A/N: OK, new chapter. Hoora… OK, I may not sound to excited about this because yesterday I spent 5 hours in a hospital… then I found out that there was nothing wrong with me and I had to have an IV in my arm for nothing! Those bitches hurt like hell and I had to get dressed with it in my arm and the needle was like a whole inch long! So I am pissed and I will now write the story.

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha.

Learning to Let Go

Chapter three Painful Memories and the Hoshi Inn

Kouga and Kagome walked the rest of the way to the inn in silence. Kagome could still feel the sting of Kouga's slap on her cheek and was absently rubbing it as she stared at the snow that drifted from the cold winter sky. Her damp clothes were now beginning to freeze due to the frosty air and made Kagome shiver constantly. Kouga was deep in thought as he walked along the sidewalk. He kept thinking about the day that his whole life went to hell. The memory was etched into his mind and he remembered every detail.

FLASH BACK

A little girl huddled up into a tight bloody ball in the corner of a dark living room. A man who looked like Kouga stood above her with a clenched fist that was also covered in blood, as was his shoe that he used to keep kicking the little girl. A beautiful woman who reeked of alcohol cheered him on from the other side of the room. A boy ran over to the angered man and grabbed him by the leg, begging for him to stop. The man turned towards the boy and shoved him off his leg but a slightly older boy replaced him.

The man yet again knocked the other boy off and turned back to the girl. She looked to be about six years old and had tears running down her face that mixed with her blood as they fell. "Please stop daddy!" the child begged in a soft voice. "I'm sorry! I'll never do it again, I swear!" she cried. The man tossed his head back and laughed at her.

His laughing stopped as soon as it had started when he felt sharp teeth dig into his ankle. With a cry, he began to pound on the skull of his son who had bitten him, trying to make him let go. The younger Kouga winced but continued to bite his father, only lifting his head when he shouted to the other boy.

"Koibito, go call the police before he kills Kamarii!" he shouted before plunging his teeth back into the ankle. The older boy nodded and dashed for the phone, passing the drunken woman who was Kouga's mother and his aunt Uriko. Kouga watched as his cousin disappeared around the hall and turned his attention back to his father. His head was now beginning to pound fiercely and he could feel a small amount of blood trickle down his face.

The girl who was huddled up in the corner took advantage of the distracted man and ran. She didn't make it very far before her father's arm whipped out and grabbed her by her small pony-tail. With a scream, she fell to the floor with her hands up on the man's hands. Her small claws her dug into them as he tried to pull her back. Swiftly, he kicked Kouga off of him and continued to beat the child senseless. Koibito ran back into the room and lunged at his uncle. He turned quickly and slapped the boy away as if he were merely a fly. Koibito's head made contact with the wall and was knocked unconscious. He slumped to the floor as Kouga lunged back at him.

Kouga wrapped his arms around his father's neck just as his ears began to pick up the sound of sirens. 'Yes! They'll make it in time!' Kouga thought as his father fought to shake him off. Kouga cast his eyes down to his little sister but noticed that something was wrong. Her small body was slumped up against the wall and her chest has ceased to rise. Kouga panicked as his father threw him off at the wall near his cousin. The last thing he saw before he fell unconscious was his father kicking the body of his now dead sister.

END FLASH BACK

Kouga looked up to see that he had arrived at the inn. A faint glow came from the orange stained windows and spilled softly across the snow littered street. The windows were like checkered panels that had frost on the edges of each square. The building was three stories tall and in random windows he could see lights shining out. Kouga turned to see that Kagome had also stopped by him and was looking up at the building too. The paint on the sign was worn off slightly and the lights above it glowed faintly and flickered every now and then.

Kouga slowly walked to the door and pushed it open with a loud squeak. As soon as he walked in he was overwhelmed by the smell of people and liquor. He looked around to see one of his best friends standing behind the bar, offering a young, beautiful girl a drink. "I thought you said this place was an inn." Said Kagome as she looked around with interest. Ginta and Hakkaku were by the fireplace talking to one of their many homeless friends.

Kouga sighed and turned around to face the curious girl. "It is an inn. The owner decided to add a bar to it to attract more customers." Kouga said as he pointed to the guy behind the bar. "And girls." He added. Kagome nodded an understanding and began to look around once more. With a sigh Kouga left Kagome and went to go talk to the man behind the bar. "Hey Miroku! Long time no see!" said Kouga as he took one of the bar stools and sat on it with a loud thump. Miroku looked up from the girl he was talking to and gave him a lop sided grin.

