I'm so kind, updating so soon! (sort of…) Though I really have a ton of homework... YAY PROCRASTINATION! I know you all think the last chapter was sad, but I kinda came with that idea with the next part of the plot in my head and I thought it worked so I went ahead and wrote it! OOOOO! We got a huge snowstorm and the best part is IT WAS MY B-DAY! I'm "officially" a teenager! (My family says it's a state of mind though. Screw them.)

I don't have much to say here. On a personal note, my friend problem isn't going too well. I went to visit my old teachers and they were all asking about her. Grrr... It makes me mad. And our guidance counselor went up to us awhile ago. She chose to sit at a different table! We didn't do anything and we still got in trouble! How unfair is that! I think she finally felt bad that I hadn't eaten lunch for four days. But now she actually thinks she's our friend. I'm glad I have a Jewish friend. She got to eat in a separate room for Passover and I got to join her! That's kewel. Review time!

Disclaimer: Ya know the Inuyasha guy from the convention last chapter? I still kinda gotta look behind me every once in awhile. If I owned him, he'd probably be there, but he's not! So I don't!

Nightfall2525- Why would I be mad at you? Maybe I just don't remember. I often forget stuff in my social life, but I remember school stuff (luckily). In fact, just today I aced a social studies test with a cram session at lunch! But if you paid attention enough, the Karuna incident happened two weeks after Inu and the gang visit and the story resumes about one week after! I'm so clever in my own twisted way! ;-)

Bubblefox473- YOU HAVE NINETY BUCKS YOU BAKA! I SHALL SUE YOU! GIVE ME MY FIFTY CENTS! CON ARTIST:-0

youkosangohiei- Whoa... Can you, like, read minds? Or maybe I'm just predictable... AAAAAH! I'm turning into my mother! Must do something to make myself fell young! AAAAAH! Now I'm my sister! KAMI HELP ME:-(

Mistress WaiKiki- Yay! I only like suspense when it's in my stories and I already know what's gonna happen! And I sure hope your suffering of my updating will not be in vain! But when you think, I'm updating pretty fast:-D

ForestG- At the time, yes. He does mean it. I don't wanna give anything away but I've got some mentally planned events that will lead up to more. They'll be together eventually. I wouldn't do that to you guys, would I:-)

baka kitsune 15- It wasn't that sad before! I kinda made it match my life. If you've read my profile and/or authors notes, you'd know I'm kinda having a lot of trouble between everything. I had to make some drama in the story. As for whether he would kill her or not, what do you think? I don't wanna give anything away. I'll just say no matter how he acts, he can't help loving her. :-()

Sesshomaru is Mine- My intent was not to make you cry... Or me for that matter. I was reading to my friend and she was silent for about three minutes, which can seem like a really long time. She didn't know I could write something that sad. She thinks I'm a really good writer. I told her my mentally planned plot to calm her. And I will not give anything away:-$

Jewel of Souls- 'Tis sad indeed. I think it might get sadder from here on out but I'm gonna make a happy ending. Don't worry. And if you couldn't sleep, you should have seen me! I couldn't believe how well I was writing! I made myself cry... :'-(

c'fay- They sound like idiots? Maybe 'cuz I'm one... I'm going to write a song now called the "I am a Baka!" song! Please do not disturb... more than I am now anyway...

RavenXBeastboy- I love your name! I have a friend that is absolutely obsessed with this couple! She also supports the marriage of Mad Mod and Red X. It's weird to me, but it's true. Well, here's your chapter!

RECAP:

'He doesn't love me anymore,' she thought. 'He shouldn't. I am not worthy of it. I have not earned it.'

She stood, knowing the end was near. Why should she even try anymore? He was ready to slay her on the spot. She half-heartedly threw hiraikotsu at him. He dodged and charged again, but an arrow intercepted his path. A staff wrapped around Sango, holing her arms to her sides and a certain hanyou intercepted hiraikotsu.

