Nocturne - Chapter Thirteen: Embrace of Darkness
Rated - M (for suggestive adult themes, references to some violence, and coarse language)
o - o - o - o - o : Indicates scene or POV change
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.
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The pain was insurmountable. Nothing that Kagome had ever felt before. How could Sango do this? Willingly?!
Most women had the opportunity to prepare for this moment. After nearly ten months of carrying a growing child that pushed and prodded the innards was enough to make any woman bear whatever pain was involved in getting the precious invader to vacate. The time had been stolen from her, and she was not ready. Her body was not prepared, but the child was.
Kagome had a tiny moment of reprieve, with the pain subsiding and the contraction easing up. Attempting to relax was another thing altogether. Her accommodations were less than accommodating. The forest was quiet, affording her groans of pain to echo loudly, and the tree she had leaned up against was digging through her hakui anytime she moved, not to mention the ground moist from a combination of blood and dewy condensation. There was nothing to be done for it now as weakness had wracked her body; each contraction was draining her shallow stores of energy.
The blood seemed to have finally stopped, and Kagome idly thought she might be okay. That was until the pain began to blossom in her belly and radiate down to her core. Reaching behind herself, she gripped the sodden bits of grass and raked her fingers into the loamy earth. She barely had the strength to cry out anymore, but she did, screaming for anyone within miles to hear.
Her head swam with dizziness now, and she struggled to stay awake. She had to stay awake, but sleep seemed so inviting. Darkness was calling to her.
Her eyelids were heavy now. The pain didn't seem so bad at this moment that she could get some well-deserved rest. Maybe if she closed her eyes for a second, she would feel better? Her eyelids drooped, and her breathing became shallow.
Another contraction gripped her, but it didn't hurt so much this time, only causing her to grimace and grunt. See? Sleep was her friend. She did not want to do this alone anyway. Why was she alone? Wasn't 'he' supposed to be here?
A bright light shone in front of her, pulling her forcefully out from the darkness. It shook her and called out her name. Kagome did not want to open her eyes and leave the comfort and pain-free darkness that surrounded her within its embrace.
"Kagome! Wake up!"
No.
"Wake up, dammit!"
Not yet.
A sharp sting across her cheek made her eyes fly open. Kagome gasped, and her eyes flew open from the shock.
"Sango! What the fuck?!" an angry voice berated.
"She has to wake up. It was the only way!"
Kagome's vision was blurry, and her head still swam. All she could see was silver hair and golden eyes. A smile broke on her face, and she reached a shaky hand to touch the apparition before her. Had he come for her? He'd heard her cry out and come.
"Se-" she began but was shushed.
"Hush, Kagome," Sango whispered. "We are here. Inuyasha is with me." The taijiya was crouched next to her, supporting the back of her head. "Kagome, listen to me now," she commanded in a reassuring but authoritative tone.
Kagome's eyes began to roll back up into her head. The darkness still beckoned to her despite her sudden departure from its hold. It seemed a jealous lover who did not enjoy sharing with the light.
"No, no!" Sango said swiftly, patting Kagome's cheek in sharp swats. "Stay with me. No going to sleep. We have a baby to deliver." Concern was etched in every one of her friend's features as she tried to help Kagome.
Inuyasha nervously paced around Kagome's prone form. "Why is it so early?" he asked softly, cracking his knuckles at his side.
Sango gave him a dark look, warning him now was not the time. She quickly turned her gaze back to Kagome and wiped her friend's brow with the end of her kosode. Had she known that Kagome was going to wander off into the middle of nowhere, a day's walk away from civilization, and attempt to birth a child, she would have brought supplies.
Kagome's head sank back against the tree as Sango helped her into a new position. She moaned softly, and a tear spilled down her cheek. "I can't-I can't," Kagome cried. "He's not here," she murmured.
Inuyasha looked at Sango; his brow was drawn together with worry. He quickly knelt next to her and held Kagome's hand. "Hey, I'm right here."
