Shadow: This is a short fan thing for BlackBelt's story of "Wit and Courage" because her writing is, for lack of a better word; amazing. I've been meaning to post this for a while now but... life is a big distraction. It takes place between Chapters 24 and 25, so please at least read to the end of Ch 24 before reading this. Go. NOW! ...Okay ready? Hiei belongs to the creators of Yu Yu Hakusho, and Callie is created by BlackBelt.

Disclaimer: Ya, you get it...

Skies are Gray

A slow rhythmic beat echoed in the sterile room, filled with only three occupants. One was hooked up to the machine that was giving off the beat, while another was sitting in a chair beside said person. The third was settled inside an incubator that was meant for a child to the side of the room. Red eyes had barely noticeable dark circles beneath the lower lids, evidence from nightmares for his companion who was unconscious in the hospital bed. There was a machine to help her breathing, a machine to put in liquids to her bloodstream, and a machine to read her heart-rate.

This was torture… Hiei had just been left alone with Callie after Shiori retired to rest. She was singing that song again, humming it when her emotions got tight. Even though Shiori was gone, he could still hear the song echoing in his mind.

He sat at his monkey's side, holding her fragile hand in his. He didn't move apart from breathing and allowing his own heart to beat. Hiei felt the underline fear that if he shifted her slightly in her fragile position, her hand would break off in to his own.

The people who did this to her… It filled him with so much hatred and rage, but at the same time, filled him with such fear when he finished torturing the three- with the same amount of mercy that they had shown his Callie. He feared that Callie would hate him for what he'd done. He had never known fear like this, never had been filled with this much emotion that was not anger… He glanced up to look over Callie's form again, all thoughts banishing for an instant at her weak scrawny form.

Hiei felt a lump in his throat. He hated the feeling. He'd sooner act like that bumbling blushing idiot he was when looking at Callie like a hormonal human male. He would gladly have that back instead of this… helpless feeling. He'd have that back because his monkey would have her health back… or at least be in better health.

Shiori had told him that she sang to feel better, and that Callie would feel it as well. She recommended that Hiei try it if he wished, to ease the pain in his chest… heart… whatever she said.

Hiei knew that he was alone, and knew he would be for at least another hour, until a nurse would come to check on Callie's charts. It was only him, Callie, and Callie's dragon that hatched from her spirit egg—who shared her condition.

Hiei swallowed hard, no saliva to ease his dry throat and mouth. An untouched glass of water sitting on a table nearby.

He opened his mouth, took a deep breath, and whispered quietly, forcefully. "Sun…" he started shakily. "Sunshine… you are my… s-sunshine…" He felt ridiculous, and the lump in his throat got harder, almost making him choke.

"You… you make me happy… when skies are… gray…" Hiei knew he wasn't 'singing', he just had to talk. Shirori had said that the words meant more than having to sing them out. It just had to come from the heart.

His eyes began to sting from the pain and weary state he was in. "You never know… mate… how much I… love… you…" Hiei was shaking. Trembling like a distraught human child. He set his head down on the back of her hand that had no IV in it, and shut his eyes tight.

"Please don't take my sunshine away…" he whispered to the empty air in the room.

His only reply was the small dragon, giving a weak cry, quieter than a newborn kitten.

The pain inside hurt more…


Shadow: Really, I hope you guys liked it.. I tried to get the pain through, and I hope I got at least one reader to choke up a little. Review or don't, either way, please support BlackBelt's stories.

You are My Sunshine - pretty painful if you look at the whole lyrics.