On with the show!

Sango gasped. Those strong arms had held her before, had given her hope in times of desperation. She looked up to see a handsome face with fierce eyes focused directly on Sesshomaru. Miroku... Her eyes shifted to the boy now holding her weapon, also looking at Sesshomaru. She smiled as she saw fuzzy white ears poking out from a mass of hair. Inuyasha... Then, she saw a girl walking out of the trees, a bow in her hand and a quiver of arrows on her back. She stopped and drew an arrow, notched it, and pointed it at Sesshomaru. Kagome...

"I knew it," Inuyasha sneered, laying down the hiraikotsu. "We all knew you would hurt Sango. I don't know why she trusted you, but you're gonna pay!"

"I think you should hear the whole story, little brother," Sesshomaru returned scornfully.

Sango watched their conversation warily. Her eyes started watering, though it was not because of her friends showing up. There was burning pain in her head. Her vision was going blurry and she was having trouble standing. She half saw Inuyasha charge at Sesshomaru and wanted to yell, "No!" but couldn't find the strength. She was saved her troubles when a flash of light came between the two, one of Kagome's arrows.

"How can you two be so dense and immature!" she scolded, walking between them.

"Kagome! Get out of the way!" Inuyasha called. 'He could hurt her!'

"Can't any of you see that Sango is in pain!"

They all looked over at her. She strained to find the proper footing and only ended up fainting.

Sango sensed all that was happening around her even if she couldn't see it. A group was around her. They were like dark shapes moving through a gray cloud. She counted the figures. Four. Two were smaller than the others. She assumed Kirara and Shippo must have come.

Then it was like her vision fast-forwarded to a scene farther away. Two more figures were battling fiercely. She recognized the style of one. Sesshomaru... But how was she seeing this? It didn't make sense. She tried to talk and nothing came out. She tried to move and it was like she was paralyzed. She looked down and saw nothing. So she wasn't there, but she was seeing all this. How?

She forgot this puzzle when a dark crimson cloud burst through the gray, the only color she could see. It worried her more because it looked like it came from Sesshomaru. Was he alright? She moved closer to him, almost gliding. Was she dead? She could see his figure clearly up close. He was kneeling and clutching his wound. It was deep, even for a yokai, and his other wounds, the ones she had inflicted upon him, had reopened also. She didn't want to believe this was happening. This sort of bleeding would have killed a human in an instant and they would kill Sesshomaru if he kept fighting. She silently willed him to stay down, but he stood. He was going to die. He knew it, too. He wanted to die honorably.

'No,' she thought. 'He won't die. I won't let him.' A light appeared surrounding Sango's bodiless form. It moved from her to Sesshomaru. The crimson clouds disappeared as the light consumed him. She didn't know what was happening or how this would affect her. All she knew was that Sesshomaru would live. Then a voice spoke in her head. It was distorted and unclear, but she could make out the words if not the voice. "Kill them all," it said. She mentally fought back. She refused. The voice tried to coax her. She remained defiant. It steadily faded.

But now, she was suddenly rushing away from everything. Then everything melted around her and became as it should be. She was on Kirara and they were flying away from the courtyard. Miroku sat behind her.

"No! Sesshomaru! Wait!" she called.

She leaned over and frantically grabbed at air, maybe hoping to snatch a reminder of him from the emptiness. Miroku wrapped an arm around her shoulder. She leaned into him, defeated. The battlefield was out of sight within seconds. They landed far away. Sango climbed off, stumbling slightly, and sat against a tree. Miroku dismounted also and sat opposite her with eyes closed, meditating.

"So that's it?" Sango asked, somewhat annoyed.

Miroku opened one eye with confusion. Sango sighed at his utter density.

"You haven't seen me for a month and you're not even going to try to make conversation?"

"I figured you were capable of talking if you wanted," he said, opening both eyes. "And now that you have..."

"I had to open my big mouth..."

