A/N: *Dodges bullets, youki and tomatoes.* I am soooo sorry! *Dodges another set of random objects thrown her way.* People, are you that mad at me? *Dodges a blast from a flamethrower.* Ok, I get the point!

I am soooo sorry for taking so long with this chapter! Heck, I seem to be apologizing a lot lately. Anyway, my schoolwork from last February and March have very much taken up every single waking moment of my life for those two months, and as I said before, I couldn't very much put my hobbies (*cough* fanfic writing *cough*) before my studies. I have an average grade to maintain!

Basing from the emails I got, I am assuming that no one is exactly happy with my last cliffy... Oh my, I got a flame for that...

And think about it. I promised I wouldn't make you guys wait one month. I kept that promise... I made you guys wait two months! *Dodges knives and more tomatoes* Ok, corny joke...

Anyway, here is the long-in-the-making chapter that took two friggin months before getting posted. Extra juicy, just for you. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Do I LOOK like I own anything valuable? Of course I don't own Inuyasha!

-----/---@

SEVEN WEEKS

I Can't Win

-----/---@

She let out a breathy whisper as she pulled away, her eyes pained and angry at the same time. "Please..." she whispered to him. "Forgive me..."

-----/---@

"Miroku-sama!" Kagome called out as she rode on Inuyasha's back as he leapt and ran through the barren forest. "Miroku-sama! Where are you?"

Kagura had dooped them with that one. And the pair knew it was Kagura because she was always sent for Naraku's dirty work...

Inuyasha growled again in anger. 'Fucking Kagura. She was probably riding that damn feather thing of hers again,' he thought. Her scent just disappeared as soon as he stepped away from the earlier battleground, which could mean that she either teleported with Miroku somehow, or she flew off. He had tried calling Miroku on the amulet, but for some reason, it seemed the monk was not answering. Again.

"Inuyasha," Kagome's agitated voice broke through his musings. "Do you think that Miroku-sama is in the Garnet Tower right now? Because if he had captured Sango..."

"He probably has Miroku now as well," Inuyasha finished. "I've been thinking about that Kagome. This probably means that we're only an arm's length away from the tower... and it's about time we pulled Naraku off his throne."

"I agree. We're running out of time. If we're gonna spend your last few days here happy, we'd better get a move on," Kagome replied with a small smile. "I was hoping to spend some more time with you before you leave. You know... and we're never going to accomplish anything if you're still wounded."

"Keh!" he scoffed. "As if that idiot Naraku would do any damage to me. I promise you a lot of quality time before I leave," he said, leaving Kagome blushing with the slight innuendo.

"Inuyasha, you..." Kagome began to reprimand him, but a glimpse of the waxing horizon made her pause. Since she was on Inuyasha's back, her view was a bit wider than his, and she could barely believe what she was seeing. She peered up again when Inuyasha leapt up, the darkening red sky casting amazing shadows on the object of her astonishment. "Oh gods..."

"Nani, Kagome? Oi... daijobu?" Inuyasha asked, peering over his shoulder at the woman on his back. She was straining up, as if trying to see something just beyond her viewpoint.

"Inuyasha..." she began. "I... I see the Garnet Tower."

"What?" he nearly shouted, pausing from his strides to stand on a tall tree and regard Kagome. "Are you serious?"

"The Garnet Tower, Inuyasha. It's there, just beyond the horizon."

Inuyasha set Kagome down on the branch before he took a leap from the high branch, jumping as high as he could to see for himself... and there it was.

He gasped aloud, barely believing his eyes. Its dark stone turrets were full of harsh red light, casting haunting shadows upon the creek and sallow grounds beneath it. Mists and miasma hung around it like a plague, and even in the dim light of the early evening, it clearly radiated angry youki. There it was... his mission... the Garnet Tower.

"I can't believe it..." he whispered , but his flight had also shown him something in the night sky that made him cringe. "Shit," he muttered, right before dropping back down to where Kagome stood. "I can't believe it!" he exclaimed once again when he was face-to-face with her. "Kagome, the tower! It's finally within reach!"

"Ee. I know," Kagome said with a smile. "It would probably take us another day to get there, though."

"I could get there in the morning if we continue going," he said with a slightly feral grin. Kagome shook her head.

"Iie. It's getting late, Inuyasha," she said, touching his wounded arm. "And we had both worn ourselves out during that battle with the Thunder Brothers. We both need to rest."

"But..."

"I know that you're worried about them," she cut in. "I am too. But like you told Miroku-sama, we would do no good if we get there dead on our feet."

