A/N - Ok, new fic. Not an extremely happy beginning, but it's really just an introduction to the two main characters and what they've been through. I've changed some stuff. Kagome's mother will remain named Kun-Loon. Kagome doesn't live in the shrine, and InuYasha isn't the popular hanyou we all know and kind of love. He's still an arrogant jerk, so don't worry.

Chapter 1

"Filthy half breed."

"Dirty mutt."

This is what it was like everyday for InuYasha Takahashi. Some days, there would even be bruises, cuts, bloody noses, swollen eyes… the usual features after a fight. The wounds didn't bother InuYasha too much- physical scarring usually faded after a day or two. It was the emotional scarring that bothered the seventeen year old. Emotional scarring didn't fade so quickly. Sometimes, it didn't fade at all. There were some days where it all just became too much for InuYasha. Those days, the hanyou would just find a nice, deserted place, and break down. He did this in two different ways. Some days, he would just cry and cry until he had no tears left. Other days, he would go numb with rage, and attack everything in sight. This usually meant trees, boulders, whatever was there.

InuYasha's nice, quiet sanctuary was just outside of the city he lived in. It was a forest, and from what InuYasha had seen on his many trips to this place, there was only one house around there. He doubted anyone lived there. The house wasn't exactly nice-looking. InuYasha knew that basically everyone in the city had enough money to afford at least a decent-looking house.

InuYasha's family was one of the most well-known families in the city. His (full) demon father, InuTaisho, owned a large business. InuYasha had no idea what the business did- he had never bothered to ask. InuYasha's (human) mother, Izayoi, usually stayed home to do the usual motherly stuff. However, sometimes she acted as InuTaisho's secretary. InuYasha's brother, Sesshomaru, was also a full demon. He had once been a part of the group that picked on InuYasha, but had long since grown out of that. InuYasha suspected it had something to do with the young human girl his brother had adopted…

XXX

"Bye Kagome!"

"Later, Kags!"

"Farewell, my darling! OW!"

Kagome Higurashi smiled at the usual afternoon antics of her friends. The sixteen year old girl shifted her bag into a more comfortable position, and started the walk home. The young girl couldn't complain about her life. She had great friends, a family who loved her dearly… what was there to complain about? A frown crossed Kagome's face. Her life hadn't always been that great. Her mind wandered back to the days when her father had been alive. Those years had been the worse years of her life. Kagome's father had been an abusive drunk. Actually, he was abusive when he was sober. In those days, Kagome had dreaded going home after school. But she couldn't be late home. Oh no, her father would've have been happy if his "little princess" had been late for her "bonding session" with the man who called himself her father.

"Little princess" had been the nickname her father had given her when they were to play happy family with friends and other members of the family. "Bonding session" had been Kagome's father's codename for child abuse and rape. At first, it had started out as the occasional beating from her father. This made Kagome believe she had done something wrong. At the time, she had no idea what abuse was. Kagome's mother had suffered too. Kagome's father had beaten the woman regularly. When Kagome had asked why, her father claimed that her mother had asked for it. Of course, at that age Kagome had believed him. After a while, the occasional beatings became more regular. And after that, the rape began. It had started one night when Kagome's father had come drunk after work. He had gone into Kagome's room, closed and locked the door, and covered Kagome's mouth with his hand. "Do you love your daddy, Princess?" he had asked. Scared for her safety, Kagome had nodded. Her father had grinned, and taken his hand away from Kagome's mouth.

"I want to hear you say it."

Kagome gulped. "I love you…"

"You love who?"

"You, daddy, I love you…"

"If you love me, you will let me do what I need to do. Understand, Princess?"

His face had been so close to hers, she could smell the alcohol on his breath. Slowly, she had nodded.

Kagome blinked back tears as she continued to walk. She had never told anyone what her father had done to her. Her mother had guessed, but at Kagome's request, had kept it quiet. The sixteen year old turned a corner, and there was her house. The one just outside the forest. As she neared her house, she heard a noise from the forest. Kagome stopped, and listened. There it was again. It sounded like someone was… crying? Kagome stepped into the forest and looked around. "Hello?"