Took a while and is probably not as good as the other chapters. It became much longer than I expected it to be. It was my hardest chapter to write! I'll be finishing my run through of redoing the chapters, I apologize about all my typos :3

Chapter 5 :: Gone

A tall man with an angular face walked into the room. He had a short goatee and short, dark brown, scruffy hair on the top of his head. His face was pulled into a strong smile as he opened his arms to the little girl running up to greet him.

"Daddy!" The little six year old bounded forward and leapt into the wide, thick arms of her father before being swirled into the air off her feet. She giggled as he rubbed his nose against hers. Her smile was brilliant and her eyes were wide and bright, "I missed you."

The man gave her a peck on the forehead, "And I, you, my little Sango." He placed her back on the ground in her frilly blue dress, "Now, where's your mother and brother?"

Little Sango turned around with a giggle and skipped off down the hall, her father followed behind slowly, keeping up with her fast pace with ease.

Inside a room, the little four year old played with an assortment of toys and his mother sat in a chair watching him nearby. As her husband walked in, her face brightened up, and she ran towards him, much like her daughter had before. She was swept up into a loving embrace and cuddled against his body as he gave her a deep kiss on the lips.

"And how I've missed my love as well!" He left an arm around her waist as he leaned over to pick up his son, who was fine with his hair being ruffled.

They were perfect, their businessman father away on business, while the mother worked at home and on the work close to it. He built a normal home away and one here—they would never have to be too far away from each other, from a normal life, or so he hoped.

The business man, Naraku, was hired to help Isamu with the company. He quickly was given better positions and made his way to the top. As a trusted advisor, he got to meet the rich family on many occasions.

By Sango's eighth birthday, it was already apparent that she had a special gift, and her father did his best to stifle it at all costs.

Once a month, Sango was taken out of school for doctor's visits. Blood was taken to see how far along she was and she was given a shot on her arm. It always bored her, staying hours in a cool office with nothing to do.

At age nine, her life took a turn for the worst.

Her parents were at home, ready for their anniversary dinner without the children, at least until a call came in.

"Uh-huh," Isamu's rough voice rang out. He gave a small frown to his wife, "She can't sleep. I'll be over to pick her up soon."

He gave his wife a kiss and was out the door, he never made it back. It was a car accident.

Sango's mother took over the company, but she never really knew how to run a business. In her stead, Naraku took the reigns as the company.

After a month or Kohaku and Sango being parentless, their mother finally showed her face. She was still beautiful to look at, but her eyes were not as alive as they had once been.

The two children were sitting around, watching a large T.V. in a dark room. Light poured in once the only small door in the back was opened and a worked walked in.

"Miss Sango, Mister Kohaku, your mother would like to see you both." He closed the door and they were left in the darkness again, mouths agape and eyes watery.

Sango was the first to break the silence, turning off the T.V. and standing up, "Mommy finally wants to see us again." The little nine-year-old ran out the room and down the hall with a huge smile.

She came upon the large doors her mother had hid behind for a month—a whole month. Without knocking, she burst inside.

"Mommy." Her breathing was off, her cheeks a little flushes, and her hair billowed around her face in a dark halo. Her once happy features took on a simple frown.

"Where is your brother?" The older woman sat up and walked to the other side of her desk, taking in her oldest child's appearance.

Sango felt small again, and her voice showed it by coming out much softer, "He is coming."

She waved a hand, "Close the door."

Her daughter did just that and pushed it closed. Her back was to the dark wood and her heart beat a thousand times a minute, causing her face to flush and her little hands to sweat.

"You are such a beautiful little girl." She sighed and looked away, "You know your father's death was hard on me." Sango nodded, hearing her mother's saddened tone of voice, "It was hard to take that he left to pick you up because you were being difficult."

She spoke up quietly, "Mister Naraku picked me up."

Her mother turned to her with fire in her eyes, her hands white as she gripped the front of her desk so tightly, "Because your father died trying to get to you." She yelled at her and tried to recompose herself again, placing a tiny smile on her face in the process. "I was willing to accept that, but when they pulled him out the car, do you know what he said?"

Sango shirked back against the wood door, now visibly shaking. She shook her little head.

"He said to go protect his daughter and that he loved her. Nothing about the rest of his family, just you. Now that I think about it, he spent a lot of time with you, dotting on you, giving you special visits." She frowned, "I gave you life and there you were, stealing my husband away."

Sango shook her head again, "No, mommy!"

