.{.Oh, the Web We've Weaved.}.

{.x.}

Their journey had come to a halt sooner than they had expected, at least for that day. The hanyou who had elected himself leader of their group had no plan to stop at the first village they reached midday but a youkai attack and pleas for help ruined that plan, all sprung into action without question to slay the weak horde of bird youkai that tried to destroy the village.

As always, their monk companion milked the moment for all it was worth—guaranteed meals, some items of worth, and a night at the local inn. Though, Inuyasha would have obviously liked to keep going the others were reluctant to pass up the prize of another night's rest within a nice inn so, much to his dismay, he was overruled.

It was shortly after she returned from the local springs cleansed with her female companion that she went in search for the lecherous monk that had surprisingly heed her warning of not following them, which was completely out of character for him. He always followed, more so since they became intimate. It was almost as if he was a glutton for the punishment he received from the misdeed, a rock to the head, a slap, or worse a slam from her loyal hiraikotsu. Yet this time… nothing?

With a frown she wandered about the inn until she heard his voice and that of another—a girls.

"Houshi-sama," some plead, "please, do you truly not remember me?"

"I'm… sorry," Miroku replied, "remind me?"

"You saved my life once, you were so heroic… my name is Yukiko, it must have been over four seasons ago now, but you used your curse to suck a bear-youkai that meant to eat me up," she reminisced as she took his cursed hand into both of hers gently, "I have thought a great deal about that day."

"Oh," realization seemed to coat his voice as he smiled, "yes, I remember that now. It was shortly before I began to travel with my current companions."

"Yes, I don't remember them with you," she nodded before her brown eyes moved up to meet his violets, "you asked me that day if I would bear your child, to give you an heir that would fight on for your family's honor in case you were not to make it and… I said no."

"Yes," he chuckled, "I get that often, you needn't worry."

"No," she protested as she clenched his hands, "I have thought about that question each and every day since I last saw you and I decided that if I were ever to see you again I would ask you, may I bear your child, Houshi-sama?"

His eyes widened from her forwardness and the conviction that was written within her eyes, "uh… Yukiko-san…"

"No, please, let me do this for you, Houshi-sama," she countered, "I have no family… I would cherish the child, I would teach him of you if you were not to make it and I would see to it that he follows in his father's footsteps. I would be truly honored, Houshi-sama. It would be as much a gift to myself as it would be to you, so please considerate it. I am not a child; I know what I speak of."

"And you needn't worry," she added as her gaze shifted across the obvious shock on his façade, "there would be no strings attached. You do not need to marry me, just give me one night with you and I will be happy."

Sango could feel the hallway spin as her lungs ceased to function, somehow she still managed to open the door just enough to witness the girl—who was truly more a woman than she—lean up to kiss Miroku upon the lips.

"Well, Houshi-sama?"

Instead of pushing her away, ripping his hand free from hers and saying he could not, that he was already promised to another, he mused, "an heir…"

That was all she could take before she left silently, it wasn't until she stepped out of the inn that she ran far, far away. She knew… that that woman would give Miroku what she would not—complete intimacy, the heir he so faithfully sought after. She wanted to… she wanted to be able to give him that, but not yet, once the battle was over and Naraku was dead—when he no longer needed an heir—she would give him one.

That was why… she knew he would not pass up the chance. Before, girls had said that to him but they had been just that girls never a woman like the one back there… and the look upon his face, the contemplation, she knew it… she knew what answer he would give her—yes.

Would he tell her? That he had spent the night with another, produced a child with another? If he lived to see Naraku die would he still want to become her husband or the woman who bore him a child when he needed one most?

… would she want him as a husband?

If only she could give herself to him like that woman could, then he would not stray, then he would stay with her and cease his flirtation with others. Wouldn't he…?

Tears blurred her vision so much so that she did not notice the web she ran right into, until it was too late. Her eyes shot open as she swiftly blinked away the water that impaired her vision to see the strings that had tangled themselves around her, with bent brows her mahogany orbs shifted about the forest as she tried to tug and pull her way free.

