Disclaimer: Still don't own YuYu Hakusho, but Ylena is all mine.

I opened my closet and fumbled to the back and found my red spaghetti-strapped evening gown. It was floor length, form fitting and had a slit up to my thigh. It was a deep shade of red that matched Shuichi's hair. I brushed out my hair and noticed it had grown down to the middle of my calves while I was sleeping. I threw it up in tight bun leaving some strands down to dangle over my eyes. Walking over to the floor length mirror, I was glad to see that my figure hadn't grown while I was comatose. I sat back down at my dresser and opened my jewelry box. I looked down at my left hand and noticed that my engagement ring was gone. I must have lost it during my battle with Kamryu. Being lost in thought, Kurama startled me when he appeared in the doorway. He smiled and walked towards me. "Looking for this?" He asked holding it out to me. My eyes widened and he knelt before me and gently took my hand. He looked up into my eyes and spoke, " When my soul was captured by Kamryu, I was unable to stop him from causing me pain. Normally that wouldn't bother me so much, but I knew you could feel it too. I never wanted to cause you pain but I was helpless to stop it. I know that you to felt helpless because you couldn't save me. I know how connected we are, because when I died, I felt your pain from losing me, and when I knelt beside you and held your lifeless body in my arms, my heart and soul broke. I couldn't make you better, and it tore me up inside." I lowered my head and closed my eyes as I whispered, "You're right, I felt the same way." He reached up and tenderly pushed my chin back up I opened up my eyes to look at him as he continued. "I tried everything I could think of to bring you back, and I could feel your soul, but it was so far away. I couldn't figure out why you wouldn't come back to me. So I did the only thing I could think of, I waited and waited for you to wake up. I sat beside you and held your hand, but still you wouldn't move. I was so scared. I tried to imagine what my life would be like without you. I struggled as I tried to envision even one day without having you by my side as my comrade in battle, as my friend to confide in and as my lover and mate who promised to be with me for eternity. The thought left me feeling empty and lost. I can't lose you again. The pain was too much to bare. I need to have you in my life because you are my life." I could see the tears welling up in his eyes, "Ylena, promise me that you will never leave me again, if you can't do that, then kill me now." I placed my hand on his cheek, and smiled. " You know that no matter what, I will always be at your side." He smiled and then, he placed the ring back on my finger and his tears fell down his smooth pale cheeks. I was amazed at how easily he cried, but then again, I found myself getting oddly emotional, even though it was nearly impossible for me to shed tears and I gave in. "Kurama, as you said, I know what it was like to lose the one you love. I realize this was a long time ago now, but for me it seems like just yesterday when you died. The pain is still fresh and I am still a bit shaken up even though you are here by my side. I felt so cold and incomplete. I felt nothing would ever be alright again. As I held you and felt no life, I cried. You know I don't cry." I said, giving a smirk, and receiving one as well. " I don't ever want to suffer like that again. I love you with everything that I am and I promise you from this day on, I will never leave you again on one condition," he looked at me puzzled, and I continued, " you promise me that you won't leave me again either." He nodded and smiled and simply replied "I promise." He reached up and caressed my cheek and pulled my lips to his. Then we embraced each other for what seemed like an eternity. When we finally pulled apart, he smoothed my hair back, extended his arm and in a sexy voice that made me want to push him on the bed and ravage his body said, "Shall we." He wanted to get back to the party. I guess I would have to wait until later to devour every inch of that body of his. I smiled as he led me out of the room, and back to our friends.

It was time to eat, and the meal was wonderful. It had been a long time since I had enjoyed food this good. Everybody filled me in on what had been happening while I was "out of commission" as Kuwabara put it. Shiori had informed me that Kurama's younger step brother Shuichi was away college and had decided to spend the holiday there with his friends. As everyone went on about his or her lives, I noticed that Hiei was still oddly quiet. He hadn't even made any snide remarks about Kuwabara acting like a moron. He was also evading eye contact with me. I must talk with him later. "Hey Ylena, we were really starting to worry about you." Koenma said, and Yukina sweetly added, " We are all glad to see you are better." "Yes, I am glad to see you back at my son's side." Shiori said, and then it dawned on me, all we've been talking about is demons, and the Makai and Reikai realms. Even Koenma's servant oni George was there passing the potatoes. I looked to Kurama for answers, and he read my mind and nodded which meant she now knew his best kept secret; she finally knew about his demon side. I was glad to hear this. I thanked everyone for their concern, and added "Well to be honest. I am glad I am better too." Then Kurama did something I didn't expect, he stood up and asked for everyone's attention. "For those of you that did not know, I have asked Ylena to marry me, and she has accepted my proposal. So we would like to invite all of you to our wedding." More congratulations were showered on us and Yusuke and Kuwabara got up and shook Kurama's hand. Hiei gave his usual "Hn" answer of approval. The girls all raced over to me and began talk of showers and flowers and of their weddings. I didn't truly understand all of it, but I was happy and so were they. We all finished our meals and a crew of strange people came in and quickly cleaned everything up and left. Kurama's stepfather was rich, and could afford such luxuries. He wanted us to have a nice holiday even though he had over-seas business in America to attend to.