"What?"

"Nothing. So what do you want to talk about?"

"What's been going on lately, besides being abducted by Naraku and attacked by Sesshomaru?"

"It wasn't like that."

"Then what really happened?"

"Naraku and his tricks..."

Sango told all of the incidents with Naraku. Miroku kept silent the whole time, though she knew he was making a mental list of questions.

"So..." he said when she finished. "Naraku has a new incarnation?"

"Yes, Kurogasa. I'm not sure if he is friend or foe. He specializes in confusion. He seemed like a friend, but I'm still not sure what to think."

"And Naraku has Kohaku. Sango, should you really be near Naraku if he can use your brother against you?"

"I've thought a lot about that. I've decided to let Kohaku go. He died once. And he will die again anyway when that jewel shard is removed from his back. We will need it to complete the jewel anyway."

"And what of Sesshomaru?"

Sango didn't say anything.

"Sango, I'm sorry. I didn't mea-"

"I'm fine! I don't care about him. As far as I'm concerned, I am still his servant."

"Are you going to go back and complete your end of the deal?"

"I have to, don't I? You know I'm not one to break a bet."

"Hai..."

He looked at her admirably for awhile and went back to his meditation. Sango sat moodily. For some reason she was angry at everything and everyone. She didn't know how to explain it, but it seemed like the world had wronged her in some way. She argued with herself, saying it was her fault for choosing Kohaku. Then Miroku's eyes popped open.

"Sango, I remembered something I needed to ask you," he said suddenly.

"What!" she responded a bit harsher than she meant. "Oh... Sorry..."

"It's alright. I have to ask you this. What was that light?"

"Light?"

"The one that seemed to come out of you and floated to Sesshomaru. What was it?"

"I'm... not sure... I was unconscious as you know. I saw it and somehow, when it surrounded Sesshomaru, I knew he'd live."

"So you don't know what it is?"

"I said no, damnit! Can't you hear!"

Sango looked shocked at her own words, trying to figure out if they were really coming from her mouth. Miroku looked puzzled.

"I'm... sorry..." she said. "I don't know what's wrong with me..."

"I don't know either, but maybe we should go back to the village and talk to Kaede about it."

"That's a good idea. Let's go. Kirara!"

Kirara stood and transformed in a forest of flames to her bigger form. Sango jumped on, Miroku right behind her. They rode in silence for about ten minutes until Kirara started descending towards a small hut on the edge of a village that they all recognized as Kaede's. They were greeted by the old miko as soon as they entered.

"Ah, back so soon I see," she said.

"Kaede, we have to ask you something," Sango and Miroku said together.

"What is it child? And why are ye not with Sesshomaru?"

"Kaede, we have a strange case. Sango, maybe you should tell her what happened," Miroku suggested.

Sango explained briefly what had happened, putting more detail and emphasis on the light.

"Kaede, what was that light?" Sango asked when she finished her story.

"I must ask ye something before I can be sure. Did ye love Sesshomaru?"

"Hai..." Sango muttered, blushing furiously.

She looked at Miroku. He looked somewhat hurt, but hid it quickly.

"Why does that matter?" he asked.

"Be patient! I have one more question. Do ye still love Sesshomaru?" Kaede stared at Sango.

"No way! He's a jerk along with all the other pigs in this world that call themselves men!" Sango shot. (A/N: So true!)

"In that case, I have an answer to your question. Now ye said Sesshomaru was badly wounded and ye loved him. It was your love that saved him. That light was the part of your soul that loved Sesshomaru. It healed him when he was near death. Ye say you don't love him now because that love is in him keeping him alive. But ye must go to Sesshomaru and tell him this. Tell him it is his choice, your love or his life. At this point, he cannot have both."

"Wait a second! He has a part of my soul inside him!" Sango nearly shouted.

"Hai child... It allows his soul to linger in this world. Without it, he will die. Now go tell him this. He should know..."

