Best Wishes

Disclaimer

I do not own Inuyasha.

Part IV

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"You can't let yourself fall again. I don't want to push you toward someone else but Sesshoumaru isn't the worst guy in the world. And... I hate to say it but maybe you should consider letting go of old values. Who says you can't love a youkai? Or even a Daiyoukai?"

"No one. However, I do know that Sesshoumaru is not someone that I can fall in love with."

"Sango, we have a saying for sentences like that. Never say never."

Inuyasha threatened Miroku once he found out what the houshi was planning. He told him not to even try it. Sango's heart couldn't take it. He said that she was better off without him.

"I'm not saying it because my brother's barking at her heels. I don't really give a damn whether or not she says yes to him. I just don't think you should even try. I know for a fact that you can't change." Miroku actually looked angry.

"I would die for her! Do you honestly believe I wouldn't change in order to make her happy?" His voice wasn't loud. It came across as slightly threatening. "I love her, Inuyasha. Nothing is going to erase those feelings." His deep blue eyes were not in the least dishonest. He really did have feelings for the taiji-ya.

"Listen, Miroku... I don't mean that you wouldn't change or that you don't love her. I'm saying that you can't. You've been so involved with women all your life that you can't settle for one. Your eyes and hands will never be satisfied with just Sango. That's where it hurts her." The hanyou was at a loss for how to explain his friend's feelings. He tended to stay away from feeling as much as possible. Sometimes even around Kagome.

"I do not believe I need your approval. It's only what Sango thinks. That's the only thing that matters." His voice dropped as he remembered meeting the brick wall the night she performed. She had been vulnerable the last time he had seen her yet she still pushed him away. "Right now my chances are slim, anyway..."

"She isn't going to want to put herself through any of that again. She remembers the pain you put her through. It isn't easy to forget." The hanyou put a clawed hand on his friend's shoulder. It wasn't something he usually did.

"I really didn't mean any harm." The houshi's shoulders slumped. His anger melted away. He was left with nothing but wounded pride and the loss of his love. There was nothing left of the man they had known.

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Sango thought about Kagome's words over the course of a few days. She really didn't want to believe that the miko was right. Her father had told her that the only reason they killed youkai was that some were destructive. Sure, Sesshoumaru didn't give a shit about human life but he didn't try to destroy it, either. It was almost time for the end of the festival. One last day. The duration would be the same but everything was winding down. Nothing else was left, really. It was just a farewell to the festival.

"Sango-chan, you seem sad." Rin sat in her same stool. Sesshoumaru was nowhere to be seen. Her chestnut brown eyes portrayed her concern.

"Rin, what is Sesshoumaru like?" The little girl paused then grinned.

"He is the most wonderful lord in the world. He brought me back after I was killed by wolves. He was hurt and so I brought him food all the time. That was how we met. I guess he recognized me. After he saved me, I followed him." She paused. "He doesn't like to talk much and he doesn't say how he feels. I can feel it, though. When he's happy and when he's angry or sad. You can feel it. He's never hurt me and he protects me." She giggled. "He always yells at Jaken-sama when something bad happens to me. He said that he never watches me the right way."

"I see..." The little girl was devoted to the Daiyoukai. She was also a pure soul that felt no loss and only took to heart what she had. "Do you like traveling? Would you want to stay somewhere? Would you like to have a home?"

"Well..." Rin paused, her voice unsure. "I have had thoughts and dreams about a pretty house with a mommy and daddy. Sesshoumaru-sama... He's like my daddy now. I want him to find someone to make him happy. Anywhere he calls home... I will, too." It was awfully grown up of her to think in such a way. As long as she had her Sesshoumaru-sama, she was happy with anything.

"I see." Sango really didn't want to let her chance for love and happiness go as a favor to someone. Perhaps she would talk to Sesshoumaru. Tell him the way it was going to happen. She wanted a trial period. It would be like Kagome's 'dating.' She decided to run it across the hanyou and miko both to see what they thought. The Daiyoukai wouldn't let up. She knew he was far from giving up. "Thank you, Rin." She smiled slightly. At least she had a plan.

