A/N: Dedicated to my aunt, who lost the love of her life suddenly on May 1st. He left behind a 14year old daughter, 3 stepchildren, and 4 grandchildren. Please, tell your loved ones you love them, even if you're angry or upset. You never know if they'll have a tomorrow.

Inspired by the song Forever and Always by Parachute.

Forever and Always
Part I

The greatest love stories are not those in which love is only spoken,
but those in which love is acted upon.

It was getting late. A woman's hazel eyes glanced at the clock on the wall, noting the hour, and she exhaled deeply. Her fiancé was supposed to have been here by now. They had planned a romantic dinner for just the two of them. Her brown hair was swept up in an elegant bun and she had slipped on a pretty black dress. She was a tomboy at heart, so dressing up was rare for her. She had done it just for him.

And he was late.

Sango furrowed her brows and worried her bottom lip nervously. Her fiancé was many things. He was a lecher, tended to rip people off, and always had a risqué comment up his sleeve. But he was never late. And if he ever thought he may be running behind, he would always call. Her phone hadn't rung all night.

Deciding to calm her fears, she picked up her cell phone and dialed his number. It rang several times before finally going to voicemail:

"Hello! You've reached the voicemail box of Miroku Houshi. If you're a hot chick, you may leave a message at the tone. If you're one of my friends, you may also leave a message at the tone. And if you're my beautiful, wonderful, perfect fiancé, I love you baby and I promise to call you soon!"

"Hey, Miroku, it's me," she said, feeling her heart clench. "I'm just calling because you're running late and I'm a little worried. Please give me a call so I know you're all right. I love you."

Frowning, Sango set her phone down on the table and tapped her fingers against the surface impatiently. She was sure that he would have called. After all the years of being with him, this was very out of character. He was already an hour late.

The brunette stood up and made her way toward the window. Her eyes sought the driveway through the darkness, but unfortunately found it empty. He wasn't home yet. She waited a few more minutes, staring outside forlornly, before turning to pick up her phone again.

"Hello?"

"Inuyasha? Hey, it's Sango," she spoke into the phone anxiously. "Have you heard from Miroku today?"

"Not since earlier. Why?"

"It's probably nothing," she replied with a sheepish smile. "It's just, we had plans for dinner, and he's late. I'm getting worried."

"Oh, you know Miroku. He probably got caught up at work or something. I'm sure he's fine."

"I suppose," was her hesitant reply. She gripped the phone tighter. "But... he's never late. And he's not picking up his phone."

"Relax, Sango," her fiancé's best friend spoke over the receiver. "I'll swing by his apartment to check on him. And if he isn't there, I'll swing by work. Don't worry so much."

"Yeah, okay." She visibly relaxed but still couldn't shake the bad feeling forming in the pit of her stomach. "Just please call me when you hear from him."

"No problem. I'll talk to you soon."

"Goodbye, Inuyasha."

Sango hung up the phone, but didn't release her death grip. Inuyasha was Miroku's best friend. The two talked constantly throughout the day, especially since they worked for the same company. Not to mention they often got together for a few drinks after a long day at the office. If Inuyasha hadn't seen him…

Something was very wrong.

Her eyes glanced back to the window, eagerly awaiting a shine from headlights as her fiancé pulled into the driveway. She stood there for a few minutes, but no car came. She felt sick to her stomach and couldn't shake the growing dread. But what could she do?

Suddenly, her cell phone rang and she startled. She quickly pressed her phone to her ear, not bothering to read the name on the caller id.

"Miroku? Is that you?"

"Sango," her best friend's voice spoke over the receiver.

She sighed with disappointment. "Oh, hey Kagome. What's going on?"

"Sango, I need you to come to the hospital. Please. It's urgent."

The brunette raised a brow. Kagome worked as a nurse in the emergency department at the hospital and they were always busy during the midnight shift. She hardly even saw her friend because of the long days and crazy hours she worked. So what had happened that made Kagome take the time to call her? What was so urgent?

"Why? What happened?"

"Just please. Something's happened. You need to come right now. Inuyasha is already on his way to pick you up."

"Inuyasha?" she questioned. "But, I don't understand."

"Sango," Kagome spoke. Her voice was somber, hesitant, and Sango knew her words before she spoke them. "It's Miroku."

The phone clattered to the ground. Kagome's words echoed in Sango's mind as she collapsed to the floor. Her fiancé had been hurt. And it must be bad considering how hasty Kagome had been, how dire her voice had sounded.

What was she going to do? Her heart defiantly wanted to rush to the hospital, Inuyasha be damned! But her body wouldn't move. She was in shock. Her breath came in shaky gasps and she clenched her hands into fists to keep them from trembling.

