Hey! Here's the Epilogue!

Bright lights blinded her at first when she opened her eyes. Kikyo felt a tube under her nose, and she raised her hand to rip it off.

A cold hand grasped hers. Kikyo peered groggily at the person, and she froze.

Sasuke's grip tightened. "You're in the hospital."

Kikyo yanked her hand away and pulled off the tube. "I'm fine."

Sasuke sighed. "You lost a lot of your...different, um...green...blood. The doctors didn't give you any transfusions because they didn't know what kind of...um, liquid...that it was..."

Kikyo smiled despite herself at his unsureness and hesitation. She sat up, her head pounding painfully. "It's all right. I'm fine."

Sasuke'e eyes looked pained, but he didn't reply. Kikyo looked up at his face for the first time in weeks, and saw the same boy she had fallen in love with behind all the guarded emotions.

"I...I have to go speak with Lord Hokage." Kikyo muttered, and brushed past him. She paused at the door, and looked at him once more time. "I...I'm sorry, Sasuke. I really am." After whispering these last words, she turned back around and strode out the door.

"So...he is gone, then?" Lord Hokage questioned Kikyo.

She nodded, staring down at the glass table. The Hokage's office was suffocatingly warm, and she wanted to say her thoughts quickly.

"Um..." Kikyo cleared her throat nervously. "I...I need to go back...There are other half-demons like me. They need...to be...taken care of." her jaw tightened momentarily. "And...Orochimaru's possessions need to be disposed of properly."

The Hokage nodded.

Kikyo looked up at him briefly. "Thank you for your hospitality."

The Hokage saw her hidden pain, but his expression remained unreadable. "You're welcome, Kikyo. Come back anytime."

Kikyo nodded, and looking at the floor, she walked quickly out the door.

Sakura sat on the wooden bench in the market silently. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying so much. Naruto...he was gone. The one who killed him was Kikyo. Why? How had things ended up so complicated?

Thoughts were revolving withing her head violently when a shadow fell over her. Sakura looked up quickly. Kikyo stood over her, pale and undecided.

"Kikyo? Are you all right? Aren't you supposed to be in the hospital?"

Kikyo shrugged. "I ran away...but that's not what I wanted to talk to you about."

Sakura's expression became confused. "What? What's wrong?"

Kikyo sighed and looked at her. "I...I'm going back. I need to take care of various buisnesses. I don't...I don't think I'll be back..."

Sakura wanted to protest, but knew that it would just make things worse. "Sasuke...does he know?"

Kikyo flinched visibly. "Um...not yet. That's where I need to ask you a favor."

"What?"

"Um...do you think you could ask Sasuke to...um...to meet me at the clearing where he found me?"

Sakura's heart throbbed. "Yeah...sure."

Kikyo nodded. "Thanks..." She turned around to leave.

"Wait!" Sakura called.

Kikyo turned around.

"Um...hey, Kikyo...Sasuke...he...he loves you, you know..." Sakura whispered.

Kikyo nodded. "I know..." She said this softly, and disappeared.

Sakura silently watched her shimmer away into thin air, wondering if the conversation had really happened.

"Sasuke."

He froze behind the tree, his heart beating rapidly. Kikyo's voice...he had craved it so badly so that when he finally heard it, he was frozen.

He struggled to control himself. "Kikyo..."

Kikyo smiled sadly, fingering the silver knife Sasuke had given her.

"What do you need?" Sasuke asked abruptly, striding over to her.

Kikyo's face contorted in pain. "Um...I..."

"What?" Sasuke pressed on. He was angry, sad, and happy at the same time to be talking to her again.

"I'm...I'm going back. Um...I don't think I'll be back to Konoha..." Kikyo broke off at the look on Sasuke's face. "No, Sasuke, I...I love you. I really do." she whispered. "I just can't endanger you or Sakura anymore. Especially...especially when I lost control...Naruto-" she stopped as tears ran down her cheeks.

Sasuke stared. "No, no! Kikyo, Naruto stayed because he wanted to. You know that. It's not your fault."

Kikyo tried desperately to gather herself together. "Um...Sasuke...I...I've thought about you and me...for a long time. And, I think..." she put the knife into Sasuke's hands. "I think you should have this back."

Sasuke became speechless. He stared at the knife and Kikyo's face, not wanting to believe that this nightmare was real.

Kikyo cleared her throat. "Um...right. I...I'll go now..." she mumbled pathetically and turned around to leave. Crying silent tears, Kikyo nearly reached the end of the clearing when two arms slipped around her waist.

"No. I was too late last time. This time..." Sasuke's voice in her ear hesitated. "This time, I'm not going to let you go."

Kikyo turned around, disbelief printed all over her face. Sasuke allowed himself a faint smile, and then leaned down to kiss her.

And so the story ends! Wow...it's finished.

I'd like to thank some people now:

Rinku for editing my rough drafts and pushing me along while I threw a tantrum. (haha)

Jennifer for helping me get used to this system.

Leah for helping me edit my awful typing...

Corey for all that Naruto stuff...

Kevin for the ideas on parts of the story, and for giving me an idea that just MIGHT become a future fanfic...

AND...

Everyone who helped and reviewed my story! After about 2 years, it's finished!

Bye!