A/N: Thank you to my amazing beta Evervescent for helping me revamp this story. She is absolutely amazing, so check her out!

For Brittany.

Keeping Strong
Chapter 7: Isolation

This was not happening. This was the last place Sango thought she would run into her mother. How did she know where she worked? Why was she here? The last she had checked, her mother wanted nothing to do with her. It had been three months since they had spoken, so why now?

"Hello, dear," she responded, taking a pack of cigarettes out of her purse.

"W-what are you doing here?" Sango asked, her voice quivering.

Naomi lit a cigarette and set it between her lips. She took a long drag and released a puff of smoke before replying. "Take a seat," she ordered sternly, allowing no room for argument.

Sango did as she was told, sliding into the booth across from her mother.

"Do you know how hard it was to track you down?" she asked, shifting her hardened gaze upon her daughter. "I went to your school, the apartment you were staying at. Couldn't find a trace of you. Finally, after some help from Kuranosuke, I found this little shack you call a restaurant." Her eyes were drawn to the quaint café, meeting Yura's eyes as she returned from the back room. Yura raised a brow, training questioning eyes on Sango's shaken frame.

"I've moved since then," she explained, clamping her hands beneath her legs to stop from fidgeting.

"Where exactly to?" Naomi took another drag of her cigarette.

She swallowed hard. "A few miles from school with some friends." She silently prayed her mother wouldn't ask her anymore questions. Naomi would not approve of Sango staying with two older boys and for some reason, she felt almost ashamed being in her mother's presence. After all, the night her mother had kicked her out, she called Sango a tramp. What would she think of her now?

"Well, tell your friends goodbye," her mother said, dabbing out her cigarette on the table.

Alarmed, Sango shot to her feet. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She eyed her warily. "You are to tell them you are leaving," she explained as if her daughter was a small child. "After your finals, you are returning home with me."

Sango gaped at her, unable to process the words spewing out of her mother's mouth. After everything she had been through, after all the struggle she had faced, she had finally found a place to call home. It was a place she felt wanted and respected. How could her mother ask her to leave without so much as an apology for all the hateful words exchanged between them?

"You-you can't do that!" she practically shouted, balling her hands into fists at her side. Yura straightened up and crossed her arms over her large bust, furrowing her brows with annoyance.

"Lower your voice, young lady," Naomi demanded, glaring at Yura from across the room. "I am still your mother. You are not eighteen yet, therefore, what I say goes."

"Why?" she argued defiantly. "You didn't care about me or my baby the night you kicked me out. Why should I listen to you?"

"That was a mistake," she admitted. "I should have never told you to leave. We should be a family again."

"I have a family, mom," Sango insisted. "I have friends who support me and love me. And my baby. I'm happy. Does that mean anything to you?"

"Of course," Naomi relented. "But you can also be happy while living at home."

Sango opened her mouth to retaliate, but taking a glimpse into her mother's eyes, she knew the battle had already been decided. There was no point in wasting anymore breath.

Her mother leaned back in her seat and folded her hands on the table. "Now, within the next few days, you will gather your things and finish up your final exams. I will be at your school to pick you up on your last day."

Without another word exchanged between them, Naomi grabbed her purse and stood. She gave a curt nod to her daughter and swiftly exited the restaurant, leaving only the shock of her decision hanging in the air.

Sango stood there for a moment, watching the doors after her mother had long since left, mulling over her words. "Sango," Ayame called, coming to stand beside her and place a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. "Are you all right?"

She nodded slowly in reply. "Yeah, I'm fine… just fine." Stealing one last glance at the doors, Sango turned away and stepped out of her boss's grasp, hurrying toward the office to gather her things.

After everything she had been put through, she had finally found happiness with her new roommates and friends. Yet, her mother still managed to screw it all up, appearing unexpectedly to take away everything she had worked for.

As of now, she was back to square one.

-KS-

Sweat dripped down her forehead as Sango walked home in the June heat. The sun beat down relentlessly upon the city, baking those brave enough to venture out. Her dark brown hair stuck to the nape of her neck and her forehead as her eyes drooped wearily.

