AN: Sorry it took me so long to update this chapter. First I couldn't log into FanFiction, and then it wouldn't let me upload. And sorry this chapter is short. Also, I think Sanzo is a little OOC, but I'll let you guys decide. Hope you enjoy it. ~safarigirl

Night Rain

Chapter 8

Sanzo sat in the front, next to Hakkai. One leg was crossed over the other. His chin rested in the palm of his hand as he stared at the landscape whipping by. He was so lost in thought he could almost tune out the annoying chatter of Gojyo and Goku. Almost.

"Hey Ape, hand me another beer."

"Get it yourself. I'm not your slave."

"You're closer to the cooler, so just grab me one, jackass."

"I said no, you asshole."

Sanzo felt the throbbing in the vein above his right eye. He reached into his robe for his fan.

"Here, Gojyo," Amaya chipped in. "And you know, you really shouldn't talk to Goku like that."

"Yeah, cockro-"

"And you shouldn't say those things to Gojyo, Goku," Amaya interrupted.

"Sorry," both the half demon and demon mumbled at the same time.

"Well, that was interesting," whispered Hakkai. Sanzo grunted in reply, but when the passengers in the back seat remained quiet, he snuck a glance at the rear view mirror. Gojyo had a hand resting on his cheek as he stared out at the passing landscape. Goku's knees were pulled to his chest. His golden eyes were hidden by his bangs as he stared at his feet. Sanzo could only guess what his charge was thinking. Amaya sat between them, ice blue eyes closed, her face tilted up into the sunshine as it beat down on the car. Her arms were folded atop her head, the wrists resting in a patch of caramel colored hair. Her hands bent up, her fingers splayed, the wind blowing through them. Pink lips curled up in the faintest of smiles.

Sanzo scoffed and turned away. The girl was obviously losing the little sanity she had left after sitting in between the two nitwits in the back. He ran his fingers through blond hair as his other hand searched for a half smoked pack of Marlboros. He tapped a stick out and lit it. He glanced back at the girl.

"What are you doing?' he finally growled out.

"Nothing." "What's your problem?' Goku and Gojyo replied at the same time. Sanzo shook his head.

"Not you two, for once," he added quickly. "Her."

"Feeling the wind," Amaya replied without looking up. "While I still can."

"What does that mean, Amaya?" Hakkai asked before Sanzo could. The girl looked down then, her eyes locking with Sanzo's even as she answered Hakkai's question.

"You're going to drop me off at this next town, right? And really, it's for the best, so I don't kill you all."

"You won't do that," Goku exclaimed, his face paling. Gojyo and Hakkai exchanged pointed glances, both understanding but neither saying it aloud. Sanzo saw it all out of the corner of his eye, his focus never leaving the demon girl's ice blue eyes.

She would do it. Sanzo saw that clearly enough when the tip of her sai was digging into his chest. There was something off about the girl, something that turned her into a puppet. And he didn't know from whom she was taking instructions. It didn't matter. As they stared at each other, Sanzo could read it: she knew she was programmed to kill him and nothing short of her death would stop her.

The comment suddenly became clear. He didn't know if maybe his violet eyes gave him away, but she nodded slightly, just enough for him to see that his guess was right. He looked away.

"Che," he scoffed, hiding the pounding of his heart, the slight shaking of his hands. This girl, who he barely knew, would do that rather than kill him, a complete stranger to her. Sanzo couldn't decide right away if that was noble or pathetic. One the one hand, he got to live another day. On the other hand, she wasn't going to fight it. Was just going to give it. Pathetic.

"Want a cigarette?"

"Yeah."

Their fingers brushed as she took the offered stick from him.

"Hey, asshole, you never offer me cigarettes," Gojyo yelled from next to Amaya. Sanzo ignored him for once, lighting the girl's smoke and watching as she inhaled.

"You hear me, you prick monk. I want one, too."

Sanzo turned in his seat, facing forward once more. "Then buy your own damn pack," he shot back at Gojyo. It was half-hearted and both knew it. The car settled back into an uneasy silence. The town was only another half hour away.