Author's Note: So this is it for "My Hope" and thanks to all who've read or re-read this fic! Now on to the final chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. All characters are owned by the talented Yoshihiro Togashi.

Our Final Parting

Even though I was racing through the night sky, my thoughts ran faster than my oar could ever carry me.

This is so stupid! How am I supposed to round everyone up and tell him or her that I'll never be able to see them again in twenty stupid minutes?

I stopped my train of thought and smiled at mysudden outburst.

Wow, I'm starting to sound like Yusuke. I guess all I can really do is to find one person, say my goodbyes and everything so that way they'll all be able to get a goodbye.

I knew I had to go Kurama's place and tell him my feelings. Alhough I felt guilty for not choosing anyone else, I knew that this was my last chance and I couldn't let it pass by too…

"Okay." I steadied my shaking frame and sped to Kurama's house. I knew his room had a window so I hovered just outside. Despite the dire situation and the amount of time I had my hesitation could not be suppressed.

Even though Kurama and I had always been good friends, I had never been to his house before. I blushed a little knowing he was asleep inside and that I was about to wake him. But the matter at hand made me gather up my courage as I gently tapped at the window. At first I thought it was a little too loud but no one answered. Gathering the little scraps of courage left, I tapped harder.

"Kurama. Kurama open the window!" I said in a soft voice yet audible voice butstill no one answered.

Great! He's gone! How in the world am I supposed to find him now?

Dejected, I turned my oar around so fast it hit the window with a loud knock that almost sent me flying off my oar. Suddenly a light came on and a sleepy looking Kurama came and stood by his window.

There he was. The person I had come to see. I couldn't help but smile at the light gray pajamas and the sleepy expression on his handsome face. Kurama rubbed his eyes and when it seemed to register that a ferry girl was just floating three stories up in midair, he opened them a little wider allowing me to greet the tired viridian eyes for the last time. He hastily opened the window.

"Botan? What are you doing here?" Kurama asked as moved aside for me to come in.

"Wow, Kurama you're more of a heavy sleeper than I thought!" Icommented in anattempt to sidestep his question. I was trying to cheer myself up a bit by trying to crack some small joke of a comment but it didn't help much. Taking a deep breath, I began to make my way through the window which was surprisingly harder than it sounded. There was a seat beneath the window but it was surprisingly full of little stuffed animals and thinking that these were very important to him, I didn't want to step on these "treasures". Even with the urgent news I came here to tell him, I couldn't bring myself to trample on these.

It seemed Kurama always brought the best out in me.

"Here, let me help you." He held out his hand to take my own. My heart began to beat faster remembering that he'd done the same back at the wedding… With his other hand he made a movement to push all the stuffed animals away to make a way for me.

"Oh! It's all right Kurama. You don't have to move them." I didn't want to trouble him further so I put one foot on the sill and stood up to jump the step when my head hit the top of the window causing me to lose both my footing and grip on the oar. I gasped and closed my eyes, waiting for the impact but it never came.

I felt two strong arms catch me and I looked up and saw Kurama looking over me with concern in his eyes. Once again there was that ferocious blush that seem to come quite often now and it seemed to dull my grace and senses even further. "Umm…sorry about that Kurama." I mumbled and tried to pull my self together. I quickly got up from the embarrassing position and rubbed my sore head.

"Are you alright Botan?" he asked as he sat down at his desk. His eyes still looked concerned as I shook my head a little. The heat multiplied ten fold as I berated myself for being clumsy, even at our last meeting.

"Yeah, I'm sorry to wake you up in the middle of the night." I apologized and glanced at the clock on his beside table, it read: eleven forty-five. I only had fifteen minutes.

Kurama made a gesture for me to sit down on his bed. I obeyed and sat down at the foot of his bed but I could still feel the warmth where he had laid.

"So what's the matter Botan?" He asked rubbing his eyes. It seemed he was unusually tired…

I hesitated then said, " Koenma has decided to seal off the three worlds. Permanently." I looked up to see Kurama. His brilliant green eyes widened, abandoning all signs of fatigue then frowned and looked at the floor.

"Do you know why Botan?" He asked his voice a little restrained.

