Rose amongst the thorns

Chapter Three

She was alone again. She knew that because they failed her, they couldn't bring her back to life. How can she be alive if all she could do was float around in the black nothingness where her only companion is her conscience? This was her punishment, her personal hell.

Kurama wiped away the cold sweat from her neck and forehead with a warm wash cloth. Daniel, the guy from the morgue, said that the pain she is going through as she lies there is intolerable. That was because the human body had to adapt to her demon mind and instincts. A demon's body temperature is higher than the average human's, thus she is probably suffering from hypothermia. The fact that the human had drowned didn't do her any justice either.

He pulled the blanket up to her chin and tucked the light brown hair behind her ear. The body hadn't stayed exactly the same. The hair colour changed, and the skin colour became darker – because there was actually life in the body – and Daniel said that her eye colour had also changed. He said it used to be a dark brown, almost black, shade, but now it was as light blue as the Caribbean ocean water. He said it made her pupils look a shade lighter, as well.

Kurama's stomach gave a whining growl. He didn't get much time to eat the pass three days, and he figured he might as well sooth his stomach – who had a mind of its own, it seemed – and get some food. He reluctantly left Amaya's side and went down the corridor, down the stairs, through the living room and, finally, into the kitchen.

After retrieving some bread, butter and cheese, he started to make himself a sandwich. He figured he might as well make some tea, it helps when he has to meditate. He pondered thoughtfully as he waited for the water to boil.

Yusuke and Hiei went on a mission. Koenma actually ordered Kurama to stay to look after Amaya, and Kurama didn't have any objections. While Yukina was on her honeymoon with Kuwabara with little possibility of returning any time soon, he took full responsibility in looking after the team, and apparently innocent victims.

It seemed Amaya's bloodied, tattered and scarred soul and body had scared the bit-Jesus out of Botan, for she was barely able to look at Amaya (even in her new body) without grimacing. She very seldom came into the room, too. She would call from behind a closed door if she needed Kurama, or she would find the floor fascinating when the door was already open.

While looking after Amaya, Kurama was able to work on the new DNA structure of the human's evolving body. He has worked for B.E.C. for about four years, and was planning on getting that bonus at the end of the year. If he could prove that the humans were beginning to evolve, and prove how the body works differently, he'd basically be settled for life.

Kurama was starting to devour the second sandwich, but a loud scream interrupted him. The scream was hoarse and bloodcurdling. He dropped the sandwich and ran the marathon to the rooms. He stormed into Hiei's room – the one Amaya presently occupied, because Hiei never did – and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Amaya arching her back off the bed, the blankets having been banished to the floor, and her sweat-covered body twisting and stretching in the most awkward fashions.

Snapping out of his stupor, he immediately rushed to her side, trying to push her down onto the bed, but she got in her left hook and he was banished to the floor, at least with a soft landing spot. He wasted no time in getting up and manhandling her down on the bed, saying soothing words that were too loud to really be soothing.

Her body quaked with convulsions that didn't seem to end, and she was crying. Her mouth was open but only a few hoarse whimpers made it pass her lips. He was startled to hear her speak, "It hurts…It hurts so bad…I'm going to throw up," and wasn't all that pleased with her words, but he was, nonetheless, grateful for the warning.

He immediately jumped off of her and reached for a bin nearby. He tucked the rim beneath her chin, just in case, as he helped her to sit up. He held her hair back and tried to be as soothing of a presence as one who got a new body would need.

She started throwing up; what, he didn't know, for she hadn't eaten and the body she is occupying was dead before. Proving his speculation, she only got some useless products out of her stomach, and mostly just gagged when nothing came out. He supposed it was better that the food came out. Who knew that the food wasn't rot in her stomach and could have killed her, again? The poor girl, she must be traumatized.

He then realized that the shaking of her shoulders weren't because of gagging any longer, but because she was sobbing. He immediately put the bin as far away as his arms could reach and wrapped his arms around her. She then began to wail with her use-to-be silent sobs, and he tried as hard as he could to soothe her. His soft murmurs and the gentle rocking motion seemed to do the trick, or maybe she didn't have anymore tears – she probably was dehydrated.

Her body shook with a sob every now and again, and her breathing began to regulate. He reached for the cloth in the bowl of cooling water, squeezed out most of the water, and started cleaning her face. She turned her face away at the first contact, hiding her face in his chest, and he ceased his actions. He continued his rocking motion and soon she was asleep again.

