For what seemed like an eternity I slept, and when I woke up, my mind was still incredibly foggy. Spots blurred the edges of my vision, and all I could see were the most basic of colors. For those many hours that I had slept, I had dreamt of my mother. She would call to me, tell me to help her with something. As a child starved for a mother's love, I did whatever tedious tasks she required of me. No matter how menial they were, nothing was too hard for me to do.

Then I had remembered my time in Hell's Grove, the place that so many people feared, and few knew the secrets of. Few before me had felt such a deep connection to it, but I had always thought it to be mere coincidence. The way I could navigate the forest by feeling an energy from the trees had always seemed like such second nature to me, so I had never thought it unusual. My father was the only one who had ever been suspicious, and he was long dead.

After that came thoughts of Kurama, and that was what plunged my mind into turmoil. Ravaged by thoughts of him, I tossed and turned so visibly, and screamed out his name several times. Each time, my voice seemed to fade away little by little, until I knew he wouldn't be able to hear me. Creeping up to him, I would slowly outstretch my hand, and he would take it, stroking it with his thumb. However, the sad look he gave me each time did not bode well, and I looked hard into those emerald depths. No matter how deep I gazed, there was nothing telling me what was wrong exactly, so I had to guess.

The last was of Jakiri. She was striding through the forest, my forest by right, with Ithryl. All of a sudden, they stopped, and Ithryl whispered a few words into the servant's ear. Smiling, Jakiri followed her and they were at the clearing where I had found Kurama dead. His body, of course, was nowhere to be seen. Jakiri knelt down on the ground and looked up at the sky. "This is the place that my master and I visited long ago," she whispered, smiling nostalgically. "We found her lover dead, and that was what brought me to Ningenkai."

"Forget Kaiina," Ithryl said, taking Jakiri's hand in an effort to comfort her. "She was just your master, nothing more. How can one who is so cruel as to take one into service be considered anything close to a friend by his or her servant? You have been opressed, and you should do something about it."

"Kaiina was no cruel master," Jakiri replied. "Despite your ideas, Kaiina took me into her service only after I told her I would do anything to repay her for unlocking me. There was nothing opressive about that."

"Except the loss of your freedom," Ithryl said softly, producing a gentle lily in her hands. Her slim fingers curled around it gracefully, cupping it firmly but supportively. "When you were with Sakoshima, you were happy, and even in love, if you call it that. Now, you grieve over a master you inwardly wished to leave for a very long time."

Jakiri looked uncertain for a little while and then gazed at the rose, slowly wilting in Ithryl's hand. Its petals fell of one by one, and then my servant's eyes were shut. She looked at Ithryl after a little while, and her old features returned. "I was once far more powerful," she said. "I was a great Iceshadow Dragon, but now I am reduced to a mere 'ghost' haunting a house. Do you honestly think I want to live like that?" And then she walked away, until I couldn't see her.

Finally, I awakened after what seemed like hours. Soft light fell on me, filtered through the dense canopy of trees. Feeling around, I found my fingers embedded in some sort of thick, wet, sticky material. Also, something heavy had fallen on top of me. Tucking in my stomach and sliding out, I felt a hammer smash my heart to bits at that moment. Kurama was there, with the bottom half of Lirra's blade embedded in his stomach.

Stirring slightly, he knew not to move, lest he shake out the blade. Blood was in his hair and on his clothes, but he was still alive, and I looked at him lovingly. "I'm sorry," he choked out, and I could see him spit out his blood.

"No!" I shouted. "You can't...you can't die!" Throwing my arms around him, I clung, as if it would stop him from leaving me here. "I don't know what I'll do...please don't give up."

"I...have to.." he said, choking once more. "Even though I know you want to save me...it's not..." Breathing heavily, he looked up at me, his emerald eyes glistening with tears of pain and agony. The muscles in his stomach clenched tightly with all the pain, and his tears ran down his cheeks. "Be...strong," he told me, clasping my hand.

Totally taken aback by his will to die, I buried my head in his mass of red hair and cried. Tears flowed like a steady river, and I felt as if my world was caving in on me. The sunlight faded in comparison to his beautiful face. Squeezing my arms tightly about his neck, I prayed to whatever being would listen that he wouldn't die. Please don't let him leave me, I thought. I won't be able to keep myself alive if he isn't around anymore. "Lirra was right," I whispered into his hair. "I'm nothing without you...nothing." That last word was so soft that I doubted he could hear it, but he wrapped his arms around my waist and stroked my back comfortingly.

"That's where you're...wrong," he said shakily, coughing up yet more blood. What had Lirra done to him? Was this all part of her master's grand plan? Was he trying to dismantle me entirely? Sobbing furiously, I let Kurama comfort me, and he caressed me so gently. It would be nothing if I didn't have his touch, his very presence there. Life would lose its meaning...and I knew we had had a future together...if only I hadn't trusted Lirra...if only.

At that moment, I took in the scent of his sweat mixed with blood, and the smell of his body. My hands ran over every part of him as I remembered our time together...

We were at the mall, enjoying a quick meal at the food court. A new string of aquamarine beads was fastened around my neck, and I showed it off proudly. I knew he really didn't have that sort of money to spend on me, but he had been so insistent at the time. Everything was so carefree as I playfully took a french fry off of his plate. Though he admonished me for not asking, I could tell that it really came across as cute.

