Author's Note: Okay guys...this is it...the FINAL Chapter in my story. Tears It's sad I know but hopefully you've enjoyed the story and this ending doesn't disappoint you. Please feel free to send me your thoughts/reviews on A Friend's Betrayal or any of my other works. I love hearing from you! Thanks again to everyone who has reviewed in the past too! Without you guys I never would have finished this. With any luck I'll be back with some new stories soon. Bye for now!

Miaka stood in the doorway of the home she and Tasuki shared and shielded the sun from her eyes as she looked out into the fields. Tasuki was labouring away, the sweat gleaming off his back as he weeded and sowed new seeds for the autumn harvest. Standing up, he wiped the sweat from his brow and looked towards the house with a wave. Miaka waved back cheerily and motioned for him to come in for lunch. As she waited, she turned her face towards the sky and let the warmth of the sun soak into her skin.

Despite any initial concerns she may have had about staying in the book world and starting a new life with Tasuki, she was very happy with how things had turned out. Some days though, she still found herself wondering how different things might have been if Taka had lived, if he hadn't chosen to take his own life those many years ago. On those days a lingering sadness would take over her thoughts until Kouji or little Korin did something to make her laugh and suddenly she would remember everything she had to be happy about. She couldn't spend her life living in the past, so why dwell on it?

Wiping the flour from her hands, Miaka turned her back on the warm summer day outside and entered the relative coolness of the house. She gave her eyes a moment to adjust to the changing brightness and took a rare free second to look around with pride at the home she and Tasuki had built together. It was small, but it suited their needs perfectly. Hotohori had offered to let them live in the palace, but her husband had an independent spirit inside of him and really wanted to prove that he could make it on his own.

The entire house was separated into three rooms, with one large kitchen-dining-living room and then two bedrooms at the back. The entire main room could be described as quaint. It had a large wooden table that doubled as a kitchen counter for making dinner and a dining table for eating it. The roughly hewn centerpiece was Tasuki's pride and joy - he'd taken two full weeks just to carve all the wood and build it. There was also a rocking chair in the corner, which Miaka liked to use when she was feeding Korin. A large granite stone fireplace took up the far wall and constantly held a warm glowing fire for cooking and keeping the house warm. The house had none of the luxuries Miaka was used to from her own world, but it was her home nonetheless and she was proud of it.

Taking out a fresh loaf of bread, she began to cut it into slices just as Tasuki walked through the door. He shot her a charmingly grubby smile and dropped his tools and shirt onto the floor. Stalking towards the bedroom to grab a clean shirt, he paused a moment to say 'hello' to Korin as she played quietly in her crib.

"Hello Daddy!" she said as he patted her on the head.

"What's that you've got there?" he asked curiously while watching her play with the dolls Hotohori had given her as a gift for her second birthday.

"I'm playing with my dollies! This one is an empress and this one is an emperor and they're going on an adventure..." Korin's explanation trailed off as she returned to her own world of make believe. Tasuki smiled at her and bent low to kiss her tenderly on the top of the head.

Returning a moment later, pulling a fresh shirt overtop of his muscular torso, he grabbed Miaka from behind and nuzzled her neck.

"And how are you today my lovely wife?" Miaka smiled while shrugging her shoulders to keep him from tickling her neck with his breath.

"Your lovely wife is fine. I made some stew and sandwiches for lunch so I hope you're hungry."

"It smells delicious!" he exclaimed while sniffing the air experimentally. Miaka's cooking had definitely improved since they'd first gotten married. It might've had something to do with her taking lessons from Nuriko, who actually turned out to be a surprisingly good cook.

Stepping over to the door, Tasuki called out into the yard for Kouji. Just like his namesake he was always running off and exploring, trying to find his next great adventure. It was frightening sometimes just how similar to the old Kouji their son really was. Sometimes Tasuki even liked to imagine that his friend had been reborn in the form of their son just so they could grow old together as they'd promised each other they would.

The family had already sat down to eat when little Kouji burst through the door with a basket of fish and a large grubby grin.

"Mom! Dad! Look what I caught!" he exclaimed proudly, setting the basket on the table.

"Oh that's great sweetie! We'll have some for dinner okay?" Miaka said as she brought the fish over to the make-shift sink. Kouji nodded and sat hastily at the table and began to shovel food in his mouth. Then again, in some ways he's exactly like his mother, Tasuki thought wryly as he watched his son eat.

