Crisscross

Chapter Three

>>Kouga>>

But I couldn't help feeling weak inside as I leaned on the tile wall and slowly slid down until I was slumped onto it.

I closed my eyes and tried to remember the day...

The day when I got the call from him.


Ring... Ring...

I threw the pen in my hand at the laptop screen in frustration. The ink leaked and left smudges on the screen and a small dent. I growled and cursed Miroku for getting me such a crappy writing utensil. The blasted phone was still ringing.

I swear, I would've busted that communication device and ripped the cords into bits if it wasn't for my perverted editor. That damnlech told me that he was going to give me a call and the only calls I were getting were from two kinds of people: people who are after the Shikon no Tama and people who just wanted to waste their time asking me stupid questions about it.

"If that isn't you Miroku, you will soon find yourself unable to leave a heir in this world," I growled.

I picked up the phone and let out an hello through clenched teeth for the upteenth time of the day.

"Eh...Hello?"

...Looks like Miroku is going to lose his testicles after all.

"Yes, this is Kouga Tawamura speaking..." I nonchalantly spoke in a normal tone. I was actually imitating Sesshomaru's manner of speaking 'cause people seemed to hang up quickly whenever he spoke like this.

"Eh..."

"Cut with the 'eh's."

"Eh... I have an offer to make..."

"Yes, I get the point. You want to talk about the Shikon no Tama, is that right?"

"Is that the purple marble?"

Purple marble? Not the exact word to describe it, but he seemed much more comfortable to speak to compared to all the other arrogant jack asses who called me for the whole day. I swear that was the only reason I decided to talk with the nutcase.

"Yeah, the purple marble. You want it or what?"

"I think it will attract a lot of visitors...Would it?"

"Here's a little fact for you. I don't give a shit about the marble. I want to get it out of my hands as fast as possible without any messy business. Do you want it or not?"

"Eh..."

"I thought I told you to cut with the 'eh's," I growled through tightly clamped teeth.

"Eh..."

He's either doing that to annoy me or he's just a plain nutter. Maybe both.

"I'm willing to take it..."

"Great, but most important, who the hell are you?"

"Toutousai."

"Nice to know your name, Toutousai, but I still don't know who the hell you are."

"I'm a curator of a national museum."

"Yeah, that's great, but Tokyo itself is large as it can get and I need to know where your museum is." I yanked a few tissues out of the tissue box and started wiping the laptopscreen while constantly getting the thought that I was trying to talk to a kindergartener.

"Eh...It's in the Takashimaya Mall."

"The one on Yajawa street?" I tossed the dirty mass of tissue into the trash can and yanked the map where I wrote notes on from a shelf.

"Yep."

I unfolded the map with a little difficulty with one hand and stared at it for a minute, trying to read my ineligible handwriting that were crammed onto streets and tiny buildings. But I could tell that Yajawa street was the closest from my place compared to all the other museums that called me. I finally gave up and turned my attention back to the phone.

"Congratulations 'cause I'm going to give the little purple marble to you," I threw the map into the trash can as well, but missed.

"Eh?"

"I...am...going...to...give...the...Shikon...no... Tama...to...you..." I stressed each word just in case he still didn't catch what I was saying.

"Oh? I heard that you weren't willing to sell it..."

"Who ever said I was going to sell it? No, I'm giving this to you for free, so everyone in Japan can view it with the price of the admission ticket. It's yours now, I don't want anything to do with it."

"Oh? Well...Eh...Do you like milkshakes?"

"...Yes."

"Would you like one?"

"Um...Sure?"

"Then could you deliver it for me?"

I suddenly regretted for choosing this git out of all the other fruitcakes I had to deal with. All the others offered to send someone, so I didn't need to find them personally, and here this senile geezer was asking me if I would deliver it to him at the price of a milkshake. And for those who are wondering why I turned down those offers with the personal delivery boys, I didn't want to risk anything. Delivery boy can get attacked, murdered, or whatever and the priceless artifact could be lost. Then I would have to contact the police, get involved in a search party, and a lot of other shit.

