Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho or the characters

So, this may seem a bit out there, and that's because it's a continuation of one of my other HXB fanfics, Trials of Life. When I started this series, there were old stories I wanted to revisit, to give glimpses of the future of the universes I established. Trials of Life was one of my AUs, and chapter 8 of Day by Day hinted to continuation in the form of this series.

This is my selection for AU this year. If you're confused, you can take a quick glimpse of Day by Day Chapter 8, A New Trial. If you really want to understand this universe, please check out Trials of Life. Now's the perfect time for reading something new ;)

Day 2: First/AU

Hiei's hand gripped the wheel a bit too tightly. He was nervous and angry; that was plain to see. Botan looked to her husband and grimaced. She knew that this trip home was not the trip he wanted to make. If they were returning to see their family and friends only, that would be one thing. Their loved ones were not the only ones they'd be going to see.

Tony Toguro made contact with Hiei; Sakyo wanted to see the family.

Of course, after a quick discussion Hiei and Botan decided to go. Sakyo wanted to see the three of them: mother, father, and baby. Hiei was reluctant to allow the mob boss near his child no matter how amicable he may have been in the past. They had the added challenge that they couldn't tell anyone about the get together. They just needed to figure out how to go about it.

The couple, with their newborn child, returned home, for the rest of summer break should all go according to plan. It was the first time they had their daughter when they returned, so it would be the family's first time seeing Little Hinata.

As expected, everyone adored the new addition. Yukina cried when she first saw her niece, as did the twins' mother, Hina. Sakura, Botan's mother, tried to hide her tears, but Botan knew her mother was over the moon. She always wanted a grandbaby.

After the first night, Hiei and Botan set their plan in motion. With everyone fawning over Hinata, it would be easy to convince someone to watch her while Hiei and Botan had 'date night'. No one had to know that the couple wasn't really going on a date. Everyone, especially Baby Hinata, would be safe. That was all Botan and Hiei wanted.

"Yusuke and I could watch Hinata," Keiko offered the next day at lunch. Botan loved her best friend dearly and flashed her a thankful smile. She would have asked either Hina or Sakura, but both women had work. The brunette nudged her boyfriend, Yusuke looking uncertain about the whole ordeal. "It would be good practice, don't you think, hubby?"

"Ugh, I hate it when you call me that," Yusuke groaned. "Okay, fine. It's a baby. How hard can it be?"

Hiei and Botan exchanged amused glances over their raven-haired friend's response. As Keiko said, this would be good practice.

Yusuke stared at the sleeping child he was holding. Keiko had left Botan's living room because she received a call from work. After they graduated high school, Keiko had changed her mind about becoming a teacher. Instead, she went into nursing. She was real good at it too—Yusuke remembered when Keiko helped take care of his mother the time Atsuko was shot in duty. Yusuke admired Keiko's nurturing demeanor. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

Not even a second later, and Keiko was back out quickly gathering her things and rushing to the door. Yusuke paled. "What's going on?"

Keiko looked to her husband and wore an apologetic expression. "Sorry, Yusuke," she hurriedly said. "One of the girls called out with a bug. I need to get to fill in. There's an emergency. It's the overnight shift, so…"

"No way," Yusuke blurted out as panic flooded his system. "You can't leave me alone with the kid! I've never done this before!"

Keiko offered a reassuring smile. "Yusuke, you'll be fine. Hinata's a newborn. She'll probably sleep until they get back. If she wakes up and fusses, just try to feed her or change her. It'll be okay. I'm sure if you need extra help any of our friends will be available. I love you!"

With those kind words, Keiko was out the door. A moment later – even though Keiko made no noise – Little Hinata's crimson eyes opened and studied Yusuke. His breath caught in his throat. There was a moment of silence, and Yusuke hoped the child would stay calm. Then, her wails filled the room.

