Disclaimer: Still don't own anything except for this idea.

I admit it: I had a little trouble with this chapter. As much as I love writing conversations, I had trouble figuring how the dialogue should be, especially since it was a parent.

I apologise to Kasai to Kasumi if the events in the coming chapters seem like the ones you have written in "Dying Gratitude" at all. I am not aware of any ideas that you have planned for your story, as I am not certain as to what your purpose for "Dying Gratitude" is in Chapter 11, so hopefully mine will be a bit different.

YoukaiTajiyaSango: I am using the events of episode 24 to help me through this, but with a bit of a twist.

Tashachan28: As I recently found out, I'm not the only one who has this idea all planned out. Kasai to Kasumi also has something similar to this, but both of us have different writing styles and we're not writing this together… so who knows?

Ninalee-chan: Oh, I know she would. She would gladly give her own life to save something so tragic from happening again if given the chance. However, I believe that realism needs to be accounted for in this case. Not everything is going to be an easy task. In fact, I doubt things will go the way she planned at all. (Thanks for your beta-ing!)

Stripe: I haven't stumbled across any (unless you count Kasai to Kasumi informing me of hers), but I didn't read the chapter in reference. Emotion is one of the things I seem to be able to capture across the page successfully.

She entered the building and although it should not have been such a shock for her, seeing as she had just realized what was going on, she still froze. Her father was standing there, looking at what appeared to be some shards of the jewel after it had been shattered.

"Ah, Sango," he greeted her. "I trust the mission went well?" The calm expression was quickly replaced with concern when he turned to look at her.

It took all the willpower she had not to burst into tears and throw herself into her father's arms, just to make sure he really was there and that this wasn't all a dream of some sort. She knew she must have gone back in time, as it was the only reasonable explanation, but it was still hard to believe he was standing there, unharmed. Especially after she saw the blade cut through his throat that day. Although when she spoke, her trembling voice betrayed her emotions. "What - what mission?"

Confusion swept across his aged features. "What mission?" he repeated. She still hadn't moved from the doorway, staring at him. "Sango, didn't you just get back from one of your missions?"

"I - uh - yeah." She struggled to regain her usual composure, but she could tell his concern for her hadn't quite left yet.

This confirms what I thought earlier. I have been sent back in time to fix things. I was supposed to bring back some dinner after slaying that demon… which means I really only do have a few hours to convince Father not to let Kohaku come with us. But how can I do that? Father used to take such pride in what Kohaku could do. This had been his first time at a real exterminating job, and Father was so anxious to have Kohaku show what he had accomplished during all of our training sessions.

"Did you bring anything back?" His voice broke into her thoughts as he strode over to her. His questioning gaze met her stunned one.

"No, I -"

"Why not? Didn't you volunteer to bring back dinner for tonight?"

I don't have time to discuss the mission I was on. I need to convince you not to let Kohaku come.

"Father, I need to talk to you about something important," she said, her voice sounding urgent.

"By the sound of it, it must be important," he said, looking unconcerned. Sango's level of anxiety obviously had not reached him.

"Don't let Kohaku -"

At that precise moment, the boy entered. "Father, I went to tell Ane-ue that you wanted to speak with her." He looked from Sango to their father and back again.

"Thank you, Kohaku," he said, although his gaze hadn't moved from Sango's. "Now what was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

She glanced behind at her brother, who suddenly seemed to sense that there was more going on between Sango and her father.

They won't understand, but I have to try.

"Don't let Kohaku come with us." She tried to make her voice sound firm, but it came out as desperate and barely louder than a whisper.

"What?" Her father blinked and stepped closer to her.

"Ane-ue, you do know that I'm standing right behind you?" Kohaku spoke up. She tried her best to pretend he wasn't there for the time being, otherwise she knew she would not have the strength to do this.

"Don't let Kohaku come with us," she said, this time her voice sounding more like a plea of some sort.

Her father frowned and placed his hands on her shoulders, peering into her eyes. "Sango, is there something wrong?"

