Disclaimer: No.. I don't any of these characters...but you knew that right?
Rs:Yay, I'm baack!
Sasame: You make it sound like a horror flick.
Rs: Watch it muse! I don't have this whole story written up so I do anything to you on a whim...Got that?
Sasame: (rolls eyes) Yes Mam.
Rs: That's better...Welcome, this is the sequel to "Before Your Wedding Day" (It takes place 3 years later) and while it's not necessary to read the prequel, I strongly recommend it. However unlike it's predecessor, this is is not a one-shot and will probably be at least 10 chapters. Now...enjoy!
Trial and Error
" Happiness is fleeting, a dove flying after the setting sun. Still perhaps its elusiveness is what makes those occasions worth more than any treasure swallowed by the sea. I must have known that you and I could never lie in fields of wildflowers without any cares forever…Still I would give anything to live that moment again, but I will have to wake up facing the fact that you are gone…"
Chapter One: Last Wishes
"Gomen nasai…Sasame-san…I'm afraid there is nothing I can do." The older gentleman shook his head wearily as he closed the door behind him. Russet eyes gazed sympathetically down at the young man with his head in his hands.
Mauve eyes met his wildly " Demo Gensai-sensei, you're a doctor, surely there is something you can do?" Sasame's voice broke between hysteria and the desire that his bedridden wife in the next room not hear this conversation.
The exhausted doctor wearily ran his fingers through his whitening hair. "Sasame-san…I can't explain what's happening to her…In the recent years I have known Takako-san, her health has always been…delicate; her immune system unsuitable in battling even a common cold. My assumption is that the additional stress of bearing a child must have pushed her body beyond repair." He paused before sighing, he felt as if he had aged a century in a few hours. " I recommend you just make her as comfortable as possible until…"
"Iie, I won't allow for that possibility! What about treatments? Money is no problem…Surely there must be something we can do!" The younger man bellowed.
"We could give her a transplant…but it's such a risky process and there's just not enough time…" Doctor Gensai replied firmly.
"I - I refuse to believe that!"
"Believe what you will, but at the end of the day facts are all that remain…Sumimasen."
'Yeah well we can't even tell you all the facts... Damnit!' The distraught husband inwardly screamed.
" You know what, you just take your facts and shove them up your-" Sasame's raves were cut off as a voice called.
"Sasame-kun? Takako-chan wishes to see you…" The previous Leafe knight turned his head back to see Himeno, her bottom lip trembling.
Sasame nodded silently, trodding towards the 21-year old woman. "Domo arigatou Himeno-chan for all you have done for us, demo you should go back to your family. I'm sure Hayate misses you. Besides you don't need anymore stress in your condition. It's not good for the baby." He mumbled gently patting her belly, which sheltered a six-month old fetus.
"Oh you are both dear friends. I couldn't stay away. Anyways my husband can make dinner a couple times, it won't kill him." She waved him off lightly with a tender smile.
Sasame back weakly, the strength that emanated from her gave him courage. He nodded one last time to his guests before opening his bedroom door, knowing well what sight would meet him.
There his wife lay propped up against a bunch of fluffy, white pillows. The woman's once lustrous mahogany locks now hung over her cotton spearmint gown in limp waves, causing her ashen skin to stand out even more. In fact, the faint glimmer in her viridian eyes was the only sign of life that remained.
Cradled in her thin arms lay a sleeping infant, barely three months old. A familiar mane of milky flaxen hair adorned his head along with the same prominent nose and chin. However, the click as his father closed the door, roused the baby boy to reveal emerald eyes under dark, thick lashes. A small cry escaped from the pink pouty lips, evermore contrasted against plump porcelain skin.
"Shhh…Hush little Kyo-chan…it's only your Otou-chan." Takako cooed tenderly.
Sasame felt all his anxiety and anger slip away at this gentle display of maternal love. "Here koneko, why don't you allow me to hold him for awhile. You need your rest…" He murmured softly kissing her forehead, before taking the squalling baby.
