Attention: The next chapter is the final one for this story. Do not fret as there are others I am working on especially a collaborated piece with Jadedreamwolf titled Enslave My Heart - Giroro's Lima Syndrome. so keep an eye out for more Gironatsu love.

"NATSUMI!" Giroro couldn't help but watch as she walked through the lighted doorway. The need to keep her safe coursed through him. Somehow he knew that she wasn't safe near the specter. He gripped his fingers on the ceramic floor, using whatever strength he had to climb onto his knees and inch towards the door. Eventually he was able to stand, leaning against the wall for support. The pain in his body couldn't reach his brain to tell him he shouldn't move. All he could think about was getting to Natsumi and keeping her away from any danger, even away from himself.

After what seemed like a long hike down the hall, Giroro reached the doorway. He looked into the room and squinted slightly from the light. When he was able to decipher the scene before him his eyes widened in fear.

"NO!"

Natsumi opened the door and looked into the bright room. On the other side facing away from her was the specter she was frightened of. She forced herself to swallow the numbing fear. She took a few more steps and stood in the center of the room.

"Giroro?" Her voice trembled and couldn't rise above a whimper but it was all she needed to gain his attention. The beast flinched at her voice and turned slowly. His dark tear swollen eyes rested upon her body, taking in her sweet and kind features. She gave him a sad look of apology when she remembered that she had done this to him. "I'm… I'm sorry."

"Leave… Me… Alone." The deep nightmare infested growl forced Natsumi to shudder. She desperately wanted to run away but she couldn't leave him like this.

"I can't." She tried to act a bit more stern but regretted it as he bolted towards her and leaned over her shivering form. She could feel his boiling breath crawl over her skin. His aura wrapped around her as if to caress and yet crush her. The air inside her grew still as the rancid bile of fear and feeling of death rose in her. While staring into his eyes she could see every bit of silver fade out for a burning and soul destroying orange.

"WHY?!" The Specter knocked Natsumi onto the floor and crouched above her. His claws against her soft neck, threatening her life for the answers. "Why did you ignore me?!"

Natsumi could feel him dig slightly into her skin before throwing her against a wall.

"Why do I have to live my life feeling like a disgrace to all life forms while you knock down every attempt I take to make you happy?!" The specter gripped her neck again and slid her up the wall, choking what little air she had left out of her lungs. "WHY CAN'T I BE LOVED?!"

With the little strength she could gather, Natsumi placed her hand lovingly on his cheek.

"But I do love you." Her calm and sweet words caught his interest but he soon threw her against the floor once again.

"YOU LIE! You always belittled my small gestures and took advantage of my unwillingness to hurt you."

"NO!" The sudden cry erupted from across the room.

Natsumi carefully turned her eyes back to the door she had come from and saw Giroro standing in the frame. Tears rode down both his and her cheeks. She realized why she really wanted to stop the invasion.

"I had to. Otherwise I couldn't stop you from conquering. If you succeeded…." She then turned her gaze back to the beast above her. "If you succeeded you would have left me, and I would never see you again."

"Natsumi…" Giroro spoke with a softer voice before collapsing by the door. His heart rate nearly returned to normal with a small glitch here and there shooting a piercing pain through his limbs. The weak girl swiftly dashed to his side ignoring the dangerous beast that attacked her. Natsumi picked up the pale red frog and looked upon him with worried but loving eyes.

"I finally know what that feeling in my heart is. The way I feel about you."

When she turned back, facing the ghost of hatred, her face had scrunched slightly. She walked closer to him as her courage returned with the new wave of tears.

"Giroro described you as his angry side. The part of him ready to kill for pure bloodlust; but I disagree." She only stopped mere inches from him. "I believe that you are the warrior in him ready to fight for what you love. To defend your heart and the hearts of those you care most about. You're just lost in so much sadness; you don't know what to do. You don't know how to handle things when the one you love is hurting you. I don't want to hurt you anymore. Giroro, I love you."

Natsumi caressed his cheek and leaned in closer. Quickly deciding not to hesitate any longer while she had his attention, she closed her eyes and slipped her lips against his. She could feel the burning warmth against her mouth but soon loved the numbing tingle she felt. This was her first kiss and it sent her mind spinning.

The beast tried to pull away only once but couldn't deny that he loved it too. Falling into the beautiful sensation and tempting taste, he held her head closer to his. He didn't want it to end. His other arm wrapped around her body pulling her against him.

After the explosion of love, both pulled apart from the other. Natsumi gasped at what she saw before her. She wasn't in the arms of the spirit of a beast anymore but the spirit of a tall young man with blonde hair and brilliant silver eyes. He wore a sort of armor. The specter smiled down at her and then at his original body lying in her arms, his eyes shut tight as he gritted through the pain. With one of his big gentle hands the specter brushed Natsumi's cheek.

"Natsumi my love, my warrior princess. Kiss me tenderly on the summer days as we watch the sun rise and fall. Hold me tight through the cold winter nights while sweet potatoes roast on a fire. Love me until you can't anymore as I stand by you and destroy any threat to your happiness and dreams." He spoke with the soft warm voice he used to have, the one Natsumi loved.

"I will always love you." She watched as the man changed into a stream of red light and poured into the frog in her arms.

Giroro, now able to breathe easier, opened his eyes. His color returned to his normal red. His heart felt lighter than ever and any pain her felt seemed to be gone. The frog blushed as he realized how close he was to her chest.

"Natsumi…?" Giroro looked at the girl and saw her tears. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"Oh Giroro." She pressed her face to his. "Promise me you won't ever leave me. Say that I won't have to find my backyard empty or my days void of your sweet potatoes and weapon cleaner."

"Never, my love. I'll do whatever you want. Just don't cry." Giroro patted her head until she stopped crying and kissed his cheek.

"Why did you turn into a human?" Natsumi became curious as she thought more about the scene that had passed.

"I will become anything you need to protect your life. I will become anything you want to protect your smile." Giroro blushed once again knowing his secret urge to be human so he could be with his love.