Disclaimer: R-U-M-I-K-O! T-A-K-A-H-A-S-H-I! Now! What does that spell? RUMIKO TAKAHASHI!!!!!! And she owns the show Inuyasha…Not me…Arigatou.

Love Me as I Am

Chapter 58- Tangible Love

The sky that had grown unusually dark and cloudy had started to clear up already and the sun was now shining bright above them. Birds sat about in the trees and watched the scene, each couple celebrating amongst themselves.

Inuyasha jumped and stopped kissing Kagome, hurriedly turning the other way.

"Sesshomaru, I uh--hey. Where'd he go?"

Kagome smiled and pointed to a line of trees that had been knocked aside and Inuyasha caught a glimpse of silver hair disappearing into the woods, or rather, going out of the woods. He smirked along with her.

"Soooo…the great LORD Sesshomaru's missin' his mate huh?"

Kagome was about to agree when she remembered something.

"The kits! Where are they?!"

Each couple stopped kissing and looked around.

"You're right. Where are they?"

~*~*~

Kunara gasped and turned to Rin.

"H-He's coming!"

Rin stood and walked slowly to the door, opening it and walking out barefoot. Sesshomaru was coming up the hill where his pace slowed to a steady walk. Rin smiled and took off towards him at a run as he just kept walking a nonchalant gait. Sesshomaru was only mildly surprised when she threw her arms around him.

"Rin…" he whispered.

"He's gone…isn't he?"

Sesshomaru nodded slowly as if confused as Rin reached her hand up to his cheek.

"I'm just glad you're alive."

He didn't have the heart to tell her he had committed suicide with Kunara standing right there.

"You shouldn't have worried."

"I couldn't help it."

"Naraku…" Sesshomaru whispered so only she could hear, "…took his own life."

"What?"

"In the end, he realized he still loved--"

"Lady Kikyo."

"Hai."

Rin wrapped her arms around his waist.

"I see."

~*~*~

"Come BACK here you little urchin!" yelled the little green toad Jaken, running after Kunara as he fumbled with his staff.

"I implore! Leave the master and Lady Rin alone!!!"

Kunara stopped dead in her tracks and looked down at him as he nearly collided with her leg.

"Come now Jaken. You don't honestly think he will kill you if you let loose a little do you?

"Let loose? But--"

"Just go on vacation or something."

"Vacation? But Lord Sesshomaru--"

"Wont even know you're gone."

"You're quite devious for an 8 year old."

"Well I try." Kunara responded sarcastically, smiling at him as he stared unbelievably at her.

"Just go."

"A-Arigatou…Arigatou my lady."

Jaken hurried back to the manor to get his things, whatever things he had as Kunara sighed to herself and continued walking until she could see Sesshomaru and Rin.

Sesshomaru, having lost all feeling in his legs, was sitting in the grass with Rin in his lap, her arms around his neck as she kissed him. Kunara started to blush immediately as she debated whether or not she should go home and wait for them to return. A deep maroon blush covered her cheeks as she stared at the ground waiting for them to finish their kiss-fest.

It wasn't as if she'd never seen them do it before. No, they had done it many times. She just felt guilty watching the 'make out' like that and as she stood there her guilt increasing.

~*~*~

Kikyo watched the scene from above as she floated above the trees. She smiled lightly and flew down; knowing no one could see her. Still smiling gently as she put her hand on Inuyasha's shoulder and led him a bit farther into the forest. She knew where they were.

"Inuyasha? Where are you going?"

Inuyasha didn't say anything as she stood up and followed him, a good then feet behind. She studied him curiously until they came to a cave that had a river flowing through it.

"Inuyasha…what is this place? How did you find it?"

"I-I don't know…something just told me I should…"

"Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha's trance-like speech had been so dragged out Kagome had already gone into the cave with him. When he heard her, he followed her in.

"What is…….it."

Kagome was lying on the ground after being tackled by 15 little kits. Well, they weren't THAT little. They were just at the age where they could fend for themselves but they still hadn't totally lost their sense of curiousness.

"Ame? Is that you?"

A head popped up from the group.

'Hai lady Kagome."

"I'm surprised. Quite surprised actually. In fact…I don't think I've ever seen you just play…you know…for fun? You're usually hanging around outside."

"Mother had another one. Our new little sister can sense the weather so I taught her how to do it properly so that she can watch the others and warn them when I'm not there."

"Alright. But…do you think you could tell me how you ended up in this cave?"

"Hai Lady Kagome. We were led here."

"Were you harmed?"

"No miss."

Kagome looked back at Inuyasha who shrugged then looked back to the kits.

"Are you aware that your parents are worried sick about you?"

All the kits gasped then blinked.

"Uh oh…"

"Uh oh is right. Now let's get you guys home now. I'm sure you could come back here later. It is an awfully nice place. Water running through it…the sound is so…peaceful and…romantic…"

Kagome sighed as she felt Inuyasha wrap his arms around her middle from behind. She leaned into him as the last kit left the cave.

"Promise me we can come back here sometime?"

"Sure thing, but I don't know how much privacy we're gonna get."

The two sat in each other's company and enjoyed the trickling water for a little while longer.

~*~*~

Kikyo wrapped her fingers gently around his as she leaned partly into his embrace. It was what she had wanted all along, and hadn't realized.

She was the reason he had wreaked so much havoc upon Inuyasha and everyone else. It was all because he wanted, and loved…Kikyo.

Kikyo sighed and looked him in the eyes.

"We shall travel to the next life together. Just you and I."

"Hai my lovely Kikyo."

And with that she kissed him. But it was different than before. Their love was no longer withdrawn, as it had been the night Kikyo conceived. Kikyo no longer felt like it was her duty. No, this time there was passion and a love so tangible it could be carried into the next life. Neither would completely forget their lives on Earth and neither would forget Kunara who, by chance, had unknowingly brought them closer together.

Kikyo wrapped her arms around his neck and, as if by magic, they both turned into specks and disappeared into the wind.