This chapter is dedicated to Aamalie and my big sister Kat, because, in true Thorne family fashion, it is late. This was supposed to be done Saturday. I'm sorry, but I had a family crisis that delayed any and all action. My sister and I were actually sent away…but here it is!

Lyrics in order are: Forever Gone, Forever You by Evanescence, Broken, by Seether featuring Amy Lee, and Shinjitsu no Uta (Song of Truth) by Do as Infinity.

Day Five: . . . Two Steps Back

---

There's something very wrong about this
I think you knew all along somehow
You'll only take me to change my mind
Lonely, broken, and defeated
So far away I see the truth
I see through you
Now that I know the way you play
I don't want to

Raidon moved back toward the camp as quickly and quietly as he could. That bouzu was up to no good, he had known it the moment he walked into the camp and saw Sango sitting so close to him. He had dismissed it as paranoia. But now . . . Sango was enamored of him, the little fool. This was everything he needed to fix that, and more. All he had to do was plant a little seed of doubt in her mind, and let it grow.

He would fix it so no-one got Sango but him. He deserved her. All the easy charm that he threw around was wasted on her, she didn't care. It drove him mad, trying to figure out why she didn't seem interested – everyone else was.

It had become an obsession, something he needed to understand. He had to have her, there was no-one else that would do. When he heard she had died, he knew it couldn't be true. She was far too strong, too stubborn, to die. So he searched her out.

Now he'd found her, and she was here with that . . . bouzu. There was something off about him, something not quite right. It was in the way he protected Sango, as if she was a special girl or something. He wouldn't allow it. Sango was his to claim, his prize after the hard work.

No bouzu was going to get in his way.

---

I wanted you to know I love the way you laugh
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain away
I keep your photograph; I know it serves me well
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain

'Cause I'm broken when I'm open
And I don't feel like I am strong enough
'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
And I don't feel light when you're gone away

Returning from his meeting with Kagome – who had once again reminded him not to tell Sango under any circumstances, he settled down to sleep for the night. Sleep, however, had not settled on him.

'What would make her happiest?' he wondered. 'Being back with her own people, or having her dreams, her life, shattered by Naraku? Maybe I should just . . .' he shook his head. No, Sango had made it incredibly clear, that she would stay until Kohaku was avenged.

She stirred beside him, and he smiled. She was so beautiful. So strong, so brave. He didn't deserve her, he sighed. Not him, the lecherous, thieving monk who would die before his child turned ten. And yet . . . she had kissed him. A warm, chaste feeling of happiness and peace fell over him. He may not deserve her, but he could hope, and try.

With that final thought, he slept.

---

The crimson-stained sun

Has illuminated everything; now and the past

Is what I have imagined within this twilight

More than my own hands can accomplish?

Please teach me how to live

A little less guarded that I do now

Won't you taint me just a little?

Sango rolled over and yawned as the morning light broke through her sleep. The crackling of a fire caught her attention, and she sat up. There sat Miroku, grinning cheerily as he cooked three fish.

"They should be ready in a moment," he informed her. She nodded, and came over to sit next to him. She no longer worried about his roving hands. He hadn't broken his promise once, and she had no reason to believe him to be so inclined now. A few minutes later, he called over:

"Fish's ready!"

She walked over to get it, and Miroku shook his head.

"You get to work for your breakfast," he said, sending a careful glance to Raidon, who slept on, dead to the world. She gave him a look of shock as he stood, holding the speared fish in a carefully firm grip.

"I bet Kirara would like this," Miroku teased, and Sango, aware of the manipulation, lunged playfully for her food. Miroku jumped out of the way, tapping her on the head with his staff.

"Why Sango, you're getting slow!" he chuckled, and the war began. They jumped, dodged, ducked and swerved around each other, Miroku carefully trying to stay one skip ahead of the hungry taiji-ya.

"Give. Me. My. Breakfast!" she growled in a whisper, still fooling around. Miroku shook his head.

"I don't want to."

Giving up on any pretense of grace, Sango tackled the houshi, causing his breath to come out in a whoosh of air as he hit the ground. Sitting atop his stomach, Sango gave a little giggle, and grasped her prize - the fish.

