Summary: (ONESHOT) A battle goes bad and Sango has a choice to make. Will she tell him how she feels? Bad summary, but read anyway.

I do not own Inuyasha...although most people think I do. Shocker that I don't, huh? Kidding. All rights go to Rumiko Takahashi.

(AN) "spoken" 'thought' flashback

(Sango's Pov)

I didn't know how I let this happen, I was never that rash. My mistake was not supossed to make this happen and now, here I am trapped in this cave...with an injured man.

"Sango, you don't have to be so harsh...I was just helping the girl up." I shot Miroku a glare over my shoulder. "You didn't have to tell her she was a fair maiden. Just pull her off her butt...without touching it." His eyes lowered slowly to look at his feet. "You act as though I haven't changed at all, Sango." I rolled my eyes and stopped, then turned on my heels to face him. "Miroku, I know you enough to know you'll never change." I saw him wince at my words, I didn't mean to hurt him.

He kept his eyes downward and silence fell upon us. We usually didn't travel alone but with Kagome and Inuyasha in the world beyond the well, Miroku and I decided to look into a demon attack. "Do you think it has a shard, Miroku?" Eyes still focused on the ground, he answered numbly, "I don't know, I guess we'll have to find out."

We continued our now conversation free walk, when Miroku came to a halt. "Is something wrong?" His violet eyes scanned the trees, in search of something and then the aura hit me. "Miroku..." "I know...a demon." A blur flew from the forest trees, landing hard on the earth causing a small tremor. The ogre demon let out a yell or maybe it was a roar and I pulled myself into my fighting stance, while Miroku already had his staff at ready.

I moved towards the demon but Miroku grabbed my arm tightly. "Sango something about that thing doesn't feel right...we need to be careful." We had faced demons like this one before, I didn't know why he thought something was different. "We can kill this one, like we've killed all the ones before him." His eyes hardened slightly. "Can't you just trust me? Don't you trust me?" I stared at him for a moment, but broke the gaze that was between us. "Miroku, we don't have time to waste, it's too close to the village." I rushed towards the demon, ignoring the waits that Miroku was yelling..

I threw my large weapon at the disgusting creature, it was right on target. It was all over, or so I thought, it swung it's giant arm hitting my hiraikotsu off into the distance. It moved at me, quickly...quicker than I thought it could move. 'What the hell is this thing?' It was upon me now and I hear Miroku yell my name, but it was too late. I felt pain and all went black.

Now here I am, in this cave. I don't know how I got here and I don't know how Miroku got this injured. I brushed the leaves from his soft black hair, which ended up unbound. 'What happened to him?' "Miroku...wake up. Please? I need you to answer me, to tell me you are okay." I wait...but no responce comes. I shake him, willing him to wake up. "Say something!"

(Miroku's POV)

Pain is the first thing I feel...second I feel Sango shaking me and asking me to say something. I knew how I got hurt and if I had to do it all over again...I would.

Sango was hit...hard. I didn't stop it, but I refused to let her die. I knew rushing in never worked, but I had to move fast...there was no time to think it through. My feet were already bringing me to her side. I reached in the inside of my robes, pulling out my binding sutra. I threw it towards the beast, hitting it on his large forehead. It cried out, as I reached out and grabbed Sango.

Getting her to safety was my first priorty and I witnessed how fast this creature was, I ran into the dense forest. 'Sango, why couldn't you have listened to me? I was right, but you know that now.' It's thunderous footfalls were now pounding in my ears. "Damn, it's moving already." That's when I saw it...the cave. I quickly ducked into the opening and I gently placed Sango behind a boulder...hiding her from veiw.

I hoped to lead it away from her, that was my goal...but I failed her again. He had spotted me and all I could do was fight it, I would do anything to protect her. With my staff held tightly in my fingers, I readied myself for a fight. It let out a loud fearsome noise, maybe a battle cry. It quickly moved towards me. It was fast...it's heavy fist crashed down. I barely escaped the crushing blow as the earth cracked below my feet, knocking me to the ground.

The orge took aim and swung again and I put my staff between myself and his enormous hand. The impact came down hard and my arms came close to giving out. It lifted it's arm to try it again, I knew that my arms wouldn't withstand that attack again. I rolled aside and got to my feet...that's when I felt the searing pain.