"You don't understand, Kagome... we have to get there as soon as possible!" he insisted, tugging her arm away from his own.

Kagome looked at him in confusion. "Inuyasha... is something wrong?"

Inuyasha nodded, catching a whiff of another thing that made him EXTREMELY uncomfortable. 'Gods, Kagome,' he thought, unconsciously taking another deep breath. "This is not good."

"Nani? What is not good?"

"Kag-chan," Inuyasha said, surprising her. The nickname just seemed... well... out of context in the situation. "Its... Kagome, you're... well..."

"WHAT?!"

"You're fucking ovulating!"

"What the heck does that mean?"

"You're in heat again!"

Kagome's face flamed up. Inuyasha had told her about the scent of her heat driving him crazy... 'What does that have to do with anything?!' she thought. "So?"

"What happens tomorrow, after you go in heat?" Inuyasha asked her heatedly, confusing her.

"I dunno! But I know what happens to YOU during this time!"

"This is not the time to talk about that!!!" Inuyasha yelled, a dark blush coating his cheeks.

"Hey! You brought it up!"

"But that's not my point!" he snapped, trying to regain his lost composure as they continued to bicker atop the tree. He was still blushing. "I'll tell you. You have your period. And during what do you have your period?"

"During the shingetsu. The new moon." Kagome answered.

"And what happens to ME during the new moon NIGHT?" he asked her.

Kagome opened her mouth to answer, but the words froze in her throat as she contemplated what they meant. "You... you turn human."

"Exactly!" Inuyasha exclaimed. "And I don't want to face Naraku on my human night..."

Kagome looked up to the sky, noting that the moon was only a tiny sliver of skylight at the moment. "Damn."

-----/---@

Miroku's eyes widened as Sango's katana pierced him deeper, making a weak flow of blood flow from his chest. But strangely enough... it stopped going deeper.

"Sango," he gasped. "Do what you must..."

"Urusai!" she snapped softly, but fiercely. "Shut up..."

Miroku was confused... Now what?

Sango leaned down, her tears dripping down the side of his cheek as she pressed her lips close to his ear. "Listen," she whispered. "Stay down. Don't move until I call you."

'What?' he thought. She wouldn't kill him? But he thought...!

"Just trust me."

She didn't give him any time to react as she suddenly moved her katana to his side and plunged it in hard. She stifled his shout of pain, placing her palm firmly on his mouth to keep him from making any sound. His eyes were wide and slightly unfocused, and Sango had to bite her lip to keep herself from leaning down to comfort him. She lowered her head, pressing her forehead against his as his eyes slowly cleared again, staring at her questioningly.

Miroku felt the throbbing ache of his wounded chest, felt the dizzying nausea as her sword went through his skin, but his mind was filled with questions. 'She didn't kill me!' was the most dominant thought of all... she had stabbed him a bit to far off on his side, a part that had hurt but would definitely not cause him death.

"Close your eyes, pretend you are dead... onegai..." she whispered as tears fell from her eyes to his face once again. She hated the fact that she had to hurt him... but she also had to draw some of his blood to make it believable. He closed his eyes to acknowledge her.

He felt Sango get off him, leaving her sword in his chest. God, the pain was excruciating, but he held his thoughts back. He had to know what was going on.

He heard her footsteps drawing away from him, felt her pick up her Hiraikotsu, and he tried his very hard not to move a muscle. The exertion and the pain of the sword in his side were making him breathe a bit too heavy, so he decided to hold his breath a fraction to still his chest from heaving.

"Have you killed him?" a small voice asked out of nowhere, and Miroku had to stifle his curiosity hard to keep from opening his eyes.

"Yes. My sword is still in his chest, as you can see," Sango said, her voice hard. "Now let Kohaku's soul go, and give me the Shikon no Tama, you user."

"Not yet. I have to make sure," the small voice said again, and Miroku heard a rustle as the owner of the other voice shifted closer to him.

"He is still alive."

"No he's not!" Sango replied, her voice shaking slightly. "I killed him. You watched me! I... I had to kill... the man that I *love*," she added in an angry voice. "Now keep your end of the bargain!"

"If he is dead, why can I not take his soul into my mirror?"

Sango paused. Now what?

"Because..." she started, trying to think of the fastest lie she could ever come up with. "Wait a minute! You didn't say that you would take Miroku's soul!"

His name on her lips... Now Miroku could die happy...

"I have to see if he is dead."

