Well, thank god I got a cold so I could finish this. Stupid college. Why did I think getting a second bachelor's would be a good idea? Oh, yeah. I'm insane.

Infinite square wells of love to my betas: Merith, Kat, and Chris. A harmonic oscillator of affection for my taskmaster, Niamh, who has gone away again to Tampa. *sigh* Oh well. Maybe I'll do homework.

Shyeah, right.

Chapter title and epigraph are from "Furious Angels," by Rob Dougan.

***

'Cause love like an invisible bullet
Has shot me down and I'm bleeding
Yeah, I'm bleeding

***

Sango gingerly slid off Kirara's back as the fire-cat youkai touched down lightly in front of Kaede's hut. Normally she made Kirara land out in the woods so the villagers wouldn't be startled. Even though the people were remarkably tolerant about Inuyasha, Shippo, and Kirara running in and out of Kaede's hut, Sango thought it was a bit unfair to ask them to put up with much more than that. After all, they weren't youkai hunters. But two days of combing the woods at Inuyasha's tireless pace had made her so stiff she wasn't entirely sure she could walk without falling down. Sango leaned against Kirara, who supported her mistress patiently. More than anything, Sango wanted a hot bath and a night of uninterrupted sleep. But she could almost hear Kagome saying, "Sango-chan, take care of him for me, please? I'm worried about him." Sango sighed and straightened. I'll get something to eat and then I'll head back out.

Shippo peeked from beneath the front door flap. "Sango?"

She smiled wanly at him. "Hi, Shippo."

He padded out to her and climbed carefully onto her shoulder. "Did you find anything?"

The girl shook her head. "Not yet." Kirara shifted back to her smaller form in a blaze of flame and Sango stooped to pick up the cat, Shippo clinging to her collar and shoulder for balance. "I thought I'd beg something from Kaede-sama before I went back out."

Shippo frowned. "You shouldn't push yourself so hard. Kirara can keep up with Inuyasha, but that doesn't mean you can."

Sango chuckled as she stepped up onto the porch. "I know, I know. I'm only human."

Kaede looked up as Sango lifted the flap, arching an eyebrow. "Shippo, I hope you took into account how tired Sango must be before you started climbing all over her," she scolded fondly.

"She didn't complain," Shippo protested, as Sango leaned Hiraikotsu against the wall.

"It's okay, Kaede-sama," Sango said, sinking down cross-legged across from the old miko. "I'm used to carrying him."

Kaede studied her for a long moment, before rising to fetch her a bowl of stew. As Sango took it gratefully, Kaede said, "You should stay here a few hours and rest. Keeping up with Inuyasha is difficult enough when he's not driven."

Sango groaned. "Why is everybody determined to keep me inside? I'm fine."

Shippo hopped off her shoulder, fetching another bowl of stew for Kirara. "You don't look fine," he informed her. "You look really tired. And Miroku's been worried about you."

Sango blinked, chopsticks poised halfway to her mouth. "Houshi-sama? Whatever for?"

"Because we're stretched thin enough right now, and cannot afford to lose you to exhaustion when it's so easily prevented," Miroku said sternly from behind her. Sango jumped, slopping her stew. He sat down next to her, glaring at Shippo. "If you or Inuyasha do find something, we'll need to be ready to take it on."

She ate in annoyed silence. He was so much easier to dismiss when he was being frivolous. Kaede finally suggested, "Perhaps if she just took a brief nap...."

"All right. Fine." Sango set her bowl down with a firm click. "Where do you all propose I take this nap? Since Kagome-chan is in the quarantine hut?"

Kaede stood up smoothly. "I was just about to take a walk with Shippo." Shippo masked his brief look of confusion with a determined nod. "And houshi-dono." Sango choked on the furious snap she'd been readying for Miroku.

Miroku rose, offering Kaede his arm. "We'll be off, then." He smiled down at Sango. "Sleep well." His smile only widened when she scowled up at him. Shippo scampered ahead of Miroku as he guided Kaede towards the door.

