Hello! Sorry it took so long, things have been absolute hell lately. I have all these finals that I had to study for and then I had to stay after school for one, and I have limited time on the computer. Well, I suppose that's it for now.

Chisara Notell- I don't think Kuwabara's as stupid as we think he is (*watches Kuwabara make a fool out of himself in a random YYH episode* Okay, maybe I was wrong.)

Dragon Sythe- * dances around happily * Yay! It worked!! It took my freaking forever, but it worked!!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho.

                Hiei floated in and out of feverish dreams. He thrashed as he saw various illusions, trying to throw them off. He stood by and watched helplessly as Yukina was attacked; killed. He screamed as the Jagan eye was inserted once more into his forehead. He saw a dark stranger take Kurama away from him, and when he went to yell for the kitsune, he found his throat dry and coughed.

                Hiei felt water being pushed past his lips. He choked and sputtered as he tried to swallow. He opened his eyes, and for the first time in days he could see clearly. He half-glared at the healer who held an empty bowl in her hands. She bowed and hurriedly left the room. Hiei growled, pain rising in his throat as he realized how thirsty he was. He went to draw his katana, but found he could not move. His wrists and ankles were shackled to the wall of the dungeon cell he was in. He paused for a moment, remembering the ambush in the forests of the Makai. He felt a familiar youki outside the cell door, and a moment later, Shazagen stepped in, flanked by several guards. He looked quite pleased with himself about something, and even though Hiei kept an emotionless mask, he wondered what it was.

                "Why didn't you let the poison kill me?" Hiei spat in a raspy whisper a moment later. Shazagen grinned, and stepped closer to Hiei.

                "Ah, I was going to," Shazagen said. "I was, little fire youkai, but I discovered a way to cause you more pain." Hiei narrowed his eyes, but said nothing as Shazagen continued with his victory speech. "While you were tossing about in your fevered dreams, I discovered an interesting secret of yours. You have a sister, a koorime sister, that you actually care for."

                "What does she have to do with anything?" Hiei asked, although he knew Shazagen's plan the minute he had brought Yukina into the picture. Hiei felt a spark of rage ignite within his usually cold heart, but kept his face blank.

                "I've sent out youkai to hunt her, to hurt her, to kill her," Shazagen said. Hiei snorted, he knew that was coming. "And you get to watch the whole thing, and feel every ounce of pain she feels, as her twin should." Hiei growled again-Shazagen was going to make his fevered dreams a reality. "And the fox, Youko Kurama, what is he to you?"

                Red eyes widened. "An . . . acquaintance, nothing more," Hiei said. He cursed himself. He had put his sister and his best friend in danger.

                "An acquaintance?" Shazagen roared with laughter. "From your words in your fevered state, I'd say he's more a friend, someone you'd give your life for. You care about him just as much as you care about your sister. Yukina was her name, correct?"

                "Your business is with me, Shazagen," Hiei said finally. "With me only, not Youko Kurama, and definitely not Yukina."

                "Oh, but Hiei," Shazagen said. "They are your weaknesses."

                 Yukina scattered birdseed all over the ground, waiting for her friends. She smiled as they came hopping into the clearing of the forest she was in.

                "Hey there," she whispered. "This'll probably be the last time we meet." Winter was only a few weeks away, and Yukina wondered why the birds had stayed as long as they did. She reached out and gently stroked one with one finger before leaving them to their meal and going home.

                "You are Yukina?" The Koorime jumped and looked around to see several fat male youkai hanging around the entrance to Genkai's temple. She stepped away from them as they stood up and walked toward her.

                "What do you want?" she asked, stumbling as she walked backwards. They moved closer, sick grins plastered on their faces. Yukina called on a bone chilling wind to protect herself. The youkai shivered, but continued their relentless pursuit of the ice maiden.

                "C'mon," one of them growled, its voice husky. Yukina turned and began to run down the steps of the temple, barely able to keep herself from tripping over her kimono. She cried out in fear when she heard the two youkai begin to run after her. "Don't resist us, little Yukina."

