The wind howled around him. Nervously he wondered if it was the approaching storm from the south he was hearing or the deadly hole in his palm. He'd been hearing it at night, whistling ominously just as he was falling asleep. The ever present reminder that his days were numbered was getting louder. If Naraku wasn't vanquished soon, then he too would be swallowed up just as his father and grandfather before him.

Even so, the terror Miroku felt at hearing the wind was nothing compared to the horror at the sound he heard now: a loud high pitched wail of grief and pain.

Sango was in trouble.

He'd been the one who insisted that Inuyasha and Kagome go on and leave him at the bottom with Rin, Futeki, and Risu. It would take too long for them all to climb up, and he couldn't let Sango be alone up there to fight Naraku. And now it sounded as if they were too late.

Sesshomaru had come and lifted the children to the top when he finally reappeared and saw them attempting to climb the cliff face. Not returning to offer the same courtesy to him, Miroku had to haul himself and Risu up, only to find the taiyoukai still standing there waiting.

"Go on monk. I will wait here with Rin and my son."

Rin had said something about wanting to go save Kohaku, but Sesshomaru refused to let her go any further. Now, as Miroku ran across the rocks and heard the haunting wails of the grieving taijiya, he had a pretty good guess at what Sesshomaru did not want Rin to see.

Sango…no, you should not have to suffer any more! The monk thought of the proud courageous woman he had the pleasure to fight along-side all these years, how she could be so strong and yet so gentle and kind at the same time. One moment she was taking down demons, and the next she was caring for an injured teammate or helping out villages or children in need.

Fury burned in his gut as he thought of what Naraku had done to her; was destroying her home not enough? Did she need to lose her brother as well, especially now?

Miroku cursed the demon who tormented them, but he couldn't deny the small part of him that was angry at Ronuku as well. He'd long since stopped voicing his dislike of the bushi, ever since Sango announced her intention to be with him, but that did not mean the feeling disappeared. He respected the taijiya too much to speak ill of her husband, but where was that no good lay-about now?!

Training while his pregnant wife was suffering?!

Not for the first time Miroku thought of the child in her womb, how it could have been his instead of that muscle head's…he would be taking care of them right now, never letting them out of sight for an instant…if only he hadn't flirted around so much, if only he'd told Sango how he really felt before it was too late…

If only she knew just how much he loved her.

Pining after a married woman? It seems I haven't changed a bit, he tried to make light of the ugly thoughts burning in his heart. He wasn't proud of them, as a monk he should be above things such as jealousy…of course there were a lot of other things he should be above as well.

"Oh no," Miroku was drawn from his thoughts as Risu pointed ahead, "Miroku, he…" The squirrel trailed off, unable to finish. The monk came to a halt. His heart clenched as the last doubtful hopes evaporated, and he saw that the horrible conclusion he'd come to was true.

Sango knelt on the ground, weeping as she cradled her brother's broken lifeless body in her arms. Her heartbroken wails echoed across the clearing, but the boy was unresponsive. Kagome stood nearby, gripping her bow and sobbing.

"Damn you Naraku! Come back and face me you coward!" Inuyasha howled angrily at the miasma clouds, leaping up and attacking them with the Wind Scar repeatedly. The miasma quietly dissipated, giving way to the approaching storm.

"I-it won't work," Kagome choked out through her tears, "Inuyasha…Naraku's gone; he got what he wanted…" The hanyou snarled. He punched the nearest rock, repeating the action as he cursed Naraku to the depths of hell.

"…Couldn't…couldn't we go get Sesshomaru?" Risu asked quietly, "He has the Tenseiga, wouldn't it…?" Miroku shook his head.

"I'm afraid not. Sesshomaru already warned us that Kohaku's life had already been revived once by the Shikon jewel shard…" Miroku frowned, remembering the demon's warning when they first began the hunt for the young slayer.

Sango, the monk thought, I'm sorry…we were too late… Slowly he walked forward until he knelt nearby the slayer. With each tear she shed, his heart crumbled into smaller pieces.

"Kohaku," the taijiya's voice was hoarse, "You were going to be ok…you were supposed to be ok…" She echoed the words before they were broken into violent sobs as she rocked back in forth in her agony. Miroku's fist clenched as he fought back his own tears.

It should have been me he thought, I should have died in Kohaku's place. Sango's lost so much, she doesn't deserve this! He narrowed his eyes, but just as the tears blurred his vision he noticed a slight movement. Shaking his head, he wiped the salty drops away thinking they'd played a trick on his eyes, but then he saw it again.