Sango's change of topic gave her enough time to make something up. "Well, he is. And the reason you couldn't take his soul yet, is that... because... because he is a holy man! Yes, that's it! He is a holy man, and his body will prevent his soul from leaving his body until after a few hours. Didn't you know that?" she said, pleased with herself for coming up with such a marvelous lie.

"No."

Miroku could take it no longer. He opened his eyes a tiny fraction, seeing his Sango standing over him, Hiraikotsu over her shoulder, glaring down at a small, white youkai with the features of a child. The child was holding a mirror that was glowing an ethereal blue, showing him the outline of what appeared to be a face. Not Sango's.

"Well, now you know! Give me Kohaku's soul! I fulfilled my end of the bargain," Sango said, holding out a small blue sphere. "You promised me that you would give me his soul in exchange for Miroku's death. Now do it!"

'Kohaku... her brother!' he thought, anger bubbling in him. They had made her choose between him and Kohaku? That was so twisted!

"Alright," the small youkai said. "Hold out the gem."

Sango opened her palm to expose the gem, watching eagerly as a thin curl of smoke rose from the mirror towards her palm. The blue mist wrapped around her wrists softly before slowly seeping into the sphere. The smoke eventually vanished into the gem altogether, and Sango gave a small smile as she looked at the gem, where she felt she could see her brother's eyes looking straight at her. She put the gem into a pocket of her armor, tying its opening to secure the gem in it.

She stepped towards Miroku, pulling out the sword and nearly causing him to grimace. He kept still as death, knowing there was something more.

"Now call that bastard and hand me the Shikon no Tama," Sango said.

"Kukuku... why my dear Sango, did you truly think it was that simple?"

Miroku had to restrain himself from standing. It was his voice... Naraku's voice... just begging him to get up and mangle the evil youkai.

Sango appeared livid. "Naraku, you bastard! Show yourself," she shouted at the sky. "I killed Miroku for you, something that I would have never wanted to do. Now give me the Shikon no Tama!"

Naraku let out a chuckle that made Miroku's blood boil. "Not yet," he heard Naraku say. "First, I want you to kill Inuyasha."

"But that wasn't part of the plan!"

"Now it is," Naraku said. "The monk has never been a hindrance to me. I just used him to see how far you would go for the Shikon no Tama. Now I want the hanyou dead."

"I knew it, you bastard!" Sango cried. "I knew it! But I don't need to take the Shikon no Tama from you... Inuyasha and Kagome can do that just fine."

"Come now, Sango!" Naraku said as he stepped away from the shadows, emerging before her. "I watched you kill the houshi. You can kill Inuyasha. You already did something for me, why don't you just continue?"

"Because I know that you would never really give me that Shikon no Tama. And I never did anything for you, bakayarou. Stupid bastard!"

"Nani?"

"Miroku!" Sango cried. That was his cue.

He sat up a bit slowly, fighting off the pain in his chest as Naraku looked on in shocked rage. Sango pushed the small youkai away with a strong bash from her Hiraikotsu, which caused the youkai to release a shocked cry of pain. Sango helped him to his feet, hooking her free arm around his midriff and keeping her eyes on Naraku.

"You're alive!" he shouted in outrage. "You tricked me!" he shouted to Sango, who had a smirk on her lips.

"That makes two of us, you bastard!" Sango said, stomping her boot on the end of the shakujou, making it spring into the air and right into Miroku's hands.

Miroku turned steely eyes to Naraku, his cursed right hand clenching as Sango held him up by her arm around his torso. "Naraku," he all but growled. "You are such a bastard!"

Naraku looked disgruntled, his eyes settling on Kanna as she stood. "Kanna!" he shouted, as if the name itself was a command.

And it seemed it was, for the moment Kanna managed to stand straight, She pointed her mirror at the pair. Sango would have leapt back, but having to hold Miroku had slowed her down. As if in slow motion, she watched as the band of light approached them, and before she knew what happened, everything went black.

-----/---@

"Damn!" Inuyasha exclaimed for the nth time as he sat before the campfire with Kagome, eating a thin soup. "I can't get through!" he shouted, throwing the communicator amulet a few feet away in frustration.

Kagome shook her head. He was upset... it was obvious. He was unsettled about the fact that he would be turning human the next night... the night when he and Naraku may face each other finally.

"Inuyasha," she called softly. "Please... I know you're worried, but it would all work out!"

"How?!" he said severely, surprising Kagome. "Tell me how, Kagome! I'm turning human tomorrow! And you and I both know how useless I am when human!" he yelled, waving his bandaged arm to emphasize his point.

