A/N: Thank you for your forbearance. The story had gotten away from me, evolving into something unwieldy, so I had to end it. After I read the story once more, I realized that I couldn't leave things hanging the way I did after the earlier buildup, so here is the alternate ending. I bailed on the angst, and pumped up the WAFF for all you hopeless romantics...

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For three days they had kept the vigil. For three days, Miroku walked the tightrope between life and death. They all took turns keeping watch over their friend, except for Sango, who left his side for never more than a moment, and then only to relieve herself. She was the one who cleaned his wounds and changed the dressings, the one who turned him so that his circulation was not impaired, the one who passed the healing broth to his lips. The others grew concerned for the taijiya, who would not eat, but sipped only water when it was brought to her. Kaede finally gave voice to their fear, approaching Sango with a bowl of fresh-cooked stew.

"Child, I most certainly understand the feelings ye have for the monk. Ye must keep thy strength, however, or..."

"Kaede-baba. Thank you so much for your concern, but I made a vow to myself."

Sango spoke softly, but her eyes spoke as well with a fierce intensity. She had trained her mind and body through many disciplines as a demon-slayer; going without food for long stretches of time would not be a new experience.

"I will fast until he returns."

She looked up at the elder miko, seeking some semblance of understanding. Their eyes met, and Kaede understood completely. She too, had felt the pangs of a love taken from her, many years ago. She nodded, then turned from Sango and brushed a tear away as she thought wistfully of that time when her own heart had been captured by true love, and then crushed by the death of that love. He had been a good man; she had been very careful after her sister's misfortune to appraise the character of her suitors. not one harboring evil intent like Onigumo. He was a good soul, too happy for this world. If only he had not answered the call of the Shogunate, and if only the war had ended sooner, if only his fighting skills had been greater...

Kaede held on to the side of the table for support as she suddenly felt weak. She had put the memories away as that part of her life had passed, but they were coming back, brought on by Sango's distress over Miroku.

"Kaede!" Kagome was the first to notice; Inu-Yasha now rushed up to catch the suddenly-faint woman.

"I'll be fine. Ye need not concern yourself. I just need to catch a breath." He set her down gently, taking a blanket from Kagome to place over her shoulders. The teenager watched the elder miko for a moment to be certain she was not in any severe distress before she pulled Inu-Yasha by his sleeve to the side and whispered.

"Listen. Everyone is exhausted. We've all been working around the clock and waiting for him to recover."

"I know. I don't know how Sango can do it." He checked himself as he caught Kagome's glance.

"No, that's not true. I understand completely."

She pulled him to her and they held each other, her chin in the crook of his neck, his eyes closed as he felt the soothing rhythm of her heartbeat. These were the moments he savored, the moments they savored together, and he wanted as many of these moments with her as he could grab onto. He rubbed his cheek across the silken strands of her onyx locks. Glancing up and seeing that nothing was amiss, he led her outside. The sun was rising, sending its orange-hued crest in advance of its arrival. The air smelled fresh, as if someone had scrubbed the stench of fear away along with the night. It was quiet.

For the first time in many moons, his heart was at rest. He crouched down and took a seat on the ground and took a deep breath. Kagome stood behind him, her hands on his shoulders, and they both watched the beautiful sunrise. He reached up to clasp her hands and rub them over his cheeks, kissing them.

"Kagome, did I tell you that I love you?"

"I believe that you did, but I can never hear it enough from you."

"I love you."

She cupped his chin in her hands and leaned forward to kiss his forehead, his golden eyes meeting hers. When this was all over, when his friends were whole, when they finally got the entire jewel, he would make her his mate for real, for good. This was good enough for now, and it was wonderful.

They basked in the glow of the warming sun, and each other.

"What a wonderful morning."

The two were slightly surprised to see Kaede standing at the hut entrance.

"As I told ye, I am fine. Ignore this old woman and get thee back to ye acts of affection!"

Inu-Yasha and Kagome laughed, soon joined by Kaede herself.

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Two weeks had passed. Miroku eventually recovered from his ordeal. Such was the benefit of having not one, but two mikos with healing powers available. They were all having supper the night before they were to leave on an extended hunt for more shards. Miroku took a sip from his miso soup and looked about at all of them enjoying the meal, and each other's company. He cleared his throat, seeking their attention.

"I simply want to take this time to say 'thank you' to all of you, my friends, without whom I wouldn't be sitting here."

Everyone stopped eating and stared at him for a moment before Shippo piped up, with a self-important smirk on his face.

"It was nothing, we know you'd do the same for us..."

Inu-Yasha gave him a bop on the head, causing him to drop his fish-ka-bob. The hanyou snatched it before it hit the floor, and started chewing on it with one hand as he held back the wildly gesticulating kit with the other.

"Of course it was nothin', 'cause YOU didn't do nothin'..."

"Why you... give that back!"

Miroku turned to Sango, who rolled her eyes up to the heavens and smiled.

"It's all right. Here, Shippo. You can have mine."

"Huh?"

The kit stopped struggling and slapped the hanyou's hand away from his head, then took the fish from the monk. He nodded his thanks, then turned and glared at Inu-Yasha once more before resuming his meal. Inu-Yasha started to wipe his mouth with the sleeve of his haori but stopped when he was caught in Kagome's disapproving glare. He sighed as he reached for a napkin the schoolgirl had carefully placed at each of the settings, a noble attempt to bring some culture and manners to her friends, him in particular. He dabbed the sides of his mouth in the neat way she had instructed him, changing her glare immediately to a smile.

