Who are you really?

It wasn't difficult for Kurama to track Rose to a hotel not far from the stadium. Her and her crew were staying on the top two floors for the duration of their trip to Tokyo which was only two more days before they moved on to Nagoya and other large cities across Japan. Kurama waited on the rooftop, the door to the balcony was left open in an effort to let in some summer breeze although there was little to be had in this concrete thick part of the city. Kurama could easily hear her carousing with that man…Angelo and some others in the lounge below. They were laughing and talking about the show and its success.

"As usual Rose you were gorgeous." Angelo complimented. "Flawless and to the point."

"Thanks Angel, I can't believe how young some of the fans here are. You think it was too much for them?" Rose asked a little concerned.

"Babe you and me are a little too much for everybody."

Rose laughed good naturedly. "Maybe you're right."

As the other occupants of the room rose to leave Rose stood up and stretched out her arms as Angelo laid languidly in an arm chair across from her.

"Did Finn call before the performance?" He asked with a big mocking grin.

"Yes as always. I can't believe he figured out the time zones." Rose replied with the same smile.

"The boy can't help it bella. Your irish eyes send his heart to yearnin." Angelo said standing knowing that if he continued his teasing she would remove him bodily.

"Ew Angel that's gross. This is Finn we're talking about. The way you make it sound maybe you're interested?" She threw back not able to suppress the chuckle that followed.

"Non senorina you know I only have eyes for you." He crooned sauntering towards the door.

"Yeah that's only because I'm the only girl who won't flee the room when you flash that lecherous grin of yours, Angellll." She teased batting her lashes.

He grinned back at her. "Yeah, Yeah, Sure, Sure, Whatever you say, boss. Goodnight." He called heading out the door of her suite.

She chuckled and headed out to the balcony. She stared out at the lighted city below and sighed her mind slowly drifting over Angelo's words, the concert, and finally settling on the strange man she had met afterwards.

He claimed to know her mother… Rose knew her mother didn't keep in touch with anyone from her past. She was pretty tight lipped about most of it and when Rose had announced her tour in Japan her mother lost her mind. Her mother was very supportive of her career she was sure she'd be thrilled but instead she freaked out, her father too.

They both told her it was a bad idea, that it was dangerous. She couldn't understand their worries and they had argued. Her father took the brute role and forbade her from going but her being just as stubborn and old enough to make her own decisions and disobeyed. She hadn't spoken to them in a month. She did feel bad about it and now she was curious what the red headed man had to do with her mother and maybe even her not wanting her to come to Japan in the first place. It couldn't be a coincidence right?

Rose took out her cell phone and hit the speed dial for home and held the phone to her ear. Kurama changed into Youko for a moment so that his kitsune ears could better pick up both sides of the conversation. He lay prostrate on the room above the balcony claws dug into the concrete hoping to hear that voice…praying not too.

On the 3rd ring it picked up. "Oui?" The familiar feminine voice picked up on the other end. Kurama's heart just about dropped out of his chest at hearing the smooth French voice he had missed so for the last 20 years.

"Hey maman." Rose responded almost as happy as Kurama to hear her mother's voice. The last month had felt like 20 years to her regardless of how angry she had been at her mother.

"Rose!? Mon chere! I was so worried about you! Are you alright?" Suzette immediately flew into her maternal worry mode. For the first week after Rose had stormed out of their apartment in a rage she had tried calling her almost every second of the day trying to convince her to reconsider. After a while Connor had told her that it was best to leave her be they would never convince her otherwise and so Suzette did what she was never good at and waited…waited for Rose to call home first.

"I'm fine maman. Just wanted to call and make sure you and dad are doing alright?" Rose purposefully steered the conversation away from the sore topic at first, knowing although there would be no avoiding it she wanted to form a pretense of normalcy to feel the old familiarity she loved.

The Youko's blood boiled at the words Rose said, to think that Suzette had another, a human whose company she preferred to his was a blow to his demonic pride.

"Oh we're fine. It's only noon here so your papa's still at work. …. How are things over there?" She asked holding her breath for the answer.

Rose smiled. "It's great. I just had my first show and the fans here are really awesome."

"That's wonderful dear." Suzette couldn't help but smile picturing her daughter's beautiful happy smile, she slowly let out the breath she had been holding sure that she had just been over reacting when…

"I also met this one guy. He said he's an old friend of yours." Rose kept on talking, gossiping like she used to not realizing what effect her words were having on her mother.

Suzette resucked in the air she had just let out and grasped hold of the nearest chair for support. "Really…" She barely breathed out.

Rose didn't catch the apprehension she was so glad to be speaking to her mother again but Kurama caught it. He grasped the concrete tighter waiting for the next minutes to transpire.

