A/N: (cries) This is the last chapter! Well, besides the epilogue. I will acknowledge anyone who ever read my story and reviewed it, at the end.
Sango dashed into her dressing room while Miroku waited nervously for her behind the mirror. She had to hurry, or else they would be discovered.
Sango knew she couldn't take everything, so she grabbed the things that meant the most to her—a broken picture of her father, Miroku's notes to her, a letter her father had written to her when she was young, and, of course, Miroku's engagement ring to her. She carefully placed them all into a small jewelry box, then grabbed a quill and parchment and wrote a quick note to Kagome.
Kagome,
I won't be at the Opera Populaire anymore, but know that we'll meet again. I am happy, so dismiss any rumors you might hear. I'll write. Tell Inuyasha and Shippou good-bye for me.
-Sango
That was all she had time for, so she folded the note and set it on her bed. Then she ran back to the mirror. She could hear voices in the hallway and, though she didn't think that they were even looking for her, she didn't want to take any chances.
Miroku led her down through the passageways for what seemed like an eternity. She grew tired, but tried not to show it. Miroku had enough on his mind, and Sango didn't want to burden him with her problems.
He seemed to notice anyway, for he turned to her and said, "Don't worry, we're almost there."
Sango nodded, and with renewed strength followed him out through the trapdoor and into the sunlight.
Miroku winced at the brightness, which he wasn't used to.
"Where are we going to go?" Sango suddenly asked, realizing that she hadn't thought passed getting out of the Opera House. Fortunately, Miroku had.
"Madame Kaede rented a cottage for us until we could find a suitable home. It's pretty much in the middle of nowhere, so we won't have to worry about being recognized."
Miroku had ordered a carriage, which they both climbed into, and shut the door behind them.
As it pulled away, Sango watched the Opera House until it was out of sight. Maybe she had gone through hard times in there, but it was the closest thing to a home that she had ever had.
"Will we ever go back?" she asked quietly, "I think I'll miss it."
"If you would like to, Sango." Miroku answered, "We can go and watch an opera every now and then."
Sango grinned and nodded. "I'd like that very much, Miroku."
A smile began to form itself on Miroku's lips, "We can even order Box Five…"
"And maybe you can remind them that they never gave you your salary." Sango joked.
Miroku's smile grew, but he decided not to tell her about the money in his pocket.
Finally, the carriage reached the edge of a small glen, and the two got out. Miroku tipped the driver for his silence, and turned to Sango.
"We'll have to walk from here." He told her, "But if you're too tired, I can carry you."
"No, I'm alright."
He was about to protest, but she ran out ahead of him.
"Come on, Miroku, can't you even keep up with me!" She teased, and he ran off after her.
Sango screamed in mock fright and ran off into the small forest, even though she had no idea where the cottage was in it.
When she didn't hear Miroku behind her, she got confused. Soon, however, she reached the cottage, and saw that he was already there, waiting for her.
She turned and looked behind her, then turned back to him. "How…How did you…" she stammered.
He laughed. "Haven't you learned yet, my dear, never to challenge the Opera Ghost?"
Sango glared jokingly at him, then ran up the steps into his arms.
After a moment, she pulled back and said, "Now let's see the house."
The cottage was a little bit small, with ivy growing up the sides and roses in the garden. It was made of sturdy gray stone, and had little, round windows.
Miroku watched nervously as she examined it. "It's only for a short amount of time," he explained, "So it's not perfect, but—"
Sango turned and kissed him softly on the lips. "It's beautiful."
He smiled again. "It is a little bit small, though."
Sango grinned mischievously at him. "All the better—it means you can never be too far away from me." She paused, then said vaguely, "I wonder if there's only one bedroom…"
She smirked at the look on his face, then darted off into the house before he could say anything.
"Left, huh?" Inuyasha said, skimming the blunt letter with amber eyes. "Well, Miroku, looks like your life's not so bad, after all."
Jakotsu rammed into Inuyasha and clung to his arm, reading over his shoulder. "That's right, my little Inuyasha. They should run! Knocking my poor Bankotsu out like that! He's still out cold, you know."
Inuyasha growled and shook Jakotsu off of him. "Beat it!"
To which, Jakotsu pouted and slunk away into some corner.
Kagome, who had been sitting on Sango's bed, sighed. "Really, can't you two get along?"
"It's you who makes everything so difficult…" Jakotsu murmured as he crossed his arms stubbornly at the wall.
Kagome raised an eyebrow. "Anyway…" she continued, "I'm really going to miss them."
