Normal POV
"Find her! She is the only one trained to birth my pups!" Sesshomaru snarled violently at the nurse before him, clutching Kagome tighter to him. They had been there fifteen minutes, while Enai was supposedly too busy to help Kagome give birth. He would have a word with her.
"Milord, she is delivering a baby. I can't even go in there."
"Find a way!" Acid was breathed from his mouth in a puff of green smoke. The nurse would be nothing more than a pile of melting skin and bones on the flood. He whipped around quickly when a hand rested on his back.
"Sesshomaru, calm down." Inutaisho coached gently, soothingly. The wild, worried look on Sesshomaru's face pained him deeply. "Naraku is in the waiting room with another nurse and a wheelchair. Follow me."
Sesshomaru nodded and followed his father. Lowering his eyes to Kagome for a second, he sighed apprehensively. Almost her entire skirt was stained with the blood she leaked, and his arms were soaked as well. With each step he took, more fell to the floor. If anything happened to his pups or mate, everyone person in the hospital would suffer terribly.
The wheelchair's seat dipped as Kagome was sat in it. Sesshomaru quickly made to grab the handles, but Naraku beat him to it. He growled. "I will take her to the Maternity ward."
Naraku smirked, and instead of replying, he began to push Kagome after the nurse. His hand slipped from the handles when Sesshomaru grabbed him by his collar and jerked him back suddenly, catching him off guard. "Release me."
"Do not think you are a significant part of my mate's life. You are the other man."
"Because the main man couldn't be a man."
Sesshomaru snarled. "Watch your mouth, hanyou."
Naraku's eyes flashed violently. Rearing back, he punched the Daiyoukai in the cheek. Said Daiyoukai instantly returned the favor, punching the hanyou squarely in the face. Naraku wrapped his arms around Sesshomaru's torso and ran forward, slamming him into the wall. Sesshomaru hissed, knocking him away with a swing of his arm.
"You have lost your pathetic mind to think that you can attack the Lord of the West."
Naraku, breathing erratically, flared his nostrils. His crimson eyes swirled with instability, and Sesshomaru began to wonder if really, the thing was insane. "I will not…let you take…my key…FROM ME!" Tentacles shot from his body, ripping through his shirt and aiming at Sesshomaru.
"Sesshomaru!" Inutaisho called out to his son, who immediately dodged to the right. "Sesshomaru, stop this. Kagome needs you."
"Kagome, where is she?" He'd completely forgotten her in his anger.
"I took her to her room. She's awake." He ducked to avoid the tentacles that were trying to knock him away from Sesshomaru. "Knock him out or something. Your mate is bleeding in unbelievable proportions and about to give birth to your pups."
Sesshomaru cursed. He needed to get to her. He sliced off two of Naraku's tentacles, leaving the severed appendages to squirm on the ground. Naraku simply chuckled in a crazed manner, growing four more in their place. He was about to strike when he heard,
"SESSHOMARU!!!! NARAKU!!!!"
She needed him. Calming instantly, he ran toward the sound of her voice, Sesshomaru beside him, tracking her scent. They both swerved into her room and found Enai holding her hand. Sesshomaru grimaced at the woman. "Where were you?"
She bowed. "Forgive me, my lord. I was delivering and no one told me the she was here."
"Hn. Deliver the pups and heal my mate." Sesshomaru went to Kagome's side, taking her hand from Enai, while Naraku grabbed the other.
"Of course, Taisho-sama." She smiled down at Kagome. "You'll be alright." Maneuvering around the cluttered room, the only available, she lifted the sheets from Kagome's legs. "You're not dilating fast enough. I think we'll need to do a Cesarean section."
Kagome whimpered. "N-no. You can't cut me."
Naraku stroked her hand gently. "I won't let them hurt you, Kagome. You'll only feel a little pressure."
"W-what if they cut one of the babies?"
"They will not. They perform these procedures a thousand times a day, Kagome." Sesshomaru answered before Naraku got the chance, earning a glare which he simply ignored.
Comforted for the time being, Kagome leaned her head back onto her pillow, loosening her hold on their hands. Enai frowned a bit. "You're bleeding badly."
Kagome's face molded into a frown. "I fell off the porch."
"How far?"
"No higher than a foot."
"That's not far enough to call this much damage unless you fell onto your stomach. Has anything happened while you were pregnant to cause this?"
"I…" She tried to recall if anything had happened since she'd been pregnant. "A fight, a fight with a woman. She hit me a bit, and I was choked."
Enai nodded. "Struck and deprived of oxygen, plus the fall. Yes. That could have caused some damage. With the rate you're bleeding, I think we should get the pups…and spider ling out as soon as possible so that we can fix you up. Are you alright with that, Taisho-sama?"
Kagome nodded weakly, trying not to drift off. She yawned. "Yes."
