Heaven Sent

AN/Disclaimer: Hey all! Been a while, non? Sorry for the hold-up…I've been grounded, and as it is, I'm doing this at school, hoping I don't get caught… …BUT QUE SERA' SERA'! As our dear doggie Shigure always says. Yeah…ignore my ranting…Well, you know the drill! I don't own Faruba and whatnot, but neither do any of you, so that makes me feel a little bit better…only a little though…T.T Well, I digress. On with the fic! Oh, and this is set like, after Yuki, Kyo, and Tohru leave for college, but Momiji and Haru are now third years in school! Go them! I'm also having Ritsu be 2 years older, so he's 22. And the mabudachi trio is now 29…wow, they're getting old and middle-aged huh? Funny, that the older you get, 40 seems young to you. But when you're like 15 or so, 40 seems ancient. Yeah, I almost got caught, so you all better read and appreciate this…and review. It shows me you care.

Shigure yawned as the dark oblivion of sleep was shattered by the calling of some obscure bird. Shigure jolted up, birds where up this early? He looked around, waiting for the normal sounds that had grown to comfort him in the morning, such as Kyo and Yuki's constant bickering, and the sweet smell of whatever breakfast Tohru was conjuring up for the day. He sighed. He couldn't believe they'd been gone for two days now, away at college.

"I suppose the house will fall to ruin without my little flower to help clean up…" he mused out loud, if only to hear a human voice because the house was so eerily silent. He'd lived like this before the three teenagers, so he didn't know why it was so foreign to his senses now. But he shook his head of these thoughts.

"Shigure Sohma does NOT get lonely. He plots, and he writes. I'm not lonely…I'm not…" he said softly, if only to himself to reassure himself it was true. But the reality was quite contrary. He felt strange, being alone, having privacy, and not having the house bustle with people.

Hatsuharu and Momiji had been, as of late busy,due to starting their third year of high school. Thinking about it rationally, Momiji really hadn't changed much. He had gotten a bit taller, and somehow Hatsuharu had convinced him to wear the boy's school uniform, but he wasn't any calmer or any less energetic and spontaneous. His teachers feared him to an extent. Even Shigure himself was a bit nervous about his immense energy. It seemed to never end.

Hatsuharu on the other hand was still standoffish, a bit aloof, and still had his sensational temper. But he lost it less often ever since Rin had come back to him. So he'd been fairly quiet. He still came around often enough to see Shigure. 'To make sure he didn't become a crazy old hermit,' he'd informed Shigure once. With a straight, serious face no less. Shigure sighed, supposing he WOULD go crazy if he had to endure being alone so much. It was unnatural to him. But it was a bit welcome and new as well.

Suddenly the phone rang, and he jumped to get it, perking up to his old self again. He loved to talk on the phone. He didn't care who he was talking to, as long as he got on the phone and talked. Picking up the phone with his usual zest for things, he smiled, though no one could see how relieved his face was. The person who was calling could tell in his voice though.

"Hello, Shigure here!" he said in his usual sing-song tone. A grunt was heard on the other end, followed with a sigh and Momiji's chattering hello in the background. Shigure smiled. Hatori must be calling. Momiji seemed to like to hang out at the doctor's office. Shigure had no idea why though, since his little black doctor's bag was a harbinger of death and pain. Normally in the form of a flu shot.

"Shigure."

"Well, aren't we cheerful this morning, Hari?" Shigure bantered on. He was a bit desperate for conversation, though he didn't know why. He needed someone to fill up his day with interesting tidbits of information he supposed. But Hatori stayed a bit silent on the other end. This made Shigure stand a little straighter and have a more serious tone to his voice, concerned that something was making the doctor and long time friend of his to hesitate. "Hari?"

"She left her…" he answered. Shigure was officially confused. And he made this confusion heard in the physical world.

"Who left who? Left where? And why does this concern me? The main house can deal with it's own problems, I've got enough as it is…" Shigure said back, his curiosity peeking out at first, then deciding without telling him that he was better off not getting involved. This didn't seem like himself at all, since he liked nothing better than to meddle in other people's business. He heard Hatori's trademark sigh, which normally came before either bad news, or was just showing you how tiring you were. He figured it was some of both.

