To those I couldn't respond to:
kicca: Yeah, a lot did happen in the last chapter. It was more so concentrating on Kagome's dreams and such, so not too much, but it did bring Inu and Kags relationship to the next level, as well as rescue arriving. There will probably be quite a bit in the next few chapters as well as this story comes to a close. Hope you enjoy it to the end, although don't hate me if the ending isn't one you predicted.
inumongirl18: I noticed that you reviewed for chapter eight, but I'll reply to it here. Someone had to die because if they didn't, it wouldn't be very realistic, now would it? I hope you're still reading, although I'm not sure what your thoughts were the last couple of chapters. You probably weren't exactly happy with me. Anyways, I'm hoping to make the last few chapters happier ones, and hopefully with no death. But don't be angry if the ending isn't the one you expected.
erica: I missed your reviews! It seems like forever since I got one from you. Thanks for all the compliments and such. I always look forward to what you have to say, and you're usually the one keeping me going sometimes via updating more often. And I know the last chapter ended on a happy note, I think this one is going to bring everything back down. Hope you don't hate me too much for the plot twist, but you never know what the epilogue will hold. ;)
Somewhere Beyond This
Chapter 21: Beyond the Horizon
The helicopter blades whirred overhead as I watched it lift off into the sky, bringing Ayumi and Yuka further away from us. I ignored the bustling activity around me as everyone was loaded onto the boat and quickly checked over for serious injuries. I vaguely registered Sango and Miroku telling the captain about the bodies that littered the shore. Memories of those lost flitted through my mind. I could only wrap my hand tighter around the cloth beneath my palm, feeling Inuyasha's arms tighten around me for comfort.
When it was my turn to be examined, he set me down on some kind of bed. I looked up into his eyes pleadingly, not wanting him to leave me. I needed to feel his touch so I knew I was still alive; that I wasn't about to wake up from a dream and be back on the island. He was my rock to reality.
A doctor was immediately upon me, pushing Inuyasha out of the way. He quickly examined me to see if I needed dire medical attention. However, my eyes never left the silver-haired boy a few feet away.
Inuyasha turned his eyes toward a stout man who I knew had to be the captain. I was able to catch a few words as they spoke quietly, although not enough to know what they were talking about. They mentioned something about the ocean and the other side of the island. And then a single word echoed through my mind and shot straight through my chest.
"… Kikyo …"
My heart skipped a beat as I heard her name. I could no longer comprehend the words spoken, or what the doctor prodded me with. I could only stare at Inuyasha, trying to read his expression, and the way his amber eyes turned to look at me. They were filled with remorse and pain. I wasn't able to tell if he had just been informed of Kikyo's death, or if it was from the one thing I refused to acknowledge.
Minutes later, the doctor left me alone, passing along my diagnosis to one of the crew members, before leaving the cabin. I didn't even realize it. I tried desperately to listen to the conversation between Inuyasha and the captain, but the blood rushing to my ears wouldn't allow it. I only repeated Kikyo's name over and over again in my head, bringing forth images from before the crash and memories from a nightmare.
When they finally finished talking, I felt my breath hitch in my throat. Inuyasha shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and began walking toward me. His eyes were covered in shadows as he bent his head down, leaving me unable to read the emotion in his gaze.
I didn't know what I was expecting. I wasn't sure if I wanted to hear what he was about to tell me. I had no clue if I wanted to run away from his words, or sit there and receive the truth head on. What I did know is that whatever he told me in this moment would decide our future.
"Kagome," he said quietly from his place beside me.
I swallowed past the lump in my throat and glanced up. The look in his eyes almost made me crumble to the ground, so I gripped the mattress tighter. I fought not to turn away or to ignore the regret that shone brightly in his eyes.
Somehow I already knew what he was going to say. Every fiber of my being told me to run away before he spoke the words that would be my very undoing. I wasn't sure if my heart could take any more pain, for it was sure to shatter.
Yet, something made me listen to him. Maybe it was because I was in love with him. Maybe it was because I cared for him so much that I was able to sit there and comprehend each word that fell from his lips.
"Kikyo …" he said, swallowing as he tried to tell me the fate of his girlfriend. "She's … she's alive."
And my world came crumbling down.
X.x.X.x.X.x.X
I wasn't sure how long it had been since I had spoken with Inuyasha. I walked around the ship robotically, unsure how I ended up on the stern. I felt numb. I couldn't process a single thought or react to the cool ocean wind that swept around the ship. I just knew that whatever emotions I may have possessed mere days ago, were dead to me now. I didn't feel any heartache, and tears didn't well in my eyes. I just felt … empty.
My eyes sought a person standing on the edge of the ship with a dark-haired girl beside him. I sucked in a mouthful of air, watching as she touched his arm gently and looked up at him with a bright smile.
Moments ago, I would have been feeling something along the lines of relief, happiness, and pain. I forced a smile upon my lips in an effort to hide my hollow core. I even allowed a single tear to roll down my cheek, although it took great effort. I made my way toward them, trying to keep myself from falling apart at the seams.
