"So where's Botan?" Yusuke asked as he, Kuwabara, Kurama, and Hiei ran through the woods to a clearing. Botan had given them a small mission. It was to find and stop a large group of low class demons who were in the woods before they caused too much trouble with the humans.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. She said she'd meet us there," Kuwabara answered. "She'll probably get there before us,"

"What?" Kurama asked. "She can't get there before us! She might get hurt!"

"Huh?" Kuwabara asked, confused.

"She can't fight very well. Even if they are low class demons, they can really hurt her!" Kurama said.

"Way to go Kuwabara!" Yusuke yelled running faster. Kurama and Hiei exchanged a quick glance before running faster as well.

"Wait for me!" Kuwabara yelled, quickly picking up the pace.

They reached the clearing and stopped dead in their tracks. They saw the unconscious body of a demon by there feet, and another one close by. They looked up when they heard a grunt and a thud. Their mouths dropped open.

There before them was a large group of demons, say about 7 or 8, gathered around a certain cerulean haired deity. Botan yelped as one of the demons that had snuck up behind her slammed a large dagger into her arm. She quickly pulled the dagger out of her arm and spun around. She roundhouse kicked the demon in the chest. He fell down with a thud and she pounced on him, stabbing him in the stomach.

She got back to her feet and sliced at two more demons who had rushed her. They fell as well. Botan aimed a kick to the head to a demon close by. The foot collided hard against his head and the demon fell to the ground. There was only one left. The demon tried to run away but Botan reacted fast. She threw the dagger at the demon. The dagger stabbed him right between the shoulder blades and he fell to the ground.

Botan walked over to the demon and pulled the dagger out of his back. She threw it to the ground before sinking to her knees and clutching her arm.

"Botan!" Yusuke shouted, rushing forward to the girl. Her head snapped up and her eyes widened.

"Uh," She stuttered. "There is a very good explanation for this......"

"Like what?" Yusuke asked. "That was a hologram we just saw kick everybody's ass?"

"Uh....ok?" She trailed off thinking. "I mean yes! Yes it was!"

Kurama chuckled. "Ok, Botan. Let's get back to my house, and on the way, you can think of some more explanations on the way, huh?"

She nodded standing up. Kuwabara went to help her up but Botan waved him off. "I'm just fine," She said.

"You are, are you?" Hiei asked her, walking up in front of her. She nodded nervously. Hiei grabbed her arm. He held it gently but firmly. He took his other hand and touched the spot lightly right above the wound.

Kuwabara and Yusuke yanked Hiei away from Botan when she screamed out in pain. "What did you do?!" Kuwabara yelled menacingly at the koorime.

"I was testing it out. The wound is too deep for her to heal on her own. You have to wrap it up," He told Botan. She nodded.

"Let him go!" She commanded Kuwabara who still had a hold on Hiei. Kuwabara reluctantly released him.

"Here," Hiei walked over to Kurama and Kurama held out gauze and medical tape to the koorime. He walked back over to Botan who took a step back. "If I hurt you, I will hand you my sword and let you slice me up as much as you like. I promise," He swore in a kind voice. Kurama, Yusuke, and Kuwabara looked at each other in confusion. Since when had Hiei ever been kind to anyone?

Botan nodded and took a step closer to him. She held her arm out to him and he gently took it. He wrapped up her arm and she looked up at him with a smile. "Thank you!" She smiled. "It feels much better!" She gave him a quick hug before letting go and running ahead of them all back to Kurama's.

Hiei smiled slightly. "Ooooh!" Yusuke mocked. "Someone loves Botan!" He said in a sing song voice. Hiei growled at him. "Wait! You do?" Hiei ignored him. "Oh my god! You really do love Botan!"

Hiei walked forward, following Botan. Kurama closely followed, Yusuke and Kuwabara scrambling ahead to catch up.

TIME PASSES

"So," Kurama started, entering his bedroom last after everyone else. Botan was sitting on Kurama's bed, Hiei next to her, Yusuke was on the couch next to Kuwabara, and Kurama sat down in his computer chair. "Would you perhaps like to explain to us why you were....." He trailed off trying to find the right words.

"Kicking ass and taking names?" Yusuke offered.

"Um, sure. So would you?" Kurama asked her kindly.