This Totoshu, or whatever his name was, was testing my patience really badly.

But hey... I like milkshakes and Yajawa Street was actually only a five minute walk from my place.

"You got it."

"Oh? Eh...When can you come?"

"Next Friday."

"That would be good...What do you call the purple marble again?"

"Shikon no Tama."

"Perhaps Kaede will help me set it up...Well, goodbye."

And then I heard the dial tone. I smirked as I hung up the phone. This would be on the headlines as well. 'Rare artifact given to lunatic'.

I chuckled. Now with that off my shoulders all that was left to do was...Oh, yeah. Remove my editor's testicles.

No sooner did the phone ring after I got onto my chair. I glared at the ringing device.

I could have ignored it.

I should have ignored it.

But I didn't. I stupidly listened to my conscience that was telling me that this phonecall was important. And as important as it was, it was the most disturbing one I ever recieved in my life.

I picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Good evening, Mr. Tawamura." A cold voice, as cold as Sesshomaru's in fact, reached my ears. He had a smooth tone and I couldn't help but to imagine him to be one of those mysterious guys sitting in fancy armchairs with his face in the shadows.

"If you're calling about the purple marble, forget it 'cause it's already donated."

"Is that how you call the most valuable piece of history ever found in Japan, Mr. Tawamura?" I could detect mockery in his voice.

"And is this how you waste your time? By calling people and sneering at them?"

He chuckled. He was ticking me off more than dear old Tootoot...Or Toto...Or whatever his name was. He suddenly stopped and spoke in that cool manner again.

"I will offer you two hundred thousand."

"What?"

"I am offering you two hundred thousand US dollars for the so called "purple marble" you carry."

"I. Don't. Take. Bribes." I managed to growl through clenched teeth. Like I said, I simply detested people like him. People who use their money in the dirtiest way possible. Giving bribes.

"It's not a bribe, Mr. Tawamura," he said, "It's in return for the artifact. A trade."

"Why the hell do you want it?"

"I own a collection of gems."

"You're offering me two hundred thousand, just so you can add a little purple to your shiny little rock collection?"

"Do you want a higher price?"

"Like I said Mr..." I waited for him to fill me with his name, but he said nothing. "I don't take bribes. And I'm not some kind of salesman. Besides, it's already taken."

"You really think it's wise to trust a mad old man with such a priceless artifact?"

"...I think it's smarter than giving it to some fuckin' stalker who've been taping my phone for the last three days."

There was a short moment of silence. He must've been wondering how I ever found out. He finally let out a small laugh.

"I see you have noticed. Never imagined someone like you was familiar to such devices."

"I have contact with other people who are. I'm not selling the Shikon no Tama. And that's final." I was about to hang up when I heard his threatening tone.

"I'm offering you three hundred thousand."

"Go kiss someone else's ass."

"Four hundred thousand, Mr. Tawamura. All in cash."

"Forget it."

"I know your residence Mr. Tawamura," he seemed to hiss through the phone, "You're background, family, and friends."

"That's great to know but here's a piece of information for you," I growled, "I have no family and very few friends, who are capable of ripping your head off if you even try to lay a finger on them."

"Five hundred thousand. It's my final offer."

"And "no" is my final word."

"I know where you're headed for, Mr. Tawamura. You would be jeopardizing your life if you turn down my offer. I have many friends at my side. It would be wise to think about your answer, Mr Tawamura or a certain...Delicate bird can slip and plummet right over your head aproximately next Friday."

Delicate bird? What the fuck?

"Like I give a shit." I sneered.

There was a pause over the line, but I could hear the quiet deep breathes of frustration.

"Very well." The cold tone was replaced by a snide voice. "I guess you can't fool blood, Mr. Shoto. You're very stubborn like your father."

I stiffened instantly at the name he had addressed me in. How the hell did he find out?

"...I go by my mother's maiden name," I growled quietly, "And the name's Tawamura"

"I guess I hit the wrong button, didn't I?" He sneered.