"Kaede..." Miroku spoke for the first time in a few minutes. "I think it would be best if we rested here for the night and perhaps waited for Inuyasha and the others to return."

Kaede took one glance at Sango and nodded. She exited to another room of the hut. Sango sighed and leaned her head on his shoulder. He leaned his on top of hers. She closed her eyes and fell asleep instantly. Miroku smiled as he looked down at her. This was best. Now she didn't have to worry or think. In a way, he wanted her to sleep forever.

"Both the bastards ran away!"

A silver-haired hanyou ripped open the paper door obviously in a towering temper followed by a worried looking girl holding a very bruised kitsune already wearing some bandages.

"Inuyasha, quiet! Sango's asleep! Sorry about him. Where's Kaede?"

Miroku just pointed to the room Kaede was in as Inuyasha settled himself in the darkest corner he could find. They could hear Kagome and Kaede talking to each other in worried voices. Miroku figured Shippo must have been injured in the fight. He thought it best not to ask Inuyasha at the current moment. Kagome walked in and immediately spotted Inuyasha in his lonely corner. Despite the, what most would call, danger, she walked over and sat next to him. He glared at the sky, determinedly not looking at her. She smiled up at him and turned away, though still not failing to notice his faint glance in her direction.

The sun was finally coming up. Inuyasha was glad. He was getting extremely uncomfortable with the weight on his shoulder that happened to be Kagome's head, not that he didn't like it. He got up, carefully resting her head against the wall. She gave a small grunt, but didn't stir.

He walked to the room Kaede was in. She was asleep against a wall. The healing Shippo was in the middle near the once burning fire, now only golden flares in the blackened wood. Inuyasha took a seat by the sleeping kitsune. The fading light picked up every scratch on his young face. It made Inuyasha mad; mad that he wasn't able to stop it. The memory of the battle shone in his mind.

FLASHBACK

"Fox Fire!" Shippo shouted.

He was fighting harder than usual, though he wasn't helping that much. He wasn't powerful enough yet, but when he got older... Inuyasha charged with Tetsusaiga resting on his shoulder.

"Wind Scar!"

Naraku drew back, but Kagura swooped in and averted the Wind Scar's path to miss him. Inuyasha growled in frustration. Shippo attacked again. The Fox Fire flew straight in Naraku's face. He barely blinked but glared at the small child that dared to attack him. A tentacle flew out from Naraku's body and seized Shippo, despite his attempt to run. Shippo started trying to bite his way out of Naraku's clutches.

"I have had enough of you, child," Naraku snarled. "You are nothing but an annoyance." The tentacle tightened.

"Let him go!" Inuyasha yelled.

"And what would you do about it? You cannot use your sword without hurting the child, though I'm not sure why you care."

A light suddenly flew across Naraku's face. He looked to his left to see Kagome, bow in one hand, the other drawn back, and the string still quivering.

"Put him down, Naraku. You're here to fight us. You have no reason to kill him."

"On the contrary, why shouldn't we get rid of pests like this?" The tentacle tightened even more and Shippo gave a howl of agony.

"Kagome, help! He's crushing me!" he yelled desperately.

"Foolish child! You will die for your insolence!"

Naraku brought the tentacle to the only human-looking part of him. He reached his hand out and dug his fingers straight into Shippo's skin. He satisfyingly threw Shippo against a dead-looking tree near the edge of the courtyard when the kitsune's screams stopped.

"We are finished with our lesson for today," Naraku drawled as though he were some sort of twisted teacher.

"Oh no you don't!"

Inuyasha charged, but was forced to cover his face with his sleeve when Naraku flew away in a giant cloud of miasma. Inuyasha looked to Shippo where Kagome was already inspecting his injuries. He walked over.

"How is he?" Inuyasha asked trying not to seem like he cared too much.

"It's bad," Kagome said worriedly. "Hand me those bandages. If we don't take some precautions, he might not make it back to Kaede's. But she'll need to look at him, too."