We all went back to the living room. Koenma turned on some music and all of us were engaged in small talk. Well, almost all of us. Shizuru and Atsuko were engaged in a challenge of who could take more shots of whiskey. The two women were both eager to see the other one fall. This quickly became the main attraction, and before they knew it, everyone in the room was watching and cheering for them. Okay, not Hiei. But this was the opportunity I had been waiting for. I walked over to the window where the fire youkai was standing with his arms firmly folded across his chest like usual. He looked at me, his crimson colored eyes seemed to burn a hole into mine as he spoke, "Nice to see you are finally awake." His voice was sarcastic, and almost back to being totally cold and unfeeling. Almost, but despite his best efforts to conceal it, I could tell there was a bit of relief in it. " Thank you Hiei, there is something I have to know. It has been on my mind since Kurama "died" for lack of a better term, when Kurama was kidnapped, and we were being tortured, you comforted me, you watched over me. Not that I am complaining, or anything, but I don't understand why. I have never seen you be that concerned over anyone, but Yukina. I was just curious." "Hn." He said as he turned his head away from me. "That's not an answer damn it." He knew I hated that response. He looked back at me, and lowered his head and spoke in a voice that was barley above a whisper, " I made a promise." "What kind of promise?" I returned in a whisper. "A promise that if anything should ever happen to Kurama, that I would take care of you, and in return, he agreed to take care of my sister." I looked over at the innocent ice maiden, and noticed her self-proclaimed boyfriend was helping her place a bet on Shizuru. I turned back to him and kissed him on the cheek so quick that no one else could see. "Thanks Hiei." Then I rushed back over to Kurama's side.

It was funny to watch Kuwabara and Yusuke squabble over who was stronger, Yusuke's mom Atsuko, or Kuwabara's sister Shizuru. Those two would argue over anything, and usually did. It was nice to see things back to normal. The room was full of anticipation as both women picked up their final shots and fell backwards at the same time. The best part was since neither woman triumphed, neither Yusuke or Kuwabara won. "I guess they will have to find something else to fight about now." Kieko said and we all laughed at the two who had jumped into an intense round of thumb war. "Alright everybody, time to exchange gifts." Kurama said, and the two Neanderthals immediately jumped over to the floor and sat there like toddlers and anxiously awaited their presents. My Kitsune had done the shopping for both of us, since I was unable to. We shared gifts and laughed until it was early Christmas morning. Everyone was getting tired, so we all said our goodbyes and parted ways. Hiei took off in a hurry into the shadows after he saw Kuwabara kiss Yukina under the mistletoe. We all figured that was best, because the last thing we needed was Hiei killing Kuwabara on Christmas morning. Kurama and I took Shiori home, and much to her surprise, and Kurama's relief, Hatanaka had returned early from his trip. My love hated the thought of his mother being alone on Christmas day. He had invited her to stay with us for the night, but she insisted that she would be alright. He pushed a little, and she played the "I'm still you're mother card," and he gave in. He would do anything for her. I loved that about him.

When we got back to the apartment, the only lights that were on were lights on the tree. The living room looked so beautiful. My future husband walked over to the stereo and turned on some music by a man named Bing Crosby and asked me to dance. So we did. As we swayed back and forth to the music, he leaned down and whispered in my ear, " I missed you Nushi." "I missed you to Koibito. I replied. As I leaned my head on his shoulder, I thought about everything we had been through together, and I silently wished that we would never have to do it again. All the battles, deaths, and rebirths, I hoped it was all just a test, and we had proved that we could handle it and the fates would just let us be. However, I knew it was foolish to get my hopes up. The only thing that mattered was that we had each other here and now. I knew we would face whatever we had to when the time came. After all we were soul mates and nothing could change that. As we danced, I felt his loving embrace, protect me and I knew he intended to keep his promise, which was good because I always hold true to my word. The music stopped and he led me to the bedroom. We began to kiss. At first it was slow and deep, but our wants and needs for each other overcame us and we made up for lost time. We made love all night long. Kitsune's are not known for holding back when they are sexually frustrated. We both transformed and let our passions lead us to exhaustion. As we laid there in each other's arms, time stood still. I looked over at him as he slept. I brushed a long strand of silver hair out of his face and kissed him lightly on the lips and said, "I promise you Youko, no matter what I have to sacrifice I will fight like hell to keep us together forever." He startled me a bit when he opened his golden eyes and kissed me back and said, "That's good, because I was just thinking the same thing." And so we agreed. We would never be apart again.