A/N: Wow… I now know why authors are so addicted to cliff hangers. The response I got was amazing!! 18 reviews in that last chapter; that's crazy in my eyes. I feel so loved.

Maybe not loved… so many of ya'll sounded like you were sharpening your knives and going to come looking for me. Well, put down your weapons; here's the all-important answer to the Miroku's question.

Thanks for the response though; could we maybe keep it up? I'd love ya'll if we reached 80 reviews after this chapter!

Chapter 7: End Of A Week; New Beginnings (A/N: Damn that sounds cheesy…)

Sango was completely speechless; she couldn't seem to form any words, and for that matter even breathe. She couldn't believe it; Miroku had just proposed to her. To say she was stunned was putting it lightly. She put one hand over her pounding heart and stammered, "Oh my… you've got to be kidding me!"

"No joke," Miroku answered. "And if you think you're dreaming, I'll banish the thought." He held the ring in front of her and said, "Sango, will you marry me?"

Sango couldn't believe that he was serious. She loved him so much, but she didn't know if she was ready fro marriage. She looked at the ring that he had meant for her. It was beautiful and she looked in his eyes to see such a longing in them. She realized that he really wanted her. Slowly she nodded her head. "Yes."

Miroku stood up and slipped the ring on her finger. He looked in Sango's eyes and said, "That's what I tried to ask you in the garden."

"Really?" she asked. "So you've been trying all day?" He nodded to her and a strange sensation overtook her. Suddenly, she flung her arms around his neck and kissed him right there on the stage. The crowd soon burst out into applause. They broke off and Sango immediately started to blush. "Oh god… I forgot that they were there."

The DJ turned on his microphone and said, "Well… in case you all didn't catch on, she said yes!" Again the crowd began their applause.

Sango looked back up at Miroku and smiled. She couldn't believe it; she'd said yes. She'd just admitted, in front of everyone, that she'd marry Miroku, the one man that she loved with all her heart. She was still trying to process everything. "Miroku… we're engaged now?"

He looked down at her, the woman he was going to marry, and said, "Yes, Sango. We're engaged now."

She looked at him pathetically. "It just all happened so… fast."

"I know," he said. "But aren't you happy that it did?" Her face brightened and he took her hand. "Come on. We've taken enough attention away from the married couple." Hand-in-hand, Miroku led his new fiancée back to their seats.

All along the way, people congratulated them. Once they sat back down, all the groomsmen and bridesmaids were gathered around them asking questions like, "How long have you two been together? When's the wedding? Did you even know about it? Are we invited?"

Sango and Miroku could hardly think, much less answer all their questions. Kagome and Inuyasha broke through the crowd with Kagome causing the crowd to shift. Once she reached her friends, she plopped her hands on the table and Kagome began her rant. "Oh my god! You two just got engaged! At our wedding! This is nuts!" She took a deep breath.

Sango leaned her head on Miroku's shoulder and said, "Well, believe it Kagome! We are!" Miroku squeezed her shoulder with an arm he had around her.

"Well, don't keep your best friend in the dark here!" Kagome exclaimed. "Show us the ring!"

Sango smiled and set her left hand on the table. Greedily, Kagome picked it up and looked at the ring. It was a silver band and had a large, square-cut diamond, surrounded by two smaller diamonds. "It's beautiful," Kagome commented.

Inuyasha looked at the ring, then at Miroku and said, "So that's why you were so late getting to the church."

"Exactly," he replied. "I had to go out and buy it before the ceremony."

Sango looked over at Miroku. "So… wait a minute… you went and brought this before the wedding?" Miroku nodded to her.

Inuyasha smirked. "So, you followed my advice?"

Sango looked from Miroku to Inuyasha, question in her eyes. "What advice?"

"Well, yesterday Miroku told me that he was confused. He said that he really loved you, but he knew that soon you would have to separate. He asked for my advice and I told him that he should propose to you," Inuyasha explained.

Sango looked back at Miroku and asked, "So if you were told this yesterday, then why didn't you propose to me then?"

Miroku looked right into his fiancée's eyes and replied, "Honestly, I wasn't ready yet. I was still completely unsure. I didn't consider marriage until after our conversation this morning. That's when I realized that I loved you so much I was willing to make you the only woman in my life." He gave her a smile. "Besides, I didn't have that ring until this afternoon."

Sango smirked at his joke, and marveled in the warm feeling Miroku had given her with his speech. She scooted closer to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Oh Miroku…" she said, trying to hold back tears. "I love you. I'm so happy about all this. You're truly the only guy in my life and I wouldn't have it any other way." She and Miroku sat there, holding each other in a hug. Everyone except Kagome and Inuyasha had left, leaving the four friends alone.

