Greetings, and welcome to the second prequel one shot for Guilty Hero! If you haven't read Guilty Hero yet, I would strongly encourage you to visit my author page and find it there. You might get a touch confused otherwise.

This chapter takes us back to the first few months after Kikyo's death...

Spiraling Downard

Chapter 2: Where It All Began

A black car sped down the street, breaking the silence of daybreak in the city. With few other vehicles out on the roads, the car was moving far faster than the speed limit recommended. Clearly, the driver was in a hurry.

It wasn't until a plume of smoke and dust drifted across the road before the driver skidded to a halt. After a brief glance out the window to find the source of the cloud, he guided the car into a construction site and turned it off.

Silence filled the air when the engine stopped. The man stepped out of the car and slowly approached the edge of a short ravine, the crunch of gravel sounding overly loud with nothing else to muffle it. Peering down, he gasped suddenly when a figure shot into the air in front of him. "What the-?!"

The figure, claws flashing and white hair billowing about him, roared furiously as he plummeted back to the earth. The target, a large boulder, exploded into large chunks when struck with the full force of his fists. Bits of rock and stone rained down about him and clattered to the dirt.

Breathing heavily, the man stared at a the ground for several moments. Then, with a gutteral growl, both hands balled back into fists. Over and over he hurled punches on the soil, until there were deep cracks in the earth and huge indentations of his knuckles. Even when blood spattered on the dirt, he continued to hurl abuse with no regard to his injuries.

"Inu-Yasha... Inu-Yasha, that's enough!" Miroku's sharp voice cut through the air like a blade. It was perfectly clear, and sliced past the half-demon's snarls.

Slowly, the punches eased before ceasing altogether. Inu-Yasha's arms fell limply at his sides, shaking from exertion. Blood dribbled from his knuckles, which were turning a splotchy purple from the pummeling they endured. He panted for breath as he started blankly ahead.

It took several minutes for Miroku to make his way into the ravine. The half-demon didn't speak until he arrived.

"...What do you want, Miroku?" His voice belied the obvious state of distress he was in. It was light and airy, as though he had just bumped into a friend on the street.

"Inu-Yasha." Stepping delicately over chunks of stone, he stopped a couple feet away. "It happened again, didn't it?"

Inu-Yasha's posture didn't change, but his tone was suddenly detached and distant. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, no? Then what's all this?" Miroku gestured at the deep gouges in the earth and piles of rubble that were scattered about.

Still, Inu-Yasha didn't move. "I was just blowin' off some steam."

Heaving a sigh, Miroku rubbed his temples in frustration. "No, Inu-Yasha. Just... no. That excuse stopped working two weeks ago. You and I both know what's really going on here."

There was a moment or two of silence, then Inu-Yasha finally hung his head. He did indeed know what was going on. He had lost control. Again.

Kikyo's death—or rather, her murder—had struck him hard. To know that his claws had spilled her blood and took her life was unforgiveable. His guilt had rendered him nearly immobile. The psychiatrists at the Order had recommended him getting back in the field as quickly as possible. They said it would bring him a sense of familiarity, which would help him bring him to his senses faster.

Unfortunately, it wasn't quite working. Each mission only served to remind him of his terrible deed. Every demon slain by his claws morphed into the body of his fiancee in his eyes. Every growl of his target sounded of Kikyo's shrieks of pain in his ears. On more than one occasion, as Miroku so helpfully reminded him, he literally lost control after a mission. His consciousness took a back seat to his instincts. He would go on a mindless rampage, destroying thousands of dollars of city property and injuring himself in the process. Each sojourn ended in a pile of rubble and no memory of how he got there.

Seeing that Inu-Yasha was grasping the seriousness of the situation, Miroku let out a soft sigh of relief. "Come on, Inu-Yasha... Let's get you home."

The drive back to the apartment was spent in silence. Miroku was deeply worried for his friend, and kept sneaking glances out of the corner of his eye. The half-demon, with his head resting against the window, simply looked exhausted.

