I'll Wait for You

by animeinvasiongirl

Written for the Deadliest Sin's Community - Big Bang, Summer 2011. Kagome is waiting for someone to save her, but ends up losing faith in herself along the way. It's time to set things right. ONE-SHOT. COMPLETE. IYxYYH CrossOver.

Title: I'll Wait for You

Authoress: Sayuri-chan i.e. animeinvasiongirl i.e. NakamuraSayuri

Pairing: KagomexHiei (InuyashaxYuYuHakusho)

Written for: The Deadliest Sin Community's Big Bang (Summer 2011)

Total Words:

Special Thanks to: MadMiko (for setting up this Big Bang)

A soft sigh left the mouth of one, seemingly unaware, miko, as she sat near her friends in a flowered field; except, this wasn't a field that anyone normal could consider 'local'. They were in the Makai, one of three realms, all of which they had frequented at some point in their lives.

While fate had turned each of these visitors into its own personal plaything at one time or another, as of late, fate had been unnaturally kind. Kagome still couldn't believe that she would ever meet anyone as strange as her friends in the past, but she wouldn't question it. Because fate had decided that she shouldn't be alone anymore, she had been lumped together into the destinies of the Reikai Tantei, and their band of adorable, but also annoying, miscreants. Today, the group found themselves enjoying a nice summer day in a field near Yusuke's palace.

Underneath a nearby tree, Yukina, ice-apparition and twin sister to another of the group, Hiei, was not one for the heat. While she was enjoying the time spent with her friends, and the amorous advances of her mate, she was resting underneath a tree branch in the shade. Her over-protective twin rested in the branches above. Next to her was a loud, but well-meaning man named Kazuma Kuwabara. This man had saved her time and again in various ways, and eventually, even her brother couldn't deny what she wanted – what her heart wanted. While Kuwabara could be dense most of the time, he was also one who could be counted on, and that made up for any flaws he might have.

Running currently in the fields, was a slightly enraged Keiko, who was trying to exact retribution on Yusuke, her fiancée, who had just grabbed her ass – again. Kagome couldn't help but smile at the pair. 'I swear that boy is a descendent of Miroku.' The young miko thought as she watched the black haired toushin run just out of reach of the other woman.

Nearby, and enjoying some of the plant life, was Youko Kurama, spirit fox and avatar all in one. While Kagome didn't know his complete story, she knew enough that it was clear he was enjoying these more lazy and laid-back days. He sat quietly, though she noticed how his eyes shifted imperceptibly over each of the members of the group – in his own way, he was watching over everyone.

Her eyes shifted as she glanced over the field, watching as the slightly stagnant wind moved the dandelions to-and-fro. For the most part, this is how she spent time with the group. While she would sometimes have alone time with any member of the group, if they were together, this is how it turned out. It left her entirely too much time to think, as each person's antics reminded her of the past, and what she had lost.

Sitting alongside the miko, was an elderly woman by the name of Genkai. Of all the Tantei, Kagome probably respected her the most. She reminded her a bit of Kaede, and sought her wisdom on more than one occasion. As of late, she had been learning how to control her massive miko energies; something the elder miko hadn't had an opportunity to help her with much before the fight for the Shikon no Tama finally came to a head.

She shook her head lightly to clear her mind of the memories. She had closed that chapter of her life almost ten years ago. Three years after that, she had found herself on the wrong end of a Spirit Gun, and from there, she became friends with the Rekai Tantei, and their various supporters. She'd even had the opportunity to meet with Koenma, leader of the Spirit Realm, though he had no good news to share with her at the time. The past had turned out vastly different than she imagined it would, and the results had devastated her for a long time. Since then, she had come to terms with the things she couldn't change, and just tried to look to the future, or what was left of it, anyway. With another latent sigh, she lifted her hand up slightly from its position on the grass to stare into the unchanged appendage. Ten years had passed, and yet, she remained the same. It would be that way for years to come, no thanks to the wish she made on the jewel. It was supposed to leave her alone, and disappear, but neither outcome had come to pass. Instead, Midoriko's soul was free to go to the afterlife, and Kagome was once again left to shoulder the burden of the Shikon no Tama – this time alone.

Sapphire eyes lifted from her hand to the now darkening sky, and she frowned before feeling a twinge at her peripheral senses. "Someone's coming." She spoke quietly, before standing, only to see that her companions, well, most of them at least, were already aware of the approaching demon.

Silently, she waited as Hiei also deemed it worthy to join the rest of the team, already recognizing the aura on the horizon that was coming towards them. Yusuke frowned deeply, alerting Kagome that something wasn't completely welcome about the visitor. Uncertainty filled her face as she finally saw the approaching figure, and recognized just who it was. She'd seen the woman before at a couple of Sesshoumaru's formal dinners, but she didn't know much about her personally. The way she casually walked up to the group though made her certain that the Tantei, at least, were all acquainted with the 'stranger'.

"Mukuro…fancy meeting you here. I thought we wouldn't see you for another couple of years yet." Yusuke spoke first, breaking the uneasy silence as the female demon paused in front of the group. Kagome tilted her head towards the toushin, confusion written on her face. Though she knew of the recently established method for electing the leaders of the Makai, she hadn't known that Mukuro won the last tournament. She'd been too busy with her own training and learning demon customs from Sesshoumaru as of late to pay attention to demon politics.

The woman narrowed her eyes slightly before they seemed to relax and she nodded. "I'm not here on official business, Yusuke." She said, earning confused looks from the rest of the group. If she wasn't here on business, that made it personal, and who knew what the leader of the Makai wanted with them. The Toushin smirked lightly, relieved by her statement before he continued.

"I can take a guess, then." He turned his head to look towards Hiei, with a roguish grin upon his lips. The hiyoukai glared daggers towards Yusuke before his eyes flicked back to Mukuro.

"State your business then, and be done with it." The hiyoukai stated, irritation barely held in check as he stared down the other demon. He had spent time with the scarred demon in the past. He had appreciated her company, and the fact that she could resonate with some of his own feelings, but it didn't go beyond that. His feelings for her were that of an ally, and nothing more. Though he'd often received lectures from Kurama and Yusuke about his relationship with the leader of the Makai, he could not find it in himself to feel more for her than that. The fact that she was here though, was making him feel uneasy.

She didn't seem to note his displeasure as she walked forward within a few steps of the hiyoukai. "I've come to speak with you about some personal matters. Will you come with me?" she questioned, painfully polite considering the circumstances and the fact that they had an audience.

Kagome looked between the hiyoukai and the Mazoku demon, before she stepped back subconsciously. The air was thick with uncertainty and uneasiness, and she wanted no part of it. Though she was a little worried about Hiei, she knew he could take care of himself, even if Mukuro had won the last demon tournament. Besides, Kuwabara was distracted with Yukina, and even Kurama seemed to be ignoring the confrontation in front of them. Yusuke gave a slightly expectant look towards the hiyoukai, before he gently pulled Keiko back and led her towards the picnic blanket, obviously giving both demons more space.

Hiei noticed how his comrades were giving them a wide berth, but he wished they wouldn't. He really didn't want to be alone with the woman – she had far too many ideas in her head about him, and none of them were ideas that he had consented to. He half expected for Kagome to back away and leave him alone too, but she didn't. She had stepped back, but she hadn't fully retreated, and he mentally appreciated her for that. He hardly spoke with the girl, since the moment they'd met, and yet he knew more about her than he would ever admit. He had watched her on occasion, learning her mannerisms, and what kind of person she was. He also knew just how powerful her loneliness was, even if she were surrounded by friends. He didn't know her complete story, or how her adventures had ended in the Feudal Era of Japan, but he knew enough that she had suffered greatly. Somehow, through that suffering, she still maintained a cheerful disposition, even if there was a deep, foreboding sadness that simmered just beneath the surface of her eyes.

Mukuro kept her eyes on the demon in front of her but the more time that passed, the more her own irritation grew. Her eyes flicked to the girl who was still only a few steps away from Hiei, and she lifted an eyebrow in slight surprise. She recognized her briefly from banquets held at Lord Sesshoumaru's palace – this was his adopted sister, a girl he had been forced to take care of because of his younger brother. The girl was a human, and there didn't seem to be anything special about her. Of course, it was rumored that she was immortal, which made sense considering she was under Sesshoumaru's protection. Mukuro didn't get hung up on the details, though. A human girl was no threat to her, and thus, she dismissed it as unimportant. Her eyes flicked back to Hiei's, barely catching his nod. He was consenting to go with her. Perfect. With a slight smile, and a gesture, she turned to walk away so they could have some privacy for this talk.

Hiei ground his teeth together lightly before he glanced back towards Kagome. Her expression was soft now, uncertain. He hated that look on her face. Out of irritation, and a little anger at having to deal with Mukuro, he snapped quietly, "What is it?"

She jumped a fraction before her expression filled with irritation as well. He didn't have to be such a jerk just because he wasn't happy with their visitor. "Just wondered if we should wait around for you to come back." She said, as she crossed her arms over her chest. He blinked lightly at her tone before he smirked mildly to himself. She was pouting because he'd snapped at her. He'd done it before, and she always seemed displeased with him, but she never called him on it. He'd overheard stories from Sesshoumaru speaking with the others about how she would often reprimand the younger Taishou brother for talking down to her, but she rarely raised her voice anymore. Ever since she came back from the past, and learned the fate of her friends from Koenma, a lot of things weren't the same with the young miko anymore. The thought made him frown before he said, "I will return, onna."

Kagome lifted her head, locking her sapphire eyes with his crimson ones. For a moment, an understanding was met. Though they weren't close, she did care about him on some level, and she would be unhappy if something were to happen to him. He hadn't known that she cared about him at all, so it was a surprise to see that look upon her face. She smiled lightly before saying, "Be careful then. We'll wait for you here."

He didn't reply, but then again, he didn't need to. There was nothing left to be said. Quietly, he walked after Mukuro and Kagome watched him go, hiding her apprehension as she did so. Hiei was a big boy, and steadily growing into an S-class demon. He could handle himself just fine. With that thought comforting her a little, she pushed it from her mind and moved back to sit beside Genkai, who had watched the entire exchange with barely veiled interest. Kagome always seemed to dance around the others of the group, like a well-coordinated ballerina. She knew when to avoid confrontation, and when to acknowledge it. She knew when her words of solace were needed, and when it wouldn't help the situation. She was the most mature of the group, though her maturity stemmed from many hard lessons learned, and battles fought. Even Kurama, who was the most level-headed of the group, was less mature than Kagome. He let his calculations and mind-games get in the way of his humanity and good sense, while the young miko next to her used those traits to guide her actions. The elder energy manipulator sipped from a tea cup as her eyes darted back silently towards Hiei's retreating figure. He probably failed to see, or comprehend, what Kagome's kindness and worry meant, but she wouldn't be the one to reveal it.

Kagome watched in silence as Hiei disappeared from sight, before she let her eyes drift back to the sky. Dark grey clouds were moving into the area, foretelling a storm that was moving in. Yukina glanced from Hiei's retreating form to Kagome's seemingly disinterested figure and she smiled quietly to herself. "You look happy. I'm glad you came today." Kuwabara's slightly rough voice broke through the ice maiden's thoughts. Her expression brightened further as she smiled up to her personal savior. While it was true that Hiei had ultimately been the first to 'save' her from Tarukane's mansion, she had watched Kuwabara's travels through the mansion, and he was the first to reassure her that she was being rescued. It also helped that he was a sweet, wonderful human that didn't care that she was a demoness. He was the perfect mate in every sense of the word, and she was proud to call him her own.

"I am, too, Kazuma." She replied as she allowed herself to come closer to him. His face turned bright red, but otherwise he didn't comment on it. Perhaps she was more like her mother than she thought. The warmth of others wasn't painful; it was comforting. Perhaps this heat was what her mother was seeking when she met who would eventually become her father. Now, if only Hiei would understand this feeling, this yearning in his blood for a closer tie to someone, then perhaps he wouldn't be so difficult to deal with all the time. She somewhat doubted it, but it was a nice thought anyway, and the more she let her eyes linger on Kagome, she couldn't help but think she would be the one to help heal the wounds on her brother's soul. Hiei respected Kagome; she was one of the few people that he did respect. Yukina had watched as the miko progressed in her training, and how Hiei would assess her strength each time it would come to a new test from Genkai. She watched as the hiyoukai slowly got used to her presence, and her kindness towards him, even if it was subtle and oftentimes missed by the rest of the group.

Yukina's thoughts paused momentarily as she frowned, her eyes shifting back over the field where her brother had been minutes ago. She didn't know what Mukuro wanted with her twin, but Hiei had made it clear time and again that he didn't see the woman as anything more than a mentor, and ally. Kuwabara's expression softened in worry at Yukina's obvious distress. It was rare that Yukina was ever seen with anything other than a smile on her face. His eyes followed her line of sight and he became confused at her concern. She typically didn't worry about Hiei – he was a loner and she respected that. The only time she worried was when he gave her reason to worry. His line of thought was distracted when he saw Yusuke and Keiko come up to the blanket, out of breath and exuberant. "We're going to head back…are you guys coming with?" Yusuke asked, as he slung an arm around Keiko's shoulders. She made a small sound of almost-protest before she just grinned lopsidedly at him. Kagome took only a brief glance at them before her eyes strayed back to the sky. At least it didn't seem to be mocking her.

Genkai looked to Kagome before she moved to stand. "I think that's the best idea. It doesn't seem as though the weather is going to hold for too much longer, anyway." She elaborated, earning looks from the others of the group. As Kuwabara and Yukina moved to stand, a small rumble of thunder was heard in the distance. Everyone moved quickly to gather up their things, but as they moved to head towards Yusuke's palace, Kagome hung back, earning a look from Kurama, and then slowly, the rest of the group. "Well are you coming or not?" Yusuke questioned, still feeling the effects of a lazy, but fun-filled afternoon.