Kagome drew in a broken breath and looked over at him, "Inuyasha?" Realization dawned upon her during a lucid moment that 'he' had not come. Part of her deflated that it was not the brother she truly desired to be present, but it was her fault for bringing this precarious situation upon herself. Guilt gripped her but quickly took a back seat to the pain of bringing new life into the world.
Oblivious to her inner thoughts, Inuyasha comforted her. "Yes, right here," his voice cracked. He'd never seen Kagome in such a state. Delirious, weak, and close to death.
Sango pushed Inuyasha away, giving him a stern look. "Give her some space. The baby is coming now, and I have to help her deliver it." Satisfied that he had moved back a bit, Sango positioned herself in between Kagome's legs. She could see, even in the darkness, the pool of blood that she now knelt in. Her heart stopped in her chest, and she shook her thoughts away, instead focusing on the task at hand.
"Kagome, look at me," Sango commanded.
Kagome blinked and nodded. Her dark hair was matted to her forehead in sweaty tendrils, nearly covering her sunken eyes, giving her a disheveled look unsuited to her.
"You need to push….now!" Sango yelled at her. "Push!"
Kagome cried pitifully but did as instructed, grunting with each breath. "Push, Kagome! You're nearly there. Just a little more," Sango instructed.
She sobbed and covered her face with a hand. "I can't. Please don't ask me to do anymore," she cried pitifully.
Sango grit her teeth, "Yes, You can, and you will. Now stop blubbering and push!"
Kagome sucked in a breath and tried to push again. She grunted and bore down as much as she could and could hear Sango gasp.
As if by magic, the pain had gone, leaving Kagome panting and looking up at the black canopy above. Was she done? She struggled to sit up and felt a steady pair of hands grip her and an arm slip behind her to help her sit up a bit. Kagome looked over to see Inuyasha by her side, his face unreadable.
Why was it so quiet, she wondered. Why wasn't anyone saying anything? Why was there no squalling?
"Where's...where's my baby?" Kagome asked.
Sango's face looked pained, and she glanced up at Inuyasha, avoiding Kagome's eyes. "Your suikan, Inuyasha," Sango requested.
He wordlessly removed the garment, careful not to jostle Kagome too much, and passed it to her.
She worked out of Kagome's sight, and Kagome felt her heart thump within her chest. "Sango!" she demanded with a quiver in her voice.
Sango brought the bright red bundle to her chest and stared down, tears streaming down her face. "So-so perfect," she nearly whispered.
Inuyasha laid Kagome back against the tree and jumped over to Sango. He stood over her and looked down at the child. He took an involuntary step back, his eyes wide with disbelief.
Why would she not hand over her child? She had worked so hard to bring it into the world! "Sango!" Kagome called again, a semblance of strength in her voice, this time her arms outstretched before her.
Her friend's lips went into a straight line, and she reluctantly passed the child to Kagome's waiting arms. As she laid the tiny wrapped infant into Kagome's arms, Sango whispered, "I'm so sorry."
None of this seemed real. Everything seemed to be happening in flashes, and Kagome cradled the child, looking down upon its cherubic face. So quiet, so still, so pale... and upon the child's forehead was a tiny crescent moon. She reached and touched a lock of silver downy hair that curled upon the child's head. Sango was right, so perfect.
All of the fear and pain and doubt rushed to the surface, and she let out a wail, keeling, long and drawn out. Tears dropped onto the infant's face, spilling down from its mother's face. This could not be real. Kagome brought a shaky hand to the child's face and gently slid her finger down the child's cheek.
Stillborn.
Kagome brought her hand to her face and sobbed in weak spasms, oblivious to the world around her, lamenting in her emotional and bodily pain.
o - o - o - o - o
No one heard the arrival of another, and all were caught up within their reveries. No one moved as the arrival strode silently over to Kagome's side and looked down.
