Hey everyone! So this is a new story I'm starting, and hopefully I can stick with it because for some reason I get sidetracked from alot of the stories I try to write ha. But if I get a few takers who want me to post more, than I will! So enjoy :)

Chapter 1: New Year

Dull winter sunlight peaked through the curtains of Kagome Higurashi's upstairs bedroom. She savored the last few moments before the inevitable ringing of the alarm on her bedside table. The sunlight had roused her from a very odd dream, and she tried to hold on to it before it began slipping away. There had been a silver haired boy, and he was trying to whisper something to her, something she couldn't quite understand through the haziness of dreams. She blinked her eyes a few times, confused at who the boy could have possibly been, because she was positive she didn't know anyone her age with silver hair.

The alarm started ringing and she fumbled for it groggily, clicking the little button on top to make the annoying noise cease. She slowly sat up and scratched her head, yawning. Today was the first day of her second semester of eleventh grade, the day after New Years. Break had gone by way too fast; two weeks ago she was anticipating Christmas and the new year and all of that had come and gone so quickly.

Kagome slid out of bed and grabbed her school uniform from the closet. Her dress shirt was white, her jacket was red, and her tie and skirt were gold. She hated it, and missed her cute green uniform form junior high. This isn't junior high anymore, Kagome, she thought to herself as she stepped into the bathroom to brush her teeth.

Twenty minutes later, Kagome found herself hurrying down the stairs and quickly glancing at the clock as she raced into the kitchen. She had half an hour to eat breakfast and run to school to meet up with her best friends before the first bell.

"Hello dear," her mother smiled from the stove. She had a pink apron fastened around her waste and a spatula in one hand. "How many pancakes would you like?"

"Two please," Kagome said distractedly, shoving the books she hadn't touched in two weeks into her yellow backpack. She also looked around for her trusty brown shoes.

"Slow down there kiddo," her father laughed, turning a page in his newspaper. He peered at her over the rims of his glasses. "Excited for your first day back?"

"Ecstatic," Kagome said sarcastically, than giggled as Mr. Higurashi gave her a stern look. "I just hope I remember everything we learned before break."

"I'm sure you will do just fine," Mrs. Higurashi said kindly, setting a plate with two pancakes and an egg in front of her. "But I'm more worried about this weather. It's already begun to snow. Make sure you and Sota bundle up before heading to school, alright dear?"

"Mhmm." Kagome said through a bite of pancake. She glanced out the window and saw crisp snowflakes descending everywhere, slowly turning the front entrance of their temple a soft, beautiful white. Kagome had lived at this temple all her life, with her two parents and younger brother, Sota. She had never known any other way to live, but she enjoyed what she had.

After she finished eating, she wrapped a long, brown coat around herself and flung her scarf around her neck. She also opted for some new boots she'd recieved for Christmas instead of her shoes. She kissed her father's cheek, hugged her mother, and than hurried out the door. The snow was already falling faster and heavier and she reminded herself to walk slower so she wouldn't slip.

The streets were still packed as always, despite the weather, and she waited at a crosswalk until the light changed. As she was about to cross, a motorcycle came to a screeching halt in front of her, spewing snow and slush over her new boots. Kagome took a step back and frowned.

"Watch your driving! Or can't you see there are people trying to walk here!" she said cuttingly, as people made their way around her to cross. She wasn't usually a short tempered person, but she couldn't stand inconsiderate drivers. The man on the motorcycle removed his helmet and Kagome's breath caught in her throat. He had long silver hair and amber eyes...just like the boy in her dream! But there was something else too. Something extremely familiar about this boy, as if she knew him.

"Well you should watch where your walking princess," he retorted, positioning his helmet under his arm. Kagome gasped. Princess? How dare he! She crossed to the other side just before the light changed again, and she turned in time to see the boy put his helmet back on, rev his engine, and speed off. She crossed her arms and couldn't help but huff as she continued on to school. How incredibly rude of him to say such a thing. She was simply trying to say something to him.

She shook her head, wondering why there was such a nagging feeling about him. Why had it seemed as though she recognized him? She felt as though she would have remembered someone like that. And that dream...it was all too weird.

