DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN YU YU HAKUSHO!!!

"You can't do anything Kurama. Let Akane handle it on her own now. I fear if you all did something, you might come off worse in the battle." Koenma said wisely.

"What?" Kurama said angrily.

"You heard me, wait until the others understand the situation. They don't don't even have a clue on what's going on. Now, please go to the library and tell everyone that they can go home now.

Kurama glared at Koenma, before he stormed off. He didn't care what Koenma said. He was going to get Akane out of Hamagachi clutches.

~~~

"NO!" Akane cried, as several demons overpowered her and started taking her kimono off. "Please...don't!"

"BE QUIET! Hamaguchi was ever so kind to let us have our way with you, you little bitch, so be quiet!" A demon snarled.

"AH!" Akane screamed as one of them grabbed her breast, she kicked them in the stomach.

"You wench! We'll tell Kouji!" Another screamed.

Akane sobbed at the top of her lungs. If she couldn't use her spirit energy, she'd have to use the energy from her body...

"SPIRIT ARROW!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.

Several arrows came out of her and killed all the demons trying to grope her. She sniffled, fearing what Kouji would do when he found out. She looked around, and disguised herself as one of the demons she just killed. She was exhausted, hopefully Hamaguchi wouldn't suspect what just happened.

She nook out of the house, using all the stealth tactics that Kurama taught her to steal. She snook out of the dark alley and assumed her human form so she could blend in. She was on the run now. She has been planning to do it after she killed Kurama, Hiei, Yuske and Kuwabara but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She started crying remembering the way Kouji would hit her if she asked about Kurama, isolating her from the demon world. She was forbidden to talk of the spirit world that she longed to be in again. She felt dead inside, but thinking of Kurama somehow made her feel alive again.

She hid behind a tree, thinking Kouji figured out that she had defected. Carefully, she snook a glance and saw Kurama running rapidly to her hideout. 'I can't let him get killed...' Akane thought.

'KURAMA!' Akane said, through telepathy.

Kurama stopped abruptly. 'Akane?'

'Yes, Kurama. It's me. I---meet me by our tree.' Akane said.

'But why?'

'I can't explain...it's rather difficult...Just meet me there. I'm cutting off our connection, so...so just meet me there.'

Akane watched him head towards the direction of the school, and Akane, who made sure she wasn't being followed, jumped from tree to tree until she saw the school. She looked around and decided to head down, spotting the familiar red hair of Kurama.

"Are you all right?" Kurama asked at once at the sight of her.

"I'm fine, Kurama." Akane said, closing her eyes in tiredness. "But I might not be for long. Kouji must know by now that I ran away. I didn't want to be an assassin. I had no choice though..."

"You ran away?" Kurama asked in disbelief. "But why?"

"I've wanted to get out for awhile...but Kouji wanted me to stay. I've been kept in isolation from the world know, the only contact I've had with people, is usually when I have to kill them. But it's hard to kill someone you love..." Akane said smiling.

"Love?" Kurama asked.

"Yes. Kurama, we've been over this." She said smiling. "But...I was wondering if I could stay with you or someone...I know Kouji is out to get me...I need somewhere to hide..."

"I---I could find someone. In the meantime...I'll have you stay with me. My mother would love to meet you." Kurama said smiling.

"Okay. Shall we get going then?" Akane said.

"Okay..." Kurama said, they both walked hand in hand until they went to Kurama's house.

~~~

"Oh! What a beautiful young girl!" Kurama's mother squealed. "You poor dear...to have your family die at such a young age, I'll have you stay in the guest room."(a/n that's the excuse they used...)

"Thank you Mrs. Minamino." Ayame said bowing.

Kurama showed her to her room and smiled at her.

"Ayame...I've always wanted to ask you...are you still upset at me?" Kurama asked.

"....No. Kurama, I'm not. What's past is past." Ayame said hesitantly. "Well...good night."

"Good night..." Kurama said as left her room.

Kurama went into his room and turned on the lights. And to his amazement saw Hiei on the windowsill.

"Any reason why you're here?" Kurama asked calmly.

