Chapter 21:

Inuyasha trotted up the stairs to the roof exit. He and the others had decided to split up to look for the distraught teen, not for Miroku's sake, but for Inuyasha's own sanity. He was done with Bankotsu's attitude. He just couldn't imagine leaving a friend behind, especially when he was in dire need.

All he was think about was himself and it was pissing him off. They damn near fought in the middle of the street because he refused to get out of the damn car.

So while the two were down stairs searching for him in the crowd, he had checked all the other rooms. Realizing that he was no where to be found, he figured that the last place would be the roof.

The cold air blasted around him as he opened the door. He shoveled snow with his foot, creating a door stop to ensure that he wouldn't be locked out. He scanned the empty area in the doorway. Seeing nothing but the snow on the ground he wandered about, searching the whole roof.

Panic exploded inside his heart when he saw Miroku's still body, faced down, on the ground covered in snow.

"Damn it Miroku!" Inuyasha fled to his side. Brushing off the powdery snow with one hand, he rummaged around his pockets with the other.

"Fuck! Where's my phone!" frustrated with himself for leaving his phone in his car.

He positioned him to receive CPR. "I'll be damned if you fucking die on me!" he

Breathed air into his lungs, compressing his chest repeatedly.

Come on! Breath you bastard!

His silent command seemed to have gotten through to him. Coughing hoarsely, Miroku sucked in air on his own. He waited, watched as he coughed again. Watched as he threw up the undigested pills into the snow.

Inuyasha couldn't control his body from shaking. He was confused, angry, scared.

What if he hadn't been checking his emails? What if the fight between him and Bankotsu dragged on longer? What if he didn't go to the rooftop? What if he had been ten minutes later?

The empty orange bottle tossed aside that caught his eye fueled his rage even further. He got up from his friend's side. He didn't help him as he struggled to get up from the cold ground. He didn't ask if he was ok, if he needed anything like go to the hospital because he was already feeling like he would do something that he would ultimately regret later.

As Inuyasha paced, "Miroku" got his bearings together. Pushing past the immense headache, he managed to get to his feet.

That last shimmer of weakness of the other allowed him to slip past him, taking over his body entirely.

He grinned, still holding the remaining white pills in his hand. He flexed his fingers around them, feeling the texture of the chalky substance. He actually felt cold as the breeze violently whipped around him. It was all him. Not just a piece of his conscious lending a "helping hand" but his entire being was finally inside of the body and best of all, there was no presence of the pesky other one to get in his way.

So this is what it's like to be alive? It feels great! And he would be damned if he would go back into that dark place ever again. He playfully tossed the pills absently as he thought of all the fun he was going to have now that there wasn't anyone that really cared about him.

"Ow!" was "Miroku's" first realization of pain from the sting followed by the throbbing sensation when his hand was smacked away; the handful of pills flew in every direction, dissolving in the snow.

Hands grabbed the front of his jacket, hoisting him to his feet; his vision was flooded with the sight of a very, very pissed off Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha?" The words that "Miroku" was ready to spew out were quickly swallowed down with a gulp.

"Have. You. Lost. Your. Damn. Mind?" Inuyasha shouted, completely out of control, gritting his teeth as he tightened his hold; his face was a deep red, eyes burned with fury. "You wanna die huh? You wanna die so fucking badly! You wanna end your life, right? Here, how about I do it for you."

Without warning, Inuyasha swung him over the edge of the roof. The teen looked down below six stories and paled. Instinctively, he grabbed onto Inuyasha's wrists when he felt his grip loosening.

"Uh-uh. Don't hold on to me! Just a few minutes ago you was all for it. You took those pills so you could die right up here. So what's the problem now?" Inuyasha looked at his wild-eyed friend as he loosened his grip.

"Inuyasha…don't." "Miroku" whispered, shocked and afraid that he was really about to let him go.

"That's what I thought." The tall teen sneered as he flung "Miroku" back onto the roof. Not even a wave of sympathy washed over him as he slammed onto the concrete, groaning in pain from the impact.

"Nothing but a coward. Always running away from his problems. Trying to take yourself out, thinking that's gonna solve everything." He stalked over to him, the clouds of rage still booming and thundering around him.

"But when I give you a hand with it, you wanna back out!" He reached down to grab him again, but Kouga slid in front of him just in time to fend him off.