"No. Just don't let him come with us," she repeated. Kohaku's eyes widened in surprise and slight hurt.

"Ane-ue…"

"Sango, what are you talking about?"

"The mission for tonight. The demon that the lord wants us to destroy."

Slight shock could be seen in his expression. "Sango, did someone tell you about this before -"

"Yes, someone told me," she said, her words sounding rushed.

"When?" Kohaku spoke up again, stepping over to his sister in the attempt to get her attention for a brief moment. "Ane-ue, you just came through the gate a few minutes ago."

Inwardly Sango counted to ten, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. Things weren't going as well as she thought they would be, but she was never one to back down from a challenge. Especially when it involved her family.

"I know, but you have to just trust me on this. How I know doesn't matter right now. Just listen to me," she pleaded. But before she could say anything more, her father decided to 'lecture' her about Kohaku.

"Sango, I have been waiting for this chance for a long time. You know that," he told her, sounding slightly exasperated.

"I know, but -" she tried to say, but was cut off.

I knew he wouldn't understand. But how can I expect otherwise? He doesn't know what I know. Kohaku doesn't know who Naraku is, because in this time, he has never been controlled. He has never been killed.

"You know Kohaku's skills have developed consistently," he continued, interpreting the anxiety in her eyes as the usual worry and concern for her brother's well being. He was unable to predict Sango's look was deemed from the knowledge of what would undoubtedly occur if Kohaku were to come along for the mission. "This will be his first opportunity to show his abilities as a true warrior; I want him to have this chance," her father persisted.

Sango lowered her gaze to the floor, holding back tears of frustration and anxiety. For a moment, there was only silence. Then she felt someone tugging on the sleeve of her kimono and turned to meet her brother's gaze.

"It's okay. I'll stay here," he said, making a huge wave of relief course through Sango's heart.

"What? But you are at the age when you should start using your training in real battles," their father insisted. "I thought you would have wanted this opportunity. I have been telling everyone else how much you have been improving, and this is your first chance to show what expertise you have gained. I want you to do this."

The relief that had been building up in her heart decreased rapidly. She needed to turn the conversation around, to persuade her father not to let him come, and she knew her words would hurt her brother, but she had to say something. In the circumstances, she felt that although her words would indeed be hurtful, but in the end, she was doing this to save his life.

"I don't think Kohaku should go," she said, trying her best to sound firm and decisive, something that was not entirely convincing considering she had just spent the past ten minutes practically pleading with her father.

"What?"

"I don't think his skills are good enough. He isn't accurate with his scythe -" Well, at least my words aren't completely untrue " - and we still have lots of time for his training. After all," she added, failing to ignore the hurt expression flicker across her brother's face, "demons don't usually come within range of the village. As long as Kohaku doesn't leave the village, he should be fine."

"Ane-ue," Kohaku protested. "I've been training hard. I think I would be capable of helping the others out when we come across a demon."

Again, panic rose inside of Sango, threatening to escape in the form of tears that she held back. This was not the time and place to be crying, especially in front of the people who hadn't yet been affected by fate, but what could she say now? Then her father spoke.

"Your sister is right, Kohaku. You are not always accurate in your aiming, and that could cost you your life someday," he told the boy. "But -" He turned to Sango, and she stared back at him, blinking back her tears. " - you will be with the rest of the group, so you should be safe. As long as the others stay around you, I see no reason for you not to come along."

Finished typing - July 10th, 2005

Re-posted after corrections - July 14th, 2005

I wasn't originally going to end it there, but I realized that if I were to type out the next scene, this chapter would be twice as long. If all goes well according to guidelines, this story should be finished by Chapter 8. Things are not as easy to fix as Sango thought. I had some trouble deciding on what type of fatherly-figure her dad would be, as the only line he has in episode 24 regarding Kohaku's abilities before they are called to slay is, "You are already eleven, plenty old enough to start exterminating." Oh, and if Kohaku's lines seem contrary to each other, please don't correct me about that. I am aware of it, and explanation for it will come in the next chapter.

Once again, comments/criticisms of any kind are appreciated.