That much was unsurprising. Sleep was a fleeting thing after the war with Naraku. Unable to sleep for more than an hour or two a night, horrid nightmares plagued the half-demon. His shouts would wake Sango and Miroku often, and real rest was out of his grasp. It was wearing him down in more ways than one, and Sango and Miroku were gravely concerned.

Upon arriving at their apartment, Sango greeted the pair at the door. With one look at Inu-Yasha's condition, she knew what had happened. Without a word she approached the half-demon and hugged him tightly.

Normally, Inu-Yasha did not welcome any sort of physical contact. So many years of solitude in his younger days had developed that preference. But now he was weak, and he was exposed like a raw nerve. He couldn't help but accept the comfort offered to him this time. As soon as Sango embraced him, he rested his chin on her shoulder and shut his eyes. Unable to speak, he buried his face in her neck to try and keep his emotions at bay.

Sango and Miroku shared a look of surprise at Inu-Yasha's response. He had never done this before. Gingerly patting his back, she murmured, "Things are going to be all right, you know. It's going to take time, but eventually... you will heal."

Though she couldn't see his face, she could feel him begin to tremble. After a moment, he mumbled softly, "I don't know about that."

"You will. I have faith in you. You've been through so much, and nothing has ever kept you down before. No, I just think this is going to take more time, that's all. What happened with Kikyo was... regrettable. But you saved us all. Someday... you'll be able to accept that."

Suddenly, Inu-Yasha stiffened. He withdrew from her embrace, dry-eyed and staring at Sango with an unhealthy amount of anger. When he spoke, the words were spat out like poison.

"What would you know about it, Sango? Did you have to kill Miroku in order to save this city? Why don't you try it sometime! See if you'll be able to accept your actions then!" With that, he shoved past the pair and into his bedroom, slamming the door shut behind himself.

Sango and Miroku exchanged despairing glances, but remained silent. They could speak with each other freely only when Inu-Yasha was out of earshot. His demonic hearing meant that was difficult to achieve, but these outbursts of rage had happened more than once before. They had learned that he rarely stuck around the apartment for long after yelling at them. Sure enough, after but a few moments of silence, they heard his bedroom window slide open. He was making his escape.

Heaving a sigh, Miroku rubbed his temples. "Sango, my dear... he's only getting worse. I don't think what the psychiatrists have recommended is working. I have to go out looking for him after every assignment. I usually find him bloodied up and out of control. I'm getting concerned he's going to take that rage out on an innocent passerby one of these days... This is not healthy."

Sango pinched the bridge of her nose in thought. The situation was rather bleak. "I just... I don't know what our next step is, Miroku. If we put him on leave from his work at the Order, then he just sits and broods. But if we give him work, he loses his head and hurts himself. What else can we do for him?"

"Hmm..." Taking Sango's hand and guiding her into the living room, Miroku claimed a seat on the couch. "I still think a distraction is the way to go. He dwells on the deed, and it's tearing him up. So if work isn't effective as a distraction, then I think we should try something more... fun."

Sango blinked, as though that word was foreign to her. "...'Fun'? Miroku, you do know the city was razed just a few weeks ago, right? There isn't much 'fun' to be had at this point. This place is trying to rebuild."

"Au contraire." He tugged on her hand, pulling her down to the cushion beside him. "Never underestimate the human spirit. When we survive a major disaster, we then thrive. It's how we grow. This city isn't decaying, it's coming back stronger than ever. Buildings are being rebuilt, communities are coming together... and there is always fun to be had somewhere."

"Hmph." Crossing her arms, Sango sent him a glare. "That may be true, but do you really expect Inu-Yasha to go out and find something fun to do? Even if you and I didn't have mountains of work to do at the Order, he still wouldn't be pleased if we tried dragging him somewhere. He's not afraid to rip our head's off, after all. We're not on his list of favorite people right now."

