"That's absolutly horrible!" Kagome exclaimed tears in her eyes, hands covering her mouth.

"Yes, but it's not that out of the ordinary. The servants slip and fall dramatically a few times a year, there's really nothing you or anybody can do about it." Touga exclaimed as he read through the rest of the document sent to him by one of the guards at the palace. He was reading through his weekly update from Sesshomaru when that little tidbit showed up, and Kagome had caught wind of it.

"What do you mean 'nothing you can do'? That's just cruel, of course there is! If it was better constructed in the servents quarters and their domains then these sort of problems would hardly ever occur! It makes me sick to my stomach to know that the people that serve us dutifully every day are suffering like this constantly. Have you ever spent a day as a servant? Well it's quite humbling to say the least, and I believe that we need to improve the way they are treated." Kagome stated finally.

"Kagome," Touga said and put his hand over hers as they sat leaning against a large tree. "I would love to help all of the servants, but there's no way. I just don't have the time, none of us do. Unfortunately there are just more important things on the scedule at the moment." Touga told her softly, but her eyes lighted up with a fire.

"How dare you sit there and tell me that, when I know for a fact that somebody could do that within a matter of weeks."

"Well if you're so sure that it could happen, why don't you go back and practice as you preach?" Touga suggested, getting slightly aggitated at her persistance.

"Fine, I'll prove to you that all it takes is one person to change a situation. I'll go back to the fortress and map out the changes and then I'll carry them out myself. I'll be leaving in the morning." Kagome said with a sense of finality and stood up, wiping off the back of her kimono. Touga's eyes widened at her proclomation and stood up after her.

"That's not what I meant Kagome, we can fix things at the palace when we return. If you're especially adament I will even send a message to Sesshomaru to fix the problem momentarily.." He began, but was cut off.

"Momentarily? No, there needs to be a permanent solution, you can't keep putting this off Touga. And if you won't fix the problem, I will."

"But we need you here, I need you here." Her eyes softened and she walked over to his body, letting him envelope her in an embrace.

"Everyone has been doing fine without me here thusfar, the shards are giving off enough energy that even all of you can sense it. As far as you, you've been without me for nearly your whole life. I'm sure a few weeks will not kill you." She told him, truly serious about leaving.

"But now I've had you, and I never want to let you go." He whispered in her ear, making her shiver.

His confession immediately made her heart melt, how could somebody who was so insensitive be such a romantic? It was vexing how he had such a hold over her, and her over him. It was almost scary how close they were coming in just a few months. But their strong attraction to each other was not held over the importance of hundreds of lives in danger in their own home. No, she had to go to help those in need before she put her own needs and wants first.

"I know, it's going to be hard leaving, but it's the best for everyone. Plus Kimiko and Shippo need me there with them. It's not right that they have to stay with a nursemaid while I'm out here parading around where I'm not even needed." Kagome told him, never forgetting about the children she had left behind. "Also, Sango and Miroku will be leaving soon, and I don't want to neglect any time with them, considering...they won't live that much longer in comparison to me."

"Don't think about that koi, you'll have pleanty of time with your friends. Plus, they are happy, you should be happy for them." Touga told her, stroking her hair.

"I know, but I'm being selfish. I'm going to miss them!" Kagome said, almost in tears over her decision.

Touga held her out at arms length and studied her face. He could tell that she was truly driven to do what she wanted, that being going back to their home and fix the problems. She was very hands on like that, she always wanted to fix situations herself so that she knew that they were being done right. She was so determined, it was refreshing from the women that he had once dealt with. Akemi was kind, but she wasn't exactly worried about issues that didn't directly involve her. Izayoi pretended she cared, but never acted on the supposed care. She was so different than anyone he'd ever enocountered. She balanced him, and true it was cliche to say so: but he believed Kagome was his true sole mate.

"I wish I could be selfish and keep you here with me." He told her before draping his lips over hers. She responded immediately and put her right hand on his cheek and stepping closer to him. He put his hands on her hips and tried his hardest to display his affecting through that one kiss. Before they knew it though, it had ended and they were left staring at each other breathless.

"I'm going to miss that. I'm going to miss you so much." She told him and buried her face into his neck, a sign of affection between inu's.

"And I you. But if this is something you feel you have to do, then I nor anyone else can stop you. We'll be back together soon enough, and I hope you don't think me insensitive enough as not to write." He said with a smile as he rubbed comforting circles into her back. Although he was acting more calm than her, inside of him was utter turmoil. If being away from her didn't kill him, then he was sure that he was truly indestructable.

"You had better write, because if my affections go unrequited I'm going to burn your bed." She jested, which had him raising an eyebrow.