I said nothing.

"Are you like your father, Mr. Shoto? Do you get hungry for little girls?" His voice grew softer. "Would you murder your own wife one day and leave your son at a-"

"Don't you ever call me back you son of a bitch." I could feel my eyes turn blood red. "The next time you do, you will soon find your head on a stake, roasting on an open fire right in the middle of Tokyo with an apple stuffed into the opening of your intestines. YOU GOT THAT YOU SICK ASSHOLE?"

I threw the phone at the wall and it immediately cracked into three clean pieces. It would be impossible to repair it, but I didn't give a shit right now.

I found myself taking in ragged breaths for the next five minutes or so, glaring at the now busted device. I grabbed my cell and punched a few numbers.

"Hello?"

"Ginta, do me a favor. Could you take a look at my phone? Give me all the numbersof the people who called me today and I need background information, every little fucking detail of the last caller."

"Kouga? Oh, wait. The calls for today huh?"I heard shuffling in the background. "I could do that, but you should know this could get me into a deep pile of shit when I'm caught."

"So you'll do it?"

"It's not like you'll take no for an answer. When do you need it?"

"Anytime but now."

"I'll call once I get my hands on it."

"Thanks."

I hung up and looked at the mess I made on the laptop and decided to call it a day as I climbed into the bed to pass out in thirty seconds flat.


I never heard from the asshole the following day nor the next. I thanked all Kamis I knew who were above me, but I take all my words of gratitude back.

Because the bastard gave me a second call, which was as unpleasant as the last...

"Kouga?"

I cracked open an eye to see Ayame kneeling next to me, her brows crouched in concern.

"Aw, aren't you going to wear your nurse uniform?" I whined as I looked disapprovingly at her outfit made of a skirt and a simple tee-shirt.

"Are you all right?" She completely ignored my comment of her fashion and stroked my forehead free of black bangs. "You don't look too well, Kouga. Is something wrong?"

Usually, I would have let out a laugh and tell her not to worry. Usually, I would kiss her on the nose and tell her to get going. Usually, I would distract her by saying something ridiculous.

But I couldn't do it. His words were floating inside my head and I couldn't get it out of my mind.

I will get her Mr. Shoto. Whether you like it or not.

I looked into her worried eyes for a moment, wondering if I should tell her everything.

If I was smart, I would have told her everything.

But I wasn't.

I smiled like an idiot and kissed her on the forehead.

"Be careful Ayame."

She blinked a few times then smiled back at me, kissed me goodbye, and headed out the door.


>>>

Rin swore to herself to be optimistic about the whole marriage, but when she heard Kouga's ecstatic voice asking him about it, she couldn't help but to wince slightly when she felt the a sharp pain inside of her. She kept telling herself that this whole thing wasn't his choice, wasn't his idea, but just the thought of him leaving her was unbelievably painful. Maybe it was a mistake not to tell anyone about their relationship...The only people who knew about the two of them were Kouga and Ayame...And recently, Sesshomaru's father, Inutashio. But no one else. For others, he was the president of a booming industryof thirty-two and she an attractive nurse at the Tokyo hospital of twenty-five who had never met each other for their entire lives.

She couldn't hear what he said to Kouga and an uncomfortable silence took place. Not that she wanted to hear.

She quickly shed out of her robe and slid into the shower stall, reaching for the faucet. Anything to break the horrible stillness.

Her hair was soon drenched from the warm water and droplets started trailing down her face. She tilted her head upwards to receive full blast of the luke-warm water. She closed her eyes and stood there, under the protective spray, slipping into the painful but blissful memories of their first encounter.

She could feel warm, slick liquid seeping into her clothing.

Crimson blood.

But not hers.

She could feel something pressing hard on her body. She had opened her eyes to see blood...And broken pieces of glass. Not to mention a motionless body slumped over her.

Long strands of silver hair.

But not hers.

She could hear the people screaming out of control and hurried footsteps.

