Living With Loss by Pendragon
From Nightmare to Memory
Written For Skye's Weekly Challenge
Prompt: Stitch
From Nightmares to Memories
"The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living"
Marcus Tullius Cicero
Kagome woke with a scream, cold sweat making the sheet cling to her as she shot up in bed. Blinding tears soaked her face before she realized she was awake, and she could already feel the heartbreak sinking in, burrowing in her chest like some sick parasite.
Before she could stop them, the memories rushed in, flooding up and over the walls she spent the last half-year building up. They washed over her, a sea of memories mingling with her tears.
Errant visions swam before her: his body laying there broken to pieces, a breathtakingly handsome face rent to sheds, a doctor with cold indifference as a still child was miscarried and tossed away like useless trash.
“I regret to inform you, Mrs. Taisho, due to the trauma of your miscarriage, dense scar tissue has formed around your ovaries. You’ll be incapable of ever having children again.”
That’s what he’d said, leaving the room as soon as he’s finished speaking, leaving her to weep in the icy confinement of a hospital room with no man’s hand to hold. No calm voice to wrap her in his arms and soothe, telling her everything, that anything, would be okay again.
She been stitched up and dismissed, the only physical reminder of the night being a small white scar from a shard of window glass that had cut into her arm.
She remembered the funeral, an open casket that she regretted with all her heart. Seeing him, a made-up man, showing nothing of his former glory in death. She missed him all her heart.
Flashes of bloody photographs with harsh detectives asking impossible question with impossible answers. How was she to explain? What was she to say? My husband is-was a demon?
Kagome let out a broken laugh. Who would ever believe? No one knew of the yokai, not even Sango. Inuyasha was the only one capable of understanding. The half-demon knew it all, and feared for his life. As soon as Sesshomaru had passed away at the hands of he tatsu, Inuyasha had gone into hiding. He’s left everything behind, including Kagome.
She truly felt alone in a world that knew nothing of it’s true self. It knew nothing of the danger lurking in its shadows. Of the danger walking in broad daylight.
Sango aloud for some comfort, but Kagome’d never be able to confide the truth to her.
Even Shippo knew nothing of his heritage. Sesshomaru had had a seal placed on the kitsune at birth, masking his identity from the world. Sesshomaru had thought it was the cleverest thing. The ultimate achievement: having a “blind” fox fool the entire world, never knowing anything of the demonic mischief that was his nature.
The little redhead had lived his life as a simple human boy, going undetected by any yokai he encountered.
Kagome remembered Sesshomaru being so proud of his deceit and remembered wondering just how close a dog was to a fox.
He’d actually laughed when she’d asked, looking at his with that devilish smirk, his laugh ringing in her ears like harp strings. He’d never answered her, just holding her there for a single moment, laying the lightest whisper of a kiss on her lips before he slipped away for the day, off the manage the corporate empire he had built.
A corporate empire that no longer existed. All his works, his years of toil were auctioned and sold away. Stocks and shares tossed into countless other corporations as his company board lost and sold away everything he had made.
Another flicker of a memory came back to her, a remnant from the days she only just met Sesshomaru. There she was with Sango, snickering at him in the club that he’d been forced to attend by one of his more frivolous clientele. It had all started out as chicken-play with Sango pushing Kagome to talk to him.
He’s seemed so imposing, watching her as she twisted through drunken parties and dancing partners. When she’d approached he’s sized her up from top to bottom, disregarding her as a threat, he’d later told her. She’s had believed he thought her a piece of meat and had nearly slapped him then and there.
She’s begun nervous conversation, fidgeting when he only answered with single, pointblank sentences. He’d made her so nervous she’d spilled her drink all across the bar. He’s watched her mop up the mess with a smile, and when she saw that arrogant smirk, all hell had sprung loose.
She had spent the next five minutes yelling at him for every aberrant thing that came to mind. She used anything she could say to just to break through that block of ice he encased himself in. And something she’d said worked. Somehow she’d proven or convinced him of some worth in herself.
After she’d cooled, they began to talk, and rather lucidly. Even after that night at the club they made ways of seeing and hearing from eachother. She’s started the phone calls; he’d started with house calls. Soon enough they were dating, and sharing every expendable moment with eachother.
Then came the night he’s bent on one knee, asking her the perfect question to which she gave his perfect answer.
A fairytale wedding with him standing there in that regal tuxedo, watching her coming down an isle that was unbearably long. Promises of love and loyalty, a smiling priest and a flawless kiss.
A night of splendor, champagne and rose petals. The most romantic of men watching her the entire time. Her melting each time she saw those eyes. Each time she felt his touch. Laying in his arms and knowing love for the first time. Knowing she had her fairytale with her prince charming and happily ever after.
Seeing the two blue lines on that little white device. Seeing his face when she told him, remembering him taking her up in his arms and kissing her until she screamed for him to stop.
Kagome screamed now as she threw her wedding bands at the far walls before collapsing into her bed. She cried until her body shook and her eyes burned. Her lungs felt leaden and mind numb.
No one had ever told her what tragedy came after happily ever after.
E/N: This is my forst go around with an in-story history synopsis. How did I do?