"Come on. We need you awake. Just a few more hours."
"Hours." She whined.
Enai smiled. "I'll hurry." She rushed out the door.
Kagome sighed softly. "Both of you are bleeding."
Sesshomaru licked the blood from his lip, and Naraku rubbed the scratch on his cheek. "It was a small spar." They said simultaneously, glaring at one another.
"While I was unconscious and in pain?" She bit.
"Forgive me." Sesshomaru said softly.
"I'm sorry." Naraku whispered.
She sighed, patting around for the remote since she couldn't seem to move her neck. "You're both idiots."
Naraku's hand darted for the remote, but Sesshomaru beat him to it, handing the device to Kagome with a kiss to her cheek. He growled softly, but smiled when Kagome looked up at him. When she turned away, he sighed silently. This was going to be a long few hours.
Inuyasha's POV
I pace back and forth across the waiting room floor, worried out of my mind. Kagome has been gone a little over four hours. We heard her scream for about forty five minutes straight, and then all was silent. I heard two babies cry, but I know Kagome was pregnant with three kids. I don't want any of them to be dead, but I swear, if it's my niece of nephew, I'll lose it.
"Inuyasha," I hear someone call my name softly, and turn to face Sango and Miroku.
"What are you doing here, Sang?"
"Sota called from Sesshomaru's house where he's watching the kids. He wants me here, in his place…and I want to be here to make up with Kagome." She fiddles nervously with the ends of her hair. I know she's probably afraid that Kagome will reject her.
I sigh softly. "I don't know how things are with her. She's been gone for hours. I heard her scream, then the kids, but only two of them."
Miroku arches an eyebrow. "What do you mean? She's pregnant with two of Sesshomaru's pups only, right? Triplets?"
"Triplets, I guess. But one ain't Sess's."
"Naraku?" Miroku asks with wide eyes. Seeing the confused look on my face, he explains, "Sango, then a little information I got from Bankotsu."
"Oh, well, yeah."
Sango gasps softly, then lowers her gaze. "B-but, if only two cried…"
I nod at her unspoken finish. "One of them must be stillborn, but I'm prayin' that ain't the case. Kagome will be devastated."
Bankotsu rises up, approaching us. "How did you know about the other kid?" He asks me, uncrossing his arms from his chest and rubbing his eyes. He must be tired like the rest of us.
"Kagome told me. I've been livin' with her for a while, since she left Sess, really. She told me that she told Sess the day she left him."
"Oh." We all turn when Sesshomaru and Naraku enter the waiting room, their scrubs wet with blood. My pop and the rest get up from their seats, terror in their eyes.
The first to speak is Kenji. "How is my baby girl? Tell me she's fine?" He's unable to look at their faces, too occupied with the blood staining their scrubs. "Are the pups good?"
"The pups are…well. Kagome…" Naraku looks away.
"Kagome is in dire need of blood, Kenji-san, and supposedly, my own is inefficient because in a time of near death, a miko's being near a youkai will cause them to flare." Sesshomaru bites out. "You and Ayumi-san must give blood."
Kenji nods. "Of course. Come, Ayumi. Let us find a doctor." He takes her hand, ushering her down the hall.
Sesshomaru exhales loudly, sitting down in a chair. "She'll be okay. All she needs is blood, right?"
"She seems so drained. I will never pup her again after this."
I smirk. "You won't be able to stop yourself. A week or two from now, you two will be hitting the sheets." Across the room, I hear Naraku growl lowly, and roll my eyes. "Like you even stand a chance."
"Watch your mouth, foul hanyou."
I'm about to retort, when Sesshomaru snarls loudly. "You watch yours, you pathetic excuse for a living thing! My brother has done you no wrong, and you will treat a Prince of the West with the proper respect."
I blink a bit, then smile softly. I knew he loved me, the jackass.
Naraku narrows his eyes. "You are lucky that I love Kagome more than I could ever hate either of you."
"You are but a speck in my mind."
"And you don't deserve someone as generous as her, someone as caring, as pure. I don't see what she sees in you."
"And I could very well say the same of you. I have seven years seniority on your pathetic relationship. Kagome cares nothing for you."
Naraku smirks. "Is that so? Then tell me, why did she attempt to remove her mark earlier? She was so desperate to be away from you, so eager to be in my arms, that she risked her very life, and ended up in the hospital."
My entire family turns to face him in shock. Sesshomaru never told us that. Kagome never told us that. Sesshomaru stands up, walking steadily toward Naraku. "You know full well that you persuaded her to do that."
Naraku stood, smirking smugly. "Perhaps. But even so, she must have had a lingering feeling to do so if she allowed such."
Sesshomaru grabbed Naraku's shirt in his fists. "You nearly killed her. She was dying in your arms, and you continued, you sick, psychotic bastard!"