"You're not useless!" Kagome shrieked back, losing her patience. "Inuyasha, if you think you're the only one upset about Miroku and Sango, you're sadly mistaken!"

"That's not it!"

"Well, what IS it?" she yelled, throwing her bowl in frustration, scattering bits of vegetables and splotches of soup. Tears welled up in her eyes and she saw Inuyasha's face twist in panic as he smelled the salt in the air. "I'm not exactly relaxed about this! You... you're turning human. You think I'm not worried? You're not useless as a human, Yash, but you are stronger as a hanyou and I don't know if we could fight Naraku enough. But we can't wait til after the new moon because Miroku and Sango are there and may be in trouble!"

Inuyasha stood and walked over to her, sitting beside her and wrapping her in his arms. She immediately snuggled in, pushing her face into his haori to attempt to block out the sound of her sobs.

"I'm sorry," Inuyasha said softly as Kagome calmed down. "I... I don't know what's gonna happen and..." he gulped audibly, placing his head on top of hers. "I'm scared. I'm afraid that I won't be strong enough to protect you. Afraid that I might let everyone down. And I don't..."

Kagome looked up when she felt his breath catch. He was looking away, his bangs covering his eyes. She reached up a hand to push his bangs back, but dark shadows of the night shaded his eyes from her view.

"I don't want to go home..." he said, startling Kagome when a single drop of liquid fell on her hand. She turned his head towards her and saw that his eyes were clenched shut, his arms tightening around her. "I don't want to go..."

Three days come morning... he only had three days left... And they had to face their deadliest enemy on the morrow. The reality of the thought hit Kagome hard, and she wrapped her arms around him as best as she could as she tried desperately to stop her tears.

"And I haven't even learned the Bakuryuuha yet!" Inuyasha added, laughing bitterly. "I want to win this, Kagome. I really do. But I never will..."

"We can beat Naraku, Inuyasha. We can... We will WIN this!"

Inuyasha finally opened his eyes, and Kagome gasped to find that his bright blue orbs were clouded with unshed tears.

"That's not what I mean," he said.

"Nani?"

Without another word, Inuyasha suddenly lay back, pulling her down with him to the floor. He hugged her tightly to himself, ignoring Kagome's questions. He crushed her to himself, whispering soft words, urging her to sleep.

"Stay with me," he said almost desperately, and Kagome finally fell silent.

He was very upset...

She snuggled into his chest, wrapping her arms more securely around him. A soft rumbling sound came from Inuyasha, slowly putting her to sleep.

Inuyasha on the other hand, lay wide awake, staring up at the sky and the tiny sliver of the light that was the moon.

'I can beat Naraku,' he told himself. 'I can, for Kagome.'

He looked down at her, loosing himself as he took a deep breath of her sweet scent. A scent that will forever be etched into his memory, until the day he dies.

'I had hoped,' he thought 'that once this was all over, I could have you. That I could win you...'

He stroked her dark hair reverently, committing everything about her to memory. Reminiscing the night they had given the gift of their innocence to each other. Replaying all her words in his mind.

- Flashback -

"Demo, I will be with you, Inuyasha!" she said, putting a hand on the right part of his chest. "I will always be in your heart... as you will be in mine. And last night... we left a part of ourselves in each other last night. We will never be truly apart."

(Great Jokes, chapter 21)

- End Flashback -

He nuzzled her hair, breathing in her essence. He wanted to have her... that was all he had ever wanted...

"I'll never win..."

-----/---@

"Sango,"

She kept her eyes closed. Gods, did this seem familiar! She totally disliked voices in the dark.

"Sango, it's me. Are you ok?"

That voice... she knew that voice...

She opened her eyes, blinking owlishly in the darkness of the room. "Gods, where am I?" she asked, looking around the pitch black room. 'Well, that was productive.'

"Sango! You're conscious! Thank the gods!"

"Miroku?" she called. She tried to move, but realized that her hands were in shackles attached to a cold wall. Her feet were also held back, and she could only guess that she was, once again, in Naraku's dungeon.

"Sango! Are you ok? Can you see me?" It was Miroku alright.

"No... Where are you?"

"I'm right in front of you," he said. "It's dark. Just wait for your eyes to adjust. You'll see a bit in a short while," he instructed.

Sango followed, staring wide-eyed at an empty space until her eyes adjusted enough to let her see his form. It seemed that Miroku was also tied to the wall, and they were both stripped of their weapons. The smell of fresh blood was strong in the room, and Sango could only gulp tearfully as she realized where it was coming from. Or rather, from whom it was coming from.

