A/N: Hey guys!

I am aware that I took a very long time with this chapter... and that I did promise to post it earlier, and I am sorry for not keeping that promise. I started my on-the-job training early last April, and the company I had joined has no mercy with its employees or practicumers, whatsoever. I also have to leave home at 5:30 in the morning and get home very late everyday, so I have had no time to write. And by the time my ojt was done, I had classes again.

But on the bright side... I did get the chap out, ne? Hehe...

This is officially the last chapter, but I will write an epilogue to tie up any loose ends, so please, write your questions in your reviews and I will clear them up next time.

So, with no further ado, I give you the final chapter of this obscenely long story. Enjoy, and please, read and review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

oooooooooo

SEVEN WEEKS

33. Fairy Tales

oooooooooo

They say that time heals all wounds... that time shall help one forget all the anguish of the past, and that every painful thing shall fade away with time.

Inuyasha says, "Fuck that, dammit. Time does not heal wounds. It only rips them open everytime you stupidly dare to look back."

"Aw come on, Inuyasha! Don't be such a pessimist!" Shippou exclaimed as the two sat in a corner of Inuyasha's office in Taisho and Sons Corporation, eating their lunch.

"It's true. That 'time heals all wounds' crap is just a load of bullshit," he replied, ripping open his packet of instant ramen. "You can never forget painful events in your life, Shippou. The only thing you can do is try to remember the good times you had..."

Shippou was astounded as he watched the usually bull-headed hanyou look wistfully into the distance, his hand flying to the front of his shirt, clutching at something covered up by his suit. "Yasha? Is something wrong?"

Snapping out of it, Inuyasha turned back to his friend, letting go of his deathgrip on whatever it was he had been holding. "Nah... I'm ok. Just thought of something," Then rising, Inuyasha put down his ramen and headed for the door. "I gotta go do something, ok Shippou? Just eat up, I'll be back in a flash!" then was out the door.

Shippou was baffled. There they had been, talking about the death of their colleague's mother, and Inuyasha had gone all defensive when Shippou mentioned that the devastated guy would forget the pain in time. Had he been talking to a sixteen-year old Inuyasha, the guy would have shrugged and agreed.

Now that he thought about it, Inuyasha had suddenly turned into a different person about ten years ago... about a month before his seventeenth birthday. The turning point had been when he had literally run away from a pretty girl named Kikyo. He had refused to come out of his house for an entire week, but upon coming out, had totally changed his style.

The grumpy and rather nonchalant hanyou had turned into a diligent student, one who was a fitting heir for the corporation run by his family. Even Shippou and Takeshi, who had been close to him, were dragged along for the ride, and instead of graduating as class goats in their senior year, Inuyasha had actually made the honor role, him and Takeshi as awardees.

It seemed that something about that strange day had triggered a change in him. Since then, he had been even more distant from the opposite sex, not dating a single girl for the past ten years. Kikyo had tried reaching him for a while during their senior year, but after having been avoided like the plague, finally gave up. He had lived by the philosophy that every single second counts... and that missing a moment seemed to him to be a heinous crime.

It had been odd... but the change had given them better futures, so Shippou wasn't complaining. He just wished he knew what caused the pained look in Inuyasha's eyes whenever he saw women with long dark hair.

oooooooooo

Inuyasha splashed a handful of water onto his face for the fifth time since he entered the washroom. "Damn," he muttered, giving his own cheek a soft slap. "Snap out of it, Yasha! It's been ten years, dammit!"

He had never been able to forget her. Every single day of his life, he had thought of the only woman he had ever fallen in love with. He still saw her face whenever he glanced at dark-haired women, only to nearly cringe in pain when they turned and he was reminded that he was never going to see her again.

"Kagome..." he whispered, pulling the Shikon no Tama out from beneath the collar of his red button down shirt. He rolled the jewel around on his hand, before giving it a firm, wistful squeeze as he thought of the woman who used to wear it around her neck. "I still love her..."

Every year, on the exact date of when he had left for Crystallia (and came back from it), he celebrated their anniversary alone in his pad. He knew in his heart that Kagome was still there, praying for Crystallia, doing her lonely duty for the rest of her life... and hopefully, she also thought of him on those days.

When he lost her, he realized how incomplete his life was and would be without her. In the end, all he could give her was a heartache, while she gave him herself, and his father back. He realized too that Kagome had changed a lot of things in his world for him, so that he could have lived a life that was better than the one he had before he had gone to Crystallia.

"Maybe she's better off without me?" he mumbled to himself, a wry smile forming on his lips. "Maybe a hanyou like myself was never meant to be with a mate..."

