Kagome sat beside him listening again to how much he loved Kikyo. She sighed and wanted to tell him the truth. Longed to tell him the truth.

"Inuyasha..." Her soft voice came laced with pain and sadness.

"What is it Kagome?" He asked softly.

"How many times have you told me you loved her?" She asked.

"Many I suppose." Inuyasha said.

"How long have I stood here beside you?" She asked.

"Since we began this journey. You never turned you back on me." Inuyasha said not understanding why Kagome was so sad. He really did bring a whole new meaning to dense.

"When are you going to realize I live through you? But you just look through me..." She said so softly.

"Kagome.." Inuyasha began.

"No, Inuyasha please let me do this. I need too." She said. He nodded and let her speak.

"I do this to myself you know. I sit here and listen like its nothing to me, that my love for you isn't really there. I often wonder how long it will take before I see that you will never love me back. Inuyasha, why can't you love me back?" Kagome asked tears sitting on the edges of her eyes.

"Kagome...you've known I loved her. I just..."

"No I understand." Kagome said softly looking down brushing her own tears aside. "I just want this hole in my heart to mend."

Inuyasha groaned inwardly. He hid things from her. He was trying to protect her. He didn't know if she would be able to return once the jewel was complete. He couldn't tell her he truly loved her not Kikyo. He didn't want to give her false hope. He didn't want to be forgotten or left behind either.

"I can't stay here another night." Kagome said softly. Inuyasha's heart broke. He'd lost her.

"You can't leave Kagome. We haven't finished finding the shards." He said softly.

"Kikyo can find them as easily as I can." She said sadly leaping from the tree branch to the ground below. Inuyasha followed her walking back towards the Bone Eater's well with her. Reaching the Bone Eater's Well, Inuyasha knew he couldn't let her leave this way. Not like this. She removed the jewel shards from her neck handing them to him. She reached around his neck snapping the link of hair holding the beads to his neck.

"You're free." She said softly.

"Kagome, you can't leave." He said.

"I have to." She said sadly sliding one leg over the well lip. Inuyasha felt the tears coming to his own eyes. He lashed out grabbing her arm pulling her back from the well into his arms.

"When are you going to realize that I need you?" He asked into her hair. "I don't need Kikyo, I don't need anyone else. Just you Kagome." He cried.

"Don't play with me Inuyasha." She said softly trying to pull away from the hanyou she loved with all her heart.

"I'm not playing with you Kagome. To hell with Kikyo! I love you!" He yelled. Kagome gasped. "I...I didn't want you to know...in case you couldn't come back through the well after the jewel was complete." He said rubbing her hair. "I'd go insane with you here." He said.

Kagome sobbed. Inuyasha tightened his hold on her. "Don't cry." He whispered. "Not over me. I don't deserve your tears." He said.

"Inuyasha..." She choked out.

"How many times did I tell you I loved her?" He asked into her hair.

"Too many." She whispered.

"As many times as I've wanted to tell you the truth." He whispered. "Can't you see Kagome, all along it was you?" He said.

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

"I couldn't. I didn't want you to have false hope, I didn't want to give you something to hold onto if there was nothing we could do. Don't you see? I was trying to protect you." He said.

"You only hurt me." She whispered. She felt the tears from his eyes then.

"I know. I'm sorry. Never again." He swore. Kagome's little hand reached up and brushed away his tears. One of his hands reached up to hers and held it against his cheek his eyes closed.

"I love you Kagome. Only you." He whispered.

"I love you too Inuyasha. Just the way you are." Kagome said.

Inuyasha looked down into her eyes. She looked up into his eyes. Before Inuyasha could stop himself he leaned down brushing his lips against hers. Kagome returned the soft kiss which shortly got out of hand into a much more passionate kiss. Inuyasha buried a hand in her hair pulling her closer to him deepening the kiss. Kagome's hand locked behind his neck tangled in his silver hair. He broke the kiss to rest his forehead against hers. One of her hands trailed down his neck to his chest. She found something there she didn't expect to find.

"I never took it off." He said softly. Kagome fumbled with the golden locket she had put around her neck so long ago. "You told me to never take it off." He whispered.

"Inuyasha..." She whispered going to her toes kissing him. Inuyasha smiled into her kiss knowing he'd just made her incredibly happy.

"If I can't come back here to this era?" She asked.

"I will wait 500 years and find you." He said. "I swear it."

"If I'm stuck in this era?" She asked.

"It will be you and I. No one else." Inuyasha said kissing her gently pulling away.

"Forever me?" She asked.

"Forever you." Inuyasha confirmed.

AN: As pointed out context of the story is related to a song done by Evanescence. I was actually listening to the song "Solitude" when I wrote this fic. The lyrics have been integrated into the story. I do apologize for forgetting to give the band credit. -bows respectfully-

Kiyota.