'It's only because I love her so much that I put up with this.'

When he finished he gave her a smile that said, 'satisfied?'. Nodding to him that she approved, the schoolgirl spoke next.

"It's true. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for any of you, but although Kaede and I used our healing powers to help, Sango used a power that was much stronger than the both of ours combined."

Kaede smiled knowingly as she nodded in agreement.

Sango put her hand to her mouth the suppress a small gasp at Kagome's boldness. She had revealed her feelings for the monk to her friends, not that she even had to; they would have to have been blind and stupid not to see it for themselves. Yet, except for the time she was alone with him, she never again spoke of her feelings to Miroku directly. A wave of emotions flickered across her face.

Miroku saw her distress and tried to comfort her.

"Sango, you don't have to say anything. I understand completely. If you..."

She interrupted, turning to face him.

"No, Miroku. I have to say something. I've said it to my friends and it's only fair that I say it to you."

As she paused to gather herself, the room fell silent. Shippo dropped his fish again, but Inu-Yasha didn't grab for it as he too, was slack-jawed. Even Kilala looked questioningly at her mistress.

Sango picked up Miroku's hand and squeezed it, as if for additional courage, before she looked into his eyes and spoke.

"Miroku, please bear with me, because as badly as I want this to come out right, I'm still very nervous and I might mess up, but everything inside me is screaming for you to know this. I wish I had the courage to say this to you alone, but another part of me doesn't care one bit that the whole world hears this."

She looked down at his hand held between hers before bringing it up to her cheek. Kagome had by now nuzzled up to Inu-Yasha and had her arms wrapped happily around him, his chin resting on her head. Shippo had grabbed onto Kilala and was also hugging her tightly.

Sango reached up with one hand to softly stroke his cheek.

"Miroku, I love you."

There was an audible gasp from everyone present. Miroku said nothing. Sango continued.

"I knew I felt something for you for a while now, and I think I fell in love with you the day you saved me from the restless bear-demon's spirit."

Miroku tried to speak.

"Sango..."

She put a shaky finger to his lips.

"Please, I have to get all of this out."

He nodded.

"When I thought I... we were going to lose you, it was like my life-force was slowly draining away. I know my brother is lost to me, so you weren't ever a stand-in for him. It wasn't like that at all. You touched another part of my heart, and even though I never told you before this, I recognized a connection with you, and since then, all I ever wanted was to be close to you."

She paused again to take a breath, and cast a glance about the room. Kagome was crying into Inu-Yasha's chest. Kaede was wiping her own tears, and Shippo was still hugging Kilala, who was licking his face. There was so much love in the room, it was palpable. Sango squeezed Miroku's hand again before looking back at him, and continued.

"It used to anger me when you groped at me or propositioned other women to have your children, but after awhile, I came to understand that all of that was part of you, part of who you are. I'm still working at dealing with that part of you, but I've discovered that if faced with the choice of having all of you, even that part, or losing you, I'll choose the former."

By now her face was beet-red, and her heart was hammering away in her chest. This was the first time she had ever opened up to anyone like this, and it was as frightening as it was liberating. He could, after all she said, reject her, and now, after it was all out in the open, as her mind anticipated that possibility, she remembered her training and utilized it to calm herself somewhat. She couldn't completely stop the shaking, but she greatly reduced it.

It would be alright. If he didn't love her in return, then at least he knew her feelings toward him. It would be difficult, but she would survive. She had before and she would now. She released his hand and lowered her head, waiting. Had someone set fire to the hut just then, no one inside would have moved an inch. All eyes turned to Miroku, who's own eyes never left the taijiya.

"Sango."

"Yes?" She still held her head downcast.

"Look at me, Sango."

She hesitatingly looked up, suddenly unable to meet his gaze. He placed a hand lightly on her chin, and turned her face until her eyes met his.

"Sango, I owe you my life."

"No, you don't..."

It was his turn to put a finger to her lips.

"I'm so flattered that you would even consider loving someone as flawed as me."

Sango's heart suddenly felt leaden.

'He's flattered. Here it comes.'

"Never in my wildest dreams did I ever believe I could be loved by someone as wonderful, as beautiful both inside and out as you, Sango. That was why I propositioned those other women. If they all rejected me, how was I ever to believe that I had a chance with you?"

Was that hope creeping back into Sango's heart? What did he just say?

"My heart right now is bursting with the joy of not only being loved, but having that love confessed in public. No one has ever done something like that for the likes of me."

'Did he just..?'

"Miroku?"

"My fearless, wonderful Sango!"

He leaned over and scooped her into his arms before planting a light kiss on her lips. The shock still shone on her face as he laughed.

"Does this mean..?"

"Yes. I love you with everything I have. Dear Sango."

He kissed her again, longer this time. She tentatively raised her hands to caress his face as their kiss deepened. Kaede put her hand over Shippo's eyes as he protested. Kagome was beaming; she was so happy she could barely contain herself.

Rolling his eyes in mock disgust, Inu-Yasha coughed to break up the lip-locked couple. Both the monk and the demon-slayer blushed profusely. Their hands remained clasped tightly together, however.

"So glad that's over. Now I can finish my dinner and actually digest it."

The others pelted Inu-Yasha with food; he laughingly caught most of it before feeding his face.

It was the best meal they had in a long time. Tomorrow they would go out to fight again. Tonight they basked in the warmth of shared fondness, and for two couples, a passion much, much deeper.

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