Chapter 6: Memories

Miroku cried out in both pain and misery as he watched the woman he loved and the woman his best friend had loved sucked closer and closer to their doom with nothing he could do to save them. He struggled within Naraku's grasp, but to no avail. The demon held tight and cackled once again with a renewed laughter.

"Watch them die Miroku, and smile, knowing that I have freed you from the burden of belonging to one woman alone."

Miroku snarled at Naraku, hatred welling up behind his eyes.

"You are wrong. Sango is no burden to me; she is the only woman I ever have and ever will love… And I will not let you kill her today!"

Summoning all the strength within his mind and body, Miroku gave a mighty heave and wrenched his arm from Naraku's grasp, sealing the wind tunnel as he did so. Shakily, he rose once again to face Naraku, but stumbled and collapsed. Sango rushed over to him and cradled his head in her lap, gently stroking his forehead. Sweat dripped from his brow as he panted heavily and smiled at Naraku.

"See, Naraku? I'm smiling."

Naraku simply sneered in the direction of the impudent monk, using all his will power to refrain from dismembering him at that very moment. Moving towards Kagome, he grabbed the girl by her throat and lifted her off the ground, leaving her struggling for air a foot and a half above the earth's surface. The smile instantly slipped from Miroku's face like the setting sun in the western sky.

"Don't you…don't you dare hurt her! Let her down, Naraku!"

Again, he attempted to stand but only succeeded in collapsing once more; this time into Sango's awaiting arms. She smiled at him and said,

"Rest. I'll save Kagome, you rest."

He was about to protest, but decided better of it and returned her smile, nodding for her to go to her friend and murmuring under his breath,

"Stay safe…"

Sango nodded again, taking hold of the gigantic boomerang, which she carried on her back, she hurled it at Naraku's feet, causing the ground in front of him to explode in a shower of dirt and rocks. Naraku stumbled backwards, releasing his chokehold on Kagome's throat as he did so.

Kagome staggered away, holding and massaging her throat, still gasping for breath. She settled herself next to Miroku, then turned back to stare at Ian/Naraku. Tears sprang to her eyes as she watched him, cackling with laughter as Sango was thrown once again to the ground. He grinned and began to taunt Sango, causing her tears to flow faster. All the things he was doing... His laughter, his grin, even his honey-golden eyes; now darkened to blood red...they were not his...they were Ian's. It tore her up inside as she watched him. She watched as again and again, he threw Sango to the ground.

Finally something inside of her seemed to snap. She ran forward, ignoring Miroku's cries for her to return to safety. She continued to run, right past Sango until she reached Ian. She threw herself into his arms, startling Naraku. Pulling herself up, she crushed her lips against his, wishing beyond anything that Ian were in control for that one moment. Her eyes closed, she didn't see as the luster returned to Ian's hair and his eyes became their familiar golden hue once again. He then closed his own eyes, caught up in the happiness of the moment and deepening the kiss. For Kagome, the moment seemed to drag on forever, but she didn't care. She knew he was back now.

She drew back, gasping slightly for breath; she smiled up into his warm, familiar golden eyes.

He smiled back at her, completely lost in her happy, mud-brown eyes. Leaning down, he rested his head on her shoulder. She turned her head and whispered softly into his ear,

"I'm so glad."

"Hm? How come?" he murmured into the soft fabric of her haori and kimono.

Kagome smiled again and replied, as tears began to flow once more from her closed eyes.

"Because…you're back…"

Sango and Miroku simply gawked for a moment before Miroku, who seemed to get over his initial shock faster than Sango, edged closer to her. Finally, he was at her side. Reaching out with his right hand, he grabbed her by the waist and hauled her closer to him. Startled, she turned and slapped him, simply out of instinct. In a forlorn voice he asked her,

"Honestly, was there really any call for that? I didn't even do anything this time!"

Blushing profusely, she replied quickly,

"Well, if you wouldn't get into such a habit of doing those things, I wouldn't slap you when you're not!"

He smiled again. She was quite right, of course.

"Ah, well, I guess you have a point. But Sango, I just can't keep my hands off of you!"

This comment didn't seem to please her as much as he would have hoped, and so earned him a large bump on the top of his head.

"Keep going, houshi. You're batting a thousand."

"Right, try again, eh? But Sango, look, they are showing each other their true affections!"
He pointed enthusiastically at the backs of Kagome and Ian, still locked in their loving embrace.

"Us too, Sango! We should do the same!"

He proceeded to wrap her in a loving embrace, catching her once again off her guard.

"M-Miroku! Stop it! Everyone's watching!"

Not to be deterred, he softly and slightly seductively replied.

"No one's watching, Sango. Those two are off in their own little world. It's just us."

A chill ran down he back as he said this. She had never seen him like this before, and quite honestly, she wasn't sure if she could trust herself to keep her hands off of him if he kept talking like that. Pushing these thoughts to the back of her mind, Sango calmed slightly, settling deeper into his strong arms. She felt so comfortable; so natural, just sitting there with him. It felt just right, somehow. She remembered the promise he had made her so long ago, almost 2½ years ago now. She remembered the emotions, which had welled up within her, and still sat, in their own compartment inside of her, waiting anxiously for that day when he would take her as his bride and they would be free to manifest themselves once again. She remembered the elated expression on his face when she had consented to his impromptu proposal.

Suddenly, her eyes flew open, ending her stroll through her happy memories with him.

She felt a hand, large and warm, beginning to tenderly caress her backside as another snaked its way up along her torso, stretching eagerly towards her bosom. Whirling on the man who held her so gently, she slapped him across his face using all her strength, and was rewarded by the sight of the bright, crimson handprint shining across his face.

"You just had to go and ruin it, didn't you, you pervert!"

She stood up, tears beginning to well up within her eyes. Every time! Every single bloody time, he had to go and ruin the moment by doing something like that! She stalked off into the woods, leaving behind Ian and Kagome, now making their way back towards the village, and a very stunned and slightly dejected Miroku.