Shuuichi was surprised to see Yami at his doorstep. The child she held was asleep so he offered her his couch, but Yami simply thrust the child in his arms. Her eyes were swollen and hollow and she choked on her words when she asked him, as a friend, to take care of him. Kurama was left to stare at the empty doorway, as before he could protest, Yami fled from the condo. Kohi turned in his sleep, grasping Kurama's shirt in his tiny fist.

What's going on?

Ryoko appeared in the doorway behind him, nuzzling into his shoulder. She stopped suddenly, sniffing the air. "Has Hiei come ove–" Kurama turned to reveal the baby in his arms. "Oh Kami-Inarisan! It's a baby Hiei!" She squealed.

"Love, you were there when Yami gave birth . . ." Kurama said patiently.

"Well, yeah. But he came out as a wolf pup. You can't expect to know what he'll look like when he gets in human form and look, he looks just like his daddy! He even has three–" Ryoko paused in mid-sentence. "Oh no."

After the third night in the forest, Hiei began to feel the creepings of an emotion that he never thought he would ever understand. It was loneliness. For the first time in his life, he felt uncomfortable living on a tree branch. His days dragged on endlessly silent."

"Go away Nymph."

"Why? Am I bothering you?"

"No, I'm just contagious." Kuro replied sarcastically.

"So I'm okay then?"

"NO! GET LOST!"

"Will you two shut the hell up?" Kuro and Nymph jumped, turning to face an extremely annoyed Hiei, their eyes bugging out in fear. Nymph pointed a finger at Kuro.

"She started it." She said.

"Did not!"

"Did too!" Hiei growled and walked onto the balcony, shaking his head..

"I'm leaving," he said.

"Hey! We came all the way over here to see you!" Kuro cried, but Hiei was gone.

"Nice going." Nymph elbowed the rat demon.

"What? It's your fault!"

"Was not!"

Yami opened the door only to find Nymph and Kuro submerged in a cat fight that could only be broken by Yami's wolf-howl. For the second time that morning the two demons were cowering under a Jaganshi's rage.

"Have you guys seen Hiei?"

"Nope." said Nymph, and the two fo them resumed their squabble like nothing happened.

Yami shrugged and made her way to the cradle in which Koji currently laid. She smiled sadly upon her son, who looked so much like his father, right down to the Jagan on his forehead. He was sleeping soundly, but Yami could sense it. She could smell it. Something was cold and empty.

He could no longer sleep at night. He found himself reaching for her. Yami, his beautiful wife. Her silky hair that he longed to run his fingers through, her soft, warm skin. He loved her more than he knew he was able to love. She had borne him a son. He had watched her as she thrust their boy into the fox's home, watched as she left, unconstrained tears flowing down her face like the rain that now beat at his body.

It has started as a few subtle drops, but now Hiei was soaked. He had neglected eating anything, but craved no food. Instead he sad and listened to the rain, which beat at a steady pace, making his mind blank. The rain's song was lulling him into numbness. He didn't feel himself swaying, didn't feel the branch slip from under him. The sky drifted further as Hiei plummeted to the ground, his vision cloudy and a sweet voice in his head.

Hiei awoke sometime later to find himself sprawled on the wet grass. The rain had lessened, but was still falling on him. Hiei didn't move; he just stared up into the wet, dripping branches. A gray sky broke through the gaps, looking almost quite in contrast to the dark leaves.

What did I do wrong?

The fire demon felt like he was drowning in her tears. As the rain dropped on him, he saw her weeping face. Knowing he was the cause, he allowed it to swallow him whole.

Koji . . . His thoughts turned to his son; his baby boy.

Hiei's Jagan flashed. He could see the child. Ryoko's sad face looked over him as he slept. Hi hand gripped his sheets, his breathing uneven and his tiny face showed winces of pain. Koji's Jagan opened as his father's passed over it, and they gazed into each other's eyes. Hiei's legs suddenly shot through with pain. Koji broke eye contact and the pain subsided, leaving Hiei shaken and angry. His son was in pain and he was just lying there. Shivering slightly, Hiei wrenched himself up.