Dinner was served around 7 and afterwards most of the girls went out and danced together. The songs had a quick beat and, although they were in floor-length dresses, they danced like they were back at the club the other night.

Tired, Sango walked off the dance floor. She was really thirsty all of a sudden; a long drink of champagne would cure that right up. "Miss Sango?"

Sango turned around at the sound of the little voice. Behind her was Rin, the flower girl. Sango knelt down to Rin's level. "Yes, what is it?"

Rin clutched her arms around her back nervously. "Umm…." She stammered. "Well, here you go." From behind her back, the little girl produced one large lilac bud and held it out to Sango. "My daddy and I wanted to congratulate you and Miroku on now getting married." She nervously handed Sango the lilac and ran back over to her dad.

Sango stood back up and straightened out the creases in her dress. She sniffed the flower and smiled. She looked over at Rin and her father, Sesshomaru and thought, 'Who knew Sesshomaru had a soft side?'

She came back up to the table and took a drink of champagne. She looked at her flower and sniffed it again. She loved lilacs; they were her favorite flowers, aside from roses. Suddenly, two arms snaked around her from behind her. Happily, she leaned back into the familiar chest. She looked up at her fiancé and smiled. "Who gave you that?" Miroku asked. "Do I have to go kill someone for trying to hit on you?"

Sango laughed and picked her free hand up. Slowly she stroked his cheek and said, "No. No one's trying to hit on me."

"Good," Miroku replied. "Because I'm the only guy who's allowed to flirt with you, right?"

Sango giggled. "Exactly." She held up the lilac so he could see it. "Isn't it beautiful?" Miroku nodded silently and she continued, "Rin gave it to me. She said it's a gift for us from her and her father."

"Sesshomaru?" Miroku replied in slight surprise. "Didn't know he could be nice." Sango laughed and Miroku leaned down to whisper in her ear. "That flower's beautiful, but not as beautiful as the flower in my arms."

Sango turned in his arms and put the flower in his coat pocket, where it would stick out. "Now, now Miroku…" she said playfully. "Save that kind of talk for later. When we're alone."

"Speaking of being alone," he replied, taking her hand. "You still haven't danced with me yet."

"If you'll be patient…" she said. "I'm saving all the slow dances for you."

"Ugh! I can't wait that long," he answered playfully. He squeezed her hand, catching her attention. "Come on. I want to show you something."

"What?" Sango asked, seeing the flirtatious look in her fiancé's eye and smiling.

He kissed her hand softly. "You'll see when we get there." He led her out of the ballroom, out onto the balcony.

Sango gasped at the view; it was absolutely breath-taking. The balcony was surrounded by different kinds of flowers. The view was over a garden and the sunset cast a tinge to everything, making it completely gorgeous. "It's beautiful!" she breathed.

Miroku stared over at Sango and said, "Yes, it is."

Sango looked over at him and, oblivious to what he was doing, replied, "Glad you feel the same way."

He turned to face her completely. "I wasn't talking about the scenery."

Sango could feel her cheeks flaring up. Why did Miroku still have this kind of effect on her? They were engaged for God's sake! She shouldn't still blush when he tried to sweet-talk her. She did though, and she couldn't stop it.

Miroku walked over to a nearby rose bush and picked a white rose. He carefully picked off the thorns and held it out to Sango. "A beautiful flower for the most beautiful woman," he said regally, putting it into Sango's hand.

"It's gorgeous," she mused, giving the flower a sniff. She leaned up and gave him a peck on the cheek. She took out the slightly-wilted daisy tucked behind her right ear. As she was about to replace the rose, Miroku grabbed her hand, stopping her.

"No. Put it behind your left," he explained. She tweaked an eyebrow at him, but did as she was told. Her eyes held his with a look of confusion dancing in them. "A flower behind the left ear means that you're taken, while one behind the right means that you're single." He tipped her chin upwards to face him. "I don't want you sending the wrong message." (A/N: That's actually a tradition in Hawaii; flowers are very meaningful there.)

Sango's eyes hadn't left Miroku's since she had put the flower in her hair. "Believe me; I never want anyone but you," she whispered to him. Her dark brown eyes locked with his violet ones and soon their lips locked with each other.