"I said we'd wait for Hiei." She replied, even as she heard another rumble of thunder.

"Look, I hate to break it to you, but he probably won't be coming back for a long time." Yusuke snickered, while Kuwabara blushed and Kurama gave a disapproving look to their self-proclaimed leader.

"What Yusuke means to say, I think, is that it will be some time before he returns, and it would be wise for you not to be out in the rain." The kitsune avatar elaborated as he gave a small, meaningful glance to the young miko.

"I'll be fine…you guys can go on ahead." She said, her tone softening again. Normally, she'd try and be forceful, but they were just looking out for her.

Kurama paused, his expression calculating. It was clear that she was firm in holding her ground, but at the same time, he hadn't realized how true to her word she was. Shrugging his shoulders he said, "Suit yourself." Though mentally he was wondering just what held her there, with a storm just on the horizon. Was it just because of her unspoken promise? Or did she have feelings for the hiyoukai? The puzzle-seeking kitsune spirit in the back of his mind awoke and smirked. He was up for playing a game with the girl, if the opportunity presented itself. Besides, he'd always thought she didn't look half-bad, and she was well-informed of him and their kind. Kurama disapproved of anyone 'playing' with Kagome, but he wasn't above figuring out the secrets behind the young miko.

With Kurama's tone of finality, the rest of the group was content with leaving her alone. Yukina walked up and asked quietly, "Are you sure this is okay? I would wait with you too, if you want. It's not exactly safe out here…" It was clear that she was worried, but Kagome's smile put her at ease.

"It's alright. I'm strong enough to hold off any sort of attack now, and I have the communicator if I need you guys." She said, holding up the small, round, compact-esque object that she'd received from Botan years ago. "You go back, enjoy the evening. I'm sure he'll be back soon, anyway." She said with a false, up-lifted smile.

"And if he's not?" Kuwabara cut in, placing a hand around Yukina's shoulders.

"I'll come back on my own. The storm shouldn't be too bad…I'll be fine." She reassured him, as she again, gave him that smile. He accepted it for what it was and nodded before he pulled lightly at Yukina.

"Well if you're sure…we better get going." He said. The young koorime gave another slightly worried glance to the miko before she managed a smile and nodded. "Okay…we'll see you later then, Kagome."

She nodded in response before waving gently. Minutes later, the group was out of sight and Kagome let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding. She hated when they worried about her, or showed concern. Sure, it might've been stupid on her part to wait in the storm for Hiei, but she'd promised, and, she couldn't shake that uncertain feeling in the pit of her stomach. Shaking her head gently, she moved to sit under the nearby tree. She knew it was probably a bad idea, but she didn't want to get soaked, and by the sounds of the thunder moving closer she knew the storm was only a few miles off.

With only her thoughts to occupy her, Kagome leaned back and awaited Hiei's return.

Brooding slightly, Hiei growled when Yusuke smirked at him from the living room couch. "You're finally back."

"Not one word, Detective." He said darkly, warning the young toushin that he was not to be messed with right now. Not only had Mukuro detained him for hours, he had been forced to fight with her, and nearly blackmailed into becoming her guard trainer. He was not a happy fire demon right now, and he was looking for a reason to release some of his anger and frustrations.

Kurama wanted to laugh at Hiei's expression but for the sake of preservation he managed to keep a neutral face. He watched as the hiyoukai searched the room quietly before a frown marred Hiei's face. Kurama lifted an eyebrow at the sudden change in expression with interest.

"Where is the miko?" he questioned, as he turned his head towards Yukina. She was likely to give him the answers he sought without much of a fuss. Before she could answer, said woman's voice called out from elsewhere in the palace, making Hiei's expression turn downright hostile. Where had she gone? It wasn't as if she had friends in the demon realm, other than Sesshoumaru, and she did not leave to visit the taiyoukai willingly. A strange feeling of irritation swelled along with his previous ire with Mukuro, making him even more volatile. It was dangerous in the Makai, and she was trapeasing off on her own for whatever reason. 'Stupid, reckless onna!' he mentally screamed as he turned to the doorway.

"I'm back…" A slightly dejected voice called out from the foyer. Kagome had waited for nearly six hours for Hiei, but he never came back to the picnic area. She was soaked, and cold. Her long, black hair was sticking to her back and she was dripping lightly, though one of the maids had handed her a towel as she entered the palace. She was running that towel through her hair as she walked towards the living room, having heard voices as she walked closer and closer to the room. She didn't know what was keeping the hiyoukai, but she didn't want to think about that too much. The thoughts were a bit depressing.

Six heads turned as Kagome appeared in the doorway and she blinked in surprise upon seeing the current person of her thoughts. Hiei had made it back apparently. She forced a frown from her face as she gave him a tentative smile. "Hi…did you have a good time?" she questioned, even as she felt her skin grow hot. That sounded like she was implying something had happened between him and Mukuro, and it was already embarrassing enough that he hadn't come back to where she was waiting. Though she shouldn't have expected anything, it had reminded her too much of waiting for Inuyasha to come back to the present to get her.

"And just where the hell have you been?" Hiei questioned, his eyes flashing with his displeasure and his irritation. He noted her wet hair, and he could feel the chill even from his distance away from her. It was clear that she had been walking in the rain, but anything beyond that was a mystery to him. It pissed him off not only that she had been off on her own in the Makai, but she was cold, and wet, a combination he knew could get her very ill.

Kagome blinked quickly at his tone, before she replied in a rising voice of her own, "None of your damn business!" Did he forget that she said she'd wait for him? That stung more than him yelling at her for no reason. She thought there was a minute connection between them, just before he'd gone off to speak with Mukuro, but maybe she was wrong. Maybe he and the Mazoku woman were in a relationship and it hadn't gone well. Maybe he was taking it out on her – like Inuyasha had so many times when things weren't well with Kikyou.

"A human as fragile as you is hard enough to look after without you being sick!" he shouted back, his irritation growing further at her insolence. Was she off having a tryst with someone? Secretly meeting with someone who was more important to her than her health? He knew she was fairly careful with herself – she didn't want to be a burden to them; it was something she'd said before. But this didn't make sense, and her seemingly hiding things from him just ticked him off further. Besides, he'd been gone for hours and she was just now returning to the palace. What was she doing all that time? And why did he feel he needed to know?

The young miko opened her mouth to say something, but quickly closed it. A slightly pained expression filled her eyes before she shook her head and said something she'd only heard from Inuyasha. "Fuck off." Her tone was soft, but bitter. That comment was hitting below the belt. He knew how she felt about being looked after. It's why she worked so hard to train and get stronger. He knew her ultimate goal was to protect the Shikon no Tama on her own. Six pairs of eyes widened in shock as she turned without another word and moved to leave.

"Now where are you…" Hiei went to call after the miko's retreating figure, but he was silenced as Yukina's hand reached up to touch his shoulder. He turned to look at her, half ready for a fight depending on who it was. His expression gentled a fraction when he saw it was her. Her look was soft, hesitant. Though she knew Hiei was her brother, he was still fairly intimidating at times, and he had been very unhappy when he had finally returned home. She shook her head quietly before she glanced and saw that Kagome was gone. She could hear the faint touch of her footsteps on the carpeting, fading further and further until she couldn't hear them anymore. Only then did she look back to Hiei, who was positively confused.

"Kagome waited for you, where we had our picnic. She said she'd told you she would wait until you had come back from speaking with Mukuro." The koorime said softly, her hand moving from his shoulder to clasp with her other over her heart. She was hesitant to see his expression, but she had to know how he felt. He respected Kagome, so this outburst had confused her about how he felt towards her. Maybe she was wrong about him? The sudden shock that registered on his face at her words was comforting. 'No, I'm not wrong.'

Hiei was nearly floored by Yukina's words, as he said, in a voice of disbelief, "She waited for me? All this time?" 'And in the rain?' his mind added.

The koorime nodded quietly before Kuwabara chimed in. "She wouldn't let us hang out with her either and chill…she said she'd come back on her own if you didn't show…you know, you shouldn't leave a girl waiting. It's not right." He said as he came to stand behind Yukina.

"And you shouldn't have left her alone out there, despite what she said, fool. Who knows what could have happened to her out there." He spat back, that anger and irritation that was waiting just below the surface was ready to rumble again, and the oaf was a great target.

"You're the one who went and ran off with that scarred lady." He replied, ready for a fight as well, before Kurama stepped in between them. He swore, it was like babysitting a bunch of children sometimes, between Hiei, Kuwabara, and Yusuke fighting and picking at one another.

"Now, now, it's no one's fault. Kagome insisted on waiting, and we didn't want to get caught in the rain. She's okay, and if she catches cold we have excellent healers at our disposal. She didn't get hurt and you made it back safe and sound as well." He said, looking to Hiei. "You can apologize later to her when she's not so upset with you, and we can move on. Fighting amongst one another won't help or change anything." He said, as diplomatically as he could manage. No one had a comeback for that except for a glare, and that was because Hiei thought it would be a cold day in hell before he ever apologized for something – even if he was in the wrong.

"Hn." He replied wordlessly, before he disappeared from the room, leaving five uncertain faces to look after him.

"What was that all about?" Yusuke finally said, having been quiet throughout most of the fight.

"I believe that Hiei's visit with Mukuro was most unsatisfactory." Kurama replied, earning a smirk from the toushin.

"He didn't get any, huh? I guess even he needs to get laid once in awhile." He chuckled, before saying, "Owwww….that hurt Keiko!"

"Pervert." She muttered.

While Kuwabara started to laugh and tease Yusuke, Kurama glanced towards Yukina, who was looking thoughtful as she stared at the empty doorway.

"Is something wrong?" he questioned, earning a startled glance from the koorime.

She shook her head as she settled again, her voice quiet as she speculated aloud, "Do you think he was worried about her?"

Kurama didn't get it a moment but then his eyes widened a fraction. "Worried? About Kagome?" When she nodded he looked thoughtful himself. It would make sense, considering the frown he'd seen on Hiei's face when he noticed she was missing. The fact that he seemed to be looking for her at all, and asked about her was interesting. Youko perked up in the back of his mind, ready to test his theories and discover the mysteries of the strange young woman. Kurama couldn't help but smile a little to himself in anticipation. He wouldn't mind meddling in Hiei's affairs some – it had been entirely too long.

"Perhaps." He gave a smirk towards the koorime who chuckled and shook her head. The kitsune was feeling playful, and she was just glad that she was not the object of his entertainment. She had her own ideas about meddling with her twin – she glanced up at Kuwabara. And she had a cohort. He just didn't know it yet.

Feeling slightly giddy, she moved to sit back down and relax. Tomorrow, she would start seeing what she could do to get her brother and Kagome together. From there it was just a matter of time.

'Stupid demon. Who the hell does he think he is, questioning me like that? I didn't forget about him and leave him waiting for hours on end. I didn't shove a stick up his ass and piss him off. I didn't make him go with Mukuro…' Kagome's thoughts derailed and she quickly tried to shove those thoughts away with little success. Her eyes lifted as she looked at her reflection in the mirror in her room. Her hair stuck to the sides of her face as the water slowly dried from it. She looked pale, and fragile. She knew she wasn't fragile – she had survived things that would break most people, but she persevered. She had the power of the gods coursing through her blood. She wasn't weak, just untrained. Why couldn't anyone see that?

Quietly, she sighed. It wasn't that no one saw it – it was that the people who seemed to matter to her most didn't seem to see her strength. She didn't get it – Hiei was quiet, antisocial, and oftentimes irritating. He was mean to her sometimes, and said things that hurt her feelings, but there was something else about him that she appreciated. He watched over her with little fuss; he trained with her, and helped her get stronger; he acquiesced to her strange customs and traditions – even if he didn't partake in them often. He was kind in his own way, even if it wasn't a way she was used to. Before she knew it, a smile was on her lips, and she hadn't meant for there to be. She knew what it meant, and she could only groan quietly to herself.

One word pretty much summed it up. "…damnit."

The days passed in painful silence between Hiei and Kagome – though neither would break it to confront one another. Yukina and Kurama conspired behind their backs, and Kuwabara was eventually roped into the plan. No one could hold a grudge like Hiei, and no one could hide her true feelings like Kagome. So it was with little surprise that another session of training began in silence, as Kagome rushed forward, itching to make the hiyoukai flinch by her hand today.

Almost bored, Hiei sidestepped her attack, but she pulled a fast one, and swept her foot around to hopefully trip up the fire demon. At the last second he realized what she was doing, and leapt out of the way, and into the air. Kagome smirked, before reaching up a hand to shoot a blast of concentrated miko energy from the center of her palm. It was her ace in the hole, so to speak. It was something she'd been working on secretly with Genkai, and by the look of surprise on Hiei's face, he wasn't expecting it.

He twisted and threw his cloak aside, where it received the majority of the pure blast of power. Again, the two were silent for a handful of breaths before he muttered, "Not bad for a human."

Kagome's expression gentled before she smiled. "Not bad for a demon."

Somewhere inside Hiei's chest, something relaxed that had been tense and painful for the past few days, and he nodded lightly, before moving to begin the training session once more.

It seemed as if he were forgiven.

