A/N: Okay, I'm back again! School's a bitch, ne? Yes, well, I'd like to thank everyone who R&R 'd. Hell, even those who just read and didn't review I thank (as long as they liked it of course).

And of course, besides the school thing, I have another explanation to why I am so late to update! Anyone reading's computer ever gotten the Trojan Horse virus? Maybe even heard of it? Yea, well my computer got it and our Internet quit working. We had to get our WHOLE computer dumped, everything wiped and only a few things were saved on a disk. So yea, for a LONG while I was without Internet (Honestly do not know how I survived) and the only way to get Internet was the public library. It sucked so badly…

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Chapter IV

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Inuyasha looked across from him at the island that lay ahead, trying to come to a conclusion of what was happening.

The wind had temporarily subsided from a firm gust to a gentle pushing of the raft. Inuyasha looked down at his reflection in the blue-green water to see a face scowling back. Whoever wanted him here, for whatever twisted reason they did, was going to get it… unless all the things that happened really was a coincidence. But he highly doubted it.

Returning his attention to the island Inuyasha realized that it looked just like something out of a brochure. Sand that slipped through your fingers with no large rocks that jab your feet; a dark green awning, shading you from the sun's rays; a single mountain, not too big but rose quite a bit over the foliage; crystal clear water that splashed against large sunbathing rocks, leaving a slight trace of foam; a cloudless sky that would make the most brilliant sunrises and sunsets; paradise. An island paradise lay before him.

Inuyasha let out a disapproving snort. He and Kagome were the only survivors of a ship that sunk. That left them to be food for hungry vultures on a wooden table that would sink if one more person were on it. For the last few days they had no food or water, one of them almost becoming a sharks dinner, and now they had to fend for themselves on some island. Not to mention something suspicious was happening. Yeah, that's quite a paradise.

By now, they weren't too far from the island and Inuyasha looked back down at the ocean and saw a beige floor of sand. The sand was untainted and pure with no heavy rocks; only a few fish and other sea creatures with the occasional shell. They had reached the point where Inuyasha could jump out and pull the raft to shore.

'Finally,' Inuyasha thought as he jumped off the floating piece of wood, making water splash over the edge as it bobbed up and down. Inuyasha let out a sigh as he stretched his cramped muscles as the small waves rushed over his shoulders. The young man grabbed onto the table's edge and started to pull it towards the shore. The soft sand that was submerged underwater made its way in-between his toes but was quickly washed back out with each step towards the coast.

Minutes passed and the water slowly went down from his stomach, then to his waste, then to his knees and finally he reached the shoreline. Inuyasha's grip on the table tightened slightly as he started to drag the table towards the shade coming from a cluster of palm trees.

Inuyasha carefully picked up Kagome from the table, bridal style, and set her down gingerly on the shaded sand. He scowled at the black-haired girl and wondered that why of all times she could have passed out she did when something major happened. He realized it would take a bit of time to adapt to the woman's antics - the somewhat innocent blindness of a child, the trusting and forgiving, the sympathetic-ness, the happy-go-lucky personality. Inuyasha even suspected that deep down she had that occasional glint of the hell-hath-no-fury-than-a-woman-scorned and defiance qualities.

It wouldn't be easy, spending time with a person like that. They were the ones who bug, annoy, ignore and flip in extreme situations and even when things don't go as planned. He dearly hoped she wasn't the type who wanted to know every detail of what's going on in circumstances, but he had the strange feeling she was.

Inuyasha dusted his sand from his hands and thought: 'Now to find us some water and food.'

Inuyasha looked around the deserted coastline. He'd need to go find water, but first he would need something to carry it in. A coconut shell would do. Inuyasha looked up at the palm trees. There, nestled in its leaves large green, were three coconuts. Inuyasha let out a long sigh. He just wasn't going to get a break, was he? At first, Inuyasha tried shaking the tree, trying to loosen the coconuts. After about five minutes of shaking Inuyasha realized he would have to climb the tree. So he started to work his way up the tree.

When Inuyasha was about half way up he looked down. God, this is 11th grade gym class all over again! He thought to himself, climbing at a steady pace up the slippery bark.

Inuyasha was never one bad at physical activities, in fact he was very good at them. He could throw, catch, kick, punch, run, climb, you name it and he could probably do it. Though climbing wasn't his favourite thing. He thought back to grade eleven, gym class with Mr. Tsutomu. Inuyasha's turn for climbing the rope came when the teacher announces that he has to step out for a moment. Most likely for a smoke, everyone probably thought at that moment. So here Inuyasha was, stuck halfway up a rope about three or four kids that didn't like him below him (he wasn't the most popular person in school, mind you). Some kid below yanked the rope while others swung on it like a five year old on a tire swing. Eventually, the rope gave out under the immense weight when a 300-pound kid also hung from it. Poor Inuyasha nearly broke his legs! So… he resolved things by nearly smashing the three kids' faces in. Sure, he got suspended for a couple weeks, but he still whole-heartily thought it was worth it.

