DISCLAIMER: I don't own Inuyasha and unless I magically win the lottery I doubt I'll ever will.

If there is one thing we can be certain of in life, it's that eventually we will die


DEATH

By: Anne 79

Chapter 6

I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glint on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you wake in the morning hush,
I am the swift, uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circling flight.
I am the soft starlight at night.

Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there, I do not sleep.
Do not stand at my grave and cry.
I am not there, I did not die!

Mary Frye


Silence.

One second.

It was incredible to know you should be hearing so many things: the nurses whispering, ordering you to stay calm, the orders from the other doctors continuing the protocol, people walking in and out of the room, machines being rolled trough the small room, and to hear none of it.

He had studied for decades the human and demon anatomy. He knew how the thorax was supposed to move with a kind of rhythm as air went inside the lungs; yet there he was, so immersed in the lack of movement from her thoracic cavity as if it had been the first time he had seen it stop working. As if he hadn't lost a patient before.

He knew perfectly what the circulation of every artery and every vein was supposed to do and even the exceptions and alterations to look for. He also knew her usually warm hands would now be getting cold. But worst of all, of the things he could see changing in Kagome at the moment, was the only thing in the whole room he could hear –correct that- what he couldn't hear. Her heart had stopped beating. The heart that had lulled him to sleep for the last couple of weeks lay now unmoving in her dying corpse. The sound he only paid attention to when he was examining her or when he kissed her would be heard no more. It would never accelerate with his presence again and he would never pretend to ignore it so Kagome wouldn't feel embarrassed.

He blinked. He became conscious of his own shallow breathing, of his uneven heart beat, of the knot down his throat. His previously contracted arms relaxed in defeat. The male nurses loosened their hold. Fearing what he would do with his hands he put them inside of his lab-coat's pockets. His fingers played with his pen in one pocket and he noticed something in the other one.

He had forgotten the envelope that morning because of Kagome: the Li-Fraumeni results. It was probably not useful now, but he took them out anyways. He read quickly what it said. The words probably took a longer route in his brain because he had to blink several times before he understood its meaning.

One second.

It took him less than a second to rush to her side. Those meant to restrain him reacted but too late. He took the paddles and they were ready. He barely had the time to say clear before he shocked her.

Then in another second the sound of the room came back to his demonic ears.

"INUYASHA!" Miroku shouted. Dr. Miroku –his friend- ran to his side not to aid him but to stop him. The black haired doctor should have known he was no match for Inuyasha. With one shake of his body he pushed Miroku away making him stumble and fall to the floor.

"Sango turn on the other machines!" Inuyasha ordered with a voice that was not meant to be defied and Sango -in shock- obeyed. He needed the monitor to confirm the heart beat. He was afraid he would start hallucinating and start hearing things that weren't there. The screen turned on and he saw the flat line in fear. He shocked her again. Nothing.

"Inuyasha stop this instant! She's a DNR!" Miroku cried from the floor as some of the nurses tried to help him get up. Nobody else dared to go near Inuyasha.

"It's not Li-Fraumeni!" He yelled. He took another unsuccessful shot.

"I said- What?"

"Now help me revive her so we can get another shot curing her!" Inuyasha roared. Miroku finally took his place assisting him. After a couple of seconds, they had a stable beating. They confirmed no brain-damage because of the convulsion. Her vitals were all stable. Inuyasha gave the paddles to one of the nurses who had tried restraining him. Most people still didn't know what to do.

He dropped tiredly in the chair next to her bed. He heard Sango ordering out all of the viewers.

"Your brother is going to kill you," Miroku announced. Inuyasha leaned his head over the palm of his hands. "Or maybe not. He'll let the lawyers take all of your money. He'll take away your title and then, you'll ask him to kill you," he continued dryly.

"Miroku?" Sango called with a sweet tone. Inuyasha knew better. Miroku didn't.. The perverted doctor turned with a dashing smile. "Shut up." She closed the door and checked over the machines.

"Where are the DNR forms? She only signed them today… didn't she?" Inuyasha asked after some seconds of silence, looking up to Sango. She nodded.

"They are in the…" she considered for a minute before widening her eyes in realization."I haven't filed it yet!"

"So you'll help him with the fraud?" Miroku asked shocked. Sango rolled her eyes and shrugged. "Am I the only one here thinking about the consequences?"

"I don't want her to die," Sango replied glaring at the black haired physician.

"Great! I'm sure there are other stage 4 cancer patients waiting down the hall who have explicit DNR forms in their charts! Have your paddles ready people!"

"Miroku you know this is different," Inuyasha tried to reason.

"It's different because it's Kagome. Because she's your Kagome," Miroku said. "I get it man, I do-"

"It's different because we were wrong," Inuyasha interrupted. "It's not Li-Fraumeni which means she could still have more time-"

"I understand you don't want to let go but you have to consider what this career has taught you," Miroku said. "Even if it's not Li-Fraumeni she's already on stage 4, we already extracted two possible tumors… we might have managed to diminish the size of the brain tumor but the thing is her prospect doesn't look good Inuyasha," Miroku said softly.

