Hiya! Got another for you all! Hope you like it!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho.

Summary: It's Christmastime and Kurama is finally going to see his mother (Shiori) and the gang (Yusuke and 'em) since he lost touch with them about five or so years ago. But, while he's at his mother's house, he finds himself the target of two very different demons, one he seems to know from his past years, and another that wants to end his life and perhaps the life of Shiori as well. Kurama is caught juggling that situation along with trying to have a normal Christmas with his family and friends and also advancing his relationship with Hiei- not that the latter two are troublesome for him. (Ahem...slight shounen-ai, but nothing, as with my other fics, too serious.)

Note: In this story, anything that happened after the Spirit Detective saga (episodes 1-25, I believe) has not taken place. Some of the characters from the other sagas will be used in this story.

Now that that's all clear...enjoy!

1

Kurama gripped the handle tighter, leaning to the side as the train jerked forward. He moved his legs further apart, attempting to better his balance. The train car was full nearly to the brim with commuters, and he was stuck in the middle of it. The air smelled like stale cigarette smoke and urine, two very unpleasant odors that Kurama tried his best to ignore.

Ordinarily, Kurama didn't take the train. It was just his luck that the one week he needed to travel the most was the one week his car broke down. Kurama was ignorant when it came to car care; the poor hunk of metal was sitting in a shop in town, possibly raking in a large profit for the crooked dealers who ran the place.

That evening, he was on his way to the suburbs around town to visit his mother while stopping by to see his friends as well. It had been a long train ride; the car was full when he boarded an hour earlier, and showed no signs of letting up.

He'd chosen the worst time to travel, the time people on normal schedules referred to as rush hour. Kurama worked in a field where he chose he own hours, and if he ever did take public transportation, it was a time when most people were at home.

The train pulled to a stop at a station where commuters could switch to another train if they had to. Kurama's ride was a straight shot down, end of the line. The train car began to empty and the air was replenished by the cool winter breeze that was allowed entry. Kurama debated whether or not to grab a seat before the people standing on the platform invaded in the newly freed space, but he couldn't make up his mind.

He was tired of standing up and knew that he had at least an hour more to go. On the other hand, there was always something to make him regret having a seat. Once he did snag a chair, someone would come stand around him, and they would breathe down his neck, or smack gum in his ear. They'd cough or sneeze without covering their mouth. They'd stare at his red hair, and sometimes have the gall to touch it with their sweaty hands. They'd smell like they hadn't had a shower in a while, or like cigarettes, and they'd lean against him when the train tilted, or came to a stop. But he was tired. He could deal with it, at least for a while.

Kurama snaked towards the end of the car to sit down, away from most of the people boarding. There, people were sleeping or reading, or listening to music through headphones. He was relieved when he found an open spot, and he quickly took it. The announcer's voice came through the hum of the growing crowd, telling them where they were and what the next stop would be, then informing them on how long it would take to get there.

Kurama settled back and relaxed, holding his shoulder bag on his lap in front of him and setting his overnight bag in the crook between the seat and the train wall. The floor looked clean, but he doubted it really was. He hoped he wouldn't have to regret putting the bag down later, but there was no where else to set it down besides in his seat, and he was sure the bag wasn't nearly as exhausted as he was.

Kurama closed his eyes, thinking about what he'd do once he arrived at his mother's. The next thing he remembered, he was already at his stop. He jerked up, looking around as everyone left on the train stepped off onto the platform. He looked down quickly, relieved to see that his bag was still there. He let out a tired sigh and stood up, reaching down to grab the bag.

He left the train car slowly, looking around to try to remember where he was. He walked over to a bench that was empty, waiting for the crowd near the stairwells to diminish. It was nice to breathe fresh air again. Really, he'd prefer it if the train cars weren't heated because at least then, the air wouldn't be so stifling when the cars were full.

He looked out passed the banisters, seeing quickly that it had begun to snow. A snowflake floated here and there, and through the railings, he could see that it was sticking to the ground when it reached it. He looked towards the stairs again and saw that most of the commuters had gone. He grabbed his bag again and headed for them, jogging down them quickly once he reached them.

The air was even chillier down there; the cool wind nipped at his chin and nose. He positioned the bag so that it wouldn't be that much of a nuisance to carry and made his way towards the corner.

There, he stopped to wait for the light to change, looking in the distance towards where he was headed. He could barely see beyond the street corners he faced; the air was filled with silvery billows of fog and the snowfall had increased.

Kurama pulled his hat up over his head and readjusted himself while he waited. He slipped into his gloves and rewrapped his scarf around his neck. He sniffed a little, wishing he had a tissue with him. But he'd be there soon enough.