"So which is it! Huh! You want to die or not!" Kouga braced himself as Inuyasha pushed forward, wanting another shot at "Miroku."

"Inuyasha! Come on man! He's had enough!"

"I don't think he has. I think he needs some sense knocked into him until he gets that we're here for him no matter what! Do you understand me? I don't give a fuck how many people are in your head! I could care less that you have murderous thoughts! I'm always here and down for whatever and you know that!"

"Miroku" said nothing; wishing he could turn off his ears as he could feel something inside him stir.

Shit. He had to think quickly. He hadn't expected any of them to show up, because now their existences were destroying his plans. Hearing the voices of the other's friends had stirred the presence inside of him.

"Try to kill yourself again and see if I don't take you out myself." He sat on the ledge as he sucked in the cold air through his nostrils.

"Like you give a fuck!" "Miroku" spat out in rage.

"What did you say?" Inuyasha looked at him in disbelief, staring back at his cold eyes.

I'll prove that they're here only for themselves, not for you.

"Miroku" knew what buttons to push and he was going to push every one of them until they had enough of him and left.

"You heard me." He brushed the cold snow from his arms and legs. He faced the other dead on. "You don't care about me, none of you do. You're just here so my death doesn't weigh on your conscious. Especially you!" "Miroku" pointed an accusatory finger at the boy that stood away from the commotion. "You can't possible look at me in the eyes and honestly say that you care about me."

Bankotsu let of a harsh laugh. Walking away from the door he was comfortably leaning against.

"You're absolutely right. I don't give a damn about you. I didn't want to come."

See…I told you.

"Bankotsu! What the hell?" Kouga and Inuyasha shouted, baffled by Bankotsu's bold statement.

"No. I'm not gonna be fake with him, smile in his face, and tell him something that isn't true." As he spoke, he kept his eyes on "Miroku". "I was practically dragged up here to see you so that you wouldn't think that any of us were bailing out. But like I said, I didn't want to come. I was stalling well until after we had arrived. I made up any excuse I could think of to not confront you because deep down, I could've cared less if you took your own life."

Bankotsu's cold blunt words dug and tore at the other's soul.

Maybe he was right? Maybe they really didn't like me from the beginning. I guess…I guess it's best if I do say here…

A cocky smirk lingered on the dark teen's mouth, feeling the presence within him disappearing once again.

"If that's what you really think about me, then why don't you just leave me the fuck alone?"

Bankotsu didn't answer him as he stopped right in front of him.

"That's because Inuyasha's a good talker." He paused, pushing his hands in his coat pockets. "By the time we got here and argued I was ready to walk out of the car and catch a cab home because I knew without a doubt that I wasn't coming up here, especially not to save your ass. But he said something that had me changing my mind. He said, "We overcame our past but you can't because you are your past."

"Yeah…" Bankotsu stated when "Miroku" gave him a 'what-the-hell' look. "I was thinking the same thing; 'What a load of bullshit' right? But I think he said that shit on purpose just so I would come and prove his ass wrong."

"Dude? Is he trying to make him more suicidal than he already is?" Kouga whispered just out of earshot.

"Just wait and see." Inuyasha was wondering what Bankotsu had up his sleeve.

"Where the hell are you going with all this?" "Miroku" knew how stubborn Bankotsu could be so convincing him to do something that he had totally made up his mind on was a very hard task. He was curious to know what he had to say. Not that it mattered; nothing that any of them could say would bring the original Miroku back.

"Just like I said, it's a bunch of bullshit. Miroku can overcome his past; he just doesn't know how that's all." Bankotsu stated calmly as he stopped just arm's length away from him.

"Miroku" stared him down, eager to know what he was getting at. But he couldn't help but feel anger when the raven referred to his other half.

"Why are you saying Miroku like I'm not standing right in front of you?"

"That's simple. Because you aren't Miroku."

The other breathed forcefully through his nostrils. "What are you talking about? I am Miroku. Who else would I be?"

"No you're not. You're just a figment of the original's emotions that constantly lingers in the past and he just can't seem to get rid of them. And the reason why you won't let him go because you need him."

Bankotsu watched in satisfaction as "Miroku" turned beet red with rage.

"I…need Miroku!" The dark teen threw his head back and laughed to the heavens. "You think that I need that weakling?" He coughed harshly as a result of hard laughter.