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After Rin was asleep, Sango left and sat down against the house. She closed her eyes and let her head roll back to rest against the wall.

"Taiji-ya." She almost cursed out loud. She hadn't gotten to run her idea by Kagome or Inuyasha. Oh well.

"Things would go better if you called me by name." She cracked open an eye and stared at him.

"Sango." It was a start. She hated that damn monotone that he used. She opened both eyes and frowned at him. She raised a brow expectantly. He held out the same ribbon before presenting something else. It was a tiny trinket on a silver bracelet. She bit her lip before hesitantly reaching out and brushing her finger against it.

"I have an idea..." She stood up. "I do not want to officially court you just yet. I want to make sure that...it isn't a mistake on both parts." He stared at her. "A trial courting. I accept nothing yet because it isn't official. We learn as much as possible about each other..."

"Why?" She looked away. "I will not be unfaithful. I will not be demeaning. I have word and honor. Despite what I may seem like to you, I am someone born of honor. I would not lower myself to such despicable acts."

"I just want to know what I am getting into before I take that step. If you knew anything about who I am then you would understand why." He considered it a moment. She would be likely to turn him down for good if he didn't go through with it. It would be his way of getting half of the courting ritual out of the way.

"Fine." She grinned before allowing it to fall when he held up his hand. His arm had come back. Regenerated was how he had described it to his hanyou brother. "If you decide to allow me to court you after this, it will be considered half of the courting ritual. There is no point doing it twice."

"Done." Sango held her hand out and they shook on it. Their informal courting would begin in the morning.

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"You did? That's great, Sango-chan!" Kagome liked the idea of an informal courtship. "You agreed to the half-courting idea, too?"

"I figured he was right. If I agree to it in the end then there is no point to doing it a second time and wasting his time." Sango wanted to be the one to tell the houshi. After all, it was mostly his asking for a second chance that threw her into the idea of 'dating.'

"Sounds like a good idea." Inuyasha smirked. "You get to know the asshole and then decide whether or not you want to keep him." He chuckled before receiving twin glares from the women.

"You got me into this situation, Inuyasha. If things don't work out, you'll be the one to take the heat." The taiji-ya scowled. Then she brightened. "I was considering asking him to go with me to my village in a few days. I haven't been there to work on it."

"You do know that it might be an issue. He might expect you to live with him." She had thought of that. They would need to discuss it and she would see what she could get out of him.

"I thought of that. As long as he'll give me time to get the village back up and running, then I would compromise." She crossed her arms and gave Inuyasha a long look. "He would need to be understanding on that portion of my life. That village was my home and it will always be my home. My family is there. My people are there." Inuyasha glanced at Kagome. They were mere days away from the end of their courting period. Inuyasha could feel it.

"Whatever you want to do. Work it out with him."

"I plan to." Miroku walked in just as they were ending the conversation and Sango knew it was almost perfect timing. She had to get him out of the way. She stood up and met his gaze. "We need to talk, Houshi-sama." He followed her out, not too sure about what she was going to say to him. When they were away from the village a bit, she stopped and turned toward him. "Listen-"

"I think I know what you're going to say, Sango-san. I'm sorry I tried to push you to give me a second chance. I just couldn't stand the thought of losing you..." He reached out, dropping his Shakujo on the ground and gripping her arms in a tight grasp. "He won't take care of you the way you need to be taken care of. He can't love you like you need to be loved." His blue eyes were fierce and, for the first time around him, she felt a spark of fear. He wasn't being himself. "I would do that and more. I would change for you! I swear-"

"Houshi-sama, let go!" She pulled away forcefully and stumbled back. "I came to talk to you, not the other way around." The taiji-ya glared at him. "I made a deal with Sesshoumaru. He agreed to a trial courting." He stared at her, not really comprehending what she was saying. "If I agree to truly court him at the end...then we'll be mates not long after. I'm sorry, Miroku." She stared at him sadly. "I just can't risk giving my heart to you again. I don't want that pain to come back." He said nothing, merely watching as she walked away from him. He'd screwed up big time.