The door to the washroom opened, revealing a tall male with long dark hair. Inuyasha snorted when the man turned to him, a questioning look in his eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"What do people usually do in a bathroom, Inuyasha?" he replied, making his way to a mirror beside the hanyou. "Unlike you, normal beings do not use a washroom for talking to themselves."

"I wasn't talking to myself, teme," Inuyasha muttered, taking a paper towel and drying himself off.

"This Sesshoumaru could hear you rambling from three doors away."

"What!" Inuyasha exclaimed, turning back to his brother.

It was Sesshoumaru's time to snort. "You think me deaf?" he grumbled. "So..."

Inuyasha winced as his brother's piercing blue, albeit normally gold, gaze settle on him. He knew what was coming.

"I didn't know that you had fallen in love. And here I was beginning to think you were gay," Sesshoumaru smirked at Inuyasha's insulted growl. "Who is Kagome, and why have you never even bothered to introduce her to your family?"

"It's all in the past, Sess. Don't worry about it," he tried to dodge.

Too bad Sesshoumaru knew that maneuver all too well. "I know it was in the past. You said ten years, didn't you? I know you didn't fall out of love with her. So, what the devil happened?"

Inuyasha heaved a frustrated sigh. "Our relationship wasn't meant to be, so we had to get separated."

"Separated... interesting use of words. Does this mean that you never broke up? Is this what happened when you went nuts ten years ago?"

"Keh," he muttered back half-heartedly.

"I'll take that as a yes," the youkai replied. "But this situation isn't very like you. If you love her so much, why didn't you fight to stay with her? Why don't you go and try to find her now? Surely ten years will have made a difference in whatever had made you two have to leave each other."

"It's not that simple, Sess. I'd have done anything possible, but there was nothing I can do," Inuyasha said regretfully. "There still isn't anything I can do."

"Not even for your mate?" his older brother asked softly.

That caught Inuyasha's attention. "What did you say?" he asked slowly. "What are you talking abo-"

"You mated her, didn't you?" Sesshoumaru said, closely looking at him. "Father and I had smelled something strange on you that morning, but we dismissed it, knowing you weren't involved with anybody. But we were wrong, ne, ototo? You were involved, and you had mated, am I right?"

Inuyasha's silence, and his refusal to meet Sesshoumaru's gaze, spoke volumes.

"And here I thought I had tied the knot too young..." the youkai said, shaking his head in slight disbelief, before a glint on Inuyasha's chest caught his eye. "That gem, was it from her? You have never taken it off for the past ten years, for as far as I know."

The hanyou remained silent, but his hand flying to the necklace once again answered Sesshoumaru's question.

"Do not worry brother," Sesshoumaru said, shocking Inuyasha when he put an arm around his brother's shoulder in a brotherly show of affection. "Because contrary to what you seem to believe, everyone is meant for someone. And if you and this girl are truly meant for each other, you will be together again. Trust me," he said, giving Inuyasha a nearly imperceptible smile, before pulling away and heading for the door.

Inuyasha snapped out of it just as his brother's hand reached the door. "Oi Sesshoumaru!" he said, causing the other to pause. "Thanks. I... I hope you're right."

"Have I ever been wrong?" he replied without looking back as he opened the door, leaving Inuyasha alone with his thoughts again.

Inuyasha looked up at the mirror again, watching the Shikon no Tama's reflection as it swayed slightly on its chain. "Maybe there is hope," he whispered. His hand flew once again to the jewel. 'Kagome... maybe someday... we will be together again,' he thought, barely noticing as the door to the bathroom opened once again. Had it not been for his nose, he wouldn't have noticed.

"What are you doing here again, bro?"

Sesshoumaru almost looked sheepish as he replied, "I forgot to do something..."

"Nani?"

"I forgot to do what I came here for," the other replied impatiently, heading for a toilet cubicle and closing the door. "I forgot to pee..."

oooooooooo

Soft steps sounded in the empty plain, as heartbeats thudded harder and louder in the resounding silence. The whole land was in mourning, and the steps faltered as the one who made them paused, listening carefully. Everything in the surroundings screamed its rebellion, even as the winds blew sadly in goodbye.

The sadness in the air was overwhelming...

Yet it was all worth it.

And the footsteps resumed.

oooooooooo

"God dammit, would you stop insisting and sell the god damn dirty stocks! I told you to get rid of them, so get rid of them. And don't even think of questioning me again if you want to keep your fucking job!" he yelled, before slamming the phone back in its cradle with a huff. "Dammit, that guy's stupid."

"Bad day, Shippou?" Inuyasha asked, poking his head out of his office into the cubicle Shippou occupied.