Inuyasha handed her supplies while she fixed the kitsune up as best she could. She wrapped the worst wounds in bandages on which she had dabbed some sort of ointment. Then they were off, Kagome on Inuyasha's back carefully cradling the kitsune between them.

END FLASHBACK

'How could I have let that happen?' Inuyasha asked himself for about the thousandth time since the battle. 'The kid looks up to me like a father and I let him get hurt like this. How? He's really starting to grow on me. Hell, even Miroku's starting to grow on me. I wish he knew how much I care. I didn't want him to get hurt, but I couldn't protect him.'

Inuyasha looked at Shippo's sweaty face. He carefully placed a hand on the sleeping child's face. Luckily, there was no fever. Shippo's eyes suddenly sprang open. Fortunately for Inuyasha, Shippo was too delirious to notice anything that was going on around him. Nonetheless, Inuyasha quickly removed his hand.

"Hey Inuyasha," Shippo said croakily. "What's up? Is it time to go?"

"Yeah, but you're staying here," Inuyasha whispered.

"But I want to go! Kagome would let me go..."

"Trust me kid, she wouldn't. You go back to sleep."

Shippo rolled over away from Inuyasha grumbling to himself. Inuyasha smiled at him and walked back to the other room. He looked to the corner Kagome had been sleeping near, but found her gone. At that moment, two hands grabbed his shoulders. He barely kept himself from yelling.

"I knew it! You do care! Ha!"

"Kagome! What the hell was that for!"

"Youuu caaare..." she repeated over and over in a sing-song voice.

"So what..."

"Oh Inuyasha!"

She gave him a light hug from behind. He blushed slightly. Kagome went to wake the others. She and Sango whispered for a bit and Kagome walked back over to Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha, we're going to Sesshomaru's," she said hoping Inuyasha wouldn't explode.

"Why do we wanna see him!" Inuyasha said aggressively.

"Sango needs to finish her deal. She is in his service for three more months. We're just going to escort her."

"Fine..."

Inuyasha started grumbling just like Shippo. Kagome grabbed his hand and led him out, followed by Sango, Miroku, and Kirara.

Sesshomaru's giant castle came looming into view. Inuyasha skidded to a halt outside and Kirara landed. Sango reluctantly dismounted and walked towards the castle. She reached the door just as two people stepped out; Sesshomaru and Rin. Sango unwillingly bowed and looked into his unfalteringly cold eyes. He looked down at Rin. She nodded as though this was some sort of signal and walked over to Inuyasha and co.

"Leave now," Sesshomaru growled so quietly that not even Inuyasha could hear.

"I have three more months until our deal is finished," Sango said.

"You betrayed me. You will leave and take Rin with you. That is your final order."

Sango narrowed her eyes. She had given her soul to keep him alive and he was just going to kick her out like that?

"Then I have just one thing to say. Give me back my soul you bastard!"

She yelled the last part so everybody within one hundred yards could hear. Inuyasha, Kagome, and Sesshomaru looked confused, not knowing of the sacrifice Sango had made. Miroku, on the other hand, marched straight up to where Sesshomaru and Sango stood, wrapped an arm around her, and led her back to the group. They walked away with Sango resting her head on Miroku's shoulder and Inuyasha and Kagome giving each other worried glances.

I finally finished! I've been taking every opportunity to write some more! As a consequence, I have a LOT of homework to make up. But you guys are worth it and so is this story! I know this is still pretty sad, but I have a plan, remember? And I now know that I am definitely making a sequel! And after the last chapter, there will be a side story about what happened to Jaken! I expect it to be VERY cruel and VERY unusual. Well, PLEASE REVIEW!

Language Guide:

Kami- God

Baka- idiot or fool

Hiraikotsu- Sango's boomerang

Hanyou- half demon

Yokai- demon

Hai- yes

Kitsune- fox