The next day though still down Miroku could tell that she was somewhat relieved to at least have something to do. So together they walked and looked at some of the mundane objects that had been sucked into his void. It was two days latter though that their searching had real results. No they didn't find a way out; they stumbled across another ordinary item, a bottle of the shampoo that Kagome had brought from the future. What happened next caused his heart to soar to levels that he never even knew existed. She laughed a real genuine laugh that lit up her face and brought joy to the void. It was to him nothing short of miraculous. "I always wondered what happened to this," she mused. "Too bad you didn't also suck up a hot spring."
After her laughter Kagome seemed to come back to life. They spent their next few weeks in the same way. Miroku, cherishing every smile that she gave him. Relishing every laugh that played like music in his ears. It happened one night after they had settled in; it had become custom for them to sleep next to each other afraid to be too far from one another. Kagome was facing him and chatting away about a trip to the beach she had once taken the memory evoked by a shell they had found that day. It started when a piece of her hair fell across her face and Miroku reached out to innocently move it away. But as he touched her it was as though electricity ran through his body. In that moment he had a realization. He loved the beautiful girl before him. He knew that it was not just him trying to compensate for their being eternally alone. No he had loved her from the moment that he had first lain eyes on her. He had never been free to act on his feelings though, because from day one it was clear that she belonged to Inuyasha. Being unable to express his love he had suppressed it and with regret he knew that the feelings he had projected onto Sango had never belonged to her. Unable to help himself he did something that beyond the void he would have never had the freedom to do. He leaned down and kissed her with a passion greater than he had ever before experienced. And, he had never been happier than when she returned it in like.
Before they knew it they were entwined in each other. Touching and caressing ever inch of each other's body. With shaking hands he reached to remove her top, and she in turn began to unloose his robes. When her body was finally bare before him it was glorious. Never had he imagined that a mortal could possess such perfection. He reached out a trembling hand and caressed one of her breasts. His touch sent shockwaves through her body causing Kagome to arch her back driving him even crazier. She let out the most delectable moan he had ever heard as he teased one of her nipples with his tongue. And before he had ever even entered her they had explored and became intimate with every inch of each others body. Kagome looked into his eyes and where she had once expected to see amber she was met with nothing but a glorious violet. As Miroku felt his end nearing he leaned and whispered in her ear, "I love you."
Kagome replied without hesitation "I love you to."
As they held each other basking in the after glow of lovemaking something happened that caused Miroku immediate alarm. Kagome's body that had been so relaxed from their excursion suddenly grew ridged, and when he tried to call to her she did not respond. For several hours as Miroku set vigil Kagome remained unchanged. All at once that changed when she took a deep breath and looked deep into his eyes and said "we have a problem."
Kagome had not just blanked out she had been summoned. And in her absence from Miroku much had been revealed to her. It seemed that when she and Miroku had climaxed together a massive wave of spiritual energy had been released, and something in the wind tunnel had been awakened. It was Midoriko who appeared to her to inform her of the choice that she now faced. The tunnel with their holy power had been forever changed. Never more would it suck anyone within, and it now had the power to send them back. But, it had only power enough for one transport. They would both have to go to either Miroku's time or her's. The well had been so badly damaged in the final battle with Naraku that wherever they went they would not have the power to go back to either time. Midoriko granted her a small respite by giving her one week until the choice had to be made. When she was conscious she tearfully told Miroku of her choice, and he held her and told her it would all be ok in the end. He suggested that they not even think about it right then. And for six glorious days they didn't. They spent all of their time either making love or talking and cementing each other into each other's heart forever.
On the seventh day though Kagome knew that a choice must be made. So after making love to Miroku with an urgency she had never felt before she finally spoke to him of it. He was adamant that they should go to her time. He reasoned that her life was there. He had been smart enough to know all along that she would not remain in the past. Kagome secretly feared that he only wanted to go to the future so that he would not have to face Sango. But that wasn't fair. She had no doubt that her monk loved her. That was what made this so hard. "Either way," she began "it is now time for us to return to them."
"Why is it that I don't like the way you phrased that," Miroku asked? "You make it sound as if when we return we will be finished."
"Because we have to be," Kagome cried.
"No," he immediately shot back "we do not have to be."
"Yes," she replied "we do. It is not our right to hurt them like this. They are both so broken, and we can not hurt them."
"So," he retorted "instead we throw ourselves on the alter. Instead we are supposed to hurt ourselves. I love you Kagome."
"Then let me go," she requested with tears running down her face.
"Then what!" he exclaimed. "Are we then supposed to go through the motions of loving them when it is not really what we feel? I care about you."
"If you care about me," she whispered "then don't tell me. Don't ever tell me again. We can do this. We have to. After all we are both holy people others are always to come before us." Then hating the crushed look on his face she gave him one more kiss before granting him one of his wishes.