Itachi – And so, starts the Final Chapter. Enjoy…

oOo

My eyes had gone wide as I saw what I could through my now cold, and blurred vision, the sun of the early morning shone the letters so brightly, and I felt as if this had been a message signifying my long journey nearly complete…

Northern Side Hospital

1 Mile North

Almost there.

I was almost there.

And so, My Journey Finally Ends…

-Final Chapter-

I ran.

I did not care for the aching in my legs any longer.

I ran.

Forgetting about it all – everything.

I ran.

Pretending it had been okay.

I ran. And Ran. And kept on running.

…Clutching the left side of my chest.

oOo

As I slowed my run and came to a stop, I finally noticed something that had been…off about me body.

How come I could no longer feel my legs? I looked down, patting them weakly with my hands. They had been visible, I felt them. But…They could not feel my hands…

…Oh.

That's right. This is only another sign that I really am dying. Another sign to remind me of the incoming death that had been placed on me. And with this numb pain I had been trying so hard to fight off, I knew…I knew that there had been no way I would ever forget about it.

And so, without any further waiting, I had stood once again; wobbling on legs I could no longer feel, and proceeded to drag this wrecked, over dated, and slowly dying body…to her…

…All of this…for her.

oOo

I dragged my lifeless feet along the solid ground.

I was near.

The slight fluttering in my weak heart had indicated me she had been near. I was…almost there…Finally..almost there!

As I thought of seeing her face once more, my eyes had started to water – if just a little. But I did not allow the tears to fall. The dam holding the river of tears in my eyes will break only when I see her.

…It seems that this lifeless doll still has tears left to cry…

oOo

I wanted to live. Yet I knew I couldn't.

The emotions had overwhelmed me, causing me to nearly black out from the server pain I had been causing myself. But it had all been worth it. This long journey of mine was nearly done. I would see her again, for I had hoped. I had prayed. I went through so, so very much –

"…"

This pain…I knew this pain. Had it been…another attack?

I suddenly fell onto my knees, holding my chest. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't breathe! My eyes had started to tune off to the darkness…

"Sir! Are you okay.?"

A faint voice…

"Somebody call an ambulance! He's not breathing!"

…I knew this…this voice…

It sounded…so…familiar…

As I started to drift off into the darkness once more, I saw her face. Her face shone off, and faded into the incoming night…

oOo

"..!"

I had awoken in an unknown place.

I looked around, sitting up in the bed I had been placed in…had this been…a hospital? Why had I been here? I looked around the empty hospital room. Two IV's had been placed in my arm. I pulled them out. What was the real use of these things if my time had already been made? No use. No hope. No happy endings…accept if she had been here…

I looked around, and my face split into a sudden smile. On a paper in bold letters:

Northern Side Hospital

I felt tears wet my cheeks.

… I made it.

I actually…made it.

…And so, starts my search for her.

oOo

I limped as fast as my now numb legs could take me to the closest nurse I could find. I stumbled, then caught myself on the wall. "E-Excuse me,"

The nurse turned around to face me; she looked closely at me, then answered, "Aren't you the patient in the Heart Health Wing? You should be in your room s-"

"I need to find Nurse Kagome, do you know where she is..?"

"Uh…" the nurse thought for a long while, "I last saw her around the inner courtyard upfront – ah! But sir! You shouldn't be-"

I did not listen to the rest of what the nurse had spoken of. All I wanted to do at this moment was to find her. The love I held for that women had been the only thing keeping me on my weakened legs, I was going to die soon. The sun had already started setting. I had little to no time left. I wanted to see her face. My last wish had been something many may laugh at…but…I could care less.

The only thing this dead shell of a body cared for…was her.

oOo

…By the time I had reached the inner courtyard…I could no longer move my legs. I could no longer walk. I pushed through the glass doors that lead to outside – I fell forwards on my face. I coughed…and tasted blood. I grabbed my chest, my pulse was feeling weaker and weaker with every passing moment. I was ending. This life of mine was ending…I-

"Sessh-Sesshomaru?!"

That voice…I knew that voice…

I felt my head being placed on a soft lap…

"Please, wake up, Sesshomaru.."

I opened my eyes just a crack…and smiled a crocked, weak smile. The sun was setting slowly.

…And it was her I saw above me.

I could not move my arms or hands, my vision had only been a blurry daze…but I was sure I was crying. Just seeing her face…it brought so much emotion to me. She looked confused.

"Why are you crying? What happened to you? Why aren't you at your hospital..?-"

"I…love you…"

My heart was slowing.

Through my diming vision, I saw her blush, I smiled once again, took a shallow breath, and spoke to her.

"I…am dyi…ng…" her eyes went wide with worry, people had started to surround us two, but I continued on, "…so I came…all this…way to see you…" my voice started to crack, "…and…and…I finally…finally found…you…"

The sky started to turn to night.

My time was up.

I took a breath, and starred into her eyes.

"what..?"

I did not answer her. I only starred into her eyes…her beautiful face…

"Why..? Why didn't you tell me..?"

I stayed silent.

"N-No…this can't – this can't happen…not to you…"

…So she really did care for me…I listened to my beating heart. …It slowed…and slowed…

'This, was to become my final wish…these days my final steps on this growing earth…'

'To set out on this journey, knowing my life was dying, wanting to test my worth…'

'Thus it may be selfish, for selfish it truly is, this body starts to break down, truly I am cursed...'

'But as I see a ray of hope, it slowly starts to fade, body, heart and soul, I hear none'

'I will stand, my legs will move, for all I want in this short time, is to die in your hands…'

'And so, it happens, my soul is set free, and so as I lay dying, I picture you and me…'

oOo

…It slowed…It slowed…then came to a stop.

The last thing I remember hearing had been her voice calling out to me.

Sesshomaru…

Sesshomaru…

…This worthless life, had been over.

…And yet, I was so happy to have lived it.

So, very happy.

End -

Itachi – Yes. This is the end of 'And so, as I lay Dying', thank you all for your support and reviews while I write this story, there will be an epilogue posted later on. You can find the name in my Bio, or check at the end of chapter 5.

Thanks.

…And so, I finish my first story.