Yukina smiled in glee to herself as she mimicked Kagome's handwriting and created a letter to give to Hiei. She'd already written Hiei's letter to the young miko, and she had to agree with the brilliant mind of Kurama. Her brother would get straight to the point. 'The Gardens. 8PM. Meet me for dinner.' She knew that Kagome would overlook the strangeness of even receiving a letter and follow the instructions given. She had been looking for excuses to spend time with Hiei, no matter how brief. She was positively puzzled at how her twin could miss the small looks of longing on the miko's face whenever she would steal glances at the hiyoukai, but then again, he was fairly dense where human emotions were concerned. She doubted he knew the concept of love, let alone the practice. The thought saddened her as she paused in her writing. Her smile fell as she bit her lower lip. Kurama looked to the side as he glanced to her face. Slowly, he shifted his hand to place over hers. This wasn't just for Hiei and Kagome's sake, but everyone's. If those two were happy together, the entire group benefited. Yukina smiled towards the red-headed kitsune, before continuing her writing again. Kuwabara watched as the plan came together, still a little puzzled at the proceedings, but he wouldn't be the one to ruin their plans.

With a slithering plant carefully wrapped around the 'letter from Kagome', Kurama slipped it into Hiei's unguarded cloak. He was nearly distracted by the training session, but his mission kept him focused on the task at hand. With a smirk, he retreated for the moment and went to help finish the other preparations for their little scheme. Yes, meddling in Hiei's affairs had always been enjoyable, and this time was no different.

Kagome eyed the dinner invitation warily. It didn't seem like something Hiei would do. If the hiyoukai wanted something, he wouldn't beat around the bush about it. Besides, she didn't even know if he could write. With hesitation, she dressed nicely – just in case he did write the invitation. She left her hair down - no sense in putting forth a 110% if this turned out to be one of Yusuke's pranks. Quietly, she moved down the hallway towards the gardens. She tried to force down the hope and anticipation in her chest. She didn't want to set herself up for a fall; however, she let those sparks rise with each step, even as her anxiousness grew. Slowly, she opened up the door, and peeked inside. It was empty, except for a nice table, set with a candelabra and dinnerware for two. Surprise filled her features as she glanced around slowly. Maybe she was early…or maybe Hiei was late. Or maybe, Yusuke would jump out any second and scare the shit out of her. Frustration pulled her mouth into a small frown before she cautiously walked forward and looked around. It seemed the place was empty. As the moments passed, her guard dropped little by little, and she leaned back quietly against the table. Well, she was a patient person, as had been proved time and time again. She'd wait for him.

Hiei eyed the letter with uncertainty and a little shock. It had been left in the pocket of his cloak after practice, so who could have left it except for Kagome? It was signed by her, but he didn't know her handwriting, or even the reason why she would be inviting him to eat dinner with her. All sorts of emotions were racing through him at the words. 'Let's talk over dinner. I have something important to tell you.' A million and one scenarios flashed through his mind but in the end, he steeled his resolve. If it was important, he was going to face it like a demon and damn the consequences. He was no coward. He stalked quietly towards the gardens, and opened the door to find Kagome leaning quietly against a table set for two. Nerves gripped him but he forced them aside. 'This better damn well be worth it.'

Kagome turned her head towards the door as it opened, and a nervous, but happy smile crossed her lips. He'd come. He'd sent the letter after all. He'd actually asked to spend time with her! Over dinner even! Her heart instantly went into overdrive and she bit her lower lip and shifted up from the table. "You made it." She said, though she flushed a little after saying it. It was stupid sounding in her head.

"Of course. I would not leave you waiting again." He stated, his own voice a little darker with his confusion and hesitation. Quickly, he growled at himself mentally. He needed to get a grip. He should not be this unsettled over one human woman, no matter what she had to say to him. His words did not reveal anything though, and Kagome moved to have a seat. She was still surprised that Hiei had sent her that hand-written invitation, but it didn't matter. Perhaps he was going to tell her that he loved her. She nearly laughed at herself, but settled for scolding herself mentally instead. Hiei didn't know about love, and it seemed clear that he didn't care about her in that way even if he did invite her to dinner.

The hiyoukai looked over the place-settings and moved to sit as she did. He didn't break the silence, nor did she, and he was wondering what the hell was taking her so long to say what she had to say. She was normally fairly blunt about her feelings, but there were some instances where she was so difficult to read, or where she held everything inside for one reason or another. He had yet to see her ever cry, and yet he'd heard stories from the kitsune child she cared for that she had, once upon a time, been very open with her emotions. The curiosities that surrounded her annoyed and yet, intrigued him, though he'd never pursued them. That was the fox's department, not his. Besides, did not care one way or another. He didn't. 'Then why are you even here?' his mind supplied. No answers were forthcoming, and that left an even longer, and more awkward, silence.

Kagome glanced around slowly, wondering what Hiei had expected out of this dinner. There was nothing on the table, except the plates, and there was no music. She glanced slowly to him. Did he even know what he was doing? She smiled at the thought of him going through any effort to try and get her attention. Hiei looked up and caught that smile on her face and hid his puzzlement. Did just having him there make her happy? There was no food on the table, and no other distractions around them. There was no teasing Yusuke, no fighting Kuwabara, and no meddling kitsune. It was just the two of them. Slowly, the tension eased away as he looked to her eyes. She seemed relaxed, and happy. Did he make her feel that way? Was she truly comfortable around him? Both parties looked up and over when the doors opened again and each blinked with confusion when Kurama, decked out to the nines in a waiter's uniform, came in with a bottle of wine in a bucket in his hands. "Shall I start you off with something to drink, madam and monsieur?" he said, using his most professional, and yet sensual voice.

Kagome blinked widely before she looked back to Hiei, who looked just as perplexed as she was. Maybe he wasn't prepared for Kurama to come in just then? For him to get the kitsune involved, that had to have taken him asking for a favor, and he didn't do that lightly for anyone, least of all himself, and never for someone else. "What's going on?" she questioned, her voice soft and confused. She could feel that nervous upset coming back with a vengeance. Something wasn't right.

"The kitsune has a death wish that's what going on." Hiei ground out as he stood lightning fast and moved to grab his katana. He had been tricked into coming here and that was something he would not tolerate. Kurama took a small step back and said, "Now, now Hiei, that's no way to repay Yukina's kind gesture. She wanted you two to enjoy a nice dinner, and as we speak she is making a very lavish meal with the cooks. You don't want to be the one to tell her you don't want it, do you?" he said, baiting the hiyoukai hook, line, and sinker. Neither noticed Kagome's fallen expression, nor the sadness that she forced away before they could see it. So, Hiei didn't want to meet with her after all. It was a trick by her friends, for whatever reason. Forcing a small smile on her lips she looked to the two demons.

"Look, she's gone through all of this hard work…let's just enjoy the meal, and then we can go our separate ways." She didn't mean to word it that way, but Hiei had made it clear in that small gesture that he didn't like being there with her.

Both men looked towards her, each with various degrees of scrutiny on their faces. Hiei was wondering if she truly didn't want to spend time with him and was tolerating him for Yukina's sake, while Kurama searched for something deeper – the reason for Kagome's calm reaction.

It frustrated Hiei that he couldn't understand what she was feeling. He didn't have the faintest clue as to her emotional mindset right now and that was worse than knowing that he'd been set up. "Have a seat…we can play nice for a little bit, can't we, Hiei?" Kagome asked, as she lifted her eyes to look into his angered ones. She nearly flinched but years of hanging around Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha had given her a bit of an immunity against such expressions. Her words made him frown, as some of his anger slipped away. Was she thinking that he was mad at her? He had no reason to be – she hadn't instigated this situation. In fact, she was just another pawn in this game that he was sure the kitsune had started.

He nodded gently as he placed his katana back in its sheath, and moved to sit down. Kurama, assured of his immediate safety, poured the two some wine from the chilled bottle. Kagome murmured a soft thanks to him before she looked back to Hiei, her expression held in check. Her smile was soft, and somewhat forced. She was holding back the pain that inadvertently had sprung forth. Her feelings just continued to spiral more and more out of control, while he seemed unphased. It wasn't fair.

Kurama felt the tense atmosphere and moved back away from the two, hoping that they would resolve their differences now that they were both in a prime position to do so. He watched from a crack in the doorway, and listened intently – waiting for them to say anything.

The silence dragged on for a few moments before Kagome finally spoke. "You didn't have any idea this was happening…did you?" She questioned, as she lifted her eyes to meet the steady gaze of the hiyoukai. Hiei didn't reply, but it was clear by his expression that he thought she'd asked a stupid question.

Kagome nodded slightly before she continued quietly, "Thought so." She let out a soft breath before she said, "Well…I guess it's a good meal, if nothing else." She smiled to him, trying to ease the tension that had built up around them. Hiei lifted an eyebrow as he scrutinized over her nonchalant attitude. She seemed fine, and she didn't seem upset that she had to spend an evening with him, so he felt his own uneasiness slip away as Kurama walked into the room with two plates of food.

The young miko thanked him before she unfolded her napkin, and watched as the kitsune retreated again. Her eyes shifted from the food to Hiei, only to find that he was staring intently at her. She returned his stare equally, puzzling now over what he was doing. They'd never been in a situation like this before – alone, in the dark, and quiet. The hormonal part of Kagome was all ready to take her body hostage and take advantage of the darkness around them, the more rational part of her brain reminded her that Hiei was more apt to slice her head off and bathe in her blood than anything else. The imagery made her break eye contact as she looked to the table, and sadness filled her eyes.

Hiei watched her silent actions with scrutiny and unease. Waves of suppressed emotions surrounded her, emotions that he couldn't quite make out. He moved to say something, to break the silence, when a large bang made both miko, and demon, look towards the doors. Yusuke stalked into the darkened room with a smirk on his face that froze as he took in the atmosphere and the scenery. "Oh…am I interrupting something?" he looked between the two, having the audacity to feel sheepish as he ran a hand through his hair. He looked less than comfortable as he shifted his eyes to Hiei first. "Mukuro's waiting for you at the gates…said it was important, and that you knew she was coming…" his tone had lowered even as he finished his statement.

Kagome bit her lower lip before she tried to glance inconspicuously at the hiyoukai. He looked beyond enraged, so much so that she lost control over her expression for a moment. "Detective, I have no such knowledge of Mukuro's arrival." He spat, as he stood and again went for his katana. It was a comfort device for him in some ways – he'd had it as long as he could remember. Kagome shifted back in her seat when he went for it though, something he took note of. She didn't look scared, but she looked troubled. Yusuke stepped back and held up his hands in a placating gesture.

"Don't shoot the messenger, but she didn't come alone, and unless we're going to throw-down in front of the palace, you might just want to see what she wants." He said, his tone turning serious again as he locked eyes with the hiyoukai.

At the mention of a possible fight, Kagome stood as well, and shifted her chair under the table. "I'll come with you, if you want." She said, her tone firming as she assessed the situation. Mukuro was turning into something of a stalker, and if it was pissing her off, she knew it had to be worse for Hiei.

The hiyoukai looked to her hardened expression before he shook his head. He didn't need some woman defending him – not against Mukuro. He had been holding back once upon a time against her – he'd never wanted to kill her, but that mindset was steadily changing. He'd already agreed to train her guard, but he'd also made it clear that he did not desire her in any fashion that was romantic. This was starting to push beyond his reservoir of tolerance.

His silent gesture was just another nail in the proverbial coffin that Kagome held around her heart. He wouldn't let her help him with this. He was either too stubborn to accept her help, which was plausible, or he was acting, and embarrassed that Mukuro was coming around at all. Maybe he really did love the Mazoku woman, and he just didn't want others to know. He looked pissed, but he could be acting. She didn't know enough about him to know if he was able to pull off such an act or not. Yusuke looked between the two before he sighed and rubbed his forehead a little. "She's waiting, Hiei. You going or not?"

Hiei glared at Yusuke before stalking out of the room and towards the front of the palace. Kagome followed after him a few steps before she paused. Yusuke gave her a final look before he followed quickly after the hiyoukai, and hoping that there wasn't a fight.

Her expression faltered as she watched the doors close in front of her. He didn't want her involved. Why would she even torture herself like this if she saw something that confirmed her thoughts? The past crept up on her as she remembered the many times she caught Inuyasha and Kikyou in a compromising position. She knew he loved the other woman from almost the beginning, but she still held onto hope that he would eventually see her and return her affections for him.

Not only did that not happen, she ended up with a shattered heart, and nothing turned out the way it should have. Koenma's words echoed in her head, 'He went to hell with Kikyou. With you out of that era, there was no one to stop him from fulfilling the undead miko's wishes.' Before she knew it, tears poured out of the corners of her eyes and down her cheeks in small, steady rivers. Kurama's eyes widened in complete shock at the display of emotion from the miko as he watched her from behind the closed doorway. As long as he'd known her, he had never seen her cry, so to see her so openly vulnerable stunned him. He didn't want to walk in on her, to show her that he'd seen her crying. He knew how much she tried to show strength around them, but it was a hard thing to do. Youko had much respect for her emotional strength – after all, it was one of his strengths as well.

A couple of minutes passed before the young miko lifted her hands to wipe away her tears. Now was not the time for the past to make an appearance. She had forgotten that part of herself long ago – no good could come from revisiting what was lost. As she composed herself, Kurama felt comfortable enough to walk into the room. He hadn't heard a fight or warning bells going off, so he assumed that Hiei and Yusuke had things handled with Mukuro.

Kagome looked towards the doorway, expecting bad news, but at the sight of the kitsune, she relaxed. "Hi…" she said with a weak wave of her hand. She hoped that her face looked normal after her momentary breakdown.

He nodded lightly in response, not saying anything before he glanced to the food on the table, left abandoned in the moment. With a passing thought, he smiled and walked forward, pausing only briefly near Kagome to take her hand and draw her with him.

Surprise and uncertainty filled her eyes for a moment before he let go of her hand and pulled out the chair she'd initially been sitting in. Her expression softened before she smiled and took the offered seat. "You're such a charmer Kurama…" she said quietly before she looked up to meet his eyes. "…though…at times like these it's welcome." She gave him a little smile before she looked back to her food. He moved to the other side of the table, a little pride swelling in his chest. He'd lifted her spirits, with a simple action.

