Rockefeller Square

New York City

Two years ago

She watched from a distance as he exited his limousine, speaking to the driver before moving toward her. She saw, with a smile, that he was wearing the scarf she gave him the previous. Every time she had seen him over the course of last winter, and this fall he had been wearing the scarf, and she felt a surge of pride each time he wore it. He valued it enough to keep it on his person, regardless of the fact that it was made by a human.

He stopped before her on the bench, and reached for his hot chocolate before leaning down to lightly kiss her. She smiled and together they waited for the lights to turn on. The crowds were thinned out some this year as compared to others, but it probably had to do with the extreme cold spell that had hit New York. Unlike previous years, she had to layer up quite a bit to keep from feeling the bite.

But she refused to miss the lighting of the lights. It was tradition now, tradition since the first year she had saw him there. She idly wondered how many more years they would be meeting here to celebrate their Christmas. It was almost like an anniversary.

"Good flight?" she asked. He had just spent the last three weeks in Tokyo, and after being away from home for so long she was starting to feel slightly homesick. She missed her family, she missed sitting at the table with her mother and just talking. The phone and e-mail could only do so much.

"Hn," he sat next to her and took her free hand into his. "You miss them," he stated, already knowing the answer.

"I do, but I can't go back, too many memories."

"You could always come with me next summer, stay a week and visit your family."

She shook her head. "I can't just stay a week, it'd be too hard on my mother, and too hard on me. Besides, I'd be tempted to walk into that well house, and it undo everything I've worked so hard to accomplish since I left."

He let it be knowing she could be just as stubborn as he was. "Have you decided what to do after you graduate?" he changed the subject.

And she smiled, grateful for the change. She didn't want to ruin the magic of the night thinking about things she couldn't change. Tokyo seemed like a lifetime ago, it was a lifetime ago. She was different now.

"I'm thinking I'll spend another year at school and get my bachelor's of education and teach. Not enough people will appreciate history. In the meantime, I'm looking for a part time job at a museum."

"Hn," he was silent for a moment. "I'll make a few calls."

She swatted his arm lightly, and it amazed her again knowing she could do it and get away with it. Five hundred years ago he would have had her head on a platter for such an offence. "I can get a job on my own, I don't want or need you calling in any favours for me."

"It's no problem," he replied. "It saves you time and guarantees you a job."

She sighed. Every time they spoke of what was to come after graduation they'd get into the same argument. "I got into Columbia by myself, let me get out of it by myself. If in a year I'm still in the same position as I am now, then I'll let you make some calls."

That seemed to pacify him for the moment.

And they watched in silence, hand in hand as a group of people made their way on stage for the lighting of the tree. It was always such a media spectacle, she found it amusing how Americans always made such a big deal over something so small. In Tokyo, an event like this would never have occurred.

"What are you doing for dinner this year?" she asked him as the speaker on the stage droned on. She could care less about the speeches.

"I haven't given it much thought," he replied.

"Are you going to be in town this year?"

"Perhaps."

"Dinner at my place then?" she asked, hoping he'd say yes. She enjoyed cooking for him that one year, and was upset last year when he left town again immediately after the tree lighting, leaving her alone for Christmas.

"Perhaps," he replied again, with a slight smirk. He'd be there, she knew. He would have flat out refused if he had plans to be anywhere else and she could feel a tingle of excitement flow through her.

This man, this demon, who had once upon a time tried to kill her was going to spend another Christmas at her house, eating her turkey and stuffing. She lay her head on his shoulder, enjoying the feel of him against her.

For a year now they had seen each other steadily, and for the first time in a long time, she felt truly happy. There were no doubts in her mind, she wasn't worrying or thinking about where she would go after school, or ways to avoid Tokyo.

More importantly, she wasn't worrying about destiny, or worrying that what she was doing would have little impact on the world. Such were the after effects of being designated the Shikon guardian for a time.

Life was simple.

"I should get back to my apartment," she broke the silence.

"When's your exam?" he asked, knowing that the only thing that would break this moment would be her studies.

"In two days, but I'm behind in my reading."

He got up then grabbed her hands to lift her off the bench. She smiled in thanks and hand in hand they returned to his limo. Two years with him and she still hadn't got used to riding in a limousine all the time.

The ten-minute ride to her apartment was silent, but then she had found they didn't need words. It was a wondrous relationship.

He didn't get out of the car to walk her to her door, but then she was fine with that. As she turned to exit though he grabbed her hand and stopped her. In a mock imitation of him, she raised a single eyebrow. It wasn't like him to stop her like this.

She could see a small package in his other hand, no bigger than the palm of his hand and wrapped in red foil.

"Merry Christmas," he said as he handed her the gift, before releasing her hand and closing the limo door.

AN

I apologize for the supreme lateness of this. I had it done, but I scrapped the last chapter in my frustration with it, and then completely forgot I even had it. On top of that, working retail at Christmas is murder and I was coming home so exhausted. Once Christmas was over, I had forgotten that I had this on my computer. So better late than never. There's this chapter, and then two more. I promise I'll get them up as quickly as possible so this fic is finished.

Disclaimer: Characters don't belong to me, I'm poor so there's nothing to get from me anyway.