Catriona closed her eyes as she hugged Miroku tightly. �I thank you for bringing me back to Kaede�s village Miroku,� she spoke softly. �Please Isamu, let me know this is the right choice,- she thought, her words pleading as if she thought he could hear her.
�You know I would do anything for you, Catriona,� he whispered, kissing her neck softly as they stood at the border of the woods leading into the village. �But why did you want me to bring you here?�
�Because I came to say goodbye to everyone� I�m sorry Miroku,� she whispered as she turned away from him & went into the village, smiling as Sango, who had stayed to protect the village, ran up to her & embraced her.
�Catriona, where have you been all this time? With Sesshomaru? How did it go with him?� Sango asked, pulling away from the embrace, her eyes shining with her joy at seeing her friend.
�Sango, we have so much to talk about,� Catriona replied, glancing at Miroku before she pulled Sango in the direction of the market.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Catriona took a sip of the water from the river & licked her lips to spread the moisture from the liquid. �So, how have things been in the village while I was gone?� Catriona questioned, looking at the youkai exterminator that was polishing her Hiraikotsu.
Sango looked up at Catriona, her hand still working on the weapon. �Things have been going just fine,� she answered. �But it�s been a little quite since the battle in the Western Lands. Were in you at Sesshomaru�s castle during the battle?�
Catriona gave a sad smile. �Before the battle Sesshomaru had asked me to stay in this time with him so his son & I could be a family with him, but I wasn�t sure if that was something I wanted� So I asked him if I could go to Koga�s caves to think the question over� During that time the battle broke out & I was told to stay at the ookami den until the battle was over & when he won he would send for me.�
�The battle has been over for a very short time now, have you been back to the castle?�
Catriona nodded & her face took on a grim expression. �I was unaware that youkai practices entitle the victorious male youkai to take to bed the female of the defeated one� When I heard nothing from Sesshomaru I returned to the castle on my own to find out if he was the one I heard rumored to have taken a fatal blow that ended the battle. When I arrived at the castle I arrived during the time when he was taking Lady Chimei-teki to his bed�� Catriona lowered her head; the tears welling up in her eyes were making it hard for her to continue.
Sango frowned slightly. �Are you going to be okay Catriona? Did he see you?�
Catriona lifted her head, shaking it a bit. �No, he didn�t see me, but I did have the unfortunate chance of hearing Sesshomaru mate with another female.�
�That must have been hard on you,� Sango whispered. �Have you spoken to him about it?�
Catriona nodded this time. �Yes� He was the one that informed me of youkai practices, or I would have never known.�
�Catriona, I am so sorry that you had the chance to hear such a thing. What are you going to do now?�
�I was thinking of returning home to my time,� Catriona spoke after a small silence passed between them.
Sango nodded. �Is Isamu fine with this decision of yours or is he going to stay behind with Sesshomaru?�
Catriona winced, her eyes narrowing as tears began falling down her pale cheeks at the mention of her deceased son. �Sango, while I was at Koga�s caves, Isamu went on a hunt with Koga, after they had grown close. During that hunt, he was bitten by a snake youkai.�
�He didn�t make it, did he?� Sango asked, rising to her feet & moving over to be next to Catriona before she knelt down, wrapping her arms around the woman who now shook her head & began crying softly. �I give you my deepest regrets Catriona. If I would have known that I would�ve kept my mouth shut. I�m sorry for your loss.�
�He died in my arms Sango, I can�t get the image of it out of my head,� Catriona whimpered before more tears fell & she found herself turning into Sango�s arms & crying into the youkai slayer�s shoulder.
�At least he was able to die in the arms of the one who loved him & he loved back�� Sango spoke, trying to comfort her friend as the woman in her arms began sobbing. �And at least he won�t be in pain or handicapped in some way for the rest of his life.�
�I know, it�s just hurts so bad Sango. And I can�t figure out what he was trying to tell me. I thought I knew it, but now I�m just so damned confused; I�m not sure if I took the sign right��
�What sign do you speak of Catriona?� Sango questioned, pulling away & pushing her friend back some so she could look at her face.
Catriona sniffled & wiped away her tears. �When he was dying, his last words to me were, �Don�t let him win mommy.� And I have no idea what it means.�
Sango sat back & furrowed her brows as her mind went to work, trying to figure out what the pup had meant. �Catriona, what else has happened in your life since he died? Even before?�
Catriona thought back before she spoke up about the events at the cave & outside. �One night Inu Yasha used my body while I was sleeping; I�m pregnant with his child as we speak. Well, Miroku & I slept together after I heard Sesshomaru & Lady Chimei-teki mating in the castle, then I saw Sesshomaru that night, the night I took Miroku to my bed� We got into it & he told me I was being over emotional & that I was unfaithful, which now I understand, but I was so mad & I hit him & went back to the hut��
Sango�s eyes flew open. �You hit Sesshomaru? Did he do anything to you?�
�I didn�t give him the chance to I guess, so no, no he didn�t.�
�Consider yourself lucky then� Catriona, do you think he saw a premonition as he was fading?�
Catriona raised her eyes to meet with Sango�s. �What do you mean?�
�When Isamu was dying, I have heard of this happening, is it possible he could have seen a vision of something that was to come along in your future? And not wanting to see such a thing happen, warned you the best he could before he passed on?�
Catriona looked down, thinking about Sango�s words as she heard the youkai exterminator speak again.
�Maybe he saw Inu Yasha & Sesshomaru having it out over you, if Sesshomaru does indeed still care for you, & he didn�t want to see Inu Yasha win, because he wanted you to stay with Sesshomaru?�
"You were bit by that snake youkai, baby," she answered, leaning down & kissing his head softly. "But you're going to be okay baby."
"I heard everything mother, I know I won't be okay," he spoke quietly, his eyes half-open as a dark sleep tugged at him. He turned his head to look at Koga, who still stood. "I'm sorry I didn't listen to you Koga," he whispered, closing his eyes for a moment, before he forced them all the way open, not wanting to fall asleep yet. "I hope your wrist it okay."
"It's fine pup," he spoke, turning & walking away from mother & son.
Catriona brushed her son's bangs from his forehead. "I'm so sorry baby," she spoke as she laid down beside him & carefully pulled him into her arms, letting him rest his head on her shoulder. "I shouldn't have let you go."
"Please don't be mad at Koga, mother," he spoke. "He tried to stop me."
"I know baby," she said before she the inside of her cheek to hold back the tears that threatened to flow.
"Don't hold back your tears mother," he whispered, pushing his body in an attempt to cuddle against her, relaxing into her when he did so. "It's okay to cry over me. Please don't let it tear apart you & father," he softly begged, his eyes moving up to meet with hers as she looked down at him. "I don't want you to leave each other because of me."
"I promise I'll try to keep us together if things start to look bad," she whispered as a lone tear streaked down her cheek & landed on her son's forehead.
Catriona brought her head up as her flashback made her remember her promise to her son. She looked at Sango & then at the floor, trying to think quickly of what Sango & Isamu had said. �Sango, do you still own Kirara?�
�Yes I do; but why?� Sango questioned, tilting her head slightly.
�I need a lift to Sesshomaru�s castle, I have to talk to him & I don�t want to waste time,� she answered, rising to her feet. �I don�t have time to waste anyway.