"Alright…" She acquiesced reluctantly, before slumping against the pillows in exhaustion.
Her husband frowned slightly when she started shivering and sadly pulled the heavy blankets up closer around his wife. Everyone else had already donned their light spring clothes, but his love would not be warmed with a heater or thick covers. Her illness chilled her to the bone. It had started out as a mere cold a couple weeks earlier, which had developed into pneumonia. When she was treated with antibiotics, she only grew weaker and suddenly days before, her lungs had begun to fail.
"So…what did Gensai-sensei say?" Takako asked weakly.
Sasame opened his mouth to respond, but no words would come out.
"I see…how much time do I have left? Koishii?"
"What do you mean?" Sasame forced a smile. "You won't die…you can't…if I give you some of my Leafe maybe-"
Takako shook her head, cutting him off. "Iie you know my body will reject your Leafe for my spirit is tainted from my days as Fenrir. As Fenrir…I exerted much of my human body beyond its limits, leaving…complications when I reverted back to my human self." She coughed before continuing " A Pretear's strength derives from her knights when she prets with them. However, Fenrir's power stems from the dark recesses of her human soul."
"If only I had told you I loved you back then…maybe you wouldn't have become the Princess of Disaster…" Sasame mumbled, gently rocking their son to sleep.
"Oh koi…don't try to shoulder this world on your own. We don't know what would have happened. You always say we should focus on the present, that's why we named our son Kyo." She feebly raised her hand to caress her lover's cheek.
He clenched his eyes attempting to hold in tears that threatened to spill. 'I have saved the world so many times, yet I'm unable to save the one I love most.' Sasame suddenly loathed his super keen hearing, for it forced him to endure every shallow breath she drew and each heartbeat growing fainter as the sounds rang uncontrollably in his ears.
"Sasame…promise me…" Takako broke off wheezing.
"Anything my love!" He declared vehemently.
"Promise me…when I die…you'll find love and happiness again…a strong woman who will be a... nurturing mother…to our son." Her hand slipped weakly from her husband's cheek.
"Iie you can't die…I refuse to lose you again…I can't live without you!" The normally composed knight felt his self-control slip away as his voice cracked in hysteria.
As if he could understand what was happening, Kyo began to wail in is father's arms; only to be silenced with a reassuring caress as Takako trailed her fingertips lightly down his cheek.
"Onegai…promise me koi…" She pleaded, reaching over to squeeze his hand.
"I can't…" He whimpered
"Onegai…for me…for Kyo…and for you…"
"Alright, I promise…" He squeezed her hand in return.
"Domo arigatou…for all you have done…for me." She smiled shakily as each breath grew increasingly labored. I'll always…love…you…my…knight." She choked out as everything swam into an eternal darkness before her eyes.
Her hand went limp in her husband's as his ears were filled with silence, no longer plagued by faint heartbeats or shallow breathing…She had left him.
Rs: Ohhh...the trajedy. Despite all Takako's done, I can't hate her, so I let her die with honor.
Sasame: I have a son?
Rs: Yup and actually when Takako says "You always say we should focus on the present, that's why we named our son Kyo." She's refering to the fact that one of the meanings for Kyo is "today".
Sasame: Oh...I thought you just chose that name because Kyo is your favorite character in Fruits Basket. Ayways why a son first? You're big on girls being the first child.
Rs: Well as a little spoiler...Himeno is going to have a baby girl. I'm leaving room open for a sequel to this story featuring everyone's kids.
Sasame:A sequel to a sequel? That doesn't make sense...
Rs: WHO ASKED?
Sasame: He he...nobody...So who am I gonna fall in love with?
Rs: Who else? Mawata! Although the question is whether or not you'll get her! (gotta create some suspense icegirl13-san)...plenty of guys crying for their loves and seething in jealousy too Tragic-san! Now all who would like another chapter soon, please hit the pretty purple button and tell me what you think and how to improve if something is lacking! Bye-bye!