Kagome Higurashi still couldn't believe the news Kaede had greeted them with when she and InuYasha had returned through the well. Miroku had returned, and he and Sango had been summoned to a distant castle.

It was enough to send her mind reeling.

She shivered and wrapped her arms tightly around her slim frame to ward off the chill. Goshinboku towered above her and she watched the leaves of the god tree rustle in the gathering breeze.

She could only imagine what Sango had to be feeling. When Miroku had left her friend had been angry and heartbroken. It seemed nothing any of them could do would bring her any sort of comfort and then the war had started.

Kagome shivered again and this time it had nothing to do with the wind. The war had changed so many things. In Sango's case she had watched her friend go from impressive solitary warrior to impressive leader. The taijiya had been the one the humans in Sesshomaru's lands had trusted the most and they had made her their general. She had been reluctant to take such a role but she had taken to it like a duck to water.

She had matched her skills with those of Sesshomaru and InuYasha, planning and rejecting strategies like a seasoned solider. Witnessing her transformation had been equal parts awe inspiring and sobering, but despite all they had accomplished together the sadness that was so much a part of Sango's character, still lurked deep in her eyes.

There had been days in the last two years, or if she was being really truthfully since they had met, when it was all Kagome could do not to pull the older girl into a hug and try to comfort her. She resisted the urge, most of the time; because Sango was a very private person and would probably be uncomfortable with the fact that Kagome could read her so very well.

It helped that she was so attuned to her friend. Kagome was able to pick up on many of the subtle emotional clues that Sango probably wasn't even aware she had and that, combined with Kagome's naturally empathetic nature, put the younger girl in the unique position of understanding the slayer better than most would. The only person who knew Sango better was the one currently traveling gods knew where with her and he was probably the very last person she wanted to have such intimate knowledge.

Kagome had mixed feelings when it came to Miroku. She had missed him like she would and annoying older sibling who had the bad habit of occasionally groping her at odd moments. She paused, frowned, and swiftly banished that disturbing thought from her mind before she could analyze it too closely.

She had ached for the pain his departure had caused Sango, but at the same time she had defended him when her friend's rage got the better of her and she started spouting ridiculous nonsense about the monk following his, err libido, to greener pastures. The monk had been many things, an incurable lecher and con man among them, but he was not disloyal.

He could be kind when need be, much more courageous than he was given credit for, and he possessed a very keen mind. In short Miroku was noble. He would not have endeared himself to them he had had not been.

Kagome also knew one very important thing without a shadow of doubt. Miroku loved Sango, completely and irrevocably.

For him to leave her behind could only mean that something had gone drastically wrong. She just wished he had stayed and faced whatever it was with them instead of striking out on his own.

Kagome sank down to lean against the base of Goshinboku and looked up. She wasn't surprised to find a pair of liquid golden eyes staring back at her. InuYasha often sat in the branches of the great tree. It was the place where he always sought sanctuary when his mind was troubled.

Patiently, she waited for him to acknowledge her presence and she wasn't at all surprised when she heard his soft "keh," as he dropped down to kneel in front of her.

"I though I told you to stop wandering around here by yourself, stupid."

Kagome sighed and refused to rise to his baiting tone. She wasn't in the mood to fight with him. Instead she reached out her hand and laced slim fingers with his clawed ones. He flushed deep red but allowed her to pull him down next to her. She sighed again and rested her head on his shoulder.

His red hitoe was soft under her cheek and she nuzzled the fabric. InuYasha was still flushed but he didn't shift away from her soft curves or release her hand. They sat together like that for a few moments absorbing the silence. Kagome unconsciously caressed the rough skin of his hand lightly with her thumb, causing warmth to spread through the hanyou's entire body.

"Kagome?" He questioned his voice almost a growl. She snuggled closer and his free arm curved around her small waist, his palm coming to rest on her hip.

"You know, we never talked about it but I know that Miroku leaving hit you pretty hard," she mumbled.

"Keh," he scoffed and turned his face away from her. He didn't register the fact that he had tightened his grip on her, but Kagome did. She reached up with her free hand, grasped his chin lightly, and coaxed his golden eyes back to her face.

"InuYasha, talk to me. Miroku was your best friend. It had to hurt when he left."

He would have turned away again but she had not moved her hand. Her palm slide up his cheek and her thumb started caressing him with small undulating circles. The combined feeling of her soft skin gently rubbing both his face and hand undid him and he lost the will to pull away from her.

"I don't get all mushy like you weak humans. Besides it's not like Miroku isn't a grown fucking man. He can do what he likes." And did, his mind added.

Kagome frowned, feeling disappointed. She dropped her arm and pulled away from him. He almost whimpered at the lost contact but managed to swallow the sound.

Kagome gracefully rose to her feet and stood over him. She flashed him a false smile.

"I'm going back to the village to help Kaede dry those herbs we found this morning."

He shrugged, pretending an indifference he didn't feel.

"Whatever, just be careful. The old bat told me there have been a lot of demons around here lately."

