Disclaimer: No! I do NOT own Inuyasha, Kagome, Kagome classmates, Miroku (though I wish I did), Sango, nor any of the cute animal/demon things from Inuyasha! I OWN NOTHING! . . .But this story!

Hi. Well, this is my third Miroku and Sango fic. I hope you all enjoy it.

Chapter One: Hell is happy, Heaven is sad

His cries echoed in her ears, her head felt as if it would implode. His screams tore at her heart, his pain threatened to crush her. All her love for him couldn't stop this. No matter what she wanted, no matter how much she begged, he would leave her. She'd known this all along. She'd admitted to herself that she couldn't be with him because he would die in her arms.

Hadn't she? Was that the only reason she had been hesitant? Or had she been lying to herself all this time? Lying to him? Because of her past?

Sango held onto Miroku's left hand as his right glowed brightly. Inuyasha and Kagome carried him through the forest, trying to reach Mushin before the air void took Miroku too far into itself. Before he was swallowed by his curse.

Miroku groaned, holding onto her hand tightly, so tightly, she feared that her bones had been shattered. He had been in so much pain the last few days, but now the curse was taking hold of him. Destroying him. Dragging him into the void. Sango whipped sweat away from his head and spoke words of hope. Spoke to him in a whisper she wasn't sure he could her.

He yelled once more and told Inuyasha to set him on the ground. They were in a clearing, not too far from Mushin, but far enough away for him to know they wouldn't make it. And he would do everything in his power to keep the body count at one.

Kagome leaned down to put something soft behind his head. "Inuyasha! Go get Mushin! You're faster alone. Hurry!"

"Right! Don't even think about dying on us, Miroku!" His voice was harsh as he called over his shoulder.

Sango kept his hand in her own as he fought back the cursed hand and looked up into her face. She tried to smile and make a joke, but he couldn't hear anything any more. Only the air that wished to engulf him inside that void Naraku had placed upon his family.

She didn't feel her tears falling down her face, didn't seem to notice as they dropped onto his chest. All she thought of was his life. All she could think of was what she would do when he was better. What she would do to make his curse a thing of the past.

When. Always 'when'. 'If' wasn't what she wanted to think about. To her, 'if' was giving up on him. She wouldn't give up on him. When this was over . . .

Kill Naraku! She thought, kissing the monk's head. That was what she, with Kagome, Inuyasha, Shippo and Miroku's help, would do. Kill Naraku and save Miroku. Then they could all live forever in peace. Ok, maybe not forever, but at least in more peace than what the last months had been.

"Houshi-sama," she whispered in his ear, running her free hand over his face. "When this is over, if you dare touch another girl, I'll be forced to leave you for someone with better manners."

He chuckled, but it was cut short when he sucked in a breath. "Kagome . . ." he mumbled, trying to keep the pain at bay. "I have a favor to ask of you."

Sango moved away to let Kagome kneel beside him. He spat out two words she couldn't understand. Kagome popped up, a horrified covered the normally cheerful features of the teen. "I can't do that. You'll be fine." There was a lump in her throat when he said those words again, and her eyes burned. "No! You'll be fine, just hold on a bit longer. I hear Inuyasha, now. Just hold on."

"I . . . can't hold on. Please, Kagome."

Tears fell as Kagome jumped up, grabbed Sango's arm and ran toward the wall of trees. "What are you doing, Kagome?! We can't just leave him! Stop!"

Kagome pushed her onto the ground and called Inuyasha to her. He jumped out of the trees and was beside the two girls in a flash. "What, woman?"

"Where is Mushin?" Sango asked, still trying to loosen Kagome's grip on her arm.

"He wasn't there. I could smell him, but I smelled blood. Demon blood. Mushin may still be around, but . . ." Inuyasha stopped and looked at the monk.

"What did he ask you, Kagome? What favor?" Sango asked, looking deep into her friend's eyes."

Kagome looked away and whispered, "Move away."

"What's he doing?" Inuyasha's voice came through the loud sound of Sango's blood storming in her ears.

They looked back at the monk and Sango screamed. "No! Miroku don't!"

She watched in horror as he took off the beads that kept the kaazana at bay. The light brightened, nearly blinding them all. Miroku held the air void up into the sky and yelled once. His head slowly turned to his companions, a pained look in his eyes as his gaze set upon Sango. "Aishiteru, Sango." Sango felt the tears, now. Hot streams of pain running down her cheeks as she watched the void grow.

"Sayonara."

The light overtook the world just as it overtook Miroku.

Ok, that was a little short and sad, but there it is. Review, please!