"I win," she said, pointing to the morsel of seafood. Miroku nodded absently, but before she could take a bite, he flipped them over so he straddled her waist and pinned her hands above her head.

"No, I win," he said, kissing her on the cheek. She gave a flush, and looked away. In doing so, he was given the opportunity to kiss her other cheek, and did so. She looked up at him, soon a bright red.

"N-nani?" she gasped. He smiled down at her.

"One for last night, and one because I wanted to," he explained, helping her to her feet. She looked down, and gave a little sigh, muttering something.

"What did you say?" Miroku asked, ducking his head to try and meet her eyes. She met them hesitantly, still blushing.

"I said: I don't really believe that . . . that . . ." she paused. He smiled at her.

"I know," he replied, patting her on the back. "Let's eat, before Raidon wakes up."

Sango nodded, and looked around for the fish she had dropped when Miroku flipped her. Kirara sat, nibbling daintily at the remains. Miroku burst into loud, gut-splitting laughter. Oh the irony . . .

Raidon woke, and looked around.

"Nani? What's going on?"

Sango shook her head and sighed, grabbing Miroku's fish.

"Breakfast," she replied absently.

He snorted and stumbled over to the fire, flopping down next to her and slinging an arm over her shoulder. She gingerly removed it, wondering why she hadn't refused to let him stay. Well, there was no reason for him not to stay in the same part of the forest as them. So, really, she had no choice. Maybe she was just wussing out.

Miroku sighed, and grabbed a pail.

"I'm going to get more fish, Sango," he said. In a lower voice, he added:

"Are you all right on your own with him?" he asked. She nodded mutely, and he stood.

"I'll be back soon!" he announced, and Raidon brushed him off.

"Yea, yea; shut up bouzu."

Miroku held his tongue and walked off to find his fish.

---

"SHIPPO!" an irate hanyou hissed, trying to keep his voice low. Kagome was asleep in her room, worn out from a round of tests. The kitsune squealed, running around the yard of the shrine.

Waking Kagome was last on their list, and the kitsune made his way into the shrine before Inuyasha made it out of the house. Running into the yard in time to see a flash of light, the hanyou frowned.

"Nice try, brat," he growled, and started toward the old well house with a firm look on his face. Before he could take two steps, however. . .

"Inuyasha? Koibito? Where are you?"

Torn between his soon (he hoped) to be mate and the death of a certain kitsune child, he turned back toward the house.

"Right out here, Kagome!"

---

Miroku sat on the edge of the stream, waiting for a fish. The tiny nagging in the back of his mind, however, had helped to save the animals life. He couldn't concentrate. Somehow, he felt guilty about leaving Sango alone with that . . . monster.

However, that was not to be his only problem. Moments after yet another fish had made the escape, a small kitsune came bounding over the stream.

"Save me!" he yelled. Miroku blinked at the kitsune in question, otherwise known as Shippo. The child looked up at him.

"Did Inuyasha follow me?" he asked. Miroku shook his head.

"I don't know. Why are you here?"

Shippo crawled off of Miroku's shoulder and peered into the stream before shrugging.

"I ran away from Inuyasha. Kagome's asleep."

It made sense, to Miroku. Kagome was the bulwark that kept Inuyasha from royally whipping Shippo. If she was asleep, he would have had to get somewhere else. Inuyasha wouldn't go through the well without Kagome, so Shippo was safe on this side.

"Well, you and I can go back to the well; I'll give you one of my sha – never mind."

He had been about to offer one of the three shards he kept under his robes, before realizing that Shippo would need a shard to get through in the first place. Ah, well, that made it easier.

"I want to see Sango!" the kitsune cried. Miroku nodded.

"I think we can do that," he said amiably, and Shippo cheered, clambering onto his shoulder.

---

Raidon smiled. The houshi had been gone a little while, and didn't look like he'd be back any time soon. Now was the time to plant the seeds to sow his plan.

"Sango," he hissed at the same time as a cheery, childish voice cried:

"Sango!"

Shippo bounded off Miroku's shoulder and ran to the taiji-ya.

"I missed you!" he said, looking around. "Where's Kirara?"

