Chapter 2

It took less than an hour for Kirara to make it back to the village. Kagome quickly found Kaede and explained the situation to her. Inuyasha was brought into the medical tent where all his wounds were stitched up and bandaged without delay. The only thing was that they didn't know what to do about the blood loss. Kagome knew that in her time they would've just given him a transfusion. But this was the feudal era and Kagome knew they didn't have that type of technology, and there was no way she could bring it here. It would take to long Inuyasha would be dead by the time she got back, and she certainly couldn't bring him to one of her modern hospitals how would she explain it? While she was busy trying to find her way out of all these problems another one presented herself.

Even if she could somehow manage to find a way to perform a transfusion on Inuyasha there was another big problem. Inuyasha was half demon-half human. That meant that his blood system most likely worked differently than normal humans. I mean did demons even have blood types? It then occurred to her that it would be a moot point trying to perform a transfusion on Inuyasha because it wouldn't work since his body functioned differently than normal humans.

While she was standing there lost in thought her mind whirling through the

many reasons why she couldn't save Inuyasha, Kaede came up to her and shook her out of her reverie.

"Don't just stand there child!"

"Huh, what?" Kagome stammered.

"Ye want to save Inuyasha don't ye?"

Kagome nodded. "

"Well then stop standing there like a bump on a log and fetch some gangrous root. It will help the swelling and prevent infection."

Kagome nodded vacantly.

"What are ye standing there for child? Go! Go! Inuyasha's life is at stake."

With that Kagome rushed out of the tent in search of the plant that could save Inuyasha's life.

While all this was going on at the village, Miroku and Sango had made their way down to the bottom of the mountain and were now walking on the normal road. It was a beautiful day and the pair walked side by side at a leisurely pace neither of them saying a word just enjoying each other's company. It was as if they had completely forgotten all about the drama that had taken place only a few hours ago.

"Sango?"

"Yes Miroku?"

"Nevermind."

A few moments later,

"Sango?" "

Yes Miroku?"

"I've been thinking about us, I mean about our situation, and um I was wondering if maybe we could um discuss it."

"What situation would that be Miroku?"

"You know our situation."

"No I don't know."

"Well we haven't exactly defined what we are."

"What do you mean?"

"Well I mean are we friends or more or what?"

"Well I don't exactly know. I guess we're friends. Why, what would you like us to be?"

"Well, like I said I've been thinking about it and I was hoping maybe we could discuss a change in our status."

"Ok" Sango said tentatively a little nervous. "A change to what?"

"I'd like us to be more than friends. Cause I'm sick of all these innuendos and flirtations. I'm sick of us dancing around the subject all the time. I want to clear the air right here and now. I want to be with you Sango. I love you. I always have I just never knew how to show it appropriately.

Sango had started to walk slower and slower with each word out of Miroku's mouth but now she stopped dead in her tracks.

"Um… um…I…um."

She was speechless; her head was whirling trying to process what had just been said.

"Let me show you what I mean."

He turned to face Sango, took her in his arms and kissed her, an intense passionate kiss that seemed like it would last forever. When Miroku released her from the kiss, Sango was blushing. "That was…nice." She stammered.

"Yes it was." "Is that all it was to you Sango, nice?"

"Well…no, but I don't know Miroku." "Something like this requires a lot of thought and consideration."

Now inwardly Sango was beaming just as much as Miroku was. She had been waiting for what seemed like forever for him to make a move. She loved him and wanted to be with him so much it hurt. The only thing that was holding her back was her fear of getting hurt. Miroku sounded convincing and when she looked into his eyes she couldn't see even the slightest hint of lecherousness in them. But she still wasn't convinced she wasn't sure that Miroku could reform his playboy ways completely, despite what he said. The truth was she wasn't sure if he could ever be completely monogamous and she didn't want to get hurt. So she hesitated. Just then another thought began to plague her. If she said no now would she ever have another chance to say yes? What if she didn't? She certainly didn't want that to happen. She just wanted some time, time to think about it to weigh the pros and cons of them being together but how could she do that without crushing Miroku?

"Miroku can I tell you the truth?'

"Yes please."

" I want to be with you too."

Miroku was overjoyed.

"I'm actually overjoyed because I feel the exact same way you do and I've been waiting for what seems like forever for you to make a move."

Miroku was… there were no words to describe how he was feeling. This is exactly how he had dreamed it would be.

"However, I'm worried."

"Worried, about what?" He asked pensively.

What the hell could she possibly be worried about? He had just laid his heart out on the ground for her to see.

"Who you are, I'm worried that you're not going to be able to change." I'm not saying that I don't believe you when you said just now that you loved me, and I don't doubt that you are serious about your intentions."

"But?" he asked.

"I just don't think you'll be able to change, and I really don't think I could enter into a relationship where I stand such a high chance of getting hurt."

"I see." Miroku said.

He was heartbroken. His dream had just been smashed to pieces. To confess his feelings to the woman he loved and then have her return those feelings only to have her say that she didn't trust him enough to be with him? It was more than he could bear. Right then he wished that Naraku would appear and just kill him so he wouldn't have to spend another minute in this agony.

"So your fear of getting hurt outweighs your love for me?"

"I just don't think you can change."

"You haven't even given me the chance!"

"Look I'm not saying that I don't trust you at all, I trust you with my life, just not around other women. Can you really blame me? Look at the way you act! The way I've seen you act! It's despicable! How can you tell me that you can just change and not be like that anymore?"

"Because I'm in love now and I wasn't before." "I've never been in love before that's why I did what I did and acted the way I acted."

Miroku turned and looked deeply into Sango's eyes.

"Once I fell in love with you Sango all thoughts and feelings for other women disappeared." "Couldn't you feel it in my kiss?"

Sango felt heat rising up in her chest and swelling throughout her entire body. She wished he would stop looking at her like that and yet she couldn't look away.

"Yes"

They kissed again only this time the kiss was much more passionate and lasted for much longer. It was the kiss of true love.

"Oh, Miroku I love you"

"and I love you Sango."

"Please don't break my heart ok?"

"Never, I swear."

They kissed for a few more minutes and then realized it was getting late.

"We'd better get going at this rate we'll never get back to the village."

Sango nodded in agreement.

"I hope Inuyasha made it back."

"Do you think Inuyasha's ok?"

"I don't know." Miroku said as a look of concern crossed his face.

"He was pretty badly injured." "He's been badly injured before Miroku."

"Yah, but nothing as serious as this, despite all his strength and speed Inuyasha's not invincible, this might be his final hurrah.

"I pray that's not true." Sango said as tears began to fill her eyes.

"Me too." Miroku said.

Now let's get going. "I can't wait to tell everyone the good news !" Sango said,

she couldn't remember the last time she was this happy.

"Me either." "But we should probably get going if we're going to make it to the inn before dark." "Oh, yah your right we should get going."

With that they resumed their journey walking arm and arm blissfully happy and content in each other's company.