Crossing the street moments later, Kurama realized that this was the trip of a lifetime for him. It had been years since he'd last seen his mother. Once Kurama went off to school, Shiori had gone on a trip to Paris with a young man she'd met and lived there for a few years.

In the beginning, she wrote Kurama constantly, but because she moved around a lot, when Kurama moved into his latest apartment, the mail was lost, and therefore, so was their means of contact.

The young man she was so fond of had to travel halfway across the world on business. Since their relationship had begun to dwindle, they went their separate ways. Shiori moved back to Japan. Kurama had no idea of her whereabouts until one evening when Hiei stopped by his apartment.

Hiei, for reasons unbeknownst to Kurama, had made it his business to watch over Shiori. He sensed she'd returned, and after a little trickery with his jagan, he found her. She was living in the same building Kurama planned to visit her in at that very moment.

Hiei, of course, did not go up to her and talk to her, but, with a little trickery with his jagan again, he was able to convince her to contact Yusuke, whom lived in the area and often crossed paths with her. Yusuke called Kurama up that very day and gave him her information. And now, Kurama would finally see her again.

He walked down through the blocks, attempting every now and then to see the addresses of the buildings. He traveled down six blocks until he reached her home. It was a small building, covered in siding that appeared to be tan, but with the haze about, Kurama wasn't sure.

The windows were curtained and the curtains were drawn. Kurama could see her peering out the largest that revealed a tiny little dining room. He smiled and hurried up the stairs. He could see her figure come away from the window as he reached the porch. He reached over and knocked.

The door opened soon after, Shiori's eyes slowly trailing up to meet Kurama's. Her expression was quite worn, but she looked very excited. Kurama could see sparkles, and they made his own eyes twinkle.

"Okaasan..." he muttered, standing in the doorway. He could not stop smiling, or staring at the woman before him.

"Shuuichi, my darling," she said, leaning towards him and hugging him tightly. "You must come inside, my son. Come and get warm near the fire." Kurama stepped inside, trying to hug Shiori, set down his bags and remove his winter gear all at once. Shiori reached for a bag and it pulled her down to the floor. She apparently hadn't expected it to be that heavy.

"Oh, no, 'kaasan, it's alright. I will take care of all of this." Kurama closed the door behind him and yanked his scarf off.

"It's such a wonderful time, Shuuichi. You look just the same, just as handsome as always." Kurama grinned at her sheepishly. The woman sure knew how to make a guy blush.

"Nice and toasty in here," he said, taking off his coat. She reached for it.

"Let's get you hung up," she said to it and went towards the closet. Kurama grabbed his things and followed her.

"I've missed you so much mother," Kurama said, stopping behind her. She opened the closet door.

"Oh, Shuuichi, it's been so lonely without you," she said. "Once you left, I was so lonely...and coming back here...living here all by myself."

"Well, I'm here for the season, okaasan," Kurama said. "And I hope to be the best of company to you." Shiori smiled, reaching up to hang up the coat.

"You always have been." She turned to him, watching him put his hat and gloves in his coat pockets and the scarf over the hook. He looked at her as he closed the door. "Your cheeks are so rosy," she said. "It reminds me of when you were just a little boy...you were such a darling. You would come in from playing in the snow, and you'd be as white a snowman, but your face...it was always so rosy. Especially your little nose." Kurama smiled again. "Now to take you to your room. Don't think this is the only time you'll visit me, son. I expect many visits from you. I have a nice room, set aside just for you." Kurama grabbed his things and followed Shiori down the hall to his room.

"Here we are," she said, opening the door. "Get yourself settled and come right on back out. We don't have too much longer before the guests arrive."

"Guests?" Kurama asked, not happy with the prospect of company on the first night of his visit.

"You'll see," she said. Kurama nodded as she closed the door. He went over to the bed and sat his bags down on top of it. The room was quaint, painted a sunny yellow with murals of flowers along the bottom borders of the wall.

He could smell the faint scent of lavender, and as he sat down, the smell of cherry blossoms wafted up to greet him. Those were his two favorite scents next to the scent of a rose. He smiled to himself as he looked around.

Nearly everything was made of wood; the bed frame, the desk, the dresser, the shelving. He could see several planters set next to the windowsill. The shelves were attached to the wall, and had low beam lighting, just as the shelves in his old bedroom used to have.

He stood up and leaned over one of his bags, searching for the zipper. He unzipped it and opened it to take out his clothing and odds and ends. He made quick work of putting it all away so that he could talk with his mother a little longer before their time was interrupted.

"Okaasan," he called out, heading down the hall. Shiori waved to him midway, poking her head out from the kitchen.

"Did you like the room?" she asked as he approached.

"Yes," he said. "I appreciate the effort, okaasan, I really do." She beamed at that and ushered him inside the kitchen.