After a little while at the mall, we went to the movies, where we sat together in the dark theatre. A bowl of buttery popcorn was the only thing between us, and we would kiss whenever the stars in the movie did. It was a romance with a sprinkle of comedy here and there. Afterward, there was still time, and the night was still young. So, we went to Yusuke's house.

Yusuke's mom, Atsuko, is something of an alcoholic, so she's never really home to bother us. It's probably why Yusuke's so insecure. We went over there and knocked on the door only to find that Kayko was there too. She was Yusuke's girlfriend, a very sweet and upbeat person. From the sound of things, she was just the sort of person Yusuke needed to straighten himself out. After all the greetings, we were invited inside, and ended up talking the whole night.

Kurama drove me home silently, and we just shared the beauty of the stars and the peace of that night. When we got home, it was just the two of us; Shiori, the poor thing, had taken on another double shift in hopes of paying off their house. Slowly we settled down onto the couch. Somehow we managed to lie together on that small couch. Taking one of my hands in his, he whispered comforting words in my ear. Then, his hand slipped gently under my shirt, and it was off before I knew it. Laughing at his touch, I threw my arms about him, drawing us both into a deep kiss. And the rest was history...

"Kurama," I whispered, and he laughed gently, in spite of my pain. A smile even crept across my face, and I kissed him briefly on the lips, feeling his arms tighten around my waist. "I can't let you go yet," I whispered. "I couldn't even if I tried."

There used to be a greying tower alone on the sea.

You became the light on the dark side of me.

Love remained a drug that's the high and not the pill.

But did you know,

That when it snows,

My eyes become large and

The light that you shine can be seen.

I could hear someone singing in the distance, and it never occurred to me to let go. If I let go, I wouldn't get to say goodbye to him.

Shine,

Bright morning light,

Now in the air the spring is coming.

Sweet, blowing wind

Singing down the hills and valleys.

Keep your eyes on me

Now we're on the edge of hell.

Dear my love, sweet morning light,

Wait for me, you've gone much farther,

Too far.

Whoever it was, I didn't want them to stop singing. I felt Kurama's arms tense around me, squeezing harder and tighter than I had ever known they could. My hands caressed the back of his neck as I whispered words of endearment...ones that were meaningless, because he was already resigned to his death...

I've still got sand

In my shoes,

And I can't shake the thought of you.

I should move on,

Forget you, anything else would have been confused,

But I...want to see you again...I want to see you again.

I kissed him passionately, and he kissed with what he had left. Somehow, I could feel his life slowly draining into me. It flooded me with a glorious heat, and then he was so cold that I threw his jacket on top of him...the one that he had given me.

Now I can't deny

Nothing lasts forever.

I don't want to leave,

And see the teardrops in your eyes.

I don't want to live

To see the day we say goodbye.

His body had the chill of death now, and the tears flowed freely over his body, washing the blood from his hair. Small rivulets ran down in the wrinkles in his clothes. I clutched at him and then pulled out that horrible blade, slipping it into the sheath where my saber should have been. Looking down at the ring he had given me, I cried even more, pouring out my soul in tears.

Finally, I heard someone come through the brush. It was a boy with light brown hair and dark eyes. He seemed to be about fifteen, and I could tell he had been the one singing. Realizing that my clothes were a torn, bloody mess, I covered myself with Kurama's jacket once more. "What's wrong?" the boy asked. I couldn't respond, but he helped me carry the body back to the Minamino household. Shiori didn't know what had happened, but I lied and said we had been overtaken by a gang on the streets. In his attempt to save me, he had died by the knife. My scabbard had been hidden away in the room we had shared.

Shiori told me to go up to his room, which I could have for the night, and thanked the boy for helping to bring her son home. On the wall, there were pictures...of us...of what we could have been if not for that damned woman! She had killed him mercilessly, knowing what I had gone through to get to him. She understood that I had sacrificed everything I could have had in order to find my love again. Pictures on the wall showed him hugging me tightly, and one that had been taken in one of those mall photobooths. It was a do-it-yourselfer, so I had fallen back when trying to get into position. The one thing I hadn't noticed then was how he caught me. I was in his arms, almost in a cradle position, and he looked down at me so happily, laughing goodheartedly.

Thoughts of him only brought more tears, and I could hear his voice calling to me, his scent beckoning me to come and lay with him. His eyes entranced me as usual, and I ran my fingers through his thick red hair. It was soft to the touch, and I knew that he truly did love me. We hadn't been together for very long, but it was a match made in heaven, and that wretch had destroyed it with one fell strike. So I lay there in utter despair, waiting for the day when I would see him and touch him again, the day that was hopelessly far-off...

A/N-Hey reviewers, or any who wish to! I'm sorry it had to happen. I cried while I was writing it. The 4-5 songs used are: Kiss from a Rose by Seal; Fake Wings by Yuki Kajiura; Sand in My Shoes by Dido; and Goodbye by Hootie and the Blowfish, respectively. Hope you were moved by(not happy enough to say enjoyed) this chapter.

Later,

Miari