A/N-Sorry for the wait on my shortest chapter yet but I wasn't up to anything that required creative energy last week. I've done a lot of slicing and dicing on this chapter and just decided to leave it alone before I butcher it, and just get to work on the next chapter. Hope everyone had a good holiday. On with the reading.

Disclaimer: Inuyasha is not owned by I.

Chapter Four

It was quiet when she reached the village. There were farmers out tending to their crops at the ends of the village, which seemed to have grown in size and population over the past year. It was late in the afternoon when she arrived, almost dusk. Most people would be having their evening meal soon.

Sango saw Kaede outside of her house followed by Kohaku carrying a pile of wood. Kirara jumped off her shoulder and trotted over to him.

"Hello, Kaede-san. You've been well, I hope?" Sango said, bowing her head slightly as she greeted her.

"Yes. Ye had a safe journey back?" Kaede asked.

Sango nodded. "It was good though I spent longer than I originally meant to."

"Take all the time ye need. Working through one's past is very important. Kohaku has been very helpful. It was nice to have him around," Kaede replied.

"Good," said Sango, glancing at Kohaku. He looked quite a bit better than when she had left. There was more color in his face. "Thanks for looking after Kohaku, Kaede-san."

"It wasn't a problem. We'll be eating soon if Kohaku brings in that firewood," Kaede said, heading into the house. "Don't stay out too long if ye doesn't want to catch cold," she called over her shoulder.

"How are you feeling, Kohaku?" Sango asked, taking a step towards him.

"Fine…How was your trip?" he asked, not quite looking at her.

"It was really good. I wish you had come though, Kohaku," she added.

"I'd better bring this inside," Kohaku said, hurrying towards the house. "Oh, Kagome-san's around here somewhere. She came back with more stuff from her time."

Sango looked around as though Kagome would suddenly appear. A few moments later, she did followed closely by Inuyasha who she was arguing with and Shippou.

"Sango's back," Shippou called, pointed towards her.

"Huh-oh, Sango!" Kagome said, smiling when she saw her and rushing forward to hug her. "How was it? Did you have a safe trip? You look good." The words came tumbling out of Kagome's mouth so fast, Sango barely caught them all.

"Yeah Sango, did you have a good trip?" Shippou asked.

"She's not going anywhere, no need to get jump all over her," Inuyasha said.

"Did you just get back?" Kagome asked as though she hadn't heard him.

Sango nodded. "It was a good trip…very peaceful. How's everything been around here?"

"Oh, fine," Kagome said quickly. "You must be hungry. Let's eat already."

"All right," Sango said with a glance around the surrounding area, which didn't go unnoticed.

"If you're looking for Miroku, he's-" Shippou started but was cut off by Kagome.

"Shippou!" she said out of the corner of her mouth.

"There's no point in pretending. She's bound to notice the monk isn't here," Inuyasha said.

"Inuyasha, you don't have to be so-"

"I wasn't looking for Miroku," Sango said loudly, speaking over them before they could get into some sort of argument. They all looked at her with doubtful expressions. "What? I wasn't. I was just…looking around, can't a person do that? Are we going to eat or what, I'm starving." She hurried inside before they could say anything or give her more of those looks.

ooo

Despite her protests of not caring about what that monk was up to, Sango did care. It was bothering her more than she liked. Why was he taking so long to do whatever it was he needed to do? He had a left a little while before she did but she had returned. She had gone and come back without causing anyone any concern over her trip.

Did he think she was actually going to wait around for him? That she would just fall into his arms and shower him with affection or release any pent up energy on him? Well, she wasn't and she wouldn't.

After three days of more waiting, she decided that she would find him. Who knows what he had gotten involved in during all this time away. Also, it would shut up the pesky, worrisome voice in her head. The one stuck on all the possibilities of him injured and alone. Or worse-him injured and being nursed back to health by some nubile nymphomaniac with moon pale skin and dainty feet and-No, this was why she had to go out and look for him. Her mind would drive her crazy otherwise.

So she packed up quickly and gave everyone a brief explanation. The whole trip shouldn't take too long, hopefully. She would simply find out what he was up to and then be done with it.

Sango set out on the path leading out of the village, letting her mind wander a bit. Just what had Miroku been doing this whole time? Maybe he was starting to finally enjoy his post-Naraku life, maybe a little too much. Possibly so much that he had forgotten about her and their promise. Well, he would remember soon enough. If her body was any indication, not that it was or anything. She tried to chase these thoughts away from her mind, never giving them time to fully form.

Luckily, something in the distance caught her eye, completely distracting her. A very familiar figure heading in her direction. She paused and watched as he became clearer, then her feet started to move of their own accord until he stood not too far from her. Miroku stopped and stared at her, surprised before smiling broadly at her. She just crossed her arms and shook her head disapprovingly.

"Come on, Sango, don't give that look. I'm back now," Miroku said, putting on a pained expression.

"And what exactly were you doing all this time?" Sango demanded, trying to ignore the images of flushed nameless women running through her mind.

"I had a lot to sort out," said Miroku somewhat somberly, and then brightened up again. "Why? I'll have you know, I've been very good this whole time."

"Sure, you were," she said.

"Aww, you missed me didn't you?" he said, grinning.

"Hardly. Your absence was barely noticeable," she replied stubbornly.

"Oh really? Well, where are you going then? I noticed you're on your way out of the village. The demon slayer's village is in the other direction," said Miroku, raising an eyebrow and wearing a rather smug expression.

"I was, well…I was going to-" Before Sango could stammer out the rest of her excuse, Miroku pulled her towards him abruptly and held onto her tightly.

"I missed you too," he whispered in her ear before kissing her on the lips. Having him so close combined with the sensation of his soft lips was making her light-headed, she was afraid of falling when he let go. But when he finally did pull away, he held onto her, brushing his lips against her forehead. She was only vaguely aware of his hand inching lower down her back.

"So…have you been eating well?" She heard herself ask, her voice sounding rather thick.

He chuckled softly and replied, "I've been eating all right though not very much lately." Something in his voice struck her as odd, she pulled away to look at him and caught the sorrowful look that passed over his face.

"What's wrong?" she asked, her hand automatically reaching for his.

"It's just, well, I had to sort things out at the temple and it took a while since …Mushin-sama passed on not too long after I arrived," Miroku said quietly.

"Oh, Miroku, I'm sorry. Did he go peacefully?"

"I imagine so. One day he seemed in decent in health and spirits, the next day when I went to see if he was still sleeping, he was gone. Probably drank too much." His mouth twisted up into a sad sort of smile.

"At least you got to be with him when it happened and pay your respects," she said.

"Yes. He was getting up their in the years…sometimes I forgot how old he was," he said, looking past her.

They walked back to the village hand in hand, not saying much. She wished she could offer more consolation but he was better at dealing with that sort of thing than she was. He seemed almost content holding her hand just now though she couldn't really be sure of what lurked inside his mind. She wondered how he would he feel he'd possibly be gaining a family.

Would he be pleased? Excited? Shocked? Or maybe it'd be the complete opposite and he'd be disappointed or even mad. She wasn't even sure how she felt about the idea. She wasn't sure about this whole thing either; it was very possible to misread these sort of things. And there were all sorts of other explanations…stomachaches, diseases…er hallucinations?

A/N- I just couldn't resist that bit at the end, I'm sorry, anyhow I think we all know where it's headed by now. I hope that was enjoyable enough for now, I'll do my best to get the next chapter up soon. Don't forget to drop a line. Thanks for reading.