Chapter 5:

"Kagome, I have an admiration of the garment that you wear. I was wondering if I might be able to borrow one from you."

Kagome looked over at Sango, they had bedded down for the night. Kagome hadn't known that Sesshomaru's land was so vast but they were still traveling through it. she glanced over to where Inu Yasha had disappeared. Something was bothering him, had been for days. He wouldn't tell her, but that didn't surprise Kagome.

What surprised and angered her was the fact that Inu Yasha slept so far away from the rest of group. It made Kagome uneasy, she didn't sleep well if he wasn't near. Plus she needed serious help keeping Miroku away from a ridiculously willing Sango. Well . . . part of Kagome wanted to let them alone. She had wanted her friends to be together for a long time. But she also wanted them both to be completely happy with the arrangement. Somehow she didn't think Sango would be happy if she wasn't in her right mind when the union actually occurred.

She couldn't leave them completely to their own devices, but she could certainly help them along the obvious path. Because there was no doubt in Kagome's mind that her two friends belonged together.

"As a matter of fact I have an extra skirt and shirt in my bag. But I don't think you want that." Kagome said slyly.

"Why not?" Kagome looked into Sango's sweet face, still innocent despite the boldness she had acquired lately.

"Well you see I only wear it if I have absolutely nothing else to wear. The skirt is far too short for modesties' sake." Kagome watched as Sango's eyes lit up, she turned slightly so that Sango couldn't see the amusement dancing in her own eyes. Miroku was going to suffer before Sango was turned back, and it was about time too. Maybe he wouldn't take Sango for granted again.

"Truly I don't mind. Can I see it?"

"Of course Sango." Kagome pulled her bag to her side and began to riffle through it.

"Ah . . . Here it is!" Kagome crowed triumphantly. Holding the item high in the air for a couple of seconds. She had told Sango a slight fib. She did wear the skirt occasionally, but only when she wished to feel ultra sexy. In a way she could call it her lucky skirt, Kagome giggled to herself, there was nothing she couldn't get from a guy when she wore that skirt. A weapon of that magnitude was only to be worn sparingly. And being the true friend that she was, she would pass it to Sango for a nice trial wear. If she really liked it, Kagome would buy one for her friend.

Sango took the truly beautiful skirt as if it was the dearest gift she had ever received. The sheer possibilities and opportunities this skirt would bring her were endless.

"Oh wait what was I thinking, I don't have any under clothes for you to wear beneath the skirt. Damn . . ." Kagome was thinking, she drew the line at sharing underclothes. But didn't her mom insist she pack . . . She began rummaging through her pack again.

"Undergarments? Kagome, it is ok. I have no need for undergarments." Sango said, laughing a little. What nonsense, undergarments would simply get in the way.

Kagome lifted her head from the bag, and stared silently at Sango. "I never heard that."

She bent her head back to the task at hand.

"Ah ha. I knew my mom wouldn't let me down." Kagome held a crisp brand new pair of panties in her hands.

"Listen Sango," Kagome continued when Sango looked like she was about to refuse. "These panties, there like a wrapping on a gift." Kagome waited and hoped that Sango would see where she was going with this so that she wouldn't have to explain herself more. This was really embarrassing.

At first it looked as if Sango would never get it. Then it was like a light went off in her head. "To heighten the anticipation."

"Yes, right. You'll wear them?"

Sango nodded. She grinned as she stood to go lay out her bedding. Kagome returned her smile and then turned to glare at Miroku who was a little disconcerted at being caught staring at Sango's back. He grinned sheepishly at Kagome and moved a small distance away from where Sango decided to lay her futon. A very small distance. Kagome sighed, that was something at least, and probably all she would get. She glanced back over to where Inu Yasha had gone. What was wrong with him?"

There were a lot of things wrong with Inu Yasha. To start with his sense of smell. The wench Sango smelled too damn tantalizing. There had been a myth once that the smell of a human in extreme arousal could literally drive a full blooded youkai mad. Inu Yasha was only a half-breed and even he was feeling the effects of Sango's scent. If Sango stayed this way for much longer, eventually he would break under the pressure.

