Summary- Sango Tacchi has always had a tough life. It's normal for her. When the normal pressure starts to get harder, will she handle herself any differently than before? The next problem is keeping her best friend from realizing her methods of coping... Warning, I used song lyrics!

I own all the poems at the beginning of the chapters. Those are my mind's rotten creations.

Song- Headstrong (Trapt)

I just got over a horrible sore throat. I'm so happy that it's gone, too. I had it for two days, and I missed school because of it. I like school, especially when my sisters come over. Why? Because, as much as I love them and want them to be around, they hurt me. They take all my mom's time and she forgets that I even exist.

Oh, wait, she already forgot. She forgot about me the second she started dating her cop boyfriend, Charlie. Ugh. Please wake me up from this nightmare they refer to as "life."

Wow. It took me a long time to realize that this story is absolute crap. No wonder no one cares!

APRIL 21ST (almost 22nd): OKAY, YOU GUYS. I'M JUST SICK OF HAVING ALL THESE CHAPTERS WAITING TO BE POSTED WHEN I KNOW THAT NO ONE WILL REVIEW. EVERYTHING IS BEING POSTED NOW, EVEN THOUGH THIS STORY IS ABSOLUTE SHIT.

THANKS FOR THE SELF-ESTEEM BOOST, THOSE OF YOU WHO DIDN'T REVIEW! TO THOSE OF YOU WHO DID, I REPEAT THE SAME MESSAGE, BUT WITHOUT THE SARCASM.

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About to Break
Chapter Five- Struggling

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One has been defeated
Now one more must be treated
Problems come way too fast
Just remember that they won't last
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"My father was murdered last night. They don't know who did it. My brother may be taken away from me, if I can't prove to the court that I can support him and myself while I go to school." Sango told them.

Shocked gasps emitted from everyone. Inuyasha dropped the fry that he had been eating, Kouga's grasp on Kagome's waist fell, Kagome covered her mouth, and Miroku looked down. Everyone had known that Sango's father was an excellent fighter; that was how he made his living. To hear that someone murdered him was shocking for everyone to hear.

Inuaysha got out of his chair and hugged Sango. He hadn't hugged a girl since Kikyou dumped him, but the time seemed to to call for it. Sango grasped the sleeves of his gray jacket and cried into his chest. Inuyasha stroked her back then looked up to the rest of the friends. Kagome was crying and Kouga looked shocked. Miroku was trying to figure out how that could have happened, since he had even seen her father fight. It would have taken a lot of strength to hurt him. He, along with everyone else, knew that the murderer did it on purpose. Her father was targeted.

- - -

Circling your, circling your, circling your head
Contemplating everything you ever said
Now I see the truth

"Ms. Sango Tacchi, this court grants you custody of your brother. If your grades begin to fail, your job and brother shall be stripped away from you." The judge told Sango. She bowed her head then left, her brother following her closely.

I got a doubt
A different motive in your eyes and now I'm out
See you later

"Sister?" Kohaku asked. Sango turned to look at her little brother then hugged him.

"I just realized something." She told him.

"What is it, sister?" He asked.

"Because I'm working, I won't be able to spend time with you as much. I'll probably have no time for you at all, but it's all I can do to keep you out of a foster home." She told him.

I see your fantasy
You want to make it a reality paved in gold
See inside, inside of our heads (yeah)
Well now that's over
I see your motives inside
Decisions to hide

"I understand, sister." Kohaku told her. Sango nodded her head then stood up. She drove home, her mind whirling faster than her wheels.

She wouldn't have time for anything, friends, her brother, herself. She would have to stop cutting, too. She silently promised herself to never cut again and sighed. She wouldn't even have time to cut, because things would get so bad.

Sango would also have to explain to the school why she was suddenly unable to take half of her classes. If she didn't need it to graduate high school, she wouldn't take it. She couldn't take it, was a better way to put it. She had to make sure that she could work as much as she could.

She had seen her father's bills. There was no way she could support the two of them if she kept up with her grades. She just couldn't fail her classes. That was the only thing she had to do to keep Kohaku...

- - -

Sango woke up after two hours of sleep. She tried to move her body, but it wouldn't budge. She finally rolled herself off of the bed. Upon hitting the floor, she jumped up. She walked into the bathroom, her feet dragging along her carpet.

She had done it again. In fact, she had a lot of things again. She slept in her clothes. She forgot to remove her makeup, which caused it to be smeared all over her face. She forgot to take a shower, and now she smelled like crap. She forgot to do her homework. She forgot that she swore to herself that she wouldn't take overtime on a school night.

