Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters

Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed last chapter. I really enjoyed working on it so much so that I started this chapter right away. I hope you enjoy this one just as much!

Onward!

It was a bright and shiny summer day, yet Botan still had a twinge of sadness in her heart. Hiei had been completely avoiding her since…whatever it was she did. Still, she kept pushing forward. The yoga actually had helped with giving her energy. It was so strange how stretching could actually do that. In addition, Kurama had come for a visit and taught her a little bit about meditation. It wasn't really needed to sit with your legs folded saying "ohm" like on the television. Really, she just needed to be at peace, clear her mind. She would go to her room and play some light instrumental music he had selected for her and just lie down on her bed, her back firmly against the mattress. Then she'd close her eyes and just focus on the sounds of the beautiful woodwinds. Sometimes, her meditation would go even further and she'd take a nap.

All in all, the week was going well for her, and she was starting to feel lighter. She only wished she could make things better for Hiei. He was really struggling with all this, wasn't he?

A sigh escaped her lips as she finished her glass of milk to swallow down her prenatal vitamins. She took the dishes from her light breakfast and put them in the sink. Her heart went out to the fire demon. All of this was beyond his comfort level, and she really hadn't meant to upset him. She only wished she knew what she had done wrong. Well, at least she knew he was eating. Every night she left him food, she'd find the dishes in the sink the next morning.

A knock on the door distracted Botan from her thoughts. She blinked in surprise, glancing over. I wasn't expecting anyone…

She went over to the door and looked out through the little viewing hole and smiled. It was Yusuke. Immediately, she let him inside. "Well, this certainly is a surprise."

Yusuke merely chuckled. "Yeah, well, I decided to take off work today," he told her. "That's the cool part about running my own food cart."

"Aren't your customers gonna be disappointed?" Botan asked in concern.

Her friend just waved her off. "Eh, I'll be open tonight. Just thought I'd come visit one of my favorite girls."

Botan laughed lightly, already feeling her mood pick up. "Oh, Yusuke. Always the charmer."

"I try," he teased, sitting down on her couch. "So, what's new with you? Keiko said you had another appointment. Everything okay?"

"Much better than it was," Botan informed him, sitting beside him. Her arms hugged her middle. "And this little one just keeps on growing and growing."

"I still can't wrap my mind around it," Yusuke admitted. "I mean, I didn't even think it was possible, not to mention the fact that Hiei's your baby daddy." Botan squealed in horror at the term, grabbing a pillow to smack the former detective. He let out a jocular "ow" before laughing. "What?"

"Don't ever say that again, Yusuke Urameshi!" Botan chided.

"Oh come on," Yusuke chuckled. "It's not even like Hiei was here to hear it, nor would he even know what it means."

"But I know what it means, and I don't want you to say it," Botan countered, looking away and pouting. She knew Yusuke was being his usual goofy self, but after watching enough T.V. programs the last couple of weeks, that term just bothered her. It's meaning definitely fit her situation, that it meant the father of your child whom you did not marry or with whom you were not currently involved. The circumstances didn't exactly bother her, but it just reminded her that she and Hiei thought completely differently about all of this and that it was putting a strain on their friendship. She still remembered how easy it was just being in each other's presence at their get-togethers. A part of her really missed that.

Yusuke smiled warmly at her putting a hand on her shoulder. Even he could notice that something had upset her. "Hey, I'm sorry," he stated, voice soft. "If you don't want me to say it again, I won't. Still, it's kind of funny when you think about it. So, where is the little guy?"

"I honestly don't know," Botan said sadly. "He's been avoiding me these last couple of days that I haven't seen him at all."

"How come?"

Botan shook her head. "I don't know that either. I really don't know what I did. He had just come home that day while I was doing yoga and then shut himself in his room, and I haven't seen him since."

Yusuke's eyes flickered with something, and a grin graced his features. "Yoga, huh?"

"Yes, it's supposed to help me with keeping my energy and mood up," Botan explained. "Hanako suggested it."

"Yeah, I hear stretching is good for health," Yusuke simpered, his eyes dancing with mischief. "Tell me, has anything else happened, you know, between you and Hiei?"