Amaya wasn't oblivious to the pain anymore. Oh no, at first there was none, and then it hit her like stream of cold water, coursing over her body. The pain was like an electrical shockwave forcing her body rigid. The pain came from her stomach, and sent thin electrical fibrils in every direction of her body. It coursed to the roots of her hair, and it made her toes curl. It made her fist her hand and her teeth clatter.

She was trying to fight it, but in order to do that she'd have to fight herself. And, suddenly, there was something helping her. Or so she thought, but soon it was pressing down her aching muscles, hurting her even more. She then began to fight the fiend off, shoving and kicking all she could with her involuntarily rigid body.

She finally regained consciousness and saw a mass of blurry redness staining her vision, and she then ceased all her actions. She ceased her intended actions, but her body still fought him, but soon he had her pinned down and he forced her body to relax.

She then felt the bile coming up from her stomach. She warned him, and he was holding her up and helping within no time. She wondered if she would ever be able to repay this man, and suddenly she was sad, and she couldn't stop the tears from coming.

The rest was all a blur, until she felt a lukewarm cloth against her cheek. It felt like sandpaper dipped in lava, and she quickly searched for comfort in the closest, hardest thing she could find. She was glad that the actions immediately ceased. And when she was back in the black abyss, it wasn't that bad, for she could actually sleep rather than having to think all the time.

When Amaya woke up this time she wasn't feeling nauseated or much pain. Her body was recovering and her muscles were stiff. She needed the bathroom. She opened her eyes to see that it was dark outside, and the only object giving the slightest light source was Kurama's screensaver displayed on the open laptop on his lap. He was fast asleep.

With effort, Amaya threw her legs over the side of the bed. She lifted a shaky hand to move the rebellious strand, which was so familiar yet so unknown to her, away from her face. It was oily, and like her body, dirty. Ignoring her legs' protests, she got up and headed towards the window. She opened the curtain and stared lovingly out at the lake's black water reflecting the crescent moon.

Not being able to hold her bladder for much longer, she glanced around the room for a bathroom. There was, unfortunately, only one door. She stepped through the door and started working her tired muscles. Luckily, she didn't have to open every door in the corridor for there was one door open, revealing a white-tiled wall and floor. She hastily made a retreat and closed the door behind her. She used the toilet and immediately started removing the simple white gown they had dressed her in. She didn't bother to turn on the hot water; she liked the cold soothing her aching body.

She climbed out of the shower and reached for a towel which was hanging on a hook nearby the shower. It was still clammy from its owner's use, but it was either that or walking around naked. She picked up the discarded white gown and rubbed the mirror clean.

She wasn't at all shocked when she saw the person in the mirror. Though it wasn't really her, there was still a striking resemblance. It could have been a close relative, like a sister or maybe a niece.

The hair was the colour it used to be, but would probably be lighter when dry. She didn't have the dead woman's rosy glow in the cheeks, but she did have the wavy hair. The hair was much longer than she was used to, almost reaching her waist. At the institute woman's hair was always cut to shoulder length.

And there were no markings on her.

She moved her index finger along her eyebrow and temple, but there were no sign of the scars that use to be there. She removed the towel to look at the rest of her body, and there were no markings on her breasts legs or feet, and there wasn't a horrendous scar on her stomach.

It felt strange looking at her body, but having the fleeting feeling that she was peeking at someone else. The new body was taller than the other one, she observed, longer limbs and more defined curves. Instead of having a well-muscled body with a boyish look, she now had a woman's waist and hips and thighs and chest… She frowned at the image the mirror provided and guessed a body is a body.

Accepting the body, she wrapped the towel around her again and headed for the door. Reaching out, she knocked her outstretched hand against the wood above the doorknob. She frowned, and realized that she opened the door out of reflex, but because of her taller body, her aim wasn't too accurate.

She then went back to the room and found Kurama still sleeping in the chair next to her bed. She smoothed his hair back and looked tenderly upon the face of her saviour. She then took the laptop off of his lap, and was intended to put it away, but the screensaver was removed and it showed a picture or a DNA cell she once glanced at. But this picture was different, for it showed new, different bonds, and the nitrogenous bonds weren't held together by hydrogen bonds, but something else.

Fascinated, she took the laptop back to the bed. She got under the covers and rested her back against the headboard as she began reading through his notes. Some were hard to decipher, because they were summed up in a manner he would understand. She felt a pang of guilt for reading all his research, but was overcome with curiosity and continued reading his material.

She read and reread the work over and over again, and with each passing moment the work became clearer and she began to understand it with a passion.