Chapter One

From Above

An Inuyasha Fanfiction

By Momoe

Um… well, hello there. Welcome back or welcome! I originally wrote this story almost 6 years ago. I reread it recently and saw all of the flaws and missed opportunities with it. By no means do I think I'm a good writer, but this story always had a small place in my heart. There were lots of spelling errors, continuity errors, rushed segments. I think I can do better. I am rewriting this story, there will be changes and additions to the story. I hope you enjoy!

I opened my eyes to another empty day. My room was empty, my apartment was empty… I was empty. My eyes burned from the bit of sunlight that showed through my curtains. I slowly sat up in bed with a heavy sigh and looked around my room. I hadn't done much since he passed. In fact, I had done nothing. His clothes were still thrown messily on the floor. The book he was reading, still on his night stand.

I got up slowly, my body felt weak and being awake was exhausting. I groaned as I shuffled and stumbled to my kitchen. I started a pot of coffee and listened to it brew. I looked around the kitchen, it was a mess with old dishes, mostly coffee cups. The counters and floors definitely needed a clean and I'm sure I didn't have anything but coffee in the cabinets. When the coffee pot gargled out the last bit of hot coffee, I poured myself a cup and slowly made my way to my living room. The carpet was dirty and there was more dust than I knew what to do with.

My tv had gone unused for months, collecting dust. My black sofa must have been lonely. It was just a bed for me in the past while. I slowly sipped. There was no real emotion that I felt other than…. sadness? I guess that's what I could call it.

There was a knock on my door that snapped me back to reality, well, at least as much as it could. My world felt hazy. I walked with my mug still in hand and opened the door without even checking the peephole. My best friend since I was a young stood on the other side with a worried face.

"Kagome…" Her voice was small. She had a bag of takeout in her hand. She stepped into my lonely apartment without me saying anything.

"Kagome… You look terrible." She said and let herself in. She started turning on lights as she made her way to the living room. I swung the door, not caring if it actually closed and followed behind her. I watched as she sat the bag of food down on the coffee table and walked to the window, she pushed my curtains open.

"Thanks Sango. You should tell me how you really feel." I said and leaned against the wall with my cup of coffee, squinting from the light, it had been too long since I even looked outside. Sango rolled her eyes and opened the window.

"This place is so stuffy, Kagome!" She gestured for me to sit down in the couch as she plopped down and started pulling out containers of food from the bag. Sango had always been a wonderful friend to me. She always took care of me like a big sister. We met when we were children. I'm sure she was my first friend. Our mothers were friends and had each of us pretty close to each other. She was there for me, always. These days she was busy, she was about to graduate from college with a computer science degree and she also worked in an office at night. Even though she was busy, she always tried to make time for me.

She looked me up and down and made a face. My hair was most definitely a mess, it was pulled all into a messy bun at the top of my head. I probably hadn't showered in a week. I had on one of his sweatshirts, I haven't taken it off in a while. It was dark red and soft, with his faint smell still attached, I swear I could smell him. I had on a pair of mini sweat-shorts. They used to be nice and snug on me, I had a nice body at one point, but now the fabric was loose and barely stayed on me. I had been too heart broken. My life was turned upside down and I took it out on myself. I wasn't treating myself right and it showed. Reluctantly I sat down, placing my coffee cup on the dark coffee table. I looked at the pink slippers on my feet, an anniversary present from him.

Sango was wearing a loose pink silk shirt that complimented her well. She had on tight black leggings and high heeled black ankle boots. I always wished I had her confidence but I just didn't have it in me. Her hair hung loose over her shoulders and down to her waist and her makeup matched her outfit perfectly. She was always calm and collected.

"Kagome, you know I mean the best, but you aren't going to make things different If you keep treating yourself this way."I knew she was right but I didn't want to hear it. I didn't respond and went for my coffee. She grabbed my hand and clasped it in between hers instead. I slowly met her eyes. "You need something more than just coffee. Look at you! You are wasting away, when was the last time you ate anything?" I actually had to think about it… I was a mess.