Her steps were slow and shuffled. She was exhausted. It had been an hour since she encountered her mother and all anger she felt toward the woman had dissipated. Now she only felt as if sleep was to overcome her any moment. Even though the humid air stuck in her lungs, her body only felt cold.

Shivering slightly against her inner turmoil, she wrapped her arms around herself and continued home through the bustling streets. It seemed as if everything that had occurred over the past three months was nothing but a dream. She would return home to her mother, brother, and stepfather. She would leave her friends behind and probably never see them again.

As these dark thoughts swirled around inside her head, she wondered what exactly she was to tell them. Miroku and Inuyasha had already been so kind to her; a place to stay, food to eat, clothes to wear. All at the mere price of doing a few chores. How could she simply take off and leave them to struggle with things again? How could she leave after only a month, as if taking advantage of their hospitality until she no longer needed it?

She rounded a final corner and made her way toward the apartment complex. She passed by the gated parking lot and recognized Miroku's car in its usual spot. "Oh great," she mumbled. "Just what I need." Having a confrontation with her mother was bad enough. She didn't have the strength to confess to Miroku about the argument, let alone what will happen next.

Sighing deeply, she stepped into the lobby, glancing at the clock on the way in. It was half past four. She was supposed to have been home from school by three. Which meant the boys would either ignore that fact, or she would be grilled about where she had been. Not to mention Kagome. If she figured out Sango had skipped out on school, she was sure to be concerned.

The ascension to her apartment felt longer than usual as she desperately tried to keep the nauseous feelings within her stomach. "Why do they call it morning sickness if it lasts all day?" she groaned. "So not fair." She had to count her blessings that she wasn't experiencing any dizzy spells, though. The side-effects of pregnancy really lived up to their name. Rolling her eyes at the thought, Sango stepped off the elevator and strode over to her apartment.

She opened the door to the middle-sized flat. Over the past month, it no longer appeared as run-down as when she had first moved in. The walls were now white and most of the furniture had been cleaned up to look presentable. The boys were more than happy to oblige to the small changes.

"Sango, my dearest," Miroku greeted her, stepping out from the kitchen. As usual, he wore a lecherous grin. Inuyasha stayed seated at the table, the usual scowl on his face. "Where have you been? I thought you would have been home an hour ago."

"At work," she replied simply, slipping off her shoes. "Just stopped by after school for a few things."

"Kagome called," Inuyasha mentioned bluntly as he stood up and glanced over her suspiciously. "She started blubbering to me about you ditching school. Took forever to calm the wench down."

Miroku palmed him lightly upside the head, receiving a glare as Inuyasha rubbed the offended spot. "Don't be so inconsiderate," he chastised him.

"What the hell?!" Inuyasha growled irritably, narrowing his eyes at his roommate.

Shaking his head with a sigh, Miroku turned his attention back to Sango. She worried her bottom lip and averted her gaze. "I'm going to study before going to bed," she mumbled, pushing passed them and walking to her room.

"I don't mean to pry," Miroku said with a smile, following after her. "But is everything okay? It's not like you to leave school early."

"Everything is fine," she clipped with assurance. "Nothing to worry about."

"Well, don't you think you should give Kagome a call? She sounded concerned on the phone."

Her back stiffened as she felt a familiar presence graze over her bottom. "Miroku," she grounded out through clenched teeth. "I think it would be wise of you to remove your hand."

He smiled sheepishly and held up his hands in mock defense at her request. "Dear, you know my hands are cursed."

"Goodnight," she replied simply, ignoring his poor attempt at an excuse. She retreated to her room without another word.

"What's up with her?" Inuyasha questioned, crossing his arms and leaning against the living room wall.

Miroku reached a hand to his cheek, surprised. "She didn't even smack me…" he mumbled. Usually when he put his hands on her where they didn't belong, he would end up with a red handprint across his face or a lump on the head. "Inuyasha, I think something is very wrong."

His roommate scoffed. "Why? Because you got lucky?" The two exchanged a glance before Inuyasha rolled his eyes and headed toward his room to change for work. "Keh… whatever."

