Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, the lyrics for Backstreet Boys' "Siberia," Spongebob Squarepants, or Roatan island.

Warning: Alternate Universe Plot...

The Brown Box

By Rinelwin

Based on a true story

My Heart did time in Siberia...

July 2005.

...It's all so dark and mysterious, when the one you want doesn't want you too...

Kagome sat in the middle of the bed, naked, with her knees drawn up to her chest, her head resting on her knees, balling her heart out. She had brought this upon herself for thinking that for a minute things had changed. That for one night, he loved her, wanted her, needed her. That, maybe, he would see her for what she really was, and that when he did, he would love her. For all of her, the way she loved him.

February 1997,

It was raining, and we were all getting on the school bus. I was in second course, and totally clueless about fashion and what not. But I knew what love was, or, at least, I thought I did. Even though the weather was horrible, and we were heading to school at 7:00 in the morning, my heart was beating fast with the excitement. Why, you ask? Well, because I was sitting next to "the love of my life."

The beautiful Inuyasha. Tall, lean, muscled, with beautiful silver hair, dog ears, and golden eyes. My fallen angel. He was in first bach., and I a lowly second courser, but oh how I longed for him to notice me.

We lived in the same village, so I'm sure he knew my name, but still, he couldn't notice me any less even if he was helped by other-worldly spirits. And because I was young, and naive, and begging for attention, I asked him if I could lay my head on his shoulder until we reached the school - which was an hour away. I laugh when I remember this. He looked at me as if I had grown two heads, and three noses, and answered, "What for?"

"Because I'm sleepy," I shrugged.

He answered my shrug with a shrug of his own and I took that as a yes.

I remained in a cheerful mood the entire day, nothing could sway me.

March 1997,

It was Sango's birthday party, or dinner actually. She had invited her friends from school, and I had heard he would be there. I was dressed in a short, but decent, skirt plaid with the colors navy blue, cream, and khaki. My shirt was a cute, navy blue T, and I wore straw coloured, platform sandals. It was altogether a cute look for me, and I thought I looked spanking. After we had all eaten a generous amount of delicious Lasagna and garlic bread, we headed upstairs to the "terrasa."

The view was beautiful, the sea calm, the moon bright, and the stars lit up the sky. I sat on the railing next to Miroku, one of my best friends, and a well-known philanderer, bless his heart. We were talking about things only teenagers could find amusing when Inuyasha pops up and squats beside me on the railing. He starts up a light conversation with Miroku, asking when their next knee-boarding trip would be. A few minutes later, he turns to me and says, "Wow, Kagome. Man, I can see that you'll be very beautiful when you get a little older. Isn't that right Miroku?" My heart literally skipped a beat. He had actually said that I, Kagome Higurashi, would be beautiful. He actually saw potential in me! I was smitten.

A few days later,

I was sitting out on the pier, or the "Big wharf" as we locals called it. The water was calm, and if you looked at it you could see yourself as perfect as if looking in a mirror. I was waiting. Then I heard the roar of a speed boat engine, and smiled. I saw them come around from behind Dick Cay and chuckled. Miroku was on the knee-board, or hydro-slide, and Inuyasha was steering the boat in zigzags, trying to throw Miroku off. A few minutes later Inuyasha slowed the speed boat down to a stop so Miroku could get in, then he jumped into the water and situated himself on the hydro-slide. Miroku saw me on the pier from a good hundred-and-twenty-five meters away and waved; I waved back. Then Miroku, obviously seeing his chance at revenge, put the boat in forward and took off before Inuyasha had strapped himself on completely. The pull from the boat jerked Inuyasha off the hydro-slide and he went belly first into the water with a resounding slap. I put my hand over my mouth to smother a laugh at my love's expense.

Inuyasha emerged from the water, shaking his head to rid it off excess water and shouted to Miroku, "Fuck! What are you trying to do, kill me?"

I laughed then, I couldn't help it.

June 1998,

It was a beautiful summer day, and we were going out on the reef to ride the waves! Anyways, miracle of miracles that I happen to be best friends with a friend of Inuyasha's, and guess who happen to come along with us? Yes! Inuyasha was coming to ride waves on the reef with us! That was why I was so damn excited!