"Kagome!"

She looked up and realized she had reached the school already, and her three friends, Eri, Yuka and Ayumi were hurrying over to her. "How was your break?"

Kagome blinked a few times and then shook her head slightly to clear it. She decided it was nothing she should be dwelling on, not when there were more important things that needed focus. So she linked arms with Yuka as they headed into the school.

xXxXx

The call was received at 1:17 pm, during her math lessons. One moment, Kagome had been racking her brain for x's and y's and the next a teacher was at the door saying she needed Kagome Higurashi to come to the office immediately. Everyone had their eyes on her as she gathered her books and followed the teacher to the office. Many things crossed her mind and she wondered if she had an overdue book, or maybe her lunch money had run out. Nothing could have prepared her for what happened when she entered the office.

Teachers looking up at her from whispering amongst themselves. The sad expressions. The principal putting his arm around her and leading her into a back room and closing the door. Sitting her down across from his desk and taking a deep breath as if not knowing what to say to her. Finally, he folded his arms on the table and looked at her, his eyes filled with saddness.

"Kagome...there was an accident earlier," he said slowly, carefully, as if waiting to gauge her reaction.

"An accident?" Kagome said blankly, than gripped the arm of her chair when his words suddenly hit her. "What happened? Is my family okay?"

The principal inhaled deeply, and he gently shook his head. "I'm so sorry but...no, not everyone in your family is okay. Your parents...they were crossing the street downtown and a driver hit his brakes too late. He skidded right into them. The impact was too great." He looked down at his hands, not knowing how to go on.

Kagome sat still as stone in her chair, letting his words sink in. Her parents. Impact. Too great. It felt as though her words were caught in her throat, wanting to ask so many questions yet knowing it didn't matter. The look on his face told her everything he could say with his words.

Her parents were dead.

She waited for the tears to come, and when they did, it was like every time she had ever cried in her entire life was so pety compared to now. Sobs wracked her body and eventually the principal left to fetch the nurse, who sat with Kagome, holding her hand, until she was able to stand up and be helped to a car in the parking lot. Where it took her, she didn't care, all she wanted to do was curl up and cry and cry. She thought of those last moments that morning when she had said goodbye to them, her father's arm around her mother, waving at her as she ran off to school. Being on time had seemed so important then. Now, it was the last thing on earth that mattered.

She thought of Sota, how this must be affecting him. All he had left now was her, and she decided she would need to be strong for him. So sometime around the middle of the night, she sat up and realized she was in Eri's bed. She looked around her and saw that Eri was in a sleeping bag on the floor. Kagome woke her and asked where Sota was.

"He's in the guest bedroom," Eri answered sleepily, but sat up immediately when she saw how swollen and red Kagome's face was. She held her friend until she stopped crying again.

It was all so surreal. The next few days went by in a blur. Kagome and Sota stayed with Eri and her family until they were finally ready to go back to their house again, which proved harder than Kagome had thought. Her grandpa came to stay with her and Sota for awhile, watching over them and making them meals each night. Many people stopped by to give their condolences; some that she knew, but most of them strangers. Work colleagues, old friends, and even friends of friends. The school said to take all the time Kagome needed, and Yuka brought her assignments but always put them in the drawer of Kagome's desk, knowing she wouldn't be touching them for awhile.

Finally, Kagome knew she had to return to reality, because it had been three weeks. Her parent's funeral was a week ago and she needed to stop laying around the house all day. Her life had been on hold long enough; her parent's would want her to start going to school again.

One day, exactly three weeks after their death, there was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it," Grandpa said, getting shakily to his feet and opening the front door. A man in a suit stood there, holding a black brief case. "May I help you?"

The man nodded his head. "My name is Hirota Nakamura. I was the Higurashi's attorney." He noticed Kagome and Sota sitting in the living room. "May I offer my condolences." He bowed his head.

"Thank you," Kagome answered, looking at the carpet.

"May I come in? I have some...legal matters I would like to discuss," Mr. Nakamura said, indicating his brief case.

"Yes, of course," Grandpa replied, stepping aside so the man could get through. He closed the door behind him and led him to the living room. "Would you like some tea Mr. Nakamura?"