Kagome began eating her food, and tried to hide her expression from the kitsune. She fought to hold onto a nonchalant face, but she could never hide the sadness from her eyes. Hiei had gone to meet with Mukuro again. Of course, he acted as if it were a chore, and he were angry, but how much of that was real, and how much was an act? She wouldn't think that he'd try to act displeased for her sensibilities, and for the most part, she knew he wasn't, or that he wouldn't, at any rate. Yusuke's expression and the constant teasing probably set Hiei off more than anything, so the only other conclusion that she could come up with was that he was embarrassed that Mukuro had come over to the palace at all. His behavior reminded her of Inuyasha's, and that depressed her further.

Kurama watched as the air around Kagome became darker, and more depressed. It wasn't something one could actually see, but he could feel the change around her. He'd known that she felt something for the hiyoukai, but her reaction today had solidified just how much she felt for him, and Hiei seemed to be completely oblivious. Leaning forward a bit, he placed his head on his hand as he studied the little enigma before him. Why wouldn't she be honest with Hiei? Was she even being honest with herself? The puzzles and uncertain emotions that surrounded both of his friends had Youko puzzled himself. Psychological puzzles entertained him just as much, if not more, than riddles and games. With a growing grin, he moved to stand and touched her hand. "Dance with me. It's too nice a night to be sitting here wallowing in sorrows."

Kagome's eyes shot open as she looked up to the dark green eyes of the kitsune. Maybe she hadn't been as sneaky as she thought about hiding her emotions. She hesitated as she felt the warmth of his hand over hers, but as all of her other thoughts cleared and she was brought into the moment, she relaxed. This was Kurama – he was her friend, a confidant if she ever needed one, and he seemed to care about her. She stood, and allowed him to draw her to the center of the empty room. He began to lead her in a dance to a tune only he could hear. She leaned quietly into his chest, and closed her eyes. It had been awhile since she'd been held like this, and it was comforting.

The kitsune, affectionate by nature, was also pleased at this turn of events. While he did not love Kagome, at least, in the romantic sense, he did care about her, and her well-being. This game of cat and mouse between her and Hiei had gone on far too long, and he was hell-bent on seeing the two happy, though that was proving to be more difficult to master than he had initially thought. They were both so emotionally constipated that neither could see the writing on the wall, and he was more than intent on rectifying that situation.

From the shadows behind the door, blood red eyes flashed with anger. Life was about to become even more complex.

Kagome was surprised when she found a note asking her to join Kurama on a picnic a few days later. The script was neat, and almost fancy, something she should have expected from the fox, but it still amazed her. A thornless rose was expertly attached by some thin, lithe vines, letting her know just who's handiwork this was. She couldn't help but smile at the kitsune's efforts to cheer her up. She didn't think he had it in him to go out of his way for someone else.

As she stepped into the gardens, she paused. It was different then she remembered, but she supposed that Kurama had been busy at work with the foliage. As she turned, she noticed that there was ivy and sweet-smelling blossoms around the doorway, drawing her attention from the center of the room, to flowers near the doorway. Without noticing it, she started to follow the inadvertent trail that he'd left for her, as she admired the flowers. No one had done anything nice like this for her before. She hadn't had someone even try to do anything nice for her in a long time. Inuyasha wasn't exactly the romantic type, at least for her. She'd caught him once before, getting flowers for Kikyou, but she'd buried that memory long ago. Even as sadness tugged at her features, she found a reason to smile in this bittersweet moment.

At the edge of the flowers she was stopped in her tracks by sunlight. She'd reached the outside world in her wandering. It had been awhile since she'd been out here, and she could see the subtle changes that Kurama had made to it, and what time had done to this small piece of paradise. Her eyes drifted from the tall canopies of trees to a blanket that was out and covered with a basket and flower petals. Her eyes softened at the scene before she walked forward, looking for the perpetrator behind all of this.

From behind a nearby tree, she saw Kurama leaning quietly against the trunk, his red hair flowing gently in the breeze. If he were anyone else, she probably would have felt something but it was Kurama – her friend. It was almost disappointing that she didn't feel something more for him. She was wondering if he felt something more for her, with how he had gone above and beyond to set this entire scheme up.

"You made it." He said, as he flashed her a brilliant smile.

She shrugged her shoulders gently before saying, "I didn't think I had much of a choice." She teased him slightly before moving to sit down on the blanket. He chuckled as he followed her, pulling a knee up lightly to his chest.

"I'm surprised that you're here…after what happened with Hiei, I thought you might be wary of letters of invitation." He explained, as he turned his head lightly towards her. For a moment she was quiet before she looked to him.

"It wouldn't be the first time I was set up. There's no point in me worrying about it anymore." She said, while her mind supplied, 'At least I know the truth now…Hiei doesn't care about me like that.'

Kurama frowned as he tried to figure out what she was thinking. "We didn't mean to hurt you, Kagome, you must know that." He said, as he leaned in closer to her.

She looked up quickly before she shook her hands in front of her quickly. "No, I know you didn't, and it doesn't really…I'm not hurt, I promise." She said, her eyes earnest. She didn't mean to make him think that she was hurt at all – it wasn't that they brought Hiei and her together, it was more the fact that the venture was lost on him. She could see in the hiyoukai's eyes that he was irritated and ticked off that he was pulled into their scheme. It was clear that he didn't care about her in that manner, and that hurt more than the fact that her friends were hoping for something more from them both.

Kurama frowned further before he said, "You look sad though, Kagome…" he reached up a hand to place on her cheek, so he could look deeper into her eyes, to search for his answers. Youko was beyond enthralled with the situation at hand, and her attempts at downplaying her feelings was intriguing. What was she hiding from him?

The young miko flushed lightly at the touch of his warm hand on her cheek. She hadn't been touched so familiarly in a long time, and it made her feel a bit uneasy. His expression was full of scrutiny, and it made her feel even more uncomfortable. What did he think he was doing? What was all of this about? It was then that she seemed to realize just what kind of situation she was in. She was in the gardens, with a very mature, and very hot, fox demon, who was very aware of what he wanted, and right now, it seemed like he wanted her.

From a distance, a pair of blood-red eyes closed and pulled away from the irritating scene. He wouldn't interfere, but he would let Kurama know where his intensions lay. Anger gripped his body as he stay silent, biding his time.

"I'm okay…really…I'm alright…" she mumbled out, as she slowly pulled back from Kurama's touch. "Just an off day…" she turned her eyes away from his intense ones, giving him a moment to look towards the hidden figure who was eavesdropping on the situation. He smirked to himself before his attention was once more pulled away.

"It seems I'm not making you feel any better…so here…let's eat some of this fine feast Youko created for us, and you can relax. It's been awhile since we've done something like this." He said as he offered her a plate of finger foods that looked entirely too delicate to be eaten. Kagome's eyes widened in surprise before she gingerly took one of the pieces and popped it into her mouth. The flavor was mouth-watering and she instantly made a sound of enjoyment. Youko internally purred at the expression and sound that she made, pleased that she was able to appreciate his efforts.

Kagome had never disappointed him in that respect. She always appreciated what others did for her. It were as if it were ingrained in her very blood to care for every creature, be they good or bad, and while it made him wary at first, he had learned to expect that from her. "This is…amazing, Youko. It's really indescribable." She said, interrupting his thoughts as she looked to him with a smile. He offered her another piece of the fragile food, and silently, their eavesdropper kept his silent vigil over the two, his anger stewing as the minutes turned into an hour. As the food disappeared, and conversation had dried up, both moved to clean up the area. "Let me get it…you two made the food, after all." Kagome offered.

Kurama shook his head before holding out his hands to take the basket from her. "I couldn't let you do that, not after we did this to make you feel better." His expression deepened. "Please, come to us if things get too much to handle. We will listen." He said, making Kagome bow her head and nod quietly.

"A…alright." She wouldn't, but the fact that he was so serious had her thinking once more that he was interested in her more than a friend. Her hand slipped from the handle of the basket and she watched him walk back through the gardens and disappear.

She watched the darkness of the canopy around her grow as afternoon passed into evening, and she turned at the sound of a twig breaking with a gasp.

"He seems more suited to you, Higurashi Kagome." A voice spoke from the darkness.

Her expression both tightened and softened at the same time, turning it into some strange semblance of a grimace. "Yeah…not that it matters." She replied curtly, before turning to leave into the gardens. She didn't feel safe out here alone right now.

"Wait." The voice said again, making Kagome pause in her tracks. Irritation swept across her features for more than one reason before she whirled around and said, "What? If you don't mind, I should go inside now. It's getting dark. The others will worry about me."

"Do those others include Jaganshi Hiei?"

Kagome's features fell before she shook her head. "I don't think so. He doesn't care about many, other than his sister."

"Then it will surprise you to hear that he has agreed to move in with me. We have decided to make our relationship official with the demon community." The voice continued, earning a shocked look from the young miko.

"He…what?" Disbelief colored her features before she murmured softly, "What about…" her thought was unfinished. Not many knew about Yukina being found and that she was the hiyoukai's sibling.

"You? Is it clear now?" the voice supplied, misunderstanding Kagome's broken thought. "He cares not for you. It would be best if you broke ties with him now, before it becomes too painful to do so later. Either way, soon you will have no access to him." It advised, earning an angry glare for her efforts, before it wilted into uncertainty and resignation.

"If that's true then…I can only wish you luck." She replied softly, before turning to leave.

"Think of this as a chance for you to earn the fox's affection…and not as a loss, Higurashi Kagome." Were the final words she heard before she found herself alone in the shelter of the canopy inside the gardens, and wondering if this was all a bad dream.

She didn't love Kurama, but it was even clear to an outsider that the fox felt something for her. What would she do, if she were to start a relationship with him? What would Hiei do? Would he feel betrayed? Would it be awkward? Certainly it would be for her…she didn't feel that way about the kitsune. Hiei, on the other hand…even as she stood there her heart clenched painfully. No. She couldn't do this. Not to herself, and sure as hell not to Kurama. It would be as if she started a relationship with Miroku, and broke Sango's heart. Hiei was her friend, if nothing else, and she wouldn't create friction because she was lonely. If she started something with anyone, it would be because she was serious about them. She could be no other way. But never, would it be with Kurama, even if her feelings changed. The same went for Hiei. She would not start a relationship with the hiyoukai in front of Kurama, knowing that he felt something for her. That would be torturous – she knew that firsthand. Steeling what resolve she had left, she lifted her head and walked back into the main portion of the palace. She had made her decision. All that was left for her to do, was to move forward with it.

Everyone was gathered around the television and watching a movie when Kagome entered the room. Popcorn was in large bowls in front of many of the guys and the girls were sneaking handfuls when they weren't looking. There was an empty seat next to Yukina on the couch, and Hiei was leaning against the nearby wall. Keiko and Yusuke were sharing a large chair, and Genkai had her rocker out and was sipping on some tea. Kagome hesitated to sit in the free seat, and instead, moved to sit closer to the television and left Kurama to fill the seat as he entered the room with a fresh bowl of popcorn. Yukina frowned at the action, but didn't question it as she shifted a glance to Kurama, as if asking what was wrong. He frowned as well, not understanding her expression before he shrugged and focused back on the movie. The slight growl he heard coming from behind him made him narrow his eyes though as he glared gently at his friend. The hiyoukai obviously wasn't happy with him right now, but it was his own fault for not being clear with his intentions. Confident with his conclusion, the lights were dimmed, and the incident was largely forgotten.

The next day, it happened again. Kagome was available and ready to take an empty seat next to the quiet koorime, but she opted out of dinner around the table, and instead, said she wasn't hungry, and left a few quiet stares in the wake of her odd behavior.

It was on the third night that said koorime had finally had enough and mentioned it to Kuwabara. "Do you know what's wrong with Kagome-chan, lately? She seems distant, and upset. I'm starting to worry about her." She questioned, her red eyes tinged with uncertainty and unease. Kuwabara, clueless as he often was, shook his head before placing a calming hand on his mate's shoulder.

"Maybe she's homesick? It's been while since we've been back in the Ningenkai." He commented, earning a light nod for the explanation. "Maybe…" It might explain her avoiding the demons of the palace, though she was keeping her distance from everyone it seemed.

"Did we…did we do something wrong? You think it might be us that she doesn't want to be around?" she questioned, as she looked to her mate imploringly for reassurances. Kuwabara's expression hardened a fraction before it gentled and he said quickly, "No way! She's just missing her family probably…don't let it worry you, my sweet! I'm sure it's nothing…" he said, as he drew her into a tight embrace.

Yukina let her worries slip away as she let him comfort her for the moment. Kuwabara, though, wouldn't forget this conversation, and he knew he would have to speak with Kagome, and soon. This had gone on too long.

The next day, Kagome stood at the kitchen counter, washing some dishes. It was a mundane task that kept her hands busy as she mulled over her recent decision to distance herself from the team. They were happy in their own little world, and she could do nothing but screw that up in one way or another. Yusuke was happy with Keiko, Yukina and Kuwabara were happily in love, and Hiei was going to be leaving to live with Mukuro. Kurama could only be hurt by any action she would take, so she was going to do the only thing she could so that their feelings were spared, and their harmony wasn't ruined: remove the only thing she could think of that could destroy that. Herself.

She heard footsteps coming towards the kitchen and turned, drying her hands as she went.

"Hey, wait up." Kuwabara said, earning Kagome's attention as she turned in the kitchen to face him. She was close to the back door, just a few more steps…the orange-haired boy's expression dashed all of her hopes of escaping. "Why do you keep avoiding them?" he questioned, his tone darker than normal. Kagome pulling away from Hiei, he didn't care about, but her pulling away from Yukina…that bothered him. No one else was aware of it, but Yukina had been saddened by Kagome's obvious avoidance of her. She wondered if she'd done something wrong, and her comment last night had been more than clear to him before bedtime.