I had on a beautiful blue one piece, I wouldn't try riding waves in a bikini, and swimming shoes. We all waded through the shallow bar to get to the reef that was straight off from my house. We passed one sea snake, two sea cats, and about ten sea eggs, damn wretches; but when we got to the deep part of the reef, all was well. The waves were great, huge and strong.

One particular wave was the biggest of all, and there was about six of us gathered on a particularly large reef rock. Sango, Miroku, Inuyasha, and I included. So the wave comes, smashes into us with the force of a speeding bicycle, or harder- I've never been hit by a bike- and we get carried away with it. Or I would've if Inuyasha hadn't saved me. I was so delighted, butterflies were flying rampant inside of me. Wild. Then when all the foam from the wave died down, we couldn't find Sango. We turned around and saw little feet kicking up in the air, and burst out laughing. The wave had swept her clear off her feet and into the shallow bank beyond the reef, towards my house.

We all swam to Sango's aid, and after twenty minutes of searching for her lost shoe, we went home. Without her shoe, I might add.

July 1999,

Miroku was throwing a party for his sixteenth birthday at his father's restaurant. The night was perfect for a nice party at the restaurant, which was right next to the beach. Perfect. And wonder of wonders, Inuyasha was going to be there later. Although he had already graduated from highschool he still hung out with Miroku, who was only now in first bach. So of course I was dressed to the nines, and gathering up the courage to ask him to dance with me.

When Inuyasha finally arrived I was dancing with Sango and Ayame, two of my best-est best friends ever. But after that song ended I scrambled over to where Inuyasha was standing and asked, as indifferent as possible, "Wanna dance?"

He didn't even look at me and just shook his head.

No. He'd said no. I couldn't believe it. It took all my worth not to look as broken as I felt, but then I thought, 'Wait! Maybe he's just shy.' Stupid, I know. So about an half hour later I asked him again, and his answer was the same, but this time he grabbed Miroku's arm and said, "Here, Miroku wants to dance." Because I didn't want to look suspicious I just nodded and danced with Miroku.

What I saw next broke my heart and shattered my self-confidence. Inuyasha was dancing with Sango, not that there was anything wrong with him dancing with her. It's just that... he had just told me that he didn't feel like dancing, and now he was dancing, so that meant that he didn't want to dance with me. It was then I decided that maybe he just didn't like me, that was all. But miracles can happen, right? Sigh

After that night everything changed for me. Inuyasha ignored me. No matter what I did to my hair, or how I dressed I couldn't get his attention. And I found out why a few weeks later. Inuyasha had a girlfriend. A girlfriend! And not just any girlfriend. A beautiful one. She had beautiful long, straight hair, a complete contrast to my untamed waves; a straight nose, an opposite to my pudgy one; a fair complexion compared to my naturally tanned skin. All in all she was beautiful, everything Inuyasha deserved, everything I wished day and night I could be.

April 2001,

My mum walked in the kitchen as I was doing my homework and asks me, "Guess who's getting married."

My brow wrinkled, "Who?" I asked.

"Oh come on, guess."

"Ok. Is it a guy or a girl?"

"A guy."

"How old is he?"

"A little older than you."

My eyes widened. "Who mum?"

"One of Izayoi's sons, I can't remember his name."

Please say Sesshomaru, I internally prayed. Sesshomaru is Inuyasha's older brother, you see. "Sesshomaru?" I asked, sounding a little hopeful, though my mother didn't notice.

"I don't know, it's the youngest one."

My heart sank with the news my mum had just dropped on me. Inuyasha was getting married.

November 2001,

"Now I give you the Class of 2001!" Applause sounded as we threw our hats in the air. I had done it. I had survived second bach., and now to college!

I would get away from this island. I would make something of myself, and I would forget Inuyasha. It was for the best. He was married now to Kikyo, a nice young woman. She and I had become friends, weird as it sounds, though not best friends. And she loves Inuyasha, but that's not important now. What's important is that I just graduated, and I'm moving away, at least for a little while. Who knows, I might come back someday, but for now I need to go. I need to get away from Inuyasha.