Back off, I'll take you on
Headstrong, I'll take on anyone
I know that you are wrong
Headstrong, we're headstrong

Sango wiped her face in cold water then got on a different set of clothes. She grabbed her cell phone, grabbed her keys, then she drove to school.

Tears stained her face from the night before. She must have been stupid to attempt such a thing. Her brother didn't realize how hard it was. No one else even asked how things were going. She didn't see Miroku since he got a new girlfriend, and Kagome was always gone with Kouga. So, she was always around Inuyasha.

Damn, he was nice whenever she was tired. She would be asleep at lunch and he would just tell people that wanted to talk to her to fuck off. She appreciated it, although she didn't see why he used such sharp language. Inuyasha had a habit of being protective over any woman that he knew.

Sango got to school and began to push herself towards her locker. Her shoulder muscles were tight and rigid from sleeping in the wrong position. Her eyes burned from being up so late. Her hands felt like they had been worked raw. Paperwork after paperwork had come in last night. How would she take notes?

Sango hurriedly brushed away a tear in her eye. She had one night off, and that was tonight. Of course, just because she had it off of her job didn't mean that she could relax with friends. She had to do Kohaku's laundry, clean house, go shopping, everything.

Back off I'll take you on
Headstrong to take on anyone
I know that you are wrong
And this is not where you belong

Sango pulled a book out of her locker and nearly fell over with the weight of it. Her body was too tired to be carrying around 10-pound textbooks. She put it in her backpack and began to make her way to the classroom, eyes hardly even open. In the middle of going there, she ran into something. Something very hard. Something that felt an awful lot like a classroom door.

Sango was too tired to stop herself from falling. She felt herself hit the ground... Wait... Was that the ground? It was a bit softer, and not nearly so... flat. Rather than being all under her, she could only feel two strips. She was too tired to open her eyes, though. So, she just accepted the mysterious force and dropped her backpack.

Sango was pulled into the warmth. She hadn't realized that this 'ground' was warm, but now she knew. She buried her face in the cloth that kept her from the warmth. She hadn't even realized how cold she was until now. Sango let herself drift asleep. Class pushed her towards the darkness that she had missed last night. The darkness that let her body relax and re-energize.

Sango was barely awake to hear a slight chuckling that came from her warmth. Who cared what they thought was funny? She didn't, so she wouldn't wake herself up enough to ask. Something brushed her hair back behind her ears. It felt like something sharp, but it didn't hurt her.

Suddenly Sango's feet left the ground, and she felt the warmth beneath her moving. Was she drugged? A moving mass of warmth that was sharp, but not trying to hurt her. That painted a weird picture in her mind. It would be less of a weird picture if she would open her eyes. Sango tried, but her eyelids were planted firmly shut.

After ages of the warmth moving and carrying her, something soft came under her back. Sango moaned and a small smile appeared on her lips. She tried desperately to open her eyes and see the surreal warmth, but her eyes wouldn't move. No amount of her own willpower could open them.

I can't give everything away
I won't give everything away

The sharp object came once again to move her hair from her face. She managed to smile once more. Then she froze as something pressed against her lips. After a few moments, the warmth against her lips left. What had happened? She tried desperately to open her eyes again, but it only pushed her further into sleep.

"It's amazing that you've been able to do this for two months..." The sharp warmth that didn't want to harm her said. She was too tired to place a name or face with the voice. Even when she tried, she couldn't. The warmth pressed once again against her lips, and she enjoyed it.

Wait, why was she enjoying this? She didn't know what it was, she didn't know if it was even safe, she didn't know anything about it. So, why should she allow herself to enjoy it? It was warmth.

No matter what she did to reason with it, the feeling of joy remained as long as the warmth was against her lips. Then she decided that the joy must be coming solely because she was so cold. When the warmth pulled away from her lips, Sango let out a slight whimper. The chuckle came once again from the sharp warmth that didn't want to hurt her.

"Feel better, Sango. Don't worry about your classes." A voice echoed in her dreams. She tried to wake up as some blankets were pulled over her. But it was useless, since she just slipped into the best dream of her life.

"I loved you since the moment I laid eyes on you." The man told her. Sango smiled and leaned in towards him. He had finally admitted his love for her, and she knew her heart was soaring. He kissed her lips and his tongue slid into her mouth.

Sango didn't know who he was when she woke up. She didn't know who either of them were; the man in her dream and the person who had brought her home. She looked around her bed and sat up.

