a/n: HI YALL! Sorry for not updating for a while. School's been crazy and I haven't been able to get the time to write a new chapter until tonight. Also, I got a review awhile back about the OC-ness of some of the characters in my story. It has been brought to my attention that when I said that some of the characters would be OC in my A/N's that it sounded like I was blaming it solely on the pairing. I apologise for it sounding like that and I want you all to know that I take full responsibility for making my character's OC in my stories. NEWAYZ, I plan to update much more often this weekend cuz I don't have much going on except work on Sunday. But ON TO THE STORY!!!

"SPEACH"

'THOUGHTS'

"WHISPER"(iS ONLY AT THE END OF THE CHAPPIE AND IS THE ONLY THING BOLDED)

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Inuyasha, blah,blah, and some more blah... :(

Chapter 7- The Blank Slate

"Ok Sango. We need you to tell us the very first thing that you can remember," Kagome said as she, Inuyasha, and Kaede all formed a semi-circle around Sango who sat next to Sesshomaru with Kohaku in her arms a respective distance from the other three.

"Well Lady Kagome, the first thing that I can remember is my life with Sesshomaru. I don't really remember anything before that. But sometimes when I pass by an object that seems familiar I get an odd sense that I've been there before, my head hurts a little bit, and I can see blurry images but when I try to look closer it really hurts so I stop trying." Sango said to Kagome, not missing the hurt look that the girl tried to cover when Sango had called her 'Lady Kagome' not just plain old 'Kagome' or 'Kagome-chan' like she would have if they were close friends.

But what was she to do? She did not know this woman and she was a priestess, a woman to be respected and addressed as such. However, seeing such a hurt look from the woman made her realize that she MUST know her from somewhere so she drudged through her memories and tried to find the barest hint of the black haired priestess. After a few minutes she finally caught a blurry glimpse of "Lady Kagome" at her and Sesshomaru's wedding. It was quite blurry but the brilliant smile and long dark hair that was oddly styled set her apart from the rest of the women.

Intrigued, Sango focused intently on the woman and the image began to clear into the smiling face that she had seen when the young priestess had first entered the tent when she had awoken the first time, before she found out that Sango had no recollection of her at all. With that clarity, however, came pain. Intense and stabbing pain shot across her mind like bludgeon to the head. The hand that wasn't currently holding the baby shot up and grasped tightly to her forehead and wadded itself in her bangs as a load cry of pain rang out. The stabbing pain reminded her of the burning and she was afraid that it was beginning to happen again until her mind drifted away from the image and the pain dulled.

She could feel Sesshomaru shift towards her quickly and cradle her in his arms while putting one large, clawed hand on her forehead and gently removing her fist from her bangs. She looked up at him, feeling his eyes penetrate to the depths of her soul, and knew that he could see the intense pain in her eyes caused by simply clarifying one piece of one memory. This was not good news for either of them.

"What happened child? Did ye remember anything?" Kaede asked from her position beside Kagome.

Sango nodded before replying; "I saw Lady Kagome at my wedding. She was smiling and wearing an odd looking kimono."

The pain had not entirely gone away but the memory she had cleansed was now clear to her and she could see that Kagome, dressed in an oddly short kimono with a green and white shirt, stood by Inuyasha who had a young fox demon with shining golden hair and dazzling emerald eyes standing at about shoulder height beside him. 'Shippo' a dim voice echoed through her memories and she knew somehow that it was the young fox's name. 'He grew so much,' her thoughts called.

A slight twinge of pain accompanied the newly gained knowledge but it was not enough for Sango to allow the others to see it. They must all think that she was weak enough already.

"Aye, I see. I believe I know what has happened to ye child," Kaede said knowingly.

"What has happened to my mate old woman?" Sesshomaru asked bluntly.

Sango sweat dropped beside him and shook her head. Leave it to her mate to get directly to the point.

'At least he could have been nicer about it,' thought Sango amusedly.

