Thanks for all the lovely comments, minna-san. And thanks for your faith in me, Kota-chan. XD Anyway, it's been a little less than a month since I last updated, but I was suddenly seized with the urge to write this and I want to finish it BEFORE Midnight this time, so here I go!

This is indeed the last chapter of Touketsu. However, I leave you, my readers with an option. One: This will be the last story in Kaeru's arc. Two: I can write a sequel to this, being the final one, in which Kaeru and Kuronue go to Makai to find someone/get into a world of trouble/etc. Please let me know One or Two when you leave a review!

Anyway, last time, Kaeru and Zenkai had a final showdown, which resulted in the latter being destroyed by the Kinmuku Hiruiseki and the former reduced to a lifeless heap. Let's get this started, then! Or…finished. RKT peeps, don't go away yet. I have a special shout-out to you guys.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kuronue's head shot up as Kia stepped out of her bedroom, looking incredibly weary. "Well? How is she?"

The Mirror Holder sighed, tucking an errant strand of dark hair behind her right ear, hesitating before she spoke.

When the group had finally caught up to Kuronue, they'd found him sitting against a tree, all of his attention focused on the unmoving Koorime in his arms. No time had been wasted then, no questions asked. Kurama and Chitsuko had taken Kaeru from the chimera and gone ahead to Suzuki's house, with the two Mirror Holders in tow. There was no logic in going to Kurama's, since Shiori would just ask questions and Kaeru needed more than a ningen doctor just then. Upon arriving, they'd settled the Ice Maiden into the bedroom Kia and Kelsey normally shared and the former (possessing the Mirror Half of Healing) had started her work, shooing everyone else. By the time the others had arrived, she'd been in there for twenty minutes. It had now been two hours.

When Kia spoke, everyone snapped to attention, fixing their eyes on the tired-looking brunette. "It's hard to say. It took me awhile to fix the bone and fuse the marrow back together in her wrist, longer than it should have…and her blood flow was erratic…her organs weren't functioning fully…"

The chimera eyed her strangely. "Say that again, in terms I can understand."

Another sigh. "Healing isn't at all what you read about in story books. It's not just bright light and it's all better. It's not just a touch. When you heal, you have to delve down into your patient's body and determine what's wrong and then try to fix it. Sometimes you can't."

"What?" This time, Suzaku echoed the word along with Kuronue.

Kia grimaced. "Kaeru's got some major boo-boos and they're not ones you can kiss and make all better. In other words, I did what I could, but I don't know if it worked. Does that help, nimrods??"

Kuronue nodded, deciding to ignore the insult for now. "Why didn't you just say that at the beginning?"

"Because I thought you were smart!" She started towards him, but stumbled halfway there. Jin caught her before her face became acquainted with the carpet.

"Oi, lass, are you feelin' all right?"

Kia glanced up at him gratefully. "It took a little more out of me than I thought. I don't know what happened out there, but whatever that golden light was…it did something to Kaeru's body…judging from her state, I'm surprised she's still breathing."

Kuronue caught on to that little glimmer of hope and clung to it with a fierce tenaciousness that he had never imagined having. "So she's alive!"

"She SAID that!" Kelsey joined in before Kia could open her mouth to call him "nimrod" again. "We just don't know if she'll be waking up anytime soon!" Shishiwakamaru, perched on her shoulder in his true youkai form, snorted in distaste.

"What a fool."

"I think he's a SWEET fool!" Rei sprang to Kuronue's defense, glaring daggers at Kelsey's shoulder occupier. "I think if we all sat down and said what we felt, we wouldn't be in this horrible situation!"

Chitsuko glanced at her, seemingly surprised by the priestess' unusual seriousness. "…What we felt?"

"That's right, Golden Girl!" Rei nodded approvingly. "For instance, if a certain chimera confessed to a certain Koorime that he loved her, or another certain midget confessed to another certain Koorime that they were related, or if a certain little boy confessed that he walked into the wrong bathroom this morning--"

Rinku turned bright pink. "It was an accident!" He insisted, glowering at the sniggering Chuu and Suzuki. Hiei seemed to be debating between beheading Rei and looking nervously at Yukina, who still seemed sweetly puzzled by all of this, obviously not understanding that the axe-wielder was referring to Hiei and herself.

Rei patted the boy on the head, which earned her a glare as well, before she continued. "And also, if a certain Saint Beast would admit that he considers a certain chimera a good friend…"

This time, Suzaku reacted. "Never!" he snapped, rising up to his full, impressive height. "The day I become friends with that bat-winged freak is the day I admit my deep, abiding love for Rei!"

A full five minutes later, he realized what he'd just said, and choked. That was how long the stunned silence lasted in the room.