That wasn't his only problem, it was his brother. They had been on Sesshoumaru's land for quite a few days. This was the longest Inu Yasha had been in the western lands and his brother hadn't shown up once. Inu Yasha had no doubt that Sesshoumaru was avoiding them. If he was aware of the myth then so was Sesshoumaru, and Sesshoumaru was a lot more cautious than he. Even if he didn't believe the myth he would still tread carefully.

But Sesshoumaru would come after them soon. Very soon. He couldn't afford not to. If they continued on this path then they would come far too close to Sesshoumaru's fortress. Even if Inu Yasha gave the castle a wide berth the scent of Sango would be too strong for a dog youkai like Sesshoumaru.

But Inu Yasha didn't flatter himself that he would get that far. There were two other reasons Sesshoumaru would be coming after them. And both were more apt to get Sesshoumaru to confront them than the first reason, despite the danger. One, Sesshoumaru despised him, and it was probably pissing him off that he couldn't just kick him off his land this time.

Two, and most importantly, Sesshoumaru and Inu Yasha were not the only ones interested in Sango's scent. Several youkai had picked up the scent a long time ago and they were still following them. Even on Sesshoumaru's land. If Sesshoumaru didn't want any trouble, he would either have to slay all the youkai one by one, or get rid of Sango. Knowing his brother, he would do both. Damn perfectionist.

Inu Yasha did not fear for Sango's safety. As long as Sango was still under the spell she was safe from Sesshoumaru. He wouldn't touch her, literally he would avoid contact with her like the plague. If he could help it he would keep at least a dozen feet away from her.

Still if something happened, If somehow things got out of hand, there was nothing any of them could do. Inu Yasha hated to admit, and he never would out loud, but as he was right now, even with Tetsaiga he was no match for Sesshoumaru. Inu Yasha sighed, this was not good, none of this was good. And to top it off, he couldn't pick up the scent of the snake youkai anywhere. Inu Yasha spotted a tree with a lot of potential for a nice napping area and leapt gracefully onto a high branch.

If Inu Yasha thought he was having problems, he was not within Miroku's head. Never had the monk been more troubled.

These constant near-misses were driving him insane. He had come damn close to hating Kagome for interference and that scared him. He had always prided himself on his control. Yet he wanted Sango more than he ever had.

This also troubled him. His feelings for Sango had become a tangled web. They now confused the hell out of him. On the one hand he had never wanted Sango more. It was the glass ceiling theory, he was so close that he could nearly taste it, but there was always a barrier. Being so tauntingly unavailable made the idea more tantalizing. On the other hand he had never wanted Sango less. She wasn't herself, Somehow that bothered him. He had long ago stopped thinking of Sango as just a body. And he couldn't go back to that way of thinking.

Miroku rolled from his back to his side facing Sango's curled up figure. Staring at her back Miroku accepted what he had always known. Sango was precious to him. Very precious. Accepting this he also accepted his fear, welcomed it so that he could be free and no longer have to hide from himself. He could never have allowed himself to accept Sango because she represented his greatest fear. Not so much getting sucked into the black hole. But being unable to accept his fate, his death, gracefully. He couldn't do that if he had someone like Sango by his side.

He was afraid that he would fight it, that he might weep for such a loss . . . that he might beg for a longer time. Miroku threw himself on his back violently his hands clenched at his sides to keep himself from ripping the cursed hand from his body. His teeth grinding against each other in an attempt to keep the anguished cry of fury from ripping from his throat. He lay still with his eyes closed in an attempt to fight his fear and anger, to surpass it.

He would accept what he felt for Sango, eventually. But it would make no difference, he could not be with her. Sango deserved someone who had a better chance at living. She had already seen more death than she was entitled to, he would not add himself to her grief. It was good that she did not love him. Miroku's tensed up again.

Suddenly he felt cool, soft flesh touch the back of his hand. He opened his eyes half way and stared at the stars above his head, then he slowly turned his head to the side. Sango kneeled beside him her hand resting on the back of his. She looked at him a while, Miroku nodded his head and she slipped under his covers. Surprised that she could have gotten that far, Miroku glanced over at where Kagome lay. the exhaustion had finally got to her and she lay fast asleep a few feet away. Sango snuggled closer to Miroku, promptly falling asleep and he closed his eyes, exhaustion claiming him as well.