Her mind turned back to months ago, back when everything was right with the world. Memories of a cold winter night came to mind and she closed her eyes to thwart the tears threatening to fall.

It was December. A winter wonderland covered the city and streetlamps sparked off the fresh falling snow. Dazzling lights and brightly wrapped presents shined from store windows. Trees hung with brilliant décor bordered the avenue.

Sango beamed as her long-time boyfriend grasped her hand, swinging their arms back and forth as they walked down the street. They had just left their friend's Christmas party and decided to walk home. It was the perfect night. It was just warm enough to keep away the bitter winter chill, but cold enough for snow to fall from the sky.

"Do you think they'll ever come to like each other?" Miroku asked, speaking of their two best friends.

The brunette grinned. "Oh, they already do. Didn't you know?"

He raised a brow and gave her a curious look. "I couldn't tell over all the childish banter they shared this evening."

She laughed and her eyes sparkled. "Don't you worry. They'll be in love before you know it."

"Love, huh? You think it'll get that far?"

"Of course," she replied with an affirmative nod. "They're simply crushing at the moment. Just give them some time."

He stopped walking then, pulling her to a pause. She glanced back at him questioningly, before he took a few steps and folded her into his arms. Her heart hammered in her chest as she gazed up at him longingly. His breath caressed her cheek and she swallowed against the lump in her throat.

"Miroku," she spoke, breathless.

He tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, cupping her face in his hand. "I love you, Sango. I love you more than you could ever imagine."

She smiled softly, leaning her head into his touch. "I love you, too."

Before she understood what was happening, he grasped her hand in his and stooped to bended knee. Out of the pocket of his jacket, he revealed a small velvet box. Her eyes widened as he smiled and opened it, unveiling the most breathtaking diamond ring she had ever laid eyes on.

"Miroku…?" she questioned, cursing how shaky her voice sounded.

"I want you, Sango, forever," he pledged, running his thumb over her knuckles. "Forever and always. Through the good and the bad and the ugly."

She covered her mouth with her hand, feeling the sting of tears behind her eyes. Her voice was lost to her, and all she could do was listen to the devotion in his words.

"I want to grow old together with you," he continued. "I want to marry you, Sango. My love. My life. My forever and always."

She could only nod fervently at his unspoken question. He stood up, grinning, waiting expectantly. "Y-yes," she finally said, albeit breathless, with the biggest smile on her face. "Of course I'll marry you."

"I was hoping you'd say that," Miroku said with a chuckle.

He swept her into his arms and lifted her up, spinning her into a circle. Sango's cheeks blushed prettily as she laughed, knowing that she was soon going to begin the rest of her life with the man she loved with all of her soul. The snow continued falling around them as nearby church bells tolled, ringing in Christmas Day.

"Sango?"

The brunette snapped out of her reverie, ignoring the tears falling down her cheeks. She was sitting on the kitchen floor, her cell phone at her side. Her fiancé's best friend came in through the entryway, his amber eyes etched with worry.

"Inu-Inuyasha," she mumbled.

He knelt down beside her, his silver hair knotted and wet. It must have begun to rain since she last looked outside. "Sango," he spoke gently, grasping her hand. "We need to go."

"Go?" she echoed. "Go where?"

Inuyasha exhaled deeply. "Miroku needs us, Sango. We need to get to the hospital."

She didn't put up a fight as he pulled her to her feet. He wrapped a secured arm around her waist as she clung to his shirt. She wasn't sure what would happen when she walked through those hospital doors. The worst case scenarios kept flickering through her mind.

But one thing kept her moving, making her slip into Inuyasha's car before he sped down the street. Her husband-to-be needed her. Through the good and the bad and the ugly. And she would be there for him. Forever and always.

XOXOXOXO

The car didn't even come to a full stop before Sango's feet hit the pavement and she was storming through the entrance to the hospital. She hurried up to the front desk, trying desperately to ignore her growing fear.

A security guard glanced up upon her arrival. "Miroku Houshi," she stated, her voice shaky and uneven. "He-he was brought in a little while ago."

Inuyasha caught up to her and put a hand on her shoulder. She leaned into his touch, needing some kind of support. She was sure she would fall if her strength wavered for even a moment.

The man behind the counter looked grim as he stood up, rounding the desk and standing beside them. "Follow me. I'll take you to him."

"Were you expecting us?" Inuyasha asked as they followed after him. He only nodded in response.

