A/N: Some bad news. Usually when I don't have the time to read and/or review a story, I leave the alert in my email's in-box so I can go back to it when I have time. Unfortunately, my email decided to go bonkers on me the other day and deleted almost my entire in-box. The last email I have from this website is dated September 27th. So if you updated any of your stories since then, that I usually review, please notify me immediately. If you have reviewed/favorited/alerted any of my stories since then and I have not thanked you or responded properly, I apologize. It's not my fault and I had every intention of getting to everyone ... eventually. Sorry for the inconvenience, but hey, shit happens.

To those I couldn't respond to:

InuKagsLuver4Eva: Wow, thank you so much for your review! It really got my spirits up. Just don't do too much complimenting or else I'm going to end up with a big head. I'm glad you enjoyed it so much and yes, of course I'll continue it. Every story I start is destined to be completed within a decent amount of time. Let me know how you liked this chapter.

KagomeInuyasha: Well, you know Kagome. Always thinking of others before herself. As for Kikyo, truthfully I don't know if she'd have run away. She never ran away from a fight when she had her bow and arrows with her. I wonder what would happen if she had no spiritual powers or weapons. What then? Good observation. But who said anything about Inuyasha choosing Kikyo? He merely stated that she wasn't dead yet. He spoke nothing of their relationship. And Kagome only said she wasn't Kikyo's favorite person because Kagome is Inuyasha's ex girlfriend. There is bound to be some drama between the two women. Anyways, thank you so much for the review. Made me smile. I hope you continue to enjoy this story.

-DarkDaughterMay-: For some reason, I couldn't send you a message. You might have PM's disabled. Anyways, thank you so much for adding this story to your favorite's list. I'm glad you're enjoying it so far.

Somewhere Beyond This

Chapter 15: Letting Go

Raindrops splattered against my cheeks as Inuyasha drove us further into the depths of the forest. His movements were rhymatic. I would have lulled to sleep had it not been for the cold storm overhead and the threat of death behind us. I had my eyes closed, not wanting to see the blur of trees pass by or catch a glimpse of the predator hot on our tail. At least, I think the panther was right behind us. I could barely make out the thump of footsteps.

After a few moments, I realized that the sound was coming from the man beneath me. I twisted my hand further into his shirt and bit my lip to hold back my tears. Thunder continued to echo around us and lightning cut through the sky. Everything seemed to mold into one and I tried to imagine myself off the island. I didn't want to be here. I hated seeing everyone so broken and accepting the fact that people have died. I just wanted to go home.

Finally Inuyasha's pace began to slow. The rain stopped almost instantaneously and a cool, damp air replaced it. I opened my eyes to look around, only to find that the storm hadn't lessened at all. Merely, we were in some kind of cave. We must have run pretty deep into the forest, because there was no sand or saltwater smell. Dirt was at our feet and grass reached no further than the entrance. "Where are we?" I mumbled as he stopped and allowed me to slide from his back.

"How the hell should I know?" he replied curtly, taking a few steps away from me. He began to squeeze out the water from his hair and clothes. "I think we lost that damn cat a while ago, but I just wanted to be safe."

I nodded absentmindedly and glanced around the dwelling. It was dark at the opposite end, giving me no way to know how deep it was. Taking a glance outside, I saw the thunderstorm still raged on. "What about everyone else?"

He shrugged and sat down against the wall near the entrance. Crossing his arms and legs, he closed his eyes and leaned his head back. "Beats me. Probably won't find us 'til tomorrow. Might as well get some sleep."

I sighed, unsure of what to do. So desperately did I want to go out and find the remainder of our friends to make sure they had escaped okay, but the shiver shooting down my spine from the rain said otherwise. I wrapped my arms around myself and stood at the mouth of the cave, pondering what I should do. "Maybe we should go back to camp and look for them," I mused aloud.

"Keh," he snorted. "Not happenin'."

"Why not?" I asked, shooting him a glare.

He cracked an eye open to look at me. "'Cause if you go out in this storm, not only are ya gonna get lost, but you'll probably catch a cold. And considering we're on an island in the middle of nowhere, I don't suggest gettin' sick." He closed his eyes again.

