In These Arms, I'll Carry You by thetroll

Chapter 1

It was a foggy day when Kagome's life changed.

The phone call came two years after Kagome and Sesshomaru had made it to her era, careful not to cross her own past self's path until after they'd known for sure that that Kagome had traveled back.

Kagome had reconnected with her human family, grateful to see them, and had introduced them to her grown children.

And yet the happiness was short lived.

The phone rang and everything changed after she answered it and the caller had identified himself.

"Your mother was involved in a car accident."

She sagged down to the floor, the phone absently still in her hand as the nurse kept speaking to her.

"I'm afraid it's rather serious, Ito-san. I recommend that you and any other family get here as soon as possible."

She was only vaguely aware of her husband's presence as he came into the room and took the phone from her limp hand.

She heard his voice but failed to register anything he said.

Mama was just going to the store, she thought to herself. She couldn't even move. She was going to bake a cake for Hiroki's baby shower next week.

Hiroki was one of their children and he was expecting his first child with his wife. Her mother had been so thrilled at the thought of grandchildren and great-grandchildren and had insisted on celebrating with a traditional homemade cake.

The store wasn't far from the shrine.

"Kagome?" Suddenly her husband was kneeling before her, reaching out to gently cup her face. "Come; I will drive. The children have already been informed."

Sesshomaru had taken care of everything, she realized numbly, but she couldn't even find a word to say thank you as he gently bundled her up for the winter weather and ushered her towards their car.

He kept one hand wrapped around hers all the way to the hospital.

.

.

He found her later, just outside the hospital where her mother couldn't overhear her cry.

"She's so young," Kagome said as soon as Sesshomaru came up to her. She sniffled loudly. "She's not even fifty, Sesshomaru. She's always been a strong woman. She..." She choked as he pulled her into his embrace. "She raised me and Sota after my dad... She's always been so strong. But now... I hate that driver! I hate him so much, Sesshomaru! It's his fault! She's never going to be able to walk again and he's not even injured!"

Sesshomaru rumbled as he held her, but he didn't say anything.

Kagome froze as a thought suddenly came to her. "Where is Mama going to live, Sesshomaru? She can't make it up the shrine steps anymore. And what about Jiji? He can't handle the shrine on his own, either! And Sota, he's still in school—"

"Kagome," Sesshomaru interrupted her panicked words with a gentle kiss to her forehead. "They are family. If they need help, we will provide it."

Kagome had never felt more helpless. "But what can we do, Sesshomaru? Our house isn't set up to take them all in; it's too small and it's not equipped for someone with mobility issues. You heard the doctor; she's going to be wheelchair bound for the rest of her life. She'll need a special bath tub, a special bed she can get in and out of, a wheelchair, special medical equipment, a—"

She hiccuped loudly, interrupting her own words as she began sobbing again. The thought alone of all that had changed in one moment was too much for her to bear and it was all she could to just to keep herself standing as she cried.

She began wailing as she realized her mother would never again be able to walk around and that thought alone broke her. Her mother had always loved walking; she never took a car anywhere.

And she would never be able to walk again.

Paralyzed.

The word stabbed into her mind.

Sesshomaru only pulled her in closer, rocking her gently as she cried, listening intently as she blathered on.

She absently noticed the arrival of her children and grandchildren and just as absently noted Sesshomaru's words as he sent them up to her mother.

And then they were alone again, but still, she couldn't stop crying. She cried for her mother, she cried for her brother and grandfather, but she also cried for herself. All of their lives had changed irrevocably, forever.

But, at some point, she simply ran out of tears. She still wanted to cry, but she couldn't.

It was then that Sesshomaru gently helped clean her face as gently as he'd once cleaned their own children's faces when they'd been young and then he ushered her back up to her mother to bid make sure she was comfortable for the night.

After that, he silently took her home as though he sensed she needed space to adjust.

But he kept a watchful eye, helping her to bed when she staggered and ensuring she made it beneath the covers.

He even held her until she fell asleep.

.

.

When Kagome awoke, the fog of the day before had come and gone, but reality hadn't.

She found herself alone in bed, an unusual enough occurrence that she stumbled out of bed to look for her husband.

She found Sesshomaru in the kitchen, a pad of paper in front of him that he was writing neat, careful notes on as he listened intently to something on his headphones.

A call, she guessed, though for what, she didn't know.

And then panic hit her. "Tell me she's okay, Sesshomaru!" The words were ripped from her as she rushed over to Sesshomaru, shaking his arm.

He looked down at her in surprise, muting the call without more than a single word, "Hold." He turned to her. "Your mother is still in the hospital, Kagome," he said, sounding confused.

"Is that the doctor?" She tried to look at his phone screen but it had already darkened. "Tell me it's not the hospital!"

He removed the headphones and pulled her to him to nuzzle her. "It is not the hospital," he said gently. "They already called earlier. She seems to be recovering from the surgery and is eating. The doctor said this is a good sign." He sounded a little bemused. "I was unaware of how difficult it is, for humans to lose the use of a limb."

She flinched.

I deserve to be slapped. Kagome hadn't even once thought about how Sesshomaru might feel about the situation, especially since he'd lost the use of one of his own limbs before.

