Author's Notes: Hello everyone, WHATS THIS? 600 REVIEWS? YOU'RE ALL AMAZING! Please remember that if you leave a review without being signed in, I'm replying on my Tumblr! I try to make a post every Friday responding to your reviews, so head over there to check it out!

Dedication: This chapter is dedicated to the GUEST who left the following review: "haha "they don't all turn out as pretty as me" i just watched that episode! lol but anyways poor Kagome! Now it's time to set inuyasha off with Kouga kidnapping Kagome (;" -Thank you so much for reviewing, guest! I left you a reply on my Tumblr, whoever you are, so I hope you go and check that out! I usually give every 50th reviewer a little sneak-peek of the next chapter, I'm sorry I couldn't do that for you this time due to not knowing how to contact you, but I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Awesome Betas: Penthesileia, Not_Towa_Wakasa

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Chapter 39: Where the Secrets Lie

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Sango

"She's with Inuyasha."

The words falling from Hojou's lips set her ablaze. Sango inhaled sharply, her fists clenching. There was a churning, bitter reflex that she could now say was a consistent part of her personality.

What she and Hojou set out to do had completely and utterly failed.

"Kagome must have been able to release him from the mirror," she said, practically tasting the sour tint in her voice. "Did he kill the witch, at least?"

By the look on Hojou's face, she knew the answer was a definite no.

She swallowed the urge to scream and instead cleared the resentment from her throat. "So we went through all that effort for nothing. Deceiving Kagome, attacking the witch, basically killing ourselves in the process…"

Hojou still wouldn't look at her. He kept his gaze fixed steadily out the window. She took the time to let her anger breathe, to try and calm herself, her eyes scoping out the space around her.

The room was circular, built entirely out of wood, with straw tatami mats, like the ones that made up the floor of the shrine connected to Kagome's house. Sango's futon was near the only dresser and was pressed up against the wall on the far right. It seemed big and empty, like maybe it was used for meditation or prayer. Just she and Hojou and her anger along with the futon and the wooden walls and the windows. At least the windows were big enough that by sitting up she could see the edge of the forest through them. They circled almost one full third of the wall space, allowing lots of light to filter in.

"Yeah," Hojou finally said, having shaken himself out of his stupor, "Inuyasha got out of the mirror. I didn't see what happened. Last thing I remember was tackling the monk, landing a few punches to his face. But... I'm pretty sure Kagome let him out."

There was bitterness in his voice, and anger, possibly, that almost matched her own. She reached out a hand, intending to comfort him, but heard the door open behind her. Quickly, she twisted around, her muscles aching. For a moment she was sure it was the monk returning. Her mouth opened to warn Hojou to run, but immediately snapped shut. An old woman teetered her way into the room, holding a tray with two steaming mugs, frail hands steady despite how ancient they looked.

Hojou sat up from the wall, his face brightening considerably. "Kaede!" he said, standing up to help her with the tray.

...So this was Kaede. Her upper back was bent as a homage to her time spent on earth, her cotton-white hair streaked with darker gray. It was long and braided down her back, a white tie holding the ends together. Sango watched her shuffle towards them, sizing the old woman up. As she kneeled, Sango noticed that her eyes were clear and crisp and cataract-free.

They held a kindness in them that reminded her of her grandmother.

"You've awoken, I see," she said, her voice in tune with her age. She smiled, and it became obvious where all those wrinkles had come from. "I'm very glad for you, child," she said, offering up the warm mug.

Sango took it from her hands and inhaled deeply. Oh my gosh, it smells amazing

"We were worried for you," she continued, sharp eyes looking her over, "you've made a miraculous recovery, sitting up as you are now."

She stiffened, wondering if somehow the old woman knew. But it was impossible because she'd been dreaming up the monk. Dreaming that he could control her movements with just his touch, dreaming that he had somehow pressed a jewel shard into her body.

Calm down girl, she instructed herself, you're just on edge, she's just a sweet, old lady.

She took a sip of the tea, felt the hot liquid warming her from the inside. It tasted just as it smelled - amazing - although it was a flavor she'd never come across in a tea before. It was hard to explain. Jasmine...ish? With an almost-cinnamon-but-not-actually-cinnamon hint? She took another sip. Another.