Inuyasha and Sango were led down a million halls, a maze that was never ending. A nurse greeted them when they finally arrived at the intensive care unit. She spoke about what happened, but Sango barely heard her.

"There was an accident."

Sango suddenly felt cold, as if all her blood had turned to ice. Her breath came in short rasps and a lump formed in her throat. She clenched her teeth together to keep them from chattering.

"…wreck…"

"…blood…"

"…fatality…"

"…critical…"

The brunette hardly understood what she was saying. A rushing sound filled her ears and the nurse's voice seemed to be coming from far away. This couldn't be happening. It had to be some mistake.

"Sango!"

She startled and dragged her gaze to someone running down the hall toward them. Kagome's obsidian hair was wild and frantic, no longer in the perfect bun she always adorned during work. Her large doe eyes were filled with fear and her make-up had long since worn off. Her cheeks were red from crying, and suddenly, Sango felt sick to her stomach.

Before she could even acknowledge what was happening, Kagome's arms were around her, holding her tightly in an embrace. "I'm so sorry, Sango," she cried out, burying her face into her shoulder. Kagome clung to her, as if for dear life, while noisy sobs wracked her frame. She quivered against her, wetting her shirt with her tears.

Sango pushed her away, confused, but refusing to acknowledge what she already knew to be true. She shook her head. "I don't understand. How bad is it?"

Kagome's eyes glistened with fresh tears. She stole a look at Inuyasha, who gently wrapped an arm around Sango's shoulders, as if to brace her for the news. Kagome clenched a fist tightly to her chest while touching the brunette's elbow gently. "Sango, the car accident … it was really bad. We rushed Miroku into CT as soon as he arrived to find the extent of the damage, but there's nothing we can do. There's nothing anybody can do. There's too much internal bleeding. Even with surgery, it won't be enough." She took a deep breath as a single drop slid down her cheek. "He doesn't have much time."

Sango took a step back, as if she had been punched in the stomach. "W-what?" She felt as if the breath had been knocked from her lungs, and she was sure to have collapsed if Inuyasha hadn't been there to steady her. "W-what do you mean? Is this a joke?"

Kagome shook her head sadly. "I wish it was."

Sango was silent for a few minutes as the weight of Kagome's news began to sink in. The reality began to crash down upon her. She couldn't speak. She couldn't breathe. Nothing. The world around her became a blur of color that melted to gray. A weight became anchored to her chest with the lock in her throat. Small crystal beads began to fall from her eyes, trailed down her cheeks to her neck, and her chest. Only to melt into the cloth she wore and fall from her pouting lips.

When she finally broke down crying, there was rawness to it, as fresh as an open wound. She stumbled around the hallway with Inuyasha beside her, finally grasping onto a chair and then her whole body began to shake. Her sobs were stifled at first as she attempted to hide her grief, then she was overcome by the wave of emotions and broke down entirely. All her defenses and strength washed away in those salty tears.

Her cries echoed through the austere hallway of the hospital. She collapsed to the floor, letting her wails of heartache reach the heavens as she mourned the news of her fiancé's impending death. She felt as if her heart was being ripped right from her chest. Her soul mate, the man she planned to spend the rest of her life with, grow old with, was dying. And there wasn't anything she could do to stop it.

When Sango at last turned to face Inuyasha and Kagome, she was a picture of grief, loss, devastation. It was the face of someone who had suffered before and didn't know if she could do it again. "I can't do this," she choked out, her eyes begging her friends to help her. "I can't."

Kagome knelt down beside her and took her hand in her own. "Yes," she replied, her voice steady and her eyes fierce with resolution. "Yes, you can. You know why? Because you are a survivor. You are going to survive this. You are stronger than anyone I know and I will be with you every step of the way, no matter what, day or night."

"So will I," Inuyasha said quietly, laying a hand against her back.

"But Sango, look at me," Kagome spoke, waiting to meet her friend's gaze. "Right now, the man in the next room needs you to be strong. You need to dry your tears and smile for him, because that's what Miroku would want. He always hated to see you upset." She smiled warmly then, running a thumb over Sango's cheek to wipe away the tears.

There was a faint curve to Sango's lips, nodding at her friend's words. She felt numb with the news that was threatening to drown her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm her frantically beating heart. Kagome was right. Bawling in front of Miroku would only make things harder on the both of them, and would waste precious minutes. There would be plenty of time to mourn for him after … No, she couldn't think like that. Not now. Not when he was still here, just in the next room.

"Okay," she finally replied, opening her eyes and steeling her resolve.

Hesitantly, she stood up, ignoring her friends' offer for support. She was calm now, her tears dried and the trembling had stopped. She tried to keep a straight face as she walked into the room.

