Chapter 14: Dreaming of you

The sky above the western lands was crimson red and made beautiful scenery with the sunset. Everywhere was heard of birds still singing in gardens of the western palace. Last remaining sun rays were illuminating every flowers, which weren't hidden in shadows of thick walls.

The lord of the western lands himself was in one of these gardens, silently watching sunset. Near to him were a few lilacs. For some reason it reminded him of Sakura. He remembered that this was her favourite place. Before she reunited with her sister, she was often here with Rin.

Rin.

The little girl didn't recovered from the shock yet. Sesshomaru understand. His ward seen Sakura like her mother. With her lost Rin was dealing very hard. The feelings of the cold demon were same. He couldn't believe it was only two weeks since she returned to her home. If she was able to return there. To him, it seemed to be like an eternity.

He missed her. He missed the way she walked. He missed the way she inclined her head to her shoulder. He missed her dry humour. He missed the way she ridiculously raised her voice when she was asking some question. He missed the softness of her crimson lips, the gentle touch which only she could offer him. Somewhere above him cried a bird. That painful sound resonated in him for a while before it sank down into the void of his soul. Sesshomaru was thinking if there was a chance that he could make Sakura to change her will. He tried to find something what he had to say and didn't. Something. The key word that would convince her to stay with him. He didn't find anything.

In his mind appeared Kurama. For the demon lord was the silver-haired kitsune on blame for everything. He wanted to kill him for laying his hands on her. For confusing her and mainly for scaring her.

Sesshomaru blame him for Sakura's leaving. He was sure that she would stay with him if Kurama didn't interfere between them.

The sun disappeared beyond mountains and everything was covered by dark night. The sliding doors opened and Rin's small figure appeared in them. Sesshomaru turned to her. From her red eyes he could say she was crying again. It was nothing new in these days. Rin was crying every night since Sakura disappeared in the river of time. He wasn't sure how to explain the small kid that her mother figure will never come back. It caused that Rin still believed, she would see Sakura again.

Sesshomaru's heart was tearing him apart when he saw like Rin's childish and innocent hope was ruined every night when was time to bed and Sakura wasn't there as she hoped.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Sakura opened her eyes half wondering what could possibly screw up. Somehow she was sure that she wasn't home, as she had to be. For a moment she was thinking if Sesshomaru cast the spell correctly but then she pushed such thoughts aside. Deep down she doubted that Sesshomaru – Mr.-Perfect-in-every-way – would do a half work.

With convincing herself, Sakura raised her body to sitting position and looked around herself. Definitely, she wasn't in her home. The place, where she currently found herself, was huge. The roof was disappearing in far away – at least if there was some roof – and on the walls were pictured gigantic motives. Sakura raised her eyebrow at the main motive, which was some fat dude with full beard.

"Ahhh, here you are!" Sakura almost jumped out from her skin when a disgustingly cheerful voice echoed beyond her back. When she got breathing under control again, Sakura turned around only to see some girl in pink kimono with lightly blue hair tied in high ponytail.

If Sakura didn't counting the hair – or rather its colour – the girl looked absolutely normally. Unfortunately this impression was screwed up by a long oar, which she held in her hand and the expression in her face, which was same horrible oversweet like her voice.

"Ehmm, are you talking to me?" asked Sakura and secretly hoped that the answer will be no. The disappointment was bitter.

"Of course I'm talking to you. Do you see here someone else?" replied the person in pink kimono, her voice and expression sweeter than before. Even if it didn't seem possible. When Sakura heard a girlish giggling she moaned in defeat.

"What's the matter? Are you hurt?"

"No. I'm fine. It's getting better anyway. Can you tell me your name, so I don't have to call you 'hey you'?"

"Of course. Where are my manners?" Sakura hoped that this kind of information she never find out. "My name is Botan and yours?"

"I thought that you were looking for me?"

"That's true, but Lord Koenma didn't tell me your name!"

Sakura was looking at her for a moment and then just shrugged her shoulders.

"Sakura. Who is Koenma?"

"Lord Koenma. He is a prince of The Spirit World, where you are right now."

Sakura thought again. If she was in The Spirit World, then it meant two things. First, she died or second, something was terribly wrong. She couldn't say that any of these facts would impress her somehow.

Silently, Sakura followed Botan through the halls to big golden door, which were slightly opened. She had no idea how could prince of The Spirit World look like, but she hoped that he isn't that fat dude who was pictured on walls.

The room, which she and Botan entered into, was huge and Sakura started to think that these people were going for big places. She noticed a big table with chair, which was turned back to her. Botan stopped before the desk and said.

"Sakura, this is Lord Koenma!" the chair turned to them and Sakura saw a toddler with a comforter in his mouth.

Sakura was silently staring for a moment and then sighed. With grace she sat down on the floor, put her head into hands and started laughing. It wasn't such kind of laugh when somebody surprise you and you start hysterically laugh in relieve. Not even that kind of laugh, which you using in situation when you don't want to turn crazy so instead you start laughing.