"Well, it's true. Isn't it?" His question abruptly stopped his amusement. "Miroku created you because he was alone; because he needed someone he could trust and someone he knew for a fact wasn't going to leave him. He needed someone and for a while, that was you. Then Inuyasha came along.

"At first you weren't too worried about him, but when Miroku started to grow attached, that's when you worried. He had someone else to rely on, someone that didn't seem like he was going anywhere. Not that he had a reason to go.

"So when Inuyasha had to leave, Miroku's sadness triggered you to surface because Miroku can't handle that overwhelming feeling of loneliness. And once you had control over his body, you choked Inuyasha out, hoping that his fear would keep him away. I mean, what person in their right mind would be around someone that wants to kill them, right?

"Too bad for you, Miroku not only gained Inuyasha but me, my girlfriend, Kouga, and Sango. So now you got more people to get rid of.

"To put it simply, your existence is solely on the fact that Miroku was lonely. Now that he not…what does he need you for?"

"It doesn't matter how many people are in his life, he'll always need me!" Spittle dripped from "Miroku's" mouth, his nails biting at the palms of his hands, his dark eyes were wild, glaring. He was fuming at Bankotsu's assumptions and it pissed him off even more because he was right.

"I can tell the by your body language that I'm right." Bankotsu said, jutting out his chin with confidence.

"What does it matter?" "Miroku" screamed in an uncontrollable fury; his entire body shook with rage, but he was afraid of advancing towards to shut him up. "So what if you're right about everything! It's not like it's going to change anything! That weak, emotional kid couldn't win against me. He's too damn afraid of this world, of being alone to do anything. He's too traumatized by his little girlfriend breaking up with him to even come back out of the darkness."

Taking a deep breath, he exhaled forcefully. A sinister smile lingered on his face. "I'm here, Miroku is never coming back and there's not a damn thing you can do about it."

"Miroku" became uneasy when Bankotsu took another two steps towards him. His face completely voided of all emotions.

"Well, I know that I can't do anything…but I'm pretty sure I can help Miroku out."

"Yeah! And how the hell are you going to do that?"

"By evening the playing field." Finished with the conversation. Bankotsu moved fast and before any of them could do anything, his fist slammed hard into his gut sending his victim to bend over at his waist; the air gushing out of his lungs. He didn't even get the chance to gasp as a knee came up, catching him in the mouth and nose but the most of the impact landed right between his eyes.

"Miroku" was already out cold as his head snapped back, his body followed landing hard on the snowy ground.

"Dude!" Kouga shouted in shock as both boys ran to his side. "What the fuck did you do that for?" He looked between the attacker and his prey that laid sprawled out on the rooftop.

Bankotsu frowned, shrugging his shoulders. "I just figured that the only way Miroku could overcome this is face-to-face and the only way to do that would be if "he" was unconscious."

Kouga simply gawked at him. "And you figured this all out on your own?"

"Not really. I read it in one of my mystery novels." He answered truthfully.

"So you when off of a fictional book? Are you fucking serious right now!" Kouga screamed out of the anxiety that was building up inside of him, which Bankotsu seemed to be unmoved by it.

"Look, one of two things will happen: the Miroku we know will come back or the crazy, murdering, psycho will. Either way I got my revenge."

"You can be so fucking childish something!" Kouga jumped up in his face, pushing his chest against his. Bankotsu became irritated with the gestures and screaming at him didn't make it any better.

"Look! I don't…"

"Ladies! Please!" Inuyasha barked, having enough of their arguing. "You two can argue about this later. For right now, help me get him out of the cold." He had reached down; bracing himself he hoisted the deadweight off the ground.

The teens glared at each other a second longer before helping; Kouga grabbing the other side and Bankotsu grabbing his ankles.

"We havta make sure no one see us." Inuyasha stated the obvious as they headed for the door carrying the lifeless body in their arms, unaware of the unseen events going on.

"Miroku" woke up; his head and face reeling in pain. Cursing the teen that caused him to feel that way. He promised that he would make him pay.

Sitting up, his fingered curled around the earth around him. Lifting his hand in front and unclenching his fingers, grayish brown sand fell.

Seething, a growl rumbled deep in his chest. He was back in the world that he loathed the most. He made a vow to himself that once he regained consciousness he would repel the dismal world from his memory so that he would never have to return to it again.

