Disclaimer - I do not own Inuyasha.

A/N: I'm very proud to say, CHAPTER 23! YAAAY! (You're gonna get what ya want in this chappy. Trust me… You can trust me, can't you? O.o)

Once they had passed the lobby secretary desk without any suspicious looks, they began to run to their hotel room to get Kagome to safety. Inuyasha handed Kagome to Kouga, knowing he was faster than him even though he could run pretty fast himself. Kagome's eyes fluttered open slightly and she saw Kouga's face, flushed with anger. He hated the person whoever did this to Kagome more than anything on the planet at that moment.

"K-Kouga?" Kouga looked down at her slightly then continued to run, wanting to murder the man stupid enough to hurt her.

"Shh, we're gonna be there in a second. Just rest," He told her. She turned her head slightly and saw the blurs of Inuyasha and Miroku. Kagome decided to let Kouga take her to the room, not knowing anything but that and she let her eyelids fall once more. She heard a door open and gasps from the two girls. She was laid down on a very soft cushion which was placed on one of the beds. Sango had one in her suitcase and quickly placed it on the bed, knowing it was rock hard. She wanted her to be as comfortable as possible. It seemed like hours had passed before she woke up when, in reality, it had only been 3 minutes. Kagome awoke to find 5 worried heads all around her. Sango looked like she would bawl any second, Alexis had this frightened look on, Kouga was wearing blank eyes and cooing her to rest once more, Miroku was holding Sango's side and kissing her every so often to try to calm her while on the other hand he was scared shitless at how Kagome was, and Inuyasha was staring sadly and lovingly down at his Kagome. She tried to smile at them but she was too exhausted to even do that. All her other beatings before had happened at home and she had to be strong for her brother but he wasn't there, she felt the full affect of her father's beating.

"Kagome..." She heard Sango whisper and she turned her gaze to her friend. "Who..?" She couldn't finish her sentence and turned away from her while Miroku rubbed her back comfortingly. Kagome swallowed but her mouth was dry.

"Water please." She said in a raspy voice while she tried to sit up. Kouga helped her while he propped a pillow that was behind her so she could sit up to talk to them and Inuyasha walked over to the sink and got her some water with ice.

"Here ya go Kags," Inuyasha said as he handed her the water but she couldn't hold it. So, he held the water for her and asked Alexis to grab a straw near the sink. She did and came back with it within seconds, using her magnificent wolfy powers. (we need some comedy relief) She placed it into the water and Kagome sucked on the straw and drank like she hadn't had water in years. When she was through, she had gained some of her strength back and could talk a little, but enough to tell them what had been going. She took a deep breath and prepared herself to tell them her story.

She was sitting in the comfortable leather seat in the living room and the others were all on the couch which the boys had moved so they were facing her. All four fit on the couch while Inuyasha was next to Kagome's chair. He'd brought her over to the chair a half an hour ago because she'd asked for him too. She was getting ready to tell them all, sugarcoating nothing.

"So Kags," Inuyasha started and she looked at him weakly from her chair. "Will you please tell us who did this to you? Was it your father?" He asked her. Kagome's eyes widened slightly at Inuyasha's guess.

'Of course he'd think that, stupid! He saw him before he took you away. It's okay, tell them. You can do this!' Kagome thought to herself, giving herself some confidence. Then she spoke quietly, "Yes.. My dad hit me with something then dragged me away to his apartment." Kagome's eyes began to well with tears, it wasn't as easy to talk about it as she thought it might be.

"Oh God, Kagome." Sango cried for her friend and wished that there was something that they could do.

"Was this the first time he's done something like this?" Kouga asked her. She was silent for a moment.

"No," She whispered to them and they were all shocked, everyone except Inuyasha.

"Kagome, do you think you need a doctor, a hospital?" Miroku asked her in a brotherly manner. She smiled the smallest smile in the world.

"No thank you." She said, then she winced in pain. "Maybe… but first I have to tell you this." They were all quiet besides the awkward fidgeting on the couch.

"Oh Kaggy, how long..?" Sango asked her. She shuddered slightly at the question.

"T-ten years ago. My brother was born and everything was going great. Then my dad lost his job and began to drink. My mother was the first one to get beat but she said it was because he had a big temper.. I knew better." She whispered. Then with new strength continued, "He came home late every night and yelled at my mother and hurt her or occasionally forced her to bed with him... Then one day he turned to me and.. and told me I was worthless, pathetic."

FLASHBACK

A seven year old Kagome had been crying on her bed. She hated when her mommy got hurt. Especially when she was in pain. She'd once seen her parents bodies that close before but they were both happy, not this time though. No, her father was being mean and her mother was screaming out in pain.

"Mommy..." Kagome whispered into her pillow. Suddenly, the screaming had died down and she heard her father's footsteps walking out into the kitchen. Kagome went to investigate.

