A/N: Hello! I know this fic is late... I promised to have it up around Christmas... but life's been hectic. But it's up now! And I hope it was worth the wait! Sorry!

And a little summary, for those who haven't seen the threeartifacts arc. While Hiei is fighting Yusuke for the Shadow Sword and Keiko's life, Kurama intervenes, taking a blow in the stomach meant for Yusuke. He uses the blood from his wound, which is somewhat acidic because of his youki, to blind Hiei's Jagan temporarily.

And now... on to the fic!

The Gate of Betrayal…And Beginnings

Hiei's laughter echoed through the corridor, cold and unyielding as it grated through the air. The weight of the ceiling pressed down on me - on all of us - growing heavier with each passing second that ticked off our lives. I could feel Hiei's eyes on me, smirking, laughing, mocking my pain as I writhed beneath my burden. Eyes that once were warm and soft, before I'd burned them with my own blood.

Hiei's laughter died with the last echoes of the ceiling's descent, and Kuwabara cried out angrily, straining against the weight crushing down on him. "What are you laughing about?" he demanded.

I flinched as Hiei's eyes, as cold and hard as his voice, found mine, and he smiled. "Take a guess, you fools."

The wound in my stomach, slow to heal from the power of the Shadow Sword, throbbed painfully under the strain: retribution for my betrayal. How fitting, that the blood that betrayed Hiei now returns to betray me . . . It was my fault that Yusuke defeated Hiei, my fault that Hiei was sent on this mission with me, my fault that his hand hovered above the lever, my fault that his warm eyes burned with fury.

I trusted you, Kurama, they said. And you betrayed me.

"Damn you, Hiei!" Kuwabara cried, gasping for breath as the ceiling groaned above us. "We trusted you!"

I shook my head, tearing away from his gaze. It's useless, Kuwabara. This is my punishment, not yours . . . I'd tried to soften the blow, tried to withdraw from Hiei's alliance before things got complicated, but I'd been too late . . . and too attached. I knew Hiei's motives for seeking me out were purely business, but somewhere along the line they'd changed. We'd changed. Changed from indifferent comrades to grudging friends to something more, two tired youkai souls attracted by the similarities they saw in the other. Something had grown between us, a fragile bond that led to warm kisses and soft caresses on lonely nights. A bond that had barely begun to unfurl when I'd torn it to pieces to save Hiei's soul. The Shadow Sword was evil; it had a malevolent mind that fed off greed and bloodlust. Had Hiei kept it in his possession, he soon would have been a mindless slave of its bloodthirsty will, his soul trapped within its dark abyss. I'd intervened to save his life, and his soul.

But Hiei saw it as a betrayal, and I knew in some ways it was. Yes, I had turned against him, and in front of his enemy, making him look like twice the fool. I could have done things differently, could have stayed by Hiei's side instead of deserting him, could have taken the sword earlier . . . But then my mother would be dead, and I'd be alone in the Ningenkai once more.

I was about to die anyway, so why did it matter?

The ceiling dropped a few more inches as my legs gave out beneath me. Yusuke cast a worried glance in my direction; I could sense his power waning, and once it was gone we would have precious few seconds before the ceiling flattened us. Kuwabara was near to breaking, and with my wound, I wouldn't last much longer, either . . .

Hiei laughed again.

The high-pitched cackle of the flying youkai beside him echoed through the corridor, drowning out Hiei's deeper voice. "Yes," it sneered. "You find amusement in their pain." Its voice grew louder, more excited. "Now imagine the satisfaction that will come from their final screams!" It broke into another fit of maniacal laughter, trembling in the air by Hiei's shoulder.

"Hiei!" Kuwabara cried again. I could feel his anger eddying around him; Hiei's actions broke every rule in Kuwabara's honor code, and the boy could do nothing about it. From Yusuke I sensed only a quiet determination. He hadn't given up on Hiei yet. He still trusted him, though Hiei had given him no reason to. I knew the outcome of this situation, and my only regret was that Yusuke and Kuwabara had to suffer it with me.

Recovered from its laughter, the youkai grinned. "A wise choice." It began to fly down the corridor, already leaving us for dead. "The boulder would have crushed you, anyway," it muttered under its breath.

Hiei spun to face it, wrenching his gaze from mine in an angry snarl. "Thanks for the clue!" he growled, flitting across the floor to slash his katana across the youkai's face. The creature screamed and fluttered away, Hiei snarling threats in its wake.

Then his eyes turned back to mine, narrowing as if to say, This is what betrayal costs you. I turned my head to wrench my gaze away, but couldn't tear my eyes from Hiei's. I knew what came next - I could feel the last of my strength slipping away like rain - and I didn't want to watch my death crashing down toward me. But Hiei held me fast, his wide eyes telling me a tale of love and betrayal and retribution. A tale that didn't have a happy ending.

Then he blinked, and I was free. He hesitated a moment, staring intently at me, before reaching for the lever and shoving it down.

The ceiling shuddered above us, then slowly began to rise, groaning as it did so. Freed from under the weight, I toppled forward, just barely catching myself before I fell headfirst to the ground. Yusuke gasped beside me, withdrawing what little energy he had left, and Kuwabara stumbled to his feet. I could feel Hiei's eyes on me, and I glanced up at him, ready to face their coldness once more, but they had returned to their usual smoldering crimson.

Hiei had spared my life, when by all accounts he should have killed me. Hiei could be accused of many things, but betrayal was the one thing he despised. Yet I had betrayed him, and I was still alive. Why? The thought lent me hope - what did this mean? Could the bond that I had shattered... somehow still exist? I frowned up at him, trying to read those bottomless eyes, but couldn't get past the small smile that tugged at their corners. The message was clear.

I've spared your life this time. What you do with it now is entirely up to you.

I felt an answering smile struggle past the pain on my face as Kuwabara helped me to my feet. I'd hurt the one I loved, broke the trust I'd worked so hard to win. But if Hiei were willing to give me - us - another chance, then perhaps I hadn't destroyed that bond after all.

Thank you, Hiei.

owari

A/N: This will be part of an anthology, when I get around to writing the next one. They will all be one shots that follow the episodes of the anime. So keep an eye out for the next one! And for my next multi-chaptered fic, as yet unnamed.One of themshoudl be out soon! Thanks! Oh, and review!