"Nothing I can do now."

He looked around seeing nothing but grayish brown skies and desert. To the right of him was the black canyon sized pit that his weak other half was still in and there was no way of him climbing back out.

"It was just a waste of fucking energy." He chuckled as the vibrations echoed throughout the empty space. He sucked his teeth, kicking pebbles into the pit. Standing over the edge seeing nothing but darkness.

There was no way that Miroku would be climbing out. He'd lost everything, all of his loved ones, all of his respect, his pride. He had nothing left to come back to.

He knew him all too well. He would stay in that dark hole because he would always be a coward and nothing would ever change that.

He smirked backing away from unleveled edge. He'd just have to wait to have enough energy to wake up and then he wouldn't have to see this world anymore.

"Like I said, a total waste of time." He said to himself, turning back on his heels. He didn't make a full 180-degree turn when he was tackled to the ground.

Both bodies skidded hard against the sand, almost tumbling into the pit.

"Miroku" scuffled underneath the other, trying not to fall over the crumbling edge. Adrenaline rushing through him "Miroku" shot his legs out, kicking Miroku; sending him stumbling in the other direction.

"You son of a bitch!" "Miroku" snarled at the other as he staggered to get to his feet. "Now you want to get a fucking backbone!" He walked over to him. Kicking him swiftly in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. He fell hard on his back.

"Now you wanna grow fucking balls?" He grabbed him by his collar, pissed off that he had the strength to climb out and without him noticing his presence. He had worked too hard and he wasn't about to let the other get in his way.

"Why don't you just give up!" He shouted as he punched him on the side of his jaw.

He smiled wickedly when he noticed his struggle to regain consciousness, not doubt he had lost most of his strength climbing.

"You're too weak to even stand up against me. Just stop fighting and admit your defeat."

He let him fall to his feet, his head bowed and fist clenched. For a second, "Miroku" felt sorry for the pitiful boy.

"Listen, since you did create me and all, I'll make a deal with you. I won't make this world disappear so you can live on here. And maybe, just maybe, I'll let you come out and say hi to everyone once in a while. What do ya say? A good deal, right?"

"Go to hell." "Miroku" was shell-shocked when the words were uttered weakly. Not by the fact of what he said, but because he could say them.

"Fuck! AAAAHHHHHH!"

"Miroku" wailed in pain. He couldn't get over his shock in time to dodge the thrown clumps of sand that came in contact with his eyes.

"You fucking bastard!" "Miroku's" screamed echoed within the area of the barren world. His sudden blindness gave Miroku the advantage. Tackling him to the ground again, this time straddling him, he put all of his anger into his fists as he punched him in his face and chest.

"I'm not as weak as you think and I won't let you take them away from me." He proclaimed before losing the upper hand again.

Both tumbled and rolled, closer and closer to the edge once again. The two Mirokus continued their battle over dominance.

"I've had enough of you!" "Miroku" shouted, wrapping his hands around his throat, wishing that he could kill him in this world. "You can't win! Give it up already!"

Miroku gripped his wrist, trying desperately to free himself; even though he wouldn't die, he could still be knocked out and then he would lose all hope of regaining his life.

He couldn't even imagine what would happen if the other side of himself would live the life that he had made. What havoc he would create. Everything that he had worked hard for would be scattered.

…Though…it wouldn't be like he would be there to see it. And sooner or later he would make new friends, maybe even relocate to a place where no one knew them and he could start a new life… …

"Goddamn you!" Miroku struggled against the other's hold; his twin laughed at his attempt.

"If I can still manipulate your thoughts now, what makes you think that I wouldn't be able to even if you were to gain dominance?" He loosed his grip, leaning down so that they were eye level. "There's nothing you can do. You can never get rid of me." A sinister grin spread across his face.

Miroku was getting tired. Very soon now he would lose his remaining strength and he would ultimately lose the fight.

He could admit that he was the weaker of the two; everything that the other was, we wasn't and he could accept that. But he would be damned if he just let him take away his life.

"Then I'ma just havta take you out with me."

"What…?" "Miroku" didn't even have time to process what Miroku meant before they were both tossed over the edge together.

Outside in the real world, three teens waited anxiously as they helplessly watched their friend literally fight with himself.

They had struggled to get him in the empty room; all the way down the steep stairs and into the hallway, his body went into violently spasms. He would arch his back; arms and feet would kick and punch about.

Twenty minutes had passed and there seemed to be no signs of it ending.

"Do we need to call someone?" Bankotsu asked, now concerned. Thankful that the spasms had ceased.

"And what do we say?" Kouga interjected. "He and his evil personality are fighting inside his mind? We'll all be locked up looking at padded white walls." He huffed out in frustration. They had been watching, doing nothing. It was killing him.

"We'll wait until he wakes up." Inuyasha sat on the ground against the wall adjacent to Miroku. "There's nothing…."

"Where the hell is he!" Inuyasha eyes went wide when the war cry followed by slamming of doors echoing through the hallway.

"Oh, shit." He said under his breath, getting up from the floor quickly.

"What do we do?" Kouga looked at the door. Hearing that the footsteps were coming closer.

Kouga didn't receive an answer, as the door to the room they had occupied slammed open. In the doorway was a very ticked off Kagome. Her eyes grazed over the unconscious boy on the floor before they fell unto the three teens surrounding him.

"What the hell is going on! What happened to him?" Kagome was all ready to kick Miroku's head in.

Having a bad feeling settling in her stomach when her best friend came back to the party, and without Miroku. At first Sango went on as if nothing had happened, though her eyes had a reddish tint to them, indicating that she had been crying. It took her almost forty-five minutes of prying before she finally got the truth.

Enraged, Kagome went on an official manhunt, trying to find the son of a bitch. Searching high and low, asking everyone if they came across the ex-boyfriend, ignoring the other frantic teen that was trotting behind her pleading that she wouldn't do anything.

"I'm not promising you that. That bastard put his hands on you and you want me to do nothing?" She opened and slammed each door that she passed. She was silently praying that he did leave because she was unsure of what she would do if she saw his face.

"Please Kagome. I don't want to cause a scene." Sango brushed back the locks falling around her face as she tried to match Kagome's speed.

"You're not causing a scene. I am." She bounded the last hallway. "Where the hell is he!" she screamed, checking each room to make sure he wasn't hiding anywhere.

Her rage had simmered down when she came to the last place he could hide. If he weren't in that room, then she would definitely be staking out at his house.

Swinging the door opened, the first thing that came into her sights was the culprit, which fueled her anger instantly. It didn't even register in her brain that he was passed out until she saw the worried faces of the other teens.

Sango gasped from behind her, shoving her way through the door.

"What happened to him?" She fell to her knees, cradling Miroku's head in her hands. Gingerly she touched the bruises that marred his face.

"We were…we were horsing around and I crashed into him when I came through the door." Bankotsu lied, hoping that it sounded believable.

"How long had he been out?" Sango was the most concerned whilst Kagome stood where she was.

"For about ten minutes so far." He lied.

"And no one has called for help?" Sango looked at everyone in dismay.

"Because we know he'll wake up soon." Bankotsu touched Sango's shoulder for support. "Don't worry, he's alright." He looked up from her face to Kagome who gave a look that told him immediately that she didn't believe his story one bit.

And she didn't, but she wasn't going to say it aloud. She knew it would upset Sango even more then she already was.

She sighed. Letting go of her anger… for now. But that didn't mean that she wasn't going to find out what really happened.

What Kagome didn't know was that Miroku was practically fighting for his life.

His entire body was burning as he tried to pull himself back onto solid ground. The two Mirokus had been fighting for dominance for what seemed like an eternity.

Surprisingly, they were both equally matched; which dragged on the fight even longer. Both of them rolled back onto the ground simultaneously, evading their fate of living in eternal darkness once again.

"Just give up already!" "Miroku", feeling the energy leaving his body. "At this rate we'll both be the darkness! The body can't live without one of us!"

"That's fine by me." In fact, that's what he had been planning all along. He knew he couldn't win against the other, he knew that he was stronger. That's why he created him. He created him to be his protector; to keep him safe from the realities of life. Over time, he had relied on him to take over if life seemed to be too stressful for him.

It was because of his cowardliness that got him in this mess and he was going to get out of it, even if it meant his own life as well.

"Miroku" narrowed his eyes, glaring at the other. "You've been planning this from the beginning..." He answered the question that had been plaguing his mind. He couldn't figure out why this fight was dragging on, why his strength was leaving him, why Miroku was so calm and gladly taking hit after hit.

