AN: OMG A romance/drama! The heck? Anyways, thanks for looking at this. I wrote this one shot for the summer contest on the inuyasha fanfic community on LiveJournal (InuYashafanfic). And I'm really nervous but it should be interesting.

The pairing is Miroku/Shima (The girl from the catfish youkai story in episode 161 on the anime and chapters 343-345 volume 35 of the manga). Also this takes place in the past so it takes place before the series started

Ok... Thank you and enjoy!

"Holding on to Hope"

by Robochar

It was supposed to be her last summer. Shima wanted to be running and playing outside, but she could barely move. The illness she had from when she was a small child had progressively gotten worse as she grew older. Now time seemed to be running out and there was little hope left.

A young Houshi sighed as he made his way through a village. It had been a while since he had had food. He had been robbed of what little money he had by a beautiful thief. He was feeling quite down on his luck until he overheard a couple of the villagers talking about a noble family that lived close to them. Apparently they where desperate to heal their dying daughter. Miroku smiled. Maybe his luck was changing.

He made his way to the place the rumors had originated from. It overlooked a beautiful lake and the summer sun shone over the estate. Even though the area was beautiful, everyone there was full of sorrow. As such, he had something he needed to do.

"Ah, Excuse me? I was just passing by and I couldn't help but overhear something about a death?" he asked a man who had been praying at a shrine. The man turned around to see who has called to him.

"Oh. Excuse me Houshi-sama, but my daughter is dying and we have no where else to turn."

"Well, is there anything I can do to help? I might look at her as I'm skilled with-"

"Anything if you think you can help her. Please!" This was of course what Miroku wanted so he followed the man to where his daughter lay. Now Miroku wasn't expecting what he saw. The girl before him was beautiful. He was too used to these daughters of the well to do, being not to his taste. However she was different. He was starting to even second guess himself a bit, but he continued with his plan.

Miroku paused upon entering the room. Then he turned around to her father.

"Please, if you don't mind, I'd like to talk with her alone. I think that I might have a better understanding of her condition if I do so." Miroku said in the noblest voice he could produce. He nodded yes and stepped out of the room.

"You can stop pretending you're asleep. Don't worry I just want to help." Miroku smiled at the girl as he went to kneel by her side. She was slightly surprised but didn't look up to him. She just sighed.

"It doesn't matter. It's hopeless." she could barely speak. The illness seemed to be near at its worst. She looked as miserable as one could possibly be.

"Shima right?" he said looking to the girl. She nodded gently in the positive. "You can't say that it's all hopeless-"

"Haven't you noticed I'm about to die? I don't even know you and you are telling me how I should feel?" Her words were quiet but they pierced the air with conviction.

"I'm Miroku." He paused and gave her a gentle smile. "There now you know me. I'm not telling you that you should be happy. I'm telling you not to give up hope."

"You wouldn't understand. Everyone has done all they can, there is nothing left. I'm dying and I might as well just-"

Miroku narrowed his eyes. "Die. Fine. So will I. Since I'm dying I might as well just give up hope right now." Now Shima was confused. She turned around to finally see Miroku. She blushed as she wasn't excepting a Houshi like him to be so handsome. He just looked at her and smiled.

"Shima-dono, I'm cursed. My grandfather had this kaazana placed in his hand and it has been passed down through my father to me. It's a void that's contained with in my hand and as I use it and get older it grows and grows. One day, it just might kill me." Her eyes widened as he told her this. She was starting to feel different.

"But Miroku-Houshi-sama, do you ever, feel like just dying?"

"Of course. Sometimes, but the only thing I have right now is hope. Hope that I will keep on living and some day put an end to this curse. To find a beautiful woman to give me a child that won't be cursed with this thing." Shima was now blushing. However the words were finally sinking in and she was able to smile for the first time in a long while. She also found enough strength to sit up.

"Miroku- Houshi-sama thank you." she was starting to feel a bit weak again, but Miroku caught her before she fell. He cleared his throat, slightly flustered himself.

"Ah, I'm glad. And one day when you have fully healed, would you do the honor of baring my child?" He said clasping her hand.

"Yes! Of course!" She smiled widely. There wouldn't have been anyone else she could think of by her side.

"Thank you, but I must go. I'll leave some herbs with you father. And those should help, but the most important thing is to live. I promise one day I shall return."

So that's what he did. He told her father that some expensive herbs and clean water would be the way to heal her. Even though it could help, it wasn't really the key to her recovery.

It might have started out as a scam, but he was feeling as though maybe he really did help her. He genuinely did wish he could have stayed but he still had a journey ahead of him. However, he wasn't too worried.

Shima would never forget him and would always wait for him to return.