Sesshomaru held Sango's limp form against him, worriedly looking between his human lover's blank face to the arrow of the miko Kagome, his expression turning fierce.

"Kuso…" he hissed. "Miko…what questions do you want me to answer?" he demanded.

Kagome scowled fiercely. "How about you start with how you erased Sango's memory and kidnapped her without her even knowing it!!"

Sesshomaru scowled back at her. "Wench…I resurrected her! Losing her memories was only the side effect of her being dead for so long!"

----
Kagome's harsh expression lessened. It was true, if he hadn't used his enchanted blade to revive Sango, there would be no problem. But she didn't understand why she had lost her memories. In her miko studies, she had learned the techniques sorcerers and dark monks used to bring back the dead. And no matter how long their victim had been dead, they would always be in the same state they were at the time of their death. It was like there was something new in her soul, something she had acquired after her death. It all intrigued Kagome…

But Inuyasha was still snarling at his older half-brother.
"Well, then, you dumb bastard…you've done us the favor of bringing her back, so hand her over! She ain't yours!!" he hissed.

Sesshomaru scowled back, looking as though he would tear out his throat if he weren't holding Sango. "She is mine…" the youkai growled.

Inuyasha looked at him strangely for a moment, then his amber eyes widened slightly. "You…you don't mean…" he stammered, glowering at Sesshomaru. He paused, glancing over at Miroku. This will crush the poor guy…his heart won't be able to take another blow like this…

----

Sesshomaru snickered slightly as Inuyasha realized what he meant. "Do you need further proof?" he asked harshly.

At first, Inuyasha seemed unbelieving. This made Sesshomaru's sinister smirk grow, as he thought of how rewarded it would be to see his brother and his friends twist in disgust.

"I…I don't believe you'd sink so low, Sesshomaru…" Inuyasha hissed. Sesshomaru continued to smirk.

"Oh, but this Sesshomaru would…" the older youkai said, shifting Sango's weight onto his lap. His eyes narrowed, and he pushed down the neckline of the young woman's kimono, revealing a small scar on her collar, looking like a slight bite mark. Inuyasha shuddered, angrily holding Tessaiga at the ready.

"You…you did…you sick bastard, you did do that to that poor girl!!" he shouted angrily. Although he was ready to throttle his elder half-brother, he glanced over at Miroku. The violet-eyed monk seemed like he had lost all hope of reclaiming his Sango, as he realized himself that Sesshomaru had taken her as his mate.

My Sango…my taji-ya…he thought, over and over. All he could do was repeat himself, over and over. This all seemed surreal, all like the world was spinning around him, and he couldn't stop it. Within the time window of only a few hours, he had found the woman he loved so much, alive…then he learned that she had no memory of him. It was like her mind and heart had been wiped clean. But there was still a sliver of hope, a light at the end of the tunnel. Then, he had received the final blow. Sesshomaru had taken her as his mate…and he knew that she had let him do so. Even though Sango may have lost her memory, she was still the same person. And she wouldn't have done something like that unless it was voluntary.

He shuddered slightly. He had truly lost her. But he refused to leave without a fight.

"Sesshomaru…" he growled fiercely, "I'll kill you…"

----

Sesshomaru glared back at the monk. "Ah, so you really are desperate to die…I didn't think you wish to end your life this much after you discovered Sango was mine…" The demon laughed slightly, not noticing as Sango returned to conciousness.

Miroku continued to stare daggers, one hand holding his staff and the other on a sutra. Then he noticed Sango's open, honey-brown eyes. He stopped as she slowly stood, Sesshomaru standing himself up as well. The demon looked down at her, furious that her gaze was fixed on the foolish Miroku, and that she had said nothing to him at all.

"Before I died…" Sango started, directly speaking to Miroku, "I know…before I died, we were in love, weren't we…?"

Miroku's eyes widened. She remembers me…remembers…us! His hands formed into fists so tight that he tore his sutra in half, letting it fall. He gaped slightly, watching as she took a few steps forward, that sacred light glowing even stronger now then it had before.

"I…I cannot explain…but I remember…that I am the Sango in which you speak…the last living of the taji-ya…" she said. She could see the amazed looks on the faces of Kagome, Inuyasha, and especially Miroku…and she knew their names. This was all too much. Her mouth went dry, and she was unable to speak. But she didn't want to speak, she wanted explanations. She bit her lip. Miroku and herself…they had shared an undying love…but now, she also shared this bond with Sesshomaru. Then she looked back at him, and saw the emotionless, distant expression he wore when she first met.

"Sess…Sesshomaru-kun…" she started, setting a hand on his shoulder. But she couldn't finish her sentence. There was simply nothing to say. Then, he glanced down at her, with a cold harshness, not speaking. Sango felt so guilty, even though she had done nothing yet.

"Sesshomaru-kun…please…" she said again. The youkai looked away, but smiled at her slightly.

This was all she needed. She was about to slip into an embrace, when she paused. She could feel Miroku's stare digging into her back. She knew that she must choose between the two men she loved so desperately…but which one should she pick…?