A/N: Since I got caught up with life and haven't updated in months, I'm just going to upload the rest of the chapters, because I might just get caught up in life again and forget to upload for months again. So this is me avoiding that. Enjoy!

Chapter Thirty-six

It was a quiet morning, with the wind blowing gently through the leaves. From her spot perched on the roof top, she could easily see both her father and mother. To her left, she watched her father carry out business regarding the oncoming assault of Naraku's army. Even with his injury, Sesshomaru moved quickly about the palace, hardly ever coming to a halt. Morinoko thought that it had to have something to do with Mitsuhime coming home. Down below to Morinoko's left, in one of the gardens, Mitsuhime sat patiently as Rin checked over her.

"Well, no gashes or injuries," Rin decided, straightening up and smoothing down her clothes. "Just neglect, really. I suggest you take it easy for a while in order to regain your strength."

"There is an army coming straight here," Mitsuhime bluntly stated, obviously discontent with such orders. After years of living in a small prison room, Mitsuhime wanted nothing more than to run and slice Naraku's head right off his shoulders.

"Take it easy," Rin repeated sternly, her hard stare lost on Mitsuhime. She sighed, sitting back down beside Mitsuhime. "I just do not wish to see you in such a weak state; none of us do. Please, for my sake—and for your family's—take gentle care of yourself."

Mitsuhime sighed grouchily, but obliged. "Fine, I will keep from doing anything strenuous."

"Good," Rin said with a kind smile. "Now, until I deem you ready, you will be on soft foods. I will go and tell Ayame so she does not go crazy and cook you a calf."

Mitsuhime snorted. "I would not eat the calf anyway."

Rin shook her head, standing up and walking off.

Mitsuhime lied down in the grass, closing her eyes. "Why are you up on the roof?" Mitsuhime finally asked, startlingly Morinoko.

"I did not know that you knew I was up here," Morinoko replied, peering over the edge down at her mother.

"Of course I do, why would I not? I can feel you up there," Mitsuhime chuckled, rubbing her arms over the grass, feeling the blades tickle her skin. It was a sensation she thought she would never feel again.

"I forgot that you can 'sense' me," Morinoko confessed, dropping down from the roof. "You cans still somewhat see me."

"Some good that has done me," Mitsuhime muttered. "I walked in to a table. Again."

Morinoko smiled, lying down beside her mother. "They really should not place those tables in the middle of the hall."

"Well, it's not there anymore. In fact, I think it's laying on the ground, seeing as I threw it out a window."

Morinoko swallowed her chuckle. "So that is why I saw some broken wood and confused servants," Morinoko mused with a wide grin.

Mitsuhime groaned, rubbing her eyes with her hands. "It is not easy; not like it used to be. I hate to admit it, but at least with that small cage, I did not have to worry about injuring myself or tripping over something that I did not know what there. I knew where everything was. I mean, it was not that big of a place."

Morinoko bit her lip. "I could help you around," Morinoko offered softly.

Mitsuhime beat her foot against the ground, smashing the grass beneath it. "That is just it! I do not want to be dependent. I always hated it. I spent the first years of my life depending on only myself. Even when I met Sesshomaru I refused to ask for help. Do you know I almost killed him?"

Morinoko froze. "What?" Her mother almost killed her father? What?

Mitsuhime nodded. "Almost succeeded. He was damn lucky I did not have that many daggers. I only acquiesced to his help because I was desperate."

"Wh-what did he help you with?" Morinoko asked, a slight stutter in her voice. She was still shocked from her mother's confession. For a split second, Morinoko wondered what would have happened had her mother been successful. Morinoko would not be alive, that was for sure.

Mitsuhime shook her head. "Unimportant. It is the past and it is best not to dwell on the past. What matters is now, that we are all here now, more or less happy."

Morinoko giggled, wriggling over to lie right beside her mother. Mitsuhime smiled, placing an arm around Morinoko's shoulder. "I am more than happy," Morinoko murmured. "Father is too. I have never seen him smile like that, not in my life."

