A/N: I DO NOT OWN YU YU HAKUSHO OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS EXCEPT KITSUNE! There, I disclaimed! Now, onto the story.

Chapter Three –Overprotective Demon Mate

Kitsune slowly opened her eyes, and was surprised to see that she was in her bed. She was even more surprised to feel a hand on her head, smoothing her hair. She looked up, and saw Hiei, his back against the headboard, half asleep. She wasn't sure what had brought him back, but she was glad he was. She closed her eyes again and remembered the night before after he had saved her from that group of demons.

Kitsune was panicked and worried about her baby, but it seemed that Hiei was ten times more worried, and he had just found out. When they had arrived at the shop, Kyoko had answered the door. She then ushered them up into her and her husband's apartment above the store. There, she had had Hiei lay her down on the couch and she began pulling out equipment the made Hiei and Kitsune's eyes go wide. "What the hell is that and what do you plan on doing with it?" Hiei asked staring at the odd machine.

"Well, I'm going to check and see how the baby is doing by running this across Kitsune's lower abdomen. It will not hurt her or the baby. I know, I was once a midwife for human women and demon women." She was untangling the cords of a plastic wand like thing that was connected to a screen.

Kyoko then squeezed some clear goo onto Kitsune belly and she gasped. "What? Did she hurt you?" Hiei asked, putting his hand on the hilt of his sword.

Kitsune looked at him as if he had lost his mind. "No, it was cold."

"Oh." He relaxed for a moment but that was it. When Kyoko touched the wand thing to Kitsune's stomach, and pictures began to show on the screen, Hiei began to pace, and every time Kyoko made the slightest of noises, Hiei glance at the screen quickly, and ask "What?" in a worried voice. Kitsune was worried that he was going to walk a hole into the floor if he kept it up.

Finally, Kyoko turned off the machine, and handed Kitsune a towel to wipe her stomach off. "Well, the baby is fine, just a little stressed. I think that maybe you shouldn't work for me. It seems to be having an effect on the baby. Because you are so small, you're at risk for more problems. Also, no more walks alone in the park." She gave Kitsune a stern look, who looked back sheepish.

"Don't worry about that, she will not be going anywhere alone from now on. I'll be here to keep a close eye on her." Hiei told both women.

Kitsune looked at Hiei shocked, while Kyoko smirked. Hiei was protective, he was going to be just like her husband, and he would probably end up annoying her. A very dangerous thing to do with a pregnant demon. "Well, that's good to hear. Now, about your pay, I will gladly continue to pay you, until Hiei can find some way to make money."

"I already have an idea." Hiei informed. "I just need to talk to Kurama."

"Good to hear. Now, take her home, and put her to bed. I'll be over in the morning to check you one more time."

The two headed over across the street, and up to the apartment. They walked in and fell out laughing when they caught Kurama and Takara making out. They laughed even harder when Kurama jumped from the couch like a guilty teenager caught by his parents. Both were blushing. "Kitsune, I didn't expect you back so soon. I- Hiei? What are you doing here?" Takara looked from Kitsune, to Hiei, and then back.

"I came to find Kurama, and found Kitsune instead… I think I got the better deal." Hiei joked.

Kurama, Takara, and Kitsune stared at him. He made a joke… Hiei made a joke. Ok, he had finally lost it. Getting annoyed by all the stares, Hiei grabbed Kitsune's hand. "Come on, that woman said that you needed to get to bed. Kurama, I've got something I want to talk to you about tomorrow." And the two walked to Kitsune's room.

Hiei put her to bed, and climbed in beside her. "I came back to ask you something, and finding out about the baby makes me want to ask more." He looked into her eyes. "Kitsune, will you be my mate?"

Kitsune gasped. He was asking her to be his mate. Wife was one thing, but mate was a whole different level. With a wife, you get tired of them, you get rid of them, but a mate, once you got them, you're stuck with them. "I- I… yes." She whispered.

Hiei kissed her forehead. "Thank you. Now, you need to go to sleep." And with that, the two snuggled up in the covers and went to sleep.

