(A/N: This chapter is dedicated to Keiran, who was kind enough to beta this for me, as well as for the lovely fanart. If anybody is interested in seeing it, let me know and I'll give you the link. On to the chapter!)

--Chapter 13: Et ne nos inducas in tentationem--

He stares, wide-eyed, at the commotion going on in the vast room around him. So many voices raised in chatter, it scares him a little. He clutches tighter at his mother's hand and moves closer to the warmth radiating from her very skin. His mother often reminds him of sunshine and sugar, two of his most favorite things.

"What's the matter, baby? No one's going to hurt you here." Her voice is soft and reassuring, enough to put him at ease. A sweet smile graces her lips as she glances down at him, clasping the tiny hand in her own just a bit harder. "It's okay, honey…Mama's here."

He smiles up at the woman and snuggles his face into her leg as a giggle escapes him. He knows that she will keep him safe because she always has. Their little world does not concern anyone else and it never has. It has always been just the two of them. Feeling better and a bit braver, he decides that it's okay to look around to study the people milling about around them. Many of them are strangely dressed in brightly colored robes that contrast with the darker robes of a select few. "Mama…why are these people dressed so funny?" he asks innocently, glancing up to meet her brown, brown eyes.

She laughs then, patting him on the head and combing her fingers through the brown locks that she cannot force to stay flat. "It's because they're priests, silly. Don't worry, they're nice enough." She doesn't sound sure, but she is his mother. He trusts her.

He nods then, starting at the sound of footsteps moving closer to them. Automatically, he clutches at his mother's leg and hides his face. "What a lovely little boy…is this him?" an unfamiliar voice asks, sending chills up and down his spine as he sees well-polished boots moving into his line of sight. He can feel his mother tense as well, so he looks up to see his mother staring the dark-haired man in the face.

"Yes…this is him. Thank you, Your Excellency." Her words are clipped and her tone is terse. Tension is visible in the lines of her neck, but he doesn't know what to do to calm her.

The man reaches out, attempting to pat him on the head. He flinches away from the unwanted touch, frowning at the figure and making the Bishop laugh. The sound is cold and empty, like an echo without a master. "He's spirited…that's good. You've raised him well." The man offers a smile before folding his arms behind his back and beginning to walk away. "See you at the ceremony."

He feels his mother's hold on his hand tighten, leading him roughly away from the room where the people are beginning to stare. "Momma…what's a cer-e-mony?" He stumbles through the word that is so unfamiliar on his tongue. He's not sure of what it means, but the way that man said it makes him think that it can't be anything good.

"Don't worry about it, baby," she croons, running her hand along his cheek. He leans into the touch, cupping her hand with his smaller one. It's comforting and it brings another smile to his face. "Momma's not going to let anything happen to you, remember?" She wraps her arms around him and pulls him close to her. His eyes slide closed and he nuzzles into the touch.

Suddenly, the magic of the moment is lost when a hand on his shoulder yanks him hard away from his mother. Another grabs her wrist and holds her so that she can't follow. "No! He's my only baby! Pick someone else!" she screams hysterically, fighting against her captor. He doesn't understand, reaching back and trying to escape. "You gave him to me! He's mine!"

He wonders what she means, but the hands on him pat his shoulders. "Don't worry about her…she'll be fine." The voice from earlier assures him, making him shudder. The dark-haired man smiles down at him, and suddenly he wants to run away, his stomach turning. "There are more important things to worry about. You're special, you know. Very special."

He's lead into another room, where several men and women are sitting in high-backed chairs in a large circle. In the center is a strange design that he has never seen before, etched into the stone and faded so that it resembles a scar. He can feel the eyes on him and he hugs himself around the middle. Mustering up the best glare he can manage, he stares hard into the man's face. "Where am I? I want my mommy." Tears begin to gather in the corners of his eyes and his bottom lip begins to quiver. He doesn't want to cry in front of all these people, but he's scared.