"We've got her," an ominous whisper was the last thing she heard before all faded to black…

{.x.}

When she finally pried her eyes open once more the scenery around her was all wrong—completely different. No longer was she stuck in a web within a thick forest but within a rundown room, the ceiling had caved in at parts to reveal the star covered sky—it was night? She must have been out for longer than she thought… but where was she and how did she get there?

When she tried to move a piercing pain caught her attention, her eyes shifted about to see the shinning web still held her up but was tighter than before to restrain her movements completely. Spiders… like the hellish youkai that had lured her family to their death, like the scar of the hideous monster's back that was the puppet master of all her misery.

How could she have been so foolish as to allow herself to be caught like this? Stupid, stupid her! She had been too focused on the ache in her chest to notice the forces that had been looming around to capture her… what a fool, it was reasons like these that love was futile and useless. She cursed the very day her heart first began to beat for the monk that was probably… no, she closed her eyes, she couldn't think about him. She had to free herself; she had to get herself out of the mess she was tangled in.

With a sharp breath in she began to wiggle her way about, each time she felt a cut in her skin but she tried her best to ignore the pain. She had to get out, this would not be her end, she still had to live on to find Kohaku—to save him, her reason for living.

Her wrists were pierced deeper just as her ankles were before she finally freed herself to fall to the ground with an awful thud, it took a grunt for her to push herself up and limp her way out of the room. Right away, she heard her name being called out by…

Was it wishful thinking? Had she lost too much blood as she struggled for freedom that now her mind was playing tricks on her? She was a moron, but she allowed hope to eat her up inside as she walked to the railing that separated the second floor from the first. Down there she saw the source of the shouts of her name… and it was him. Her heart skipped a beat—he was here fighting for her instead of fornicating with a flimsy female?

Well… he might have done that but… he was there now, in the midst of a horde of spider youkais with a warn look upon his façade an obvious injury.

There was nothing more she wanted in that moment than to call out his name but she felt a prick in her calf, instantly numbness took her legs to cause her to fell onto her side, in a mere moments her whole body felt the prickles of nothing and no amount of will power could get her voice to work for her, she just barely was about to shift her eyes to see the biggest spider youkai looming above her, venom dripping for its disgusting fangs.

"My venom is not deadly in such a small doses but it does paralyze humans easily, you may try to shout to your lover all you wish but you will fail. I will let you live long enough to watch him die in a feeble attempt to save you, then I will eat you."

If a spider could smirk she was certain that was what the nasty creature would be doing at that moment. Her gaze shifted back to Miroku as he used his Shakujou staff to slay a few of the smaller spiders that tried their best to tangle him with web but only managed to stick his feet to the ground. She tried to reach out to him, but there was no use.

She wanted to gasp when she watched him get hit and fall to the ground but thank the Kami that he recovered enough to avoid the next assault and call out her name once more. She wanted nothing more in the world than to reply to him as he killed two more before the looming spider cursed and crawled along the ceiling to lower itself before Sango on its web, "I'll have to kill him myself it will seem."

If only she could call out to warn Miroku, perhaps than he would have been able to avoid the web that shot out to grab one of his wrists to lift it above his head, freeing his staff from his grasp in the process. That sparked desperation in the monk so he lifted his only free hand up to his mouth to uncover the beads that held back his curse—the one he should surely not be using so soon.

"You want to risk it, monk?" The spider youkai taunted as he slid up some to reveal Sango upon the floor behind it, "will you be able to stop yourself before sucking her in with me?"

His piercing violets widened as they locked onto her, no… he couldn't, so he let his hand drop down only to be caught by web and tied above his head with the other.

"Ah," he cringed as the spider crawled its way over to sink its teeth into his shoulder and release venom into his system.

No, no, no, she needed to get up, she could not allow Miroku to die because… of this, because of her mistake. She could not lose him, she had lost too much, too many that she loved… yes, she loved the perverted unfaith man to no ends, there was simply no way in hell that she would be able to lie and watch as he was killed for her sake. No, never.

With a great deal of effort she managed to push herself up shakily to her knees, in a terribly stumbling attempt she rushed down the stairs, falling the last few steps to scrap her knees on the loose panels. She paid no heed to the pain as she pushed herself off the ground once more to rush over with her weak legs and grab his staff, with all the strength left in her numb body she lifted it high above her head to stab the creature threw the head. One awful shriek later and the final youkai was finished…

Her stance was feeble at best before she dropped to her knees and leaned forward to fall into the also kneeling yet wrist trapped Miroku.