"You bet," the kitsune replied, rubbing furiously between his eyes as he felt a migraine build up. "You must be hella patient deep inside, Yasha. I'm just your assistant, and I'm losing my damn brain to anger here."

"Been there, done that, Shippou," Inuyasha replied.

"We seem to have a lot of incompetent members, Yasha. Want to go on a firing spree?"

"Maybe we should just fire everybody in the staffing department for hiring idiots."

"I dunno. That new kitsune is kinda cute."

"Shippou, you think anybody in a skirt is cute. 'Sides, don't you have a girlfriend? I still can't believe that you used to be the innocent kind of kid," Inuyasha taunted with a smirk. "What we need are new employees. Then we can go on a firing spree."

"But haven't you already posted an ad on the newspaper?"

"I did. Just waiting for the answer," he replied, pausing when his phone began ringing. "Just a sec, Shippou. Taisho and Sons, hello?"

"Sir, We just received a call, asking for an appointment with you. She won't tell us why though. Even seems hesitant to say her name."

"Then why are you entertaining the damn call in the first place?"

"Well sir, the woman on the line said that you were very close friends from way back..."

"Might be a psycho. Deny it," Inuyasha shrugged.

"But sir... she sounded pretty desperate."

"Deny it, Tsuyu. I'm really busy. Tell her if she wants an appointment she could at least tell me her name."

"She just said to tell you that her name is Aza, sir."

Inuyasha paused in shock. "Did you just say..."

"She's on the other line sir, want to talk to her...?"

His heart was beating out of control as the implications of the name resounded in his mind. 'Aza...?'

"Yes, put her on."

"In a second, sir... oh, drat. Hello?"

"What? What happened?"

"Sir, she hung up."

"What! Call her back!"

"I'm sorry sir, she was using a protected number..."

"Then trace it!" He didn't wait for the secretary to answer as he quickly ran out of the room, with no plan except to dash out the building and hope the caller was somewhere nearby.

'Aza... Azalea? Could it be?' his heart screamed, even as the logical part of his mind screamed out just as loudly that he was getting his hopes up for no reason. 'I don't give a flying fuck if it's a delusion! What if... what if it's not?'

Trampling over employees and customers in the lobby, Inuyasha dashed out the office as if hell's hounds were at his heals, almost forgetting that he was dressed as a human and shouldn't even be able to run as fast. The moment the harsh sunlight hit his eyes, he squinted, even as his eyes searched like a hawk, for any place a caller could have placed a call.

But there was none. The scents in the air were the same that he smelled everyday, nothing hinting at the fresh jasmine and plum that he craved everyday of his life.

The strain from his frantic run finally caught up with him, and uncaring for what everybody would have thought, he sank down on the gutter, legs splayed out and arms supporting his chin. He heaved a sad sigh, looking to the skies in wistful prayer.

'I hoped... that I could see Kagome once again. But now... it's been so long. I still love her, but it's been too long,' he sighed, closing his eyes in resignation. 'I just wish to see her again... hear her, just once...'

"Inuyasha?"

The soft, familiar female voice woke him from his musings, and he turned his head so quickly, he would have gotten a whiplash had he been human.

"You..." he whispered getting up with his eyes trained on the woman before him. He staggered up, refusing to believe his senses. His hands slowly reached out to touch her cheek, as her mouth opened slightly in surprise. Long dark hair framed her familiar face, a soft smile grazing her lips as her brown eyes sparkled back at him.

'Wait... brown eyes?'

He pulled his hand back suddenly, confusion clouding his mind. "You're not..."

A pout pulled at the girl's lips. "And here I thought you were glad to see me again, Inuyasha."

"K-Kikyo?" Inuyasha stuttered. 'I'm hallucinating. I actually thought she was Kagome!'

"Hai! It's been a while! How've you been?" she asked with a smile, oblivious to his deflating hopes and raging disappointment.

'Why do I get the feeling that so much is happening today?' he thought as he answered, "Yeah, I've been ok. You?"

"Oh fine. Say, I'll be in town for a few days. Wanna do anything?" Kikyo asked, slight hope shining in her eyes.

Inuyasha sighed. 'Here we go again. But still... maybe...'

"Sure. You free tonight?"

oooooooooo

"Dammit Ship, how would I know! You're his assistant. I haven't even seen you guys for the past two months!"

"Yeah, I know," Shippou sighed into the phone. "But he's been going ballistic again, Takeshi. I mean, just today, he dashed out like a motorcade, came back saying he had a date with Kikyo..."

"Kikyo? As in high school, Kikyo?"

