In Heat

Her daughter's name is Enaiyeu

The "yeu" with the accent, like an upside down V on top of the 'E' is Vietnamese for 'love' or 'in love'

yes I gave it a lot of thought...

.....~....

Chapter 6
Trying to reach Buddha's heart


Kagome panicked watching her son hacked and cough, struggling to breathe. She felt his forehead and he was burning hot. She told Sota to get the first aid kit and some of the Children’s Tylenol.

Over the next day, she couldn’t sleep tending to him. His fever dropped somewhat, but his breathing never got any better. She cried her eyes red and was so confused. She took him to the emergency room but they weren’t of much help. They had no idea what to do for him as his blood pressure and temperature was nothing like they’ve ever seen before. She even took him to the vet and the veterinarian gave Kagome an odd look and thought she was out of her mind.

She watched helplessly as her son drifted in and out of consciousness. Sighing in defeat she knew what she had to do for her him. She gathered her children in her arms with a few necessities and taking the Shikon no Tama with her, she prayed that they all would be able to pass through the well. They did.

.....~.....

Kagome and the children arrived at Kaede’s village shortly after, rushing to see the old woman for some answers. Kaede tended to the pup as best she could but he only grew weaker. Everyone watched in dismay and heartbroken while Kagome cried and cried. Shippou entertained Enaiyeu while Kagome and the others tried to find the answer. Everyone looked at each other knowing what she should do, what she had to do, and what she needed to do. She saw their faces and knew what they they meant. She nodded her head in agreement. She would go find Sesshoumaru for some answers, hoping he could help.

“Sango, do you think I could borrow Kirara for just a while?” Kagome requested through sniffles.

“Of course. I’m sure Kirara would want to help out.” Sango answered.

“I’ll go with you.” His voice rang out and shocked everyone. Apparently, InuYasha had returned and heard the conversation and clamoring from a tree nearby.

She looked into those so familiar golden eyes and he into her brown ones. How he missed her. He saw her eyes puffy and red from crying. He took one looked at the young boy and pain gripped his heart. That should have been my son, he thought sorrowfully.

“But..InuYasha…” Kagome began, she didn’t want to trouble him, and it was a little awkward. She didn’t mind going to see Sesshoumaru by herself.

“In case you get attacked. Just because Naraku’s defeated doesn’t mean there aren’t other dangerous demons out there. This is Feudal times after all," he explained. "Besides, he is my nephew right?” InuYasha added with pain in his tone. Kagome noticed that his voice was softer and something was buried deep below it. What was it? She didn’t want to know because deep down, she already knew. It was pain. Loss. And he also sounded more mature. He’d grown over the past few years, she observed.

They traveled on Kirara’s back. The awkward silence was horrendous. But he didn’t mind it. It felt nice being near her again, and the scent of her he’d missed so much. He wanted to be close to her, even if there was nothing else he could do for their relationship, his heart wanted her happy. He had grown and he did mature. He knew he only had himself to blame for loosing her. After she left, he'd reminisced on all the times he kept rushing back to Kikyo, tending and caring for her, and brushing Kagome aside. But what he loved and wanted most was always in front of him. But he was too blinded and he was too stupid to realized, until it was too late. He thought she'd always wait for him, always be there. He was wrong and it had cost him what mattered most as a result.

She sat behind him, with her son in between them. Inu-Touga was still unconscious, and she pulled him closer, praying he’ll be okay.

“Thank you,” she said softly, breaking their silence and his reminiscent thoughts.

He grunted softly in response. He didn’t know what to say. As they near Sesshoumaru’s castle, InuYasha caught sight of Sesshoumaru and another female youkai. InuYasha knew it must be Sesshoumaru’s betrothed.

“I don’t think this was a good idea Kagome. We should head back, I'm sure Kaede will figure something out.” He said quickly. He could only imagine the damage it will do to her seeing Sesshoumaru with another female, a full Youkai female.

She was worried about her son and angry at him for being jealous at such a time. “No! We have to go see him!” she yelled.

“Kagome…” he tried to warn her.

“No InuYasha!” she screamed at him.

“You don’t understand, I’m afraid…” InuYasha pressed on. He was angry and it took everything in him to control himself. He was angry that the only woman he loved now belonged to his brother. And on top of the matter, his brother had shunned her and even has someone new to replace her. I’ll deal with him later, he decided. Protecting her heart was most important right now. But she was stubborn and confused.

