Chapter 3

It was early morning and the room was still poorly lit. After putting down the sleeping girl he left to change out of his wet clothes. With a white robe on he had borrowed from the owner of the inn; he sat across the sleeping girl. As he stared at her he kept reliving the events he had just gone thru. He just couldn't get over the fact that this small, sweet and innocent looking girl had almost achieved what not even Naraku had. 'She almost killed me! I'm such an idiot for letting myself so vulnerable like that. I never heard her footsteps with the falling rain. If it wasn't for that spider biting me I would have awaken with that in my chest.' A shiver ran down his back as he looked down at the small sword in his hands. 'Where did she get this? Was it her father's?' Before he could continue with his thoughts he heard footsteps coming towards his room. He got up to see who it was before they could awaken the girl.

"Good morning Miroku-sama jus…" He stopped her by putting a finger on her lips. She blushed slightly, surprised by his touch.

"Kagome-sama please lower your voice I have company with me." He whispered to her.

"WH…" He quickly put the finger he had removed back on her lips.

"Don't yell. It's not what you think." He whispered while motioning for her to look inside.

"What is that little girl doing in your room?" She whispered while advancing towards the sleeping girl.

"Kagome-sama, lets talk outside. I don't want to wake her." He ushered her towards the door.

Grabbing two blankets, he led her outside. It had stopped raining an hour earlier but the sky remained dark with rain clouds. Sunlight radiated thru a few small gaps in the dark clouds. The small porch was mostly dry since the wind had been blowing from behind the inn. He placed one of the blankets down on one side of the entrance to the inn. He motioned for her to sit before he sat down next to her. He then handed her the next blanket so she could keep warm. 'That's what he wanted the blankets for. He sure can be thoughtful.' She warmly thought as she looked at the roads of the town that where muddy from the rain. She turned her attention to him.

"So what is that little girl doing in your room, Miroku-sama?"

"Sleeping" He said simply before turning to face her and giving her a small smile.

"Miroku-sama! That's not what I meant." She stared at him waiting for him to respond.

After a moment of silence he told her everything that had happen the night before. He only lied about the reason he had gone out in the first place. She didn't interrupt his story and just sat there listening. The only sound she had made was a sudden gasp as he told her that the girl had nearly killed him. After telling her how he had waited for a break in the rain before returning to the inn with the girl, they sat in silence for a moment.

"So you think she's a orphan?" She was looking down and thinking how sad it would be if the girl were indeed an orphan.

"It could be that her parents live here and she just got lost before the rains. If not… hopefully someone in town will take her in. Would you stay with her until she wakes up? Don't worry I have the tantō." He got up and gave her a hand to help her up.

"Yeah sure. I have no problem with that." She got up with his help and started towards the door.

"Oh. I almost forgot Kagome-sama. Why were you going to my room while everyone else was still asleep? Was it an emergency only I could help you with?" The sly tone in his voice made her stop.

"You wish Miroku-sama. I was only going to ask you if you wanted something to eat, since I was up and hungry." She told him from inside the door without turning to face him.

"I could help you with your hunger Kagome-sama. If you'll allow me some time I can …" His last words trailed offas he started to feel a small pain come from his right hand.

"Miroku-sama! I'm going to…" She missed his last words, but knowing him she guessed at what he had said. She turned to face him, her face red with anger.

"Kagome-sama why so angry?" Putting his hands up in front of the approaching girl.

"Don't act so innocent. I should tell Inuyasha and have him…better yet I'll tell Sango. And to think I was going to ask you nicely if you wanted to eat breakfast with me." She stood at the entrance with her small hands balled up into fists.

"All I said is if you'll allow me some time I can get you something to eat while you wait with the girl. Do you really think so bad of me?" He said giving her a hurt look.

"Oh. I'm, I'm sorry I just thought that you were trying to insinuate that…" She felt herself blush at her thoughts. Luckily her face was still red from the anger she had felt earlier masking her blush.

"Don't worry about it. I guess I kind of disserved it. You know with the way I act sometimes, I guess you could of mistaken my comment."

He started to lead her back in. When they were at the entrance of his room he slowly peeked inside and saw that the girl was still asleep. He looked back at Kagome and motioned for her to go inside. She had taken a few steps inside when she felt his left hand grab her wrist. She turned to look at him.

"What would you like me to bring you to eat? Should I bring extra just in case she wakes up soon?" He whispered with his gaze fixed on the small sleeping form in front of them.

"Anything will do and do bring something extra. Do you even think anyone will be awake this early to serve you something?" She whispered back. He began to walk toward the door.