"Hey Kouga!" said Miroku as he made an apology to the girl and walked over to his friend. "What have you bee up to? You never come to see me anymore! I feel so forgotten!" Miroku said with fake pain I his voice. Kouga laughed and whapped him. Miroku laughed too and rubbed his newly abused arm. "You didn't have to hit me." He said jokingly. His black hair was pulled back into a small ponytail as usual and his purple eyes sparkles in the dim light.

"I know I didn't have to but I felt like it." Kouga joked back. Miroku glared at Kouga who laughed again. "So, buddy old pal! Do you have any news for me?" Kouga asked in a now serious tone. Miroku's bright eyes darkened and his grin became a thin line on his face. He looked around and leaned forwards on the bar.

"Koibito's in town." He said slowly. Kouga growled lowly and clenched his fist. Ever since the accident with Kamarii, Koibito had hated him. He blamed Kouga for her death saying that he could have saved her if he really had tried. But both of them knew that nothing could be done but Koibito just wouldn't let it go. Kouga looked back up to his friend who looked just as angry as he did at the moment. Miroku shared a mutual hatred for Koibito ever since he met him several years ago. Miroku wouldn't tell him what happened but he knew it must have been bad to make this happy go lucky guy so mad.

"He also left you a note." He said as he sat up and dug in his pocket. He pulled out a wrinkled piece of paper that was folded several times and handed it to Kouga. Kouga glared at the paper as he began to unfold it. After a while of reading it Kouga threw it down in rage. Koibito always did things like this to him! He couldn't stand it but he'd just have to deal for a while before he leaves again. The note read-

Dear Kouga,

I am pleased to inform you that I will be coming to stay with you for a while. As we both know, I have recently been thrown out of my penthouse apartment and I need a place to stay for a while. You had better arrange a room for me in your home, or do you still not have one? No matter, if you still live on the streets then I'll just stay in a hotel. But you had better be ready for me to visit because I'll be there tomorrow!

Sincerely,

Koibito

Kouga muttered thanks to Miroku for the note and went over to the fire where Ginta and Hakkaku were talking to Kagome. "Hey Kouga." Ginta smiled, looking up at his friend. Kouga grumbled and plopped down on a soft chair next to Hakkaku. Kagome looked at him but turned her head when he looked back at her. "So Kagome, do you have a house?" Ginta asked.

Kagome blushed slightly and rubbed the back of her head. "No, not really. When I decided to…you know what, I sold my old house and put all my money in the bank. I guess I have about… 13,000 in there but I'm not sure." Kagome said slowly as she thought over the amount of money she had. Ginta's jaw dropped as he stared at her, as did hakkaku's and Kouga's.

"13,000!" Ginta shouted at her. Kagome blushed and nodded in agreement. Hakkaku wiped the drool from his lips as he thought about the money. Kagome shifted nervously in her chair as the three stared at her. Kouga was first to gain his normal self again and sat up straight in his chair to look at Kagome.

"How in the hell can you talk about that much money as if it were nothing?" he asked as he stared into her chocolaty-brown eyes. Kagome shrugged and looked the other way towards the fire. The flames reflected shadows across her face as they danced in the hearth. They seemed to be calling to her but she just sat still and stared at them until her eyes began to burn from the light. Kouga sighed and leaned back again in his chair. Several moment passed by before they began to speak and it was Hakkaku who broke the silence.

"Hey Kagome, if you have all that money then why don't you buy a house? And if you do could we live with you?" he asked hopefully. Kagome looked at him with a confused look in her eyes and was about to answer but didn't have a chance due to the loud interruption at the door.

"HELLO EVERYBODY!" shouted the man at the door. He had long black hair that was pulled into a low ponytail and icy blue eyes like Kouga. They looked so much alike but the only difference was that his tail was linger and fluffier. Kouga stared with his jaw hung open. It was Koibito.

A/N: Yep! I updated my story twice in the same day! Laughs evilly I feel soooooo good now! Except for the fact that I am horrible sun burned on my stomach and other areas on the top of me… and it's all your fault Jeff! Ooo you know who you are! If I wasn't talking to you on the phone then I wouldn't be in so much pain! Oh curse you! But anyways, please read and review!