It had been a few days since Kurogane had returned home. Syaoran returned to his country where he found Sakura, Mokona decided to stay with them. Fie wanted to continue travelling not for a purpose, just for the sake of seeing beautiful places that would make her heart melt, he didn't want to be tied down anywhere, but he swore to visit every now and then.

Kurogane was sitting alone in his room. Thinking about his life, his journey, everything he had to endure, everything he missed from here. He felt like a totally different person than when Tomoyo sent him away.

Suddenly he realized he was no longer alone. Tomoyo was waiting behind the door. He could feel her, even though he could not see her.

"Come in" he said as usual. Tomoyo opened the door with a melancholic look on her face. "Hi Kurogane." She said with the sweetest smile she could offer him. "Accompany me, will you?"

Kurogane stood up without a word and followed her out of the room into the garden.

There was a full moon. And million stars around shining like diamonds. They both stayed quiet for a long time while looking at the beautiful view in front of them. There was a small lake, full of water lilies. They could hear the sound of the birds. The water flowing in an endless rhythm. The quietness of the night. Just enjoying each other company was enough for them. They didn't have to put in words how they felt. Since Kurogane returned they had barely spoken. They just stood together like this, in the quiet, with nostalgic thoughts about their childhood together. Their pain, that moment when they met, full of sadness and tragedy. He would never be the same after seeing both parents die in his arms. She was the only one who could make him forget for a little while, who could ease his pain.

She was the first to break the silence. "Look at the moon. A thousand stars keep her company, and still it looks so lonely. Finally your journey has ended. And you came back to me. Did you learn the true meaning of strength?"

Kurogane surprised by this unexpected question answered "I think so". He expected an explanation. But Tomoyo just stayed quiet, thinking. After a few minutes she finally continued. "I think so too. You are not the same person that you were when I sent you away. But you're still you. I've realized that now. I needed a few days to completely understand who you were after the long journey, and all those changes in your life. I didn't know if you could forgive me for being the one to cause all of it.

"I don't blame you" explained him. "It did make me suffer, but I also learned so much. You did it for my own good, and that's why I don't blame you, I thank you."

Tomoyo smiled. She had been worried since the day she made the decision of taking him away from her, away from his country into a world that he didn't know, a journey full of dangers and fears. To know that he forgave her was a weight lifted for her body. She took his hand "Will you take a walk with me? There's something I've wanted to show you for a long time. I believe now you're ready."

They walk outside the castle to the temple. There was where all the ceremonies had place. He thought they were going inside but she passed through and stopped at the back, right where the forest started. In front of them there were two graves. Very simple. Just a rock with the typical rope with white tissues in a rhombus form and two sticks with a name on each one.

"Why did you take me here? You know I don't like being here. It brings back too many memories." In front of him there laid his mother and father corpses. He had never come here. He didn't even know where they buried them. He couldn't find the strength in himself to face those memories. Tomoyo looked at him with a smile but her eyes full of sadness and compassion. She knew bringing him here would make him suffer. But there was a good reason for it. She kneeled and pointed to a flower that was growing strong in front of the rock. It was pure white. With big petals. A strange aura was emanating from it. It made you feel at ease just by looking at it. You could sense the magic in it.

Kurogane felt something he had never felt after he saw his parents die. He felt like they were with him, right out there. Looking at him by his side. He had to stop his tears from falling. He could not show weakness to his princess.

"See? This flower appeared the day we buried your mum and dad together. There is not another one like this in the world. It represents the union of both their souls in the other world. They live in peace up there. And they have been watching you. Protecting you. And they knew that even though you didn't came here you thought of them very often.

He was speechless. The only words that escaped from his mouth were "Father… Mother…" Almost in tears he stood up there, in shock. He could not move.

"I'll leave you alone." Tomoyo left him there knowing he needed some private time to finally forgive himself for not being able to save their parents. To feel close to them.

In the loneliness Kurogane finally could speak. "Father… I became strong, just like you. You told me why that was important. To being able to protect the ones you care about. I wasn't strong enough to protect both of you at that time. I'm so sorry." Now he could not stop anymore the tears that flew down his face.

"Son… I'm so proud of you." He heard loud and clear his father voice, and when he lift up his face he saw him right in front of him, as if he could touch him. He did not dare to get closer, he could not move a single part of his body.

"Kurogane" The sweet voice of his mother and right away her body appeared beside his father.

"Mother!" His gentle, loving mother. He could not believe what he was seeing. He knew he wasn't dreaming. That was real. They were real.

"You have become a great man Kurogane. Thank you for being born as our son. We are so proud of you. Never forget us. We will never leave you. We are right here all the time. Protecting you. Loving you. You have never failed us. Just like we have never doubted you would do the right thing all the time. Remember to stand by your beliefs. Don't let anybody bring you down. We love you. We will always be with you.

"Mother…" And just like that they both disappeared leaving a breeze that entered Kurogane's soul, leaving him feeling more at peace than he had never felt before. He stood there for quite a long time. He lighted up two incense sticks to honor them and prayed.

Lost in his thought he returned to the castle. Princess Tomoyo was waiting for him at his room.

"You're back."

"Yes"

He sat beside her. Looking outside to the garden where they had been just a few hours ago. Kurogane wanted to explain to her what happened right after she went away but he couldn't find the words.

"Tomoyo hime… I saw my parents."

"Really?" She actually knew that he would see them. She saw it in one of her dreams. That's why she had brought him up there. For a moment there was a tense silence between them. She began to ask a question to brake it but he interrupted her.

"They made me realize… how happy they were together. And how proud they were of me." Something was bothering Kurogane, and Tomoyo could feel it. He kept his image in the surface, serious and calmed but inside, Tomoyo knew there was something he was not saying. "I'm sure they were." She answered.

"That's why… I'd like to ask you something." He looked at her with a look she had never seen in him before. A look full of conviction. Strength. Power. Braveness.

"Yes?"

"Would you give me the honor to marry you?" She looked at him astonished. She had not expected that question. But she stayed calm and elegant like she always was.

"Kurogane…" She didn't know how to answer. Inside she was full of joy. She knew she would spend her life with Kurogane. She knew from the moment she saw him with that demonized look with his mother body in his hands. She knew she would do anything it takes to make him happy, and not forget their parents but the pain he felt when they died. She would stay by his side always.

"I want to protect you no matter what. I'd like to make you happy no matter what. Let me be by your side in every step of your life." Her eyes filled with water and with a smile on her face the only word she was able to pronounce was "yes."

"Thank you."