Sango sighed as the door flap fell shut behind the trio. She finished her stew and set her empty bowl aside. Kirara had finished her stew and was already asleep in a tight little circle. Sango smiled, dragged a futon down onto the floor and curled up on it. One hand stroked Kirara's back as she closed her eyes. Perversely, she now felt awake, mind churning with the image of Inuyasha coursing the forest, hunting restlessly for whatever it was that was killing Kagome. She chewed her lip, thinking of the shattered look lurking in the depths of Inuyasha's eyes, and Kagome's dreaming smile. She suppressed a groan and sat up. Maybe I can manage a few more hours. I'll let Kirara sleep, though.

The door flap lifted and an annoyingly familiar voice said, "You're supposed to be resting."

"What are you doing here?" Sango sputtered. "You were going for a walk!"

Miroku ducked inside and leaned back against the wall, smiling idly. "I told Kaede-sama your sense of honor wouldn't let you sleep and that I should stay behind to convince you."

"Convince me?"

"In fact," Miroku went on, "I seem to recall being determined to keep myself awake a few days ago and being charmingly enticed into sleep."

Sango barely managed to keep from rolling her eyes. "You've come to entice me charmingly."

Miroku's smile widened and she felt a twinge of apprehension. "Actually, I came to hold you down until you fell asleep, because I know you're too damn stubborn to either rest on your own or listen to any argument from me."

She stared at him, color burning high in her cheeks. "What? You...."

"Don't make me do it," he chided.

"I'd like to see you try," she snapped, and strode towards the door.

Miroku intercepted her before she was halfway across the room. Sango twisted to dodge him, but the damn monk followed her like he could read her mind. Frustrated past all endurance, Sango tried brute force, lowering her shoulder and ramming past him. But somehow, he turned her rush back on her, seizing her wrist and tumbling them both to the ground. Her head spun from exhaustion and he rolled them gently onto the futon. He's pinning me? No, she realized. Not pinned. He wasn't touching her at all. His arms were braced on either side of her torso, and he'd trapped one of her legs between his, but he wasn't touching her. But he could, if he shifted his weight even slightly. He was threatening to pin her.

That pissed her off even more.

"You know," he said casually, as if this happened to him all the time, "if you wanted me in this position, there were easier ways to get me here."

What am I thinking? This probably does happen to him all the time. Sango took a deep breath and let it out slowly, mentally ripping off a string of curses that would have had Inuyasha scribbling notes. "I'm just going to close my eyes and pretend you're not here," she said.

"That was the idea," Miroku replied.

Sango closed her eyes, trying to shunt aside her exasperation. She quickly realized that there was no way she was going to fall asleep with Miroku braced above her. She could feel the warmth radiating off him through his robes and she was hyper-sensitive to every twitch that ran through him. He smelled like rainwater and green tea, and his breath brushed lightly across her parted lips. She swallowed. In as caustic a voice as she could manage, she said, "I can't sleep with you breathing on me. So either get off me or stop breathing."

There was a long pause. She opened one eye and swore to herself to see him looking thoughtful, as if he were considering his options. He looked down at her and said, "Do you know, I don't think I can hold my breath that long?"

Enough is enough. Sango raised her knee so it pressed with unmistakable threat against his groin. "Move, houshi," she whispered, "or I'll get rid of your excuse for hitting on all those women."

Miroku's eyes turned dark and unreadable, and he dipped his head. For a brief startled moment, she thought he was going to kiss her. Instead, he breathed into her ear, "Careful. You don't want to do anything you'll regret."

What? While she was still speechless, he stood up gracefully, dusting his robes off, and walked towards the door. "Let me know when you're up," he said casually. "We need to discuss what we're going to do next, since you and Inuyasha haven't found anything." And he strolled out the door like he hadn't been lying nearly on top of her.

I don't believe him! Of all the presumptuous, arrogant, lecherous.... She fumed quietly, settling down onto the futon and closing her eyes. Her exhaustion quickly claimed her. As her thoughts began to slow and settle, it dawned on her that she was no longer fretting over Inuyasha and Kagome. That sneaky bastard, she thought as she fell asleep.

***

Inuyasha crept silently into the quarantine hut, looking around furtively for anybody who might see him. He didn't want to explain why he'd returned to the hut when he was supposed to be out searching. Though I guess I could just tell 'em Kagome still needs me. He sank down next to her, taking a deep breath. Two days of relentless searching had left him edgy and raw inside. He reached out and ran his claws lightly through her bangs. Inuyasha could hear that her heartbeat had slowed further while he'd been away. The flush in her cheeks had ebbed, and her lips had faded to pale rose. His chest tightened. He lifted her into his lap, tucking her head against his shoulder.

