Title: One Night's Memory
Genre: Romance
Rating: K+
Pairing: Sango/Miroku
Perspective: Sango
Summary: Sango Mayake laid down rules for herself, and she never disobeyed them. Not a good girl, but not a bad girl. As she goes off to a week-long summer camp, Sango finds herself being convinced to break her personal boundaries, following her friends. Well, when something goes wrong, she finds herself abandoned and hurt. Or is she?

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One Night's Memory

- - - - -

The air was thick as I took a breath of the night air in. I couldn't believe what I was doing. I had snuck out for the first time in my life, and I had yet to get caught. Maybe I was jinxing myself, but I didn't want to get caught, not yet. There was too much to do; at least, in my mind.

I looked toward Kagome, her ebony hair gleaming in the moonlight. She had been the one to convince me to come out, to go against all rules I had set for myself and leave the cabin. Tonight was an adventure, and only a limited few were allowed to partake in it.

A sudden hand motioned for us to move forward; it was safe to move now. I guess that means the counselors have gone from the area, I thought with relief. Though nobody knew it, I was very scared, and it took some heavy convincing to get me to come tonight. Only Kagome, Rin, Ayame, and I came, and what we were doing; we were going to go skinny dipping in the pool.

"Sango, c'mon! There's somebody coming!" I heard Kagome whisper urgently. Her voice was but a harsh whisper to my ears. I looked to her. She had to be a good ten feet in front of me, along with the other girls. How had they gotten so far ahead? My thoughts were jumbled as I began to walk ahead, not paying attention to where I was headed.

"San, watch out!" Came the strangled cry, harsh and low from one of the girls. I had barely heard it, and I looked up only for it to be too late. I realized my mistake. There was a root right in front of me. I tripped, making a loud noise vibrate through the wood.

I heard the rustling of feet and I knew they were gone. My friends had abandoned me. My ankle throbbed as I began to sit up, the disposition I was in looking grimmer by the second. Focusing my eyes, letting them adjust to the darkness, though they should have well beyond then, I looked down, only to see blood pouring out of the spot that was aching. I shrugged internally. I guess I should have went with my instincts after all; never listen to a friend who gives bad advice.

Twigs snapped behind me, and I twisted, causing pain in the lower half of my body. I flinched unconsciously as the body came into view. Standing directly behind me was the figure of Miroku, one of the male counselors at the camp.

He stepped closer, bending down. "Are you alright?" He motioned to my ankle as he spoke. I just nodded weakly, wondering how in the world he knew we were out here.

"Well, if you're okay, let me see you walk." Miroku crouched in a more comfortable position, looking as if he were ready to catch me at any given moment. And he should really, for as I got up to walk, I fell gracefully into him, knocking him down.

I looked at him, my face inches from his. "I... I guess I can't walk. S... sorry." I pushed myself off of him, mumbling my stuttered apology.

I saw him getting up, his face tinted pink in the moonlight it seemed. "I didn't think you'd be able to anyways. Now, it's either I carry you back to the nurse, or we camp here till morning. I'm sure your friends will be worried by then."

My eyes were wide. "Fr... friends? Wh... what do you mean?" I looked at him in fear. I may have came here with friends, may have intended to do this with friends, but I am not one to rat out friends.

Miroku just shook his head, "Don't try that. You're not the type to go off by yourself. Don't convince me otherwise."

Was he my stalker? I didn't really know the guy that well. I thought back to the times that I talked to him; was I that obvious in my personality?

"How do you know that? You don't know me that well, and for that matter, I don't know you that well either." I was being arrogant and he knew it. Let's just hope he didn't catch on to my little ploy.

"Yes, Sango, I do. I'm a counselor. It seems that you're very well known by the other counselors as well. You're very well liked. Take it as a compliment. As for me... well, that's a different story." Miroku's voice was laced with mystery and mischief. What was he trying to do? I needed to figure it out soon, cause if I didn't, I'd be stuck with him all night.

My eyes searched what they could of his, trying to detect what they could of his emotions, but for some reason there was nothing. Was he void of them? He couldn't possibly... "I'll take it as a compliment, for now anyways. But either way, if I'm stuck with you for the rest of the night, I might as well have something to talk about. It seems you know more about me than I know about you. Enlighten me."

Miroku began to move around, shifting his positions until he was comfortable on the ground, which had to be difficult. "Enlighten you? This should be interesting. Let me see. I go to college; I'm in my twenties; I'm majoring religion and science, which is tough, but I want to work in the medical field as well as religiously. I was born in Japan, but I'm full-blooded American; I love to fish, swim, and anything to do with water, plainly. In fact, I'm on the way of becoming captain of my swim team in my Fraternity." He paused, breathing in the humid air, "That's all I can think of. Any questions?"

I looked at him. When I had said 'enlighten me', that is not the cue to give me a summary of your life story. "But yes, I do have a question. What's your favorite color? You forgot to mention that." I love catching people on that one. It's so fun.

He smiled softly, shaking his head. "Color, hm? Well, I'd say any shade of purple or blue, and then I like white."

I was genuinely surprised. He had answered it, didn't care, and still Miroku was so... so calm, collected. There was something about him that I couldn't put my finger on. I still wanted to figure it out.

"Blue, purple, pink, and silver."

