YAY! Schools out for the summer! I'm so happy! Here's another chapter for you all!

Review responses:

Dragon Man 180: Yeah, this fic will have some happy moments, but you gotta keep in mind that Inuyasha's childhood probably really wasn't that happy. Oh, well! It has a happy ending at least! Thanks for reviewing!

Amaya Saria: Thanks for the review!

Shippogrl: Thank you!

MoonlightWriter-00: Thank you for the review!

IceSugarHigh: Oo Somebody's hyper! You're idea's great (and sappy) but I already have the whole thing planned out. Sorry! And I still have some more stuff to cover before Kagome & Co. can go back to the future. Thanks for the review!!

Greg Selm-Orr: Oo Uh... Yeah. Thanks for the review!

Dragon's kitty: Let go of me! Can someone please get her off?! PLEASE?!

Koinu-Chan: Thanks for the review!

gilbertfan: A pen? You're planning to kill them with a pen? Anyway, the villagers aren't going to die. Only Hihan. Sorry! (It's been a while since Hihan has made an appearance, ne?) Update soon!

dark-wolf-soulX: Yay! I always look forward to your reviews, did you know that? Anyway, congrats to your sister. And sorry for the ever shortening chapters. I'm doing my best! See ya next time! More angstyness ahead!

Notgonnatell: Sorry about that. I just like to make sure my reviewers know they've been heard and appreciated.

Rekouri Sentusu: Heheh! Don't worry, this one's not a cliffie!

LilBlue-Hedggie: Yeah, I just get a little ticked at the people who actually think blondes are stupid. Let's burn them, shall we? MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Thanks for the review!

arline: No worries there! I don't do sad endings! Thanks for the review!

Lavitz girl Alexis: XD Thanks for the review!

ChibiYugiYasha: Wow. I like it when I make people almost cry! Thank you!!!

Lost Darkness: Uh... Yeah. I'm gonna miss you!!!! ;;

roshyn77: Thank you!!! Loved the review!

punkkagome: Thanks for the review! Keep reading and reviewing!

Inuyashafreak337: Interesting theory, but it's confusing! Anyway, thanks for the review!

fallingkag: Thank you so much for the review! It was very cough enthusiastic. Keep reading and reviewing!

Satsukiorhiei: Thanks!

Iychick: Thanks for the review!

Disclaimer: Not mine!

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The first thing Inuyasha was aware of was the bed, much softer than his own. The next thing was the ache that seemed to fill his entire body. He opened his eyes to the ceiling of his mother's bedroom. He could tell because his mother always had a tapestry of his father in his true form covering up the wooden rafters of the ceiling. He suddenly remembered the villagers and falling from the cliff. He realized that his mother must have found him somehow. He heard a soft rustling beside him. He slowly turned his head and saw his mother, her eyes red and her face tear- streaked. She was working on her latest tapestry and hadn't noticed him yet.

"Mama?"

Tsuki's head snapped up. Her face flooded with relief. "Inuyasha!" She reached out and gently brushed his bangs away from his face. "Are you all right? You had me so worried!"

"Mother?"

"Yes?"

"Will you sit with me?"

Tsuki smiled. "Of course." She gently sat down on the bed next to Inuyasha and rubbed his puppy-like ears.

Inuyasha closed his eyes and leaned into her touch, smiling. Then the smile disappeared and he opened his eyes with a troubled look on his face.

"What's the matter?" his mother asked softly. "Are your injuries hurting you?"

"Mother... what's a hanyou?"

Tsuki looked stunned for a moment before asking, "Why do you want to know that?"

"Sessho-maru called me that."

Tsuki was stunned once more. That was the first time Inuyasha had called his elder brother by his real name. Had something happened between them?

"Don't worry about it, Inuyasha. It's not a big deal."

"I want to know."

He said it flatly, plain and simple, in a way that left no room for argument. Tsuki was momentarily shocked at the way he was acting. She sighed. He had a right to know.

"A hanyou... is a half-demon," Tsuki stated simply. Inuyasha looked at her as if willing her to continue. Tsuki swallowed the lump in her throat. "They are half-demon and half-human. Not one or the other, but both." 'And neither,' she added to herself.

"And they hate me for it, don't they?"