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She knew it wouldn't be long before he showed up. She was sitting beneath Inuyasha's tree, enjoying the peace and quiet after the hectic week of festivities and drunken dimwits. She moved over and gave him an expectant smile, which he did not return. He merely sat down beside her.

"How is Rin this morning?" She asked quietly, suddenly nervous. It really wasn't like her. The taiji-ya was never intimidated and she wasn't nervous. Sesshoumaru had never before intimidated her. So, it couldn't be from that. She bit her lip as she waited for him to answer.

"Fine." Sango had no idea where to begin. Her conversations with Miroku weren't the greatest ones in the world. Talking about weather was dull and not a good sign.

"Are you going to leave soon?" Sesshoumaru didn't seem like the type to stick around, especially where there were humans involved.

"I have no plans to. Courting takes time, after all. Most courting rituals require little travel unless alone." His voice was as emotional as a rock. His eyes were reflective. Like she had previously stated, he didn't do emotion.

"Would you...prefer to be alone during our trial?" He stared at her for a long moment. "I was thinking of going back to my village." She looked away from him to stare at the surrounding trees. "I wanted to work on it and also to visit the graves." The silence was neither an agreement or a disagreement. Eventually, he broke the silence.

"You wish to be alone during the trial? Not even that neko of yours?" He asked quietly. She was startled at the question. She'd imagined them alone. She imagined no interruptions to get between them while they got to know each other.

"Not even Kirara. I figured that...it would be the best way to get to know each other." He nodded as though it made sense to him.

"Inuyasha can watch over Rin better than Jaken. That miko is here as well." She smiled slightly. Alone with Sesshoumaru, as they were then. During the trial courting...it made her nervous to even think about it.

"We can leave the day after tomorrow."

"Fine."

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Sango and Sesshoumaru had set off early. The taiji-ya was silent the entire morning as they walked along the trails that would return her to her destroyed home. Her village was her home, even if the entire thing burned away. The two homes that remained had been fallen in and almost destroyed before she fixed them up. He walked just ahead of her, no doubt going through the scents on the unused road. It was rare to see a traveler on that route, especially since the villages that had been around her own were still completely destroyed. Naraku had left only destruction in his wake. The trees were dead stumps and the ground wasn't fertile. Here or there green dotted the ground. Most were weeds and wilted within a few days of sprouting. The air was still slightly polluted. Farmers were still trying to fix the mess. Their houses dotted the barren wastelands.

"Naraku has left his mark everywhere. A lot of villages lost their trades because of his shouki and his phantom castles." The taiji-ya pointed to the destroyed land.

"It will grow back. The land will soon return to its former condition. His hold will not last to something that changes every day." His words hit her with inspiration to restore her village's former glory. She never thought that he had such beautiful words in him. Their trek was called to an end when night fell. The road was clear of travelers, as she had expected. They set up camp off the road, out in the open because there weren't any trees. All that was left in the area were black skeletons, stretching toward the sun. There was no canopy of leaves to shade the ground. There was nothing green. Nothing with life.

The next day was much the same until they got further down the line. Greenery began to come back into sight and the air was cleaner as the day began to close.

"How much further is this village of yours?" She knew the road like she knew the feel of her Hiraikotsu.

"Another day of travel. We should be there by mid-afternoon tomorrow." He said nothing, merely nodded to show that he'd heard her. "When you can see our gates rise high into the sky, we'll be nearly there." The trees were alive and the sound of wildlife returned. Birds sang their hearts out and frogs in the nearby pond just off the road were alive with their deep chorus. "It sounds absolutely beautiful." It was like she had been dropped into a land of color and song.