Chuu chortled heartily, pounding the beet-red Saint Beast on the back. "Guess that means you and Batty are good chums now, eh? Maybe he'll be yer man 'o honor at yer wedding!"

"Suzaku-san and Rei-san are getting married?" Yukina clapped her hands, smiling warmly. "I'm so happy for you!"

"Really, Suzaku…" Kelsey grinned at him. "Kia and I were starting to wonder if you were gay."

"You thought WHAT??"

Touya, Kurama, Chitsuko and Jin wisely decided not to comment, although all four were grinning. Rinku was snickering, and Hiei simply looked bored with it all. Suzaku was just grateful that Yusuke wasn't here to witness all of this. That ditzy little ferrygirl had flown off to tell him, Kuwabara, Keiko, and Koenma all that had taken place. It was bad enough that everyone here now knew. Slowly, he risked a glance at Rei.

Her bright green eyes were dancing as she clasped her hands together in front of her chest. "Oh, Birdy, I knew you'd admit it eventually!" She hauled him in for a deep, passionate kiss, right there in front of everybody.

Suzuki was too far gone for salvation, laughing so hard that tears were running unhindered down his face.

Kuronue smirked faintly. "Congrats, Bird."

"It's YOUR turn now!" Rei broke the kiss long enough to open the door to the bedroom in which Kaeru was sleeping and shove the startled youkai into the room, before slamming it shut and returning to her business.

Kuronue immediately tried the knob--only it refused to turn under his hand. He tried again, shaking it harder. The doorknob giggled at him. "Should've known she was friends with the damned door too," he muttered in disgust, releasing the doorknob and turning to look for a window or some other method of escape. Instead, his eyes fell on the pale figure lying quietly in one of the beds. All thoughts of revenge faded.

Kaeru was comfortably tucked into Kia's bed, the covers pulled up to her chest. She was wearing her own nightshirt that she'd left here while sleeping over once, one gray-clad arm sprawled across her chest. The other was placed by her head, palm facing up. He could see from the inconsistent rising and falling of the covers that she was still breathing, if somewhat haltingly. Her skin hadn't really gained any color from the last time he'd seen her, but at least the pained expression on her face had given way to a sort of gentle exhaustion. Nari was curled up on her left side, ears twitching occasionally.

Kuronue hesitated, then slowly sat on the bed beside the Ice Maiden's sleeping form, reaching forward to feel her forehead. It was slightly warm. With a sigh, he continued to watch her.

"C'mon…you've gone through worse than this…you can pull through this too, can't you?"

---Reikai---

Hiei folded his arms over his chest, regarding Koenma with a blank ruby stare. "Why did you summon me?" Truthfully, he was thankful for the distraction, having quickly becoming annoyed by everyone teasing Suzaku and his new girlfriend. He could care less.

Koenma gazed back at the Jaganshi, sighing heavily. "We've received news that you share kinship with an Ice Maiden."

The diminutive youkai's bored expression didn't waver. "You know very well who my sister is, Koenma. Get to the point."

The toddler shook his head. "…Not Yukina, Hiei. Kaeru."

If anyone thought the silence when Suzaku had announced his affection for Rei was long and drawn-out, that was nothing compared to the full ten minutes that followed Koenma's words. Through it all, Hiei retained a stolid appearance.

"Explain," he said curtly, after letting the information sink in.

Koenma rubbed his temples with chubby fingers. "She's your cousin. Second cousin, to be exact."

"My mother had no siblings." Was this child ruler daft?

"I never said it was on your mother's side." The toddler stared at the Koorime solemnly.

Hiei stared at him, dropping his uncaring façade. "What the hell are you talking about??"

"Your father had a brother. That brother had a son. That son had a daughter. That daughter is Kaeru."

The Jaganshi mulled this over. Kaeru was his second cousin. If that was true, she had a twin, as he did. She was family now. She was family and she had been left alone with a perverted chimera. Like hell.

Hiei turned to go, but someone caught his shoulder.

"Nuh-uh, Hiei! Leave the poor thing alone!" Yusuke smirked, poking the Jaganshi on the forehead. "You're bad enough with Yukina!"

Kurama and Chitsuko stood behind the Reikai Tantei, smiling to themselves. "He has a point, brash as it is," the Youko spoke. "I'm curious to see how Kaeru will react to the news that her family is not all gone."

Hiei only gritted his teeth and glared murderously.

---Back to Kaeru and Kuronue…---

He must've dozed off…for when Kuronue woke up, his head was resting on Kaeru's chest. She was breathing normally now and as he gazed down at her, lifting his head to allow her to breathe easier, she finally opened her eyes.

At first, there were murky clouds of sleepiness and confusion swirling around in those big ruby hues, but then they cleared and the Koorime blinked.