However, before Sango could apologize for her mate's rude behavior Kaede immediately began to explain her theory; being a skilled priestess of her age gave her quite an advantage in the field of medical knowledge and Sango respected her wisdom and listened intently.

"I have seen this only once before. The young woman afflicted was the mistress to a prominent fox demon and when his mate found out about the affair she immediately set out to kill her mate's mistress and get revenge for his betrayal. However, she decided that an even crueler punishment than death would be to burn away the memories of her mate's relationship with the woman with poison. So she went to a witch and bought a powder that she could mix with her own poison and coat on a dagger so that whenever she inflicted even a minor wound upon the woman that the poison would sink into her blood stream and make its way into her mind. From there it would painfully burn all of the woman's memories of anyone she ever knew if not countered with another type of poison."

"So there's no way to reverse this Lady Kaede?" Sango asked with anxiety in her voice; what pieces of herself was she missing now that she was no longer whole?

"Nay child, that is not what I have said. Let me finish. When the fox demon found out what his mate had done he immediately demanded that she restore the woman's memories. She refused but he would not take no for an answer and forced her to tell him the cure. I dare not say by what means he forced her but ye should know that it was painful. Soon she told him that there were only two ways to restore the burned memories. One, to be exposed to a place that holds important memories and one by one painfully force yourself to remember causing excruciating pain. Or two, mix the poison from the demon that administered it with a powder that can only be acquired through dealings with witches or dark priestesses. Those are the only ways. The fox demon easily acquired his now former mate's poison and kept it in a small vile but try as he may he could never find a witch who would give him the antidote. And as such, his mistress whom he later mated never fully remembered their experiences before the poisoning."

Afraid of the possibilities of what this may mean for her Sango turned to Sesshomaru with tears beginning to form in her eyes. What if they never found a witch who would give them the antidote? What if she never remembered her past? Who she was? The tears started to fall and she turned her eyes down from Sesshomaru's, ashamed of what he might see if she continued looking at him. She felt him tighten his grip on her protectively and cuddled further into his chest, turning her face so that his strong chest would conceal her tears.

"We WILL find the cure Sango. I promise you that. And I will not stop until I have slaughtered the bastard who has brought you such pain," Sesshomaru said simply, his voice a mix between angry growl and a consoling lull.

The promise and threat in his voice calmed her as she realized that he would stop at nothing to return her to her former self and that very few people ever apposed her mate and lived; Inuyasha and herself, before they became mates, being the only two. Smiling, she looked back up to her mate who was staring back at her intently. The conviction and anger in his eyes only further proved his promise to be true.

Her tears dried and she once again pushed herself closer to his chest for comfort. This was going to be a long road and she wanted to bask in the comfort of his embrace before he left to carry out his promise. She didn't know when that was going to be but she had a feeling that he wouldn't let her stay in suffering this way for very long.

Their time together was cut short, however, as little Kohaku decided to make his hunger known in the form of a tiny cry. Sango looked down and realized that she hadn't fed him in a few hours and it was about that time again.

Laughing, she stood with Sesshomaru's help and began to head into the other room. As she passed Kagome, however, she whispered something so quietly that even Sesshomaru and Inuyasha had to strain themselves to hear.

"Thank you, Kagome-chan. Thank you for not giving up on me."

Kagome let out a small gasp. Sango had called her "Kagome-chan." Did that mean she remembered her even a little? Tears welled in her eyes as she whipped around to see Sango turn just before entering the other room to give her a slightly sad smile that quickly vanished as the flap separating the two rooms whipped shut.

a/n: Wohoo! Very explanitory chappie!!! I hope it made sense to everybody because I had Kaede say a whole bunch of info all at once. :D If it doesn't just let me know in your reviews and I'll try to clarify next chappie.

NEW!!! PREVIEW TO NEXT CHAPPIE!!!

Chapter 8- The Betrayer and the Betrayed

"Sango?"

"Yes, I am Sango. Who are you monk?"

"It's me. Miroku. Don't you remember me?"

heheheheh! Tell me if you like the chappie preview and I may keep doing it! READ AND REVIEW!!!