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The air was stale here – stagnant even but still he couldn't leave. Not again. After everything, after all that has happened…why was he such a coward?

He, the former Lord of the West, stood frozen at the mere sight of her. After many years of watching her from the shadows, there he was, showing himself in the open, and her…she just smiles…

"May I help you?" The young woman's voice cut through the hypnotic state he fell into. Shaking his head, he was about to formally introduce himself before a hand signaled him to stop.

"He's an old friend, Hisa."

Kagome's faded blue eyes pierced through his cold façade, something that he hasn't felt in a long time and the memories still fresh in his mind.

"Hisa, be a dear and get some hot tea from the cafeteria."

The young woman nodded and with a backwards glance, she left the two of them.

"Your granddaughter has inherited your looks."

"She has, though I'm sad to say that she hasn't inherited my spirit for adventure." Kagome slouched a bit in the hospital bed looking a tad wilted. "She'd rather keep her nose in a book than to go and chase a fairy tale; her grandfather's doing no doubt."

Sesshoumaru sat down on the chair that Hisa was occupying only moments ago and stared at her. He couldn't remember exactly when it was that he was this close to her, but it was long overdue.

"So Sess, how long has it been?"

Too goddamn long in his book.

He looked around the stark white room until he noticed a few pictures lining the far wall. Getting up, he walked over to pick one up. It was her with her holding her first child.

"You have a beautiful family, Kagome."

She smiled. "Yes, I think so too."

Softly placing the picture down, he continued to pick up another. This one was of her wedding.

Sesshoumaru remembered that day all too well. He had never seen her look so beautiful. So happy.

"He was a good man."

Kagome's voice was soft, barely reaching Sesshoumaru. But he had heard and he had to agree.

This man in the picture beside Kagome showed happiness beyond anything he had seen before. Pure, undoubting, undying love for this woman that he had just promised his life to. Sesshoumaru could see it so clearly because that's how he himself, still looks at her now.

"He was."

Sighing, Kagome closed her eyes a bit.

"I miss him dearly."

Sesshoumaru didn't say anything. Instead, he walked back to the chair next to the fragile woman and placed the picture on the night stand. Silence befell between the two.

"Why didn't you look for me?"

Golden eyes snapped to meet stern blue. His throat constricted and his tongue became tick in his mouth.

"I did, but by then I was too late."

Reaching a large warm hand to rest on her cool paper white cheek, he brought his face close to hers. "I have never seen a more beautiful bride than on that day."

Tears sprang from her eyes. "Why didn't you show yourself?"

"Because you had just begun your future and I was your past."

Her heart sank but he was right. He was her past and her future with her husband was one that she would never regret. He had given her three beautiful children who in turn, gave her many beautiful grandchildren. They were both very much in love and she had to admit that she hardly looked back on her old life in a very long time.

Yes. Her future was perfect.

Leaning back against the soft pillows of the bed, she reached her hand to grasp his. He could tell that her strength was leaving her. He could hear her heart slow as his began to race.

"Sesshoumaru, I never stopped loving you."

A true, genuine smile spread across his lips. "Kagome, I have always loved you."

Her breath was becoming slightly shallow. Fear began to show within his beautiful golden irises that she had loved so much. Shaking her head, she assured him that she was fine. She wanted this.

"Do you think that maybe we'll get a second chance at this?"

"Maybe not in this life."

"Then the next."

Her grip was fading as he clung onto her hand, bringing it up to his lips.

"I'll see you there. This time, I won't be too late."

She smiled. "I'll hold you to that."

Closing her eyes peacefully, she began to drift away, leaving Sesshoumaru alone in the empty hospital room. Tears stung at his eyes as he buried his face into her shoulder, inhaling the last of her scent. He never thought that losing her would hurt this much but he was happy with the life that she had built without him.

Hearing a soft gasp, he turned to see Kagome's granddaughter standing in the doorway. Silent tears fell from her eyes so much like Kagome's it hurt him to look at her. Standing from his spot, he approached her cautiously.

'I'm sorry' was all he said as he brushed past. Before he could make it down the hallway, he heard her ask,

"If I may, what were you to my grandmother?"

Sesshoumaru never looked back.

"I am her past; but she…she was everything to me."

Hisa kept her back to the tall man; never once glancing over her shoulder to see him leave. She knew exactly who this man was -this demon. She had fallen asleep many times to her grandmothers' soft melodic voice telling her bedtime stories of a young girl who fell in love with a brave, cold hearted warrior. She knew for a long time that these stories rang true. The way her grandmother spoke of these stories, with so much life and excitement, there was no way that these were your average fairy tales. And with the way her grandmothers' eyes sprang to such life when that man walked in - everything clicked.

Placing the forgotten tea on the shelf lined with pictures of her grandmothers' family, she couldn't help but smile through her tears of loss. The man her grandmother had always loved came back to her, even if for a moment.

"I hope you meet him again soon, grandmother."

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Desert-Bandit