Mitsuhime chuckled. "He does not do it very often. I could probably count of one hand the amount of times I have seen him genuinely smile and I have known him for decades."

"I am so glad you are here," Morinoko whispered. "I did not think I would ever know you. It is crazy to think that only a few days ago I thought you were dead."

Mitsuhime nodded. "I think I was, actually. I did not feel alive, far from it I would have to say. But being back, well, I-I feel different. More complete, I guess. I never thought I would ever be here again. I never thought I would hold you again." Mitsuhime turned and hugged Morinoko fully, remembering back, long ago, when she last held her daughter.

"Oh, she is crying again," Mitsuhime sighed, pulling the tearful baby out of the basket. Mitsuhime softly made shushing noises, rocking the small babe in her arms.

"She gets it from you," Sesshomaru replied. Mitsuhime glared at him.

"I cannot remember the last time I cried," Mitsuhime shot back.

"No, you both just make a lot of noise," Sesshomaru replied. Mitsuhime, kept her retorts to herself, instead settling on glaring at him.

Once the baby fell back asleep, Mitsuhime set the child back in the basket, making sure she was comfortable. Mitsuhime looked at the child once more before turning to face Sesshomaru, who sat, across the hall in another room. She walked over to him, leaning against the table.

"I leave soon," she replied, looking out a window.

Sesshomaru sighed. "I do not see why you have to go. Inuyasha would have no problem leaving."

Mitsuhime rolled her eyes. "Forgive me Sesshomaru, but your brother can be an ass. This situation requires much more care than Inuyasha could ever have. Besides, he still grieves his loss and I believe he should be left alone."

"She dies several years ago," Sesshomaru reminded her. "It is time he moves on."

Mitsuhime rolled her eyes. "Oh Sesshomaru, when you love someone like Inuyasha loved Kagome, you do not just 'move on,' as you say. The memory of them hurts and it floats through everything you do."

Mitsuhime huffed when she realized he had not heard her, too caught up in his work to have bothered with her words. She turned on her heel, stalking out of the room to find comfort and sleep in her bed, whether or not Sesshomaru was there.

Mitsuhime blinked back tears as the memory faded from the front of her mind. She held onto Morinoko tightly, having never believed she would have this opportunity again.

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Sesshomaru watched from a window as Morinoko and Mitsuhime talked, lying in the grass. He could not help but smile at the sight. It was something he never thought he would ever see.

"So now what?" Inuyasha's gruff voice brought him back to the matter at hand.

"Now," Sesshomaru began, "we fight with what and who we have left. Naraku is much more defenseless than before and he will not be much of a rival."

Inuyasha shook his head. "Not that, I know that. I mean everyone else who cannot fight, Mitsuhime included. Should they stay here? I do not think it is safe here."

Sesshomaru thought for a moment. "Are you suggesting we continue through with Miroku's plan?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "Yeah, but not all the way. They could just go north, away from the battle. It would give Mitsuhime time to heal."

Sesshomaru looked out the window again. "But would she go?" Time alone could not make him forget how stubborn she could be. After all, it was the entire reason she had gone missing in the first place.

Inuyasha frowned. "In all these years, I forgot. She will be worse than Morinoko."

Sesshomaru nodded. "She will not listen either."

"Eh, they have to go, it is not safe here. They could hide up in the shrine, but there is a chance that one of Naraku's units could go there and then what? They cannot stay here, that is for sure. Naraku does not know that Mitsuhime is here, but the moment the battle starts, he will know and it will not take long for him to find out where she actually is."

Sesshomaru frowned. "Tell Miroku of the change in plans. I will talk to Mitsuhime. By tomorrow morning, she will see it my way."

Inuyasha nodded, not feeling so confident. Sesshomaru knew Mitsuhime and he knew that convincing her to do anything she did not want to do would be near impossible, no matter the logic behind the request. Besides, Inuyasha could tell what was going on in Mitsuhime's head and he knew that she wanted to redeem herself in some way, to try and renew herself from her past sins. And that, Inuyasha knew, was going to make convincing Mitsuhime to leave difficult.