"Something about everything being made easier. It's all Ayame's idea but Koenma agrees with her. He says they're in it together." I sighed and busied myself with a fold of my kimono. Once again the thought of leaving everyone made me miserable again. But now since I was in the company of Kurama, I felt it much harder to face what was about to come. Tears welled up in my eyes again, but I was determined to keep them in. "He's planning to complete the seal tonight at midnight."

"Tonight?" Kurama asked a little disbelievingly. "So that means…"

"I'll never be able to see you again…" As I said these words, they stung me. My heart began to race because I knew I only had less than fifteen precious minutes to be with him…And that I had to tell him how I felt.

"Botan, I-" Kurama suddenly began but I cut him off.

"I wanted to thank you for that rose you gave me…I noticed it matched my eyes perfectly…" I silently groaned and cursed. My mouth said something completely different from what I wanted to say. Kurama looked at me and gave me a small grin.

"Well, I didn't think you'd noticed." He said.

I couldn't postpone this any longer. "Kurama, I have to tell you something…um…" I was so afraid to tell him but I knew that if I didn't, I'd be even more wretched back in Reikai. I could not let this go unfulfilled. Whatever awaited me, whether it be rejection or disgust, I knew that this was my part to be played. I didn't care about his answer, all that mattered was that I wanted him to know, to realize that the emotions within me all this time were all for him. I knew it was a little selfish but I didn't care how it would affect him. All I knew was that if I let this moment pass without ever baring my love for him, I could never live with myself.

"Kurama…I…" I stammered. The words were on the tip of my tongue. I refuse to exist with nothing but the regret in my heart. Kurama was gazing at me with an intense look. I averted my gaze to the floor and then shut my eyes. I knew that it was now or never…I wanted him to know… "I- I… I love you."

There was a long silence between us. I kept my eyes shut hoping that it would somehow freeze time and that darkness would envelop me. Paralyzed with the shock of having completed my task, I couldn't bear to open my eyes and see what he…Suddenly I felt hands take my own and pull me to my feet. When I gritted my teeth and finally opened my eyes, I saw Kurama in front of me. He looked down at me with a look of sadness. My eyes started to water again and this time, no matter how hard I tried to contain thetears,I couldn't hold it back any more. The dam was broken, I had told him what I needed to. There was nothing I could do. Nothing to make the pain of his look of pity, go away. Yet, I was satisfied. Grim satisfaction.

The tears slid down my face and I made an attempt to wipe them off but his hand reached there first. I knew he didn't love me back. But my part was over and all I had to do was leave. These last moments were between friends of course. How many toils had we endured together?

Him as a comrade of Yusuke, battling countless wars with intelligence, strength, compassion and love. Me, there by his side, cheering him on and sharing my support through his victories and life and death situations. Every time he shared his wisdom and generosity, my admiration for him had grown stronger. Even when conned by conniving foes, he had triumphed. Always conflicting with his greatest enemy: himself, as he struggled to search for the real purpose of his existence.

I had never known anyone like him.

I only hoped that his resilience would serve as a beacon for me in the inevitable life that was speeding toward me; an inescapable life without him. He gently wiped away my tears with the side of his finger, a gesture I appreciated but could not help but cringe with the unbearable silence.

My heat was beating faster and faster by the second. The silence seemedto pulse with a rythmnin my ears and suddenly I couldn't take it anymore. I began to draw away from him but found that I couldn't. He put one hand on my shoulder and the other one tilted my chin up so I could face him. And he finally spoke.

"Me too."

"What?" I couldn't believe what I had just heard. I stared straight into his emerald eyes. They held a look of sincerity, compassion and …love? He then began to lean in and I was still too shock to move. Then his lips touched mine and for a whole moment I felt nothing. But then that nothingness melted into something I couldn't describe nor can I now...all I knew was that he loved me.

Kurama loved me.

Nothing else in the whole world mattered. The love was reciprocated and though I was a little upset with all of the suspense, there was joy like no other to know that he was right beside me, just like through all of those years that were long gone…

When we broke apart, I was laughing and crying at the same time.

"It's funny you know, I finally found you, but we have to be apart." I rubbed my eyes but the tears kept coming. The separation was drawing near. Then I felt his arms wrap around me and I was drawn into his embrace. I buried my face into his shoulder and sobbed, unable to stop.