"Feeling better?" Hojou asked.

To her surprise, she was, sort of. "What kind of tea is this?" she asked.

"It's my special concoction, dear," Kaede replied, handing Hojou the other mug and smiling as he gulped it down eagerly. "It will help you relax, help you heal better. It is a very old recipe."

"It's delicious," she said, finishing up her mug and placing it back on the tray. "Thank you..."

"Kaede, dear."

"Thank you, Kaede."

"No thanks needed, you have already made me very happy by sitting up. You've a healthy glow about you." Her smile faded, just a bit. "When you and Hojou first arrived, I was sure you both were already gone."

Sango's heart sped up. She wet her lips, nervous about the answers she would receive to all the questions in her head.

"About that… how exactly did we get here? Hojou told me we're south of Tokyo… far south of Tokyo. How is that possible?"

Hojou crossed his arms, his brows drawn together. He was always so easy-going and positive, it was strange seeing him show anything other than that.

"Your friend. She arrived first with Inuyasha. She was a sight, very upset. They had quite the argument and it awoke me from my sleep. She was begging him to go back to get you, although he had convinced himself you were already gone."

"She struck a deal with him," Hojou said, "that she'd go with him willingly to collect the jewel shards if he came back for us."

No way. No way had Inuyasha been the one to pull Sango out of that hellhole attic. No way had he been the one to save her life.

Kaede continued, paying no attention to Hojou's remark, "She was very worried about the both of you, child. She was practically comatose, sick beside herself."

Sango frowned. If Kagome was so worried about her and Hojou, why did she pull away from Hojou's grip? Why did she run towards Inuyasha's mirror, when they were so close to getting out of that room without any casualties?

"If she hadn't insisted on not turning him over to Kikyou… If Inuyasha had just stayed in his mirror and gone to her willingly..."

The old woman held up her hand, cutting Sango off cold. "Be careful what you speak of, child," she berated softly, "do not mistake Inuyasha as uncaring or inhuman. When it was determined that you could be saved, it was Inuyasha who brought you here into this room. It was Inuyasha who spent himself using debilitating magic that is not his own to heal you both. I must admit to you that there were even times I myself gave up, thinking the task of bringing you back was impossible, but he refused to stop. He insisted on making sure you were stable before leaving this room." She paused, her eyes locked on Sango, letting her words sink in.

Sango could feel her rage, it was like a separate person, knawing constantly at her insides. "So what, that's supposed to make it better? That's supposed to make me forgive Inuyasha for everything that's happened to me so far? Is it supposed to make me feel better that my brother is being controlled by a crazy priestess? Or that she made him try to murder me? So what if he pulled me out of there?" Kaede stayed silent, patiently waiting for Sango to finish, which just pissed her off more. "There's no doubt that this shit that my best friend got dragged into, that she dragged me into, is one-hundred-percent Inuyasha's fault."

Hojou regarded her with thoughtful eyes as Kaede nodded.

"The anger is fresh, as it should be. Time has not passed for you in a way that has allowed you to process the events that have happened. You and Hojou are welcome to stay and rest and heal until you are ready to act how you see fit." Slowly, she stood, her knees cracking, her back quivering with the effort of fighting gravity. "Take time to think things over. Whatever you decided, you decide." Slowly, she shuffled out of the room and closed the door behind her.

Sango immediately whipped her attention back to Hojou.

"Who the hell is this woman?" she snapped, "what, you just woke up and instantly knew she was going to help you? How does she even know Inuyasha? How does she even fit into this ridiculous mess?" The end of her sentence had risen to a panicked shout, her chest heaving with each breath.

"Sango-"

"You realize this is messed up, right? Kikyou almost killing us. Waking up to find some old, crazy lady going on and on about how Inuyasha is a real fucking decent guy. What were you thinking?"

"Hey," he said, reaching out to rest his hand on her shoulder, "I know it's stressful, I know. I woke up confused too. I thought it was a trap of some kind. It took me a while to let it all sink in. But the whole time I've been awake, Kaede has been nothing but helpful," he gave her a shake, and she realized then that her eyes were filling with tears. "Don't you trust me, Sango?"