Inuyasha reached the top of the coconut tree and plucked one of the round objects from the broadleaf tree. Inuyasha slowly worked his way down the tree's trunk before jumping down the last couple feet. And now he'd have to work on cracking the shell. Joy.

OOO

Run. Keep going. Do not stop yet. Focus. Stop.

Listen closely. Concentrate on the new voice. Do not speak. Just listen. Look up. Wait.

Look forward. Speak. Say what you need to.

Red. Terrible red. NEVER LET YOUR GUARD DOWN!

Paint?

No.

Clothing?

No.

Blood?

Not yet.

Eyes.

OOO

Kagome's eyes snapped open as she jolted up off the fine sand on the ground. Beads of sweat rolled down her neck and she glimpsed in front of her at the sparkling ocean, crashing against the shoreline. Her breathing became uneasy and her dark eyes rimmed with tears. She had no clue where she was; one moment she had nodded off after seeing the youths corpse, the next she was… somewhere. She might have forgotten something, but how does someone know if you lost your memory? Where was Inuyasha?

Kagome felt something reach out and grab her left shoulder from behind. Automatically, her body tensed up and her breath caught in her throat. Kagome stared at her trembling hands that hung limply at her side, not wanting to face whatever had touched her. Kagome could hear her heart pounding against her ribs, speed increasing with every second. She was too petrified to move at all.

Kagome looked in the corner of her eye and saw a calloused hand firmly planted on her shoulder. The hand slowly turned along with someone's arm, which had entered her view. Kagome considered the fact that the person behind her could easily be Inuyasha, but if it wasn't she wasn't going to take the chance to swat at the hand. It could make them angry. She wouldn't want that. She would just stay still, like a little girl who was promised a very special present if she stayed where she was.

The first thing that came into view was long, ebony tresses and then a familiar face- a face with handsome features and violet eyes. Inuyasha's face. The hand let go.

Kagome let out a long, shaky breath, which she had been holding in this whole time, and her body only slightly relaxed. But at the moment it seemed like she had forgotten how to talk so she would wait for Inuyasha to say something first. As if on cue Inuyasha asked: "Hey, you all right? You look really pale." Though there seemed to be no real concern in his voice.

Kagome paused for a moment, searching for her lost voice along with sorting out all the thoughts that bounced through her mind. Kagome chose to ignore Inuyasha's question and answer with one of her own.

"Where are we?" She whispered. Great, now all she needed was volume control and she'd be set to talk. Inuyasha gave a small shrug and an irritated frowned.

"I'm betting we're on an island. Either that or I'm going insane."

Kagome looked at Inuyasha, confused. Was he annoyed with her? Why? The only time he seemed remotely peeved at her before was just before she passed out. That really wasn't her fault; she was only human of course. So what was with the attitude? Or was it just realization of being stranded taking its toll on Inuyasha?

Kagome saw Inuyasha shove something into her lap. She looked down and saw a half of a coconut with white liquid lapping the sides of the shell. Her eyes flickered towards Inuyasha who was looking directly at her intently.

"Well?" He said in a still irritated voice. "Aren't you going to drink it?" Kagome nodded, and lifted the half of the coconut to her lips, downing it all in a few gulps. When the coconut was empty she realized she was still thirsty. But she could deal with it. Kagome took a look at her surroundings and saw bits of coconut shells in a pile about ten feet from her. A large rock with a pointed tip lay next to it.

"Did you have any?" Kagome asked curiously. Inuyasha shook his head.

"No. I'm gunna get myself some in a minute but first we should make a plan."

"A plan? For what?"

There it was again, the irritated look that made Kagome feel stupid, like she was missing something important. Well sorry, she thought to herself. If I'm a bit slow after being thrown off a ship, basically starving and dehydrating for two days and then waking up! Kagome looked down at the sand when something finally clicked in her mind as she was slowly beginning to clear the cobwebs of sleepiness from her mind. "Oh. Never mind." She said looking at Inuyasha.

"Whatever. First I think you should try and find food or water in the forest while I try and build some sort of lean-to. But first I'm going to split open a few coconuts that you can gather water in and bring back. Got it? Good." He said not letting her even put in her two-cents. Kagome looked at the man in front of her. Was he telling her what to do? Oh no. No, no, no, no. That would just not do!

"Where do you get off telling me what should happen?" She said, her anger slowly rising. "If anything happens we should at least decide together, not just you settling on what should occur!"

