Title: A Better Life

Description: Inuyasha and Kagome were blessed with a baby girl soon after Naraku's death, now it's 12 years later and the girl doesn't even know her father, because her mother thinks it would be safer in the modern world, but what happens when she learns the truth? If she can ever get it out of her mother first.

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

Chapter 1: How Things Are

The sound of the vacuum filled the house as the girl cleaned the carpet. After a bit her mother stuck her head in, in a hurried rush, "That's fine Naoke, could you come help me with the food?"

The daughter nodded her head and clicked the vacuum off with her foot before putting it away. She entered the kitchen to find her mother working over the stove stirring something.

"Put these appetizers in that tray on the table please dear," spoke her mother.

Naoke sighed sadly as she did what she was told to. It was a sad day after all and instead of the family talking about it, they were busy with the preparations instead. Then as Naoke sat the tray on the table the phone rang.

"Naoke will you get that?" her mother asked going around the kitchen like a turkey with its head cut off.

Naoke sighed again as she went to answer it. After a few seconds she pulled the phone from her ear, "Grams, it's for you," she hollered.

"Naoke, what have I told you about yelling in the house," her mother warned before getting back to her work.

Naoke rolled her eyes slightly. Then her grandmother came down the stairs. You could tell she had been crying, but she masked it with an appreciative smile, "Thank you Naoke, uh Kagome have you got everything almost ready?" she asked holding the phone with the mouth piece covered.

Naoke looked over to see her mother give her grams a kind smile, "Almost mom," she replied.

Her mother nodded before talking into the phone. Naoke looked from her grandmother to mother, both seemed to mask their pain. She hated when people did that. Finally she stormed out and ran up the stairs to her room.

Her grandmother had said bye to the person on the phone and hung up, looking at Kagome. Kagome closed her eyes and took a deep breath before following her daughter.

Kagome knocked on her daughter's door, but didn't get a reply. That didn't stop her and she entered anyway. Naoke was on her bed with her stuffed cat in her arms, her back towards the door.

"Naoke, what's wrong?" Kagome asked.

"What do you think?" she replied coldly before turning to her mother showing her that she had been crying, "Gramps is gone, uncle Souta is off to college and doesn't give a crap about this family anymore."

"That's not true," Kagome started, but when her daughter started again she shut her mouth.

"You and grams are the only real family I have left and that's falling apart," she looked down at her cat before shaking her head and tossing it aside.

Kagome knew it was going to be hard on her the minute she decided to stay in the modern era. She stared at her daughter debating on what to say, she wasn't the best person for comforting talks. Usually she would get the advice for the real hard stuff from her own mother. But she was willing to try anyway.

She went over and sat next to her daughter, "Naoke, I'm so sorry all this happened," she took a deep breath as her daughter stared at her with watery eyes, "I know this has been hard on you and I want you to know that I'll always be here for you."

Naoke chuckled sarcastically and shook her head, "No," she said, "you won't."

Kagome frowned confused and hurt, "What?" she asked.

"You won't, how can you say that, everyone disappears eventually, there's still so much I don't understand," said Naoke.

Kagome wrapped her arm around her, "I know," she kissed her on the top of the head, "I know."

They stayed that way for a little bit before Kagome spoke again, "We should get downstairs and get ready for the mourners, they'll be here soon and then we can talk, ok?"

Naoke gave a small nod, "Gramps is still with us," Kagome told her, "his spirit and historical stories of family tradition will always be with us," she gave a small laugh remembering how he was. Naoke laughed a little too. Then Kagome got serious, "if we remember him as he was." Naoke gave her mother a hug before both of them got up and headed downstairs. It was going to be a long depressing day.

A/N: so how is it so far, I know it's kind of sad and blah right now, but it should get better, please R&R and please no flames, thanks;) btw for the daughter's name I just pronounce it Na-o-kee instead of Na-o-kay, wasn't sure about it, but I like the first way better.