Brandtishot: Sorry it took so long for me to update you guys! I had writer's block and just didn't feel compelled to write. Then suddenly three days ago I had the desire to write! So here's what's going to happen with this story. This is the first of a trilogy. It leaves you hanging, wanting to know what's going to happen, there's so many things left unresolved! Anyhoo, I would like to have some fanart to go along with my story so if anyone wants to, they're more than welcome to send me the link where they've posted it! It'd be greatly appreciated!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, but if I did, I would never tell you the kinky things I'd do to him!

Chapter 18: The Hanyou's Broken Heart

"Miroku! Slow down!" Sango called out struggling breathlessly to keep up with him. 'What's gotten into him?' She thought to herself.

Miroku stopped and waited for Sango to catch up. A dark cloud hung over the monk's head. He tapped his foot impatiently while waiting for her causing a small cloud of dust to rise on the dirt path. 'The nerve of her! How could she say that after what we did?' Miroku glanced at her icily. Sango couldn't take it anymore.

"THAT'S IT!" Sango exploded throwing down the Harikaitsu. "I can't take it anymore! What! What have I done wrong Miroku?"

"You should know," he said curtly glaring daggers at the demon exterminator.

"Know? If I knew I wouldn't be asking!" she waved her hands wildly about to give more effect to her words.

"How could you say that, Sango?" Sango froze as it suddenly occurred to her why he was so mad at her. She stared at him silently with her mouth open thinking desperately of something, anything that would at least bring some comfort to the monk in front of her but no words came. She lowered her eyes in shame.

Miroku gave an exasperated sigh before turning his back on her and just as he was about to continue down the path and leave her behind, he heard her-barely audible, but he heard her nonetheless.

"I'm sorry..."

He turned around slowly and studied her. Her shoulders sagged in defeat, her bangs fell gently over her eyes concealing them, her hands hung lifelessly at her sides. Her whole body seemed to cry out what she herself could not say.

How long she stared at the dirt road she didn't know. But her vision blurred as she struggled to hold back her tears that threatened to fall. Silence enveloped them and as Sango struggle to gain control over her emotions, the pain in her heart as a result of hurting the man she loved, she did not hear his footsteps, nor did she see or hear his staff fall, but she became aware of his presence when two strong arms wrapped around her slender frame in a comforting embrace. At first Sango remained stiff, but she soon relaxed and leaned into it, into him, and buried her face in his chest and gave into the tears.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean...I'm so sorry," She said repeatedly as her body shook with each sob.

"Shhhhhhhhh..." Miroku hushed, planting a soft kiss on her forehead. He rocked her back and forth until she fell silent and awkwardly pulled away from him, drying her eyes still too ashamed to look at him. Miroku lifted her chin so that she was looking directly into his soft violet eyes. Her cheeks turned light pink under his heated gaze.

"I'm sorry Miroku," she mumbled.

"I know."

He leaned in and brushed his lips against her before slipping his fingers in hers. They continued their way down the dirt road to Kaede's village and Miroku smiled at the woman he loved and gently squeezed her hand. His heart soared when she returned his smile with one of her own.

"I love you, Miroku."

BANG!

Inuyasha groaned as he pushed himself up onto his hands and knees shaking his head in attempts to rid the blanket of sleep that clouded his mind. He glared at Kagome who slept oh-so-innocently on the edge of the bed where he had been only a few seconds ago. Suddenly, he grinned evilly as an idea popped into his head. He leaned in inches from her face when he noticed her lips were moving. His smile faded as he leaned in more to hear what she was saying.

"Inuyasha..." she murmured.

Inuyasha blushed, 'She's dreaming about me?'

"Sit."

Inuyasha's back slammed into the floor with a loud crash, jarring Kagome awake.

Oh my god! Inuyasha, I'm-SHRIEK!"

Inuyasha pulled her down on top of him and kissed her forcefully. When they finally broke apart, Kagome sighed dreamily resting her chin on top of her hands on her beloved hanyou's chest and Inuyasha let out a low growl that Kagome could have sworn was more like a purr.

"Wench," he said playfully.

She giggled, "Good morning to you, too."

Suddenly her smile faded as she felt something hard against the inside of her thigh and realized that neither one of them was wearing a single article of clothing.

Inuyasha frowned, "What's wrong?"

Wide-eyed, Kagome grabbed the bed sheet and wrapped it around her slender figure. She frantically started digging through her drawers in search of some cloths. Her heart was racing, her head was swimming and her hands were clammy.

Inuyasha's frown deepened.

"Kagome?"

"Last night shouldn't have happened! It just couldn't have! How could I have been so stupid!" She cursed herself trying to fight the growing lump in her throat.