She sighed gently, debating telling him or not. His stern expression let her know that he wasn't going to leave her be with a half-hearted explanation. With a soft voice, in case there were eavesdroppers, she said quietly, "Because it's easier this way. It's best if I don't interfere in their lives anymore." Though Kagome had conviction to her words, the foretelling sadness and brief moments of pain that she showed whenever she was near the twins was clear to Kuwabara. He wasn't sure if anyone else had noticed it yet, but it was enough that he'd seen her pain. He didn't understand it, and he didn't understand her, but something was wrong, and by the kamis, he was going to try and fix it.

"But why? Staying away from them is hurting you. I can see it in your eyes each time you walk away. You get so close to them, and then it's like watching you struggle against yourself to move away from them. Yukina's your friend, I know, and shorty…I don't know how you feel about shorty. Sometimes it looks like you like him, and at others you guys are at each other's throats…" he was rambling a little, saying more at one time to the young miko than he had in the entire time he'd known her. Finally, he went quiet as he noticed her pained expression, and how her eyes wouldn't meet his. "Why would you hurt yourself like this?" he questioned quietly. "If it hurts so much…why would you try to distance yourself?" He didn't understand her mindset, or how she was thinking of Kurama and Hiei's friendship. He didn't understand her past, or know how she was often seen as a replacement for Kikyou, and how even in distancing herself, she was hurting herself. No matter which direction she went, or what path she chose, she was hurt in the end. The hurt though was self-inflicted – when she took pain upon herself, others were spared. It wasn't in her nature to injure others, even if she herself was emotionally wounded.

"Because…if I don't distance myself…I won't be the only one who suffers." She replied quietly, as her saddened sapphire eyes lifted to finally meet with Kuwabara's. The tangible weight of her pain felt like a hammer had hit him between the eyes. There was such depth to her sorrow, such arcane knowledge of what she had known and learned in her lifetime. There wasn't anything he could say to that. He had no knowledge that could ease her pain. He regretted cornering her, knowing that he had somehow added to her internal struggle, and added to the suffering she was obviously experiencing. He was supposed to help her, not bring her further down.

Kagome, noticing his expression, managed a smile for his benefit. "Don't worry about me, Kuwabara. I survived something like this before. I can do it again." When he saw her smile, it somehow seemed like her normal smile – and that bothered him more than he knew how to express. Could she so easily hide so much sorrow? The thought was frightening. What had she gone through in her past? What had she witnessed? What had she lost? And what did she mean by 'something like this before'? Before he could respond, she had turned her back on him and opened up the back door. Confusion flooded him as he tried to figure out what she meant. He didn't get it. Did she have to distance herself from someone she cared about in the past? For what reason? None of them were in danger, and it wasn't as if she were dangerous to them…unless maybe she was afraid her miko powers would hurt Hiei and Yukina? He wasn't the intelligent one of the group so it was no surprise when she disappeared out of the door before he could come to any logical conclusion and confront her about it.

Shaking his head lightly, he turned to return to the living room only to see a flash of red. His eyes lifted as he noticed Hiei's annoyed expression. The hiyoukai was perplexed at what the miko had said. How did she think she was going to hurt them by staying close to them? His thoughts and unanswered questions ran along the same lines as Kuwabara's unspoken ones, but unlike the fool, as Hiei called him, the hiyoukai wouldn't go long without getting answers. Not saying a word to the orange-haired boy, he moved outside as well, leaving Kuwabara in the entryway to the kitchen with confusion written all over his face. One thing was clear now, though, he'd been right. Kagome had been distancing herself from him. He was going to find out why. Before he got too far, a lone figure stopped him near the forest with an annoyed expression on his face. "We need to talk." Kurama said, his tone firm, and serious. He was tired of the friction that was forming between them, and he was ready to beat some sense into his friend if need-be. This had started out as a game for him…now it was personal. The kitsune didn't like it when things were personal.

Hiei narrowed his eyes slightly, and waited for the fallout.

Meanwhile, Yukina came by Kuwabara's side moments later, wondering what had happened. The back door closed once, and then Hiei had left as well. She didn't know who had gone out first, but she had a guess. She briefly entertained a thought that finally it was becoming clear to her twin – that there was something more between him and the miko than he would admit out loud. The confusion lingering on Kuwabara's face though stopped that thought. "Is everything okay?" she asked softly, her eyes filling with concern as she looked up at her mate's deep-set expression. Brought out of his thoughts, he gave a goofy, yet uncertain grin to the young koorime.

"Everything's fine, my sweet." His expression faltered before he added quietly, "Though it would be nice if people stopped over thinking things once in a while…" Yukina couldn't help the soft, warm laugh that escaped her lips. Perhaps her mate had more intuition in these situations than most gave him credit for.

"Go…and do not fail me." Mukuro ordered softly, her good eye shining in anticipation of Kagome's death.

"Yes, m'lady." The assassin replied, before disappearing in a small blur that anyone else would have missed. With a small smile set on her lips, Mukuro waited patiently in her throne room for news that Kagome was dead. Then, perhaps, Hiei would be more accepting of her advances. After all, she was a woman who never took 'no' for an answer.

She leaned back in her throne, and awaited the news of the miko's demise.

The forest offered no comfort from Kagome's woes, as she held back another attack from a demon she didn't recognize. He had her pinned to a tree, his claw just inches from her bared throat.

For a moment, the young miko entertained the idea of just giving up. If this demon finished her off right here and now, everything would be over. She wouldn't have to struggle with the fight of the Shikon no Tama again, because she'd be dead. She was more than certain that the others could take care of it, protect it like it ought to have been protected in the first place. That thought had her nearly giving in, that is, until she thought of the people she'd be leaving behind. Her momma, brother and grandfather…her friends…Hiei…that thought sobered her up more than anything. She'd never see him again – she wouldn't get a chance to say goodbye. Tears clouded her vision and she closed her eyes, unable to face that reality. Already it had been made clear to her that he was someone else's. Again, she was just in the way of someone else's happiness. But she couldn't just give up, either. She couldn't leave things as they were. Even if Hiei and Mukuro were together, that didn't have to be the end for her, did it? She'd given up once for someone's happiness, and he'd ended up getting killed because of it. If she'd stayed in the past, and just tried a little harder…would things have turned out differently for Inuyasha? For Kikyou? For everyone?

With those thoughts spurning her on, determination welled up in her as she reinforced her barrier. The pink light swarmed around her a little chaotically as she tried to focus it into a point. She wouldn't get more than a shot off at this stage in the game. She was too inexperienced to control her power properly, so between her shields and faulty attempts at killing the mercenary for hire, she was low on energy.

Letting out a calm breath, she glared into the eyes of the demon, and fired towards his unguarded chest.

"You have no right to be jealous. You have made no visible claim on her." Kurama said, his tone low and dark. Youko was pissed at the treatment he'd been receiving lately from his friend, and he was equally tired at the constant sadness that radiated from Kagome's form. Lately, it had been even more prominent and he was bound and determined to rectify it.

"I am not jealous!" Hiei snapped out, his eyes flashing red.

"And you're lying to yourself. Have you even made yourself clear to her?" Kurama argued back, as he held onto one of his famous roses with gentle care. He didn't think this would turn into a physical brawl, but he wouldn't risk pain, either.

"And you have? Are all of these charades your way of telling me if I don't claim her, you will?" he growled back, as his hand rested precariously on his sword.

His expression softened before he shook his head and said simply, "No."

Surprise flicked across Hiei's face, along with a little distrust as he questioned back, "No?"

"No, Hiei. Kagome is my friend. I care about her wellbeing, and for some reason, she seems to like you. Maybe even love you. And you, you keep running around with Mukuro, and making it unclear as to where your intentions stand…at least with her. Hell, even Yukina could see you felt something for her, even if you don't act like it." He elaborated, before sighing.

For the first time in quite some time, a flicker of red flashed across his face, as he looked away from the fox. That explained more than he liked to admit out loud. But he couldn't take the kitsune's words at face value.

At that precise moment, a shockwave of pure priestess energy swam out from the nearby forest, and traveled gently over him. The familiarity of it made him turn from Kurama, the fight stopped in an instant. The blast was so massive it even earned the attention of those inside the palace who were accustomed with it. In moments, Yukina and Kuwabara were on the edge of the forest, with Hiei already far ahead.

Even as Hiei raced into the forest, Kagome relaxed as she took in a deep breath of air. She rubbed lightly at her neck which held a faint scratch from where the demon's claws had only briefly touched her. She looked at her clothes, which were covered in blood and demon insides. A sob was choked back in her throat as she held back a small scream. She had probably seen worse, but not in a long time, and this was the closest she'd come to death in months. Her veins pumped with adrenaline as she looked around, fearing another attack. A round, bloody object caught her attention and she grimaced before turning away. The head of her attacker lay innocently on the ground, with his face screwed up in terror. A shiver ran down her spine before she turned, hell-bent on returning to the palace. She took three steps before a ripple in space and time opened, and before she could react, darkness consumed her.

As the hiyoukai approached the clearing, he smelled blood – blood like a river. His heart pitched into his throat as he raced onward, only to pause in mid-jump. He nearly fell to the ground at the shock he received. There was blood on the ground, and on the trees, but there was no sign of Kagome. His eyes widened as he looked at the unbelievable carnage that lay around the small clearing. The young miko's scent permeated the air, but there was no evidence that she'd been there. "Kagome!" He screamed out, even as he ripped off the white cloth that covered the Jagan and did another scan of the area. His heart beat uncontrollably in his chest as adrenaline kicked into his system. There was nothing but the smell of death, until he saw the remains of whatever the miko had killed – a demon that he recognized from Mukuro's palace. Fear was immediately replaced by rage as he disappeared in a blur of black. She would pay for taking what was his. She would pay for each and every hair that was harmed upon the miko's head. Kurama didn't have a chance to question where he was going, but he silently followed the hiyoukai's aura – it wasn't difficult. He'd never felt the demon so enraged before. Kuwabara was next to find the clearing, alongside Yusuke.

"What the fuck happened here?" the toushin exclaimed, even as he froze at the carnage in the area. Kuwabara turned, feeling a little green as he covered up Yukina's eyes. "This isn't a sight for a lady." He muttered darkly before turning her back towards the palace. Yusuke, not fazed by the carnage in the least, raced on forward after Kurama and Hiei. "Keep Keiko and Yukina safe!" he shouted back before he disappeared through the foliage. The orange haired male pulled his mate close to him, feeling unsettled at the situation.

"Where is Kagome, Kazuma? What's going on?" she asked quickly, her crimson eyes filling with tears.

Kuwabara held her closer before shaking his head. "It'll be okay…the guys will find her. I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding." He said quietly, as he held his own anger and uncertainty in check. Yukina's fear completely overtook her composure as she started to actually cry. Kuwabara winced before rubbing her back gently, trying to soothe her even as he mentally prayed that his friends would find Kagome safe. He lifted her into his arms and made his way back to the palace, not speaking to Keiko who had eventually caught up to them. Worry filled her eyes and they all went inside to wait for the outcome.

The time it took Hiei to make it to Mukuro's compound only made his anger increase. At each leap and bound he cursed her and was only able to keep his demon side contained when he thought about how he would kill the leader of the Makai. He could sense Yusuke and Kurama following him, but it was not enough to deter him to slow down. If Mukuro had harmed her in any way, he was fairly certain that there would be no compound left in the demon realm.

The Mazoku woman didn't know what the hell she was doing. She knew that taking the miko was a bad idea. If the girl was randomly killed, she could pass it off as a freak accident. After all, she had been alone in the Makai – it was more than dangerous, and she knew that the girl was only human. But now it had turned into kidnapping, and she wasn't sure what to do with her. She was aware of her personality, and the way she would go after anything she wanted. Her devastating childhood could leave no room for anything else, however, the way she had fixated on Hiei was not healthy. She didn't recognize that though until she stared into the healing tank in her palace, which held the immobile and unconscious Kagome. The girl wasn't as she appeared from first glance. A negative opinion had formed in her head about the woman but she knew nothing about her besides the fact that she was a human. The woman's body was covered in scars, the most prominent being one along her side, which looked like something had tried to eat her, and one over her chest, between her breasts. It looked as if someone or something had punched her and put a hole completely through her. Other scars large and small covered her back and legs, showing that the girl wasn't as she appeared.

The most unusual thing about her was the thin sheen of pink that seemed to be growing the longer she was in the healing chamber. Irritation swept across her features as she turned from the girl. She knew that it wouldn't be long before she was found out and she had no idea how to explain herself. She didn't expect though that as she approached her chambers that someone else was already there, and they were pissed.

If she were in the right frame of mind, she would have felt fear.

"Why is Kagome here?" he questioned, his deep, baritone voice echoing lightly in the hallway.

The Mazoku woman didn't have an answer, hell, she didn't know how the Taiyoukai of the Western lands even knew that the miko was at her palace. When the woman didn't answer him, he flexed his hand, just once, and a tendril of yellow wrapped around her throat, not touching, but close enough that he could easily take her head off her shoulders. He was entertaining the thought quite seriously. His eyes flashed red as he sensed the call of the Shikon no Tama once more. Though he had not shown generous amounts of concern for Kagome in her lifetime, she was still his to protect. He had trusted the Reikai Tantei to protect her when he was not there, but this was something he had not anticipated. He knew that Mukuro had won the last tournament and that she was the leader of the Makai – what he didn't know was why he felt a burst of Kagome's energy followed by silence. The fact that he had felt the Shikon and it's movements didn't help.