Botan looked confused. "I don't know what you mean. I mean, all that's really happened was one night we watched T.V. together, but I think I scared him off with how mad I got at the women in those stupid soap operas lying to their partners about their pregnancies and faking DNA tests. It was just so wrong. He avoided me a while after that, too, but he at least came out for meals. I've been learning to cook and all. Although, that morning, I think I upset him too. I was getting dressed and I got really upset seeing another change in my body. He must have felt my panicking and come to help me, but he stormed out of the room so quickly that I couldn't ask why he came."

"So, you were in the middle of getting dressed," Yusuke stated, and Botan nodded. A chuckle escaped him, confusing the ferry girl. He saw he concern and just shook his head. "Don't worry about a thing, Botan. Hiei will be fine. He's just a moody little bastard."

"Yusuke," Botan scolded, "that's no way to talk about your teammate and friend!"

"It's said in good spirits," Yusuke retorted. "So, tell me what else is going on?"

Botan found it so easy to confide in Yusuke how low she had been feeling, and he listened with more patience than she ever expected. She had been so worried about talking to any in the group about her mood, worried that she'd trouble them or that they'd blame Hiei for her mood, but this was nice. She saw the three guys as brothers for it was always easy to talk to them so openly. Of course, she hadn't spoken to Kuwabara much about the pregnancy except when he asked, but that was mainly because he would try to protect her honor. Where she appreciated the sweet gesture, she didn't really need it. Plus, she was worried it would make Hiei feel even worse than he did now.

"Sounds like you need to get out more," Yusuke told her. "Come on, it's the summer. You can go outside for walks, swimming, out to a movie. It's not like you have to be a prisoner to be pregnant."

Botan's eyes widened before a smile graced her features. To be honest, she had been feeling trapped lately, and it never occurred to her to go anywhere. Though she was happy to have a baby, she had been acting as if she had to stay inside and away from everyone. Maybe it was still some lingering feeling of needing to keep it hidden and her baby's father's identity a secret, or maybe she was used to being confined in Spirit World. "You know what, you're right!" she chimed. "But I don't know what to do."

"Well, we could always go to the arcade," he stated meeting Botan's skeptical eyes. He grinned and held up his hands, chuckling, "only if you want to, though. Or for ice cream. Ice cream is good. Anything to take your mind off of stuff."

"Make it both and you've got a deal," Botan negotiated.

"Both it is!"

"Though, I don't know if I should have ice cream. It's not healthy."

"Eh, but there's whole milk, and you need that vitamin D." Yusuke paled when the words left his mouth, red dusting his cheeks as Botan beamed at him. "I mean-"

"So, Keiko just mentioned the appointment, huh?" Botan teased knowingly. "When you asked if everything was okay, you knew. You came to see me anyway."

"Yeah, yeah," Yusuke grumbled. "Don't read too much into it. I still have a reputation to uphold."

"That reputation died when Puu hatched out of the egg."

A heatless glare was flashed her way. "You know, you're lucky you're pregnant or else we would have had a repeat of that day." Botan stuck out her tongue in response.

Hiei was training in the deepest, darkest part of the park. It was where he had been disappearing to every day, struggling with his own desires. Even though he was avoiding the ferry girl, he still felt very keyed up playing house with the woman with these traitorous thoughts of yearning. Even when he slept he could not escape the ache of hunger. His dreams had been very animated the past week, his mind portraying him and the ferry girl in many compromising positions. The worst part was he couldn't deny the fact that he lusted after her. He was tired of it. He did not want anything with that woman. And then he would be faced with her sad eyes that flickered with hope every time she looked at him as if he could do or be more, and it both sickened him and made him feel uncomfortable. He didn't believe in that unspoken promise.

He still had a responsibility to her and decided to check in to see how she was doing. The fire demon expected to find her at home as per usual, but she wasn't there. Instead, she was out with the detective, and she seemed to be in better spirits. Well, that was good. At least he wouldn't have to worry about her mood much anymore. He was ready to close the connection when Botan excused herself to the ladies room and pressed her back against the door, the woman feeling sadness once again. There was no clear reason, but he couldn't help but feel that he had unwittingly played a role. He severed the connection, but had he stayed linked to her for a moment longer, he would have sensed her mood improve. Botan logically assumed it to be the start of those mood swings.

