Disclaimer: I own nothing but this plot and the horses. YES! My life is complete.

Wah! I still got reviews! Ok, so I got about 1/2 the amount I usually do for Slave, but who cares!? People still reviewed me! I can't list you all, I'm sorry, but 18 reviews is so much to list! And I don't want to take up room!

But know this: anyone who reviews me holds my heart in their hands. And, unlike the demon who likes to scream that line, I love you!

(...That kind of makes me at my reviewer's beck and call, doesn't it?? This could get bad... --)

I LURF ALL OF YOU TO DEATH!!!!!!! -SUPREME!huggle-

-/-Slave to One's Fears-/-

-/-Chapter 13-/- (Unlucky number... uh oh!!)

Coming from me, you'd have never thought

That I could rebel...

Well I have.

And I do.

And I will.

And I'm not giving up until you're dead on the ground.

Sango carefully wrapped the finishing bandage over her arm, sighing in relief as she moved the appendage and the pain that followed was a bare minimum. A splint, hot water, soft bandages, and a good nap had worked wonders on her body: Sango's muscles were now back to their usual flexibility and her mind had cleared considerably. Sighing and laying back down on her futon, she pondered what had happened to her- and to Miroku. Another sigh emitted from her mouth as she began to chew her bottom lip. What to do?

Well, for one thing... I can't just waltz up to him and say 'Miroku, I'm sorry. Will you marry me?' That won't work. I don't think I should even see him... but you want to. Oh, I know. I want to kick his ass and then kiss it. It'd be better if I just left. It'd fix this problem. Sure, it'd hurt like hell, but... then... I won't have to... You're a coward, Sango.

I know that too.

Pressing her face into the warm blankets and mattress, Sango wondered if she could just suffocate herself like this and be done with it. A few minutes later, her face turning a tinge of purple, Sango felt her lungs desperately gulping in air before she even knew she'd turned away. Let out an exasperated groan, she flipped on her back and slammed her (uninjured) fist into the floor.

"God damn it..." She paused, considered what she had been doing, and let out an unfeminine giggle. "Gods, what am I doing?"

"Yeah, bitch, what are you doing?" Sango's attention and focus snapped to the door. Inuyasha stood there, thick eyebrow cocked and his stance belonging to one who was at rest yet on alert. He doesn't trust me.

"Oh, nothing. Just trying to commit suicide via bed." Sango said nonchalantly, shrugging and holding back a wince when her bad shoulder screamed at her. Inuyasha shook his head.

"If I didn't know you were lying, I'd hit you," he said evenly, striding into the room with his undignified grace. Sango made an 'mmmph' sound and shrugged again. Inuyasha knelt down, stroking the small fire inside the cooking pit a few feet away from Sango, and stood. He sighed heavily, and cast his sight towards Sango.

"Y'know, bitch... if your muscles need work or something, you can go for a walk. Just stay the hell away from Miroku or I really will hit you." Leaving, he pretended not to hear Sango's biting 'Kagome'd kill you,' and slid the door noiselessly shut behind him. Sango contemplated the place he had entered and exited from, and, upon making up her mind, stood.

"A little walk would do me good," she murmured, holding her injured arm safely against her side as she slowly made her way to the door.

-.-

Leaning against the old sakura tree, Sango remembered the other time she had been here. Wrapped in his arms, feeling his aura and scent washing over her. Her tears had dried, leaving crisp trails of salt down her cheeks, and she remembered the brief kiss. What was it like to kiss Miroku? she wondered. She couldn't remember. Oh, she remembered her knees just about giving out, the smooth way he had slid from a few inches to none to press against her, but his taste, even his mouth... it was lost to her. Standing, Sango sought to rid herself of her sudden excess energy.

She had to admit, as much as she had previously hated Miroku, the serene view of the field calmed her. It reminded her that Miroku had not truly lied to her- had he? Her mind fairly unclouded, Sango thought on this. Had he truly meant to-

"Chani?" Sango's eyes widened at the familiar tenor voice, her body whipping around to find the very man she had been thinking about standing before her. He calmly patted his horse's cheek, muttered a few words to it, and watched it amble off for a split second before turning his attention back to the slave. "Chani, may I speak to you?"

Sango huffed, stalking away. Truth be told, she wanted nothing more to either run away or into him, but her self-control demanded she opt for the cool, I'm-still-mad-at-you approach. So I'm-still-mad-at-you she did, and had made it about 50 feet or so before she turned her head the tiniest bit to see if Miroku had followed. She was surprised to find him directly behind her, his eyes unreadable. Sango turned in a different direction and walked that way, eventually finding her way to a tree on the borderline of the forest and sinking against it. Sure Miroku had taken the hint and left, she looked up. She jumped slightly when her eyes met familiar purple robes that were barely two feet away. Sighing heavily, Miroku sat slowly on the ground, crossing his legs and setting Shakujou on the ground between them. Sango calculated the 5-some feet stretching from her legs to his, and opened her mouth to speak. Miroku, guessing what she was about to say, spoke first.

"Just... don't make me leave." With that, a taunt silence spread between them. Miroku did not speak, for he thought that would make Sango leave for sure, or at least order him to go away. Sango did not speak, for she feared that her mouth would betray her and tell him to go to hell or, even worse, tell him how much she wanted him. Hence, the silence stretched, and became so stiff and cold you could have cut it with a knife. Sango slumped against her tree in a sudden bout of unexplainable exhaustion, and Miroku took the brief break in the hush to speak up.

"What do I have to do, Sango?" Sango's head snapped up so fast she felt her neck crack, but her stare remained firm. Miroku continued. "How far will you push me?" Silence.

"Until I break?" He asked, his voice dropping unbearably low. Sango shivered, unable to hold his intense gaze, and looked away. Feeling her fingers digging into the bark of the tree, she tried to will her hands to stop shaking. She swallowed thickly and answered.

"Until, Miroku-sama, you stop loving me." Sango heard a sharp intake of breath, and turned her eyes to see Miroku staring at the ground incredulously. His chest rose and fell rapidly, his eyes wide, and she stood, thinking the conversation was over. She was mistaken, however, and her eyes whipped to look at his body as she heard a chuckle. A wry smile played upon his lips, and his own indigo depths turned to hold her eyes hostage.

"That won't happen." He paused, suddenly unsure. Standing, he gently took her hand in his, the rough calluses of Sango's contrasting the smooth glove material. The slave shuddered heavily at his touch, but didn't let go. His next words, however, almost pushed her over the edge. "Come back."

"C-come back?" Sango questioned, though she knew fully what he meant. The trainer nodded fervently, closing his hand more firmly around hers. "I..."

"Please?" He pleaded for the first time, stepping so near her that Sango felt her knees begin to weaken. He pressed her hand against his forehead, his face contorted with concentration and meaning, and Sango felt her defenses begin to give away.

"Miroku-sama..." She murmured, only the title assuring her angry side that she had not fully forgiven him. "I... do not hate you. I also... refuse to love you." Her breath now caught painfully in her chest, and her mouth moved wordlessly before she was able to force the next words out. "Perhaps... maybe someday."

Yes. Maybe someday.

"It is your choice, Chani." Miroku said quietly, still thanking the gods above for the fact that he was in one piece. His other arm reached out, brushing his fingers along her lips then cupping her cheek. "It is your choice."

They made their way back to Sora Douchi, the fact that their fingers were still entwined not fully escaping either's consciousness.

-.-

Sorry it was so short, but I DID break my hiatus to write it. Yes. A half chapter, I suppose. Oh well, ne? It's still over 1500 words.

-FL