"Your ex. And she left your daughter, Mina with me and Momiji. She was at the main house front gate. Just sitting there, this little look of contempt on her face. I really don't know how Momiji's getting her to play with him. She's a very contrary child, always saying no when I say yes…she kind of reminds me of you," Hatori explained, making Shigure's voice bark out in laughter. This was by FAR the craziest thing he'd ever heard. His ex-wife? His DAUGHTER? They'd been told to leave the main house ages ago! Mina would have to be nine by now. So why would Mariah leave her at the main house?

"You're joking right? Mariah isn't the type of woman who would just hand over Mina to me. Especially since her memories of me are gone, thanks to you my good doctor," Shigure argued, rationalizing the situation to a point where he'd convinced himself that Hatori was joking and trying to get him to play along.

"No, I'm not. And I didn't ERASE you from either of their memories. I altered it. I made Mariah think you walked out on her, so she wouldn't remember that it was Akito keeping you two apart. So Mina has quite a bit of anger when we mention you…" Hatori said with a sigh, and a rustle was heard in the background noise, then a sharp, protesting noise.

"LET ME AT HIM! THAT JERK LEFT MY MOM! I HATE SHIGURE SOHMA! I'M CURSED TO HAVE THE SAME STUPID LAST NAME AS HIM!" a small, female voice screamed. Shigure chuckled softly. That must be his adoring daughter Mina. He heard Momiji's voice, surprisingly reasonable for him, float over the noise.

"Mina, you shouldn't hate your Papa. And we all have the last name Sohma too, do you not want to be related to me anymore either? Your Papa is actually really nice!" Momiji reasoned, calming the girl down with a small 'hmph' as her last protest. Shigure smiled, Momiji must have had the same effect on Mina as he did on most people.

"Yeah, yeah, just as long as I don't have to live with the guy!" she snapped as one last remark. Hatori sighed and Shigure could hear him turning his chair to look at Mina.

"He's your father Mina. You have no one else to live with. Everyone's children are in college, and I doubt that they want to raise anymore children for someone else, so you HAVE to live with Shigure," Hatori reasoned with her. Shigure heard her sigh on the other end, and because of his dog-like hearing, heard her say something under her breath.

"Ok Haa-san…but only until Mommy comes back, then I'll leave him for sure this time…" she whispered. Shigure was curious to say the least, as to why his ex-wife had left Mina in the first place. Mariah had always treasured Mina. At least, before Hatori had taken away their good memories. Shigure wondered if that was why. Because she hated him now, he'd spite their child. He thought that was a very immature and cruel thing to do, especially to a nine year old that didn't know any better. But Shigure suspected that she knew her mother wouldn't come back.

"Hari, put Mina on the phone. I want to talk to her," Shigure requested happily. He finally had a chance to hear his daughter talk to him again. It had been so long, and she'd been learning words last time, but she'd always called him Daddy.

"Alright. Though I won't guarantee that she'll talk to you…she's difficult and stubborn…this reminds me quite a bit of her father…childish too…" Hatori said, a kind edge to his voice. Shigure just laughed softly. That did seem like him. Perhaps it wouldn't be as hard to win Mina back over as he had first thought.

"Hello?" Mina said, a bit of curiosity peeking through the distaste. He smiled. He'd already peaked her interest, which was a good start.

"Hello Mina. It's Shigure Sohma. That jerk you hate whom happens to be your father," he smiled into the phone. He heard a small shuffle on the other end.

"So you heard that…" Mina said softly, almost remorsefully into the phone. He nodded, though she couldn't see it.

"Yes, I did. And I plan to discipline you when you get home. Which means, you have to make dinner young lady!" he laughed, not at all angry at her. He could almost hear the smile in her voice as she happily joined in his laughter, then caught herself being chummy with the man she was supposed to despise.

"Hmph. Fine…Shigure. I like to cook anyways, so ha ha. It's not a punishment!" Mina snapped back. Shigure sighed and shook his head. Hatori was right. She was like him, a little too much like him. Both of their stubborn nature's would pose a problem, he figured. But he supposed that it would be alright.

