SURVIVE

Officical Nano Word count 48570 words.. wanted to win on this chapter – but could not go on. For reasons

This is a real roller coaster of a chapter

Read Review and enjoy.

Chapter 18 : Blood knows

"Its impossible, its absolutely impossible on MORE than one front." Shri Kaguya was saying for the 15th time as she paced the healers bay. The 3 Seraphim had been absolutely irrational for the last 5 minutes, the demons looked on in bewilderment. It was a treat to watch the Seraphim of such high level have an incoherent breakdown, so the demons stayed silent an just enjoyed the show. Sesshoumaru would have enjoyed it a little bit more if not for the way the three kept staring at his Hanyou. Inuyasha had seemed unmoved by their staring, but Sesshoumaru was not fooled, the young one had flinched inwardly. The Hanyou realizing that his lowering of his internal barrier had sparked the whale Seraphic catatonia, and immediately begun to seal the cracks.

Sesshoumaru was having none of that. Moko-moko had flared, and Inuyasha had found himself wrapped securely in Sesshoumaru's tail, and pulled close to the Demon Lord. Sesshoumaru's sharp eyes had met his, the powerful gaze, had once again pierced through Inuyasha's defences. The message in the eyes reverberated in Inuyasha, a repeat of the first message Inuyasha had ever received from the Demon Lord. Short, sweet but so very powerful, the message soothed and strengthened simultaneously. The golden eyes, said ...no, the eyes of the Demon Lord gave a two word order "Fight, Hanyou!"

Inyasha's free hands rested on Moko-moko, feeling the warmth and comfort of the fur. He could not keep hiding who he was, he could not keep retreating behind his barriers, the more he did, the more power he gave to his one time abusers. As soon as the Seraphim had stared at him, he felt that he was wrong to show his aura, wrong to share his emotions, wrong to show he was happy. His punishment for claiming joy had always been the worst. The three aspects laughed, Inuyasha could only smile, his small half smile.

Once, he had been alone, helpless and powerless. A trapped victim. Even then he had carved a sanctuary for himself, he had found a way to save himself.

Now he was no longer alone, no longer powerless, but it would be too easy for his sanctuary to turn into a self made prison. To easy to make what once had saved him - a crutch - that would destroy his true freedom. Sesshoumaru was reminding him, if he allowed his fears and insecurities to control him, he would be always be a victim. He would never be able to claim his own joy, always hiding his feelings, always afraid to BE him.

Moko moko unwrapped from around Inuyasha. The message given, Sesshoumaru reluctantly leaned away. As much as he hated it the Demon Lord knew some battles had to be won alone.

Inuyasha understood, he sat close, straight and tall. Inuyasha had been a victim of the worst kind, and Inuyasha refused to be a victim any further. Fight, Hanyou!

Inuyasha fought the urge to make his barriers stronger, fought the need to hide. He was who he was, a sum of his past, and if there were those who could not accept him, that was their loss not his. He was Inuyasha and he would never again allow himself to be less than what he was. One day he would grin, one day he would chuckle, and by the Earth Mother, one day, he would laugh, he wanted to hear himself laugh. He fought the need to hide. In his heart he reached out with both hands and grabbed on to his joy! Holding it tight! One day he would LAUGH!

Instead of hardening, the barrier crumbled a little further. Joy bubbled out of the crack. Finally a smile danced across Inuyasha's mouth, a little wider, a litter bigger than before. He felt better, freer somehow. The battle had been won, he glanced at Lord Sesshoumaru the only other being to realize a huge victory had been claimed.

Inuyasha's heartbeat quickened. His Lord, his Alpha, his...

The colorful swearing of Prince Kouga, disrupted the intensely intimate moment. Eye contact was broken and the two focused back on the situation at hand. Inuyasha's face had a rosy glow to it, and Sesshoumaru absently contemplated several recipes for Seraphim stew. How dare they interrupt something so important!

A rueful smile crossed Sesshoumaru's lips, oh it seemed he was the one who had forgotten, they had been discussing something important. Nothing had ever interfered with Sesshoumaru's concentration before, yet the Hanyou did it so easily. Sesshoumaru found it rather refreshing. The battle was won, so no reason for Inuyasha to be so far from him. Moko moko joyously wrapped around his Hanyou's waist once again, the Hanyou's fingers sinking comfortably into the fur. Together they watched the Seraphic Prince and Shri Kaguya pace and curse.