"Sango, are you ok? You were out for a long time, and I couldn't walk over there because I'm tied up! Sango? Can you see me now? Can..."

"Gomen... Please forgive me," she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper. She hung her head. I hurt you. I stabbed you... I used you for my plans... I thought my plans would work..."

Miroku was overwhelmed. 'Oh, that?' he thought, and though the persistent pain in his side and chest kept reminding him that he had quite a few wounds that needed attention, his mind kept drifting to the words that Sango had spoken right before she stabbed him.

"Sango... I don't care about that. I would heal. I just..."

"No! Please... Naraku had said that he would give me Kohaku's soul and the Shikon no Tama in exchange for your life. I knew from the start that I couldn't kill you," she gulped, the tears starting to flow again. "Not even if I had the skill, which I don't. He was going to destroy my brother's soul. I thought that I could outsmart him. But I couldn't. I thought... but... I can't win, Miroku. And now we're both in this mess!"

"Sango!" Miroku said loudly. "It's ok. I understand. But please... tell me one thing."

"What?"

Miroku was silent. Then, in a trembling voice, he asked. "Did you mean it?"

"Mean what?"

"Do you... love me?"

Sango looked up, the tears still flowing down her cheeks. Her eyes had cleared up enough that she could see him biting his lower lip, looking intently at her.

She smiled slowly, looking deep into his eyes. She saw his hopeful, perplexed expression relax as understanding dawned upon them both.

And he smiled back.

-----/---@

A/N: That's all for now, people! Gah! My eyes hurt from staring at the computer for so long!

Thanks to LILMISSY (that was so nice of you, emailing me with all of your reviews for the chaps you missed! Arigatou! And gomen, Shippou won't be appearing. T_T), LOVABLE-SHIPPO, CAP'NYOSSARIAN, DREAMING STAR, ANONYMOUS (I will, I promise!), SUKURI (I should give you and Lilmissy the "longest review award". I love long reviews! Anyway, thanks for the bandages, and gomen for the late update. Swear words? Haha! Those are actually the first things that my friends ask me of once they learn that I speak Jap. *sweatdrops* What is it with teens and swearing?), PORI-PORI, IXCHEN, KITTEN STARR (15 chaps straight? OMG! I'm glad you like my fic that much! Arigatou!), CHELLEK (Thanks! I'm glad you like my fic so much! Gomen for the late update. ^_^), THE INSANE ONE (Gomen! Anyway, I tried to email you, but my damn account won't comply! Gomen!), THE WRAITH (Oh, I should get myself a Falcon Youkai... Anyway, gosh, I would have LOVED to ask for your ides, but I got your review a bit late somehow... I'd already written the chap. I hope you like this one anyway. ^_^), STARRFIRE3 (ehehe... gomen for the late update. Don't murder anyone yet! Save it for Naraku, coz you would love to by next chap...) MIDORIKO-SAMA (thanks for the jacket!), Elven Dragonlord (I confused myself too, actually. ^_^), GUARDIAN ANGEL OF ALL ANIME (gomen for the cliffy... and thanks for the chocolates!), FETCHBOY69, COOL20, TAIJIYA-SANGO88 (gomen for torturing Miroku...), SHADOWSTAR666, CHEVERE (I wish I could get to Venezuela.), YAMIYUMETENSHI, KITTYMUI, ANIMEOBSSESSIONFANTASY, INUYASHAGIRLIE (if Naraku were around, I'll call you and we could both gang-up on him! How does that sound?! ^_^), HANAMARU285 and THE LITERARY DRAGON (I promise it will be in the next chapter.) for reviewing!

Thanks to all the people who have stuck with me and my stories until today. I know I haven't exactly been one of the most consistent authors when it comes to updates, so thank you sooo much!

And for those complaining about me not putting the translations of the Japanese words in this fic, I DO! I follow them up with their English translations. Example was one of Sango's lines in this chap:

--- "Urusai!" she snapped softly, but fiercely. "Shut up..." ---

See? I do! I kinda reiterate the words like Mojo Jojo...

By the way, to those who have time, I have two other fics called 'A Bond of Thorns' and 'Enchanted Dawn' and they're not getting too many reviews... sooo... could you PLEASE check them out? Coz if nobody likes them, I'm just gonna stop posting them. No sense in writing something that's no good, ne?

Now that I'm done plugging shamelessly, groveling at your feet, I'm off! Thanks for reading this story and pleeeease review! Arigatou! Ja!

*Next Chapter: The New Moon

~~How does that sound?

ScarletRaven1001