A/N: Well my dear readers this is it...the final chapter of "Distance". Sorry for the late update, I must have literally written this chapter out about five times. I dedicated at least an hour a day in writing this chapter, there were many times when I was stuck...actually a lot of times, and times when new ideas come to me and I end up re-writing everything again. I'm really sorry for the late-ness, I have no excuse for it.
For any of those who wants to read a tear-jerker and a good sess/kag one-shot then recommend: Trouble In Shangri-La's Flowers On The Moon. It's something entirely new and I cried like a baby lol.
And so...here it is, I hope you all like it.
Sections that is in italics means it's a flashback. Border means change in scene/time/place.
Chapter 7:
"My sister never had much luck with relationships, mostly because she distances herself from it. With the loss of our father my mother suffered the most and my sister was there to witness just how much pain she was in. After all that neesan kept telling herself that falling in love can only lead to more pain in the end. She made sense though...a lot of lovers lost their partners in some sort of battle, a war, a dispute, an illness...and now divorce rates are increasing." Souta couldn't help but laugh at the direction his sister's life has taken. To think, she fell victim to something she's tried to avoid all these years, talk about ironic. "Then again feelings change, as much as she wanted to believe her old saying, love, as one would say: changes everything."
Sesshoumaru remained quiet the entire time, 'love' the word is an enigma to him. Love, it was like a jar of treats one would offer their children. It promises sweet, delectable, prices, but as many knows there's always that bad piece of the batch. Sesshoumaru has fallen for that enticing bait and what he recieved is definetly the unwanted.
Yet eventhough he suffered he was still the fool that would reach in that jar, he was still in love...with Kagome. He still hoped to get the piece of happiness love had promised.
As much as he wanted to believe the pup's words there was still something, more precisely someone, that hindered him from that he desires. "Your sister, it seems, has fallen in 'love' with a ningen shortly after our time together."
Souta couldn't help but smile, the Great Taiyoukai of the West, is jealous. This isn't such a waste of his time after all. "You're right, Houjo is quite the competition." He knew he was pushing it when it comes to this demon. He stood up and dusted his pants. "Sesshoumaru-sama, have you gone to the park? I heard it's a perfect day for a mother and daughter to spend some quality time together." He fished around his pocket, in search for his car keys. "I know my sister, love isn't really something she easily gives up on," and with that he took his leave.
All Sesshoumaru could hear was the 'jingle' of Souta's keys as the demon tossed it up to be caught and thrown again.
"Mama that was fun! I like playing with Shippou-san and Rin-chan. Mirkou-sama and Uncle Inuyasha are soo funny too!" Kagome had to laugh at her daughter.
Poor Miroku was smacked again by Sango for his wandering eyes. Inuyasha almost chocked to death when he ate his ramen a tad bit too fast. All her daughter could do was laugh at the scene of a Miroko, who whimpered in pain while Sango glared daggers at him, and a blue Inuyasha with everyone, aside from the couple, who vigrously patted his back to try and dislodge the food from his throat. 'Yeah, that was fun.' The two giggled again at the thought of the incidence.
It wasn't that often her daughter was this happy. There was some good that came from this move. "I guess we should do this more often, what do you think?"
The little girl bobbed her head, strands of silver hair shaken loose from her braid. The child grew quiet, she stared at her mother's half way braided ebony hair. "Mama?" She asked, Kagome 'hn-ed' in response. "I want to meet Sesshoumaru-sama."
Needless to say Kagome was taken back, lost in her own thoughts, she didn't know what to do."N..nani?"
"Sesshoumaru-sama, I heard that he was strong, a taiyoukai. Did you know that he's Uncle Inuyasha's brother? You think he has silver hair like him?" She looked at her mother, who is, in simple terms, just dumbstruck, Kagome could only nod. "Just like me." she mused, "but I like your hair mama, it's very pretty see!" She finished the braid and showed it to her mother.
