FOREVER AND BEYOND
BY Jessy G.

Disclaimer: none of these characters belong to me, etc. etc.

She smiles weakly as I walk into the hospital room, with a bouquet of roses I grew myself. She took them and took in the scent, behind me Yukina and Kuwabara walk in looking very sad. "Thank you for the roses Kurama," Botan whispers as I peck her on the cheek gently. "They are always so beautiful." I smile as usual trying to make her feel better, though I hate myself for not being able to find a cure for her disease. We had barley been married four years, and it was already coming to an end. "How are you feeling today, love?" I ask though I already know the answer, she couldn't be feeling any better today, maybe worse, but no better. "I'm okay, but they had to take my ring off." She looks at her left hand and sighs "I wanted to wear it, but the I-V made my hand swell up." I take her right hand and pat it. "It's alright, here." I take the necklace I'm wearing and put her wedding ring which was on the table on it and place around her neck, she smiled and pats it. "How about that?" "I feel better. Thank you." She smiles brightly; Yukina walks up and gives her a hug, Kuwabara just stands beside me looking at Botan. We glance at each other. "Keiko and Yuske will be coming soon." He says quietly as the two girls begin talking amongst themselves. I nod not looking up from the floor. "Keiko's going to have another baby, oops. I'm sorry, Kurama." I flinch. Botan and I were going to have a baby, but then she got sick and lost it. At least, that's what I told her; she had to get an abortion without her knowing. She wouldn't have lived long enough for it to grow anyway, I feel guilty for lying to her. I hate myself for so many reasons now, first I couldn't find a cure and now. now I'm lying to her! "Botan!" Keiko breathes as she and Yuske walk in with more flowers, Hiei following them. Yuske leans down and gives Botan a quick kiss on the cheek Keiko gives her a hug. Hiei and Yuske join Kuwabara and me near the window, I nod as a greeting. "Congratulations, on your pregnancy." I pat Yuske on the back and he turns slightly pink as he mumbles a "thank you." Hiei turns away from me and stares at Botan who smiles at him; he gives a bit of a smirk back and looks at me. "I spoke to Koenma." He starts quietly; I frown but nod for him to continue. "He doesn't know shi*. All he said was 'what happens will happen.' When I asked him if she would be reincarnated as a human he said she might. And when I informed him that she didn't want to, he turned red in the face and started screaming that nobody always get's what they want then he started yelling about his wants." I snort and look out the window to hide my angered face; Yuske and Kuwabara speak though "Damn him!" Yuske whispers in a loud and raspy voice so we can hear. "He's such a baby! We should talk to Ayame; she'll get him to act his age." "Yeah, and if he still acts like a selfish jerk we'll just tell his dad." Kuwabara added "I'm sure he can straiten him out." I turn and grin at them.

Around midnight, only Hiei and I are here. Botan is sleeping with a look of discomfort on her face; they had given her another shot. I rub my knuckles gently on her face and fight back my tears. I will remain strong I tell myself pulling the covers up to her chin I will keep strong like her. I won't break down, not in front of her. I have to keep strong. I feel a hand on my shoulder and look up to see Hiei; I'm surprised to see tears in his own eyes. We stare at each other for a long time, I finally look away. There's a knock on the door and a doctor comes in. "Mr. Minamino," he starts holding a clipboard, I stand up. "Yes?" I ask turning towards him. "I have some news about your wife. my she's very young." He adds looking through the papers then looking back up to me. "She only has about two days before she-" "Thank you." I snap cutting him off and turning away from him. "Thank you for letting me know." I was too upset to hear his response the only thing I heard was the door shutting. "Kurama I." Hiei trails off, I feel a tear running down my cheek and I wipe it away quickly. Why? Why is this happening to us? Why does it have to end so soon, it seems like only yesterday we found out about this.

Three months ago.

