I Need You

Miroku caught up with Sango, snagging her arm and pulling her to a halt as she tried to escape him. She looked into his large earnest eyes.

"Have you thought about it?" he asked in a low voice. "You know I still want you."

Sango shifted uncomfortably and looked down.

"Miroku," she began, her heart in her voice. "Miroku, I can't!"

"Please!" The monk stared into her eyes as if he was trying to c communicate with her very soul. "Sango, please, I need you!"

"Don't say that!" she snapped, turning around.

"But I do!" he insisted, putting a warm hand on her shoulder. "Sango the demon slayer, I need you as I have never needed another woman in my life!"

She didn't say anything, avoiding his eyes.

"My Queen of Hearts!" he declared passionately. "You can't leave me high and dry!"

Miroku shook her violently.

"Sango do you hear me?" he asked desperately. "Sango, I need you! I need you!"

"Miroku I can't!" she cried finally, pulling away from him. "Miroku, please understand, I lost my entire family, my village, I... I....I...," she looked away, tears forming in her eyes. "I'm not ready; not for this!"

"But Sango!" Miroku protested. "Why not? It's just me!"

"I've never done it before!" she cried. "I've never, ever in my entire life.... I mean, I'm still young! Shouldn't only older people..."

"No!" Miroku replied firmly, shaking her. "No don't you think like that! I watched my father die before my very eyes, your entire village was slaughtered, we are perhaps the two least innocent people in the world. What two consenting people do is no one else's business. My Diamond, please!"

"I'm just not ready!" Sango cried, her cheeks began to burn red. "And besides, you're so good, and you have so much experience, I.... I wouldn't want to make it..... unpleasant for you!"

"Sango you could never make it unpleasant," Miroku replied. "Please Sango, don't leave me like this, not like this!" He saw he was having no impact on her. "Besides, even the King had to start out on the bottom, with a Spade in hand!"

But she was already walking away, a sad lonely figure as she disappeared into the trees. Watching her go, Miroku was overcome with emotion, he fell to the ground, clutching his head and moaning in pain.

"Sango!" he wailed. "Oh, my Sango! Sango, I need you so badly, it's an ache in my heart! Sango, please come back. Sango!"

He buried his face in his hands and continued to cry for everything Sango could have brought him, for the joy, the laughter, the smiles, the warmth and the happiness. Everything he'd watch just walk away from him as Sango turned her back on him.

"I shouldn't have pressed!" he wailed. "I scared her off.... oh Sango! Please come back! I need you!"

Sango stared into the water thinking heavily and sighing periodically, her conversation with Miroku still fresh in her mind. His eyes, large and trusting, his voice, so sweet and gentle, his hand, pierced by the wind tunnel.

The hand that had dominated his entire life, the search for the woman who would bear his child and continue his fight with Naraku if he died. When he died. He was convinced now he would die, Sango was sure. He could only be so desperate for someone like her if he was convinced he was dying.

Well, she decided. She wasn't going to let him die, not knowing the joy she could give him.

Experience or not, she would make herself good, just for him. Surly he would be able to keep himself occupied until she could reveal her secret to him. He was after all a Jack of all trades.

She rose from her seat and marched purposely into the village.

She hadn't been bluffing about her inexperience. She'd never had a partner in her entire life. The first thing on her list was to find someone who she could practise with.

"Hey, you!" she called to a random villager. "You, come here?"

Perplexed, the villager walked up to her.

"How would you like to be my partner?" she asked him.

He looked her over and started to grin, she began to have misgivings. I hope I won't have to Club him, she thought. He looks pretty eager.

"It's just temporary," she rushed to assure him. "Just until I get good enough to do this with a certain boy!"

The villager agreed readily.

"Now, please go slowly," Sango begged him. "It's my first time!"

A week later, Miroku was walking down the dusty road when Sango burst out of a house, looking thrilled and happy, in a dizzy sort of way.

"Oh Miroku!" she sighed. "I can finally do it with you!" she sang. "I finally know how! I've been practising all week!"

Miroku's eyes bugged.

Practising? But he'd wanted to be her teacher in this field, he wanted to be the one who instructed her and helped her find her path.

Oh, well, he shrugged calmly. She'll be good now!

"Sango," Miroku said, barely hiding his excitement. "Let's go do it right now!"

"Okay!" she agreed.

They ran off to find a nice secluded corner

"I told you I needed you," Miroku muttered warmly into Sango's ear, while her hands were busy. "Sango you are truly the best bridge partner I have ever had!"

"I should be," she replied dealing everyone their cards. "I've been practising all week for you!"

"Alright, Rin, we're behind by five games," Sesshomaru said to his little eight year old partner who could barely see over the table. "But we can still do this!"

"Master Sesshomaru, why can't I play?" Jaken demanded.

"Jaken, you know you haven't been allowed to play since the 'Misadventure'," Sesshomaru replied firmly.

"You complete me!" Miroku told Sango passionately.

"And your hand!" she said, beaming. She turned to him slowly, feeling something on her ass. She went pale and then bright red with anger. "Pervert!"