~Don't own anything. Haha. Enjoy.~

Chapter 1

The sun hit the balcony with a warm gentleness that chased away the Septemeber chill. Yuuske shielded his eyes, grimacing against the light. It was too early; too early to be up drinking coffee and too early for Keiko to be mad at him. He rubbed the stubble on his face, feeling it scratch his finger pads.

Keiko was done being the bread winner on top of being the mother of a 5 month old. Yuuske didn't blame her. Seeing as how he couldn't take care of their child, Hero, because of his line of work. Being a Spirit World Detective was a fun, full-time job, but it didn't pay the bills and it didn't enable him to take care of babies. It did, however, keep the world in balance. So he didn't know if he could -

Well...

Quit.

The wails of a child in need broke him out of his reverie and he stood, only to pause as Keiko walked over to greet him with his baby boy in her arms.

She smiled, looking apologetic. She'd chewed him out for something that obviously wasn't really his fault and she was aware of that. She had just been frustrated. "He's awake." She offered Yuuske his son, as if in a peace offering. As rough and tough as the man was, his heart always melted around his child.

And melted it did. Yuuske's face brightened up, gently cradling the baby in his large scarred arms. He looked up at Keiko with the brown eyes she had fallen for so long ago. "Does this mean you forgive me?"

"Only if you forgive me." She said softly, taking a seat in the chair with a sigh. Her body felt worn out and overused. "I know you can't just quit."

"I'm going to try."

She looked up sharply. "Yuuske!"

He looked pained. "I don't want to live a life where I can't be the father he needs..." He stared at her ruefully. "And the man you need. It's not right...It's not fair to the both of you to have to sacrifice with me for the rest of the world to be saved."

Keiko was overcome with emotion and she swallowed, choosing to stare at the top of the table they had placed out here. She traced patterns on it, trying to contain her overwhelming urge to cry. "Are they going to replace you?"

"They'll have to." Yuuske's voice was soft. Suddenly he grinned. "Koenma knows when I'm serious. Remember that time where I said I wouldn't show up if they called me over our honeymoon?"

"How could I forget." She said dryly. "I got kidnapped by a demon."

Yuuske's face darkened. "I made Hiei pay for that..."

Keiko laughed and stood, putting her arms around her husband's and holding both him and their child. "Yuuske Uremeshi, what am I going to do with you?"

=

Katashi Hiwatari was, by all appearances, a very healthy boy. He ate three square meals a day and nothing more, all provided by his older sister. He jogged to school in the mornings, participated in football, and walked home in the evenings. His grades were just above average and he was quiet and popular. He never said anything without speaking and just about everyone thought he was amazing.

He wanted it that way.

There was about five hours every Saturday that no one could account for him at all. He wasn't at the park, he wasn't home, he wasn't taking a stroll through the shopping center; he was just gone.

In a shack, two bus stations from where he lived, he ended another cat's life. The knife thudded against the old cutting board his sister had deemed unworthy and thrown out. There was a sickening squish as the decapitated head hit the ground, spraying blood all over Katashi's rain boots. He smiled, but there was no warmth. It was just pure amusement at seeing another creature's life ended. He pulled off his gloves and cautiously ran his fingers through his dark hair, checking the time. He didn't have enough time to use any of the other starving strays that lay wasting in cages, recently riled up with the scent of blood everywhere. He replaced his gloves and picked up the remains of todays fun, headed for the garbage can. Suddenly, he stopped, smiling again. "Silly me. I have to recycle." He chuckled. He turned and shoved it into one of the cages, watching the cat inside slide to the back, clawing at the bars.

"Stupid cat. You can't get out." He said emotionlessly. He stood again and kicked another cage. "No one can."

=

Sumiko Hiwatari sat at her kitchen counter, hands over her coffee as she trembled in the afternoon light. She ran a hand through her thick reddish brown hair, reaching the ends and pulling it over her shoulder. That was the fifth nightmare she'd had in a row this week. She couldn't sleep anymore; not even a nap in between work and when Katashi got home. She kept having this bad premonition that the nightmare was going to come true...something about Katashi killing someone and her having to-

The doorbell rang and she dropped the coffee mug in surprise. It smashed against the wood floor, shattering and spilling hot coffee over her bare feet. "Shit, shit, shit, shit...!" She hissed, dancing in agitation around it and heading for the door. She opened it slightly, only too aware that she was wearing a tank top with a built in bra that wasn't that supportive as well as trashy jeans. "Hullo?" She peered suspiciously at the newcomers to her door.

