Hey.  Here is the final chapter of this fabulous story.  I hope it delivers.  Just flow with it.  Just do whatever.  And drop me a line on what you think about it.  I am going to be posting another story after this…but also think if I should continue this story from the perspective of this wonderful couple in the married life aspect of their relationship.  So, I think that we should have fun with this.

So, check out my other story, "Sword Play" and I will see what I can do about everything else.  Thanks for being so supportive of this story and everything.  I appreciate all the reviews more than you know.  So, sit back and relax.  I am here for you.  And so is the last chapter.  Finally.

Read and enjoy,

-MC

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There was a time when I thought that I could do no wrong.  I thought that anything I did people would still think the sun shined out of my ass so it didn't matter.  I thought that I was indestructible and I could get anything that I wanted just by thinking it.  But sitting here, left in the sitting room that Kagome had occupied a few short hours before, I could only believe that I had been grievously and disgustingly deceived.  If I could have anything and do no wrong, Kagome would be here now, making love to me on this very couch.   Well, perhaps not, but it sounded good, didn't it?

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"Is THIS idle thought the reason for your kinky fascination with that damn couch?  You know that Rin sits there often, don't you?"

"Well…"

"As does company."

"Well, yes…"

"I think your father has even sat there on occasion."

"Well, my dear, what can I say? What they don't know can't hurt them.  And now that we are over that…"

"I don't think so…"

"Oh, come on.  Everyone else is doing it, why don't you?"

"You mean other people have sex on this couch as well?"

"Well, no, but I meant…"

"Nice try, loser."

"Harrumph."

-----------------------------------

But, of course, to my revoltingly bad luck, she wasn't.  And the sun still did not shine out of my ass.  Which most likely was a good think at this point.  So perhaps my luck was looking up.  But I could only hope at this point.  Or perhaps not…

Kagome had told me she was going to Australia and although I do not profess to be of great knowledge of the fairer sex I do know a thing or two about women.  And if she told me that then it obviously means that she wants me to either a) go after her or b) stop her from going at all.  As much as I would…enjoy…a little rendezvous in Australia, I do believe the latter is a better idea. 

So, I hopped on the internet and experienced the wonders of technology for the only flight leaving the nearest airport to Australia to tomorrow was at two thirty in the afternoon.  I checked the other airports surrounding the area.  Shit.  Of the three airports in the area, there were seven flights.  The closest would be the two-fifteen flight and the two-thirty one, especially since the two airports were across an expanse of forty miles.  And just bless her little heart, I'm sure that this is the one she is on, but I have to check both, don't I?  Don't I? 

Grumbling and cursing I went off to bed, only to ponder what exactly my game plan for the day ahead.  I mean, I had to think of something, just in ca se she threw a curve ball into the mix.  Like, what if she wasn't going to Australia in the first place?  What if when she said Australia she meant New Zealand?  How would I know?  She could be that wily kind of woman (well, I know she is at least wily enough to do this…) that she tells me something, making me stress out about it and then she isn't wanting me to come after her at all.  Maybe it is something akin to reverse psychology.  Who the bloody hell knows.  The only thing that I know right now is that if I don't find her I will probably go insane.  Slowly, most likely, if she gets her way.  And after a long struggle with myself I will finally check myself into some home, but since I won't be quite sane I will be completely adamant about choosing the home and the one I choose won't be the best one so while they kill me (again, slowly) with poisonous drugs they will be stealing my fortune away from Rin. 

Dear God.  Is she missing me as much as I am missing her?

*------------------------------------------------------*

I didn't miss him at all.  Honestly.  I was perfectly normal.  Everything was perfect.  Yup.  Perfect.

"Miss. Carlton, will you please stop strangling the suitcase.  I cannot carry it when you insist on clutching it with white knuckles."

Perfect.

"Right.  Sorry, Lane."  I let go albeit reluctantly and then walked to the ticket counter.  I arrived a couple hours early for my flight to just collect my thoughts and allow me time to back out if I needed to.  But I wouldn't WAIT for him!  No!  I would walk around and leave my things unguarded (well, no, okay, I am not that reckless) so he will not be able to find me if he gets here.  And I purposely choose a flight that would be difficult to reach me. 

