Note: I'm really excited about finishing this story, so here it goes. Chapter 22

Catching Up With Old Times.

It had been a week since Sakura and Hiei pulled that stunt on Kelly and Kurama. Hiei and Sakura had been talking a lot and had a few laughs together....Sakura was the only one who really laughed, but still. Sakura had been having that dream almost every night and she would always talk about it with Hiei. Surprisingly he was a good listener. He really made her feel happy.

They have also had their moments.

"Hiei?" Sakura had asked.

"Yeah?" Hiei said.

"Would you mind if I asked you something?" Sakura said.

"I guess," Hiei answered, "What is it?"

"Well I was just wondering if," Sakura started but something began to happen. She was becoming very sick. She started to cough again and she wouldn't stop.

Hiei got up and went to her as fast as he could, "Take deep breaths," he said.

Sakura tried but it wasn't really helping. Soon after she passed out. She woke up to the feeling of being shaked. She opened her eyes and her face was right next to Hiei's. She started to lean in closer but the pain in the chest stopped her.

Sakura didn't know what happened that day, but she was well aware of how close she was getting to Hiei.

Sakura hadn't seen Kelly since that one night, *I guess I should go talk to her,* Sakura thought as she stood on the top of the building. Sakura got down and started for Kelly's house. Once she got there she knocked on the door and Kelly answered right away.

"I'm glad you're here," she said as she pulled Sakura into the house.

Once she got in she noticed that everyone was there, "What's going on?" she asked.

"New mission," Kelly said.

"What is it?" Sakura asked.

"I don't know yet," Kelly said, "We're waiting for Niroshi and Botan."

After she said that, Niroshi and Botan showed up.

"So what's the mission?" Yusuke asked.

Botan and Niroshi explained the problem and gave them all the details, "You should leave right away," Botan said.

"Yes you should get it over with as soon as you can," Niroshi said.

"Does this man have a name?" Yugi asked.

"Not that we know of," Botan answered.

"What does he look like?" Kitty asked.

They both gave them a dscription of the man, which made Sakura listen a bit more. She knew who they were talking about. Skura looked over at Hiei and she could tll that he knew who it was too.

They did leave right away. They traveled for a long time.

The had to set camp that night. They all sat around the campfire and told stories. After awhile Sakura got up and started to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Kelly asked.

"I'm just going to walk around," Sakura answered.

"You probably shouldn't go alone," Kurama said.

"You're probably right," Sakura said as she continued to walk away, giving them the hint that she wanted to be alone.

Sakura walked out for awhile and then found a place to rest. She started to hear voices. They were saying things about her, about her past. She tried to shut them out, but then she found out that they weren't mental voices, somebody was actually talking to her.

"Who's there!" she yelled.

"That's a good question," the voice said, "but you already know the answer to that."

Sakura knew who was saying this.......it was him, "Show yourself!"

He did so and he was right in front of her face, "I've been watching you. Seem to me you've been making some friends."

Sakura didn't say anything, she just looked at him with disgust.

"I also have seen that you've become very comfortable with a certain someone," he said, "I'm proud of you. I didn't think it was possible, but you proved me wrong. Well I guess you still really can't love."

"Why not?" Sakura asked confused.

"Haven't you noticed that everytime you get close or even think about that Hiei that your gem starts to hurt and you get sick?" he asked, "It's because of me and that gem of yours. You're not ready to grow up my little sparrow."

Sakura was angry. She was ready to kill him. She made a mistake and attacked him. He easily took her out. She feel to the ground and the man left.

Hiei noticed that Sakura had been gone for a long time. So he got up and headed for the direction Sakura went. He looked around for a long time and didn't find her. He finally came across Sakura passed out on the ground. He hurried over to her and checked her pulse. *She's just passed out.* He picked her up and headed back to camp.

Once he reached camp Kelly was the first to notice, "Sakura. Whay happened?"

"I don't know," Hiei said, "I found her like this."

Kelly took her from Hiei and headed towards her tent. She laid her down and the left the tent, "We should let her rest," Kelly said to everyone.

Everyone then went to bed. The next morning everyone was up except for Sakura.

"We can't do this," Kitty said, "We don't have the time!"

"She's right," Botan said, "We have to keep going without her."

"Kelly?" Kurama asked.

"I know," Kelly said, "I know we have to go, but someone has to stay with her. Hiei would you do it please?"

Hiei nodded without even having to think about it.

Everyone left a little while after that. Hiei stayed outside while Sakura lay inside the tent still sleeping. Inside the tent Sakura was having another dream. This time she knew who was in it. It was Kelly. She was fighting the man. She was losing. Kelly wouldn't stop. Sakura noticed that everyone else was on the floor. Then it happened, Kelly was hit and she fell to her knees. Then she fell backwards.

Sakura shot straight up and ran outside. Hiei looked over his shoulder, "Nice to see you're up," he said.

"Where's Kelly?" Sakura asked.

"She and everyone went ahead of us," Hiei said.

Sakura thought about and remembered that Hiei wasn't in the dream she had just had, "We HAVE to catch up with them! Come on," She grabbed Hiei and started to run in the direction that they had been heading yesterday.

"Whats this about?" Hiei asked as he ran beside her.

"I'll tell you later," she said, "Right know we have to catch up with them before they get there."

They ran aimlessly for awhile, but Sakura wsa dedicated to find Kelly and the others before the unthinkable happened. _______________________________________________________________________

I'm almost there!!!! Please review!!!