Inu Yasha watched from his perch on the tall tree branch. With the threat of Miroku deflowering Sango gone for the night his eyes began to droop. He clenched his hand around the sheath of his sword to keep himself awake. The many Youkai sensing his momentary lapse began to close in. Inu Yasha growled, momentarily subduing them.

"Miroku! Miroku! No! No! Don't go near him!" Young Miroku watched as his father was sucked into the hole. His frustration of being too little to break free of the arms that held him away from his father burned in his chest.

"Miroku! Miroku! Get OFF your ass!" Miroku woke up startled, he glanced around and saw the chaos. thousands upon thousands of youkai were surrounding them. He jumped up grabbing his staff and running toward Inu Yasha. Kirara was biting ferociously, Inu Yasha was swinging his sword, having no time between youkai to use any of his techniques. Kagome was standing next to Sango letting arrows fly in all directions, even Shippo was using his fox fire. But Sango, Sango was crouched down behind Kagome, her position was one of extreme discomfort, she seemed oblivious to what was going on.

"Inu Yasha! You can't use the wind scar?" Kagome nearly fell backward as a youkai came upon her fast, nearly not having enough time to load her bow and fire.

"The damn youkai are coming too fast. There is no break in between attacks!"

"Wind Tunnel!" Miroku began sucking in a good portion, but there were too many. He needed resting periods.

The battle went on for a while and the group had become tired lack of sleep for the past couple of days didn't help matters. In the end only Inu Yasha was making a difference, his half youkai energy the only keeping him and his sword upright. Sango's substantial help was greatly missed. The situation had become more precarious, the group was surrounded, when suddenly the youkai began to retreat. Not far, but they backed away all the same. At first Inu Yasha was incredulous, not for long when a cloud hovered above them and his brother stepped from his perch.

"Inu Yasha." Sesshoumaru stood before Inu Yasha, tucking some hair behind his ear as he waited for his half brother, to gather what little strength he had left.

Inu Yasha had been dreading the meeting, but leave it to his brother to come when he didn't have enough strength left to fight him properly.

Sesshoumaru was thinking along the same lines. 'How pathetic his power is right now, he is not even worth fighting. I will not waste my time. I must find the source of this offense.'

Sesshoumaru's keen eyes rested on the crouching girl, only staying there for a few seconds. He had to rely on his eyes and that put him at the distinct disadvantage of the hanyou. If he caught on that he was masking almost all of his other senses, so as not to become enslaved by the woman's arousal.

There was no danger as long as he remained a good distance away from her.

"Why have you laid troubles on my doorstep Inu Yasha?"

"Hey, we're just passin' through. this ain't got nothing to do with you."

Imperceptibly the Tai Youkai's eyes narrowed, Insolence.

"You are trespassing." The voice remained calm.

"Yes not by choice. I have no desire to see your ugly face either brother!" Inu Yasha was pushing it, but he had to maintain a brave face so Sesshoumaru wouldn't guess how weak he was right now.

"Get off my land." It was simply put, but behind Inu Yasha Kagome gasped. He was going to let them go. The gasp drew the attention of one other female. Who looked up to see what was going on, the severe discomfort diminishing a little.

"I can't -" Sesshoumaru was on Inu Yasha before he could say more.

"That was not a request." Sesshoumaru picked Inu Yasha up and tossed him in the air as if he weighed nothing. He turned to watch Inu Yasha crash into a tree. Arrogantly turning his back on the rest of the group. In a bold show of disrespect and disdain.

Inu Yasha began struggling to his feet.

"I can't get off-" Sesshoumaru made for him again.

Sango stared at the magnificent man in front of her. His was a beauty that was not of this earth. Perfect, perfection. The discomfort increased, but this time she ignored it. Standing to her feet with difficulty, she watched his lithe muscular body stand tall and straight as his beautiful hair swayed in the wind.

No man compared to him in beauty. Sango glanced over at Miroku, but he was intent on the fight. Ultimately it was Miroku that she wanted. But things were not working out and she felt that if she didn't have a man soon (for reason she did not know, just instinct) that she was going to die. She wanted this discomfort to end. The gorgeous man before her could end it. She new it. As the two men engaged in battle came closer, Sango slipped from behind Kagome.

If she could only touch him.