Fatal Disease: Life or Death

02: Cured

"As she said, we must hurry," the red-haired human said, running up through the castle's gate.

Kurama and Hiei followed shortly behind.

They found a small crack in the wall and entered. Once inside the remaining detectives crept silently through the halls to the dungeon. When they got into the dungeon, both Hiei and Kurama heard two familiar voices echoing through the dungeon.

"...told them." The voice from before said, "they said they were looking for you. I don't know who they are but something told me that they knew you."

"You came here in a hurry this morning," Yuusuke's voice echoed down to the three detectives. "How come?"

"Sen was looking for me and I really wasn't supposed to be outside without my superior with me," she said, "I hope they find their way in here safely."

"They will," Yuusuke said.

"He's here," Kurama whispered to Hiei and Kuwabara. "I am guessing that the girl we hear talking is the one from before. Reiyna, I think her name is."

"Let's go, then," Kuwabara said, moving forward.

The three moved toward the voices.

"Yuusuke," Kurama said, when they stopped outside the cell containing Yuusuke and Reiyna. "Are you okay?"

Yuusuke looked to his right and saw his three friends. A smile crossed his tired, dirty face. "Kurama, how did you get here?"

"Your friend told us that you were down here and that you were safe," Kurama replied, leaning against the bars. "Hiei used his jagan to find you by sensing what little energy you had left."

"Thanks, guys," Yuusuke said with a weak smile. He pushed himself from the table and with Reiyna's help, walked toward the doors. "Are you here to help?"

"That's what we were hoping to do," Kuwabara said, smiling at Yuusuke. "Unless you want to stay with her." He winked at Yuusuke who turned a deep shade of red at the mention of Reiyna.

"I want to go home," Yuusuke said, sagging against the bars. "Where's Hiei?"

"Here," Hiei replied, stepping up to the bar. Looking at Yuusuke's now pale face, he said, "you look ill."

"I don't feel too good, Hiei, that's for sure." The dark-haired human said, shaking his head. "I can feel the strength escaping my body."

"You'll be home soon," Hiei said, turning to look down the hall. "But we have to leave soon, I have bad feeling."

"I have to come too," Reiyna said and blushed at the looks she got from Yuusuke's friends. "Remember he can only move when I am in contact with him."

Kurama nodded. "C'mon then."

All five of them moved out of the castle, although Yuusuke and Reiyna lagged behind. Hiei stayed behind to help them. When they were far enough away from the castle, they were allowed to rest. Mostly because both Reiyna and Yuusuke were tired. Yuusuke leaned against the trunk of a tree and breathed deep raged breaths.

"Yuusuke, do you need some water?" Reiyna asked, placing a hand on his forehead. "You are so hot, Yuusuke!"

"Should I fetch some water?" Kurama asked, kneeling beside the pair.

"Yes, please, that would be a huge help," she said, taking a jug off her belt. "Fill this."

Kurama took the jug and left.

Hiei sat leaning against the trunk of a tree across from Yuusuke. He stared, unconsciously at the sight in front of him. ~Why does he allow her to touch him like that?~ He asked himself as he stared. ~What's wrong with his body?~

Kurama returned and handed the jug to Reiyna. "Why can he not move on his own? I though that he couldn't move on his own when he was within the castle's perimeter."

"That is true but he has not yet regained his strength and I fear he won't for quite a while," she said, tilting the jug to Yuusuke's lips, who drank what he could. "He has quite a fever and won't get better until we can find him some medicinal herbs." A tear dripped down her cheek, she placed the lid back in the jug. "I don't want him to leave because I've got to know him in the passed days I spent with him."

"Don't worry, Reiyna, he is strong," Kurama said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

She looked up. "If I may, what is it that you and your other companions are called?"

"I am Kurama, that is Hiei," Kurama said, pointing at the dark-haired youko across from them. "And the other is Kuwabara. Once we get back to the Ningenkai, we will introduce you to others but now Yuusuke's health is most important."

"Ningenkai? What do you mean? Are you not demons?" Reiyna asked, puzzled. ~Surely they couldn't come here on human strength alone.~

"I am a demon as is Hiei but Kuwabara is not. Yuusuke here is a half-breed, part demon and part human," the red-haired demon said, grinning at her puzzlement.

"We must get going," Hiei said, standing. "Kuwabara can carry Yuusuke so we may stay together."

Kuwabara nodded and put Yuusuke on his back. Reiyna followed behind Kuwabara with the jug in her arms as she watched Yuusuke. They found the portal back to the ningenkai with little trouble. Once back in the human world, they took Yuusuke to Genkai's temple. Yukina was there as was Keiko and Botan.

