Title: But He Can't Stop My Tears

Summary: Sango's fondest memory after the death of Miroku. Can stand alone but is a semi-sequel to 'To Find Your God Within'.

Disclaimer: As usual, I own nothing.

Genre: Angst, a dash of romance.

Rating: PG

A/N: Enjoy!!

He stopped the rain for me.

It was one of those times, when the whole day had been bad. I wasn't feeling well, we had been walking forever and I was tired and hungry and just flat out in a bad mood. I was lagging behind, letting the group go ahead of me, partly so I could be alone with my thoughts, and partly so I wouldn't have to deal with Miroku-sama's dreadful, never ending optimism and Shippo's happy-go-lucky chipper-ness. Then of course, it started to rain.

I had muttered many bad words beneath my breath, but didn't bother increasing my pace, though I knew the others were bound to. I could be stuck by lightning and it wouldn't have mattered. I was just considering whether or not I should go and catch up when I saw a black and purple robed figure coming for me. Great. Miroku-sama wanted to play hero. He stopped next to me and matched his pace to mine, smiling at me. "Go away." I had said, figuring that subtle hints weren't going to work this time. Apparently the flat-out obvious ones wouldn't either, because he just walked there, smiling.

"Does the rain bother you, Sango?" He asked.

"Didn't I tell you to go away?" I muttered in reply.

"Does it?" He persisted.

I lost my temper. "Yes, you annoying monk, the rain bothers me, and unless you think you can do something about it, go away!"

"Would you like me to?" he asked, surprising me. I had thought he would have gotten the hint.

"Like you to what?"

"Stop the rain."

"Miroku, what on earth are you taking about?"

He didn't answer me in words, but instead started a quiet chant, spinning his staff horizontal in the air above our heads. He muttered the final word, and then slammed the bottom of his staff into the ground at our feet. A shining silvery-blue dome expanded from it, creating a shield above our heads. It was a weak one, which even Myoga could have gotten through, but it stopped the rain.

I looked at him with slightly narrowed eyes. "Why bother?" I had asked, gesturing to the shield.

"Because," he had smiled, "The rain bothered you. You see, Sango dear, for you, I would do anything you desired. I would even stop the rain."

And he had. That was probably the single sweetest thing anyone had ever said to me, and the first time Miroku had done something chivalrous without groping me directly afterward.

But he's gone now.

He said he would do anything for me. He stopped the rain.

Oh, Miroku. Where are you now?

Why aren't you here to stop my tears?