Survivor

Koga and Ayame could see the group as they began to depart, and Koga was infinitely surprised that Saaya and Naraku weren't with them.

" What now?" Ayame asked. He looked at her.

" We have no business here." He said. " Let's go…see Kigo."

Ayame squealed and threw her arms around him. Meanwhile, Kisho's jaw dropped. " No business here? What? No way!! Remember? You said you'd get the Tetsuaiga!"

" Kisho, we've put up with you long enough. You're on your own from here on out. If you still want revenge on Saeka, you're a real fool. So long, kid."

With that, they took off so fast, Kisho had no hope of catching up.

" You traitors!" he yelled after them. He turned to the group with a bitter expression.

" Saeka, I give up. You're too slippery."

With that, he turned and started off after the wolves.

That was the last time he was ever seen.

The group was able to return to the village quickly thanks to their dragon escorts. Saeka was now doubled over in pain, though she assured them that this was good. Sesshomaru was deeply concerned about her, internally raging at himself for leaving her like this.

" Saeka, we'll be there soon." He assured her. Her wings were out, for she had tried to fly, but had fallen again from the extra weight that wasn't her own. Sesshomaru had summoned his cloud and held her against him, keeping an eye on her while flying. She was gripping his arm so hard she was leaving claw marks and breathing heavily. " Please…hurry." She whispered hoarsely.

By the time they reached the village, Saeka was biting her lip to keep from crying out. One of the village children spotted them and ran to tell Kaede, which saved them the trouble of finding her themselves. Kaede immediately rushed out as fast as she could, and the minute she saw Saeka, she knew what was happening.

" Oh, goodness." She exclaimed. " Come, get her inside. It's almost time." She said. Sesshomaru picked her up carefully and carried her inside Kaede's hut. He set her down at the far end of the wall, as she instructed. Then, without any ado, she attempted to shoo him out. But he refused to budge. As the others hurried in, she looked at them in defeat.

" I won't leave her again." He said quietly. Kaede sighed.

" Well, ye can't be near during the birth itself. 'Tis not proper." She said.

" I will wait here, then." He said, taking a seat, his eyes averted from Saeka's body. He could hear her regulating her breathing. InuYasha sat down a few feet away so that he was facing his brother, but so he couldn't see Saeka. Miroku had agreed to wait outside with Rona and Sakura. Kagome and Sango went over with supplies to help her.

" This isn't an ordinary child." Sango was saying as she sat down beside Saeka, who seemed to be in another world. " She's only a month along. This isn't a regular child."

" But everything seems normal." Kagome said. " I mean, she hasn't suddenly started bleeding or anything, that would mean she lost it."

Saeka gasped in pain and clenched her fists as Kaede covered her with a blanket. She looked at Saeka's hands. " Don't cut thyself." She warned, referring to her claws. Saeka nodded stiffly, her eyes glazed over. She moved her gaze to her mate. Kagome instinctively knew what she needed.

" Sesshomaru." Kagome said. She saw his head lift in recognition of his name.

" Come over here. You can at least sit nearby."

He got to his feet and sat down a little closer to Saeka, just enough to he could see her face. She smiled when she saw him. " I just wanted you to be with me." She said quietly.

" I know." He replied, taking her hand. She squeezed her eyes shut. " Lady Kaede, is it time, yet?"

" Not quite. I will be sure to let ye know." Kaede replied. Saeka moaned and continued to calm her breathing.

After awhile, her contractions became more regular and Kaede said that she should be ready at any moment. Saeka's eyes were half-open as she waited. Kagome and Sango kept near to Kaede, both anxious. InuYasha, now facing the opposite wall, sat perfectly still.

Kaede looked at Saeka. " Get ready now, Saeka." She said gravely. Saeka nodded and drew a breath. Sesshomaru closed his eyes.

" Now, Saeka." Kaede said. Saeka bit her lip as she exerted saved strength. She exhaled sharply and drew another breath, pushing as hard as she could.

