Inuyasha, Yu Yu Hakusho 1. Chapter 1

Fandom: Inuyasha/Yu Yu Hakusho

Title: All My Dreams Are Torn Asunder

Author: Ryukotsusei

Theme: 14. Kiss (Kiss me before you say goodbye)

Pairing/Characters: Hiei/Kagome Higurashi

Rating: NC-17

Disclaimer: Inuyasha belongs to Takahashi Rumiko and Yu Yu Hakusho belongs to Yoshihiro Togashi. I make no claims of ownership to either series, nor do I make any profit off of this fan fiction.

Summary: Treasure what moments you have, for you never know when you hopes and dreams will lie shattered at your feet. Hiei/Kagome - possible Two-shot.

Chapter One

The stench of rotting flesh hung heavily in the air, making each breath they took torturous to endure. Only one of them stood appearing to be virtually unaffected by the smell yet they all knew better. Accepting Hiei into their midst hadn't been the easiest of things to accomplish, especially considering when he'd first made an appearance it was because the apparition was searching for jewel fragments. Inuyasha had wanted to dispatch him quickly and for the most part the others agreed with him, even Kagome despite her trusting nature. However as they stood squared off with one another, prepared to do battle the unexpected had happened.

With Naraku watching their every move, the dark hanyou had seen it as the perfect opportunity to strike though it wasn't to permanently disable the fighting members of the team. No, he was looking to strike a blow to their morale and do as much damage as possible in the least amount of time. A puppet had appeared from nowhere just as Inuyasha had rushed at the arrogant demon who had yet to name himself. Shippo screamed in terror and tried to avoid the tentacles that had aimed for him yet even as quick as the kitsune was he couldn't avoid the one that had speared through his thigh. Kagome's cry of horror ran through the air, mingling with Shippo's as she raced towards him knowing even then that she was placing her own life in danger.

Even then Hiei had lived by the rule kill or be killed yet seeing the apparently defenseless human girl rushing to save a youkai child had left him stunned, narrowly avoiding the blade that had been aimed for his head. On one hand hadn't given a damn whether or not either one of the two fools caught up in the tentacles lived or not. Hell, it would probably make his task of hunting the jewel shards down easier but something tugged on his soul demanding he take action. Perhaps it was his honor, what little he had that said if nothing else he couldn't allow a child to die. Regardless he pivoted quickly and raced towards the mass of limbs flying about, drawing his sword as he did so. Already the others were trying to dislodge both the girl and the kit but they had made little progress. That had been the first time they'd witnessed his incredible speed, darting among the flailing mass that sought to impale him. The sunlight glinted off the blade as it arched down, slicing through limb after limb until the kit at the very least was freed.

Whether or not the girl lived was not his concern. Quickly he had dropped the kit and retreated a short distance away to watch the fight unfold. The inu hanyou did a decent job, though Hiei could tell from observing the man that he'd had no formal sword training. It wasn't much of a mark against the other demon, he'd trained himself as well but the main difference was that the hanyou could never hope to match his speed. After several long and grueling minutes under the sweltering heat the puppet had finally vanished, though it wasn't because they'd succeeded in defeating it. The forest echoed with Inuyasha's furious cursing once they'd realized that when the puppet had left, it'd managed to take the few jewel shards Kagome had been carrying.

Not for the first time Hiei had cursed his luck, his language echoing Inuyasha's at that moment in time. Information concerning the fragments were difficult to come by at best and when was found it was usually by sheer luck. A rumor had reached him of a girl that could sense them though the apparition had found it difficult to believe at first. Only seeing Kagome with his own eyes had convinced him to the truth of those tails. It had left him in a quandary, go searching on his own as he had been without much luck or to tag after this rag tag team. Neither option had been particularly appealing to him and that wasn't counting their opinions in the matter either.

Once his decision had been made and announced with cold authority all hell had broken loose once again. As expected Inuyasha had strenuously objected to the idea and set about trying to eliminate him without further thought. Of course that was just not something Hiei was going to allow to happen, though he mainly defeated himself instead of going on the offensive. Despite his reputation for being impulsive, Hiei had known that if he were to destroy Inuyasha it would be up to him to protect the human wench who had the gift of sight with the Shikon. It was not a responsibility he had wanted at the time.

Quickly he'd pulled a disappearing act, allowing Inuyasha to believe that the issue had been settled and he'd given up when nothing could have been farther from the truth. For weeks he'd followed them, trailing behind at a distance that kept them uncomfortable yet unable to do anything about it. Battles were fought and a few times he'd gotten involved, either to protect the wench when Inuyasha and the others were otherwise engaged or simply because he had been spoiling for a good fight. The priestess was the one to first be worn down in her distrust though he couldn't say he had cared. The slayer and monk followed after though it still took another week or so. Inuyasha was last to accept the fact that he wasn't going to go anywhere though it was obvious they would never like each other. Occasional looks thrown his way still told Hiei that some of them were worried that he'd attempt to take the jewel once they'd gotten it back from Naraku.

And now, months later Hiei could honestly say that while the jewel still appealed to him he'd found something more to hold his attention though he'd be willing to bet that Inuyasha would rather he was still after the Shikon. The other man had never seen it coming but then again neither had Kagome which had him chuckling over their obliviousness more than once. It hadn't even taken any effort on his part to gain the priestesses attention which still baffled even him. The aura he'd always given off was one of cold, uncaring precision and a loathing for emotional attachments. So what was it that had prompted the girl to seek him out? Even Sango had told the girl she was wasting her time but that had only increased her determination to become his friend. And later, something even more. It had been Inuyasha's unwillingness to decide whether he wanted to remain stuck in his past or take a chance on the future that had given him an opening into the girl's heart. The decision to take residence there had been completely taken out of his hands at the time and in his mind the blame fell squarely on Kagome's shoulders. Not that he was going to complain any. Hiei stepped closer to the girl's side until they were almost touching as they stared over the silent village. He'd finally come to terms with the way he'd felt months ago and once he had, he hadn't hesitated on acting on them.

"This is the place, I can feel it," The aura being given off by the town made Kagome's skin crawl and she knew that the illness they'd heard about wasn't naturally occurring. The feel of evil that laced the air made her want to run but she knew that she couldn't. Allowing the people of the village to suffer wasn't acceptable, they had to help in any way they could. It had taken a bit of convincing to get Inuyasha to agree though Kagome believed his protests were more for show than anything else. Hiei had been the tough one, even after all this time the man didn't care for humans which had her questioning more than once what he saw in her. Ultimately it was the belief that Naraku might have a hand in the current situation that ceased the irritable remarks from the apparition. Months had gone by and they hadn't seen the bastard, leaving them worried about just what he was planning and how much of the jewel he had since they'd been unable to locate even one shard since theirs had been stolen.

A particularly strong gust of wind had Inuyasha wrinkling his nose in disgust, "I could have told you that just by the stench. Come on, we should check it out. The sooner we bury the dead we can leave." The aura of death was overwhelming and he had a very difficult time believing that anyone down there was alive. Ignoring the way Hiei was hovering over the girl the hanyou began making his way down the well worn path. She'd made her choice months ago, he wasn't going to dwell over what his indecision had cost him.

Sango and Miroku trailed after him, each with their minds on what they were about to do. If this was caused by a demon then they were going to have to hunt them down and put a stop to their heinous acts before another village could fall victim to the same fate. Neither one were particularly looking forward to burying the dead but it had to be done. As they moved closer and still no one came out to meet them it became more of a certainty. Questions lingered in their minds as to their own health. How much at risk were they putting themselves by venturing into this place?

"I think there is still someone alive down there," While Inuyasha's nose might be slightly better than his own, Shippo could read the energy in the air far better than any of the others. Even as weak as it was, the kitsune could feel the aura of one person though it was fading fast. How much longer the person would last he couldn't say. Whereas Kagome came from a time where even the most incidious of diseases could be cured, here in this time there were no such medical miracles. The people had to make due with what was available, the rest was in the hands of the Gods.

A hand made its way to her shoulder and Kagome didn't have to turn her head to know it was Hiei. The slight touch over the mark he'd given her only a week ago helped to calm her nerves enough to do what needed to be done. "We should go then, we might be able to help." Briefly Kagome laid her hand over the apparition's before stepping away. The instances he allowed physical contact in public was rare and it brought a slight smile to her lips despite the situation that he was seeking to reassure her. Taking a deep breath Kagome steeled herself for what she was about to see and set off after the others, leaving Hiei and Shippo to bring up the rear.

For the next several minutes they searched through the huts looking for survivors. The dead were carried out on blankets to a nearby field where Miroku was busy digging. Hiei helped to transport the bodies with Inuyasha while Kagome and Sango searched for anyone still living. Kirara and Shippo trailed along after them, hanging back slightly due to their more sensitive noses. Kneeling down on the floor, Kagome peered at one of the villagers believing at first she was dead. Only the slight sheen of perspiration gave it away that she was still alive but by the looks of it she wouldn't remain that way for long. "Sango I found one alive!"

Footsteps were heard as the demon exterminator came rushing into the hut with Kirara following soon after carrying the large duffel bag in her mouth. Dust flew into the air as it was dropped by Kagome's side with a thump, causing her to sneeze. She tried to smile reassuringly at the woman who was now gazing up at her with glazed eyes, it was almost as if she was staring right through her. "It's going to be alright, we're here now." If Kagome's words had any effect the woman didn't show it, her eyes sliding closed once more. Gently Kagome laid the back of her hand against the sweat lined forehead, testing the sick woman's temperature. A frown settled on her face as she realized how high it was. Turning to Sango, she looked the woman in the eyes. "We've got to get her fever down. Can you bring me some cool water and a cloth? I think i have some medicine that will help with the fever but I'm not sure how much good it will do for the rest."

"I'll be back in a minute." Sango got to her feet and ran for the doorway, snatching up a bowl on her way out the door. The sickness could be any number of things and she prayed that the medicine from Kagome's time would be enough to cure the woman. Seeing the fire cat running beside her she slid to a stop. "Kirara, check the rest of the huts and if you find anyone else come and get me." Seeing the cat nod once and race off had the exterminator running once again stopping only when she reached the stream. Quickly she washed the bowl out, ridding it of any grime that had accumulated before filling it with cool water and returning to the hut.

Upon hearing Kagome's shout, Hiei had finished moving one of the corpses and made his way towards where he knew his mate was. She had barely looked up when he entered but that wasn't anything unusual, her attention being completely focused on the task at hand. Without a word he set to starting a fire going, knowing that a human's health deteriorated to this point a seconds delay could cost them their lives. It wasn't long before a blaze was going that would last for several hours without being tended. Already the kit was doing as he'd been instructed, digging through the pack for the canned foods that Kagome brought from her time. Much of it was still strange to Hiei, not the least of which was that the girl was from the future in the first place. Until he'd been presented with irrefutable proof he hadn't wanted to believe it.

"Do you think she'll make it?" Shippo looked down at the woman, doubt clouding his features that this unknown woman would even be able to pull through. However he'd seen the medicines Kagome had brought from her time at work and believed they could almost bring about miracles. After all, how many times had her tonics saved Miroku's life when he'd sucked the Saimyosho into his wind tunnel?

"I'll do my best Shippo," Kagome didn't want to say anything more simply because she didn't know. Seeing Sango coming through the door with the requested water had her smiling at the older woman. "Thanks Sango." At least now she'd be able to do something other than sit and stare feeling helpless. Quickly she grabbed the cloth and got it wet, wringing the excess water out before laying it on the woman's forehead. A questioning look was sent towards Hiei which was for all intents and purposes ignored. Wasn't he supposed to be out there helping Miroku and Inuyasha now? Then again, Hiei only helped when he saw fit and if he didn't wish to there was no forcing him. At the moment he looked quite content to stand there and watch her work.

"Is there anything in particular you want me to fix?"The assortment of food that Shippo had taken out of the bag was impressive but Sango knew they wouldn't need all of it. She had a good idea of what was needed but she wanted to make sure since Kagome was normally the one that did the cooking when they weren't overnighting at a village. Already she was getting the cooking utensils out, waiting for the girl's reply. They would also need to think about what they would be eating while they were there. Of course most of what was available would be fine with her but if they were to suggest nothing but broth for dinner to the men they'd likely never hear the end of it.

Kagome considered the question for a moment before nodding. "I think one of the cans of soup will work, we don't want to overload her system with anything too heavy and she's dehydrated as it is. We'll want to fix some ramen as well unless Inuyasha or Hiei wants to go hunting, since we don't know whats causing this I think it's best if we stick with the foods I brought or a fresh kill." Seeing Hiei's eyes narrow at the mention of ramen was all it took to tell both women that they'd have fresh meat that night. No matter how much Inuyasha loved the packaged noodles, Hiei positively loathed them.

"I'll be back shortly, if anything happens while I am gone you know what to do," Hiei made sure that his meaning was understood before he walked out the door in search of prey. Through the bond he had with Kagome it was possible for her to convey certain emotions to him, particularly when she was distressed over something. Unfortunately it would be a while before she was accustomed to the concept but whenever she was in danger or distraught it worked well and that's what he was counting on. Had he not had a safe guard in place for knowing what was happening with her at all times there was little chance he'd be leaving her there while he hunted. The situation was far too uncertain for his liking, no matter the fact that the others were by her side.

Sango shook her head at his abrupt departure and turned her attention to fixing the broth. Aside from Inuyasha it had probably taken her the longest to get used to the idea that Hiei was going to be around for good and at times the hostile demon still confused the hell out of her. If it wasn't for how protective he was over the girl who had begun sorting through her medicines she would have likely brushed the idea of Hiei being romantically involved with someone inconceivable. The man was rude, sarcastic and no small part homicidal but for some reason he'd come to care for Kagome. It was something she'd likely never understand. "What did he mean by that Kagome?"

The question brought a blush to Kagome's cheeks and she refused to look up from sorting through the bottles. They'd gone through great lengths to conceal just how far their relationship had progressed though she was positive that Inuyasha and Shippo knew. The others were not so certain though and that had been Hiei's doing. As he explained it, she was already a target because of who she was and what she was capable of. There was no sense in advertising their mating and making herself even more of a target. Still, this was Sango they were talking about. The very same woman she considered a sister and could be trusted to keep anything spoken between them in confidence. Kagome nibbled on her bottom lip as she considered how to answer after giving the sick woman a dose of thick green liquid to help fight the sickness invading her body.

Sango had almost thought that the girl wasn't going to answer her when Kagome set aside the small bottle and turned to face her. What was the girl so worried about? For the past few weeks the girl had been acting increasingly strange, no long wishing to have company when going to the hot springs to bathe, skirting questions about the apparition who had just left. To top things off, tomorrow would mark a month that had passed since Kagome had returned home. Normally she'd return at least once a week for supplies if nothing else. Granted, with Hiei hunting near nightly it meant the drain on the pack was greatly reduced but still, Kagome should have returned home at least once by now. "Kagome you know you can tell me anything right? No matter what. I'm getting concerned, you haven't been yourself lately."