"This, Sesshoumaru, will not repeat himself. Where is Kagome?" he asked, even as the energy whip inched closer to the demon's throat. Her eyes widened before they hardened. She hadn't even felt his energy gather for such an attack. She was in a very precarious situation and she knew it. "The girl is safe, and resting." She answered, hoping that that, at least, would suffice enough so that he wouldn't kill her.

"You have not answered my question. Who has harmed her, and where is her guard?" he questioned, his eyes flashing red as the magenta markings on his cheeks began to show. That much energy, enough to reach him, meant something had happened to Kagome. There was no other explanation. His energy was rising and Mukuro knew that if she didn't start talking she would be dead…but the fact that she was the one who injured her, and was going to kill her, guaranteed that it would be forthcoming either way unless she could figure out a way out of this mess. So the only question left, was to answer him, or not? A positively primeval smirk crossed her features as she strode a few centimeters closer to him, and the inevitable circlet of raw, crackling power around her throat came that much closer to breaking her pale skin.

"See if you can find her before my poison kills her, Taiyoukai." She said, before dropping down through the lasso, and taking her hair off in the process. Part of her scalp burned where the ring of energy had touched bare flesh, but she was alive, and now, she was able to fight.

Sesshoumaru stood there in rage as his hand closed around the ring of energy and his face began to elongate. The insolent wench would die by his hands. No one disrespected the Taiyoukai so easily, and certainly not this flippant demon who was far weaker than he. The Mazoku woman's eyes widened and before his transformation could complete she began to run. It was her palace, and she knew it like the back of her hand. That helped, as she darted into a corner and through a secret passage. She could hear the infamous dog-demon following her until he turned and darted towards the hidden space she was currently climbing down. A howl of unbridled fury echoed and shook her down to her bones, drawing the attention of her guards, what was left of them, and those who were just outside the perimeter of her compound. Hiei nearly dropped from mid-leap when he heard that howl, and it gave Yusuke and Kurama a chance to catch up with him. "Damn, Hiei, you've gotten faster." The toushin remarked, earning a glare before he went to dash off again.

"This place belongs to Mukuro, does it not?" The kitsune was bewildered and angered that the young miko would have been harmed at all, but to know it was done by a supposed ally had him seeing red.

The hiyoukai didn't answer, only pushed forward as he ran at top speed again. The sound that he had heard was vaguely familiar, though he couldn't place it. The guards looked to be in total disarray as they searched frantically for something. It was child's play to slip by them and into the compound itself. With the Jagan still blazing and heart hanging on a thread, he began the search for the young miko. Faint traces of her energy coated the place, but none were distinct. A massive wall of white turned the corner and crossed the length of the corridor in three strides, only enough time for Hiei to slide out of the way. That was a figure he could identify, though it had been years since he'd seen it. "Lord Sesshoumaru…" he said in a quiet, uncertain tone. If he was here, then he knew what had happened to Kagome. Anger filled his eyes, and self-loathing turned his fear into something darker and inexplicable. The girl had been harmed because he wasn't there for her. He knew that Mukuro's obsession was unhealthy; he knew it was wrong, but he did nothing to fix it, and he left the girl alone.

The giant form of the dog-demon gestured out through his head towards a doorway that was held off to the side. He had felt the call of the Shikon no Tama coming through loud and clear. He would have continued on to save his charge, but with Hiei there he knew she would be rescued. The slight against him however, would not so easily be cured, and his attention once more drew to the chase. Mukuro's life was all but extinguished.

Following the inuyoukai's unspoken directions, he went through the door that was pointed to, and found that he was in a healing chamber…one he recognized. The light was dull, and almost nonexistent. In the walls were random bumps and twists that he supposed brought energy to the room. In the center of it was a large tank, filled with a blue-tinted liquid. A lone figure rested quietly in the depths of that liquid, bare as the day she was born, save for an air mask that helped her breathe. The hiyoukai swallowed hard at the scene before him as he quietly approached the tank.

She looked unharmed, except for her face which was scrunched up in pain. He was certain, that if she could, she would be crying. Her arms were held around herself tightly, as if holding on to some memory, or reassuring herself that she wasn't alone. His expression softened as some of that rage evaporated. Moving quickly, he ascended the steps on the backside of the tank and turned the circular wheel that held a tight seal on it. In a burst of pink and mist, he drew her up from the water, and froze.

Around the limp girls arm was a dark patch of skin, purple and almost bruised looking. A needle that he hadn't noticed at first was dripping something into her veins – something that smelled foul and deadly. Without hesitation he drew the needle out, and along with it, some of her blood. The anger mixed with fear once more as he hopped down from the tank and tried to shake her awake. "Kagome, Kagome wake up…Kagome!" He jostled her shoulders and pushed her hair from her face so he could see her eyes, which were closed. A soft moan was muffled beneath the air mask, and he quickly ripped away the plastic implement. He knew little about poisons, but Kurama did. With a turn and an extension of his hand, he opened up the Jagan to it's fullest capacity and reached for the kitsune, whom he knew was at least nearby.

A handful of moments later the red-haired fox came rushing into the room, his heart in his throat at the information he'd been given. What he saw in that moment, would forever be burned into his memory. The naked, limp Kagome, in the arms of Hiei, who looked, at the moment, lost, and completely helpless. "Help her…I don't care who has to die, or what has to be done…help her, Kurama."

Swallowing thickly, he nodded and rushed to her side, to pull her arm up slightly and inspect the poison that was oozing from the tiny opening where the needle had been. The scent was familiar enough that he could get something to help her temporarily, but he didn't know what all the poison consisted of, not just on scent alone. Quickly he wrapped the small wound with leaves that would help counteract the poison initially, and the two moved her from the dank room to Mukuro's. Kurama was so focused on his patient that he didn't even comment on how Hiei knew where her room was.

They wrapped her in blankets and Hiei's own energy rose to produce heat in his hands. Without saying a word he began running them through her long, midnight colored hair. As he did, the moisture from the tank began to dry out and left the tresses limp alongside her body. He avoided touching her arm, leaving it exposed so that Kurama could every few moments place another plant over it. He had squeezed more of the dark substance from her arm, which drew even more blood with it. Hiei's eyes bled a darker red as he struggled to rein in his anger. Leaving her to deal with Mukuro would help no one. She needed him here, now, and no one would tear him from her side.

Another soft sound reached his ears and he turned his head to her face. Her lips were tinged a light blue, and her breathing was irregular, but there was a soft smile set on her features. Slowly, her eyes opened, as she awoke from her sleep-induced state.

She went to say something but a sound of pain destroyed that intent. She felt awful. Her entire body ached and it felt like she'd been beat up and hit by a car simultaneously. The only comfort she felt was the warmth of arms holding her, arms belonging to someone she hadn't expected. Surprise filled her eyes for a moment before it was gone.

"Hiei…" she murmured, as she rolled her eyes up to meet with his. She saw more emotion in those blood-red orbs than she'd ever seen in all the time she'd known him. Fear, anger, and even relief confused the hell out of her, though she took care not to show that.

"Kurama is here, you're going to be okay." He said, as if reassuring her. He took more comfort from the words than she did. She was floored that he was even trying. She didn't know what happened, or where she was, but she assumed it was bad. She remembered flashes of a demon rushing at her and her eyes widened in fear as a sound of terror slipped from her lips. Without thinking he wrapped his arms tighter around her.

"Don't be afraid. I'm here." He said, his tone fierce, as if he were willing her to believe in him. The scent of her fear sent his protective instincts into hyper-drive and he growled low, a tone that was soothing, and the gentlest sound she'd ever heard. It reminded her of nights that Inuyasha used to comfort her, back before everything had fallen apart.

Her eyes closed at that sound, and a murmur of contentment slipped from her lips before unconsciousness pulled her under again. Hiei blinked gently at the sound of silence before he lifted his eyes to Kurama. The kitsune had been quiet during the exchange, and there was a knowing smile on his lips that turned Hiei's expression into one of annoyance. "Not one word."

Kurama held up his hands in a placating gesture. "I'm not Yusuke." He said with a smirk, before he moved back to identify whatever it was that Mukuro had poisoned the young miko with.

A few minutes later the door opened again, and Sesshoumaru walked in. He looked as pristine and unruffled as usual, though his eyes were still bleeding red. He looked over the room before his eyes fell on the bundle in Hiei's arms and he closed the distance between them. The hiyoukai pulled the girl closer into his arms and made a very distinct warning sound from the back of his throat. Though he knew the Taiyoukai, and knew that he had, at one time, been a protector of the young miko, the girl didn't have a close relationship with him.

Surprise flitted across his features before he growled back lightly, a warning of his own. Kurama stepped between the two before saying, "Now, now you two." He earned two, identical looks of irritation before he pointed to the infected and oozing wound on Kagome's arm. "She is our priority, don't you think?" Each looked to one another before nodding gently – a sign of truce. The taiyoukai touched a hand to the wound, earning a soft sound from the sleeping girl and more of the poison from the opening. He placed a single claw in his mouth to taste the unidentified substance before nodding to himself as if coming to some sort of conclusion.

"She will live." He said simply, before he leaned down and licked the open wound lightly. Shock made Hiei's eyes widen for only a moment, until he saw the saliva of the Taiyoukai coat the wound. Even that one gesture dissolved what little poison was visible into a clear pool of water. He held the girl tighter to his form, watching as Sesshoumaru continued to lick the wound and apply more saliva. The unconventional antidote seeped into the wound and spread, turning that dark spot on her arm back to her skin's normal shade. The process lasted a good five minutes before the stoic lord moved back from her and placed a hand upon her forehead. Satisfied with his external investigation, he flicked is eyes to Hiei. "This, Sesshoumaru, trusted you to protect her, hiyoukai. I expected this sort of behavior from my half-brother, but not from you."

A low growl of irritation slipped from his lips, before it stalled. For a moment he felt confusion – the Taiyoukai had singled him out. He was part of a team, but Sesshoumaru had said he trusted him to protect her. It wasn't that big of a deal, but the choice of words was intriguing. "Why was Mukuro allowed to touch Kagome?" he questioned, breaking through Hiei's thoughts.

For a moment the hiyoukai was silent before he replied, "There are no excuses so I will make none." Kurama backed up a few steps, unsure of what was about to happen. He didn't want to get in a fight with the Taiyoukai of the West, because, honestly, he didn't know that even between himself and Hiei if they would win.

The explanation though seemed to suffice for Sesshoumaru, as he nodded and moved to stand. "I trust it will not happen again." He glanced to Kurama before moving to leave. It seemed as if his work was done. Hiei moved slightly, but loathed to let go of the young miko, but Sesshoumaru had never said what happened to Mukuro. As the Taiyoukai walked out of the door, he looked to Kurama. The kitsune had no desire to talk further with Sesshoumaru, but he, too, needed to know what had happened to the Mazoku woman.

He walked out of the room but paused when he saw Yusuke eyeing the Taiyoukai. He moved to say something but Kurama's frantically waving hands stopped him. Ignoring the Lord, he moved to stand in front of the kitsune. "You didn't see what he did to her. I did." He said, his tone dark and pissed.

Shaking his head, he said, "She took what was under his protection. She brought whatever happened to her upon herself." The fox explained. Yusuke frowned deeply before saying, "No one deserved that. And now Koenma's going to be on my ass because the Leader of the Makai is dead. This is bullshit." He cursed, before he asked, "Where the hell is Kagome? This is partly her fault too."

A wave of malice permeated the hallway before a chill of ice could be felt. The door was open and Hiei heard every word that the detective had said. Kurama placed a hand on Yusuke's shoulder. "Kagome was attacked. None of this was her fault. Mukuro was going to kill her."

Eyes widened in complete surprise before he asked, "What? Why in the hell would she want to kill Kagome? I didn't think the two even knew one another."

A sigh slipped from the kitsune's lips. "Mukuro was jealous of her, as far as I can figure."

"Why the hell would Mukuro be jealous of Kagome? She was the leader of the Makai for kami's sake! Kagome's just a weak human, hunted by demons all the time for that stupid jewel." He exclaimed, earning a low growl from the other room.

Kurama was a bit glad now that Hiei was preoccupied with Kagome, or they might all be down one teammate. His expression darkened at what Yusuke had said before he replied, "There is much to be jealous of when it comes to Kagome. Especially since she held the one thing that Mukuro has wanted since she met Hiei."

Yusuke looked completely clueless, earning another sigh from the kitsune. Sometimes he wondered if he would see the day when Yusuke would have any great mindset into females and their thoughts. Probably not. "Hiei cares about Kagome."

The toushin blinked before he said, "Of course he does, she's our friend! What does that have to do with anything?"

An irritated tick formed at the edge of the fox's head before he said, "Mukuro is not Hiei's friend. He is an ally to her, and nothing more." He explained, beating around the bush on purpose because he knew that if he outright said that Hiei more or less loved Kagome that Yusuke wouldn't believe it.

He blinked once, twice, before recognition dawned on him. "Ohhhh…" Kurama rolled his eyes before saying, "You see?"

He nodded once before saying, "But then why did he go with her all of those times? It seemed like they were close…" he questioned.

"He was protecting us, I think." Though Kurama didn't know the entire reason for Hiei's departures, he knew that it was, partly, to draw attention away from him and the team. Maybe, in a way, Hiei was also subconsciously protecting Kagome. The thought was, in a way, comforting. From inside the room the hiyoukai growled again. He hated being thought of in such a light, even if it were true.

"Well…I guess I need to talk to the toddler." He muttered before turning to walk down the hallway. "I'd get back to my palace if I were you. This place will be crawling when word spreads that Mukuro is dead."