Kagome stirred languidly, one hand reaching up to brush his clothing. But her fingers relaxed before they closed on his haori, and her hand fell away. Inuyasha swallowed. He picked up her hand, thumb brushing rhythmically across the back. He folded her fingers into the cloth over his heart and held her hand there. A smile's shadow flickered over her mouth.

You can't leave me. I waited fifty years on that damn tree for you. If you.... Inuyasha's throat worked. If you die, Kagome.... Don't you know what it'll do to me? There won't be any point. Everything we've gone through, everything we've fought for. If you're not there, it's not right. He rocked her slowly. "You have to come back to me," he whispered into her hair. "Please."

***

Sango stirred, rubbing a hand over her face. Images flickered in her mind's eye: Kagome sleeping, Inuyasha running, Shippo crying, Kaede fretting.... Miroku smiling down at her. Her brow furrowed and she rolled onto her back. I'm going to kill him. She stretched and opened her eyes, drawing her knees up. She pushed into a sitting position and froze. Miroku sat idly against the wall of the hut, looking for all the world as if he were taking a nap himself.

He opened his eyes, looking at her soberly. "How do you feel?"

"What are you doing in here?"

Miroku affected a surprised expression. "Marshalling my energy to guard Kagome-sama."

Sango nodded. "And now the real reason."

Miroku sighed and glanced away. "I wanted to make sure you woke up."

Sango pulled the tie out of her hair and finger-combed it, retying it in her usual low ponytail. "Make sure?"

"Whatever's doing this to Kagome-sama might not be interested in only her. Therefore...."

"As you can see," Sango interrupted, "I'm quite awake."

"Imagine my relief," Miroku said.

"Oh, yes. And now that I am awake...." She rolled to her feet gracefully and strode over to him, ignoring the appreciative glint in his eyes. "I don't recommend trying a stunt like that again."

He looked up at her. "It worked."

Sango huffed out a breath. "I've been falling asleep on my own for quite a few years now, houshi-sama. If you'd left me alone, I'm sure I would have managed."

Miroku hesitated. "You were going back out when I came in."

Sango shifted her weight, uneasy for a moment. "Yes. I was."

He stood up swiftly, looking down at her. "You were exhausted."

Sango met his gaze for a moment, then looked away. She hated it when he had a point. "I don't appreciate being tricked."

A small smile curved Miroku's mouth. "I don't recall tricking you. I did exactly what I said I was going to do."

Sango's mouth twitched in response. "You diverted my attention."

"Ah, yes. I did do that."

"Sneakily."

He shrugged. "You were going to stay awake worrying."

Sango sighed. She had a sneaking suspicion that she owed the monk some kind of thank you, but.... "Yes. I probably would have."

Miroku said in a strange voice, "If you'd gone back out like that.... If something had happened to you...."

"I know," Sango said gently. "It would have been foolish of me."

Miroku nodded. "So I diverted you. I thought your being angry with me because I'd tricked you was preferable to.... whatever might have happened."

Sango was silent for a long moment. "I see your point. I don't have to like it. But I see it."

Miroku grinned at her suddenly. "I don't suppose you'll let me try it again."

She raised her eyebrows. "I wouldn't fall for it again."

"Then I'll have to think of something else."

Sango shook her head at herself inwardly. Why is it that whenever he grins at me like that, I have a really hard time staying angry at him? It's so damned annoying.

"So," he said conversationally.

Sango tilted her head. "So?"

"You didn't find anything, correct? No sign of Naraku."

She shook her head. "Nothing." She turned away to pace around the hut. "There was no sign of him, Kagura, Kanna, or even those damned insects. If he's out there, he's better hidden than he's ever been before."

Miroku let out a rueful sigh. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. It's too easy for him to be anywhere nearby."

Sango shook her head in frustration. "I don't understand it. How can he leave no trace at all? No barriers, no insects, nothing. It's as if... he's pulling strings from far away."

"Then we'll have to go looking for him."