"Kagome!" she called, her radiant eyes landing on me.
My heart thudded painfully in my chest when my name fell from her lips. "Hey, Rin," I greeted. "How are you feeling?"
She grinned at me. "I'm doing great."
I turned hesitant eyes to look up at the silver-haired man beside her. "How is her, uh, condition?"
"Temporary amnesia," he stated while glancing over the girl in question with cold and calculating eyes. "Everything should return momentarily."
I nodded my head absently as I tried to process all of this information. According to Sango, Sesshomaru and Rin made contact with rescue on the other side of the island. With some other straggling survivors, they built a signal fire just like we had, but it had been seen by the coast guard, who happened to be looking in the wrong direction. Their coordinates were triangulated and sent to Japan, where help had been sent to search for us days prior.
I was in utter disbelief when I heard what had happened. I could not only believe that Sesshomaru had been the one to get rescue, but also because of the fact that the pair had made it across the entire island without injury.
No one knew if anything occurred between the two during their adventure, but I was sure that once Rin regained her memories completely, and we were back in our college dorm room, she would spill. That was just her nature. Her innocent demeanor is what I loved about her.
"Thank you," I mumbled to Sesshomaru. A perfectly arched brow rose behind silver bangs before he simply turned his eyes to the sea.
He kept Rin safe, and for that I was grateful. But he also did something that went beyond what I could ever fathom. The cold and heartless Sesshomaru, who only helped himself, saved us all.
"Where is your homework?" an elderly man bellowed.
Rin and I turned around to see Mr. Totosai in all his glory, holding his walking stick above his head as he yelled at Kouga.
"We were stranded on a fucking island, old geezer!" my ex-boyfriend retaliated while waving his hands in defense. "I ain't worried about school!"
His response earned him a smack upside the head by Totosai's cane, causing Kouga to cringe and cover the bump on his head.
"Learn to respect your elders!" our professor yelled before shuffling off to find someone else to torment.
I smiled. To be honest, I didn't think Totosai would survive the crash, let alone stay alive for days floating on an airplane seat in the middle of the ocean. He must have some good karma built up for that one. However, I had to admit I was glad. Even if he was a bit quirky, I don't think biology would be the same without him.
X.x.X.x.X.x.X
"Hey," I mumbled softly as I stepped into one of the bedroom cabins.
Souta was sitting on the bed. A troubled expression was etched into his face as he looked out the window. He glanced at me, flashing a small smile. "Hi Sis."
I sat down beside him and crossed my legs at the ankles. "How are you doing?" I swept a strand of dark hair over my shoulder. It felt knotted and tangled from days without wash, but I wouldn't be able to shower until we reached the dock.
My brother shrugged and propped his elbow on bended knee. "I've been better."
We were silent for a few minutes, listening to the boat as it sailed over the water. "We'll be home soon," I whispered.
He nodded, but didn't look as happy as I thought he would be. After all, we had just been rescued from surviving days on a deserted island. He should be overjoyed right now, running up and down the ship with Kohaku to pass the time back to dock. Instead, he only looked out that damn window with a distant look in his eyes.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
Souta clenched his jaw and made a fist, as if trying hard to keep something from me. "Nothing," he grounded out, although I could see the film of tears over his eyes.
"Souta, I'm your sister," I said quietly, moving closer to him and grasping his hand in mine. "You can talk to me."
He peered at me with hesitant agate eyes, contemplating if he could trust my words. After a few moments, he finally looked away and stared at the floor of the ship.
"I just can't believe he's gone," was his whispered reply.
I could hear the agony in his voice and I desperately wanted to soothe his heartache. I knew who he was talking about. The red-headed boy he befriended years ago was no longer there to bring about smiles with his pranks. He would get this mischievous look in his eyes when he was up to no good, or a goofy grin on his face when he knew something no one else did. And now we would never see him again.
"He was my friend, Kags," Souta told me now, sniffling and wiping the back of his hand under his nose like a child. "I mean, I know that he's in a better place and that he can see his parents, but why does it still hurt so much?"
"Nothing can ever make death hurt less, Souta," I told him with a heavy heart. "No words or thoughts can take away the pain. Only time can do that, and even then it never leaves completely."
He sniffled and I could tell he was fighting back the tears. "So what do I do, Kagome?" His voice sounded so tired and broken, I knew my heart was breaking.
I sighed and squeezed his hand. "You grieve. You breakdown; you cry and scream until your throat turns hoarse. And when you're done, you find the strength to stand and move forward. Because that's all a person can do."
My brother squeezed his eyes shut and nodded. His lips quivered and then suddenly he was in my arms. His strangled cries reached my ears as his tears soaked through my shirt. I wrapped myself around him, holding him as close as I could, while I ran my fingers through his hair.
I had no words of comfort to say to him. I couldn't promise that things would get better and I couldn't promise that time would ease the pain. His friend was dead, and the only thing I could do for him was allow him to hold on.
Maybe I was a little selfish. Because although he didn't know it, I was holding on to him, too.