"I got your favorite and it will be good for you." She opened the plastic bag and pulled out two to-go containers. She handed me a container of food and I opened it. I suddenly felt how hungry I actually was. It was a big plate of teriyaki steamed vegetables and white rice. I took a bite… then another and another.

"Slow down, you'll get sick if you eat too quickly" She said and pulled out her own plate of food. Sango glanced over at me. "It's been three months Kagome… how long are you going to keep this up?" I don't know… It was hard for me right now.

I was in a relationship with this great guy. We met our last year of high school and started dating. We fell in love quickly. We didn't have the perfect relationship, but when it was good… it was really good. We were together for almost four years. I decided not to go to college, I was too eager to grow up with him. He started working for his mother's company right after high school. He asked me to move in with him shortly after. We found this very apartment and have been here since. I started working at a coffee shop and things were great for years. He was the man I wanted to marry. I wanted him so bad… but then three months ago I got a call.

He was on his way home from work. It was the middle of fall then and it had been raining heavily that day. I remember making a big pot of spicy curry for us and I waited for him to come… but he never did. I got a call from his older brother. He had been in an accident. A speeding car hydroplaned. He swerved but it was too late. He was rushed to the hospital, but his injuries were too critical. He died in the ambulance. He was taken from me too soon. He was my life… my everything. I was drawn out of my thoughts when Sango started talking again.

"Kagome... You need to shower. After that, it's time…" She said and took a big bite of food.

"Time for what?" I questioned and closed my food container. I was so full and ate more than I expected.

"It's been three months and things aren't going to change unless you do." Sango closed her container as well and looked at me with a serious face. "We are packing up today. We are taking his things, we are going to go through them, you are going to let everything out, then I am taking the boxes of his stuff out of here and you need to move on."

I stared at her for a moment. It was processing. Get rid of his stuff? Move on? How could I? I wrapped my arms around myself and sighed. Three months. I haven't left this apartment. I haven't worked. I've just existed in this place. What was I waiting for? For him to come home? Sango was right. She was right. I nodded slowly and stood up with my arms still around me.

"I'll go shower then." I said and left her alone. I went down the hall, past my bedroom, to the bathroom. I turned the shower on hot. The cold bathroom started to steam up right away. I slowly took his sweatshirt off and the shorts. I looked at myself in the foggy mirror. I was unrecognizable. I stepped in and let the hot water rinse all the grime off of me that I let build up over the week. I had goose bumps.I shampooed my hair and conditioned it. I washed myself and when I turned the water off. I was clean, it felt good but my heart was still heavy.

I put on a pair of jean shorts and a long sleeve shirt. I took out my blow dryer and dried my hair completely. My hair was curly and went to my waist. I looked in the mirror. I had bags under my eyes still, it was dark. I poked at the bags but that didn't make them go away. With a deep breath and one sigh I prepared myself for what was about to happen.

I stepped out and saw my bedroom door open. Sango was there with a stack of boxes. "I'll go through everything with you. You aren't alone Kagome." She said. We started on the closet. We folded his clothes and placed them away in boxes. I wanted to keep them, they even smelled like him still but Sango convinced me, this was part of the process. She went to the bathroom and grabbed his toiletries.

"Almost done in here?" She asked then I looked around.

"Just his nightstand is left in here." I said. I walked over to it and opened the drawer. I never looked through his things before I thought it was an invasion of privacy… even though he was dead. All that was in his drawer was a small book.

"Is that a diary?" Sango asked as I picked it up.

"I don't know." I said and stared at it. This was something very personal to him.

"What do you mean you don't know?" She said with a gasp, "You've never looked through his things before?" She said and I shook my head. "You should. I mean, he isn't going to mind if you do now." She had a point if he were here, I would never. But he isn't here. Maybe these are some precious memories for him? His secrets? I waited for a moment thinking it over before opening it up to the first page and flipping through the pages.

The book was full of his handwriting, each page with a different date at the top. As I was flipping through something fell out onto the carpet of my room. It looked like a photo I picked it up and stared at it in horror.