"Whatever you say Mina-chan. But please don't call me Shigure. I'd much rather you call me 'Father' or 'Dad', or even 'hey you'. Anything but my name," he said in his usual sing-song tone again. He figured he would kill her with kindness. Acknowledging his presence as a dad would be a good start.

"Fine Old Man. When am I coming over? I wanna play with Haru-chan and Momiji-chan first, and Haa-san wants to give me a check-up for some reason," Mina answered, her tone slightly happier. She didn't want to truthfully call him by his name, she'd just done it for the shock factor. He thought a minute and then smiled into the telephone again, straitening his kimono.

"When you're done playing, you can come home. Either Hatori will drive you, or Momiji will walk you, he knows the way. Or Hiro and Kisa, if Momiji and Hatsuharu are busy," Shigure answered, a happy tone to his voice. To say he wasn't glad to have a child in the house, his own child no less, would have been an utter lie. He was happily anticipating her arrival. He decided he'd take a chance over the phone before she hung up, just because he was so deliriously happy that he never thought she wouldn't care. "Goodbye Mina-chan, Love you!"

"Ah…uh…um…yeah…I…I love you too Old Man…" she stuttered, as if not knowing what to say. It was obvious that her mother had never addressed her that way, and then the phone was hung up with a kind of shocked click. To say the least, Shigure's little half smile showed his pleasure, but he stopped dead in his tracks after a harsh realization. He had nowhere to put her. Yuki, Kyo, and Tohru's rooms had been stripped bare, ready for remodeling. Except Tohru's room. It still had the fluffy, pink bed with all the ruffles. But surely a nine year old child couldn't possibly fill it, or even be comfortable there. He resolved that he'd have to go out and get something for her. Lot's of somethings. He didn't want Mina to think he didn't care, and planned to make her stay unfamiliar and unwelcoming.

"But what does she like, anyways? She's changed since she was four…" he mused to himself out loud. A stray bird perched on a rafter just outside the paper door that overlooked the small forest of sorts he owned, chirping his reply and cocking his head as if to say 'I don't know.' It's innocent, unknowing gaze seemed to mock him. But that was his writer's imagination that added that hint of caustic humor to the innocent bird. He also realized in his utter frustration with himself, that in all the time the three teenagers, now college students, he hadn't learned to care for himself, much less a child with demanding needs for attention. And then there was the curse.

It reared its ugly head in his mind once more, as it often did, but now it had an urgency added to it. What would happen when Mina, his daughter, tried to embrace her own father? He imagined a thousand different things happening. She could scream in horror, or, as hope beyond hope would permit his mind, accept him as he was even though he turned into man's best friend. He signed and flopped down onto a chair on the floor, his arms draping over the plush, hang-back feel of the little back and arm rest. He laughed bitterly.

"No…hoping that she'd accept me as the monster I can appear to be…that would be stretching my luck. That is a dream that is among the impossible, and who am I to ask her to try and fulfill it? That is a burden too heavy for a child to handle…even if she did enjoy my transformation as a small child, she doesn't remember it and it will scare her…" he said, looking to the bird, whom just cocked his head at intervals, almost as if it was pondering his problem. "It's definitely a conundrum, eh, little fellow?"

It seemed as if the curse would once again obliterate any chance at happiness Shigure ever had. It had destroyed his marriage seven years ago, he shook his head. That wasn't entirely true. Mariah, and then later Mina, had accepted both him and the curse as well. So that hadn't been the problem. No, his accursed God, Akito, bound him with even stronger chains than the curse did. Akito seemed to take pleasure in the discord and depression of the other zodiacs, and Shigure was no exception. Though mostly he did get more breaks than everyone else. He sighed in defeat. He'd have to think about that later.

"For now, I have to go out…and do the best I can, or so Tohru would say," he chuckled, getting up and going to the door, opening it, while something bumped into him just above his elbow. He looked down and almost gasped, but controlled the gesture. He was staring at none other than Mina. He hadn't expected her to come so quickly, or had he really been thinking and pondering things for that long?