She misunderstood him because she was frenzied. She summoned a strong barrier to ‘protect’ them in response to InuYasha's 'I'm afraid' and told Kirara to continue on. As they got even closer that’s when she saw them. Looking down she saw her mate, with a beautiful female Youkai strolling in the garden as a prepubescent Rin ran around with a young teenage boy. Her heart sank when he stopped to face the female youkai and held her chin up with his hand, gazing into the female’s eyes. It shattered when the female wrapped her arms around him in a tender embrace. She told Kirara to turn around for home when she saw that he was about to raise his arms to receive her into his welcoming arms. Her heart ripped to a million pieces. What was I thinking? He tried to kill me before and now….now he has someone else, a full Youkai, just as he wanted all along! Not, me! She realized he could have killed her child along with her. She was so angry with herself for being so naïve again.

Pain and guilt flooded through her body. Her heart ached for so many reasons and she felt horrible for accusing InuYasha of being jealous and selfish. She felt defeated and exhausted.

They returned to Kaede’s village and Kaede gave Inu-Touga a few different medicinal herbs than before. She noticed that for a moment, her son was better. Her heart sighed in relief. They still couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him. Even Kaede’s hands were tied.

Everyone was tired but more worried about her and the little boy than anything. She tucked her daughter in for the night and went outside for some air.

She looked up to see InuYasha leaning against a tree staring into the stars. He looked down to see her coming toward him and cursed his misfortune. Looking at her, she was beautiful, it pained him to no end. Kagome looked at his face. He’s thinking, she realized. She waited for him, to approach her. He did.

“How is he?” His voice was sorrowful.

“He’s stable for now.” She replied. They walked together slowly under the warm Summer night. “InuYasha…” she began but her voice caught by a flood of sorrow and not wanting to cry, she swallowed the lump in her throat.

InuYasha frowned. She was working herself up to a hard question. He waited.

“The woman….the Youkai…in the garden…” she began her question. All these years, she still held hope that, somehow, someday, she’ll be with Sesshoumaru again. But now, all that shattered and she had to come to grip with the reality, she must know the truth about the female Youkai.

Silence.

He felt a tremor through her little frame. “Are you cold?” he deflected her question. Although the wind breezed by often, it was a summer night and the air was warm. But a shiver worked its way into her heart. InuYasha was always blunt, and when he changed the subject she could only imagined the worst.

“InuYasha, don’t attempt to protect me. Not like this. Please, tell me. I have to know. I need to know!” She begged.

Silence.

A cricket chirped near her feet and another breeze went by. She watched as the grass shimmer under the stars and it moved with a sinuous, undulating dance with the wind.

His head turned toward her. He was thinking again. Please tell me InuYasha. She pleaded but said nothing.

He shifted abruptly in his stance. “His betrothed.” He finally said.

She stared at him with empty eyes. She lost all details as his face became a black oval. She staggered back, as if he had driven a knife in her gut. She saw her little vision of a happy family together with Sesshoumaru shattered, the orb they fitted in, fell and burst suddenly, sprinkling into thousands, million tiny pieces, raining over her crimson, suffering heart. InuYasha stood in front of her and moved quickly, his hands wrapped tight around her upper arms as she lost her balance. She let him gather her in his arms to comfort her of her emotional anguish. A feeling he knew too well. And still experienced everyday - without her.

She pulled from his embrace moments later, and it took everything in him to let her go. Don't go Kagome.. can't we try?.... He said nothing and watched her walked away and agony twisted deep inside his soul.

She went back to check on her son in the other hut. Sitting next to her son, she caressed his forehead, running her fingers through his silver locks. He looks just like his father, she thought and bit back the tears. Her heartache over Sesshoumaru was soon replaced by fear when she noticed her son began shake. She fumbled around her first aid kit and soothed him with a cold cloth. She wiped away the beads of sweat on his forehead. Panicking she didn’t realized that she had started screaming again, as the others rushed into the hut. She saw her son’s breathing slow and she stood up, looking down at him in disbelief. Why is this happening? She questioned angrily at the Gods. As she lunged towards her son again, the others pulled her back so Kaede could tend to him. She watched as Kaede fumbled with the different herbal remedies.

She buried her face in InuYasha’s chest as she cried and the others watched Kaede working with anticipation. Finally it was silent.

