No matter how much I love the Inuyasha series, as do us all, I have no ownership of anything Inuyasha.(sigh)
Okay, time to wrap it up!
Chapter Seventeen
Kagome watches their group as the all land on the grounds of the shrine. Inuyasha's arms slide from her and she slips to the ground, hurrying toward where Kirara waits.
Sesshoumaru is lying prone on her back, his tall frame barely fitting. Kagome and Inuyasha lift him up, Kirara shifting to her smaller cat form and padding before them like a escort toward the house.
Suiki meets them half way, her face tense.
"Take him upstairs if you can. I'll see to him in a minute." She calls as she leaves the door open for them, hurrying past them to where Inutaisho stands.
Inutaisho cradles Rin gently against his chest, striding toward the house and meeting Suiki. He pauses long enough for Suiki to make a quick assessment and she stares up at him, her face grim a moment before she turns.
"Hurry up and get her upstairs." Inutaisho nods, Shippo following the three inside.
Kagome and Inuyasha manage to get Sesshoumaru upstairs, laying him out on the bed in their room. Inuyasha stares down at him, deeply concerned. Sesshoumaru hadn't moved since he'd collapsed in the hot spring. His ears shift slightly, easily picking up the sound of his brother's heartbeat.
Somewhat reassured he backs away, letting Kagome in. Kagome sits on the edge of the bed, her slim fingers brushing his neck as she checks his pulse again, one hand resting atop the center of his chest. Kirara leaps atop the bed, curling up between Sesshoumaru's feet and begins to purr.
"Kagome?" She looks up, seeing Inuyasha watching her worriedly. "Is he all right?" Kagome nods.
"I think so. His pulse is steady and his breathing seems fine. It's almost as if he's asleep."
"He is." They both look up as Inutaisho, Shippo, and Suiki come into the room. "A demon's power only lasts so long. Sesshoumaru's driven himself to the point of exhaustion. He'll sleep for a few days." He says, laying Rin gently out on the bed beside Sesshoumaru. All attention turns to Suiki as she sits on the bed beside Rin like Kagome.
Ignoring everyone else in the room Suiki leans forward, pushing her sleeves up before placing her hands on either side of Rin's belly, closing her eyes.
After several minutes she leans back, sighing.
"Somehow, I have no idea how she did it, but the babe is fine. I can't sense anything wrong with it, except it might be a bit weak right now. That's only because the mother is so weak. As Rin regains her strength, so will the child."
"But what about Rin?" Inutaisho asks. Suiki shifts further forward and places a hand on Rin's chest, above her heart.
"She is weak. Almost to the point of death. It has taken all within her to protect the child. At this point all we can do is nurse her as well as we can and pray for the best." Inuyasha steps up from where he stands in the corner.
"That's all we can do?" He says, his hands balling into fists. Suiki nods.
"Yes." She rises. "Kagome, some tea would be wonderful right now if you could." She nods, coming around the bed. Inuyasha follows, Shippo mentioning something under his breath about taking a walk, leaving Suiki and Inutaisho alone in the room with the pair on the bed.
Once alone Suiki rubs the back of her neck, relaxing her body slightly. Inutaisho watches her, silent.
"A few more hours and she would have been gone." She says quietly, turning to draw a blanket up over the sleeping demoness.
Turning back she notices the signs of strain on Inutaisho's face.
"Are you all right?" He nods absently and she steps up to him, pressing her body against his despite his armor. "Want me to dress your wounds?" He turns to her and she can see the exhaustion in his eyes. Slowly he nods and she takes his hand.
"Come, let me take care of you." She says softly
Sesshoumaru feels a gentle brush on his neck and stirs slightly, his brow knitting as he reaches up, gripping a wrist. He can sense someone leaning over him, a familiar and encompassing scent filling the air. He inhales deeply, a single name coming to mind.
"Rin." He whispers. He hears a soft chuckle over him and lips brushing against the crescent moon on his forehead. His eyes open as the lips draw away and he stares into a pair of beautiful eyes. He stares up at her a moment then releases her wrist. "Rin!" He exclaims, sitting up so suddenly that it startles them both. His head swims from moving so fast and he leans forward, Rin's arms surrounding him as she supports his weight as he sags forward.
"I thought I was going to lose you." He whispers. Rin's hands move on his back slowly.
"Well you didn't." She says softly in his ear. She guides him back to lie down on the bed, brushing the back of her hand down his cheek slowly, looking down at him lovingly.
"What about..." His hands slide up to caress her belly lightly. Rin smiles.
"From what Suiki has told me the child is fine." Looking outside he notices how dark it is.
"How long was I asleep?"
"We were both asleep a few days. You've been asleep for almost a week." Rin gestures toward the bedside table where a plate of food waits.
