The Fox and The Hound (Completed)

Chapter 17: I'm Sorry

Asami P.O.V

Something was off, the scene before me felt too...surreal. We were in a bright grassy meadow and Rin was playing in the grass with A-Un. I giggled and was about to join them when I felt something tug at my hand. I was pulled into someone's lap and when I looked up, it was Sesshomaru. "S-sesshomaru?" I muttered. He looked down at me and smiled as he gently kissed my forehead. "Yes, Asami?" he asked, nuzzling his head on the crook of my neck. My heart was racing a mile a minute. Something seemed wrong. "Is there something wrong, love?" he asked, looking at my eyes worriedly. Was this real? Or was it all a dream?

I turned in his lap to face him then I cupped his cheeks with my hands to see if he was real. "Y-you're real..." I muttered to myself and he held my hand and smiled softly. That smile...made my heart swell. This was real but there was something in the back of my mind that was telling me that something felt off. "Of course...why wouldn't I be?" he replied, caressing my cheek with his thumb. "Asami..." Sesshomaru whispered and I shivered at the tone of his voice. I felt the heat move to my cheeks and I was sure my face was completely red. This set up was already very awkward and embarassing for me, I didn't need to make it even more obvious for him to tell what I was feeling. "Asami...do you...love me?" Sesshomaru suddenly asked and I was taken aback by his question. It was just too sudden. I couldn't answer him.

The longer I waited to answer, the more hurt his expression looked. I wanted to answer him but I myself didn't even know the answer to his question. Did I love him? What are my real feelings? 

"I...see..." he simply said before taking his hand away from me. The look in his eyes nearly broke me. Then, everything fell apart. The whole scene infront of me crumbled and withered away until only darkness was left. I tried to reach for him but he too crumbled and disappeared. "Sesshomaru!" I cried out until I could feel tears falling from my eyes. No...this is just a nightmare. It isn't real!

Then, I woke up with a jolt. My heart was racing and I couldn't breath. My vision was really blurry, I couldn't steady my breathing. I was...terrified. I clawed at my throat then my chest, I couldn't breath. The pain was back and it had spread to my entire body. All I saw was a flash of silver and white before my eyes were forced shut. The pain was too much, I couldn't open my eyes. 

Sesshomaru P.O.V

I was frozen in place, I didn't know what to do. She was writhing in agony and I didn't know what to do! "Call the healer immediately!" I ordered one of my servants. "Hurry!" I screamed. My mind was stuck in a state of utter panick. The healer was taking too long. I had to do something before she hurt herself.

I grabbed her arms and tried to stop her from scratching herself. I tried to call out her name but she couldn't hear me. "Asami! Asami! Please!" I kept on trying until she stopped writhing and let out a deep breath then I saw her neck, it was red and blood was coming out of some of the deeper scratches. Then, I was pulled away from her and taken out of the room. The healer had arrived. 

A few minutes later, the healer left the room and I dreaded the news that he gave me. "My Lord, the poison in her system has begun to destroy her from the inside. It was originaly only in her neck but it has moved throughout her bloodstream and is burning her from the inside. I'm sorry...I cannot do anything to help her. This poison is nothing like I've ever seen. It corrodes things at a much faster rate than any poison I have ever seen. I'm surprised she survived this long while it was in her system. I'm sorry...there is nothing I can do. She will die in five days time" he said and immediately I realized what poison he was talking about. "Go..." I said to him. My eyes were covered by shadows as I walked into the room.

She laid in the bed, peacefully resting. Her chest rising and falling slowly while a white bandage with red specks was wrapped around her neck. Her hands were placed on her stomach in a way that looked like she was already dead. I bit my lower lip just enough to draw blood. This was all my fault. I slowly approached her bed and sat next to her, holding her hand before pulling her to my lap and pressing my forehead against hers. Her body was cold and her skin was pale. Her eyes were surrounded by dark circles. I was going to lose her. 

"Asami...this is all my fault. I did this to you...It is my poison that is killing you from the inside. From when I... I should have just accepted it. I should have just accepted that there was no spell, that it was my own feelings that were making me feel this way. I should have accepted it sooner. Then I wouldn't have...you wouldn't be suffering like this. I am so sorry...This is all my fault. Now, I'm going to lose you. There has to be something...there has to be another way to save you. I don't want you to die. I will try...I will do anything to save you. There has to be another way. I am not giving up. So please, Asami...hold on..." my voice broke in the end as I held her head close to my chest. I gritted my teeth as I stared at her beautiful face. Her golden eyes were hidden under heavy eyelids and soft and long eyelashes. I might never get to see those golden eyes ever again.

"Please...hear my heartbeat...don't die..." I whispered as I kissed her forehead gently, cradling her in my arms and rocking her gently. Tears were falling from my eyes as I held her close. Seeing her like this, knowing that she only had five days to live, I couldn't bear it. There has to be a way to save her. There has to...

"I love you, Asami"