"Nobody is, my dear. However, you do have a point. Our workload simply won't allow for frivolity at the moment..." He tapped his chin as he thought. "But there is a certain group who manages to amuse themselves no matter how bleak things have become."

"...Who?" Sango was surprised that Miroku knew such a group of people. He was nearly as much of a workaholic as herself.

A bright grin came with his reply. "The wolf pack."

For a moment, Sango was about to argue. Koga's wolf pack was a rowdy bunch. They only answered to Koga, and tended to be layabouts the majority of the time. However, the more she thought, the better the idea became. The group was wild and energetic, rarely dwelling on problems for long. They were far more accustomed to the creature comforts of life-good food, good times, and a spot to sleep. If anyone was to force Inu-Yasha to have a good time, it would be them.

"...You may be right," she grudgingly admitted. "But what about Koga? If he doesn't agree to it, the wolves won't let Inu-Yasha within a mile of their gang. And you know full well the rivalry between Inu-Yasha and that wolf."

"I do indeed. But Koga is more worried about Inu-Yasha than he lets on. They may be rivals, but that doesn't make them enemies. Besides..." Miroku reclined back in the couch and propped his feet on the coffee table. "Koga can't disobey a direct order from his superiors."

Shaking her head, Sango leaned against him and reached for the television remote. "Quit acting so smug. You've solved a small piece of a big problem. The main issue is still at hand. One night of revelry isn't going to miraculously cure Inu-Yasha."

"While that is true, one thing I learned during our war with Naraku is to celebrate the victories, however small. It's how I stay so... how do you phrase it? 'Annoyingly optimistic'." He chuckled at her expression. "Besides. One night of revelry might be the catalyst Inu-Yasha needs. It may remind him what life can offer."

With a heavy sigh, Sango lifted his wandering hand from her butt. "Down, boy. I'm too tired to slap you right now."

Laughing, Miroku wisely chose to obey his girlfriend, and settled down to watch TV. While they both were relieved to have a plan of action where their friend was concerned, a cloud of worry still hung over their thoughts. Inu-Yasha had sunk so far so quickly... Would such a simple solution work?

OoOoOoOoO

"Look you mangy mutt, stop it! It's not like I taking you to your damn execution!" Koga, the dark-haired alpha of the wolf pack, was wrestling to get Inu-Yasha out of the taxi. The half-demon was clearly unwilling, if the amount of fuss he put up was anything to go by.

"It sure as hell feels like you are!" Inu-Yasha snarled back, kicking at Koga with a dirty sneaker. "Just leave me the hell alone! I don't need you or anybody else!"

"I would if I could, all right?! But I can't disobey a direct order. So let's. Go." Stepping back and nodding at his men, he allowed the wolves to descend upon the taxi. Within just a couple minutes, Inu-Yasha was wrenched out of the cab and being frog-marched down the sidewalk.

"Let me go, you damn, flea-ridden mongrels!" He was throwing a rather impressive fit—it took three wolves to hold him down. However, despite his protests, they managed to get him to their destination. Still furious, he did stop thrashing long enough to see where he was being dragged.

"A bar?! You've kidnapped me just to take me to a damn bar?! What the hell is going on here?!"

Koga, sneaking up from behind, gripped the half-demon's shoulders and gestured at his pack. They let out a cheer, then disappeared inside the bar within seconds.

"I was told to shake you out of this funk you're in, idiot. Seems you're stuck on a certain day of recent history."

At the mere mention of Kikyo's murder, Inu-Yasha's shoulders slumped and he stopped struggling.

"Hmph." Koga slapped the back of his head. "Get over it, moron. There's other things to do with your time." He guided Inu-Yasha inside. "You could throw darts. Play cards. Sing karaoke. Hell, I don't give a damn. Just do something besides mope!" Shoving him toward the bar, Koga pounded on the counter. "Oi! Two beers over here!"

