Yes, thank-you, I know it's been a while...sorry. ;;

But it's finally done, at least...took me a few days.

Just to warn you, this isn't the most exciting of chapters, though it does contain some manipulation and stuff...;; So enjoy to the best of your ability.

-CHAPTER NINE-

'Did you really think I was just gonna let you drown?'

'I thought you could take care of yourself. I didn't know you couldn't swim...'

"Bronwyn?"

A pair of chocolate-brown immediately snapped open at the abrupt noise, having been absorbed in pure thought. Cautiously, they floated over to the door of the bedroom just as a light knock emitted from the other side.

"I brought you some laundry..." Shiori chirped, a few assorted shirts and other articles of clothing clutched in her hand. There was silence on the other side before she heard a low cough, followed quickly by "Come in.", spoken only in a low whisper.

The middle-aged woman smiled warmly at this before using her free hand to twist the golden knob and open the door. The bedroom was slightly cluttered, a few hangers, as well as dirty laundry sprawled over the clean white carpet. The blankets on the bed were pushed messily to the end, it seemed, deliberately, and at the head, sat Bronwyn, her slender arms wrapped tightly around her scrunched-up legs as she stared blankly at the creme-colored wall situated in front of her, still in her pajamas.

Shiori's smile seemed to fade after seeing all of this at once, and her eyes gained a glint of worry as she observed the red-head's glazed-over expression, red tendrils of hair strewn messily all over her head. She didn't comment on it, though, instead walking cautiously over to the closet, where she carefully placed a few loaded hangers on the rack. When that was taken care of, she turned back around to face the silent girl.

"Is something the matter?" She finally asked tentatively, carefully striding over to beside the bed. Bronwyn didn't even seem to acknowledge that she was present, not even moving in the least. She continued to only stare wide-eyed at the wall, which caused Shiori to grow even more worried.

"Bronwyn, is something troubling you?....Bronwyn!" She finally spoke firmly, which seemed to cause the girl to snap out of her trance, jumping a bit at the noise. "...huh?" She finally muttered, lazily turning her head towards Shiori.

"Is something wrong?" The woman asked once more, in a delicate tone. Bronwyn only stared at her for a moment before shaking her head softly. "No, everything's...fine....there's just a lot for me to think about..." That was true, what with what had occured yesterday, plus the dream, which had begun to worm its way back into her thoughts, no matter how hard she tried to keep it at bay.

Shiori smiled, raising her hand to pat the girl's knee in a comforting fashion. "Shuichi told me you had an eventful day yesterday..." She commented quietly, as though the mere mention of it would upset her. "I can understand if you've been...a bit traumatized by everything that happ-"

"Oh, no!" She was suddenly cut off by Bronwyn's hurried words, in an attempt to set the situation straight. "I swear, I'm just fine! It felt like I just went for a swim...only my entrance into the lake was a bit scary..." She left out the fact that she had no earthly idea how to swim and had been panicking like hell the entire time. Those were only unimportant details.

"Are you sure?" Shiori asked worriedly, a sympathizing expression resting on her face. "Because if you ever need to talk to me about anything, I'd love to listen...you really shouldn't leave feelings and fears bottled up inside...it will help more if you share them with others."

"Thanks for the offer, but I'm fine." Bronwyn whispered briskly, even though what Shiori said made her think about her traumatic dream. It had been driving her crazy, what with having it that second time and all, and the only reason she hadn't been driven to the brink of insanity was because of her episode at the amusement park and Hiei's behavior towards her, which still pissed her off. But that didn't mean she still didn't worry about him...and what if.....if.....

She immediately cocked her head up towards the door, which Shiori was just about to close behind her. "Wait!" She cried, realizing what she needed to do to make her feel at least a tad better; tell someone about her dreams.

The woman froze at the cry, the door only half-shut. "Yes?" She asked, her cheery attitude still present.

"I...do you think I could talk to you about something?" She inhaled deeply after saying this; if it wasn't blatantly obvious, she really disliked spilling her guts out to another, and only did it rarely. But this time...it felt like something that just had to be done, for her sanity's sake.

Shiori smiled brightly. "Of course." She walked back over to the bed, sitting down on the edge and then proceeding to stare expectantly at Bronwyn, who felt on the spot suddenly.

"Well...I was just needing some advice..." She said slowly, "A while back, I had this really strange dream...someone important to me was killed." She glanced up at Shiori expectantly to see her reaction to this, but she was only nodding, listening intently. "I...I really didn't much of it, but then...a few nights ago, I had the exact same dream."

"Mm-hm..." Shiori said quietly, seeming to absorb the information given to her. Bronwyn paused a moment, staring down at her knees. "But...I was wondering...since I had this dream twice...do you think it means something? That it might really happen?" There, she had asked, and actually, it hadn't sounded as stupid as she had expected it to. Now she just had to wait to hear Shiori's reaction.