"My lands are completely whole. Naraku never once tried to infiltrate my territory." She could only imagine what his lands looked like. He seemed like the kind of lord that took absolutely no shit when it came to his homelands and things that belonged to him.

"How much land do you have?" He said nothing for a few moments. She wasn't sure if she over-stepped any bounds by asking him that question.

"Have you never heard the stories of my father and forefathers? The entire west was ruled by the Generals." Her mind went back to her lessons. One of them included learning about domains. Still, the thought of the entire west... "Back then, there were the Four Generals. They divided the land into North, South, East, and West to try avoiding feuds. Inu no Taisho ultimately decided that picking the regions they ruled over was best. He took the West and the others settled things themselves."

"I remember those stories." She smiled slightly, remembering her father telling her to read those, that they were important. "The wolves were among those to get land. I believe Kouga is up in running for the territory. He's the only full-blood prince left."

"Yes, I've dealt with the leader quite a bit. He mentioned naming Kouga as heir to the territory. As soon as his priorities get straightened out." His voice remained the same as they continued to talk. However, Sango continued to probe his aura. It was just as Rin said. She could somehow feel his emotions. Not in his aura, not in his voice, not in his reflective eyes, but in something else. A separate sense. He was enjoying time with her. It was very subtle and it relaxed her, eased her anxiety and tension.

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They took it easy and arrived early the next day. Most of her time went to the care of her family. Most of his time went to studying her. He watched her pick the flowers, even said nothing when she handed him a basket to hold when it was filled. They got back and she tossed the dead ones into a pile to be burned while replacing them with fresh ones and praying over each grave. Then they both hunted for their own meals. He ate his alone and returned around the time she finished. She took a blanket from the chest in her little house and went outside. He followed her curiously. She bunched the blanket up and set it gently on the ground. They were on the grassy hill outside of the gates. She pulled off her green skirt and just remained in her pink kimono. Her eyes gazed into his before she pulled off her wakizashi and set it aside. She didn't wear any armor under her clothing anymore. It was much more peaceful since Naraku was dead.

"Come. Rest with me." She settled herself on the grass and fell back, the back of her head hitting the blanket. She had folded it long so that he could rest his head on it. "I used to do this with my mother. On clear nights, we would go out and star-gaze. We used to play games with the clouds during the day. We would see who could pick out the shapes first. It would be nice to teach Rin to play. I also played Janken with Kagome and the others. It was fun."

"Janken?" He sat down beside her but did not lay back. He kept one leg straight and one leg propped up. She grinned and raised her hand, palm facing him.

"Paper." She made a fist. "Rock." She made something like a peace sign, except sideways. "Scissors." He merely raised a brow but she knew he was curious. "You see, those hand signs are the game. You count to three and present your symbol. Paper beats rock but loses to scissors. Rock beats scissors but loses to paper. You see?" He didn't move or even give her a hint to whether he understood. She held up a fist and counted to three, before opening her hand. At the same moment he held up the symbol for scissors. "Scissors cut paper. You win." She was surprised that he had understood and even gave an effort to play. She did it again, once again choosing paper while he chose rock. "Paper covers rock." She covered his fist with her hand. His skin was surprisingly warm. She met his gaze before pulling her hand away and looking back up at the glittering heavens. A few dark clouds dotted the sky but it was mostly clear. She was asleep after only an hour of the quiet company that the Daiyoukai offered.

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Sango opened her eyes and was surprised to see a wooden ceiling. She was covered with the blanket she had using as a pillow. Her gaze was forced to the corner, where the Daiyoukai sat. His eyes were closed but he was not asleep. She could hear rain hitting the roof of the house.

"Thank you." The taiji-ya felt extremely grateful at the gesture. He had carried her and everything else inside. Her skirt, her wakizashi, and everything else. He said nothing but nodded once as an affirmative. "Maybe I can show you that game that I played with my mother tomorrow." She frowned slightly when a thought crossed her mind. "How long does courting take?"

