-1Chapter One: A Withered rose, and its broken thorn

""Hiei, you have hereby been charged with the murder of Shuichi Minamono." The words hit the boy's soul and gripped at his heart. How could they possibly blame HIM for the death of his best friend? IT just wasn't right!

"What reason do you have for charging me with such things?" He tried to stay calm but…that just wasn't right…he didn't do it…it wasn't fair.

"My reasoning is that every bit of information we've found has pointed directly toward you, Hiei." Koenma's words stung at the back of Hiei's mind. He must have been framed! Someone must have framed him…but why?

He opened his mouth to argue, but apparently Yusuke had something of much more importance to say.

"Come on Koenma, are you insane?!? Hiei had to have been framed! He wouldn't hurt Kurama, and he sure as Hell wouldn't kill him!!!" Yusuke was protecting him? But why? Why on earth would anyone trust him? He wanted to ask, but he figured some things were probably better left unsaid and unheard…unknown.

"Well I'm sorry you disagree with me Yusuke, but all of our evidence points right toward Hiei, and that leads me to believe that he is in fact the one responsible for this mess."

He wanted to protest, really he did, but there was a lump in his throat…keeping him from speaking. That feeling…he hated it with a fiery passion. He wasn't supposed to get choked up like this. He was supposed to be strong! He could take anything…accept for the pain in his stomach, and how it felt as if someone were trying to just carve out his heart. It was next to unbearable…and he just wanted it to end.

"Damnit Koenma! His best friend is gone, and now you decide he's the one who killed him? You're a bastard Koenma, you know that?" Despite all the evidence…Yusuke was still by his side one hundred percent…it made the young demon curious. Why would he care so much?

A third(more annoying) voice joined into the conversation. "Well gosh Urameshi, I dunno, I mean…Hiei's a criminal! A thief and a killer! Why do you trust him so much?" He should have figured The Neanderthal would be against him through all of this. He hated him so much…

"Look at him! He's shaking! Hiei doesn't get scared! He doesn't get upset! It couldn't have been him!" Hiei was pretty sure Yusuake was still talking, but he wasn't actually listening.

He couldn't follow the conversation. His stomach hurt, and he felt dizzy. Why was this happening? What was he of all people being blamed for a crime he had not committed? Sure, a long time ago he could have easily taken a sword to Kurama's throat…but not now…not after what Kurama said. Not after he heard those damned words escape those beautiful lips…those damned words that were tearing his very soul to shreds…

'I needed to tell you, I love you…' That bastard! How could he say that? How could he say that and then go and get himself killed!?! It wasn't fair! Subconsiously he put Kurama's rose, the rose kept alive purely by Kurama's will to keep it as such, in the front of his pocket…and swore to himself that he'd never loose it.

Just barely the demon could hear Koenma and the others argueing, but he found it next to impossible to concentrate on listening. His head hurt to much to even bother…Someone who loved him had finally came along…and now they were dead.

It was another half an hour or so before Yusuke gently shook the demon's shoulder. "Hey…Hiei, come on. Koenma's given us three days to get proof that you're innocent."

Slowly Hiei followed the boy, but he barely even realized he was doing so, because Kurama; a man with eyes as beautiful and sharp as a rose's stem, and hair was red and as silk as a rose's delicate petals was now dead…and Hiei; someone so small he seemed almost harmless, but in reality just the flick of his wrist and the blink of an eye could leave you crying for your mother…much like a thorn, was broken.

All they were now was a withered rose…and it's broken thorn.