Her hand came up and wrap around his, squeezing his fingers like she wished she could squeeze her tears away. "Hojou, out of everyone… since everything has happened… since you picked up the phone that night… I trust you the most." And it was true. Hojou had, somehow, begun to fill the gap that Kagome was starting to fade from, a gap that had been left wide open in her absence.

He nodded, pulling her in for another hug. Sango was thankful he couldn't see her face as the tears began to leak over her lashes and slip down her cheeks.

"I feel the same way," he said. "At this point we have each other, and that means something. While you're healing I won't let anything happen to you, I promise. I have your back, okay? We need to have each other's back right now. Let me worry about who to trust or not. Let me worry about it for now."

He held her as she shook. Her sadness exploded from deep within. Everything that had happened… everything that she still didn't have the answers to…

For the first time in a very long time, she sobbed. Big, fat, wet tears soaked her face and Hojou's shoulder as she let it all out. Her brother, her best friend, the naive life she had before all of this happened… She cried for all the things that, as a silly, ridiculous seventeen-year-old child, she had taken for granted... and lost

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Sango worked at her legs, rubbing out the constant pins and needles. She could actually feel her fingers pressing at the muscles, which she knew was a good sign but she hadn't tried standing yet. ...If she was honest with herself, she was nervous. The thought of actually standing and having her legs give out from under her was too much right now.

Hojou's support and confidence had rejuvenated her, much to her surprise. She hadn't realized how much she just needed to cry. In fact, the last time she'd cried, save for the horrifying dreams she'd had of the monk, Kagome had-

She stopped herself short, slamming a mental door on the image of her friend's face that floated around behind her eyes.

What would you even say if you saw her again…? she thought. Up until recently, she'd been sure Kagome was dead, just like she'd been sure Hojou was dead. The anger was there still, simmering deep inside her. Kagome is partially to blame for all… this.

How could she even think that running off with Inuyasha was the right choice? How could she have been tempted in the first place? If Hojou was even half as caring as he had just been with her, it was obvious who the right choice was. Just like they had suspected before, he had to be spelling her.

However…

"She was begging him to go back to get you," the old woman had said. If Inuyasha had gone through all the trouble to spell her, why wouldn't he spell her to just fucking do what he said? Why bother allowing her to disagree or argue with him at all?

...The thought was too painful, that Kagome was going with him because she wanted to.

Sango inhaled, loud and heavy. It was a lot to think about. Too much, almost. With Hojou keeping an eye out, she would be able to rest a bit before she had to figure everything out. Thank god too, because-

The barest wisp of wind, the swishing of robes, and that tinkle of a bell she knew so well.

Sango's heart stopped in her chest.

He stood in front of her, his staff fisted in his hand, a smile on his face.

"Slayer," he said. Those same sleepy eyes. That calm, even voice.

"No," Sango whispered.

"Sitting up and looking healthy, I see."

Before her brain could react her body did - she lept to her feet. But he was in front of her, right in front of her, towering over her head.

"Interesting," he said, "it is working faster than I expected."

"You're not real…" her voice trembled.

"Sango, I am hurt. Who do you think gave you back the use of your legs?"

She turned and ran for the door.

Again, he was there, sifting, just like she had seen him do before as he yanked Kagome away from her room. He was in between Sango and the door and she thumped into his chest. His arm swept around her back, holding her in place.

She reared her arm back, pushing all her strength into the palm she thrust towards his nose. She was going to shove his fucking nasal bone back into his brain.

His hand whipped out and caught her wrist, his grip like a vice. How was he so fast? She struggled to pull back, twisted her arm the way she'd been taught - going against his thumb. But she couldn't break free.

"Sango, calm yourself," he said. His tone was soft but she knew it was a threat.

"Fuck you, let me go!" She yanked herself back again, but he held strong.

"If you do not calm down and listen to me, I will have to remove the shard and force you to listen to me."

"You're already forcing me to listen!" she shouted, trying desperately to wiggle out of his grasp. "Hojou!" she screamed, "Kaedee!"

"They won't hear you," he said, and she felt his hand move down her back, his fingers feather-light despite his grip on her. He stopped in the middle, halfway down her lower back, and she felt him under her skin.

She gasped, a whimper escaping through her lips as he gripped onto something. It burned in the spot where his fingers had pressed straight through her yukata, where they pressed straight into her body. Her eyes widened, brutal fear settling into her stomach as she gaped at him. His eyes were still calm and set in that almost-sleepy way he had about him.