"Kuramaaa." Botan whispered into my ear as she steps behind the couch. "Guess what? I have some really, good news." she giggled and sat beside me. "What's the good news?" I ask holding her hand. "Guess." She replied smiling sweetly. "Give me a clue." I tease nuzzling her neck, she giggled. "It happened because of something that usually happens when you start doing this." she giggled when I stopped and stared into her eyes with surprise. "Y-you're kidding." I muttered she shook her head smiling and a grin spread on my face. "You aren't kidding! A baby?" "No, a pig. Yes a baby!" she laughed and I hugged and kissed her. "I want a boy!" she said, I rolled my eyes and stood up. "Well, I think mother is going to like to know this." I said walking into the kitchen. "Let's invite her and everyone else to dinner." "Okay!" she agreed kissing me on the cheek, wrapping her arms around my waist and burying her head in my chest. "Finally, after three and a half years!"

Later that night, my mother, step-father, step-brother, Kuwabara, Yukina, Yuske, Keiko, their son Kenji, Hiei, Botan and I were all sitting at the table when we told everyone. "Oh, Shuuichi that's wonderful!" my mother and step-father said at the same time. "Cool!" My step-brother replied grinning "I'm going to be an uncle!" "Yeah, nice going there!" Kuwabara said looking at Botan who blushed slightly. "I'm so happy for you!" Yukina cried clasping her hands together. "Yeah, so am I!" Keiko agreed. "Well, it's about time!" Yuske joked and then rubbed his arm where his wife had slapped him. "Yay! Kenji don't have to be the baby anymore!" Kenji said clapping his hands. "Congratulations." Hiei muttered. We ended up celebrating until kenji fell asleep which was around eleven. They all left except Hiei who decided to stay the night when Botan offered. "I think it's safe now." He said when the three of us sat down at the counter eating cookies. "What do you mean 'safe'? Safe from what" I asked furrowing my brow. "It's safe to stay here now." Botan and I gave him confused looks. "Last time I was here you two kept making the house shake from the noise you were making in your bedroom" Botan and I blushed and he grinned. "Pervert" Botan muttered, he looked at me; I smiled and shook my head. "Oh, Kurama. I'll be leaving early tomorrow morning to the doctor." "Alright" I said "Do you want me to drive you?" She shook her head. "No, I'll be going very early and you need rest." She said smiling. "Fine, then. Hiei can drive you." Botan spat out her drink and Hiei started choking on his cookie. "HELL NO!" they both yelled at the same time. I gripped my stomach and turned around with laughter I stopped when something hit the back of my head. I turned around and they were both pointing at each other. "I didn't have the cookie!" Botan defended herself. "You took mine." Hiei answered simply, I rolled my eyes and smiled.

The next day, Hiei and I were sitting in the living room watching TV when Botan came home. She had a strange look on her face. "What's wrong?" I asked wrapping an arm around her shoulder, she looked at me. "What did the doctor say?" "He said I needed to go to a specialist." She answered slowly, Hiei glanced at her. "A specialist for what?" I replied, she sighed and looked at her hands. "He says that I, he said that I'm showing signs of a rare sickness." "What kind of signs?" I asked raising an eyebrow. "Like, insomnia, stomach cramps, fever, and, these." She pulled up her sleeve to show me a deep bloody red and purplish patch of skin. "I thought it was a bruise, but." "But what?" I pushed frowning; Hiei was now facing us completely. "I have them on my back too." She continued looking at her shoes. "He made an appointment for next week at noon." "I'm coming with you this time." I said firmly, if there's something wrong with her then I would most likely be able to find a cure for it. I did with almost any sickness.

"Well, you do have it." The doctor said slowly flipping through a folder of papers, she looked upset. "You're pregnant?" Botan and I nodded. "How far along are you?" "Um, maybe I guess three weeks maybe even a month? I'm not quite sure." Botan answered twisting her fingers. "So, I do have it for sure?" the doctor nodded. "The blood work you took came out positive. But, since you're pregnant, we better make sure." She wrote something down on a paper and handed it to Botan. "Go downstairs and take another blood test, I'll call you and let you know the results." "But, is she does have it," I started glancing at Botan. "Is, there a cure, if it's so rare?" The doctor shook her head, but smiled. "I'm sure everything is fine Mr. Minamino" She reassured us and left.