"You needn't worry about your 'mommy', boy. No, you won't have any use for her anymore. She served her purpose, and now you'll serve yours." The voice rings out from a place where he can't seem confusing him further. He doesn't understand, crying despite himself as he tries to jerk away from the man's hold. Struggling harder, he sinks his teeth into the flesh of the man's arm and spits when he tastes a copper tang on his tongue.

"Strong-willed and feisty…he will be a perfect Vessel," another voice comments from the darkness, sliding up his spine like an oily snake. He feels his stomach roil around in protest and his heart stops when the dark-haired man grabs his arms to pull him closer.

A chuckle escapes his captor's lips, upturned in a smirk. "He is…he will be…perfect." Those are the last words he hears before receiving a hard punch to the gut, his breath escaping and his vision swallowed by darkness.

-----

Goku shuddered awake, his body protesting the sudden movement with sharp pains shooting up through his wounds. His mind felt foggy and he was confused by the dream he had just had. To say it was unnerving was an understatement.

A creak of a chair caught his attention,- and his cheeks flushed a bit when he realized that Sanzo had been sitting beside the bed. "Had a nightmare?" was all the blond asked, an unlit cigarette clamped between his lips and his arms folded squarely across his chest. He looked relaxed, but the air between them grew thick with tension at such a simple question.

The brunet wasn't sure how to answer, staring at his hands fisted in the sheets so he didn't have to look at Sanzo. All he could remember was bits and pieces, just like it was with any other dream he had. It was as if he wasn't allowed to remember. "I guess so. I can't really remember it…" He allowed his voice to trail off, unsure of what else to say. He hated that he couldn't remember; it made him feel weak.

Sanzo moved to light the cigarette, not seeming to care that he was actually in the hospital. Goku watched him take a deep drag, releasing the smoke and watching it trail away. "You're lucky then." His words were vague, violet eyes sliding shut in thought.

The brunet was struck by how…beautiful Sanzo looked in the moonlight. His breath caught in his throat, but he didn't dare make a sound. "Why?" he asked simply, cocking his head to the side and staring at the other man. How could someone enjoy not being able to remember things? It made him feel incomplete.

"Forget it. Look, I just wanted to come here to tell you that we're leaving in the morning. Hakkai and I found what we were looking for." He didn't look at Goku as he said the words; he was sure that the boy's expression would be enough to give him pause. "So…" his words trailed off then, taking another drag on his cigarette.

Goku's eyes widened and his jaw fell slack at the blond's words. "But…but you haven't found out what's wrong with me! You haven't finished helping me," he insisted, tears beginning to gather in his eyes. Hakkai had promised that they were going to help him and figure out what was going on. "You promised! You both did!"

Sanzo's eyes clenched shut at the sound of the boy's distraught voice, gritting his teeth against the guilt in the pit of his stomach. "Things change, kid. I don't have time to sit here and play babysitter to a kid I barely know," he answered callously, swallowing against the bitter taste in his mouth. He still refused to look Goku in the face. He didn't want to see the disappointment and hurt swirling in those impossibly deep golden eyes that had captured him so easily. Years of keeping a barbed fence around his heart went to waste, the walls broken down by that pair of eyes. "I'm a busy man."

"I don't believe that. Why are you lying to me?" Goku asked, calling Sanzo's bluff like an expert. His hands fisted harder in the sheets as he stared into the eyes that were trained firmly on him. He fought off the urge to smirk at the blatant shock on the man's usually stoic face. "Is it me? Did I do something wrong? It was what happened…wasn't it? It was seeing those people, wasn't it? Did it scare you? If it did, I'm sorry." He knew he was babbling uselessly, but his heart clenched at the thought of Sanzo leaving. He couldn't leave him here.

Sanzo's eyes narrowed at the brunet's words, feeling them hit a tad too close to home for his liking. He didn't like that this kid was reading him so well; even Hakkai, whom he'd known for years, wasn't able to read him like that. "Enough of this," he growled, getting up from his seat. If he stayed any longer, he might lose his will under the despair in Goku's face. He didn't need this shit. He began to walk towards the door with a purposeful stride, until skinny, yet surprisingly strong arms wrapped around his waist.