A tall man dressed in odd purple clothing with brown hair and a serious look stood outside the door along with another man with black slicked back hair. He could've been off an old yakuza film, with his stubble and casually criminal clothes.

The odd man spoke first, clearing his throat. "Is Katashi Hiwatari available?"

Sumiko pulled open the door, hand on her hip and expression marked as 'not amused, motherfucker'. "He's busy. Who're you?"

"Who're you first, lady?" The yakuza dude spoke up, pointing a finger at her.

"Sumiko Hiwatari. His older sister. I'll ask again. Who're you and what do you want with my little brother?"

"Now, now...let's calm down..." The odd man raised a hand in a peaceful gesture, sensing this woman was about as volatile as Yuuske, possibly more so. "My name is Koenma. My companion here is Yuuske Uremeshi. We'd like to offer Katashi a job, of sorts."

"...To a fifteen year old."

"Er...yes."

"How about not?" Sumiko started to swing the door closed when Katashi called down the hall, "Sis! Who's here?"

Koenma turned. "You must be Katashi Hiwatari."

Katashi was immediately on guard. Were these the police? "Yes."

"My name's Koenma and my companion here is Yuuske Uremeshi. We'd like to offer you a job."

"Don't take it, Katashi! They're weird!" She elbowed past them. "Come inside."

Katashi obediently did as his sister said, pausing only once to bow and politely say, "I'm sorry but I will have to decline your offer. I have full time school and other activities which I cannot possibly give up in order to work. I appreciate the offer however."

Sumiko slammed the door in their face judiciously.

"Son of a bitch, what a whore!" Yuuske muttered, thrusting his hands into his pockets. "She didn't even give us a chance to speak!"

"We'll just have to do it the same way we 'initiated' you." Koenma was calm as he walked away, despite the awful thing he had just said.

"You mean...?" Yuuske walked beside him, suddenly anxious. "Aw, come on Koenma. That ain't fair to put the kid and his sister through that. Sure, she's a bitch, but - "

"But it's the only way." Koenma nodded to himself. "Yes, at three in the afternoon as Katashi is coming home from class, he will have an unfortunate accident. And we'll get Kurama to handle the delicate situation with his sister. He's better at women then you are."

Yuuske scowled. "Yeah? Then why doesn't he have one?"

Koenma rolled his eyes and sighed. "Why does it always have to be a contest with you, Uremeshi?"

=

"So how was school?"
Scrap. Scrap.

"Fine. Had a test today."

Sip. Crunch.

"What'd you get?"

"I don't know yet."

"Ah..." Sumiko finished cleaning up her mess, frowning. Their conversations had been like this for a long time. Katashi didn't really talk to her anymore and Sumiko didn't know why. She tucked her hair behind her ears. "What would you like for dinner?"

"Let's go out to eat." Katashi brightened up. "I'd love to go to that new place around the corner - "

"Katashi, I don't have any money." Sumiko sighed, leaning against the counter.

Katashi face fell, eyes studying his feet. "Oh. Okay."

Sumiko studied his slumped figure, dismayed. They really didn't have the money to go out unless she used her credit card, but she was already in the negative this month. But Katashi hadn't been out to dinner in so long with her and maybe she could get him to talk some more. Sumiko sighed again. "Alright. Let me go get some nice clothes on and we'll go out."

=

Exactly according to plan, the unsuspecting Katashi suffered a fatal accident at three in the afternoon. He was riding his bicycle when a car slammed into him from out of no where.

Botan was furious.

"Koenma, you rigged this on purpose!" She slammed her hand down on his desk in the underworld, ignoring the looks everyone was giving her. She was mad and she was going to let him know it. "Don't you realize the paperwork - the sheer amount of time - this will take to make right?"

Koenma sighed, deciding he could no longer ignore the angry grim reaper. "I don't see what the problem is here, Botan."

Botan hissed through gritted teeth, "He wasn't supposed to die, Koenma! His spirit is floating just outside the door and he has no idea what to do...!"

"Well, send him in. I'm going to make him a job offer." Koenma gestured for her to go away.

Botan tried to control her temper as she opened the door for Katashi's spirit. "Master Koenma would like to speak to you."

Katashi walked in and blinked. "Your the man I saw before."

Koenma nodded. "Yes, that's right, Katashi. Right now I'm here to offer you a chance to regain your body..."