A long shadow was upon the ground. It's owner was sitting on a rock, watching the sun set, the sky an orange glow. Sesshomaru's eyes barely betrayed a flicker of emotion, yet there was sadness.

How many years had passed since he and his love sat together and watched the sun set? How many more years would pass before his heart stopped aching for her, yearning for her, all day, every day?

He remembered her screams as the slayer's sword plunged into her. He remembered her screams for Sesshomaru to escape. Their child had lain dead on the floor, but the child would have only served as a reminder of his lost love, if it had survived.

He had transformed into his great dog demon shape and covered hundreds of miles of land in minutes, trying to find his father. Together they returned to where Sesshomaru had escaped from. The bodies of his mate and child were gone.

He stood up. It was useless to think of those who were gone. In the end, everybody left him; his mate, his child, his father, and Rin, whom he had forced to live amongst humans. He put a loose strand of hair behind his ear, then began walking down the narrow pathway nearby where he had been sitting.

The pathway wound down so far he could not believe it. He did not know where it was taking him, yet he felt the strange urge to continue.

Then he came across a barrier, and a powerful one at that. He stood there, unmoving for some while, trying to find its weak point and then he attacked with his talons. The barrier burst and he continued.

It was a slayer village he had found, but it was abandoned. Everywhere there was a stench of fire and death. However, there was the scent of a demon. The scent was getting stronger; it was coming closer to him.

Out of the dark shadows stepped a woman with long unkempt white hair, her amber eyes glinting fiercely as the setting light danced upon them. Her pale pink kimono was ripped and frayed, yet Sesshomaru recognised its sakura pattern as the kimono he had given to his love.

"Sesshomaru." said the woman, and he recognised the voice instantly as that of his true love. He took her in his arms. "Michiko,I thought you were dead." "Sesshomaru...Sesshomaru!" she cried, and clung to him as though he would disappear if she let go. "How long I've waited to see you again! I'm so sorry!" "Why are you sorry, Michiko?" "I...am dead. I did not survive that night. The thought of never seeing you again kept me here rather than allowing my soul to pass on. I have waited here for the day that you would be drawn here and we could say a proper goodbye." "Michiko, it isn't goodbye. It's 'see you later'."

Michiko began to fade, tears streaming down her face, and Sesshomaru wiped them from her eyes. She smiled before completely disappearing. A single tear slid down Sesshomaru's face.

He was right. It wasn't a goodbye. One day, they would be together again.