Forever
Sequel to "In the End"
by: Kawaii Kitsune

Disclaimer: Yu Yu Hakusho and all the characters in the wonderful show do not belong to me, blah, blah, blah. You get the point. No money, don't sue, blah, blah, blah. Moving on.

Note: italics indicate memories.

It's a beautiful night out but I'm not enjoying it like I normally would. Since that moment three nights ago, I've been feeling very sluggish and depressed. My mother has started to worry about the bags under my eyes and my lack of energy. My normally combed hair is now in disarray, tangled from days of neglect. My school uniform is wrinkled from nights of sleeping in them. My friends have asked about my health and situation, but I simply smiled at them and told them everything was fine. I laugh bitterly at the statement.

What a lie.

The truth is, I'm definitely not fine. I'm the farthest thing from fine. Night and day, I recall the events of that fateful night: the words, the looks, the uncomfortable silences. Everything. And the more I remember, the more I regret about what I did. I thought what I did was right and the best for us both, but I was deadly wrong. It's brought nothing but pain and guilt, and they are engulfing me. How could I have been so selfish, so stupid...so uncaring? I wince at the memory of Hiei's face when I ended it all. It was a look of pain and betrayal. That look will haunt me for the rest of my days and nights.

I stand up from my chair and walk over to the window. The window was opened earlier to let in some fresh air. Now, I prop my elbows on the windowsill and let my head drop into the cradle created my hands. I close my eyes and let out a long sigh as a cool, refreshing breeze blows against my face and plays with my long hair. Perhaps he'll come back and then we can forget this whole painful ordeal. I'd apologize and beg for forgiveness, as much as my pride forbids it. Perhaps a plea of temporary insanity. Anything to make the hurt and emptiness go away.

But would he accept it? Would Hiei want me back after that show of egotism I displayed? I made a mistake and I'll admit to it. The distance was not only dividing us physically, but emotionally as well. However, did that mean we had to end it?

We can work around it. I thought you said love conquered all. What's a little distance?

How right you are, Hiei. I was just too blind to listen then, and it may have cost me the love of my life: your love.

It's not like we don't have the time.

Once again, Hiei, you're right. I've just become far too impatient and needy. I couldn't see all the goodness in our relationship, all the care, all the love. But I see it now, Hiei. However, I fear I may be too late.

So this is the end? If it is so, don't expect to see me again. I won't be bothering you anymore.

I pray you didn't mean it, that it was only said out of anger and hurt. I don't know what I'd do if it were true, if I could never see you again.

Goodbye, Kurama. Forever.

"Shuichi, are you in bed yet? It's getting late." It's my mother.

"Hai, Kaasan." I answer back. I leave my place at the window and get into my warm, comfy bed, a bed that I have shared with Hiei many times in the past. I finally come to a conclusion: I must talk to Hiei again and set things straight, regardless if it'll take me days, months, or years to find him. I'll search across the three worlds if I must but I will find him. With that decision made, I close my eyes and fall asleep with much more ease than the previous nights.

I open my eyes expecting to see the sun shining through my window, but instead I see nothing but a bleak landscape covered by shadows of darkness. Where am I? I shout out, hoping for an answer, but nothing. Silence. I seem to be alone in here, wherever here is. A survey of my surroundings verified my hypothesis. I almost shout out again but something catches the corner of my eye. It's a spot of white among all the black, and I wonder why I didn't see it before. I walk towards the spot, slowly and carefully, not sure of what I'll find. The closer I get, the more and more it looks like a figure lying on the ground. Finally, I am close enough to see it clearly and, true enough, there is a body sprawled out on the dark floor with the face down. I approach the body with caution.

My eyes roam over the body to search for signs of life, but the familiarity of the appearance catches my eye. Short stature. Black clothes. Black hair. White starburst.

"HIEI!"

Within a few seconds, I am by his side. I slowly and carefully turn him over, and hold him in my arms. The sight I see will be engraved into my mind for all eternity. Puncture wounds scatters over his entire body. His Jagan is destroyed and bleeding heavily. His clothes are soaked with his blood and formed a pool around his body. The color of the blood was masked by the black floor, which explains why I didn't see it before. I look on at the scene with utter disbelief.

"No, this isn't real." I find myself saying these words, desperately trying to believe them. "This must be a dream." More like a nightmare.

Suddenly, the body in my arms stirs. I almost drop him in surprise but I regain control over my being. Hiei's eyes flutter and then open, looking unfocused at me. He tries to lift his hand but fails, his strength gone. The fire demon smiles up at me and opens his mouth to speak. I lower my head closer to him so I can listen better at what he has to say.

"I...love you...Kurama." He struggles to breath, and his words come in short gasps. "Farewell...Fox." His eyes close, this time it's forever.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

I suddenly bolt up in my bed. I look around and see the familiar scene that is my room. The sun is already high in the sky outside my window, indicating it is late in the morning.

No body, no blood, no darkness.

However, the feeling of dread has not left me. I jump out of my window and land on the ground below, not knowing exactly why, only letting my instincts and inner soul guide me. I sense that what I saw was not simply a horrible dream. It was a message, a premonition. A warning. I run at top speed through the woods behind my house, following only my instincts and this inert fear, praying to whatever god that will listen to me that I'm not too late.

I was too late.

As I frantically run through the trees, I already know what I would see: Hiei's body lying on the forest floor. Cold. Dead. I know because part of me died along with Hiei. I'm no longer whole.

I skid to a stop near the center of the woods, breathing heavily, my lungs burning from the lack of oxygen. And there he is, just as I saw in my dream, lying dead in a pool of his blood. Arrows scattered around his corpse; some are still rooted deep in him. I quickly run to him as I did in the dream, lifting his delicate body into my arms. Tears flow from my eyes as I look down at his face, stained with blood. I try to hug him close to me, but the arrows in his chest prevent me. I carefully pull out the arrows, one by one, as I could no longer stand the sight of them embedded into Hiei's body. Finally, his body is freed from the protruding objects, and I can finally hold him close to my body. Being a fire demon, his body is still warm, even after death, and I cry even harder, as he seems still alive.

But he's not.

I'll never again see his loving look, feel his gentle touches, hear his words of devotion. Never again.

/Kurama.../

A whisper enters my ear, barely audible. My eyes dart through the trees, trying to find the speaker. But I see no one.

/Farewell, Fox./

Again, the voice speaks. This time it is accompanied with a slight breeze. I feel a presence surround me, embracing me like a beloved. A slight pressure falls upon my lips, as if in a kiss. A parting kiss. A last kiss.

/Farewell./

Then...the presence is gone. And I am once again alone in the forest, clasping hard to the body of my one and only love. Forever alone.

This was partly written upon request, but also partly because I thought it would be nice to see Kurama's point-of-view. Hope you like it. My roommate thinks I'm horrible for making Hiei die.