Last chapter -

Sesshoumaru ran over to where they were. He kneeled down by Kagome's side.Her expression was soft and calm. Her eyes were closed. All around her, flowers bloomed in the moonlight happily.They gave her an enchanting look. And then, he noticed she was not breathing. Her body was frozen.

Her reached for one of her hands and held it tightly in his. She was cold, almost as ice. "Kagome..." he said softly.

The little girl besides him began to cry. "Im sorry," she sobbed, "I wish there was more I could do."

Sesshoumaru's hand was shaking. He lifted her hand up to his cheek, and then to his lips. With a soft kiss, he put it down once again. A tear glistened in his eye, but with a blink, it was gone once again. He put a hand up to her head and brushed through her hair softly. "You did good Kagome, you did great." his voice was shaky.

Chapter 11 - Kiss of Life, Sweet Renewal

He sat their still, watching her motionless body. He was waiting. Expecting her to sit up like before and greet him with a cheerful smile. He was waiting to see her hazel eyes again. Waiting for her. He kept waiting and waiting, but nothing happened. He could no longer hear the sobs of the little girl besides him. He could not feel the wind in his hair. He was numb all over. His body.. his heart.

It was slowly, slowly cracking. Piece by piece it crumbled and fell into a never ending black hole. It consumed him, took him in. It looked warm and welcoming to him at this point. He figured there was nothing else left for him. Kagome was gone. He could not save Rin.

He gripped on to the edge of his sword, Tenseiga. What was the point of this useless sword now. Neither of them were physically injured, he could do nothing but wait and watch them die. Too many times before had he witnessed death. Most times, it was his own fault. Was this his punishment? To forever be alone? To have his heart shattered into pieces and hidden on opposite ends of the land? And once it was hidden, there would never be anyone to find those pieces ever again.

The moonlight made her pale body glow. Her bangs drifted softly in the light wind. And there was silence. A deadly silence, pulling him in.

"You love her... don't you?" The silence was broken by her voice. Sesshoumaru took his eyes off Kagome and looked over to the little girl. Yes, he wanted to scream out yes. He wanted to curse the world. To curse destiny, for taking her from him in such a cruel way. If they could not have been together, he would have at least wished for her happiness with another. For her to live, to die old. To experience life. But he was not so lucky.

Sesshoumaru nodded. "Yes."

The little girl hadn't moved her eyes off of Kagome. "How much? How is it possible for someone like you to love this human girl? It makes no sense."

Sesshoumaru tilted his head to his side taking in her question. How was it possible? He did not know. It just happened.

Sesshoumaru shrugged. "I am not sure myself. It just, developed that way. I suppose it could be described as a flower. It blossomed. I do not care that she is a human girl. I love her. I love her more than life. Destiny was not so kind to us however."

The little girl nodded, "I see." The little girl looked up at him in the eye. "Then, there is something I can do."

Amarante reached for a flower. To Sesshoumaru's shock, she was able to pick it within a second. The flower did not react to her touch at all. He was surprised, and at the same time furious. She could have done that all along. She could have saved Kagome. Saved her from pain, from death.

With the flower now in her palms, she stretched her hands out towards Sesshoumaru. "Kiss the flower. Get its nectar on your lips, then kiss her. If your kiss is true, she will awaken. This is all I can do."

Sesshoumaru did as he was told. He bent his head down towards the flower. His hair was cascading over his right shoulder. When his lips reached the flower, he noticed it had a sweet cherry taste to it. It was different however. It tasted like no other cherry he had ever eaten before. He pulled away and looked at the little girl.

"Now, kiss her." she looked over to Kagome. Sesshoumaru nodded.

He slid his hand behind her back and pulled her over to his lap. With one hand over her shoulder and the other on her cheek, he bent down to her lips. His breathing stopped. Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and the space in between them disappeared. His lips pecked hers for a few seconds before he pulled away slowly once again.

All he could do was wait and hope that this would work. They both stared at Kagome in question. Did it work? Was she alive again?

In his lap, Sesshoumaru felt a pulse come off of Kagome. Then another, and another. They got stronger and stronger as the time went by. Then, her lips parted and he felt her breathing. Sesshoumaru's insides were all twisted up. He didn't know whether to jump in joy or stay still.

"Kagome," he said softly.

Her eyes slowly opened. He noticed, they were their natural hazel color once again. And now that she was awake, he had so many questions. What just happened? Why did she die? He decided, they would be answered in time.

She walked down the dark corridor. There was no one around her, and everything was dark. In front of her, there was a long passage way. It was narrow, and on both sides, there were doors. She ran down the passage way looking through each door. Looking for him. For Sesshoumaru. "Where are you?" she screamed. She wanted his help. She wanted him to save her from this darkness. But he was not there. He was no where to be found. She was frozen, frozen inside. Were these last days just a lie? Did they mean nothing to him? Would he just sit there and let her die? "Sesshoumaru!" she sobbed. "Please... help me.. please." She slid down one of the walls to the floor. In front of her there was a door. She wanted to get up, and open it. To keep looking for him, but her body would not move.

