I would like to go ahead and get this over with regardless of the number of reviews I have, although soon I shall want reviews. I won't press too hard for them, though. I know that some people don't like to review. I myself happen to be one of them. I would like to say that I enjoy writing, so I will try to keep this fiction updated as much as I can. Please, read and review because otherwise I have no idea whether or not this sucks. If anything is wrong, please bring it to my attention. There might be some Kagome in this chapter, but not much. The gang shall come in soon enough, though.

Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha, although, I would kidnap him and all of his friends the first chance I got! I do own Tani and she is MINE! No stealing. I'm teasing.

A New Life?

Tani felt her bangs blowing in the wind because she had her window slightly open. The air felt nice and Tani loved driving her car. She felt free. Tani had known about Kagome and Souta for a long time and had pictures and knew a lot about them, but they didn't know about her. She didn't mind, though. Tani had a nice lengthy drive ahead of her, so she decided to turn on the radio. She loved music. She had studied music for a long time. She used to have an electric guitar, but Mr. Hong had sold it. She was great at playing it and she could sing too, but she would never admit to it. The song that greeted her ears was from a cd that she had bought. It was a good cd. It was called Deep Shadows Brilliant Highlights and it was by HIM. This band was good in Tani's opinion. She loved this song too. It was Heartache Every Moment. This song was really a great song and it suited the lead singers voice. Tani tapped on her steering wheel along with the beat. She was enjoying her drive so far. She knew the way and it was familiar to her, but she had to pass Kagome's school on the way. Tani stopped at the red light and saw a group of girls walking to the school. There were a total of four of them. Three of them were talking profusely and the other was sort of quiet and then Tani realized who that girl was. That was Kagome. Tani quickly stuck her sunglasses on and kept her eyes following the group of girls with her sister in them carefully. She was surprised that she had seen her anyway. The light turned green and she stepped on the gas and felt her GTO move forward. She wasn't really that far from the shrine now, so she turned off her cd player. She could see the shrine in the distance and parked her car carefully. Stepping out of the GTO Tani took in a breath of fresh air before grabbing two of her bags, which were only clothes, and making her way up all of the steps. She could feel the apprehension clouding her mind. She was getting a bit afraid, but didn't stop. Her feet led her up to the door and she knocked lightly. Footsteps were heard and Tani came face to face with her mom. They both smiled and Tani was ushered inside quickly. Tani quickly slid her sunglasses onto the top of her head and smiled.

"Thanks for letting me stay here mom." Tani said as she hugged her mom quickly.

"It's not a problem. Now, tell me why you were kicked out?" She asked releasing Tani and guiding her to sit upon the couch.

"I'm mouthy." Tani said simply.

"Tani Higurashi, I know better than that. Tell me all of it."

"Fine, I am mouthy and Mr. Hong though hitting me would work, but I kept him from hitting me and he got upset." Tani said as quickly as she could.

"Tani, why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I couldn't. He didn't get away with it easily anyway. I took defense classes. I'm pretty good at defending myself." Tani said looking downward. She could feel the sunglasses slipping down and she pushed them up and looked at her mom a bit embarrassed.

"If I had known you would have been her sooner." She said pulling Tani into a hug.

"I'm fine, mom. I promise." Tani said hugging back.

"Well, is that all you brought?"

"No, my books and things that I don't need that much are in my car these are clothes." Tani said setting them down next to her feet. She hadn't even realized she was holding them.

"I have a surprise for you." Mrs. Higurashi said as she pulled Tani up and took on of the bags. She led Tani up the stairs and down to the last room.

"Where are you leading me?" Tani asked smiling.

"Your room."

"I told you I would sleep on the couch." Tani said as her mom opened the door and she saw it had a bed and desk. Her mom had the room void of decoration so that Tani could decorate it.

"I don't want you to sleep on the couch and I don't want you to worry about finding a place to live for long either. You can live here for as long as you need to. I want you to live here." She told her daughter placing one of the bags on her bed, where Tani also placed the other.

"I can't stay here and impose for that long." Tani said feeling bad already.

"Yes you can. I want you here."

"Fine, but at least let me pay you rent." Tani said reaching into one of her bags to bring out a wad of cash.

"Tani, I don't need your money."

"I know you don't, but I really must pay you." Tani said handing her mom what she deemed enough money.

"This is too much, Tani."

"No it isn't. It is enough. I don't need you to take care of me. I'll be fine." Tani said feeling quite guilty.

"Tani, I'm your mother. I want you here. I don't need you to feel as if you need to care for yourself."

"Fine, but I'm still paying you the same amount." Tani said smiling.

"You are as stubborn as your father."

"That's a new one to me." Tani said as she smiled at her mother fondly.

"It's true. You are. He would be proud. Now, go ahead and get the rest of your things and I'll make something to eat. I need to wake up grandpa too." Mrs. Higurashi, Tani's mom, said as she walked out of the room and out of Tani's sight. Tani couldn't believe how easy that had been. Soon Tani felt her body taking her down the stairs and back to her car. Once there she grabbed her other two bags got them up to her room and came back down. She needed her computer too. Grabbing the tower, which was in a box, and the monitor, which was also in a box, Tani got them upstairs and put the boxes on her desk. She would set it up later. At the moment Tani just wanted to go downstairs to see what her mom was up to. She heard talking in the kitchen and stopped.

"What will Souta and Kagome say?" Tani heard her grandfather ask.

"I'll explain it to them, and we'll just have to go from there." Mom said carefully. Tani didn't wait for the rest of the conversation as she knocked quickly and entered the kitchen.

"You can tell them I'm renting the room. It's the truth." Tani said looking at the ground.

"No, I am telling them the truth." Mom said quickly.

"It's your choice." Tani said as she looked around quietly.

"They both have a right to know and they will want to get to know you better." Grandpa said carefully. He knew. WE all knew.

"Just treat carefully. I don't want to end up with two more people hating me." Tani said as she looked around at the kitchen. The whole shrine had a homey feel to it and Tani loved it.

"I made lunch. Sit down and we can all catch up." Mom said as grandpa took a seat and Tani followed. They all ate lunch and talked about Tani's past and her plans. They knew about her computer repair and programming, but didn't ask too much because they didn't understand it. It was fun. I didn't realize that they were such great people. I went ahead up to my room and began to fool with my computer to set it up and heard a door open and shut.

"Mama! I'm home!"