Nodding quietly he turned to go into the bedroom, before pausing. Hiei was there at the doorway with Kagome held bridal style in his arms. She was wrapped in a number of blankets and looked peacefully asleep. No words were spoken as the three left the desolated palace and headed to their respective destinations.

It was more than a day before Kagome awoke again, though Hiei had kept his constant vigilance. It was such a rare instance that most of the team kept a wide berth from the irritable hiyoukai. While he watched over her, the entire political structure of the Makai was disintegrating and reforming under new leadership. Already demons were clamoring for another Tournament while Koenma was trying to figure out just what in the hell happened. Thankfully, Sesshoumaru settled all the arguments and disputes by announcing that since he was the one to kill the Mazoku woman, he would be the one to finish off her term. Sesshoumaru didn't like the idea of ruling the entirety of the Makai, but depending on how it went, he was thinking it might be a good political move for the Taisho's as a whole. He was his father's son after all, and quite ambitious.

The political scene had been upheaved, and settled in the time it took for Kagome to awaken. It was nearing sundown when she finally opened her eyes. Twilight streamed mixed colors of red and purple into the room from the window, and cast strange shadows on the floor. The blanket over her was warm, and soft, something that comforted her though she wasn't sure what was going on, and she didn't quite remember what had happened. Flashes of terror drug up from the recesses of her mind had her shooting off the bed and reaching for something, anything to reassure her unstable world. Hands that were for the most part unfamiliar wrapped around her own, startling her as she whirled towards the owner. Terror-filled eyes switched to surprise as sapphire met blood red irises. "Hiei…?" she questioned softly before she slowly relaxed. "What's going on? What happened?" She questioned, her tone raising a fraction, though she kept a fairly tight rein on her emotions. She knew that if Hiei was there, it must have been bad, but she couldn't remember what had happened after she killed that demon in the forest.

The hiyoukai didn't know how to begin so he began with the most obvious. "Mukuro happened." He stated, taking unusual pleasure in holding her hands, even as they began to shake under his own.

"Mukuro did this?" she questioned, her tone filling with disbelief.

"She was jealous of you." Hiei said, though his voice darkened at the words. Mukuro had nearly killed her. In one moment, the Mazoku woman could have taken her out, and he might not have ever seen her again.

Kagome didn't understand what was going on. Mukuro had said that Hiei was going to live with her – she wasn't a threat anymore, in any sense of the word. Her throat closed up a little, turning her semi-calm breaths into small choking sounds for a second. She was no threat to Kikyou either, but look at all she had endured at the hands of the jealous un-dead miko.

She turned the broken sounds into a small, fake laugh, "She nearly got me, I take it." She said, as she tried to hide her expression with a nonchalant look. A flash of his face in her mind, and the words 'I'm here', had her eyes softening in quiet sadness. Mukuro had failed to kill her, but what happened to her? Questions were held on the tip of her tongue as she looked away from him. Why was he here with her, when he should have been with the Mazoku woman?

Hiei watched as calm, turned to pain, and then to sadness as she broke eye contact with him; the atmosphere turned tense as each struggled with their feelings; feelings that were new, and uncertain, and all too fragile in their infancy. She became intimately aware of his hands over hers, but she couldn't find the strength to pull them away.

Hiei's recent argument with Kurama came rushing back, before all of this began, and he frowned. Kagome thought she was expendable, as was clear by her tone and the way she was, even now, pulling away from him. Scrambling to reassure her, and worried that she wasn't all right, he said sharply, "She went too far." His tone turned darker, as anger filled him. If Kagome had been lost to Mukuro's mercenary, how would he have reacted? Normally he didn't waste time dwelling on the 'what ifs' in life, but this one stuck with him and had him instantly restless. The tension grew further as Kagome fought to figure out what to say.

"So...she felt threatened by me?" She asked quietly, more to herself than to him, though her expression remained sad. "She never needed to be. This contest…was over long before it started." She lifted her head to look at him, trying once more to hide her true feelings as she held back what she was starting to feel for him, and once more, tried to concede the race so that Hiei could be happy. If he never knew about her feelings, he could go on and be with Mukuro, and she could fade into the background once more. Her voice was a little strained as she said, "Tell her that…maybe she'll stop worrying about me then."

Hiei quickly looked up to her face, wondering what she meant. Mukuro was gone, didn't she realize that? Didn't she know that Sesshoumaru had torn the woman limb from limb, literally, for daring to harm her? Her statements were confusing and confusion just added to his anger and uneasiness. "What the hell does that mean?" he questioned, his voice rising with his irritation as he saw that guarded and strained expression on her face. Just what the hell was she trying to hide from him? And why did it piss him off so much that she did?

"What do you mean, 'what does that mean'?" Kagome asked, lifting her head as a some of her own anger rose to meet his. She was tired of him always raising his voice to her when she spoke to him. She all but ripped her hands from his as she leaned back, anger radiating from every fiber of her being. They didn't speak often, but lately whenever they were in the same room as one another, they were fighting. "Tell her that she's the only woman you're looking at and that I'm not competition. Then maybe she'll stop trying to kill me…" she pointed at herself, "…and leave me the hell alone!" It was like Kikyou all over again. She just wanted the woman to leave her alone – but at every turn the undead miko was pulling her into pits, wrapping her up in spirit snakes, and making her watch as Inuyasha poured out his soul to her – showing emotion that Kagome could only dream he would show to her. "I'm tired of being tormented by jealous girlfriends who obviously have nothing to worry about!" she shouted, as her eyes sparkled with tears even as she struggled to hold onto her anger. Anger was better than sorrow right now – the last thing she wanted to do was appear weak in front of Hiei. He was the one member of the team that would think of her least because of it. He had made no secret dislike for weakness, and Kagome knew there were a lot of weaknesses that she held on to that she didn't have the heart, or the spirit, to conquer.

Yukina, who had heard the shouting coming from the bedroom, managed to sneak to the partially open doorway. She moved to enter the fray, and break up the fight, but a hand held her back. Her head tilted up to meet the eyes of her mate, and he shook his head. He also heard the arguing but knew by personal experience that the only way for them to get this sorted out was to talk it through. Even if they were fighting, at least they were talking to one another, and that was a step forward in his mind. Yukina's eyes held uncertainty, but she held her ground, watching to see how this would play out.

There was nothing that could distract Hiei from his current train of thought, not even the two eavesdroppers who were watching on with baited breath and worry. "What in the hell are you talking about, you crazy onna?" he shouted back, his eyes instantly wide with disbelief. She thought that he wanted to be with Mukuro? What in the world gave her that idea? "I don't want to 'look' at Mukuro, I had no desire to be with her!" he continued, his eyes flashing a darker red as he tried to figure out just where the hell she got the idea that he ever wanted to be in a relationship with the Mazoku woman. Then again, Kurama had mentioned Mukuro before, and how he seemed to be at her beck and call. He frowned at the thought.

Kagome's eyes furrowed in confusion. "But she said you were…she said you agreed to stay with her." The young miko replied, her ire fading slightly under the wave of confusion, and the complete bewilderment that rested on Hiei's face. "And whenever she calls…you go. No questions asked." She added quietly, as her eyes shifted away from his. She sounded like a jealous girlfriend, and though she was jealous, she knew she had no claim over him when he was someone else's.

"I was going to be training her guard! Of course I'd be staying on the compound!" He shouted, as if he needed to in order for her to understand. He had been worrying about her as she pulled away from him, and now it was starting to become a little clearer. Kagome thought that he and Mukuro were an item and didn't want to interfere in that – but in order for that to cause her such pain, that meant that he had to mean something to her to begin with. Was Kurama right, after all?

Kagome's mouth opened, and then closed. She didn't know what to say. Of course, it wouldn't be the first time that someone had lied to her, or twisted the truth around to suit them. But what would Mukuro gain from this? Just because she worked to move Kagome out of the picture, did not mean that Hiei would suddenly fall in love with her. Of course, that also did not mean that Hiei would fall in love with the miko, either, and there was an almost certain possibility that he did not and would not ever care for her like that. Yet, Kagome held onto hope, though it was fragile.

Slowly, sapphire eyes lifted to look into Hiei's. The hiyoukai's irritation was swept away by the stormy expression on her face. It was pained, torn, and anxious, something he could identify with. It was as if she were waiting for the fallout, or trying to come to a decision about something. Finally, she looked away, without saying anything, because she had realized something else as she looked into his eyes: Mukuro or not, this new revelation changed nothing. Kurama still had showed interest in her, and though she adored the kitsune, she did not ever think she would ever love him romantically, and it would be disastrous to start a serious relationship with Hiei when Kurama would be there to see it every day. She had been that person once upon a time, and she would not put Kurama in that situation.

Confusion blossomed on Hiei's face as he looked at the deflated miko, unaware of the turmoil she kept hidden inside, just so she could spare the feelings of those around her. She held so much back because she cared too much about them to ever hurt them – in any way. They may not have been as close to her as her friends in the past, but they were her present, her here and now, and they were precious to her, whether any of them understood that fully or not. She had no idea that Kurama's attentions were that of a friend, and nothing more. He only wished to see his friends happy, and though he too, adored Kagome, he did not love her in the romantic sense. She had too big of a heart to mesh well with his calculating logic.

"I didn't realize that…I'm sorry I yelled at you." Kagome said softly as she tried to pull herself back together. She had almost revealed those emotions that she'd kept hidden from him – somehow, over the course of the years she'd known him, and the little things she had learned about him in that time, she had fallen for him. He wasn't brash, like Inuyasha, or at least in the way Inuyasha was. He was calm most of the time, but volatile in certain situations. He was strong, and could be depended on. His word was his bond. He was oftentimes quiet, but if she waited long enough, she could sense him, in the trees, or around the temple, just watching over everyone and keeping guard over them all from things that go bump in the night. Part of that was because of Yukina, she knew, but she secretly hoped that some of that constant vigilance was because of her, too. Even though they had not spoken to one another, she had learned things from Kurama and Yukina, both, and then of course, were the stories from Yusuke and Kuwabara, about times when they had first met, and the fierce loyalty that they had earned from the hiyoukai. Though he would not admit it, he was loyal to the team – he had learned to trust them, and a part of Kagome longed to earn that trust as well. Her heart ached a little because for a moment, she felt left out. She didn't have anyone anymore that she put her full faith in, and no one, who put their faith in her. Her throat closed up a moment before she lifted her head, her trademark smile on her lips. "It was my mistake." She continued, past the blockage, even as her eyes shimmered a bit more brightly with unshed tears. 'It's over, Kagome. Get a grip, and get over it. You can do it.' She silently encouraged herself. It was time to bury those emotions completely. She wouldn't run away, but the distance she had created between herself and both koorime twins would just get bigger. She promised herself that it would go no further than this. She would not ruin this group's harmony with her selfish emotions.

Hiei's eyes widened imperceptibly as he felt her aura pulling away from him. He'd never felt anything like this before, but he had noticed that ever since he met her, there was a tangible weight to her power, and when they had become friends, her power was always around him, and the team. It was as if she were protecting them all in her own way, or tagging them, like a dog scent-marks a favorite object. Now though, he felt the opposite, as if she were dragging all of those threads away from the people she cared about and was holding it all in. He never realized how used he'd gotten to feeling her presence all around him, even when he was nowhere near her, and now he knew the reason why. She had put an involuntary claim over him that he'd never noticed before. She had wanted him near her always, even before he had learned that she cared about him. What did that mean now, that she was taking that invisible blanket away? He couldn't handle it – it was as if she were rejecting him, but the pain that he'd seen, and the pain he felt from her now told him a different story. Who was she protecting by hurting herself? Was this his fault? His head spun before he closed the gap between them and shouted, "Stop!" This crawling feeling over his skin of her power leaving him was too much to take, and his entire body began to react to it. Somehow…he couldn't imagine Kagome not being there, around him.

Kagome jumped at Hiei's shout as he stepped forward, his eyes wide, and dare she say it, fearful. "Don't do this, Kagome!" he said as his hand clamped down over her wrist. His grip was tight, possessive, but his hand was the one shaking now. It was as if he were a small child, and someone told them they were going away. She didn't understand that that's exactly how he felt – Hiei had lost many people in his lifetime, to death, and to abandonment, but Kagome was the first one that had never betrayed him before they did it. Kagome leaving did not mean betrayal – she was not that sort of person. She was leaving to spare someone, or maybe all of them. Hiei hadn't quite figured which one it was just yet. Emotionally, she was pulling away to save them from feeling pain – no one had sacrificed themselves like that for him before. Yusuke nearly died a hundred times to save him, but no one had emotionally hurt themselves to save him from feeling pain. Kagome thought so much of them, and him, and yet none of them fully comprehended the hells she would walk through to keep them happy. He was starting to understand now, but all he knew was that he never wanted her to go, and he'd do anything, anything, to see her truly happy.

He briefly questioned if he'd ever seen her absolutely happy.

His eyes lifted to hers as he felt her hand on his. Her expression softened, as it filled with anguish, and a tenderness he'd never seen in her face before. "Hiei, I…" she swallowed hard. It was becoming more and more difficult to hold back, to refuse the darker side of herself that just wanted to show love and be loved. It was a part of herself that she'd forced into hiding because of Inuyasha and Kikyou, and now it was showing itself again, because whether or not she admitted it aloud, her heart already knew how much she cared for Hiei, and it was not above torturing its host at each and every opportunity until it was recognized. "…please…I…I can't. Kurama…" she pleaded. Kurama was the one she was trying to protect, as well as the dynamic of the team. She did not want to be the reason it went to rack and ruin – she would not be the cause of ruining Hiei's family, because that's what it was to them, she knew.