It was one of those push and shove things. I wanted to be caught by him, have him confess his undying love and tell me that this whole thing was a mistake.  It was my birthday, after all.  Something good should happen.  And the other side of me wanted him to never come and so I would know that nothing could have happened between us and therefore it would make it immensely easier to move on.  So I could find a hot Australian man to sweep me off my feet while whispering… "how about another shrimp on the barbie…"  well, okay, maybe something more romantic but it was the only thing in Australianthat I could think of.  Those damn Aussies. 

So, I am going to be here.  I am going to Australia.  There is nothing anyone can do about it!  Unless you are a one Sesshomaru Kingston.  Then, perhaps, there is something you can do about it.  But only if I hear that everything with that…woman…was a mix-up. 

Yes.  Uh-huh.  Whatever, Kagome.

*---------------------------------------*

I was in the limo.  The lovely limo that well, that well, well, I have nothing dramatic to say about anything that happened in this bloody limo.  Nothing actually exciting ever happens in limos unless you count that one time when there was a shooting from a limo and some US Marshall or some sort protected some high paid business man (such as myself) and then used her miko powers or something of that sort.  Wish something like that would happen to me so I could at least refer to it at a time such as this.  But honestly, I would just settle for having sex in this god forsaken limo so I could refer about it now and gain some sympathy.  Because I would sob and just…well…get sympathy.

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"You're a lunatic."

"I just want to have sex in the limo!"

"What about the shameless plug of someone else's story?"

"Hey, we writers need to help each other out."

"You're still a lunatic."

"I get that way when I am without you, my darling."

"You know, it somehow takes the edge out of the nickname when you use italics."

"Yes, well, that well, I have nothing dramatic to say about anything that happened in this bloody limo."

"Lunatic."

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Sorry about the pause, but I had to chuckle a bit to myself about the whole "sob" thing.  Come on, seriously.  Like I could ever sob.  A Kingston…No, I mean, this Sesshomaru does NOT sob in public.  It would ruin my image. 

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"Your image as a high paid professional asshole."

"Shut up."

---------------------------------

Well, anyways, I was in the limo.  I had just gotten through about two flights where Kagome was apparently not on board.  For once, I enjoyed my effect on woman because they seemed to be incredibly helpful simply because I smiled at them.  Perhaps Kagome was right when she said I was more attractive when smiling.  Or perhaps it is just because I am gorgeous just in myself.  Hmm…the latter AND the former sound pretty good. 

Note to self:  Pretty good?  Who says 'pretty good' anymore?  What am I?  A pimply faced teenager who just answered the question of how the sex was last night with his best friend's mom. 

Okay, enough dicking around.  Ha ha, I know where I would like to be dicking around…

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"Okay, you do know that I am right here."

"Who said I was going to say you?"

"Who else would you…ha ha, very funny."

"I know.  My sense of humor seems to be apparent only around you."

"Unfortunately."

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I walked into the fifth flight a little worse for wear for, since for me to be able to get into the damn flight area I had to buy seven tickets.  And the flight attendants decided, all FIVE times that I needed to be frisked—personally.  I almost had to release the wrath of Lord Sesshomaru on them.  Damn crazy women. 

After a quick scan and I had to sweet talk the woman behind the desk that I was indeed NOT carrying any hazardous materials of any kind and that yes, I did not want to take the flight and no, I was not married, I had to finally run over to that quick change.  Well, actually, I didn't really run, but I walked hurriedly.  And my limo driver almost received a ticket.  But I talked myself out of that one too. 

Finally, finally I had arrived at the moment where I believed I would find Kagome.  I walked in…ready to face her.  Ready to be with her and ready to do anything short of begging on my knees (these are designer pants) to get her back. 

Except she wasn't there.

*--------------------------*

There he was.  It was disgustingly unfair.  His white long hair billowed in the breeze coming from the air conditioning over his head.  It was as if he was meant to stand there, meant to pose as if walking off the stage of some Armani modeling show. He was elegant.  He was poised.  And I wanted him.  Desperately. 

Bastard.

