Here's the next installment! Hope everyone enjoys reading it after the long wait! I'll try to update this when I can but that is really all I can promise, I'm sorry. I actually wasn't planning on updating this today but I was able to get around to it so... enjoy!

Please read and review! Trust me, this story does have a lot of twists coming to it, some you may expect and others you most likely won't. I'll leave a tease at the end, just to hopefully keep all my lovely reviewers staying around! Please review! Thank you xD

Chapter 25: Let's Make A Plan

"You're a pretty good actor... I had suspected you knew her but neither of you showed any indication, aside from you being very familiar with her. You're not like that to just any old stranger."

The redhead hung his jacket on the back of the room's desk chair before placing his other possessions on the desk. "Hiei, fuck you, okay? You're mocking me because you've spent enough time at my side to know when I'm acting. However being a spy is not about being able to just read someone you've spent time with but those you hardly know."

"Tff, I wasn't implying that I was trying to do something I was not trained in. You feel you're lacking something and you've shown me just what it is– you feel like your out of shape. Perhaps, you've slowed down just like that egotistical doctor of your's said."

"Hiei–"

"I'm not here to go off on that though," he sighed, his hand going up to run through his hair only to get caught.

At the questioning look Kurama dropped the caught hand. "It's an annoying habit..."

"I know..." he smirked softly, his hands clenching into his pant's material, "I picked that up from Ami too... Probably why you get so irritated with me doing that, ne?"

"No, it just something that portrays how upset you truly are... You stopped it for awhile and to see that you're doing it again..."

"Hn, but I am," his red eyes lowered to hide their sadness, "I can't stand being so reliant on someone– I was never this way in my youth..."

"I don't know what to do anymore. I can't protect you without hurting both Kitshu and you–"

Hiei hugged the man to him. "Don't worry about it then. I don't want your protection, we don't need it. Together we'll figure something out."

"If you say so..." he shifted around in the embrace and returned it, "I'm sorry... for being as childish as I have been."

"Baka..."

"Those two are both such drama queens..."

Yukina smiled at Tina as she feed her nephew on the living room couch. "I imagine they just have a hard time trusting and relying on one another because of their pasts. Given time they'll gravitate back to each other– they're simply too similar."

Tina softly grinned and inclined her head from where she sat before a computer. "Yeah. Well, anyway, I think it's about time I gave you a briefing on the situation at hand, ne?"

"Oh... There's more? Kuronue told me a bit about what's going on..."

She spun in her chair to face the other woman, "There's much, much more..."

"Just promise me that if anything were to happen... You'd still father and raise Kitshu. That's my last request."

Hiei by this time was at the desk, his fingers tapping against the wood impatiently, "I already said that what I did was wrong. Everyone's going through enough stress without either of us adding to it."

"I'm sorry..."

"I told you, enough of that," he growled.

He took a deep breath before letting it out once more, "How far did your officer experience take you?"

The man gave him an odd look as he tried to figure out what to say. "Well, the biggest case I dealt with was having to chase down this kidnapper... Solved a case that was about two years old in a week's time. They wanted to make me a full time officer but I had obligations with Mukuro, she went out of her way to give me a good job, I couldn't very well let her down to pursue my own interests. Instead they gave the job to Kuzuma and now he's working alongside Yusuke..."

"Is that why you resent him so? He took you're sister away from you, got your dream job–"

"He's just a whiner who bitches all the time about shit... It just annoys me."

Kurama smiled kindly as the other once more lied to himself and tried to hide behind the truth. "Okay, Dragon. Perhaps this is your chance to see if this is really the lifestyle you want. First, do you have any ideas on how to catch Karasu? I'm actually quite interested to see what you can come up with."

"Why?"

"Because you're not trained to be what Tina and I are. As such you weren't exposed to the routine protocol and nothing should inhibit your thinking..."

He snorted and moved so his red eyes could meet with the other's green. "That and you'd probably get a good laugh."

"Probably," the redhead chuckled out as he flopped onto the bed, "But truthfully I'm actually quite curious as to how you'd deal with this kind of situation. You've handled all of what's been happening rather calmly."

