A/N: Sorry, sorry! -- Bows and grovels --I know it's been ages. However, I am stuck in bed with flu, so I have some time up my sleeve now. Enjoy (and please review, it's such an encouragement).

Disclaimer: Still not mine, worse luck.

The Way It Has To Be

Chapter 8: The Age-Old Question

As he woke up to a face full of glaring sunlight, Miroku reflected that he was sleeping later and later as the days wore on. He really had to find a spot away from the door so that he wouldn't be blinded by the dawn in the mornings if he was going to keep this up. And as for sleeping in, well, this could definitely become a habit. Why?

Because he was sleeping in beside Kagome, who was simply too cute and trusting for her own good. However, Miroku was learning, much to his chagrin, that the more trusting she was, the less inclined he felt to do anything remotely untrustworthy. This was rather inconvenient – his reputation was ruined if this ever got out!

Take his current situation for example. Apparently he and Kagome had slept so late that the others hadn't bothered waiting around. In other words, they were alone except for Inuyasha. He scowled quickly at the corner – comatose fools didn't count. So, alone. With Kagome. Kagome was asleep. This was an unprecedented opportunity! And what was he doing?

Well, that was easy to answer. He was being a sap of the highest order, feeling the strangest compulsion to protect and look after the person so comfortably wrapped up in his arms. It was unheard of!

Hmm, speaking of 'looking after' people, there was something he had wanted to know for a while now. Miroku gently shook the girl awake, the question burning in his brain. "Kagome-sama?"

"Nghwaahrmm?" Well, Kagome never was at her best in the mornings.

"Kagome-sama."

"Wha… (yawn) what is it, Miroku-sama?"

"Why did you look after me?"

Kagome blinked. "What brought this on?"

"Never mind…why did you?"

He felt her shift to stare up at him…well, at his chin…she was short…

"Your mind is a mysterious thing, monk. Why on earth would you think about this, weeks later, in the morning no less?" Before he could come up with an answer, she settled back down. "Well, if you really want to know…"

Miroku held his breath, waiting.

Kagome was a little bewildered at her own reaction to a perfectly honest and valid question, to tell the truth. Just why was she so nervous about answering this? It didn't make any sense to her, and so she gave herself a stern mental shake and told herself to get it together. "Because the others don't take you seriously." Judging by the start he gave, that wasn't quite the answer he had expected to hear. She hurried on to explain. "Well, you have to admit, in the past they haven't! Sango would have thought that you were just fishing for attention in some way, Inuyasha was…well, he was a little distracted at the time, Shippo wouldn't have known what to do in any case, and Kaede had villagers to look after, let alone any of us!" She finished, biting her lip anxiously.

"So, you're saying you did it only because no one else would?"

"No!" she gasped, stung by the comment. "That's not what I-" The girl broke off mid-sentence as the monk gave her shoulders a warning squeeze.

"Now, those are all good reasons in theory, but it is a rather cold approach to things. And if there's anything that you're not, it's cold. You had to have had a good reason…and I would really like to know what it was."

"Well," she tried again, "you know I was upset that you got hurt while I was gone-"

"Guilt? I don't think so…does that mean that if it had happened while you were here, it wouldn't have mattered so much?"

"No!"

"Well then?"

"Mph, fine! A few things really," she admitted sheepishly.

Miroku grinned. "I'm all ears!"

"Well…as much as I shouldn't say this – because your ego is frighteningly large as it is – you're a strong, capable and independent person. And it just seemed so…wrong for you to be laid up like that, I had to do something. I mean, I'm used to coming back and seeing you wandering around the village, or running away from Sango," she smiled, "but instead I found you lying alone in the dark with bandages over your eyes. And it seemed so…very sad. I wanted you back the way you were."

He sighed, rather pleased. "Thank you. Was that all, or is there something else you're not telling me?"

"Erm, this is kind of silly…but after I found out what happened, I went home, where it was safer, and I tried to do things while blindfolded, to see what it was like." She shook her head slowly. "I've never done anything that hard in my life! I kept bumping into people, knocking things over...I know I stepped on Buyo once, I still have the scratches…I couldn't keep my balance, I had no sense of distance, loud noises scared me silly, and all I wanted to do after a while was to curl up in bed and not move. It was just so hard, and you were handling it so well – you were calm, you still had a sense of humour – I admired you so much for that, you really have no idea how much."

"Kagome-sama," Miroku murmured, genuinely touched. "You did that for me?"

"Well, yes," she said quietly, not looking up. "And I…um…"

Miroku had been prepared to let the conversation end, up until that point. But he gave no sign of this as the young miko appeared to be offering an extra snippet of information. "Go on," he urged her quickly.

"I liked talking to you. I found out that you were nice, rather witty, fun, clever in your own way, you give great advice (as long as women aren't involved in any way) and you make a very good listener. And – you took me seriously, which I don't really get all that often." Kagome looked away suddenly, a little embarrassed at having said that last part out loud.

There was plenty that Miroku could say to that, but he chose to remain silent. The last thing he wanted to do was push her away by being…well, pushy. And at least he finally had his answer.

In the end it was Shippo who brought about the end of those quasi-peaceful days. Children, after all, are not known for their tact and diplomacy. If they want to say something, they say it!

The entire group was huddled in Kaede's hut that night. Nobody felt like staying out late, as there was a definite chill in the air. Winter was on its way. And so it was that every single one of them heard the kitsune's shrill voice pipe up out of nowhere. "Kagome?"

