Chapter Thirty-five

It was not long before Sesshomaru caught up to Mitsuhime. He did, after all, have sight. He did not bump into moved furniture or walls that he did not remember being there. No, that was Mitsuhime. She cursed lightly as her forehead came in contact with another corner. She had not usually traveled down this hallway back when she had her sight and she had a head time resurfacing really any solid memories of it. She traveled by feel mainly.

"Stop," Sesshomaru commanded, taking hold of Mitsuhime's arm. Despite her weakened state, she was no slower than she had been before.

"No!" she shouted, swinging her arm out. She had come in contact with Sesshomaru's cheek and a loud slap echoed through the hall. He did not flinch or grow angry. He deserved it anyway.

Mitsuhime yanked her arm out of his grasp and Sesshomaru reached for her once more, but stopped, deciding against it. She would only hit him again.

"How could you?" She hissed. "How could you simply abandon her like that?"

"I did not 'abandon' her, as you so lovingly put it," Sesshomaru replied.

"Handing her to Ayame was abandoning her!" Mitsuhime shouted. "I needed you to be there, Sesshomaru! You needed to be there when I could not!"

"There was not much I could do," Sesshomaru confessed, feeling weak. He hated feeling weak, but she always seemed to do that to him.

"What do you mean; there was not much you could do?" Mitsuhime repeated angrily. "You could have been a father, Sesshomaru!"

Sesshomaru did not reply, instead opting to look at the wall above Mitsuhime's head. Not that it mattered, she could not tell.

"When I could not be there, I needed you to take care of her," Mitsuhime cried. "I needed you to not only be a father, but her mother as well. I would have done the same if it had been you I thought was dead. You should not have left her like that, like she was not even worth your time."

"I know," Sesshomaru spoke softly. "But I was not strong enough."

"Why were you not strong enough?" Mitsuhime demanded.

Sesshomaru took a breath, sorting through his throats and choosing his words carefully.

"Just tell me, Sesshomaru, please," Mitsuhime begged. "Do not try and act diplomatic about this. I am not some lord, I am your wife. Please, just tell me."

"She looked so much like you," Sesshomaru murmured. "Every time I looked into her eyes, I saw you and I broke a little more. I did not know what to do, Mitsuhime, I was so lost; it is as simple as that. I had found happiness and when I lost it, I could not go back."

"She looks like me?" Mitsuhime whispered.

Sesshomaru nodded. "Every day. With every day, she grew up to look more and more like you. I could not stand it. Her eyes. She has your eyes."

Mitsuhime felt tears move down her face and she stifled a sob. Morinoko had her eyes? "Sesshomaru," Mitsuhime began.

"It is not excuse," Sesshomaru hissed, angry at himself. "I should not have done what I did. I was so broken when I thought you were dead, I could not stand it. I was not strong enough."

Mitsuhime walked to Sesshomaru, burying her head in his chest and wrapping her arms around him. Sesshomaru placed his head atop hers, holding her tightly. "I am sorry, so sorry," he murmured over and over again into her hair. "I should have been a better father."

"I forgive you Sesshomaru," Mitsuhime whispered. "I am sorry for everything. I am sorry for not coming back when I should have."

"You are here now," Sesshomaru whispered, kissing her forehead lightly. "You are here now and you will never leave me again." Mitsuhime nodded, embracing the moment.

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It was late when Sesshomaru slipped into Morinoko's room. She had not been asleep, rather found herself occupying her time by staring at the ceiling. She sat up when she heard her door open.

"Father?" She whispered when she saw is tall figure.

He walked across the room quietly, sitting down at the foot of her bed. "I am sorry," he finally spoke.

Morinoko bit her lip, feeling tears in her eyes. She shook her head. "No, no, it is okay. You have nothing to be sorry for. I understand."

"That matters not," Sesshomaru replied. "I should have been there for you, rather than staying frozen in grief. You needed someone and I did not provide the required care."

Morinoko placed a hand on her father's shoulder. It was the closest they had been in years, maybe her whole lifetime. "I had Ayame. It was what was best. You realized that what I needed, you were unable to give, so you did what was best for me: you gave me a caregiver. You missed her so much and I cannot hate you for that. I am just happy you did what was best for me."

Sesshomaru turned to look at Morinoko-really look at her. It was true; she did resemble Mitsuhime so closely. Her eyes, especially, were her mother's. She had the same caring expression as well and Sesshomaru regretted ever having left Morinoko to Ayame. Morinoko-at the time- had been his last piece of Mitsuhime and he had tried to hide her away.

Sesshomaru suddenly hugged Morinoko and Morinoko sat stunned for a moment before hugging him back. She smiled, feeling overwhelmingly happy. She had not only regained a mother, but a father was well.

"Now you should go to sleep," Sesshomaru told her. Morinoko laid down and Sesshomaru kissed her on the forehead and Morinoko smiled up at him. She felt like a little girl again; back when Ayame would kiss her goodnight. Now, though, it was her own father and to Morinoko, that was much better. "There is much to do tomorrow."

Morinoko nodded, closing her eyes. She listened as her father walked across the floor, opened and closed the door, and walked down the hall until his steps quieted and ceased. Morinoko smiled again, turning onto her side. He had not directly said it, but Morinoko understood. Her father was grateful beyond words. Without Morinoko's rash actions, Sesshomaru would have still been lost without even a single light to lead him home.