Her head ached, and her memory was failing her as to why. Who was she? Where was she? How did she get there? All the questions made her head throb more, and she had to force herself to sit up. Opening her eyes, she fought not to wince because the light was too bright. Through the pain she saw she was in a flower garden, it seemed so familiar. Like she had been there before, but when? For the life of her she couldn't remember anything, it was starting to irritate her. She saw all the roses, tulips, and pansies around her of varying colors and sizes. It was beautiful, and very calming to her headache thankfully. A pond resided to her right with a huge willow standing proud next to it, she knew this place. It was the garden from the Eastern castle. Hearing footsteps behind her she turned, and gasped.

"Mother! Father! How?" then it hit her. Everything, being a child, Naraku taking her, her escaping and her life with the western family. It all came back in a blur and her head began to pound anew, and tears began to fall from her eyes. She was dead, she had killed Naraku and died with him.

"Yes, my girl you are dead. But fear not, you are not meant to stay this way." Her mother's voice filtered through her mind and it brought comfort, as well as confusion.

"What do you mean?" she asked. She deserved to die for all the misery she had caused, granted it was by Naraku's orders but it was by her hands nonetheless.

"Your purpose is not done, you still have a future among the living." Her father bent down to her side and stroked her hair like he used to. Looking to his face she smiled, how she had missed them both. In a way she wanted to stay with them, in their loving presence forever. But she also remembered the others, Leigha, Koga, and Hiei. She didn't want to leave them like she had, it was never supposed to end like that.

"Then why did I die?" she asked.

"Because the one you are meant to be with needed to know the feeling of loss, it is fates way of forcing him to fully understand how important you are to him. We saw him confess his feelings, but he needed to comprehend the full meaning of your presence in his life." She took their words and scoffed at fates game. 'Couldn't there have been a better way?' she thought, but it really didn't matter. This meant she would return to them, this in itself brought her peace.

"Here, observe." Riana led her to the pond's edge then swiped her hand through the water once. In a mirror like sphere, Kagome saw her death through another's eyes. She watched as the light died down, then the person was running. Seeing her lifeless body being scooped up into a set of strong arms, she realized it was Hiei by his bandaged arm. Then she heard him, he was trying not to cry and it pulled at her heart. He was showing emotion for her, emotions that she had known were carefully hidden, and then he spoke.

"Don't go." Was all he said, it was a plea that conveyed more to Kagome then anything he could've ever done. Then she felt a pull on her soul, turning to look at her parents they smiled at her.

"You're returning now. Remember we will always be watching, and we love you!" with their voices becoming more of a whisper, Kagome fell into a blackness once more.

(With Hiei)

The light had just died down, all their mouths falling open at the sight before them. Naraku was nothing but falling ash, and Kagome was laying on her face in a pool of blood from her wounds. They couldn't sense her power any longer, no heartbeat, nothing. Hiei was the first to move, running to her body and lifting her up to his chest. At that moment nothing mattered to him, even when he felt the first signs of tears starting to form in his eyes he didn't care. She was gone, she had sacrificed herself for everyone and she was gone. Never again would he see those beautiful eyes, or hear her sarcasm, or feel her trying to fight off his advancements. It hurt, it hurt more than anything he had ever felt before.

"Don't go." He whispered, trying to plea to any God that might be listening to let her come back. He had been a fool, she was a treasure among filth and he had treated her no different than that scumbag she had just killed. He had never felt such guilt, and sorrow. The other two didn't even come near him, knowing he was in great pain. Then they heard it, a very faint thump. Then another, and another. Slowly growing stronger and louder, but it was there. She was alive.

"Hiei." They barely heard it, but she managed to speak. And they rejoiced, she was back with them again. Hiei met her gaze as she opened her eyes, she was still weak, but he had never been happier.

"I'm here."

She smiled softly, lifting her hand to his cheek and wiping away the lone tear that had escaped before it could fall. Looking into his crimson eyes, she saw many emotions that had been previously hidden from view, and it warmed her heart even more.

"Don't think this gives you permission to peek into my mind anytime you want." She said still smiling. He smirked at her words, then with a mischievous glint that she had seen many times before, he leaned to her ear so only she could hear him.

"You won't be able to hide anything from me once you're my mate." It caused her to freeze, though she knew his feelings, she hadn't expected him to voice them. A blush touched her face, and it caused a new sensation in Hiei that he could make her do that even with everything she had just been through.

"All right you two, we need to get her back to the castle." Koga stepped forward to take Kagome from Hiei since he was still weak himself from the restraints, and they began to head back to the western palace. Hiei was hesitant to let go of Kagome after having just lost her, but knowing he wasn't recovered enough to carry her all the way back, he allowed it.

Koga left instructions with his men to destroy the castle and leave nothing behind, there was no reason for the structure to remain. With all the evil that had been there, it was for the best. No one would want it with the legacy it left behind.

Kagome had passed out in Koga's arms before they had made it back home, and he took her straight to the healers while Youko alerted everyone they had returned. Koga laid Kagome on a bed, and she was immediately tended to. Her back was washed, cleansed, and then bandaged. Her head was also bandaged, along with her wrists, ankles, sides, arms, and legs. She was finally starting to breath normally when Koga heard people running down the corridor. It didn't take long before Leigha was barreling into the room, effectively waking the sleeping girl.

"Kagome! Are you ok?" she asked hurriedly. Seeing Kagome's weak smile she calmed down but didn't leave her side.