The meeting with Sakyo had been strange. As Hiei drove back to Botan's place, the couple sat in silence. It was like Tony Toguro said when he visited Hiei at the hospital the day of Hinata's birth. It was a 'friendly' dinner, and Sakyo – unlike Tarukane – did not ask Hiei to join his organization. Even so, Hiei was tense and angry. He did not see those men as friends, and he especially had no intention of going along with Sakyo's weird requests.

The tension in the car started to get to Botan; the woman was insanely sensitive to the emotions of others, Hiei especially. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked cautiously.

Her warm voice disarmed Hiei. His tight grip on the wheel loosened, and a sigh escaped him. "Not particularly," he replied. After all, there wasn't much to say. "He didn't ask me to do anything illegal, right?" Just something completely pointless.

Botan's expression grew solemn when she heard the resignation in his voice. "You don't have to do it if you don't want to. He can't force it, and it didn't sound like he was threatening. He's just interested in your talents."

Hiei scoffed but relaxed a little bit more. He was being incredibly stupid getting all worked up. After all, the mobster only asked him to do what he did after Tarukane died – to write a book about his experience without being a biography. Now, cocky Sakyo decided he wanted Hiei to write a book about a dashing, rouge who managed to defeat the former kingpin of a territory. Hiei had no desire to relive any of that part of the past, and he had no desire to write a hidden, secret memoir about Sakyo's life now.

"I know," Hiei replied, his voice calmer. "It's just…why send Toguro to pass along his message? Why the day of our daughter's birth? He may have said he would never go after women or children, but he went after you when he was trying to make himself look good to Tarukane."

"It's a lot to think about," Botan murmured. She took one of his hands from the wheel, laced their fingers together, and then placed their adjoined hands between them. Hiei breathed out a heavy, shaky breath. The blue-haired woman squeezed his hand reassuringly. "You don't need to decide tonight. Whatever you choose to do, I'll support. For now, let's just enjoy our time with our family and daughter. Everything is fine, and we are safe."

Hiei knew Botan was right. Sakyo didn't give him a deadline for a decision, and he did tell Hiei to think about it. The raven-haired writer was certain he and his family were in no danger this time around. Still, the fact that the mob boss had reached to Hiei was disconcerting. He and Botan moved for college, lived in the most secure apartment they could ever get, and yet Toguro still found them. Hiei needed answers as to why.

As Botan said, it was not the time to think about it. They heard Sakyo out, and now it was time to relax. After all, they were new parents. Hiei couldn't be so worked up over these pointless things. His daughter needed him to be calm, confident, and collected.

When they returned to their mothers' house, Botan and Hiei found Yusuke passed out on the couch with Hinata safely tucked in his arms. Botan grinned like a Cheshire cat, thrilled to see the sight. The living room looked atrocious, and Yusuke looked haggard. Botan and Hiei could only wonder what antics ensued between their friend and Hinata.

"I guess she had fun with Uncle Yusuke," Botan snickered. Hiei shook his head after he rolled his eyes.

The woman took advantage of Hiei's distraction and ran a hand up Hiei's shirt to touch his chest. Her husband shivered and turned to meet her playfully impish gaze. "What are you doing?"

Botan's expression became completely innocent as her hand started to travel the other direction. Hiei's eyes filled with fire. Botan's hand stopped at his waist. "Well, didn't the doctor say when the baby's asleep, we should rest?"

Hiei growled with desire. It had been a long time since he and Botan were together like that, a precaution after the birth. Although it was around the time the doctor said it would be safe, Hiei shook his head. "I don't think she meant that kind of rest."

"Don't even think about it," they heard Yusuke mutter. It broke them out of their desire-filled haze. "If your whispering can wake me up, I don't even want to think about that."

A laugh escaped Botan, and she went to go relieve Yusuke of his babysitting duty. "Thank you so much, Yusuke," Botan chimed, the two ignoring the fact that just a moment ago Botan was trying to engage with her husband leaving Yusuke with the baby longer. "We'll see you soon."

Botan left the room, leaving Yusuke and Hiei alone. The taller man cast Hiei a knowing look. "So, how's Sakyo?" Hiei paled. He didn't even want to know how Yusuke found out about the visit.