"Even though you did not accept anything, it is still considered courting to me. When the time is close, we can feel it." He didn't know how to describe it but it was better to say the important part. "Inuyasha probably feels close. He has been acting odd as of late."

"Yes, he was..." She remembered their brief chat about Miroku. He was surprisingly open with her when he told her about how he felt that she had done the right thing. "So...you'll feel that way, too?"

"Something similar, possibly. Everyone is different." The silence that came after was tense and filled with silent questions. She stood and went to the door.

"I am going to get herbs for my lunch."

Later that night, after they had eaten their dinners and went back inside, Sango had water over the fire to make tea. The taiji-ya got the cups around and found herself often glancing up to look at the Daiyoukai. He was usually studying something in the room but sometimes he was looking at her. When she was finished making the tea, she set a cup in front of him. It felt strange for her to be there without Kirara. Sesshoumaru lifted his hand to his haori and pulled out a small charm. It was on the same bracelet as before. The first one had been a small silver dog with eyes made from amber. The second one was of a cat...with two tails. The eyes on the cat were tiny rubies. Her heart skipped a beat. She suddenly understood the meaning, the true weight, of courting gifts. They were all hand-crafted. Inuyasha had made simple things for Kagome but she thought it was because he had no concept for money.

"Sesshoumaru..." She breathed as she gently touched the trinket with her finger. "Why...are the gifts hand-made?" He paused, watching her as she studied the intricate markings of the small charms.

"To prove to those we are courting that we mean what we say." He frowned at her. "Did that houshi not give you anything while you were courting?" She hesitated.

"Some of his gifts...were not material items. Others he made but none were like this..." The taiji-ya wanted to take the bracelet into her hand, to feel the craftsmanship. Though, to take the gift into her hands meant that she accepted it. "Sesshoumaru, why are you doing this? I know you can't be happy courting a human. And Rin... She loves you and she would follow you anywhere you decided to go. She would want you to be happy." He was silent for a few moments.

"I am not my father. I have no desire to be around humans." He was staring straight ahead. "I know that it was Tenseiga that wanted to revive that child. I am not an idiot. I know why my father chose this sword for me. He wanted me to see what he saw in humans." Sango was astonished. He was definitely not himself. He wasn't hiding from her. He was talking about himself. Without restraint. "Izayoi was his downfall, his weakness. He should not want me to make his mistakes." Hesitantly, she reached out and touched his arm, the one that Inuyasha had cut off.

"Perhaps it wasn't a mistake. The only reason that someone like Inu no Taisho would sacrifice himself is out of love. Not even loyalty goes that deep. If it had, would he have been seeing her in the first place?" She took his hand and placed it over her heart just as she reached out and touched his chest, feeling his heartbeat. "Did he never tell you that love is real? That perhaps Tenseiga knew you wanted to save Rin? That just because we're different, we're weaker than youkai? That humans and youkai can't feel the same things?"

"Where are you going with this?" He pulled his hand away, staring at her like she had committed a crime.

"Inu no Taisho loved Izayoi and his newborn baby, Inuyasha. He loved you. Both of his sons have something that he treasured. You were born to take different paths. Inuyasha wasn't meant to lead anyone. He saw strength in you. However, he saw a weakness in you, as well." She bit her lip. "He saw how closed off you were to the other part of the world. He knew you would never accept his hanyou son because you detested humans. I think that if he saw you now, he would be proud of you. He would see that you are realizing what he felt."

"Fool." He clenched his hands into fists, the delicate bracelet gently tinkling. He looked down at it. She felt tears sting her eyes but she knew she was too proud to let him see how much that word hurt. Though, was the word directed at her or at his father? "I was meant to rule. That part was true. I have no weaknesses."

"Then why choose a human? Is it because of what you said to Inuyasha about not having a pure-blood anyway? Or is it because of Rin?" He glared up at her.