"I'll live Leigha, not to worry." She was weak, she had depleted all of her energy and life force into wiping Naraku's existence from history. She shouldn't even be here, but her parents and fate saw fit to allow her to return. For this she was grateful, it pained her to know how Leigha would've grieved had she stayed dead. Not only that, but she wouldn't have gotten the chance to see that look in Hiei's eyes from earlier. And his words caused her great confusion, surely he didn't actually desire to stay with her forever? Maybe she was being stupid, he had admitted to falling in love with her, but to mate someone was a commitment that could not be broken. He had never seemed the type to her for long term promises, and she had convinced herself she was fine with that. Though the thought left a bit of a hollow spot within her chest, she really did love him and she would take however long she had with him.

"I know you'll live, but what were you thinking not telling me some of that stuff, huh?" she asked pulling Kagome out of her mind and back to reality. Then with a determined look on her face, she responded.

"I was thinking of you! There are something's in this world that are better left unknown."

"I can only imagine what he did to you." Seeing the fear in her eyes Kagome reached out and took her hand. She pulled Leigha into a hug while the healers worked to finished making sure her back was properly bandaged, since it was the most damaged part of her.

"I knew beforehand what was going to happen, it hadn't been the first time I had endured his treatments. But I would do it again if I had to, to keep his vile hands off of you!" looking into Leigha's eyes she conveyed that this conversation was over and it was time to relax. "Besides, he is dead and his castle leveled to the ground. I am finally free." The last was a whisper that all could hear, and for a silent observer in the corner, it tore even more at his chest. Hiei had stayed back, and allowed her to be treated and cared for. He would get his time with her, and he could be patient enough. For now, Kagome needed to assure Leigha.

"Yes, you are!" Leigha said and she embraced Kagome again.

Much later that evening as everyone was settling in for bed, Hiei was on watch over Kagome. Having seen what she went through he held so much respect for her strength, and even more for her spirit. She had indeed been through hell, and had survived it all. Not even his blasted pride could deny that he had truly fallen for her, and desired for her stay with him. He knew that he would have to request courting permission from Lord Drago, but that could wait. Tonight however, he would spend in her presence. As he leaned back in his corner, he saw that she wasn't asleep, just staring out her window at the moon. The light that filtered in caused her skin to glow, her eyes were bluer than he had ever seen, and her hair was of the blackest ocean. Her eyes were so unguarded that it almost left Hiei breathless, all she felt was bare. She was in pain, but there was a surprising hint of peace amongst it. He didn't have to look into her mind to know her thoughts, she was trying to come to terms with all she had done as well as the happiness of not having to hide any longer.

"How long are you going to stare?" she asked while smirking and turning to him. He saw that she didn't hide anything from him any longer, and he was grateful. He wanted her to be comfortable with him, enough so that she wouldn't shy away from him.

"Hn." Was all he said while he came to the foot of her bed and sat down. Her beautiful eyes never leaving his, caressing him, like he so wished to do physically.

"I'm so sorry Hiei." She said again when she saw a faint discoloration from where the shackles had burned him when she melted them. "None of you were supposed to be get involved. It was supposed to be my fight, and mine alone."

"Don't." he said. He didn't want her apologies, there was nothing for her to be sorry for. "We weren't going to leave you to that."

"It wasn't your fight. All he wanted was me, you could have left it at that and gone on with your life." She replied.

"No, we couldn't have. I couldn't have." His words made her smile, and he was losing himself in it. She was so beautiful, and he just wanted to bask in her. He stepped around her bed, and sat himself down next to her. Being gentle to not jar her or her injuries, he closed the space between them.

"What are you doing?" she asked. Though, unlike the last few time she had asked him that she wasn't retreating from fear. Instead, he saw desire within her eyes. Not for physical gratification, but the intimacy she longed for.

"What does it look like?" his voice was lower than she could remember ever hearing it, and it sent a shiver down her spine. She didn't answer him, just allowed him to draw closer at his will. When they were an inch from the other he stopped, locked in each other's gazes. Her blues and greens clashing with his red and crimson, then he continued his descent. Her eyes slowly closed as his breath fanned her face.

Before she could draw another breath, he captured her lips. Her eyes closed again and she submitted to him for the first time, giving him free roam of her mouth. Still knowing her back was tender he cupped her face with his hands while hers wrapped around his neck, neither wanting to let go. He traced her face with the fingers of his right hand before fisting it in her hair, slightly moving her head so he could delve deeper into her sweet mouth. Kagome could barely breathe, the intensity of him and of her feelings for him almost overcame her. Only when she accidentally move wrong and her back signaled being over used did she have to pull back from him with a hiss of pain, but not by far.

"I didn't mean to hurt you." He was breathing heavily, and wished that he could just continue kissing her until they both couldn't stand it any longer. But he knew she still had to heal, and he wouldn't do anything to hinder her progress.

"No, it's fine." She said against his shoulder where her head rested, his hand still caressing her scalp. It was starting to put her to sleep, she was exhausted but didn't want to leave him yet. After everything, his behavior before, her growing feelings, and then the torture, she needed him.

"I can feel your body collapsing, rest and I will be here when you wake." He assisted her to lie down as comfortable as possible, then leaned back in a chair next to the bed to watch over her.

"Thank you." She said already falling asleep with his calm presence so near. And right before she fully fell, he heard a whisper that even he almost missed.

"I love you." Then she was deep asleep.

Well, what do ya'll think? :D