                "Leave me alone!!" Yukina cried, calling upon ice-cold windblasts randomly in hopes of distracting her pursuers. They didn't stop. "Help me!!" She knew it was only a matter of time before the beasts caught up, so when Yukina felt a hand grab her shoulder, she turned and lashed out with her palm, catching her captor hard in the face.

                "Insolent bitch!" hissed the one she had slapped, responding to the violence with a blow of his own. His fist caught Yukina in the stomach, making her double over in pain. She moaned and fell to the ground. "That wasn't very nice."

                "She's not a very nice girl," said the second one. They exchanged glances, and Yukina shivered when she saw the look in their eyes. They had twin looks of hunger; lust needing to be fulfilled. Yukina screamed as one grabbed at her kimono, ripping the shoulder. The other moved behind her, holding her in place as the other slowly began to remove her clothes. Yukina felt the fear and bile rising up in her throat.

                "Onii-san!!!" she screamed, wondering if he would come to her aid.

                "YUKINA!!!!"

                The scream was accompanied by wild thrashing as Hiei fought to break free of his bonds, but the shackles held tight, and all he could do was watch as the koorime fought the obviously mismatched battle. Hiei saw Shazagen standing in the corner and cursed the oni-like creature in every tongue he knew, but he just smiled.

                "How does it feel to be helpless?" Shazagen asked. He snapped his fingers, and his demon-camera thing moved closer to Yukina's face, capturing the look of pure fear on the poor koorime. The tears came unbidden to Hiei's eyes, and several gems clanked onto the floor.

                "Bastard," Hiei murmured, tearing his eyes away from the screen. Shazagen laughed, the raspy sound chilling Hiei's bones. He heard Yukina scream once more.

                "Well, Hiei?? How does it feel to be completely helpless to aid one you love??" Shazagen yelled, slapping Hiei across the face. Even though the pain was only a quickly diminishing sting, Hiei began to sob, gem after gem clanking onto the floor.

                "I'm . . . so sorry, Yukina."

                "ROSE WHIP!!!!"

                Yukina felt something warm splash onto her naked form, and when she opened the eyes that had been closed in fear; she saw the body of the youkai that had attacked her lying across her, his blood all over the place. She looked around wildly to see Kurama, whip in hand, eyes cold as he surveyed the bodies. A moment later, his look softened and he rushed over to Yukina, lifting her up and away from the youkai who had tried to rape her.

                "Gomen, Yukina," Kurama said. "I didn't mean to get you all dirty like this." He took his coat off and wrapped the koorime up in it, and then set her down on her feet.

                "K-Kurama," she stuttered, and stumbled. Kurama caught her, cursing softly.

                "They didn't!" he said. "I thought I got here in time!" Yukina shook her head.

                "They didn't, thank you for rescuing me," she said as Kurama gathered her into his arms again. "Where's Kazuma? Didn't he come?"

                "Kuronue and Jeroun are getting him," Kurama said. "I heard you scream from far off, so I told them to get Kuwabara, while Karasu and I came to help. Karasu saw something else flying off, so he said he'd follow it." Just then, they heard several grunts and male yells. Kurama shook his head hopelessly.

                "KUWABARA, JUST RELAX!!! I'M SURE KURAMA TOOK CARE OF EVERYTHING!!"

                "NOOOOO!! MY YUKINA- SHE'S IN DANGER!!" Yukina looked up to Kurama, who shrugged. A moment later Kuwabara came into eyesight, barely being restrained by two harassed youkai-Kuronue and Jeroun. The moment he laid eyes on Kurama and Yukina, he broke free, rushing up to the kitsune. "What happened?"

                "She. . . . " Kurama trailed off. Yukina reached out for Kuwabara in an almost childlike way, and he took her from Kurama, holding her close. Instead of speaking aloud, Kurama leaned over and whispered the story into Kuwabara's ear, who was instantly enraged.

                "How dare they!!!" he yelled, clutching Yukina closer to his chest. "They think they can get away with this??"

                "Kuwabara!!" Jeroun and Kuronue rushed up, ready to restrain the ningen if needed.

                "Don't worry!!" Kurama said, moving his hands in a calming motion. "Karasu saw something flying away when I attacked the two youkai, so he followed it."

