I don't own InuYasha, but I do own a poster with InuYasha on it...does that count?

Kagura noticed the new swarm of poisonous insects approaching as she sent another attack at InuYasha.

"Damn him," Kagura said under her breath. "Guess we will have to finish this game later," she said to InuYasha as she took a feather out of her hair and took off into the air.

After the wind died down, InuYasha growled and wanted to rush off after her, but Miroku beat him to it. The monk rushed passed the half-demon and after Kagura as fast as his human legs would let him.

Both InuYasha and Sango were in shock at this before following him. Kagome had a strange feeling that this wouldn't end well.

Kagura arrived at Naraku's castle quickly. She walked through the hallways apprehensive about what he may want her to do.

Finally she reached the end of the hallway and entered the room.

"Yes, Naraku," she said speaking to the man who held her heart in his hands, literally.

"Take the girl back her friends," he said not casting a single glance at Kagura. Kagura narrowed her eyes at this but quickly grabbed the girl sitting on the ground and left the room as quickly as she had entered it.

Nadia was unconscious. Whatever Naraku had said to her, it had shocked her so bad she knocked herself out. The smell of tears was strong on her, like she had been crying for quite a while.

It was of no matter to Kagura. She had a job to do and she was going to do in order to get her heart free from Naraku's grasp.

Miroku's legs were in pain. His robes were catching on loose branches and he didn't care. He had nothing on his mind except saving Nadia, getting her back safely, and then sending her home before anything else could happen.

Miroku ran past tree after tree and ended up in a small clearing where there was a hot spring. He fell into the water face first. He swam to the edge and promptly collapsed, breathing deeply. The pain in his body was incredible and the pain in his heart was just as bad.

Suddenly a gush of wind came through and caused Miroku to look up despite the pain.

There was Kagura, holding Nadia in her arms, before him. He lifted his hand and tried to say something, but the pain was just too great and his arm fell back to the ground.

He heard Kagura walk closer to him and kneel down. He was sure that she was going to end his life, and he was prepared to die, but the blow he was expecting never came.

Instead Kagura set the unconscious Nadia next to him on the ground and left without saying a word.

Miroku looked over at Nadia. She appeared unharmed, but knowing Naraku there could be all sorts of problems now. Miroku used his last bit of strength and moved over closer to Nadia and wrapped his cursed hand around her form and brought her next him. He breathed in the smell of her hair and sighed before he lost consciousness altogether.

InuYasha was flying through the woods in the same direction Miroku had gone. InuYasha's thoughts were flying everywhere at what the monk was thinking taking off by himself like that.

"InuYasha, do you see Miroku?" Kagome yelled from the back of Kirara.

InuYasha jumped into the air next to Kirara and said, "No sign of him, but I can smell him up ahead. He couldn't have gotten too far."

Nadia slowly opened her eyes before blinking rapidly against the bright sunlight. She was outside?

She tried to sit up, but something was holding her down. She looked down and noticed that there were some extra limbs on her body, and they certainly didn't belong to her, but to a certain monk that had captured her heart quite rapidly.

She turned and looked into Miroku's peaceful sleeping face and felt the tears coming back to her. Naraku wanted to use her as some sick pawn in his damn game of chess to kill the man she currently found herself tangled up with.

Sometimes the fates are just too cruel.

Miroku's eyes fluttered open and he looked straight into Nadia's eyes. Instantly he felt joy and relief pass through him as he pulled her into a tight hug.

"You're safe," he said breathlessly. Nadia smiled slightly before wrapping her arms around Miroku.

For several minutes the two of them just laid there on the ground holding each other until they heard something coming toward them through the trees.

Miroku sat up quickly, despite his hurting muscles and grabbed his prayer beads ready to suck in whatever had decided to try and get to them. Nadia looked at him with wide eyes, as he did all this to protect her.

It was at that moment that she knew that Naraku was right, Miroku had feelings for her, stronger than what he felt for Sango and Kagome, and would do anything to protect her. Now she just had to make sure that he never admitted them to her, or Naraku would win.

The trees parted and there stood InuYasha in all his glory staring at both the monk and the girl.

"What the hell were you doing running off like that Miroku?" InuYasha said loudly. Miroku sighed and lowered his hand.

"I was thinking of Nadia's safety," he said.

Kirara landed next to Miroku and both Sango and Kagome, with Shippo on her shoulder, came rushing over to them.

Sango wasted no time and immediately enveloped Miroku in a hug. Nadia felt a surge of jealousy rush through her, but did nothing about it. If he didn't think she felt anything for him, then he would keep his feelings to himself.

Miroku didn't return the hug, mostly because he couldn't lift his arms to do so, and also because it wasn't Sango he wanted in his arms, it was Nadia.

Even if it was doomed from the start, and that they wouldn't stay together, and that it would ruin his friendship with the others, he decided that the least he could do before they sent her back was let her in on how he was feeling, even if she didn't feel the same way.

She had to know that he loved her, and as soon as he had his strength back, he would tell her.

Sitting in his castle watching the events unfold before him in Kanna's mirror, Naraku smiled.