I scowled. "Right. As if you care about my health. You just don't give a shit about anyone else, do you?" I dug my nails into the skin of my arms, frustrated. Inuyasha never really showed compassion toward the other survivors. Not really, anyways. Only the bare minimum.

Suddenly, he was on his feet. "Are you fucking stupid?" he growled, standing so close I could feel his breath on my neck. "If I didn't give a flying fuck about anyone, you would be dead and those people would have starved."

I stood my ground. "Oh, so you finally found a heart, hm? Surprise, surprise ... "

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I think you know exactly what I mean."

He rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Don't tell me you're talking about all those years ago."

"Of course I am!" I threw my hands up in the air. "What else would I be talking about?"

He turned around and began to retreat to the other side of the cave. "Whatever."

"See, there you go again. You never want to talk about it. That's why our relationship fell apart."

"I'm not the reason we fell apart, Kagome," he growled, whirling around to face me. "That was all on you."

I stuttered in my speech, a bit surprised at his accusation. "What did I do?" I bellowed.

"You're the one who walked out on me because you couldn't handle it."

I walked right up to him and clenched my hands into fists at my side. "You don't know the half of it. Do you think it was easy to walk away from you?"

He looked away. "You seemed pretty okay with it."

"How could you even think that?" I snapped. My eyes blurred with tears and my throat began to close up. He glanced at me with curiosity. "You don't understand the pain I felt. You don't know how many nights I cried myself to sleep. You don't know the suicidal thoughts that ran through my head!"

He uncrossed his arms and his brows furrowed a fraction. Was he concerned? "Kagome," he said softly, finally grasping what had occurred after our break up.

"Shut the hell up!" I shouted. "I don't want your pity. After what you did, you have no right to show sympathy for me."

His hardened glare returned. "That's just it! I don't know what the fuck I did to piss you off!"

I opened my mouth to retaliate, but found I was a bit shocked. "You don't know why we broke up?" I asked softly, almost curious. I eyed him carefully. "Do you not remember the countless nights you were out getting drunk with your friends or the countless times you came to school high on whatever was your newest drug?" He only stared at me. "How about the girl you cheated on me with? Does she ring a bell?"

"I was drunk, Kagome."

"That's not an excuse! How would you like it if you saw me and Kouga macking lips?"

"I have to see that everyday!"

"Not when you were with me," I responded, my voice dangerously level. "I was faithful to you, Inuyasha. But one little slip up and suddenly you're in with the bad crowd. I don't even recognize you anymore."

His eyes burned with an intensity I couldn't describe. But he stayed silent. I don't know how long we stood there, staring at each other. The rain pounded against the ground outside and thunder echoed in the distance. The wind howled around the cave as lightning brightened the sky. I finally sighed and shook my head, letting the tears fade away before they could fall down my cheeks. I turned around and retreated to the opposite side of our sanctuary. I sat down and folded my legs to my chest, laying my chin against my knees.

I watched out of my peripheral vision as Inuyasha stood there for a moment, just looking at me. Finally, he turned around and regained his post across the cave. It was strange to realize that after all this time, the raw truth had finally been revealed. I had never spoken about the reason why we broke up, because he never made an effort to regain what was lost. I had decided I didn't need to deal with that. But to realize that he didn't suspect all the agony I went through because of him, I felt my heart clench.

The rain fell heavily just outside the cave entrance, creating a stream of grey as it splashed across the ground, causing droplets to fall short of my feet. I was shivering from the cold air and the wet clothes that clung to my skin. I clenched my teeth so they wouldn't chatter while wrapping my arms tightly around me.

"Did you mean it?"

I almost missed Inuyasha's whispered words. I gave an exasperated sigh before looking over at him. "What are you talking about?" I mumbled, drained of any energy to fight with.

"Do you hate me?" His eyes turned to me, a smoldering amber intoxicated by grief. Silver hair hung lank around his shoulders as he waited for my response.

I recalled all the anger I felt when I had said those words so many years ago. Ever day since that night, I had regretted them. Countless times I had convinced myself I should apologize, only to lose my courage before reaching his front door.

