A Petal Down The River

By Rose

:.:The Baby Fell Over.:.:

(AN at bottom.)

After awhile I settled in to a house not far from a town. I had to wear a cloak when I went into town, and I had to be careful no one saw the real me too much, but otherwise living here was fine. I'd have joined another tribe, but I doubted acceptance unless marriage came first, and since well… since Kouga, love and marriage seemed like nothing more than a blister.

My house was a fine one, a one story with a two rooms. I missed living in a cave, I missed running wild and hunting animals, but now I grew my own… live stock, if you will. It wasn't like I didn't enjoy my new life, it was just that it was always missing something my old life had, and therefore seemed like one less reason to live it.

The day was fresh, and I was planting new flowers for the spring to come in my garden, relaxing in my new world.

"Four months, my Kouga. Surely you're married by now," I sighed out, wiping away a faint tear. Everything's a reminder of you, but I have no word of the actual you. Are you okay? Did you die? How is life for you?

This day, however, would serve to be that of a great fate. Kagome was in town.

I didn't know until later in the evening when I was relaxing in a chair I had bought in town. I was out on my lawn, sewing a new cloak, enjoying life in my own depression, when I actually heard her.

"Ayame? AYAME!" I looked up at her and at first I couldn't recognize her. How she had aged! Getting up I ran over to her, giving her a brief hug. I was hugging the girl that tore apart my love, my world, my life, and yet I couldn't blame her. While hugging her I got a glance over her shoulder at the most odd sight.

"Kagome?" I asked, nodding towards the little child with brown hair. Kagome laughed, and suddenly patted her stomach in a motherly way. My eyes widened, and I even screamed a bit.

"He's yours?" I asked in enthusiasm, and the boy seemed to blush, grabbing a hold of Kagome's kimono and hiding behind her. She nodded, and was smiling so widely I was waiting for her jaw to snap.

"Inu yasha's, too, you know. We got married and everything." She held up her hand to show me her ring, and I quickly dragged her and her child inside my small house.

"Are you hungry? Thirsty? What are you doing here?" I was hurriedly preparing a meal for her, anything I could find that wasn't meat induced, and I poured a glass of milk for her son. He blushed again and hid behind his mother as I handed it to him. Kagome laughed, grabbed the cup and patted my hand.

"Oh, Ayame, calm down. I'm not going anywhere, I live on the other side of town. I'm surprised I haven't seen you…" She raised a brow, "Actually, I think I'm more surprised your'e here."

I smiled sadly and sat down on the other side of my table from her, shrugging.

"I had nowhere else to go…" Laughing in a fake way, I patted her hand, "How is Inu Yasha? And the others?"

Kagome stayed for a few hours, despite the dismay of her son, and we shared stories of all that had happened since we last saw each other. As it was, the little child that I was looking at was really an adopted child Kagome had found on the side of the road. The one in her stomach, though, was three months old and Inu Yasha and Kagome had conceived it. I was so happy for her.

"And what of you?" She asked suddenly, and I began to cry. The words 'be strong' left me, and I felt beaten and torn and nothing but a battered cup lost in the corner. No one cared if I cried anymore, not even me.

"I live here…" I sighed, and wiped away my tears, "alone."

Kagome nodded, and reached over to hug me. Her son, watching us intently, tugged on her kimono again.

"Mommy!" He whined, and Kagome and I shared a laughed.

"Yes, alright. I'll come visit again, okay, Ayame? Don't keep yourself cooped up over here… it's not good for you."

She kept her word, and for one week she visited nearly every day. I sent back with her some vegetables and meat, flowers, anything I felt would be a good human gift.

One day, however, Kagome came with a letter that she slid across the table. A look fo sadness dawned on her face, and I couldn't help but raise a brow as I opened it.

Kagome,

(And the other one)

Hello, dear friends. I, Kouga, am getting married exactly four days from this one and wish for your blessing upon the day of marriage. You're both invited, as well as two guests with previous word. As I know you have a son, please leave him at home. Thank you.

-Kouga

I smiled, and nodded, wiping away the tears.

"I couldn't expect him to stay alone like me," I said, looking up at Kagome who was smiling very oddly.

"We received that mail two days ago, and sent a reply back," She began, and I nodded.

"Two days till his wedding? That sounds nice. Did you want me to watch Shishou?" (Interruption: Shishoutheir son.)

"No, we want you to come with us."

I sat there, staring at her. I wanted to say no, I wanted to yell at her and say 'do you think I'd feel pride in letting him see what has happened to me? He'd laugh, tell me I was nothing more than a child.' But I couldn't help but feel this inclination in the inside of me, biting at me, yelling at me 'Go! GO!'

Five hours later I was packed. I didn't bring much, just what I thought I would need for the journey, and a gift for the newlyweds. I wanted to rip out my heart and wrap that in grass and say 'Here, it's broken, take it.'

The walk from my house and Kagome's to Kouga's was a long and boring one. Inu Yasha brought a horse for me, and Kagome rode on Inu yasha's back, and life went on just as a merry little parade.

Kagome was getting a bit uneasy as we neared Kouga's tribe, though, and I couldn't help but ask why. At this question, even Inu Yasha was laughing and looking away some, and I began to feel nervous myself.

"I… he doesn't know you're coming, Ayame."

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AN: Alright, so it's a Sunday night, okay? And I'm sitting there enjoying this head ache of mine while Brian is all "So this girl…" and I got bored. And then I was like, dude. Check your email. So the other part of me that always talks to the one part of me that is foolish said, fine fine. Or something. Anyways, so I checked my email and I got this review, right? And it was from Sora. And I was sitting there thinking… dude.

You have a review.

And I got bored. So then I was like "you know what? Your other story (As I'm writing a real life story with less grammar errors and more of a plot line) is currently on hiatus and Brian's just being a dofus, why don't you write some more?" And so here it is. Another chapter. Probably to be followed by more… probably. Yeah. That sounds good. So… well hello. (: