Me again. Thanks to those who reviewed. Love you guys! And to the people asking, Tamikale is NOT Miroku and Sango's daughter from the future. I'm trying to avoid that cliché and I am inventing something new in the process.

Disclaimer: I don't own sexy Inuyasha and I sure as hell don't own the very fine Miroku. They own me however. All they have to do is say the word and I'll gladly be at their feet.

Chapter Two

Wondering ***

"Why is Inuyasha always grumpy?"

"Because Inuyasha is a moron, hmm even that word is too good for him."

"Why you little. when I get my hands on you Shippo."

"Kagome Inuyasha is trying to choke me!"

"Inuyahsa leave him alone!"

"Stay out of this wench!"

"Why you. SIT!"

WHAM!

"Inuyasha you really are a moron. This is the third time you fell for Shippos's taunting this week. May I also say that the week officially started 15 minutes ago," Miroku said to a very disgruntled hanyou who was currently eating the dirt path the group was walking on.

Tamikale giggled as Sango rolled her eyes. Tamikale had been with them for three days. It seemed like she had been with them forever though. Sango had quickly gotten used to the sight of the little girl either clinging to Miroku's back or holding his hand. It was almost as if they were family and it was so cute. The monk was showing a side of him she rarely ever saw, the sweet caring unperverted side of his personality. Of course, he was still prone to groping her whenever she least expected it but since he was looking after Tamikale these events were fewer and far in between.

Tamikale herself was a breath of fresh air. She was such a sweet little girl and a smart one too. She was constantly asking questions and she seemed to have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. It was almost annoying at times but even Inuyasha put up with it.

However they still knew very little about Tamikale. Miroku seemed to think it was best to just let the child be for the moment.

"As soon as we reach a village and have a chance to properly refresh ourselves I'll ask her more about herself. I sense she has been through a terrible ordeal and right now I don't want her to relive it. She doesn't mind being with us and although I know it's dangerous that she is with us given our situation, I still think that it would be better to wait for a few days," Miroku had said when they first discussed what to do with her.

None of the others had objected, but Sango was slightly curious as to why the houshi was so eager to spend time with the child. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that she looks like me, Sango thought.

That in itself was a concern for Sango. Why was it the child looked so much like her? Was it just coincidence? Or something deeper? Was there some relationship between the two of them? But if that were so wouldn't Tamikale have at least said something?

Lost in her thoughts Sango barely paid attention to where she was walking and by the time she realized this she had already tripped over a log. As if that wasn't enough the next thing she knew she was rolling down a twenty- foot slope and came to a crash at the end.

"Sango are you alright?" Kagome called to her from the top of the slope.

"Just peachy," Sango said while mentally cursing herself a fool for not watching where she was going.

Miroku and Inuyasha jumped down to check on her and Sango didn't protest when the houshi knelt down next to her to examine her.

"Everything seems to be in order. But Sango it's not like you to be so careless. This accident was most out of the ordinary, hai?" Miroku stated.

Sango felt an embarrassed blush creeping up her cheeks. "True I was being careless but that won't happen again," she replied somewhat defensively.

"Feh," was all Inuyasha said on the topic.

"Why Sango perhaps this was luck. You seem to have uh 'stumbled' right into a cozy little valley," Miroku said looking around.

It was true. A stream was flowing through the valley and near its banks were assorted flowers and fruit trees.

Kagome squealed in delight when she came down and saw it. "This would be a perfect place to rest for a while!" she said.

"Rest? Already?" Inuyasha said. He then proceeded to jump into a tree grumbling something about lazy humans.

"A penny for your thoughts Sango?" Miroku asked as he sat next to Sango who had curled herself up on a stone near the stream.

"Oh it's nothing houshi sama," Sango said airily. "Where's Tamikale?"

"Sleeping. She finally got tired of splashing around in the stream with Shippo so now she's taking a much needed rest," Miroku replied.

"You are fond of her aren't you houshi sama?" Sango asked, unable to contain her curiosity any longer.

Miroku paused for a moment. "Yes I am. She is a wonderful child."

"But you don't even know her," Sango said.

"True. She is a mystery and I find that intriguing. Very much like you Sango," Miroku said with a smirk.

"Like me?"

"Yes. Not only does she look extraordinarily like you, she seems to possess some of your personality traits. Like being very cautious for example," Miroku said thoughtfully.

"Cautious?"

"Haven't you noticed that she doesn't completely trust us? She withholds information about herself while collecting as much as she can about us. Just last night she was pounding Kagome with questions about her unusual clothing and devices. I read between the lines and I realized that this was not simple childhood curiosity," Miroku explained.

"So what are you saying houshi sama?" Sango pressed.

Miroku contemplated his answer for a moment. "I'm saying that when I first came across her I felt that fate had brought her to me for a reason. And I would very much like to know what that reason is. Until I do find it, Tamikale is my responsibility. She obviously needs someone to care for her now and I shall rise to the challenge."

"What if she's a youkai trying to kill us all?"

"Then I will never trust my instincts again and I'll blame it all on Mushin's teachings about the sixth sense."

Sango giggled. "I think that's very sweet of you taking care of the girl like that. Really houshi sama, you never cease to amaze me."

"Sango you flatter me," Miroku said gently.

"Well perhaps you deserve.."

Sango stopped in mid-sentence when she recognized a familiar pair of hands making their way up her hips.

"HENTAI!"

SMACK!

"Goodness Sango must you hit so hard?"

*

Behind the bushes a disappointed Kagome sighed. "Why does Miroku keep messing these moments up?"

"Mess what Miss Kagome?" a sleepy Tamikale asked making her way up to Kagome.

"Uh, nothing honey, how was your nap?" Kagome asked quickly trying (very unsuccessfully) to pretend that she was not spying on Sango and Miroku.

"Good. Shippo asked me to call you. Inuyasha's strangling him again," Tamikale replied.

Kagome got up in a rush, most likely to condemn Inuyasha into a period of dirt eating.

Tamikale peered through the bushes wondering what Kagome found so interesting and saw Miroku trying to apologize to a very disgruntled Sango. Tamikale really liked those two, especially Miroku. He was always nice to her and he took care of her really well, something her own father didn't do.

Mommy would like him, Tamikale thought. She knew her mother would be coming for her soon and she hoped very much that she would like Miroku as much as she did.

Miroku was saying something to Sango that was making Sango smile slightly. Tamikale knew Sango was obviously trying not to smile for the houshi and Tamikale couldn't help but wonder why Sango tried so hard to hide what she felt for Miroku. She likes Miroku so much but she doesn't want to tell him. I wonder why? Why would my new Mommy..

Tamikale stopped when she realized what she was doing. New Mommy? Why did she just think of Sango as her new Mommy? Then she realized that that wasn't the first time she thought of Sango as a parent figure.

Guilty feelings flooded through the little child. What would her Mommy say? Tamikale knew it would hurt her mommy's feelings. But then since Mommy wasn't here now it wouldn't hurt to pretend for a while would it?

Miroku will be my new daddy, and Sango will be my new mommy. For now anyway. Please don't be mad Mommy. Do you think she'll be mad Shadow?

"As a matter of fact I don't think she'll mind at all," came the reply from the bushes.

*

Well there it is. Please review and tell me what you think.