Miroku stood alone in the living room, his hand curled around his chin in thought. What could have Sango so upset? Without another moment of hesitation, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number from memory.

"Hello?" a woman's voice answered after several rings.

"Kagome? It's Miroku. I think something is wrong with Sango."

-KS-

It was dark and quiet. No wind howled outside, no voices protruded from beyond the closed door, and no sound emitted from the room. Sango curled tighter into her blankets, snuggling further into the comfort of her bed. If she could sleep, she gladly would. But her mind would not rest.

The thoughts of her mother's words kept her eyes open and her heart beating rapidly in her chest. Why did things have to be this way? It just wasn't fair. It was as if the past few months hadn't happened, and yet they did. She glanced at the clock beside her, watching as another minute ticked by. The red numbers flickered to eight o'clock.

Sango groaned, annoyed by the complexity of the entire situation. A soft knock came to the door. She stayed silent, hoping whoever was on the other side would think she was asleep and leave her alone. After a few minutes, she exhaled deeply, believing the person was gone.

"Sango?" a voice called quietly through the door, dashing her hopes of isolation. "Sango, it's me, Kagome. Can I come in?"

She hesitated before burrowing deeper beneath her covers. She had no strength to deal with her friend's interrogation after she had fled from school earlier that day. There would be questions of her whereabouts, leading to the discussion with her mother, and finally to the point of her leaving. She wasn't ready to talk about it yet.

The door creaked open to allow a thin beam of light through. Kagome stuck her head in and saw Sango's form lumped beneath the blankets, moving slightly with each intake of breath. "I think she's asleep," she whispered to Miroku, who hovered close behind.

"Then we should let her rest."

She closed the door quietly, leaving Sango to her thoughts once more.

"Kagome," Miroku said as they stepped into the living room away from Sango's door. "I'm not exactly sure what happened with Sango today, but I'm worried about her."

"So am I," Kagome agreed with a sigh, taking a seat on the couch. "It isn't like her to disappear from school."

"You're worrying over nothing," Inuyasha interrupted, gulping down a glass of water before plopping down next to her on the sofa. "She's just tired. Give her some breathing space, would ya?"

He received a glare from the girl beside him. "You haven't known her as long as I have. Besides, what makes you an expert?"

Having no reply to her question, he merely grunted and turned away, hoping to hide the slight blush on his cheeks.

"Well," Miroku began, ignoring the small spat between his friends. "Whatever it is, let's just hope she talks to you soon."

"She doesn't always tell me everything, remember?" she reminded, peering up at his towering form. "Besides, I think you should try to talk to her."

His eyes widened. "Me? Why would she talk to me?"

She smiled, as if she knew a secret. "Because, I just know her."

"Keh, some answer that is. Why would she talk to that lecher? All he's gonna do is touch her butt or something." Miroku and Kagome glowered at their dense friend, annoyed with the insults he threw at both of them. "What? It's the truth," he commented, clearly missing the point.

"Inuyasha, you are such a jerk!" Kagome hissed, as to not wake up her sleeping friend. Taking a deep breath, she stood. "I'm going home."

"Wait, Kagome," Miroku tried, holding out his hand to stop her.

She stormed toward the door and slipped on her shoes. "Thanks for calling, Miroku. If anything changes, let me know." Said man nodded his head and watched as she disappeared out the door.

Rubbing a hand over the back of his neck, he glared at his friend over his shoulder. "What is your problem?" he interrogated him as the front door clicked shut.

"I don't got a problem," Inuyasha defended, standing up abruptly. "She's the one with the issues!"

"Lower your voice before you wake Sango," Miroku instructed quietly, scowling at his friend dangerously. "Go apologize to Kagome. She's already upset as it is without you causing more trouble."

"I ain't gonna apologize to her!" Inuyasha crossed his arms defiantly.

Miroku hid a smirk. "Well, let's just hope she doesn't get mugged or kidnapped walking home all by herself. It's getting awfully late and it'll be dark soon. The streets are bound to be crowded with thugs and the like." He turned and walked into the kitchen, pretending to busy himself with the dishes.

