Author's Notes:
Fair warning - if you don't want to feel emo, I suggest you go. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy the story. ^.^ Constructive criticisms are highly appreciated.

Disclaimers:
Inu-Yasha is not mine; it's Rumiko Takahashi's.
Last Rose of Summer is not mine either; it's performed by the Celtic Women. I'm not so sure of the composer.
No copyright infringement intended. This story is written for entertainment purposes only.

Miroku held her hands tightly, his eyebrows in a knot with worry. She's in pain; he knows it. For the past few hours, she's been sweating and breathing deeply, as if she's burning up with fever.

Except it's not just a fever.

Please be ok, he silently pleaded. He hated seeing her like this. He's supposed to be the one on the brink of death right now. Not her. It was his fault; he started all this. If only he had been quicker, it wouldn't end up like this.

Sango…

A drop of tear escaped from his eyes. He reached out to her, cleared her bangs away, and kissed her forehead. He put his cheek on top of it, feeling the abnormal warmth emanating from her skin. He closed his eyes as more tears threatened to fall.

"Sango, please," he knew she wouldn't hear him, but he's getting desperate, "don't leave me." He hugged her, as if to ensure that she'd stay by his side, that she wouldn't go away. That she wouldn't die.

They were at her village. She was supposed to be gone for only three days, but when the fifth day has passed and she still hadn't returned, the monk decided to go after her, leaving their companions without any notice.

He had a bad feeling about this since the beginning. Once she announced she'll be leaving, his heart beat quickly and his stomach seemed to be doing somersaults. But she wouldn't have made such a brash decision had he not provoked her. He intended to follow her once she was gone, but, after witnessing the argument that had taken place, their companions had prevented him, saying it would be a foolish action.

"I'm sorry, Sango," even if it was a bit late, he must still tell her, "I'm such an idiot. Please forgive me."

He arrived at her village at dusk on the sixth day. What his saw broke his heart to pieces. She was there, by the graves of the villagers, lying unconscious with bloodied clothes. Not far from her was the carcass of a demon that just exhaled its last breath. With just one look, he knew it was poisonous. And he feared for the worse.

"I should've followed you regardless of what the others said…"

Raindrops fell as he carried her to a nearby hut. When he was cleaning up her wounds, he found where the poison was injected. He quickly tried to suck it out, hoping that it hadn't spread throughout her body yet. He took care of her. But it had been four days since then, and she made little progress. He was panicking by now. He wanted to take her to the priestess, but the summer showers wouldn't permit him. Worse, her demon-cat was nowhere to be found.

He didn't know what else to do, and he was about to lose his mind.

~'Tis the last rose of summer, left blooming alone~

"Houshi-sama?" He heard her weak voice. Was he dreaming? "Houshi-sama, is that you?"

His eyes went wide. He grabbed her hands. "Yes, Sango, I'm here."

"I'm glad," she smiled.

"How are you feeling?"

"Still pretty weak," her breathing was slowing down. "How long have I been out?"

This was the best news he'd had in a while. "About four days."

"I see."

But he was not quite relieved.

~All her lovely companions are faded and gone~

"I'm sorry," it still makes a difference if she heard it from him.

She tilted her head, "For what?"

His thumbs unconsciously stroke the back of her hands. "For making you angry and hurting your feelings."

She gently squeezed his hands, "I forgive you." She smiled at him again, "And thank you for saving my life."

"You wouldn't be in this situation had I not irritated you."

"Please, don't blame yourself. It's not your fault a demon showed up here."

He kissed her hands. "You're too kind."

She blushed and looked away.

~No flower of her kindred, no rose bud is nigh~

She stared at the fire. "A rose," she said to no one in particular.

"Hmm?" That was too random for him.

"I just noticed. The fire looks like a rose from here." She turned towards him. "I don't want to part from you, but I'm afraid we must part ways."

He was alarmed. "What? Why? If you want to stay here for a few more weeks, that's fine. I'll stay with you. There hasn't been anything going on anyway, so I'm sure the others won't mind."

"It's not that."

"If it's about your brother, we'd all help you out. I'll go with you." He desperately tried to reason out with her. She couldn't just leave him. He wouldn't be able to survive it.

~To reflect back her blushes and give sigh for sigh~

"Miroku…"

Oh gods, she called him by his name. He held his breath.

"Miroku, I want to be with you, but I must also stay with the others."

He was getting more and more perplexed. Did something happen that he didn't know about? Are they still in the same world? "But I am travelling with you, remember?"

She closed her eyes as he tried to read what's behind them.

~I'll not leave thee, thou lone one to pine on the stem~

She took in a deep breath, "I'm sorry. It looks like I can't bear your child after all."

What? Is it because she got poisoned? Is that the side-effect of it? "Don't worry about it Sango. As long as you're with me, I'll be happy."

"Tell the others I'm sorry for being a burden."

"I'm sure they think of you as a blessing, Sango. Don't say such things."

Her breaths were getting shallow.

~Since the lovely are sleeping, go sleep thou with them~

"I've always been jealous of the women you flirt with."

He knew.

"I can't help but be hurt whenever you'd pay attention to them, especially since you don't show any affection towards me."

"I'm sorry. I was trying to prevent you from falling for me with this condition."

She knew.

"I didn't know I was hurting you. I was hoping you wouldn't get close because I knew you'd be a victim of my curse."

~Thus kindly I scatter thy leaves o'er the bed~

"I want to be a rose. That way, I can be with the villagers and you at the same time."

He lifted her up and held her closely in his arms. He kissed the top of her head and inhaled her floral scent. "You're more beautiful than a rose, my dear Sango."

She closed her eyes, memorizing every detail of this moment. "Stay with me."

"Forever, my beloved."

~Where thy mates of the garden lie scentless and dead~

Their foreheads touched. Their eyes remained closed. Their breaths slowed.

"I love you, Sango."

He slowly closed the distance between their lips and gave her a chaste kiss.

"I love you, too, Miroku."

But when their foreheads parted, only one pair of eyes opened and only one breathed normally again.

And tears streamed freely from that one set of eyes as it closed again, hoping that when it reopens everything would be back to normal.

~So soon may I follow, when friendships decay~

The sky gave a final cry as it gave way to the glimmering stars. The summer showers had finally ceased.

He turned her into a rose, as she wished. He kept a part of her, and let the rest settle on top of the graves of her fallen villagers.

As soon as the sun warmed the land, he went back to their companions. They inquired about her whereabouts, and he painfully related the tale of that last blooming rose. The demon-cat knew what had happened and nuzzled where he had kept the petals of that rose.

~And from love's shining circle the gems drop away~

Irony had been cruel on him. He had always been afraid his curse would get her. He had always been shielded by her against the poisonous demons, fearing it would kill him.

But what they feared didn't happen, and what they weren't afraid of took place instead. He wished his curse would swallow him up now.

He wanted to be with her. He couldn't possibly live without her.

~When true hearts lie wither'd and fond ones are flown

Oh! Who would inhabit this bleak world alone!

This bleak world alone~