The middle-aged woman didn't even waste a second. "Well, maybe...but maybe not..." She commented airily, looking to be still analyzing the problem. "You can never really be sure. There ARE a few dreams you have that actually happen or will actually happen, but most are...well, silly." She laughs quietly at this, which seems to calm Bronwyn's nerves a bit.

"So...you're saying that I shouldn't be worried?" She asked hopefully, finally raising her arms off her knees and stretching her legs out in front of her.

"Well..." Shiori tentatively whispers, her smile beginning to fade slightly. "I wouldn't say that. This reminds me of a friend of mine...once, she had a dream that her husband was going to be hit by a car through his own carelessness, but, thinking it was only a silly dream, didn't bother to mention it to him. Later that day, he was talking on his cellphone so much that he accidentally walked straight into traffic and was hit by a convertible. Thankfully, he lived, but my friend always pays more attention to her dreams now."

"So...you're saying that I SHOULD be worried?" Bronwyn asked, her attitude beginning to take on a gloomy turn, allowing her head to fall back on the pillow.

"Well, no, your problem might not be anything like my friend's. But...if she would of just told her husband about the dream, then maybe he would of been a bit more careful..."

"...yeah, he probably would have...so?"

Shiori uttered a small chuckle at that. "What I suggest is that maybe you should tell this person who's dying in you dreams about them. Warn them that maybe they should keep an eye out for any danger that may befall them..."

"But won't I sound like an idiot? What if it doesn't even happen? He'll think I'm crazy..."

More quiet laughter. "That's a chance you need to take. The point is that...what if you decide to not tell him about it, and he ends up dying? Wouldn't you feel awful about not informing him in the first place?"

"Yeah..."

"Then tell him. If you don't, and something happens, you'll regret it for the rest of your life..." Shiori, finished with her inspiring speech, proceeded to pat Bronwyn's knee kindly before rising from her seated position.

"...Thanks." Bronwyn muttered. The word felt foreign on her tongue...Not surprisingly, she didn't speak it too often.

"You're welcome. Did I help you at all?" Shiori asked, now standing at the door, hands clasped together in front of her.

"Yes...a lot, actually." The red-head abruptly stuttered, Shiori's words beginning to sink in...after all, they HAD made a lot of sense. She'd probably never, EVER forgive herself if Hiei was killed, and she was actually, in a way, responsible....She shuddered just thinking about it.

Shiori smiled warmly. "Glad to help you. I'll be downstairs if you need me for anything else." She said briskly, before turning towards the door. Right before she vacated, though, she turned back towards Bronwyn. "Oh yes, I forgot...have you seen Aiku? He wasn't on the couch when I woke up this morning...I hope he didn't get into trouble."

"Nope, haven't seen him..." And don't really care to...She had almost added, but had stopped herself in time.

"Well, alright. But if you do, tell me." And with that, she was gone, down the hallway, and it wasn't soon before Bronwyn heard her padded footsteps making their way down the stairs.

Heaving a large sigh, she brought her gaze to the ceiling fan directly above her as it spun around and around and around and-She shook her head, beginning to feel a tad dizzy. And she really didn't need that at the moment. After all, Shiori's speech was still fresh in her mind...tell him. If you don't, and something happens, you'll regret it for the rest of your life...

You'll regret it....

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The seasons seemed to be passing quickly in Japan that year, for some odd reason. The temperature was dropping more drastically than usual, sometimes so quickly, that the foliage wasn't prepared and instead wilted and died right then and there.

It wasn't like Hiei cared, though. It was just the fact that most of the leaves on the trees he chose to sleep in were beginning to shrivel and make camp on the forest floor. And that meant that when it those ice-cold rain showers began to occur, he was going to have no shelter.

He could always just hang around Kurama's house, he reminded himself. They wouldn't care...he could always either have a talk with the kitsune, or....just stay in the bedroom with Bronwyn.

He found himself smirking at that thought. There was always time for that later, though...right now, the weather was downright brisk, the afternoon sun's bright rays filtering through the dark brown branches of the trees. Perfect variables for a nap.

Pulling himself into a comfortable position on the branch, he slowly allowed his head to rest on the tree trunk, his eyelids beginning to droop...

"Hey."

Damn.

Who was here to bother him now? Probably Yusuke, bored out of his mind, thinking it'd be fun to annoy him...

He stayed perfectly still, pretending to have already fallen asleep. Maybe the baka would leave him alone then....

"Nice try, but I already know that you're awake, Hiei."

Fuck him....His teeth gritting, he sharply raised his head up straight and cocked it so that he could see below him, completely prepared to kick the Spirit Detective's ass...only to find someone who he wasn't used to seeing.

"Were you expecting Santa Claus?"

It was that black-haired ningen...Bronwyn's old boyfriend...Aiku, if he remembered correctly...not like it really mattered to him if he got the name right or not. He was standing right beneath the branch he was on, staring up at the fire demon with an expression that suggested he found the whole situation amusing.

"What do you want, ningen?" He snorted, not even trying in the least bit to hide his resentment. It didn't faze Aiku in the least bit, though. Actually, his smile even grew a tad at the statement.

