Disclaimer: Don't own YYH.

I know, the last chapter was a little boring. Sorry!! This one is a little more interesting. Reviews please!!

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Kurama stood towering over him. But this wasn't the Kurama he knew. This Kurama was different somehow. Then he saw it. Instead of a kind, gentle smile, a cruel grin played across the fox's face. The fox's eyes were harsh and cold. "Kurama? What's wrong with you?" he asked. The fox demon sneered at him. "Kurama?" Something was wrong. He knew it. He was in pain. He was on the ground, lying in a crimson puddle. A puddle of blood. His eyes widened as he realized. It was his blood. For the first time he saw the dagger in Kurama's hand. The whole dagger, from tip to hilt, shone red. Kurama's hand was stained with his blood. His blood. He was bleeding to death. "Kurama! Help me!" he cried. "I'm sorry, Hiei. I cannot," Kurama hissed in a snakelike voice. The fox cackled. Then he realized. Kurama had killed him. "NO!!!" he howled. "Goodbye, Forbidden Child!" sneered Kurama. He cried out as the world grew darker and darker. "NOOO!!!!"

"Hiei! Calm down!" Yusuke shouted. He tried to hold Hiei still in his bed. The fire demon was struggling in the Spirit Detective's grip. "NOOO!!! KURAMA!!!! STOP!!! PLEASE!!! HELP ME!!!" he screamed. "KURAMA!!!" What is with him?!? Yusuke wondered. Hiei continued to thrash and scream.

Yusuke gave up trying to keep him still. Instead, he filled a bowl with cold water and dumped it on the fire demon's head. Hiei coughed as some water seeped down his throat. The cold water on his skin made all traces of the dream disappear from his mind. He slumped back against his pillow in peaceful sleep. Yusuke sighed. What was making him like this?

Kurama moaned in his sleep. Something wanted to break him. It wanted to break his spirit. What was it?

It was death.

Kurama tried to hold on to life. It was difficult. Extremely difficult. He had been electrocuted mercilessly by Ryton. Beaten with his own weapon. Tortured beyond belief. Every rise and fall of his chest was a battle.

But he held on. Whenever he was about to give in, to take his final breath, to give up his constant struggle, the image of his friends would resurface. That was what kept him breathing. Thinking. Feeling.

Every once in a while a single name would erupt in his mind. Hiei. His best friend. One of the only two people he would give his life for without hesitation. And he knew Hiei would do the same for him.

The cold darkness battled this opinion. It tried to shake Kurama's thoughts away from hope. He is the one who caused you this suffering. He doesn't care about anyone but himself. Why should you care about him? Forget him. Come, rest. Free yourself from this despair. All you have to do is give in. Forget. Then you will be free.

Kurama fought it. He fought it with everything he had. But everything he had was nothing. He had put all his energy into saving Hiei. Now he hardly had a drop left to save himself. He knew he couldn't fight the darkness for long. Soon it would consume him.

Yusuke flopped down on the couch next to Kuwabara. "I heard him screamin' in there," said Kuwabara. Yusuke rolled his eyes. "Yeah. I'm not surprised, though, I mean, after what he's been through. I had nightmares about Genkai's test for weeks after it was over." Kuwabara's face distorted with amusement. Yusuke realized what he had just said. "Don't...say...a word," he ordered through clenched teeth. Kuwabara took one look at his face and ran, laughing hysterically, from the room, with Yusuke in hot pursuit.