Title: The Moonlight Café

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Inuyasha, as I've said before, but I DO own the plot. I dreamt it, and it was freaky. I hate dreams that are like stories…

Rating: T, for everyone's – mostly Inuyasha's – Language.

Genre: General/Romance

Pairings: InuKag, MirSan

Summary: Kagome was the perfect example of a teenager girl: she got straight A's, played sports, ate healthy, and even did community service. 3 years later, after the tragic death of her father, she's on the streets, living in an old library storage shed. Can her old friend Inuyasha and their favorite café help her regain her spirit? AU

A/N: I'm not usually a fan of AU stories like this, but Kagome is stubborn, so I guess she's still in-character, right? Right. Well, anyway…On with the story!

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The Moonlight Cafe, Chapter One

Ch. 1: The Café and the Sports Car

Kagome Higurashi had not always been known as the one "least likely to succeed," which, according to Kagome, was just a nicer way of saying, "most likely to fail." From kindergarten to eighth grade, she had been a straight A student. She participated in sports, went out with her friends on the weekend, and even volunteered for community service every other Wednesday.

On April 16, 2001, that all changed.

On the way to work one morning, Kagome's father was involved in a car accident that affected a total of 17 individuals. The police reported that afternoon that he was one of the 9 casualties. The death of Takeo Higurashi wounded Kagome so deeply, that she didn't speak for almost a year and half afterwards. Her best friend, Inuyasha Takahashi, understood and did not push her to talk to him. After all, both of his parents were dead, so he understood better than anyone what it felt like losing a father.

Even after she had moved on, it still felt as though her father had taken a piece of her with him when he died. Kagome no longer received straight A's. She avoided many of her friends besides Sango, Miroku, and Inuyasha, and she hid herself as much as possible. She was trying to get her old life back, but during her silent period, no one else was willing to wait.

Truth be told, she had always had a crush on Inuyasha, the half-demon who had clawed his way into her heart. He treated her with respect (usually) and stood up for her when she was picked on or threatened. Kagome remembered when they first became friends, in first grade. Inuyasha always told her never to talk to him at school, because people would tease her for befriending a half-breed.

That day, during lunch, Kagome stood up and walked over to Inuyasha's table, sitting down right beside him. He was angry that she hadn't listened, but was still grateful that she wanted to be his friend. Kagome remembered that every time someone called Inuyasha names for being a half-demon, he would ignore them, pressing his canine ears flat against the top of his head. When they called Kagome names, however, the partial dog-demon would shove Kagome gently behind him and growl menacingly. More often than not, the bullies would run away screaming and crying.

In second grade, they met Miroku, the boy who would forever be known as 'the pervert.' And that didn't change when Sango came along in fourth grade. Sango was at first repelled by Miroku's lecherous antics, but it didn't take long for her to grow used to it.

Over the years they gained a strong bond, unbreakable and un-aging. They seemed to be outcasts, and only fit in when they were together.

After she had just barely graduated High School, Kagome moved out of the shrine where her mother, grandfather, and younger brother lived, and found a nice place beside the local library. It wasn't a grand estate, but it was cozy and, on most nights, warm.

It was a shed.

Kagome didn't mind; in fact, she was thrilled. No rent, and no problems with buying furniture. She didn't have to worry about cleaning it up when her friends came over, because she didn't have any. She hadn't spoken to Inuyasha, Sango, or Miroku since graduation, and it had been 3 years already since then.

Kagome's clothes (a baggy gray sweatshirt, blue jeans, and a pair of sneakers) were baggy, dirty, and torn. She herself was actually quite clean, because she used the library bathrooms, where they kept a few showers, where she washed her onyx-colored hair, and let her bathe. She was fairly happy. Sure, she was free to do pretty much whatever she wanted, but the homesickness and heartache were unbearable.

Kagome had become a failure: she had no job, she scrounged for quarters and other change which she would use in vending machines, and she lived in a shed. She had finally fulfilled everyone's expectations, and she hoped they were happy about it. Pathetic, but it had become her routine.

Of course, that was about to change, too.

One morning, in October, Kagome was sitting on one of the benches in the park behind the library, reading a book about politics. She sighed and looked up from her book, glancing at the road. Across the street was a coffee shop, The Moonlight Café. She remembered her and Inuyasha going there to study, often…

Standing up, Kagome placed her book on the bench and started walking toward the café. She had just started crossing the street when a black sports car came out of nowhere, speeding straight for her. She was too surprised to move.

"HEY, WATCH OUT!!"

Suddenly, Kagome's feet were knocked out from under her and all the air was thrust from her lungs as something knocked her to the side of the street. She hit the ground hard, rolling a couple times before lying limp on the pavement.

Just as Kagome was about to get up, gentle arms wrapped around, bringing her into a sitting position. She opened her eyes and groaned.

"Wh…What happened?" Kagome turned to glance at the man who had saved her life. She flinched. Her neck was too sore for her to bend it that far. It seemed the man's identity would remain a secret.

"The bastard didn't even stop to see if you were okay," her savior said angrily. "You were almost hit by a car, idiot." His voice was deep. It sent shivers down Kagome's spine, yet she knew that voice from somewhere…

"Hey! I am NOT an idiot!" Kagome winced as he helped her stand, trying to push him away. "I can stand on my own, thank you."

"Hey, I'm only trying to help! I just saved your life, you know! Show a little gratitude," he said.

Kagome turned in the man's arms, opening her mouth to say something when she got a good look at the man in front of her.

He was about a head taller than her, with long silver hair and golden eyes. He was wearing a black, long-sleeved shirt and baggy blue jeans. His jaw dropped. "Kagome?!"

"I-Inu-Inuyasha?" Tears began to fill her eyes. Kagome's feet were knocked out from under her for the second time that day, as the half-demon threw his arms around her and spun her around.

He stopped spinning her and set her on her feet, laughing out loud. "Thank the gods I found you! I can't believe it! You're safe…" He held her tightly to his chest. "Where the hell have you been, Kagome? Why did you leave? Shit, Kagome, you're okay…you're safe…"

Kagome's head was swirling with several thoughts and emotions. The slight beating she had taken earlier began to affect her, causing her head to pound and the rest of her body to ache painfully. She looked at her old friend and smiled, her eyes fluttering closed.

Inuyasha looked at her, panic rising as she began to wobble on her feet. "Kagome?"

"Inuyasha…you found me…" Suddenly, everything went black, and she slumped into his arms, drifting into an uneasy sleep.

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A/N: How was it? The first part might've been a bit boring, but I couldn't find another way to explain their back story…Please review! It won't take too long. Just push the little blue/purple button…Please?