"My reasons are my own." She stood up, suddenly angry.

"This is why I knew we wouldn't work! You close yourself off the instant you begin to feel something! This trial courting is pointless! We can't be together if I know nothing about you. I can't love a stone! I can't be with someone that's only going to hurt me with silence and secrets." She walked to the door and looked back at him. "I was beginning to see something in you. Now, all I see is a void. An empty, angry shell." Sango walked out and slammed the door. She walked in the chill night air, her arms wrapped around herself. Her brisk pace began to slow next to the graves of her fallen people.

I can't get hurt again. Not like before... I don't want to feel that way again. Haven't I given enough? Aren't I meant to be happy?

She fell to her knees beside Kohaku's grave. She had fought for his life. He had been her point of living, her finish line. She'd never made it to the end. Naraku had taken the boy with him. Tears fell down her face, first a few then too many to count.

Weak. I'm too weak. I am not making anyone proud. I haven't moved on. I have no family. I haven't rebuilt the village. I haven't been happy since... I was whole.

Sango clasped her hands together and began to pray frantically. How much would it take to give her some slim chance at happiness?

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Sango felt the heat from the sun and pushed herself up. She looked around and noticed she was still next to her brother's grave. The previous night's memories drifted back and reminded her of why she was there. Reminded her of why she couldn't continue her trial courtship. She stood up and dusted her kimono off before turning and looking back at her home. Was he still there? Had he given up on them as she had? Only one way to find out. The taiji-ya walked back to her home and opened the door. Her eyes searched for his familiar figure sitting in one of the corners. He wasn't there. Breathing a soft sigh, she went inside and began to make herself tea.

A few hours later, she gathered her hunting equipment and left to get herself food. As she walked silently through the woods surrounding her village, she began to think back to her relationship with Miroku. Mainly, she thought about how many chances she had given him. About how many times he had groped other women while they had been engaged. Was it really fair to Sesshoumaru to give him just one chance? Was it fair to make him adjust to suit her? The relationship was supposed to be rocky in the beginning. At least until they adjusted to each other. She doubted that he would even want to talk to her after the things that had happened. She sat down by the river and stared into the clear water. She had taught her little brother how to catch a fish in his hands as a training exercise. Patience was everything when waiting out an attack or an ambush. Patience had been such a virtue during the Naraku portion of her life. Her father's training had been critical in her survival and the survival of her team.

"Kagome-chan! Look out!" Sango snatched up a rock and quickly launched it at the youkai. It would at least give the miko the distraction she needed. The rock hit him square in the face and he turned to snarl at her. Then the taiji-ya slid to the side and used her Hiraikotsu to bring a large branch of the tree down on top of their foe after Kagome had jumped out of the way.

"Thanks, Sango-chan!" The miko pulled out her bow and arrows, her sharp eyes scanning their bewildered enemy for any signs of the jewel fragment. "Forehead!" Unfortunately, her archery had still needed work at that point and she missed the target.

"Gotcha!" Inuyasha charged ahead with Tessaiga ready on hand. Sango climbed atop Kirara and swung out her weapon, causing the youkai to dodge the bone boomerang. He fled in the wrong direction, colliding with Inuyasha's blade. The hanyou smirked as he cut their opponent in half before allowing Kagome close to it. She used her arrow and dug the newly-purified shard from the forehead of the grotesque monster.

"Awesome teamwork, Sango-san, Inuyasha." Miroku smiled at them as he walked over to clean up the mess. "Need I say that if we keep this up, even Naraku wouldn't stand a chance."

It was a nice memory. One in which the group had come together as an actual team. Of course, the youkai hadn't been as smart as any of the others they had faced. Still, that had been the confidence boost the team had needed. They had all adjusted to one another. They fought sometimes but they worked around it enough and each found a way to change for the better. On impulse, her mahogany eyes darted to the moving shadows beneath the glittering surface of the water. She rolled up her sleeves and tied them them back before taking off her green skirt and hiking up the pink kimono. The taiji-ya then tied it beneath her obi, winding up with a knee-length kimono. She slid out of her sandals and walked quietly over to the edge. She dipped her feet in and got her balance instantly. She allowed her skin to adjust to temperature and waited patiently, clearing her head and allowing her anger and negative feelings wash away with the river. Her eyes closed and a small smile crossed her face.

