Chapter 14
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the InuYasha characters, only Hanna. That goes for the previous chapter as well.
Sango sighed as she leaned against a garden fence. She watched as Jinengi and his mother worked in the garden. 'What are they doing here? Sure, we told Kaede to send them here, but I never expected them to react to numbly, Miroku anyway. Kagome looked so angry….' She shook her head to clear her thoughts when a slight pain came to her midsection.
"Are you sure you don't need any help, Granny?" Sango asked.
The elderly woman grunted as she pulled up a stubborn weed. "No, thank you. We're doing just fine here, Sango. Besides, you shouldn't do so much work around here in your condition."
Sango blushed, and the elderly gardener smiled. Ignoring her knowing smile, Sango's attention was diverted to a presence behind her. "Miroku…" she acknowledged in a sigh.
The monk stopped where he stood. "You were always attentive to your surroundings." Miroku smiled softly. "How are you and InuYasha doing, Sango? Are you happy?"
Sango sighed and turned to Miroku. Silently, she gestured for him to follow her away from the older woman's sharp ears. Miroku followed behind her as she led them back towards her and InuYasha's home. "We're very happy together," she told him, not turning to face him.
Miroku smiled kindly. "I'm glad to hear it."
"You're not angry?" He blinked and looked at the back of her head as they continued walking. He stayed behind her.
"…. Shocked would be the better term, but no, I'm not angry. I'm happy to hear you two discovered your feelings for one another."
"You talk as if you halfway expected for it to happen," Sango said casually, turning to face him.
Miroku sighed and closed his eyes. "When we were traveling together, you and InuYasha were the true warriors. Looking back on it, I can see that you made the better couple. Besides… you and I are so very different, Sango." At the confusion on her face, Miroku sighed again. "You were ready for commitment whilst I wasn't. I'm a true womanizer; I realized that after I peeked at the girls in the stream when I had come all this way to win you back. I support what you and InuYasha have."
Sango blinked in surprise at his words. "It takes a real friend to say that, Miroku."
The monk smiled boyishly. "So does that mean I'm forgiven for all my misdeeds against you, all the flirting and womanizing?"
Sango sweat dropped and sighed, shrugging her shoulders. "Sure. What do I care? I'm a married woman."
Miroku sweat dropped, making Sango smile. As she took another step, she cramped up and held her stomach. Seeing this, Miroku helped her. "Sango? Sango, what's wrong?"
Sango winced and held herself tighter. "It's nothing."
"It's not nothing. Are you wounded? Sick?" Sango shook her head. "Then what…."
"You shouldn't do so much work around here in your condition." That was what he had heard the old woman caution Sango when he was walking towards them. He didn't think much on the matter at the time, but it was starting to make sense.
"Sango…."
Sango smiled. "Guess I don't have to tell you, Miroku, but please keep it to yourself. I haven't told InuYasha yet."
Miroku nodded. He blinked to see Shippo and Hanna coming their way. Remembering Hanna's earlier response to him, he backed away from Sango, and the demon exterminator straightened up to greet them with a kind smile.
"Well, isn't this nice?" InuYasha snorted. "Actually, I was wondering when your true colors were showing up."
"Uh… Uh…" Kagome was blue at the gills.
"Now, could you explain what that was for?" InuYasha asked calmly. He took in her nervous stance. 'What? She thinks I'm going to attack her? Give me some credit.'
Kagome blinked when he didn't rip her throat out in retribution for all the years of sits she ever rained over him. At his calm face, her previous fear left her, and her anger came back.
"How dare you? How dare you take Shippo away from me!?!" Kagome yelled, glaring at InuYasha.
InuYasha blinked and growled slightly. "I didn't take him! Shippo asked me if he could live here on his own!"
"Why would he do that!?!" Kagome yelled. "You've never been good to him like I have. You're always teasing him, hitting him, and yelling at him!"
"I'm treating him like a man!" InuYasha yelled angrily. "He needs to grow up and not be coddled all of his life, or he'll be killed in this world! Don't you understand that, Kagome!"
Kagome blinked but didn't back off. "I understand that perfectly! Koga has been treating him just like any other man!"
InuYasha snorted. "Then why does he want to live here with Sango and me!?! Didn't you hear what he said, Kagome!? He's miserable!"
"He is not!" Kagome exclaimed through grit teeth.
"He is too!" InuYasha snapped. "Think about it, Kagome. He has no one his own age to play with around you. When you do get him to Koga's den, the other pups will tear him apart! But there are children in this village for him to grow up with safely!"
Kagome continued to glare at him with tears welling in her eyes. "Don't do this to me, InuYasha…"
InuYasha sighed heavily with growing anger. Turning away from her, he looked over the village. "It's always about you…. Why don't you just grow up, Kagome? Why don't you think about what's best for Shippo!?" he asked, turning to her angrily.
SLAP
Kagome gasped with wide, brown eyes. InuYasha tenderly touched his face, and he had the sudden feeling of deja-vu.
"You stupid mutt!"
"Oh, no! InuYasha, I'm so sorry!"
"InuYasha... I-I'm so sorry!"
InuYasha snorted. "Same old Kagome… Always sorry. Always saying sorry without meaning it, always thinking that only saying the words will make everything alright again."
"InuYasha…."
The hanyou felt up a finger, silencing her. "Get out of my sight," he said, glaring at her with cold eyes.
"InuYasha?" InuYasha's ears twitched to hear Sango's voice. He turned to see Sango, Miroku, and the kids looking at them worriedly. Sango's eyes widened to see the red mark over his cheek, just like it had been that day all those months ago. "What happened?" she demanded, looking at the two.
"I'm alright, Sango. Don't worry about it," InuYasha assured him as his mate rushed to him to inspect the mark. "Sango…"
"Shh…" She traced the slap mark and shifted her gaze to Kagome. Silently, she reached up and kissed Inu's lips, catching him off guard. Softly, she took his hand and pulled him to follow her into the hut. "Come," she said softly. She turned to the others. "Stay here."
InuYasha blinked softly and let her lead him into their hut. Kagome was still in shock and disbelief that she was still breathing. 'The way Sango looked at me….'
"Kagome, what did you do?" Miroku asked in disbelief.
The young miko blinked and looked away in shame. "I… I've done the unforgivable." She gasped softly holding her hands to her mouth. "I got angry again…."
The wind blew softly above them, rustling the leaves in the trees. Miroku sighed heavily, knowing nothing would ever truly be the same.
Neh, guess what Sango has to say to Inu-chan. Heh.