Title: Worth the price

Characters: Most of them

Genre: Angst /Romance

Warning: Character death

Author Note: Yep I realise that Kirara is actually the fire neko's real name. However it seems to be pronounced like Kilala so I spell it that way, also I would like to thank everyone that reviewed, you make me feel loved and appreciated. My writing style has changed a little since I wrote it so I thought I'd update. (Originally 2005 and then revamped 2008, and now 2012)

The dark haired demon-slayer looked down at the body strewn battlefield from her position atop her flying feline companion though blood matted the creamy coloured fur, from what Sango could see her friend didn't appear to have any serious injuries though she would have to look Kilala over once they found a safe spot.

Her large boomerang type weapon was laid across her lap, a few cracks decorated the length and her armor as well from the intense battle that they had just taken part in. She was going to have to go back to the Slayer's Village once more to repair it, after she recovered from her injuries Sango thought with a wince as an idle movement caused a sharp pain to lance down her side and across her chest.

Sango was fairly certain she had some broken ribs and she sported some deep cuts despite her slayer outfit. They seemed to have stopped bleeding for the most part but she was definitely going to need some time to recover herself, as would the others she imagined. They never seemed to come out of battles unscathed so it was just as well Kagome always stocked up on medicines from her own time.

Speaking of Kagome…the dark-haired priestess appeared to be relatively unscathed from the looks of things which was a relief considering they'd all been somewhat separated from each other through the course of the battle. She could hear the faint wisps of the priestess' voice on the wind as she began yelling, though there was something about the expression that she could see on her friend's face that caused her stomach to drop.

They had won the war, the battle was finally over and Naraku was dead at long last after so many years of fighting. She had avenged her lost family and her village for their deaths and everyone else that in passing Naraku had wronged or poisoned with his treachery. Hopefully now this land could have some peace now that he was gone.

"Down Kilala," She said softly as she ran one of her hands over the fire neko's neck in a caress and as the fire neko's feet touched the ground she heard the other girl call out Inuyasha's name quite clearly this time. Sango slid from its back, her feet once more on the ground she pulled the weapon down as well causing her to almost stumble from the weight on her injured body but she regained her footing quickly.

Turning around chocolate brown eyes caught sight of her friend making her way through the battlefield still looking for Inuyasha and she bit her bottom lip, the worry for her friends making itself known. Her heart skipping a beat when she realised that it was not only Inuyasha that was missing but Miroku as well…

She hadn't seen him for quite some time, but he'd be alright. He was strong, unless Naraku getting killed had left him vulnerable without his wind tunnel…her stomach twisted into a knot of anxiety at the thought.

Sango started slightly when she felt something jump onto her shoulder, turning her head she saw that Kilala had reverted back to its small form once more and was now perched on her shoulder. Smiling rubbed behind one of its ears before she knelt down and started gently feeling over her friend's body for any injuries.

A sound caught her attention and she turned to see Shippo standing a short distance away from her gazing after Kagome's retreating form. The Slayer was about to go over to him but there was something about his expression that made her pause, the seriousness of his expression that lead her to believe that perhaps her friend had something to worry about after all.

Sango's blood ran cold at the thought mixed with the still echoing sounds of Kagome's cries. She hoped that Kagome would find him alive and unconsciously her own gaze started scanning the bodies that covered the ground, looking for Inuyasha's red clad form but it was difficult in the moonlight…everything was stained red.

But instead of finding Inuyasha her gaze came to an abrupt stop on a motionless form dressed in purple robes. Her eyes widened and a stricken look flickered across her face as she realised who it was, Miroku.

An anguished cry slipped from her lips and she abandoned her weapons, dropping them to the bloody grass and Kilala jumping from her shoulder moments before she rushed over to him. Her footsteps were clumsy and she slid in the bloody grass time and again as she made her way towards him, unmindful of her own injuries. Her attention was so focused on Miroku that she forgot everything else, it all became less important than making sure he was alive…because he had to be alive. He had to.