"Hmm?"

"What are you going to wish for?"

Kagome blinked, and then swallowed nervously. "Well now, Shippo, I haven't really decided." She threw a look at Miroku which clearly screamed, 'help me!'

"Perhaps you can help her, Shippo," he broke in smoothly. "Give her some suggestions. What would you wish for?"

This appeared to buy them some time as the little kitsune started thinking hard. Kagome quickly mouthed 'thank you' and gave the monk a grateful smile. Miroku suddenly felt like he was floating.

"I know!" Shippo finally squealed. "I would wish that you would stay here forever, and not go back to that other place!"

'You and me both, kid,' Miroku thought ruefully.

"Oh, Shippo, you know that's impossible," Kagome said gently.

"But it's a wish! On the Shikon no Tama! Nothing is impossible with that wish!" the youkai exclaimed indignantly.

Miroku hid a small smile with his hand. 'Took the words right out of my mouth.'

Kagome gave a little groan and started trying to explain. "You're right in a way, Shippo – it would be possible for you to wish the well closed with me on this side. But I would be very sad because I could never see my family, or my world, ever again. And you don't want me to be sad, do you?"

'Nice dodge, Kagome,' Miroku thought glumly as the kitsune started to panic slightly.

"No, no no! I don't want you to be sad, Kagome! I just – like it when you're here. But if it'll make you sad, I won't make you stay, okay?"

Kagome gathered the now crying kit into her arms, desperately searching for a way to change the subject. "Miroku-sama, what would you wish for?" she finally asked. The houshi just shook his head and gave a small grin.

"I'm afraid I can't say, Kagome-sama – I have to side with Shippo on this one. The little runt took my idea."

Kagome looked like she didn't know whether to laugh or cry. What came out was a strangely twisted grimace. Quickly she turned away. "Kaede, what would-"

"Aren't you going to ask me what I would wish for, Kagome?" came a low voice from the darkened corner of the room. The voice was slightly rough from having not been used in quite a while, but it had certainly lost none of its impact. Stunned, Kagome mutely nodded at her friend to continue. Sango moved forward slowly, her burning eyes flickering eerily in the firelight. "Bring Kohaku back," she stated forcefully. "If I know you, Kagome – and I do – you'll want to right the wrongs of Naraku. Bring him back."

"Sango, I…I don't know if that is such a good idea," Kagome began cautiously.

"What? How can you say that? I thought you were my friend!"

"I am, but-"

"But nothing! You know! You know that it's all I've wanted this whole time! I won't get another chance to get my family back…bring my brother back!"

"Bring him back to what?" Kagome burst out suddenly. "He is just a kid – his family, his village, everything he had is gone, he's been turned into a murderer by a hanyou – he'd go mad with the knowledge of all that!"

"I would help him," Sango ground out, her hands balled into white-knuckled fists.

"You're in no condition to help yourself, let alone anyone else!" Kagome snapped, immediately clapping her hand over mouth in shock, unable to believe that she had just said that to her best friend.

Sango stood, shaking in anger. "I never would have believed you capable of this." And with that final parting shot, the demon exterminator stalked out of the hut in a fury.

The atmosphere was very strained for the remainder of the evening. Rather than bring up what was turning out to be a most painful subject, Miroku sought to divert Kagome's attention to a less hurtful question.

It was by no means harmless, but it was less hurtful overall.

"Do you think the well will be sealed when it comes time for you to leave?" Miroku held his breath as he waited for her answer. Kagome frowned in thought, her brows furrowed in a way that he couldn't call anything but 'cute'.

"I don't think so. I mean, it could, I guess – but I really don't know. It can't be simply that the Shikon no Tama being so close to the well that night opened it."

It was Miroku's turn to look confused. "Why not?"

"Because," she explained patiently, "it was inside me all my life. And that certainly wasn't the first time I had ever been inside the well house. I played in it all the time when I was a kid."

"Ah," the monk murmured, baffled. "Then why do you have to leave permanently?"

"Well, it's just a feeling I have…it would be wrong for me to stay," the girl mumbled. Miroku was intrigued when she couldn't seem to meet his eyes as she said this.

'This makes no sense…something isn't adding up here. And I will find out what it is.'

Out aloud he said, "Oh well, that's a shame. We can't trap you on this side of the well if it's just going to stay open…darn."

Taken aback, Kagome stared and then gave an incredulous giggle. "Only you, Miroku – only you!" He joined in the easy laughter, relieved that she didn't take his little 'joke' badly. She obviously didn't realize that he had actually been perfectly serious.

Once the laughs had subsided, the pair sat in companionable quiet. However, Miroku was still somewhat shocked to see tears running silently down Kagome's face. "Kagome-sama?" he questioned carefully, moving a bit closer to put a comforting arm loosely around her shoulders. He was guiltily pleased when she gave up the struggle to stay composed and clung to him like a child.

"I'm losing her, Miroku! I'm losing her, my best friend. I can't bear it that she blames me, I really have no choice, it's not my fault, and she hates me now." Miroku gathered her into a tight hug, alternately patting her back and stroking her hair in an effort to calm the sobbing girl. Eventually she fell asleep, worn out from the storm of emotions of that evening. Miroku didn't let her go, unwilling to lose his prize. And as he carefully manoeuvred them both to rest more comfortably, he couldn't help but wonder…

What would the morning bring?

Next up…the moment we've all been waiting for! (Please review – I know I'm begging, but I'm finding it hard going with this one!)