"Obsessed-with-Inuyasha-Kikyo, yeah. Then, he went off to sulk in his office with the doors closed. And he smelled unbelievably depressed. Tak, I'm worried. This is just as weird as ten years ago..."

"Weird alright. How do you smell depressed? Didn't know that was a new fragrance, dude."

Shippou bit his lip. "Yeah, uh... that was a joke. Anyway, he was depressed. Like he was that day. You sure you don't know?"

"No. But speaking of girls, I did meet this super hot chic the other day..." Shippou could practically see him raise his eyebrows. "Her name's..."

"SHIPPOU!" The shout drowned out some of Takeshi's words as Shippou flinched.

"about my friends, and she's got these eyes, and a major ass, but I was so disappointed when..."

"Gotta go, Tak. Yasha wants me. Wonder what I did this time..."

"But you haven't even heard the whole story, yet!" Takeshi protested as Shippou put his phone down.

oooooooooo

"What do you mean, you wanna cancel it? Dude, you're supposed to be leaving in like, five minutes!" Shippou cried.

"I know, but, you know I don't like Kikyo..."

"Yasha, get over yourself! What's wrong with you? I know I never pressed, unlike Tak, but you have never dated. Ever. This is the first, and you're backing out! Now I know you're not gay..."

"Shippou..." Inuyasha growled.

"But this isn't even normal anymore!" Shippou kept talking. "Tak's already involved, kinda, I have a girlfriend, and you, the most successful of us all, are a total spinster!"

"You have no idea what you're saying, Shippou. I can't fall in love."

"Why not! Inuyasha, you are going, coz if you don't get involved and make a family, your entire damn life will be useless!"

"But, Shippou, I can't date because I'm still not over her!" Inuyasha shouted, his eyes widening when he realized what he just said. "Shippou, I'm... I mean... nothing..."

"I knew it. That's what it was about, wasn't it? Ten years ago... your mate left, didn't she?"

"What?"

"In case you don't remember, Yasha, I am youkai. You can't keep that from me. But I dismissed it, thinking I was imagining things."

"It wasn't like that, Shippou. She didn't leave. We just had no choice."

"I know it must have been painful, Inuyasha, but you do have to move on. And if she loves you as much as you love her, I'm sure she'll understand," Shippou said. "You have to live on..."

Inuyasha thought for a moment. He had been striving hard for the past few years, with no other aim than just to be someone in the world. No plans for marriage, for a family to take care of. Maybe in a way, Shippou was right.

"Alright. I'm going. But you have to promise not to bug me about it again if I tell you that it's really not going to work."

oooooooooo

Kikyo smiled brightly at him from their reserved table as he entered the restaurant they had agreed to meet in. It was a quaint old place that he usually went to when there were business meetings, with low wooden tables, a small dance floor, and fluttery cloths and curtains. She stood up with a hand outstretched, letting him see her navy blue cocktail dress as she offered him a friendly, almost businesslike handshake.

"Sorry I'm late," he said as he shook her hand, then took a seat in the chair opposite hers. Inuyasha checked his appearance off the glass table, noting his dark hair and eyes. He flicked some imaginary dust from the silk garnet polo he was wearing, then proceeded to dust the same imaginary dirt from his black slacks. 'All my clothes look like this, maybe I should invest in a new wardrobe?'

"No, it's ok. I was early. So," she started, taking a seat across from him. "What do you want to get?"

"I dunno. Nothing with fish?"

"Ok. I wanted to get a ziti with white sauce."

"Carbonara?"

"Your call. Waiter!" Kikyo called, hailing a waiter. "I want a ziti with white sauce..."

Inuyasha just looked at her as she spoke to the waiter, mentally drowning out her voice. If one didn't look too closely, she really did look a lot like Kagome...

His eyes snapped up suddenly, his senses going haywire for what seemed like no apparent reason. He didn't sense any threats around, and his hanyou senses were picking up nothing out of the ordinary, but his body had gone on alert, seemingly without his own consent.

'What's going on?' he asked himself, all the strange events of the day suddenly meeting up in his mind. The talk he had with Sessoumaru, the mysterious caller called Aza, Shippou confessing that he knew he was mated just as Sesshoumaru did... and now, the uncanny feeling that he was being watched.

"Inuyasha, is something wrong?" Kikyo was asking, but his attention was focused entirely on his surroundings. The soft, polite chatter of people around him seemed magnified to his ears, the low lights of the restaurant nearly blinding as he cautiously looked around.

Then, just as suddenly as the feeling came, it was gone. He turned back to Kikyo, who was looking worriedly at him as his slightly dazed eyes focused back on her.