"Oh no…" Sango said in a quiet voice. It was a photograph of Inuyasha with another woman. He was kissing her cheek, written in a writing I didn't recognize was a date… it was dated one week before his death.. My heart sank and then all of a sudden I felt something break inside of me. It was like a switch.

"Those months of sadness… those months of grieving for this jackass…" I said with a venom in my voice. Sango started rubbing my back to calm me down. "Those years I spent with him… and this jackass was cheating on me?!" I almost yelled. All the emotions of sadness and depression I felt was completely replaced with something new… Anger.

I flipped through the pages, frustrated… "It doesn't say her name Sango! He just keeps saying 'She' and 'she' well who the fuck is she?" I threw the diary on the floor.

"Kagome…breathe." I closed my eyes and took three deep breaths to calm myself. She was right. There was no point in getting mad at him now. He is gone.

"I'm sorry" I said and stood up. "I'm sorry Sango… thank you for helping me with this… It's been very enlightening for me." I said and walked over to my closet. It was mostly emptied of his things. I grabbed a black hoodie and threw on some black converse.

"What are you doing?" Sango asked with a mix of a confused and surprised face.

"I'm going to find out who this girl is and confront her." I said and grabbed my car keys from my dresser. I grabbed the photo and stuffed it in my pocket. "I'm going to confront her and yell at her and then I will feel better." I wasn't being reasonable, but I was angry. "Sango… can you get rid of this shit please?" I asked as I walked out. I stopped then poked my head back in the room. Sango was looking at the diary on the floor.

"Thank you for today Sango. I'll call you when I'm done." I left my apartment and walked down the stairs to my little powder blue two-door car. It was old but did the job, it got me from Point A to Point B. I felt bad as I walked up to my car. I haven't driven too much in the past few weeks. My car was dusty, I needed to wash it soon.

I got in and started driving in the very familiar direction. It was business time still at the law firm. I pulled into the small parking lot and walked up. The perky receptionist smiled at me.

"How may I help you?" She said with a toothy smile. I didn't like it right now. I had too many questions to be pleased with her.

"I'm here to see Sesshoumaru." I said. She started typing on her computer.

"Did you have an appointment with Mr. Tai-" I interrupted her.

"He knows me. Tell him Kagome is here." I snapped at the poor girl and she stopped talking. She slowly nodded and picked up her phone.

"Excuse me, Mr. Taisho, there is a Ms. Kagome here to see you." She paused for a moment then nodded and hung up the phone. "He can see you now, Let me show you to his office." She said and started to stand up but I put my hand up to stop her and walked off in the direction of his office.

I knocked on the door that read in big bold letters on it "Sesshoumaru Taisho, Attorney." I heard that familiar voice tell me to come in and I did and shut the door behind me.

"Well, well… How are you doing Kagome?" Sesshoumaru asked me and stood up to hug me. I embraced him and was suddenly very relieved that I showered before I came over. Sesshoumaru was always a well dressed man. I don't remember the last time I saw him in anything but a suit. He had his white hair pulled back into a ponytail at the nape of his neck. His golden eyes looked somewhat tired today, he must be busy.

"I'm doing okay, Sesshoumaru." I said and he walked back behind his desk I sat in the comfy seat in front of his desk.

"Don't lie to me." He said in a serious tone. I knew he wouldn't believe it. "You look like you haven't been eating, I felt a lot of bones just now." I put my hand up and looked away from him and he stopped.

"I know… It's been hard for me too since Inuyasha passed. Even though we didn't have a good relationship, it'd been... difficult." He said with a saddened tone then leaned back in his swivel chair and crossed his arms. "But you need to take care of yourself." I nodded.

"Trust me." I said, "I'm over it." He cocked an eyebrow as I pulled the photo out of my pocket. I placed the photo of Inuyasha and that unknown woman on the desk in front of Sesshomaru and his eyes widened.

"What's this?" he asked and picked up the photo and examined it. He clearly saw the date and scowled.

"He was cheating on me, Sesshoumaru." I choked out. "With that… that hussy." I said and crossed my arms. That wasn't fair to her, no. But Inuyasha wasn't here to blame, so I transferred it to her.