"Kagome!" The two looked ahead to see Houjo with a big box and a bouquet of white roses. Once he reached them he handed Kagome the flowers, "look what I got!"
Kagome couldn't help but smell the roses, "Houjo-kun, their beautiful," she sighed. She then looked off to her side, she could have sworn she heard a growl.
Houjo felt a slight tug of his pants, he looked down and saw the brilliant blue speckled good eyes of Kagome's daughter. "Uncle Houjo, Aunt Ayumi will like these!" The little girl inspected the flowers her mother handed her.
"That's not all my dear," Houjo said in an announcer-of-a-game-show kind of way, "the flowers also comes with this!" He lifted the box with it's many holes on the side. He opened it up for the girl to peek in, she did and what came after that was a high pitch squeal.
"A KITTY!" The girl took the sleeping furball for her mother to see, it was a pretty fat kitty from the looks of it too. "Now she will definetly marry you!"
Kagome snickered, "leave it to your hakufu to spoil her with gifts. He loves to bribes women so he could gain their favors," she added with a wink.
Houjo only gave both of them a hurt look, "I resent that...I always thought it was my charismatic charm that lures the ladies in. Presents are just an added bonus," he grinned.
"Sure Houjo-kun, you keep telling yourself that," she scoffed, her daughter tried to cover her laughter.
"It looks as if my present likes a certain pretty little demoness," a femine voice chimed in.
The little girl gasped at the familiar voice, she turned and saw none other than, "AUNT AYUMI!" She ran and hugged the woman who was very much happy to see her.
Ayumi smiled from the warm welcome she recieved, "my, my, you've grown last I saw you."
"That's cause I'm youkai!" The child proudly exclaimed. "The kitty is yours...and the flowers," she whispered. "I hope you like them."
"Offcourse I do," Ayumi answered, "but I think you will like this one more." She carried the girl along with the cat who managed to still stay asleep. "You want the kitty?"
The child looked a little pensive, "Mama said we can't have a pet till we're in a house. We can't have pets back at the apartment."
Ayumi just looked at the girls face, how can anyone resist that! "Kagome if it's okay the cat can stay at my house. She can just visit anytime."
"Please Mama," the child begged, she added her special whimper face to try and seal the deal.
"Don't do that...you know what that face does to me..." Kagome whined, she steeled her nerves, she won't let her daughter win this time. About five seconds passed and she couldn't resist anymore. "Fine," she couldn't help it, it was the face. "One of these days," Kagome pointed a finger at her daughter, the girl cheered, another victory for her and she now has a kitty.
"So...where are you two going?" Kagome asked.
"Looking for a wedding ring, weird custom I know, but I want her to have the best and what she really wants." Houjo explained, he moved to stand next to Ayumi, who let go of the child to play with the cat more, and held her hand.
Ayumi blushed, "you know any ring will do fine, but you know him...he likes to spoil me with gifts." Kagome looked at Houjo, he knew what that meant and just gave them a pained look and a smile after. "Well, we'll see you three later on." The couple left, Houjo joked about how hurt he was that she would say such things. Ayumi just playfully slapped his arm with a 'yeah right!'.
Kagome was jealous, not in a green eyed monster sort of jealous, she was happy for them. They mananged to keep their relationship so strong over these years. If only she could have something like that, she thought she did. She heard her daughter's laughter, she knows about him now. What else can Kagome do but to finally introduce her to her father. She approached her child, "You really want a pet huh?" The girl nodded, "well I guess I should start looking for a job so we can get a house at Kyoto or somewhere else."
"I want to stay here..." that surprised Kagome, "I don't want to move anymore and hakufu and Aunt Ayumi are staying here. Plus Mama...you have friends and family here unlike back at Kyoto. You always work...you're happy here...I like seeing you happy Mama."
Her mother kneeled in front of her, "I don't know...cost of living is pretty high here, and this place is a bit crowded. We could always visit." She tucked the loose strands of silver hair behind her daughter's pointed ear.
