AN: Warning: this fic, though romance, is going to be very dark. Little to no humor! Mostly angst! Also, this is an AU, slightly one-sided Sango/Miroku fic, branching off sometimes before manga chapter 292 (if you know what I'm talking about, good; if you don't then never mind). Enjoy.

Chapter one

Wandering down the path, I glanced over at Sango. She always looked so beautiful when she was thinking. Too beautiful.

I considered what I had done to deserve such a friend... and secret love. Yes, I admit it. I was in love with Sango. Of course, I hadn't been in love with her at first. At first she had just been another woman, like Kagome, or a girl from a village. But my lecherous feeling had gradually grown deeper and deeper over time. Now I no longer wanted to grope her but kiss her.

Unfortunately, if I discontinued my lecherous advances, she might suspect something was wrong, and then my true feelings might come out. And that was what I feared. Yes, I, Miroku, was a coward. Too afraid to tell Sango my feelings, I hid behind my pats and gropes. Jumping a little, I noticed Sango was looking at me strangely.

"What is it, Houshi-sama?"

"Oh, just marveling at how lovely you look, Sango," I smiled, as I reached up to pat her rear.

"Hentai!" She screamed as she slapped me, leaving a searing red handprint on my face. Storming off, Sango walked further ahead of me, probably to avoid my wandering hands. Smiling at my successful maneuver, I continued to walk, but after a while a stopped and looked behind myself. I had felt a strange feeling. Like someone was watching me.

"Sango," I called. I wanted to warn her. The hairs on the back of neck were not very sensitive, so if I they began to prickle, something was very wrong. I turned my face to the left to try and find the disturbance, momentarilly taking my eyes off Sango.

"Don't..." Sango began before her sentence was cut short by a scream. Spinning around, I watched in horror as Sango was wrapped in the sticky thread of a spider-youkai's web.

"Sango!" I shouted, as I ran forward. But the spider was too quick. Biting down on Sango's throat, it bit her and used its teeth to rip at her throat.

Regardless, I jumped forward, slammed my staff into the youkai's head and slashed at it with pointed end of my staff. When I was confident it was dead, I threw a spell scroll at it, just to make certain. Running over to Sango's side, I pulled off the spider's thread and inspected the gapping wound. It was extremely deep, and I ripped off a large strip of cloth from my outer robes. Tying the cloth around her neck, I hoped it was enough to stop the blood that was streaming from her wound and running down her neck onto the ground. She needed help and fast. Staring at me with large, unseeing eyes, Sango gripped my arm while trying to take a breath of life-giving air. Picking her up, I made sure the cloth was secure and ran towards Kaede's hut.

"Miroku?" I heard a voice ask and I looked up saw Inuyasha hurrying towards me. "I smelt blood."

"It's Sango. We were attacked and she could fight back. She needs help."

"I'll take her," Inuyasha offered and I nodded; he could run faster than I could. Handing Sango to him, I bit my lower lip and ran after him, while praying for Sango's safety.

I gasped for air and focused my eyes on Kaede's hut. Picking up speed, I didn't notice the burn in my legs or the tree root. Tripping, I fell onto my hands and knees. Trying to stand, I groaned as I felt the burn that ran through my entire body and I couldn't muster to strength to rise. Sitting against a tree, I tried to regain my strength and breath but as I regained both, I heard a shuffling near Kaede's hut and, upon looking up, I saw Kaede exit her hut and looked around for someone. When her eyes feel upon me, she began to walk towards me and I, scrambling to my feet, hurried over to Kaede's side.

"How is she?" I asked.

"I'm sorry, houshi-dono. We could not save her," Kaede sighed.

"You're lying," I whispered before pushing past the older lady. I ran into the hut and quickly scanned the inside, ignoring Inuyasha, who was following close behind me. When my eyes had finally adjusted to the slightly dim light of the hut, I saw Kagome kneeling next to Sango.

"I'm so sorry, Miroku-sama," Kagome sobbed, not meeting my eye. "We really tried."

"She can't be dead," I told her. "Sango can't be dead."

"Miroku, I know what death smells like," Inuyasha told me in his usual indifferent tone of voice. "I know the scent of death better than almost any other smell, and Sango reeks of it."

"But she can't be dead!" I screamed at him. "How dare you talk about her like she means nothing!"

Running over to Sango's side, I reached over Sango's limp form and shook her.

"Come on, Sango," I whispered in her ear. "Wake up. You need to wake up. Wake up! This isn't funny!"

"Come on, Miroku," Inuyasha growled, placing his hand on my shoulder. "She's dead, get over it."

"I..." I began, my hands releasing her shoulders. Her body slumped back onto the floor, limp and dead. "I... Oh, gods. Sango, Sango, Sango. I'm sorry. It's all my fault."

"I'm so sorry," Kagome sniffed softly. Sitting next to Sango's body, I barely noticed as Inuyasha surreptitiously led Kagome from the room so I could be alone with Sango. Closing my eyes, I felt a tear run down my check and tried to wipe it away. But another tear was following it and then another, and another. Before I knew it, I was sobbing faintly into my hands.

"I-I'm sorry," I choked out, while weeping. "I'm sorry. Sorry, sorry, sorry."

When the tears finally stopped flowing, I touched Sango's hand and kissed it.

"I love you, Sango." I whispered, before getting to my feet and walking from the room. I left the hut and looked over at Inuyasha who was sitting next to a sleeping Kagome. Meeting my eye, Inuyasha blinked once before looking away.

"The old hag said we'll hold the burial tonight. Will you be there?"

"I'm not sure." I whispered.

"Whatever. It's not like I care." Inuyasha sniffed indifferently.

"Goodbye, Inuyasha." I sighed before walking down the trail that would take me away from the village. I heard Inuyasha mutter something about weak humans and knew he was right.

If I had been stronger, I would have told Sango how I felt. If I had been stronger, I would have killed the demon before it touched Sango. If I had been stronger, Sango never would have died. If I were stronger, I wouldn't be running from the pain that threatened to rip out my heart and tear it into shreds without another thought.