"Yeah, he said his name was Suuichi Minamino, said he used to…" Before Rose could finish recognition hit Suzette full on and she collapsed into a chair and gasped into the phone. "Mom?" Rose asked worriedly taking a step back herself at her mom's piteous outcry even though they were thousands of miles apart. "Mom what's the matter?"

"Stay away from him." Suzette ground out, she shook with fear and wanted to cry, wanted to reach through the phone and pull her daughter home.

"What?" Rose asked confused.

"Don't go near him! Do you understand me? Stay as far away from him as possible, get as far away as you can!" She almost yelled into the phone.

Kurama cringed hearing the fear in her voice, he felt his heart breaking all over again, it was the same fear that had kept them apart.

"Maman what's wrong with you? He's just a person. He's not here anyway." Rose was confused and even a little afraid at her mother's actions.

"NO! You can't be sure of that. He's not just a person cher, he's a DEMON!" Kurama cringed again and when Rose stilled he was almost certain she knew he was there. Instead Rose cocked her head to the side in indignation.

"Mom a demon? Come on! What's the matter with you? He didn't seem like a bad guy to me. He was escorting his nieces to the concert." Rose figured her mother was just overreacting the guy hadn't seemed like a horrible person but something had obviously caused her mom to think so.

"No Mon Petit listen to me, come home. He is not what he seems. Those children are probably just like you, but they're not as lucky as you are to be able to GET AWAY!" Suzette felt helpless, her words weren't getting her anywhere with that stubborn child.

"Just like…me?...Mom what are you talking about?" Rose was confused by her words and Kurama's heart stopped Suzette had inadvertently confirmed his theory with her insult….Rose…was his daughter.

Suzette cursed herself for letting too much slip. She'd prayed this day would never come, and Connor wasn't even home to give her any help. "It doesn't matter, just please come home. I knew this was a bad idea."

"Oh so we're back to this are we?" Rose became defensive starting to think this was all just a way to get her scared so she would come home. "Mom we talked about this. This tour is important for my career. I'm not going to give it up just because some old flame of yours showed up at my concert."

"Rose please, this is bigger then your career this could jeopardize our family, YOUR LIFE!" Suzette pleaded.

"No mom. You're overreacting." Rose heaved a sigh and ran an agitated hand through her hair. "I don't know why I even bothered to call you. I gotta go. Give da my love." With that she hung up before she could even here her mother's protesting which when her daughter hung up turned to screams and sobs she couldn't control. She feared the worst for her baby.

"Jeez!" Rose said with a hiss shaking out her shoulders. Kurama still lay above her shock slowly overwhelming the pain of Suzette's reaction. He didn't know why it would still matter she hadn't reacted well the first time she'd seen him as a demon and she was still terrified of him, though he never gave her any cause to be. And yet right below him stood the proof of his love for her, and even though Suzette obviously still hated him she had bore his child, regardless and loved her very much if her hysteria was anything to go by. But Kurama would never harm his own kin.

He still couldn't believe it. A daughter, a beautiful daughter that would do any man or kitsune proud. He was happy and yet shocked he hardly knew what to do. Should he reveal it to her? If he did would she believe him and could he even bring himself to tell her she was half demon. Lord knows her mother hadn't taken it well she found out the man she had bedded was a demon.

He decided to bide his time and see what Rose's reaction unfolded to be. She leaned over the railing staring down at the city her thoughts a jumble. Her mother's fear and her words. 'Just like you.' 'Jeopardize our family.' 'He's a DEMON!' and then those green eyes…she shook her head and put her hair back in a messy ponytail before turning to go back into the penthouse. "This calls for Carmel Machiatto." She mused grabbing her wallet and heading for the door.

Kurama heard and decided to follow, still unsure of himself, something the fox wasn't often.

Rose walked down the dark Tokyo street it was after midnight and their weren't as many people out and about as she thought there would be, but she was born and raised in the city that never sleeps so it was probably nothing unusual to Tokyo. She found the coffee shop that her and Angelo had zeroed in on as soon as they arrived. It wasn't hard for Kurama to beat her there. Since he already knew her destination and this was the closest coffee shop to the hotel. Kurama was after all a fox and prided himself on his cleverness.

At first she didn't seem to notice him as she ordered her drink but then as she stood at the countering waiting for it to be prepared she peered around the shop and her eyes landed on his face. He could see her eyes get a little bigger when she recognized him, but she reigned in her surprise when he nodded to her in acknowledgement. At that moment her drink was ready so she picked it up and walked over to where he sat her step a little unsure.

"Hey. Fancy meeting you here." She said putting her free hand in her pocket and standing two feet from his table.