Her daughter looked away and hugged the cat. Why does she always have to run away? "When hakufu and Aunt Ayumi get married they'll have a family right? A mama, a papa, their pups...and they'll be happy. Why can't we be like that?" Her daughter whispered the last part.
"You're not happy?" Kagome's voice shook, it seems they both chose the same time to confront each other about a certain Taiyoukai they miss in their life.
"I am," she stated, "you're not. You miss him don't you?"
"Yes," she breathe out, a tear unknowingly slipped down her cheek.
"He must miss you too Mama," the girl cried as she hugged her mother. "You haven't seen each other in a long time...Aunt Ayumi misses hakufu."
"It's not the same," Kagome sobbed, "it's just not that simple..."
"Kagome..." her breathe hitched and her hold on her daughter tightened a bit. She slowly released her and turned to see Sesshoumaru. "We have to talk."
She nodded her head and looked at her daughter. Gently she wiped the tears from her daughters face as well as hers. "Can you play with the kitty over there?" The girl nodded, "I'll come get you okay."
Once the girl was far from normal hearing distance Kagome remained quiet, uncertain of what to say or do.
Sesshoumaru stared at her, many things going through his mind, "why did you lie to me when I saw you with our daughter?"
Kagome eventually knew that he'll figure this out, she was lucky that at the time he was downwind so he couldn't really scent them. "I didn't lie, I never said that she wasn't your child."
"You said her father was the human, that she was of half human blood."
"I said Houjo is the father she knew...a father figure, you assumed the rest. Is this all we're going to talk about Sesshoumaru, you know already, she's your daughter." She rubbed her forehead out of frustration. "What else do you want to know? I left because I was pregnant, I was scared...I didn't want to burden my family and I didn't want to bother you anymore that I did." The tears came back once more. "The plan was to stay away from here, but I listened to that little voice that kept reassuring me that everything will be fine, but it's not. Not as long as I keep seeing you and each time I know..." 'that I can't have you,' she finished the rest to herself. She cursed her weakness, the strong youkai she prepared and work hard to be is now a weak and whimpering mess.
"I regret my actions, I was foolish..." Kagome only stared at him in confusion. "When I finally realized the mistake I've done it was all far too late...you were gone." He came close with hope that she doesn't try to back away.
"Why didn't you try to look for me?"
He reached and cupped her face with the pad of his thumb he wiped the tears away from her porcelein smooth cheeks. "One would think that if someone were to completely vanish it was because they didn't want to be found. Who would wait for someone who just left them during their most fragile state without so much as a note as to why?"
There were so many question she wanted to ask but one that needed to be answered now, "why did you do it?"
"I...was worried," he answered. "I told you before, my life and those around me are always at a risk. Being one who's of high status in the youkai community there is a constant threat that looms over my head. Rin almost died when someone accquired the information of her importance to me. What more if I had a mate? I didn't want to see you get hurt."
"But I was hurt...by you, much worse than anything anyone can do to me. You said that you'd protect me and I believed you, what made it so different?" She gently took Sesshoumaru's hands, his warm touch relaxed her like never before. She missed the feeling of such small affectionate interaction and she felt like never letting go.
Sesshoumaru wondered why he ever thought that leaving her was such a good idea. She was right he did say that he would protect her, and she knew everything there is to learn with self-defense. Why else would he have left her?
Because he never expected to fall in love, he planned his life down to the very last detail, he knew how it will go, but this was most definetly unexpected. The concept of falling in love, to actually let someone become more personally involved in his life, it was all new. He didn't know how to react or what to do,for the first time in his life he was afraid. Afraid because for once he was acting on impulse and it was far from what he's used to. "I was not prepared for what might happened between us...I feared for your safety and reasoned that once I was away from you that you would leave, and you did. You were safe from harm, because I was not around to bring it."
"You were wrong..." she sighed. "What now?"
