You asked for more, and more you shall receive!

...

"Mama!" Mama!"

She turned around, her breath hitching as she caught sight of the girl running towards her. Beruka's heart skipped a beat as the young child glomped her, nearly knocking her over. The former assassin blushed, but nevertheless wrapped her arms around the girl. "Kana?" she asked. "What is it?"

The girl pulled away, her face beaming with joy. It was beautiful, seeing her daughter at her happiest. She still could not believe it... This angel, this sweet innocent child...was hers. It almost seemed like a dream sometimes.

"I picked some flowers for you, Mama!" the girl exclaimed, holding up a small bundle of flowers. "They're yellow, just like the sun! Can you see it, Mama?"

The flowers were the exact opposite of herself, Beruka decided. They were beautiful, full of joy. Never did they ever have to take a life, never did they ever have to starve on the streets, waiting for death to take them... They were pure, just like the small girl in front of her.

"Thank you." she said simply, accepting the gift. She lifted them to her nose and took a small whiff. They smelled nice... It reminded her of the few...bearable moments of her childhood. Like that sweet old lady who was kind enough to give her an apple...

It was the first gift she ever received, if she recalled correctly.

Her daughter eagerly bounced up and down. "Do you like them?" she asked.

"Yes, they are very pretty," Beruka answered. She paused, brow creasing as she inspected the bright bundle. This was the third batch of flowers this week... "I've noticed you bring me flowers a lot." she said. "Why?"

Kana blinked, and suddenly it was her turn to blush. "Ah, you know..." she mumbled.

"I don't, actually."

"I just remember that when I was real little, we'd go looking at flowers together," she explained, clasping her hands behind her back. Gods, she was just as adorable as her father, sometimes... "You always smiled so much. And I love your smile, Mama!" She looked rather proud of herself. "So I decided to start bringing you lots of flowers to help you smile!" she concluded.

Beruka blinked, her gaze shifting from the flowers to her daughter. Was...that true? Her heart once again skipped a beat, flattered that the girl was being so considerate. She bit her lip and glanced away. "Is that how it was?" she muttered. "I do not remember smiling so much..."

She cherished those moments, those innocent days spent with the small girl. She missed how blissfully unaware the girl was of this war they were all trapped in. She remembered the first time they picked flowers together... It was a field of white daisies, and the girl couldn't contain her excitement.

Beruka remembered the feeling she had while watching her daughter frolic through the flowers. It was envy. As a girl herself, she never had that luxury... The streets were harsh, she never even knew what a flower was for most of her childhood. The only colors she could ever recall were the blacks of the night, the blues of her hair, and the reds of the blood she spilled.

Glancing down, Beruka gasped and dropped the bundle of flowers, at that very moment seeing them as a bloody dagger. When the vision cleared, she saw the girl staring at her in confusion and worry. "Mama...?" she asked quietly.

"It's nothing," Beruka assured, shaking her head. "I do, however, have a favor to ask of you." Don't turn out like me.

"Anything, Mama!" the girl cried out. "What is it?"

Beruka was silent for a couple of moments. "Peo-Flowers are living things." she explained. "We should not kill them without purpose." I killed because it was all I had ever known...

She saw tears pour out of her daughter's face, and she was worried she might have said the wrong thing. "You mean I've been hurting them this whole time?!" she gasped. "I didn't mean to, honest! I'm sorry, flowers!" She looked down at the flowers her mother had dropped, kicking up the grass. "I've been such a big meanie..."

Beruka sighed, kneeling down and lifting her daughter's chin in order to view her face. "It is all right," she assured. "I'm sure the...flowers will forgive you." But not me. "You must promise to stop picking them, though... Okay?"

The girl nodded. "Okay!"

Beruka sighed in relief. Smiling softly, she brought the girl in for a hug, one which the child happily returned.

She never wanted her daughter, her precious daughter, to ever experience the things she had. She never wanted her daughter to end up like her, a hollow shell of a person that had needed to be saved from herself. She only wished the best for Kana.

She could not believe this girl was hers.

Was it even possible for what was once a monster to give birth to something so pure?

"But..." the girl mumbled. "How will I show you all of the neat flowers I find?"

She paused, weighing the question. "That is simple," she finally answered. "Next time you find some, come and find me. Then we can go look at them together." Perhaps then I could lay rest to my sins, child. By simply enjoying life with you. "How does that sound?"

"Really?" The girl grinned. "You won't be too busy?"

Never. "I will make time," she replied.

"Yay!" Kana cheered, jumping up and down, before once more glomping her mother with all of her strength. "Next time I find some flowers, we'll go see them together! That's a promise, Mama!"

Perhaps...Perhaps she could never forget the lives she took, nor fully let those memories go. But through this sweet, sweet girl... She could make things right again.

That was her promise.

...

Alright, that's the sequel! Personally, I think I like the first one shot better, but I'm satisfied with this one too.

Important notice! I am currently writing a new FULL LENGTH Dwyer centric story to replace one I recently deleted (it was an embarrassment...). However, first I need to decide on a love interest, which has been proving to be very difficult due to how many gals Dwyer is just...really compatible with. So I have a poll set up in my profile that allows you guys to choose between my top picks! If you could all take a moment to cast your vote, that would be wonderful! Votes end December 1st!