Her mother crossed the room and smacked her, not hard enough to leave a bruise, but enough to get Sango to stay quiet. "I've taught you better manners than that. You wait until the adults are finished talking."

Sango's bottom lips started to quiver as she held onto her cheek with both hands. Her little legs collapsed beneath her and she fell to the ground in a heap of tears.

Her mother collapsed next to her and tried to shush and wipe her tears away. "Don't cry. Mommy's here. I won't tell your brother."

Sango woke up in a sweat, lying in her bed underneath he covers. The lights were off and she was now clothed in a simple night gown. What a dream that was.

She turned as a tiny knock sounded on her door. She stayed quiet, but whoever it was continued to knock.

"Go away," she called. "I'm not interested in visitors."

"Sango?" the voice was male, a younger one.

She held her breath and when she spoke, her voice cracked, "Kohaku?"

"Yeah."

Sango brushed her sheets to the side and ran to the door, clumsily opening the thing to take a peek at her long, lost loved one. In an instant, she shoved her arms out and encircled him in a hug, her tears now falling freely. "I thought I'd never see you again."

Three days earlier, Miroku flexed his hands, wincing from the slight pain coming from the previously pierced arm. He knew he could work through the pain—it was mostly healed. Surprisingly, he knew, he could walk after being off his feet for so long and he knew the reason. Everything was coming back so easily, but he knew it came at a price.

He was punching a bag that was suspending in the air by a chain, each punch seemed to bring forth a small jolt of pain, but he didn't show it. They were in such a safe place now and, presumably, Naraku thought he was dead.

The small training session went on for quite a while, until Kagome entered the expansive gym room and dropped the tray of food she was holding.

"My God, Miroku!" Her steps pulled her to his side.

Miroku slowly turned around, tired, feeling out of shape and in so much pain. When he fully faced her she bent down and touched the side of his shirt.

When had he started bleeding?

She lifted up the sweaty material to get a better look and he made no move to stop her. "You almost tore the stiches." She lightly traced a finger over the area and looked up to him with a frown.

"Then heal it." She gave him an incredulous stare, "You know I can't do what you're asking. But I can fix the little damage you did."

He pushed his shirt down and reached out to grab the punching bag to keep himself propped up, "I know you did it before I woke up. So why not now? Is it because I'm awake?" She frowned and visibly paled, taking a few steps back. "I can't go to her like this. It's been two days. Two days since I've been awake, and we all know that bastard is up to something. I have to be prepared."

She frowned and shook a little, turning away from him, "You would have died right there on the ground where we found you if I hadn't healed you." Her voice fell to a small whisper, "To heal you now would shorten your already shortened life."

He was quick to respond, "I haven't used my powers since I got well."

"You shouldn't have to use them at all, and I shouldn't have to heal your wounds. You should be resting."

Miroku stared down at the younger woman and placed a hand on her shoulder, "And you know why I can't do that." He frowned, her eyes were watery, and she was starting to cry. "Shit." It was a curse under his breath and moved in to embrace her in a small hug. "I'll be fine, and you know it."

And Kagome did cry and Inuyasha watched from a crack in the door, saddened that he might just lose the best friend he has ever had.

Kohaku and Sango we relying on her large bed, side by side, over the covers. Her eyes were closed as she faced up to her ceiling.

"Tomorrow I will be married." Her voice was shaky. "I never expected it to be like this."

Kohaku laid next to her, staring up with his eyes open. He was almost taller than her, even though he was younger.

Sango bit her lip, peeking out through one eye to watch Kohaku. She felt safe and comfortable, which was something new after having come back home from all that time away. "I'm sorry."

He sat up and turned to her, "For what?"

There was only one thing she could say. "Dad." She paused, "I'm sorry I took him away from you. You needed a father figure at such a young age"

He shook his head, "It's not your fault he died." He slightly punched her in the shoulder, "You're just getting all worked up about getting married." He slipped form the bed with a grin.

She frowned up at him and rolled onto her side, "Leaving already?"

He nodded, "I'm hoping I don't get caught for sneaking over here."

"Will you be there… at the wedding?"

Kohaku was already at the door and gave her a smile, "I wouldn't miss it."

Isamu drove first to a gas station, his car was on low. It was better to fill it up now rather than when he had a scared little girl in the backseat. Ugh When he finished and was about to leave, a man ran out and tapped on his window. He barely rolled it down, letting the man speak through the little crack that was there.

