Disclaimer: I don't own anything except a scheming mind and a box of chocolates....candy anyone?

A/N: Thanx for all the reviews. Fundoshi!!! I learned a new word [Thanx Arina]!!!! I'm learning Japanese!!! A fic that I am reading "Time will tell" by Kenuyasha has a Japanese glossary at the end of every chapter so I'm learning lotsa new words!!! YAY!!!!

Ahem...the story....

Chapter 16: New Allies.

"Miroku?" Sango asked quietly, he had been unusually quiet. Even his hands had stopped their...umm...activities. She shook him gently; maybe he was taking the news of him being controlled a little too hard.

"Yes Lady Sango," He said somewhat surprised as if he had just noticed she was there. Sango knitted her eyebrows together, trying to figure out what was wrong with him.

"Is something wrong, Miroku?" She continued to ask him. Suddenly Miroku gave a big grin but it didn't reach his eyes. They were still deep in thought.

"I feel fine, Lady Sango. I thank you for your concern," he said and then got up abruptly and left to go to the forest. He did that a lot lately and no one knew what he did. Inuyasha had followed him once but said that he did nothing, just sat there thinking. Maybe he needs a little time alone. It didn't convince Sango and she knew there was something the monk was hiding from them.

She moved to follow him into the forest but stopped when she saw Inuyasha and Kagome return. Maybe it was best if she discussed this first with her best friend.

She immediately noticed that there was something different about Inuyasha when he returned. His eyes were brighter and he couldn't stop smiling. Kagome kept giggling for no reason and there was a kind of playfulness in their demeanour. No to mention the fact that she was wearing Inuyasha's haori.

I wonder...maybe they confessed their feelings for each other.

Sango got excited at the thought, Kagome had spent many hours pining over the half-demon wondering if he loved her or not. Maybe things will finally be all right.

She grabbed Kagome as soon as she was within reach, "I need a bath and you do too." She left no room for argument. There was so much she needed to ask. She couldn't wait. Kagome understood and told Inuyasha to go find Miroku or something.

He smirked before leaving and Kagome had to warn him that any form of peeking would lead to dire consequences. His smirk hadn't faltered but he had left anyway.

Kagome sighed when she felt the warm water against her skin. She watched as Sango undressed and got into the spring with her. She looked like there was something she wanted to discuss with Kagome but didn't know how to approach the subject.

"So, is there something you wanted to talk about?" Kagome tried to encourage Sango to start talking. She was getting worried that it was something serious.

"First of all, why were you wearing Inuyasha's haori and what happened between you two in the forest?" Sango asked, it was best of she satisfied her curiosity first and then discussed Miroku.

"Umm...I...." Okay, how should I tell her that we confessed but didn't really confess? Oh well, here goes nothing, "Well...he kind of told me he liked me and I kind of told him I liked him..."

"So...did anything happen?" Sango was happy for her friend, she hoped that Inuyasha had finally chosen his mate and it was Kagome.

"Well..." Kagome blushed profusely giving Sango all the answers she wanted, "Now tell me what you really wanted to talk about?"

"Why would you think that? I wanted to know what happened between you and Inuyasha. That's all," Sango defended herself, but seeing the other girl's accusing stare she gave in, "it's about Miroku."

"What's wrong?"

"He's really quiet. He doesn't talk much. I first thought it was because of the whole 'I tried to kill Inuyasha' thing, but now that it's sorted he's still.... I don't know, like a loner."

"Yeah, Rei was responsible for it, wasn't she?"

"Yeah, I still can't believe Inuyasha allowed her join the group."

"HE WHAT????" Kagome yelled. He did what??? He allowed a demon who threatened to kill Sango, Kaede and her to join the group?? Was he out of his mind?

"He didn't tell you?" She looked surprised, then seeing Kagome's confused expression decided that he hadn't and proceeded to explain, "She is one of Naraku's detachments and she, like Kagura, wants to be free. She had helped Inuyasha escape after he had been reincarnated by Naraku..."