" Almost, Saeka. One more." Kaede said. Saeka strained again, biting her lip until she tasted blood, though she knew she wasn't bleeding.

" Almost there, Saeka." Kaede said again.

" I thought you said I had only one more!" Saeka grumbled.

" I lied. Come on." Kaede said. Saeka growled to herself and strained once more. The pain was excruciating and she felt her sight blacken for a moment. She gasped a few times and pushed again, feeling the tension ease slowly.

She had almost done it.

" There!" Kaede cried. Everyone jumped as the piercing cries of the infant shattered the stillness of the cabin. Sesshomaru felt Saeka's hold on his hand lessen as she relaxed and he turned around. Kaede was wrapping the squalling child in a blanket Sango had given her. From the sounds and rather pinkish look of it, it seemed perfectly healthy, though about eight months early. It was a tad on the small side. He turned around fully and stared at it.

" What is it?" he asked.

" A little baby boy." Sango replied, drying the baby's face off gently. Her eyes widened. " Oh wow. He's beautiful! His hair is coal black, yet his eyes are the strangest I've ever seen."

The baby had opened his eyes and she was staring at them admirably. " He has one green eye and one gold eye. How weird. Yet he looks like his mama. How's that for awesome?"

Sesshomaru allowed a small smile to appear on his lips as he stared at his son. He'd finally gotten a boy and Saaya had a little brother. Hopefully they got along better than he and InuYasha had.

InuYasha got up and looked at his new little nephew. " Saeka told me she liked the name Kaoru." He said.

" That's a good name." Kagome said. Kaede handed the baby to Sesshomaru. Unlike with Saaya, he didn't freeze up when he took the child.

" I like that name as well." He mumbled. Kaoru opened his eyes and Sesshomaru saw that Sango was right; he had two different eyes. But as he stared at him, he saw something strange. " What?"

" What is it?" Kagome asked. Sesshomaru raised a hand to his son's head.

" He has two antennae, like Saeka does. But his are attached to him."

" Woah." InuYasha said. " That's a little-OW!"

He had reached down to the touch one of them and yanked his hand back in pain. " Crap!! Those things have stingers on them!!! No wonder Saeka was in so much pain!" he growled, clutching his hand angrily. Sesshomaru smirked. " Thank you for testing that for me, little brother." He mumbled.

It suddenly occurred to him that Saeka hadn't seen the baby yet. He thought she'd be straining to see it by now. He figured she might be tired so he turned to face her.

Suddenly, he felt his heartbeat quicken and his eyes went horribly wide. He slowly turned and, without looking, handed Kaoru off to Kagome before shuffling over to his mate. He bent down beside her, and the whole room fell still. Sango, Kagome and Kaede all watched, suddenly nervous. Sesshomaru put a hand to Saeka's forehead.

" Saeka?" he asked. No response. He lifted her into a sitting position.

She was terrifyingly limp.

" Saeka?" he said again, his voice wavering, which was unusual. He shook her very gently. " Saeka, answer me."

She said nothing. He put his hand to her heart. He shook his head ever so slightly. " No. No, No. Saeka! Saeka!" he yelled. She remained still in his arms. Sango took a shaky breath and covered her mouth with her hand.

" Oh no." she whispered. Kagome was shaking so hard that Kaede had to snatch Kaoru from her arms before she dropped him, but even the old priestess was trembling. Sesshomaru was bordering more on panic than any of them had ever seen him do before.

" SAEKA!!!" he yelled.

Saeka was dead.

A/N: I'M SORRY!! I'M SORRY!!!! GOMENASAI!!! REALLY!!!! I know I am a horrible rotten person for killing Saeka as she has her first son. I know, I'm a meanie and I don't deserve to publish!!! But I couldn't think of any other way to end the story. Don't worry, there's one more chapter after this one. Just keep reading. The ending will make sense. PLEASE FORGIVE ME!!!!