"Kagome was just here. She left this for you. She thought you might be hungry." He stares at it a moment then turns on his side, away from the plate. Reaching up he draws Rin down to lie beside him, her back to his chest.
"The only thing I want is for you to be by my side." He whispers in her ear. Rin shifts her body slightly against his, her body fitting against his as if they are two pieces of a puzzle.
"This is all I could ever wish for." Not getting a response she looks back, smiling slightly when she sees that he is already asleep.
Several Weeks Later
"You know Kagome, if you don't want to be in there, you don't have to." Inuyasha says quietly, sounding slightly bothered himself. Kagome smiles.
"Rin needs me in there." She says, nodding toward the closed door behind her. Inuyasha does as well, both of their minds thinking of the same thoughts.
It has been weeks since the incident on the mountain, and Rin had yet to regain her strength except for the little she'd gained after the first week. Even Suiki was nervous about the birth with Rin being as weak as she is. Kagome bites her lip slightly and Inuyasha pulls her into a hug.
"She'll be fine. She's got Sesshoumaru with her. With you in there I'm sure she'll be fine." He says, trying to reassure her despite his own misgivings. Kagome smiles and steps back, pushing him toward the stairs.
"Are you sure?" Kagome nods, patting his hands as they come to rest on over their child.
"If I need you I'll call. Now head back downstairs." She says, her voice slightly firm. He nods, heading downstairs as Kagome opens the door.
Inside she studies the three people silently a moment, her hand still resting over the child she carries.
Sesshoumaru is resting with his back against the wall, Rin sitting up with her back against his chest. Both her hands are in his and her knuckles are white around his hands though he shows no sign of discomfort. Even as she watches Rin moans, her pale face bathed in sweat. Suiki sits at the foot of the bed, the demoness glancing up at Rin occasionally and patting her bare leg.
As Kagome approaches the bed Sesshoumaru glances at her worriedly and she tries to smile encouragingly. Only three hours into the labor and Rin's strength is already starting to fade.
Rin moans in pain again, pulling on Sesshoumaru's hands hard as she sits up slightly for several seconds before falling back against her mate's chest. Kagome wets a wash cloth in the basin beside the bed and washes Rin's face with it.
"Why isn't the child coming yet?" Sesshoumaru whispers worriedly, glancing between the midwife and Kagome. The miko pats his hand.
"These things take time. Not as long for a demon, but they still take time." Just as she says that Rin sits forward again, clenching her teeth against the pain as a moan escapes her lips. This lasts much longer this time and as Rin collapses back against Sesshoumaru again Suiki suddenly stands, leaning forward to lay a hand on Rin's enlarged stomach.
"It's almost time now Rin. Come on, you can do this." The demoness says in a quiet, soothing voice. "Get ready now." Rin inhales as deeply as she can and clenches hard on Sesshoumaru's hands.
Downstairs Inuyasha is twitching without knowing it, his knee bouncing quickly where he sits on the edge of the recliner. Inutaisho watches silently, thoroughly amused by his son's discomfort. Suddenly Inutaisho leans forward.
"You really don't need to worry." Inuyasha glances at his father.
"Whosaidiwasworriedimnotworriedthatsstupid." Inutaisho laughs as his son runs all his words together, talking way to fast.
"I was there for the births of both of you. It's not as bad as you think." Inuyasha shoots his father a glare then both stop when they hear a pained cry from upstairs.
Suiki looks up at Rin from where she sits at the edge of the bed, looking concerned as she studies Rin. She is collapsed back against Sesshoumaru's chest, eyes closed and chest barely moving as she breathes. Her hands are slack in his, sliding down to rest on the bed.
Sesshoumaru's eyes widen in fear and he takes his mate's chin in his hand, tilting her face up to look at him.
"She's just unconscious." Suiki says quietly, looking down out of Sesshoumaru and Kagome's line of sight. Kagome stands slowly.
"Is the baby all right?" Suiki rises to her feet slowly, a small bundle in her arms wrapped in a blanket. She turns away suddenly, crossing the room to the bathroom.
"What is it?" Sesshoumaru asks, staring after her. "Is something wrong?"
The demoness merely holds up a hand before disappearing into the bathroom. After a minute Kagome is about to follow when the demoness returns, the bundle wrapped in a new, clean blanket and she hands the bundle to Kagome. Kagome looks down at it a moment then smiles widely, turning to Sesshoumaru.
"My lord." He studies her, then looks down at the small child in her arms.
After several minutes of tense silence downstairs Inuyasha is about to get up and leave when they hear footsteps coming down the stairs. Both men rise, watching as Sesshoumaru comes down the stairs slowly, a bundle cradled in his arms. He doesn't say anything until he is standing beside them, pulling the blanket away slightly to show a tussle of snow white hair and a small crescent moon shape on pale white skin.
"Father, I would like you to meet your grandson."