Disclaimers Notice: I no own, you no sue, you won't even get my lucky shoe!

Authors Beginning Note: A little diddy I wrote out of the blue. # # # ****** The Rain ***** # # #

The Rain...such a sad thing...but if it's so sad, than why does is sound so wonderful, so calm, peaceful, and happy. I remember that day, back then. In the rain.

***
"Kagome! Wait!" She kept running. She's fast. But I'm faster, and soon I was in front of her. Grasping her shoulders.

"Inuyasha! Just let me go."

"Not on your own I won't." I said harshly. She stopped trying to run and break free. She just stood there, trebling, her tears mingling with cool wet rain drops, looking as helpless as a newly born fawn.

"Kagome..."

"No! Inuyasha. I'm tired of this. I don't...I don't want to do this anymore." She yelled in my face, her eyes fierce with pain and anger, confusion and misunderstanding. Most of all love. Her fist were clenched at her sides. Blood tingled my nose as I took her hand and saw the nail marks on her wrists. I looked into her eyes. Eyes the color of the raining sky above. Eyes that are windows to her very being, showing kindness and warmth.

"Kagome...I love Kikyo..."

"Don't you think I know that!"

"Just let me finish!" I yelled. She looked startled, but her shoulders sagged in submission.

"but, Kagome, I love you too." Her eyes looked bewildered and hopeful. Emotions sweeping by faster than a flooding river. So many indecipherable, but some all too well known. We were silent. Our wet forms just standing out in the middle of no where. Clothes and hair alike clinging to us. Thunder rolled over head, shaking the earth, cracking the sky above, and still we did not move, nor did we speak.

"Inuyasha..." At long last, our silence was broken. Her whisper hardly heard even to me above the dripping of rain.

"You have to choose. You have to choose one of us. You can't have both." She said, choking on her own tears. I stepped closer and cupped her face in my hands.

"Don't you think I know that? Kagome, I don't want to hurt either of you. I know I have to choose, but I can't. Not right now. I need to choose all the way. There can be no in between. I don't want to feel any regrets." I said softly. Her head dropped for a moment. My hands fell to my side, as I took a step began and turned to leave.

"Inuyasha..." I stopped.

"I-I understand, but please, don't take forever. Promise me?" I turned to her. Her eyes looking desperate for some words of comfort, some sign of encouragement that I would choose her above Kikyo, or at least tell her soon, so she could begin to heal herself. But what can I tell her? Yah, I love you, how about I forget I ever knew Kikyo and let's be mates? I can't do that. I shook my head.

"I can't do that." I said. I reached to her and embraced her into a hug, letting her sob into my shoulder. Look what I have done! Why can't I ever make her smile! It seems all I do is make her cry! I really am a monster. I surprised the urge to cry out in pain, for hurting Kagome, delicate, pure, and strong Kagome.

***

That was a long time ago. That was before we defeated Naraku. Now, the jewel is whole, and in my grasp. And Kikyo stands before me, demanding my life, the debt I owe her. Kagome...now you will have your answer. I just wish that everything would be as simple as it was then. I wish it was raining. I wish I could hold you and tell you how much you mean to me. Instead, I am here. In the clearing of a dead forest. Knarled branches, dead grass that prickles even my thickly calloused feet. The trees baren of any life. The sun clouded over by steely yellow gray mass of clouds. I guess, it is more appropriate than the rain. The rain brings life. Today, there is only death to be.

"Inuyasha, don't you love me? You told me we would always be together, you promised."

"Of course I love you Kikyo...I"

"Then come with me. Prove your worth Inuyasha. Prove to me that really care for me." I stepped towards her. Kikyo. Her form clearly visable against the black and dusty light brown of the forest behind her. Her hair falling down in straight tressers to her knees. Like black raven feather knitted together to form a blanket over her mature womanly body that was covered in red and white priestesses clothes. Her eyes hardly showing any emotion. Calm, and demanding. Her form speaking of power. I take another step.

"Inuyasha! Come to me! Prove to me! If you ever loved me even once, you will honor your promise to willingly give up your life for me." I take another step to her and am in her arms reach. I can smell her cool scent, like hyacinth in the summer. Misplaced in this forest. Hell. That is what she wants me to do. Go to hell. With her...but can I? DO I really want to die like this? Die in the arms of the woman I first loved as we sink to the lower caverns of hell? Is this really what I want?