Sango's hands traveled Miroku's back, then up into his hair. She moved her fingers through Miroku's hair, slowly unbinding it. Miroku's hands traveled along her waist, then up the back of her dress. He found the zipper and memorized its position; he'd need to remember it for later. He felt up her bare, upper back and up into her hair. It didn't satisfy him that it was put up. He pulled out the clip holding Sango's hair up. Slowly, her hair cascaded her back and his hands stroked gently throughout her copper locks.

All the while, the couple never broke their kisses. Finally, when they were both out of air, they broke off, breathing heavily. Sango wrapped her arms around Miroku and asked, "Why'd you take my hair down?"

"Because," he answered. "You look so much prettier with it down. And secondly, how was I supposed to thread my hands through it when it was up?"

Sango laughed and tightened her hold around him. She sighed contently, breathing in his scent. "You will be the best husband in the world!"

Miroku smiled. "Really? How come?"

"Many reasons," Sango replied coyly. "One; because you always keep me satisfied. Two; you're the cutest guy I know. Three; you picked me to be your wife. Four; we're most definitely in love. And finally…" She leaned up to his ear and whispered, "You and I will now always be sharing a bed."

Miroku looked down in his lover's eyes and asked, "Are those the only reasons?" he smiled down at her, a seductive smile.

"Oh no! There are lots more!" Sango said. She returned his seductive grin with one of her own and continued, "I just can't say them while we're out in public."

Miroku, who quickly understood what Sango meant, swooped her up into his arms. "I knew that there was another reason why I loved you!" With that said, he pulled Sango into a tender, yet passionate kiss. They could hear someone calling their names and broke off. The sun had set during their alone-time and they smiled at one another. Silently, Miroku took his fiancée's hand and walked her back inside.

Sango sat next to Miroku as she watched Kagome and Inuyasha cut the cake. Miroku got up and went to grab a slice for the two of them, and Sango leaned back in her chair contently. It was already 9:00 and the DJ still hadn't played any slow songs. How was she supposed to keep her promise to Miroku if the DJ wouldn't play the right songs?

She shoved those thoughts out of her mind once Miroku came back with some cake for them. Miroku took a small piece and fed it to Sango. She made a pained expression and he asked, "What's wrong?"

"Don't tell Kagome," Sango started. "But the cake tastes horrible. The only good part in the icing."

"Really?" He took his free hand and got some icing on his finger. "Well, you must really like it now." He touched Sango's nose and smeared the icing down the slope of her nose.

Sango's eyes widened and her mouth opened in shock. "Miroku… get this stuff off my face!" she whisper-screamed at him. "Quick! Before someone gets a picture!"

"Too late!" A flash went off and the couple looked in front of them. Yuka smirked and ran off giggling.

Sango looked up at Miroku and glared at him. "Miroku, you better be ready to pay for that!" Quickly, she swiped a spot of icing onto her finger and then swiped it across Miroku's face.

His eyes widened as well; he didn't think she'd reciprocate his actions. With that thought in his mind, he swiped more icing off the cake and smeared in across her collar and neck, watching with amusement as she stared at him in shock. "There you go Sango," he said with a smirk. "It matches your eyes!"

"Does not!" she exclaimed. She smeared his face with icing and said, "But it matches yours!"

Immediately the two were smearing icing all over each other's faces. Once the cake ran out of icing, they wiped their hands off and looked at each other. They both burst out laughing. Miroku's face was covered in icing, seeing as that was the only skin available. Sango's face was streaked with the coating, but since her collar and neck were also exposed, Miroku had taken the opportunity to streak it with the white fluff.

Ayame took a glance at them and her eyes bugged out. She nudged Koga in his side and told him to look at the couple. He did so and what he saw was the young couple laughing at one another with cake smeared all over their faces. Ayame finally spoke up, "What do you two think you're doing?"

Sango looked over at her, a smile still plastered on her face. "We just… really loved that cake." Both she and Miroku burst out laughing once more.

"Well, you two better go wash that stuff off before Kagome and Inuyasha see you two covered in it!" Koga exclaimed.

"Fine, we will," Miroku said, being the rational one. He took Sango's hand and directed her to the bathrooms. Once they were out of earshot, he mumbled quietly, so only Sango could hear. "Party poopers."

Sango started laughing again and didn't notice where Miroku had taken her. It wasn't a bathroom; it was a small secluded alcove (sp?), where no one could see them. "Why'd we come here? Aren't we going to get all this icing off our faces?"

Miroku stood in front of her, holding her hands in his, and licked off the streak of icing down her nose. He looked down at her and said, "That's what we're doing. Only we're doing it the fun way."