"What are you thinking about?" Hiei asked, interrupting Kitsune's small flashback.

"Last night."

"Mmhm. What about last night?"

"Oh, all of it. Speaking of," She looked up at him. "What's your plan for money that includes Kurama?"

"Well, I was thinking that he, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and I could open a martial arts school. I'll teach them the art of the katana, Kurama will teach them to not only fight, but to also understand their opponents, and Yusuke and Kuwabara will handle the actual fighting, including some street style fighting." Hiei explained getting a little excited. "And we can offer our services to demons and humans."

"That's a great idea! That will be the perfect way to make it easier for demons and humans to coincide together." She kissed him. "I knew I liked for some reason."

Hiei glared at her, and then tackled her tickling her. "No! Hiei, no, please don't!" She laughed. "Oh please, stop, haha, please, hehe, you can't do that! I'm pregnant!"

He stopped, and looked down at her stomach worried. "It didn't hurt the baby did it?"

Kitsune laughed and shook her head. "No, it was just my way to get you to stop, and now, I'm go to go into the living room because I know you'll never act like that in front of people." And she got up and quickly made her way into the living room. Hiei followed, but when he saw Takara and Kurama, he put on his normal façade. Both smiled. "Morning Hiei."

"Hn."

"So, did you guys fix breakfast?" Kitsune asked sniffing the air.

"Yeah, for us." Takara said. Kitsune pouted. "Just kidding, it's on the stove." Kitsune clapped and ran into the kitchen.

"So, Hiei, what did you want to talk to me about?" Kurama asked.

Hiei then began to explain his idea to Kurama. Both he and Takara listened intently. Kitsune came back into the living room with a full plate and watched for Kurama's reaction.

"Well, Hiei, it seems that you have given this a lot of thought, and I think it's a good idea. If you want, we can go downstairs, and pitch it to Yusuke. He should be home." Kurama said truly interested.

"You mean he lives in this building?" Hiei asked. "Please don't tell me Kuwabara lives in this building as well."

Kitsune laughed. "No, he lives down the street."

"Well, we might as well have Yusuke call him, so we don't have to explain it twice." Kurama suggested logically.

"Yeah, whatever, let's go." Hiei said, not thrilled about the idea of seeing Kuwabara again. He kissed Kitsune and Kurama kissed Takara and then the two left.

The girls looked at each other and shrugged. Apparently, it couldn't wait. "So, how about we hang those drapes?" Kitsune suggested and then they both laughed.

"How about later?" Takara asked. "I really don't feel like doing anything right now."

"Yeah, sure, at this rate though we'll never get them hung."

Takara groaned. "Ok, ok, I promise, this afternoon we'll hang them."

"Alright, deal. Let's just watch a movie then."

"Oh! How about Look Who's Talking?" Takara smiled evilly.

Kitsune gave her a look. "Sure why not?"

They put the movie in and right in the beginning credits Takara began to make fun. "EW! I wonder if that's what we really look like on the inside." She said as the egg on the screen made its way down the fallopian tubes.

Kitsune rolled her eyes, laughing slightly. "Probably, they just can't put a bunch of untrue things on the television."

Then the scene where the sperm were swimming came on and Takara fell out laughing. "Do you think Hiei's swimmers were talking when they made their way to your egg?" She started laughing hysterically.

Kitsune glared at her friend. "I doubt it… that's not really that realistic."

At the look on Kitsune's face, Takara laughed more. Kitsune glared again, and Takara tried to hide her laughter, watch the movie. She was able to keep her mouth shut, for a while, but then as she watched the baby talking in the mother's womb, she couldn't help it. "Kitsune, do you think your baby can talk right now?" She snuck over by Kitsune, and leaned down close by Kitsune's stomach. "Hello, Baby, can you talk? Huh, can you hear me right now?"

"Takara!" Kitsune laughed. "Even if the baby could talk, it wouldn't reply back."

Takara made a pouty face. "Fine! I won't talk to your snobby baby."

Kitsune's mouth opened wide in shock. "My baby is not snobby! My baby is sweet!" She exclaimed rubbing her belly.