Finally a little irritated by her own prolonged shock, Shri Suijin addressed her comrades, "Alright, that is enough. We have put on enough of a show for the demons, perhaps its time we calm down and explain." Shri Suijin had never seemed un-calm, she had just stood there staring, while the other two had paced and cursed.

As quickly as their strange behavior had begun, the Seraphim were suddenly all seated and fully composed. It seemed that the burst of chaotic behavior was a racial trait among the Seraphim. Usually calm and composed the Seraphim tended to take non-battle related surprises rather poorly. It was probably a natural valve for their emotions, giving them a sense of balance.

All three now stared solemnly at Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru growled softly. Inuyasha found he was suddenly plastered to the Demon Lords side. Moko moko around his waist and the Demon Lord's arm around his shoulders. Inuyasha's first thought was to pull away, but.. but.. it felt good. His Alpha... Inuyasha relaxed at the thought, he leaned his head against the Lord's shoulder guard. He belonged.

The three Seraphim watched the interplay between the Demon and the Hanyou, and then Shri Kaguya said softly, "Inuyasha, please we need to see your aura again, just to confirm, please!"

Inuyasha looked at them, and nodded. He inhaled deeply and allowed his aura to flare. This was his decision, and there were smiles of approval all around the room, that the Hanyou had not sought to ask Lord Sesshoumaru for his permission before acting. They had all been a little concerned that he Hanyou would be overdependent on the Lord, but that did not seem to be the case.

Inuyasha's aura filled the room, pure and strong. It seemed pretty standard to the Demons, but the Seraphim obviously saw more than they did.

"That confirms it," Shri Kaguya said, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Amazing!" Kouga whispered, his eyes seemed to drink in the aura and the Hanyou.

"Kouga, you skate on thin ice! Explain NOW!" Sesshoumaru snapped finally getting irritated. "Keep yours eyes off my Inuyasha."

Kouga flashed a grin at Sesshoumaru, a kind of a weird look crossed his face, "Sweet Earth Mother! The universe has a sense of humour!" Kouga suddenly threw his head back and burst out laughing.

Sesshoumaru growled again, the claws on his hand not full of Inuyasha extended threateningly.

"My Lord," Shri Suijin said interrupting the two, "As we all know, Hanyou, half breeds or Cupids are rare, because as a cross between species, they are invariably sterile. Be it human and demon, human and Seraphim or Seraphim and Demon, while we all can mate together, the offspring have never been able to produce children. We had believed a three way cross was impossible." The Seraphim paused and looked at Inuyasha. "Or we believed it was impossible, until today. Your Hanyou has Seraphim blood my Lord. According to his aura, his parents were a human and a half blood Seraphim Demon."

"Seraphim can tell parentage from his aura alone?" Hachimon asked a little inanely, the information had all of them stunned – and it seemed the most neutral – semi intelligent question he could ask.

Shri Kaguya shook her head, "No, we really cannot see parentage so much, not unless we share the same blood. I cannot see his parentage, but I suspect both Shri Sujin and her nephew Prince Kouga can see Inuyasha's bloodlines. You see, the only Seraphim and Shrio Inu Youkai of mixed blood that we know of are the two children of Kouga's brother."

Kouga was wheezing with laugher, finally lifted a head and winked at Inuyasha, "And I think that makes you my impossible to exist, Great grand Nephew!"

The was a flurry of confusion following that statement. Then all of a sudden, Sesshoumaru roared.

He left hs Moko moko with Inuyasha, leapt on the Seraphim, and slammed him into the wall. "If he is your blood, how the HELL did you abandon him to the humans! Do you know what they did?"

Kouga stopped laughing and didn't fight as Sesshoumaru slammed him again into the wall. His hand came up and grasped Sesshoumaru's "We did not know Sesshoumaru! I did not know I had a grand nephew – let alone a Great Grand Nephew! My nephew, sure as hell does not know he had a son, if he did, you had better believe that nothing and I mean NOTHING would have kept my nephew from his child."