A limp arm that was dangling from a shoulder, only connected with a few strands of muscle and tissue.

But not hers.

The creak of the door announced his presence and brought her back to the spiteful reality world. She didn't turn around, but she could feel his gaze moving around her body. Searching her neck. Trailing down her back. Lingering on her hips. She blushed a deep hue of crimson, knowing that his keen sense of smell would have detected her arousal from the moment he had opened the door.

'No...We can't keep this up anymore!'

She turned around, turning the water off as she did, but became quite startled when she found him inside the shower stall as well, looking down at her with his emotionless golden orbs.

"Sesshomaru...We both weren't thinking clearly last night," she mumbled as she tried to push him back, "You've got to go back and-"

Her words were drowned out and her eyes turned wide as his lips simply crashed down on hers. His arms immediately found their place, his left snaking a round her waist and his right supporting her back. He pushed her deeper into the stall, a little rougher than he had intended, and continued his desperate assault.

She did not respond for a moment, mostly in shock, but she soon tilted her head sideways, prying her lips from his.

"Sesshomaru, stop!" she cried out as she tried to push him back, "Do you even know what you're doing? What this can do to your whole reputation?"

He didn't pay any attention. He felt something tugging at the back of his mind, the fact that she had rejected him for the first time, but his desire for her drove the thought out of his mind. He silenced her by attacking her swollen lips again.

His hands clutched onto her, trying to keep her as close as possible while his mouth traced her jawbone and up to her ear. Somehow along the way with her futile struggles and his hurried actions, the faucet was pushed and a pleasing warmth engulfed the two as the water rained upon them.

"Sesshomaru..." she weakly whispered, "Please...Stop..."

He slowly removed his lips from her ear and pulled back to see a teary pair of cinnamon eyes looking back at him. Her tears rolled down her cheeks, mixing with the warm trickles of water.

He felt a pang of guilt as he saw the hurt expression on her face. Reality was finally sinking into him. With the media and all, if anyone found out about their relationship, there would be gossip. Society would scorn at Rin, calling her a whore for seducing a married man, and society would scold him for adultery, calling him a monster.

Society was a blind man, who could only see the ethically wrong situations. Not bothering to care to learn about the other side of the story.

And to society, marking another woman when one already had a spouse, was ethically wrong.

She knew this. Rin knew this. She knew that he would only be digging his grave with every second he chose to stay with her. She was trying to stop him from reaching a dead end by rejecting him, pushing him away even when her heart ached with every futile shove. The shower wasn't being much of a help either. The water merely reminded her of the stormy nights...Like last night.

He pushed her against the wall as his left hand lowered itself down to the junction of her legs and his fingers lingered near her sensitive folds, slowly stroking them, sending shivers down her spine. He could hear her take in a sharp breath, panting slowly to strain from reacting to his touches. He languidly stroked her inner thigh and leaned closer.

"Do you truly want me to leave?" he whispered onto her lips.

Her eyes seemed to widened at his question. She lowered her eyes to the floor, ashamed of hesitating when she clearly knew the morally right answer. He lowered his face closer to hers, their noses only a centimeter away.

Questioning golden orbs met her wavering cinnamon eyes and right then he knew her answer. He closed the last short distance between them, his mouth crashing onto her lips. Her arms hesitatingly wrapped themselves around his neck, pulling him downwards toward her, and her right leg lifted slightly, thrusting herselfinto his groin. A small content groan escaped his mouth as his tongue ferociously attacked hers, leaving them both breathless by the second. He shifted his arms to lift her off the floor and gently pushed her against the wall, making her stand on her tiptoes. He removed his lips from her gasping mouth and started a new assault on the crook of her neck.

She let out a small moan as he grazed her skin with his teeth. She held onto him tightly, shivering from arousal as his left fingers toyed with her nub. Her nipples hardened to his soft touches and she felt the slick juices running quickly down her legs due to the many trickles of water. He slowly inserted a finger, leisurely pushing it deeper with every moan she let out. She let out a small cry of his name as she felt her muscles contracting his fingers, which only stimulated him even more. He gently bit onto her neck, leaving a red mark, and moved onto her breasts.