"You don't know anything about that kid." Takara whispered dramatically. "He could be plotting against the world there in your womb. We don't know. I mean, he is Hiei's child."

At Takara's serious face, Kitsune fell out laughing. "Ok, yeah, my unborn child is plotting against the world."

She looked around suspiciously. "Shhh, he could be listening." Takara joked, pointing at Kitsune's stomach.

Kitsune laughed and shook her head. "Yeah, ok, now let's just finish the movie."

An hour later, they finished the movie and decided to hang the drapes. Problem was, they had really high windows. So, Takara had to stand on a chair. However, she was still not tall enough. So, then Kitsune climbed onto her shoulders. They were finally tall enough, but a little wobbly. Kitsune held the drapes in her arms and was directing Takara. "A little to the left, now a little to the right, perfect!"

Both were so preoccupied with the drapes that they never heard Hiei and Kurama enter the apartment. Hiei saw what they were doing and lost his temper. "What the hell do you two think you're doing?"

However, this was the wrong thing to do. Startling Takara, she lost her balance on the chair, which in turn caused Kitsune to lose her balance. Kitsune fell from her friend's shoulders, but luckily Hiei caught her. Takara regained her balance and hopped down from the chair. "Whoo, good catch Hiei!"

Hiei glared at her, and then proceeded to check Kitsune to make sure she was alright. Once he found out she was fine, he then turned his glare on her. "What did you think you were doing up there?"

"Hanging drapes." Kitsune stated plainly, not one but fazed by his glare.

"Did you not stop to think you might have fallen? You could have seriously hurt yourself and the baby." Hiei scolded.

This time it was Kitsune's turn to glare. "Do you think I don't know what I can and cannot do? Do you think I'm too stupid to know what will and will not hurt my baby? I had no intention of falling, and if you had of yelled, Takara wouldn't have lost her balance and I wouldn't have lost mine! So, do not yell at me and act like I'm the one who is at fault. Anyone with any kind of sense would have known not to yell!" And with that, she stormed out of the room and slammed her bedroom door.

Hiei winced as the door slammed. There was an awkward silence, and then Takara and Kurama made their way to the door. "Well, we've got to go do that thing that we were going to do." Takara said awkwardly and they quietly slipped out of the door.

Hiei walked over to the bedroom door and tapped lightly. He received no answer. He tried to open the door, but she had locked it. "Kitsune, please open the door. I'm sorry; I wasn't trying to insult you. I didn't think before I spoke."

"Just go away, Hiei. I don't want to see you or talk to you. You've hurt my feelings."

His heart wrenched at the sadness in her voice. He was still getting used to his feelings, and was caught off guard by how much her sadness affected him. He laid his ear on the door to listen. He could hear her crying. Hiei couldn't stand it; he had to find a way to get in there. He looked at the edge of the door and used his sword to pry opened the door. After a little wiggling of the sword, the door opened and he walked into the room.

Kitsune was on the bed, curled into a ball, crying. Pain went through his heart as he saw his mate crying because of him. He walked over to the bed and sat on the edge. He reached out his hand to touch her, but she pulled away. "Don't."

Hiei climbed farther onto the bed. "Please, Kitsune, I'm sorry. I was just so scared when I saw you that I didn't even think before I spoke, and said a lot of things I didn't mean. Please, just let me hold you, and make it up to you."

She rolled over, and looked at him, tears still falling down her face. "What you said made me feel like you didn't think I was smart enough to know what was good and bad for my child. That maybe I wasn't ready to be a mother. Well, there may be a lot of things I don't know, but I know how to be a mother." She sat up staring Hiei in the eyes. "I don't know what it is, but it's like my body already has the instructions, and my brain is reading the signal. It's almost like I've already done it before."

"I believe you, and I am so sorry I yelled at you." He reached over and pulled her into his arms. "You are going to be the best mother this child could have." He kissed her and then helped her stand up with him. "Now, let's go into the living room, and I'll tell you about the plans Kurama, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and I came up with."

"Alright, you over protective twit." She joked, and then laughed at the look Hiei gave her.