"What happened?" Keiko asked when she saw Yuusuke's pale face.

Reiyna stayed behind at the temple's doorway, watching as the person she suspected to be very important to Yuusuke harassed the three men. She held the jug in her arms and sighed.

"Did you help bring him back?" An older voice asked from beside her.

Reiyna jumped and looked down. "Yes, I did, but I do not belong here with them."

"Was Makai your home?"

Reiyna looked back at the retreating five. Hiei stayed behind as did the blue haired person. "I didn't fell at home there but --"

"What?"

"It felt nice when Yuusuke was there with me."

"Are you going to see how he is?" Genkai asked, looking up at the girl.

"I don't think I should," she said, bringing one hand up to her mouth.

"Go, he will be happy to see you," the old woman said, slightly pushing the girl.

Reiyna looked back before going to where they had taken Yuusuke. She found the two girls who she did not know in the room on Yuusuke's left side. Slowly she stepped into the room and knelt by Yuusuke's head. Without caring that everyone was watching her, she placed a hand on Yuusuke's forehead.

"He's still so hot," she whispered, looking over at Kurama and Kuwabara. "He needs medicinal herbs."

"Can I not heal him?" Yukina asked, inviting the girl's attention.

Reiyna shook her head. "No, I am sorry but this is no normal fever. Sen placed this on him when he first began to suck the life energy from Yuusuke. Everything depends on one special herb and Yuusuke's own will to live."

Yukina paled as did Keiko.

"May I ask your names?" Reiyna asked the two girls.

"Keiko."

"Yukina."

"I am Reiyna and I hope I am not impending on any friendships with my being here," she said, bowing her head.

"You aren't." Keiko said, walking to sit beside her. "But do you think you could help him?"

Reiyna glanced at Kurama and Kuwabara, both were looking very worried for their friend. "I know I can as long as I can get some Sikress Root."

" 'Sikress Root?' What is that?" Keiko asked, looking at Kurama.

"It is a Makai plant that destroys any cell overpowering the source of life energy," Kurama replied, turning to the door, where Hiei now stood.

"How is he?" Hiei asked, staring at Yuusuke's pale face.

"Not too good, Hiei," Yukina said, turning to look at the small demon. "Reiyna said that we need Sikress Root to cure Yuusuke."

"Sikress Root is in Mukuro's territory," Hiei said, "I will go get some."

They all watched at Hiei became a black blur and disappeared.

Hiei arrived in the Makai and traveled to Mukuro's territory. While avoiding her guards, he searched for this Sikress Root Yukina mentioned. He had heard of it before and knew what it looked like but knew little of its uses. Finally as the sun began to set in the Makai, he found the tiny Sikress Roots and took some back to the Ningenkai. He appeared in the room where Yuusuke was but found no one.

Kneeling down, he whispered, "I've got this for you, Yuusuke, I need you to come back. It just won't be the same without your sarcasm."

"Did you find it?" Reiyna asked from the doorway.

When Hiei looked up, he saw Reiyna in a long blue robe much like his sister's. He nodded and held up the roots.

"Thank you, Hiei," she said kneeling down beside him and taking the roots. After placing a small bowl in her lap, she began ripping up the roots. "I know this will help him get better but only his real strength and determination to live will really help him survive."

"Do you really think this will work?"

"I may not have known him that long, but what he told me of you and the rest also tells me that he has a lot to live for," she said, smiling at him before cutting herself on a piece of sharp root. She sucked on her finger for a bit.

"Are you okay?" Hiei asked, looking at her finger. Instead of red blood coming from her finger, it was tinted green. "Wha--?"

"Oh, my blood is tainted to the color of all of Sen's servants," she explained and went back to the breaking of the roots. "The only way to change it back is to purify myself with the blood of another of greater sinning." She sighed and took the heel of her hand and began mashing the roots.

"Do you know anyone you could use?"

"No and even if I did, I couldn't kill them to turn my blood red," Reiyna said, glancing at him. "I couldn't even give the poison food to Yuusuke when Sen asked me to and I didn't even know him at the time."

Hiei was quiet as he turned to stare at Yuusuke's pale face.

Morning came and found both Reiyna and Hiei sleeping on the floor beside Yuusuke. On the floor beside Yuusuke's head sat the bowl full of the liquified roots.

Kurama opened the door and smiled at the sight. ~Neither of them wanted to leave him,~ he thought to himself as he went to wake them up.

"Hiei. Wake up." He said, shaking the fire demon's shoulder. Shaking Reiyna's shoulder, he said, "Wake up, Reiyna."

Both stirred quietly and rubbed their eyes. Hiei yawned and stared at Kurama.