"Sir, sorry to bother you, but it seems you have a call."

Isamu was not all too disbelieving and was about to just drive off and leave.

"The man says it's about a Sango."

He quickly got out of his car and was led to a phone booth nearby. From the small story he got, it was ringing and the worked answered it.

"Who is this?" Isamu queried into the cool phone.

"Have you been keeping her a secret all this time? Who would have known that she was so special." The voice on the other line was not distorted in the least.

Isamu knew who it was and his lips pressed into a thin line, "What do you want?"

There was a chuckle on the other line, "Everything. Now, don't go doing anything reckless, I do know your secret."

"You piece of shit." His voice turned dark, his knuckles were white from gripping the phone so hard.

There was a short moment of silence on the other line, "I'm going to take everything from you. When I'm through, she won't even call you daddy."

Isamu hung the phone up and quickly dialed his number. He was frantic, "If you see Sango, tell her I love her and don't let her out of your sight." He quickly hung up before she could ask too many question and got into his car.

Of course, while he drove to the house, traffic became unbearable. He began to take the back roads. No one was there. They were quiet, silent and dark. So dark, that when a figure appeared, he almost had no time to put on the breaks. As he inched in closer and swerved, his car skidded and he took in the face of the man before him.

Long black bars struck through his windshield and pierced him to the seat. From the harsh impact and the loss of control of the car, he skidded off towards a tree. The piercing feeling left his body and then nothing.

The car was crunched against the tree, what little pressure he pressed on the brakes at the last moment weren't enough to slow the car down.

She woke up alone and by someone knocking at her door. She shuffled towards the door and let her in, only to be slightly pushed to the side and stared at in awe. The woman seemed to admire her, even while she was in pajamas and looked horrendous with little sleep.

She quickly reached out and grasped her hand, placing a small kiss to the back of it. "I'm here for your wedding." Sango frowned and pulled her hand back, she should have known better. The woman proceeded to frown too, "We must go. You can't be late." Without the same kindness in her touch as before, Sango was pulled out her room, despite her pleas and led to the elevator, which they took two floors down.

She was taken to a large room, she wasn't sure whose room it was, but it was gorgeous and had everything they needed to prepare her for a wedding.

It took hours and she didn't complain at all. She felt that her fate was sealed. Her hair was bouncy and in large curls that waved down her shoulders. The gown she wore was strapless and pure white. It fanned out past her waist in a circle, the many layers flowing with each breath she took. It was magnificent and she looked wonderful.

It was the worst day of her life.

Sango was ushered into a church and was led to walk down the aisle, her hands clutching onto a bouquet of white roses before her. There were tons of people at attendance, most of which looked familiar in some way. There were no cameras, no journalists—it looked like a private affair full of people she didn't really know.

At the end of the isle, she could see Naraku. Her veil covered her face as she slowly trudged her way towards him—but her steps looked so fluid. When she finally reached him, he looked down at her in his sleek suit with the softest smile she had ever seen on him.

There were no interruptions, it was simple, easy and finished. In the end, when he removed the veil, her breath hitched itself in her throat.

She didn't want to kiss him. She looked back to the door. At any moment…

Naraku kissed her cheek, and stroked a hand across her cheek facing the crowd to hide his actions. He whispered quietly in her ear, "Now it's time to secure my position in the company with my beautiful wife."

Sango ducked her head forward and closed her eyes tightly, refusing to answer.

She sat alone after the wedding while Naraku continued talking to businessmen. He now owned the company. After a few minutes, her brother ran up to the table, his expression unreadable as he sat down beside her and clutched her hand on the table.

Kohaku gave her a simple smile. "It'll be okay."

Sango prepared herself for this moment, she promised not to cry, "He never came."

Her brother looked confused, "Who? Who is he?"

She looked away and gave a small chuckle, "She. I meant mother." It was not entirely the truth. "I expected her to be here when her daughter got married. I suppose it's a little too much to hope and wish for." She stared down into her lap.

His hand around hers tensed a little as a shadow passed over their table. Sango tilted her head up as she met an unfamiliar face. "Congratulations on your marriage. Naraku is a lucky man." He smiled at her and it scared her to the core.

She slid her hand out from underneath Kohaku's, "Thank you." The man stared at her for a while, looking her over like she was some kind of fantasy. He walked away slowly and she got up once he was far enough away, "I'm going to take a nap." She didn't even look down at her brother, "Stay safe, please."