The following week, Botan found the exhaustion returning and well as crazy hunger. According to her book, the baby was developing more and more, growing in size as well as fostering distinct human features such as hands, feet, ears, nose, etc. He or she was losing that webbing between fingers and toes. It was pretty incredible. She wished she could see just what exactly was happening in her body.

At least her appetite had returned meaning she was losing that horrible symptom of morning sickness. She still had to focus on eating the most nutritious foods, though she had splurged a lot when Yusuke had taken her out for ice cream. She even went to his food cart that night for dinner. Getting out like he had suggested was really helping her mood. Of course, she was starting to have those mood swings. It wasn't so bad yet, but she had found herself crying over nothing a few times. She really hoped she hadn't woken Hiei up with her weeping when it happened.

That wasn't all that was happening. Her body was developing the placenta now, and because of that she found herself sitting and lying down for hours during the day. It was strange to feel like she was overworked when she hardly did anything in a day, but it was normal and she still found the energy to go for short walks and do her yoga. She made sure to eat a lot snacks full of protein and complex carbs. Those cheese and cracker packs Kurama had gotten her were becoming her favorite. The dried fruit and nuts were good too. She was going to need to get more of that soon.

Botan was finally taking cues from her body. When she felt a small spurt of energy, she took advantage of it and cooked food for herself and Hiei for the day. They had quite a bit of leftovers. When she felt drained, she grabbed a water on her way to the couch and actually took small naps. When she woke up, she'd go for a walk or stretch, and then she'd grab dinner and a shower. Before her shower, she would leave food out for Hiei. After the shower, she'd wash the few dishes in the sink and then go to lie down in her room, reading a book or watching television. She was starting to feel like she was starting to get this, despite the bloated feeling and gas she had. That was really unpleasant.

Hiei was still avoiding the ferry girl as much as possible, but he was not unaware of her. Each night was becoming more unbearable for him. She would still leave him food each night, going out of her way to look after him and show that she cared. That was all wrong. It left him feeling perturbed. For years, he had the memories of his people damning him, calling him a cursed child, a flame that needed to be snuffed out, and he had accepted that role, defying his birthright at every turn. He was not bothered by those maidens. Their words meant nothing to him, not anymore. They were dead on the inside, cowards that shied away from emotion and the real world. Still, he had accepted that he did not need or want love or affection. He did not need to be tended to.

Yet every night he saw the plate of food, utensils, and a drink, his stomach did flips that were not from hunger.

He was hoping that eventually the woman would take the hint that he did not want her attention or to interact with her, that she would get fed up and give up this pointless endeavor. Nonetheless, she had not gone one night without her inclination of feeding him. Why? Why did she still persist?

Later in the evenings, he was privy to her horrible wailing, and he was fairly certain his behavior had caused it. He couldn't bring himself to do anything about it. He didn't want to; however, he still felt an alarming sensation in his core when the sobbing went on for more than a few minutes. What the hell had her this upset? It wasn't like when he had given her his opinion on their offspring. She wasn't retreating within herself. So why was she crying so extensively every night?

The only answers he got from the book for this week were about something called a "placenta" forming and her incredible exhaustion. It irritated him that this guide was recommending the father help with the chores to allow her some rest. He scoffed in derision. Who did these writers think they were? He didn't need her thanks as it so mentioned. A distressing thought hit him. But it might be nice. No, he wasn't going to stoop to that level. That was beyond his duty to her and their agreement.

With his meal eaten for the night, Hiei ventured out of the room as per usual to deposit his dishes in the sink. Unlike any other night, the woman was sitting at the kitchen island reading a book and nursing a cup of tea. She had yet to realize his presence. He was paralyzed in place. This was getting ridiculous. His pride finally caught up to him and forced him to take steps further into the kitchen. He was Hiei, ruthless thief and second-in-command to Mukuro. He refused to be a slave to something as pathetic as the blasted ferry girl's mere presence.

Botan noticed movement in the corner of her eye and jumped. Startled, she glanced over to see Hiei who was bringing his dishes to the sink. Not able to contain her smile, Botan hid behind her book, a romance novel Keiko had leant her. Even the tantalizing story hadn't been able to distract her from her unbridled joy. It was the first time she was seeing Hiei in a while and he was doing something so helpful too.

