One step closer

Yeah! I got reviews! does happy dance Yes, this is a Sango/ Inu-yasha fanfic, for those who were/are not sure. And yes, this will be a hell of a lot longer than the prologue. Well...maybe.

Chapter One: In love with a dream. Twice.

Sango stood completely still and kept her eyes on Miroku as he turned around.

"Uh, hehe..."

Inu-yasha growled "Explain. NOW."

Miroku's face went red as he spoke, his gaze focused anywhere but Sango or the others.

"Well, you see, uh...last night when we were staying at the village...well, you know, I asked a few of the women to bear my child as I usually do...except, well, one girl said, well yes. And, well I had had a little too much sake, and well, we, uh, yeah. Hehe..."

Everyone except Miroku kept their eyes on Sango, who had her eyes on Miroku.

Her face was impassive, her voice calm yet cold.

"What you do is your own business Miroku, as long as it does not get in the way of the hunt for the shards. She had better not show up during a hunt or she could get hurt, or worse." She smiled at him. "I'm glad you found someone who makes you happy Miroku. Maybe now you can stop groping me, as you have someone to share a bed with." Her voice hardened. "I guess now I won't be getting groped right? Your hand has found a home."

Miroku looked at Sango in surprise and relief. "..Uh Thanks. ..And yes, you will be groped from now on. Oh, no, that's not what I meant! I mean, no, you won't be groped anymore. I mean, as much as I can help myself." He grinned his usual smile, his eyes twinkling.

She looked coolly at him and smiled again, though this time it was grimmer. "For your own sake you had better hope so Monk." She left then as Kagome rushed up, asking all sorts of questions about the girl, asking if she had any mental disabilities that may have caused her to say yes with out thinking, as Inu-yasha watched Sango continue on the way back to Keade's.

It had been a month now since Miroku had left to go stay in the village with the young girl, who had discovered that she was indeed bearing his child. She had done a good job hiding her feelings from them all. She had been there with the others as they left him at the village. The young girl, now his wife, named Aija, was nice, though quite nervous and jumpy often.Sango had wandered away from the others, towards a small stream to wash her face and think, be alone for while, just her and her thoughts.Sango found it quieter, and it felt strange having to put up with Inu-yasha and Kagome's fights alone without someone to comment on them with or laugh at the stupidity of their argument. She even missed his groping, though she would never admit it. Men had never really paid any attention to her, and though she didn't like the way he was giving the attention, he could be a sweet man despite his pervey ways. Then again she should have never felt special considering he touched any women he could really get his hands on, with a few exceptions, Kagome included because of Inu-yasha.

I can't believe I ever thought he actually liked me...I really am a fool. How could you not see?

A simpleton could see

That you're no good for me.

Caught up in my dreams,

I fantasized.

Anyway, he is happy, so shouldn't I be happy to? Did I truly love him?

No.

You didn't.

You loved the dream that could have been, the dream you knew could never come true.

For who could love a slayer?

The men in the village never paid any head to me...they all thought I was to strong, that their women should be weaker then them to hold their ego high.

Tears? Why not?

I will have my cry. And I will cry for what could have been, and what will never be.

Inu-yasha sighed as he watched Shippo bounce around Kagome as she set up camp for the night. He decided he needed to take a break from them and he strode away, mumbling something about going to get something for dinner, and with that he turned in the direction he knew there was a stream and prepared to catch some fish.

As he neared the stream, he caught Sango's sent, and as he walked into the clearing near the stream he found her kneeling over the bank, her shoulders stooped, her fingers digging into the ground as her placed all her weight on her palms flattened against the earth. And he smelled salt.

Ah god. She's...she's not crying...is she?

"...Sango?"

Sango turned to look at him, tears streaming down her face.

"...Sango..? ...what's wrong?" Inu-yasha asked nervously, quite embarrassed and very, VERY, uncomfortable with the situation. "

"I'm crying for what could have been. And what could never be." She pulled herself up off the ground and whipped the tears from her eyes. "I never loved Miroku, Inu-yasha. I loved the dream the could have been, that never could be." She smiled faintly. "Confusing isn't it?"

Inu-yasha looked down at the ground, and then back at his traveling companion, his eyes soft and his voice low. "No. It isn't. I did the same thing. Twice."