Chapter Image - art/Goodbye-Kohaku-and-Hotaru-444954009

One of the women from the village gave Kaede a baby kimono that her own daughter had out grown for Hotaru to wear. Sango watched sympathetically as Kohaku sat in by the wall, holding the baby. She knew that he and Hotaru had a relationship that she couldn't even begin to understand. She was possibly the only friend he had that understood the guilt he had over killing his family, the only one who could help him alleviate some of that guilt. He had barely let anyone else hold her since the battle ended. He seemed to be hoping that maybe, if he just kept her close to him she would turn back into the way she was.

Sango felt Kagome come up behind her. Sango knew why her friend was there. "You've come to take her away, haven't you?"

"It's for the best," Kagome replied. "You know that."

"I know." sighed Sango, "I just don't want to see him hurt anymore."

"Waiting won't make it any easier."

Sango sighed as she walked into the room. "Kohaku...it's time to say goodbye." she said, her heart breaking for her younger brother when she saw the sadness on his face.

"I have to bring her back to her parents." said Kagome.

"Already?" Asked Kohaku. "Can't you wait another day or two?"

Sango put her hand on her brother's shoulder, "I know you want to keep her here, Kohaku, but think of what her parents must be feeling."

"I know." said Kohaku, quietly. He looked down at the baby. She smiled at him, wringling her little feet and reaching out for his face. She didn't understand what was going on. She didn't understand that Kohaku would never see her again, she didn't understand that his heart was breaking. "Goodbye, Hotaru. I'll miss you so much. I hope you grow up happily in your time." He kissed her on the forehead. Kagome exchanged sorrowful looks with Sango before taking the child from Kohaku's arms. For a second she was afraid that he wasn't going to let her go, but his hands fell away as Sango gently pulled him back.

Sango wondered if he was going to follow Kagome to the well, but he didn't.

"Kohaku..." Sango started but he stood and walked away.

She followed him. He walked to the river and sat down, crossing his arms over his knees. "Kohaku..." Sango sat next to him.

"I'm okay." He said, not looking at his sister. "This is actually a good thing." He looked off into the distance, his face much calmer than Sango would have expected. She didn't understood what he meant. She didn't want to press him, he would talk on his own time. She knew that. After a long moment he did. "When we first met, Hotaru told me a story, about herself. About her past. She told me when she was younger, she was forced to be a soldier. She told me she killed her whole world. Not just her family, but her entire kingdom. At first I didn't believe her. I thought it was just something she told me to make me feel better about my past. But then when we were inside Naraku, I saw a vision. I saw one of her memories..." He looked down and picked at his thumb. "She didn't want to..." He said solemnly, in his friend's defense. "She didn't have a choice..." He looked off into the distance again. "The whole time we were together I was too busy feeling sorry for myself I didn't even stop to consider how she was feeling..."

Sango put her arm around her brother's shoulder and pulled him close. He took a deep breath and spoke again. "Kaede said she won't remember this life at all. She won't remember all the people she killed. She won't remember all the pain she's gone through. She'll get a second chance to live without guilt. I'm glad for her...but still..."

"You're going to miss her." Sango finished. Kohaku nodded, he wiped a tear away from his eye. Sango hugged him tighter.

Kohaku allowed himself to cry, but just this once. He would let himself be sad now, but not for long. He was determined to live happily for her. Because he had promised her he would. He would work to protect this world, and make it better. So when Hotaru's time came around, all those years in the future. She would be born into the best world possible.

Author's Note: Thank you all for reading this far :D I hope you all enjoyed. I might write a little sequel like "three years later" But I'm not sure yet. Let me know what you all think. 3