"If not I'll wake someone." He stopped by the door remembering their earlier misunderstanding and looked back.

"By the way Kagome-sama, I never knew you had such an active imagination. And I thought I was the only pervert in the group." He gave her a slick smile before quickly making his leave just in case the now blushing girl decided to kill him.

She stood there awhile trying to figure out is she should give chase and hurt the now gone houshi. After a few seconds she decided to let him off this time since she had set herself up. She turned and walked toward the still sleeping girl. Sitting a small distance away from her she studied the young girl. The small girl wore what seemed to be a light blue kimono or at least what was left of one. Her unkempt appearance was a sure sign that she had been living alone for some time. 'She must be an orphan her clothes look so tattered. Her hair is a mess and looks like she hasn't bathe in some time.' She moved closer to get a better look at the girl's face. Removing some strands of hairs from her face, she noticed that despite the dirt on her face the girl was very beautiful. 'As soon as she wakes up and eats I'm cleaning her up. I bet she'll be even cuter then.' Kagome had always loved the idea of having a little sister she could dress up and here laid one of the cutes little girls she had seen in need of it. 'Of course we will have to find her a new home if she is an orphan. But it will be easier when she is cleaned up and looks pretty.' She smiled as thoughts of what hairstyle would best fit the little girl went thru her mind.

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He was not surprised to see that only one servant was up and seemed to be busy cleaning. Instead of waiting he decided to walk to the small restaurant near by. 'Surely they will be open even this early.' As Miroku made his way out of the inn a sudden jolt of pain ran thru his cursed hand and made him stop. Closing his eyes and frowning from the pain, he held his hand to his chest and tried to focus on the sounds around him. After a moment the pain died and he opened his eyes which where filled with unshed tears. Waiting a moment longer to get control over himself he continued toward the small restaurant near the inn. He ordered three simple meals and some green tea. While he drank his tea in the small eating area he held his right hand up to his eyes. 'It stopped growing last night. I'm sure of it. So why did it feel like it was about to start to grow again?' He looked worriedly at his hand. Never had the kazaana pained him like it had just minutes ago after it had grown the night before. True, he always felt an annoying and stinging pain from his right hand but the only time he felt any jolt of pain was just before the kazaana started to grow. 'Could it be that my fate is near? … No I can't think like that. It was just a fluke is all! Its not like it's going to start growing so soon. It can't grow this soon it just can't…' His thought where interrupted by the young servant girl in front of him.

"Excuse me Houshi-sama. Your meals are ready." She smiled shyly at the young monk.

"Thank you, lovely lady. Is there any way I could convince you to help me carry them back to my room in the inn? I'll return the dishes after." He smiled kindly at the young girl.

"I don't know if my mother would agree. We don't have many dishes and…" The girls talked with her head lowered trying to hide her face from the young and attractive monk.

"No problem I'll leave this as a show of my intention to return everything after." He placed several coins into the palm of the now blushing girl.

"When I return the dishes you'll give me back the money and if not it should be more than enough to replace most of them."

The young girls stared at him a moment longer before heading over to her mother. After a few words she returned with the meals in a tray and followed him to the inn. When he reached the room he was pleasantly surprised to see the little girl up and sitting across Kagome. Kagome seemed to be asking her questions but the girl seemed to be intrigued by the floor as she stared down. After placing the bowl he carried down by Kagome he lead the young servant girl outside the room. There he stopped and looked at the shy girl. After a moment he smiled and captured her hands with his.

"I'm grateful for your help. I won't forget this favor. But I have another favor I would like to ask you. Would you hear it?' Giving her his most engaging smile he pulled her closer.

"Any…anything Houshi-sama." She stuttered as she felt her face heat up.

"Would you bear…" He suddenly stopped sensing danger near by.

Out of the corner of his right eye he saw an angry Sango quickly closing in. 'Oh kami, I'm so dead.' Before she reached them his survival instincts kicked in. He returned his attention to the young girl before him.

"Would you bear to part with your name? I can tell you your fortune by it. It's the least I could do to repay your kindness." He saw out of the corner of his eyes that Sango had stopped with a confused look in her face.

'I'll live another day.' He smiled inwardly at his own cleverness. After he gave the obviously disappointed girl her fortune he turned to face Sango. He acted surprised to see her there.

"Good morning Sango. I thought you were still asleep." He smiled warmly at her

"Ah… Good morning Houshi-sama. What was that all about?" She was still confused over what she had just seen. 'Wasn't he flirting with her? And didn't they come out of his room together? If they did sleep together why didn't he know her name? Could he be that…'

"Oh, the young girl helped me bring some food from the near by restaurant is all. I was going to wake you since I brought you something as well." He led her into his room before she could get her thoughts in order.