"Oh my god...." She trailed off, clutching her head. "I suppose this can no longer be avoided. I am powerful. Not more powerful than any of you, of course. But I have enough power to hold my own in a fight. The reason I have never fought before is because there has never been a situation I thought I needed to get involved in. Koenma told me not to fight unnecessarily. And besides, most of the beings any of you fight are more powerful than my normal powers can handle. I could kill them if I wanted to, but I would die," She paused a second as she sucked in more breath. "If any of you were in a fight with a being more powerful than my normal powers could handle, and I thought that if I didn't get involved, you would die, I would use every once of energy in my body and soul to kill whoever you were fighting. I had decided a long time ago that I would give my life if need be. Any questions?" She asked.

"Yes," Yusuke said. "If we were failing in a battle, and about ready to die, you were going to, without telling us, die protecting us?"

"Yep, that's pretty much it!" She confirmed.

"That's horrible! I want you to promise all of us right now that you won't die saving our sorry asses! Ever!" Yusuke exclaimed. Kurama, Kuwabara, and Hiei nodded in agreement.

"But-" Botan started.

"No buts! None of us would ever live with ourselves knowing you died saving our pathetic asses. Now promise!" Yusuke demanded.

"I...I promise," Botan said reluctantly.

"Now that we've got that settled," Kurama said before anyone could say anything else. "We would also like to know why you were killing demons when we showed up."

"Oh, that's simple!" Botan said. "I arrived before you did, and I was on my oar. I was about to hover higher so the demons wouldn't see me. Let me tell you, I decided to do that just a little bit too late. So, one of the grabbed me by the hair and pulled me to the ground. So they started kicking me for a while before I could get up. So when I did get up I beat the hell out of them!" She laughed. "I was ticked off when they were kicking me too! It really hurt! Look!" She lifted up her pink tank top to reveal blue and purple bruises blossoming across her abdomen. "I'm tired!" She yawned.

"Well, you can take a nap in my bed. We'll leave you alone for a little while, alright?" Kurama smiled at her.

She nodded. "Thank you!"

"Of course, you are like a sister to me, I would do anything for you!" Kurama gave her a small hug. "Sleep well," He smiled at her again before leaving.

"Get some sleep, Bo," Yusuke said, ruffling her hair. She glared at his back as he left.

"Sleep tight, Botan," Kuwabara gave her a hug to before leaving as well.

"Sleep well," Hiei gave a small wave.

"Hiei wait!" Botan exclaimed as he made his way out the door. He turned back in surprise.

"Yes?" He asked.

"Um, I know this is gonna sound really really stupid but...." She took a deep breath. "Hiei, I'm in love with you!" She blurted out and then grimaced in expectation of rejection.

Hiei's POV

I watched her grimaced in shock. 'She loves me...' I thought. I am in love with her too, but I didn't know how to tell her. 'I guess she beat me to it...'

I walked back up to Botan on the bed and sat beside her. "I love you too," I stroked her cheek.

"You do?" She asked in shock.

"Yes," I smiled. "I do." I kissed her.

She responded immediately. I kissed her harder and with passion I didn't even know I had. She kissed me back with equal passion. I put my hands on her waist as she wrapped her arms around my neck. I lied us down so I was on top of her. I kissed her neck and she moaned. She knotted her hands in my hair before kissing me back. She peppered kisses all over my face before kissing my neck like I had dome her. I groaned as she kissed my neck, Botan kissed me on my lips again passionately. " I love you," She gasped.

"I love you too!" I replied.

"What's going on in there, Hiei?" Yusuke yelled, stomping up the stairs.

We quickly sat up and tried to regulate our breathing. "Hiei!" Yusuke yelled, walking into the room. He took one look at us and started laughing. "You didn't?" He asked, laughing.

"Get out of here you pervert!" Botan yelled, throwing a pillow at him. He dodged the pillow and ran out of the room laughing.

"You need to get some sleep," I said, kissing her forehead.

"Okay," She yawned. "I love you," She smiled at me.

"I love you too," I told her, giving her a kiss on the lips.

I closed the door behind me, feeling very happy.