"I have completed the medicine, Kurama," Reiyna said, capturing both demon's attention. "I should be able to give him some by midmorning."

Kurama smiled, replying, "good. Maybe now he will return to his normal self."

Reiyna smiled and looked back down at Yuusuke. "I fear that Sen knows by now that Yuusuke and I are no longer inside the castle. He will surely try to come and take us back, meaning we will either have to revive Yuusuke to his normal strength or you three will have to fight and destroy Sen." She frowned, folding her hands on her lap.

"Sen is going to come here for you two?" Hiei asked, not believing what he had just heard.

"Yes, he is very protective of his servants and prisoners. He doesn't like any to get out of his hold," she replied, watching her fingers. A tear dripped down her cheek. "I fear that I have put you all in danger for my own selfish reasons to see that Yuusuke was kept alive. I have my own reasons for his safety and they will be revealed once he is back to normal."

"Reiyna, you have not put us in any more danger than what we usually face in everyday life," Kurama said, resting a hand on her shoulder.

Reiyna turned to look at them with her puffy red eyes. "He is not going to be an easy win, Kurama. Before I met Yuusuke, I witnessed what he became when he was angry and he's worse than Ende."

"I heard crying," a small voice from the doorway asked, "is everything okay?"

Everyone looked at Yukina.

"Good morning, Yukina," Reiyna said, wiping the tears away from her eyes. "Everything is just as it should be. I finished the medicine for Yuusuke."

Yukina smiled before she left to find Keiko and Botan.

"Don't worry about Sen, Yukina," Kurama said, slightly grinning. "Both Kuwabara and Hiei will assist me in keeping everyone safe. No one will get to either you or Yuusuke."

Reiyna smiled in reply, thanking both the fire and fox demons.

Noon came and Yuusuke finally woke from his sleep. Reiyna gave him his medicine, Yuusuke of course complained of the taste but gladly took the medicine. He listened to his surroundings as he kept his eyes closed. The afternoon light coming in the windows hurt his eyes too much for him to keep them opened. He could hear the voices of his friends around him, all of them sounded worried and scared.

~Why can I not move my body yet?~ He thought to himself as he listened to Keiko's conversation with Botan. ~I am away from Sen but maybe his spell is still too strong for me to break.~

"He is still too weak," Keiko said to Botan.

"Reiyna said that the medicine will return him to his normal self in no time," Botan replied.

"How is Reiyna?"

"She has not slept since she got here, she is too worried about Yuusuke's health and the threat of Sen coming for her," Keiko replied a little quieter than he previous statement. "If she doesn't get some sleep she will worry herself into sickness."

Yuusuke forced his eyes open and turned to where Keiko and Botan sat. "Re..iy..na?"

Keiko jumped at the sound of his voice. "Yuusuke, Reiyna is in the other room. She is very worried about you, you must sleep and try to regain your strength."

"She...risked...her...life...for...me," Yuusuke whispered, turning his head upwards. "And...now...I...lay...in...bed...wait...ing...for...some...one...to...take...me...away."

"Don't talk like that, Yuusuke," Botan cried. "You will make it through this. Everyone believes that to be true."

"I...wish...it...were...true," he sighed and closed his eyes. Taking a deep breath, tried to sleep.

Botan and Keiko watched as Yuusuke fell asleep in front of them.

"Perhaps we are wrong," Keiko sighed, looking at Botan. "He doesn't believe that he will be making it through this and if he doesn't believe he'll make it then it must be true."

"Don't think that way," Botan exclaimed, "he will make it. For his own sake and Reiyna's also."

"What do you mean?"

"I heard her tell Kurama and Hiei that she has her reasons for keeping him alive," the blue-haired girl replied, glancing down at Yuusuke.

"Lunch is ready," Yukina said from the doorway.

As the night's sky came upon the city of Tokyo, Yuusuke was awakened by the sound of Hiei's voice. Although Yuusuke didn't open his eyes to look at the little fire demon.

"Everyone has their own personal reason for your survival, Yuusuke," Hiei said, quietly, "and yet they all have expressed theirs. I have not but I don't know how to tell you what I want to say. I know that if I tell you you'll want to stay away from me but if I don't say anything, then I will go crazy. It hurts me to know that I will never have my reason for your survival fulfilled."

Silence.

"I think you should know that..." Hiei paused and seemed to move a little closer to Yuusuke's body but Yuusuke didn't feel threatened at all. "...I love you."

Yuusuke's heart began to race. ~Hiei 'loves' me?~

Yuusuke opened his eyes slowly and saw that Hiei was sitting cross-legged beside him on his left side. Hiei stared down at his hands which rested on his ankles.