"Daddy?" She asked as her naked father closed the refrigerator door. He looked at her, barely seeing the little girl in front of him. "Daddy?" Kagome asked him again. He grunted slightly with a small burp. "Daddy, did you hurt mommy?" She asked quietly, sitting herself on a stool at the kitchen island. Her feet were wiggling back and forth, she was nervous. He growled slightly, chugging down some milk. "Daddy!" Kagome yelled at him to get his attention. He slapped her in the face and she began to sob.

"Shut up..." He said, alarmed at what he'd done. Then anger clouded his eyes and he couldn't control himself. "SHUT YOUR MOUTH!" He slapped her once more. Her crying became even louder.

"Daddy, what did I do?" She asked, frantically trying to get up. Her tiny hands were clutching at the tile floor.

"You did... nothing!" He said as he punched her once more. "You're worthless!" He yelled at her and she screamed as she was picked up by her father's large hands. He turned her to face him and saw her precious little eyes shining with tears.

"Daddy?" She questioned him weakly, tears beginning to fall down her face again.

'What have I done to my Kagome?' A voice asked in the back of his mind but he couldn't control the hate that was consuming him.

"And you're pathetic!" He whispered, pure loathing dripping on his every word. He brought her to her room and threw her roughly on the bed. Then he began the punching and slapping all over again. It was a miracle he didn't kill her. Kagome was only seven and she was so small for her age. Later that night Kagome lay awake in her bed, silently sobbing. She heard her father come into her room and sit on the rocking chair in the corner of her room. He began to rock back and forth and the rocking chair began to creak. Suddenly, he was sobbing.

"Oh God, what have I done?" He asked himself. "Oh my baby girl, I'm so sorry." He whispered through his tears. Kagome sat up slightly and he looked alarmed then smiled his old smile at her. "Come here Kagome..." She didn't move. He got a little angry at that but understood her reasons. "Kagome, come here. I promise I won't hurt you." She walked over to his now dressed form. She got on his lap and she hugged him. They cried together for a while and she looked into his eyes.

"Daddy, I love you..." She whispered to him. He smiled kindly and happily.

"I love you too, precious. Now, get to bed." He told her and she obeyed. As she got into bed she smiled contentedly. He walked over to her and touched her head then bent down and kissed her. "I love you Kagome, goodnight." That was the last time she would ever hear those words from his mouth or see him happy. The next day Kagome got an even worse beating then the night before.

END OF FLASHBACK

"He began to beat me and never stopped since. My brother was only five years old when he was first beaten. I hate him..." Kagome finished and everyone was silent.

"We're so sorry Kagome." Kouga spoke up through the silence and she looked into his eyes. She smiled at him but the memory of her kind father was lingering and she couldn't help but begin to cry.

"What did I do?" She begged to know. "What did I say? Why did he get soo m-mad?" Kagome was sobbing and the others didn't move. They couldn't comfort her or answer her. She looked each of them desperately in the eyes. "Please, tell me what I did! Oh come on, I know you know!" She moaned. Inuyasha touched her back slightly and flinched. "I'm sorry..." She whispered to them and they immediately forgave her. "It's just... I don't know why he couldn't love me.. or my mommy... or Souta. I wish we were good enough for him." She cried some more then quieted down.

"Kagome, we love you. Inuyasha, Miroku, Kouga, Alexis, and me." Sango told her firmly. Kagome smiled as she looked at the carpet.

"I know you do but... I wish my father did." More tears streamed down her face and she vented her pain by screaming out in anguish and moaning out questions that would never be answered. "Why'd he have to hate me? He used to love me... he did! I... I used to love him too.." She tried to get up from the chair but couldn't. Sango and Alexis were crying with her silently, hating to see her lose her bearings like that. Miroku was choking up but he knew he had to stay strong for Sango and Alexis. Kouga was pacing again, trying to think of anything but what was happening. This was too deep for him, he couldn't handle it. He warned Kagome that he wouldn't be able to... But now, he'd have to, he loved her and not the way Sango or the others thought he did. Inuyasha had taken Kagome onto his lap and was cradling her in his arms while she asked the same questions over and over and cried and cried.

"Oh Kags, I'm so sorry you had to go through this for so long." He whispered into her hair as she rocked in his arms. A single tear found it's way down Inuyasha cheek and he gasped slightly. She swallowed some saliva then looked him in the eyes. So much pain, hate, sadness, and love was held in them that he wanted to look away, but he willed himself to stare back. "Kagome, I love you." He mouthed and suddenly, she was smiling again.

A/N (At the end of the chappy.. lol): Well, that's it for now! Please review... cause I didn't like it when you got mad at me and yelled... happy reviews are MUCH better! Lol ttyl : )