Kagome shook her head, frustrated. "Stubborn," she muttered and turned to walk away from him. If she hadn't been so attuned to him she wouldn't have heard his next word.

"Wait." She stopped and twisted to face him. He shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.

"Maybe I was sorta pissed at him but I figured the old lecher wouldn't of left if it wasn't important."

He didn't add that he figured he'd just hit him a few times for being an idiot and trying to handle everything on his own when he saw him again. So what if it hurt to have the only male he had ever trusted enough to call friend, leave without a backwards glace? So what if Miroku filled the role of older brother/dubious father figure in his life? He was a guy and he wasn't going to admit to anyone how much his friend's absence hurt…ever.

Kagome graced him with a small, knowing smile and he had the sneaky suspicion she knew what was going through his head. He scowled and opened his mouth to say something defensive that would more than likely get him "sat" but before he could his sensitive ears picked up a sound in the distance.

A low growl rumbled in throat and he grabbed Kagome and placed her behind him so her back was to Goshinboku. He drew Tetsusaiga with his other hand and scented the air.

He relaxed when he caught the familiar scent of Kirara.

The nekomata flew over the trees and landed in front of them, she appeared upset and whined piteously. InuYasha's eyes narrowed and Kagome let out a startled yelp when they caught sight of the small girl lying on her back. She appeared to be unconscious.

"Chie!" Kagome exclaimed and pushed around InuYasha to run to the child. Kirara whined again and nudged the girl with her nose just as Kagome swept her into her arms. The little girl's dark eyes fluttered open.

"Kagome, Yasha…the village…demons attacked the village…they got…poppa…please…you must…"

She lost consciousness.

"Chie!" Kagome cried, "Chie!" The little girl did not respond.

"InuYasha look she's hurt!" Kagome's hand pressed against the girl's side and it came away sticky with blood. "We need to get her to the village."

InuYasha nodded once and held out his hands.

"I'll carry her. Kirara take Kagome." The nekomata answered by offering her back to the young miko. Kagome wasted no time in climbing aboard.

"I'll meet you in the village," InuYasha said, and took to the trees. Kirara's paws flared and a moment later they were airborne.

She only hoped they weren't too late.

Later that night Sango and Miroku had found a small cave on the other side of the forest. They kitsune they had freed had long since returned to his home and the oppressive aura that had consumed him had disappeared from the forest.

Sango watched the firelight dance over Miroku's face as he stared into the flames, lost in thought. She found that she wished she knew what he was thinking, but she was almost afraid to ask.

She had felt uneasy since they'd returned the kit to his cave. He'd told them that he had no memory of the presence that had taken him over and he had no memory of the vast period of time that he'd been overshadowed. His last discernable memory had been making dinner in his cliff side cave.

Sango could feel the energy crackling around the kit as they had walked through his forest, and the fact that there was something out there with the power to turn such a powerful demon into a puppet caused shivers to traverse her spine.

She sighed softly and her attention wandered to Miroku. She regarded him in the silence. It had been so natural to fall back into the easy pattern of fighting side by side with him. They had always moved well together, like they were attuned to each other thoughts.

She felt her heart clench. She needed to stop doing this. She needed to stop remembering how it had been between them or else she was going to drive herself crazy.

Sango was startled out of her musings when he suddenly spoke.

"I never told you the reason why I honored the summons of the coin and returned."

She gave him a puzzled look, wondering what this had to do with their current situation and indicated he had not with a shake of her head.

"It was because my family was bound in service to Lord Toyotomi. My grandfather, Miyatsu, had been traveling through his lands and was asked to perform an exorcism for him. This was not long after he received our curse from Naraku and he'd not yet mastered the wind tunnel. He agreed to perform the exorcism for the shogun and something went wrong. He accidental pulled Lord Toyotomi's nephew into the void."

Sango gasped. "Gods Miroku."

He nodded sadly and stirred the fire. "The mistake was a horrible one and his journals reflect the heavy sense of shame he felt. He had been more than willing to accept the forfeit of his life had the shogun demanded it, even knowing that such a thing would mean that he would never be able to take his revenge on Naraku. But he was given an alternative. Lord Toyotomi was willing to accept three services to be rendered by my grandfather and his descendants."

"So that's why you think that man the farmer spoke of may have been your father."

He nodded.

"The rest of the information contained in his journals is sketchy at best. He writes of receiving the coin and some of the incidents that occurred on his journey south but he did not record what was asked of him. My father also received the summons, but I was very young at the time and my memory of those events is vague."

He grew silent and a haunted look danced in his indigo orbs. Sango bit her lip and prompted him when it seemed he wasn't going to continue.

"What do you remember, Miroku?" He lifted his tortured gaze to hers.

"I remember the look on his face when he returned. I remember that my father refused to speak of whatever he'd done. I could tell though…it haunted him. You see now why I had to return. I need to find out what happened, why my father and my grandfather both came away from Toyotomi's lands missing a piece of their souls."

Sango looked away and gazed into the fire. Now she knew why he'd returned. Part of her had foolishly hoped…but that wasn't important.

"We'll find your answers, houshi."

We'll find them, or die trying, she thought.