Chapter Two: Where We Left Off
"Wow." Sango let out as Inuyasha finished his extensive account of their endeavors since they last saw Sango. "What wish did you make?"
"Beg pardon?" Kagome asked.
"When you recovered the jewel, what wish did you make?" Sango repeated.
"We haven't made any wish yet." Kagome answered, holding the jewel up to show Sango.
"Why haven't you made your wish? Don't you still want to become a true demon Inuyasha?" Sango inquired.
"And in the process go psycho and slaughter you all? I think not!" Inuyasha scoffed. "Besides, we have to make a selfless wish to purify the jewel. That's been the problem so far."
"Indeed." Miroku agreed. "If you wish for something, how can it be selfless? Every wish benefits the wisher in some way."
"Good point." Sango agreed. "What about Kohaku? Did you manage to find out what happened to Kohaku?" Kagome, Inuyasha, and Miroku all looked down at the ground as if ashamed. "I do not like the look of this."
"I'm sorry Sango. We couldn't save him." Kagome said sullenly.
"When Naraku's castle collapsed we searched the debris, but we could find no trace of Kohaku, and the shard that was keeping him alive was with the ones Naraku possessed. We assume that Naraku took the shard from him before we were able to track him down and destroy him." Miroku explained.
Sango's face fell, but kept a sign of hope. "You said you found no trace of him though. Doesn't that mean he could've escaped somehow? Doesn't that mean there's a chance he's alive somewhere?"
"We don't see how Sango." Inuyasha replied. "How could he be alive if he doesn't have the shard?"
"Maybe his wounds healed while the shard was embedded in him. Or maybe his wounds weren't even fatal to begin with. Mine weren't."
"There is a chance Sango, but it's extremely unlikely that…" Miroku began.
"I don't care! Until we're sure I refuse to believe he is dead!" Sango declared in defiance of probability.
Inuyasha sighed at Sango's display of what he would've called foolishness. Miroku however gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Don't you worry my love. If he is out there somewhere, I'm sure we will find him eventually. But Kohaku apart, it looks like someone needs to be put to bed." he added, nodding his head at Haruko's sleeping form.
"We'll be seeing you two tomorrow. It's getting late anyway." Sango agreed as she rose, lifting Haruko off her lap. "Goodnight." Miroku bid his farewell too, and the couple returned to their house.
"Let me carry her." Miroku offered. "You've had to for three years."
"I can handle it." Sango assured him.
"Please?" Sango gave him a knowing look. "Yeah, yeah, go ahead and laugh. But I'm her father, and I need to start somewhere."
"Sure." Sango said, handing him their daughter. "I must warn you, she's kind of heavy though."
"Nothing I can't…whoa!" Miroku exclaimed. "What have you been feeding this girl? Cement?"
Sango laughed. "I told you she was heavy."
"She's not that heavy." Miroku huffed in his defense. "Just heavier than I expected."
"Liar." Sango replied, sticking out her tongue at him.
"You think so?" Miroku asked as he laid Haruko in her cot.
"I know so!"
"Oh yeah? Tell me, if I was lying could I do this?" Miroku suddenly swept Sango up and held her bridal style. "Still think I'm lying?" Miroku taunted with a wink.
"Put me down you great lump!" Sango laughed.
"Make me!"
"Fine, fine, you win. You are just as strong as ever." Sango conceded.
"Much better." Miroku commented as he set Sango back on her feet. Miroku sighed and looked down at his daughter. "She's a sweet thing isn't she?"
"Yes." Sango concurred.
"Though I always imagined we'd end up having a son." Miroku added.
"I thank our lucky stars that we didn't have a son." Sango responded.
"Why?" Miroku asked, perplexed.
"Well, if we had a son he might end up taking after his old man." Sango explained. "And who knows where that would get him?"
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means." Sango began. "That you are a dirty lecher and if our son grew to become one of those, I'd curse myself for brining such a pestilence upon the race of women."
"Oh? I thought you didn't like lechers."
"I don't." Sango confirmed.
"Then please, pray tell me why you are married to one." Miroku finished smartly.
"Because, some lechers can be very considerate and loving when the mood drives them. And as long as they aren't grabbing at some woman's backside."
"You know, some lechers can be very sexy when they want to as well. Shall we continue where we left off?" Miroku crooned slyly, wrapping his arms around Sango's waist.
"You know Haruko is a very light sleeper." Sango warned.
"So? We close the door." Miroku suggested sliding closed the wooden plank between the two rooms that served as a door. "Problem solved."
"Miroku, I still don't think it's a good idea. If Haruko walks in and witnesses some man she's never met doing…that with her mother, it could scar her for life." Sango reasoned.
"Three years! It's been three god-forsaken years!" Miroku complained. "Besides, I know you want it as bad as I do."
Sango glared. "Well after that little comment, I'm not in the mood at all."
Miroku grinned. "You are such a poor actor. Don't blame you for trying though, you did always like to play hard to get." Miroku wedged the door by firmly jamming his staff between the crevice between the door and the floorboards. "How about now? No worries about Haruko."
"I told you, I'm not in the mood anymore."
"And I told you, you're fooling nobody." Miroku turned Sango around and pressed a firm kiss to her lips. "Tempted?"
"Hardly." Sango lied.
Miroku then shoved her down onto the futon and let himself fall on top of her." How about now?" he asked again.
Sango looked away in an attempt to resist. It wasn't working. Miroku waited for her to give in. "God damn it." Sango swore "You suck."
"Oh I'll change your opinion soon enough." Miroku replied as Sango finally gave in.