"Hiei."

Hiei looked at him and jumped.

"You...told...me...that...you...loved...me...just...now," Yuusuke said, taking a deep breath. "And...you...said...that...your...wish...will...never...be...fulfilled. Why...did...you...say...that?"

"I said that because you have Keiko to love," the small demon replied, turning his head away. "You could never love me the way you are in love with Keiko."

"It...is...true...that...I...love...Keiko...but," the human replied, watching Hiei's face. "I...do...not...think...that...I...love...her...the...same...way...any...more."

Hiei turned his head toward Yuusuke with a jerk. "Wha--"

"Hiei,...I...am...saying...that...I...am...in...love...with...another...but...this...world...will...not...all-ow...me...to...love...this...certain...person," Yuusuke said, staring at the deep red eyes in Hiei face. "I...think...that...it...will...be...a...long...time...be...fore...I...am...allowed...to...ope- nly...love...this...person."

"Who is this person, Yuusuke?"

"I...do...not...think...he...would...want...to...hear...it...right...now," Yuusuke sighed before he began to cough.

Hiei got some water and helped Yuusuke to drink it. "Please, Yuusuke, tell me."

Yuusuke closed his eyes and sighed. "You."

Hiei's jaw dropped as he laid Yuusuke back down on the floor.

Again, Yuusuke began to cough and this time it was blood that he coughed up.

Hiei crouched forward by Yuusuke, watching with worry as his friend coughed up his own blood. When Yuusuke stopped, he sat back and dabbed Yuusuke's sweaty forehead with a dry towel.

Yuusuke closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I...want...to...go...away...from...here, Hiei."

"What do you mean?" The small demon asked, sitting back.

"I'm...in...so...much...pain," he sighed, turning his head toward Hiei. "I...want...to...get...

away...from...this...pain...and...go...some...where...where...I...won't...hurt...anymore."

"You're in pain? Maybe you should try to sleep some more," Hiei suggested. He didn't want to tell Yuusuke to do what he wished, knowing that Yuusuke would will himself to die and ignore the medicine. While he waited for Yuusuke to fall asleep, he himself had laid down to sleep the rest of the night.

In the morning, Kurama and Reiyna found Hiei snuggling close to Yuusuke. Kurama shook his head as he went to kneel by Yuusuke on his other side. He looked down and saw that Yuusuke was no longer sweating heavily. Slowly, he put his hand on Yuusuke's forehead and pulled back quickly.

"Reiyna, he's so cold." Kurama whispered, turning to look at the young girl who sat beside him. "Why is that?"

Reiyna also placed her hand on Yuusuke's forehead then on Yuusuke's neck. She looked up at Kurama and said, "he's alive and I think he is getting much better."

"That's good news."

"Yes, but I would still like to give him the medicine until we are sure about his health," she said, smiling at the pair. "I will go tell Keiko the news and maybe you should wake Hiei before she comes in."

Kurama nodded, watching her go. He moved over to where Hiei slept and shook the small demon's shoulder.

"Hiei, wake up. Keiko is--"

Hiei sat up quickly and rubbed his eyes. He had no intention of showing how close he was to Keiko or anyone else.

Moments later the door opened and admitted the two girls. Keiko had a huge smile on her face as she knelt down by Yuusuke. A tear dripped down her face as she watched his chest rise and fall.

They all stayed in the room until Yuusuke woke. Amazingly, Yuusuke woke and stretched his arms and legs. He opened his eyes wide when he sat up on his own. Looking around he saw Keiko, Reiyna, Kurama and Hiei sitting around him.

"You are okay, Yuusuke," Reiyna said, smiling, "but I still want you to take the medicine. Okay?"

Yuusuke turned to look at Reiyna. "I will."

"How do you feel, Yuusuke?" Keiko asked, sitting beside Reiyna.

"I don't feel weak anymore but I am still a little tired," he replied, glancing at her before turning his attention to Hiei.

"I am glad you are feeling well," Botan said from the doorway with Yukina, Genkai and Kuwabara beside her. "Koenma has been very worried."

Yuusuke jumped at the sound of her voice and turned around to see them. Yukina made her way to his side and sat by him. She wore a warm welcoming smile.

"It is good to see you awake, Yuusuke," she said, catching his attention.

"It is good to see you, Yukina," he replied, smiling in return. "You know what I'd really like to do?"

"What?" The ice apparition asked, cocking her head to the right.

"I want to get up and walk around for a while. I am sick of laying on the floor," he said, chuckling.

Yukina along with everyone else laughed with Yuusuke. Kuwabara and Kurama helped Yuusuke to his feet but he refused any help with the walking.