"Inuyasha. Please? I have waited so long to rest. To be with you. I died Inuyasha and waited in hell. Will you deny me this last gift that can be offered me to satisfy my soul? Can you really be so selfish?" Her lips came closer and closer to mine, till they touched. Her arms wrapping around me and our tongues wrapped and enfolded in each other. Her body pressed to mine. Her cold body pressed to mine, as light shot around us and a crater began to form around and beneath our passionate bodies in our descent. Finally we can be together. Finally it can all just stop. Finally everything will be as it was meant. Her and I joined as one in death.

"Inu-Inuyasha." Came the soft sob from somewhere. I jerked my head back and met Kagome's eyes.

"Kagome..." I said breathlessly. Air. Why can't I breath? Why? Why can't I move? I look at Kikyo.

"There is no use in fighting this Inuyasha. It was how it was meant to be. She will move on." She tried to reclaim my lips. This...this isn't right! This isn't how it's supposed to be!

"Kagome!" I yell. Kikyo's eyes burn with anger.

"Inuaysha! Why! Is it not enough that you betray me once!"

"Kikyo, I love Kagome." I said purely and simply. Warmth began to seep through my body and slowly air found it's place back within me. I leapt away, barely catching the ledge of the huge crater made. It was already as deep as a tree is high. Pulling myself up I stood on solid ground. Slowly the light disappeared, and the earth stopped moving. I looked at the tear stained eyes of Kagome and ran to her, barely catching her trembling form, as she fell to her knees.

"Inuyasha. I-I'm so sorry. I never meant to. I just. I'm sorry. I should have let you be. I was selfish. I'm sorry. I'll leave." She said as she began to hiccup. I pulled her near to me and held her tightly in my arms.

"No Kagome. Don't leave. Please don't leave. I-I love you. Kagome. I'm sorry. I love you, only you, I almost left. Without saying goodbye to you. I almost did something I know I would regret. I..." That's when our lips touched for the very first time and I looked through the windows of paradise. My whole body reacted. It trembled, in fear, delight, joy, and love. My very being turned upside down. My heart beating faster than it ever has even when I have run long and hard. Her scent intoxicating, Invigorating, giving me a rush I never felt before, this sweet young, pure angel touched me with her lips and shared with me her feelings and thoughts, which could never be expressed in words. With that one kiss, I knew I did what was right. We pulled away and I cradled her in my arms, wanting to protect her even from the harshness of the sight of the dead forest. To erase all the evil of this world. If only for her. We clutched each other tightly. A strong gale of wind surged around the area and I looked up, past Kagome's shoulder and saw the rising form of Kikyo. Her hair waving behind her, her eyes sharp and hard. Her one arm raised and a bow formed from no where. In the other an arrow appeared out of purple light.

"Inuyasha! Why! Why have you betrayed me so!" She strung her bow and aimed, sickeningly, Kagome is to be the first one hit, with her facing Kikyo's arrow. My limbs froze in panic. Kikyo let go of her arrow as a blazing of light covered it and made it's way to us. Time stopped and my movement became slow and lethargic as I pushed Kagome down, with me on top of her, protecting her, waiting for the piercing arrow to drive its way through me. But Kagome will live. She will live.

"Live. Kagome." I whispered in her ear as I felt a sharp pain run through me. I can feel my demonic powers ebbing away as the purifying light of the arrow touches me and tells me of the stronger force it will bring once the arrow is lodge in my back and through my heart. My hair turns black and mixes with Kagome's, the beginning and end meeting. My claws completely gone and left with human hands. My ears replaced with human ears. This is it. This is my end. I have no regrets. I hear Kagome scream something, I see her lips move, but I cannot hear exactly what she is saying, even this close to her. Then it all stops, and all I know is blackness.

I feel small drops of something, could it be blood? I open my eyes and see the rain. The rain. But, I'm supposed to be dead.

"K-Kagome?" I whisper in a hoarse voice. I can't move! What is going on?

"Shh. Inuyasha. Rest. It's okay." I turn and see the soft warm eyes of Kagome.

"What happened? Why aren't I dead? Kikyo? " She shook her head.

"Not now." She said sadly, and in that small gesture I knew. I know what happened, even though I did not see it with my own eyes. I leaned back comfortably and listened to the soft 'plop'and dripping of the rain. I look around and see the dead forest, and the rain urging life into it's lifeless roots and smile.

"The rain."

"Yes the rain." I smile. Kagome, you are so much like the rain. The Rain...such a sad thing...but if it's so sad, than why does is sound so wonderful, so calm, peaceful, and happy. I'll always remember. But, now I can move on as well. The rain is so carefree and pleasant. The rain is never sad. For nothing can be sad when it gives life.

**** # # # Authors Ending Note: I don't really know where I was going with this, It's more of a pointless, mysterious, fluffy story than anything I suppose. Maybe a little angsty, but not much. Still, it's interesting. s