Sango laughed. He hadn't missed her, he had missed his playmate. Sango didn't feel bad; he was a child, after all.

"Over there," she said, pointing to where the tiny neko lay curled up. Miroku stood at the side of the woods, arms crossed as he leant against a tree.

"Hello, everyone, it's nice to see you too," he drawled, and Sango stood.

"Hello, houshi-sama."

"Shippo shouldn't take too long, he ran away from Inuyasha whilst Kagome was sleeping."

The taiji-ya laughed, and nodded, relaying the message.

"I'll be back soon, Kirara!" the boy called as he ran back to Miroku. Hopping onto the monk's shoulder, he pulled an earring, causing Miroku to wince.

"Well, I'll see him off and come back. I give up on breakfast, Sango," he sighed before he walked off. When he was out of sight, Raidon sighed.

"I wonder who else he'll meet on the way there?" he mused out loud. Sango turned to look at him, puzzled. Raidon feigned equal surprise.

"Oh, you didn't know? I saw him with some woman last night, if you know what I mean," he chucked. Sango paled, looking down. He had been good as of late . . . was it because of his promise? Or was it because of something – or someone – else? She didn't know.

---

It was dusk when Miroku returned, having been forced through the well by Shippo and coaxed into dinner by Kagome. He had thoroughly enjoyed the visit, and came back to camp with a smile.

"Hello, Houshi-sama," Sango said in a cool voice. Raidon sat by the fire, smirking.

"Good evening, Sango, Raidon," Miroku replied pleasantly.

"Did you enjoy your visit?"

"Yes, I did. I had a wonderful host," he said, not knowing that he had just walked into a trap. He, of course, had been talking about Kagome's cooking skills.

"I'm sure you did," she said, her voice cracking. Miroku noticed, and frowned.

"What's the matter?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just . . . I didn't think that you . . . after you said . . ." tears were actively streaming down her face, and Miroku suddenly realized there was something very wrong here. Raidon stood up, looking coldly at the houshi.

"I suggest that you leave, bouzu. You and your habits have upset my fiancée enough," he said in an icy tone, wrapping an arm around Sango's shoulders. She pushed it off.

"I can do this alone, Raidon!" she said, drying her face. She turned sad eyes on Miroku. "I hope you enjoyed her, houshi-sama. Because she's all the company you'll have for the rest of this week. I'm leaving with Raidon tonight."

Miroku was at a loss. Did she think . . . but . . .

"I, I can explain!" he said, angry with himself. How had this happened? One look at Raidon was all he needed. He had somehow managed to find out about his past life, or something, and – but it didn't make sense. He was at a loss.

"Try me," she said coldly. Miroku blinked, still in shock. The sun had gone down, and they stood in the dark now, the only light that of the fire.

"I knew it!" Raidon crowed. "He can't explain it! He went and met his little tart this afternoon after he dropped that kitsune of yours wherever!"

Miroku watched as Sango turned away from him.

"Please leave, houshi-sama. And say goodbye to everyone for me. Tell Inuyasha . . . to be good . . . to Kagome-chan . . ." she whispered. Miroku sighed, and turned around. There was nothing to say. Any denial now would look like a lie. After all the work he put into it . . . it was all for naught. The only thing he had ever been serious about, save his curse, was gone. Lost to sour words and a viper's kiss.

---

Kagome watched from the dim light of her flashlight as Miroku walked into the field. The chess board was set up at her side, a tiny notepad and pen near it. She was all ready for another chat. This was going well! She should really look into a career as a matchmaker.

"Hey!" she called in a little half-whisper as he came closer. "How are things?"

He kept walking, but didn't answer her. Kagome didn't even have to think longer than a moment. There was something wrong. Miroku never acted this way, not even when the Kazaana widened, or he was injured. He was always so sanguine. She got up, her eyes searching his face for any clue as to what had happened. She watched as he came across the field. She watched as he walked over to the chess board without saying a word.

She watched as he very carefully moved Sango's queen – Raidon – to knock over the king.

---

Hey! Don't hurt me . . . please . . . it's not the end! The week is not yet over! I chagrined at the amount of people who figured it out. I mean, I knew it was cliché, but still . . . ah well, at least none of you know what'll happen next! Haha!!!