"I'm sorry, you were saying?" he asked, still pondering the strange happening.

Kikyo was concerned. "You zoned out, then you kept looking around and all. Are you ok?" she asked.

"Yeah, sorry, I guess the day is taking its toll on me."

"Hard day, huh?"

'You have no idea,' he bit his lip against the reply, simply nodding his agreement. "So Kikyo, what have you been up to all these years?"

oooooooooo

"You didn't!"

"Yeah, I did," Inuyasha grinned at the look of disbelief on Kikyo's face. He had suspected right, the only thing similar about Kikyo and Kagome were their looks. And they weren't even that similar. Kikyo's features were sharper than Kagome's had been, her lips thinner and sterner, her eyes less appealing to him than Kagome's had always been.

She also had a drier humor than he had originally pegged her to have.

But maybe that was just him.

He heaved a very small sigh, pushing his ages-ago-done plate away from him. He already knew that a relationship between himself and Kikyo was never going to work, but the part of him that was desperate for love and care was still pushing.

"In all my years as an interior decorator, I have never seen anyone paint their room scarlet. Doesn't that hurt your eyes?" she asked skeptically, taking a dainty bite out of her food.

'Kagome usually eats pretty quickly,' the thought pushed itself into his mind, and he shook his head to clear the thought even as a more visual memory of Kagome eating some of their shared vegetable stew popped into his mind.

"Keh, I use a black and red color scheme. You should see my bed. It's ebony, to go with the red walls."

"Maybe I should," Kikyo replied in a significantly softer and huskier voice.

He was about to come up with another weird thing about his room décor when what Kikyo said, along with its hidden innuendos and connotations, finally registered in his mind. His mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water as Kikyo met his shocked gaze head on, a wicked smile playing on her ruby painted lips.

"Come on, Yasha, I wanna dance," Kikyo purred as she suddenly stood, dragging him with her as the chords of a slow song reached his ears. She pulled him close to herself once they reached the dance floor, and she buried her face against his chest as she began to slowly sway.

"Did you know," she whispered, "That I have always been attracted to you, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha could only swallow. 'Technically I do, but you have never actually come on to me like this so forgive me if I'm too shocked to reply.'

oooooooooo

He and Kikyo parted ways a couple of hours prior, and she had seemed extremely disappointed when, despite her insinuations, he had failed to invite her to his place. Now, he was alone in his pad again, stripped of his concealment charm, sprawled on the couch as he gloomily considered all that had happened.

'I feel like such a traitor to you, Kagome,' he thought. 'This is our tenth anniversary, and where was I? Traipsing around town with an old classmate who happens to really like me.'

All throughout the date, he felt as if some forces were beckoning him to remember that this was supposed to be a special day, berating him for going on that dinner.

At one point during their short dance, he had caught a whiff of jasmine scent... which caused his head to reel with excitement. But as he looked around, he realized that it was really just a scent – something that had always been the smell of the resto, and the reason he had always picked that particular joint. But for some reason, the scent seemed so much stronger that day... bringing with it a soft scent of plum.

He had looked around even more frantically at that particular realization, but had come out with nothing. He really was just imagining things.

And now, at home, he could swear that he could still smell the scents.

He fisted a hand around the Shikon no Tama, as a tear slowly rolled down his cheek. In his pain, he could almost feel her presence, hear her whispering in his ear, 'It will be alright, Inuyasha. It will be alright.'

"But it won't be, Kagome!" he hissed to the room. "It won't be... not without you."

It took him a few minutes to compose himself enough to stand up, reach for a bottle of wine, and pour it into a wine flute. He raised the glass, while a phantom image of his love raised her own glass to a toast before him.

"Happy anniversary, Kagome."

oooooooooo

Inuyasha cursed as he stubbed his toe on his office desk the next day. Dark hari fell across his face and he angrily pushed it out of the way, his violet eyes glaring at the offending locks. It seemed as if an odd sort of jinx was following him that day.

That morning, he had fallen off his bed, consequently waking him a full hour before he was supposed to. Then, while getting into his car, he caught sight of a girl whose back was turned to him, with long dark hair and was wearing a sleeveless knee-length red dress. And as what always happens in those situations, he stared for too long, until he realized that he had actually gotten his finger in between two tight spots in his car door, and had to cuss, pull and shout before he got it free.

But still, that girl had been quite worth it. She had looked so much like Kagome from behind. Even the way she ran was the same.

Too bad he didn't get to catch her scent, though. She had been in quite a hurry, it seemed.

Then, as he entered the office, flicking a leaf from his usual garnet polo shirt, he came upon Takeshi and Shippou. He would have been glad to see his friend after such a long time, but then he realized they were gossiping about him.

