Kagome got out of the hospital a week later, and then two mornings after she went to school.

"Kagome!" Sango waved to her from the other side of the parking lot.

Kagome really didn't want to talk to anybody, but she smiled brightly as Sango made her way over. "Hey, Sango-chan."

"Kagome, what happened? Who did this to you?" Sango pointed to her friend's arm as they walked into the school together.

Sango never knew that Onigumo was abusing Kagome because she never told her. Kagome feared that if she knew then Onigumo would try to hurt her too. Kagome wouldn't live with herself if that ever happened.

"It's nothing." Kagome said, waving it off.

"You have a broken arm. How is that nothing? Who did this Kagome? Don't lie to me."

"It doesn't matter Sango. I'll be better in a few months."

"It was your dad, wasn't it?" Sango had always seen Kagome come to school looking like she just got into a fight and lost, but it was never this bad. She knew that Kagome didn't go anywhere but home and school. So she put two and two together and figured out that Onigumo was abusing her. All she needed was Kagome to tell her that.

"Look, it's Inuyasha and Miroku." Kagome waved to her friends.

Sango glared at the two evilly. Kagome was just about to tell her what was going on and then they had to show up. Damn them.

"Well, hello to you too, Sango." Miroku said a little scared of the look he was receiving from Sango.

"Is there something we're interrupting?" Inuyasha asked raising his eyebrow.

"Yes, there-"

"No! No, you're not interrupting anything." Kagome said quickly.

"Hey, Kagome, what happened to your arm?"

"It's nothing Inuyasha. I just fell down the stairs. That's all."

"Why didn't you tell me that when I asked you?" Sango said.

Just then the bell rang. 'Yes. Saved by the bell.' "Hey guys maybe we should get to class. The bell just rung." Kagome said feeling relieved.

"Class can wait. I want to know what's up and I want to know now." Inuyasha said his voice full of concern and determination.

'Leave it to Inuyasha to try to force something out of me.' Kagome thought impatiently. 'It looks like he's not going to budge this time. I better tell him something quick.'

"Don't lie to me. You know I can tell when you lie."

"I just fell down the stairs, okay? It's not as bad as it seems."

"You're right. It's worse than that." Sango pointed out.

"Look, can we talk about this later? I don't want to be late for my first day back."

"Fine. Later." Sango said as she walked off to her class, taking Miroku with her.

Sango and Miroku have first and second class together. Math. Inuyasha has history for first and Kagome has science. Her worst subject. Second period class was hard on Kagome. She loved the class, just not the people in it. She and Koga had the same history class. Koga was terribly in love with her but he just couldn't take the hint that she didn't feel the same way. He was bothering her and she had a headache. Third and fourth period she had math with Inuyasha. He sat there glaring at her. It was highly annoying. Now, it's time for lunch. Kagome dreaded going to lunch but the sound of her stomach growling proved she couldn't refuse. Just as she walked into the lunchroom, Sango called her over to the line.

Sango waited until they were sitting down at a table with the guys before she questioned Kagome.

"Kagome," Sango said glaring at her. "Are you going to tell us what happened?"

Kagome looked up at all her friends' worried faces. "Can we not talk about this now?"

"When will we talk about it? You always rush home after school. Your dad won't let any of us near you."

"Please Inuyasha. I promise we will talk about it."

"Kagome… is he hurting you?" Sango said quietly.

"No! My dad wouldn't do that, you guys. I just fell down the stairs."

"And what about all the other times you came to school with bruises and cuts?" Miroku pointed out.

"I'm very clumsy. You know that."

"I don't believe you." Inuyasha said. "What's worse is that I don't believe you would lie to us."

"I'm not lying."

"You are. Why are you protecting him?" Sango accused.

"Sango, I'm not protecting him. I don't have a reason to protect him."

Everyone fell quiet for the next minute or so. Miroku who'd been quiet for the most part had been remembering all the times he saw Kagome look beaten up. Not one of those times had he seen the bruises and cuts look like an accident. Surely the girl wasn't that clumsy, was she? 'Either way, we need proof to get help for her. All I know is that Kagome isn't telling us a thing. Maybe we're going at this the wrong way.' Miroku thought. "How did you fall down the stairs?" He finally said.

"I told you already."

Miroku knew what he was doing and he knew it would lead to Kagome telling them the truth. After all, didn't she just lie to them again? "No, you didn't. You told us that you fell down the stairs. You didn't tell us how."

"Oh. I thought I did. Well, when I got home I thought my dad wasn't home, so I was heading upstairs to my room. He jumped out of nowhere and started yelling. Before I knew it I was falling backward down the stairs. I remember hitting my head and nothing else after that."