She touched her lips, wondering if her dream could have been real. She truly hoped that it was, but her better knowledge said otherwise. Sango sighed as she looked at her clock. She would only have two classes if she had left to go to school. She got up and pulled her limp feet to the ground.

She worked on all her chores. The second that the high school let out, her phone rang. She picked it up.

"Hello?" She questioned as she cleaned dishes.

"Hi! Ohmygod, Sango! I was so worried about you! You weren't at school, and no one could tell me what happened!" Kagome babbled.

"I'm fine. My knight in shining armor rescued me today." Sango said with a smile. She still felt so... happy because that had happened.

Conclusions manifest
Your first impression's got to be your very best
I see your full of shit
And that's alright

"Your knight in shining armor? Who? How'd he rescue you?" Kagome questioned rapidly. Sango winced at the level of her voice, but tried to think of questions.

"I was walking in school, and I was so tired that my eyes were closed. I ran into a door, I think, and I fell down. I thought I was on the ground, but I think that someone caught me. Then he, I assume that it's a he, took me home and tucked me into bed. I woke up just an hour or two ago." Sango explained.

That's how you play, I guess you'll get through every night
Well, now that's over

"Whoever this knight is, he likes you. So, anymore juicy details that you wanna spill to me?" Kagome asked slyly. Sango bit her lip. She knew that she shouldn't say too much more, but her desires got the better of her.

"Well... When I had my eyes closed, I felt something warm press against my lips--"

"OHMYGOSH! Sango! I think this mystery man was kissing you!" Kagome screamed. Sango instantly regretted saying anything as she moved the phone to the other ear. The ear that wasn't ringing.

'Cause I see your fantasy
You want to see it a reality paved in gold
See inside, in side of our heads (yeah)

"And something sharp. I think he had a knife with him, or something." Sango added. Her friend's squealing instantly stopped and Kagome sobered.

"What? Why do you think that?" Kagome questioned.

"Because he kept moving my hair from my face with a sharp object. He wasn't trying to hurt me, though. He was careful not to, but there was definitely something sharp there." Sango said.

"Sounds like he was planning on a rape and murder until you fell asleep on him." Kagome muttered.

Well now that's over
I see your motives inside
Decisions to hide

"Hey, Kagome, I have to go. I'm taking Kohaku somewhere special because I have time." Sango said. Kagome smiled then they both said their goodbyes. By the time Sango had the phone hung up, Kohaku had come in the door with a tired expression on his face.

"Hey, Kohaku." Sango greeted softly. Her brother's face lit up instantly and he hugged her.

"I'm glad you're home, sister!" He said.

"Why's that?" She questioned.

"I was wondering... Well, I know that you're usually busy and stuff, since you have to take care of me. But, tonight is your night off, right? I was hoping we could go out and do something together." Kohaku told her. Sango straitened up and Kohaku feared that she was too busy.

"How funny. I almost would have had to say no, since I had chores to do tonight. But, I did them, so I guess I'd love to. I wanted to ask you that, anyway." Sango said. Kohaku smiled once again and hugged his sister's waist as tight as he could.

I know, I know all about
I know, I know all about
I know, I know all about
I know, I know all about your motives inside
And your decision to hide

There was only one thing that Sango appreciated about her hectic life. When she got time to spend with her little brother, she was even more grateful for it. She cherished her brother more than she had before. She didn't want to lose him like she had lost everyone else.

You don't realize how valuable something is until you lose it. Sango didn't realize how special family was when she was a child. Even then, she was too young to cherish her father and brother. Then her father was lost. Now all she had to support her was her brother. If he died, she would give up.

She had already started giving in. She had promised herself that, when she got custody of her brother, she would stop cutting. She didn't, though. No matter how hectic her life was, no matter how tired she was, she always somehow had the time to drag the knife across her flesh once more.

And she always regretted it afterwards. Especially when Inuyasha would start smelling her during lunch. Thankfully, there was always too much food for him to realize that she was bleeding. He would just shrug it off as a strange smell. Every day, he would let Sango go on it.

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Next time on About to Break...
A random letter to Sango arrives. Strange, since no one ever send her mail. Upon opening it, she finds the biggest blessing that someone could have given her. So, she has to thank Miroku for what he's done. How considerate of him to help her with her burdens.
Chapter Name: Caring
Review Required: 50

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Hey, why do you all think I went into such extensive detail over what happened when Sango passed out in school? Think about it.

- Bipolar Tangerine