A/N: A long chapter for once! This one cracks about 1900 words, that's 900 more than my regular ones lol. Okay I'd like to thank everyone for the reviews last time, I'm glad that all of you are going to keep reading -even- if it's not going exactly the way you want. Well just a little notice on how the story is going. I'm writing chapter…I have no idea, probably chapter 24 right now (I haven't counted haha) And guess what? I'm on the 50th page (on Microsoft Words!) That's 34 000 and more words! Haha my first successful story is this one. Okay enough of my chatter, here's this chapter. I know this chapter won't go well with most of you :D but suck it up princess hahah (just kidding)

Someone Out There
Chapter Sixteen: Ice Cold Sting of Reality

"Sango? What is this?" Sandy asked while setting the groceries on her table. Well if you can call instant noodles 'groceries.' He waved around a rectangular blue box. Sango's eyes shot open and lunged for it. Sandy reflexively held back to read what it said. Color drained from his face. Sango snatched the pregnancy test kit and went to hide it in her bathroom.

Sandy entered the bathroom, "Sango, what's going on?" Everything suddenly became surreal. One moment they're having fun shopping, the next moment a kiss of reality can blow things away. "When are you going to take that test?" asked Sandy.

"Later," replied Sango calmly. Inside she was riled up with anticipation. Over and over again she tried to convince herself that it couldn't be possible that she was expecting. It couldn't be. Things like this aren't suppose to happen to young girls like that. But they do. Over and over again she calmed herself only again to get herself all worried. This test was to put her out of her anxiety.

Sandy rubbed his temples as he sat down on her bed. "Tel me what happens," he said weakly.

"I will," she promised, putting away her stash of instant noodles.

Sandy sat quietly, staring off into space. There was a 50-50 chance, which side will Sango land on? She is too young to have a child, he chastised. She can't raise a kid! She can't even cook, his mind gesturing the junk food they just bought. Miroku is not ready to be a father. Oh shit, Miroku. Sandy totally forgot about him for a while. "Is there any chance that Miroku isn't the father?" he asked uneasily.

Sango looked at him square in the eye, "He was the only one."

Sandy nodded absentmindedly as he continued thinking. "Are you going to tell him?"

"Sandy! Stop talking as if I'm already knocked up." said Sango annoyed. She was nervous enough already and her cousin prosing all those questions didn't calm her senses.

… … … … …

Sandy paced nervously back and forth. He glanced at the clock, wishing it'd go faster. But the clock ignored his piercing stare and continued to move at it's own monotonously pace. After nagging her for a week, she finally took the test. He'd been standing outside for half an hour waiting. She's got to be done by now right? he asked himself. Heck, how would he know? Guys don't exactly get knocked up, so he never had to deal with this problem.

He knocked on the door, "Sango, are you okay?" The door slowly opened, a pale faced Sango appeared. Her tear-strewn face already told him, if not the pink indictor on the test, what the results were. An instant surge of protectiveness rushed through him as he hugged Sango. She felt so tiny in his arms. A frail human being, and an even smaller one inside of her.

"It's going to be okay," he whispered over and over, brushing her hair. Sango's tears ran like a steady stream, quiet sobs like the small sound of raindrops on a grey day. Her eyelids blinked delicately as more drops fell. Her heart sank not knowing what to do, what to expect, what's happening. How will she break this to her parents? How will people at school think? Should she continue school? How can she raise a baby? What will Miroku think?

Miroku. How will he think? How will he take it? She didn't want him to be with her because he felt obliged to. Because he should be "responsible." She hated those guys in movies. The ones who force themselves with the girl because they felt "responsible." What a horrible feeling. She wanted him to willingly want to be with her, not because of some unwritten obligation.

Why does the male always have to be the one "responsible." It's not like she wasn't in there drinking. Miroku wasn't the only one that night, so was she. Sango's mind started spinning again. She'll never abandon or abort her child. So is her keeping it like a "responsibility" as well? "I want to go to bed," she said quietly through her muffled sobs. Sandy led her to her bed, tucked her in and kissed her on the forehead. "Call me if you need to okay?" he said softly. Sango nodded appreciatively and closed her eyes, hoping to sleep.

When she asked for something to put her into perspective, she did not ask for this.

… … … … …

Kagome twirled her hair expectantly as she waited for Miroku to pick up the phone. "Hello?" she heard from the other end. He sounded weary as if he hadn't had a good night's sleep in weeks. "Miroku?" If Santa could've come any earlier, it was today. Miroku's voice lit up a few decibels. "Kagome!"

"Let's talk about what happened," said Miroku quietly. "I'll meet you at the oak trees."

Miroku arrived early, waiting for Kagome. When he saw her, he cautiously went up to her and smiled. Kagome smiled back, easing a few strings tying his heart.

"I'm sorry. I can't change what happened, and I wish it never did." rushing with his apology.

"Wait, did you tell Sango that?" interrupted Kagome.

"Huh? Tell her what?" asked Miroku confused.