Sucking onto her erect nipple, he felt her lips pressing onto his forehead, sending a warm sensation down his spine. He gazed up into the pair of light brown eyes. He deliberately cornered her under the sprays of a running shower. Both of them were panting quietly from arousal and excitement while they merely stared into the other's eyes, bringing a heated eye contact to life. He bent down slightly to let his mouth linger just above her swollen lips, his ragged breath dancing on her skin.

He leaned closer.

And the doorbell rang.

The loud sound of the bell brought both lovers out of their daze. He immediately growled menacingly and hugged her small form tightly, determined to not let her leave so easily. She too was planning on ignoring the person outside, but the loud voice she heard immediately brought her mind out of the cloudy sensation it was floating in.

"Rin? Come on, girl! We're going to be late!"

She immediately recognized the excited voice of her fellow co-worker and friend, Sango Mamoru. Reality seemed to slap her in theface as she remembered why Sango was there. Sango had started picking her up so they could go to work together ever since the incident took place between the couple last month.

He had also recognized Sango's voice and noticed that Rin had suddenly stiffened inside his embrace. A sure sign that she was about to leave him.

"Sesshomaru..." She pushed him away, trying to wiggle her way out as her face turned into a light shade of red from shame and embarrassment of falling for him again . "Sango's here...I've got to get to the hospital..."

"Rin." He grabbed her wrists as his usually emotionless golden eyes watched her intensely. "I won't be able to see you again."

She understood why he was saying this. The loud hollering of Sango's voice was already becoming distant to her. She clearly knew that he was asking her if she was still willing to let him go. She could ignore Sango and spend at least another last hour with him. Or put the end to the painful inner conflicts she was going through between her wants and her conscience.

She answered him by giving a pained look and grabbing a towel. She pulled herself out of his grip and left the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. She leaned onto it, already regretting what she had donestraining to force back the tears that were already beginning to flow.

"Rin! Are you there?"

"Coming!"

She quickly wiped her tears while wrapping herself with the towel and opened the door slightly to see Sango giving her a small scowl.

"Do you know what time it is Rin? It's nine thirty already and here you are taking your morning shower!"

"Sorry... I- I had things... Going on..."

"Wait...Rin, are you all right?"Sango asked as she looked at her friend in concern."You look a little red- holy shit! What's wrong with your neck?"

"Wha-? Oh, the red marks?" Rin nervously asked as she tried her best to cover them.

"Yes! The red marks!" Sango gave her an accusing look.

"It's... sores."

"And the blue moon near your shoulder blade? What is that?"

"Um...Tattoo? But that's not important right now," Rin hurriedly added, "Um, I'll be right out Sango, I'm really sorry."

"You better be lady!" Sango laughed. "It's the big day! I can't wait for you to meet my old pal."

"Huh?"

Sango frowned. "God, what's up with you, Rin? You're usually on track...Remember the friend I told you about?"

"Oh, the one studying to become a designer?"

"There we go! Yup, that's her. She's coming to the hospital today and I really want you to meet her."

"Yes, that would be nice," Rin said half-mindedly as she nervously glanced behind her, "Could you wait downstairs, Sango? I have to-"

A loud crash from the bathroom was heard, startling Sango and causing a new gush of tears to erupt from Rin.

"What the hell? Rin, is there someone abusive in there?" Sango peeped over her friend's head to look inside the building. "You know I have a black belt in taekwando and I'm not afraid to use it-"

She immediately stopped in mid-sentence when she saw Rin quietly crying.

"Rin? What's wrong? Why-"

"Sango," she whispered quietly as tears rolled down her cheeks, "Could you give me a minute please?"

"I..." SangoMamoru just stared helplessly at her friend, wondering what was the cause of her sudden tears. "Um...All right... I'll be at the parking lot..."