His thoughts having darkened considerably, Inu-Yasha did not struggle this time. He meekly accepted his beer and followed the wolf to an empty table. Once seated, he simply glared at his drink and picked at a rough spot on the table with his claws.

Koga allowed this for only a few minutes. Truthfully, he would much rather be spending time with his wolf pack. While a rowdy bunch, they sure did know how to blow off steam. Depression rarely lingered among them. Inu-Yasha certainly needed to learn a thing or two from them, but the trick was getting him to even try. So, determined to shake the half-demon out of his funk, Koga pounded his fist on the table.

"Hey! Wake up, moron! You're here to be cheered up, so cheer up already!"

Inu-Yasha snarled half-heartedly at him. "Back off, wolf. I don't want your help. It's damn weird that you're doing this at all. Just... just leave me alone."

The wolf's fists balled in frustration. "Much as I would love to, I can't do that. Since you're too stupid to snap out of it on your own, I have to be the one to beat you back to normal!"

Instead of his temper sparking, which would have been a normal reaction a couple months ago, Inu-Yasha seemed to deflate. His shoulders slouched, and he wouldn't meet Koga's eye. "Don't even bother... There's nothing you can do to fix anything." He sunk further down in his chair. Koga could practically feel the waves of depression crushing down on the hanyou. "Seriously, wolf. Go be with them." He waved a hand at the rowdy wolves, who were already enjoying themselves. "I'll be fine on my own."

Koga nearly took him up on his offer. His pack was a hell of a lot more fun than sitting at the table with a little black cloud. However, he wasn't blind, nor did he have a heart of stone. Anyone could see that Inu-Yasha needed aid. If there was a chance he could help bring the old Inu-Yasha back, then he needed to do what he could. So, with a soft growl, he leaned back in his chair and glared at his morose companion.

"Look, any idiot can see that you aren't 'fine'. In fact, you're just about the farthest thing from 'fine'. I'm not here to fix that. I can't fix that, and I sure as hell don't want to get in the middle of things. But what I am here to do is offer you a distraction."

"A... distraction?" Inu-Yasha, though still despondent, lifted his head a bit.

"Yes. You're miserable. And you have been since... well, you know." Inu-Yasha visibly flinched at the mention of the final battle, so Koga quickly moved on. "I'm here to give you one night of relief. Just let yourself go for tonight. Have a little bit of fun, let loose, knock back a few drinks. You can go back to moping tomorrow."

For a few seconds, the half-demon almost seemed to consider the thought. But his expression soon darkened. "There's no point," he muttered, glaring down at the table. "One night isn't going to change anything. Seriously, wolf. Just go."

Koga's jaw clenched. He was running out of patience. "No. I'm not going anywhere, dammit." He stopped himself before he started yelling, and took a deep breath. "Look. How about a drink? Just one drink. You don't even have to enjoy it. Can you at least do that much?"

Inu-Yasha glanced at the drink in front of him with disinterest. "...I don't like beer."

"Perfect. Since you're so hell-bent on being miserable, then it will do nicely. Now..." Koga raised his own beer mug, then pondered for a moment. Suddenly, a stroke of genius hit him.

"To Kikyo. May her services to the Order never be forgotten, and may her memory be respected." Sango and Miroku would have killed him for such a toast—yes, Kikyo had done many excellent missions for the Order before Naraku came along, but she was also the sole reason the Order almost fell in Naraku's rise to power. However, Koga knew that Kikyo was special to Inu-Yasha, and it seemed his words were effective.

Sure enough, Inu-Yasha's hand snaked out and gripped his beer mug. Though his lips moved in a repetition of the toast, no sound came out. Emotion had choked his throat. Hesitating for only a moment, he soon tipped the mug to his laps and drained the entire thing.