The worry in her friend's voice had Kagome sighing, there wasn't going to be any getting out of this one. Hopefully Hiei wouldn't be terribly upset that she'd told Sango, if so she'd have to figure out a way to make it up to him. "Now Sango, you have to promise me you aren't going to flip out over this." Being that the woman's profession was that of a demon slayer, in general her views on a human mating with a demon were biased. Few demons Sango had met qualified as worthy enough to mate with a human in the woman's eyes and Kagome knew this. Add on to the fact that the exterminator had an uneasy truce going with the apparition and Kagome knew that there was a chance Sango wouldn't take it well.

Hearing those dreaded words almost had Sango reconsidering whether she wanted to know or not. Even as she nodded her head, her eyes narrowed in suspicion though she would keep her word at least for now. "You have my word, what's going on?" As the girl's hand crept up to the edge of her collar Sango got a sinking feeling that she knew what was coming. But why would Hiei do something like that? Caring about a person was one thing but to take them as a mate? That itself was completely out of the ordinary simply because of the differences in life spans, assuming the demon in question could get over his prejudices in the first place.

As the material was pulled to the side, Kagome met Sango's eyes with a hint of defiance. While her friend might not like it the choice had been hers and she wasn't going to regret having accepted Hiei after the courtship period he'd asked for. Now the small scarring left from the bite was exposed to the warm air of the hut and the woman's gaze. Shippo for his part had remained silent throughout the exchange. Since the day that the apparition had saved his life the kitsune had looked upon the man in a slightly more friendly light than the others did and he had no objections to what had happened. "I'm sure you know what this is Sango."

"But.. Why?" It was the burning question in her mind, Kagome could get a variety of men whether in this time period or her own, all of which would be willing to treat her well. Why would she go for a sociopathic youkai? There was no mistaking the challenge in the girl's eyes, it was as if Kagome were daring her to say anything. Unsure of what to make of the entire situation she settled herself uncomfortably on the floor next to the cooking food. The broth would be ready at any time for when the woman woke up, there was nothing more she could do.

Kagome shrugged, knowing that whatever answer she gave would likely be met with skepticism but the look on Sango's face told her that the subject couldn't be dropped, at least not yet anyway, "Things happen, you know that. Does it matter? He asked to court me, I accepted and this is where it lead to. Whether he shows it or not in front of everyone what matters is how he acts when we are alone together. I know he cares and I love him so isn't that enough?" It hadn't been an easy decision to come to by any means, though none of them except for Hiei knew how hard it had been. Her last visit home had been a tearful one, asking her mother what she should do. It had been made clear that if she were to accept his proposal her permanent home would become the feudal era, though Hiei had said he wouldn't interfere with her returning to visit her family if she wished. It had brought up more questions, not the least of which was why wasn't he there in her own time? Unfortunately none of them had any answers and the best the apparition could come up with was that perhaps he hadn't survived to her time which wasn't inconceivable given the lifestyle he led.

A million and one questions flew through Sango's mind as she stared at the girl. Knowledge of demon courtships had been drilled into her head from a young age as part of her training and yet she'd missed all the signs of what was going on under her nose? The lengths the two of them had went to in order to keep this quiet left her stunned though she couldn't blame them. Had she known there would have been at least one instance where she would have pulled Kagome aside and asked her if she was out of her mind. Sighing softly Sango shook her head, what was done was done. There was no way they could go and undo it now, the only way the bond could be severed was if one of them were to die. "I hope you know what you're doing Kagome. I can't say I approve of your choice, even Inuyasha would have been better in my opinion but..." She trailed off, unsure of exactly what to say to the girl.

"Inuyasha made his choice when he refused to make one. Inaction results in the same thing, he lost and it is not your decision to say what is right or wrong." Having come up at the tail end of the conversation Hiei could not say that he was surprised by her words. Not that they made any difference whatsoever. Sango could either be a worthy ally or a formidable opponent. Either way was fine with him, it would be her choice which side she took a stand on. As far as he was concerned anyone who stood in his way of being with his mate would die quickly. Giving the slayer a hard look that conveyed the exact meaning behind his words he dropped the gutted deer on a nearby table. He'd cleaned it while he had been out in the woods, now all that needed to be done was to quarter it and set it over the fire.

Sango bristled at his words but knew what the apparition said was true. Even though she looked on Kagome as a family member the only one in the group who had a right to object under youkai standards had been Inuyasha himself and even she knew that there would have been no way they could have concealed the mating from him. Hiei had obtained all the permission he'd needed, it was out of her hands. Still, a threat had been delivered to her and now it was time to make one of her own. Sango's hand crept to the hilt of her sword though clearly Hiei wasn't overly concerned by the action. "Your claim stands Hiei but make no mistake, if you hurt her you'll find out why I was considered the best slayer in my clan."

"Your threat is unnecessary Taijiya as is your concern." The very thought that Sango considered herself a match for him in a fight was laughable in his opinion and the woman well knew what his thoughts on her skills were. Ignoring the smoldering look of outrage Hiei turned to his mate who seemed torn between disbelief and outrage over the topic of conversation. Later he'd deal with the fact that she'd broken her silence on the issue but first there were other things to attend to, such as dinner before Inuyasha and Miroku came in from digging the graves. "The others will be finished soon."

Kagome nodded and pushed herself to her feet, knowing that Hiei was right."Let me go wash my hands and I'll get dinner started." It was going to be a long evening she knew, they still had yet to set up where they would all be sleeping and who would take watch over the woman throughout the night. Until her fever broke Kagome didn't want her left alone just in case she took a turn for the worse. Automatically she started heading for the door but stopped when Hiei placed himself in between her and the exit. "What?"

Now that the woman was up close to him, Hiei could smell the scent of the disease that had invaded the village upon her body. Kagome's normal tendency towards cleanliness had been something he found to his liking, a trait that most humans did not share. Perhaps that was a reason why plagues such as this one spread so quickly throughout the human race and not demons. Most races of youkai bathed frequently whereas humans did not. Either way, he wasn't going to allow this sickness to take a hold in her because of something so easily accomplished as bathing being overlooked. "Gather your things, there is a hot springs nearby."

"But dinner..." As wonderful as a bath would be right at the moment there was just too many things that still needed to be done before Kagome could even consider it. Dinner had to be prepared, the sick woman had to be tended to and discussion still had to occur over possible causes of the illness. Miroku was likely to have some thoughts on the matter considering how even she could feel the youkai's aura that laced the air, tainted with the disease. When she saw that Hiei wasn't going to budge Kagome shook her head, this was one of those times the apparition was going to be impossible. "It'll have to wait until things are done."

"Dinner can wait or Sango can do it, you will come with me now." His tone allowed no room for argument though Hiei knew if it hadn't been for the concern Kagome could feel through their bond she would have likely done so anyway. The girl just wasn't the type to blindly follow orders on most occasions. A quick look over to Sango and Shippo silenced any protests that might have come from either one of them. Having Kagome disappear for a short time wasn't going to affect the woman's health any and the slayer was perfectly capable of feeding the sickly human in their absence. "Get your clothing and supplies, we won't be gone long."

"Alright give me a minute." Kagome still wasn't sure if it was alright for her to leave Sango with all the responsibility but a nod of the woman's head made her feel better about walking out even for a little while. Quickly she grabbed the bag which held her spare clothing and bathing supplies before heading towards the door. "We'll be back soon, if she wakes up go ahead and give her the broth. She won't need any more medication for another four hours." Confident that Sango could handle things now she stepped through the entranceway with Hiei by her side. They were just about to the outskirts of town when a yell got her attention, forcing her to turn. Inuyasha was running towards them with Miroku in tow, more than likely wondering where the hell they were running off to. A growl of impatience coming from the apparition meant that Hiei was two seconds away from putting both approaching males in the holes they'd just finished digging.

"Where the hell do you think you're going? In case you haven't noticed we've got a bit of a crisis on our hands!" Inuyasha was more than just a little put out that Hiei had ditched them in favor of staying inside with the women and now to see the both of them running off had his temper flaring. Crossing the last bit of distance remaining between him his hands were shoved up in his sleeves as he stared down at the two. Footsteps behind him signaled Miroku's arrival, the monk being just as curious as he was. Little got passed the pervert and more than once he'd observed the two of them sneaking off and had gone so far to comment about it to him. Fortunately the man had backed off when Inuyasha had told him to keep his mouth shut and mind his own business.

"I'm going to take a bath, I won't be gone for too long." If she were to be honest, all of them could use a good scrubbing at the moment. Miroku had more than one smudge of dirt across his face and Inuyasha's hair was speckled with it. However Kagome knew if she were to point that out to the hanyou he'd just go off in another tirade until he grew tired or she sat him, something she wanted to avoid at this point in time.

Inuyasha had been well aware of Kagome's fetish for staying clean but it wasn't even nighttime yet and there was still a large amount of work to be done. She'd take her bath but just get dirty again which would give yet another excuse for the two of them to run off together. While he might not have a say in that it wasn't something he wanted them flaunting in his face either. His ears flicked in annoyance at the look Hiei was giving him but he ignored it for the moment. "Forget it, you can take one later unless dinner is done and you've figured out exactly where we are sleeping. Most of the huts are unusable." The bodies of a good majority of the villagers had already begun to decay and moving them had been messy, causing even his stomach to turn. Sleeping in one of those huts was definitely out of the question.

"Can't you smell it hanyou?" Hiei's voice was low and dangerous as he addressed Inuyasha, cutting off Kagome's response before she had the chance to go back to her earlier indecision. The look of uncertainly on the half demon's face was exactly what he wanted, it was time for the man to start thinking instead of acting on impulse. Slowly Inuyasha came forward to smell for himself and Hiei resisted the urge to pull Kagome away from the dog as she was inspected. Knowing the man had been in contention for her affections did not allow him to rest easy when the two were together but Hiei was slowly coming to terms with their continued relationship such as it was. He'd always be possessive and it was doubtful that he'd ever really like the Inu hanyou but they'd come to an understanding. So long as Inuyasha didn't push the boundaries of the friendship that Hiei had come to accept they wouldn't have a problem.

It was slight but the taint of illness was definitely there and Inuyasha's nose picked up on it easily. If proper precautions were taken now then Kagome wouldn't take ill but if it was allowed to continue there were no doubts in his mind that she would contract the disease. In this instance Hiei had the right idea, they needed to get Kagome well away from the town. "You're right," His voice lost its earlier heat as he contemplated the girl who was staring at him with a surprised look. "Kagome listen to me, you can't come back here."

"Why not?" The question was asked not only by Kagome but Miroku as well. Since the origins of this was demonic Miroku knew that in order to rid the town of it they were likely to need both his and Kagome's holy abilities to do so. Why send her off and tell her not to come back? "Are you sure that is wise Inuyasha, all of us will be required to solve this matter. Especially if it is Naraku or a detachment that caused it." Unspoken was the worry that if it was indeed Naraku, sending her away from the main group would be leaving her open to attack. Surely Inuyasha would realize this and change his mind.

Inuyasha knew exactly what Miroku was thinking even if the monk hadn't come out and said it outright but in this instance he had to disagree. While there was a risk of Kagome being away from the main group he knew that Hiei would be more than willing to defend her to the death if necessary. If whatever attacked was strong enough to get passed him then as a group they'd have trouble as well. Still, an attack wasn't a certainty but the woman in question getting sick was if she remained in the area. "Because her holy powers are not fighting off this disease. It won't be long before she catches it and ends up like those people we just buried if she stays here." It was a blunt way of putting it but it was the fastest way for Inuyasha to cut through any objections. Turning to Hiei he leveled him a serious look, "Do you have a place in mind?" Even though he was allowing the two of them to leave didn't mean he was going to let them run off without a location just in case something happened.

"Yes, back the way we came by the narrow waterfall. There was an area not far from there that would be suitable for camp. It should be far enough away to avoid the disease." Being so far away from Kaede's village had left the group at a disadvantage, not knowing the area. However Hiei had roamed this part of Japan for quite some time and was familiar with each ideal spot which they had been relying upon. Seeing that Inuyasha remembered the spot and deemed it acceptable he nodded. Now if only they could get underway he could rest a bit easier. How the others dealt with the illness wasn't his concern. Inuyasha wasn't likely to be at risk, nor was Shippo or Kirara by virtue of their demonic energy. Sango and Miroku were another story but they could deal with their own problems.

"Do it then, we'll come as soon as we get this wrapped up. Don't let your guard down." Inuyasha watched as Hiei swept the girl off of her feet and bolted into the forest before she could continue her protests. At times Kagome could be entirely unthinking of her own safety in favor of other people, it was time to let someone else take care of her for a change. Once they'd disappeared from view Inuyasha turned back towards the village. "Let's go Miroku, we've got a lot of work to do before we can get out of here."

Sighing heavily Miroku followed, his hands going into his robes as he walked making sure he had plenty of ofudas to put a barrier up. Now that Kagome was gone it changed the strength of the shielding that would go up. It would keep most demons out but against someone of a higher class it would be virtually useless. Hopefully the demon that attacked the village at night was of the lower class variety, easily eliminated. "You're right and since I will be busy doing this I'll leave it to you to finish digging and then cleaning our rooms for the night." Miroku smirked to himself as he walked away from the flustered hanyou, ignoring the colorful curses being thrown his direction. If there was one thing the monk couldn't stand it was digging and if putting wards up meant passing the detestable job off to another, so be it.

Running while carrying another person was never the easiest thing to do especially when they were curled up in your arms. After a while it'd become necessary to shift her to his back, the pack she was carrying had become too unwieldy for him to manage along with her additional weight. Once she'd been repositioned it made traveling much faster and they'd reached their destination in no time. As Hiei had set her down his first priority had been to get her clean. "Follow me, the hot springs aren't far from here." Two months ago if he'd have insisted on escorting her to bath it was likely that she'd have protested the idea but now Kagome merely nodded and shouldered her pack once more. Since they'd mated it had become a routine for them, Kagome being unwilling to bath alone in the woods and Hiei being unwilling to allow her to bath unguarded.

"You felt the energy of the demon who'd caused the plague Hiei, tell me honestly. How long do you think it will be before it's taken care of?" While she could make assumptions about what she thought would happen Hiei usually had a better grasp on the circumstances and Kagome knew it. As they pushed through a small bit of brush she glanced over at the man who was wearing a blank expression. Usually when they were alone he relaxed slightly though the apparition would never be what she deemed extremely open. Now seeing him like this made her wonder if her estimation of a week or two was off.

Hiei knew that her worries stemmed from the possibility of her friends contracting the disease but there was nothing he could do to reassure her they wouldn't. The longer they remained in the village the worse their chances were. They should have just steered clear of the area in the first place, then none of them would have been put at risk. "It depends on if the woman lives. Should she die the best course of action would be to burn the village to the ground, allowing fire to cleanse the area of the taint. If she does not however she'll not recover quickly and she cannot be taken to another village for treatment. It would risk spreading the disease elsewhere. Realistically, they are looking at months of effort to save one woman." Branches broke beneath their feet as they continued trekking through the underbrush though Hiei knew they were getting close. The humidity in the air had increased dramatically, they'd be there within another minute or so.