Blood stained the ground below me...no my blood stained the ground. I dropped to one knee...breathing heavily. 'How did it move that fast? I didn't even see it coming.' Pain ran through me again and air became difficult to find. I was moving...fast, I hit something hard the world went black and I shut my eyes. Sleep claimed me.

She was still moving my shoulder in a back and forth motion, but it was slower now. "I told you so, Sango." My voice sound strained...even to my ears, but her eyes snapped to mine anyway. "Miroku, you're bleeding." "I know..." "Are you okay?" I looked into her worried brown eyes that were now sparkling with unshed tears.

"Sango...where are we?" She looked around, taking in the dimmly lit surroundings. "A cave...I think." The cave I had placed her in before the demon and I fought...well before the demon almost killed me. I sit up and winced with the pain that shook me to my core. I feel Sango's warm hands press against my back. "Are you okay, Miroku?" I try to answer, but the words won't come out. "Miroku?" Her voice was filling with worry. My vision starts to blur around the edges, I let sleep claim me one more time.

(Sango's POV)

I was now in a very awkward position, I didn't want his head in my lap. 'I could just move him...but he looks so comfortable.' His breathing was slow and steady, but so was the flow of blood spilling from the wound on his torso. I knew we had to get out and I had to get us that way. Rubbing his face one last time, I lifted him from my lap and laid him back to the ground softly.

I located the mouth of the cave, which was closed off by rocks and boulders. I listened for life on the other side, silence...the demon was gone. I pulled my katana from its sheath and began stabbing at the stones repeatedly. I would work all night if I had to.

I figured that I had been working for hours, the blisters on my hands were tearing off and blood leaked threw my clenched fists. My work wasn't in vain, the rocks were becoming loose. Stone after stone fell away, sunlight spilled into the cave and my arms felt heavy. I won't quit...not until we're free. The sound of the rocks falling brought me relief. "I did it...Miroku."

"Sango, Miroku...can you hear us?" Kagome's voice filled my ears and I knew we made it. "Kagome, Inuyasha! Over here, Miroku is injured." I let myself drop to the ground, soon after that I let my eyes close...I deserved the rest.

I open my eyes and I know I'm in a hut. "Where's Miroku? Is he okay?" Inuyasha's voice responds to my question. "He's asleep, but he seems okay." Kagome's soft voice came next. "Miroku is over here, Sango?" I sit up slowly to look at him, his face was still showing signs of pain. I crawl towards the man I love...but would never tell. "Inuyasha, lets go find Shippo...maybe catch some fish for dinner." "Alright." I hear them exit the hut, I am alone with him once more.

I stare at his face, wanting him to open his eyes...the eyes I had gotten lost in so many times. I jump at a sudden sensation, I look down to see Miroku's fingers curling around mine. "Sango, what's wrong?" I let my eyes drift up to his face, my eyes lock with his tired amethyst orbs. "Miroku, I-I'm sorry." He looked slighty confused with my first sentence. "Why would you be sorry, Sango?"

"Miroku. You got injured, protecting me. I'm sorry I didn't wait like you asked me to." He smiled and my heart skipped a beat. "I will protect you everytime you need protecting, I want to keep you safe." His eyes shimmered with something I couldn't recognize. "You don't have to do anything for me, I can take care of myself." His smile faded. "Sango, I know you can, but when things don't go as you plan...I...want to be there...for you. I never want to see you hurt...I don't like seeing you cry and I will do anything to keep you safe from any kind of hurt." I open my mouth to interupt him.

He places his finger to my lips softly, causing me to shiver at his touch. "Please just listen." He removed his finger from my lips and I nod my head in agreement. "I would take all the hurt from you if I could, the physical and emotional. I can't do that, but I will let my blood spill over yours. You mean too much to me, your life is precious. Sango...I have fallen in love with you."

My breath caught in my throat, he loves me. His eyes looked into mine with a longing, I know what I want to say but... I smile lightly, "Miroku, you shouldn't let the medicine fuel your actions, get some rest." His eyes filled with a hurt that broke my heart, I couldn't be with him...not yet. I refuse to let Naraku steal another person I love away. He closes his eyes and I whisper in a voice he can't hear, "I love you too." I'll tell you how I feel one day...but not today.

~END~

R&R. This was written in a few hours...so don't be harsh. :)