"I must admit that I had the evening planned for a while now," she said. She went over to the kitchen island and held her hands out. "One of my favorite activities to do with you, Shuuichi, is cooking. "Could you help me put together the hors d'oeuvres?"

"But, of course, 'kaasan. It would suffice to say that I, too, enjoy doing that with you." She rolled up the sleeves of her Christmas sweater, and pulled whatever strands of her hair that had come loose from her bun behind her ears.

"Let's see now..." she said. "Here we are. I just need to get everything all plated up. You're such a creative young man."

"Let's see what we have here," Kurama said, pulling up his sleeves as well. He helped his mother set the hors d'oeuvres on their platters and put a cake in the oven.

"There we are," she said. "Now we can talk in the living room. I just know you have so much to tell me," she said. Kurama smiled at her and helped her carry the platters into the living room. They arranged them on the dining room table and then went across the room and sat down on the couch.

"How was your return home?" Kurama asked.

"It was alright," Shiori said. "But...it wasn't the same. For some reason, upon returning home...I just thought you'd be there. Like I was coming home to you." She shook her head. "Tell me, Shuuichi, what have you been up to? Did you open up that shop like you wanted?" Kurama shook his head.

"I've changed professions," he said. "I'm a private detective now." Shiori's face saddened quite a bit at that and she looked down.

"I see," she said, patting his hand. "Well, you were always looking out for others," she said.

"You think...I should do something else?" he asked, never having doubted his line of work until then.

"Not at all, Shuuichi. I want you to be happy, first and foremost, and if that's what you want to do, then you do it." She gave a slight chuckle after that, and patted his hand again. Kurama looked down, wanting to ask more questions, but not pressing the matter further.

"Do you still have the pictures of Paris you wanted to show me?" he asked.

"Yes, I do...but...that can wait until after dinner tomorrow. So, Shuuichi...I was hoping that you would bring a certain someone by."

"Hiei?" Kurama asked, confused.

"Hi...ei?" Shiori asked. She shook her head. "No, not just a friend. A special someone...a lady friend."

"Oh, I see," Kurama said. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, okaasan, but, really I haven't had time to settle down just yet." Shiori nodded.

"There's still time for you yet, Shuuichi," she said with a smile. Kurama smiled back, thinking about the subject in his mind. How long had he been neglecting that part of his life? There was a knock at the door. Shiori leaned and kissed his forehead.

"They've come," she said as she stood. She straightened out her skirt and walked over to the door. Kurama followed her, approaching just as she opened it.

"Konbanwa, Shiori-san," Yukimura Keiko said as she walked inside. "Yusuke's out at the car...he'll be in any moment now." Keiko turned to Kurama. "Ah! Kurama-kun. It's been a long time, ne?" Kurama hugged her.

"Yes, it has," he said. "It's nice to see you again." He helped her out of her winter coat. Yusuke slid inside.

"Oi! It's a blizzard out there!" he said, shaking his coat off.

"Yusuke, manners!" Keiko scolded quietly. Yusuke raised an eyebrow and stood up straighter.

"Sumimasen," he said, holding his hand to his chest. He closed the door. "Ok, here goes. Good evening, Minamino-san... It's a pleasure to be here tonight." Shiori smiled at him.

"It's a pleasure having you both."

"Let me get your coat, Yusuke," Kurama said.

"Well, don't I get a hello or something!" Yusuke said. Kurama grinned.

"I suppose you're right," he said reaching to shake his hand. Yusuke raised an eyebrow again. He laughed and pushed Kurama's hand away.

"Come here, you," he said, leaning forward to hug him. Kurama patted him on the back.

"It's nice to see you again, Yusuke."

"You bet it is," Yusuke said.

"Something smells really good," Keiko said, looking around. She glanced over at the dining table.

"Please, help yourself," Shiori said. Keiko nodded and went over to the table.

"I'll be right back," Kurama said, walking towards the closet. He slipped their coats on the hooks beside his and joined them in the living room again.

"Kuwabara's on his way," Yusuke informed him, looking the dining room table over. "He had to take care of some things before he came." Kurama nodded.

"How is Kuwabara?" Kurama asked. "I haven't seen him, or spoken to him at all."

"If it wasn't for Shizuru, neither would I," Yusuke said.

"Mm, Yusuke...try these," Keiko said, holding her hand out to the platter that held the hors d'oeuvres she referred to. "They're really good. Shiori-san...you made these?" Shiori nodded.

"Yes."

"They're really very good. I'm afraid there won't be many left for Kuwa-kun." Shiori laughed lightly.

"Arigatou, Keiko-san," she said with a nod. Kurama helped himself to her snacks as well as Yusuke.

"I've been meaning to ask..." Kurama began, looking at Keiko. "I was sure that when I saw your broadcast that you'd only used your maiden name for face, but...I don't see any rings."