TIME PASSES{AGAIN}

No one's POV

Botan yawned as she patted down the stairs. When she reached the bottom of the landing, everyones eyes turned to look at her. Botan flashed a smile at them and sat down next to Hiei. Kurama gave her a wide smile, while Kuwabara and Yusuke simply gave a wave in acknowledgement, their eyes glued to a football game on the television in front of them.

"Would you like some tea?" Kurama offered, handing her a small white cup.

"Thank you," She thanked, taking the cup and sipping at it. "How long have I been asleep?" Botan asked, noticing the dark sky out the window.

"About 4 hours," Hiei answered, hugging her to him.

"Nice for you to join the world of the living," Yusuke commented, looking at her as a commercial came on. "For a while I thought you died."

Botan smiled at him. "I am dead!" She said lightly, laughing. Yusuke flinched back.

"Oh yea, sorry..." He apologized, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Idiot!" Kuwabara yelled, smacking Yusuke in the back of the head. They continued wrestling, Botan, Hiei, and Kurama chuckling.

Everyone stopped what they were doing when a flash of bright light appeared in the middle of the room. There standing before them was a tall 30 year old looking dark blue haired women. Botan stood up. "What are you doing here, Valkyra?" She asked, walking up to the older women.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Yusuke interrupted as Valkyra opened her mouth to speak. "Who the hell is Valkyra?"

"She's my older sister," Botan said. "Now-" She was cut off once again by Yusuke.

"Wait! You have an older sister?" He yelled in shock.

"Yes, she died the same time I did. My sister and I died in a house fire when I was 14, and she was 29. Our mom and dad lived, we were the only casualties," Botan said in a rush. "Valkyra-"

"Wait! How old are you, really?" Yusuke look at her expectantly.

She sighed in frustration. "I only died 4 years ago, so if I were living, I would be 18, and Valkyra would be 33. Valkyra why are you-"

"Wait-Owwwwww!" Yusuke howled in pain as Botan materialized her oar and whacked him upside the head. Kurama, Kuwabara, and Hiei laughed freely at this.

"Valkyra, why are you here?" Botan said finally, looking up at her sister.

"Oh, Botan!" Valkyra wailed in an annoyingly whiny, high pitched voice. "Oh, Botan!"

"What'samatta, Val? Did someone die?" Botan asked, eyes widening in horror. Valkyra nodded sadly. "Who was it?" She asked in panic. "Was it cousin Yuri? Oh he was so young! I told him it was a bad idea to try to land on a skateboard when he jumped out of a plane!" Botan wailed. The boys in the room gave her a weird look while Valkyra shook her head.

"No, Botan! It was Daddy!" Valkyra wailed in her high, annoying, mousey voice. "Daddy died today!"

"Well if you gotta go, you gotta go," Botan shrugged, sitting back down on the couch where she had jumped up from in her hysteria.

"How can you say that?" Valkyra moaned. "He was our father, after all!"

"He hit me, Val, you know that. I have no obligation at all to feel sorrow about his death," Botan gave a hard look to her sister. The boys in the room swiveled around.

"Hit you?" They all asked in harmony, angry looks on their faces.

"Val, please meet my over-protective adopted brothers," Botan sighed. "Except him," She hugged Hiei. "This is my boyfriend."

"Nice to meet you," Valkyra said hurriedly. "Botan, Daddy may have hit you, but he is still your father and you are supposed to love him no matter what."

"Val!" Botan released Hiei and jumped to her feet. "You can say that because he never touched you! You were to old to overpower when he started getting drunk! You were 25 and stronger than he was, and so was Mom, and I was a 10 year old child! You can never imagine the fear he inflicted into me when I was so young!" She screamed at her. "He killed the both of us! You know that! He was trying to burn me alive and you just happened to be in the house at the time!" Botan was livid.

"Botan, I think your over reacting just a little," Valkyra sneered. She screamed out when Botan grabbed the collar of her shirt and pressed her into the wall. Botan raised a knee and pressed it into Valkyra's stomach, enabling her from moving. Botan materialized a knife and pressed it against Valkyra's throat.

"How's it feel to be totally helpless, your life in the hand of someone else and there is nothing you can do about it?" Botan growled. "Do you think I'm over reacting now you moron?" Botan pressed the knife into her neck a little more. Valkyra whimpered.

Botan lowered her knee and stepped away. "That's what I thought," She said, sitting back down on the couch again. "Now what about that tea, Kurama?"