However, once the shock settled, Inuyasha began to bristle. "Sesshomaru?" he snarled with disbelief.
Sesshomaru did not look up, transfixed on the babe within Kagome's arms. The blood-smell was everywhere, intermingled with the scent of death. 'Too late,' the voice inside hissed.
At the mention of his name, the miko looked up to see him standing over her. Her eyes were dark and cloudy with tears when she took him in. A single tear spilled down her cheek, down the path many others had already traveled. An impulse to comfort the woman almost overtook him, to wipe away the salty tear of sorrow and regret. For wasn't he responsible for placing the woman in this situation...
"You fucking bastard! I will kill you!" Inuyasha screamed and barrelled forward to tackle his brother where he stood. The brute successfully caught Sesshomaru off-guard, causing him to jump backward and pull out his sword, Bakusaiga. "Be still, Inuyasha. I have no quarrel with you."
"You fucker," Inuyasha growled. "You couldn't leave what was mine alone." Inuyasha hadn't bothered to pull free Tessaiga, instead preferring to utilize his claws. His eyes glowed red with fury.
"I do not want to hurt you," Sesshomaru called out. "But I will not allow you to kill me." He could sense the halfling's fury now emitting in waves around them. There was naught to do but beat some sense into the idiot.
"You won't haveta allow anything. I will rip you to shreds with my bare hands. You will feel pain! Lots and lots of pain," Inuyasha barked and jumped to attack.
Sesshomaru easily side-stepped and dodged each furious swipe of Inuyasha's claws. Rage had blinded Inuyasha, and likely nothing would bring him back now that he'd been pushed over the edge.
"DIE!" Inuyasha screamed. Realizing his claws may not be enough to damage Sesshomaru, he finally pulled Tessaiga - his inherited sword - free. He roared and swung the blade forward, but the large fang sword clashed heavily against a large weapon with no give. He was pushed back and saw that Sango's giant boomerang had thwarted his attack.
"Stop it! Both of you!" Sango yelled. She held Hiraikotsu defensively, ready to try and hold her own against her comrade.
"Get outta my way, bitch, or you'll die, too!" he growled and sidestepped Sango, running to attack Sesshomaru.
Sesshomaru held Bakusaiga to his side, the tip near the ground. He contemplated allowing the taijiya to intercede on his behalf. The woman slayer may have a better chance of placating the mutt. It would be better than dealing with the blood of his sibling on his hands, though he had wanted nothing but that in the past.
"No! Stop!" Sango yelled again, whipping her boomerang around to push the raging hanyo back again. "This isn't helping anything! We need to get her out of here, you idiot!"
"After I kill him." His eyes continued to glow red, and he threw Tessaiga towards his brother.
Sango whipped her boomerang to stop the blade from hitting its target, but it had been a feint. Inuyasha used the flying sword as a distraction and then used the momentum from the boomerang to catapult himself towards Sesshomaru.
Sesshomaru brought up his blade and carefully blocked his brother's wild attack. If it came to it, he would kill the hanyo. He gripped Bakusaiga and spun to meet another lunging attack from Inuyasha, who had retrieved Tessaiga and came for him again.
Their swords clashed against one another in a deafening cacophony of steel. Sesshomaru waited for Inuyasha to tire himself out before attacking. He raised the blade overhead and brought it down, only to be blocked by that cursed boomerang. The taijiya had thrown herself in between the pair; her face was drawn in agony.
"Kagome…" she said in between sobbing, broken breaths, staring down the warring brothers and pointing a shaky hand. "She's…she's...gone..."
A/N: I feel for all of these characters. They are all going through quite a tumultuous, life-altering predicament. Ack! Sometimes in stories, you have to kill characters off. GOT anyone? (Oh, you like this character? The character is dead!)
Anywho, I really, truly appreciate all of you who have taken the time to read this story. I extra appreciate those of you who keep me going with reviews. They are much loved. Thanks, bunches.