Sango leaned up and licked off one of the streaks going down his cheek. "Hmmm… I think I prefer the fun way."

For the next ten minutes, the two lovers alternated wiping each other's faces clean. Along the way their tongues would roam into each other's mouths, temporarily halting the process.

Eventually, both their faces were clean, but Sango still had the icing along her neck and collar. As Miroku leaned down to get it off, Sango threaded her hands through his hair, unbinding it for the second time that night. Hey, if Miroku could do it to her all the time, she could too! As she reached behind his ear, she felt a small dot of icing. She leaned up and licked it off. Miroku, surprised by this gesture, looked down at her and asked, "What'd you do that for? Do you love this that much?"

Sango giggled. "No, you had some icing back there. I don't know how it got there."

"Oh." He went back down to her collar and licked off the last of the icing. He made a pleased sound in the back of his throat. "I think that's the best cake I've ever tasted."

Sango flicked him in the nose. "Pervert."

He laughed and replied, "True, but I'm the pervert you agreed to marry."

"Yeah, yeah… I know!" she sighed in defeat. She grabbed his hand and led him out. "Come on, Inuyasha and Kagome's first dance is coming up!" Eyeing his downcast look, she added, "I bet it's a slow song." Immediately, he brightened up and they walked back into the ballroom.

Sango had been right. First the DJ put on a slow song, allowing Inuyasha and Kagome to start dancing alone. Miroku and Sango stood on the sidelines with all the other guests and mused at the sweet moment between the couple. Halfway through the dance though, the bride and groom broke off and looked over at the DJ. The DJ took the message and turned on his microphone, "By request by the bride and groom, they would like to share their first dance with their newly-engaged friends, so Miroku and Sango, come out and have your first dance!"

Sango's mouth dropped open in shock. She politely put a hand over it and looked around to find Miroku and see his reaction, but she turned to see that her fiancé had vanished. She looked out at the dance floor at her friends and shook her head when Kagome beckoned her onto the floor.

She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around to see Miroku. She immediately shook her head, answering his unasked question. Miroku took her hand and asked calmly, "My dearest Sango, do me the honor of dancing with me."

"Mi…Miroku…" she stammered, looking away from him. She was drawn back into the gaze of his violet eyes and she couldn't help but smile. Giving in to her fate, she extended her hand. "Alright… let's dance."

Miroku took her hand and they walked onto the dance floor. He put one hand on her hip and held one of Sango's hands. She laid her head gently on his shoulder and they looked over at the DJ. He started the music and both couples started to dance. Miroku twirled Sango outward and brought her back into him. She smiled up at him and laughed. "You're a pretty good dancer," she commented.

"Well, it helps to have an amazing partner," he replied.

"Flirt," she said, as he spun her out.

The song ended and Miroku brought Sango back into him from the final spin. She looked up at him with a bright smile on her face. He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. The whole room erupted into applause, and Miroku took advantage of the attention. He picked Sango up and spun her around, finally setting her down on the floor and quickly, but tenderly kissing her on the lips.

They broke off and she poked his chest saying, "You're selfish." With fake-anger, she turned around and walked off the dance floor.

"Sango, wait!" he called after her. Miroku started walking after her, pleading, "You promised to dance with me!" He could hear her laughing and went over towards Sango's voice.

The night past quickly for Sango. First, she and Miroku danced for a good amount of time, then the clock hit 11:00, when the bride and groom left. The final joke for the wedding party occurred when the throwing of the bouquet went on. As traditional, Sango and any other girls lined up for the bouquet throwing. When Kagome tossed it up, Sango caught it easily.

She walked back to the table and set the bouquet down. Miroku walked up next to her and asked, "You do know what that means right?"

She looked up at him and replied, "Yep. I'm the next to get married. But it's not like I didn't know that already!"

After that conversation, Miroku pulled her back onto the dance floor where she lost all track of time. When she finally glanced up at the clock, she saw that it read one in the morning. She looked into the crowd, hoping to find Miroku, but she didn't see him.

Suddenly depressed, she walked out onto the balcony. The full moon illuminated the gardens and provided Sango with a dim source of light. She came up to the ledge and rested her hands on it. She glanced down at her ring and sighed.

Tears started to slowly creep down her cheeks and she hastily wiped them away. She looked up at the sky and said, "You were both watching over me today, weren't you?" More tears fell down her cheeks and she quickly wiped them away. "I wish you guys were still here," she continued. "You would have loved Miroku." She shivered involuntarily in the night wind as more tears fell down her cheeks.