There was a man lying under starch white covers. But he was barely recognizable. His face was black and blue, with bandages covering his head and the parts of his chest she could see. He didn't look anything like the fiancé she loved and adored.

"Miroku?" she called softly, sitting by his bedside. She fought against the sting of tears threatening to fall. "Hey, baby."

His eyes fluttered open and looked in her direction. "Hello, beautiful…," he mumbled with a smile.

She held his hand too tight, as if to hold him there forever. Words were lost to her. What was she supposed to say? What was she to include in the final conversation she would ever have with the love of her life? There were so many things left unsaid. So many dreams and ambitions that would be left unfulfilled. How could she even begin?

Sango worried her bottom lip anxiously, fumbling through her thoughts for the right one. "Do you remember," Miroku began hoarsely, bringing her attention back to him. "How many kids we wanted to have?"

Recalling the conversation they had months ago, she appeared amused. "Yeah," she scoffed with a laugh. "I wanted three and you said you wanted more like fifteen."

He grinned. "I always … wanted a big family, with plenty of children running underfoot. The house would've been full of laughter."

"That house on the hillside would've been perfect for a big family," she spoke, gazing at their joined hands.

When they had first gotten engaged, they had looked at a few houses. They were in no rush to marry or move-in together, so they took their time with visiting different places, enjoying the wonderment of the different styles.

One warm Spring morning, Miroku had taken her to see a large house that sat on a hill overlooking the bay. The white paint was peeling off the exterior wood and the inside appeared no better. But he had spoken with such excitement, talking loudly and waving his hands around, painting a picture of a gorgeous home. He showed her where the children's rooms would be and how amazing the kitchen would look and they could sit out on the porch every morning and watch the sunrise.

She had fallen in love with it by the end of the day.

"I loved that house," she said now, gazing at him longingly. "I wish we could have spent our lives together there."

"We can," he mumbled, smiling at her confused expression. "I'm glad I can … still surprise you. I put an offer in on the house a few weeks ago and they accepted. The house is ours."

Shocked, Sango let her mouth hang open, unsure as to what to say to him. When the realization of what he said, that her dream house – their home – belonged to them, she squealed with excitement.

"Holy crap! Are you kidding me? It's really ours?!" she exclaimed, laughing as he nodded. "I can't believe it!"

"It's what I was going to show you tonight," he confessed. "I was going to ask you to move in with me and start our life together."

Suddenly, the certainty of their situation crashed down hard, and Sango had to place a hand against the bed to steady herself. For just a second, she had forgotten that Miroku was dying. How could she? Probably because of how cheerful and positive he seemed. He acted just like the man she fell in love with, like a man who would live to love her another day.

Looking at him now, she noticed he was paler than when she had first entered the room. The numbers on the monitors beeping quietly in the background had changed, and although she wasn't in the medical field, she knew it wasn't good.

Her eyes were sad now. She stared at their tangled hands, running her fingers over his palm. He took notice of the sudden change and held on tighter. "We're going to have a lot of kids," he promised. "We'll have the good life … and live in that pretty house on the hillside. We'll stay there forever."

She smiled. "Forever and always."

"Through the good and the bad and the ugly," he pledged. "We'll … grow old together and we'll always remember, whether rich … or for poor … or for better. We'll still love each other, forever and always."

A single tear slid down her cheek at his confession, but she quickly wiped it away. It was true, she would love him always. They had an epic love story and nothing was going to change that. Not even the tragic end.

Suddenly, an idea struck her, and she was filled with a sense of urgency. She leaned over Miroku's bed and placed a kiss to his forehead. "I'll be right back," she promised, squeezing his hand with assurance. "Please, just hold on."

He closed his eyes and nodded in response. Sango ran into the hallway. Inuyasha and Kagome stood from where they were sitting; their eyes dreading what she would say. "I need your help," she told them quickly. "There's no time to explain. Please, Inuyasha, I need you to hurry and get the chaplain."

Kagome crossed her arms over her chest and looked at her quizzically as Inuyasha left them. "Sango, what's going on?"

She exhaled deeply, steeling her resolve. "I'm going to marry the love of my life."

Her best friend looked surprised, but then relieved. She held her hand. "What can I do to help?"

Sango shook her head. "I don't have the rings yet. We were supposed to go looking next week." Covering her face with her hand, she shook her head with frustration. "I can't get married without rings."

"I think I got that covered," Kagome replied with a twinkle in her eye.

Sango raised a brow, but followed after Kagome as she marched down the hall toward another room. When they arrived, she only offered a quick knock before opening the door and intruding on a couple.