Even at the risk of her own friend's lives Kagome couldn't wish death on the woman just so they could leave faster. All she could do was pray that they remained safe and took whatever precautions that were necessary to insure they didn't become ill. Over the past couple years of her journeying into the past Kagome had slowly begun to instill in them the need to bath every day, hopefully this would be one of those times when the guys didn't protest. "I guess we're going to be here a while then aren't we?" Kagome came to a stop at the water's edge, dropping her bag on a large rock and looked over to the apparition. She never knew whether or not he planned to take up a position in a tree and watch as she bathed or if he'd decide to join her instead.

"Go ahead and get undressed." Sensing that no one was around to disturb them Hiei gave her the go ahead to unclothe, neither would take the chance if someone happened to be nearby. As the apparition watched Kagome peel off her clothing he gathered up the discarded garments earning a surprised look from her. It was likely that she'd bitch at him later for this but it was something that needed to be done. Quickly he walked over to a patch of bare earth and laid the clothing down upon the ground. With the smallest burst of energy the material was ignited and reduced to ash quickly.

For a moment Kagome stood there surprised that her clothing was quickly being burned to a crisp before her eyes narrowed at her mate. "What the hell did you do that for?" Granted she had another couple of sets of clothing tucked away in the bag but that didn't mean she wanted him to torch the ones that she'd been wearing. Kagome stood there nude and fuming as she stared at her mate. "I should return the favor you know." The idea was tempting but she liked his cloak too damned much to burn the thing, she'd have to come up with some other form of revenge to get even with him.

Hiei rolled his eyes and began to strip down, peeling his cloak off first before kicking off his boots. "They were contaminated and we don't have a way to cleanse them. You have others and the ones you lost can be replaced so don't be foolish." Oh Hiei knew he was in for it with the look that Kagome leveled at him for those words but he wasn't particularly worried. The most she could do was try and drown him in the springs but as he'd proven to her before he could go a long time underwater without breathing. "Besides.." With that word he tossed his own clothing upon the ground where the remnants of hers laid and ignited them as well but they material remained unharmed. "As you can see, attempting to burn mine would be pointless. If you wanted me naked on the other hand, all you needed to do was ask."

Glaring halfheartedly at her lover Kagome lowered herself into the steaming water, groaning as the warmth seeped into her sore muscles. "You're a jerk you know that?" One of these days she was going to have to pull the secret of his clothing out of him. To this day she couldn't understand how he could pull the cloak off without worrying about the sleeves and then put it back on by just draping it over his shoulders. She'd asked once and he'd merely smirked saying it was a secret, caused by the type of material it was made of. The water lapped at her chin and began soaking her long hair, this being one time she neglected to put it up knowing she'd need to wash it thoroughly as well.

"When have I ever claimed to be otherwise?" Hiei tossed the bar of soap over to the girl as he lowered himself into the water as well. For a moment it looked as if she'd drop it to the bottom of the springs before her hands closed firmly around it. Leaning back against a smooth rock Hiei watched her begin to clean her body, content to remain where he was for the time being. Eventually she'd moved her hair out of the way and turned, exposing her back to his view. The bar of soap was held out in an offering which he took, giving into the silent request. Slowly his hands slid across her skin, massaging the tense muscles as he went. An obscene moan came from Kagome's lips, signaling her enjoyment of the treatment she was receiving.

Leaning forward slightly, Kagome gave the apparition complete access to her back and shoulders. As his hands works the tension slowly left her body leaving her limp and leaning backwards against his chest. "Hiei.."

For several long minutes they rested there in each others arms. The silence was finally broken by Hiei when he noticed she was about to doze off. "We should finish washing, then we can rest."

Reluctantly Kagome nodded her agreement before pulling out of his arms and submerging herself completely. Only once her hair was thoroughly wet did she begin to shampoo it as Hiei cleansed his own body. Getting the shampoo out took a few minutes but soon enough she was on the bank with a towel pressed into her hands. Hiei had used his fire abilities to dry himself leaving the towel to her while he pulled the blanket out of her pack. His eyes strayed to the clothing that remained sealed in bags that prevented them from getting wet in case of rain. Shaking his head he zipped the pack closed again, clothing would only get in his way.

Settling down on the blanket Hiei waited for the girl to come to him which didn't take long. His cloak was now pillowed beneath his head as he watched her approach with the towel wrapped around her body. Slowly she settled down next to him, her head coming to a rest on his chest. As her eyes closed, Hiei began running his hands through her hair slowly drying the silky mass with his increased body heat. A pleased hum came from her lips as she leaned closer into his touch making him smile slightly. Anyone who saw him in a private moment like this would have to die but for now they were alone and he could be free to touch his mate without worrying about the repercussions. Slowly his own eyes began to close though he kept alert for anyone approaching as he allowed her to sleep.

"Dammit Sango is this supposed to be edible?" All Inuyasha wanted was a chance to eat and then to finally rest. His mood had lightened considerably upon hearing that dinner was ready but it had fallen quickly enough when he'd seen the condition of the venison. Over done didn't begin to describe it, what had she done? Fallen asleep while they'd been working? Reluctantly the hanyou poked it with the eating utensils that Kagome had left behind, wincing at the hard tap the metal made on the meat. Somehow he doubted that even the Tetsusaiga could make a dent in it.

Sango's eyes narrowed in irritation at the hanyou's antics, though those of Miroku and Shippo hadn't been much better. She was a passable cook at best but she'd been so busy taking up the tasks that Kagome would have been doing she lost track of time. "Fine Inuyasha you can cook tomorrow!" At the hopeful looks that the other two gave the hanyou a growl that would have made Inuyasha proud under other circumstances escaped her throat. "And you can finish cleaning this place up and you can go hunting for more food tomorrow since this obviously isn't to your liking!" With her arms crossed angrily, Sango glared at the half demon daring him to object to what she'd said. Let's see how he liked being the one to do everything around here for a change!

"Feh, cleaning is womens work." Wisely Inuyasha refrained from saying cooking was as well, he couldn't wait for this to be over with so Kagome could return to cooking as well. Wistfully he looked over to the packages of ramen, debating on whether or not to ask her to fix that for him before decided it wasn't worth chancing. If Sango could overcook the meat so thoroughly she could probably burn water as well and then his noodles would be ruined. His attention came back to the annoyed demon slayer just in time to see a chunk of the ruined meat flying through the air towards his head. "Hey! Watch it!"

"Women's work! No wonder Kagome sits you so much Inuyasha!" Right about now Sango was wishing she could invoke that rosary around his neck. Then again, two more around the other males would be nice as well. Already Miroku had made a hasty exit as soon as Inuyasha had opened his mouth with the obnoxious statement. Women's work indeed. Shippo wasn't far being him, not wanting to get hit by flying projectiles even if they weren't aimed at his head in particular. Inuyasha was the last to leave though it wasn't without much screaming. Maybe this would teach him to keep his big mouth shut.

Inuyasha beat a hasty retreat from the hut, mourning the fact that he would go hungry that night and likely the next day unless Miroku was feeling generous enough to cook for them. His own cooking wasn't that much better and if he could get someone else to take over, Inuyasha wasn't about to stop them from doing so. Ignoring the mild look of irritation that Miroku was giving him, Inuyasha lept up into a low hanging treat branch. "So Miroku, you wanna cook tomorrow?"

As tempting as it was to tell the hanyou to fend for himself Miroku knew that he'd be left to suffer as well. Now was one of the times he was thankful that Mushen had taught him how to cook, even if his skills in the kitchen would never win any awards. "Yes I will, if only to spare myself the fate you have cast upon us with your ill chosen words. Really Inuyasha, what possessed you to say such a thing?" Leaning against the tree he glared up at the half demon, squinting against the fading light. Even he wouldn't be so foolish as to say something that offensive to Sango even if he believed it to be true.

"What'd you expect me to do? Lie and say it was good? I'm not going to break my teeth monk!" So maybe he'd gone a bit overboard but women were always so touchy. Half the time there was no telling what would set them off. Staring off into the distance Inuyasha watched the tree line. The shadows were lengthening signaling that night was quickly approaching and soon the village would be shrouded in darkness. For some reason though the wind brought ill feelings towards him, as if something weren't quite right. "Do you feel that?"

For a moment Miroku was silent, trying to figure out just what it was that Inuyasha was sensing. A frown crossed his face as he concentrated on the barrier, trying to determine if anything was amiss. Nothing had crossed the line just yet though he could sense the weak demonic auras that moved through the trees. It was nothing out of the ordinary just yet. "No, nothing Inuyasha. The barrier is in tact and there doesn't seem to be anything stronger than Hachi in the woods tonight." Slowly he leaned against the tree and looked up at the hanyou who still hadn't broken his gaze from the trees. "Inuyasha?"

"No, somethings out there. I can feel it." Leaping out of the tree, Inuyasha landed lightly next to the Monk and placed a hand on his sword. The wind shifted once more, blowing his hair to the side and bringing the smell of decay to him once again though this time it wasn't from the village. "He's here. The bastard who did this is here." It couldn't be a coincidence, this feeling of wrongness coupled with the strong odor of the plague and Inuyasha knew it. "Be ready for anything, I think the bastard's going to show himself soon."

Miroku fingered the beads that kept his wind tunnel closed as he waited though to be honest the prospect of sucking in a demon that could cause a plague less than thrilled him. It had already been determined he could be poisoned through the hole in his hand, contracting an illness wasn't out of the realms of possible either. "Should we call Sango?" Truthfully he was reluctant to do so until they knew what they were up against. Losing the woman to an ill planned battle was to be avoided at all cost.

"No need I'm already here." It had been Kirara's shift in attitude that had alerted her to the trouble though for the moment Sango still couldn't see what the problem was. One of her profession though knew that meant very little, it was only a matter of time before the demon made its appearance. Thankfully Shippo had stayed inside with the sick woman, this was no time for him to be caught in the middle of a fight. Hiraikotsu was quickly readied to be thrown at the first sign of their opponent. Now all they needed to do was for the bastard to show themselves.

"My my it seems as if my trap worked perfectly."

The voice had them all tensing, searching for the owner of that hated voice. Inuyasha had the Tetsusaiga unsheathed in an instant and fully transformed, waiting for Naraku to appear. "It's about time you showed yourself you bastard. Come out and fight, it's time we settled this!" It would be a difficult battle with Kagome gone and Hiei would have been an additional help but at this point they had no other choice. They'd been searching for months for any trace of Naraku or the jewel and continually came up empty handed. Who knew how much longer it would take if he were to disappear again.

"Ah Inuyasha, I sometimes wonder if you will ever change." Stepping out of the shadows Naraku regarded the three of them with amusement. He'd known that they'd been hunting him ever since he'd taken their part of the jewel. The same artifact that now hung completed from around his neck, completely black with the taint of evil. His eyes scanned the crowd, his brow raising in question. "I see you are missing at least one person and I don't mean the kitsune. Where is she Inuyasha?" In his mind Kagome would be his greatest adversary and she was one to be eliminated quickly. Sending out his aura he searched the immediate area, coming up empty. The girl was gone as well as the apparition she'd seemed so taken with.

Inuyasha brandished his sword at the man, fully intending on rushing out to take his head. There was no way he was going to allow the man anywhere near Kagome and Inuyasha could only pray that Hiei was keeping her safe at this very moment. "Oh she's safe, not that you'll get a chance to see her again cause you'll be dead!" With that he left forward charging the barrier and the hanyou just beyond. Another shadow materialized out of nowhere, a diseased hand striking out at him as he ran past. "What is this? Another detachment? Feh, figures you don't have a chance of winning without help. Not that he'll do you much good anyway!"

Amusement raced through him hearing Inuyasha's words, making Naraku chuckle. The fool truly had no idea, though he was about to learn very quickly. "Yes Inuyasha, it is another detachment though if I were you I wouldn't be quite so arrogant. Do you know how he caused the plague to spread so quickly?" Already the hanyou was upon him though Naraku wasn't ready to engage him just yet. Inuyasha needed to know just what Takahiro was capable of and what he would do once he'd found the priestess.

Having heard enough of the heated banter going on Sango had released Hirakotsu towards the detachment in hopes of taking it out before it could use whatever attacks it possessed. A shudder of revulsion and horror filled her as the creature moved to the side but brushing his hand against the women. As if returned Sango watched the normal brown coloring distort to a sickly green. Uncertainty filled her as it approached, should she try and catch it as normal even though something had been changed? Not willing to chance it, Sango moved out of the way and allowing it to continue past, striking the ground some distance beyond and coming to rest. Warily she drew her sword, waiting to see what was going to happen next.

"Do you like him? That is only one of the tricks he's capable of." Now that Naraku was certain he had their attention he carried on, never taking his eyes off of his opponents. "You're lucky you avoided it Sango, its become tainted. One touch would have the disease spreading through you at an unstoppable rate. Direct contact kills within minutes, contracting the disease from someone else however can leave you lingering for weeks. Not even Kagome can stop it and that's precisely who I'm here for. Without her, you are powerless to take the jewel back! Takahiro, find the girl and kill her. You may feast on her rotting corpse once you are done." Obeying his command the detachment took off in the direction that he'd seen the small apparition leaving from earlier with the girl. Now that he knew they hadn't returned it would only be a short while before they were found.

"Over my dead body!" Inuyasha raced after the detachment hoping to kill the damned thing before it could reach Kagome. Hiei would do everything in his power to stop it but if all it took was one touch then the woman he'd taken care of for years could be in very real danger. As he ran he ignored the calls of Sango and Miroku though he knew that he was leaving them in a difficult position. It was doubtful that they could take Naraku on alone and win but there was a decent chance that the bastard would up and leave now that he'd delivered the message he'd wanted.

Seeing the hanyou run off, Miroku knew that they were in trouble. Instead of leaving like Inuyasha had expected, Naraku stepped through the barrier as if it weren't even there and continued approaching them with a look of malice. Close combat was now the only option they had unless he chose to use the wind tunnel which he wasn't even certain if it would work against its creator. The woman he'd come to adore was already on the move, her blade flashing in the fading light as she sought to strike him down. It was deflected with the wave of a hand though Sango wasn't about to give up. Grabbing his staff he joined in the fray, hoping to score a lucky shot.

Shippo watched from inside the hut, desire to go out there and help warring with the knowledge he'd be all but useless in the fight. Not much more than ten minutes had passed and already Sango was injured, a blast of raw energy having struck her in the side. Still she fought on though ignoring the blood that seeped through her outfit. She'd survived worse in the past and Shippo was hopeful that this would be another of those times were it was just another scar to tell stories about. His eyes widened as he watched how close the slayer had gotten that time though she was quickly struck down. Miroku's voice could be heard calling out to her as he raced to the woman's aid.