Yusuke thought of Kuwabara as a brother, and though he had his mother, he felt closer to the team than to her. He had his wife-to-be, Keiko, and his grandmother, Genkai. Kurama had his family, but none of them truly knew about him, while the team did. He cared about them as if they were his own flesh and blood. Kuwabara had his sister, but he had his mate Yukina, and his 'brother', Yusuke. They all had one another, and she would not break those ties and create tension among them. They were a family that she only wished to be a part of – she had no idea that some of them wished she would only open up completely to them so they could create the same type of tie to her as well. They were ready to accept her fully, but Kagome, emotionally, had not been…until now. Now she was ready, but to protect them, she would keep herself orbiting around them, a lone electron around a nucleus of protons, if only they would remain happy and safe.

"What about Kurama?" Hiei questioned, his tone hesitant, but firm. He needed her to be honest with him. Maybe the kitsune was wrong about her caring for him, but he wouldn't know for sure until she told him straight-up. She didn't lie, but she kept many, many secrets from them all, and he could not, no matter how gifted he was, read her mind.

"He likes me, that's what!" Kagome was starting to lose it, as her own hand tightened around his. "I can't do that to him! I can't care for you and make him suffer for it! I won't do it! I care about him too much!" Her eyes shimmered with tears, and she tried to pull away – the attempt was unsuccessful as Hiei's expression softened. For the first time in his entire life, he saw true suffering. To deny your heart's desire to protect someone you care about had to be maddening. He'd never done that, save for one person – Yukina. Though he didn't like Kuwabara all that much, and he didn't believe in his abilities, he had put aside those feelings for her happiness. It wasn't that much of a sacrifice, but he imagined that Kagome's torment was worse. She couldn't love him because it would hurt someone who was also dear to her. She was so selfless that she would inflict pain upon herself to spare another. If she would do that for someone she cared about…how deeply did it mean that she could love another? To what lengths would she go for someone she loved?

Quietly, and with her struggling the entire way, he pulled her tightly to his form, and held her there within his grips. She never shouted, or screamed – she just kept saying, "Let me go, let me go. Please, just let me go!" Over and over, as if it were her own personal chant. Kagome, though she fought tooth and nail against him, did not have the strength to pull away – and that dark part of herself that she kept hidden, wept at the chance to finally be showed love, even in this small way.

She struggled against him for a good few minutes before she broke down completely. Her eyes swelled with tears, and her body shook with repressed pain and anguish. Years of holding everything in came out in minutes. "Inuyasha died because of me…Kikyou took him to hell because I didn't love him enough…I should have stayed, I should have stayed…I can't do this again, I won't…I won't ruin your relationship with Kurama…I won't lose someone again…I won't make him suffer…I won't hurt you that way!" she cried out, revealing parts of herself to the hiyoukai that no other had heard before.

Small taps could be heard in the hallway as Kuwabara held his slightly shaking mate to his form. Tears that she had held back fell down her cheeks as she heard Kagome's sobs, and her admissions of guilt she had felt for years. The koorime didn't have a clue as to who Kagome truly was, and she blamed herself for causing the young miko more pain by drawing her into this web of deceit and trying to force her hand with her twin. The orange-haired man's hands rubbed soothing circles on the woman's lower back before whispering, "She needed this…she needed to be open with her past. It was hurting her, Yukina, you haven't done anything wrong...you've helped her…"

"She's crying, Kazuma! I made her cry!" she whispered back through tears, as she clung to the front of his clothing.

His expression gentled, before he shook his head, and brought up his hands to place on her cheeks, as he tilted her head up to look at him. Dark colored eyes met with crimson for a matter of moments before he leaned down and kissed her. He could remember days when he was clumsy and awkward around her, but those days had since passed and he grew confident in her love of him. The motion was tender and gentle, and reflected all of the love he held for her in it. The distraction stilled her tears as she returned the kiss gently, leaning against him as he held her. The kiss broke slowly as he leaned up to kiss her forehead tenderly. "Better?" he questioned gently, as he gave her a smile.

The koorime had the audacity to blush and nod before she leaned back into him. She had lost control a moment there, and maybe he was right. Kagome needed love and affection – she needed the attention of someone who cared about her, and Yukina knew, deep down, that Hiei was the person for the job, even if he was still unaware of that fact. As her head tilted towards the scene they were spying on, she realized that maybe he was more aware than even she believed.

In the fairly quiet room, Hiei had no words to comfort the young miko, but he didn't need them. A minute passed, and then two, as her tears subsided. He quickly looked down to her stilling form, worried about what he would find. "Please…" Kagome's soft, whispered voice broke through his thoughts. "…please let me go." There was something in her voice that veritably asked him not to deny her this. Quietly, he complied as he slipped his arms away from her, though he was still watching her intently. He didn't trust her in this compromised state. He'd never seen her cry before. Was that a strength? Or a weakness? He couldn't decide quite yet.

She leaned back from him and quickly wiped at her eyes. "I'm sorry I did that to you…" her eyes lifted to meet his. Confusion clouded his crimson iris's as he fought to understand her mindset. He'd had a better time fighting Sensui than he had understanding her.

"You are human…it is normal for you to show emotion." He replied, his tone neutral – as if he were dealing with a suicidal jumper and not a human woman. Who could tell the difference at this point in time?

"It makes me weak!" she shouted, as she switched from docile woman, to desperate fighter. "I struggle and train and fight and learn so hard for everyone…I don't want to be a burden to anyone ever again. If I get better…I won't feel like I'm bringing them down! Then no one can say that I'm weak, or useless, or pathetic…no one can say that I'm not as good…no one can toss me aside…because I won't need anyone's approval! I'll be my own person! I'll have my own strength and my own life…and I won't be that stupid 15 year old girl anymore!" she explained, her voice straining with the desperation within it.

Hiei could only watch as the girl - the happy-go-lucky, but sometimes sad girl - that he'd known for ten years, transformed into a stranger he didn't know. She was insecure, but strong. She was loving, but scared. She helped all of them more times than he could count, but the girl before him looked as though she had been completely abandoned. He'd been in her position before – he knew what it was like to be forgotten – to be shunned, and tossed aside. He knew, more than she did, about being abandoned. He understood everything she'd said, and that, perhaps, was the most terrifying piece of information that he had ever learned about her. He did not know that anyone else could feel so…alone. He had struggled for strength, to be recognized and feared. Once upon a time…he wished to be loved and cared for. He had since abandoned that foolish hope, that is, until she came along. She had shown him kindness, and she had cared for him in numerous ways. He had given her nothing in return for that kindness. She had never asked for anything, either.

Now, Kagome was pleading with him, silently, for one thing, and one thing only.

Kagome only wished to be loved.

Was he capable of that? Was he willing and able to give her that? Was he confident enough in himself, that he could meet her expectations? Could he stand it if he disappointed her? Quietly, he shook his head, before he leaned forward, towards her. He was not a quitter, and he didn't give up even when things seemed impossible. Though a small part of his rational brain told him that he was a fool, on a fool's errand, he pressed forward, as he took a seat fully on the edge of the bed. Delaying this any further wasn't his style – he was a demon of action, not of dawdling.

"You are human…and you…" he paused, searching for the right word. "…care. You…care…about other people. You do not judge anyone, be they demon, or human. Your ideals, and sense of justice are strong, and you fight for those ideals, instead of just spouting them. The fact that you fight for them…proves your strength." He paused, not sure how to continue. He was just saying things he felt for a long time – he didn't know what good they would do to tell her, but this slightly hysterical Kagome was a bit unnerving. So, he fought against that feeling, and gathered his mental strength. He wasn't so weak that he would back down from her.

Kagome's eyes shot open – he had praised her more in two seconds than she could remember him praising anyone else in the entire time she'd known him. Hiei quickly turned his head from her surprised expression. He was irritated that it had such an effect. A few words, and she was calming from her previous uproar. Maybe it was nothing to begin with, but now that he'd started, he sure as hell wasn't going to stop.

"You have the capacity to love any creature you run into, be they good or bad for you. They betray you, and you forgive them. You hold nothing back, and nothing against them. You know nothing about them, and you give everything you have for them…" Hiei's anger grew, his uneasiness and his uncertainty. He hated that about her, and yet, counted on it. "…how can you care for someone like me? How can you show your compassion to someone like me? I have done every possible sin to human and demon kind, yet you stand there and tell me that you're the one who is weak! That you care about me?" He was tempted to call her a liar, but Kagome couldn't lie. Her scent and aura could not deceive him, not after all of this time. As she calmed, his ire had flared, and he stood there not knowing which way was up, or which was down.

"You don't see yourself clearly..."

"And you do?"

"…you…think only of the past. As I do. But…what you just said…reminded me that…I've changed. I'm still caring, and I'll help anyone…but I'm stronger now, and I'm not that 15 year old girl anymore." Her eyes softened as she managed a little smile for him. "The only person holding me back…and thinking I'm weak…is…me." Her expression warmed, as she discovered that. A heat blossomed in her chest. She was strong. Hiei had said it…so it must be true. She clung to that like a life raft, and lifted her eyes to meet his as she continued. "I'm different…so, I have to ask…are you the same as you were when you were young?"

He stared at her a moment, mulling over her question. It wasn't a hard question, but he wondered if she were trying to change the topic of conversation. Finally, he shook his head. No, he wasn't the same as he when he was a child. When he was younger, there was no chance of him ever becoming friends with a human, let alone as many as he was now. Keiko, Shizuru, Kuwabara, and Kagome, not to mention the few others he knew, like Kurama's family. Of course, not all of those relationships were close, but it was enough that he would give his life to protect them. Additionally, he never imagined a close relationship with his sister, or with a group of people. They were his own sort-of family – forged from life experiences and things that were stronger than that of simple 'blood'.

No…he was very different than when he was younger.

Kagome smiled softly before she glanced back down, towards the blankets, which were hiding most of her form beneath them. There were still some issues to deal with – such as Kurama. HIei watched as she turned her concentration away from him. "I'm not going to change my mind, HIei. I won't hurt Kurama just so I can be happy."

"What about me?" he questioned, anger bubbling in his voice. She kept mentioning Kurama, but he cared about her, didn't she get that yet? Would she deny him to save Kurama's sensibilities? Not to mention the fox already said that he wasn't interested in Kagome in a romantic way. Would she toss him aside because of the kitsune's feelings?

Kagome looked taken aback. "…you?" she replied, with a small voice, her eyes searching his. "Wouldn't you be upset if you and Kurama weren't friends anymore? If I was the cause of that?" she questioned, her voice earnest, almost pleading.

"If something as trivial as a woman came between us, then he is not the demon I thought he was."

"Trivial?" Kagome questioned, her voice raising a few pitches. She was 'trivial' to him?

"Yes. Kurama is calculating, and wouldn't let anyone come between us no matter whom or what they were. I feel the same. We have been friends for longer than any mortal life. If we were speaking of any normal person coming between us, it would be no question. You are important to Kurama, just as you are to me. No matter what happens between us, he would not let that affect our friendship. He benefits too much from it, and holds it more dearly than he ever would another person." He spoke, showing that he had deep insight into the kitsune's psyche. They were friends, but he did not take that lightly. He knew the fox, just as Kurama knew him – which in hindsight made the hiyoukai glare mentally. The fox was a meddling bastard, that knew him entirely too much for his comfort.

Kagome's expression gentled before she turned her head to the side, smiling a little. Of course – that also just proved how close they were to one another. It made her even more wary of her feelings, and breaking that harmony. She nearly jumped when a warm hand touched her cheek. She shifted her eyes up to meet with Hiei's red ones. A small flush filled her cheeks, which just made Hiei smirk. It was rare to see her blush, so he took intense enjoyment from the fact that he'd made her do that. "So…what does this mean?" she questioned softly.

"It means you don't have to be afraid anymore, miko. Kurama will support us. You will not be hurting him." He replied. "If there is a problem, it will be mine to deal with, not yours. I will protect you now."

"I don't want you to protect me." She said, her tone turning a little severe as she sighed and moved to pull away.

"I don't care what you want, onna." He said, his hold firming as he held her there. "It is what a demon does for his mate."

"Mate?" she questioned, her eyes widening a small fraction.

He gave her a pointed look, one that didn't need explaining. Of course he wouldn't do anything else but go all in. He was not a demon who did things half-assed. He had learned of Kagome's conviction and her feelings towards him – he was not willing to let her just slip through his fingers.

She couldn't help but smile. All things considered, it could be worse. And if he wasn't complaining or upset…quietly, she leaned forward into his touch. The movement was hesitant, but her eyes showed how much it meant to her – to have him touch her in even this gentle motion. "I think…I'm okay with that." He looked incredulously at her a minute before he saw her serene smile. He'd never seen her so happy. He hadn't expected her to show him affection like that, but he didn't mind it. It was new, mind-numbing, and wholly welcome.

He'd done that. He'd made her practically shine with happiness. He had the power all along. It had just taken her to bring it out of him. There was a thrumming warmth that started at his heart, and shifted out to take over his entire body. This warmth that blossomed in his chest…was this what his mother had sought as she found his father? Was this warmth what kept her going even when the villagers had thrown him away? Was this what she had shared with Yukina, to make her the gentle, caring koorime she was today? This feeling of utter contentment, and wonder – Kagome had given him this freely, though he didn't feel he deserved it. She gave it completely, and without ulterior motive. His eyes moved to meet with hers, as he reached for her and drew her close in a tight embrace. She fit easily in his arms, and a gentle, content sigh escaped her lips.

He knew, without a doubt, that she was his, and only his. He had found his warmth, in a sea of ice.

The journey wouldn't be easy, but neither was willing to back down. They'd both fought too hard, and waited too long to find this contentment – even if they hadn't known where it would be found.

From the shadows, two people smiled gently to one another before retreating, very satisfied with themselves.

Life just got more interesting…and more hectic.

However, neither could say they minded one little bit.

/THE END