Sorry it took me so long to update. . .I know I'm a loser, but I've been really busy with my Labyrinth fic. Also doing stuffs with my friends :-P I DO have some sort of a life you know. . .Not much, but it counts for something! (Said as she sits there on Valentine's Day babysitting and writing fan fiction. . .My boyfriend wants to kill me :-P) R&R!!! This chapter's sort of a song fic. . .

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Hiei's ruby eyes slowly flickered open. He panted, mouth open and dry. Why don't I taste blood. . .?

"Wench!" Youko hissed from somewhere out of Hiei's line of sight. The fire demon turned his disoriented gaze toward something that he would never forget.

The sword shook, the blade itching for more of the blood that it had drawn. Youko's eyes burned with rage as he gazed upon the apparition that had taken his kill from him.

Aura's pretty flowing locks we now drenched with her life-blood, drawn from the sword-cut in her neck. Her eyes, though taunting, were glazed with the mist of a dying soul. Weakening hands clenched determinedly at the kitsune's arms, nails digging crescent moons into the flesh.

"Im. . .impossible!" Youko breathed.

"Anything. . .is possible. . .," she whispered. The sword barely allowed air to pass to her lips as she tried to speak.

This world, This world is cold
But you don't, you don't have to go. . .

Filled with a sudden wrath, Hiei unwrapped the Black Dragon Tattoo, ripping the bandages away as fast as he could. All that filled his sight was the dying girl bravely taking on the death that should have been his. The helpless fury fed the flame of his power as he channeled it into the oncoming blast.

"Youko Kurama. . ." he spat through clenched teeth, "now you die." He raised his arm high; he could feel the roar of the dragon ringing in his ears - whistling through the very wind.

You're feeling sad, you're feeling lonely
And no one seems to care

Memories and images of his childhood with the Ice Apparition flooded into his mind. She was the only one who took notice of him, and the only one who seemed to care. The only thing that had saved him from the madness of loneliness. And watching her die before his eyes was too painful.

Your mother's gone and your father hits you. . .

The dragon snarled to life, encircling the fire demon like liquid. Youko stared back at him, fear starting to dawn in his evil eyes.

Aura smiled weakly. "Go. . .get 'em. . .He-Man-Chan. . ." She held tight to Youko's arms, trying to act as if the sword were not present.

The kitsune smirked suddenly, the old self-confident air returning. "You won't use it; not so long as she remains with me." He dug the blade deeper into Aura's neck, making her cringe.

Hiei hesitated, then persisted. "She's already half-dead anyway. No need to make her suffer any longer! GO! BLACK DRAGON!!" His arm burst into flame, and the dragon lanced forward, slicing the very air with its speed.

This pain you cannot bear

The fire demon had to avert his eyes from the scene in front of him, something he had never had to do before. Carnage had never affected him like it did now. It felt to him as if the whole world would collapse from just that one attack.

The dragon raced forward with its godlike power, flattening trees and tearing at the rock wall before them.

Youko screamed. Aura howled in triumph.

. . .And the wall came tumbling down.

~*~

Rocks crashed to the ground all around Hiei. He painstakingly became aware of his surroundings; mostly because of the fire searing up his arm. Blearily, he focused on the destruction.

Trees and rubble lay scattered about. The ice had begun to melt, and water flowed in rivers like tears off of the shattered face of the mountain. Youko was nowhere to be seen. . .

. . .but someone else was.

Aura lay in a heap a few feet a way from him, sword clutched in one hand, gasping out her pain.

"Aura!!" Ignoring the pain in his arm, Hiei staggered over to where she had fallen. He gently pulled the sword out of her grasp. Her eyes fluttered hazily open.

"Hiei. . ."

"Shh, don't speak. I'm gonna help you."

She smiled. "I'm sorry Hiei. . .but you can't."

"Yes I can!" He shouted stubbornly. "You can't die! You're an apparition!"

"True, I. . .can't die. But I will. . .have to. . .wait until I am. . .born again."

"No. . ." Hiei clenched his teeth and bowed his head close to her shivering body.

But we all bleed the same way as you do
We all have the same things to go through

"Hiei, don't do this-"

"Shut up!" He yelled. Placing his hand over her wound, he wished feverishly for it to heal. Blood running down his arm mingled with hers. "Just. . .hold on!"

Hold on....if you feel like letting go
Hold on...it gets better than you know

Finally, he let his head sink to rest against hers in defeat. Tears splashed down onto her face, creating muddy rivers in the dirt caked there. "Why. . ."

Her soft, sweaty palm reached up to caress his cheek. "I told you not to fall in love with me."

He looked up, ready to spout a retort, but her eyes stopped him. For in them he could see a fond, bittersweet memory.

Hiei bit back a howl. How could he live without this girl now. . .?

Your days, you say they're way too long,
And your nights, you cant sleep at all (hold on)

"What?" He asked hesitantly. "What are you thinking of?"

"Remember when we used. . .to play in my mother's old closet. . .and pretend we were royalty. . .and you would tell me you would. . .never leave me?"

"Don't bring that up right now. Just stop talking!" The memories were too painful to bear in mind.

"Then just let me go. That's all you wanted to do before."

And you're not sure what you're waiting for
But you don't want to no more
You're not sure what you're what you're looking for
But you don't want to no more

But we all bleed the same way as you do

And we all have the same things to go through. . .

"But Aura, I love you," he muttered.

Her eyes focused on him again. "Wh. . .what did you say?"

"I said I love you, dammit!" He shouted. "Do you hear me?!"

Light exploded all around them, engulfing them. The wound at Aura's throat disappeared, and her hair turned an aqua blue. Hiei watched in tired wonder as she changed from a fire demon with blue eyes to a full fledged ice apparition.

Aura waved her hand, and a fire appeared within it. "I knew you did, Hiei. I just had to wait until you would say it." She tossed the flame back and forth. "This. . .this, represents our love. Do not lose it. I will come back for you." She placed it into his hand. "Do not let it go out."

Numbly, he nodded.

She smiled. "Then go. And remember. . .Sou sa Sayanara wa pirido ja nai sou. . .eien no saka wo nobette yukeba. . .itsu ka mata aeru.[1]" And with that she was gone.

Hold on....if you feel like letting go
Hold on..it gets better than you know
Don't stop searching you're one step closer
Don't stop searching its not over...Hold on

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The next chapter will be a finish/sequel. I'm just too lazy to start another story :-P.

[1] = Sou sa sayonara wa pirido ja nai sou, eien no saka wo nobette yukeba, itsu ka mata aeru. Means: That is so that goodbye is not a period. If I can climb that everlasting hill, then we shall meet again.

-taken from a YYH song.