Grinning, Koga mirrored Inu-Yasha's action and downed his beer as well. He then motioned at a waitress to bring them more. Inu-Yasha needed to loosen up, and he was going to ensure that it would happen. When their second round arrived, he lifted his mug toward the stone-faced hanyou and smirked. He had issued a silent challenge.

It took a little while, but Inu-Yasha finally sighed and reached for his drink. Koga knew then that the night wouldn't be a total waste after all.

OoOoOoOoO

Darkness had long since fallen over the city, but anyone inside the bar wouldn't know. The place was filled with raucous and rowdy patrons, loud music, and much laughter. The wolf pack had a tendency to instill a lightheartedness in the room, and soon after their arrival the place was in a joyous uproar. Intense games of darts and poker were underway, the dance floor was full of partiers, and loud bursts of laughter arose from every corner. They were so adept at brightening the place, the wolves even managed to coerce Inu-Yasha out of his gloom.

Koga, standing a little distance away at the bar, chuckled to himself as he watched a heated drinking contest between Inu-Yasha and his second-in-command, Ginta. Both were fighting valiantly, but it was clear the game was nearing its end. The opponents were wobbly, and having a difficult time finding their next glasses. It was only a matter of time before the loser would admit defeat. The rules were clear—whoever was first to vomit, pass out, or fall off their chair would lose.

Still grinning at the scene, Koga studied the pair carefully while the wolf pack egged their favorites on. Ginta wasn't the greatest drinker—it was a well-known fact among the wolves, and it seemed to be proven true tonight. The poor man was looking a little green. Whereas Inu-Yasha, having never been in a bar in his life, was doing surprisingly well. He wasn't ill like Ginta, but Koga spotted how much the hanyou was swaying in his seat.

It was currently Inu-Yasha's turn, and he was regarding the shot glass in front of him with great concentration. His hand groped ever-so-slowly for it, as though moving slower would make his aim better.

A hush fell over the spectators as the half-demon sat with the shot in his hand. Was this it? Would he drink? Would he fall over? The tension was palpable.

Suddenly, a fistful of dollar bills was slammed down on the table, rattling the empty shot glasses. Ginta let out a yelp of surprise, while Inu-Yasha was startled into a slightly more aware state.

Koga grinned at the pair, flashing his white fangs. "Fifty bucks..." he drawled. "...On Ginta."

Jeers and boos erupted from the spectators, while more money furiously changed hands. Their leader had staked his claim, and so the odds were suddenly in favor of their fellow packmate.

"B-boss..." Ginta looked up at Koga, nearly weeping with pride. "Y-you have that much faith in me...?"

"Of course, idiot," the wolf chief crowed, clapping his second-in-command on the back. "Anyone could be that lightweight over there. Even you, Ginta." As he spoke, he met Inu-Yasha's gaze and gave him a cocky smirk. And, just as he had expected, Inu-Yasha took the bait.

Growling stubbornly, Inu-Yasha found the strength to grip his newest glass and toss it back in one go. However, his bravado only carried him so far. He managed to get the glass back on the table, but he slumped forward after it. The crowd of onlookers instantly backed up—no one wanted to be in the splash zone should the half-demon hurl.

For several endless seconds, the crowd watched in silence, staring silently at Inu-Yasha. Judging from his expression, he was about ready to regurgitate all the shots he'd poured back that evening. And if that happened, the contest would be over. They all gripped their bets tightly. Who would win? Would their beloved Ginta claim the gold, or would the newcomer Inu-Yasha fight back?

All at once, the tension broke when Inu-Yasha hiccuped sharply. That was followed by a long, potent belch. The wolves burst into laughter and clapped Inu-Yasha on the back as he sat up straighter in his chair. Apparently, the release of air was all he needed.

"Y-yer move, fleabag."

Groaning, Ginta groped for his next glass. He'd been hoping that Inu-Yasha would have been at his limit, but the gods were not on his side tonight it seemed. Even worse, the whelp appeared to have gotten his second wind. Trying to keep his own rising bile down, Ginta slurped back his shot and dropped the glass on the table. He had to swallow hard, but finally his stomach calmed enough for him to send back a feeble quip. "I-I won' lose t' a pup like you, Inu-Yasha..."