"Sango…" he sighed as he rested his head upon hers and shut his eyes, "are you alright?"

"Yes," there was a good chance she would be fine, "you, Houshi-sama?"

"I will most likely be fine, as long as you will," he assured her.

It was a small task to run down the stairs and grab the staff to kill the youkai but she was out of breath from it and felt ever so faint for both blood loss and the venom that still coursed through her system. She was not too tired to feel a few tears fall as she began her heartfelt apology, "Houshi-sama, I am so sorry. I was foolish… I shouldn't have let this happen. I am so sorry!"

"It is fine," he promised.

"I don't know what I would have done if they had killed you, Houshi-sama…" she murmured as she felt herself slipping away into slumber, "I love you."

{.x.}

Confusion shot threw her in waves once her eyes reopened, it took a few more moments than it should have to realize why she was in a web covered, dusty, room filled with dead spider youkai corpses. She pushed away from Miroku to see that he was still tied up by the web that had taken both his wrists, "Houshi-sama…?"

"Hm?" he mumbled back as she flicked her wrist to free the knife that was always hidden on her arm to cut him free, quickly grabbing him before he could hit the ground, "thanks…"

"How do you feel, Houshi-sama?" She inquired as he grabbed her to push himself up again.

"Generally numb but otherwise fine," he smiled weakly, "I don't think I'll be able to get to my feet."

"I'll help," she whispered as she took one of his arms and flung it over her shoulder before she pushed off the ground to stand, he almost had to lean his full weight on her to manage to walk. Her eyes flickered constantly between the ground and his stoic face as they left, she knew that look… it was the one he wore whenever he was having an internal debate.

"What is it, Houshi-sama?"

His violets moved from the forest in front of them down to her, "you are the strongest woman I know, strongest person. After all that you are still able to help me, support most of my weight, but it goes beyond that… you lost everything, your friends, your family, your home, and yet still found a way to trust others, to find happiness and joy. I find that astonishing. That through all the darkness you can still see a light worth fighting for…"

He seemed so candor that she felt her cheeks flush with color, "thank you, Houshi-sama… but is that truly what you are thinking so intently on?"

That stumped him for a bit before his eyes glimpsed away, "you said… you loved me."

She froze, stopping their trek through the forest in the process. He dimly pulled his arm away from her to weakly walk over to the closest tree to sit under, "I knew you did, you had to in order to agree to do all that you have for me…"

"Houshi-sama," she murmured as she looked away, "I didn't mean to say it… but I won't take it back. I don't expect you to share the—"

"Hush," he requested as he lifted a hand and closed his eyes, "I suppose there is no point in denying it any longer. We are already doing foolish things for the other, aren't we? You ran off, you were caught by those demons, because of something I did… correct?"

"Houshi-sama," she muttered as she turned her cheek, "it's… not important."

"It is," he countered, "when I came across them I should have gone to get help from Inuyasha or Kagome-sama but I couldn't. I feared that would waste time. That I had to save you. I tried… to not think of you differently than Kagome-sama, Shippou, or Inuyasha… then it would be easier, and we would not be put in such foolish situations but I cannot deny that you are special."

She's heard that before so she waited for the added, 'I guess'.

But it never came, finally it was replaced with what she longed to hear.

"I love you," he declared.

Her eyes widened as she swiftly turned her stare back to him, breathlessly she walked up to him to fall to her knees and hug him. It took a moment for him to wrap his arms around her and a bit more for the grasp to become tight, he repeated the words just for her, "I love you."

"I love you, too!"

It was a pleasant moment, the venom still numbed their wounds so that the pain did not yet reached them, and as long as the other was in their arms they could rest and enjoy it. She readjusted to be more comfortable after a while; her head leaned against his shoulder as she shut her eyes and his upon her forehead. Their arms never left the other as they faded once more to slumber…

{.x.}

Again, she woke with mild confusion but this time from the voices she heard around her, a familiar gruff, a perky tone, and the charming, soothing voice she knew so well—Miroku. In her haze she heard him explain what had happened, a false tale that stated all of what occurred was his fault and that Sango had saved him.