"Hn, acting out leads to mishaps like what just happened between you and I. Things happen, it's better to accept that and think of a solution then to pretend nothing ever happened and wait for it to come back to bite me in the ass."

"True," he shifted around a moment to get more comfortable only to huff and flip onto his stomach, "I like your bed better, this one's so lumpy."

Hiei allowed for the change of topic and smirked before getting up and going towards the door, "I'm going to go check on Kit."

"Bring him up here, please? I wish to see him too."

"Are your legs broken?"

"Hiei, I'm tired... please?" Knowing the older man couldn't resist his pouting lips he used them to the best of his abilities and only stopped when the other had agreed.

"Hiei?"

"Yukina... How's Kitshu doing?"

His sister gazed down out the sleeping child sprawled across the crib's blanket before softly speaking, "Well... Or as well as a child who's father just spontaneously abandons him can."

Hiei's eyes tightened as he bent over the small brunet's bedding and lightly ruffled his hair. It caused Kitshu to squeeze his eyes and squirm a bit but aside from that it did little else.

"Are you going to do this to him every time you have a disagreement with Kurama?"

Again he said nothing, only folded his arms upon the crib's railing and propped his chin upon them.

"Hiei!" A chill crept through him from the cold hiss while his irises viewed her from the corners of his eyes. "Stop this now, while you still can... I-if Kurama leaves you in some shape or form... are you going to allow your child to suffer alongside you? You must be strong... I know you're passionate about matters such as these but you mustn't allow that to get in the way of raising your son... If you mess this up now you'll never be able to forgive yourself."

He still gave no indication of having heard nor notice she was speaking, but she knew better. Hiei had always paid her particular attention and she knew that no matter how hard he tried he would abide by her and heed her words.

"I'm going to take a nap. Why don't you wake Kit up and give him his afternoon feeding?"

"Maa!"

Hiei snorted and lightly tickled the child's tummy as he laid one knee on the unmoving redhead's bed, "I think you should wake him up, Kit–"

"If you suggest that he pull my hair, Hiei, I shall do something much worse to you in return," was the muttered reply as a single green eye peeked open.

"Hn."

The infant by this time was frowning and pushing at his father's motionless hand while a gurgle of sounds passed from his mouth.

Shuichi lightly stretched before reaching out his arms for the infant, "Let me see Kit, Hiei."

"Careful, he was just feed."

Kitshu happily squealed as his 'ma' settled him on top of his chest, "What are we going to do with you? You're a dead giveaway, Kit..."

The older of the two men sat upon the bed now and sighed, "That's right, he is..."

Slender fingers twisted softly in brown spikes as its owner murmured, "Just some food for thought... We're going to have to be extra careful. For instance, even in the house, we should get use to wearing our wigs. If someone were to see us through the windows without them, it could cause problems."

"Maybe it's time Kitshu gets a hair cut... Infants all look the same around this age and they grow quick enough that one may not be able to foresee what the kid would look like in a month's time," he paused and looked down at the other, "Shuichi?"

Emerald eyes blinked rapidly a view times before focusing on the dark haired man, "Hmm?"

"You've been sleeping a lot lately..." Rough fingertips brushed lightly against the long red strands, coaxing them away from the pale face beneath.

Kurama disentangled the other's hand from his hair before kissing its palm and lowering it to rest upon Kitshu, "I'm fine... just tired."

Red eyes, which were clouded with concern. watched the other struggle against sleep for a few more moments before lifting his child up. "Then sleep, I'll wake you in a few hours."

"Thank you, Dragon..."

"He's been sleeping a lot lately... and sometimes I notice a look of confusion pass quickly over his face..."

"Kurama's also been quite stubborn and a tad argumentative... In the past, he wasn't like that, well not as stubborn at least."

The light flickered on in the hall, cutting short their discussion as a silhouette was seen approaching.

"I'm sorry, but I overheard bits and pieces of what you two were talking about... I'm worried as well..."

Hiei turned towards his sister before patting the seat beside him, "We have to figure out a way to draw this mission to a close, and fast. He needs that operation performed..."

The brunet across from him inclined her head in agreement before going on to say, "Granted, he's no longer in his prime, but he's slowed down quite a bit since I last saw him..."