He had always been there to chase the darkness away, but where was he now? This all seemed so cruel to her. The way her heart was being played with. She knew she loved him, and she knew he felt something for her. He must have. But, would that feeling be strong enough to bring her to life. He had always been able to look straight into her soul, as if her eyes were open doors. That warm feeling he gave her, she longed for it now. "Sesshoumaru..." she said softly. She closed her eyes, more darkness. Then, through the darkness, she saw a bright light. Opening her eyes, she gasped. The door in front of her, there was a light coming from under it. This light, it was a familiar one.

It felt like him. It held his warmness. She pulled herself up off the ground slowly. Her strength was almost all gone. But she had to do this last thing. She took one step forward, stopping after to catch her balance. Then, another, and another. She was now in front of the door. The light was even brighter than before. She stretched her hand out to the doorknob but stopped just before she reached it. Her mind was insecure. She didn't have a clue of what was behind this door, only an assumption. And look where assumptions had put her.

Pushing the thought away, she grabbed on to the doorknob. Her breathing became harder. Her grip tightened, and she turned the doorknob slowly. The door creaked as she pushed it open. The light became brighter than ever, and she was absorbed by it. The entire hallway was now illuminated by this light. This endless source. It did not seem to want to fade away.

Kagome opened her eyes once again. Everything around her was blurry. She blinked a few times. After adjusting her vision, she gasped. Above her, was Sesshoumaru. Looking down at her. Warmly smiling. "Se..shoumaru.." she said softly. Her voice was a bit shaky. Her eyes were starting to water up.

He chuckled, "You don't change do you." As a tear ran down her cheek, he wiped it away. "Always so quick to cry."

"Im sorry." He put one of his fingers over her lips. "Shhh." He lowered his head down to hers and kissed her once again. She put her hands over his shoulders and kissed him back. Still crying, tears of joy escaped through her eyes as she closed them. Once they pulled away, she smiled up at him.

"Thank you," she said.

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "I told you. I'll always be there for you." He took her hand in his and squeezed it softly.

Kagome sat up and looked over to where Amarante still sat. Her hands where in her lap and she looked down towards the ground.

"Amarante."

The little girl looked up quickly.

"Thank you. For everything. For realizing the truth. Your vision is incredible."

Amarante smiled and bowed. "And thank you Kagome-san. You freed us all from that demon. I am in gratitude forever to you."

Kagome nodded. "Then go. Be free. Do what you wish. Nothing can hold you back. Nothing really has ever been able to."

Amarante smiled. She stood up and walked over to Kagome and Sesshoumaru. She handed the flower out towards Kagome. "Please," she said, "take this. It's the least I could do." Kagome gasped. It was the flower. She still had a chance to save Rin's life. She took the flower from Amarante's hand and held it in her own. The little girl bowed once again, and began to walk away.

"Take care, Amarante."

The sun was starting to rise. The dark sky was now a reddish sort of color at the bottom. And the moon, it was slowly fading away. Sighing, Kagome stood up. Sesshoumaru did the same.

"What just happened?" he asked.

Kagome looked at him and smiled. In one hand, she held the flower, the other, she extended out in front of him. It was balled up. She closed her eyes, and a flash of light came from her hand. Sesshoumaru took a step back. She opened her eyes and stared at Sesshoumaru.

He felt that same power as before and took a step back. He was unsure of what to do, or what to say. He watched as she opened her eyes, then her hands. To his surprise, in the center of her palm, was a purple jewel. The Shikon Jewel he assumed. "How..."

"I can control it now. It is no longer inside me." she answered before he could finish his question.

Closing her hand once again, it was gone in a flash of light.

"Well, come on, we should start heading back. Rin is waiting."

Sesshoumaru nodded. And he thanked, whoever it was looking over him, for her life. She was now back with him, and they still had a chance to save Rin's life. There was nothing more he could ask for.

They headed back inside the temple and packed up all their things. "Are you sure you do not want to rest for a day first?"

Kagome shook her head. "No Im fine. I feel great actually. I'll explain everything to you along the way."

Sesshoumaru nodded, and they began their journey once again.

As they walked back towards Sesshoumaru's kingdom, Kagome told him of everything that had happened. She told him of what went on in her mind. Of what she could see, and how she felt. Sesshoumaru listened to her attentively. Kagome loved this part of him, of how she could talk to him and he would listen to her. He was so different from his brother. And she was thankful.

- - - -

the end?

Ha!.. no just kidding. There's still a bit more to the story, so stick around and find out what it is 'blink blink;