Sesshoumaru paused. He released the Seraphim and went back to Inuyasha. The Hanyou sat impassive, there was absolutely no emotions on his face, he was tense, and his eyes narrowed on the Seraphim. He did not even acknowledge Sesshoumaru when he sat down beside Inuyasha and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Kouga looked at the clear but flat golden eyes, for once he felt his throat close, and words refused to surface. He glanced at his Aunt.

The Elder Seraphim sighed, "Young ones, Kouga's older brother when he was hardly 500 years old fell in Love with a Shiro Inu Youkai whom he had saved. Forgive me for not saying their names, but Seraphim do not say aloud the names of those younger than them who have passed the veil. Theirs was a tragic relationship. 3000 years ago, our people were not friendly to each other. They hid their relationship, for she was already promised in marriage. And the two of them ran away. I believe they were happy together, but not 20 years later, my sister received a desperate call for help. She and I, rushed to the island that the young lovers had hidden in. Sickness had struck the Island, Seraphim used to the sickness could fight it off, but to his beloved it was deadly. She was pregnant, making her all the more vulnerable. By the time we reached the Island it was too late. My Nephew had linked his life force to his mates, and they both stayed alive long enough for us to get there. Twin Cupid children, a boy and a girl. As soon as they were safe in our arms, their parents left this mortal realm together. Kouga was just a year old, not yet weaned, my sister took to the care of all of them.

"Miroku, the little Cupid boy, and his sister were bright sparks in our heart. But some sparks are just not meant to be. Miroku was strong and healthy, his sister was not. She had a wasting disease and lived a little longer than a human's life span, nothing we could do could save her, and she died peacefully, leaving Miroku devastated. Nothing could comfort him. When he was a thousand years old, he left the ancestral homes, and took to traveling. He never stayed in one place for very long. He returned when the war broke out, and fought beside Kouga, and being a Cupid, he wanted peace between our peoples more than anyone. The war hurt his very soul. There were times he would disappear to the human lands to get away from both Seraphim and Demons, from the violence we wrought on each other. But he always came back in a few months as we needed his strength.

"On one of those trips Miroku must have fathered a child. And because he had to return to us, he never would have known that he had a child. Miroku is very, very active, yet he has never fathered another child. We believed he was sterile as all mixed race children are. He believes it." Shri Suijin, began to weep tears rolled down her face. "Inuyasha your grandfather, would never have dared imagine he had a child, if he had known – he never, never would have let anything hurt you. He would have protected you! I swear, he would have protected his son, he would have protected you."

Inuyasha still did not react, he stared silently at the Seraphim, inside all his aspects sat close, silent as well. All eyes were on the Hanyou, no one spoke. Finally Inuyasha said softly, "Can you tell? From my aura can you tell?"

Suijin seemed to wither, Shri Kagoya came to her and held her close. The demons drew closer, just lending their presence. Kouga took a step forward, he knelt before Inuyasha and looked into the golden eyes. Guilt ate at the Prince, he had not seen deep enough, he had only seen the surface, and his initial reaction – was almost – unforgivable. There was nothing funny about the situation. The eyes were strong and wounded, so deeply wounded. And, Kouga knew he was going to add another wound to the young Hanyou's collection.

"Yes, young one." Kouga reacted out and grasped Inuyasha's hand, that Sesshoumaru did not react added to the seriousness of the atmosphere. "From your aura, as close family, I can tell. I am sorry, so very sorry, but your parents, both of them, have crossed the veil, and they crossed the veil a very, very long time ago. I would say just after you were born."

Pup, Yasha and Inu crumpled inside him. The sanctuary shook from their anguish. Inuyasha sat unmoving, moisture gathered in his eyes, but did not fall. His eyes were blank as he stared at the wall. He needed to comfort the others, but he did not know how. He needed to cry, to weep, to mourn, but he did no know how.

Tears spilled down Kouga's cheeks as he saw the devastating in the still slim form, all around the room demons bowed their heads, Jinenji cried on his brother's behalf. Sesshoumaru moved nearer, gently supporting the unresponsive and frozen young Hanyou.

-tbc-

Have to stop here in respect of Inuyasha's family. Review please!