The sword had been wrenched free from her grasp as Naraku straddled the woman's back. "Sango no!" The blade was poised high above the hanyou's head and arching down towards the demon exterminator. Kirara was already on the move, seeking to throw the man off of her before he could land a killing blow. The force of her weight was enough to shift his aim enough that the blade pierced her shoulder, pinning her to the ground. Kirara was thrown free, a blast of miasma tearing through her stomach and dropping her dying body to the blood spattered ground.

"Kirara!" The sight was too much for him, Shippo raced out of the hut fully intending on doing what he could to help his friends. Miroku was throwing sutras in an effort to drive the bastard off of Sango before he could finish the job. While Naraku was distracted Shippo hurled himself at the man, tiny claws sinking deep into the flesh of his neck, ripping and tearing what he could. Blood flood beneath his fingers as he sought to tear the man's throat out. Roughly he was pulled free and thrown clear of the fray, no one noticing how he'd cut the thin cord that secured the Shikon jewel around Naraku's neck.

"Use your wind tunnel!" It was a risk but Sango knew it was one of the few options they had left. Staring Miroku in the eyes she willed him to do as she commanded. If they didn't do something Naraku was going to succeed in killing them all. "Dammit do it Miroku!" Her voice jerked him out of his stupor, his fingers pausing just before pulling the sacred beads free. "Do you want us all to die?" The pain in her voice was harsh, filled with unshed tears. Kirara was dead and there was no telling how Shippo had fared, he'd never come back. It was likely he was dead or dying, just as she would soon be. Already the pain in her shoulder was almost unbearable and she could feel Naraku's hands closing over her neck, ready to snap it.

Praying that Sango knew what she was doing, Miroku unleashed his most powerful attack. There was nothing gentle about the winds that surged forward, tearing free chunks of ground and debris from the surrounding area. Nothing in it's path was safe from its fury as the winds increased, taking in everything in its path but still Naraku held firm to the woman beneath him. The sword was anchored deeply enough into the ground to keep her pinned there for the moment though the monk couldn't imagine the agony she was going through as she clung to the grass.

Abruptly the dark hanyou was yanked free and approaching at a rapid pace. It was now or never and Miroku knew this was likely to be their only chance of killing him without Inuyasha or Kagome present. Bracing himself the monk stood firm, ready to suck the bastard into the depths of nothingness. Abruptly the winds died, the hole in his hand disappearing.

Naraku dropped to the ground panting harshly, his hand going to his chest in search of the jewel's power to finish his enemies off with one crushing blow. Rage welled up in him when he realized the jewel was missing and there was no trace of its power anywhere nearby. "You fool!" There was only one conclusion that he could draw and that was that the artifact had disappeared into the void. There was no way to get it back, no way to return it to his hands. Where it lay now was completely unknown and until its location could be determined he would be little match for the group. Growling feraly Naraku vanished, needing time to recover and rethink what was to happen next.

"Sango?" Miroku made his way unsteadily towards the woman to make sure she'd come through the winds okay. Blood continued to drip from the wound in her shoulder but otherwise she looked to be alright. "Don't move, I've got to pull this out." Once she'd nodded his hands closed around the hilt of the sword, pulling it free in one smooth motion. Quickly he tore off a piece of his robes and applied it to the wound, hoping that pressure would be enough to stop the bleeding.

With great pain Sango sat up, fighting off the wave of dizziness that threatened to overcome her from blood loss. "Shippo... Find Shippo!" She'd be fine for the minute, her main concern was for the kitsune kit who'd tried to save her. Unwillingly her eyes strayed over to Kirara and took in the sight. There was no hope for her companion, she'd given her life to ensure her mistress stayed alive. Moments later Miroku came back, Shippo cradled in his arms.

"He'll be fine, we just need to get the both of you inside." Slowly Miroku helped Sango to her feet and led her inside the hut to tend her wounds. Shippo would be alright with rest, suffering only a minor head wound that would leave him groggy for a few days. As he cleaned the sword wound in Sango's shoulder he couldn't help but wonder how Inuyasha was fairing against Takahiro.

If Inuyasha had experienced any misgivings over Hiei taking Kagome so far away from the village he was rethinking them now. Already they were ten miles from the main battle, Takahiro was incredibly fast but Inuyasha wasn't about to give up. It helped that the demon didn't know exactly where to search so Inuyasha took a risk, praying it would work. Abruptly he swerved away from the demon and began racing down a path that would lead to a ravine with no way out. Frantically he ran, as if he were hoping to reach Kagome in time. It wasn't long before the diseased menace passed him by, continuing down the path. Smirking to himself Inuyasha put on another burst of speed and drew the Tetsusaiga when he'd reached the end. "This is the end of the line for you asshole! Wind scar!" Roughly he cut across the fissure unleashing an attack that the demon had no hopes of avoiding. It's dying screams bounced off of the ravine walls as the energy tore through it, vaporizing it into nothingness. Turning from the site of its destruction, Inuyasha raced back towards the village praying that Miroku and Sango had been able to hold Naraku off long enough for him to return.

It was the sudden feeling of wrongness that had Hiei opening his eyes but for the moment he couldn't sense anything out of the ordinary. All of his senses went on alert, his body tensing even as he continued to hold Kagome in her sleep. Something was definitely wrong even if he couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was. His unease was what stirred his mate from her slumber, though he refused to let her go. A wave of energy caressed his senses and he knew that somewhere a battle was being fought. There was a good chance that it was the demon who'd plagued the village and for that reason Hiei relaxed only slightly, knowing that there was nothing that they could do.

"What is it?" Kagome trusted Hiei's sense far more than her own, knowing that aside from sensing jewel shards they were just about useless. She'd been entirely too comfortable sleeping as she had been and was wondering just what had gotten him riled up. Looking into his face revealed nothing, not one clue for her to go by though his hand did resume running through her hair.

Unsure of what her reaction would be, Hiei remained silent for a few moments before speaking. "Inuyasha and the others are taking care of the demon who caused this I would imagine." Feeling her tense in his arms had him looking down at her. "There is nothing that we can do to influence the outcome of the fight. By the time we got there it would likely be over and the original risk still stands. We will wait for word of what happened."

It was tempting to tell him that she was going anyway but Kagome knew he was right. Without his help she'd never get there in time and it would leave her an easy target for anything else that was lurking in the forest. Slowly she settled back against his chest content to lay there for a few more moments. Food was going to become a priority soon and she knew it but moments like this were special to her. A comfortable silence stretched out between the both of them, neither anxious to break it when the feeling of wrongness spiked once more. This time it was enough that it had even her jerking in surprise. "What's.. what's going on?"

By now Hiei had reached for his sword, sitting up completely while trying to figure out what was going on. This feeling was different and directly tied to Kagome, he could feel it reverberating through their bond. While he wasn't sure what the hell was happening to her he would kill the one responsible for causing it in the first place. Uneasily he looked around when Kagome calling his name in a shaky voice drew his attention once more. "Kagome!"

Kagome stared at her hands when were shaking, fear coursing through her as she watched small wisps of light rising from her skin. It was slow at first but gaining speed, her body disappearing into nothingness. Frantically she looking at Hiei who could only stare at her helplessly. It felt as if she were being pulled away though she didn't know why. What had happened? Why was this happening to her. No answers were forthcoming as Hiei reached for her in an effort to stop her from leaving. "Help me Hiei! Please!" The feeling was slowly changing into one she was all too familiar with, passing through the well. "No! I don't want to go!"

"Dammit!" Hiei reached for her as if his touch would be enough to anchor her in place. Her words told him all he needed to know, for some reason she was being pulled to her own time. This couldn't be happening, he wouldn't allow it! He'd only just found her, he wasn't going to let her go now. Tears were now streaming down Kagome's face as he pulled her closer in an effort to keep her with him. "Don't go Kagome... you can't go."

It sounded as if his voice were now coming from across a great distance and her body was slowly going numb to his touch. Pulling back slightly she looked him in the eyes, trying to memorize every detail of their final moment together. Desperately Kagome leaned forward, bringing her lips to his conveying just how she felt to him. As he kissed her back she could feel the raw emotions pouring through her soul though she could do nothing to ease the pain of her going for either of them. Slowly she withdrew, knowing she had only a few more moments left before her time would run out. Bringing her hand to his cheek she willing him to believe her. "I'll be waiting for you, please come and find me Hiei. And always remember, I love you."

As Kagome vanished Hiei felt empty inside though he believed every word she'd said. "I will Kagome, you have my word." Fiercely the apparition hoped that wherever Kagome was she could hear him. Old doubts resurfaced as to whether or not he would live long enough to see her again before his determination kicked in. He would survive, one way or another. Something else had to be keeping them apart in her time and once he found out what it was, God help the person responsible. He'd show them no mercy. Slowly he stood and pulled his clothing on, stopping only to pick up the pack that contained her belongings. It was time to return to the village and find out just what the hell had happened to tear the both of them apart.

Please read and review telling me what you think. A second chapter is possible depending depending on my muses and whether or not there is enough interest in a conclusion to this fic.


	2. Chapter 2

Fandom: Inuyasha/Yu Yu Hakusho  
Title: All My Dreams Are Torn Asunder Part 2  
Author: Ryukotsusei  
Theme(s): 11. Books (different dimension)  
Pairing/Characters: Hiei/Kagome Higurashi  
Rating: R (EDITED VERSION)

Warnings: Language, implied adult situations.  
Disclaimer: Inuyasha belongs to Takahashi Rumiko and Yu Yu Hakusho belongs to Yoshihiro Togashi. I make no claims of ownership to either series, nor do I make any profit off of this fan fiction.  
Summary: Treasure what moments you have, for you never know when you hopes and dreams will lie shattered at your feet. Hiei/Kagome - The Conclusion.

Chapter Two

Time seemed to stretch on forever as Kagome floated in the darkness. There was no sound, no scent, nothing to help her make a connection to anything. The only thing present was the overwhelming pain in her mind and heart from being ripped out of Hiei's arms. Frantically the priestess tried to come to terms with what had just happened but it was so very difficult to even think beyond the heartache. Sparks of light swirled around her, forcing her eyes to close against the brightness. Even now his parting words still echoed in her ears though they brought only a small comfort. Familiar doubts and insecurities came surging to the surface though she roughly forced them back. She had to believe in him, one way or another he would find her again.

Slowly the sensation of falling overcame her and Kagome knew that her journey would soon end though she wasn't sure just which era it would be in. As Kagome settled on the soft grass she drew a shuddering breath. The sound of running water reached her ears and slowly she opened her eyes, almost afraid of what she might see. How long had she been traveling though the darkness? It had been almost night time when she'd been separated from Hiei and now the sun shown brightly overhead. Was she still in the feudal era? One couldn't be certain just by looking at the surrounding area. It didn't seem as if much had changed but then again Kagome knew that she hadn't bothered to take a good look around when they'd arrived. One thing was for certain though, she couldn't locate Hiei. Not even through the bond they shared.

"No." A sob escaped her then, reality crashing down upon her. Once Hiei had said the only way the bond could be severed was through death. Short of that, they should always be able to sense each other no matter the circumstances. The distinct absence of the presence she'd become accustomed to could only mean her worst nightmare had come to pass. She'd lost him for good and there was no way for her to turn back time. The sound of approaching footsteps went ignored as Kagome buried her head in her arms, no longer caring who happened upon her.

"Are you alright?"

Kagome looked up at the young woman who was now kneeling next to her, uncaring that tears were streaming down her face. Did she look like she was alright? "He's gone.. Oh god he's gone!" Once more her head was buried in her arms, wishing there was some way to undo what had happened. A comforting hand was laid on her shoulder but it did nothing to stop her torment.

"Who's gone?" Maya quickly grabbed the blanket she'd dropped and draped it over the girl's shoulders. While she wasn't sure exactly what had happened she wasn't going to turn away now. Had she been here with a friend and he left her alone? Somehow the problem seemed to go even deeper than that but it didn't look like the girl was in any condition to answer just yet. As she made sure the distraught girl was well covered she took the opportunity to get a good look at her. Physically she seemed fine aside from the fact that all she wore was a towel. Perhaps that was it then, had she been bathing and some guy ran off with her clothing as a prank? With how some men were it wouldn't surprise her though going into hysterics over such a thing seemed a bit too much to indulge in.

"Hiei." Kagome looked up at the woman who seemed so concerned over her well being. "He's... He's dead.. and I'll never see him again." Surprised flashed across the woman's features then and her arms immediately wrapped around her. At the moment Kagome wanted nothing more than to be able to take solace in that embrace but she refrained as best as she could. Perhaps if she went home the well would allow her passage. It'd worked before, even without having the jewel in her possession though they'd all known allowing her to cross without it was taking a risk she'd be trapped on the other side. Maybe she could return to him. Hope flared to life then as she moved away from the woman, a feverish determination in her eyes. "I have to get home! There might be a chance."

Letting the girl run off to God only knew where would only get her in trouble Maya knew so she gripped the girl's wrist in a firm but gentle embrace. "Wait! You can't go, not like that. Where are your clothes?" It was a valid question, one the girl didn't seem to have an answer to by the looks of things. Had the girl gone wandering when her grief became too much to bear? Thankfully her own camp wasn't that far away and she'd brought enough clothing to last the entire week she planned on camping. While they wouldn't be an exact fit they should be suitable until something better were found. "Nevermind, come with me. I've got something you can change into and then we can figure out where you're going."

Kagome stilled as the woman's words washed over her, ending her struggle to get free for the moment. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, there was no way she could go home looking like this, besides the additional problem of getting home in the first place. It wasn't as if the shrine were in easy walking distance to begin with, it would take days of walking and she had no supplies. It looked as if she would be forced to call her mother who would no doubt have questions that Kagome knew she couldn't answer. Turning to the woman she took a deep breath to calm herself even though she felt anything but. "Thank you, I.. don't know where my clothes are." How could she explain that they'd been there only minutes before but she'd been five hundred years in the past? As if she didn't already look like a classic case of someone suffering from some sort of mental disorder, saying something like that would only add to it.

"I'd figured." Maya was about to ask more, like how she'd come to be there with only a towel but decided against it for the moment. The girl seemed calm for the time being but there was no telling what would set her off again. It was best to avoid uncomfortable questions until later. "So what's your name?" Despite the unusual circumstances behind how they met she wasn't going to refer to her as girl or hey you. Tugging lightly on her hand Maya began walking towards camp, thankfully it wasn't too far away. Already they were getting strange looks from the other people who choose this park to spend their vacations at and not all of them were the type to inspire confidence in a person.

"Higurashi Kagome and you are?" Seeing people openly staring at her had Kagome moving closer to the woman at her side. Some of the men wore amused expressions that had her cheeks coloring while others were openly leering at her. A hand crept up to the towel, making sure it remained firmly in place as they walked. It was official, walking home was definitely out of the picture now. Somehow she knew she wouldn't get more than fifty feet without having to fend off some pervert trying to proposition her.