"Don't leave me…you can't leave me like this…"

The words made him grimace, sounding all too familiar in his head. You can't leave me like this…he heard his own voice in his head saying, the scent of blood washing over him. It made him want to throw up. "Get the hell off of me!" he yelled, attempting to push Goku off of him. He had to get this brat off of him now!

But Goku didn't let go, clutching Sanzo's waist even harder and pressing his face into his back. "No!" His voice was raised in panic, the tears streaming down his face soaking into the fabric of Sanzo's robes.

Sanzo finally managed to grab hold of Goku's shoulders and pushed him back, finding himself staring into the golden eyes he'd been trying desperately to avoid. The mix of emotions churning within them made his stomach knot, but he couldn't turn away. They'd captured him yet again and before he knew it, the boy had surged forward to press their lips together in a chaste offering of affection. The knot in his stomach tightened and then relaxed, finding himself deepening the kiss. The boy willingly complied, whimpering softly as his hands wound in Sanzo's hair.

When Sanzo felt Goku's tongue attempt to gain access into his mouth he managed to regain his senses, jerking back to himself reluctantly. "I can't do this…" he said though his tone lacked the bite of before. It couldn't be said that he wasn't making an effort to nip this in the bud. Letting the attraction he'd been feeling culminate enough in as much as a kiss was dangerous for the both of them. Sanzo was torn between pushing the boy away for good and ripping off his clothes. "This isn't right." It didn't help that the voice he'd been hearing was practically roaring at him now, a constant litany of unspoken requests and silent demands filling his head and making the ache that much stronger.

"Why not? What did I do wrong?" Goku questioned innocently, tears still gathered in the corners of his eyes. The expression made Sanzo's stomach twist with guilt.

Sanzo's eyes narrowed at that. "I'm a priest, kid. Do you know what that means? Years of training and vows and shit like that!" It was probably hypocritical of him to be cursing as he was, but he didn't care. He'd made a promise years ago, and he planned to keep it. Be strong, Sanzo, he remembered, letting his eyes slide closed as his hands clenched at his sides. He couldn't let some uppity brat make him lose control like this.

"I don't care." Goku didn't give Sanzo a chance to answer, leaning forward to kiss the man again. He knew he was a priest and he knew it was wrong, but he didn't care. He couldn't let him leave, not now and not ever. His wounds still ached and throbbed, but he couldn't think about that now. Not letting Sanzo leave him was at the forefront of his mind, banishing thoughts of anything else.

This is bad, Sanzo thought though he didn't try to pull back again. This is wrong and I'm going to pay for this. He repeated it like a mantra in his head, even as he continued to kiss the boy senseless and let his hands wander across previously unexplored flesh. A faint, floral aroma permeated the air, but Sanzo couldn't be bothered to care. His mind was too busy processing the taste and feel of the boy's lips; they were pliant and soft beneath his own.

Goku moaned into the kiss, his senses on fire and his heart pounding in his chest. The pleasure the blond was giving him was enough to make him forget that he still hurt. "Sanzo…" he moaned when they broke apart, arching his body into Sanzo's questing hands.

The sound of his name on those lips was enough to send all of his reserve out the window. To hell with Homura and to hell with this mission; all that existed in that moment was him and Goku, exploring each other in the best way possible. Sanzo growled low in his throat at the rough feel of bandages against the skin of his chest, but decided to pay it no mind. Tongues twined and fingertips caressed, and Sanzo still couldn't believe he was doing what he was. As his hands stroked the center of Goku's pleasure, he reasoned that he had completely lost his mind. And he wasn't complaining as much as he should have.

"Sanzo…" Goku's words caught in his throat as another moan escaped him, looking down as his eyes shone with trust. Sanzo was sure no one had ever looked at him like that.

It was enough to make him lose his mind, and lose himself in the heat that Goku was offering.

-----

"You know, it's been a while since I've seen that prick friend of yours. Maybe we should go see what he's up to," Gojyo suggested, finding himself back in the room where Hakkai was still poring over the massive medical textbooks. He sat down, propping his feet against the table and leaning his chair back. One red eye wasn't constantly open to watch the man as he read. He'd had a chance to think about what he had done earlier, finding that he didn't regret it one bit.

