AN: I suck and I'm sorry that this took so long to put up! So much has been going on...but you don't wanna hear excuses, do ya? I'll put four chaps up immeduately as an apology for the horrendous wait.

To Fulfill One's Destiny

Chapter 23 - This Time

Sitting at home, while Maria trudged her way through another night with math, Rin had fallen asleep with help from Kagome's mom. Ms. Higurashi was far more understanding when she'd found that Rin was an adopted daughter, and welcomed the opportunity to act as grandmother. Knowingly, she forced the other members of the household to not pry into Maria's sudden return.

Slamming her textbook shut, she leaned back in her chair.

If I ever find the man who decided graduating seniors needed to know theorems, I swear...

Her eye caught a photo of Kagome and the rest of the gang, taken a little while after Maria's arrival.

I wonder how they're holding up...

"We're heading out Maria-kun!"

Maria leaned back further and shouted "'kay Mrs. Higurashi!"

"Sit up right in that chair before you fall over!"

Knows me almost too well.

Stretching, Maria prepared to plunge into the joy cringe of AP biology II.

SLAM

She turned to find a livid Sesshomaru in her doorway.

"Aww crap."

-

"WHERE IS SHE?"

"I'm telling you I don't know!"

"Would you like to experience the rest of your life as a eunuch, monk?"

"HEY HEY HEY ALRIGHT I'LL TELL YOU!"

-

Bet Miroku sold me out.

"Hey look, there's an angry taiyoukai in my room."

"Stop, I am in no mood for sarcasm."

"Took you long enough to get here. I take it someone felt like informing you?"

"The monk, in order to ensure he would be able to procreate later on. You are coming back with me."

"I think not, Lord Sesshomaru. I rather prefer it here."

Why is she so cold and distant?

"Why are you looking at me like that? I mean, don't you get it? I'm safe and protected here. Cause, as you know, I am a helpless woman, after all. Isn't my place in the home?"

With that, she pushed past Sesshomaru, stalked downstairs and picked up Rin from her makeshift bed next to Mrs. Higurashi's room.

He inwardly grimaced in recognition of his own words.

"I thought you were smart enough to figure that out already."

He sedately walked downstairs, watching her hold Rin in her arms.

"It wasn't meant that way."

"I'm sure it wasn't, you chauvinist pig. I understand the difference between humans and demons, and that's fine. But, I won't stand to be some pitiful liability. I've taken care of myself since before I came to this country in this time, and..."

"I am not requesting that you make yourself wholly dependent on me, it was not my intention to subjugate you."

"Well?"

"You need time to adjust to the change in you, this new power you have. To do this in battle would be foolhardy. And, you haven't been given time to completely recover from your period in captivity...

I just...want to...

protect you."

She looked at him in surprise, and he realized his slip.

slight cough "...both. Protect you both."

She looked at the ground, and then at Rin, a little thrown by his behaviour and pondering her next move.

"I promise to protect you this time."

Silence.

She looked him straight in the eye and sighed, decision already made.