"That's pretty big talk for someone who got their ass saved by me!" Inuyasha shouted. "I mean, really, you must be dumb especially the way you swam out that far! You would be shark chum without me right now!"

"I'm well aware of the fact that you saved me twice now but that doesn't mean I'm at your command or anything!" She yelled to match Inuyasha's own voice. And "I'm not dumb, for the record. I hate to admit it but neither can you because we both own multi-million dollar companies so unless every business idea I have ever had was a fluke I can't be as stupid as you make me out to be!"

"If you're so smart you think of something that'll actually do us some good!"

"Well for starters how am I going to be able to balance four halves of coconuts at once filled with water, even if there's a chance we find water today? Ever thought of that?"

"You're right!" Inuyasha sneered grabbing the empty coconut from her. "It's clear you have no co-ordination what-so-ever so it looks like I'll have to do everything." And with that Inuyasha brushed past Kagome about to head into the dark forest. Kagome sat there for a moment as she watched him disappear from sight as he entered.

Kagome ran to catch up with the young man. "Hey, wait!" she hollered after him. "You can't just leave! You can't do everything by yourself either! Think about it we're in the middle of the ocean with no civilize—Ooof!" Kagome groaned as she looked up at Inuyasha that was crouched down to just above her eye level, glaring.

"You really don't have any co-ordination, do you?" He scoffed. Kagome's cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"There are thousands of things to trip on in a forest like this!" She spread her arms wide for emphasis. "Anyone could have fallen over that root." Inuyasha rolled his eyes and started to walk deeper into the forest.

"Nope," He called over his shoulder. "just you."

Kagome's shoulders shook as she clenched her firsts hard at her sides. Why that brat! She said as she stormed in front of him making him stop his quest to find water for briefly. "What's your problem?" She screeched in his face. "I only woke up less than five minutes ago and you're acting as if this whole thing was my fault! News flash, it's not! You weren't like this when we were on water and suddenly you're acting like you're better than me or something, and I want to know why." She crossed her arms stubbornly waiting impatiently as Inuyasha turned his head and let out a small snort.

"You better get used to it, girl." He hissed in her face. "Because this is how I usually act. The only reason I was going out of my way to help you before was because I felt sorry for you. This is how it will be until we get off this God forsaken island and back at each of our houses when – oh, what do ya know? I have to deal with you at work!" He shoved her out of the way and continued to walk, yet again. Kagome gaped at the man. How could someone change just like that, and for the worst no less? It didn't seem possible but here she was; stuck in the middle of the ocean with a total jerk. Great going, Kagome, Her cheeks were no longer red from embarrassment but from her rising temper and her brown eyes were glazing over. With a single huff Kagome turned on her heel and headed back toward the beach. You just had to get yourself stranding on an island with a guy that has more mood swings than a girl at her time of the month. Gre-e-e-at.

Not before tripping over the same exact root as before, of course.

OOO

Kagome dug the newly found sharp rock into the coconuts shell, twisting and turning it to get to the inner core's valuable liquid. Behind her lay five other coconuts, a hole about an inch in length in each. Four of the coconuts behind her were still filled with milk, the hole facing upwards so as not to leak. Those four were meant for Inuyasha, who had still yet to have a drink of anything. She didn't think she'd ever figure out why she was saving them for him after what he'd said, but she had still saved them even though she could almost hear Inuyasha's crude remarks back if she handed even one to him.

You're too softhearted and people that are softhearted are weak!

Keh', I don't need any of that crap. I found a spring filled with water and had more than my share of water. You wouldn't even have been able to find a drop of water I bet.

Wow, you actually managed to do something. Though it was pretty stupid. I could find a million things wrong with that idea!

She didn't know this Inuyasha very well and she guessed she was just jumping to conclusions. She wondered that maybe when he came back he would be the same Inuyasha she had met on the raft and apologize for everything he said, telling her that he's just a bit angry at this situation and not at her. Or it could be…

The only reason I was going out of my way to help you before was because I felt sorry for you.

Kagome let out a short sigh. She really hoped it wasn't that one, though it was most likely. They were in a very dangerous predicament on the raft, ten times more dangerous and less likely of survival. Some people reacted to danger in different ways and maybe Inuyasha's was sympathy for others. If Inuyasha was girl she could have blamed on the 'time of the month' and that Inuyasha was having rapid mood swings on the raft or having them on the island right now. But of course, Inuyasha didn't have a time of the month.

(A/N: You know, I couldn't help giggle at the irony in the last few sentences.)