"Inuyasha had been reincarnated by Naraku??" Okay, now I'm officially confused. This world is doomed. People returning from the dead, perverts keeping their hands to themselves, evil guys reincarnating good guys? This is just too weird.

Sango took a deep breath and recited the whole story as she had heard from Inuyasha and Rei the night after Kagome had gone back to her world. Kagome's eyes grew wider as she heard the story. So, Rei was responsible for Inuyasha's reincarnation. She had helped him escape and now Inuyasha was returning the favour by helping her. She was also helping them by telling them about Naraku's location and plans and such. Overall she could prove to be an asset to the group, especially with her powers.

But Kagome didn't like her. She didn't like her at all. Not because she was Naraku's incarnation, but because she and Inuyasha seemed to cosy. Not that she's jealous, oh no! Kagome Higurashi? Jealous? Never! Okay, maybe a little.

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"Miroku?" Inuyasha had followed the monk into the forest and watched him sit down and stare at his right hand for an hour now. Frankly, he didn't like to show he was worried but now it was too much. There was something the monk was hiding from them and he had to figure it out.

Miroku looked up, breaking his train of thought and his violet gaze met that of the half-demon (I just found out that half-demon is hanyou in Japanese.... YAY!!! I'm learning Japanese) Inuyasha looked down at him and then landed next to him.

"What's bothering you? Spill it monk." He ordered. He'd had enough of him staying quiet like that and he was going to figure out what was wrong...soon.

Miroku looked up at him gluing a fake grin on his face and then answered looking away, "I don't know what you're talking about Inuyasha. Nothing is bothering me." His grin grew wider and he continued looking away from Inuyasha's intense gaze, as if he couldn't lie looking into his eyes.

"You're a terrible liar, monk. Now spill it." He continued to interrogate his best friend, his eyes knitting together in concern when he heard him lie.

"Don't worry yourself with my troubles Inuyasha." Miroku sighed and got up, "You have enough of your own."

"Don't be stupid," Inuyasha moved to his side, "What kind of a leader am I if I don't know what's bothering my team?"

"We're your team, aren't we?" Miroku said softly. He started staring at his right hand again, deep in thought.

"More than that." Inuyasha grabbed Miroku and turned him such that he was facing him, "you are my family."

Miroku gave a weak laugh, "Yeah, a family. A family in which one brother attacks another."

"Don't worry about hat Miroku, we all know you were being controlled."

"But I should have fought it. I should have controlled myself. I'm a hazard to everyone around me."

"Miroku...what would you say if I said the same about me losing control over my demon side? Would you tell me to leave?" Inuyasha tried a different approach.

"No..."

"There...don't ever think that we'll leave you alone, okay monk? We're a team; a family and it'll take a lot more than you losing a little bit of control to break us up. Got that?"

Miroku laughed, this time it reached his eyes and they glimmered with newfound hope, "I guess so." He looked around and then smirked, "You want to go peek at the girls?"

"Don't push it." Inuyasha smiled, happy to see that the old Miroku was back.

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Rei trudged through the heavy shrubbery muttering to herself angrily. She knew she shouldn't be alone like this; she was putting her life on the line since Naraku had probably heard of her betrayal and was out for her blood.

Damn you Sesshomarou. Where the hell are you?

She stopped when she heard soft giggling and then angry shouts. Coming to a clearing, she saw a small girl running around picking flowers and a toad demon following her trying to get her to stay in one place.

Ah...finally.

She went and stood at the edge of the clearing looking out. She scanned the small grassy opening in front of her, looking for the Demon Lord.

Suddenly she was lifted off the ground and pinned to the tree behind her. She saw that she had indeed found the Demon Lord; or rather the Demon Lord had found her.

"You reek of Naraku, and my brother. What is your business here?" He said calmly. How was it possible for a person to be calm when he was holding another demon up by the neck pinned to a tree? She will never understand.