"…K…Kuronue…saaaan?" The last bit emerged as a yawn and she immediately clapped one hand over her mouth with a chagrined squeak, startling Nari into consciousness. Her eyes, still holding a trace of bemusement, met the chimera's violet ones and he smiled calmly at her.

"You had everyone worried about you, you know. Kia was going off on major boo-boos and then the bird and the psycho priestess were kissing…"

"Nani??" Kaeru sat bolt upright, then winced, practically doubling over as she gasped out in pain.

Kuronue's smile faded to a concerned frown and he placed one large hand on her back to steady her. "Oi, take it easy, you're not fully recovered yet!"

"Gomen…" The Ice Maiden peered up at him through half-closed eyes. "Demo…Rei-san and Suzaku-san…I was wondering when he'd tell her…" Her voice was growing softer…was she falling asleep again?

"Kaeru…?"

"Is…Zenkai….? And you and Nari…"

He sighed. Of course she'd be anxious about that. "Dead, and we're both fine."

"Oh, good…I…was so worried…" She yawned again, raising her hand to cover it. Kuronue saw the bandages wrapped around her wrist, saw how she grimaced…and lost it.

"DAMMIT, KAERU!"

The fox kit yelped in protest, wriggling under the pillow to block out the volume of Kuronue's explosive yell. Kaeru merely looked stunned.

"Kuronue-san…? Daijoubu desu ka?"

"No, I'm NOT all right! You get your wrist shattered because you forget to save your own hide! What kind of a Koorime ARE you?! You idiot, you could have been killed and there would have been nothing neither I nor anyone else could have done! Do you understand how close you came to DYING?? And here you are, sitting here and smiling, and you're still worried about everyone else! Would you STOP being so goddamned caring?!"

The poor Koorime was looking absolutely bewildered, but slowly, her eyes began to well up. Realizing that he'd been screaming at the top of his lungs at someone who'd been at the brink of death, Kuronue sucked in a sharp breath.

"Shit…I'm sorry, Kaeru, I didn't mean that…I didn't mean any of what I said before, about you being a pain and a little kid, and how it was a hassle watching over you…I've been a real bastard lately, and I guess you're pissed and won't forgive me, but then again, who can blame you? I--"

Once again, Kaeru had found the best method to shut him up. One small finger rested on his lips, silencing him quite efficiently. "Kuronue-san."

He stared at her, wide-eyed. She was smiling…she was crying, but she was still smiling! Why is she…

"You were frustrated," the Ice Maiden went on. "I understand that. We both said things we didn't mean. You don't have to worry about me not forgiving you…" She trailed off, smiling sheepishly.

Kuronue then heard the eight most beautiful words he'd ever heard from her mouth.

"I'd forgive you no matter what you did."

"…Oh, HELL!" The chimera gave in to temptation and wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug, pressing her against his body. She was so thin, so frail…but so alive, and he didn't care how mushy this was getting…Kaeru was alive and all right, and that was all right with him.

"You know…" Kaeru raised her head slightly, smiling impishly at him. "If you want to try again, I won't try to freeze you this time."

It was one of those situations where no clarification was needed. Kuronue simply cupped one cheek into his hand, bent down, and touched his lips to hers.

It was a fleeting, gentle kiss, but the resulting electric tingle that both felt made it seem like the most passionate lip-lock in centuries. Kaeru made a muffled sound of pleased surprise, threading her fingers into Kuronue's ponytail as he dipped back in for another, longer kiss.

When he carefully broke away, the Ice Maiden was smiling. "Arigato…Kuronue-san…maybe we can try that again when I wake up…" And, just like that, she was out like a light.

The chimera carefully tucked her back in before touching his lips.

In the corner, the doorknob was giggling again. And the eight pairs of eyes peering through the thin crack of the door all seemed just as amused.

"And that, my dear friends, is why you must always listen to me!"

"You're crazy, Rei!"

"But I'm right! Aren't I, Axe?"

Silence.

"See? He says I'm right!"

"He didn't say anything!"

"Shut up, he'll hear you!"

"Wow, I had no idea Koorime could kiss like that!"

"Stop looking at Yukina, you hentai!" WHAP.

"Itaiii!"

"Nani?"

It had been, everyone agreed later, a very interesting adventure.

---OOC---

Thanks, minna! I had a blast writing this…special thanks to Kelsey, for…everything! And to Kota-chan, for the whole Suzaku/Rei idea. Thank you, everyone, every reviewer and muse! And a VERY special thank-you to the crew at RKT, the place where Kaeru was born and developed. If it hadn't been for Aiko, Fox, Mezi, Lira, Sporky, Yuna, Shin-san, Saitou-san, Hinooki, Kura, and everyone else, I would never had made it this far! Thank you all so much!

Remember, One or Two, leave a review, and results will be posted in my author's note of whatever story I update next! Thanks again; it's definitely been an is so not letting me indent...grrrrr...