Because I just wouldn't be me if I didn't have to go back and do it over, here is the corrected version! In case anyone didn't notice, I changed two whole periods to question marks! And thanks to my reviewer who pointed out one of my word problems! I hate leaving mistakes on my page.

With this chapter, this story is for all intents and purposes, done. I wanted to do a chapter for each couple, so the next one should by rights have Inuyasha and Kikyo in it. But I can't seem to think of how it should go, so it may never see the light of day. Or it might, I don't know.

Disclaimer: I didn't own Inuyasha during the last chapter, and I still don't own him for this one. Or all related characters. And I'm still not profiting from the story.

"What's not right about it, Kagome?" Miroku asked. "You're not still worried about what Inuyasha will think, are you?" He clenched his fists as he said the last part.

"It's not him," she said, wiping away tears. "It's Sango. She's my best friend, and she'd be so hurt if she saw what we just did. I know she's engaged to another man now but I don't think she loves him. If she still likes you, well, she might not ever forgive me."

Miroku looked thoughtful. "That is troubling. The last thing I would want to do is hurt anyone."

"Ssh," said Kagome. "I hear someone!"

Miroku strained to hear what Kagome heard. There were in fact voices outside. Two voices, male and female. Because fate chooses to work in ways nobody can hope to understand, Sango and her new fiancé had chosen that very moment to arrive back.

"You're kidding me," they heard Sango exclaim. "Your first kill was a fish demon? My first kill was a fish demon. I can't believe how much we have in common!" Sango giggled. Giggled? Kagome had heard girls in her school giggle like that, but not Sango.

"I have to admit," came a man's voice. "When my family told me a wife had been arranged for me, I wasn't happy at all, but now that I've met you I wouldn't have it any other way."

"I didn't even know there was another village of Demon Slayers," Sango bubbled excitedly. "I can't believe I get to be part of a village again. I get to belong somewhere again. I get to have a family life again. I am going to work very hard to make your parents happy that they chose me."

The shadows of their two heads passed by the window, adding a visual to the conversation upon which Miroku and Kagome were eavesdropping. Sango's fiancé (Kagome had forgotten to ask his name) put his hands over Sango's shoulders and drew her closer for a kiss. Illuminated by the moonlight, Sango tilted her head upwards ever so slightly until her lips met his. Kagome and Miroku held their breath as they watched, transfixed, as the two figures embraced in a lingering kiss.

Miroku closed his eyes, and lowered his head. Kagome could tell he was pained by seeing this, no matter what platitudes he may spout about "letting things happen as they may". She searched for his hand under the blankets and, finding it, gripped it tightly.

Outside, Sango stroked her fiancé's cheek. "Until tomorrow," she whispered.

Her footsteps approached the room. Miroku and Kagome only realised this until it was too late, having been so absorbed in the scene unfolding outside. They froze.

"Oh no, no, no!" whispered Kagome. "This is terrible!"

Sango entered the room, with a smile still on her face. This quickly melted into an expression of horror when her eyes happened upon the place where Miroku sat.

Sango gasped. "Miroku!" she spluttered.

"Oh, Sango," pleaded Kagome.

"Were you like this the whole time?" said Sango. Miroku nodded, his eyes wide in an expression of terror.

Sango sank to her knees. "I am so, so sorry!" she said, wringing her hands. "Please forgive me?"

"Huh?" was all Miroku could muster.

"I came back so late because I thought you'd be asleep. I didn't want you to have to see any of that. I never should have let him walk me back here!"

"Sango," interrupted Miroku sharply. "Are you happy?"

"Yes," she sighed. "I really think I've found my other half."

"If you're happy, I'm happy."

"Oh, thank goodness," Sango exhaled. "Oh, hi Kagome," she added, noticing Kagome's head poking out from under the blanket. She smirked. "So what are you two doing under there? Are you guys…"

"No! Yes! Sort of."

"Makes sense. You're single, he's single. Just promise me you won't let him get away with anything okay, Kagome? Miroku, I'll snap your neck if you hurt her."

"Hold on," said Kagome. "You're not even a little mad?"

Sango shrugged. "Why? I mean sure, I found Miroku really attractive." Miroku coughed and looked at the floor in embarrassment. "But that doesn't mean I had any claim on him! We weren't even a couple. So how can I be mad?"

"You would tell me though, Sango, if you had a problem with it? You know I value your friendship too much to destroy it over a man."

"Of course I'd tell you. " Sango yawned. "I'm really tired now, guys. I had a really long day. I had to meet every single member of my new village." She gave a little squeal at the end. "I'll talk to you in the morning."

When Sango had gone, Kagome exhaled a sigh of relief. This was followed by a muffled yelp as she felt Miroku's gloved hand brush against her thigh.

"So sorry," he said. "Believe it or not, I was actually looking for your hand."

Kagome flinched. She didn't want to hold that hand. She didn't want to say it to him, but she was a little afraid of it. Not afraid of being sucked up…but how it might feel. She was afraid that it might feel like, well, a hand with a big hole in the middle. And that idea, she found rather creepy.

"Um, Miroku," she began but it was too late. He had found her hand, and immediately placed his own over it. To Kagome's surprise, it felt normal. She couldn't feel a hole in it at all. She interlaced her fingers with his and squeezed.

"What is it, Kagome?" queried Miroku.

"Oh nothing. I was going to say…that the beads on your arm are cold. But they moved now. I don't feel them anymore."

Kagome sighed. A silence fell upon the two, it seemed to last an eternity. Neither of them wanted to be the one to break it, but each for different reasons. Finally Miroku could stand it no longer.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I was just wondering something."

"Er, care to illuminate me as to what?"

Kagome looked at the ground. "Is it because I'm the only available girl here?" she asked quietly. "This sudden interest in me, I mean. If there was a prettier girl here, would we even be having this conversation? You never showed any interest whatsoever in me before."

"What are you saying, Kagome? Don't you remember the very first time we met?"

"When you stole my bicycle and my Jewel and tried to kill Inuyasha?"

"Er, yes, that time. Anyway, all that aside, don't you remember what I said to you?"

"How you wanted me to bear your children?"

"Besides that! Goodness, don't you have any good memories of me? How I thought you were one of the prettiest girls I had seen in a long time. Of course when I said that, Inuyasha made that face at me. You know, the one where his eyes get all big and you can see all his teeth? Well, that sure scared me off saying anything like that ever again. He was really possessive of you. And since I rather like being alive, I decided not to mess with that whole situation. It was difficult, believe me. You are a very pretty girl."

Kagome blushed.

"Anyway," continued Miroku. "That's in the past. But I know one thing. I won't make the same mistake Inuyasha did."

"What mistake?"

"Letting you go. Putting any other girl in the world before you." He buried his face in her hair. "As long as I live Kagome, I will never hurt you that way. I will never do anything to take away that beautiful smile of yours. And I will never allow anything or anyone else to take it away, either."