Sakura was simply laughing. She was laughing like someone who went a very long way and all kind of trouble only to find out something really stupid in the end. Botan and Koenma were watching her as she was sitting on the floor with folded legs and silently laughing. They thought she had to be mad. To be honest, Sakura was thinking same.

Two months ago she ended up in the past after she fell out from a window in the second floor. Met a sexy demon, who drugged her and ravished her. Then she spent a several weeks in a palace of another demon for who she started have feeling quite different than only respect and gratitude.

She met her younger sister – who was despite all sense there too – with a company more bizarre than her own and experienced battle which was far beyond her imagination. Then – when she thought that is finally over – she was marked as a mate with a mark that was still hurting and bleeding. And when it all really ended, instead of home she appeared in The Spirit World and should speak with its prince, who didn't look older then two years.

"I'm sorry. Just nerves I guess. So, you are Lord Koenma?" she asked without lifting her head from hands.

"Of course he is." Said Botan who recovered from the shock as the first.

"Botan?"

"Hmm, Yes?"

"Is there some chance that I can speak with someone who finished primary school, at least?" Sakura just had to be sure that she wasn't dreaming.

"I'm Lord Koenma, and I'm far older than I look." Screamed Koenma with a face red from anger. Sakura finally lifted her head and looked at him.

"So, are you telling me that you already entered the primary school?" she asked him with growing interest.

"The problem is. That we don't know what are you doing here. You are not death and you are not a demon. So that's mean that you shouldn't be here." Interfered Botan before Koenma could get heart attack.

"What is date today?"

"Pardon me?"

"What date is today in the Human World?" asked Sakura again and Botan blinked. Then she looked into calendar and answered her. Sakura sighed in relief.

"Good, just mistake in landing. Can you get me back to Tokyo? Somehow I doubt that I can catch a bus here."

"So you didn't come here on purpose?" asked Koenma who finally calmed down.

"No, just one little kid interfered into a spell and it goes quite a wrong direction. So if you excuse me I would really like to go back home. My mother must be very worried about me."

"I can take on my oar?" offered happily Botan then she looked worriedly at Koenma.

"If you don't mind, Lord Koenma!"

"No it's fine, Botan. Take her back home."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Kurama was sitting in his cave and thinking. He remembered every single word and move he did in her presence. When he remembered this he wasn't surprised that Sakura hated him. He did the worst thing he could. And not only once. When she told him what happened to her he understood why she was so distant from him and the demon lord.

Her soul was almost broken and he was afraid that he broke her completely with his behaviour towards her. There didn't exist any excuse for what had he done. There didn't exist any words for saying how much he was sorry. Not that it would matter, anyway. Sakura was back in her home and he was here.

Kurama wasn't sure what he should do from now. After loosing Kuronue he felt alone. After loosing Sakura he felt dead. In fact he wanted to die but more he wanted to see Sakura again. He didn't know if he will survive next five hundred years, but he was determined to try. Try to live and find his mate in the far future.

His mate.

He almost started laugh at this irony. He marked her as his mate and by this act he add another piece to the pile of hatred, which she felt for him. He was sure that the only thing Sakura wished for was to see him die slowly and painfully. But there was no help for him. Kurama had to see her again. Touch her again.

His heart jerked painfully. If he would be lucky enough to see her again, he was sure that she would never accept his apology. Kurama didn't wish more than her forgiveness if not attachment. With a sigh he put his head on knees, which were pulled to his chest and whispered.

"I love you more than my life. And I wish, I would be able to tell you this!" Outside of the cave started raining and Kurama sank deeper into his thoughts. It was sad that he realized how much he loved her when she wasn't there anymore.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Sakura was holding Botan around her waist as if it was for the life itself. Her face was pale green and she was silently praying for death or miracle. When the blue-haired deity stopped her oar with skid on the background of the family shrine, Sakura slipped from behind on the ground and shakily stood up. The expression of freshly saved one on her face was a Kodak moment.

#No more! Never ever will anybody make me flying on something like this! First Kurama and his suicidal fly, than Sesshomaru's dragon-monster or what the hell it was and now flying oar. No, this is the last time. Since now I'm staying on the ground.#

"Thanks, Botan! I'm really glad I'm back home!" said Sakura. #You don't even know how MUCH I'm glad.#

"No problem. How did you like the fly?"

If it would be possible Sakura would turn greener than she already was. Before she could answer she spotted Souta running towards her like mad. Botan disappeared and Sakura's brother run into her arms and tightly hugged her.

"Sakura, I missed you so much. I'm sorry that you fell out from the window. Please, please say that you will stay with us from now on!"

Sakura smiled down into the eyes of her brother.

"Of course I'm staying here. Now when I'm finally home, where else I should go?"

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Thanks to all of you who bothered enough to left me a review. I'm ending it here. The story between Sakura Youko and Sesshomaru continued in sequel 'A long way to light'. It's just because I didn't wanted to in this since the rest will be in modern days. Anyway I hope you liked it. I should be posting the first chapter soon since it's already written.