Everyone was crying, and it made me sad. Sango was weeping against Miroku's chest and the soldier had silent tears running down his face.

My attention turned to my lord, and the inu-yokai was cold, his vision blank. I could feel an aura of sadness come from his large frame, and I felt remorse well inside of me.

It had been a week since I had died. Sesshomaru had tried to revive me with his heaven sword, Tensiega, repeatedly, but it was hopeless, my spirit had escaped and returned to samsara. He had grown depressed and withdrawn, and he only let two people see him, his father and Inuyasha.

I had been confused as they were when I had first appeared in the spirit realm, I had thought that I was dreaming again. However, Midoriko had proven to me that I was quite dead. Midoriko had explained that I had used too much of my power, and that the silver energy I had emitted was my very soul, but she had assured me it was worth it.

Was it really? I felt that it was Midoriko's fault that I had died. She was the one who had forced the Shikon no Tama to awaken in me, forced me to fight. But in the end, I was dead and I could do nothing about my situation, not even tell Sesshomaru.

I watched as the Taiyokai put a ceremonial torch in the pyre beneath my body, followed by Sesshomaru, then Inuyasha. I felt sadness well up inside of me as my lord became even more withdrawn. He had spoken to the ookami prince, who had apparently known of my curse. Koga had seen it with his ookami eyes, both what Midoriko had done and the effects of Naraku's curse on me. Koga had in turn explained to Sesshomaru what happened and who the cause of it was. Sesshomaru immediately swore vengeance on my behalf, but what could he do? He would have to fight the gods themselves to get the revenge he was looking for.

I approached him slowly, want to ease his pain. My spirit had no tangible limbs or feeling, but I could try. I drew my hand gently over his broad shoulders, and I leaned in, whispering softly, "I love you."

Sesshomaru turned around suddenly; he had heard me. For a moment, I thought he had glimpsed me in this form, but I doubted that was the case. I smiled as he saw him look around, turning away from my now burning body, in hopes of catching a vision of me.

I felt my self start to drift away as my earthly shell became ash, and I felt my self become content. There was always the next life, and I had no doubt in my mind that I would meet Sesshomaru again. We hadn't let Fate stop us from meeting and loving each other so we certainly weren't going to let Fate tear us apart. I was his and he was mine, it was as simple as that.