"Oh, no, thank you, I'll be fine." The man sat in an armchair across from Kagome and Sota, and smiled awkwardly at them. "I'm sure you are both wondering why I'm here. As I said, I was the late Mr. and Mrs. Higurashi's attorney. We need to discuss their will, and also the guardians you children will have from now on."

Kagome hadn't thought about this. She wasn't even turning seventeen until April, so of course she was too young to live here with Sota. Then something Mr. Nakamura said struck her.

"Guardians?" she repeated, knitting her eyebrows together. "Don't you mean guardian?" She looked at her grandfather, who only shrugged, looking just as confused as she was.

Mr. Nakamura looked a little uncomfortable. "Well, you see, that is what we need to discuss." He unclipped his briefcase and removed a few sheets of paper. He cleared his throat. "It seems the last time your parents updated their will was ten years ago."

"Ten years ago?" Kagome asked. "I never even knew they had a will."

"I remember them making one after my wife died," her grandfather said quietly, looking at the ceiling. "They wanted security in knowing you would be taken care of if anything happened to them. Sota was not yet born, though." He smiled over at his grandson.

"Yes," Mr. Nakamura said slowly. "They did state that was their reason in wanting to have a will drawn up. And they did leave this temple and all their belongings in it to you, Mr. Higurashi."

Grandpa looked surprised. "To me?"

"Well, until their children have each reached the age of 18, in which time they can claim ownership of said property and belongings. That is what the will says."

"Wow," Kagome said softly. She tried to imagine owning the temple, the place she had grown up in. "So did they leave anything to Sota or I?"

"Actually, your mother left you her collection of books and fine china. But Sota was not born yet. These are simply the items you can have now. Everything else, of course, you can have when you are 18."

"I see," Kagome replied. "So, what about guardianship? We both get to continue living her with Grandpa, right?"

Now Mr. Nakamura looked very nervous and unsure of what to say. "Actually, that is one of the more important matters I came to discuss."

Kagome wondered what could be making him so flustered. Surely telling them what they already knew couldn't be too hard, right? She waited.

"It seems that at the time your parents were writing their will, your grandfather was going through a very tough emotional time in his life."

"Losing my wife," Grandpa said quietly.

"Yes. So it seems they didn't feel it was best to leave him custody since you were still a small child. They thought it best to leave you in the care of...their closest friends."

Kagome was even more confused. Their closest friends? She had no idea who her parent's closest friends could have been when she was six.

"If their friends had unfortunately passed away in the event that the will would need to be acted upon, then your grandfather would have been granted guardianship since he is the closest living relative. And actually, after some research I discovered one of them has passed away, but...one of them is still alive. Meaning, he will be given guardianship over you Miss Higurashi."

Kagome's mind sumersaulted. She gaped at the lawyer. All that came out was, "What?"

"I know this is a lot to take in after such a tragedy. But he has already been notified and you need to be living with him by the end of the week. The will stated it had to be by last week, but I pulled a few strings to give you some extra time."

"But...what about Sota?" Kagome asked dumbly.

"Since he was not yet born at the time, the will doesn't say anything about him. So guardianship is given to your grandfather."

Kagome looked at her little brother as all this registered on his face as well. She couldn't imagine not living with him, protecting him, helping him. Suddenly, she looked back at Mr. Nakamura.

"Who are they? The people my parent's left me to?" she asked seriously. Then, remembering how he had said one of them had passed away, she quickly added, "I mean, who is it? The person?"

"Actually, there are two of them you could say. The man has a son. Well, two sons but one is ten years older and living in another part of the country. The man you will be staying with is Taisho Takahashi, and his son's name is InuYasha."

It hit Kagome like a brick. InuYasha. The name sprung forth in her mind, bringing a face and old memories with it as well. Of course; her parent's closest friends. The Takahashi's. Taisho and Izayoi. And their youngest son, InuYasha, one year older than her. He used to tease her about that. Kagome's hands flew to her mouth.

The man on the motorcycle. The man from her dream. It was InuYasha Takahashi.

And she was going to be living with him from now on.