It was only a minute later that he heard Inuyasha growl and stomp toward the door. "I'm going for a walk," he snarled, slipping on his shoes. "Not to find Kagome." He shot his roommate a pointed glare before exiting, slamming the door behind him.

Miroku couldn't help but chuckle at his friend's behavior, knowing the two obviously cared for one another. After Inuyasha lost his job, it wasn't long until he gave up on Kikyo, with help of course. Miroku, Kagome, and Sango all managed to help focus his mind on other things, keeping him from running back to her with his tail between his legs.

Kagome found him a job at the local record store and he immediately fell in love with the place, finding a passion for music soon after. Although Kikyo still called every now and again, Inuyasha no longer seemed attached to her memory. They had Kagome to thank for that.

With a smile, he shuffled about the apartment, turning off the lights. He left one on for when Inuyasha returned. "If he returns," he mumbled, his lecherous mind wandering to the relationship Inuyasha and Kagome shared. He smirked before walking to his room to change. He pulled on a pair of boxers and a tank top before ambling back into the kitchen for a cup of tea.

Just as he was lifting the tea pot up to the faucet, a muffled cry reached his ears. Turning toward the sound, he placed the kettle on the counter and ventured toward Sango's room. He pressed his ear up against the door and heard soft weeping coming from the other side.

She was crying.

Deciding to figure out what plagued the troubled girl's heart, he quietly opened the door. "Sango?" he whispered, his eyes searching the darkness of her room. The cries were immediately silenced as she shifted beneath the blanket. "Sango," he sighed, taking a step into the room and closing the door behind him.

Without speaking, he calmly sat on the edge of her bed. He gently pulled the covers back to reveal her tear-stricken face. Her eyes were red and puffy as she bit her lip to hold in her cries. Big doe eyes looked up at him, a new wave of tears slipping down her cheeks.

He laid down beside her on top of the covers, to make a point that he was not here for perverted reasons. Propping his head up with his hand, he placed his elbow on the pillow and began stroking his fingers through her auburn hair. "It's okay," he cooed, hoping to quell whatever storm raged within her.

Her tears only came faster as sobs wracked her body.

"Tell me what's wrong," he pleaded softly, begging her to allow him into her heart.

Sango shook her head and tried to move away from him, but he held her still by placing his hand on her arm. As their eyes met once more, he could tell her barriers were wavering, breaking down under his gaze. "Please," she whispered, asking him to leave the matter be.

He only smiled and rubbed his thumb gently over her shoulder soothingly. "I'm not going anywhere," he promised.

She shuddered under his touch and closed her eyes, moving her body closer to his for warmth. Then, in the smallest of whisper that could easily be missed, she spoke, "I'm leaving."

He felt his heart skip a beat before accelerating. His breath hitched and a lump stuck in his throat as he tried to process her words. It was silent for a moment as she looked at him, searching his eyes for some kind of reaction to her statement. When she came to the conclusion that he would give none, she hiccupped and sighed deeply, tearing her gaze away from him. Tears slowly spilt over her eyelashes, trailing down her flushed cheeks before pooling onto the pillow.

Miroku shook himself out of his stupor. The sound of her soft whimpers caused his heart to ache in his chest. "Sango," he whispered, so quietly she wasn't sure if he had said anything at all. He brushed a thumb over her cheek, wiping away a stray tear. A blush dusted the bridge of her nose as she glanced up at him with glazed eyes. "We're going to get through this," he vowed, grasping her hand and pressing his lips to her knuckles.

She could only nod her head in response before gripping his shirt tightly and crying into his chest. He hesitantly wrapped his arms around her shaking frame and rested his chin upon her head while running his hands through her dark chestnut hair. He kept the questions about why she was leaving to himself. Right now, she needed to be comforted, not interrogated.

He didn't know when or how it happened, but Miroku somehow found himself falling for the tragic girl. He wanted…needed…to do everything he could for her, or else his life would lose meaning. His arms tightened around her as he soothed her into a dreamless slumber.

Updated: 9/5/15