiled serenely at Kagome, his face being truly beautiful at the moment of peace. The strain of his deceit no longer marring the perfection of his chiseled features. "I apologize for the troubles I have caused you baby doll," Naraku told her softly, his voice expressing the harmonious peace he already seems to show.
A tear slipped from Kagome's eye. She was sorry too.
Kouga gave Sesshoumaru a wink before turning his back on the two and walking with Naraku towards a light source that had begun to surround the far wall. "Sorry it took so long to meet back with you," Kouga admitted.
"Two centuries is a long time to wait. Shall we sail West at dawn then?" Naraku asked; the two suddenly seemed transformed into the friends of old. Their clothing altered into the Victorian dress of New Orleans at the turn of the nineteenth century.
"I apologize for the wait, I was a detained by some minor inconvenience," Kouga assured him.
"Ah yes, I imagine death could be quite an inconvenience," Naraku agreed.
Sesshoumaru and Kagome remained silent as they saw the two friends disappear before their very eyes, a ghostly vision with an angelic appeal.
Sesshoumaru was brought back to attention when a cool hand was placed lightly upon his cheek. He met a pair of beautiful blue eyes that looked deep like the ocean. He could spend the rest of his life trying to discover the secrets that lay hidden within those mysterious pools of blue.
"Is this real? Are you real?" Kagome asked, head spinning.
Sesshoumaru smiled, feeling better than he could ever remember feeling. He pulled Kagome to him and buried his face into her thick, dark hair. "I am very real," he assured as he pressed a kiss through her curtain of hair onto the side of her neck.
He moved to claim possession of her lips. The melding of their lips and tongue and teeth were evidence of how real they both were to one another. "Does that feel like a ghost to you?" Sesshoumaru asked quietly.
She didn't answer directly, only sighed in response before kissing him again. After a moment she pulled back. "Is it over then?" Kagome questioned as she ran her fingers through the rich silvery silk that cascaded down his powerfully muscled back.
About to answer with an automatic, 'Of course it is over,' Sesshoumaru paused. Onigumo was still there, outside, with the others.
It didn't take long for Sesshoumaru and Kagome to run up the tunnels onto the landing of the main floor. However, the sight before them was shocking.
Miroku, Inuyasha, Sango, Suikotsu, and the old woman Kaede stood before a pile of old clothes and bones. It was approximately the same location that Sesshoumaru had knocked Onigumo towards with his borrowed strength and rage from Kouga.
"What happened?" Sesshoumaru demanded, holding Kagome tightly to his side. It looked as if he would never let her loose from his grasp ever again.
Kaede smiled at him. Her single dark eye was glowing ominously as she indicated towards the pile of bones and clothes. "It would seem the curse was broken, but not in the way Onigumo would have liked."
"How was it broken? What exactly was the curse?" Kagome demanded. She was very confused how everything tied in with one another. All she really could understand was that in her past life she had been in love with both Kouga and Naraku. She also understood that in a life before that she was in love with Sesshoumaru as well.
"That foolish girl she didn't really know what she was doing to place such a curse. She killed you," Kaede gestured towards Kagome. "She cursed Naraku to an eternal life unless you killed him yourself or Kouga forgave him. She didn't seem to think either would happen seeing as you were both dead."
"How does Onigumo tie into this?" Miroku demanded, taking authority to lead the discussion towards resolution.
"He found the young slave woman, forced her to include him on Naraku's curse. Apparently the idea of living forever held merits for him. But he didn't want to have to constantly deal with the morals of his son interfering. He had come to me soon afterwards, I altered the curse. Little did I know that he sought my help because he killed the young woman until later," Kaede answered.
She paused for a moment, her eye looking into the distance towards a vision only she could see. "If Naraku were to be loved by Kagome then he would live a mortal life by her side, leaving Onigumo as the only one 'cursed' to immortality."
"But since, Kouga forgave Naraku he was able to move on and that made the original curse end, thus destroying Onigumo." Kagome replied in comprehension.
"Glad you understand child," Kaede answered. "I'll be going now."