Her gaze was becoming blurry with the hot tears that filled her eyes and she stumbled, one foot slipping from under her and she fell down. The impact jarring her injuries and causing a hiss of pain to slip from her lips as tears trickled down her cheeks finally, wincing she slowly pushed herself back to her knees, rubbing the blood onto her clothing uncaring as she moved forward on her knees.

Sango was now kneeling beside him on the ground and she reached out to him and then pulled her hand back. Hesitantly she moved her hand forward again, brushing the dark hair back from his forehead as she whispered softly, "M-Miroku?"

She bit her lip and attempted to keep the panic out of her voice and expression, she continued to watch him lay there. He was too still. His golden staff had fallen beside him and she could see there were cuts covering his body, the material of his clothing ripped and pale skin was covered with crimson. There was one especially large one across his chest diagonally and another down his side.

A soft whimper of distress escaped her lips and her hand shifted, fingers cupping his cheek as she cried soundlessly, the tears sliding down her cheeks, "Miroku, please…oh please say something to me!"

She didn't know what to do and she hated it. Shifting her shaking hand she pressed her fingers against his neck like she'd seen Kagome do before when searching for a pulse, though of course she had no idea whether she was doing it right or not. Even though she couldn't feel the beat of his heart his skin was cold, he was warm and she moved her shaking fingers to his lips she felt the brush of breath against her fingers.

Taking a shuddering breath relief poured through her though the tears still didn't stop though at that moment she felt something slide across the curve of her hip and squeeze her backside. A sound of surprise slipped from her lips and her hand instinctively came down and she slapped the monk beneath her, leaving a familiar hand print. Anger simmered but it was overwhelmed by her relief that he was alright. It flooded through her though she couldn't stop crying, the tears just kept on coming and quiet sobs shook her frame. He was alive.

Miroku brought his hand slowly up to his cheek and dark lashes fluttered, opening to show her a pair of deep violet eyes. Miroku was puzzled. Sure she had slapped him but it didn't have half the normal force to it and she was…crying. Why was she crying?

Miroku was puzzled by Sango's reaction, he wasn't sure if he'd ever seen her cry before. Not that he minded that the slap seemed quite half hearted for Sango. It had been her voice that had called him from the dark abyss of unconsciousness, though her tears made him want to comfort her. He'd always hated it when women cried.

The dark-haired monk slowly sat upright, groaning softly from the pain that the action caused him and he looked at Sango. Uncertain what to do, cautious because of his own condition and her unpredictability he wrapped his arms loosely around her waist and gently tugged her closer to him so he could embrace her.

A soft sniffle came from her as she pressed her face against his chest and her arms slid around his neck. He relaxed slightly but not completely, her passiveness was abnormal and it was kind of scaring him that maybe something really bad had happened. She was hugging him…was there something wrong with her or perhaps everyone else was dead and that's the reason for this. "Sango what's wrong?"

Sango just shook her head, refusing to utter the words. To actually admit out loud to him what she had feared and to give away the fact that he was important to her.

"Sango…what happened to the others?" Miroku asked as he ran his fingers lightly through her locks, somewhat concerned at all the tears and the change in the slayer. When she refused to reply he shook her slightly but not too roughly since he knew she was probably injured as well. Violet eyes looked down into brown tear drenched eyes for a few moments.

Sango looked away finally, she didn't want to talk anymore…her emotions were still in turmoil but she answered, "Everyone is fine I think…but we were looking for Inuyasha and then I saw you and you weren't moving…and…"

"You thought something had happened to me?" He asked softly, understanding finally appearing in his eyes though she refused to look at him she did nod ever so slightly before pressing her face back against his shoulder. He was surprised that she was crying for him, but it made him happy. "It's alright Sango, I won't leave you," he whispered softly into the long brown tresses.

He had hoped for a while now that she really did care about him, maybe that she even loved him despite the fact she seemed to spurn every advance he tried because he had fallen completely in love with her. Brushing a kiss across her forehead he murmured, "You know I love you Sango."

Pretty pweeeese review! It will give you good Karma! I came back and re-wrote this because I wasn't really happy with how it flowed and overlapped, so I decided to make them all flow from one to the other and spread it out a bit.

I hope that people like it. Originally this was supposed to be either a beginning or ending for another story but I can't come up with a plot for it.