"But where do we start?" Sango stopped, staring at the far wall. "We don't even know which direction to go in. These lands are vast, houshi-sama."

He was so quiet, she looked over her shoulder to make sure he was still there. "Sango?"

"Yes?"

"What do you know about soul-draining spells?"

She frowned for a moment, searching her memory. "That... youkai who use them are rare. And... they increase in potency depending on the proximity of the victim to the caster...." She trailed off. "Oh."

Miroku nodded. "I thought I remembered that being the case."

"Why do I have the feeling I know what you're thinking?"

"Because it's the only logical thing to do?"

Sango sagged against the wall, feeling tired all over again. "It could kill her. Even more quickly."

"I know," he said softly.

"But... she'd die while we were doing something to save her." Sango grimaced. "Instead of lying here fading away while we tear around the countryside blindly."

Miroku held out a hand. "Gods know I don't want her to die."

"Nor do I, houshi-sama." She sighed. "At least.... I can't believe I'm saying this. At least if we're headed in the right direction, we stand a chance of stopping Kanna than if we just keep searching in the wrong places while Kagome-chan...." She stopped, swallowing.

"However," Miroku said.

"Inuyasha."

"Oh, yes. He'll love this idea." Miroku sighed and leaned back against the wall. Sango put her hand over her eyes.

"He's not going to react well at all." She lowered her hand slowly. "But... if we make him understand that it's the only way we can help her...."

Miroku shrugged. "That's what I'm going to tell him, if he'll listen after he tries to kill me for suggesting it."

Sango shook her head. "He won't try to kill you. Maim you, perhaps, but not kill you."

"Well, I know I can live through that." Miroku chuckled softly.

"Maybe he'll... agree?" Sango suggested, then shook her head. "I'd be more likely to sprout wings."

Miroku pushed aside the door flap and stepped outside, then paused and leaned back in. "Sango?"

"Yes, houshi-sama?"

A devilish grin lit his face. "Can you guess what I'm thinking now?" Sango narrowed her eyes and she glanced pointedly to where Hiraikotsu rested against the wall. Like quicksilver, his grin shifted to only pleasantly happy. "Ah, you're quite fully recovered." The door flap closed.

Sango followed him towards the quarantine hut. She wasn't sure what made Miroku think the hanyou might be there and not continuing his frantic search through the woods around the village. We might as well start here, I suppose. She peeked over Miroku's shoulder as he entered the hut and chalked up a grudging mental point for his instincts. Inuyasha sat quietly on the futon, gazing down into Kagome's pale face. She blinked quick tears away, reading the tension in the set of Miroku's shoulders. He doesn't want to do this.

Inuyasha said, "What do you want, Miroku?"

"We have to talk about what we're going to do next." Miroku's tone was dispassionate, as if he was merely discussing what Inuyasha wanted for dinner. Inuyasha closed his eyes wearily, and Sango winced. He hasn't had any sleep. Sango sat down quietly between the men. Miroku cleared his throat. "You didn't find any sign of him."

"No," Inuyasha said.

"We can't stay here and wait, then. We're going to have to go out and look for him."

"I was," Inuyasha said even more quietly. "I just came back for...." He shook his head. "I just came back for a little while."

"Inuyasha," Sango said gently. "We can search all day and all night, but without a direction...."

Miroku nodded. "She's right."

Inuyasha shook his head. "We ain't got a choice."

"I've thought of a way to find a direction," Miroku said neutrally.

Inuyasha looked up, ears perking and faint hope gleaming in his eyes. Sango bit her lip. "It's not... orthodox," she said.

He frowned. "What is it?"

Miroku said, "Soul draining spells increase in their effectiveness depending on how close the caster and the victim are to each other."

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. "No."

Miroku kept talking. "If we take Kagome-sama with us, then we can judge how close we are by how weak she is."

"I said no, bouzu."

"Inuyasha," Sango said softly, "please."

"If we're quick enough," Miroku said, "we should be able to save her before she dies."

"No," Inuyasha growled. "I'll find him. I'll keep lookin'. I'll find him before she...."

Miroku sighed. "You can't find him that fast."

"We can't continue roaming the countryside hoping we trip over Naraku," Sango said reasonably. "We stand a much better chance of saving Kagome-chan if we at least go in the right direction."