With that she quickly left, still puzzled, as Rin shut the door with a small slam. She passed the bathroom door as she headed for her closet. She knew Sango would be waiting for her down at the parking lot...But nevertheless she leaned onto the door and let her body slide down helplessly. She just sat there, leaning on the bathroom door, her tears flowing down her cheeks like the trickles of rain of the wet April morning.


He could hear the two women's conversation without even trying behind the closed door. Sango was asking Rin something about red marks. Probably caused from his teeth. Then he heard Rin making up lies to cover it up. She was trying to hide him, trying to deny that she had anything to do with him. And that was what triggered him off.

He walked out of the shower and reached for a bottle of cologne on the counter.

Summerset.

Rin had said that it smelled nice and that was when he had learned that she preferred mild, refreshing aromas over the strong stinging smells of men's perfume. He had made no comment, but Inuyasha found nothing else but the clear bottles with the bold black writing that said Summerset in his bathroom the next day. It was something that they both liked, which was not very easy to find, due to the severe difference between her friendly, warm personality and his stoic, cold one.

He looked at the bottle for a moment or so, vaguely listening to the conversation outside about some friend of Sango's. Then he swung the bottle across the room.

The bottle of cologne crashed into the tile wall, shattering into numerous pieces of glass, the liquid spillingonto the floor.

"What was that?"

He heard Sango ranting on again and Rin trying to send her away. He then caught the salty scent of her tears. He immediately regretted what he had just done.

He had never thought that he would ever show interest in a female, let alone fall in love. But he did. He had never imagined in his wildest dreams that he would fall for a human. The race that was the main cause of his mother's death and his father's fatal weakness. But he did.

He had spent two heavenly years with his love, straining to keep their relationship unknown from unnecessary people. Which practically meant everyone. And that was exactly what they tried to accomplish, a secret relationship without anyone acknowledging it, with the exception of three people. And they had succeeded for two years.

For what?

He felt so pathetic. Imbecillic beyond words. What was he even planning to do with their relationship anyways? If he was going to keep her secret from others, what was the whole point in the end? It was far too late to bring the subject up to matter, he was frustrated, she was confused. Everything was going wrong.

He heard the door clicking shut. He picked up his clothes from the closed toilet lid, exactly where Rin had put them the previous night, and began to dress.

His hand was on the doorknob when he noticed the small shadow in front of the small crack underneath the door and heard the unmistakable sorrowful sobs of Rin. He let his hand fall limplyto his side as he turned around and gently slumped onto the floor, leaning onto the door.

The digital alarm clock on the bedside table switched its number to announce the time as 9:37 as both lovers leaned onto the same door, one crying for the hard love they were going through and one letting out a sigh of frustration for the complicated situations he had gotten themselves into.


Inutashio Koizu had woken up next to his wife when his watch showed the current time as 5:09 AM. He blinked his eyes, wondering why he had dreamed of his previous deceased wife, and looked at his spouse snuggled close to his chest. Her dark brown hair was neatly flowing behind her back and the steady rise and fall of her chest told him that she was resting peacefully. He smiled slightly as he gently stroked her hair. Next week was to be her fifty-sixth birthday. But her appearance was of a young woman in her late twenties, thanks to the small amount of demon blood that had started to flow in her body when she had first mated with her husband.

The mating ritual of a demon was fairly simple. The male demon would simply claim his woman on the first night of mating season by biting near her shoulder blades to leave a mark of claim. As their bodies join to one, a fair amount of demon blood is inserted into the female along with the male gamete. The blood will kick in, taking effect after three days. When this mating ritual takes place between two demons, the extra blood would merely help to fertilize the egg. Not a big importance. But when mating with a human, the blood was essential, for it was what that gave humans a great increase in life span.

He carefully slipped out of the bed, tucking his sleeping wife under the cozy blankets, and headed downstairs. The large penthouse was still and quiet, the only light in the house being the small rays of sunlight slipping into the house between the closed curtains. He stopped at his youngest son's bedroom door. His acute hearing picked up his steady breathes¡¦And the sounds of his soon daughter-in-law. The sharp scent that leaked out of the room told him that they had a rather active night.