July 2005,

I heard someone knocking on my door. I glanced at the clock on my night stand and saw it was 1:30 in the morning. 'Who in the hell would be knocking on my door at this time of night?' I thought as I got up to go see who it was. Maybe something had happened to Sango?

Sango and Miroku were married and expecting their first baby. But surely if she had gone into premature labour Miroku would've called instead of walking all the way from his house to mine to tell me?-I told myself as I walked down the stairs, stopping at the window to look out and see who was disturbing me at this hour. That was when I got the shock of my life. I'm still not sure if it was a good shock or a bad shock, but it was a shock none the less.

Inuyasha was standing outside, in front of my door knocking vigorously. I had to shake my head to see if I was hallucinating or not. Surely this couldn't be true, could it?

Sure enough when I opened my door there stood a silver haired, dog eared man, hand in the air ready to continue pounding my door.

"Inuyasha?"

He never answered. Only stepped inside and closed the door. He grabbed my waist and pulled me into a searing kiss. I shouldn't have done it, he was - is married. But I couldn't stop myself from putting my arms around his neck and pulling him closer. Kissing him was all I ever thought it would be and more. But kissing wasn't enough, and soon we found ourselves in my bedroom, shedding each others clothes.

After losing my virginity, I lay spent, panting, trying not to think. Because if I did, I would remember how wonderful it was, how much I wanted to do it again, and how I couldn't because the man lying next to me was taken. Therefore, if I did think, I would start crying, and I didn't want him to see me crying. After my breathing had returned to normal, I turned my head to find him staring at me. Those intense golden eyes searching me, for what I don't know. Maybe he was just as confused as I was? Maybe he, too, was thinking how wonderfully wonderful it was, and wanted to do it again, and how we couldn't because...it was most certainly hopeless?

He slowly looked up to the ceiling.

"We had a fight," he said, barely a whisper.

I had to blink the tears away, and looked up to the ceiling too, and nodded my understanding. Even after having made love - I mean, having had sex - with me, taking my virginity, damning it to hell, all he was thinking of was his wife. And that was how it should be. He wasn't mine even though for about an hour I pretended he was. But now it was back to reality. He was a married man, and I had no right to him. "Go back to her," I told him quietly.

He looked at me then, eyes turning sad, then nodded. He put his hand around the back of my neck, pulled my head closer, kissed my forehead and said, "I'm sorry," then got up, gathered his clothes, and left.

And I sat in the middle of the bed, naked, with my knees drawn up to my chest, my head resting on my knees, balling my heart out. I never should've come back.

Nine months later,

"How are you feeling, Miss Higurashi?" asked the sweet old nurse.

"My legs are numb, I feel like a snail, and if he doesn't stop, I'm gonna go crazy!" Kagome answered.

The nurse only chuckled, "Well, at least the epidural has kicked in."

Kagome picked up an empty water bottle that was lying on the night stand next to her bed, aimed and released. Bull's eye.

"What the fuck! Why did you do that?"

"Because your pacing is getting me nervous!" She whined.

His faced turned sympathetic then. "Oh, Kagome," he said, coming to sit on the side of her bed. "Shh, it's ok. It'll all be over soon, ok?" he asked taking a lock of hair that was stuck to her face with sweat, and tucked it behind her ear. She just nodded, and closed her eyes. He bent down and kissed her forehead.

Some really ugly words later,

"Congratulations, you have a beautiful baby boy!"

I looked down at the pink bundle in my arms. I had never seen anything so beautiful, never imagined seeing anything as beautiful. He had tiny fingers complete with tiny claws, tiny puppy ears in a mop of black hair, a tiny nose, and mouth. When he opened his eyes, they were a golden colour, like his father's.

I looked up then to see Inuyasha staring with pride at his son, then he kissed him on one chubby little cheek. He then turned to me and did the same, then whispered in my ear, "Thank you."

That day was the start of a new chapter in my life. A chapter involving dirty diapers, and late night chats with my new born baby (conversations were really one-sided), and trips to the beach with my family, Miroku and Sango and their baby girl (can you see how I'm already playing match maker for my son?), Inuyasha and, yes, Kikyo.

