It was like any regular day by the border of Demon World for Hiei, rescuing wayward humans who had mistakenly tripped into the Demon realm and erasing their memories before returning them to their rightful place on the other side of the border.

Before it was no longer any regular day.

There she was in average human civilian clothing, timidly taking her first few steps pass the border into the demon realm. He had always preferred her in her Kimono, it just gave him that extra sense of familiarity, but he'd preferred her in whatever form of clothing the human world creates anyways. Just as long as her heart remains as gentle as it always been, and her eyes the same crimson his, she would always remain his secret sister.

"What do you think you're doing here?" he called before placing himself right in front of the ice maiden. She gasp in surprise at his abrupt appearance but quickly recollected herself and immediately caught hold of his arm.

"I need your help."


"No."

"Please Hiei, there's no one else." she explained,

"Can't that moron train his own son to control his powers?"

"He can, but Kazuma knows nothing about demon flames."

"Demon flames?" asked Hiei, now this caught his attention. "What do you mean Demon flames? The kid is half human." he continued

"Katsuo is also half demon." said Yukina "And now we know he's part fire demon too." she continued, tugging harder at Hiei's arm. "That's exactly why you have to help us!"

He glanced down at his sisters trembling hands, "she must be really desperate." he thought. But still, he couldn't allow himself to get any more involve with this...family.

He had his share of gatherings with his old camaraderie, grudgingly showing up at weddings, unnecessary house warming (he could show them a thing or two about a house 'burning' though) and not to mentioned those irritating Birthdays Kurama insist he be present. It came to everybody's surprise as both Keiko and Yukina discovered to be 'expecting' at the very same time. Thus, the shared birthday of their children gave them another reason to gather and catch up. But, after a few years of all these human nonsense, Hiei had enough and insisted on being excluded from any and every family occasions. It annoyed him mostly, but partially, it's because he just doesn't belong.

"Go back to your family." he said, roughly drawing his hand away from her grip. But his act of defiance only came back to him as a huge slap on the cheek. He witness painfully as her legs gave way and collapsed and how those priceless stones formed as tears began to stream down her face.

She sobbed, and he stood there. What was he standing there? This is his chance to leave and not allow himself to get involve. Instead, he waited. His blood boiled at how he had made her cry. Something he had vowed before, to never let happen.

She caught hold of his hand this time and looked up to face him, tear stones forming like a factory. "This is your family." she said, "And we need you." she continued. Hiei, at a loss, remained there holding tight to the hand of the sister he wants to protect both from himself and the world. But she kept prying, digging into a side of him that he'd rather not entertain. That deep dark part of himself that longed for the family he never had.


A/N: Just a mild appetizer to wet both our appetites on the story ahead! Till we meet again! Rgs, Ryanne7