"I am not psychotic! Not with Kagome, I am not! She sees beyond my faults, and I will not allow you to take her back, not when I have just begun to live! I would rather die than see you take my very life source away from me!"
"That," Sesshomaru bares his fangs, "can be arranged."
"Sesshomaru, let him down, sweetheart." My mom says soothingly, placing her hands on his back. "Kagome wouldn't want this."
Sesshomaru growls, whirling to face her with angry, beast red eyes. I stand, in case, while he isn't in his right mind, he attacks. "He is ruining her! That pathetic thing ruins everything he touches! She nearly died once, and he is doing this again! Two pups, she could have handled. His child was conceived within her, and now, she could die! My mate could perish! I will not have that! I cannot lose her."
Naraku stumbles back when Sess whirls around again. "I- I'm not the one harming her…am I? I- I can't be."
"You are! Everything you lay your hands on, you kill."
He looks at his hands, stained with Kagome's hands. "I can't hurt her…I- I can't hurt her like the others!" I can practically hear his heart pounding in his chest, and I'm actually sorry for him. He covers his eyes.
"Is he alright?" I whisper.
"I won't see her suffer." He shakes his head. "I won't!" Pushing past Sesshomaru, he races out of the hospital eagerly.
I blink, surprised. "Is something wrong with him? He's normally so…evil looking. He actually looked, human."
Sesshomaru scowls. "I don't care.' He sits, bowing his head.
Kagome's POV
I look over at the door tiredly as it opens and my family filters in. With a weak smile, I nod, too exhausted to wave. "Hi, guys."
"You look…good." Inuyasha offers, and I glare.
"I know I look like crap. I just gave birth to three freakin' babies." I smile wider as Sesshomaru sits on the chair near my bed. "Hey, stranger. Where have you been?"
Sesshomaru strokes my hair gently. "I was in the waiting room wondering how to keep myself from impregnating you without condoms or birth control."
I laugh lightly. "Sponges."
"I want nothing but the raw feeling of myself inside you." He purrs.
Blushing, I swat his thigh. "Language, mister." I sigh, leaning into his hand. "I'm so tired, but I can't sleep. I'm too excited. Enai said the babies should be brought back soon. I can't wait to see them. I bet they were beautiful."
Sesshomaru shrugged lightly. "I would not know. They were covered in thick, crimson blood and putrid fluid."
"Ew, Sess. Thanks for the visual." Inuyasha heads into the bathroom, and I hear him gagging.
Shaking my head, I cut my eyes to the door when it opens and Enai walks in, followed by another doctors, both holding a bundle. She smiled, placing one in Sesshomaru's arms, and the other in my own. Peeling back the covers, I gasp, staring down into cracked, golden eyes. "Oh, she's so perfect." I inhale her unique scent. Sure, all of my pups are the splitting image of their father, but that doesn't mean I can't see me in them. For instance, Amai has my smile. It seems my little girl has my fiery eyes, and my little boy…I peak over at him and know instantly. He has little tufts of black hair under the silver ones. Beautiful.
"Once again, mate, you give me perfection, despite the human I know is in them."
Without looking at him, I cock a brow, and threaten, "Just for that, you're getting your tail handed to you in our battle."
Boredly, he inquires. "Will you really?" Looking up, I find him playing with our son's little hand, moving it back and forth gently.
"Yes. I will."
Turning to face me, Sesshomaru smirks. "Then I await the moment."
Leaning up, I kiss him with a content sigh. "You're a baka."
"Your baka." He breathes, nuzzling the side of my head, and I giggle.
My eyes roll around, searching for Naraku. I wonder why he hasn't- "Sango?" My eyes harden as I hold my baby tighter. "Why are you here?"
"Kagome," she whispers brokenly, "I'm so sorry…I never meant to…I was only…I was jealous." She lowered her head. "That you were pregnant, and I wasn't. I've been trying so hard, and you managed to get pregnant…and you didn't even know which one was the father. I was upset. But it wasn't my place."
"You're right…It wasn't." I sigh, loosening up. "But they don't call me Kagome Ha Kanyou for nothing."
Sango nodded, smiling. "Yes. Forgiving Kagome indeed."
I lift my daughter, "Hold her?"
"I'd love to!" Happily, she takes my little girl in her arms, cooing and giggling. "Oh, I can't wait for my own little one, seven whole months."
"Seven? Sango, you're two months pregnant?" I asked, surprised.
"One and ¾!"
We beamed, screaming at the top of our longs. Everyone, even the humans, in the room cover their ears. "I'm so happy for you."
"Thank you!"
There's a knock on the door and in walks another doctor, this one carrying another small bundle, my third child of the night. I take her in my arms, preparing to pull the blanket from my face when there's another knock at the door. "Come in."