Now that he was feeling somewhat less ill, Inu-Yasha didn't hesitate as he reached for his next glass. "Feh. I nev'r go down easy. You'd best be ready t' go a while longer." He raised the shot in a mocking toast to his opponent and drank it down with apparent ease. "Mm... W-wha' izzis stuff, anyway?"

"Whiskey, mutt-face," Koga replied. "It packs a punch and leaves you feelin' like hell the next day."

"Bah!" Waving his hand like he was swatting at a fly, Inu-Yasha smacked his glass down on the table. "I'll be jus' fine. I can handle anythin'!"

A low rumble of laughter rolled over him from the wolf pack. Every last member knew that their demon blood did not save them from the horrors of a hangover, and a half-breed would be no exception. It was most likely for the best that Inu-Yasha didn't notice, as he was fixated on Ginta.

Though still concerned that his chances of winning were slipping away, Ginta managed a snort. "Th-that sorta thinkin' is gonna cost you this game," he quipped, trying to sound more confident than he actually felt. To prove his point, he gripped his next drink and downed it quickly. It certainly didn't help his nausea, but he couldn't lose face in front of his fellow pack mates. Taking a bit of pleasure at the disappointed look on Inu-Yasha's face, he smacked the glass down. "Y-your move!"

With a soft growl, Inu-Yasha sneered at one of the three Gintas in his vision. For the first time in a long while, he was feeling something other than crushing guilt. Hell, he almost felt... normal. And he wanted to chase that feeling. No scrawny little wolf was going to steal victory from him!

Squinting down at the battered table before him, he found it rather difficult to locate his next task. The tabletop was already a sea of shot glasses, and his double-vision made things even trickier. The fact that the table was tilting and spinning didn't help matters. He groped for what he thought might be his next shot, but some jeers and laughs from the wolves told him he wasn't on the right track.

"Damn, pup. Having a bit of trouble?"

Koga's mocking voice drifted over to him. It was annoying. So annoying that Inu-Yasha snagged the first empty glass he came upon and lobbed it toward the wolf. Maybe that would shut him up. Unfortunately, that move only produced more laughter. He must have missed. Damn.

"Y-you... shuddup," he growled, glaring around. "I'm jus'... jus'... fine."

Koga was watching the half-demon closely, his smile broadening. As the pup tried to finish his sentence, he was listing further and further to the right without realizing what was happening. Once again, a hush fell over the room. Was this finally it?

At long last, it happened. With only a small grunt of surprise, Inu-Yasha toppled off his chair and hit the floor with a thud.

The cheers that erupted were tremendous. Money was being passed to the winners, and poor Ginta could only stare at Inu-Yasha's empty seat in amazement. It wasn't until Koga slapped his back and shoved some earnings in his hand did he truly realize what happened.

"Did... did I win, boss?"

"Hell, yes! Good work, you finally managed to out-drink someone!" Laughing at his lackey's expression, Koga stepped back as the rest of the pack swarmed Ginta to shower him with praise.

While the wolves were busy, Koga walked around to the other side of the table where Inu-Yasha lay forgotten. He nudged the half-demon with the tip of his boot. "Hey, mutt. You still alive?"

There was no response. Inu-Yasha was out cold.

"Ha! I knew it. He won't turn down a challenge and he can't hold his liquor. The moron never stood a chance." Feeling at last that his work was done, he hefted Inu-Yasha's limp form over his shoulder. It was time to deliver him back to his bosses.

OoOoOoOoO

"Coming, coming..." Stifling a yawn, Sango padded her way to the front door of the apartment. Even though it was nearing two in the morning, she wasn't surprised to hear the knock. She and Miroku were purposefully staying up to await the return of their friend. Though they were dozing on the couch in front of the TV, no real sleep was possible. They were too anxious to learn if Inu-Yasha had finally allowed himself to have a good time.

