Sango felt her brother's posture change during the embrace. She ducked out of the way and his weapon only grazed her shoulder. Wincing, Sango faced off with her brother for what felt like the millionth time. "So... Naraku is around..." She bit out angrily. Kirara was beside her and they both desperately faced Sango's only brother. Without a word, Kohaku stood, his sickle raised menacingly. Sango stood, both hands clenched in frustration. "Naraku! Be a man and fight ME! Leave my brother alone!" Her desperate cries echoed throughout the forest. Unanswered.

After a tense moment Kohaku rose to his feet again, eyes blank. He swung he weapon out at her with ease which prompted Sango to leap back. She heard a deep chuckle around her but could not find the location. Her teeth gritting, Sango wasted no time whipping out her katana. "I know you're here!" she roared out, circling around her. At that Kohaku leapt at her. She blocked his sickle with her sword and with some strain knocked him away from her. Panting lightly she faced her brother again, searching for any sign of sentience.

His eyes bored into her devoid of any recognition. With a quick motion he tossed a smoke bomb at Sango's feet. She gasped, completely disoriented by the smoke. Kohaku leapt in and slashed at her with ease. Sango fumbled backwards as Kohaku caught her cheek. She winced. He caught her again, burrowing his sickle into her side. She shrieked and fell to her knees, panting through the smoke. She looked up into Kohaku's face unsurely. "Kohaku..." The chuckling resumed.

"Kohaku, that's enough. Don't kill her. Yet." Sango's fists burrowed into the ground in frustration. The voice could be nobody else but Naraku. Still, the young boy stopped. He hopped across from Sango and stood.

Slowly, a form in a white baboon pelt appeared behind Kohaku. Sango felt her breath escape her. There he was. The cause of every single one of her problems. "Sango... I knew this would be the perfect trick to discover if you were alive and well. How glad I am to see you." His voice was a cold, unsettling purr. In a second Kirara lodged her teeth around hiraikotsu and whipped it toward the demon slayer. Sango caught it with ease and wasted no time lobbing it at the half demon.

"HIRAIKOTSU!" Kohaku rolled out of the way quickly. The bone boomerang more or less faded through Naraku as he disappeared. He reappeared to the right, cackling. Wasting no time, Sango ran forward with her katana. She plunged the weapon into his chest. She grunted, tears springing into her eyes. "Die..." She hissed, pushing with all her might. She couldn't see but his mouth turned up into a grin.

Tentacles burst forth from behind him. They caught Sango's wrists, waist, and neck. She grunted as she strained against them. "D-Damn it..." Naraku only chuckled, watching Sango struggle laboriously. Kirara snarled in rage and launched herself at Naraku. She too was whipped to the ground and trapped beneath a massive tentacle.

"When I realized that you'd survived... I figured the least I could do for you and Inuyasha was pay you death in person, right? For a human, Sango, you've lasted remarkably long. I applaud your spirit." With his last word he squeezed even harder. Sango screamed out, dropping her katana. "You have so much fight, I will enjoy watching the life flee from your eyes..." All of the tentacles retreated except for the one around her neck. He tightened twice as hard. Sango choked out, her hands scrambling to the tentacle. She pried in vain, struggling to suck in a breath of air. 'I can't die... I won't. Not in failure.'

"N-Nar-aku..." He tipped the baboon mask back and watched Sango writhe intensely.

Seconds later Naraku leapt as a poison whip lashed his previous spot. Brow furrowed, he turned into the direction of Sesshomaru. His clawed hands dancing on the hilt of his sword. "Naraku." he said plainly. He glanced to Sango who was almost limp. Suddenly, Sango was flung into a nearby tree, and with a moan she slid to the bottom. Naraku chuckled.

"Sesshomaru, how nice of you to join us." Kohaku leapt protectively in front of Naraku now, dark eyes boring into the daiyoukai. Sesshomaru cast a glance towards Sango who lay motionless at the bottom of a tree before back to Naraku. He revealed Tokijin with a cold glare. "As fun as that seems I..." His poison wasps began clouding the secluded forest. "-Have other things to attend to." Before his disappearing act was complete Inuyasha burst through the foliage, sword drawn.