Flashback ---

"We were just talking about you, Yasha!" Takeshi exclaimed as he strode over.

"Yeah, I heard. Why?"

"Well, Shippou here called yesterday, so I decided to drop by, and continue the story I was telling him yesterday."

"Yeah? What about?"

"This chic he met," Shippou replied wryly. "His stories are always about women."

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. "I thought you finally had a girlfriend."

"No, I have a prospective girlfiriend, and she's hot, but this girl I met was sizzlin', dude!" Takeshi replied with his usual enthusiasm when it came to the opposite sex.

'Kami, he's so much like Miroku,' he thought. "Yeah, so what about this 'sizzlin' girl?"

"Dark hair, blue eyes. And the roundest ass in Tokyo," Takeshi started. "I was just about starting to drool, thinking she was interested in me, then I let slip that I knew you, Yasha. And the excitement ended when she began asking about you. Again, you damn mother fucker."

"Really now?" Inuyasha asked, a grin pulling at the edges of his lips.

End Flashback ---

And right as he sat on his chair, the phone rang. "WHAT!" he yelled, picking up the phone.

"Um, good morning sir, this is Tsuyu... we have an applicant for that ad you placed. She said she is up for an interview."

"That's impossible, I haven't signed any forms yet," Inuyasha replied, scratching his head in confusion.

"But sir, this one has your signature. It's even stamped 'priority'."

"Really?" Inuyasha asked in disbelief. "I don't remember signing..." he said distractedly as he rummaged through his files and folders for the receiving copy that should have been there. "There's nothing here, Tsuyu. Could you check that again?"

"Yes, sir," she replied, and his superior hearing helped him hear her begin talking to the applicant.

But when the applicant spoke, he paled.

'It's her voice,' he thought to himself. He would know that voice anywhere. But then again...

Didn't a lot of people have very similar voices? He was getting his hopes up again.

"Hello, sir?" Tsuyu spoke into the phone. "The stamp and signature are both authentic sir. You really did sign those papers."

"Alright, what's her name? Maybe I would remember." Inuyasha asked, playing with the spiraling cords of his phone.

"Her name is Kagore Azame, sir."

The receiver nearly fell from his hand. "I beg your pardon?"

"Kagore Azame, sir. Should I send her to the interview room?"

'My mind is playing tricks on me, I just know it...' he thought, his hand tightening convulsively on the receiver. 'Kago-re. It was KagoRE.'

"Yes, you do that. Tell her I'm on my way."

oooooooooo

It really was not Inuyasha's day. Upon standing to head for the interview room, he realized that his interview kit was missing, and he had to nearly topple all his things to find it. Shippou, startled by the commotion, went and poked his head through the door, only to find his boss tearing down the room. He quickly went back to work.

Add that to the fact that he nearly fell down the stairs when the overwhelming scent of jasmines once again made its way to his nose. He sprinted off, following the faint scent, which led him to Tsuyu's office.

"Tsuyu," he rasped, slightly out of breath, eyes wild and searching. "Was there anyone here besides you?"

"Um... no sir, Just that girl for interview."

His heart stopped. "Really. Say, are you using a new perfume?" he asked, knowing he can't really go and ask a human if the scent was hers.

"Oh, yes sir! Do you like it? It's that new fragrance from Mango, called Jasmine Plum," the girl beamed.

Inuyasha deflated. 'It was just Tsuyu,' he thought wryly. "I like it. See ya."

But much to his surprise, the scent got stronger as he walked from the room, instead of fainter. Giving up on feeling puzzled, he decided to follow the scent, taking very discrete sniffs to avoid suspicion.

The scent led him to a closed door, and by the time he looked up, his heart was already hammering with anticipation. For as the scent grew stronger, the scent grew clearer.

It was undoubtedly Kagome's scent.

He knew he was getting his hopes up again. After all, it was impossible for her to be in his world, since she was in Crystallia, still presiding over the land. And Tsuyu's perfume did bear a striking resemblance to that alluring fragrance that he so craved.

Perhaps, it was all in his mind? Maybe, in his desperation for her, his mind took a scent that was close and somehow made it smell as if it truly were Kagome.

"But why now?" he muttered to himself, looking up and finding to his surprise that the scent had led him directly to the interview room – where Kagore was waiting. "Why now, why after ten years? It's never been like this before..."

But maybe it was just ten years too long?

Composing himself, he knocked softly on the door, before straightening and turning the handle.

He kept his eyes down, refusing to look up even when the strong scent that so much smelled like Kagome assaulted his senses the moment the door was opened. He stood by the door, his eyes only going up as high as to see that the girl before him was wearing a knee-length red dress, her hair just touching the backs of knees.