"I'm sorry," she managed to get out, wrapping her arms around him. "I shouldn't have, but I forgot about your arm, Sesshomaru."

"An arm to a yokai is hardly the same thing." He wrapped his own arms around her gently. "And it was a long time ago, regardless."

Kagome bit on her lower lip, picking up on his cue to set aside her guilt. "Who's on the phone, then, if it's not the hospital?"

"A organization that trains service dogs," he answered simply, releasing her to return to his notes.

His answer astonished her. "Service dogs?" she repeated.

He showed her his notepad. "I have been doing research all night on how best to care for someone in your mother's situation," he said simply, "so that you might focus solely on her recovery."

Her eyes took in the list. He'd researched contractors for remodeling or building a home, wheelchair types and costs, service dogs, even the most optimal home set ups to allow for maximum mobility.

She reached out to touch the paper in awe. "You've been doing this all night, Sesshomaru?"

He nodded shortly. "I did not realize her injury would have such an impact but I wanted to ensure that we would be equipped to take care of her while ensuring she would have as much independence possible. Aside from the basic supplies, I believe that, aside from a new house—as a remodel simply wouldn't be feasible in this space—along with an electric 'scooter' wheelchair and a service dog, will allow your mother to travel about as she has before when she walked. It will be different, but it will allow her to enjoy a similar standard of life."

"I have also prepared a budget and the children and grandchildren have agreed to help. My mother has agreed to help as well. The amount is easily feasible, Kagome," he assured her, pressing a kiss to her temple. "So you do not need to worry. We can inform your mother of this when we visit her today."

Kagome felt like sobbing but she didn't get the chance to thank him before the caller through his headphones said, "Ito-san?"

He turned to the headphones and picked up the call, but not before handing her a cup of hot tea to help calm her nerves and settle her stomach.

She returned his notepad to him, feeling overwhelmed but grateful for her husband.

He finished the call quickly, adding another note to his file. "The dog will not be ready as quickly as I would like," he said, disgruntled, after the call ended. "They will need to train the dog specifically to accommodate her disability and needs, some of which we do not know yet. But they have a litter ready to begin training in two months and I reserved the last puppy from it, though it will take two or three years to be ready."

She reached up to kiss his jaw. "Thank you," she said before kissing his lips, kissing away his frown. "Thank you for everything, Sesshomaru. I'm sure Mama will thank you, too."

He clicked his tongue. "Perhaps not. Mother has decided to visit her," he confessed baldly. "Apparently she feels your mother could do with some 'mature company,' I believe she said."

Kagome actually laughed, surprising herself. She hadn't thought she could laugh so soon after such a loss. "We need to get ready to go to the hospital then, to rescue Mama."

"Perhaps," he conceded, but then there was a twinkle in his eye that she knew all too well what it meant. "But I fear I have not slept all night. I am in dire need of a shower and a nap. It wouldn't be safe to drive in this condition, of course, so I'm afraid seeing Mother might need to wait a few hours."

She pressed her lips together to hide another laugh. "I'll drive then," she told him, surprised at how easy it was to laugh when her heart still felt so heavy. "And you can nap on the way."

"Ahh, if only I remembered where the keys were," he said dramatically. "I'm afraid I won't recall where they are until after a nap."

"Sesshomaru! My mother is in the hospital!" Kagome put her hands on her hips but her twitching lips gave her away.

"Yes, and she will have plenty of company with Mother," Sesshomaru said unrepentantly. "I believe Mother is even bringing flowers and a fruit basket."

Kagome began chortling at the idea of Sesshomaru's mother showing up at the hospital with a fruit basket and a bouquet. "I hope she gets edible ones for humans," she managed to get out after a moment. The last time his mother had sent a gift, it had proved to be inedible for humans.

Sesshomaru shrugged. "I believe she is ordering them."

"More like demanding them from some poor clerk." Kagome already felt bad for whoever his mother bullied into helping her select appropriate items to bring with her.

"I need a shower," he said, abruptly standing up. "And so do you."

"Hey!" she protested, glowering at him. "Are you trying to say I smell?"

He ignored her protest as he ushered her to the bathroom. "I told your mother we would be there after three to see her," he said, turning the shower on, "so we have plenty of time to bathe and rest before we see her again."

The thought of her mother's condition sobered any humor then.

"You will also eat," he added in case that was necessary. Perhaps it was. "I have already ordered delivery as well that will be here soon."

He'd taken care of everything, she realized, as he gently pulled her into the shower to rinse before turning to fill the tub so they could soak after. He'd taken care of everything when she hadn't been in the right frame of mind to do so herself.

She kissed him gently before turning her attention to the shower, relaxing as he simply held her at first in the hot water.

For so long, she'd been the strong one but this time, he'd done as much as he could for her so she didn't have to be.

And it was only then, standing with him in the shower, that she knew everything was going to be okay. Their life from here on out would be different and would probably change radically over the next few days and months as they adjusted to the changes.

But she would have Sesshomaru at her side and together, they would find a way through it and do what they had always done best: look after those they loved.

And support one another as they did so.