Kohaku got up to stop her, but she picked up her skirts and ran away from her party and into the building. She shuffled her feet and dress across the threshold and ran towards the elevator, pressing the button as fast as she possibly could. When it opened, she slid against the back wall and pressed the close button before pressing her floor. She closed her eyes and counted to ten, but when she opened them, she was still in a beautiful gown, married to a man who sold her off to the highest bidder.

Everyone was downstairs, out in the large courtyard celebrating, so the hallway was empty as she floated down towards her room, pulling her skirts inside and closing the door behind her. Slowly, she collapsed onto the bed, hugging a pillow close to her body and lying on another. She could care less if her hair got messed up or if she was wearing shoes. She just wanted to be alone until more of her world began to crash down around her.

"Naraku has recently married the young business tycoon's daughter. This looks like a business match made in heaven…" The new reporter was standing blocks away from the building, unable to actually enter with all the security they had set up. He was still talking, but the sound of his voice on the large television was drowned out by Miroku's yells.

He tossed the remote control to the ground, "I'm late! Shit! I can't believe I thought I could wait this long." He stormed up from his spot and grabbed a jacket from the rack as he started to stomp off towards the exit.

Inuyasha appeared after hearing his outburst, "Hey. Hold on, don't do anything reckless." He tried to hold him back with both hands but Miroku pushed him off.

"I'm going. Get out of my way." Inuyasha held out another hand to hold him off, "Fucking move or I'll make you."

Inuyasha frowned, his eyes narrowing at his friend, "Or what?"

Miroku shoves Inuyasha off, who decides to shove him back, all before the recovering man swung a heavy fist at Inuyasha's face, hitting him square in the jaw and knocking him back a couple steps. The silver haired man, in turn swung a fist back at his friend, hitting him in the shoulder—his better one. As the small scuffle turned into a full on brawl, Kagome rushed into the room.

"What the hell is going on here?" She yelled, both men stopped, half on the ground and at each other's throats. "Get off each other now!" Her command was met by both men scrambling back away from each other and to their feet.

Miroku straightened out his clothes, "I'm leaving."

Kagome shot her head over to him, dumbstruck, "I thought you were waiting to get better. Why so soon?"

Inuyasha wiped his mouth, "He's willing to be a dumbass and go save that girl when she agreed to it."

"Are you trying to say she asked for it?" Miroku took a step forward before Kagome ran in between the two.

"Stop with the overly masculine show." She turned back to Miroku with a frown, "She's in that much trouble? You needed at least two weeks, maybe a week and a half. This is so soon…"

"He made her marry him." Miroku looked down, clenching his fist hard, so hard he was surprised he hadn't drawn any blood. "She needs me now, more than ever."

Inuyasha spoke up, "Why are you giving everything away for her?"

Miroku didn't answer, and Kagome lowered her hand, extending it towards the door in front of Inuyasha, purposefully separating him from his best friend. "I know why and you can go… but we can formulate a better plan together on the way there, if you don't mind." She looked up at Inuyasha with a smile, her eyes dancing with unshed tears.

Inuyasha looked away, "Feh. Fine. Whatever." He stalked towards the door, "Let's go before my half-brother asshole gets pissed about their being blood on his floor."

Sango reached out along the bedspread and woke up, clutching to her chest, her hair free and bouncy around her face after waking. She stared around the room, nothing was as she left it—nothing even belonged to her!

The wedding dress was still on her body, but her shoes were off and beside the bed right next to him. His tie was off and he looked very comfortable in the chair next to her—his bed.

She clutched the upper comforter, pulling the fluffy material up over her body, even though she was fully covered, "What am I doing here?"

He smiled and stood, smoothing any creases in his suit out before sitting on the bedside. "This is where you sleep—with me. We are a married couple now." He leaned in and grabbed the top of the comforter, trying to pull it down. He won, but she resisted as much as possible. When it was down, she hopped off the bed. "You need to get used to it, we're married."

Sango backed away from him, "Stop this. It's only a business arrangement." She breathed in slowly, "And I need time to get used to this new situation."

Naraku shed his jacked off on the bed and opened the first few buttons of his top, "You can have some time."

She looked down and the tousled sheets, "I need to change." She waited to see if he would move, "I need you to leave while I do that."

He smirked and moved to his closet, "You have some clothes to pick from in here." He then moved towards the door, but was stopped when she requested one last thing.

"Where is Kohaku?"

"Back at school. I sent him away after the party ended. He should be there in a few hours." With that, he turned and left the room, closing the door behind him.