Gathering his composure, he began. "I'm Inuyasha Taisho, vice president of Taisho and Sons. I heard you are here for an interview," he said, refusing to look up as the scent threatened to make his eyes tear up.

When only the scent of salty tears greeted his statement, he finally looked up.

The files he had wrecked his office for fell from his suddenly shaking hands, scattering on the floor, as time seemed to stop the moment his wide eyes took in the woman before him. His entire body was trembling in disbelief, the shock making him drop his concealment, nearly making his heart stop beating even as it quickly started to beat more furiously than it ever had before.

Tearful blue gray eyes gazed happily at him from beneath midnight bangs, large tears slowly dripping down the woman's cheeks as her lips struggled to form words.

"I-Inuyasha?"

The moment the words were uttered, he blindly made his way to her as fast as his legs would carry him, tears blurring his view as he finally let them fall. The instant his reaching fingers touched her form he was lost, as sparks flew about them, and all else stilled as he once again took her in his arms... after so long.

He stood speechless as his arms crushed her to himself, and she did everything she could to press even tighter against him. Great, wracking sobs shook her form as she pressed her face to his chest and all words were lost as he dropped his own head and let the tears fall from his golden eyes onto her hair. He sucked in huge gulps of her scent, squeezed her tightly against himself, wanting but almost unable to believe...

"Kagome..." he whispered, joy flooding his heart when she just nodded speechlessly against his chest.

It was really her!

He pulled back from their crushing embrace, only to dip his head and take her lips with his before both even knew what happened.

Their desperate lips almost greedily accepted what the other had to give, urgent, needy, disbelievingly searching for more proof that the other was really there. His tongue mindlessly sought her own, plundering the depths of her mouth, and she willingly gave in to his conquest.

His hands went to cup her cheeks, and hers wrapped around his neck, as one of her legs unconsciously hooked around one of his own. One of his hands slowly dropped down to her waist, caressing her sides, making her gasp his name as he kept on kissing her.

Hands tangled in the other's hair as the kiss melted into one long passionate exchange, wanting to disregard the need to breathe as they both started to pant for breath. Yet, one can never really ignore the need for air, so they regretfully pulled apart, and Inuyasha dropped another soft kiss on her swollen lips before pulling her back into the safety of his arms.

He didn't want to ever let go...

"Inuyasha..." Kagome whispered, and an electric sort of thrill raced up his spine as he listened to the sound of her voice. "I missed you so much."

"I..." he swallowed against a sob threatening to come out. "I missed you too," he replied, steering them slowly until they reached one of the large armchairs in the room. He sat down, taking her with him onto his lap, then pulled away slightly so he could look at her face, into her eyes.

His heart melted at the sight of her. She had changed somewhat – she looked so much more mature after all those years, her eyes slightly narrower from the old wide-eyed innocent look she had always carried with her on their travels. But she was still his old sweet, beautiful Kagome. And she was with him.

Genuinely happy laughter escaped his lips as he looked at her, crushing her in his arms once more, before pulling back to look at her again. She was smiling brightly at him, the joy in her eyes almost tangible and blinding.

"I can't believe you're here!" he exclaimed, happy tears threatening to choke him again. "But, how...? I thought..."

Kagome put a finger on his lips, silencing him, teary eyes gazing at him through thick dark lashes. "Do you remember Michi and Shiro?"

Inuyasha was confused. 'What the hell kinda question is that at a time like this?' he thought as he nodded.

"Well, the gods heeded your prayers, my prayers, and theirs!"

"Huh?"

"You wished that there was some way we could be together in your world, remember? I wished to be with you again. And Shiro and Michi wished to be guards with their then unborn sister in the palace."

He was still too happy to make the logical connections. "Yeah?"

"That was ten years ago, so when Shiro and Michi's sister was born..."

Inuyasha finally made the connection. "She had the golden star..." he whispered in astonishment, his eyes wide and trained on Kagome only.

"Yes! So, now, ten years later, she was crowned the next princess. I'm just plainfolk now!" she said happily, placing an overjoyed kiss on his lips.

"Kagome..."

"And the scriptures, I read the entire book of Prophecies, and I learned that the princesses' dying after their term is a prerogative, and all have chosen to die because they are old and have served for too long... but I'm young, and I wanted to live... for you!"

"But... how did you find me? I left the old village after graduation."

"Takeshi."

"EH?"

"Your friend, Takeshi. I recognized him from the memory visions you had before you left Crystallia. So I befriended him and asked about you."