"I brought her to you Shigure. She said she wanted to come right away…" Hatori said, placing a gentle, yet protective hand on the girl's head, only to be brushed off and shooed away. She had pretty and full light green eyes that looked like jade that had a light shining through it, nearly see through, yet still cloudy. Her hair was long and it was a brownish blonde, like her mother. She was wearing something that had obviously belonged to Momiji at one time, since she was wearing a pale yellow bunny hoodie, with small jeans with a keychain of little animals on it. Upon further inspection, Shigure noticed that the animals were the animals of the zodiac, and that it had been a gift to her that he'd given her when she had turned one. A small smile crept to his face to know that she'd kept it. She looked up at him with a bit of a scowl, but upon seeing his smile, she smiled weakly back.

Behind them, Hatsuharu and Momiji were to be seen. Momiji's soft brown eyes were sparkling with excitement, and Hatsuharu, despite wearing his usual bland features, had an air of importance and excitement as well. Mina just looked back at the two teenagers and smiled, tugging on Momiji's hand.

"Momiji-chan! Come on! Play with me, play with me!" Mina whined, her voice soft and sweet, yet demanding at the same time. Shigure instantly fell in love with her all over again, and decided being a dad finally was what he needed. It could be said that he had fatherly instinct to spare, and he often did lavish it all on Kisa and Hiro. But now he had Mina to pay attention to. Regarding her, his worries about her room came back quickly. Turning to Hatori, whom even though a doctor was smoking, his face took on a serious nature. Hatori's eyebrows rose in mild surprise, but he was willing to listen to Shigure.

"Haa-san, I need your help to pick out things for her room. All I have left is Tohru's huge bed, and I doubt she'd like that. She seems like she enjoys things being around her, making her feel at home. I'd like to make this as easy as possible, and I'd be lying if I said that I knew what my own daughter liked," Shigure confided, his pleading tone shaking Hatori up a little. Hatori brushed off the feelings of surprise, and took another puff of smoke.

"Why ask me? Ayame is better at this kind of thing than I am, Shigure. Ask him to help. I'm sure he'd get along with Mina; she seems to really like people with eccentric natures…as shown by her immediate affection towards Momiji. And vice versa. Momiji treats her almost as if she's Momo, his little sister…Hatsuharu's taken her under his wing as well," Hatori commented, making observations about the family, and how well they took to her. And how she equally took to them. While Hatori spoke, Shigure felt a small tug on his kimono's sleeve. Looking down, he saw Mina looking up at him with sparkling eyes.

"Is that Ayame person coming over! Momiji-chan told me all about him! I wanna meet him Sh- Dad…" Mina pleaded, at first happy and jittery, then upon saying his name getting quiet and docile again. Shigure just smiled broadly. His little girl had such a strange array of emotions. One minute she was as bright and cheerful and energetic as his zodiac counterpart, the dog (though truthfully, he thought a puppy was more exact for her), and the next she was calm and collected and shy as could be, much like Kisa. She was puzzling, but he enjoyed being able to figure out such a complex person. He laughed softly, while ruffling her hair. She had inherited more than her stubbornness from him it seemed, since he was a complex and often confusing person himself.

To his surprise and sheer pleasure, Mina's head just bobbed down a little from the weight of his hand, and she didn't pull away or anything. A small smile was on her face and her eyes were closed in a childlike contentment. This shouldn't have seemed so strange to Shigure, since she was a child, but somehow…something told him that after he'd been forced to leave them, she hadn't had such a happy life. Something in her demeanor spoke volumes to his parental instinct, but he didn't know what. For a second, the thought crossed his mind that Akito had somehow managed to get a hold of Mariah and was making her leave Mina here with him, only to later take them away again. But the thought was pushed back into his sub-conscious. The suspicion was mildly there, but it was pushed aside. Which was a grave mistake on his part. As he, Mina, and all the other Sohma's that would come to love the young girl, her mother, and one other would pay for it in the end.

An: Woot! Done! w I ish happy now. Now review! And to all of my usual readers, if you're reading this, I will be posting up a new chapter to the following stories as an apology for being both grounded from the net, and being swamped with h/w from school:

All Blue Romance

Only a Moment

A little French Sophistication

Shattered Mirror (wait, have I posted that one yet?)

Reflections in a Pond

And the last one bout Aya/oc that I can't for the life of me remember it's name! Laters!