At first she was really hurt when she found out Inuyasha had unintentionally cheated on her, probably still is, but after a lot of begging and pleading and promises of it not happening again from Inuyasha, and myself, she forgave him. She said that she considered the baby was a blessing from God, seeing as she was infertile.

All in all, it isn't what I had dreamed my life would turn out to be as a little girl, you know "Happily Ever After", but I am satisfied with my life. I have a beautiful son, family and friends who support me, and Inuyasha is now a permanent part in my life, due to our son.

We didn't get married, he doesn't love me with an all consuming passion either, but he loves me just the same and we're best friends now, and that's fine with me. He's happy, my son's happy, I'm happy.

And when I find myself feeling self-pity I remember that real life doesn't end with your love life; not everybody's as lucky as Will Turner and Elizabeth Swan; and, you don't have to get the guy and your happily-ever-after because happiness can come in the most simple packages, just like a puppy in a brown box on Christmas morning.

THE END.

Footnotes:

Second course: in the Caribbean, and most countries in Latin America - to my knowledge - use the European schooling system. Second course, a part of the Common Cycle, would be translated as eighth grade in the United States.

First Bach.: Instead of graduating from highschool with only a diploma, the European system allows you to graduate with a degree in either Science and Letters, or Computer Technician, or Business Administration (some countries offer more choices). Depending on which career you choose, you can graduate from either second or third bach. I graduated from second bach with a degree in Science and Letters. First bach. translates as the tenth grade in the United States.

Terrasa: it's Spanish for terrace. On the island, a lot of restaurants, and gazebos on the beach have terrasas on their roof. My aunt also has one, and when we had parties, or dinners there, the young people would go upstairs to be in the dark, and to court(make-out), or talk, or whatever.

Knee-boarding: it's a water sport in which you kneel on a hydro-slide, or knee-board, and you hold on to a rope, and a speed boat pulls you behind it. If you know what wake boarding is (like snow boarding only it's in the water, and you get pulled behind a boat) just picture someone one their knees instead of feet and you've got it!

The "Big wharf": it was a dock where most people would go to fish, or sometimes a shrimp boat would dock up there. It wasn't exactly huge, just bigger than our average speed boat wharfs, so we call it "The Big wharf."

Dick Cay: is the name of a cay in Jonesville, Roatan.

Riding the waves on the reef is a sport that all island children do at one time in their lives. Some people take pieces of wood, some people take hydro-slides, or surf boards to ride on, and some people just take their selves. All you have to do, is get on a big reef rock, away from the pointy ones, and far enough away from the shallow, more dangerous parts of the reef. When the wave comes, you dive into it, and the pressure feels great! It doesn't sound like much but it can be fun, take it from someone with experience!

Shallow bar: it's what we call the piece of shallow water between the land and the reef. In some places, like in front of my house, the bar can be really wide, and then in other places, like at my Grandma's, the bar is real narrow.

Sea eggs: damn creatures make your life a living hell. They're like little eggs, and have black spikes on them. They're actual name isn't "sea eggs" but that's what we locals call them.. If you get one of their needles in your foot, it hurts and burns like bloody hell. But when they die, and they've all dried out their shell is pretty, and what we call a sea coin. Really fragile though. I like them better when they're dead.

Will Turner and Elizabeth Swan : the couple from Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl who get a happily ever after ending in spite of the fact that she's the daughter of the Governor and he's a black smith. Love over comes all, doesn't it? At least in Hollywood.

Author's Note:

If you guys have seen that show where Cameron Diaz goes to some islands in Honduras to learn about the coral barrier reefs (the episode with Kid Rock and Jessica Alba) that's the islands I'm talking about. That's where I'm from. They're called the Bay Islands, but the island I call home is Roatan, the capitol. See, now you guys learnt something new today! Oh, and the events in this story didn't happen in those years, just the months (I'm not that old, yet).

The ending isn't really how I would've liked to make the "fin" but I'll probably revise it whenever I get a better idea. Anyways, review! Please, and Thank You.

Special thanks to my Arielle "lala-chan" Jackson and Elizabeth "izzy-sensei" McNab for their very helpful criticism, and for pointing out where needed help and how to fix it. And, thanks to "Inuyasha" for unknowingly rejecting me all those years ago and, therefore, inspiring me to write this fan fiction!