To See Tomorrow

It was too soon for him to be here. That much he knew, beyond any shadow of a doubt. Yet, he couldn't help but wonder if he could stop by for a brief visit; glimpse the person who would someday fall into the past, and change his own future.

"But has she even been born yet?" he wondered, as he cautiously approached the shrine on the hill; taking extra care that he wasn't seen by anyone while doing so. When he arrived within the shrine keep, he could see the telltale signs that yes, there was indeed a baby within the home, and his sensitive ears picked up the sounds of the child in question easily. With a few easy leaps, he was within sight of the window to the nursery itself; smiling to himself when he saw that it was open to allow the cool spring breeze to enter. Carefully, so as not to disturb the child within, he soundlessly entered the room through the window, and gazed thoughtfully down into the crib before him. He felt some surprise when he saw a pair of wide, innocent brown eyes gazing curiously back at him, and when the baby then smiled and held her chubby arms out to him; trusting this stranger who had come into her sunlit world in such an unusual way.

"And greetings to you as well, young one." He murmured, as he reached down and allowed one of the feather-soft hands to wrap around one of his calloused fingers; feeling his heart melt, despite himself.

"And thus, her ability to touch lives begins…..and she doesn't even realize it yet." He mused, as he continued to stand there, captured by the tiny hand.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Toko sighed tiredly, as she climbed the stairs that led to the level in the house where her newborn daughter now lay. It had barely been four weeks since she had brought her baby home, and already she could see what a huge change it was, from how her life had been before (of course, it would have helped if her husband could have stayed home and not been abroad at the time, but that was beside the point).

"And yet, it's a good change." Toko silently said, smiling when she heard her daughter's laughter, yet was unprepared for the sight that met her eyes next. In the sunlight streaming in through the window, the man appeared almost ethereal. He was a tall, powerfully-built swordsman, who was dressed in old, traditional clothes, and a pure white, red-trimmed mantle. His long black hair was tied back in a low tail at the nape of his neck, and his ebon eyes were gazing gently, and almost sadly, at her daughter…..the bittersweet expression in them reminding Toko of the one that had briefly graced her father's face when he'd first laid eyes on her daughter.

"Would…..would you like to hold her?" she heard herself ask; startling the man into looking up, and proving to her that he wasn't a ghost.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Understandably, he'd been surprised at the sudden break in the silence, worried by the woman's presence in the room, and stunned when she had asked him that question, instead of the usual 'Who are you, what are you doing here?' that he had been anticipating.

"Are you sure? You don't even know who I am." He replied, gazing uncertainly at her as she approached, and gently reached down to lift her daughter from within the crib. At this, he got a slight smile from the young mother that only added to the warmth her aura radiated.

"You won't hurt her, I can tell." She replied, knowingly, as she carefully handed her daughter to him. And, out of an old, almost-forgotten habit, he cradled the newborn in his arms; feeling it when his heart melted even further.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Toko watched, as his eyes softened even more, and when an old pain emerged within them, as well.

"Such sad eyes…..he must have had a family of his own once, and now they are all gone." Toko thought, as she watched the swordsman carefully hold her child in his powerful arms; smiling when the baby grabbed one of the strands of hair that hung down in front of his ears and tugged on it, earning her a slight smirk from him, for that.

"Not even able to walk and talk yet, and already full of spirit." The swordsman muttered, as he carefully reclaimed his hair from the curious fingers.

"You're right about that." Toko agreed, then added, "But it seems she trusts you."

"Indeed…" he agreed, as he gazed thoughtfully at her child.

"If I may ask, what brought you here?" Toko asked; her question getting a slight flinch from him, in response.

"You may not believe me…but, long ago, I met the woman this young one will become. Her strength and ability to trust will be tested. It will be a hard road, but she'll overcome the difficulties…..with the help from her allies and family." He said, calmly, as he then reluctantly handed the baby back to Toko.

"How do you know? How could you know what the future holds in store for my daughter?" Toko asked, more curious than apprehensive about this turn of events.

"Her future is my past. To prove it, here's something she will someday give me, that I have on hand now." He replied, as he reached into his mantle, and pulled a weathered piece of paper out; handing it to Toko so she could get a good look at what was written on it.

"The date written here….it's sixteen years in the future! And the handwriting….." Toko murmured, confusedly.

"It's hers'." He stated, nodding to the newborn for added emphasis.

"This seems so surreal….." Toko murmured.

"I'd imagine it would…..But I must have you promise me one thing." He said, quietly, as he watched the newborn slowly drift into slumber in her mother's arms.

"What is it?" Toko asked, softly; noticing when the pain in his eyes returned, full force.

"Don't tell her about my visit here today. Let her live her life as a normal child until the day the well opens. Only after the date that was written down on that scrap of paper will it be safe to tell her of this." He murmured, then asked, "Do I have your word that you will keep this from her, till the right time?"

"Hai." Toko agreed, solemnly.

"Then that is the best I could ask for." He stated, then reached over and brushed one finger against the baby's soft cheek; smiling sadly when she unconsciously grabbed the finger again, and held on.

"It's good that you know your way around time-paradoxes, Hiko-san." Another male voice said, quietly, as it's owner suddenly appeared with them in the nursery beside them. At that, Hiko arched an eyebrow, then glanced at the mother and her child again.

"What do you expect, Doctor? After having been alive for almost five centuries, it's something that needs to be learned, so history won't derail itself….Even though there had been times…" Hiko replied; his expression darkening, as he remembered a few instances in particular. At that, the stranger called 'the Doctor' only smiled slightly and sympathetically reached up and gripped the taller man's shoulder.

"I know what you mean only too well, my friend….And you're not even a Time Lord." The Doctor murmured, then also gave the young mother a kind smile, "Sorry for coming by so suddenly, ma'am, and I wish you and your lovely daughter all the best."

"Thank you…." Toko nearly whispered, then looked up at Hiko again, "And thank you for visiting. I'm sure Kagome-chan appreciates this, too."

"I'm sure she does." Hiko replied, as he again gently reclaimed his hair from the baby's fingers, "And I am sure she will." And within moments, Toko and her daughter were alone again in the room; from the hallway, she could hear an odd sound fading, and from the window, she saw it when Hiko swiftly disappeared…..Leaving not a trace of himself behind.

"You've certainly had some odd visitors here today, Kagome-chan….But that's all right with me." Toko softly said, as she laid her sleeping daughter back down into the crib; realizing, in some small way, that she had seen tomorrow….Yet having no idea just how this would effect her whole family in the process….

Owari