For Love of a "Pet"

Chapter Twenty-One/Epilogue

After a week of living with Kaline, Kurama brought the rest of his possessions to her house and let someone else have his apartment. He knew that he wasn't going to go anywhere any time soon, and he understood that he could always find a new apartment--they were easy to come by. Besides, he didn't want to pay for an apartment when he wasn't even using it.

Kaline had raised no objections to him moving in; actually, she had welcomed the news. The female had already taken to constantly wearing his shirts, claiming that they smelled like him. The kitsune didn't argue, knowing that it was most likely the truth. Even if it wasn't, his clothes offered her a small amount of comfort, and he could see that in her eyes.

Cassie improved much more quickly than Kaline did, going into town with Hiei a month after Loki's death. She didn't quite care for other people, but she could put up with them. Luckily, neither of the girls had to deal with the police. Koenma fabricated some story, fed it to the authorities, and somehow covered up everything that had happened. No one really knew what the story was, and no one cared.

Kaline, unfortunately, had more trouble with her recovery. After two months, Hiei and Cassie were the only two she could stand talking to besides Kurama. She was just so scared of people, especially men, which meant that it was a good thing Cassie worked with her. The day after the dark brunette went back to work, Kaline did as well. She didn't have to leave her house to do her job, so it was alright. When the fall months came around, Kurama went back to college, spending part of his mornings and afternoons in classes. Kaline didn't mind too much. After all, she had new animals to take care of.

Six months after the Loki incident, Cassie was pretty much back to normal and even mated to Hiei. Of course, Kaline insisted on buying them a present, just like one was supposed to do when a friend married someone. She even went to the mall to find them something, Kurama by her side the entire time. The fair brunette ended up purchasing a DVD player and ice-cream maker for them. Actually, Kurama suggested the ice-cream maker, and Kaline went along with it.

Needless to say, Hiei was rather pleased with the "wedding" gifts, which made Kaline think her frightening trip to the mall had been well worth it. Cassie even liked them, although she thought the DVD player was a little lacking in the creativity department, but she wasn't going to argue. She had always wanted a DVD player.

About a year later, Kaline was as close to her old self as she was going to become. She no longer feared people, she was cheery again, and she painted beautiful scenes of wild animals instead of the more violent pictures she had painted after her ordeal with the evil demon. Kurama never did move out, and she didn't mind that at all. She enjoyed living with him, even though they weren't married except by demon style (which Cassie had celebrated by buying them gifts). He was a great guy who had saved and then helped her through a rough time in her life.

On the one year anniversary of the first day they had met, Kaline was at home alone. Kurama was off somewhere; she just didn't know exactly where. She didn't mind though. He would be home eventually so she could give him his surprise--a few books he had been desperately trying to find for the past month. The brunette had found them at a small bookstore near the downtown area and had immediately bought all three books, knowing how much her lover/demon husband had wanted them.

So, the wrapped books were sitting on the kitchen counter, just waiting for Kurama to return so they could be unwrapped. Fortunately, the kitsune arrived home about an hour before supper, finding Kaline sitting on the living room couch, taking care of a sick female red fox. A few of the animal's babies romped nearby, playing with a rubber mouse. He waited until she was done with her patient before setting a bag down on her lap.

"Kurama, what is this?" Kaline asked as he set the gift bag in her lap.

"Look inside," he ordered her, voice gentle.

Blinking in surprise, she stared at him for a few moment before she finally moved to do as he wanted. The girl reached inside the bag through all the tissue paper, her hands meeting something soft. A puzzled expression on her face, she pulled the object out. In her hands, she held a stuffed animal. It was a sliver-colored fox, and it looked exactly like Kurama had in his fox form.

"Awwww... nanto kawaii! Thank you so much!" Kaline hugged it to her chest before looking back at the kitsune. "Now, why did you get me this?"

He sat down next to her. "Well, since it is my fault you lost your last pet, I decided to do my best to replace it."

The female gave him a tender smile, setting the stuffed fox on the couch beside her. Then, she climbed into Kurama's lap, straddling him. She ran her fingers through his hair, and then she began to pet him, eyes sparkling playfully. When she spoke again, her tone was a teasing one.

"Trust me, you're all the pet I could ever want," Kaline whispered softly in his ear. "And I have a present for you, too. I'll go get it now, if you don't mind."

Kurama looked at her, curiosity on his face. He couldn't figure out what the girl could have possible bought him. He had hidden her present at the college in his locker, and he couldn't think of a single place inside the house where she could have stored anything without him noticing. The girl was obviously clever. "I don't mind." "Good." She kissed him on the nose and climbed off his lap, going to the kitchen. She quickly returned with a rather large present wrapped in green paper with red rose designs. "Here you go." A smile on her face, the female placed it in Kurama's hands.

Intrigued, the kitsune unwrapped the gift, his eyes lighting up when he saw what she had bought him. It was amazing, especially considering he hadn't been able to find any one of the three books anywhere. "This is impressive," he commented, giving her a thank you kiss. "You truly must have searched long and hard to find these. I can't think of a better gift."

"I can," Kaline replied, grinning.

Kurama returned the smile. "Hold that thought while I put the books on my shelf. I'll be right back."

She just giggled. 'He's going to be so surprised when I tell him what his other present is.'

The redhead quickly returned from his workroom, a fox pups hanging all over him. One had latched on to his right pant's leg with his teeth, while another had claimed a place on top of the demon's head. A third was inside his pocket, having a fight with a handkerchief.

"Completely my master's project is going to be rather difficult if the little monsters refuse to leave it alone," Kurama commented, depositing the small foxes on the ground by their mother, who was sleeping.

Kaline smiled and stood up, a strange look in her eyes. "What? Don't you like baby foxes?" She placed a hand gently over her stomach. "Because I have a feeling someone might be a little hurt if you don't."

The kitsune's jaw dropped, but he soon switched to hugging Kaline, a huge smile on his face. "When did you find out?"

"Last week," she replied, hugging him back. "And I think I know what I would possibly like to name him."

Kurama looked at her, a curious expression on his face. "And what would you like to name him?"

Kaline kissed him before she answered.

"Youko."





CotA: Well, that's it. The end. Sorry to disappoint everyone, but I really didn't have anything left to cover, and I've hit a serious writer's block. With both of my muses on vacation, you guys are left with just what I can come up with. Sorry. The good news is, I started two new YYH fics before Sess-chan and Sigmund left for Hawaii. I have a fic called Bring Me to Life, which one of my readers has actually read and given me the go-ahead on, and the other is the prequel to the Time series. I don't even have one chapter in it completed yet, but I'm hoping to get more written in it soon. I should be posting one or both of them in a few weeks. Great, huh? Well, since I got all that out of my system, time for the review responses.

sam: I felt bad for the girls too. Poor things went through so much.

kittykat89: everything's fixed now.

Yanou: I'll make sure to send you my material. I think I'll be posting the fic you read within a few weeks.

Sei-Sei: Thanks.

Kurama321: Sorry this chapter wasn't very long. I think the a few of the previous ones have made up for that.

Enchanted Faerie: There wasn't a problem with your comp. Just for future reference, it's almost always ff.net.

Cattibrie393: Breaks from Calc are important. I'm in calc too. Evil class...

Midnight: I think I fixed everything.

Luraia Soul: I will keep up the good work. Promise.

Lady Rose Jade: Well, here's the chappie you wanted.

PWA: Yes, another chapter, and the last one, too.

AnneMarieh: I did okay on my 'Time' series, but I prefer this story as well. The storyline is better, at least in my opinion as a writer. Plus, this story was more fun to write in a sense.