"It responded well to radiotherapy," Inuyasha countered. "Most acute pathologies can be cured if they're treated aggressively enough".

"Inuyasha…"

"She had… has surgery scheduled for tomorrow," Sango intervened. "Should I cancel?" Both doctors stared at each other unsure of what to do. Miroku sighed.

"No," the black haired doctor responded. "We're doing the final extraction of her breast cancer." Frustrated he scratched the back of his neck. "I don't know if Sesshomaru will allow us to after he hears about this".

"I'll deal with Sesshomaru," Inuyasha offered.

"I didn't expect anything less," Miroku muttered with half a grin. "You deserve to be the first one decapitated".


"You violated a DNR!"

"The DNR was never filed nobody knows!"

"The patient knows you stupid, self-centered, moronic, arrogant asshole!"

"She's in an induced coma! She won't say a thing!"

"And you induced a coma? Are you out of your fucking mind?"

Inuyasha took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. Yelling with Sesshomaru might have been a fun sport for the last couple of decades but it was not going to help Kagome. He had to be calm. Wasn't that what his mother always said? He needed to be the bigger man.

"Sesshomaru you have to understand. I can cure her," Inuyasha started after a long breath. He licked his lips nervously. Be cool. Be cool. Be cool. He chanted in his head.

"If you can cure her, then why didn't you do so when she was awake? Before you violated a DNR?" His brother hissed behind his mahogany desk. Inuyasha knew he was in deep shit because Sesshomaru looked as if steam was coming out of his ears. Sesshomaru never showed emotion, he was a stoic statue who would use the same voice to congratulate someone for their first born and to tell them they were fired. He did not get angry. He left sarcastic remarks, subtle –and not so subtle- insults and made you angry.

Be cool. Be cool. Be cool.

"Because I don't know how. I just need time to study her case. I know there's a-"

"You must have been playing with your chemicals again for you sound ridiculous," The demon said dryly, glaring at his half-brother.

Be cool. Be cool. Be cool.

"Sesshomaru, please." Inuyasha pleaded.

"This is no simple thing you are asking of me Inuyasha," the full demon answered curtly. "This is not like when we were children and you wanted me to hide you to avoid confronting father. This is a woman's life you are toying with," he paused and stared at his half brother.

"Just give me three days and then you can have my resignation". Inuyasha offered. He knew this would be the only way he would get his shot. He didn't know if three days would be enough but he had to try one last time.

"You have three days. Then we are taking her out of the coma and if it is her desire you will confront the consequences of your actions".

He left the office quickly before Sesshomaru pressed any legal matters. Inuyasha had no time to loose. Sesshomaru stayed in his office staring at the papers in front of him for several minutes without really reading them. His head was full with what had just happened. He knew now that if the girl woke up, he would be implied as well. He growled in frustration.

"Dr. Takahashi?" A shy voice called from the door. Rin. He gave her a blank stare. The young secretary smiled brightly before telling him his two o'clock had just arrived. The girl closed the door leaving him her sweet scent. He sighed. He had to fire her. It wouldn't be good to start a relationship with his secretary.


Miroku and Sango tried talking to Inuyasha but he locked himself in his office. One medical career to the trash was enough. If Sesshomaru fired him, he had enough money to survive. His friends didn't.

He took out Kagome's medical history, her mother's and every other relative he could find. He brought from his home his old med-school books. Journals, newspapers, everything that held some information that could help him save her. He didn't drink any coffee for his motivation was bigger and stronger than caffeine. Love was the only thing he needed. He was going to cure her.

At first his whole research was made in chronological order, he read everything in Kagome's and her mother's medical history not underestimating any detail as little as it was. As time passed by his desperation grew by the minute. He had read all of the papers at least three times and he couldn't reach a different diagnosis. They all indicated the same.

The surgery had gone well under Miroku's surveillance. But it hadn't given any new information.

At the end of the first day he took Miroku's and Sango's help after they forced themselves in his office and convinced him they would tell Sesshomaru this was all his fault and they had been coerced into helping him.

They had moved the research to one of the conference rooms. Apparently Sesshomaru had grown a heart out of nowhere.


Inuyasha had gone back to his office to look for the final box. The one filled with photos of young Kagome, he had avoided looking much into it. He took out some of the albums her mother had made, then her father and finally those Kagome had elaborated alone while on tour. She had told him it was a healthy way to relax while she was in the hotel room. She was quite the photograph.

Then there was only one small notebook left. He opened it and remembered it was one of the journals Kagome's mom kept. He had seen the previous diaries and besides noticing some change in her calligraphy, all correspondent to brain cancer.

He was caught up in a photo she had pasted in the middle of the notebook. He now knew it was Kagome. After looking at all of her pictures he could perfectly recognize her out of whichever crowd.

The diary's entrance read:

This is my baby, my first-born, my baby girl. We're naming her Kagome. She's got quite the temper yet when we lock eyes she becomes the sweetest being in the whole world. I've loved and waited for her for what seems like a century. I'd imagined her so many times, in so many ways. Yet when I first laid eyes on her she was like nothing I could have ever dreamed. She's better than what I expected.