"NARAKU!" He wasted no time appearing before the other hanyou and slashing at him mercilessly.

He dodged him with ease, catching Inuyasha's wrist. "You can meet your death in time." He leapt back and disappeared in a giant plume of smoke. Frustrated, he sheathed his sword before realizing Sango lay at the bottom of a tree. Motionless. Heart catching in his throat, he leapt over. He carefully slipped his hand behind her head and cradled her.

"Sango." he choked out. He shook her again, begging for a sign of life or movement. "Sango." He repeated breathlessly. He relaxed as she began a fitful string of coughing. She gasped weakly and flailed, prompting Inuyasha to place a hand on her head. "It's alright, I'm here." He said firmly. Sango's eyes focused on Inuyasha and she relaxed.

"Inuyasha..." she sighed, looked around frantically. "Naraku... Kohaku!" She began to sit up but he ushered her down.

"They're gone... For now." He hadn't realized her was stroking her hair absent-mindedly. Sango was glad for that.

Inuyasha frowned. "Sango... I-I'm sorry. I left you all alone and let you run into a trap! You could've been..." His voice trailed off. Sango smiled weakly.

"Was Kikyo alright?" Before Inuyasha answered he finally realized his brother was standing several feet away.

"Sesshomaru..." His eyes narrowed slightly.

"That human is your responsibility to protect. You might want to keep an eye on her if Naraku is after her blood." Inuyasha said nothing, gaze cast away from him. It wasn't until he sniffed that he realized something was off.

"Hey, what gives?! You reek of Naraku!" Inuyasha blurted out as he carefully stood with Sango in his arms. Sesshomaru's face became severe.

"Worry about your own problems." Was his quick response. Inuyasha stared for a moment before realizing the scent differentiated just slightly. 'Kagura? Could they have...' He opened his mouth to speak but thought differently. With another look of disdain Sesshomaru disappeared as quickly as he appeared.

"Sango, do you wanna get on my back?" She could tell he sounded dejected. She nodded as he set her down carefully. Kirara padded over in her kitten form, covered in soot and dust. She mewed pitifully, prompting Sango to pick her up. Inuyasha leaned down and let Sango get situated on his back. Without another word he took off for camp, holding on to Sango tightly. She had nearly fallen asleep when they neared camp again. Inuyasha gently set Sango down and turned away from her. Kirara was nuzzled into her neck and resting after the exhausting excursion. Sango tried to look into Inuyasha's face but he was turning away from her.

"... I can smell your wounds. I'll get Kaede for you." His voice was low. Sango frowned, reaching out for his arm.

"Inuyasha..."

"I failed you, Sango! Sesshomaru was right!" He faced her now, his eyes glittering with emotion. "I said I wouldn't let anything happen to you! Kagome, Miroku, Shippo- they're all gone! I said I would protect you and what did I do?" He threw his arms up in frustration. "I left you to face Naraku alone!" Sango reached out to comfort Inuyasha but he crushed her to him in a tight embrace. He shuddered into her hair. "Sango... I promise you my life!" 'Eh?' Sango felt a blush creep to her cheeks as she inhaled Inuyasha's husky scent. It was comforting. For a moment, in Inuyasha's arms, Sango felt more comfort than she could remember. She relaxed and let the tension flow out of her body.

"Inuyasha..."

"I promise to protect you. I'm gonna make sure you see Naraku's defeat. I-I'm gonna make sure you're okay. I won't mess up again... Okay?" He broke apart from her and looked into brown eyes. Sango smiled softly.

"Inuyasha... I never doubted you." He smiled, feeling a little relieved. There was something about Sango's tired smile that brought him comfort.

"Well, I wouldn't blame you. I- I'm gonna get Kaede. You alright?" Sango nodded, fighting a blush. "Okay, get inside. I'll be back in a second." Sango watched Inuyasha bound down the hill. She watched his figure retreat for a moment, a hand on her yukata. In that moment she forgot her wounds inflicted by her brother. She felt so relieved to wake up to Inuyasha's face. What did it mean. For the first time since she woke up, Sango's heart fluttered, if only a little.