"I followed you. Kuwabara's stupidity better not be rubbing off on you Kurama. Why are you letting her stay? It'll be easier for them to track you down." Hiei said.

"I'll explain this to all of you tomorrow. Right now I need my sleep. It certainly has been an exhausting day." Kurama said. "I'll see you--" he turned around to discover Hiei already left.

~*~Dream/Flashback~*~

"Awe. Is Kurama mourning the death of his weak little girlfriend?" A voice sneered.

"HAMAGUCHI! Show yourself!" Kurama yelled, still holding on to Akane.

"I'm here Kurama!" Hamaguchi snickered. "She really is a beautiful girl..." Hamaguchi said stroking her cheek. Kurama glared at him.

"Don't you dare touch her, you damn piece of filth!" Kurama growled.

"She should been with me...we are the perfect match. Both of us, tortured, but Akane insisted on staying with you. Saying she loved you. Even whilst I was killing her she kept crying your name. Pathetic." Kouji said softly, ignoring him.

"Enough. You're going to die...now!" Kurama screamed.

"I don't think so." Kouji said before he leapt and ran away.

"COME BACK HERE!" Kurama yelled as he followed after...leaving Akane's body behind.

~*End Dream/Flashback~*~

"Shuuichi, Shuuichi darling, you'll be late for school." Said his mother as she shook him gently. "Miss Akimoto is waiting for you downstairs. Now hurry, before you're late."

Kurama got up and put on his school uniform. He packed his things and went downstairs too see a sad looking Ayame. She smiled feebly at him, and he smiled back. After saying good-bye to Kurama's mother they both walked to school in silence.

"HEY!" Yelled Hiei from a tree.

"Hey Hiei." Kurama said calmly.

Hiei leapt down, and cautiously looked around, and sighed when he saw no one.

"Hiei...what's wrong?" Asked Kurama who was now looking around.

"Someone...is following me." Hiei whispered.

"Who's fol---" But Kurama never finished when he heard a high pitched scream.

"HIEI!!! WHY'D YOU RUN AWAY! COME HERE HONEY!!!" Said a strange girl, with pigtails.

"AH! GET AWAY!" Hiei yelled as ran down the straight with the girl following him. Kurama chuckled softly and looked over at Ayame. She was looking around and listening very hard.

"What's the matter?" Kurama asked.

"I---Kurama, put your arm around me." Ayame commanded.

"But wh--" Kurama said.

"Jusy do it!" Ayame whispered urgently as Kurama pulled her closer.