"No," Keiko said, shaking her head. "Yusuke and I haven't married." Kurama nodded.

"Well, what's the hold up?" Shiori asked. "Surely it's been long enough."

"Yeah, well, Yusuke and I have decided not to take that step just yet," she said.

"It's something we both don't have planned for a while..." Yusuke said. "We've agreed that, uh, we should do it a little later." Kurama nodded.

"So great," he said. "I know we don't keep close in touch, but I would love to take part in the ceremony...which is why I mentioned it."

"Oh, of course!" Keiko said. "We wouldn't dream of going through that without all of those who mean the most to us there." Kurama smiled.

"Well, I wish Kuwabara felt the same way," he said. "I felt a little hurt that he hadn't invited me."

"Don't feel upset, Kurama," Yusuke said. "None of us were there. He went and got eloped and disappeared for a year...came back with her. Shizuru was told not to tell us anything, but I was able to squeeze that little bit from her." Kurama reached for another hors d'oeuvre.

"I have to agree with you and Keiko..." he began. "If I were to get married, I would definitely want you all to be there."

"When you get married, Shuuichi," Shiori urged. "When." Kurama grinned at her.

"When," he repeated. There was a knock at the door.

"Ah!" Shiori beamed. "They're here." She went over to the front door and opened it, startled to see that no one was there. She frowned and stepped out onto the porch.

"Step back inside, okaasan, you'll catch cold," Kurama said quickly. He came forward and reached for her, stopping suddenly, sensing something nearby. He froze up, staring off into the distance. Something didn't feel right. "Come on," Kurama said slowly, helping her back inside. He closed the door.

"What's the matter?" Yusuke whispered to him as he approached. Kurama feigned a smile and shook his head.

"Why do you ask?"

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Yusuke said. Kurama shook his head again.

"It was nothing," he said. They gathered at the table again and ate while talking. Shiori excused herself to the kitchen just as there was another knock at the door. This time, it was a loud knock and it was followed by a set of fainter ones.

"Hello?" a small voice asked.

"Who is it?" another rang out. Kurama raised an eyebrow as he opened the door. Two small children were standing there, looking up at him.

"Hello!" the little girl said, waving at him. Kurama smiled.

"Well, hello there," he said, looking up at who he presumed to be their mother. Kuwabara was standing behind them, grinning widely. Kurama beamed. "Well, hello!" he said again, stepping aside so that they could come in. "What an absolutely pleasant surprise!"

"Isn't it though?" Kuwabara asked, following his family inside. He grabbed Kurama's hand and shook it roughly as he pulled him forward to give him a one-armed hug.

"Babies!" Keiko exclaimed, hurrying over to them. Kurama closed the door behind them. "When did this happen?" she asked. She bowed at the woman who struggled to keep her children from running around the house. "Hello...I don't believe we've met."

"Yeah, introduce us, Kuwabara," Yusuke said, shaking his hand. "Looks like you've got your hands full."

"This is Naoto, my very beautiful wife," Kuwabara began, patting her on the shoulder. "And these are the twins, Eiji and Eiko."

"Yay!" the little boy said, reaching for the table. "Cookies!"

"Ei, behave!" Naoto scolded gently. "You must first ask, lest you won't get a thing." The young boy stopped and looked around. He pointed at Kurama.

"Him?" he asked. Kurama kneeled to him.

"We don't have cookies, but we have cake," he said. "You may have some when it's ready."

"Mmm! I like cake!" the boy exclaimed.

"Momma Nao..." the girl said timidly. "I'm hot." Naoto unzipped her coat.

"Let me take them," Kurama said, reaching for them once the two young children shrugged their way out of them. Kuwabara kept his and took Naoto's. He followed Kurama to the closet. There wasn't much space left. "I'll put them in the closet of my room," Kurama said, grabbing his coat. He took his and the little kid's coats towards the back of the house.

He stepped into his room and went over to the closet. He opened it, pausing a moment, feeling as if something was wrong. He looked around the room, feeling a chill. The window was open.

Kurama's eyes lowered in a suspicious slant. He quickly hung the coats and then went over to the window. He was sure it was closed when he first arrived. He looked down at the window sill, thinking that maybe he could tell how long the window had been open from the amount of snow that had gathered there.

There was a large tree indirectly outside the window, and so not much snow was around the sill. He looked out and sighed, not seeing anything beyond the haze. He came back inside and shut the window.

"Shuuichi!" his mother called. "Come join us for some cocoa." Kurama pulled away from the window and towards his bed. He kneeled and looked underneath it. There was nothing there. He got up and dusted his knees, leaving the room to join his family and friends in the living room.

Did ya like it? Huh, huh? Wanna see more?? Got some advice for my work? I'd love to hear from you about anything you wanna say, flames and all. Please review!

J3