"No," I finally spoke in a whispered tone, my voice strong yet broken. "I never hated you, Inuyasha."

"Then why did you say it?" His mournful expression made my heart break. There was no anger or irrate emotions clouding his judgement. He merely looked defeated.

I sighed and turned away from him, setting my gaze on the storm raging outside, similar to the one raging within my heart. "I don't know," I replied honestly. I really didn't know why I said those words or why I hadn't tried to make amends. Perhaps it was anger or regret. A part of me felt as if he would never forgive me for my hostility. After all, my actions that day were so out-of-character for me. "But I never meant them. I always wished I could take them back."

He was silent and I resisted the urge to look at him. Quiet tears fell freely down my cheeks and I bit my lip to hold back my cries. We used to know each other inside and out. We used to confide in each other and always right the other's wrong. He was my other half, and I his. So how could we have fallen apart like this?

I didn't know how long I sat there and wept. I never even heard Inuyasha stand or cross the distance between us. But suddenly, his arms were around me, holding me close to his chest. I squinted my eyes against my tears in a futile battle to keep them at bay. I leaned into his warm embrace and circled my arms around his torso, hugging him as close as possible. My cries were lost in the fabric of his shirt.

Over the years, the tears I had shed for him were not nearly enough. And so I let go, releasing every moment of heartbreak or sadness that I had ever felt, allowing my stress and regret to slowly evaporate in the form of small droplets as they dripped off my chin and crashed onto his leg. He didn't speak, and I was glad. Just being held in his arms was enough to comfort me.

I was sure I had cried for almost a half-hour before my tears were replaced with shuddered breaths and faint hiccups. I was so exhausted from everything that had occurred that sleep quickly claimed me. But before I allowed dream land to take me away, I whispered four words.

Four words that I had kept locked within my heart for five long years.

Four words that could very well be my undoing.

"I love you, Inuyasha."

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

Daybreak came quickly and I squinted my eyes against the rising sun. I glanced outside to see dew hanging off the leaves as birds chirped in the distance. It was morning. I rubbed the sleep out of my gaze and slowly sat up. Sometime during the night I had ended up on the ground of the cave, a damp cloth used as a pillow. It took me a moment to realize that my make-shift pillow was in fact Inuyasha's lap.

He was looking at me with a hesitant gaze, unsure of how I would react. "Good morning," I said softly, a small smile on my lips. Last night's events played over in my mind. I felt a clench of anxiety when I recalled the last words I had spoken, hoping that the man before me hadn't heard them. But I did not allow him to see my inner turmoil behind my dazed expression.

"Morning," he replied gruffly. He stood up and stretched his arms over his head, obviously glad to get the kinks out of his muscles. It probably wasn't very comfortable with me sleeping practically on top of him. Walking to the mouth of the cave, he peered around the forest and the position of the sun, most likely trying to figure out which direction we were going to take. He looked back at me. "You ready to go?"

I nodded and stood up, streching in a similar manner, before taking my place beside him. My hand found his and they molded into one another. It was just so right. I gazed up into his amber eyes and the small smile on his lips, finally realizing that letting go of the past was the best thing. We couldn't change it, we couldn't take back things that had been said or done. But the future lay before us as a blank canvas, just waiting to be painted with desires of the heart.

As we stepped out into the morning air and began our long walk back to the campsite, I felt a comfortable silence take hold. There was no heated glares or ignorant remarks. He didn't scowl like usual and I didn't feel like my entire world was falling apart. Kikyo and Kouga were far from our minds and our thoughts didn't linger on the reactions of our friends. There was only here and now. Only this moment.

And when I felt him squeeze my hand with affection, I knew we were going to be okay.

A/N: I know this chapter is a bit on the short side, but the cave scene is one I had been eager to write since my co-author and I began discussing it. So I decided to give InuKag an entire chapter just for themselves before the remaining characters come back into play and drama begins once more. I hope you liked it, but the future updates are going to be filled with angst, friendship, tragedy, love, drama, and an unexpected ending to top it all off. Let me know what you think in a review as I get started on the next chapter.