The next week we were once again in the doctor's office, Botan bit her lip and twisted her fingers in her lap while we were waiting for her to come in. "Kurama, I'm scared." She said with a very frightened look on her face, I smiled and held her hand. "I'm sure everything is fine, love." I answered; she relaxed a bit and smiled. The doctor walked in with a tired look on her face. "Well, " she breathed running a hand through her short blonde hair. "I'm afraid, that you really do have it. There just isn't a cure." She looked at Botan who gave a whimper so I squeezed her hand. "S-so what will happen to me?" Botan asked in almost a whisper. "Am I going to, t-to die?" The doctor looked down at her folder and started muttering stuff. "A-am I?" I looked at Botan and opened my mouth to speak but no words came out. The room was very quiet, until the doctor nodded and I practically screamed. "LISTEN, DEATH IS A SERIOUS MATTER!" I yelled standing up from my chair "I KNOW HOW YOU DOCTORS ARE! YOU LIKE TO SCARE THE PATIENTS, IF YOU'RE JOKING I SWEAR IT, I'LL-" Botan held my arm and pulled me back into my seat. "Mr. Minamino, I wouldn't joke about a thing like this." The doctor defended herself "Listen, I don't decide who get's to have the diseases and who doesn't." "How much longer do I have?" Botan asked gripping my arm as I glared at the doctor. "Well, you've started showing the first signs and those usually take about." She started scribbling numbers and started mumbling words under her breath, I lost my patience. "Just tell us how much longer she has dammit!" I growled "Does she have months, weeks, or days? What?" "She has an estimated three to four months." She blurt out becoming frustrated, Botan gasped.

When we arrived home Botan didn't want to talk, she went to bed and didn't come down until the next morning still not saying anything. Yuske, Keiko, Kuwabara, Yukina, Shizuru, and Hiei came over a few days later. "WHAT?!" they all shouted when I told them the news. "Oh my God." Shizuru whispered looking up the stairs, Keiko and Yukina started to cry, Yuske and Kuwabara comforted them. "Are, you sure?" Yuske asked holding Keiko close. "Are you sure the doctor isn't just stupid?" Kuwabara added I shook my head. Kuwabara glared at Hiei who was silent the whole time. "Hey, 'Mr. Insensitive' say something." "Hn." Was his reply, he wouldn't say anything in front of them. When they left I was in the kitchen with Hiei making tea for Botan, desperately trying to find anything to cheer her up when I heard something heavy go down the stairs. We looked at each other and ran to the staircase. "Botan!" I screamed running to her limp body, line of blood running down her chin. She was sweating and groaning softly, I shook her slightly. "Botan, Botan please wake up. Please. We have to leave, now Hiei." He nodded and went to grab the coats. I drove to the hospital, Hiei sitting with Botan in the backseat. I nearly hit two pedestrians because I kept glancing at my rearview mirror to watch her.

