Brief Moments

By Mishi

Chapter 19

The Life I Did Not Live

Ok, this is the last chapter of Brief Moments. Don't worry, I'm not leaving it like this. The story will continue with my next fic, Fragments of Time. I'll try to post as quickly as I can.

Now on the story…

InuYasha skooted lower into the sleeping bag as he watched Kagome say her goodbyes to Sango and Miroku. While she started walking towards him, Sango and Miroku walked over to Kirara.

"Where are they going?" InuYasha asked when Kagome was close enough to hear him.

Kagome waited until she could slip into her spot beside him before she answered, "They're going back to the village."

"Why are they doing that?" InuYasha was puzzled.

"If Shippo has to go back to talk to Nishi's father, then we should all go," she paused and avoided his eyes,"...and Sango needs some alone time with Miroku."

"Hmm?"

Rin stood alone in a small hut. She had been here before, but she knew that she didn't belong here now. It was the hut that she grew up in, the hut that she had shared with her family. She looked to her right and saw several bodies sleeping on the floor before her.

'This is my family. Why am I here?' She thought as she looked away and examined the room around her. 'I shouldn't be here. Sesshoumaru-sama took me away from this place.' She was beginning to feel panicked, 'Where is Sesshoumaru-sama!'

She turned to open the door and stopped dead in her tracks when she heard a wolf growl. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and reached for the door. 'Where is it? Why can't I find the door?' Her hands grasped at air as she fought to find the door.

"Open your eyes child," came a voice from in front of her.

She opened her eyes to find a large black cat before her. It was easily twice the size of a mountain lion. The site of it left her more frightened than she had ever been of any wolf.

"Come now, girl, you can't tell me that you don't remember me," it purred. "You remember what happens next."

The beast moved aside as two human like forms pushed Rin aside. To anyone else, they might have been human men, but she knew that they weren't. There bodies stank of evil, just as the giant cat's body did. She helplessly watched as the creatures murdered her family. Pressing her small body against the frame of the door, she slide to the floor and cried into her hands. She was too afraid to move, or to cry out. She could've ran, but the monster outside would get her too. There was nowhere to run or to hide. All she could do was watch.

Mesmerized by the gore in front of her, it was the growl of a wolf that tore her eyes away.

"Yes, little one, it is you next. You should run now, don't you think?" the cat purred from outside the hut.

Terrified, Rin sprang to her feet and took off towards the woods. Desperately she cried out for Sesshoumaru, but he was not to be found. Her eyes were so filled with tears that she could no longer see where she was going, and lost her footing to a small hole in her path-even the ground was suddenly her enemy!

When she looked back, the wolves were slowly making their way toward her. Once again, she cried out for Sesshoumaru to save her.

"Rin?" Sesshoumaru called out to her.

Rin whirled her head around to see Sesshoumaru standing only feet away from her. Her face lit up as she thanks God that he had actually found her.

She climbed to her feet and raised her hand towards him, "Sesshoumaru-sama!"

"Do you really think that he can help you?" the cat hissed.

Shaken by the voice, Rin turned to look at the black beast.

"He is nothing to me. He will not stop me from having you. Nothing can save you from me." Suddenly, the cat leapt at Sesshoumaru and took hold of his throat with its teeth, tearing the head from the shoulders. Sesshoumaru's body fell to the ground with the beast setting on his chest. "See, child, you are mine and I'll never let such a weakling have you."

Rin calapsed to the ground into a shaking lump. She dug into the dirt as she repeated the word "no" over and over.

"Rin," Sesshoumaru called out. "Rin, do you hear me."

Finally Rin opened her eyes and found herself in Sesshoumaru's strong embrace. She was shaking and tears were fresh on her cheeks.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," she whispered through the tears as she buried her face in his chest.

"That was worse than the last one," he noted aloud. He let her cry as he stroked her hair. There was a desperate need in him to fight, but what could he fight against. He forced the urge way and continued to comfort her.

"Please don't let go, Sesshoumaru-sama, please don't let me go," Rin sobbed madly.

"I am not letting you go. Calm yourself, Rin," he whispered.

"Don't let me go, please don't let me go."

He wanted to hold her tighter, to wrap her in himself, but it just didn't work with only one arm. This was the first time he had honestly regretted not having two arms.

Miroku was working on the removal of Sango's kimono before they could push their way into the hut.

"Will you stop that," Sango giggled.

Miroku tossed her kimono to the floor and stopped to look at her body in the tight black uniform that he loved so much. "umm, no," he said, shaking his head with a very dirty grin on his face.

"You are relentless!" She giggled louder, and fumbled to help him before he tore something.

He mumbled something as his mouth collided with her neck, but she couldn't make out words.

"What are you saying?" She asked, a bit breathless.

"We're alone," he cheered as he pulled back from her. He was so overjoyed that he was practically bouncing. "Thanks be to Buddha, we're alone!"

"Oh for crying out loud, you act like it has been years or something."

"My precious Sango, to a pervert such as I, it has been years!" He joked, bouncing over to grab the mat and blankets. He tossed them down, not really caring how they looked, but in such a way that their bodies would be safe from the wooden floor. Then, hopping over their bed, he bent over and scooped Sango up into his arms.

Instantly, Sango was ill. Her head was spinning, and so was her stomach. "Miroku," she said, pushing at his shoulder and closing her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Sango, I didn't think about you being sick," he said, returning her feet to the floor. "You're alright, right?"

"I think I need to sit."

"Ok," he responded as he watched her go to her knees and crawl to the blankets.

She took several deep breathes and said, "I need to tell you something, Miroku."

"What is it?" he asked, sitting beside her. He put his hand against her cheek to show her his concern.

"I'm so afraid to tell you this."

The finality of her words was enough to put him on edge, "What is it, Sango? Just tell me." He was remaining calm despite himself. "I don't like the sound of your voice."

She couldn't sit so close to him, she had to stand. In confusion he stood with her. Nervously, she lifted her hand to her mouth and started to bite at her thumb.

"Stop this, just tell me," he said gently taking a hold of her shoulders.

She looked into his eyes and wanted to cry, the fear rising in her chest was almost like the contents of her stomach rising in her throat.

She took a slow breath inward, and releasing the breath she answered him, "I'm going to have a baby, Miroku."

"Oh, is that all," he responded rolling his eyes.

"I said that you're going to be a father, Miroku." She said with a serious look on her face.

He looked at her for a few seconds and lost all feeling of his legs beneath him. The next thing he knew he was on his knees looking up at her in a daze.

"Miroku!" she rushed forward to try and steady him.

"You're pregnant? You're…" He chuckled. "Me a father?"

"I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry. I should have tried to prevent it."

"What?" He was quickly coming back to himself. "No, you didn't do anything wrong, Sango." He put his hands on her cheeks. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to give you that idea. It was just a shock." He looked down and shook his head, "I should've figured it out. You have all the signs for a pregnant woman. I just couldn't see it."

"You're not angry about it, you're sure?" She questioned cautiously.

He drew back from her and set back against the wall. "I'll never be angry at you…not for that."

After a moment of silence, it hit him, "Why'd you think I'd be angry about it?"

"I always figured that you just used it as an excuse to chase women, not that you really wanted to have a child," she answered frankly.

"I think until this moment, I might have," she whispered solemnly. "Who else knows?"

"Just Kagome. Oh, and well, Kagome's mother. She figured it out when we were in Kagome's world for the wedding."

He said nothing, but nodded his head. He watched her silently for a moment before moving towards her. Righting himself on his knees, he asked her, "Are you feeling better?"

"Yes," she answered.