*------------------------------*

Where the fuck was she!  Son a bitch. 

And then…

She was sitting there staring at me with those vibrant green eyes.  There was nothing I could do.  I was rooted to the spot, unable to move as if she had willed it so.  Distantly I realized that I should feel stupid, blatantly eyeing the woman I loved from across the room in a public place but I didn't have the heart to.  There was this magnetism.  This desire.  This pulse within us that would inevitably bring us together.  Was it destiny?  Was it fate?  I didn't care.  All that mattered was her.

And then, as if finally given permission, I moved, as if under control of the supreme goddess before me.  We were brought together.  Of course the male had to come to the female, but that was beside the point.  I was getting closer to her and that's what mattered at the moment. 

It didn't bother me at all that I was completely under her control.  Nope, didn't bother me in the slightest.  Nope. 

Didn't you know I love a woman with power? 

Note to self: they know you too well by now.  Stop lying and get on with the damn thing.  Seriously man! 

"Kagome…"

"Sesshomaru."

"Yes?"

"Why are you here?"

I honestly wanted to tell her everything.  I wanted to be honest.  But I couldn't sit here and degrade myself with expressing my feelings in front of this…crowd of stupid, annoying people.  I mean, come on.  They don't need to know anything about me or Kagome! 

"That's what I thought.  I may love you, but it doesn't mean that I want to be hurt again."  She sighed as she got up and took her luggage with her.  Distantly I heard them announce the last call for the flight to Australia. 

Fuck the people. Fuck the Kingston ethics. I will not let her go!

"Don't you understand?  I have been living by these rules my father set about what a Kingston can or cannot do all my life.  I always suppress my urges to smile, laugh…tell you how I really feel about you.  But I am doing it now.  Kagome, I cannot suppress my feelings anymore.  Hell, I want to scream to the entire world!" 

Forget whatever I have been taught.  Forget everything that I have lived my life by.  I won't let her turn her back on me again.  Never again.  I bravely stood upon the check-in desk before her flight and prepared to do exactly that: scream it to the world.

"I, Sesshomaru Kingston love Kagome Carlton more that anything else in the entire world!  Even my damn company!"  I panted slightly at yelling so loud.  "Kagome, please, will you marry me?"  And I actually held my breath and was worried at the unreadable expression on her face.

"But…but what about Kagura?"  She whispered, still a little shocked I guess from my drastic change in my belief that I was simply my father's son.  It was just something about her that made me feel like I was something more than a CEO of a major company.  Some faceless, handsome man that woman wanted to bed but never love.  More than some man who couldn't express what he truly thought.  She made me want to be me.  The me that I never showed to even myself.

"There never was Kagura. The only person who has my heart is you. And only you." 

*---------------------------------*

What else could I do?  What else could I do but love him forever? 

*--------------------------------*

She walked back to me like a woman possessed.  And I couldn't help but be drawn to her once again.  It seemed like our moment in time was seamless.  And just like that we were kissing.  I know it sounds immensely cheesy.  I know that when our lips finally touched there was applause throughout the terminal.  And I know that everything seems so abstract and uncharacteristic.  But isn't that what love is?  Isn't love just a random collection of happy and sad memories, losses and discoveries?

In the end, isn't that all that matters?

---------------------------------------------------

"So that's it then?  We're finished?"

"I guess so.  There isn't much to say."

"So we can turn this into the editor then?  And we can publish this…anonymously?" 

"Anonymously?  Kagome, I thought we discussed this.  We can change our names, but WE still wrote the whole thing.  And when reporters ask us if this was based on our life, we say 'loosely.' Don't you remember?"

"Yeah, yeah whatever.  Whatever.  I'm just glad it's finally finished.  You have barely given me any attention since we started this whole venture.  Stupid man."

"Okay, fine, we can start now…"

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If you wanted to know if we lived happily ever after.  Well, we didn't.  We lived in love.  And sometimes living in love means pain and sometimes it means happiness.  That is, in essence, what life is.  Pain, happiness, love and life.  Rolled together in one.  Forever. 

And who is to say that it can't happen?

Don't believe me?

Cry me a river. 

FIN