That was when she finally pried her eye open to push up and protest, "that's a lie."

Somehow, they had ended up back in the inn once more she realized as all the eyes turned to her, "Sango-chan, I'm so happy that you are alright!"

"Kagome-chan," she nodded, it must have been her handy work that had wrapped up all her wounds. "Houshi-sama saved me, I made the mistake, I—"

"It doesn't matter," Inuyasha scoffed as he folded his arms, "as long as you two idiots are alive. You morons should have had us help."

"I agree," Miroku nodded, "that would have been a good idea but I simply could not wait."

That was when he turned his smile to Sango; she smiled right on back to him.

{.x.}

Outside and alone with nothing but the glisten from the moon and stars to light them seemed perfect to both, their wounds ached some but the herbal remedies from Kagome's advanced world did make them feel better. Reflexively, she wrapped her arms around herself when the night chill began to reach them. Happily, she accepted Miroku's warmth when he placed his arms around her. For a while they were silent, simply enjoying the others company until the lecherous monk had to break it.

"When this is all over," he whispered into her ear, causing a sweet shiver to cascade down her spine, "I will relish our first night together, as husband and wife of course."

Her cheeks flushed with color once again as she elbowed him lightly in the gut, "hentai."

"I cannot help myself when it comes to you, Sango," he defended himself with a pout as he tightened his hold on her briefly.

The moment was almost perfect if not for one unspoken nuisance that loomed in the air around her, the question she had feared to ask... "Houshi-sama?"

"Yes, my dear?"

Her heart skipped a beat at that but she had to ask anyway, "I... did you take up that offer from the village woman?"

He stiffened for a moment as a hush fell over them before he loosened up and pulled away so that they could look at one another fully. "Is that why you left? You heard that... you knew?"

She nodded as her eyes shifted to the wooden panel porch that they sat upon.

"I... will not lie to you, Sango," he muttered as his violets ventured away from her. "I considered it, for a long while... I even thought about asking you if it would be alright but I knew that would be too cruel. Then I realized something... I couldn't. Not when I am in love with you, Sango."

"Oh?" She muttered.

"You don't believe me?" He guessed, "it was mainly the fact that I cherish you that I said no but there is another reason."

"I would love to hear it."

"I don't want an heir."

He seemed so sure, his voice was steady, his expression stoic, so her brows bent together, "since when?"

"Since I truly stopped to think about it, when it really became an option," he replied, "I... don't want to pass this curse to anyone else. I grew up knowing death would come quicker for me than anyone else, I grew up not knowing my mother and losing my father. I don't want any child to live like I have, it is not the worst fate but it is not one I would wish upon anyone else. I don't need an heir to defeat Narauk, I know that if I do not make it then you and the others will eventually destroy him. That brings me comfort."

"Houshi-sama, Naraku will die before you, I promise," she stated as she grasped his cursed hand.

"Once this is over, though," he smiled as he took her hands into his, "I would like children but only with you."

"Houshi-sama," she murmured, it was foolish that that sparked her to blush again but she could not say she disliked the prospect. It gave her hope for a better future, hope for a future. "But... you can still flirt with other girls while in love with me?" She inquired with a frown, "that is cruel, Houshi-sama."

His smile turned upside down from that, "yes... well, I did that for a half-pure reason."

"What could that be?" she dully snapped as she tried to tug her hands away but failed.

"In order to try and prevent the feelings I had for you," he replied with a weak smile, "it sounds awful, I know, but I knew that it would be best if we did not... feel so strongly for the other until it was over. I knew it would cloud our judgment and get in the way of killing Naraku. Yet... gradually, each time I saw a woman or spoke with one I couldn't help but think 'Sango would say this... or she is more beautiful or she would slap with far greater force."

"I would," she assured him, "I still will."

"I swear I will try to be better," he promised as he lifted her hands to kiss, "but you must tell me when I'm doing something you do not like. I need to learn the errors of my way, and you have to be the one to teach me or it will never stick."

"I am a stern teacher, Houshi-sama," she warned.

He grinned, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

They sealed the deal with a kiss.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed and please review. Thanks.