He couldn't help but to let out a small sigh. He knew that the girl, Kagome, was with his youngest son. He had known that she was the miko's granddaughter from the moment she told him of her residence. The irony. Fate was fooling around with him. Of all the billions of women around the world, his youngest son fell in love with the daughter that was already bound to his older brother. And as for Sesshomaru... He had never imagined that his stoic son would ever get engaged in a serious relationship, but he was certainly proved wrong when he found pictures of the young woman on his last and first visit to his son's house.

His usually strong footsteps were meekly making small slapping sounds on the marble floor. He reached the stairs, but the opened door of his eldest son's bedroom caught his attention. He paused at the staircase, but passed it and entered the room.

The room was white. No smudges, no fingerprints, no mud. The wall was speck and clean. Different from Inuyasha's walls, which were not visible under the numerous posters taped all over with few of Kagome's drawing of new designs. The single bed was made, a perfectly fluffed white pillow laying on the clean covers. A sign that the last time he slept there was nearly a decade ago, which was quite true. A large window on the west wall, a desk, and a bedside table. That was all. It was more like a guest room now than Sesshomaru's.

He turned to exit, when asingle picture frame on the bedside tablecaught his eye. He noticed that unlike the other picture frames in the room, this frame actually had a photo inside. The usually stern golden eyes softened as he reached out for the frame to look more carefully at the picture.

There in the simple frame made out of fine wood, was a laughing woman. Her unusual light blue hair and pointed ears showed that she was a demon and the small crescent moon on her forehead showed that she was a rare kind even among her almost extinct race. Her eyes were closed in the picture, but he clearly remembered that it was her pair of startling purple eyes that caught his attention in the first place.

The woman was laughing so dearly in the picture, it was almost too hard to believe that her fate was to meet death just around the corner.

Hollow, empty eyes, staring back at him.

No...

Blood trailing down from her skull.

No...

His wife's blood all over his son's body.

No...

His son staring back at him, his eyes equally empty as his dead mother.

No...

Him just staring at his son helplessly as he mouthed the most spiteful words that stabbed his heart.

No...!

"I killed her, Father."

No!

"Inutashio?"

Wavering golden eyes sharply looked to his right as his hand started shaking slightly. He saw his wife's concerned face and immediately everything came back to him. He looked at the frame in his hand once more, noticing that he had crushed the glass so hard that it broke, and hastily placed it onto the bed stand.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes..." He gave her a weak smile. "Did I wake you, dear?"

"No..." She caressed his cold cheek with her hand. Her eyes softened as she wrapped her arms around his waist to give him a warm embrace. "Do you still miss her?"

He smiled and returned her embrace. This was what he loved the most about Izayoi. She was thoughtful. Caring. Understanding. She was exactly the person he needed comfort from after secluding himself for somewhat over a year.

"Yes. Sometimes I do..." He kissed her on the forehead. "But remember, love. You're the only reason I live for. So don't leave me."

Izayoi smiled back and pecked him on the nose. "Let's get back to bed for now. We have a lot before us."

She reached for the closed curtains and separated the drapes from each other, letting a weak ray of sunlight to encroach the darkness of the room. The light shined upon the picture, illuminating the frame with a soft golden color.

He looked at her questioningly and she smiled softly.

"She deserves to laugh in the sunlight."

He let out a small chuckle and pecked her on the forehead again.

"You're right, dear. She does."


Uh...A little late with updating, but my writer's block hit me during the middle of the chapter. I recently saw 'King Kong', wonderful movie, I love you Jack Peterson, but I don't see why King Kong can't live with Ann. Why does he have to die?

Oh yeah. THANK YOU for all the reviewers, I love ya all. MeRrY ChRiStMaS(A little late on that holiday greeting) AND HaPpY NeW YeAr!

Double R. Read and Review please-!