"Oh really? If my affections go unrequited I'm not going to come back." He warned her jokingly. Her eyes widened before he pouted.

"You would come back and you know it. How can you resist this?" She said motioning to her body, head to toe. He followed her hands as she moved, and honestly couldn't argue. She was the epitome of perfection, and he couldn't resist her or any of her requests.

"Just promise that you'll miss me too?" She asked with pleading eyes, striving for affeciton.

"It goes unsaid, I'll miss you more than the sun misses the moon." He said and kissed her once again.

*D*

"Don't forget about me." Inuyasha told her and gave her a friendly hug before letting her go, just to have Rachel nearly tackle her to the ground.

"Are you SURE you want to leave?" She asked with long eyelashes batting pitifully.

"Pretty sure, I'm gonna miss you." She said and hugged the woman back. "But we'll see each other before you know it." She nodded and finally let go, just for her beau to give her a quick hug.

"Good luck, see you soon Kagome." Kouga told her and she nodded before he pulled away. By this time she was starting to tear up quite a bit, but was still struggling to stay strong. Last but certainly not least, was Touga; which she knew was going to be the hardest goodbye of all. She just stood their and stared back at him for a while.

"Dang, do you guys feel that? I'm pretty sure a jewel is nearby, we had better go get it." Rachel said in an awkward voice. Kouga began to say something but she subdued it by elbowing him in the arm before waving to her and running off, the other two males running after her.

"Well that wasn't suspicious." Kagome said lightly, trying to keep the mood up. Unfortunately it didn't work for either of them. Touga then began to purpousely stride towards her before pulling her into a strong embrace. Tears began to stream down her face, efficiantly soiling his yukuta. "S-sorry." She stammered and tried to wipe her eyes, unsuccesfully seeing as she was still bawling.

"Please don't cry, I can't take it." He told her and buried his nose in her sweetly scented hair. "I wish you weren't to leave. I don't know how I'm giong to live without you."

"I know, I'm not sure how I'm going to get through the days either. But I must go, no matter how much I'll miss you and want to be by your side." She said shakily, her eyes sparkling with more unshed tears. He couldn't help himself, and stole a kiss from her, pleased as she leaned into him. It calmed them both, momentarily.

"Kagome, I want you to know that I'm in love with you."

"I love you too." She said immediately, she didn't even have to think about it. They smiled at each other and hugged loosely before one more slowly romantic kiss, and they detangled themselves from the other.

"I'll miss you, and I'll love you every second." Kagome said as she climbed atop the dragon that was sent for her.

"Be safe my love, and I'll miss and love you eternally." Touga said as he watched her fly away, waving and blowing kisses until she dissapeared from sight. It suprised him when he felt a wetness begin to trail down his cheeks. He touched it with his fingers and was suprised to find tears. Odd, he hadn't cried since he had broken his leg when he was only 75.

*D*

Sobs echoes throughout the night sky as Kagome continued on her way home. When had she started thinking of the palace as home she didn't know, but honestly it didnt matter. She just wanted to get their soon so she had something to comfort her. Touga was still running through her mind, unrelentlessly. She didn't think it would hurt this much to be away from him, but it felt like her heart had been ripped out of her chest and stayed with him other than coming along with her.

Soon enough the fortress came into view and she tried to stop her crying, and was suprised that she was able to. When they landed near the stable Kagome was greeted by the stable man and helped off. After thanking him she strode towards the fortress and then to the kitchen. It was very late, so she assumed that nobody was up. It was nearly 3:30 at night and she was right, nobody was up and about. Which was good, because she wasn't exactly in the mood to be around people at the moment.

"People aren't allowed in the kitchen at this time of night." She heard from behind her as she walked into the large room. She recognized it as the servant that had given her so much trouble when she first arrived at the palace.

"Just because you're with Lord Touga now doesn't mean you just get to do whatever you want." She said to her as she grabbed a glass of water and drank the whole thing. She walked right out the door and past the servant, not in the mood for her bullshit at the moment.

"You can't just ignore me, you know it's true!" Her shrill voice called after her. Finally Kagome had had enough and turned around towards the woman.

"Fuck you, how's that for not being ignored?" She spit out and then jumped up the stairs towards her room.

However, after she entered her room she wanted to cry again. It smelled like her, there wasn't even a trace of Touga's scent, and nothing to remind her of him. So she stripped down until she was completely nude and then strode into his adjacent room, and was enveloped in his wonderful scent, and even his aura was embeded in the room. She went to his closet and put on one of his smaller robes and then crawled into the covers of his bed and fell asleep nearly instantly, still thinking about her one and only demon.