Sango was surprised to realize how easily she had let herself to be led into the room of the perverted monk. When she looked inside she was even more surprised to find Kagome as well as a little girl in his room. 'Oh kami, he finally got the child he has always wanted. And from Kagome?' Kagome greeted her and motioned for her to join her. After she was over her shock she mentally slapped herself for thinking idiotic things. She turned to face him with an even more confused look than before. Before she could ask why there was a little girl in his room and better yet why Kagome was there without Inuyasha, he spoke. He explained everything quickly but clearly while he kept his gaze on the little girl that still seemed fascinated by the floor. He moved toward Kagome and the girl. He sat at the girl's right side and soon Sango sat at her left. Miroku handed Sango one of the bowls of food and turned to the little girl. He noticed that the bowl before her was still untouched and looked to Kagome for an explanation.

"She won't talk and she doesn't want to eat." Kagome answered.

"Is something wrong? You know that we don't plan to hurt you, right?" He spoke to the girl who gave him a quick glance before looking back down.

"At least she looked up at you. She won't even look at me. I told her that we don't want to harm her and apologized if you scared her last night." She spoke with her gaze still on the girl.

"Maybe she can't talk. Could she be injured?" Sango said after finding she had no appetite.

"If you are afraid don't be. I'm a monk and the lovely Kagome here is a priestess. The young attractive lady by your side is Sango and she is a demon exterminator. As you can see none of us are of any danger to you."

He smiled at Sango making her cheeks fill with color. 'She looks so cute when she blushes. I got to make her blush more often.' He thought as he gazed into her eyes. To his surprise she didn't turn away but instead returned his gaze. He soon lost himself in her dark brown eyes and for a moment she was all he saw. Kagome only looked at her two friends and smiled. 'I knew it! He does care.' But the moment was cut short by a muffled cry. Regaining his composure he returned his attention to the girl. She was covering her face with her hands and softly crying. Before he knew it he had moved closer to her and had started to run his hand thru her brown hair in the most comforting motion he could while making a soft hushing sound. With his other hand he slowly raised her head so he could look at her but she kept her face covered with her hands. The girl at first resisted but soon allowed him to lower her hands from her face and looked up at him. His two friends were stunned at the sudden show of affection and only stared

"Just talk to us and let us help you. Please.' He smiled warmly at her.

She didn't answer but only continue to stare at him untrustingly with teary eyes. He was about to speak again and decided against it. 'I got to make her trust me, but how? The tantō, it must belong to her father.' Removing thesamurai's sidearm from between his kesa and robes he stood up. The girl gaze fell on the small sword and she nearly leaped for it before she stopped herself. He smiled again at her and slowly laid the sword down in front of her. She looked worriedly at Miroku who turned to his two confused friends.

"Lets leave her alone for awhile. We must give her time to think things over." He slowly led his two friends outside while keeping his guard up. When he reached the door he turned to look at her.

"Please eat. It will help you a bit." With a small smile he closed the door behind him. Leaving her with her thoughts.

Sango and Kagome waited for explanation as he leaned against the door looking up. He stood there for a moment lost in thought. 'Should I have given her the sword? What if she hurts herself with it? What if she hurts someone else? …' These were some of the questions that were rooming around his mind as the looked up at the ceiling. In the end he decided that he had done the best thing in the situation. With doubts cleared out of his mind he began to leave, ignoring the confused looks of the two girls.

"Wait Miroku! Are you really leaving her with that thing?" Kagome tugged at his robes to get his attention. He stopped and turned to face her.

"Sometimes the best way to gain someone's trust is by trusting them." When no one questioned him further he turned and started to head outside.

"Wait! Where are you going?" This time it was Sango that had tugged on his robes. He turned and gave her a playful smile.

"Well you see I kind of gave that poor servant girl the wrong fortune for her name. So I'm going over there and correct my self. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't." He broadens his smile at the two unbelieving girls.

"I don't doubt it. But since I'm hungry and I don't want to bother the small girl, I'll join you. You don't mind do you?" Sango gave him a just try and stop me look that made him step back. Kagome covered her mouth to hold back her laughter.

"No, of course I don't mind my dear Sango. I would be honored if you joined me." He motioned for her to lead the way.

After a moment of hesitation she began to walk toward the main door keeping a close eye on his hands as she passed by him. He gave her an innocent smile before turning to wink at Kagome. Kagome started to laugh at her two friends and their weird relationship. After seeing the two leave she gave a worried look at where the girl was left before deciding to check up on Shippou and Inuyasha.