Suddenly something draped over her shoulders and she glanced down at it, seeing a tuxedo coat with a large lilac bud sticking out of the pocket. She quickly wiped her eyes, and Miroku asked, "Sango, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she answered quickly. She put her arms through the sleeves and wore the jacket over her dress. "Thanks for your coat."

"Sango…" Miroku pulled Sango closer to him. She burst out crying again and buried her head in his shirt. Soothingly, he wrapped his arms around Sango and rubbed her back to calm her down. "Sango, it's okay. Just calm down and tell me what's wrong." Sango sniffled to regain her composure and looked up at him. He wiped the stray tears down her cheeks. "This is a happy day for us Sango. Why are you crying?"

"I'm sorry Miroku," she answered. "Today's just a bittersweet memory for me."

"How come?" he asked, keeping up the back rub.

"I know I should be happy because today's the day we got engaged, but it's hard." She looked away from him and out towards the garden. "Today's also the same day my parents were killed."

"Oh… Sango…" He tightened his embrace over Sango, not really knowing how to comfort her. "Well, at least now you can remember this day with some happiness. I mean, you don't get engaged everyday."

She gave him a small smile. "Yeah, I guess that's true." Sango wrapped her arms around her fiancé. "Thank you Miroku."

He looked down at her and took one of his hands, placing it gently on her cheek. "You've never really talked about your parents with me."

"I know," she replied. "I've never really felt comfortable talking about it, but I guess that the time's right, seeing as we're engaged."

"I'm glad that you feel you can trust me," he said.

Sango leaned up, catching his lips in a tender kiss. Breaking off, she said, "You want to know something? My mother always wanted to see me get engaged. She always said that it can make even the most horrible day better. She was right…"

"Your mother sounds like a wise woman," he stated.

"She was," Sango mused. "You know, I think that both my parents would have like you."

Miroku smiled and said, "That's good to know." He heard a slow song come on. "You wanna go in and dance a bit more?" Sango nodded happily and he took her back inside.

The couple finally left the reception around 2:00 in the morning, when people were getting way too drunk. They took a cab back to the hotel and walked into the lobby hand-in-hand. Miroku noticed that Sango seemed to lag behind a little. He turned to her and asked, "Are you alright Sango? You're not moving very fast."

"Just hold on a minute," she answered. She lifted up one foot and took off her shoe, then did the same with the other foot. She stood on the ground for a moment in her bare feet and sighed in relief. "Oh, thank god. I've been dying to get out of those shoes all day. My feet were killing me!"

Suddenly Miroku had her propped up in his arms. "Well, if your feet are hurting you so badly, then I'll just have to carry you, won't I?" Sango happily nodded and he carried her all the way back up to their room. He finally let her down when they were in their bedroom.

Sango went to set her shoes down and to take off Miroku's coat, which she had been wearing. She walked up to Miroku when she finished and asked, "So what do we do now?" She placed her hands on his shoulders as she spoke.

He spotted her ring and pulled her body close, so that he could embrace her. "Well, I was thinking… how about we celebrate our engagement?"

She looked up at him. "Celebrate? How would we do that?" She immediately felt a squeeze on her butt and looked up at him. "Oh, so you want to do it that way?" He smirked at her, and she started to slowly unbutton his shirt as she spoke. "Well, in order for us to do that, you're going to have to help me."

"Help you?" he asked, eyeing her in confusion. "How?"

She finished with unbuttoning his shirt and answered, "You will have to help… Help me get out of this dress." Quickly, they pulled each other into a breath-taking kiss, and Miroku's hand traveled back to the zipper of Sango's dress, which he'd memorized form before. It may have been two in the morning, but the night was just beginning for the both of them.

End Chapter 7!!

A/N: ….I hate school…. TOO MUCH WORK!! I finally got the time to finish typing this up! I was so exhausted this week, and I still have my first theater production in a month! GASP!!

I hope I can generate a good review output with this content. Hope ya'll liked!! Next chapter will be the last, but I have a question for ya'll; would you guys like me to post the sequel right alongside this story, like have them as one story, or have this story separate from the sequel? It's up to you guys; I'll do what you guys want.

No clue when the next update will be. Ask all my teachers when I'll have the time!! Anyway, time for some shameless self-advertising: my other story This Wasn't In The Job Description is desperate for all of your support! Check it out please, and drop a line; it's just starting up!

Anyway, time for me to go to guitar practice! (Another reason I'm so damn busy!)

Luv and hugs ya'll!!

Kaoli water goddess!