InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Cloud Watching ❯ Memories ( Chapter 15 )

Memories

By Melissa Spoula

Sango woke to the first rays of sunlight shining through the windows. She stretched and winced slightly at the pain sleeping against a wall can cause. It was then that she noticed the blanket that was neatly tucked around her and the others. Immediately her heart began to race. Looking over to Kagome's futon she was delighted to find that Kagome was not there. She slowly scooted Rin off her lap and lifted Miroku's arm off her shoulder. Moving slower than she could stand she got up and quietly walked over to the door. Once the door was shut she broke into a run around the house searching for Kagome. If Kagome wasn't in bed and she was ok enough to cover everyone with a blanket than that meant that she was alive and well.

Sango was happier than she had been in days. Each room she came to she opened the door with the hope that Kagome would be just on the other side waiting to great her with a bright smile. Each room she found empty gave her hope that there were still more places Kagome could be and a little voice in the back of her head told her this was not the time to panic. However when she had checked the last room and still found no Kagome she began to worry. Walking outside Sango was greeted by Kirara. She stooped down and picked the little demon up. "Kirara is Kagome out here with you?" Kirara mewed and shook her head no.

Now it was time to panic.

Sango ran through the house to the bedroom. Opening the door with a slam she ran into the room so fast she slid and fell sideways on her hip in front to a slowly waking Miroku. Not paying attention to how hard she fell she grabbed Miroku by the shoulders and began to shake him. "Miroku, Miroku! Wake up you useless monk!" Miroku reached up and grabbed her wrists. "What? What is it? What's wrong?" Sango pulled out of his hold. "Kagome's missing. She's gone, I can't find her anywhere."

Meanwhile……

"Are we almost there Inuyasha?" that morning Inuyasha and Kagome had started for home. The lake had been a four day journey form their house. Considering the distance, Sesshoumaru must have been traveling pretty fast to get her there in only a few hours. She wondered how long it would take Inuyasha and her to get home.

"Oi wench! You know how much faster this would be if I wasn't loaded down with your extra weight?" Inuyasha had been carrying Kagome on his back since they started traveling. "Well excuse me for being so worried about you that I forgot to wear shoes. And besides you never complained before when you had to carry me."

"Yeah well I think you were lighter then." Inuyasha said under his breath. Kagome grabbed a clump of his hair and tugged. "I heard that. You know I did try to walk. You were the one who insisted on carrying me remember?" Inuyasha tried to move his head away from her. "Stop that! Like I was going to listen to you complain the whole way every time you stepped on a thorn or rock or tripped over a root. I just know what I would hear when we get home. `You made me walk the whole way, you're so mean, now rub my feet.' And I'd hear it for days."

Kagome laughed, she moved his hair from the side of his face and kissed his cheek. "I'd only make you rub my feet for a few days."

Inuyasha just rolled his eyes. "You're to kind."

Anyway back to the main story

Everyone had gathered outside and after a few minutes of calling for Kagome the group decided that they would turn their search to the village.

"You people are making enough noise to wake the dead."

Everyone turned around to find Sesshoumaru behind them. Sango walked fearlessly up to the demon lord. "We're trying to find Kagome have you seen her?"

Sesshoumaru walked past Sango and straight for Rin. "Good morning Rin. Have you eaten yet?" Sango turned around and gave Sesshoumaru a look that would have killed him if he had been looking at her. "Answer me Sesshoumaru!"

Sesshoumaru held his hand out and Rin took it, then he began to walk off. " I took her to my brother late last night. I assume they will be back in a few days." He turned his head and glared at Sango. "Never speak to me again in such a manner." Turning around he led the girl off to god only knows where leaving Sango, Miroku, and Shippo alone. After a few minutes Miroku broke the silence. "Well, breakfast sounds good. Shippo help me get things ready will you?" Shippo nodded and walked off with the monk leaving Sango alone.

Sango stared off into the direction that Sesshoumaru had walked. Turning away she started to follow Miroku. "I could take him you know?" Miroku, knowing better than to argue with a demon exterminator about wither or not she could best the demon lord in a fight, simply nodded and kept his opinions to himself. Shippo picked Kirara up and carried her into the house. "At least Kagome's safe."

Rin returned home shortly before dark with tales of how she had spent the day with Sesshoumaru and all the funny things that Jakin had done. Sango had taken Kagome's place that night in reading the children a bedtime story and getting everyone tucked in.

"Sister Sango? Do you hate Sesshoumaru?" Sango was taken back by the question. "What do you mean Rin?" Rin fingered the blanket. "Well today Rin asked Sesshoumaru why he yelled at sister Sango and he said because sister Sango is not like other humans. Sister Sango has no fear of demons because she has killed so many. Sesshoumaru said that sister Sango hates demons and has no respect for demon law. Is that true?"