A quick glare had the more easily intimidated of the men off finding other things to look at while the bolder of the bunch remained relatively unphased. Maya sighed, knowing there wasn't much she could do about that particular bunch. "Nakamura Maya, let's hurry. The tent isn't far from here." Only a few more yards and they'd be inside, already she could see the small structure that contained her belongings. "So, where do you live anyway?"

"At Higurashi shrine in Tokyo." The answer came without thinking since Kagome was used to being asked that particular question. The startled glance from Maya didn't surprise her any, she knew just how far away from home she was. The fact that the area had turned into a park of sorts surprised her though, it hadn't been what she'd necessarily expected. When the woman held open the flap of the tent, Kagome ducked down and hurried inside, sitting in a corner to give Maya room to come in. "I just want to say thank you for helping me. Not many people would have."

Maya looked at Kagome sympathetically and nodded knowing that it was true. Most people would have walked on past, not caring about what had happened to her. "You're welcome, I'm curious why you were out there alone but we'll worry about that later. Let's find you some clothes first." Seeing the relief in the younger girl's eyes told her that she'd made the right decision on not pushing. Instead she turned towards her small suitcase and began rummaging through the folded clothes. Most of what she'd brought were clothes suitable for hiking through the woods, long pants that were durable enough to withstand heavy brush along with lighter shirts to help keep cool. "Here, I think these will fit."

"Thank you Maya." Kagome watched as the woman stepped outside, allowing her the privacy to get dressed. Quickly she tugged the towel off and pulled the shirt on over her head. It was a snug fit across the chest but it was definitely better than nothing. The pants followed shortly after though it felt strange going without any undergarments. More than once she'd asked Hiei how he'd grown accustomed to doing it but he merely laughed and brushed the question off. The thought made her eyes sting with tears but she wiped them away before they could fall. "Okay I'm done now."

Stepping back inside Maya noticed how she looked ready to break down once more. A watery smile was turned her way as she sat down across from the girl. For several moments she stared at her before asking, "You must really miss him don't you?" Something about what the girl had said earlier was bugging her though she couldn't quite put her finger on it. The name Hiei was slightly familiar to her, though it wasn't someone she knew directly. The fact that it wasn't a common name in the first place had been what triggered the memory of it at all.

"More than I ever thought possible." Kagome plucked at the edges of the towel, not wanting to reveal too much. As nice as Maya had been so far there were some secrets she just couldn't reveal. Even though Kagome knew that there hadn't been much time pass, it seemed like forever since she last saw him which reawakened the need to return home. She could only pray the well would still work. "Do you.. have a cellphone I could use or something? I should call home and make arrangements to go back."

"Unfortunately I don't, I had planned on staying out here for the week but.. sometimes things just come up. Tell you what, why don't I drive you home? Sitting for hours on the bus has never been one of my favorite things to do and having someone drive all the way out here will take time. You seem anxious." Something told her that it was the right offer to make, if Kagome's Hiei and Shuichi's friend was the same person then there was a good chance the two knew each other. Kagome would be in good hands then, the man would know how to deal with the girl and her grief. While she could come right out and ask the girl herself, she didn't want a repeat performance of earlier. It would be simple to meet up with the redhead on the way to Tokyo since they'd be going through town. Perhaps they could have lunch together or something.

"I don't know, I mean, I don't want you to go out of your way for me anymore than you already have. I can just call my mother." Really, asking Maya to cut her trip short was just asking too much and Kagome knew it. Uncomfortable questions would no doubt be coming when her mother arrived. Like just how she'd gotten out there so far and what was going to happen now. If possible she'd prefer getting home without having to make that phone call but Kagome couldn't inconvenience Maya like that.

Maya waved her hand dismissing the girl's protests, even she could see that Kagome wanted to say yes to her offer. If she were in the same position she would as well. The girl couldn't be much over seventeen or so, running around in nothing but a towel would be the last thing she'd want to explain to her own mother. "Nonsense, it's no trouble at all. We can pack up now and be to my place by nightfall. If you want to you can call your mother from my apartment or in the morning we can finish the trip into Tokyo, your choice."

"Alright, if you're sure. Thank you." Kagome smiled then at the woman, surprised that she'd so willingly offer to take her home like this. As Maya began to pack up the few belonging she had, Kagome moved beside her. "Is there anything I can do to help?" Really there wasn't much in the small tent but Kagome didn't want to have the other woman doing all the work either.

"Not at the moment, you're welcome to help take the tent down though." The bottles of shampoo and conditioner were placed in the bag along with the clothes she had worn yesterday before it was zipped closed. The only thing left to pack was the sleeping bag which would only take a moment. With practiced ease she rolled the fabric up, looping the straps over the ends to secure it in place before setting it by the doorway. A small bag of trash was tied and set beside it as Maya gave the interior a glance over to make sure she hadn't missed anything. "I think that's it, lets go put this stuff in the car and then take the tent down."

Kagome picked up the sleeping bag and the bag of trash while Maya grabbed the suitcase and stepped outside. Following behind the woman she was led to a compact car where their burdens were deposited in the back seat. As they returned to the tent Kagome looked at it dubiously. Despite her years of traveling to the past she'd always slept under the open stars, not bothering with a tent. "Where do we start?"

"Pull the stakes from the ground and then unclip the cloth from the frame work like this." It was easy enough to get the clasps undone as Maya showed her, the fabric falling to the ground easily where she easily pulled it from under the metal structure. Quickly she made short work of folding it up before they then began dismantling the frame. It didn't take long for Kagome to have the basics down and within minutes they were finished and sliding the metal poles into the cloth pack they belonged in. "There, all done. Ready to go?"

"Definitely." Already Kagome's mind was set that the well _would_ let her through, she wasn't even going to consider the possibility that it had been sealed for good. One way or another she was going back, she just had to get there first. A smile came at that thought which had Maya looking at her strangely once more as she climbed into the car. As they pulled out of the park she was more than happy to see the place disappearing rapidly behind them though the silence was slightly uncomfortable. Casting a glance over to Maya she cleared her throat. "So Maya, tell me about yourself?"

The question wasn't exactly unexpected, after all Kagome was in her car and they knew virtually nothing about each other. "Well let's see. You know my name already, I'm twenty three years old and I like camping, as I'm sure you could already tell." A mischievous grin crossed her face at that as she saw Kagome smile slightly in her peripheral vision. Keeping her eyes on the road she continued, "I'm not sure what else there is to say, I live alone though I'm not really home that often. I went to college to become an accountant though I prefer being outdoors to being stuck in an office. What about you?"

Well that plan backfired, Kagome grimaced. She should have known that she was just inviting Maya to ask questions. For a moment she stared out the window in silence, wondering what to say to the woman. "Well, I'm seventeen though at times I feel like I've lived forever it seems. I still go to school but with everything that's happened recently my grades aren't the best in the world." Kagome knew that was the understatement of the year, even the principle had said she'd be lucky to graduate even with turning in all her make up work. But after Hiei had asked to court her, none of that had mattered since she planned on staying in the feudal era.

"Everything that's happened? Do you want to talk about it?" Maya knew there was a good chance that the girl would say no and truthfully she wouldn't blame her if she did. However it had often been said she had an excellent shoulder to cry on when the need arose. She'd already helped Kagome out this far, what was a little bit more if the offer was accepted?

Kagome shifted uncomfortably in her seat before shaking her head. "I can't, at least not right now. Maybe later on." Unspoken were the words 'after I know you better' but they were there. Somehow she got the feeling that Maya could be trusted to keep her secrets but more than once she'd been chastised by the entire group for being too trusting.

"Fair enough, when your ready if you want to talk I'll listen." Seeing the girl retreating inward had her sighing slightly and turning her complete attention towards the road. The scenery flew by as the ride continued in silence until it became too much for even her to bear. Casting a quick look over at Kagome who still seemed lost in thought, Maya turned the radio on. Song after song played as they traveled down the highway until one of her favorites came on and she started to sing along, startling the girl next to her. "Come on, sing with me!"

The woman's enthusiasm was contagious and Kagome found herself enjoying listening to Maya's voice though she refused to join along with her. There was no need to break the windows of the car and make both of their ears bleed. Kagome shook her head slightly and returned to staring out the window, her mind returning to the well back home though her thoughts were now a bit lighter.

An hour later they were pulling up to the apartment complex that Maya lived in, driving towards one of the back buildings. Finding a parking space was easy enough and soon Maya was shutting the engine off. "We're here, and it's not even dark yet. C'mon, let's go inside." Grabbing her keys Maya got out of the car and led Kagome up the stairs to her apartment.

Once inside Kagome looked around, not surprised by how well kept the place was. Even though Maya had a high position job the apartment was moderately furnished and had a homey feel to it. Her gaze slid over the degrees that were framed and hanging on the wall. Curiously Kagome walked over to look at them while Maya went into the kitchen and her eyes widened. The older woman was too damned modest for her own good it looked like, accounting wasn't the only thing she had a degree in. "How did you manage all these in such a short time? I think my brain would explode."

"Actually it wouldn't but there were times I was sure mine would as well. All those came from having too much time on my hands and no desire to socialize." Maya came back into the room and coming to stand beside the girl. It had always seemed like something important was missing from her life and she had tried to fill that void by taking on more classes. Of course it hadn't worked but at least she had something to show for it. On the unlikely event she became bored with her job there were always other careers to fall back on.

Regardless of what the woman said Kagome didn't think her brain could handle such an overload. Even the tests she was supposed to study for weekly had her pulling her hair out, it was a miracle she wasn't bald by now. "If you say so, there are times I think I'll never make it through school." Hell, Souta was more likely to graduate before she did and that was saying something.

"I'm sure you'll be fine. If you need help with something in particular, you could always give me a call. We don't exactly live close enough that I could tutor you but I'll do what I can." Maya led the girl into the living room and gestured for her to take a seat on the couch. Easily she found the remote and turned the television on. As they'd been driving the skies had gradually darkened, threatening rain. While it wasn't enough to concern her for driving around town, she wanted to know just how much worse it was going to get towards Tokyo. "I just want to check the weather report before you decide whether or not we're going to keep driving. After that you can watch whatever you want while I see about dinner."

"Dinner?" Kagome bit her lip at the statement but didn't say anything more than that. After all, Maya could very well be hungry after the long drive and who was she to tell her that she didn't want to waste the time it would take to cook and eat? "That would be lovely, thank you." Perhaps there was still hope that they could leave at a decent time. With that thought in mind Kagome turned her attention to the television, watching the news as the reporter droned on about a robbery that had happened earlier in the day. When the weather report came on however that hope dwindled to near nothing as she looked at the red blanketing the area between here and Tokyo. Some nasty storms had formed and were looking as if it would take a few hours at least to blow over.

Maya saw the girl's crestfallen look and sighed, the weather wasn't the best to venture out into. Visibility on the road would be next to nothing, far too risky to be out in. "Maybe it'll die out soon, if not you're welcome to crash here tonight." A thought occurred to her then, making her go and retrieve the cordless phone. "I'm sure your mother is worried about you, why don't you give her a call?" If nothing else her parents had to be worried about her and would appreciate knowing where she was.

"You're right." Although Kagome knew that it was likely her mother had no idea she'd even returned, it might give her an idea of if the well was sealed or not. While Hiei was unable to pass through, Inuyasha could and as soon as he learned she'd vanished more than likely he'd made his way to the well as quickly as he could. There was a chance that he still hadn't arrived yet since she wasn't sure how long she'd been in the darkness but it was better than not knowing. Punching the numbers in on the phone, it rang twice before her mother picked up. "Hi Mama."

"Kagome?"

The surprise was clear to hear in her mother's voice, telling Kagome that Inuyasha had yet to show up. No doubt the woman was wondering just where she was in order to be able to make the phone call. "Yes it's me. I had to come back... unexpectedly." Out of the corner of her eye Kagome saw Maya watching her curiously and knew that she was listening to every word she said. It wouldn't do to be careless now. "Has Inuyasha shown up by any chance?" Desperately she prayed for her to say yes even though she already knew the answer. Maybe there had been a sign, something of him trying to come through the well that would give her hope.

"No he hasn't Kagome. What happened? Where are you?"

"I'm with a friend mom and I'll be home tomorrow. The weathers too bad to drive back tonight but.. something happened to the jewel and I had to come back. Once Inuyasha gets there he should be able to explain everything to you. Just don't let him leave until I get back okay?" Silence stretched out over the phone and Kagome knew her mother must have a million questions running through her mind right about now. As she waited for her mother to speak she gave a small smile over to the woman trying not to look interested in the conversation.

"Does he even know what happened? What about Hiei? Honey, you've been gone for a while now. What happened?"

"I can't answer that mom. Hiei knows and I'm sure Inuyasha does by now too, I've got to go back but.." Kagome sighed heavily, wishing she had the answers her mother wanted. The sound of something being set down echoed across the phone indicating that her mother wasn't happy with the information she'd been given but she really didn't have anything else that would make a difference. What she wouldn't give to wake up and have this all be some sickening nightmare.

"If I see Inuyasha I'll tell him you asked for him to wait. Come home soon okay?"

A sigh of relief escaped her then, thankful that for the moment her mother would drop the line of questioning. By the Gods she was exhausted from the entire ordeal and things just kept adding to it. "I will, first thing tomorrow. I love you mom." Hopefully by then the weather would be clear, if not she'd be calling home again and asking her mother to purchase a train ticket. At least then there would be no worries about traffic or rain.

Maya accepted the phone from the girl after she'd said goodbye, more questions than ever running around in her head. So much had been said in that short conversation but she didn't have the pieces to put it together. "Is she okay with you staying here?" Not that there was really much choice in the matter she realized as the skies opened up and the deluge began. The rain was already hitting the windows with force, the winds adding to the problem.

"Yeah she's fine with it, I just have to be home in the morning that's all." As Maya went to replace the phone on the stand, Kagome got off the couch and stretched slightly before looking at the older woman. "Is there anything I can do to help with dinner?" If she was staying the night she could at least make the offer instead of expecting Maya to do all the work. It was only polite after all, she'd have to be sure to give the woman money to cover the cost of driving her home as well.

"That's aright, just sit tight. It might not be much but it'll do for now." Walking into the kitchen, Maya began hunting through the kitchen. Since she'd known she was going to be gone for a while she hadn't been to the grocery store recently which meant her refrigerator was on the bare side. If need be she could always call delivery, why bother going out into the rain if you didn't have to? Content with that thought she began taking out the necessary ingredients to make a stir fry and then turned the stove on. As she was waiting for it to heat she took a look into the living room, noticing that Kagome had sat back down on the couch with a drowsy look on her face. "Hey if you want to stretch out and take a nap go ahead, the weather always gets to me too. I'll wake you when dinner is ready." At the moment she wasn't going to complain about the lack of company, the girl had to be exhausted. A nap would do Kagome some good and give her a chance to call Shuichi on the phone to ask if he knew what was going on.

Kagome couldn't deny that sleep sounded good right about now and hummed her agreement as her eyes drifted closed. The sounds of Maya moving around in the kitchen did little to disturb her as she settled back against the pillows. As she drifted she tried to picture Hiei's arms wrapped securely around her, holding her close as she fell asleep and it wasn't long after that darkness claimed her once more.