Her joy instantly dissipated yielding to embarrassment as her body released the foulest of sounds.

She slammed the book down, eyes wide and cheeks red, staring at the fire demon in shame. He had turned around only to stare at her with a quirked brow. That only served to humiliate her further. Why was he looking at her like that?

"Woman, why-"

"I-I-I'm sorry!" she stammered, mortified as tears came to her eyes. "It's just…it's a symptom."

Hiei's brows furrowed. "What are you going on about, and why are you as red as Kurama's hair? And why in the three worlds do you look like a gagging fish?"

All very good questions, yet Botan had the strange notion that Hiei should already know the answer. "I-It's embarrassing," Botan filled in, her voice a whine, and Hiei's expression softened into one of indifference.

"It's a normal bodily function that occurs without prompting," he retorted, confusion entering his eyes. "Are you telling me that humans actually feel shame over a vital bodily function?"

Her blush intensified. "But…it…it smells!" she tried to counter.

At that, Hiei couldn't help but chuckle, tension easing from his shoulders. "Nothing compared to Demon World," he reminded her. "A land where weakling humans could die from being exposed to the air for too long."

"Oh, right!" Botan chimed, the crying ceasing almost immediately, as if she had suddenly just remembered that. She laughed awkwardly. "I guess when you put it that way…"

"You would do well to forget about the ill-conceived notions of these humans," Hiei hissed, humor leaving him. "Your tears are wasted, as they are every night."

Botan frowned in shame and sighed. "So…you did hear…"

"Our rooms are adjacent to one another with paper-thin walls and your shrieks aren't that quiet," he remarked irritably. "Whatever it is I did, get over it. I refuse to apologize."

At that, Botan blinked at Hiei, and he suddenly felt like he was on display. "Oh, Hiei…it wasn't because of you," she assured him. "Is that why you've been avoiding me?" Hiei didn't dignify that with an answer. He refused to acknowledge that that wasn't his reasoning for keeping himself away. "It's another pesky side effect of the pregnancy. Mood swings. It's caused by the changes in my hormones. One minute I could be fine and happy, the next sad or even enraged. It kind of flared up sometime last week when Yusuke came to visit. I was just feeling completely overwhelmed out of nowhere, for no reason at all. It's completely normal."

So that was why she had appeared to be so sullen when she left the company of the detective. That certainly explained her behavior as of late. With nothing else to be said between them, Botan returned to her book, but the overpowering sensation of exhaustion came over her quickly and threatened to drag her down. A yawn escaped her, and she stretched her arms above her head with a satisfied sigh. "Well, I think it's time for me to hit the hay," she stated, Hiei's brow once again quirked at the unknown euphemism. Her hand rested against her stomach rubbing it lovingly, her amethyst eyes sparkling with gladness. They met his, and once again Hiei felt paralyzed and yet strangely at ease. "This little one is taking up a lot of energy. He or she is growing up."

That bright, beaming smile did little to quell Hiei's disparaging uneasiness in his mind, yet his outer body seemed placated. The burning desire that usually caused him a night of self-loathing and anger did not return. He should have found that more unsettling than the physical need for her, yet he was reminded of times in the past, times where he was entrapped into attending events and the two would end up spending time together being the two that avoided alcohol at all costs. Even then, she'd try to engage him, and he felt comfortable enough to react with nods and tolerate her presence. For a second, it was nice.

And then that thought sobered Hiei once again.

"Anyway, have a good night, and don't you worry about me," she murmured softly. "I'm doing just fine."

She closed her book and just made her way to the room, leaving the book and mug behind on the island. Surprisingly, the woman always managed to keep the apartment in order, maybe because of her structured life in Spirit World, and she hardly ever left anything out of place. Hiei's body moved on his own accord, his hand reaching for the mug. He scoffed at himself, but did not halt in his actions. Instead, he gave in and moved to put the cup in the sink, holding back his desire to toss the thing in. Returning to his room, Hiei tried to ignore the pit in his stomach at the hideous idea that he had taken the advice of that human book. No, it wasn't that. The object had just been jarring, and Hiei needed to remove it. He was not taking part in this. He would never take part in this. Hiei raced off to his room, quickly shutting the door, regrettably being mindful not to let it slam and wake the woman.

Crap, he was becoming soft…