Ever so slightly, unnoticed by Sango who was shaking in pain, Kohaku's chest rose.

And then fell.

Miroku's hand shot forward instantly, grabbing the boy's wrist. Ignoring Sango's surprised cry, he pressed down his thumb. Very faint, almost like the brush of a butterfly's wing, but he felt it.

A pulse.

Miroku's heart began to race. Somehow, Kohaku was alive. But how was that possible? Naraku's shard was gone, there was nothing left to sustain the boy's life! Silently he thanked the Buddha and every kami he could think of.

"Sango," he started quietly. This was a delicate situation, Kohaku's neck was still bleeding; what if he still died anyway? He didn't want to get Sango's hopes up, not until he was sure her brother was safe. "Sango, can yo-"

He was interrupted as the taijiya lurched and underwent a violent spasm. Kagome raced forward and knelt next to her, holding the sobbing girl up. The miko made a gesture towards Miroku, and he gently took Kohaku from his sister's arms.

"No, Kohaku, wait," Sango reached for him, but paused as another spasm took over. Kagome began to hum soothing words to her in an attempt to calm her down. The taijiya spasmed again as more sobs wracked her body.

Miroku had to be quick, he couldn't bear to watch Sango suffer like this.

"Risu," He whispered, "I want you to check Kohaku's soul." The squirrel stiffened and his tail bushed up.

"What? What's wrong with you?!" Risu hissed, "He's dead, why wou-" Miroku clasped his hand over the squirrel's mouth.

"Please Risu," the monk stared him in the eye, "I have reason to believe that he isn't, but I don't want to startle Sango unnecessarily if he isn't going…" He trailed off, unable to finish. The squirrel flicked his ears back but then nodded. He crawled down Miroku's arm and planted his paws on the boy's shoulder. Risu was quiet for a moment, before his tail shot up.

"Wha…how…his soul's still there!" The squirrel suddenly exclaimed. Kagome, Sango, and Inuyasha all instantly looked over in shock. Miroku glared at the squirrel.

"Ko…Kohaku….he's…?" Sango glanced up from Kagome's arms.

"Yes," Miroku nodded as he ripped a part of his sleeve and began wrapping it around the boy's neck wound, "Kohaku has not left us yet." The monk continued to check for vital signs and hope flared in his chest as he noticed them growing stronger. He did his best to patch up every wound, keeping Kohaku's precious blood contained in his body. As he worked, chanting healing prayers under his breath, he noticed a glow return to the boy's face.

"That light," Kagome gasped, "I can see a light, just like the jewel shard but-"

Kohaku's eyes suddenly opened, and he sat up, coughing and gasping for air, hand reaching for the wound in his neck. Miroku, held Kohaku's shoulders as the boy filled his lungs, gasping for air.

"Kohaku!" Sango shouted, attempting to lurch forward, but thrown off by her pregnancy weight. Kagome and Inuyasha helped her to her feet, and the slayer ran towards her brother, embracing him once more.

"Sis...wha…what happened?" The boy looked around confused.

"You died," Inuyasha grunted. Kagome shot the hanyou an angry look for being so blunt, while the boy's sister began sobbing again, this time with joy.

"Naraku took your jewel shard," Miroku explained, "it appears as though you collapsed, but somehow you survived…"

"It…it must have been Kikyo," Kohaku said as his eyes widened, "I..I went somewhere foggy and…I saw her, she said she'd purified my shard so that Naraku would be purified when he took it but…I…just a moment ago she said she'd let me have the light instead."

"That must've been why Kikyo took you then," Inuyasha said, his voice soft, "She was going to use you as a weapon against Naraku…"

"But at the last second she decided to save you instead," Kagome finished, her eyes brimming with tears again, "That must've been the light I saw…"

"Then she is to thank for this miracle," Miroku bowed his head, feeling a deep gratitude for the deceased priestess. He looked up, noticing how Sango was still crying, but as she held her brother she was smiling. The pain in Miroku's heart eased, that she had found some joy was all he needed.

Sango. Until this cursed hole swallows me up, I will do everything that I can to see you smile, he vowed silently, knowing that the woman who captured his heart was far beyond his reach. If this was the best he could do for her, then so be it.

As Sango cried another spasm shook her body and she held her stomach in pain.

"Sis?" Kohaku asked, worried, "Are you ok?"

"Sango," Kagome said quietly, "I know this has been an emotional roller coaster for you, but you need to calm down, you don't know how this is affecting the baby."

"Kagome, I," Sango said quietly, shaking again, "I think it already has…"

"What?" Kagome's eyes widened.

"I…I think the baby's coming."