Quietly Maya set down the spoon and turned the heat on low, just enough to keep the food warm. It'd been twenty minutes since the girl fell asleep and so far she hadn't shown any signs of waking at all. "Kagome?" She called her name softly to see if there was any response but the younger woman remained unmoving, holding one of the small pillows as if her life depended on it. Yes, the girl was out cold for the time being and it was time for her to make a phone call. Picking up the phone and her small phone book, she looked up Shuichi's number while looking at the clock. It was now just past seven, plenty of time for the man to have gotten off of work and come home. Thankfully he didn't live far, if he wasn't busy he could be there in ten minutes.

Moving deeper into the apartment she began pushing the numbers for her friend and then waited for him to pick up. As the fifth ring went by she was just about to give up before the redhead's voice came on the line. "Hi Shuichi, are you busy at the moment?" Of course there was always that chance that he couldn't come, the man was one of the busiest people she'd ever met.

"A bit Maya but it can wait. What's wrong?" Kurama had been surprised to hear her when he'd picked up the phone. Maya called on occasion but normally only on weekends when she wasn't working. The fact was that he knew the woman had taken a week's vacation and was supposed to be off camping, why had she come back early? He could feel Yusuke's gaze settle upon him, questioning what was going on as well. Their plans for training had been put off due to the weather but that didn't mean that they couldn't find other things to do to pass the time. It'd be rude of him to invite the former Detective over only to brush him off because an ex-girlfriend called.

Guilt settled over her for disturbing his evening but it was too late to back out now. If she were to tell him it was nothing he'd show up on her doorstep anyway. "Well it's strange really, I don't know if you'd know anything about this or not but I have to ask. I was on my trip today and I found this girl."

"A girl?" Amusement was clear in his voice though Kurama knew that there had to be more to it. Maya wouldn't take up the task of trying to set him up with another woman. It'd taken years to break his mother of the habit and didn't necessarily wish to have another woman starting in on him. He was perfectly fine with the way his life was at the moment.

"You can lower that eyebrow right now Shuichi, it's not like that." Even through the phone she could picture his exact expression and the light chuckle coming through the phone told her that she was indeed correct. Moving towards the doorway Maya checked to make sure Kagome was still sleeping. "She was in the middle of the woods wearing nothing but a towel and damned near hysterical. When I asked her what was wrong all I could get out of her was something along the lines of he's dead."

Kurama frowned then, naked women just didn't randomly pop up in the woods no matter how often he'd dreamed of that very thing as he was a teen. "It is strange but I'm not sure why you'd call me over this though Maya. Perhaps the police would have been a better option, she sounds like she was traumatized by something if she was hysterical." Somehow he got the feeling that there was even more to this than what he had learned so far. Even Yusuke was looking concerned now but that was just his protective nature showing through. Give the man a damsel in distress and someone was going to get their ass kicked.

"Believe me I thought about that Shuichi but there was something else that made me think of you. It was a name really, I'd heard you say it once or twice so I figured you might know something about this." The silence on the other end meant the man was waiting for her to continue. So far he hadn't sounded overly upset by what he'd heard so was it possible this was someone else entirely? Or did he just not know that his friend had died? "Shuichi the name she said was Hiei, that Hiei was dead. Does this mean anything to you?"

Kurama nearly dropped the phone hearing those words, it'd been a few months since he'd last seen the apparition. The last he'd heard he was still guarding the border, his trips into the Ningenkai being infrequent at best. Had something happened to the apparition that he didn't know about? Surely Mukuro would have sent a messenger if something like that would have happened. His voice became deadly calm and completely devoid of emotion. "Are you sure that is exactly what she said? Hiei's dead? In those exact words?" The sound of shattering glass in the kitchen told him that Yusuke had heard him as well and had been just as stunned.

Maya winced at the cold tone though she couldn't blame the man if he hadn't known of his friends passing. Nervously she paced around the room, trying to remember Kagome's exact words. "Well, sorta. I mean. The first thing she said was He's gone and then when I asked her who she said Hiei, he's dead and I'll never see him again. Shuichi is this one of your friends?" It was a bitch being the bearer of bad news but if it was in fact his friend then Shuichi had the right to know.

"This girl, where is she now?" Kurama doubted that it was indeed the apparition that Maya spoke of but there was only a couple of ways to be sure. One of which was speaking to the girl, the other was by making a trip into the Makai. His gaze traveled over to Yusuke who looked ready to storm into the Reikai just to bring Hiei's soul back if it were even possible at that point. To resurrect someone they needed a body which could pose a serious problem.

"Right now? Kagome's asleep on my couch. I haven't asked her many questions because of how upset she was earlier. Do you know her?" It was a stretch since Kagome lived in Tokyo but there was always a chance with how frequently Shuichi traveled. It was telling in Maya's opinion when the attendants at the airlines and train stations all recognized Shuichi, remembering his name without having to request identification.

Already Kurama was moving towards the door to put his shoes on. Yusuke was following hot on his heels, determined to find out what the hell was going on. "I might, I'll have to see her to be certain." Saying no would make Maya question why the hell he was showing up on her doorstep. The sigh of relief that came through the phone indicated just how worried Maya had been over this whole incident. Even more disturbing to him though was how his old friend even remembered Hiei's name. Were memories leaking through from the time they spent together that he'd be forced to erase?

"Okay well then hurry over. She's asleep now but we can wake her up when you arrive." At this point Maya really didn't want to deal with the girl getting hysterical again but Shuichi deserved to have answers as well. The red head tended to have a soothing effect on some people anyway, if things got out of hand he could get control of them quickly again.

"We'll be there shortly." Hanging up the phone Kurama snatched his coat and open the front door, uncaring of the rain that pelted him as soon as the barrier was out of its way. "Maya's place isn't far from here, just a couple of blocks down. I can't imagine she'd mean Hiei but it's better to be safe than sorry." There was small chance that Yusuke was going to object to going to her apartment but just talking about it helped Kurama to regain the calm that he certainly didn't feel.

"I hope you're right Kurama." Yusuke stepped out into the rain and ran towards the car as Kurama shut the door and locked it behind them. As the kitsune climbed into the driver's seat he looked at him dubiously. "I mean, what are the chances some random chick knows Hiei right?" He didn't want to believe the apparition could be dead no matter how uncommon the name was. The car started up easily and due to the storm traffic was minimal making the trip short much to his relief.

"It's most likely a false alarm but we have to be sure." If by some chance it was true there was no doubt there was going to be hell to pay on all sides. Not even Koenma would be safe from their anger, he should have been one of the first to inform them of the apparition's passing. The minutes ticked by and soon the complex was visible signaling an end to their trip. The tension was palatable as he shut the car off and stepped out into the rain once again, running up the stairs to Maya's apartment. Just as he was about to knock the door opened revealing the woman's relieved face. "Where is she?"

"Over on the couch. She hasn't stirred at all since I called you." With both Shuichi and a man she'd only seen once or twice hanging around the red head following her into the living room, she made her way over to the couch and prepared to wake the girl when a hand on her shoulder stopped her. Turning in surprise she stared into Shuichi's face, his eyes narrowed and his lips pressed into a thin line. What had gotten him so upset? All it had taken was one look and the man had donned a look that chilled even her to the bone. "Do you know her?"

Kurama gave a curt nod even though it wasn't the truth, saying no would lead to even more questions that he didn't want to deal with at the moment. Moving closer to the girl he examined her thoroughly. Maya had been right, the girl was exhausted but there was no mistaking exactly what she was. Holy energy stirred just beneath the surface of her skin in response to his demonic energy, as if going on alert. What puzzled him even more so though was Hiei's energy blanketed her as well which made no sense. Any thoughts of moving to inspect her further were brought to an abrupt half as her energy flared in warning, making him back away. It was an instinctive gesture, the girl wasn't even aware that he was present but it made little difference. Purification was still purification whether it was intentional or not and there was no doubt about it, she was strong enough to kill him with it if she so desired. Perhaps even Hiei. Had that been what she'd meant? Had she ended the apparition's life on accident?

Even Yusuke could sense that there was something off about her though he couldn't determine just what it was. It was an odd feeling, one that had the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. Seeing Kurama take a step back like that couldn't mean anything good either. "What is it?" His eyes glanced over to Maya, knowing that while she might have known what Kurama was at one time she didn't remember any of it. The kitsune had told him at least that much about his past and some of his dealings with Hiei.

"I'm afraid it might be true." Seeing the alarm building in Yusuke's expression Kurama held up a hand to stop the outburst that was starting. "I am uncertain and for that reason I'm going to see if I can find him. Most likely he's back at Mukuro's now so he'll be easy to track down if it's not him. Either way, I know she knows him and I want to know why she'd say such a thing if it weren't true." Moving quickly he pulled Yusuke into the hallway as Maya stared at them knowing that while names meant nothing, what he was about to say would raise questions. "I need you to stay and watch her Yusuke, don't get to close or she could purify you in an instant. Try not to let anything wake her up either until I return with information, if she's the one who killed him I don't want to have to hunt her down later."

Yusuke saw the threat that was directed towards the girl on the couch and nodded once. This time he'd do as he was told, while he usually saw no reason to fight with women if this Kagome was dangerous enough to kill a demon as strong as Hiei, he'd have to stay on his guard with her. "How long do you think you'll be?" Saying that Hiei was at Mukuro's was one thing but Yusuke had seen what he'd termed the 'bug mobile' and knew that they could be anywhere along the border. Short of knocking the girl out, he wasn't sure how to keep her contained until Kurama returned. Yusuke mentally snorted at that prospect, he could just imagine Maya's reaction if he were to hit the miko. Most likely it wouldn't be pretty and he really didn't want to have to render her unconscious as well just to keep the peace.

"An hour or two at most unless they've changed their schedule once again. I'll try and make this quick, remember what I said." Walking back into the living room he gave Maya a reassuring smile which seemed to calm her somewhat. "I'm going to go and verify the truth of this matter, Yusuke will remain here with you while I do so if that is acceptable to you. I shouldn't be gone long so allowing her to sleep until I return would be for the best I believe." At the mention of leaving Yusuke there she tensed once more but nodded anyway, accepting that he wouldn't leave anyone with her that he didn't trust.

"Alright, hurry back Shuichi." Maya watched the red head turn and make his way out the door, stepping out into the rain once more. Sighing heavily she turned to Yusuke who looked just as uncomfortable as she was. Somehow she didn't think the day could possibly get any stranger and if it could, well, it wasn't something she wanted to think about. "Well, I don't suppose you've had dinner yet have you?" As hungry as she was, Maya wasn't going to wait all night just to eat. Either the man would agree to eating with her or he could watch, his choice.

Shrugging his shoulders Yusuke turned from the doorway, wishing he could have gone to the Makai as well. Fortunately he knew that Kurama would be able to handle things over there himself, the kitsune was more than capable of it. It just irritated him that he was stuck with babysitting duty. Still, he might as well make the best of the situation and if Maya was offering a free meal who was he to turn it down? "Not yet, what are we having?" Ignoring the blissfully unaware female on the couch Yusuke followed Maya into the kitchen to get himself a plate of food. If nothing else it would help to pass the time until Kurama returned.

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"Where are you Hiei?" Kurama continued his search for Mukuro's fortress, cursing the fact that the woman had moved once again. Even though he knew it was part of the routine it certainly didn't help matters at this particular moment in time. Night had long since fallen even though the sky here never truly went dark and he knew that both Maya and Yusuke were likely to be getting impatient. Another question was sent out to the nearby plant life, hoping that they would provide the answers to his question. So far he'd come up empty but that didn't mean he was going to stop trying. Finally the response he'd been waiting for came back and the kitsune raced off in the direction the trees had indicated. Sure enough the fortress came into view but that didn't stop his headlong rush towards the structure.

Completely ignoring protocol that stated he should announce his presence, Kurama passed the guards without so much as a by your leave. Of course they recognized him immediately but that didn't excuse him from barging in. One of them raced off to inform Mukuro of his arrival while the other remained guarding the entrance. It didn't matter to Kurama though, let them call her if they wished. If Hiei was indeed dead then the woman had much to answer for. Ignoring the strange looks he received Kurama continued on his way towards Hiei's quarters, his footsteps echoing through the metal corridor as he ran. Without bothering to knock as he pushed the door to Hiei's bedroom open and stepped inside.

Hiei looked up in irritation as the door opened, ready to lash out at the person who would be so foolish as to barge in his room but stopped when he saw who it was. He'd half expected it to be a guard or a servant coming to inform him that Mukuro had requested his presence. Seeing the fox standing their made him raise a brow in question. Slowly he moved away from the window, his eyes narrows as he stared at the man who looked positively relieved to see him. "I trust you have a good reason for coming in here like this?" Being a friend allowed certain things to be excused but his day hadn't exactly been the best and his temper was short.

"We are going to have to establish a way of communicating between the realms Hiei. I thought you were dead." Now that the apparition stood before him in the flesh the majority of his worry vanished though it still left a lot of unanswered questions. Maya had to have gotten mixed up with the girl's words or perhaps Kagome had just been too upset at the time to convey what had actually happened. Kurama moved further into the room, carefully examining the man to see if he could detect any sign that he'd been in a fight with a holy person but to his relief he found none.

That wasn't quite what Hiei had been expecting to come out of the red heads mouth. Virtually anything else he would have been prepared for, someone else's death, or maybe even a crisis in the Ningenkai. But not 'I thought you were dead.' Calmly Hiei stared at him as if Kurama had lost his mind before snorting and turning back towards the window, looking out at the night sky. Was the man still on the troublesome path of thinking he would end his life? The thought was annoying, there was only one thing holding him to this life and he wasn't about to give up until he'd fulfilled a promise. "And what foolish thought brought this on Kurama? As you can see, I'm very much alive."

Wearily Kurama sat down in a chair while staring at the apparition's back, slightly irritated that his concern was so easily dismissed. Couldn't Hiei be appreciative that people cared enough to check on him? "Hiei I need to ask you something." No sound came from the hybrid nor did the man move, Kurama took this as an invitation to continue with his question. "Do you know a miko by any chance?" The change in Hiei's posture was immediate, his shoulders becoming tense. Kurama knew that he had to have run across her at least once with the way his energy blanketed her which was unusual enough and somehow he doubted it was possible for Hiei to not know just what she was. While miko's with any real power were a rarity, it was an instinctive knowledge that most demons possessed. Apparition's of Hiei's age would remember them from when they actually had true abilities and practiced them.

Hearing the question brought forth painful memories that he tried every day not to think of. Not a day went by that Hiei didn't think of the girl and wonder just when she was going to reappear into his life. It hadn't been because he was homesick that he'd returned to the Makai and accepted the position Mukuro offered him. Instead it was an attempt to forget the pain that waited for him every morning upon awaking and realizing she wasn't there. Five hundred years of torture had passed and it left him bitter. Not towards her, because she couldn't help what had happened but at life in general. Even to this day he couldn't forgive Inuyasha, nor the humans who had died so long ago. It was because of them that Kagome was gone from his life. Without turning to look at his old partner Hiei sighed, closing his eyes. The memory of her disappearance flashing before his eyes once more. The pain and fear in her eyes were things that continued to haunt his nightmares even to this day. "I did, once long ago."