"Are you sure we're not making something out of nothing? Maybe he's just out of practice? Maybe–"

"He's been smoking... In his youth he once confessed that he did so not because of the stress, but because it eased his tense and sore muscles– it helps him endure his pain..."

"Oh... what can we do?... How can we help?"

"We take Karasu down... It's a short-term solution but it should give us enough time to get Shuichi his surgery... But to really secure his safety, we'll have to kill Yomi–"

"Hiei, think rationally," Tina muttered, "We have to think smart... draw them into a trap somehow... but Karasu won't be easily caught nor Yomi easily killed."

"Why don't we accidently slip then?... We'll let Shu do his thing, expose the spy for Karasu, then purposefully, in front of them, slip, like say our names or let hair strands fall out from our wigs?"

Both Hiei and Tina stared unblinkingly at Yukina.

"It was just an idea..."

"It's simple, yet smart... It's a start," Tina grinned, "I don't know why I didn't think of that."

At the statement Hiei thought back to when they had first arrived there and what the redhead had said to him, "We can't think like spies... Karasu will be expecting that. We'll deceive but no more than any other normal person... By leading him on, making him believe we're like everyone else, full of mistakes, we'll lead him into a false security."

His twin smiled and hugged her brother, "By doing that, wouldn't we then be thinking like spies?"

"Hn," he rolled his eyes as he returned the embrace, "We aren't trained like Tina, Kuronue, and Kurama are. We aren't fixed on following protocols..."

"I'll call Kuronue in the morning and then we can tell Kurama–"

"No, Shuichi is not to know of this. He's already inhibited enough because of his condition and worries."

"You can't be serious! He will eventually have to be told our course of action and while he may not be what he once was, he is still far greater than any of us here!"

"Fine, ask Kuronue, his ruling is final," he released his sister before standing and picking up his son from the play pin, "I'm going to sleep."

"Good morning!"

A gentle smile, made brighter by the whiteness of teeth, was gifted to the bearer of the greeting, "Good morning, how are you?"

"Good, good, getting ready for work in the town's greenhouse. How about you? What do for a living?"

Green covered eyes sparkled at the forwardness of the man before sharing, "Just a freelance photographer, however I'm still waiting for my equipment... the airline placed it on the wrong plane. But anyway, you said there was a greenhouse around here?"

"Yep, just on the outskirts of town. You like plants?"

"Very much so, I'm almost embarrassed to admit that in my youth I use to tend to the gardening at my house," he tucked a blond strand of hair behind his ear as he chuckled at himself, "Well, I've held you up as it is, it's best I let you get to work, I'll see you around Travis."

The man laughed as he climbed into his car and pulled away.

"How was your travels?"

He shrugged and grumbled, "No leads."

Tina shook her head and sat him down at the kitchen table, "Is everything alright? You're usually so much more careful and patient about these matters... How are you feeling?"

Kurama eyed her carefully. "Tell me, would you like it if you placed innocent people in harms way? Yes, the deed may be done, but that doesn't mean I have to be happy about it. I'll also have you know that my tumor is by no means inhibiting me, that is what you meant, isn't it?"

"Kurama, I know you've been a little to worried about taking care of those three however if you had taken the time to see, you would have noticed–"

"That they're worried about me and as such are conspiring behind my back?" A rather uncharacteristic snort came from him as he then continued, "Please, don't look so surprised, I've been in this business for awhile now."

Tina stood with a huff and a dark look in her eyes, "If you knew then I'm sure you also know that Hiei's at that blasted store of his 'subtly' exposing himself!"

Green eyes widened at the news, and without even asking more about it, left in a rush.

"Uh... Brother can I see you in the back for a moment?"

The now brunet, long haired man turned from his stocking and gazed questioningly at her, "Why?"

Yukina sheepishly smiled before taking him by the arm and leading him away from the shoppers' view, "I'll watch the front, okay?"

"But?–"

Glaring brown eyes found his own before the door was gently shut behind him. "You're part in this mission is to not look suspicious... understood? Now tuck in your black and white hair strands and act your part–"

"Why should I? We have to drawn them in somehow and you're not letting us help with your plan, not that you really tell us what that is, so what's the problem?–"

"You're not trained to protect–"

"You're bullshitting me, right? I'm a friggin black belt, swordsman, and I'm trained to use a damn gun– and I'm not trained to protect?"