"Careful, Sango-chan! Remember, you must be quiet and patient when you fish with your hands. You must allow yourself to be calm like the waves. Water is ever-changing. You must change yourself to adapt to the water before you fish." The little girl lost her balance a lot the first day, falling enough to bruise her knees. Every time she lunged for the fish, she would come away with nothing but scrapes and bruises. The next day, she took it slow and steady. She adjusted to the water. She listened to its fluid rhythm and its timeless wisdom. Her breathing slowed and her body relaxed. "Much better. Come, little one-" There was a sudden splash and the taiji-ya turned around to see his daughter holding her first hand-caught fish.

Sango's breathing slowed and her muscles relaxed. She listened to the same endless rhythm and timeless wisdom. Her eyes opened and she watched the slow pace of the swimming fish. No longer were they frantic and worrying about her. After a sudden splash, she had caught herself a fish for lunch. The taiji-ya slowly walked to the shore of the river and sat down on a large rock. She pulled a knife that had been strapped to her thigh.

"You should teach Rin to do that." Sango had sensed him the instant she stepped out of the peace. She knew he had been watching her.

"I will. I would teach her anything she wants to learn." Her voice betrayed nothing of their previous fight. Sesshoumaru stepped closer and sat on the slightly smaller rock beside her. He stared at the water, appearing as relaxed as she had been. The silence that drifted between them was not awkward. She made a fire and skewered her fish so that it could cook. The entire time, her soul retained the calmness of water. Her body was relaxed and her movements were unhurried. If they could be together as it was then, Sango had to admit that it would probably work out. The tranquility that she felt in that time was like no other since Naraku had built a dam to try and prevent her soul from flowing forward, preventing her natural changes.

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Her eyes managed to find his when she awoke late in the night. She had gotten to bed a few hours prior and fell asleep quickly. After such a relaxing day, she had been unprepared for the nightmares that had damaged her previously. She took a deep breath and sat up. Her head was clear and her previous thoughts ran through her head.

"Sesshoumaru, we should talk about what happened." He didn't even appear to care but the slight tensing of his muscles told her that he knew as well as she did that they did need to have a discussion. "I apologize for saying those things to you. I got angry and it shouldn't have happened. I learned from my father's lessons and what happened with Houshi-sama. We need to adjust and change to make this work. If we refuse to be like that river, if we refuse to change, we'll just keep butting heads like stubborn fools." She stood and walked over to him, blanket in hand, sitting so close to him that their shoulders were brushing.

"It was a talk that would have been better if avoided." Sango pulled the blanket around her shoulders and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I think it was better to have had it. It made me think over what we were avoiding. Neither of us talked about how we were feeling until that moment. It gave us the change we needed. The lesson that I needed to be reminded of." Her eyes closed and her voice lowered. "I want to thank you for saying what you truly thought, even if I didn't like it much. Hopefully, we can learn more from each other and grow closer from this." It was silent for a while and she began to drift off when she felt him shift. At first, she thought he was going to move away from her. It surprised her when his arm wrapped around her, his fingers brushing against her side. She smiled and fell closer, resting her head closer to his throat. That was how she fell asleep.

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We've come a long way. As always, I'm trying my best! I sincerely love this couple and I love writing about them.

It is hard to imagine sometimes but I find that certain scenarios can certainly bring together two unlikely people. It happens, ne?

Please let me know what you think because I do enjoy your feedback. I am very sorry about the long wait but work's been hectic lately and I've been kind of tired and ill (weather, undoubtedly).

Thank you all for your support!

-Angel