First of all, I'm so sorry I haven't updated in a while – my computer broke down, and now I have to save up some hundreds of dollars to fix it (which I don't have, if you've read my disclaimers!). Right now I'm borrowing one, and it's a real pain because I already had a bunch of chapters planned out on mine... so we'll just see how these come out, and hope that they're as good as the originals! Sorry for the trouble, I'll fix it as soon as I can!

Thanks to silveryukio6 and Fanficluv7Inu for reviewing yet again. You guys have been reviewing my stories so often that I can actually type your names from memory! That's saying something, since I usually have to peek at the review to see how to spell usernames. You guys rule! Yeah, the first chapter was really sad, but it's all their own fault... if only somebody would apologize... well, I guess that that's technically my fault, since I'm the one who isn't letting them apologize... but it ends up happy, don't worry! It'll just take a while!

Disclaimer: I own Makoto, but not Inu. Don't sue! I need all my $$ to pay for my computer!

"Hiraikotsu!"

The giant boomerang swept through the air and slashed through the demon's chest, sending it reeling backwards with a low scream of pain. Inuyasha took advantage of this to slash a great gash across its face with Tetsusaiga. Once again, the demon screamed, and it lashed out blindly towards the hanyou. Its powerfully clawed hand struck Inuyasha, who was sent tumbling away. Makoto dodged around another blow, his twin swords in his hands, and struck the demon squarely in the forehead, where its shard was located.

Immediately, the creature crumbled to dust, leaving two shimmering shards in its place.

Kagome cheered and fused them with the rest of their jewel. They had over half the pieces – there were very few left in the wild, and only one or two remained that Naraku or Kouga didn't have.

"This is so awesome," Kagome said happily. "We've gotten so many shards since you showed up, Makoto!"

"I am proud to be of service to you, Kagome," he said as he sheathed his swords.

Inuyasha silently put away Tetsusaiga. Before Makoto came along, he thought sadly, I was the one Kagome complimented for getting shards. Now she only cares about Makoto.

Miroku murmured a prayer for the fallen demon and turned back to the group. To his surprise, Sango was staring at him from behind Kagome. The huntress had a strange, faraway look in her eyes that seemed both sad and angry. The instant his eyes met hers, she turned away and fiddled with Hiraikotsu. Miroku narrowed his eyes thoughtfully, wondering what that look had meant.

"Sango?" Makoto asked, noticing that she had remained silent. "Are you all right?"

"Yes," she said at once, smiling at him and blinking out of her trance. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you. Which direction shall we travel in, now that the shards are ours?"

Makoto nodded his head in the direction of a nearby mountain. "I would suggest that we move in that direction," he said, and they followed his eyes to the towering structure. "I have ventured over that peak before. There are many demons that dwell in the mountain, and I would not be surprised if at least one held a shard."

"I don't sense one," Kagome said after a moment of concentration.

Makoto shook his head. "I would not expect you to. The demons live far, far underground. You would probably not sense such a shard unless you stood upon the mountain itself." He glanced at them all over his shoulder. "I do not know whether a shard lies there or not, but it is a way to go when we have none. What do you say?"

"We got nothin' to lose," Inuyasha shrugged, and the group turned their feet towards the mountain in the distance.

It was almost dusk when they reached it. As they came upon the rocks at the base, Kagome turned to Makoto. "You were right," she said suddenly. "It's true – I sense a shard. Two. There's two shards, way deep down under the mountain."

Makoto smiled at her. "That is a relief. I would not have liked to have dragged you all out here for nothing."

"We wouldn't mind," Sango said with a smile. "We all make mistakes."

Miroku lowered his eyes. Whether Sango had meant that to be a stab at him or not, he saw the truth in her words, and he was pained by the fact that his mistake had caused her to hate him. I am so sorry, Sango, he cried silently, watching as she joked with Kagome and Makoto. I am sorry that I did what I did... sorry that I never apologized... sorry that I am too cowardly to tell you how much I... He took a deep breath, causing Inuyasha to glance at him quizzically.

How much I love you...

Sango's voice, laughing in delight at something Makoto had said, cut through his mind like a knife, and he winced slightly. Inuyasha glanced at him once more, confused by Miroku's strange actions. The houshi ignored him, instead listening to Sango's laugh, wishing times were as they used to be, when he was the one who drew that laugh from her, when he was the one walking by her side...

I'm sorry, Sango, he thought sadly.

Sango turned and glanced at Miroku out of the corner of her eyes as Makoto spoke with Kagome. Sure, talking with their newest friend was great, but she missed hanging out with Miroku even more. Makoto was witty, and smart, and considerate... and he always knew the right thing to say... but he still wasn't enough to make up for Miroku. He was a wonderful friend, Makoto, and she would stick by him forever, but no matter how much she talked and joked with him, she couldn't force Miroku from her mind.

Why don't I just apologize? she thought, studying the monk as he trudged on ahead of them. He looks so lonely. I miss him... why should we both have to suffer like this?

Makoto glanced over at her. "Sango," he said gently, "what is wrong? You look troubled."

"I am," she admitted, turning to look at him and Kagome. "I don't know what to do, Makoto."

"About what?" he asked kindly.

"Miroku," she said quietly, trying to make her voice soft enough that the monk could not overhear her. "I still think he shouldn't have done what he did, but I don't want to go on hating him forever..."

"I would still advise you do to as I said," Makoto said to her, "and wait for him to apologize. It was he who wronged you, Sango, and not the other way around. If he is to be forgiven, he must have the courage to admit that he was in the wrong; otherwise, he is not worth whatever apology you could give."

Sango looked down at her feet and was silent for a moment. "I know," she said finally, "but I miss him..."

"I miss Inuyasha, too," Kagome said softly, biting her lip. "I mean, he only wanted to keep me here so that we could get more shards and stop Naraku, which I can understand..."

"I know that you miss Inuyasha and Miroku," Makoto said to them, "but you must have patience. In time, they will realize what wonderful young ladies they are missing, and they will return to you, and ask your forgiveness. By all means, forgive them; I myself am hoping that they will soon come to you, for I tire of seeing you all so angry with each other. You must wait for them to apologize. If they do not learn to put their pride away and lower themselves to say that they are sorry, they will forever think themselves better than you, and you will never understand one another."

The two girls looked at each other sadly. "You're right," Kagome said after a moment. "I'm always the one who apologizes. Inuyasha never says he's sorry. Right, Sango?"

"That's true," the huntress nodded. "He doesn't."

"He already thinks he's so much better than me," Kagome continued, trying to find solace from her misery. "I'll wait for him to apologize, like you said, Makoto. He's too arrogant for his own good."

"And you will surely change him," the man said comfortingly. "Be merry; I am sure that it is only a matter of time, and seeing you both so miserable is dampening my mood. Let us forget all of our worries for the time, and continue on in happiness, and enjoy the beautiful day."

"Yeah," Kagome said, and a smile crossed her face. "Let's."