AN: I was confused at how much I liked Witchblade when I watched it as its not something I would normally watch. However I loved the people story at the heart of it all and most of all I loved the relationship between Reiji and Masane. So when I finished the series I wanted to write this so I could give them a little bit of closure. Please enjoy xx.

Takayama knelt by Rihoko's bed with tears silently falling down his cheeks as he watched her sleep.

"Why did you leave me to do this alone?" He asked the air in front of him hoping for an answer, but knowing that he wouldn't get one as Masane was not there. Suddenly he felt a light pressure slip around his shoulders and embrace him tight.

"I didn't leave you, I'm here." Masane whispered in his ear.

"I'm afraid if I turn around you'll vanish." Takayama said softly,

"Worrying like that will make you bald." She said and Takayama turned slowly to see if the voice and touch was real or just his imagination. Sure enough Masane was knelt behind him watching him with her eyes bright.

"How?" He whimpered,

"You two held me here for a little while..." She put out her hand, "See..." Takayama looked at it seeing the translucent image of her skin. "You both cared for me so much; I couldn't just leave you." She leant in and kissed him lightly, he felt the firmness of her lips like a cool whisper across his own. She was real enough to touch she was not just his mind playing cruel tricks on him.

"Masane," He almost cried.

"I'm here Reiji," She said and he shivered at being called his first name, "You look tired," she stated bluntly holding his face between her soft hands.

"Don't tell me... it will make me bald," Takayama said making the image of Masane smile,

"Well I wasn't thinking that, but if you say so." She replied and his eyes widened comically at the statement making Masane smiled again. He turned fully to face her resting his back on the side of Rihoko's bed.

"What happened to it?" He asked concerned glancing at the wrist where the Witchblade used to lie.

"Gone!" She grinned widely and he couldn't help it he smiled back, "I took it with me. No one needs that sort of power. The world is better without it." Her eyes became clouded for a moment before she added, "I'm sad Tokyo Tower is gone though." As she finished she looked genuinely sad and Takayama laughed; when Masane turned her eyes to him with a look of hurt he quickly shut up.

"You saved the world and you're worried that you destroyed Tokyo Tower?" He asked his face adorably contorted with confusion. When she thought of it that way; she understood why he had laughed at the comment. When he laughed it was such a warm sound and made his eyes crinkle which in turn made him look so much younger now she wished she hadn't stopped him laughing. He took her wrist and pulled her to him gently and she was happy to be led in to his warm embrace.

"You're so cold." He said as he kissed her cheek. She rested her head on his chest and listened to the beating of his heart it was a deep and steady against her ear. She snuggled further in to him; feeling the warmth of his body hoping that it would warm up the lack of hers. He sighed and she looked up in to his grey eyes that were stormy.

"What's wrong?" She asked,

"I'm just cursing the universe... it gave me you; then took you back in an instant." He said caressing her cheek with a callused thumb. She leant in and kissed his neck and saw the sadness briefly leave his eyes.

"I'm not completely gone yet." She murmured and he sighed again, but deeper this time.

"I still won't have time to say what I want to." Masane smiled and traced his scar lightly with her fingertips.

"Try me I'm listening," She told him a hint of a smile on her lips. His cheeks coloured slightly and he cleared his throat. He held her closer and said what he wished he had said several hours ago.

"I love you." He said simply and Masane gasped, "For the first time in a long time you made me feel something. When I was around you I didn't care what happened as long as you stayed with me for a while." Masane sighed and then asked,

"Since the boat?" Takayama smiled at the memory of her stamping in and screaming as she normally did, but this time about a photo she had found. He shook his head lightly and Masane looked shocked.

"Before that..." He replied smiling brightly and Masane seemed to relax at the statement, letting out a breath she didn't realise she had been holding. "Maybe it was the first day I met you, but I can date my feelings definitely from the wage argument." Masane coloured slightly, "Then that dress... I have never seen something so beautiful... it was wasted on you though." He smiled as she punched him lightly on the arm. "You were the most colourful thing in my dull world. You shone light in to me and took down my defences. Yet at the same time I felt completely safe. I could be open without worrying that I would get hurt. You made me feel alive." He stopped talking and kissed the top of phantom Masane's head and Masane couldn't move. She had never expected him to open up to her so completely.

"Not what I was thinking you would say." Takayama chuckled in to her hair.

"Sorry, but I regretted not telling you when I had the chance. I nearly kicked myself after the car accident as I hadn't told you." Masane ran a hand through his thick hair. He took hold of it and kissed her palm lightly. He wasn't expecting her to say anything, but when she did he was relieved.

"I've fallen in love with you too." She said sounding a little unsure. "It began at the party and then before I knew it I only thought about you." She knelt in front of him and kissed the length of his scar. "I didn't want to go, but I had to. I wanted so much to spend more time with Rihoko and you... but fate I suppose isn't that nice. I did save Rihoko from the same fate though so..." Takayama nodded and then murmured words in to her hair. "What?" She asked.

"I'm glad you came back." He repeated and coloured again making the scar stand out more against his skin.

"I am too... so I can do this." She leant in and kissed him hard and she felt his hands cup the sides of of her face to deepen the kiss. Her arms went around his back holding him closer to her. She felt her mouth open and let his tongue slip inside for the briefest moment. His right hand left her cheek and travelled lightly down her arm and under her camisole. Takayama was surprised that he could feel material then he felt her moan as he lightly touched her spine and feeling her soft skin against his hands.

"You feel so real." He whispered before he could stop himself.

"It's because at this moment I am." She said back, "I needed to see you as much as you needed to see me." She felt hot tears run down his cheeks and began to cry herself. They clung to each other tears and breath mingling as if it were their last night on earth.

"I will always be with you right here..." she said and kissed his chest lightly just over his heart, "And here," she said kissing his fore head, "and last but not least here," she finished kissing each of his eyelids tasting salt. "I don't care who I was before; I'm who I am now because of you and Rihoko." His hand ran through her hair and rested on the back of her neck pulling her in again. She kissed him deeply and she could feel him kissing back with as much feeling as possible. As she pulled away she could feel herself begin to disappear, and it had started with her feet.

"No not yet." She heard Takayama cry. He held her close kissing every inch of her that he could reach willing her not to leave, but realising he was fighting a losing battle when he felt his hands drop as there was no longer a body for him to cradle.

"Love her as much as you love me and everything will be fine." She managed to say before she was entirely gone. "Reiji I will never stop loving you and Rihoko; when you need me I'll come to you." He heard her say and dropped his head to his knees; tears falling between his fingers, as the sobs racked his body.

He felt arms come around him, but he was afraid to look over his shoulder until a small voice said,

"It will be okay daddy she's always here with us." He felt something being pushed in to his palm and saw the pink shell. He hugged his daughter to him crying in a way he hadn't done in years. For a girl of six she was too calm as she held him telling him what he needed to hear, just letting him cry until the sun light broke through the curtains which was the start of a new day and a new life for them both.