Sesshoumaru set the photo down and let out a sigh. "I'm sorry Kagome." he paused and thought of how to word his next sentence. "I knew that guy was low… but this is just wrong."

"I came here because I'd like your help." I said and Sesshoumaru looked at me with a curious eye. "I need to find out who this woman is. I need to confront her… If I do…" I paused for a moment to hold back my tears. "If I can do this… I can let go of that bastard and move on." I said and Sesshoumaru nodded. "Do you know her?

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "No. No, I don't" I let out a frustrated sigh. "I'll help though. Give me a while and I'll see what I can find out." He said and put the photo in his desk. I'm glad he took it. I didn't want to see that woman's face anymore. I had a feeling if he gave it back to me, I would obsess over it.

"Thank you. I really appreciate it." He nodded.

"Have you gone back to work yet?" He asked and I shook my head.

"I think I will soon though, I'm so over being down on myself now." I said and shifted in my chair.

"How is the apartment going? The lease is almost up isn't it?" I nodded.

"Thank you again for helping pay for it. I don't know what I would have done if I wasn't able to pay it. Inuyasha made a lot more than I did so I couldn't afford his half of his bills." Sesshoumaru nodded then pulled out a little booklet from his drawer and started writing. He ripped a check out of the little book and handed it to me. "I can't take this." I said.

"Kagome… I was given Inuyasha's part of the family's money. I have more money than I know what to do with. Especially after finding this out, please take it. Treat yourself. Make yourself feel better. Do whatever." I met his golden eyes and he nodded in reassurance. I reluctantly took it and looked at the amount.

"500,000, Sesshoumaru? That's too much…" I said and he shook his head.

"It isn't enough for you. Now stop complaining about it. Just promise me you'll eat better too. Take care of yourself." I nodded and Sesshoumaru told me he had a big client coming in soon that he needed to prepare for and he would get back to me. I ignored the receptionist on my way out. Man, I was rude. Any other time I would have felt sorry, right now I didn't though.

As I stepped outside in the parking lot it started raining. I ran to my car and sat inside for a moment. The rain used to make me sad… but now I found it beautiful. I sat there for a moment, watching it fall from the grey sky onto my windshield. With a huge smile on my face I began to sob. The tears key rolling but I couldn't stop smiling. I left my apartment, I visited an old friend, and I saw the beauty of rain. After a bit I collected myself and wiped my tears. I started home.

When I got home Sango was already gone. She left a note saying she took everything and to call her later. I walked around my apartment after setting my keys and the check down on my coffee table. I poked my head into each of the rooms and carefully studied their new appearance. Everything… everything of his was gone. There were no photos of him, none of his clothes… It felt… free.

I stopped into my room last and it was all mine. For once I felt the weight that Inuyasha left on my shoulders almost completely gone. I started crying, it wasn't out of sadness this time. I was crying tears of joy.

"Inuyasha." I said to the empty room, as I often did after he died. "If you can hear me at all… Thank you… thank you for leaving me something to free myself with." I smiled and sat on my bed.

Sango said that things won't change unless I do. She was right. She was very right. I let out a small laugh and pulled out my phone and dialed her number. After a few rings Sango answered.

"Kagome, I'm not giving it back." I genuinely laughed for a moment.

"Sango? You remember how I wanted to go shopping with you? Can we go tomorrow? I desperately need some new clothes." I had to pull away my phone as she squealed in delight.

"I never thought you'd ask!!" She said she would pick me up in the afternoon and we'd go to the mall. I was both nervous and excited. After we said our goodbyes I stood up with with a quick exhale.

"Let's do this." I encouraged myself. I went to my dresser and pulled out my headphones and plugged them into my phone. I turned on a favorites playlist and I slowly swayed with the music as I opened the bedroom curtain and window. It was cold and rainy outside but the fresh air and light seemed to lighten the place up. I got to cleaning the apartment that I have neglected for three months. I was feeling light... airy…I think that haze that had become my world was starting to fade.