Finally opening the door, she blinked in surprise at the sight of Koga with the half-demon slung over his shoulder. "Oh! Koga!"

"Hey, Sango." Koga grinned tiredly and pushed past her into the apartment. "Mission accomplished."

"Oh, really?" As Miroku finally emerged from the living room, Sango moved around behind the wolf to study Inu-Yasha's face. "Phew. He's a little... pungent." She backed away quickly.

Miroku joined them, stifling a chuckle. "I take it your pack helped him loosen up a little?"

Koga barked out a laugh. "Hell yes, they did! Though this damn fool put up quite the fight. He didn't want to have himself a good time, that's for sure. You got some place to put this lump? He's a dead weight."

They ushered Koga into Inu-Yasha bedroom, where Koga unceremoniously dumped him on the bed. "Ahh... much better."

"So... how'd you do it?" Miroku asked, moving forward to tug Inu-Yasha's shoes off.

The wolf shrugged nonchalantly, stepping back to allow Sango access to the bed. "Just had to get some drinks in him to loosen him up. Then we got him to play some darts, some pool... Eventually, Ginta challenged him to a drinking contest, and this..." He gestured at the snoring lump on the bed. "...Is the result. It's the first time ever poor Ginta has won a drinking contest." He smacked Inu-Yasha's leg. "You sure gave him your best shot, though! Ha!"

"Did he seem to... you know... enjoy himself at all?" Sango asked quietly, tugging a blanket over her friend. "It's been so long, I wondered if he'd be able to let himself have fun..."

The wolf snorted and crossed his arms. "He didn't want to. But like I said, after a few drinks and a few laughs, he finally relaxed. He's a stubborn moron, that's for sure."

Miroku laughed lightly as he shook Koga's hand. "I'm impressed, Koga. You and your wolves have done in one night something that Sango and I haven't been able to accomplish in weeks. You have our thanks."

"Ha! You won't be saying that tomorrow when he wakes up!"

Sango shook her head. "Perhaps not... but even one night of relief is better than what he had been doing to himself. So... thank you."

Sobering a little, Koga fell silent. Gratitude from Miroku came easily. Gratitude from Sango, however, was much harder to come by. The fact that she had thanked him at all proved to him the gravity of Inu-Yasha's depression. "...He was really that bad?" he asked softly.

It was a beat of time before Sango nodded. She didn't elaborate, so Koga didn't pry. He understood enough.

"Well, now that mutt-face is off my hands, I'm outta here. Just give me a yell when you've got my next assignment ready. Try and make it more interesting than me just scraping this idiot off the floor, would ya?" With an easy smirk at his bosses, Koga gave them a wave as he strolled out of the apartment.

Shaking his head, Miroku slipped into the bathroom to grab a glass of water and a bottle of painkillers. When he returned to place them on the nightstand, Sango was perched on the foot of the bed. She was watching Inu-Yasha sleep with a small smile.

"Penny for your thoughts, my dear."

"Hmm? Oh... I was just... hoping, I guess." She stood and tucked the blankets in more securely around the half-demon.

"Hoping? Hoping for what?"

"...That maybe tonight was what he need to kickstart his life again. He needed a push so badly. Maybe... Maybe this was it."

With a gentle smile, Miroku wrapped his arms around Sango's waist. "Yes. It's been long enough. It's time to hope again."

After sharing a chaste kiss with her boyfriend, Sango flipped off the light. It was time to let their friend rest.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Oh, if only they knew the slippery slope this was. But you can't blame them for being hopeful, I don't think.

I hope you enjoyed this latest one-shot. Stay tuned for the next. Please, leave a review and let me know your thoughts. One-shots are not really a strength of mine, so I will take any responses. Thank you!

Take care and be kind in this crazy world.