                "And it lead me to absolutely nothing," Karasu said. He landed gently next to Kurama. "About halfway through the woods it sensed that there was something behind it, and started weaving, and lost me." Karasu sighed. "I tried, I really did."

                "It's all right," Kurama said.

                "Oh, and one more thing," Karasu said. He jabbed his finger backwards at the dim outline of the temple. "Those youkai's friends are up there, surrounding the temple. So Yukina can't go back unless we decide we want to fight through hordes of youkai out for koorime blood."

                "Anything for Yukina!" Kuwabara automatically yelled.

                "You don't have to," Yukina mumbled softly. The group sighed. "It's too dangerous," she added when no one spoke.

                "She's right," Kurama said. "Kuwabara, as for now, let's at least get her clothed and somewhere safe, with one of us." Kuwabara nodded. Kuronue fidgeted after a few moments.

                "You guys, I hate to rush ya, but I think they've spotted us," Kuronue said. The group looked up at the temple, where several youkai were rushing at them. "Let's get outta here!!" Kuronue bolted.

                "I agree!!" Jeroun yelled, running after the chimera. The remaining three-excluding Yukina-exchanged glances, and followed.

                "Hold onto her, Kuwabara!!" Kurama yelled. Kuwabara nodded, and they kept running.

                About an hour later, Kurama, Karasu, Kuronue, Jeroun, and Kuwabara sat in Kurama's living room while Shiori tried to fit Yukina with some of Kurama's old clothes.

                "All right dear, I know they're boy's clothes, but I'm afraid that's the best we can do," Shiori said, leading Yukina into the living room. The koorime looked strange and out of character in a pair of Kurama's old jeans and a T-shirt.

                "No, it doesn't bother me at all!" Yukina said, bowing to Shiori to express her gratitude. Shiori smiled and left, leaving the others to figure out what in the world would happen next. They discussed their options. Yukina obviously couldn't go back to the temple, for it was surrounded by hoards of demons. The only real option they had was to let Yukina stay with one of them until things had calmed down or they had a better plan.

                "She'll stay with me!" Kuwabara declared, eyes shining at the prospect of having his love near him at all times. Yukina didn't have much room to protest, for her friends could just leave her to fend for herself (A/N: Yeah, like they'd really do that. Hiei'd kill 'em) so she nodded and followed Kuwabara as he marched out of the room. Kurama's eyes flashed.

                "Wait a minute," he said. Kuwabara and Yukina stopped and turned around, puzzled looks on their faces. "Kuwabara, why don't you and Yukina stay the night?"

                "Why?" Kuwabara asked.

                "Kurama obviously senses it too," Karasu said, stepping forward. "Even though they're keeping their distance and trying to mask their energy, there are a bunch of youkai surrounding this house." He looked around at the others in the room for support, and they all nodded. "I'm sure that even all of us would be of no help to Yukina if they all decided to attack."

                "But I promised Shizuru that I'd be home tonight," Kuwabara said. "And what about your mother?"

                "Explain the situation to her, I'm sure she'll understand," Kurama said. "And as for 'kassan, I don't think she'll care."

                "I'll care about what?" Shiori asked, walking into the room. She placed her hands on her hips, waiting for some sort of explanation. Kurama told the story, with a few inserts from Kuronue, Jeroun, and Kuwabara. Shiori nodded, gave a few well placed "oh"s, and let Kurama finish the story into the silence. "They can stay for as long as they need to," she said finally, a look of sympathy on her face.

                "It's been a long day," Kuronue said after a few moments. "Why don't we all go to bed and get some sleep." People nodded, and after Shiori and Kurama figured out where everyone would sleep, Kurama shouted one final warning of "No going outdoors!! There are youkai out there!!" and they all retired to their rooms, grumbling about one random thing or another.

Well then . . . looks like this thing's finally moving along. I'd say . . . I dunno, a few more chapters before things start to wrap themselves up. Either way, the next chapter is gonna be a blast. One koorime, one chimera, one kitsune, one who-knows-what (I haven't quite figured out what Jeroun is XD) one crow, and two humans in the same household together. Fun!! Anyway, please review!