"Yeah! There's a great stream not too far away that's just FULL of fish! I didn't even have to use a fishing rod! I just walked in and picked them up with my hands!" Kouji jabbered on excitedly between bites as his parents exchanged knowing smiles over the top of his head.

Korin began to cry in her crib, feeling left out from all the excitement. Miaka pulled her out with soft shushing noises and bounced her lightly on her hip. The tiny red-haired wonder stopped crying immediately and began to giggle as she played with her mother's hair.

"After Korin goes down for her nap there's something I want to show you," Tasuki said seriously as he cleaned up his dishes from the table. Miaka nodded and looked longing at the half-eaten lunch on her plate. With a sigh she resigned herself to eating it later.

Motherhood had not boded well for her weight since it seemed that she never had a moment to eat. The second she would sit down at the table Korin would cry or Kouji would drop his dish and need a new one or Tasuki would ask her to get some more bread. Tasuki did help out quite a bit with the little ones though, often taking them out to the market with him just so Miaka could have an afternoon to herself to relax and unwind. As hectic as her family life felt sometimes, she found herself feeling quite lonely when they weren't around. It felt as if a part of her were missing until they returned in a loud bustle of excitement and destroyed the silence in the house once more.

It was late afternoon and the sun was just beginning to set in a red sea over the horizon when Tasuki returned from the fields with Kouji at his side. Motioning for his son to wait outside, he went into the house to find Miaka. He smiled when he saw her asleep in the rocking chair with Korin held comfortably in her arms. Setting his tools down quietly on the floor, he walked quietly over and carefully extracted his daughter's tiny body from Miaka's arms. Turning in her sleep, she curled into a ball and nuzzled her head into his chest. Tasuki set her gently down in the crib and covered her with a light blanket before going to wake Miaka up. He squatted down before the rocking chair and watched her sleeping peacefully for a moment before leaning forwards to kiss her gently on the lips. She opened her eyes with a start but quickly relaxed again once she realized who it was.

"Are you ready to go? I've put the little one in her crib," he explained when he saw her look down at her hands expectantly. She nodded and stretched as she stood up, trying to shake the sleep from her bones. Taking her hand, Tasuki led her outside to where Kouji was waiting for them with his back resting casually against the wall. Looking up expectantly he asked if he could go with them, careful to keep his voice down. Miaka looked to Tasuki questioningly since she still had no idea what surprise he had in store for her. Tasuki nodded and Miaka held out her hand, closing it around Kouji's grubby fingers.

The small family walked together, peacefully watching the sun set and the mauve of the night sky begin to creep in from the east. They headed into the forest and shivered at the cool air beneath the canopy of the trees. Kouji let go of Miaka's hand and ran ahead, looking at all the different plants and bugs along the way. Miaka wrapped her hands around Tasuki's bicep and gave it a playful squeeze as they continued to walk side-by-side. She laid her head against it restfully and Tasuki gently kissed her hair.

Even though it'd been nearly six years since they'd first been together he still counted his blessings every day he woke up with her by his side. He knew how much she'd given up to be with him and wanted a way to tell her how much he appreciated it and loved her for it. That's when he'd contacted Chichiri about setting up their little surprise. His stomach erupted into little butterflies as he thought about how she would react.

"So what is this thing you want to show me?" Miaka asked suddenly as if reading his mind. Tasuki faltered, a second of panic taking him over before he collected his thoughts. Patting her hand where it rested on his arm he replied, "I guess you'll just have to wait and see."

It wasn't long before they reached a small grove dotted with oak and cherry trees. Tasuki stopped and scanned the folliage as if looking for something or someone. He whistled a quick tune and listened for a moment before calling out.

"There ya are! How ya doin Chichiri?" The monk popped out from the top of one of the grand oak trees and landed softly on the grass with Tama the cat firmly planted to his shoulder. Chichiri nodded to Tasuki and then bowed to Miaka with a smile.

"Priestess, you're doing well I hope?" Miaka cried out with excitement and ran to her old friend, wrapping him in a big teary hug.

"Oh Chichiri! I haven't seen you in years! Where have you been all this time? We've missed you so much!" Chichiri relaxed into the hug, bringing one hand to rest on Miaka's back, and closed his eyes enjoying the reunion - it had definitely been much too long.

"Well mostly I've been up at Mt. Taikyoku training and meditating with Taiitsukun, ya know."

"Yeah Chichiri here's been a big help getting together this little surprise for you. I couldn't have done it without him!" Tasuki explained, giving his friend a grateful nod. Miaka looked around the clearing expectantly as if expecting her surprise to suddenly pop out at her. With a laugh Tasuki put his hands over her eyes and began to lead her blindly through the glade. When they finally reached their destination, he removed his hands and waited for her reaction.