"I was looking for you." She hissed, the grip on the neck was cutting off her air supply. If it was possible, the grip tightened bringing her to the verge of passing out.

He let go abruptly and Rei took a deep breath trying to regain her stability.

"What do you want?" He asked again.

"Your help..." She took another deep breath, her neck was throbbing and she couldn't maintain her balance, causing her to kneel in front of the tall demon.

He kept staring at her and then started losing his patience.

"What do you need my help for?"

"Defeat Naraku."

"If I am not mistaken, you are one of his offspring."

"Yes."

"Why do you want him dead?"

Rei didn't answer. She just looked at the ground at his feet. No way she was telling him why she wanted him dead. That was her reason, her private reason. No one would know. Not even him.

"No." He stated and started walking away. Rei bore holes into the back of his skull. She really hated this guy. But she needed his help. And if getting his seal of approval meant that she would have to grovel at his feet, then so be it. It would tremendously hurt her pride though. But she was willing to make that sacrifice.

"Please. I really need your help. You are really powerful and Naraku can easily be defeated if you join us."

"I work alone." He made his way to the little girl who had stopped running and was showing him the flowers she had picked. Rei thought she saw him almost smile, almost.

He likes this girl. He cares for her. She smirked to herself. Everyone had a weakness and she just found his.

"You're lying." She said loud and clear and she saw his back stiffen. The girl gasped and started chanting "Oh no. Oh no. Oh no."

"Pardon." His eyes narrowed and he was looking angry. Rei suspected that he was not used to people accusing him of lying.

"You said that you work alone." Her grin widened, "but you are not alone."

She indicated the little girl with her eyes and Sesshomarou understood her implication. His eyes narrowed further and Rei had the sudden urge to turn around and run. She had a feeling that she was not on his approval list; she just hoped that he wouldn't put her name on the 'need to kill' list.

"Why should I help you defeat Naraku?" He asked, plain and simple. But Rei had no answer for him. She didn't want to tell him. How could she? She barely knew him. She couldn't tell him.

"I...I can't tell you. I couldn't...I won't." She said uncertainly. She was pretty sure he would turn around and leave now, if she was lucky. If she was unlucky, then he would kill her.

"Wrong answer." He walked over to her and put one clawed hand under her chin and lifted her face to look into her eyes. She forced herself to look into his eyes and keep any form of fear from showing but she failed. She knew that if he decided to attack her then she can escape. Her powers were strong and she was a formidable opponent but something about him told her that he would win.

Then he saw something in her eyes and he let her go, "I will help but I will not join your team, as you call it. I will fight in the final battle." He turned and started to leave then stopped, "Don't tell my brother."

"I won't and thank you." She called out after him. He didn't seem to hear her, although she knew that was not the case, and he left. The clearing was empty once more. The rustling leaves brought her attention to the sky and she noticed that it was getting dark. Happy with herself, she took off to get to the camp before she encounters a demon or something and gets herself killed or worse sent to Naraku.

Because of some reason, she felt more at home in Inuyasha's gang than in Naraku's castle. Even though, the monk and exterminator (That's a taijiya ...I think.... is it?) kept looking at her as if they would get up and kill her the next minute. Still... this was home.

The sky lost its glow and turned a beautiful shade of violet. She smiled, happy at the turn of events. They had one more fighter for the final battle. The more fighters they had the better chances they had of coming out of it alive. And she wanted to live. She wanted to feel loved and she wanted to belong. She didn't want to do Naraku's dirty work for him. She wanted to be free. She had first tasted defiance the day she had allowed Inuyasha to escape from the castle and now it was too late to turn back.

She was fighter, that's what Naraku had made her to be. Now she was going to fight him.

See??? I'm learning new words like hanyou and taijiya!!! Heh!! I'm so good!!! Ahem... REVIEW!!!!