Sango sighed deeply and sat on the bed. How do you explain this to a girl raised by demons? "No Rin I do not hate demons. I love Shippo, Kirara and heck I even like Inuyasha. I know all about demon law but it is also my job to keep humans alive. You see sometimes demons would try to destroy whole villages of people and yes at that point we did kill the demons to protect the villagers. But the demons also kill many of us in the process. Neither side is really right but each has to protect it's own best interest. Do you understand?" Rin silently nodded her head and took in the information. "I shouldn't have yelled at Sesshoumaru today, but I was worried about Kagome and just wanted to know if she was ok." She stood up and smiled. "I'll apologize to him tomorrow ok?"

Before Sango could leave the room Rin spoke up again. "Sister Sango? Sesshoumaru also said that…..well….no, I'm sorry Rin does not wish to say what Sesshoumaru said. Good night sister Sango." Sango paused and thought about if she should push the girl into telling her or not. She didn't want Rin thinking of her as some kind of monster. "What did he say Rin?" Rin sunk under her covers. "Rin does not want to hurt sister Sango." Sango turned around leaned against the door. "No insult that Sesshoumaru could throw at me could ever hurt me Rin. I just don't want him telling you anything that isn't true. Now, what did he say?"

Rin sat up. "Well it was not a insult sister Sango. It was….well….Sesshoumaru said that since you are the last of your kind it is only natural that you hate demons. Does that mean your family is dead sister Sango? Did demons kill them?" Sango was taken by surprise by this. She was expecting some jab at her, but for him to bring up her dead family. She fought to hold back the tears that threatened to fall and tried her best to answer the girl in a way that wouldn't lead to more questions. She just didn't think she could handle it. "Rin, yes my family is dead and yes demons did kill them. However the demon that was responsible paid for what he did. My family has long since been put to rest. No, I do not hate demons for what happened to my family. Now it is late and past your bedtime. If you want to talk more we can do it in the morning, ok?" Rin nodded and lay back down. "Good night Rin." Sango blow out the oil lamp. "Good night sister Sango."

Sango closed the door and leaned against it. She wiped the few tears that had succeeded in falling form her face. She had not spoken of her family in a long time and now she realized she had just been putting off coming to terms with the fact that she was alone. Her home village lay in runes, her clan lay in unmarked graves. Her brother the only living relative she had died when Naraku pulled the life giving shikon shard form his back.

She was alone.

Not sure how long she was going to cry Sango walked outside where her cries could not be heard by the others. She had tried to be strong like everyone else. Everyone had been put through so much because of Naraku, she had no right to feel self pity when everyone had been hurt just as bad as she. That didn't stop the tears from falling. That didn't stop the pain in her heart.

Kohaku had been the worst. Not only had Naraku killed him but then he brought him back to life, used him for his own evil deeds, and then killed him again. What hurt the most was that she couldn't save him. She had tried to get him back from Naraku's grasp so many times and each time she had failed. She had let her brother down and she knew it. Sango felt more tears falling and she wiped them away with her sleeve.

"Sango?" Sango turned around to find a very worried looking Miroku standing behind her. She turned around quickly hoping he hadn't seen the tears in her eyes. "Miroku, you startled me." He sat down besides her. "It's a lovely night isn't it?" Sango turned her head from him. "Yeah the stars are lovely." She said trying not to let her voice crack.

"You know." He said placing his hand on hers. "I was thinking earlier just how lucky we are. With everything that's happened to each of us it's a wonder any of us survived." Sango tensed and Miroku squeezed her hand harder. "We are lucky to have so many good friends to help us throughout the tough times. People who understand what we feel and to let us know that no matter what we aren't alone. Right Sango?"

Sango had managed to compose herself enough that she could look at him. She knew this was his way of asking her what was wrong with out coming right out and saying it. "I was talking to Rin and she got me thinking about my family and how much I miss them. I miss Kohaku so much." Miroku wrapped his arm around her. "Your family loved you very much and they would want you to be happy now. They wouldn't want you to be so hurt by something that you had no control over. If you keep them alive in your memory and your heart then they can live on through you. I think you should talk about them more, share your memories with us, with me." Sango laid her head on his shoulder. "What should I say?"

"Tell me one of your happiest memories about Kohaku." Sango lifted her head and thought for a moment and then smile. "I remember when Kohaku was first learning how to use his weapon. Father told him to try and hit a target. Well he didn't realize just how hard he should throw it and through it way harder than he should. The chain went taunt and pulled him along with it. So not only did he miss the target but he also got a face full of dirt. Father congratulated him on his first try and I just laughed." Sango was now smiling and Miroku sat listening to her to share her memories and enjoyed seeing her smile.