Miaka blinked to adjust her eyesight to the changing light and looked down. Sitting beneath a cherry tree was a large piece of jet black volcanic rock that glinted in the last few rays of sunlight. Etched into the stone was the following message:

In loving memory of Taka Sukunami.

Beloved friend and faithful warrior of the

Suzaku Seven.

You will always be in our hearts.

Miaka put her hand to her mouth as she read the stone, tears quickly coming to her eyes. "Oh Tasuki...it's beautiful!" she exclaimed breathless. Turning quickly she threw herself at him and hugged him tight. "Thank you."

Tasuki wrapped his arms around her body and relaxed slightly knowing her reaction had been the right one. He'd been so worried she would've thought it wrong somehow considering the circumstances in which they ended up together and in which Taka died. He'd hoped that at least this way she would have some closure and some way to come visit him when she needed to. Regardless of all that had happened between them, Tasuki still considered Taka to be one of his best friends. He was a good man and deserved nothing less than to be honoured and remembered in such a way.

"There's one more thing for you to see as well," Tasuki explained as he turned Miaka so that she was facing Chichiri. The monk nodded and after chanting a quick spell touched his staff to the stone. The air around the stone began to pulse and waver, like ripples in a pond, cascading outwards from where he'd touched. The tree and the stone began to meld and change until they revealed what looked like a modern living room with a couch and TV.

"Tetsuya! They're here!" Yui's voice rang clearly through the clearing. Within seconds both Yui and Tetsuya were sitting in front of the window into the book world grinning from ear to ear. Miaka was so shocked she couldn't speak. Reaching her hand out experimentally she touched the spot where Yui's face was and the air wobbled around her finger like Jell-O. Within seconds the image was clear once more.

"Yui? Tetsuya? But how?" she asked looking back and forth between her two friends and Chichiri. Chichiri's eyes were closed in concentration and he appeared not to hear her so she turned to Yui expectantly.

"Chichiri's been training really hard! He used his powers to create a link between our two worlds so now we can keep in touch. Oh it's so good to see you again!" Yui gushed, leaning forward on her hands and knees.

"How have you been?" It seemed like such an insignificant question considering they had six years of their lives to catch up on. Yui laughed and exchanged a knowing glance with Tetsuya.

"Things have been really good. Our little girl Miaka is three now and she's just adorable."

"What? You named your daughter after me? Yui! I don't know what to say..." Miaka exclaimed embarrassed. Suddenly a young girl stumbled into view dressed in denim overalls and a pink jumper. Her brown hair was tied up in bouncy pig tails and her blue eyes shone with curiosity. Yui picked her up and placed her on the floor in front of them. Miaka smiled at the mini image of herself and waved 'hello'. The girl looked at her oddly, her brows knit together in confusion. With a gentle nudge from her mother she waved before saying "Buh Bye!" and prancing off.

"What about you?" Testuya asked while taking his sunglasses off. It always surprised Miaka to see the bright indigo colour of his eyes since they were so often hidden behind his dark shades.

"Yeah!" piped in Yui, "I hear you're a mama now!" Miaka beamed as Tasuki proudly put his arm around her shoulders. She motioned to Kouji, who was off poking at a wild mushroom with a stick, to come join them. Dropping his stick he ran over and stood in front of her as she placed her hands on his shoulders. Bending down she whispered into his ear. Kouji perked up and waved at both of the figures in front of them.

"Hi there! I'm Kouji and I'm a handful!" Everyone laughed out loud with the exception of Chichiri though a smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth. Miaka motioned for Kouji to go play once more, giving him a playful pat on the bum as he ran off.

"Everything here is really great," Miaka gushed as she pulled herself in closer to Tasuki's body. "I really miss you guys and Keisuke! When you see him let him know he's an Uncle twice over - we have a little one named Korin at home who's the spitting image of her father." Tetsuya laughed.

"Don't worry I'll tell him. He's going to be so excited! He always asks about you. Finding out he's an Uncle is going to make his day." Miaka bowed in gratitude.

Suddenly Chichiri interrupted their reunion, his voice strained as it broke through his focus.

"I don't wanna cut this short ya know but I can't hold this up for much longer." Miaka nodded understandingly and moved closer to say her goodbyes to her friends.

"Please tell everyone that I'm okay here and that I'm happy. I'll come as often as I can to talk to you okay?" Yui and Tetsuya nodded in agreement. "Bye you guys! I love you!" Miaka blew them a kiss as they waved good-bye.

