Disclaimer: (cries into her pillow) I don't own Inuyasha. What a pity.

The Way Things Are

Kagome ran all the way back to her house, fear constricting her chest. She had only ever defied her mother once, and the memory of that was fresh in her mind, as was the scar Mrs. Higurashi had left on her. She knew she had left the brothers rather abruptly, but she had to get back. Otherwise the punishment would just be worse.

She flung open the front door in a desperate gamble to get to the stairs before her mother did. She lost.

"Where have you been?" Mrs. Higurashi asked, her cold tone sending shivers down Kagome's spine. "Curfew ended half an hour ago."

"I'm sorry, Mother." she whispered. "I was at the dojo, and I kinda got carried away. It won't happen again!"

"You're right." Mrs. Higurashi said as she advanced on her frightened daughter. "It won't."

OOOOO

Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha raced down the chaotic streets of Tokyo, weaving through crowds of tourists and natives trying to get home from work. The brothers knew which district Kagome lived in, it was just a matter of getting there before she did.

"Inuyasha!" Sesshoumaru called. "She went this way! Follow me!" With that the elder Takahashi took the lead, Inuyasha close on his heels.

OOOOO

"Mother, no!" Kagome cried out, twisting to the side as Mrs. Higurashi threw a kitchen knife at her. It barely missed her shoulder. "Please, stop!"

"I can't." the woman replied coldly. "Trash like you needs to be taught a lesson. What is the lesson, girl? Can you tell me yet?"

"Mother, please!" Rationalizing with this woman was impossible. Kagome could give the right answer and still be beaten later; it depended solely on her mother's wishes at the time.

Now, she knew she wasn't getting out of this one. She'd be lucky to leave with her life.

Mrs. Higurashi reached forward and caught the girl's arm, holding her still while she beat her with the handle of the butcher knife she held.

OOOOO

"Sesshoumaru, I smell blood!" Inuyasha cried out. The boys skidded to a stop in front of a dilapidated old house, Kagome's house. Sesshoumaru studied the door for a moment. Nope, it wouldn't hold.

"Stand back." he instructed, and rammed the door. It busted off the hinges and slammed into the hallway that led to the stairwell. Both boys gasped in horror at what they saw.

Kagome was black and blue by this point, her limp body held in her mother's merciless grasp. Mrs. Higurashi's gaze darkened as it landed on the brothers.

"Youkai." she spat. "I heard there was still some of your foul breed in the city. Are you going to try to rescue it?" She shook the miko violently. Kagome moaned in pain.

Sesshoumaru's eyes went blood red. "Let go of her!" He charged the woman, knocking Kagome from her grasp. Inuyasha quickly went to the girl, not trusting himself not to kill the woman on sight. Kagome flinched in his gentle hold, and her eyes fluttered open.

"Inuyasha." she whispered. "What happened?" She looked over to the side and saw Sesshoumaru pinning Mrs. Higurashi to the wall by her throat. He was growling deep in his chest, and with a start she realized Inuyasha was doing the same. "Don't kill her, please."

"Sesshoumaru." Inuyasha said harshly, getting the older youkai's attention. "Let's get out of here. She's human; the cops will come and investigate."

"Not if I burn her head off." Sesshoumaru growled back. Nevertheless, he released his hold on the woman. She slid to the floor, gasping for air. "Now what, little brother?"

"Now we take her home." Inuyasha said calmly. Despite the lack of anger in his voice, his eyes were rimmed in red. It was far more dangerous for a hanyou to lose control of his demonic side than it was for a full-youkai. Right now, he was barely in control.

Sesshoumaru nodded and the brothers left, Kagome cradled gently in Inuyasha's arms. They said nothing until they were in their own district. To Kagome's surprise, no one questioned the bloody girl held by a pair of youkai. If anything, they seemed to avoid confrontation with the brothers at all cost.

"Why hasn't someone called the cops yet?" she asked softly.

"They don't mess with youkai." Sesshoumaru responded. "All cops are human. They aren't equipped enough to handle us."

"Or paid enough." Inuyasha added with a dry chuckle. "It's just the way things are." He looked down at Kagome. "Why haven't you tried to get away yet? I know tonight wasn't an accident."

"Just an accident that you two are far nosier than you should be." Kagome replied with a chuckle of her own. "It's always been that way. I've never known any different."

"Why not ask for help?" Sesshoumaru wondered, not really expecting an answer. He was surprised when Kagome's soft voice gave him the last answer he expected.

"It's just the way things are. I've accepted it."

OOOOO

When the Takahashi brothers got home, Izayoi and Taisho were up waiting for them. "Now just where have you two been?" Izayoi demanded, her hands on her hips. For a human, she could be just as scary as Taisho when she was mad. Sesshoumaru said nothing, but held the door open as Inuyasha carried Kagome inside. Izayoi gasped.

"Mom, this is Kagome." Inuyasha said quietly. "We had to get her out of a bad fix."

"Who did this to her?" Taisho demanded, leaning over to study the child's wounds better. Sesshoumaru snorted in disgust.

"Her mother." he hissed. Taisho's eyes widened in shock, as did Izayoi's. "We couldn't have left her there."

"I wouldn't have expected you to." Taisho said simply. "Her wounds will heal on their own. Take her up to the guest room; if you want, stay with her the night. She'll be scared enough when she wakes up in a strange house, no sense in letting her wake up alone." The brothers nodded and carried Kagome away up the stairs, Sesshoumaru leading the way. Taisho sighed and turned to his mate.

"I never expected this to happen." he said quietly. "Things have progressed much farther than I first believed."

"They've taken the girl in as their sister." Izayoi said calmly. "If our suspicions prove correct, and Naraku does use Kagome, they will go to protect her."

"And we won't be able to stop them." Taisho finished calmly. He sighed. "I think it's time I showed them the swords."