Kagome figured that she'd just have to wait and see. Was this just the in-a-bad-mood Inuyasha? Or was this the real Inuyasha? She normally felt she had a talent at reading people's emotions but instead of being able to read Inuyasha like an open book it was the exact opposite. To her Inuyasha was like a book with a heavy-duty lock on it. Now all she needed was the key…

Kagome would have all the time on this island to find this 'key' even though she hoped the time on the island was limited. Very limited. She wanted to look out into the ocean, that vast open sea which she currently despised and see a boat or helicopter coming in her direction. The helicopter or boat would come closer and she would see someone she knew, maybe Shippo or even Renkotsu in the front waving to her.

Shippo was a very close friend of hers. He was very hyper most of the time and had the soul of a seven-year-old that knew too much for his age and was always armed with a witty remark yet was naïve at the same time. But in the true reality of things, Shippo was three years older than herself. Shippo seemed to think of her as a younger sister that he had to look out for and make sure she got into no trouble. He seemed like he would do anything for her; if she was sick he would come and visit her at her house and take care of her; if she needed him to pick her up something like more memory for her computer or even just pick up so take-out for her he would do it without any fuss or question; if he came to visit her in her office on the highest story of her corporation yet she needed him to leave because she was swamped with work he would understand then leave. Kagome loved her excited friend almost more than anything since he was one of the few friends she had. She never grew tired of his bouncy, energetic personality even in the three years she had known him and knew she never would.

The twenty-one year old carrot-top had entered her office only a year ago about a job application he had submitted. He wished to be manager of the new child daycare on the third floor of her quickly growing business. Many people in her company had children yet there was no babysitter available to watch them. Someone brought this to her attention and Kagome immediately had the solution - daycare. The plan was swiftly taken into action but they still needed a lead person to tell the staff what to do.

Kagome was thrilled when a qualified candidate asked for the job, all the others had been people who thought they knew something about kids, but had no training at all. But Shippo had everything she was looking for! He had studied as a child psychologist in one of the top universities and had been an elementary teacher for one year. And when she put him to the test of having the job temporarily for one day the kids seemed to love him. She hired Shippo on the spot when many of the children made a fuss about not wanting to go home yet Shippo had managed to settle them down and send them on their way without a single tear.

Renkotsu was also someone she had hired at about the same time as Shippo, though she didn't really think of him as a friend. She only though of him as what he was; the vice-president of Higurashi Corp. Renkotsu was the perfect business man – serious when needed to be, firm and someone that got things down with as little commotion as possible. In the business world nothing seemed impossible for her employee.

Renkotsu was also an odd man once you looked at it. He could be his own boss in his own company making ten times the amount he does now and surpass herself as tycoon. Yet, for some bizarre reason, he chose to work under her. Though now, while she was 'on vacation', he would be the one running the business until she returned… if she returned.

Kagome resisted the urge to throw her head back and laugh bitterly as she mentally pictured Renkotsu, complete with the neatly pressed suit and serious yet bemused expression, sitting in a brand new, expensive leather desk chair in her office running her company. The company she had worked so hard to build. Finally, when she thought about how Renkotsu was going to make her businesses profit rate fly off the charts and have no way to use that money except to use it as toilet paper she could no longer hold it in and really did let out a bitter laugh. And it wasn't any little chuckle that no one could hear because those tart sounds rang along the beach. She wasn't sure for how long though, but somewhere along the line her burst of angst laughter turned body-racking sobs. The sobs had been very quiet compared to the explosion of mirth. She had buried her face in both hands to try and muffle her crying – she didn't particularly like making her crying known when it did happen. She couldn't remember the last time she had a pity cry like this before the crashing of the ship, and it felt oddly good.

'For the love of—Kagome!' She demanded to herself 'Pull yourself together, you blubbering mess! Crying won't help at all! And slowly but surely the tears and sobs decreased until Kagome did nothing but have the occasionally hiccup. 'Just think' Her inner voice soothed 'If the table Inuyasha and I were floating on managed to find this island in two days we should be rescued by tomorrow! Finding us would be easy for search parties so I should be back and running that company in no time! Look on the bright side, Kagome. Just look on the bright side.'

Kagome picked up the pointed rock she had dropped when she hid her face in her hands and started to work on getting to the centre again.

Look on the bright side, Kagome. Just look on the bright side.

Soon enough Kagome would find out that she was sorely mistaken about almost everything she thought. The longer time drew on and the more she encountered on this island would make her realize that. In time everything would become clear to her; all her questions and thoughts would have an answer. But when those were answered more would pop up and her life would take on more complexity than she could ever imagine. Things in her mind would twist and turn until they took on a whole new meaning and everything for her, Inuyasha and whoever else may come along will be one thing… hell on earth.

Look on the bright side, Kagome. Look on the bright side.

She knows

She's so much more than worthless,

She needs to find the purpose.

She wonders what she

Did to deserve this.

-Thousand Foot Krutch

This Is A Call