He looked at me oddly, before coming to the realization I had just named off my favorite colors.

"Why not gold? It's much better." Miroku's eyes flashed with playfulness as he spoke. You could tell he was just saying that to get me going. Well, he had another thing coming.

"Gold," I began, my rebellious side shining through, "is a rusty color that I dislike with a passion. It's ugly and reminds me of the sun too much. I prefer the moon and water, much like you in that aspect, I'm afraid."

Miroku looked at me as I trailed off, his expression unreadable. As soon as I thought he was going to speak, he began laughing, a deep laugh full of expression and emotion; but in that same aspect, it made me curious. What exactly was he laughing at?

Thus, I asked. "Miroku, what's so funny?" He continued to laugh, and I tried again.

"Miroku, oh Miroku. Hey, listen to me," I waved my hands in front of his face, trying to get his attention briefly. His laughing began to calm and so I tried once more.

"Will you tell care to enlighten me on what was so funny? For it would do me great knowledge to know. I have no clue of what you were laughing at." I liked to sound intelligent sometimes, and just then, was one of the those 'sometimes'.

Still chuckling, Miroku made a feeble attempt to answer me, though I understood him all the same. "Is it so bad to be like me? Am I that bad a person? Cause if I am, then certainly this whole time my calculations on you being a wonderful person must be horrible!"

I looked to him in awe as he began to laugh again. He thought I had insulted him, yet he laughed? Wait, he thought I was... a wonderful person? I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks, and I prayed that since it was dark you couldn't see the new tint of red forming on my face.

- - - - -

"Hey, Sango. Wake up. It's morning. I need to go ahead and take you to the nurse. Your ankle doesn't look good." I forced my eyes open, rubbing the remnants of sleep away as I sat up, jolts of pain running through my body from my ankle. I flinched, grasping onto the wet grass in pain.

Miroku's eyes widened. "Are you okay?" His voice was sincere; filled with a kind of worry you wouldn't find in many places, yet I had, and was lucky to have.

I looked at him, my eyes glazed over with tears. "It... it hurts... my ankle." I barely managed out words as the pain grasped me again. Miroku just nodded, gently moving my body.

"I know you're not going to be pleased with this, but I'm carrying you to the nurse's station, whether you like it or not."

A weak smile appeared on my face. "Thanks. I really don't think I'd be able to walk anyway, do you?"

He shook his head; grasping my body in his arms, he stood up. "It's not that far, so don't worry. You'll be okay. I promise."

He looked down at me, his dark eyes peering at me as if they could see into my soul. I felt stronger then, then I ever had. I don't know why, and I don't think I ever will.

"Thank you."

Miroku just nodded, a gentle smile appearing on his face. As he walked, though, I wondered; what would have happened if I had not gotten caught, if I had not went at all? Questions swarmed, and all were left unanswered.

- - - - -

"Oh my gosh, Sango! What happened?" Miroku and I had finally entered the campgrounds where, lo and behold, everyone had gathered by now. My friends came swarming, as did others. I wasn't up to talking, and it seemed that Miroku knew that.

He just looked at them, something akin to a glare was plastered on his face. "She's not up to talking right now. Something happened to her in the woods last night; I wasn't able to maneuver in the dark, so we had to wait until morning to bring her here. You want more answers, wait until she's recovered."

Miroku stalked off, leaving everybody in shock. It wasn't like him to be like that, but for some reason, I can see why he had behaved that way.

"I, I don't know what to say, Miroku. Thank you, again?" I mumbled, my head resting upon his shoulder, for I had grown tired long ago.

He laughed for a short moment. "I didn't think you wanted to play twenty-one questions with everyone in the camp; or did you?" I shook my head no, " I didn't think so. So I just told them straight up wait until you're better. Which is what they should do."

I smiled as we reached the nurse's station. Miroku had announced it, but he needn't do so. I guess he just felt the urge to speak again.

The nurse, Kaede, took one look at me and sighed. "I don't know what you were doing in the woods last night, but I'm glad you only got away with this, though a broken ankle is never good."

I stared with wide eyes. A broken ankle? This isn't going to be fun to explain to my parents.

I felt a hand grasp mine, squeezing it. I looked over to Miroku, who had a light smile on his face, his eyes locked on mine. I squeezed it back, letting him know I appreciated whatever it was he was giving, no matter how wrong that sounded.

- - - - -

The week passed by quickly after that. I don't know where time went. I always heard time flies when you're having fun. Well, I wasn't exactly having fun, now was I? Though, most of the time I was with a few new friends I had made, and sometimes Miroku would stop by and see how I was doing as well. We talked a lot while since I couldn't go many places.

I was given restrictions, though. During the free-times I was to stay in the main area, where I ended up drawing, writing, or playing cards. It was fun. Though my favorite memory was of that night; that one night that changed it all...

. . . Owari . . .

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Author's Note: Well, this is definitely something plays with my heart. It's written partially on experience. (( Keyword: partially )) I just came from a church camp, and sadly enough, I fell for one of the counselors. (( He's only four years older than me! That isn't bad! -coughs- )) Anyway, back on subject. I enjoyed writing this, and hopefully, you enjoyed reading it! LoL. I'd really like to hear responses to this one... so... REVIEW! LoL!

Always,
Kandra