"So," Inuyasha started. "You're the 'hot chic' he was talking about?"

"Yes. I had to know if you were still single, you know."

"But didn't I tell you..." Inuyasha said, leaning in close. "There could never be anyone else, Kago-ko."

"I dunno, you and Kikyo looked pretty cozy," she teased.

"You were there! So that's why I kept smelling you last night!"

"Yep. I was also the one who called here yesterday, and I was also at your house this morning."

"I kinda realize that now," he remarked. "But why didn't you just knock at my door earlier?"

"Less excitement. Plus, I got kinda nervous."

"So you forged my signature and posed as an applicant?"

Kagome shrugged. "I didn't think you'd mind."

"And I don't," Inuyasha replied, nuzzling her. "How'd you get my signature, though?"

"Nothing Miroku and his charms can't handle. That Tsuyu was very willing to give him a sample deal sheet. If she only knew he was married..."

"Miroku? He's here too?"

"Of course! Palace mystics are always born alongside the new princess. And Miroku's been married to Sango for the past six years, by the way. She's here too."

"Wow... You sure Kouga isn't here?"

"Nope... he wouldn't want to leave his new mate Ayame when their third kid is on the way, now, would he?"

Inuyasha beamed. 'Seems the whole gang is here.'

"So, wanna go see them now, koi?" Kagome asked.

"No way, Kago-ko."

"Why not?"

"As the vice-president of Taisho and Sons, I have a corporate suite. I have a bedroom behind my office for short naps..."

Kagome blushed prettily at his insinuation, and he couldn't help but kiss her lips and the tip of her nose.

"So, you're suggesting..."

"That you come with me and work off ten years worth of our shared frustrations, what do you say?"

The two lovers disentangled themselves from each others' embrace, and Inuyash quickly donned his concealment charm before they both happily dashed off to his office. Inuyasha stopped outside his office just long enough to introduce her to Shippou and Sesshoumaru, who had come out of their respective offices to investigate after catching the scent of an unusually happy Inuyasha and an excited female who smelled rather – whoa – mated to Inuyasha.

Sesshoumaru just raised an eyebrow, a slight grin tugging at his lips before turning back to his office. Shippou grinned, happy to see his friend happy in a way he hadn't been for the past ten years.

oooooooooo

Inuyasha collapsed onto the bed, sweat beading on his brow, before he pulled an out of breath Kagome to lay on his chest. Her fingers leisurely traced the lines on his bare chest as his own lovingly stroked the graceful curves of her back.

"I love you," she whispered against his skin, her voice hoarse from repeatedly screaming the same thing for the past Kami-knows-how-long.

"I love you too," he replied, voice just as husky. He looked down at the enchanting woman on sprawled on him, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "Marry me?"

Kagome's head snapped up. "What?"

"Marry me. And don't even say it's sudden. I think ten years is a long enough wait."

Kagome grinned happily at him, rising up with her hands braced on his chest to kiss him on the lips. "Sure."

Inuyasha smiled back, before pulling her head down to give her a long kiss that left her head spinning. "I'll get the ring tomorrow."

"You had better," Kagome laughed, leaning down to rest her head on his chest again.

"So... now you're here with me for keeps?" Inuyasha asked, his hands wrapping around her waist and playing with her long black locks.

"For as long as you want me to be with you," Kagome replied, placing a soft kiss on his chest.

"You'd better brace yourself, coz that would be a long time, Kagome."

"I don't care... is forever long enough?" she asked with a smile, looking up to meet his eyes.

"Forever, eternity, and long after the day I die, I'd still want to have you."

"That's all I ever wanted, Inuyasha," Kagome replied, looking directly into his eyes. She had never been so happy in her entire life. Her body and mind were humming in contentment, deliriously happy to know that she truly was, finally, with Inuyasha, and nothing could ever keep them apart. "The princess and her knight shall live happily ever after. Fairy tales do come true after all, ne Inu-chan?"

Inuyasha could not tear his eyes away from here if he tried. Looking at his own personal fairy, who could help but believe?

"They sure do, Kagome. They sure do."

oooooooooo

THE END

oooooooooo

A/N: Whew! I can't believe it... my first ever fic is FINISHED!

I'd like to say thank you to all you wonderful people who have supported me and read this fic. I know that I haven't always been the most reliable author when it comes to updating, but your words of encouragement have helped me get through trials, writers blocks and even heartache while writing this story.

An epilogue is still coming, so for those who still have some questions, ask me now so I could include the answers in the epilogue. For aff dot net readers, just inform me if you guys still want that lemon.

Again, thanks to all of you. God bless you all!

ScarletRaven1001