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Chapter Sixteen
A
Sesshomaru looked up at the four that walked into his dining room where he sat, awaiting them with his chin on the back of his sideways turned hand. The four noticed Takara was nowhere in sight as Sesshomaru stood. "Miroku," he nodded to Miroku. "Has Rin yet told you of why I've sent her for you?"
Miroku nodded. "Yes, she has... Where is Takara?" he asked, his eyes showing hardly any emotion that Sesshomaru could see.
"She requested she didn't see you that you were only to see the child then be gone."
"Did she say why she wouldn't see me?"
"She knew she'd kill you." Sesshomaru answered before he led Miroku from the others & up to a room where the child was. He picked up the sleeping baby from it's sleeping bed & walked to Miroku with him in his arms. "Would you like to hold your son?" he asked.
Miroku looked at him & saw the slight glow that engulfed Sesshomaru's face that he must not have been noticing he had when holding the baby. And had he heard a softness in Sesshomaru's tone? He reached out & gently took the baby from Sesshomaru's arms & looked down at Makoto, his eyes taking in the precious bundle in his arms. "Can I be alone with him?" He received no verbal answer, but was answered when Sesshomaru left the room. He sat down with the child still in his arms & sighed.
*~*
"How old is the baby?" Kagome asked Sesshomaru as he walked back into the dining room where they were now seated.
"Only a few months," Sesshomaru replied, taking a seat across from his hanyou half-brother. "Why have you come here with the monk?"
"Incase this was some sort of trap. I wasn't about to let one of my friends walk right into a trap of yours without some protection," Inu Yasha replied. "Why have you told that little brat of yours that she could call me 'Uncle Yasha'? She's not even your pup!"
Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes only slightly as he stared at his half-brother who was slowly becoming aware of the fact that Sesshomaru was slowly losing control of his calm temper. "She will call you what I tell her to call you, like what it is, or not."
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you felt as if she was your pup, Papa," Inu Yasha grinned.
*~*
Miroku smiled as the baby, that had woken up, now stared up at him, giggling as he played with the bottom of Miroku's glove. He didn't pull at it, he only played with a small string he'd found. He looked up when Sesshomaru came back into the room. "Is it time for me to leave?" he asked, looking down at Makoto.
"No, you can stay for a few more moments, but we need to talk. Takara doesn't wish for Makoto to grow up without his father so she has given you three choices."
"Which are?"
"One, you can stay out of the baby's life & I would take on the roll of his father... Two, you come when you feel up to it, you would be welcome anytime, to see your son & be a father to him... Or three... Take him with you & never come back. He's already been weaned from Takara's breast & he would be safe to take. The choice you make will be permanent & can never be changed unless Takara decides to change it. What is your choice?"
Miroku looked at the baby in his arms. I couldn't take care of him on my own & he would be better off here with his mother... He sighed as he looked up at Sesshomaru & rose to his feet, placing a soft kiss on Makoto's forehead before he handed him back over to Sesshomaru. "I choose to let you be his father. You're a youkai & I'm a cursed human... Neither you or Takara are cursed & living here would be safer for him then living with me at the village..." Miroku sighed. "Thank you for letting me see him this once... I know you hate my kind, but is there anyway you can ask Takara if she would please come in here to talk to me? I wish to tell her something."
"I've told you human, she doesn't wish to see you," Sesshomaru spoke as he laid Makoto on his sleeping bed.
"Please Sesshomaru... Just ask her then after I'm done talking, I'll leave."
Sesshomaru left he room, leaving Miroku to himself. While he waited, Miroku looked at the baby who had fallen asleep in Sesshomaru's arms. He didn't notice it when Takara walked into the room, her arms folded over her chest. "Miroku..."
He turned to look at her. "Takara... I see you're fairing well."
"Yes... What is it you want?"
"I just wanted to wish you & Sesshomaru happy lives together & good health to your son with Sesshomaru..." It hurt him to call Makoto Sesshomaru's son & it showed on his face. "I hope he grows up to be a happy & healthy boy. Hopefully Naraku won't make an attempt to take him from here. But if he does... you can call me to come & help find him should he succeed. Also, I wanted to tell you that even though you hate me, I love you Takara & I'll never be able to move on from you. Have a nice life with Sesshomaru & Makoto," he said as he took her hand in his, kissing the back of it before he left the room, walking down to the diining room where everyone, minus the three upstairs, were sitting. "We leave now," he whispered as he left the castle, the other trailing behind as they stared at his back.
"What do you think is going on?" Kagome asked Inu Yasha.
"I don't know Kagome... We'll find out at the village," Inu Yasha replied.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Sango looked at the emotionally broken monk who sat across the hut from her, with downcast eyes. He had been like this since they had arrived back at the village & no one could get through to him. It was as if he was letting his body shut down to be nothing. "Miroku, what happened back at the castle?" she asked, hoping to break the silence between them.
Miroku looked up at her. "What?"
"What happened at the castle?"
"I saw him & for a while I held him in my arms, watching him smile," he answered, a lone tear making its way slowly down his cheek. "I didn't wish to leave him, but I had to... I was given three choice about his life... It's permanent, the one I chose."
"What were they?" Sango could hear the mourning sorrow n his voice as he looked back down.
"I could let Sesshomaru act as his father, I could be his father, or I could see him time after time... I chose to let Sesshomaru be his father & to stay out of his life. It'll be safer & better for Makoto this way..."
"Oh Miroku... I'm sorry," Sango said as she crossed the hut to kneel by him & gather him in her arms. A few moments later he turned his head to her breasts & started shaking, a sign he was crying, even though he had his head between her breasts. I wish I could make you feel better Miroku... I really wish I could...