"I've been trained to use anything I see as a weapon. I've also been trained to be a medic and psychologist– I can basically all but perform surgery and make someone question their own existence. Along with such, I was trained this way to kill... if one can heal, they know the weak points, of both the body and mind," he tapped his forearm in annoyance, "Now, I want this nonsense–"

"Nonsense? You want to fucking hear nonsense? Why the hell are we out here trying to draw Karasu's attention when it could take him friggin months to locate us? Why not go back to the city?"

Kurama sighed and rolled his head side to side, "There are too many people that can be harmed there, just the same too many witnesses. If we do succeed in killing him, then there's a good chance we could be sent to jail. However, if we stay here, under these false personas, they'll try to arrest people that do not exist."

"Well, we have to draw him in quicker–"

"But Karasu is not are true goal, our aim is to take of Yomi. That's why we're really here, we need to think of a plan."

"Well it's obvious just staying here is not working."

"I know," the originally redheaded man sighed as he leaned himself against a wall, "We're not going to be able to take Yomi out by trying to fight him... but I do have a plan."

"Well share it–"

"Just as you were going to share your's?" he rose a brow before once more shaking his head, "I'm awaiting my camera equipment, Kuro said it should come in by this afternoon."

Hiei quirked his head to the side in confusion, "So?"

"Since we're not too far from the city, Karasu should be sending out some lackeys to look around the surrounding area to find us."

"What do you mean 'we're not far from the city'? Didn't we fucking drive for–"

"We were driving in circles to see if anyone was following. When you drive in a circle a few times, it becomes very obvious if someone's following you, because they'll be making the same turns. We're really only about half an hour away."

"You've got to be kidding!"

Kurama had to do a double take for when he glanced at the other man for a split second, in his place, was Ami. "Take off your wig..."

The man growled, "Why?"

"Because," was all he returned while his hand went up to massage at his temple.

"Because? Tff." His eyes flashed quickly with concern before he pushed off from where he leaned and brought himself closer, "It's her hair length and color– almost to the tee, I know but maybe if I look like her in the slightest you'll treat me like your partner, like someone you trust."

Pained eyes locked with Hiei's own before their owner swallowed hard and shook his head, "I trusted her as much as family trusts each other... Hiei, I trust you on a completely different level. I just wish you'd understand and trust me to do what I was trained to do– I'm not as incompetent as you seem to think I am even with this tumor."

A tad reluctant Hiei sighed in defeat and brushed his lips against Kurama's, "I know, but I worry... and just the same I am not as incompetent as you think I am despite my lack of experience."

"I know, but as you already know, I worry– not just about my safety or your's, but everyone's. I uprooted all our friends, Hiei, and while I may be repeating myself in saying this, it is my fault and I must take care of it. We have to be smart and just so you know I am not drained everyday by this condition but rather by not being able to get a good night's sleep for fear of having something happen."

"I understand... but it can't be helping–"

"I imagine not but it cannot so drastically change the way I move or act regularly either," he huffed out.

"Then why are you smoking?"

His lips picked up a touch at this before relenting, "Tina told you... but the reason I do such is not what you may first think..."

"You're in pain, she said that at one time you told her that it helped to ease it."

Kurama frowned now and lowered his eyes, "It is true but it's more about the emotional pain, Hiei. My mind is taxed with trying to think of clever schemes when in truth I don't even know where to begin. We assume he'll look here, but what if he doesn't? What if he in fact finds the group or my family first? This, however, leads me to my next thought..."

"Being?..." Hiei carefully asked, his fingers grabbing hold of the other's arms because of a sneaking suspicion.

"Well... I was thinking that everyone could remain in hiding while I returned to the city to seek him out. Granted, taking Karasu out would be a short term solution but so long as I am able to take on his persona and adapt his speech when talking to Yomi over his cell I'll be all the more closer to obtaining my ultimate goal, his death–"

"And how do you think that will that help? You're just putting yourself back in danger! Why the hell do you think Kuronue put you here?"