Whatever the memories were that Hiei was facing, they were obviously painful and now Kurama was regretting mentioning it. However it was only a matter of time before Hiei pulled himself out of them and demanded to know why he had asked. Taking a deep breath he leaned forward, ready to find out just what the mystery was behind the girl and his old friend. "Her name is Kagome. Isn't it?"

Nothing could have prepared Kurama for Hiei's reaction once the words were spoken. The stunned look upon his face would forever be etched in his memory just the same as the deadly look that entered the apparition's eyes as he closed the distance between them. Roughly he was pulled forward until their faces were mere inches apart, Hiei's aura flaring wildly. A second one joined it and Kurama knew that Mukuro would be appearing soon as well. Right on time, the door flew open and the former ruler entered the room. What could have possibly sparked such a violent response from the smaller demon?

"Now this is an interesting sight to walk in on. Someone explain to me just what is going on." With the apparition looking ready to kill his former team mate, Mukuro had to wonder if she was going to have to step in between them to prevent blood from being spilled. What had happened that would cause such a reaction? Neither man would look at her at the moment, their attention clearly focused on each other. While it wasn't difficult to provoke the apparition Mukuro knew that for him to manhandle the kitsune in such a fashion it had to be something serious.

"Tell me how you know her name Kitsune, so help me if this is one of your instances of prying into my private life you've gone too far!" Even though Kurama had spoken her name as if she were alive at this moment, Hiei refused to allow his hopes to get too high. Far too often he'd been disappointed, thinking she'd finally returned only to find out that it wasn't her. There weren't many people that knew of his past or the priestess he'd been separated from but the knowledge was out there, if one looked hard enough. He'd done his best to conceal the information, fearing that if his enemies learned of her that she'd be in danger before he could ever locate her again. To hear Kurama speaking her name so easily made his gut twist in apprehension. "Tell me what you know!" His hand tightened on the fabric of the kitsune's jacket but the man didn't flinch away, instead he met his gaze calmly as if he didn't have a pissed off apparition ready to throttle him.

If Kurama didn't know better he'd almost believe that Hiei was acting as if an enraged mate was when their chosen one was threatened. However with the man so close to him he couldn't detect any scent of the girl around the apparition and he knew that he hadn't encountered it before in their prior dealings together. Unfortunately he hadn't gotten close enough to the girl to get a good enough chance to smell her either and the scent of the food in the air had drowned out what little he'd been able to detect. It made no sense to him at all, but clearly Hiei knew just who she was and looked more than ready to run him through if he delayed any longer, their friendship be damned. "I know the name because Maya found her today, alone in the woods and crying hysterically Hiei. Who is she?"

Immediately Hiei dropped the man as if he'd been burned, pain clenching deep within his chest. Ignoring the question Hiei bolted towards the bed, ignoring the questions being called to him as he threw his cloak on and reached for his sword. Kurama was already on his feet in an attempt to prevent him from leaving before he had his answers. Mukuro hadn't moved though she was looking at him in concern, clearly she'd realized just who they were talking about and she wasn't about to interfere. Since she'd been deep within his subconscious she knew of his secret, though she said little of of it. They both had their pasts and she knew that one day he would reclaim his own. She wouldn't stand in his way, this much he understood. As he began to walk out the door, Kurama placed a hand upon his arm which had him looking into that concerned face and glaring. "Stand down Kurama, I've waited centuries to find her again and not even you will keep me from seeing her." His voice was deathly cold lending to the force of his words.

The apparition's words left only more questions but the man shrugged his grip off and disappeared out the door without another word. What had he meant by centuries? Sure, the girl seemed powerful but she was still human. None of this made any sense to him whatsoever. If they hadn't seen each other in that long then how was she still blanketed by Hiei's energy? Roughly he pushed himself out of the chair, staring at the empty doorway. Already the apparition was moving away at a blinding pace and continued to pick up speed. "Dammit, Hiei wait a minute!" He was just about to run after him when Mukuro stopped him from leaving. At this rate he'd never catch up to him!

"What you are contemplating is not wise Kurama, his threat was not an idle one. He will kill anyone who tries to keep him from his mate, her disappearance has haunted him for many years. I know you are concerned about him but give him the time he needs to reassure himself that it's really her before asking your questions." Whether or not Mukuro agreed with the apparition's choice was irrelevant, they'd mated long before she'd ever met Hiei and being in the man's mind had given her the knowledge that none other had been privy to. Reuniting with the girl would bring peace to the apparition and for that reason alone she'd let him go. There had never been any doubt in her mind once Hiei had found the priestess he would return to the Ningenkai permanently. The Makai was no place for one such as her and Hiei knew it.

Kurama could only stare at the woman who knew so much more than he did on what was going on. If Mukuro's words were true then nothing would be able to keep the two of them apart, which meant Yusuke might very well be in danger if he tried to stop it from happening. His face went completely expressionless, a demon protecting their mate was formidable indeed. Yusuke would most likely not get the chance to defend himself, trusting in Hiei not to turn on him and then it would be too late. He had to get back to Maya's before disaster struck! "I'll remember your words, but I still have to follow if only to keep Yusuke from interfering." Seeing the woman nod, Kurama rushed out the door hoping to prevent all hell from breaking loose. Later he'd shake the man senseless for leaving out such an important detail about his life but only after he'd done what he'd needed to do to reaffirm his bond with the girl. Until then, the apparition wasn't exactly safe to be around.

Miles away from Mukuro's fortress, Hiei picked up speed for once cursing how far into the Makai they had traveled. It had never been an issue before but this was one time he was wishing that a communicator was available. At least then contacting Botan for a portal wouldn't be impossible though it might take just as long to convince her to shut up and just open the damned thing as it would to run. A flare of energy behind him signaled that Kurama was following, though whether the kitsune still sought to hinder the reunion Hiei wasn't sure of. Either way the man couldn't hope to match Hiei's speed even if he'd changed into his Youko aspect and they both knew it. The border was just ahead now, in a matter of minutes he'd be back into the Ningenkai and the truth would be revealed. If it truly was Kagome, once they were in the same realm he'd be able to feel her through the bond. If it wasn't, Kurama was going to find out what it was like to be on the wrong end of his katana when he was serious.

For that reason alone Hiei couldn't stop the apprehension he felt as he passed through the border, the sensation of falling hitting him for a moment before his feet touched the ground once more. Warmth flared through him as Kagome's emotions poured through the bond though they were muted, signaling she was asleep. Rain poured overhead, plastering his clothing to his body but Hiei ignored it in favor of running towards his mate. The Jagan flared giving him a true direction, strengthening his determination to reach her quickly. For too many years they had been apart and now that he'd found her again he refused to let her go.

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Kagome moaned in her sleep, shifting slightly against the back of the couch. The pillow fell to the floor unnoticed as she twisted yet again, a tear sliding down her cheek. The noise drew both Yusuke and Maya's attention and both turned from the television to watch her toss. She seemed to be caught in some sort of nightmare but neither one of them were sure of what to do for her. Kurama's warning of not to wake her up was still prominent in their minds as Kagome called out Hiei's name, holding out her hand as if trying to reach the missing apparition. "Do you think we should go ahead and wake her up?" Maya looked at the man uncertainly, the girl sounded so heartbroken and desperate.

Hearing her call out like that had Yusuke doubting that this girl had done anything at all to Hiei. It reminded him so much of when Keiko believed he was dead and was calling after him in her dreams, begging him not to leave her. "Dammit I wish he'd get back." Until that time Yusuke really didn't want to do anything with her just in case. Why the hell couldn't the man have dosed her with something to prevent this from happening? Surely Kurama had something like that available for use.

Maya didn't bother to comment on Yusuke's use of language, over dinner she'd come to realize he was kind of crude and not at all the type of person that she'd expect Shuichi to be associated with but he seemed to be genuinely concerned with everything that was happening. At the moment she was about to say screw it and wake the girl up anyway when she calmed for a moment.

It was Hiei's familiar presence that had stopped the nightmare from continuing though it took a moment for her to come awake. As she laid there she kept her eyes closed, not daring to move believing it was still a dream. However when a torrent of emotions overwhelmed her, not all of it her own Kagome bolted off the couch. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she felt him coming closer. He was near and that was all that mattered. Maya shouted her name along with a young man she'd never met before as she rushed for the door. With her heart pounding in her chest she flung it open, the rain pelting her body but she didn't care. Strong hands gripped her arms trying to prevent her from leaving. "Let me go!" Kagome shrieked at him, her voice echoing through the darkness as the man sought to pull her back inside. Her own anger flared but it was overwhelmed by the burning rage she felt coming from Hiei as she struggled to get free.

"Are you insane? Come back inside!" Yusuke's grip was slipping on the girl with each passing moment as she twisted to get free. Clearly the girl had lost her fucking mind to be racing out into the storm like this. Roughly he turned her to face him, ignoring the desperate look in her eyes. "Get a fucking grip girl!" Praying the girl wouldn't purify him in her attempt to get free, Yusuke began dragging her back into the house ignoring her protests. Maya was standing well out of the way, a look of shock on her face as she watched the struggle. Just when he seriously considered knocking her out just to stop he sensed the power surging beneath his fingers and instinctively let go. "Fuck! Come back here!" His words went unheeded as she slipped back outside and into the rain, running hellbent towards something only she could see or sense.

Yusuke's expression turned from one of anger to pure startlement as suddenly the girl was shoved against a car, a black blur materializing out of nowhere. There was no mistaking Hiei's wet form as his body pressed against hers. Over the deluge he could hear Kagome sobbing the apparition's name even as her arms wrapped around him in a death grip. "What the fuck!"

Though they heard the shout clearly, neither one of them turned to look at Yusuke. Even with her in his arms Hiei was having a hard time believing that it was all real. His hand moved up to cup her cheek gently, memorizing every detail of her face. "You're really here?" At her slight nod the apparition crushed her to his chest once more, not giving a damn about the audience they had. The rain continued to pour over them though it did nothing to erase the scent of her tears. Slowly he pulled back and forced her to look into his eyes. "I told you I would find you, one way or another." His mouth closed over hers gently, savoring the first taste he'd had of her in over five hundred years. The girl's soft lips parted easily, allowing him deeply into her mouth as the rest of the world disappeared around them.

Feeling Kurama approach had Hiei breaking the kiss, a growl escaping his throat. The last thing he wanted right now was any interruptions, especially after the threat he'd given the man earlier. Turning his head slightly he stared at the kitsune who had his hands raised slightly as if to calm him. From the other side he could feel Yusuke approaching though he wasn't any happier with him. Throughout the trip he'd had the Jagan open, he'd _'seen' _everything that had happened as he'd approached, including the Toushin's thoughts at the time. Had he acted out those thoughts all hell would have broken loose.

"I know you do not wish to speak with us right now and I understand better, Mukuro explained some of it to me though I still have questions. They can wait however, right now I think it's best if you get Kagome inside somewhere before she takes ill." His words were meant to pacify the apparition's anger though it made his intention clear that they would speak of this later. Kurama sighed seeing he was fighting a losing battle for Hiei's attention and cleared his throat, drawing the hybrid's gaze once more though it was growing increasingly irritated by the minute. "If I may make a suggestion, go to my place. You can stay in the spare room if you wish. I'll take Yusuke home and find somewhere else to stay for the night. It'll give you the time you need to talk, I'll return in the morning." Somehow Kurama doubted talking was all they'd be doing but that really wasn't his business. It was either that or offer to get them a hotel room for the night just so they could have a bit of privacy. This was likely to be the only way he'd get his answers anytime soon and Kurama knew it.

"Your terms are acceptable." Giving the man a slight nod, Hiei interlaced his fingers with his mate's and pulled her out of view of the others. They'd already seen far too much for his preferences, he wasn't about to give them anything else to comment about if he could help it. Once they'd disappeared behind one of the apartment buildings Hiei seized her lips again for a moment, a promise for what was to come later. Only then did he pick her up, cradling her against his chest and disappearing into the night, heading towards Kurama's house.

Shaking his head, Yusuke turned and walked back towards the apartment they'd run out of. None of this made any sense and he was getting a headache just trying to figure it out. First they'd thought Hiei was dead, killed by a girl and Kurama was ready to kill her for doing so. Then they find out not only is Hiei alive but it also seems that the apparition had a set of hormones they'd somehow managed to overlook by the way he'd kissed that same girl who was supposed to have killed him. Now to top everything off Kurama was offering up his place for them to stay like some sort of hotel room and all he'd said was they needed a place to talk? It was official, the world was going to hell in a hand basket and Yusuke had the sinking suspicion that he was along for the ride whether he liked it or not.

Maya watched the both of them approaching, still not quite sure what it was that she missed. One thing she did know was that Shuichi was going to need a place to stay for the night it looked like. Shrugging her shoulders she led the two men back into the apartment, trading one house guest off for another really wasn't that big of a deal. A moment later she had towels in her hands for the both of them so they could dry off a bit. Once the red head had seated himself at the couch she fixed him with a confused look. "I take it that was Hiei and both you and Kagome know him. So isn't he supposed to be dead or was I just seeing things?" Yes, something was definitely going on and she could sense it, even if she wasn't sure what it was.

Unfortunately Kurama had known this was coming, just how the hell was he supposed to explain this one?It was going to take some creative lying on his part no doubt, he only hoped that Yusuke didn't blow it for him by laughing outright. Putting on his most exasperated expression, he looked upon the woman while leaning back against the couch. "No you weren't seeing things. The sad thing is, this was all a terrible joke that went horribly wrong. One of our... friends thought it would be amusing to see if they could convince Kagome that Hiei was dead. It worked especially well since it had been a long time since they had seen each other and she wasn't sure how to contact him."

"A joke?" The disbelief was clear in her voice as Maya stared at the red head but there certainly weren't any other conclusions she could come to. Her arms folded as she studied her friend, seeing absolutely no reason why he would lie to her. Yusuke was looking at him as well, though his expression didn't help things any. It was strange at how quickly Hiei had appeared but it was dark outside not to mention raining."What kind of sick person would do such a thing Shuichi? Do they have no conscience?" It was sickening to think that someone could get enjoyment out of tormenting someone like that. Clearly this little joke had gone entirely too far, she only hoped that once Kagome confronted this person again they got what was coming to them.

"I'm beginning to wonder that myself," Kurama muttered under his breath though he knew the other two people in the room had heard him. As the air conditioner came on he became uncomfortably aware of the fact that not only was he damp but he was cold now as well. "We should probably get going, it's getting late and if I'm to find a place to stay tonight I'll need to start looking soon." It complicated matters that he couldn't even go home to pick up a change of clothes which only further annoyed him. Even if he had no intentions of approaching the apparition tonight just his very presence might set Hiei off. No, it looked like he was going to be stuck with nothing more than a towel for the rest of the night. Perhaps a hotel was a better option, at least then he wouldn't have to worry about offending his host.

