Chapter 19 - To Be Free

Mimic stared at her friend sadly. It had been a week, yet Fade still remained the same as when they rescued her. She took her leader's pale hand in hers and squeezed it gently.

"Keira… I know you're in there. You have to come back to us." She pleaded, praying her words would reach the broken soul. "Sebastian is a mess… he needs you just as much as I-" She gasped as she saw tears slide down her cheeks. Her eyes were still dull and lifeless, but she was crying.

'I knew it… she can hear me.' Mimic smiled slightly but then frowned.

Why was she crying?

She noted that the tears came after she had mentioned Sebastian.

Confusion filled her all the more.

Then, she remembered what Claude had said.

"Her soul was easy to break."

'Did he use Sebastian to break her down?'

"Any changes?" Kagome asked as she walked over towards them. Fade had been set up in her own room, seeing as though it might bring her out of the spell. Mimic shook her head.

"You can go get some rest, I'll watch her."

Mimic looked over at Fade hesitantly, before leaving. Kagome took her spot and held Fade's hand.

"Fade." She began, her voice flooding with sympathy.

"I know the kind of spell you were cursed with… I went through it too." Kagome whispered, clutching the girl's hand at the memories.

Flashback:

Kagome was kneeling, in a darkened room, and an infant was reaching with outstretched arms like a son reaching for his mother. The miko tried with all her might to escape the baby, but all was in vain. Soon it had its arms wrapped around her very soul. "Inuyasha!" Her mouth screamed his name.

The infant only laughed, taunting her. Telling her that Inuyasha was gone, after Kikyo, and wasn't coming for her. Each blow struck her heart, bruising the already tender parts there. There was still faith in him, beaten down but still untainted by the child's cruel words. "Inuyasha will come for me!" she retorted, angrily. Desperately.

'He has to...' came her thoughts once more.

The hellish incarnation took advantage of her momentary weakness and wrapped his small fingers around her heart, and Kagome fell unconscious deep within her own mind. Next, flying through the air, clutching the infant to her chest, Kagura in front and the whole world spread out below, but no fear came, only deep depression...

Landing. A small girl stepped out to meet them, holding a tainted shard. Kanna. Inside, fighting, always fighting the baby's grasp... then remembering Kikyo... and falling dormant once more.

As the infant became aware of her resistance, he tortured her with more painful sentences, each word an arrow to her self-confidence, her faith in Inuyasha, her already battered heart. "Inuyasha has made his choice, and he has chosen Kikyo, not you." He smirked. He knew her weakness, knew the one thing that really brought her to her knees. And there was nothing she could do to stop him.

The child flung more barbed words at the miko, telling her that she was bitter towards Inuyasha. That she hated Kikyo. Kagome's confusion grew with every sentence.

'I feel bitter towards Inuyasha? I hate Kikyo? I guess I have every reason to, but...'
Then he noticed that Kagome had broken free of the infant's grasp! She was giving him a fierce tirade. "I can not feel bitterness towards these two," she was saying, "and I know these feelings mean..." She paused, as if gathering her courage.

"They mean I'm in love with Inuyasha!"

End of Flashback.

Kagome smiled at the end, and she stared into Fade's blank visage.

"Fade, I fought back. I know you can too. I know Claude said something about Sebastian, but whatever it is, it wasn't true! Sebastian ran to come save you, he fought Claude, and he rescued you." Fade's eyes widened an inch.

"He loves you, Fade."

A flowing warmth surged through Fade's body as tears poured down her cheeks.

Her eyes regained traces of life as she blinked, adjusting to her surroundings. She touched the tears on her cheeks with a puzzled expression.

"What… What happened?" She asked Kagome, utterly confused. Kagome smiled warmly.

"You freed your soul."

xXxXxXx

Sebastian walked down the empty hall, worry replacing his usual calm demeanor. It was late and everyone had already gone to sleep; a ritual he as a demon had no use for. His kind would use sleep as a way to pass time; it was simply a luxury. Normally, this demon would spend his nights watching her sleep.

He stopped in his tracks.

Yes, he would always enjoy it when she slept. Her face would always make the strangest expressions as she dreamed; expressions he may never see again. His eyes flashed briefly as this thought crossed his mind.

It had been weeks since he had rescued Fade from Claude's hideout, and ever since then, her body was as lifeless as a dolls.

Her soul was shattered.

His shadow grew larger and gained a dark green tint as his demon aura spiked from his anger. Claude had used her to get back at him… that spider's filthy hands had touched her.

It was revolting; he would pay.

"Se…Sebastian?" He blinked, the voice bringing him out of his thoughts. He turned slightly to see a barely healed Flame leaning against the wall for support. She had awoken from her comma a few days ago. He noticed her slumped form and ragged breaths; she was no doubt unfit to be walking around while in that condition.

"Miss Sarutobi, why are you out of bed? The doctor informed you to take it easy, did he not? You suffered terrible wounds." He said with care, quickly appearing at her side to give her a helping hand. "You can barely stand on your own…" He murmured.

"Don't baby me, these are nothing but scratches." She stated before swatting his hands away. However, the movement caused her to hiss in pain and grit her teeth. Sebastian smiled slightly.

'She is so stubborn… just like Keira.'

"Yes, Yes… I can clearly see you are perfectly well." He teased while making sure her wounds hadn't reopened.

"Shut it. I'm fine. Now, where's Fade?" She asked, her blue eyes boring into his.

He paused briefly.

"Her room." He muttered, his eyes hardening. She eyed him with curiosity.

"Why aren't you with her?"

Another pause.

"She… is technically not there." His eyes saddened slightly. "Well, her body is there… but that is it."

Flame scoffed.

"So, the rumors are true. You have been ignoring her. Sheesh, just cause she's not all there doesn't mean she wouldn't want you with her."

"You're wrong."

Flashback:

He watched as her chest slowly rose and fall, indicating that she was alive. However, her eyes gave away no sign of life. She stared at everything but saw nothing. It was almost like she was dead. Anger flared up inside him as he swore to make that demon pay. His gloved hand cupped her cheek softly.

"Keira…" His voice was low, but loud enough for human ears to hear. His eyes widened as he felt her body tense as if a large force had struck her. The scent of tears alerted him even more as he watched the salty liquid drip from her eyes that now held so much pain. He quickly pulled back from touching her and immediately her body relaxed and her eyes returned to their lifeless state. He stared at the traces of tears she had shed, and his anger intensified.

Claude had filled her head with lies about him to crush her.

End of Flashback.

Flame stared at him with confused eyes. He seemed to be lost in thought, but his eyes held so much pain.

"What do you mean I'm wrong?"

"She does not want to see me."

The two were enveloped in silence; Flame didn't know what to say. Sebastian noticed her confused expression and offered her a bitter smile.

"Claude more than likely told her lies about me in order to crush her soul."

Flame stared at him with disbelief. She was about to say something when she felt a strong grip on her arm.

"What the hell do ya think you're doing?" Came a very pissed off Inuyasha. "You know better than to be off exploring! You almost died, idiot! You need rest!" He yelled before trying to drag her back to the medical wing. Sebastian felt compelled to inform the hanyou that, while his heart was in the right place, his strength and force were causing the girls wounds to re-open.

He watched as the girl was being dragged down the hall before he could say anything.

"Well, he'll discover it soon enough."

"Aw, hell! You're bleeding again!"

The butler sighed; why must such fools surround him?