"Why was he yelling?" Inuyasha asked curiously.

"I don't know."

"What did he say?" Miroku said calmly.

"He said, 'what have I told you?'"

"What has he told you?"

"I don't know what he was talking about."

"Have you two been fighting about something?"

"Yes."

"What is it?" A shocked Sango asked.

"Boys."

"THAT'S ALL?" Sango yelled and rolled her eyes. "That's typical."

"Is that why we can't walk you home anymore?" Inuyasha asked incredulously.

Kagome didn't say anything she just nodded.

"What's wrong with your father?" Sango asked in disbelief.

"I don't know. But ever since mom and Sota died, he just doesn't want me around guys. I'm really sorry."

Inuyasha was mad. He was as mad at Kagome, as he was at her father. Why would she lie to him for just that? "Why didn't you just tell me that?"

"I don't know. I thought you would hate me."

"We could never hate you, Kagome. Don't you know that? You're part of our little family. You shouldn't have lied to us." Sango walked to the other side of the table and hugged Kagome.

'Now we're getting somewhere.' Thought Miroku. "Kagome, what happened when you were caught hanging with us guys?"

Kagome tensed up. "I don't want to talk about that."

"Why not?" asked a curious and slightly angry Sango.

"Because I don't want to!" Kagome got up and ran out of the lunchroom.

"What's wrong with her?" Inuyasha asked.

"We pushed her too far." Miroku simply said. He was always wise beyond his years. He had lost both of his parents in a fire when he was eight. He had a burn on his right hand that he kept hidden to make him remember the accident. The bell rang ten minutes later.

All of the them had English class together after lunch. Kagome sat as far away from them as possible. She didn't even look at them. She couldn't. They couldn't find out what her father was doing to her. She didn't want their pity or their sympathy. When class was over Kagome practically ran out the door. She only had one class left and then she was home free. It wasn't like her home would protect her from her pain, but it would protect her from her friends' questions.

'I'll be home free after this last class.' She thought with relief.

The bell rang a half hour later. Kagome was the fifth one out the door. She looked up to see Inuyasha standing by the door.

"Going somewhere?" Inuyasha said as he raised an eyebrow.

"Leave me alone Inuyasha."

"Not a chance Kagome. You're gonna tell what's going on with you. What happened after your father yelled at you to come inside or that time when he dragged you into the house? What's going on? Either you tell me or I won't leave you alone until you do." He said following her.

"Ok. Ok. Ok, I'll tell you but not here. Let's go to the park."

"Won't you get in trouble?"

"Now all of a sudden you care? I don't care anymore. I can't take this. I'll get in trouble either way. It doesn't matter."

They walked to the park and sat on the swings. Ten minutes passed before she spoke.

"It all started after my birthday. You know, after my mom and little brother died. My dad was taking it pretty hard, even though he never let me know it. There were beer and liquor bottles he never saw in the morning because I would get up and clean the place up. Anyway, let's talk about what goes on now. He's been doing this since I was fourteen.

He would go to my room and yell at me for no reason. He would just hit me because he could. I never fought him. If I did, I would get it worse then I do now. He just hits me a couple of times and leaves me alone. I go up to my room and prepare myself for the next time."

"Kagome."

"Right. You want to know what happened to me those times after I got in the house. The first time when I was dragged in my dad had warned me not to hang around you guys. I didn't think he was serious because I've been hanging around you for as long as I can remember. You even slept over my house a couple of times when your dad died."

Inuyasha's mother died while giving birth to him. His father died when he was seven. His father was working at a construction site when the wood they were stacking fell over on top of him. He's been living with his aunt and uncle ever since.

"I never wanted this to happen. I just wish this would stop."

"Kagome, what happened?"

"He beat me up. Badly. All those times you saw me beat up and mangled. He did that to me. He's been doing it for a year and half."

"He what! Why didn't you ever tell anyone? Why didn't you tell me!"

"Because," she started looking at Inuyasha's shocked and hurt face. "I didn't want to lose him. Or hurt you or any of my friends."

"What the hell is wrong with you? You have to get rid of him. He's hurting you."

"You don't understand Inuyasha."

"Make me understand. I want to know what's going on with you."

"You don't get it. He's the only one of my family I have left. I can't lose him, no matter what. Anyway, it's really late and I have to go." she got off the swing.

"You can't go back there. I won't let you."

"You can't stop the inevitable. Don't try." She turned on her heel and ran away.

Kagome arrived at her home later than she wished to. She walked up the steps and opened the door. She tried to be quiet and unnoticed. She really did but…

"Kagome." Onigumo stood up from his chair in the living room. "Where have you been?"