Inuyasha was beginning to get annoyed, "Kag-"

"I mean, it's not me you love. It's Kikyou! If I wasn't her fucking REINCARNATION," Kagome choked back a sob, trying to control the ache in her heart. "Then I wouldn't look almost exactly like her, which is probably why last night happened. Since I look nearly identical to her, and you can't be with her, you chose the next best thing, a Kikyou look-a-like, so you could in some way convince yourself that it was her you were with last night, not me! GOD DAMMIT! WHY CAN'T I FIND ANY CLOTHS!" She hurled a drawer across the room and upon hitting the wall it splintered into pieces. She fought desperately to control her sobs, she had already lost the war against her tears only a few minutes earlier.

"Is that what you think of me?"

His words tore at her aching heart. He sounded hurt.

"Kanna."

A tiny white girl came forth from the foreboding darkness and held a mirror up for her master to look in to.

"They've been gone too long," came the cruel calculating voice. His red eyes narrowed. "Kagura!"

The wind sorceress appeared in the doorway, hiding her sneer behind her fan.

"You called Naraku?" Her voice dripped with malice.

"Go see what that weakling Inuyasha and his pathetic human friends are up to."

Kagura bowed curtly and turned to leave, her sneer still plastered on her face.

"And Kagura," he chuckled. "Don't even think about betraying me."

As they approached the village hand in hand, Sango's heart began to race and she suddenly became very self conscious of what the villagers might assume if they saw her and Miroku holding hands.

Miroku could sense her growing uneasiness and squeezed her hand before letting it go. She looked at him with confusion written all over her face and he smiled sadly at her and said, "If it makes you uncomfortable about what the villagers might say about us, then I assure you that I won't show any sign of our affections in public."

They continued to walk towards the village in silence. Miroku was surprised when he felt her slip her hand back into his. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Sango-"

"Let them think what they want to. I love you and the only thing that matters to me, is what you think, your health, and where your hands are at all times," She teased giving him a playful grin.

"I think you've mortally wounded me," he held his hands over his heart and pretended to be hurt then gave her a playful pout. She giggled at his antics and soon he too was laughing.

When they reached the village, their laughter died along with their playful mood and joy. They were greeted by complete silence.

Finally Sango voiced the question that was on both of their minds.

"Where are the villagers?"

Consciousness finally returned to Shippou. He groaned and held a hand on his throbbing head. He sat in the dark waiting for his eyes to adjust so that he could see where he was. He was in a cell.

"But sister, how will this bring Inuyasha and his companions to us?" A soft child's voice drifted in to his cell.

"Patience Kanna!" Kagura hissed. "When Inuyasha finds the village empty he will come looking for the old priestess, bringing with him his pathetic human friends right into Naraku's hands."

'I have to get out of here and warn the others!' Shippou thought frantically to himself. 'THINK! Come on, think! Who is small enough to fit through these bars?'

Shippou slapped his neck and looked down at his hand.

"Miyouga!"

The flea demon groaned, "Hello Shippou, w-where is master Inuyasha?"

"Did you hear something?" The sound of footsteps came to Shippou's ears and he started to panic when he realized they were getting closer. He quickly laid down in the middle of the cell floor with his back to the cell door and pretended to be unconscious. Finally the footsteps stopped outside his cell and he laid there motionless. He could feel Kagura's eyes burning into the back of his head, but still he did not move.

"You there!" came the wise voice of Kaede from the cell next to his. "What is the meaning of this?"

'Kaede!' Shippou's hopes rose.

"You will know soon enough old priestess," Kagura sneered. With that she whirled around on her heel and left.

Shippou scrambled to the bars, "Priestess Kaede!"

"Hush child! Do you want them to hear you? You must get out of here and warn Inuyasha!"

"But how did yo-"

"I heard Kagura too."

"But the bars are too close together and I can't think of anyone small enough to get through to transform in to!"

"Priestess Kaede! Priestess Kaede!" Miyouga jumped up and down.

They both looked at the cowardly demon and back at each other with smiles on their faces.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Aye child," Kaede nodded.

Shippou caught the flea and shoved him into the keyhole.

"No! Shippou please! I hate small spaces!" cried Miyouga.

"Shippou, you fool!" Kaede rapped on his head.

"Ow! What'd you do that for?" he whined.

"One, be respectful to your elders! Two, I was not thinking what ye were thinking!"

"Then what were (italics) you thinking?"

"Transform into Miyouga!"

"Now I know that wasn't just the old hag talking just now," Kagura's voice floated in followed by the sound of advancing footsteps.

"Hurry Shippou!" Kaede urged.

Shippou transformed and a few seconds later was back to his normal self outside of both his and Kaede's cells. Kagura's footsteps grew louder still.

"Run Shippou!"

Shippou took off full speed down the corridor.

"Find Inuyasha and warn him!"

Shippou ran and ran, never looking back once. His muscles screamed in pain and his throat burned, but he still did not stop. He ran down one corridor and then another. As soon as he thought he was safe, he turned another corner and ran into something solid and flew back, landing painfully hard on his butt. He winced and rubbed his sore behind then remembered why it hurt. He gulped and slowly the kitsune raised his eyes and gasped.

"Kohaku!"

Brandtishot: Dun dun duuuuun! What will happen next? I dunno…why don't you just review?