Disclaimer: I don't own yu yu hakusho or any of it's characters.


A breath of fresh air,

A wish,

A wish,

As I sit on the front porch,

Alone.

The air it surrounds me as the background music soars,

Telling me,

"Welcome home."

It had been hours since my arrival and my body felt numb with bliss. Finally having escaped, HIM, I could breathe. I was happy.

I couldn't remember the last time that I was really me, or happy. I had lost myself amongst all of the commotion and pain that stupid man caused. He would sit there, screaming, as I buried my face into the crook of my pale arm. Constant pain and shame unimaginable. People called me pitiful, and friends became shadows just breaking the skin of my constant wall. I wished for an escape, found methods I wish that I hadn't, then found what had to happen. I turned to my mother,

"Let's go," I whispered. So we left, fleeing to some rural place, inhabitants: Our family. Perfect.

____________________________________________________________________________________

My Clothes felt like feathers as all of my nerves were shot, and my eyes sagged with the weight of the world. The thing was, the weight of the world was not my issue to solve. That was my next trial. Figuring out what was.

I brushed a few stray strands of hair from my face as the wind picked up and caught a leaf floating before me. That was strange to me, because it wasn't fall, but why would you look a gift horse in the face?

I placed the leaf behind my ear with one pale finger and stood up, entering into the house where music met me with joy.

A party engulfed me inside the house's light atmosphere, and a smile broke my tender lips.

"Oh, Natalie!" A voice called in pure elation, "To see you smile is such a rare occurrence! I feel blessed."

I recognized the voice instantly and fell into a warm embrace.

"Mom," I whispered as I kissed her cheek warmly. "I am so happy here."

She kissed me back and then pushed me into the now forming crowd.

"As am I!" She cheered and held her hands into the air. Someone handed her a drink and she called, "Let there be a toast, to my daughter, Natalie. This for escaping her father, James, and finally beginning to heal."

"Heal," I whispered then grabbed the drink. "For me? You shouldn't have." I took a swig then choked. The crowd laughed.

"Vodka, my dear," Mom whispered, then I laughed with the rest and the best. Celebrating a choice finally made.


So what do you think so far? Review please! It would mean so much to me! Poem and story original, Kurama comes in soon!

Description of Natalie: 5"4, brown hair, blue eyes, plain-Jane look.