Hearing Shuichi speak of having to find a place to stay had her offering up her own apartment though Maya knew that he was more than likely going to turn her down anyway. It was just the way that he was. "You're welcome to stay here if you like, it's still raining and there's no need for you to venture out into the storm again." Of course that brought up the interesting problem of where Yusuke was going to stay, since it sounded like he had someplace to be. "You both can stay, though I'm not sure where to put the both of you just yet." The apartment only had one bedroom or it wouldn't really be an issue. Neither of the men were exactly short which meant the small love seat would be rather uncomfortable but it was better than the floor.

Both Kurama and Yusuke looked at each other briefly before the kitsune shook his head. "As much as we appreciate the offer Maya, Yusuke is expected home tonight so I'm afraid I'll be going out anyway. But thank you just the same." Using his friend as an excuse might not have been the nicest of things to do but Kurama doubted the Toushin would be objecting to it. Thankfully the woman accepted it easily enough, he sincerely hoped he hadn't offended her.

Despite the fact that the only thing waiting for him at home was a potted plant, Yusuke stood and nodded his agreement. "Yeah I really should be getting back, thanks for dinner." Giving the kitsune a measuring look he decided that sending the man off to a hotel because he'd essentially kicked himself out of his own house wouldn't do either. Besides, Kurama wasn't the only one that had questions and there was a good chance that if Yusuke went home, he'd be one of the last to know just what the hell had happened. "Tell you what man, how about you stay at my house. I've got a spare room, tomorrow we can go check on the love birds and make sure they're okay."

"That's a wonderful idea!" Maya got up and went to the desk where she kept a lot of her office work and picked up a business card, quickly writing a phone number on the back. Walking back over to Shuichi she placed it in his hand despite his raised eyebrow. "If you could give this to Kagome please. It has my home. office and cell phone number on it if she ever needs to call." While it wouldn't be difficult for her to get Kagome's phone number since she had her last name, Maya didn't want the girl to think she was stalking her either. This way if Kagome needed to talk, she had the option of doing so.

Kurama stared down at the tiny card and smiled, doubting that Maya would ever change. "I'll make sure she gets it. Have a good evening, or what's left of it anyway." They couldn't stay much longer, of this the kitsune was certain. Already Yusuke was standing by the door, more than ready to get going if the way he was fidgeting were any indication. The fact that the man hadn't bolted out the door already was bordering on a miracle, he couldn't enjoy standing there in wet denim any more than the next person.

Only after Maya had shown them out the door and they were firmly seated in Kurama's car did Yusuke open his mouth again. "So do you mind telling me what the hell it was that I missed?" Now that they were by themselves once again the Toushin wasn't going to sit back and let his questions go unanswered. He had just as much right to know what was going on with their friend and it irked him that once more he'd been left in the dark. At one point he thought they'd worked through this trust issue with Hiei, as much as possible anyway and it bothered him to find out he was so badly mistaken.

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Within a few minutes of them departing the apartment complex Hiei had brought Kagome to Kurama's place and set her down on her feet once they found shelter from the rain on the back porch. For several long minutes they stared at each other in the dim light, Hiei bringing a hand up to brush a strand of hair away from her face. The wind swirled around them causing her to shiver, prompting him to step closer to her in an effort to keep her warm. "You've finally come back to me." It still sounded more like a question than a statement because he hardly dared to believe she was real or that she wouldn't vanish before his eyes once more.

Taking a step forward, Kagome rested her head upon Hiei's chest as the apparition wrapped his arms around her once more. "I never wanted to leave. Hiei?" Earnestly she looked up into his face knowing that he could give her the answers she desperately needed. "What happened? Why? Why did this happen to us?" His arms tightened around her then, almost crushing her as they stood together with the wind howling around them.

"Let's go inside, I'll explain then." Remaining outside wasn't the best of ideas, already he could feel a couple of different people watching them, most likely concerned neighbors. If they weren't careful someone would get stupid and call the ningen authorities which would only complicate matters. Turning slightly the apparition placed his hand on the door knob and exerted the slightest bit of ki to unlock it. One of these days he was going to have to procure himself a key to the place.

Silently Kagome followed him through the house, trusting the apparition to lead her through the dark without tripping over anything. Light flared then, the room brightening when Hiei hit the wall switch before taking her down the hallway. At the second door he paused, opening it slowly to reveal an unused bedroom that looked as it it were ready for guests at a moments notice.

As Hiei moved away from her he noticed that she remained unmoving. A frown marred his face then wondering if perhaps she had gone into shock on the trip. Moving quietly he went to the adjoining bathroom and brought out a towel, pressing it into her hands. "Take this and dry off before you take ill." Seeing her comply nearly had him sighing in relief as she stepped into the bathroom to remove her soggy clothing. He watched as the garments were dropped in the tub, sparing the floor from getting soaked. The towel was wrapped securely around her body and as she walked towards him, the distinct feeling of Deja-vu overcame him. Shaking the feeling off he directed her into the bed to warm up. "Remain here, I'll return in a moment."

The blankets were warm as she pulled them up over her shoulders, watching Hiei through the doorway. The apparition quickly shed his own clothing, placing it in with hers before toweling his body dry. Without bothering to secure it around his waist the hybrid walked back into the room and proceeded to climb into the bed with her. His skin was near scorching when pressed up against her own but Kagome only moved closer to him, basking in the knowledge that he was there. Her head rested upon his chest as she sighed deeply, finally coming to believe that they were really together.

Even though she had yet to say anything Hiei knew that the girl was still waiting for answers. "In answer to your question, the reason you were pulled back is because the jewel was destroyed." Her sharp intake of breath told him that he'd managed to surprise her. More than once they'd discussed whether or not it was even possible to destroy the jewel though no conclusion had ever been drawn. Obviously the question had now been answered even if it had been done in a way they'd never really considered. "As I learned after I returned to the village, Naraku had attacked soon after we left. It was a set up, though he had been expecting you to be there. That fool monk in an effort to save Sango opened the wind tunnel. In doing so, the jewel was consumed by the void though no one knew it at the time. Naraku removed the curse in a bid to save his own life and escaped soon after realizing the jewel was gone." Even after all this time anger swelled up within his body, wishing he could take his rage out on those responsible. He'd left the group soon after, knowing that if he didn't it would eventually come to bloodshed between them.

"So that's why." It wasn't terribly surprising to hear of the jewel's destruction, more than once she'd cautioned Miroku about sucking pieces of the jewel into the void. Never had she thought that the man might take the whole thing though. The situation had to be desperate in order for the monk to open up his most dangerous weapon in such a fashion. "But... why would it take me like that?" They'd always known if it hadn't been for the jewel then Kagome would have never been there in the first place but a requirement for her to remain? Obviously it had been though she couldn't quite understand why, it hadn't been something they'd thought about too hard.

Hiei nodded, not liking how things had happened but there was little that he could do to change it. "The jewel was the key to your continued presence in the past. Even with it shattered it was still bound to your soul. Once it was destroyed, the link was severed and you no longer had a place in that era." Hiei sighed then, it had taken a while for him to accept the fact that their bond hadn't been enough to keep her there. It had been Miroku's suggestion that maybe Hiei had in fact lived to Kagome's era that interfered with her remaining with them. It was pure speculation but the man had said if he didn't exist in the future, the bond might have balanced the pull on her soul just enough to allow her to stay. But with the added pull of him being on this side of the well, it wasn't enough to overcome the lack of the Shikon's influence.

"So even if I were to try the well to get back to you, it wouldn't work." As grateful as she was to be there in his arms now, Kagome knew that he'd suffered for centuries without her. Even now she could feel the pain deep within him though it was muted now that Hiei was holding her. If nothing else, she would return to spare him that pain if she could. The mattress shifted slightly beneath them as Hiei turned on his side to face her.

It was impossible not to feel the guilt that Kagome was experiencing even though she couldn't be faulted for what had happened. No, Hiei still believed the blame rested squarely on Miroku and Inuyasha's shoulders. Had the hanyou not run off then Miroku would not have been put in the position that he'd been in. "No, you cannot return. Even if you could I wouldn't be there any longer. I left that evening after learning what had happened, knowing you couldn't return." While he knew that there was little he could do to remove the pain of what had happened, he would help her to move past it. "Though it happened only yesterday for you, centuries have passed for me. I learned to deal with it as best as I could while waiting for you. It's in the past now and nothing can change it, you are here now. That is what matters."

Even though what he said was true, Kagome knew that it would take a while for her to accept and arguing with him over whether or not she should feel guilty wasn't how she wanted to spend the night with him. As his hand crept up to her hair and began threading its way through the silky locks, Kagome sighed and closed her eyes while leaning in to the touch. Hiei had a habit of always knowing just what to do when he wanted to distract her from a problem or to set her mind at ease. There were so many questions that she wanted to ask such as what had happened to him while they'd been apart but she found she no longer had the strength to ask them.

"Sleep." The word was softly spoken but commanding none the less as Hiei continued to influence her mind. What she needed to know could wait until morning, after she'd rested. Outside the storm continued to rage, lulling the both of them into slumber. Hiei's eyes drifted closed as he continued to hold onto the slight girl in his arms feeling complete for the first time in years.

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Kagome buried her head deeper into her pillow, trying to shut out the light that was streaming in through the open window. The room was warm but not unbearably so, prolonging the fight to remain asleep. A light brush of fingers over her collar bone pulled a slight giggle from her lips though she didn't open her eyes. Several long moments passed and she'd almost drifted off completely once more when the touch was back, this time moving over the curve of her waist and over the swell of her hips. "Hiei.."

The sleepy mumble did nothing to deter the apparition from his actions, instead a small smile formed on his lips as he ran his fingertips along her back. Clearly he remembered every sensitive spot and sought them out, causing the woman to arch into his touch wishing to prolong the contact. Leaning forward his lips brushed her ear, sucking on it lightly before whispering in her ear. "Kagome?"

Slowly the apparition pushed her over onto her back, pulling the blanket away from her body. Kagome made no protest as his lips skimmed over her exposed neck, lingering over his mark earning a pleased hum from the girl.

Slowly her eyes opened to see the apparition gazing down at her, watching every movement she made. Her instances of waking up next to him were able to be counted on one hand and most of those times someone was always nearby. "Mm feels good, don't stop."

Gentle fingers threaded through his hair as they lay together. Hiei gave a rare sigh of contentment, enjoying the feel of having his mate in his arms once again.

Eventually he moved, pulling them both over onto their sides when his weight became uncomfortable for her to lay under. A glance at the clock told him that time was short and it wouldn't be long before Kurama returned, true to his word. A thought occurred to him then that had him smirking, the feeling of amusement making its way to Kagome who looked up at him curiously. "Kurama will be arriving shortly and he will interrupt our time together."

"What are you thinking?" Kagome wasn't sure just who Kurama was though she knew that by the feelings she was receiving from her mate it was one of his friends. Anyone else who made the mistake of 'interrupting' them wouldn't get away unscathed otherwise. At the moment she detested the idea of anyone coming between them for whatever reason. Her time was short before she had to return home anyway though she was certain that Hiei would come with her. Still once they were with her family again it would be a while before she could be alone with him again, she wanted to enjoy what little quiet time they had left together.

Since Kagome's thoughts were so close to his own Hiei knew that the girl wasn't about to object to his proposal. Pulling the ward off the Jagan he searched out the kitsune's energy, checking to see how far away he was. They had maybe fifteen minutes before he showed up, plenty of time for what he had in mind. Retying the ward he stared down into Kagome's shocked face, when he'd last seen her the evil eye had yet to be implanted. "I'll explain later, we must hurry." Quickly he got to his feet, pulling her off of the bed and leading her into the bathroom. Their clothing was still there but it hadn't dried out much overnight, they were still too wet to wear. Within moments he'd tossed the garments that she'd borrowed from Maya into the far end of the tub and concentrated his ki into drying his own clothing quickly.

"Well at least you didn't burn them this time." A chuckle of amusement met her statement as he pulled his now dry clothing out of the tub and handed the cloak to her. Kagome stared at him for a moment, watching him pull his pants on to be followed shortly after by a ragged black shirt. Shaking her head, Kagome realized that even over the past five hundred years the man hadn't changed much at all. Seeing his gaze now roaming over her nude form, Kagome pulled the soft material over her shoulders allowing it to cover her. Not having any shoes would still be an issue but at least she wasn't going to be running around nude. "I take it we're leaving before he gets here. Where are we going?"

Making sure she was well covered, Hiei nodded his approval before answering. He'd hate to have to kill someone because they looked upon her in an inappropriate manner. "There is a place not far from here that I've stayed when it's become necessary. No one knows of the place so we can stay as long as we wish." Eventually Hiei knew that he'd have to face his old partner once more but he didn't feel guilty in the least for skipping out on him like this. They only had a few minutes left so Hiei led her back through the house and onto the back porch, making sure that no one was watching before he knelt down. "Get on, we must leave quickly."

Kagome wasn't about to argue with him, instead she climbed on his back like he'd told her to do and hung on for dear life as he took off. Knowing Hiei's idea of a place nearby they'd probably be traveling a good thirty or forty miles before they finally came to a stop but that was fine with her, she didn't mind a bit. As he paused in a tree, she learned forward and placed a gentle kiss on his neck knowing how sensitive that spot was. "I still have to get home sometime today but if we hurry to this place your thinking of I just might have time to return the favor from this morning." She knew she had him hooked when she felt the desire begin coursing through him once more and she couldn't help but chuckle as she placed another kiss on the man's neck.

The girl was going to be the death of him yet but it would be an end Hiei knew he'd willingly go to. "You'd better hold, I'll have us there in less than five minutes." Feeling her grip tighten Hiei disappeared from the tree he'd been standing it, becoming nothing more than a blur as he raced towards the secret grotto he had in mind. Her earlier words heated his blood as he imagined all the things he intended on doing while they were secluded in their little sanctuary. At this rate, it'd be unlikely Kagome would be home as she'd promised.

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Author's Note: Wow the response for the first chapter was overwhelming and I am extremely pleased at the amount of people who left feedback on what they thought of it. Thank you to everyone who took the time to review and I hoped you enjoyed the second chapter as well. More than one person made the comment this could stretch out into a full story. Perhaps, I'm not going to rule anything out at this point in time.

Just please realize that at the moment I'm knocking out as many one shots as I can off of the LJ communities list I've joined. Too give everyone an idea of what I've tackled, I have over 800 prompts to write one shots to which means plenty of reading material to come. Some of the communities require updates every month, others only every six months and some have dates in between. Updates for the established fics are slow going as many of you have realized, they aren't being abandoned and eventually I will get around to finishing them. Possession has half a chapter written though one particular spot is bothering me. Once I get passed that I am sure the chapter will be easy to finish. Thank you to everyone who's been patient and stuck by my fics.

Oh, This fic needs a beta, Anyone interested?


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