The redhead pushed the other off him and glared, "Because I messed up! I've done told you why we're here but the questions you should be asking are for how much longer and if we will even get out of this alive."

Hiei growled but stood his ground as he watched the other pace around the backroom.

"I've thought of many plans, Hiei, but this one seems to end with the best scenario," he chanced a glance at him before once more turning away, "I would ask what you had in mind but you've already tried to put your plan into action. Did you ever think that you're plan would only result in nothing more than suspicious neighbors?"

"Tff, we all thought it would draw Karasu in but I guess we were all too anxious to see what you did– that he may not have anyone here for us to hint at. If you would let us help you though we could have–"

"Enough, I am in control of this operation as of now. Tina, Yukina, and you will no longer do anything more than to play out your new identities," Kurama snapped before stopping in mid-pace with his back towards the other and sighing, "I love you but you must understand that while there are things you do indeed know, there are just as many things that you don't– this being one. Having had over eight years to live this lifestyle I know that one's luck is hugely outweighed by his or her experience and in the end most do not have a second chance if they mess up the first time. You have to live as if you have no past, no future, and certainly no present– you must throw yourself out into the unknown and forfeit your soul in this business..."

Hiei, by the end of Kurama's long-winded speech, had enough of being told that he was inadequate and incapable of helping or for that matter understanding what was going on. In a rather blind fury, he would later admit, he flew at the unsuspecting man.

Once more, because of an instinct that he had taken to following these last couple of years, Kurama stooped before following it up with a counter attack. When he realized what he was doing a gasp parted his lips but before any words could spill from them he was once more assaulted by the man who in fact dodged his attack.

"I've had enough of you fucking telling me what I can't do!" Hiei hissed as he managed to grab hold of the other's left arm, "I can do whatever the fuck I want! If I want to, I can take him down on my own!"

The redhead cringed as the healing wound on his arm was twisted before he wormed his way out of the hold, "I get it, you don't want to be told what to do, but you have to listen to me. If I can kill Karasu, act his part, then get shipped back to headquarters, I can kill Yomi. I can–"

The man's wig came flying off as he flipped away, "Hiei, let me finish!"

Red eyes seem to burn through the brown contacts he wore as he settled down into a fighting stance, "And if you are discovered? It's as you said, you've worked with that man for eight years, he'll know it's you!"

"I know..."

"Then why do you lie and say you'll be able to play the part of Karasu?" Hiei grumbled, his being relaxing the slightest.

Seeing this Kurama allowed his tense muscles to unwind, "I'm not lying, from a distance I can play the part of Karasu."

"But–"

The door creaked open slightly as Yukina peeked through, "Can you two please take this home? The customers are becoming concerned."

When she left again Hiei shook his head, "We'll talk about this more later, until then don't do anything."

"Fine, but don't tell anyone," Kurama instructed as his hands tried to put the hair piece back in place.

Hiei stepped forward with a small smirk before tucking in a stray red hair and helping to pin it in place, "I'm going to stay with Yukina–"

"Tea. Hi-kun, it's Tea. Don't forget our cover names."

Seeing hesitation in the man before him Hiei took the initiative and leaned forward for a kiss. "I'll remember that Thomas but you remember this, I will not respond to–"

He chuckled and cut the other off with another kiss despite its briefness, "I shall call you Hi-kun because I think its cute, you may call me Tom-kun if you like."

The older man responded with a rather wicked smile, "Fine, I'll call you aisai..."

Green eyes widened beneath brown contacts at that, "You wouldn't..."

"Why not? You're an American and since you're going out with me I get to tease you with words you don't know, my beloved wife."

In the end the man just left with a smile on his lips and a spring in his step for he was pleased with how he was able to get back at his lover.

Alright, here are the promised teases, enjoy and review please! Thank you!

Hiei stood there, his eyes all but frozen on his son as he took his first steps, of course with some support. The support, he soon realized, was the redhead's gently guiding hands, the very same man he was currently annoyed with... again.

"S-someone knows you're here! They called the house phone asking for you-" ..."What did they want?"... "They asked for Youko and I hung up..."

"...sent me three files of the people on your tail. The first, and most obvious one is Karasu. However the second one I never even heard of. His name's..."