"Wait!" Inuyasha grabbed hold of the old woman's sleeve. "Who are you exactly?"
"No one you need to worry your simple minded little head about," Kaede grinned before disappearing in a mist before their very eyes.
Dr. Suikotsu raised a hand to his forehead. "I can't think of any reason why I would be having these hallucinations," he muttered to himself.
"You aren't hallucinating unless we've all got the same hallucinations," Sango assured him as she nervously ran her fingers through her hair. She grinned at Kagome and then moved to launch herself at her dear friend.
Sesshoumaru's quick reflexes prevented that as he pulled Kagome out of her reach possessively. Inuyasha chuckled nervously. He was still shocked to see his brother and unsure how to approach him now that he saw he was alive and well.
"You really must learn to share big brother," Inuyasha teased.
Sesshoumaru looked down at his younger sibling and felt a rush of brotherly affection he never knew he had before. He allowed Sango to hug Kagome as he pulled Inuyasha into his own embrace. "Thank you for being there for me little brother," Sesshoumaru whispered quietly in his ear so that no others could hear.
Embarrassed, Inuyasha tried to ignore the tear that fell from his eye as he punched his brother hard in the shoulder. "It was nothing, just an excuse so I didn't have to find some loser part time job for after school."
"Um, so Kagome," Miroku began gaining her attention. "Where are your mom and little brother? It may be kind of hard to explain everything to them."
"I'm not sure," Kagome admitted as she bit her lip, helpless tears welling in her eyes. Sesshoumaru glared coldly at the man that brought up the subject. Granted he was curious himself, but he didn't think it needed to be added to all the other confusion.
Instinctively, Sesshoumaru held Kagome in his arms once again. Her hands fisted in the front of his shirt, brushing against his well honed muscles.
Dr. Suikotsu solved the mystery for them. He scratched his dark head before answering as he decided to not think too deeply on the strange events of the day. "Last I knew; they were at the hospital visiting your grandfather."
"What?" Kagome asked in obvious disbelief, as she stared at him over Sesshoumaru's broad shoulder.
"Your grandfather was having surgery to remove his gall bladder. I thought for sure someone would have told you," he trailed off, vision going once again to the clothes and bones. "Well, perhaps it slipped your step father's mind to share that information with you."
"Yes, perhaps it did," Sesshoumaru mocked as his fingers squeezed the upper muscles of Kagome's arms. It felt so wonderful to actually be able to feel her and hold her in his embrace. Too many nights he had longed for this.
He might not remember the story of their past life, as he had a fair idea of the one she lived two centuries ago. He did know that by choosing to become human in that previous life he made the right decision.
"Get your own!" Shippo complained as he pulled the bag of popcorn out of Rin's greedy little reach. Green and brown eyes met in a contest of wills.
"You don't need to eat all that! Besides I don't want to miss anything," Rin pouted as she tried once more, unsuccessfully to grab another handful of popcorn.
"Now children, honestly, must you behave like this?" Kouga teased as he walked towards his companions of the past two centuries with his old friend Kagewaki-Naraku walking beside him.
The two youth acknowledged Naraku with a brief nod before turning to watch the scenes unfold. They saw Inuyasha kick aside the remains of what had been Onigumo and they both snickered. Rin managed to get another handful of popcorn at that distraction.
"Looks like mom and pops are finally together," Shippo commented.
Kouga folded his arms over his chest and resigned himself to watch the love in Kagome's eyes be directed towards another. He knew that the man standing beside him felt the same bittersweet happiness for the scene.
Naraku cleared his throat, earning the attention of the three. Rin snapped her fingers and the image of the scene on earth disappeared. "So what is there to do around here?"
Shippo grinned. "Well now that you're here, Kouga can finally leave this rotten limbo and I can show you guys what heaven is really like."
Kouga cast a suddenly frantic look over towards the creek of his own imagination and his beloved tree. A small hand held his reassuringly and Rin smiled at him. "It's okay Kouga; it's time for you to move on as well."
Naraku grinned at Kouga. "Let's not dwell in the past; it's time to look forward to the adventure of the future."
TBC