I am nothing to him, she realized. I'm just a plaything. A toy. What else had he done to her? What else could he possibly do?

Because it was impossible what he was doing now. It was impossible.

"Please," he whispered, "do not make me paralyze you again. I wish to speak with you as you are now, not as the hapless woman you were on the floor. I need that fire you have in your belly."

"It's not possible, what you're doing," she said, horrified, because she couldn't get past it - couldn't get past how, as he gently tugged on the shard, a tingling sensation began to creep slowly down her legs.

"I can see in your eyes that you hate me," he said. "Good. That hate will turn to a drive that will get you what you want. You will see me dead by the end of this. That is my promise to you, Slayer. Your vengeance. My life."

He released the shard, and Sango could feel his fingertips emerging from her back, could feel the tingling fade from her upper legs.

She was soaking wet, sweat pouring from her hairline. She was trembling. Fear. It was fear that had settled inside of her. She didn't want to be paralyzed again. She would rather face death.

Slowly he released her, and she stepped back. Again. Put distance in between herself and the man that had almost taken her legs out from under her.

"You cannot tell the others of our visits," he said, leaning over and picking up his staff. "Not only will they place suspicion on you, but they will seek to remove the shard from your back. You felt it just now when I touched it - you will lose the use of your legs if it is removed. It is possible that you may regain full use of your legs eventually, but there is no saying how long that could take."

He stepped closer. His eyes bore into her. "So heed my warning as you set out to go after Inuyasha and the doppelganger: if you want your vengeance, you cannot tell the others of our encounters."

He lifted his hand in the air, the one that he had pressed into her back. "It has been a very long time since I've been able to touch a female without taking their life," he said, as if he were just having light conversation. His mouth curved into a smile. "Your skin is quite soft, Slayer. You are a woman indeed."

The urge to slap him rocketed through her. But he was gone before the thought finished, whiffed away by nothing, and her path to the door was clear.

She took the few steps and gripped onto the doorknob, yanking it open, half-expecting to be in some sort of sick lair.

Hojou jumped back, slamming against the far wall, the bowl of soup he was carrying splattering onto the wooden floor with a loud clatter. "Sango," he yelped, "you scared me!" A second later his jaw dropped. "You're walking!"

"Sorry," she replied, her mind numb. She felt wooden and hollow inside. "Yeah, my legs feel alright. Hojou, did you hear me just now? Speaking to someone?" He gave her that look, the one he'd been shooting her way every time she mentioned something about the monk visiting her.

"It's okay," he sighed, pushing himself off the wall and bending down to pick up the bowl. She leaned down to help him scoop the noodles off the floor. He shot a glance up at her through his bangs. "You're seeing him still?"

She clenched her jaw. To tell the truth and try to convince him to believe her or not? The monk's words rang in her ears, his warning about what would happen. As much as she hated it, he was right. She trusted Hojou, she knew he was her best hope of finding Kagome and the youkai, at helping her to get her brother back from Kikyou's clutches, but for this…

For her freedom of movement...

She was terrified of losing her legs again. She could trust that the monk would take the shard if she spoke of him.

Fury inflamed her insides, the details of her plan already taking place.

"No," she lied, hating herself, lowering her lashes so he wouldn't see the deceit she knew were evident in her eyes. "I know he's not real. At least, not here."

Hojou nodded, satisfied.

She would keep the shard in her back for now. She would keep quiet that the monk was still visiting her until she unraveled what his actual game plan was. Once she figured him out, and figure out a way to ensure she'd still be able to walk, she would tell Hojou everything, and he would help her kill him. And once the monk was gone, she'd be able to take Kikyou out on her own.

...If the monk died, would she always be able to keep the shard inside her? After all, if it could heal her legs this quickly, what else could it heal for her? How strong, how invincible could it make her?

For now, in order to get what she wanted, she would have to gain the trust of the monk, and in order for it to work, in order for her to be sure that no one else spoiled her plan, she would have to be the only one in on it.

Hojou whistled a small tune as he finished gathering up the spill and stood to take it back to the kitchen, completely oblivious to Sango's intentions.

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I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! See you next week!

~SugarRos