Next chapter people, very similar to the Lord of the West in this one

Promise me.

"I don't want to leave you, and I'm going to miss you all really much. I just could not bear to simply go without even saying goodbye to you all. I am sure that if I asked Inutaisho tomorrow when he is back to normal he will refuse, but although I like it here, I cannot abandon my friends and my family of the future." She said how she was from the future in such a simple and carefree way now, he was the only one who had been left to find it out for himself. If she was from far in the future he'd never, ever see her again.

He hugged her before she advanced upon him, bringing her into his arms and close to his body. She recognized the feeling; he had done it many times before when she randomly burst into tears at intervals. He hoped she would miss that from him, the way he would immediately pick up on her upset and would never say a thing or ask a question – not even a 'what's wrong?' He would just walk over to her and envelope her in his arms and hold her shuddering body until she quietened. And he never hesitated or looked disgusted or exasperated. He never seemed to be paying attention to her, but the moment she felt hurt, he was there. It was just the way he was, and he had never been so physical or connected to another, her leaving hurt him.

Even though he felt like crying himself, he felt the need to comfort her; he would always hate her tears. His fingers pushed her chin upwards and they locked eyes. "Don't shed anymore tears Kagome," he whispered in his calm voice. It seemed he was finally speaking to her, nothing less would work with the girl, and it seemed you had to battle her words and tears with words of your own. "You cry entirely too much, and it always for another at that. It is O.K Kagome, everything is O.K. There is no need to be upset."

"It is easy for you to say," she whispered in a choked voice, but no tears fell."You never seem to have a care in the world."

"Oh, but I do Kagome," ones she would never understand. "But I realize I can deal with them, and for the mistakes I make, if there is no solution there is always learning from it. For example I have never cried over death because I come to terms with the fact that it is a natural part of life. Whether that life is snatched away too soon in one's opinion really makes little difference. So whichever death you are mourning this time, whether it had passed, or you know it will come to pass, come to terms with it, nobody wishes to die, deep down, but it happens, and it can't be stopped."

"I do not want you to die, you don't serve that fate."

"Hush, if I do not fear it, neither should you."

"Promise me one thing Yamazaki. Promise me that you will not die. Promise me you will live and look after Shippou; do not let the thunder brother's kill you, please."

"That is a demanding promise Kagome." He did not even know who these people were. "Yet I agree to promise you that."

"Thank you."

"I smell salt Kagome – do not cry. You are going to the future aren't you, so it is not as if this is goodbye forever. Our next meeting will merely not be for a very long time, I shall make you one more promise Kagome, one that will be delayed slightly to say the least." He grabbed her face gently with both hands and stared deep in her eyes to show he was serious the kitsune way. "I promise I will see you again, Kagome."

She could not stop herself. She threw her arms around Yamazaki's neck and said, "thank you, thank you so much. And just for the record Yamazaki," she brought her face a little closer to his, "I think I may have a little crush on you."

He smiled at her; he had wanted to hear that for a long time and closed the distance between them, placing a chaste kiss on her lips, feather light and fleeting before pulling away. "You love me as a friend and you know it, and that is the truest love you can ever feel. But true love is being able to look in my eyes and saying goodbye because you know you must and knowing I still love you." That was incredibly hard for him to say.

He expected her to let it go, but she didn't. She shook her head, "no I'm sure I actually really love you, truly."

He stepped forward and kissed her again, this time longer and deeper. "I love you too Kagome."

"I smell salt, Yamazaki," she said teasingly as she pulled away.

"Impossible, human senses are too weak. Come now, before he wakes, it is not really goodbye after all, and we promise that we shall find you once more. And don't cry anymore."