"Yes. Fancy that." Kurama replied with a small smile he waved his hand motioning her to sit. She carefully took the chair across from him, still unsure, her mind traveling a million miles a minute about the discussion with her mom and yet totally stilled by the familiarity and coincidence of the man across from her.

"What are you doing here?" She started. "I mean besides drinking coffee?"

Kurama chuckled lightly and his own confusion was covered by a genuine smile.

"After I dropped off my nieces I went out for a late night walk and found myself here."

She nodded in acceptance of his cryptic explanation. She found herself itching, itching to open up to him. She couldn't figure out for the life of her why. She had never been an incredibly trusting person and she new almost nothing about this man, but she needed to clear the air unless she missed her guess he felt similar confusion and coincidence and she hardly ever missed a guess.

Before she could speak her mind Kurama stood up. "Would you care to take a walk with me?" He asked.

"O…Of course." She stuttered. Coffees in hand they strolled side by side strangely instep. In silence at first but then Rose found the courage to speak once again.

"So I spoke to my mother earlier…."

Kurama allowed his eyebrows to rise a fraction and asked "Really, how is she?"

An awkward silence followed. Before Kurama picked up the sadness in her eyes and the way her smile wilted. His own heart ached when he realized how much her mother's fears affected her. It killed him to see his own child so affected by the problems between her parents.

"She's been better….I told her about meeting you…"

"And she wasn't very thrilled to hear about that was she?" He asked the obvious.

"No. No offense Minamino san but you don't strike my as a terrifying guy but may I ask what you did to make my mother hate you so?"

Kurama was almost glad she said hate rather than fear it gave his demon side a slightly less sick feeling, slightly.

Kurama sighed and stopped walking outside the gate to a small park. She stared at him expectantly waiting for his answer.

"Because I loved her…." His eyes seemed to glaze over in thought thinking back to that night…that fateful night.

"Wait…my mom hates you because you loved her? Well I don't think my mom's a masochist and unless the love was onesided I don't think I understand."

He turned and led her a short way into the park sitting down on a bench, she followed.

"No she loved me back for a time, it was the proof of my love she disproved of."

"What'd you do?" Rose was now fascinated her mother never spoke of her life before her father it was a little like the twilight zone to be talking to a man who truthfully didn't look old enough to know her mother talking about her like a long lost love.

"How old are you?" Kurama shot his question from seemingly no where.

Rose sat back and raised a brow. "…19…" Now she really felt like she was in the twilight zone, but from a young age she'd come to know her curiosity usually overcame her sensibility.

"What's your birthday?" He questioned again calmly.

"Alright although an extremely personal question, what the hell I'll give it to you if it helps answer my question. April 12th."

Kurama did the math quickly in his head finding even more confirmation for the theory that she was indeed his daughter.

"In August the year before you were born, your mother asked for proof of my love. Her idea of proof was different then my own, but because I loved her I succumbed to her…persuasion…" He paused waiting to see if she would draw any conclusions of her own. When she said nothing but continued to stare intently at him he went on. "After, I wanted to show her my true self. That is what she did not approve of and quite soon after took back her love."

His voice softened to a whisper as he neared the end of his sentence. It was hard for a demon to stomach heartbreak since he was not originally programmed to feel it. But now with a human heart he felt emotions ten times more acutely because of his previous lack of them coupled with a new sense of them. Like a reverse addiction.

Rose stared at the sad expression in the eyes of the man next to her, he could see how much her mother had truly hurt this man. She found it hard to swallow since she grew up listening to her parents talk about the power of their own love and now here was a man who her own mother had taken her love away from in an instant. It occurred to her to ask what it was about him that had turned her mother away and terrified her so, but looking into his eyes it was the first time since she'd met him that the color of his eyes registered in her mind as matching her own and then his strange question about her birthday clicked in her mind and her thought process slowed to a crawl.

She leaned back onto the bench using the silence to try and draw together her scattered thoughts. Being half kitsune it didn't take her to long to formulate what it all meant.

"How could you have known my mom in August the year before I was born? My parents ran away together and I was born in April…?" Her question trailed off as her thoughts caught up to her before he could answer. Her heart began to pound hard and heavy in her chest. "But…my parent's anniversary is in…March…"

When she trailed off again Kurama could not only hear her heart pounding but see the look on her face, her jaw went slack, her skin paled and her eyes became frantic, it was a look he had seen before, confusion and terror, the look Suzette had the night she found out he was a demon.

Kurama turned to face her. "Rose, the proof your mother wanted from me was….a physical act of love and a promise of marriage I gave her both. To my knowledge 20 years ago she did not know any Heffernan."

"Tha…that's impossible. Their 21st anniversary is this spring. It's…its not possible…."

As if her brain stopped and restarted itself working double over time she asked.

