When everything around you falls apart, who will be the one beside you, helping to build it back up?

Inuyasha's ears twitched at the sound of rustling leaves. He reached his arm out blocking Kagome from walking ahead.

"Hey!"
"Kagome hush."

A twig snapped.

"Stay here."

She did as she was told and stood there. Shippo climbed on Kagome's back.

"I sure do miss Miroku and Sango," said the adorable little kitsune.
"Me too, Shippo. Me too."

Miroku and Sango had gone a different route to see if there was any sign of Naraku. After that last battle he disappeared with no trace to follow. Kagome had a flashback of the battle where Inuyasha was nearly absorbed and snapped back to reality.

"INUYASHA!"

She ran into the woods after him, Shippo hanging onto her for dear life.

"I hope this isn't a trap..."
"IRON REAVER SOUL STEALER!"
"Oh no..."

She stopped to see Inuyasha holding a dead pig over his shoulder.

"Gotcha somethin. And I thought I told you to stay back there!"
"I'm not leaving you. You're injured!"
"Feh! Nothing can hurt me!"
"You might think you're ok Inuyasha, but you're not! You need to lay down and rest!"
"Rest is for the weak. Besides, I don't need you running around acting like my mother or something!"
"Well, SORRY for caring!"
"I'm FINE Kagome."
"Well, maybe you would care more if I were Kikyo!"
"Why are you always throwing her in my face?!"
"Forget it..."
"No. I'm not going to forget it this time Kagome. Why are you always throwing Kikyo in my face?"
"It's nothing."

She wiped her eyes before tears could fall. Inuyasha's voice calmed down to almost a whisper.

"Don't cry Kagome, geeze."

She had tear dampened cheeks and was confused about the sudden change in Inuyasha's attitude. He dropped the pig and wiped a tear from her eye. She hated to admit it, but it felt so nice when he showed his softer side. She wrapped her arms around his waist. He slowly wrapped his arms around her. Shippo turned a light shade of pink and stood there with his arms behind his back and eyes to the ground, kicking dirt.

'Why does she keep bringing up Kikyo?' thought Inuyasha.

Meanwhile...

SLAP

"Lecherous Monk!"

Miroku rubbed his face with closed eyes and a grin.

"Ah... The simple pleasures in life."
"I don't even know why I came along with you!"

Sango's stomach rumbled and her eyes dropped.

"Sango, my dear, you're hungry."

She rolled her eyes and grabbed her tummy. Kirara mewed.

"I am hungry... we've been searching for Naraku for days."
"You stay here and I will find you something."
"I don't want you to wander off by yourself. It's way too dark and, who knows what's out there? Besides, I can get my own food."
"Why, Sango, are you showing me affection?"

She turned bright red and froze, but only for a moment.

"No. Of course not. But if something happens to you, I won't have anyone to help me in battle, not that I really need help..."
"I see..."

Miroku walked ahead. Sango looked up at the full moon through the trees and sighed. Saving Kohaku had to come before anything else. Before friends, before sleep... before Miroku... She sighed again.

'Someday brother, we will be together again...'

That night she had a dream.

She was standing alone in the dark, when suddenly Kohaku appeared facing the other way. She called out his name. Nothing. She called it again and again. She started crying.

"Kohaku, why won't you answer me?!"
"He's mine now, stupid girl," she heard a distinct voice hiss.
"Naraku! GIVE MY BROTHER BACK TO ME!"
"You can have him... when I'm through with him."

Naraku laughed wickedly. Kohaku didn't move but was floating farther and farther away. Naraku's laughter was booming and echoed in her head. She covered her ears and squeezed her eyes shut trying to block him out, but couldn't.

"NO! Come back! Don't go! Please!"

Suddenly he stopped and disappeared. It was silent and she fell to her knees. He reappeared about 10 feet away. When she stood and reached for him, he hurled his katana at her and it went straight through her abdomen.

Miroku was hovered over her shaking her to wake up.

"Wake up! It's just a dream. It's a bad dream! Wake up!"

She woke up in a cold sweat.

"Miroku..." She threw her arms around his neck and cried into his shoulder, "We have to get him back! We have to..."
"We will. I give you my word."
"It was such a terrible nightmare. Kohaku... killed me..."

She reached over her shoulder and touched her back, near where her scar was, and closed her eyes.

"I'm a failure."
"No, Sango. You aren't a failure. Not yet."
"I have to get him back. That is my number one priority."
"It has to be."
"I cannot afford to put anything in front of my brother."
"When we get him back..."

Miroku paused overcome with a sudden sadness.

"...Can we finally be together?"

She blushed and turned her head down. He pulled her chin up.

"...please...?"

The soft plea crushed her.

Hey guys, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I have a lot more written, but I want to make sure you like it before I post anymore! lol Please R&R. Constuctive criticism requested! Hopefully- more to come! . .