Hakkai sighed, rubbing his temples after he set his glasses beside him. "That might be a good idea. Besides, I really should stop for the night. I need to pack," he remarked in passing, slamming the book closed and producing a cloud of dust.

"Pack? Why do you need to pack?"

The green-eyed man blinked a second, remembering that he hadn't told the redhead that they were leaving in the morning. He felt guilty, refusing to look the other squarely in the eye as he spoke next. "Because Sanzo says we're leaving in the morning. We really need to get back to Vatican." The excuse sounded lame, even to his own ears, nearly wincing as he said it. Truthfully, he hadn't wanted to leave, at least not until they had figured out how to help Goku. Or before he'd figured out what was going on with Gojyo. After all, his mind had been preoccupied most of the evening with how Gojyo's lips had felt pressed up against his own.

Vermillion eyes widened, then narrowed. "I see. Well, I guess you gotta do what you gotta do. Kid's not going to take it easy...like I've told you before, he's real fond of Sanzo. Too fond, probably." Gojyo stood from his chair and shoved his hands in his pockets, staring at his feet so Hakkai wouldn't see the disappointment he knew was in his eyes. He felt his stomach twist. He was second-guessing his cocky sort of confession to the brunet. Shaking his head, he turned to the man with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "I still want to go and check on Goku. See how he's taking it."

Hakkai returned the smile with just as much sincerity, feeling his face tense with the strain of keeping the look in place. He only nodded, following the man out of the room.

The two of them walked along the corridor in silence, not knowing what to say to the other. "I'm...sorry," Hakkai said finally, the pressure weighing down on him. "It's rare that I find myself without words, but...I have none to offer you."

Gojyo shrugged, pretending not to care. "Whatever. I knew you couldn't stay here that long, since you guys are all important and shit. I'm sure you have better things to do than hang around here." The words came out more biting than he'd intended, but it stung. He remembered Hakkai's promise to help Goku out, though he was careful not to mention it. The man sounded like he was having enough problems as it was, and he didn't need any more guilt.

The priest winced, but said nothing. He probably deserved that. "Perhaps," was all he said, before falling back into that tense silence. Luckily, they had reached Goku's door by then and no more words needed to pass between them. He knocked lightly on the door and called, "Goku? Sanzo?" When he received no answer, he decided to go ahead and open the door. He looked around the room and felt his eyes widen when he looked at the bed. Needless to say, he was surprised to see Sanzo and Goku curled rather provocatively beneath the covers together, with their clothes strewn about the floor. "Well..." was all he could think of saying.

"Well, it looks that you guys might be staying longer than you thought. At least you'd better, or I'll have to skin blondie alive there if he plans on fucking Goku and leaving." Gojyo was amused by the sight, but he meant what he said. There was no way that Sanzo was going to get out of this one. Gojyo leaned on the doorframe, smirking as he folded his arms across his chest. "Just leave them be, Hakkai." He pushed the still gaping brunet out of way and shut the door quietly behind him, turning the man so that they were facing each other. It was either now or never, with the elation at the prospect of the two priests staying longer settling in his stomach giving him courage. "Hakkai...I'm not sorry for kissing you earlier. Just so you know," he started to say, taking a shaky breath and looking at the wall behind the other man. "I'm just sorry I didn't say anything else. There, I said it. I want you guys to stay, Hakkai. You and Pissy Pants in there. You need to help Goku, and..." His words trailed off as he grimaced at his own soppiness, quirking an eyebrow when Hakkai began to laugh.

Hakkai didn't say anything, instead choosing to simply lean in and return the kiss that Gojyo had stolen earlier. It deepened slightly, before Hakkai pulled back. "You're too sweet for words, you know that? Come on..." was all he said, taking Gojyo's hand and leading the still slightly dazed redhead away from the room where Sanzo and Goku slept curled around each other peacefully.

(Translation: And lead us not into temptation)