Inuyasha was glaring at Miroku, who said, "You have no idea where you should look, no idea where he is. Kaede-sama said she had a week. We've lost two days."

"And if we take her," Inuyasha snapped, "we'll lose more time 'cause it'll just speed up. I ain't gonna gamble her life."

"Fine," Miroku said. Sango glanced at him in surprise. "I'll remind you of that when she's dead in five days because you wouldn't gamble."

Inuyasha snarled, baring his fangs as his eyes sparked with rage. His muscles twitched as if he was choking back the urge to snap Miroku's neck, and only the fact he would have had to put Kagome down was stopping him. Miroku sat patiently, waiting. Sango shifted, wondering if she was going to need to draw the dagger she kept in her boot. Inuyasha finally wrestled his fury under control and growled, "Fuck. Off."

"Not until you realize this is the only chance we have," Miroku snapped.

Inuyasha pressed Kagome closer to his heart, swallowing convulsively. "Inuyasha, please," Sango said. "You've got to see this is the only way we stand a chance of finding Kanna. We wouldn't be here if it weren't."

"I don't want her to die," Miroku said, the first trace of frustration leaking into his voice. "She's my friend."

"She's our friend," Sango corrected gently.

A long, tense silence followed. Finally, Inuyasha slumped and his head dropped forward, hair spilling over his face. "Fine," he said, nearly inaudibly.

Miroku stood up slowly. "We should go in the morning."

Sango followed suit. "I'll start gathering our gear." Miroku strolled out of the hut. She followed him, pausing in the door to look back. Inuyasha had buried his face in Kagome's hair and was rocking her slowly. Sango turned and fled the hut, feeling like an intruder.

Miroku had stopped just outside of earshot range. His shoulders were stiff and she could practically feel the guilt radiating off him. She walked up behind him and put her hand hesitantly on his shoulder. "It could have gone worse."

"Yes," Miroku said. "He could have cut my head off."

Sango sighed. "He wouldn't have. It's... the only way, houshi-sama. We can't just sit here."

"I know." Miroku let out a sigh. "I hate this idea. It goes against every instinct I have, Sango."

"For me as well," she said softly. "But.... I think Kagome would understand. I think she would want us to take the risk. She doesn't want to die. If this is our only option, then she wants us to take it."

"I believe she will fight with every last breath in her body to return to him," Miroku said, equally soft. Sango nodded. He hesitated. "And if she doesn't make it... neither will he."

Sango sighed. "I know."

He turned around and looked at her with haunted eyes. "Sango."

She swallowed, feeling something twist in her chest. "Yes?"

Miroku gazed at her for a long moment. "...If we lose both of them, and it's only you and I who remain to defeat Naraku, then I swear to you, I will do everything in my power to make sure Kohaku is returned to you."

She nodded, feeling her throat close. "Thank you," she whispered. "But... houshi-sama. Kagome wouldn't leave us. And she wouldn't leave Inuyasha, and she isn't going to give in without a fight. She never has before. So, please, don't start worrying about the future when we've barely begun to deal with the present." Miroku smiled involuntarily. "Otherwise, I'll be forced to tell Kagome-chan how you had so very little faith in yourself."

His eyes glinted. "I always knew you were dangerous."

Sango smiled. "And don't you forget it."

"I never do." Very slowly, he reached up and put his hand over hers.

Sango felt her pulse trip and stutter. Heat flooded her cheeks. What... what is he doing? "We... have a big day. Tomorrow. So. I should go and start... gathering our things." Miroku nodded. Sango swore she could feel his hand scorch hers through her glove. "So... I'm going to go. Prepare."

"Very well," Miroku said, but didn't move his hand. She gazed at him, trying to decipher his expression. After a moment, she stepped away, trying to quell an odd sense of disappointment. He lowered his hand slowly to his side. "I told Kaede-sama you'd probably want a bath after your nap," he said neutrally. "I believe you can find her around the bathhouse."

Sango blinked. "Thank you."

He shrugged and strolled away. She shook her head. He says I'm dangerous? Sango walked towards the village, willing her hand to stop tingling.

***

And if you go
Furious angels will bring you back to me