He looked at her, at her sapphire eyes and with as much sincerity he can muster said. "This Sesshoumaru wishes for you to acknowledge the mistake that I have done, and for you to have my deepest apologies."
"I think that I've forgiven you already...a long time ago in fact, when you gave me the best gift I could ever wish for." She looked off to the distance at their child, who is currently playing with the cat. "I think it's time for the two of you to finally meet...properly."
"What is her name?"
She smiled, "I remember the doctor asking me the same question. For some reason one memory played in my mind. I found an answer to your question Sesshoumaru. You asked what could be more important than Tensaiga, a blade that can revive the dead?" She looked at him and he only gave her a questioning gaze. "How about creating life...we created life Sesshoumaru, and in honor of the fang I named her Katana. More precious than any blade...and she is yours."
It weird, to think that your daughter's name meant a blade, but somehow it fit. Katana, to Kagome it would be a constant reminder of Sesshoumaru, of what memory she held of the little, yet significant time they shared together. To Sesshoumaru he felt honored that Kagome still thought of him, that she didn't try to erase him from her life, and it truly meant a lot to him. Katana, a strong yet feminine name. "Does our child resent me...for my absense?"
"She never asked me about you, in fact tonight was the first." Sesshoumaru didn't find any comfort from that statement. "Don't take it as a bad thing, with her it's just...she's waiting for you and until then she'll be quiet and wait patiently. I don't think she got that from me...after all you've put up with me during my training. Her intelligence surpasses the capability of any demons her age...she's quite the prodigy."
He never thought that doing something as simple as introducing himself, to a child even, could be soo difficult. Then again this is his child, who's first two years of life he had missed. As he neared the child she paused with her activity and turned to look at him, the cat forgotten completely. Once he reached her he kneeled to better assess his daughter.
She's beautiful, like her mother, and he cursed himself once again that he left them. "Hello," he began.
"Hi," Katana timidly responded.
"Katana," he felt a little pride once he said her name, "do you know who I am?"
She nodded her head. "I think so, I'm hoping that you're who Mama cried about everynight when she thinks I'm sleeping. I'm hoping that you're who she misses...and I hope that you're my Papa, who I miss too."
"I am," he answered, "and this Sesshoumaru misses you also."
Katana's eyes began to water as she launched her petite form at her father's arm. It felt different to be held by a father, a mother's touch is soft filled with gentle care and affection. His felt strong, like nothing bad can ever happen to her. She felt safe and comforted, like she always felt when she's with her mother. Only now she felt that missing feeling quickly being filled now that her father's gere, her family was now complete. "You didn't come for us...we missed you."
"It took a while for me to get her little one and now I wish to be a part of you life."
"You are...you always were Papa."
Once the introduction was over and done Sesshoumaru was determined to prove that he won't ever leave Kagome and Katana. "I forgot to tell you something Kagome," he whispered in her ears as they walked alongside eachother, their sleeping child safetly secured in Sesshoumaru's arms. Kagome only looked at him, not sure where this may head, as she played with the sleeping cat's ear. "About my intentions of salvaging whatever it is we still have left. To start over...only this time as my mate, which I now proudly declare. Without any hesitations, doubts, and fears in my mind and my heart."
He had not even reached the end of his declaration when tears silently fell down her face. He couldn't have said it any better. She could only nod, speechless from such perfect proclamation of love. If she could hug and kiss him she would, but both pair of hands are currently full. 'My mate,' she repeated in her head.
In all honesty Kagome was prepared, or at least as prepared as she can be, to face the worst and live without him. Although each day would be harder she would rather than forcing him to stay with her. She loved him, she still does regardless of what he did to her. It was only him that could spark the fire that lay dormant in her heart, only him that could fill her thoughts. This she realized after she talked to her mother.
"Kagome you will know when it's love."
"How?"
"Well...if months has passed and you begin to forget about him it's only a small form of infatuation. But if it's been years and still he is in your every thoughts then it's love. Your father may have moved on for centuries...but still there is not one moment when I don't think about him, I still love him...love can never let you forget."