My Naraku-kun strolls in, places a bouquet of white roses on my nightstand and sitting in a far corner, staring at the wall.
Frowning, I call to him. "Naraku, are you feeling ill?"
"I'm fine." He whispers.
"Good. When I didn't see you," I look down at our covered child, "I thought you'd abandoned me at a hospital again."
"No."
I narrow my eyes at him, the annoying punk. "Would you quit acting like that?!"
"I wasn't aware that I was upsetting you. Forgive me." He get up and heads for the door.
"Wait. Don't you even want to see your daughter?" Hesitantly, he turns and stands near me, peaking over my shoulder. Smiling, I peel the blanket back and stare, startled at the pale child. She's beautiful, like a little angel. Her skin nearly white, her hair perfectly white. She holds the most peaceful expression on her little face. "She looks like a little China doll, hm?"
"I've never seen anything so…so…indescribable."
I look up at him. "Indescribable?"
He continues to stare at our child in wonder. "I'd say she was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, but that would be an understatement. She's so much more amazing than that."
"Hn. The half of her that is made of Kagome is." Sesshomaru growls softly, sighing when I glare at him. "Hn."
"Kagome, we'll leave you two to talk." Inutaisho said, and after the sleeping pups are sat in their hospital cribs, they leave the room.
"Do you want to hold her?" I ask Naraku, offering her. As though being burned, he jumps back.
"N-no. I, I mean, I can't."
I frown at him. "What's with the sudden case of Haphephobia (fear of being touched)?"
He folds his hands into his sleeves. "I can't ruin my angels."
"What?"
Naraku furrows his brows. "You and Kanna, my angels. I can't ruin you."
"Touching ruins things?"
"My touch is cursed, tainted. I've caused you pain."
My eyes soften. "Come here." When he shakes his head, I grab his hand, and his stiffen. Rubbing his hand against my cheek, I smile. "See, fine. " I use his hand to stroke Kanna's head, and she opens her eyes, revealing wide, dark eyes. You can't tell the difference between her pupil and iris. "Fine too. Whatever made you think you were tainted?"
"The facts." He said simply, continuing to stroke her head. "Kan-na." He pronounces her name with a tender smile. "Do you like that name, little one?" He draws back when she yawns, then begins to fuss, biting her hands. "Does that mean she doesn't like it?"
I laugh softly. "No. She's hungry."
Naraku smiles then. "Oh…I will leave you to feed her then."
"No. You don't have to go. I can cover up with a blanket. I don't even have to do that. You've seen before."
He looks over my head, then averts his gaze. "No. I think that I will go…When you leave the hospital tomorrow, where will you go? Where you have been…or with Sesshomaru?"
I blink. I hadn't considered it. "Why aren't you an option?"
"There are things…that I need to think about, things that I need to consider."
"About me?" I ask, stunned. "I thought…I thought we had an understanding about everything."
"Kagome, tell me something…Have you ever been in love with someone who was mated, whom still wanted their mate, and yet they wanted you, and you're confused in ways you've never been before?"
"W-well…no."
"Then you cannot understand this." He starts to leave.
Growling loudly, I hiss, "You're dumping me?"
Naraku gazes at the ground. "I am separating myself from you for the both of us. There will come a time, and soon, where you will have to choose between myself and Sesshomaru. I will use this time to make a plan of what I will do, should you choose him." He opens the door.
"Y-you're doing it again?! Shh," I rock Kanna gently, "You're casting me aside over something I can't control. My heart is torn, Naraku. You have to give me time."
"This is time."
"But how long will this be? I don't like being without you."
"As long as it takes."
I scowl at him. "And your daughter? What about her?"
He clutches the wall. "She will stay with you…and when you decide, should you choose him, we will have joint custody."
"B- Shh, Kanna, sweetheart," I pat her back.
"Kagome, there are things that you don't know. Look at all the facts that you have. Am I really that good of a choice?"
I furrow my brows. "You're both good."
Naraku walks up to me, and stairs into my eyes. "Do you love me?"
I nod. "Of course I do."
"Then you'll try this, for me. You'll think with your head, not just your heart."
"It's like you want me to choose him."
"I want you happy, even if I cannot be." He grabs my chin.
Snatching away, I pull my gown down and allow Kanna to suckle. "Leave then."
He sighs. "I love you, Kagome. I need you, but I don't need you wondering what if. Just give me time. When you're ready to choose…after you and Sesshomaru have healed from your battle the day after tomorrow, we'll talk." Kissing my lips tenderly, he leaves.
I listen to his footsteps until I can't hear them anymore, and then I begin to cry. I really do love him, but I love Sesshomaru too. I don't want to lose either of them. What am I supposed to do? Leaning my head back, I bite back more tears. Why is life so damn hard?
