Miroku was distracted from the chaos around him by sudden searing pain shooting through his arm. It was radiating from his palm and he knew at once, that this was it. He was going to die. He fell to his knees as the agony grew more intense. Sango noticed as the monk fell to the ground and rushed to his side.
"No! Stay away!" He begged through his anguish. She halted only momentarily before continuing determinedly. She reached him quickly and knelt beside him pulling him toward her, fearing he would be torn from her embrace by his cursed wind.
"Sango, you have to get away! It's too late! It will take you too! You have to leave!" He pleaded with her. He couldn't bear the thought of the beautiful slayer's destruction at his own damned hand but he didn't have the strength to push her away even to save her life.
"I'm not going anywhere, Houshi!" She was choking back tears as the strong breeze tugged at her, lifting her ponytail and pulling at her clothes. "I already lost my brother, I won't lose you too!" She held him closer as the pain contorted his face into a grimace, the storm raging around them.
The piercing shriek of the defeated Naraku filled the air and the secret lovers turned to face each other. Miroku was still leaning on Sango heavily. As suddenly as it had struck, the pain receded and the purple-eyed priest almost knocked his companion over in shock as his strength returned and the violent winds receded. He pulled his gaze from hers hesitantly as he worriedly looked to his palm. His smooth, unblemished, void-free palm.
When Miroku turned away from her, Sango couldn't bring herself to follow his attention. She instead, retreated into her mind as the thought of losing the only man she had ever loved shattered the remnants of her sanity. Her eyes, unseeing as they were, focused past the back of the monk's head to where Inuyasha stood.
A warmth surrounded the two as they remained each in the world of their minds and they did not hear the whispers as the spell took effect.
"Mama! Hello! Mama!" She shook off her stupor and focused on the children in front of her. One was a dark haired girl in a yellow sundress, the other, a cute auburn haired boy with startling blue-green eyes and freckles. His button nose was scrunched up from yelling as he was trying to get her attention.
"Wha...what? Oh, sorry Ship! I don't know what came over me. It's like I was in another world for a minute there. Are you and Rin ready for school?"
"We're ready, mama." Replied the girl in question, shrugging her backpack onto her shoulders and grabbing her lunch box off of the table.
"Perfect! Now, remember, you're going to be staying in after school workshop with your new teacher because I will be working until dinner time. I'll come to pick you up no later than six. Be excellent and don't give her any trouble, okay?"
"We promise, Mama. We'll be very good for Ms. Kage."
The ride to school was a short one. Sango kissed her kids goodbye and made her way to work. It was an upscale spa and fitness resort where she was an instructor for yoga and kickboxing classes. Ever since the loss of her brother in a tragic car accident, she had been working with a therapist to recover from his death and found that exercise worked very well to keep her from spiraling into depression. Along with caring for her two adopted children her life couldn't be better. Still, she had the strangest feeling that something was missing. She just wished she could remember what it was.
Another day at the spa doing what he enjoyed most in life. Who else could say they got to spend their days getting paid to touch beautiful women? Okay, so they weren't all beautiful. Actually, they weren't all women either. There were a fair few men that came to his little corner of paradise, seeking his services, but he did his best not to dwell on those particular customers. All in all, Miroku felt he had a fine life as he made a living in massage therapy. He was especially thrilled with the addition of the new yoga instructor. He hadn't actually met her face to face yet, but he had spent quite a bit of his free time watching from a distance as she taught her classes. One of these days he was going to have to catch her after class and encourage her to take advantage of his magical hands. Though something told him there was something special about this woman, as beautiful as she was. She didn't seem to be as shallow as many of the women he encountered in his business. With that thought in mind, and the thought that she was more than welcome to use him for much more than his hands, he gathered up his things and prepared to make his way back home.