The scene in the living room began to slowly fade and ripple just as it had when it'd first opened. With a soft 'pop' it disappeared entirely and all that was left was the solid wood of the cherry tree and Taka's gravestone. The wind swept gently through the glade blowing Miaka's skirts around her body and throwing her hair into her eyes. Turning to her side, she looked to the monk who was now bracing himself against his staff. He looked weak and exhausted - being the go between for both worlds had obviously been very taxing on him.

"Thank you Chichiri," she said sincerely and smiled. Turning to Tasuki, her smile grew until it reached nearly from ear to ear.

"And thank YOU for putting all of this together. I couldn't have asked for a better gift! What did I do to deserve someone as great as you?" She walked up to him and went on her tip toes to place a soft kiss on his lips. Tasuki gathered her into him with his powerful arms and held her tightly until he'd given her a very thorough kiss.

"I love you," he said huskily, his voice betraying his thoughts as they broke apart for air. Miaka traced her fingers down the skin of his chest that peeked through his shirt and sent a shiver up his spine. She gave him a knowing smile and nodded her head towards the house. Both of them were entirely wrapped in their own world until Kouji's voice cut through their thoughts like a freight train.

"EW! KISSING! DAD THAT'S DISGUSTING!" he exclaimed while sticking out his tongue. Tasuki laughed out loud and motioned his son towards the path that would lead them home. Kouji looked down the path and then back at the grave stone and hesitated. He looked expectantly at his parents as if wanting to ask a question but not sure what it was he wanted to ask them.

"Daddy, what's that?" he managed finally while pointing to the stone. "Why did it make mommy cry?" Miaka felt Tasuki sigh inwardly before he bent down on one knee to answer his son.

"That is a grave stone. We put them up so we can remember our friends and family who have died before us. It helps us to feel close to them when we get lonely."

Kouji's face scrunched up with concentration as he tried to read the stone. There were no schools for him to attend so Miaka had been teaching him how to read on her own but it was a slow process since it was difficult to keep him sitting still for more than two minutes at a time.

"Who's TA-KA SU-KU-NA-MI?"

Tasuki cleared his throat uncomfortably, not too sure how to explain it. He was thankful when he heard Miaka's voice cut in, clear and calm.

"Taka Sukunami was a man that I loved very much sweetie. He was also a good friend of your Daddy's. He died just a little while before you were born so I still miss him very much. The stone doesn't make me sad it makes me happy because now I have a way to remember him." Kouji nodded his head slowly, trying to comprehend everything. You could almost see the tiny gears in his six year old head churning and processing the new information.

"But can't you remember him without that stone?" he asked pointing to the rock once more. Miaka smiled. It never failed to surprise her how logical children could be.

"Yes I suppose you're right dear. Even without this stone your dad and I can remember all the good times we shared with him. The stone is just our way of honouring those memories. Now others can know how loved he was while he was still alive too." Kouji nodded understandingly and began to look impatiently down the path towards home. Tasuki could tell he was anxious to get inside so he could play with his toys.

"Go on, get going, it's getting dark," he commanded gently, motioning towards home. In a shot Kouji was running up the path ahead of them shouting exclamations of how he would beat them home. Before leaving the glade themselves Tasuki and Miaka turned their attention to Chichiri.

"Do you want to come back with us? We'll give you some dinner and a bed to sleep in," she offered. Chichiri shook his head 'no' and looked towards the darker part of the forest.

"I think I'll be fine on my own, ya know. Don't worry about me. I'll come by and visit you soon. You take good care of her," he said, directing his last comment to Tasuki. The bandit smiled knowingly and nodded his head.

"Of course. See you soon old friend."

"Don't forget about us!" Miaka pitched in as well, positively beaming as she waved. Chichiri gave them both a broad grin before turning his back and walking gracefully into the trees with Tama at his side.

Finally alone, Miaka and Tasuki relished in their moment of silence. Making full use of the opportunity Tasuki tipped his head and kissed Miaka longingly, leaving a promise on her lips of more to come. With a whoosh he lifted her up into his arms and began to carry her down the path. With her head leaned against her husband's chest and her arms wrapped lazily around his neck, Miaka allowed him to carry her back to their home without argument.

The sun had now fully set and millions of tiny stars were beginning to break free from their heavenly boundaries. Gazing up, Miaka saw the constellations twinkling brightly overhead and couldn't help but think that perhaps one of those many stars was Taka watching over her and protecting her as he'd always promised to do.