"Are you crazy? You'd rather be a fucking vegetable than to live?"

"I'd rather be a vegetable than to let you live." Miroku's braced himself as he was pounced on; both bodies rolling around in the dust. Each kick and punched delivered weakened them both.

"You selfish bastard! You didn't want to life a harsh life! That's why I'm here! That's the reason I was made, so that you wouldn't have to live with the harsh realities of life. And now that you realize that I wanna live out there instead of inside your fucked up skull, you wanna break our deal?"

His rage hitting its peak, "Miroku" pushed himself up, leaving the other groaning and yelled in pain as he kicked and stomped on him repeatedly in his rage.

Breathing heavily, "Miroku" put the last bit of his strength in his final kick, sending Miroku back into the black hole of depression.

"Miroku" growled in displeasure, noticing that the other was still hanging on. "Dammit!" He crushed his fingered beneath the sole of his shoe causing the other to cry out in pain. "Just give up and fall!" He put more pressure on the digits, he the ominous sound of bones crunching.

"You…can't win!" Miroku hoarse voice echoed through the air.

"Miroku" laughed. "Says the guy that's about to fall."

"You can't win because this is my body, my mind." Miroku looked at the other, a glint of happiness simmered in his brown eyes, finally seeing the answer to his problem that had been in front of him all along. "I don't want to sound cliché but, I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

"Miroku" couldn't contain his laughter. "Oh, please!" He said in between laughs. "If you could make me disappear, you would have done so years ago."

"Because it just dawned upon me just now. My purpose for created you was not only to protect me, but also to keep me company." Gathering enough energy, he gripped the edge with his other hand. "But I have others that truly care for me, I don't need you anymore."

"You're just talking out of your ass now." "Miroku" mustered up enough courage to say it because he could feel something strange was starting to happen.

"Really? Take a look at your foot." He did as he was told; the feeling of terror washed over him. His foot wasn't there anymore.

His complexion was a white as snow as he backed away. Looking down in horror, his hands were slowly evaporating as well.

"How…I….I…" His mind was boggled that he couldn't even complete his thoughts. His breathing became labored as he watched Miroku hoist himself to the ground, causally shaking off the pain radiating in his hand. He did nothing but smile as the other was slowly deteriorating.

"What! Come on. Let's…let's talk about this." "Miroku:" pleaded and if he had knees, he'd be on them right now. "I…I was just joking about the whole thing. Pl…please don't do this. Everything I did, I did it for you." He pleading, becoming more hysterical as he lower half dissipated into thin air.

"You hurt my friends for me? You tried to keep me locked away in here for me?" Miroku tilted his head in disbelief.

"I…I admit that I was jealous. It was just you and I and then more of them came. I wanted you for myself… that's all."

"Hmmm…even if I did believe you I still have to do this. I'm ready to live my life on my own without you."

"You fool! You can't live without me! You'll crumble the first second you realize that you don't have me by your side!"

Miroku had nothing left to say as remaining parts of his other half dissolved away.

Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply, again, and again. For once he felt something he hadn't felt before ever in his life.

He felt free.

Miroku's eyes fluttered open repeatedly, his sight trying to adjust to the bright lights. The first thing that Miroku felt when awaking back into reality was pain.

"Ohmigawd!" his raucous words of agony were muffled by his cupped hands as he touched his face. "My face…" he cried out next as he tried to get up; more pain radiated through his stomach, stopping his actions instantly, sending him back to his unknown cushion.

"My stomach!" he moved his arms over it, cradling his injuries. He breathed heavily, closing his eyes again as he tried to concentrate on anything other than the pain he was feeling all over his body.

Reopening he eyes, his vision was flooded with misty brown ones.

"Hi." He said weakly, not knowing what else to say. He definitely was not expecting Sango to be in the same room as him, not after what he did…well it wasn't him but she didn't know that.

"You're ok?" She asked, brushing away his hair from his face.

"I think so." He answered, terrified that she was about to shed tears for him.

"Good." She swallowed the lump of emotions, trying her best not to let her tears fall. She leaned over until her forehead settled in the crook of his neck, hiding her face from everyone else.

"Ok, so what happened?" Sango voice was watery and shallow.