"No, my son. Of course they don't." He looked at her and she knew that he didn't believe her. It was strange. Inuyasha seemed to have grown years in just a few short minutes.

Inuyasha turned his head away from his mother. So Sessho-maru hated him for being hanyou. Was that also why Hihan and the villagers seemed to hate him, too? It had to be. But why? Why did they hate him for being hanyou?

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Kagome sat unnoticed on the side of the bed opposite Inuyasha's mother. She watched the conversation between them with tears in her eyes. Inuyasha turned his head away from his mother, and, consequently, towards Kagome. Kagome looked at his eyes, which were full of sadness and confusion. But there was something else there that sent a chill through Kagome's body. There, nearly hidden by the other emotions floating behind his eyes, was the barest hint of the hard shell that was all too familiar to her.

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Tsuki slept in a chair next to Inuyasha that night. It was already deep into the night and she had long been asleep. Inuyasha lay awake, though, listening to his mother's soft breathing. He had tried to get to sleep but couldn't. His injuries were hurting too much. His mother had given him herbs to help with the pain, but there was still a dull, throbbing ache in his broken left arm. One of his ribs was broken, too. And no matter how many times he had changed position, he was laying on some sort of bruise or cut. He sighed softly and tried changing positions again. In the process, he succeeded in giving his broken arm a painful jolt. He stifled a pained grunt and clutched at his arm. After the pain subsided, he lay back on his back, defeated, and stared up at the dark ceiling. He lay there for a while, trying to ignore the pain in his body. After a while, he thought he heard something beside him.

"Haita?" Hope rose in his heart as he turned his head, but it was quickly squashed when he saw that there was nothing there.

He remained staring in that direction, too weary to move. Suddenly, the air beside him seemed to shimmer and the faint, see-through figure of his guardian angel appeared. She smiled and put her translucent hand over his. He smiled back. Her figure faded and disappeared like a morning fog. It was as if she was never there, but Inuyasha knew she was still there, watching over him. With that thought, he drifted into a peaceful sleep.

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Kagome sighed as Inuyasha finally fell asleep. Until now, his injuries had been keeping him awake. Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kirara were sleeping leaning against the base of the bed. Kagome wouldn't be getting any sleep, though. She planned to keep watch over Inuyasha in case something happened. Tsuki shifted in her sleep. Kagome looked up at Tsuki's pale, tear-streaked face and felt a twinge of sympathy for her. She spotted an extra blanket in the corner of the room. She got off of the bed and tiptoed over to the blanket as quietly as she could. She picked up the blanket and headed toward Tsuki. She gently and quietly lay the blanket over Tsuki. Once she was done, she headed back to the edge of the bed to keep watch.

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Tsuki awoke next morning and was momentarily confused by the blanket on top of her, not remembering having taken one last night. After a minute, she simply dismissed it as something she had done without knowing. She smiled briefly at her sleeping son. As she stood, she thought she saw a glimpse of a young girl sitting on the edge of the bed, but when she blinked, the vision was gone. Tsuki shook her head.

'Everything must finally be catching up with me.'

Tsuki rubbed her eyes as she headed towards the kitchen to make breakfast.

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Inuyasha smiled as he awoke. He could smell the scent of breakfast wafting in from the kitchen. He opened his eyes happily and sat up. The only thing preventing him from jumping up and running to the kitchen was his injuries. Instead, he waited eagerly and tried not to drool on his mother's bedspread.

A few minutes later, his mother came in with a tray of food. She smiled and tried to stifle a laugh when she saw Inuyasha sitting on the bed practically bouncing up and down with a ridiculous grin plastered to his face. She brought the tray over next to the bed and helped Inuyasha eat his breakfast since he couldn't do it himself with a broken arm. After he finished, Inuyasha sighed contentedly and his grin faded to a satisfied smile. He and his mother sat in silence for a few minutes. Suddenly, Inuyasha's smile faded, replaced with a troubled frown.

"Mother?"

"Yes, Inuyasha?"

"I'm sorry for being so mean last night."

Tsuki gasped as Inuyasha lunged forward and hugged her with his good arm. He buried his face in her kimono as silent tears slid down his cheeks. Tsuki stroked his silver hair comfortingly.

"I love you, mama."

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YAY! Review please! More angstness to come!