"Mr. and Mrs. Ookami," she addressed.

A man appearing to be around their age had piercing blue eyes and dark hair pulled into a ponytail. He looked vaguely familiar, and Sango recalled them attending the same school years ago.

"What's the big idea?" he growled, obviously not pleased with the women barging in on them.

"Is something wrong?" his wife asked from her place in the hospital bed. Her fiery red hair was pulled into two pig-tails, illuminating her startling emerald gaze.

Kagome smiled at them apologetically. "I know this may seem like a strange request, but we have an emergency. Can we borrow your wedding rings?"

Mr. and Mrs. Ookami exchanged glances, equally confused. "Why do you need our rings?" the husband questioned. But when his wife's gaze fell on Sango, who stood a few steps behind Kagome, she simply nodded.

"Of course," she said, slipping off her wedding ring and handing it to Kagome. "Anything to help ease a broken heart."

Mr. Ookami still seemed confused. "Why the hell would you do that? They're practically strangers to us."

His wife frowned. "Kouga, if my guess is right, this woman is going through more pain than either you or I could imagine. I don't see any reason as to why we can't let them borrow them. Besides, we'll be attending the ceremony."

He raised a brow. "We will?"

"Of course!" she exclaimed. "Now hand it over."

Kouga grumbled under his breath over his wife's decision, before slipping off his band and giving it to Kagome. "Just take good care of them."

"I will," she promised.

Sango and Kagome left and returned to the hallway just outside of Miroku's room. Sango had butterflies and held her stomach attempting to calm them.

"It's okay, Sango," her best friend promised with a laugh. "You're simply nervous. It's normal to feel that way on your wedding day."

She chuckled uneasily. "Oh, is that all?" A comfortable silence lapsed between them for a moment, allowing Sango to take a deep breath and clear her thoughts. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she shook her head. "I can't go into that room crying," she said, more for herself than anything.

Kagome smiled. "You look beautiful." She tucked a stray piece of Sango's hair behind her ear. "And what you're doing is wonderful."

Sango went back to Miroku's room, finding Inuyasha and the priest already there, along with the married couple from the room next door. The priest was leaning over Miroku, his prayer book open. Her knees almost buckled. She felt Inuyasha take her arm and looked up. "I know your father should be the one to give you away," he spoke softly. His amber eyes glanced over her face. "But since he can't be here, I hope it's okay if I take his place."

She smiled appreciatively. "I would love that." Together they entered the room with Kagome behind them. Upon seeing Sango, the priest looked up and stepped aside, allowing her to move to the bed. Softly, she called Miroku's name.

His eyelids fluttered open, his brown eyes widened, and his mouth turned up in a smile. "Hey, Gorgeous …"

The priest began to say a couple verses, but his voice was barely heard. Miroku reached up a hand and brushed away a tear from her cheek. She leaned against his touch and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, and trying to ingrain this memory in her mind forever.

She didn't realize that Miroku's other hand had snaked its way to her shirt and found a comfortable place against her chest. Heat reached her cheeks and, out of habit, she clenched a hand into a fist. "Miroku …" she growled, before pinching his hand hard. "You're on your freakin' death bed. Give it a rest, will ya?"

He grinned sheepishly as Inuyasha began to chuckle. "Lecher to the end."

Kagome hit him playfully, but even she began to giggle through the tears in her eyes. Soon, everyone was laughing, even as their tears fell on the floor. Sango wrapped her arms around Miroku, breathing in his scent and feeling the rumble in his chest as he laughed with their friends. She ignored how cold he felt and the sweat that clung to his skin.

She pretended as if they were lying in their bedroom on a warm summer day with a gentle breeze blowing through the windows. She imagined they were playing hooky from work and their families and their responsibilities. It was just the two of them.

Sango pulled away and looked into Miroku's eyes. The room was quiet now, so quiet she could hear the pounding of her own heart. The priest waited expectantly for her to say her vows, her declaration of love.

Taking a deep breath, she whispered, "I want you forever, forever and always. Through the good and the bad and the ugly. We'll grow old together, and always remember, whether happy or sad or whatever. We'll still love each other, forever and always."

She finished her vow and kissed him then, pressing her lips against his for one last time, feeling all of his love in his final breaths. She pulled away, watching as a single tear slipped down his cheek. It's the first time she had seen him cry.

The beeps were getting too slow and his voice was almost too low when he said, "I love you forever … forever and always. Please just … remember even if I'm … not there, I'll always … love you. Forever and always."

"I love you, Miroku."

But Miroku was beyond hearing.