X.x.X.x.X.x.X
The boat creaked through the waves of the ocean. Sunshine filtered through the parted blinds and warmed the table top. I sighed with content, listening to the water swirl and the soft chatter in the next room. Although it was nothing extraordinary, it was surreal all the same. The last few days felt like a bad dream, and it was hard to wrap my mind around everything that had occurred.
"You have to eat, Kagome," Sango told me sternly.
I glanced up to look at where she sat across from me. "I'm not hungry," I replied, moving around the food on my plate with a pair of chopsticks. I leaned against my palm and rested my elbow on the table.
She sighed. "You've barely taken a bite," she chided gently. "You heard what the doctor said."
I wrinkled my nose. According to him, I was dehydrated and malnourished, things that could easily be cured by a few good meals. The only problem was that I didn't want to eat. My stomach was constantly in knots and churning with the emotions of a broken heart.
"I know," I lamented before giving up and setting down my eating utensils. I put my head in my hands and closed my eyes. I wasn't sure what to do anymore.
Sango stayed silent and I heard her moving around the dishes on the table. When I looked up, she had her plates and bowls piled together and stood up to deposit them in a nearby dish bin. I turned my gaze out toward the water once more, seeing nothing but the sky and the ocean. It seemed so vast, and I finally understood why it took rescue so long to find us.
"Come on," my best friend said, standing beside me with a smile. "Why don't we go visit Miroku, huh? He's always one to cheer a girl up."
I smiled gratefully and followed her out of the small mess hall and into the tight corridors of the ship. The infirmary was on the upper deck near the captain's quarters. We were greeted by the blinding sunlight as we walked up the stairs and out into the open deck.
There weren't many people aboard the ship: The few of us survivors, the captain, a few shipmates, and a doctor. Given that everyone was busy tending to the wounded, no one was really up and about.
Inuyasha was leaning against the railing at the head of the ship, his amber eyes set outward toward the ocean. His clothes moved with the breeze and his silver hair brushed gently against his cheek.
"I'll meet you there," I told Sango as she made her way toward the infirmary and her new boyfriend. They had become official as they boarded the ship, shouting their inner-most feelings to each other as they were each taken to separate cabins to recuperate.
She gave me a knowing smile and squeezed my hand reassuringly before disappearing inside, leaving me to face the wrenching heartache that threatened to devour me whole.
I thought that when Inuyasha kissed me on the shore and held me in his arms, that we were going to be okay – that when we returned home, he would confess his love to me and we would live happily-ever-after. Oh, how wrong I was.
It was a mistake, he told me. He had been caught up in the heat of the moment. It wasn't me he was kissing. It wasn't me he wanted to wrap in his arms and lather with undying affection.
It wasn't me.
I folded my arms around myself and steeled my resolve to clear the waters between us. My heart constricted painfully in my chest with every step I took toward my ex-boyfriend. My forever ex-boyfriend. I would no longer have the privilege to hope for something that would never be.
"Hey," I greeted as I stepped up beside him, keeping my face passive even though my insides were screaming.
Inuyasha glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. "She's waiting for me," he said solemnly, his eyes trained on the blue horizon.
"I know," I replied, knowing that this is what needed to be done. Whatever had occurred between us on the island … it didn't matter. None of it did. When we reached the shore and returned to the reality we knew, our time spent together would mean nothing.
He furrowed his brows and looked at me. "Kagome, I—"
"Don't," I interrupted him with a shake of my head. I smiled sadly at him. "I understand, Inuyasha. I know that when we get back, things will return to normal."
He looked at me for a long time, studying me in a manner I knew he never would again. "Are you okay with that?"
I thought it over, nibbling on my bottom lip as I leaned against the railing. I looked out into the endless ocean, as if asking for the answer I sought. I knew it couldn't give it to me. My heart was the only place such an answer resided.
I looked up at him with adoration in my eyes. I would always love him, no matter how far time and distance separated us. There was no doubt in my mind that he would forever hold a place within my heart as my one true love.
After a few moments, I nodded slowly, before turning my gaze outward to the sea once more. "As long as you're happy," I began, smiling softly as I covered his hand with mine. "So am I."
I looked up at him, noting the relief in his eyes, covering up some hidden pain he didn't want me to see. He smiled at me then, causing my knees to feel weak, as he squeezed my hand in return.
I didn't know what fate had in store for me. All I knew is that Inuyasha was a part of my past, and would never be a part of the future I desired for the two of us. I had to come to terms with that. I had to accept it and move on. Because if I didn't, the ache in my chest would never fade, and his memory would never vanish.
With a film of tears in my eyes, I watched as land appeared on the horizon, followed by tall buildings and bustling traffic noises. I sighed deeply and readied myself for what waited just beyond the harbor.
A/N: I think this has been the longest it's taken me to update this story thus far ... Hm, maybe not. But it was still a long time. And I don't really have a good excuse save for the fact that my social life has gotten busier over the summer, and a new love interest is holding most of my attention. So you can blame him. I like this chapter, but parts of it made me want to gag. However, I edited it numerous times and just don't feel like editing anymore. Hope you enjoy and let me know what you think. Most likely there are only two chapters left.