Miroku sighed, happy that she still gave a damn about him, but wished she wasn't there to witness the events that took place.

"I wish I could tell you, but in all honesty…I really don't have a clear answer to give you." He reached behind him. Although the movment caused him pain, he strokedher hair to sooth her. "Right now all I can say is that I'm sorry for everything that I did and I can sincerely say that I wasn't in my right mind at the time and I'm asking you to forgive me and when I do find the answers, I promise I'll tell you everything. Ok?"

There was a moment of silence before she made an inaudible mew followed by a nod. The girl sniffed, raising her head. She let out a watery laugh, wiping away the tears from her cheeks.

"Hey Sango. Kida just text me; some of your guest are leaving and they want to say goodbye." Kagome informed her. A lie but she had sensed from the boys that they weren't going to talk until they were out of the room.

Dealing with the pain, Miroku sat up allowing Sango to get up from the floor.

They waited well after the girls had left before letting out a sigh of relief.

"So what really happened?" Miroku felt like he needed to know what went down while he was out.

"Well, what had happened was: You were talking shit, I had to knock you out…for real this time. You thrashed around, almost took us out when we carried you downstairs. You fought in your sleep for about thirty minutes. The girls came in and stayed until then you woke up."

Both Kouga and Inuyasha looked at Bankotsu like his skin had turned blue.

"Dude, could you be any less vague?" Kouga said in disbelief.

"Look, he asked what happened. I'm not in the mood to go through the whole scene and dialogue. I'll get mad all over again."

"No he's right." Miroku spoke up. "I just wanted the gist of it." He struggled, but he managed to get up off the cold floor.

"So it really is you. Like you, you. Not some fake, right?" Inuyasha walked towards him, sizing him up.

"Yeah, it's all of me this time."

He nodded; then smiled "Come here then." He swung out his arm, pulling Miroku into a gentle headlock, squeezing lightly before letting go.

Miroku hadn't laughed for a week. Emotions built up inside of him.

"So what happens now?" Inuyasha asked, pleased that Miroku had the energy to laugh again.

Miroku shrugged, scratching his head. "Contract Dr. Whitener and get intense therapy for the next week or so. Just to make sure that everything is…correct" He rubbed his eyes hard with the back of his hands. He let out a shaky breath. It took him a moment to get himself together again.

"I didn't think you guys were going to come."

"Well we weren't going to. Not because of you, I mean before we found all this out." Kouga said quickly when sadness replaced Miroku's expression. "This genius over here slept well past one this afternoon."

"Oh my God! You act like that was the only reason. You forgot to buy a gift for Sango…"

"I didn't forget to buy it; I just forgot to pick it up."

"Same thing." Bankotsu scoffed. "And you forgot to buy your mom a gift for Christmas. Who forgets to buy a Christmas gift for their mom?"

"I was busy." Kouga said defensively.

"You're always busy."

"Children please." Inuyasha clapped his hands together to silence their bickering. "After everything that has happened, could we not fight today?" He looked at Miroku who seemed to be enjoying the spectacle.

"Yes, mother." Kouga sarcastically said, rolling his eyes.

"Don't make me choke you." He mumbled as he walked to the door; pissed off that he was called mother, of all things.

"Awww, don't be mad." Kouga taunted him, following behind him; the last two were in tow as well.

"I'm about to slam you in two damn seconds if you don't cut it out." Inuyasha yelled out the empty threat as Kouga continued to poke and prod at him.

"Bet a dollar that he slams him to the ground." Bankotsu said to Miroku waving the bill in the air.

"That's a sucker's bet. We both know that he's gonna hit the wall."

Both boys watched in amusement as Kouga stomped on his last nerve. Instinctively, the silver-haired boy grabbed the instigator by his shirtfront throwing him to the other side, causing him to stumble and skid across the tiled floor.

"Damn! I shoulda took the bet." Miroku exclaimed in amusement, laughing in the process.

Bankotsu laughed as well. "Maybe next time."

Miroku smiled, happy that everyone were on good terms once again. Though he knew that they wouldn't forget, but at least they were willing to forgive and stay by his side.

A/n: Well happy ending...for now :) hahahah! The hardest, I think, is creating Inuyasha's story... and how Kagome's gonna get away with all of this... oh well.

TBC :D

Happy Holidays Everyone! :D