Inuyasha nodded in agreement, "But what about that Kurono-baka—" Kagome glared at him in annoyance, "Kuronosuke guy?"
"Shippou's told me he's left. He saw him leave almost directly after the mob came up from Miroku's."
Inuyasha winced. "Those bastards. Did you see what it's like down there? Serves the idiot right, not getting Sango! He had come up with the plan! I heard 'em, all talking in the manager's office." Inuyasha snorted, "I should've said something!"
"Well, no use arguing about it now and the Victome is obviously ashamed, or else he wouldn't have fled like he did. Deep down, I think he knew that Sango's heart belonged to someone else." Kagome sighed dreamily at the thought of finding her Miroku. She turned her gaze to Inuyasha and instantly blushed.
Jakotsu got angry, but stayed where he was.
Inuyasha didn't notice. "Way to be all sentimental, Kagome. It's disgusting."
She laughed. 'Inuyasha…'
Sango and Miroku's stay at the cottage was happy, if short. The problem was, the cottage was just too small for a growing family, and they began looking for a new house the minute Sango announced that she was with child (And yes, I guess you could say that they made much 'music of the night' beforehand).
Miroku grew worried after a while that they wouldn't find one. They couldn't be too near to the city, or Sango would be recognized. It was much too early to return there safely.
So they searched, and searched some more. When Sango wasn't looking, she was writing letters to Kagome. Kagome wanted to come visit, but Madame Kaede had told her it would be too dangerous. The ballet girl had retorted that eventually she would visit, and she would wear the little pink dress that Kaede and her mother hated.
As a result, Madame Kaede tore apart Kagome's room in search of it, but her search proved fruitless.
When Sango wrote asking the ballet girl where she had hid the dress, Kagome responded smugly, "It actually isn't mine. It was my Mama's, when she was little. She wore it once for a party, and then apparently forgot about it. I returned it to her closet, where I found it. Of course, Inuyasha's been trying to get me back in it ever since!"
When Sango read that, she laughed so hard that she fell out of the chair that she had been sitting in. Upon hearing the crash, Miroku burst into the room to find Sango on the floor in fits of giggles. He watched her amusedly for a moment, then told her to get up before she hurt the baby.
A few days later, Sango informed Miroku that she had found a house. Miroku was relieved, but when he asked her about it, she wouldn't answer.
Her only response was, "You'll like it, don't worry."
When he tried to press her further, she laughed and waved him away. "It's a surprise."
He sighed and gave up.
Sango used all of the money she had saved from her entire time at the Opera House (which Kagome had sent to her) to purchase it. Even then, though she didn't know it, she didn't have enough. Miroku added some money when she wasn't looking.
He was a little bit nervous about buying a house that he had never even seen before, but he gave Sango the benefit of the doubt. He had to trust her.
In the end, he was glad he did.
Miroku had stopped wearing his mask after a while, when Sango protested. He was still uneasy about going out in public, but he was progressively getting better.
Finally he shoved it in the bottom drawer of the dresser in the cottage, and never wore it again. After a while, he even forgot about it.
A year after they moved out of the cottage, a small old lady moved in. You can just imagine the curious look on her face when, as unpacking her clothing, she uncovered a rather intriguing object in her bottom dresser drawer—A white mask.
FIN.
Er…
OWARI!
Ummm
THE END
Oh, WHAT EVER…
A/N: Now, there is an epilogue, so technically, my story's not over until next chapter…
Penny: That's all right, Erik…just admit it…
Me: This again?
Sango: She's never going to give up, is she?
Miroku: Afraid not.
Erik: I am NOT a vampire…
Penny: DENIAL!
Erik: Isn't that at right, Christine?
Me: . . .
Miroku: Mikomi-sama?
Sango: Mikomi-chan?
Erik: CHRISTINE!
Me: Well, my love, you do have a lot of qualities of one.
Penny: (points at Erik) VAMPIRE!
Me: Prince of darkness, coffin-sleeper, the black clothing… the seducing…but of course, I don't mind any of those things! Especially the seduce…never mind. (blushes)
Penny: The sooner you admit that you're a vampire, the sooner this story can be over.
Erik: Than it shall never end! Just what the readers want! (walks off with the author-me-and does some things that makes people tend to gag, yet, for Erik-lovers, is always a 'phantasy')
Penny: (eyes widen) This story is rated T! NOT M! And…and this isn't over! It shall continue… IN THE EPILOGUE!