I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own my character:)

Also, the time setting is after the series; you'll find out how many years after as you read

Prologue

She couldn't believe it.

After all of this time, she had finally received the one desire she yearned for. She was getting a mother.

Sure she had, had a mother before this; all children do. But the thing was, she couldn't remember her being anything except the fuel for her father's hatred. The fuel that he needed to deform her into what she is today.

But that was in the past, there was no need to think of such trivial things now; especially since there was someone here who desired her strange appearance and peculiar intellect. The small, six year old girl drew in a shaky breath and took one step forward towards the woman that she had met earlier that week thanks to chance.

"They say that you want to take me home with you…" the small girl began while nervously fidgeting with her black hair, "Is that true? Do you wish to… to be… my mommy?" After those words left her mouth, she immediately down-casted her eyes; the bravery escaping from her glass heart.

When no answer broke the silence that was transfixed in the air between the older woman and the frightful child, the little girl felt tears come to her eyes, begging to fall and alleviate the pressure building up in her throat. She didn't understand why she was near tears. Shouldn't she be used to this? There are many mothers who rejected me due to my "handicap" or "deformity" as they had brashly branded it as, who cares if this woman doesn't want me? But the fact remained, that she obviously cared if the red-haired woman showed the child what her cold shoulder looked like. Perhaps it was because the woman obviously knew the epitome of pain as she did or perhaps it was because she was the only woman that met all her requirements that she had ever wanted in a mother; intelligence, understanding, but most of all, strength. How many nights had she stayed awake dreaming what it would be like to be raised under a wing of a woman with those qualities? She didn't care if she was loved or not, although love would be nice, but to be guided with such wisdom as this woman before her clearly possessed, would be the beginning of such a wonderful existence. The girl wanted a mother most of all, she'd take a father if he came with the mother, but she refused to be raised only by man's calloused touch again.

With the sudden realization that she was nothing but damaged goods, the girl's breath became hitched and she lowered her head so that no one would see her tears fall. Why would she want me? I just stated that she possessed an enormous amount of intelligence. She isn't stupid enough to grab something from the trash when there's a store filled with what she wants right in front of her. She's more than likely glaring at the Sister for bringing her the wrong child...

While the small child was contemplating her thoughts the woman put her good leg behind her and kneeled down in front of the small child. The woman was stunned to find the girl silently crying. She immediately looked away, shame shown through her uncovered eye, and she stated with sadness, "Don't cry little one, I will not adopt you if you do not wish for it," the small child's head sprang to life and her eyes searched the woman's face that was still turned away. The woman did not stop even though she saw she had the girl's full attention, "I understand why you wouldn't want a monster like me to call your mother and I will not force that title to leave your lips because of my loneliness. I will go now." With that final statement, the woman pushed off of her bad leg and turned away from the little girl without so much as a glance; her heart couldn't stand to see the picture of what could have been.

The little girl was still frozen in place from what had transpired between the two. She wants me? But I thought, I thought that…

She didn't have time to think any more as she heard the receding footsteps draw closer and closer to the door. "Wait…," she said at first in a small,cracked voice, but the figure continued on.

"No, wait," she said even louder this time, but the woman had already gone out the door. No! She can't leave me here! I need her to help me grow strong. I need her to guide me. I need, I need her to…love me.

"WAIT, MOTHER!"

The woman stopped dead in her tracks, she thought that she had certainly lost it. But as she turned around she learned that she didn't mistake hearing the little girl cry out and call her mother, but that it was real and the small child was stumbling her way down the steps at that very moment. As soon as she reached the woman she threw her slim arms around her waist and began to sob into her faded-green shirt.

"Please don't leave me! I swear I'll be the best daughter ever, just don't leave me! I wasn't crying because I didn't want you as my mother, but because I thought that Sister grabbed the wrong girl and you would send me back!" the little girl managed to sob out while clinging tighter to the woman with every breath that she took. The woman smiled at the small child and managed to pry her off long enough to kneel down to her eye level once again. "You foolish child, don't be such an idiot. If that nun had presented me with the wrong child do you really believe that I would have held my tongue so long about it?" she gently chided as she stroked the unruly, black hair out of the girl's tear- stained face. The little girl sobbed out a brief laugh as she wrapped her sun-kissed arms around the woman's neck. The woman returned the hug and lifted the child up with her and held on, daring anything to try and take her daughter away from her.

"Are you ready to sign the papers?"

At the voice's sudden intrusion, the woman opened her eye and saw the nun from earlier staring at her with a pen and a clip-board in hand. She nodded to the nun and took the pen from her, quickly signing her name on the paper where it was needed. The nun suggested that she put the child down to do this since it will take her awhile to finish signing everything; she was answered with a glare and the subject was quickly dropped. After everything was stamped and legalized the woman found the child sleeping peacefully in her arms and couldn't help but to allow a smile grace her lips at the sight.

"Okay, it seems as though everything is in order," the nun said to the woman smiling down at her little girl. The woman began walking to the place where she could finally call home; a place that would now have a reason for her return.

"Farewell and good luck with motherhood Mukuro-sama!" the nun shouted as she watched the woman and child exit the premises of the orphanage.