She flopped down onto the bed and sighed. Her hand rolled over his jacket, only to find that it was much heavier on one side that she expected. Keys. She flipped through them and looked them over, out of the five, one had to be the master key.

None of the clothes were anything close to what she wanted to wear, but almost anything was better than being in this huge gown. She finally changed into what looked like a designer pink and white sundress that was frilled at her waist. It was one of the least dressed up of all the clothes inside.. It had straps and was a little loose around her bust—she had assumed they were her mother's.

Her mother… she would like to have a word with that woman.

Sango picked the keys up off the bed after leaving the wedding gown strewn out on the bed. She opened the door and peered down the hall, quickly walking down it in her bare feet. She knew her mother and knocked on the door, there wasn't a sound. It was just like her to ignore her children when they needed a mother most.

Instead of waiting for an answer or calling to her, she started to fiddle with the keys, sticking them in one by one into the door until finally, the lock gave and turned. "You're a horrible mother and I deserve to know why you continue to treat—," she dropped the keys in a clatter, her eyes went wide and her mouth opened, but no scream came out.

She slowly shut the door behind her with a shaky hand and walked towards the bed. It had only been a day since she died and the air conditioning was on, keeping the seen very naturally preserved in time. She was pale and slightly blue, there was blood soaking into the sheets as her body was strewn across the bed, her leg dangling off the side.

Sango fell to her knees and stared at the body, unsure of how to feel. What should she feel for a mother who was never there for her?

Naraku was speaking with a few men around a large round table. "It's been nice to talk with you all as a married man. I am very proud to have known and met all of you."

The room of men around him broke out in a round of laughs and claps.

"Now that each of you have signed the contract. I want you to know that you are all scum. Your life is now forfeit." For a second their faces changed, but in that instance, he raised a hand and his body changed.

The thick black mass appeared from his fingers and spread into multiple section piercing each man present in the head. They each lolled back as blood pooled down their faces and Naraku curled his fingers up and wiped them on a handkerchief on the table. He pressed a button on the table, "Please come in the room and clean up this mess."

The female voice on the other line replied, "Yes sir."

All the loose ends were being tied up now.

Naraku started to walk out the door when the female voice appeared back in the room, this time a little more shaken up, "There's been a breach from the entrance and they're moving up the stairs."

He moved towards the table again, going back to his seat to press the button to speak to her, "The guards? There are no guards to stop them?"

"They've all been immobilized. Should I call the police?"

He huffed, "No. This is fine as well. I do hope all my other preparations were done before this mishap."

"Go! Go! Go!" Inuyasha yelled as they ran up the stairs, Kagome in between the two boys once they reached the fifth floor.

Kagome was breathing heavily, not used to the same rigorous training Miroku and Inuyasha went through being thieves, "What floor?"

Miroku easily said, "Much higher than this. We can take the elevator it seems. The guards are too slow, if there are any more."

They all left the stairwell and ran towards the elevator, Inuyasha picking Kagome up at one point because she was running too slowly. They rushed into the elevator and pressed the button for the living floor, as told by one of the people they beat the crap out of downstairs.

Naraku was on the living floor and went to her room, she wasn't there. It surprised him, but he guessed she learned her place and stayed in his room. As he paced down the hallway, his temper spiked when he realized she wasn't there either. He slammed his hand on the wall and began to check every door he came across, all except one.

He didn't have the time for this! In a moment of anger he did make it to his ex-lover's room, only to find her daughter kneeling before her bed. She turned to look at him, her eyes glistening with tears.

He quickly shrunk the distance towards her and she got up just as fast, tossing the keys at his head, but he caught them. Sango tried to run away—even though there was no place to go. He grabbed her arm and pulled her close, restraining her even as she squirmed.

"You're a real monster." Sango ground out, kicking at his legs in an effort to get him off. He tossed her on to the bed next to her mother's dead body and she did scream this time, squirming to get off the bed and away from decay.

He pinned her down and she closed her eyes, unable to knee him in the groin because his legs held her own down. He leaned in by her ear, "Behave and follow me." His voice was so cold and threatening, she couldn't bear to do anything but comply as he removed himself from her body and whisked her away with him down the hall.

She promised herself she would not cry as they reached an elevator. Om the other side of the hallway, the opposite elevator doors opened up and out popped Inuyasha holding Kagome, along with Miroku.