It had been a month since Botan was first taken to the hospital, I had been looking for an antidote everywhere, Hiei had been looking all over Demon World and I was constantly looking at the library in Spirit World. I didn't even talk to Koenma while there, I didn't want to see him; not after the way he treated Botan when she said we were engaged. With everyday that passed my wife became weaker and weaker, and everyday I hated myself more and more for not being able to find an antidote. I hated myself completely the day the doctor came to talk to me about the baby. "She's with child correct?" He asked me during her third month of being in the hospital, I answered with a nod. "Well, I'm afraid that she won't live long enough to give birth. What do you want to do? She could have an abortion or she could just." he trailed off. I looked at her sleeping form through a crack in the door. "Just do the abortion." I answered cursing myself. When she came to the morning after the abortion she gave a smile. "how are you today, love?" I asked handing her a pink rose I grew. "I'm alright." Her eyes widened and she gasped. "I had the most horrible dream! I dreamt something terrible happened to our baby." I looked away, I couldn't tell her. "I'm afraid that we lost it." I lied gripping her hand. She gave a sad look and stared out the widow, not saying anything for a long time. "I'm sorry." She said tears rolling down her cheeks, I stared at her. "I'm sorry, I couldn't make you happy. I wanted to give you a child, I wanted us to be happy I'm so sorry, Kurama. I don't deserve you." I shook my head and wiped away her tears. "No, you're too good for me. It isn't your fault; I don't think there was anything we could do to stop it. Don't cry. I am happy, just being with you makes me happy." I held her hand and kissed her fingers, she smiled. "Are you happy with me?" "Yes," she said so softly that It took me a few seconds to figure out what she said "I'm very happy." "Good, now I have a reason not to buy you that necklace." I joked she laughed but it turned into a cough. A nurse walked in and smiled. "Good morning Mrs. Minamino." She said pulling out a needle, Botan grimaced. "Kurama," Botan started looking at me "Will you go and get me some juice?" I smiled and nodded, she was trying to get me out of the room. She didn't want me to see her cry anymore. "I'll be back." I said closing the door behind me. As I stepped out of the elevator I saw Hiei and Kuwabara walk in, I waved and walked over to them. "How is she?" Kuwabara asked. Hiei snorted at his words. "No better, she's been running a higher fever and they've been giving her more shots." I paused. "And, we lost the baby." I winced at my lie and Kuwabara's jaw dropped. Hiei's eyes widened but Kuwabara didn't notice. "I-I'm so sorry, Kurama." He said looking down "That's awful. Botan must really be upset." "Well, I sort of knew it would happen." I glanced at Hiei who was glaring at me "She wouldn't have lived long enough to give birth." Kuwabara shook his head sympathetically. "I'm really sorry. Listen, I can't leave Yukina alone. She's been crying a lot lately, and I only brought him here." He said nodding at Hiei. "So, I'm going to leave now, give Botan my love. Bye." He left us and I looked at Hiei who had his back turned on me. We were in the elevator going back up to the room before he finally spoke. "What the hell were you thinking?" He said angrily. "What are you-" I started but he cut me off. "You fed that idiot that lie about the baby, don't play stupid with me!" he accused facing me fully now "Did you think I wouldn't know? I bet you gave her that lie too, didn't you?" I said nothing. "You're a heartless jerk. Are you just going to let her die without letting her know that you had her get an abortion? Or are you-" "Since when do you care about Botan?" I snapped I regretted those words. He was right, I was a selfish jerk. "I'm sorry." "Hn." Was his reply, Botan smiled as we walked into her room. "Hiei hello." She greeted him; he stood by her bed and smirked. "It's nice to get some company." "Yeah, I had to put up with Yukina's idiot husband's driving." She laughed and started coughing at his words. "Oh, Botan" I said smacking my forehead "I forgot your juice, I'll be back. Do you want anything Hiei?" he shook his head.

When I came back upstairs with her drink I saw through a crack in the door that made me gasp. "Botan, no." Hiei's voice sounded pained "I know I was a real asshole but that's not true." She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Hiei," she said her pale cheeks go slightly pink as he bends down and kisses her. I gasped again as her eyes flutter close. I don't know how long I stood there, but when he finally stopped kissing her I almost burst into the room. "I'm sorry." He muttered putting a hand on her cheek "But, I love you. I can't hide it anymore, I'm betraying my best friend but I wanted you to know." She blushes and he straitened up. "Hiei, I-" I walked into the room pretending I didn't see anything. "Here's your drink." I say cheerfully." "Thank you Kurama." She answers smiling. As she was taking a drink, the most horrible thing happened. She started choking and as she coughed blood came out of her mouth. "Botan!" Hiei and I shout at the same time. He ran into the hallway to get a nurse.

Present day.

I know it's time for her to go. Today's the day. She'll leave my life forever and I will have to stay alone in this human world. Botan wheezes with every shallow breath she takes, Hiei is standing next to me. She opens her eyes and looks at me she opens her mouth to speak. "Kurama," she says in a husky whisper. Koenma walked in with Ayame. I gulp, soon her soul would leave. Her heartbeat becoming slower and she was almost gone she looked like she was fighting to keep her eyes open. "I love you, I'll love you forever." Tears began forming in her eyes. "And I will love you forever and beyond." I whisper kissing her one last time, and with those last words she stops breathing. I feel her heart stop, and I gulp my tears pouring down my cheeks. I feel a firm grip on my shoulder, it was Hiei. "She loved you." He said tears falling from his eyes, Koenma and Ayame were gone, and I knew what he meant. Though he loved her, she couldn't feel the same for him. "I will love you forever." I whisper. "And beyond."

THE END

FOREVER AND BEYOND.

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