It was love...and she did not want to forget him, she wanted him to stay in her mind no matter how much it pained her.
She was surprised that he asked for forgiveness, a proud demon like him would never do that. It shocked her that he would want to continue what they had and to be mates. "Sesshoumaru...are you sure about this?" Once an inuyoukai have marked their mating bond it was for life. They were not to part until death. She wanted to make sure that this is what he really wants, that it's not just for the sake of their child.
"I am firm with my decision Kagome, I don't care what happens as long as those that are important in my life are with me," he answered, followed by one of his rare smile to reassure her.
"Katana," Kagome whispered. Sesshoumaru carefully laid the girl in his spare bedroom.
The littel girl barely opened her tired eyes and yawned, her dull fangs showed. "Me and Buyou want to stay here."
"Who is this Boyou?" Sesshoumaru questioned.
"Buyou," she answered and move the cat closer to her. "It's his name."
The two laughed, "goodnight my child." Sesshoumaru bent to give his daughter a kiss on her forehead. "You need not worry little one... I'm here and I will never leave you or your mother again." He looked up at Kagome, "meet me at my room Kagome," and left.
"Mama," the child called out.
"Yes?"
"Are we gonna stay with Papa now?"
"Yes we are...Katana...are you happy?"
"I'm happy because now you're happy...goodnight Mama."
She looked at herself in front of the mirror and studied her face. Her cheeks were pink tinged and her eyes were a little red from when she cried earlier. She noticed a frame over the far left side, it was a picture of her and Sesshoumaru. She remember how she forced him to have a picture taken with her, and how she forced him to keep a copy. At that time she was still with Kouga, but if anyone saw the picture the would have thought the two to be a happy couple. Kagome's arms around Sesshoumaru's neck witha big grin and Sesshoumaru with one brow raised who couldn't help but smirk. 'He even framed it,' she smiled.
"Kagome," she heard his voice behind her but didn't look up.
"You kept the picture all these years?" She asked.
"Yes."
She loked up and giggled, Sesshoumaru scowled. "I told you it suits you," she grinned. There he stood wearing the heart boxer's she gave him that night, and nothing else. He's perfect, she thought, those lean muscles, the tight abs! She blushed and turned around.
Sesshoumaru smirked, sure she tried to hide her embarassment, but doesn't she know that she's facing a mirror? "You remember what happened when you last said that?"
Her face was as read as a tomato, "yeah, and remember what happened after that," she glared.
He came up to her and grabbed her, the sapce between them gone. "I would never do that my mate...these past two years have been hell...I never wish to suffer that again." The two kissed.
Love has finally rewarded them with that sweet promise, the price of a bright and promising future for the two and their family.
The End
A/N: I'm done! Well I had good experiences with this story. I thank all of my readers for your support...you really made writing fun for me because I know that there are some who enjoyed reading this. I can't believe it! I actually finished a story...I am known for over-extending my story plots...because I get attached, I never want it to end.
With this I feel that it was time for it to end...I had no other routes to take...and I didn't want you all to wait longer.
Also I don't think I'll be writing 'Predestination' for reasons that you all know how it will end. The flashback has supported enough backgroud information. Plus I'm coming up with some more stories, haven't written it out yet but I have to come up with majority of the story before actually writing it down. So far I've thought up an angsty fic, and I'll try my best to make it angsty, it will be AU that's all I gotta say.
Thank you to all my dear readers and reviewers. You don't know how happy you all make me when I hear that whooshing sound yahoo messenger makes whenever I get mail and then later on finding out it's a review. I'm going to personally reply to all your reviews so don't forget to leave an e-mail address.
Don't forget to vote in A Single Spark there are lots of good stories that are nominated. Am I telling you to vote for me? Hell no, whomever you think deserves the vote then vote for them, there are tons of really talented writers out there.
It's been a good couple of months and chapters and I'm happy that at least tried to get this story and idea out.
Leunra