"Physical act?...."

Somewhere between her stomach churning and her head spinning she dropped her coffee cup. Kurama took her hand in his and prepared for the inevitable. "Rose, I made love to your mother almost exactly nine months before you were born…I believe…I am your father…"

Rose's eyes shot wide and she gasped grasping her chest as if shot. 'No' She thought to herself 'No.' Her mind repeated over and over. Her life seemed to flash before her. Her loving parents smiling faces all their reassuring words and romantic stories melding together into a misshapen swirl of echoes and sicken colors.

Her mind instantly jumped to defense not wanting to believe.

"No!" She stated firmly pulling her hand out of Kurama's. She turned her eyes back to his and he watched as her fear turned to anger. "You're lying. You have to be. If you were my real father I think my mother would have told me."

"Not if she didn't want you to know what I really am." Kurama still wasn't sure she was ready to hear more truth, but he couldn't stand to lose her any part of her again…

"NO!" She almost shouted. She stood up abruptly. "My father is Connor Heffernan. He is a good hard working Irish man a great father and a great husband and I AM HIS daughter!"

"I don't doubt him or his ability as a father, but I am your biological father."

"How? How can you be so sure?" She demanded but a step away from hysterics.

"Have you ever felt different? Do you have something others don't? Does your mother disapprove of this something?..." Kurama questioned carefully.

She shook her head and held her face in her hands to hide her shock. How did he know?!

"No! You're a LIAR!....I…I…I can't hear this…I won't. I'm sorry…I have to go." With that Rose ran, she ran away back to her hotel where the moment she entered the elevator she broke down in tears.

Kurama watched her run his heart heavy and re-cracking in all the same places it had 20 years ago. She had to believe…she had to…for the sake of his sanity…

Kurama knew from his nieces' wealth of information that Rose would be in Tokyo for a few more days as she had another show. So instead of taking the direct route and risking scaring her even more he used his kitsune cunning and his human caring.

He waited till the afternoon of the next day before leaving a Rose a bouquet of his best roses from his prized garden.

One Red, one of the most rare breed silver rose and his own specially engineered white and purple roses.

When Rose got back from sound check and found the flowers outside her door. At first she just thought they were the same old adorations from fans or supporters, but she instantly recognized the true rarity of the roses. Rose kept her own roof top garden conservatory in New York and had a bit of a green thumb herself so the rarity and breeding of the roses was apparent to her. It seemed as if the youki generated flowers reacted to their master's child they seemed to bloom and sparkle in her hands. Such did not go unnoticed by Rose. They brought a true smile to her face. Angelo came out of the elevator while she was still admiring them in the foirer.

"Oooo another admirer Bella?"

"Maybe..." Rose mused when she noticed the white envelope tucked into the stems.

"These are even more beautiful as the ones in your garden back home. I've never seen that color… "

Angelo's voice seemed to fade away as Rose read the note within the envelope.

Dearest Rose,

I would like to thank you for being so kind to my nieces and I would like to apologize for upsetting you last night. I realize it must be difficult for you to accept what was said and only your mother really knows the truth. But I want you to know that regardless of the truth I will think of you as my daughter and I want you to know that I am proud and that you may call on me anytime you are in need. My phone number and address are enclosed. Enjoy your tour here in Japan. Be safe.

Love… your Father

Her chest felt hollow and she could feel her eyes water as she read the note. The roses proved to her even more of what she refused to believe. They represented the bond she had with plants, just by looking at the roses she knew they were not normal. Just like her…

She has always assumed her love of plants had come from her mother, but at age 4 she had discovered a talent for plants beyond anything her mother could do. It had been a particularly cold and dreary winter in New York City and her mother's small roof top garden had been unfit to handle the elements so their only plants were the few they could keep alive in the apartment. Rose's favorite potted plant at the time had suffered from a draft chill and was starting to die. So little, she could not bear to let the poor thing go and had wished she could help it. She laid hands upon it and her wish had seemed to come true as a warmth spread from her hands into the plant and the plant was not only revived, but brightened and grew exponentially till its vines encompassed half the room and flowers bloomed without sunlight.

Rose's mother had freaked out when she saw it and had made her promise to never do it again. From that point on her parents cultivated within her her musical talent instead of her forbidden one, but she could not resist the pull of vegetation on her energy for long and so she secretly fed and nurtured all their plants from time to time from the age of 6.

If these roses were any indication her strange habit for plant growth was inherited from her father…

She wiped her eyes and finally acknowledged Angelo's worried glances and questionings. "Rose…what's the matter?"

She shook her head. "Nothing, nothing. They are just so beautiful and thoughtful. You know how I am with my plants."

Angelo smiled. "I do know that bella."