"The last part. Where you said you wished it never happened," clarified Kagome.

""No, I haven't." he answered truthfully, baffled at her question.

Kagome nodded approvingly, glad that he didn't tell her that. Despite her jealousy, she didn't want Sango have her heart torn to tiny pieces.

"I love you." he declared. Kagome's heart stopped, staring at Miroku and reliving the words he just said. Did he mean it? "I would never throw out those words unless I mean it," said Miroku seriously. "I want to be with you." His heart hung, waiting for some sort of reply to his confession. Kagome stayed quiet, his eyes on him the whole time.

"Kagome, can I have another chance?" he pleaded. He was out of words to say. He honestly, desperately just wanted to be back with Kagome.

Kagome's eyes softened, murmuring softly to herself as she gave him a hug. He held her tightly and whispered, "Please?"

She paused, and smiled 'what the heck.' Kagome laughed, signifying a "yes." Miroku couldn't have been happier as he twirled his reclaimed girlfriend around in joy.

… … … … …

"This is your chance to tell him," reminded Sandy. Him and Sango were talking about the baby. Sandy finally got Sango out of her room. It's been a week yet it didn't feel any more real than it did the first time she saw the indicator go pink. Sango's hair was tied into a messy bun. She wore a light green sweater that showed her shoulders and a pair of dark olive jeans. She looked so normal no one would've guessed.

"I don't know," repeated Sango. It was hard enough telling Kagome to go back to Miroku; now she has to go and tell him this? No way.

"Well I know, and I think you should tell him. He has a right to know." said Sandy, twirling the pen around his fingers.

"Do you think he's ready to be a father?" asked Sango.

"Well you're not ready to be a mother, and you're going to be." pointed out Sandy. "Sango, you never know unless you try. Do this for me?"

Sango considered this. Her stomach felt queasy. "Fine," she gave in, "I'll tell him tonight."

Sandy started to leave, "And you're not doing this over MSN either!"

Sango laughed as she pushed him out, "Haha, don't worry! Now go before you start acting like my mother."

… … … … …

Miroku waited excitedly for Sango. He sat on the couch, only to get back up again. They agreed to meet at the campus's gameroom. The room was lined with couches and plush bean bags for them to sit on. There were pool tables, foosball tables and other outdated arcade games at a corner. There was a dance machine near the entrance and a photo booth on the other side. No one was in the gameroom because they were all at the club. Free Drinks Friday.

Miroku fidgeted with the foosball table even though there was no ball in play. He couldn't wait to tell his best friend the good news. Surely she would've been happy for him. He felt blessed to have a friend who was so loyal to him. He sat back down on a bean bag and tapped his fingers on his leg. Any time now, any time now, he waited.

Finally, Sango appeared. "Late again," he tsked. "If I didn't know, you're starting to inherit my bad habits," he winked. Sango let out a short laugh and propped herself up on a stool. This was the night. The night she was going to tell him.

"I have something to tell you," they both said at the same time.

Both paused and laughed. "You first," Sango said stalling. She wasn't exactly eager to tell him, but was glad she promised her cousin. That gave her an excuse to tell him, a bit of courage to finally take in control of her life.

"Kagome called me and forgave me," he smiled real big. Sango congratulated him, pretending she didn't expect Kagome to forgive him. She kept her visit with Kagome in confidence. It was such sweet misery to see her best friend smile so big, yet it wasn't for her.

"I told her I loved her, isn't that great?"

Sango froze. She could feel the icy winds blow through her heart, an icicle shattering every bit that was left. Frozen tears stung at her eyes. He loved her. The L word. He never threw out the L word unless he meant it. He meant it.

Miroku looked at her expectantly, "Isn't that great?" he repeated happily. Sango nodded without will.

He continued chattering, "We're going to the Winter Ball. I heard it was going to be great." Sango imagined a frozen wonderland, with her alone standing in the cold winter air. Sango forced a smile, "Really?"

Miroku nodded, "I'll tell you something I haven't even told her," his eyes glinted. "Only because you're my best friend." Sango chuckled sadly as she leaned in to hear what he was going to do. "I bought her a silver pendant engraved with my name and her name. It's like a promise ring, except it's a necklace." Sango's eyes widened. "You thought of that gift yourself?"

He patted the bean bag, "Of course," he frowned, "you didn't think I could think of a good gift myself?" Sango said nothing. Love makes people do crazy things, and sentiment things that they wouldn't have done otherwise.

"Okay, now what did you want to tell me?" asked Miroku, leaning forward to look at Sango.

Sango's heart sank. Now? She couldn't tell him now. Not after what he just said. She faltered, "Just telling you I was going to the Winter Ball." She said, naming the first thing she could think of. It was a lie, she didn't plan to go at all. She never went to big gatherings such as this.

"That's great," he smiled, genuinely happy that his friend is finally going to a social get-together. "Listen, it's getting late, I'm going to jet. I'll talk to you later okay Sango?" He kissed her on the cheek goodbye and left.

Sango stared at the remaining pieces of her heart.