She turned, pulling away from InuYasha’s grasp looking around, wondering why the noises had stopped. She looked down at Kaede who shook her head left to right, tears sliding from the old woman’s face.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!” Kagome screamed and pushed past InuYasha. She knelt down next to her son, who’s breathing had finally stopped. Kagome tried to resuscitate her pup but failed and her cry of loosing her child pierced their hearts with an intense anguish. But she refused to give up.

“No,” she said. “You can’t have him! Ever!” She screamed and gathered her son in her arms she ran past everyone out the door. She rushed up to the nearby temple and her determination carried her up the many steps of the temple. She laid him in front of the large Buddha statue and cried. She pleaded to Buddha not take her son away.

"No, it's not his time yet. He's still little!" She began to bow as she prayed. Her forehead banged on the gravel but she didn’t care. She kept bending over bashing her head into the hard ground and continued to beseech Buddha for her son's life, delirious of her own distress she didn't feel the physical pain, she hoped that somehow she could reach Buddha’s tender heart.

“Please save him!” she begged to Buddha and the Gods above. The others came and the scene filled their hearts with such torturous sorrow they all wished that if they could sacrifice their lives for the little pup, they would without hesitation. Sango tried to get her to come back to the village after InuYasha carried Inu-Touga’s lifeless body back to the hut but she wouldn’t budge. She continued to bang her head into the gravel, mumbling and praying softly, relentlessly to the large Buddha statue.

Blood started to trickle from her head and Sango tried her best to pull her friend away, but to no avail.

“Please, don’t take him away,” she begged banging her head once again into the ground as she prayed. Don't give up on me, little Sesshie....

…..~……….ealier……….

Sesshoumaru strode along the garden as Rin played with the servant boy. He noticed that the two have become inseparable. He’d already had a short talk with the boy to warn him of any mischievous thoughts or if he dared hurt Rin in any way, he’d pay dearly with his life. And familys’ as well.

Floating high in the sky a two-tailed cat surrounded by a strong barrier blocked all scents from the Youkai's nose. He had no idea the one person he wanted most carrying one of his prized possession was within reach.

The female Youkai his Mother deemed his ‘betrothed’ came and walked along with him. She was quiet and didn’t make much noise so he thought her to be tolerable. Up until she spoke.

“Oh, Lord Sesshoumaru. How beautiful it is today.” She said looking toward the sky.

“Hn.” He hoped that it was the last of it. But she continued.

“It’s so wonderful to have Rin around all the time. She’s such a sweetheart!”

He stopped abruptly and turned to face her. Lifting his hand with grace, he titled her chin so their eyes would meet. “This Sesshoumaru hates liars. Don’t think that you can entice this Sesshoumaru to mate you by lying” he warned.

She tossed herself onto him and hugged him tight. “Oh Lord Sesshoumaru! How can you say such a thing?!” She whined.

He was started by her boldness and the hug. It was uncomfortable, unwelcomed, and irritating. Slowly he raised his hands to meet her by the arms and with vehement hostility, he lifted her off him.

“Do not attempt to follow me” he warned and walked off.

She stood bewildered by his cold indifference towards her efforts. She looked up at the sky and saw a glimmer of something floating off. I wonder what that was? She questioned but quickly dropped the meager thought and looked over her shoulder to see the shrinking of Sesshoumaru’s back. What a recluse! she thought. If it wasn’t for his looks, power, and title, she would never even considered being mated to him. She was garish, and talkative while he was modest, taciturn, detached and cold. How they made a good match she couldn’t understand but she didn’t care. What mattered now was for her to get him to mate her. It proved much harder than she anticipated.

………..~…………….

“Kagome!” Miroku cried out, breathless from running.

He slid down on the floor and knelt next to his friend who was still bowing and praying. “Kagome, stop!” he said. Sango pulled her friend up only to be brushed off and continued to her head banging task.

“He’s alive! He’s fine! Kagome, your son is okay!” Miroku blurted excitedly.

Kagome stopped and both she and Sango looked at him, in shock. She quickly got up on her feet to run back towards the hut, to her son. Kirara gave her a ride instead. She hopped off the large cat and raced in the house.

Tears burst through her already swollen eyes and her heart leaped with elation. Her son sat up in bed as she entered.

“Mommy?” he called to her. It was the sweetest, most wonderful sound she’d ever heard in her entire life. She quickly gathered him in her arms, vowing to never let him go. Thanking Buddha for his love, and generosity....

Buddha looked down from the clouds, smiling to himself. Her heartache had reached his soul and her persistent and tears had touched his heart so that he had to do what was right.