"Botan, it's all right. Calm down. You don't want to spend our last minutes together crying now do you?" he coaxed. Hearing that, I stepped back so I could look at him. "Botan, I love you. I have been for a long timeand now that I know you love me, it makes my life complete. Even though we can't be together, I'll always keep you in my heart."

I was shocked at his sudden announcement. "Now wait, Kurama. I don't want to keep you from finding love with someone else. I don't want you to wait for me-" But he placed both hands on my shoulders.

"Botan, there will be no other for me." He said that in a firm tone enough for me to know that it was final.

"Kurama, I'll always watch over you andI'll be with you wherever you go." That was one vow I would never break. I gave him the best smile I could muster.

"Well now, it seems I have acquired a perfect Guardian Angel." Kurama gave me a huge smiled that was so unlike him I had to laugh. And it made my heart race yet again when he called me an angel. It was definitely a better change than the Grim Reaper. I felt bittersweet feelings as we stood there in our first and last embrace. One part of me thought that knowing he loved me made it harder to leave yet I was overjoyed to know that our feelings were mutual.

In what felt as though no time had passed since I'd first arrived, I felt a wave of electricity wash over me. It didn't hurt but it made me gasp in surprise.

"Are you alright Botan?" Kurama asked immediately. He took both of my hands in his again and squeezed them tight. I noticed his hands were cold… He suddenly glanced over at his clock: eleven fifty-nine. One more minute… We both looked down at my hands. My whole body began to flicker strangely…

"This is it Kurama. Please tell the others goodbye for me." I said but my voice trailed off, echoing.

"Of course." He saidand forthe first time, I saw tears fill his emerald eyes. The effect made them sparkle like jewels and I wanted to look away because of the unbearable pain. Kurama gripped my hands even tighter.

"Remember Kurama, I'll always be with you. You gave me the love that I've always hoped for. I've waited for this kind of feeling for as long as I can remember. You have been and will always be the only one for me Kurama. I love you so much." The look in his eyes made me feel as though my heart would break.

"Botan…" he whispered. And finally I leaned up to him and gave him my final kiss. I felt tremendous agony from leaving him and yet, I also felt that we would always be together. Although it wasn't physical, I knew it was there. His presence, our love, the understanding, whatever it was, I knew without a doubt that I would never be alone again.

Then a moment later, I could no longer feel him. My hand slipped through his and I passed through his body as if he were nothing at all. I saw him slowly bow his head.

No Kurama, don't be sad… I thought as I felt my body beginning to float away. I didn't want to leave him there like that…but suddenly he turned around, looked straight at me and whispered.

"You'll be in my heart, Botan." It was as if he could still see me. And so, I left him there standing in his room, wearing those pajamas that never really suited the graceful warrior I knew; the sleepy-eyed fox that had been rudely awakened in the middle of the night; the gentle teaser that knew just how to rattle Hiei's cage but careful enough to not sustain any damage from the expected comeback; the dependable mind of the Urameshi team and often the guidance of its captain, Yusuke; Kuwabara's mentor and friend through the inferiority complexes that nagged the carrot-top; the one who would always be willing to give help to those who desperately needed it; my love and hero, the one who was always there. I left him only with my vow and love.

Once again, I found myself in Reikai. I was about to break down all over when I noticed that I was holding a single red rose. I smiled thinking how a gentleman can be as swift and clever as a fox. I mounted my oar still clutching the rose in my hand. As I flew back to where I needed to be, letting the familiar hot air blow my tresses across my cheek, I sighed, knowing I finally had someone who truly loved me, and knowing that made me feel content. And a glimmer of hope shone in my heart that someday we will be together.

E/N: Wow, that took me forever to get back up. Well, that's it. Completely finished. I'm not exactly happy with it because this was written in 2003 and um…I just think that it was a little corny. Oh well, at least it's up there. But if you liked it, thanks so much! You're awesome! My self of three years younger is very happy!

And if you're interested…be on the lookout for the next second version of this story! Only this time…it's Kurama's point of view!

I would like to thank my beta-reader Maverick48 for keeping me on a YYH mind track. You're such a loyal fan. You should update your own fic!