"Okay...I think we're being followed. I was afraid of this...Kouji has other assassins beside me, and now they're after me to...though I daresay they aren't as good. You and your friends aren't in danger...at least now until I'm killed..." Ayame whispered urgently.

~~~

"Wow. Those girls cried really hard when they saw your arm around me..." Ayame said.

"Yes. Well...they'll get over it." Kurama said sighing.

"So where are we going Kurama?" Ayame asked walking besides him.

"Well...we're going to Yuske's house." Kurama said quietly.

"I see..." Ayame said.

"Don't worry...no one will follow us..." Kurama said quietly. They walked to his house, her hand brushing his, several times, until he grabbed it. They knocked on Yuske's door and found a cheery Botan.

"He-llo! Come on in! ^_^" Botan said happily.

"GET BACK HERE YOU FOOL!" Hiei yelled as he chased Kuwabara around the room. Yuske, Keiko, and Yukina were calmly drinking their tea.

"OH! You are impossible!" Yelled Botan as she took out her oar and hit Kuwabara with it.

"Heh. Stupid ningen." Hiei scoffed.

"YOU TO!" said Botan as she hit Hiei with her oar.

"Ow..." Kuwabara said.

"Anyway. I believe Kurama wanted to talk to us about something." Botan said looking at Kurama who's hand was still in Ayame's. They both sat down next to each other.

"Well. I beleive you all should meet Ayame Akimoto." Kurama said calmly. They all said their hello's, and Ayame made hers. "Well...it turns out she was the assassin set out to kill us." Kurama said taking another sip of tea. Kuwabara, however fell over and yelled. "THAT LITTLE GIRL!?"

"Yes Kuwabara. Her. But it seems she has ran away..and now the demon she works for sent out another assassin to kill not only us, but her also." Kurama replied.

"Who was she working for?" Hiei inquired.

"Ha--Hamaguchi." Ayame said looking at the ground.

"Who is this Hamaguchi guy? I could take him on..." Kuwabara started.

"I doubt you could." Ayame said, which shut Kuwabara up.

"So, Ayame needs a place to stay and someone to protect her." Kurama said.

"She can stay with me..." Hiei said. Everyone was taken aback.

"You?" Kuwabara laughed. "A midget like you...is going to protect her..." Kuwabara said laughing hard.

"I don't mind." Ayame said cheerfully. "I just don't want to put anyone in danger."

"You're not." Hiei said simply. "We should get going now, if we don't want any assassins or pigtailed girls to follow us."

"Oh. All right then. Can...I say good-bye to Kurama?" Ayame asked.

"You're going to see him tommorow...but if you must." Hiei said irritably.

"We have to go now, Yuske..." Keiko said.

"We do?" Yuske asked dumbly.

"YES!" Keiko said dragging Yuske out of the room. Everyone followed.

"Kurama...I...if anything happens to me...just remember...I'll always love you." Ayame said.

"Akane...I will always love you as well." Kurama said. They looked into each other's eyes, both of them were standing, ready to leave, when their lips met. They stood there for a minute, before they let go. Her arms were still around his neck, and his around her waist. She smiled as they pulled into another kiss, their lips brushed each other gently, as Akane opened her mouth to let Kurama's wandering tongue in and explore. Finally...after what seemed like hours, they let go both left. (Okay. I'm not good at the whole...kissing thing. So like...if it wasn't good enough...I'm sorry!)

~~~

"You really love him, don't you?" Hiei asked as they approached an apartment complex.

"Yes. I really do." Ayame said calmly.

"And he really loves you. Akane." Hiei said looking over at Ayame.

"How--how did you know?" Akane asked.

"You're a demon. I went through Koenma's file on some demon that worked with Kurama, and he always mutters your name in his sleep. Well at least when we shared a room at the dark tournment. It's no coincidence, I'm not a dense ningen." Hiei said.

"Well then. I suppose you wouldn't mine if I changed back to my demon form once we get back." Akane said.

"Yes. I suppose you can." Hiei said. Hiei unlocked the door, and said, "You could have the bed...if you could find it." Akane avoided the cartons of ice cream, newspapers, and files and looked frantically for the bed. She took her demon form again, just in time to hear the phone ringing.

"Hello?" Hiei said. "Oh, hey. Oh...yeah sure. It's for you." Hiei said tossing the phone at Akane.

"Hello?" said Akane.

"Hey Akane, it's me, Kurama." Kurama said.

"Hey!" Akane said happily, her ears perking up.

"I just wanted to see if you got to Hiei's safely..." Kurama said.

"Awe that's so sweet of you!" Akane said squealing, not noticing Hiei roll his eyes.

"Yes. Well I better let you get your sleep. I'll pick you up for school tommorow. Good night." Kurama said.

"Alright...goodnight honey ^_^" Akane said.

*click*

"Hey Hiei, I'm kind of hungry. Do you got anything to eat?" Akane asked.

"Yeah...check the refrigerator." Hiei said.

"Wow...you have alot of ice cream." Akane said astonished, looking at the conents, which was nothing but ice cream.

"Yeah. It's the only ningen food I like." Hiei said whole changing into his pajamas.

"Oh...okay. Well...I'll just wait until Kurama picks me up." Akane said politely. "So Hiei I..." but she turned around and found Hiei sleeping on what looked like a couch.



"I knew this would happen. Expose her to the human world...and she falls in love with it. Well, well Megumi. It looks like you'll have to honor of killing her, as well as those dimwitted boys." Cackled a voice.

"Yes, thank you Master Kouji." said a demon who was bowing very low.

"Make sure not to dissapoint me, Megumi. I want her head..."

"Very well. I will start in the morning."

"Excellent..."

~~~

AUTHOR'S NOTE!!!:

Leave a review, please!! *hands out ice cream and pearls*