"Leave her alone!" Miroku bellowed out running with all his strength to get to the elevator clear across the hallway.

Sango stared up at Naraku and then back at Miroku. She tried to break free from his hold as the elevator nearest to them opened up. He swung her into it, slamming her against the metal inside. She hit it hard, and slumped down to the ground from the quick jolt of pain.

She could hear Miroku's yell and then as Naraku entered the elevator, he extended his hand and flicked his fingers in the air. Long, black tendrils appeared in the air and thickened before shooting down the hall. She mumbled and tried to stand as he pressed the button to the top of the building and tugged on her shoulder so she'd stand next to him.

"I will kill him this time." He opened up a small pad in the side of the wall and pressed in a key.

Miroku almost didn't see it coming and flung himself back towards the wall, he called down towards Inuyasha, "Move!" They did and with plenty of time to spare. He continued his trek to the elevator and pounded on its doors, "Damn it!" He looked up, "They're going to the top floor, see if we can reach them from the other one."

Miroku saw the expression on Inuyasha's face as they tried to get the elevator to work. Inuyasha called back to him, "He must have broken the damn thing!"

Without waiting for another plan of action, Miroku took to the stairs, beginning the short way up to the top on foot.

There was almost an entire landing strip at the top of the building, along with a helicopter near the edge.

He shoved her in the direction of the helicopter, but instead, she turned around to punch him and hit his chest. He glared down at her, "You are testing my patience, wife, and I will not stand for this."

She swung at him again, but he caught her fist, "I want my life back! My brother… I want to be normal!" He dragged her forward to the helicopter and while pushing her inside, the stair doors were swung wide open.

Naraku's reply was softer than she expected, "You were never normal to begin with."

Inuyasha and Kagome came out first, followed by their dark haired friend only a short while after. "Let her go." Miroku was breathing heavily now, maybe out of anger, fatigue, or both."

Naraku had already shoved the girl inside the helicopter and got himself in, all while holding her down. Sango turned to look out at the side at her friends, the people who were here to save her.

Miroku ran towards the helicopter as Naraku started it up, he raised his hand steadying it in the air as it started to lift off. He started to run as the wind tunnel opened and the airborne vehicle was slowly pulled back towards them all, dangerously so. He leapt off the edge with a cry from Kagome and caught the railing, causing it to tilt. It was Sango's side, she swung the door open and it caught in the wind, causing it to pull around in the circle.

When he saw her, he almost let go. She was crying. He was trying to speak with her over the roar of the blades, but it was impossible. In the end, he grabbed her, and with the added weight tossed her towards the building, Inuyasha was waiting with open arms and caught her. She was mostly stunned as the helicopter whirled around.

It started to hover over the building again and Miroku took the opportunity to fall, landing in a roll that still hurt regardless of whatever safety features he tried. He wobbled from the short drop and came to a stand.

Sango was placed on the ground and Miroku opened his vortex again as the helicopter slid off to the side. This in fact mad it crash onto the surface. Inuyasha had already taken the two girls towards the side of the building. Everything was going to fall apart soon.

Miroku ran towards where they all were and Sango, coming to a wobbly stand on her own from all the excitement, smacked Miroku across the face, tears fully streaming from her eyes. "What is wrong with you?" She turned around to look at the other two, "With all of you?"

Miroku was stunned, but took the hit easily, nonetheless. He grabbed her by the shoulders and leaned in, "I will always keep you safe." He pushed her into Inuyasha, "Now get her out of here."

Naraku's body could be visibly seen a little bit away from the helicopter. He must have jumped at the last moment. He was well enough to stand.

Inuyasha whisked Sango off her feet, despite her protests, and slung her over his back, her hands left to bang across his back as he took the elevator down, despite the danger of fire. Kagome followed in suit.

Sango was crying, "He'll kill you! Stop! Stop!"

Miroku didn't look back, even as Naraku charged with super human speed and pierced him in the shoulder. The elevator doors closed before the trio as Sango cried out 'No.'

"I suppose you're okay with dying up here." Naraku spat at him, "Your attraction to her power is only because you have it—because she kissed you. You're risking your life for someone you barely know."

Miroku smiled and flexed his hand open as the flames began to spill out over the edge of the building. "Love is a crazy thing." He pulled a knife from his side and stabbed Naraku in the side.

Sango was inconsolable for hours after the building burned down. It took an hour for it to start to topple, and it was so high up, the firemen could barely contain it.

There was no report of Miroku being found—neither of Naraku.