lostmoonchild: I know, I haven't updated in a long while. There's really no excuse that I can offer other than writer's block and I had forgotten where exactly I was going with this although I'm not entirely sure that there's a theory in here somewhere. I may be a leftie but there are days when people aren't sure that I'm in my right mind... lame joke, I know. Anyway, I'll blame the fic "Summer Snow" for the inspiration for this chapter.
disclaimer: I don't own YYH or anything else unless I say otherwise. I'd like to point out that "Summer Snow" is my own fic and is in the Kyou Kara Maoh! area.
Chapter Eight
The sound of the fire sirens going off had always bothered them and they paid no mind until Sean and Maya came running in with Aaron trailing closely behind. "The smoke's coming from Grandma's!" Aaron told his mother.
Danielle felt her heart freeze as she darted out the door, moving as quickly as her demonic speed would allow her to. While she may have held no love for her mother, some part of her forgave everything that she had done. The time of excuses had passed but still she wanted to make sure that no harm came to her mother. "Mother!" Danielle screamed when she saw that her mother's house was engulfed in flames.
She fought against the firemen that held her back, distantly hearing them tell her to stay back. "That's my mother's house! Get her out!" Danielle screamed.
"Ma'am, the flames are too hot to risk anybody going inside!" The fireman told her.
The world around her drummed in her ears as she watched the flames consume the house that she had once referred to as her own hell. She could remember when she was fourteen how she had painted the house and mowed the lawn only to have her arm broken in retaliation. How many times had she been on the roof fixing it the best she could without the proper tools?
One of the neighbors had come over while she was repairing a window one summer with a glass of lemonade in tow. She had tried to refuse the drink but ultimately lost the argument due to her knowledge that it was never wise to argue with one's elders. That night her mother had gotten furious and she had paid with a split lip and a black eye.
No one took pity on her after that in fear of being the reason that she was beaten to death.
How many times had she done something to fix the house only to have her work go up in figurative flames a short while later? It wouldn't matter if she had tried to fix up her mother's house earlier. Those efforts would have literally gone up in flames. No, she was right to just leave her mother in the house that would have fallen down sooner or later.
She stood by as she watched the firemen try to put the flames out. She didn't care that her friends and family had shown up and started trying to comfort her. Not even the murmuring how the "troubled daughter" had come home pulled her from the numbness. "Mom?" Aaron asked softly as he held onto her hand.
Reflex took over as she knelt down and hugged her son, her red-violet eyes remaining focused on the wooden skeleton that had yet to be consumed. Her mother's remains were somewhere in the house although she was almost praying that her mother had gone off to get a drink or a dozen. "Ms. Roberts?" The fire chief questioned.
"Mrs. Jaganshi now." Danielle told him automatically.
"Can we talk somewhere in private?"
She nodded slightly and left the group, listening as he explained that no one had been able to get inside before the flames had gotten too hot and that he was sorry for her loss. As soon as the flames were completely put out they'd go through and try to retrieve her mother's body and they'd determine the cause of the fire. "At the moment it's looking to be accidental although the neighbors saw somebody arrive earlier this evening."
"I came by with my cousin and our friends as well as my husband and then later after that my son and his friends came by to see her. I took them back to where we're staying as soon as I realized they had come here."
"No, ma'am. There was only one individual. Female from what one of the young men was saying."
Her mind began racing as she listened to the fire chief's words, clicking everything into place. After she gave her current address to the man, she turned and went back to the group. "We need to talk now." Danielle murmured to them. "They don't really think it was an accident."
"Arson?" August whispered.
Danielle nodded slightly. "Neighbor reported seeing a woman come to the house. After that the flames started up." Danielle murmured.
Hiei was silent as he held his mate and watched the flames without a word. The woman that had held him against his will for six years had been only blocks away from them and he hadn't noticed. "Onna," Hiei murmured softly, "we need to talk."
Danielle's grip on his arm tightened slightly in response and she nodded slightly. Some part of her wanted to wait until the shock of her spiteful mother being killed had worn off but some other part that recognized that she was finally truly free wanted to celebrate. "I know." Danielle murmured softly. "I know."
Yusuke wondered if his cousin was relieved to know that she wouldn't have to worry about her mother hunting her down and killing everybody but the look in her eyes told him that she felt the exact opposite. There was a hurt that only came with the realization that someone once thought invincible was human just like everybody else. "Shit, Danny." Yusuke said softly an hour later as he hugged his cousin. "I'm sorry."
"I thought she'd die of alcohol poisoning long before this shit." Danielle said finally.
"None of us thought that she'd actually die."
"Stupid thing is she'll be allowed to pass on with no regrets." Anger shone in her eyes. "She'll never regret beating the shit out of me just because my father left. She'll never regret stealing thousands from others just to feed her fucking habits."
And here came the anger part of the grieving process. He supposed that once the anger part was done then she'd be left to carry on. There were no good memories when it came to his aunt and it didn't seem fair to him that he could remember good times with his mother when his cousin had none with hers. "We'll find who did this and we'll make sure they know that we don't appreciate her being taken away when we weren't done with her." Yusuke said softly
"I think I wasn't really done with her. Some part of me still loved her, I guess, and it's that part that's grieving." Danielle said softly. "In the end, kids all really do love their parents somewhere deep down."
"Somewhere." Yusuke agreed. "If anybody stops by, I'll handle them. You just go upstairs and get some rest."
"I don't want to sleep. I'm afraid I'll hear her screaming 'worthless hanyou' and wanting to know why I didn't do anything to keep her alive." Tears glistened in her eyes.
Yusuke held his cousin tightly before answering, "None of us knew. Go upstairs, Danny, and hold on to your mate and son. I'm sure they both know that you're hurting."
She spoke no words as she went upstairs and laid down on the bed. She made no movements as Hiei laid down behind her and Aaron laid down in front of her, placing his mother's arms over him. "It's okay, Momma." Aaron told her softly. "It'll be okay."
Hiei kissed her head, not bothering to utter any words of comfort. He'd let the boy handle the talking while he just held onto his mate. They could stand being the rocks that she could hold on to now that she had been comforted by Yusuke. "Onna," Hiei said finally, "we know who did it. We'll make sure that she pays."
"Hai." Danielle murmured softly. "She'll die a slow and painful death. No one messes with my family and thinks they'll get away with it."
As long as she wasn't furious at them for what had happened Hiei found himself content and knew that they'd wait until the numbness wore off before they'd have a decent conversation about what was known. He just wondered how long the shock would last and when they'd be able to go home.
Even if that meant having to put up with that stupid ningen that wanted to get in his wife's pants.
lostmoonchild: Okay, I wanted a little family cuddling thing after the whole Hiei being a prick to his son thing in the last chapter so this was somewhat Hiei making up for it. Read and review, flames will be accepted and used to heat South Dakota back up since some of us want to be able to ride horses and run barrels.