Her eyes are gray; the doctor says the color could change. I've tried taking as many photos as I can so if they do I can show it to her when she'll grow up. She was born with hair. That I didn't expect, most babies I'd seen were completely bold or with a thin layer of hair.

Her skin was red when she was brought out of my womb and now its pearly white and soft like silk. I could spend my life caressing her tummy. She seems to like it, she giggles every time I do so.

Her father is completely head over heels. I think I lost him for good. The doctors gave her to him after they examined her. It wasn't until I woke up that he even considered letting someone else hold her.. She doesn't seem to mind though. I'll have to watch out; they might conspire against me in the future…

Then she continued to describe her life with Kagome. Her entrances were at first frequent then with time they started to space between them. He could imagine how tiring it must have been for her taking care of Kagome with her disease knowing her days were counted.

He found himself sitting more comfortably as he passed the pages. There had to be something there.

I write this last entrance for you my dear beloved daughter. My Kagome, my sunshine, my love. I do not wish to live longer for myself but for you. I wish I could be physically there to dry your tears and encourage your dreams. I will always be with you. You have given me more happiness in these two years than I've ever experienced in my whole lifetime.

I have written some advices for your father. Things men do not know but I know he will follow strictly to make us –you and me- happy. I have told him not to harass your boyfriends and to be patient when you want to shop. I have asked him to always be there to hear you, to make a strong bond with you. You are in good hands. He loves you deeply. One thing I've always admired of your father is the way he loves… he's unconditional and he gives all of himself fully.

There are many things I would love to tell you. Some I might have written them already previously. I wanted to tell you a story…

Several years ago a woman named Tsubaki pursued your great grandfather. He refused to marry her because he was in love with who would become your great grandmother. Tsubaki cursed him. Apparently she was a dark miko, she casted a spell over your great grandfather, telling him no woman in his family would ever be able to enjoy love. Your great grandmother died in childbirth. His sister, a brave woman, died shortly after of unknown causes. After them, all female descendents died mysteriously young – some tragically, some peacefully in bed-, only the men survived.

When I was born your grandfather didn't allow me to get in contact with the exterior. He has always been a bit superstitious. I can't really regret my upbringing. If I hadn't been homeschooled and learned my way with instruments I wouldn't have given the concert in which I met your father. I wouldn't have any of you. A life without you both is a life I would never want.

I know I shouldn't believe in every story grandfather says but I can help to be afraid. Not for myself but for you Kagome. You probably know that you were named after your great grandfather's sister. She was a very beautiful woman, very talented and intelligent. She wrote several books and was known to be publically involved with humanitarian causes.

I would like for you to be like her. Not a writer or a volunteer, but passionate about whatever it is you love. Passion gives us meaning and makes every day different, better, special. You have the world at your disposal.

I want you not to be afraid of an old tale. I don't want you to act out of fear. I want you to be free and explore what the world has to offer you.

I should give you some wise advice yet I can only tell you: better to do and forget than not to and regret.

I love you Kagome.

It was indeed the last entrance of the diary.


"It's not cancer!" He yelled as he entered the conference room they had reserved to search on Kagome's case.

"What do you mean not cancer?" Sango mumbled while her eyes opened and closed exhausted.

"Of course it's cancer!" Miroku yelled back annoyed. "Tumor-cells were found everywhere Inuyasha. We confirmed it with all the lab work that has ever existed."

"She has cancer but it's no cancer what's killing her!" Inuyasha yelled again excitedly. He brought a pair of X-Rays and placed them against the light in the room.

"What am I supposed to be looking for?" Miroku said tiredly rubbing his eyes.

"Aneurism," Inuyasha muttered, his attention absorbing the image before him. Miroku's eyes widened when he compared both images and found what Inuyasha talked about. "The seizure she had could not be explained by the brain cancer".

"But how?"

"A black miko cursed her family," Inuyasha explained. "Curses caused by mikos are usually associated with aneurisms, cancer, heart diseases…"

"How do you know all of this?"

"He read her mother's journal," Sango answered now fully awake.

"It was all in there. All we needed. Kagome's mom gave us her symptoms unknowingly. Her calligraphy changed drastically in a year. It helped me figure out where to look. Kagome was the same but we didn't notice because she never wrote anything, she only talked about her trembling hands and not being able to play the piano as quickly as before," Inuyasha explained quickly.

"We've been treating her with all we've got. If we beat the cancer, which I suppose should diminish after she's purified by a white miko or a priest, then it would only be the aneurism, which looks operable. Now we need to find a miko and she will be alright," Miroku diagnosed while revising the papers on the table.

She will be alright.

The words finally sank in Inuyasha's head. He felt his exhausted body for the first time in days. He felt a huge weight lifting from his shoulders and for the very first time since Kagome had been in her induced coma, he smiled. His eyes watered quickly and he felt Sango holding him as he cried in joy.

"She's going to live…" he muttered over and over.


A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I wrote this about two months ago but I've been busy with finals and well... stuff. I have a sketch of chapter 7. I'll try to be quick.

Thanks to Little R! My beta for the chap!