"Nothing in particular. I was bored, thought I'd come out here and take a walk...and who do I come upon but you!" He said with a fake cheery tone, as if purposely trying to piss off Hiei.

"Do you want an award?" He snarled sarcastically, allowing his eyes to close. "Leave me alone, ningen."

"Well, aren't you cranky...I was just wondering if you were up for a quick swordfight."

"Why would I waste my time on someone I already know I can beat?"

"I dunno about that...I think you got lucky last time."

"Your thought is a WASTE of time."

"Care to prove that?"

Silence. Hiei allowed his eyes to open slowly and float back over to Aiku, a hardening glint evident. The boy didn't appear as if he was going to give up....best to get the pointless brawl over with than have a long, drawn-out argument.

"Fine."

Aiku's emerald-tinted eyes widened a bit at his acceptance, but it quickly faded and was replaced with a grin as he immediately pulled the silver blade out of his jeans pocket. Though the fire demon could be a bit of a prick at times, one had to admit he could be quite impressive when it came down to pure skills. Besides...this isn't about some stupid sword brawl...I've got other things to take care of...

His grip tightened on the black handle of the knife, causing it to shimmer and take the form of a good-sized sword. He swung it a bit for good measure, as Hiei looked on, almost in a bored fashion as he pulled his own sword out.

"I won't go easy on you." It sounded more like a threat than a warning. Aiku didn't feel worried, though...he was better at defensive than offensive, and would most likely come out of it without a scratch. Plus, he didn't expect them to be fighting for very long...His grin growing, he held his weapon out in front of him, ready to begin.

Needless to say, the usually tranquil forest was abruptly filled with the sounds of metal clangs as they echoed endlessly across the land.

It wasn't a very brutal clash, really. More like two kids having picked up a pair of abandoned sword and deciding to have some fun. The goal wasn't to hurt each other; the goal was to kill time.

"So...you and Bronwyn are pretty close, ne?" Aiku asked in an innocent tone as he cocked his head to the side so as to avoid a swipe.

"Yes. What do you care?" Hiei sneered, obviously a little perturbed at the subject the black-haired male had chosen to 'chat' about.

Aiku couldn't help but smirk at his response. Possessive, isn't he...

"How long have you guys been...together?"

"I don't keep track of time."

"Why?"

"A waste of energy."

Silence ensued for a few seconds.

"She...did tell you, right?" It sounded like a completely innocent question. Hiei didn't even seem to acknowledge it, though, his focus instead appearing to be on his actions with his weapon.

Aiku's eyes hardened at the fire demon, waiting...waiting for it...

Come on....

"...about what?"

Got 'em. He actually took it.

The male's smile widened broadly for a fleeting second before he quickly replaced it with an expression of mild shock as he immediately relinquished his attack, pulling the sword away from the brawl.

"You mean...she never mentioned it to you?" He gasped in a whole-hearted fashion, regarding Hiei with wide eyes. The fire demon seemed to grow bitter at this, unhappy with the fact that he didn't know something that seemed like basic knowledge.

"Mentioned what?!" He was growing agitated now. If the ningen was just going to lead him on...then why had he brought it up in the first place?!?

"Maybe I shouldn't..." Aiku whispered, his attitude abruptly growing sullen as he turned away from Hiei, towards the endless stretch of trees and other foliage. "I mean...why complicate the relationship?" He sighed exaggeratedly, but suddenly found his view of the plants blocked by Hiei's glare of death as the fire demon now stood in front of him, giving off the obvious vibe that he was angry, to say the least.

"Tell me." His voice was so thickly coated with contempt that it sent a chill down Aiku's spine. But, of course, he retained his cool, instead smiling at the pissed-off youkai.

"Well..let me just start off by saying that Wyn's behavior has probably worn off by now, so there's no need to be all alarmed...but..."

"Talk or I'll make sure you never talk again by cutting out your tongue."

Ooh, testy...Aiku chuckled a bit at the threat. "Fine...let's just say that when she was working for Zink...Wyn used to...sleep around a bit."

"What?"

"You know...for money?"

"...." Silence befell Hiei for a moment. He had seen those types of ningens before...filthy, scantily-clad figures who would do anything for a few hundred yen...they disgusted him. But, never would he of suspected Bronwyn to have been one of them, even if it was quite a long time ago...it just didn't seem to fit in anywhere with her personality.

"How do you even know about this?" He abruptly asked in a sharp tone, as if everything was Aiku's fault.

"Oh, I heard things...from very reliable sources. I swear, that girl was physically unable to hold an actual relationship past the pay-off." His tone sounded identical to one who was rallying off the events of a lunch with a friend. When he noticed that Hiei's expression was darkening quickly, though, he spoke up hurriedly once again. "But things are different now, I'm sure!" He reassured, "She would never DREAM of going back to that ever again. You know...unless she was tight on cash or something like that." He grinned broadly, waiting for the fire demon's reaction. To his mild surprise, Hiei's expression remained exactly the same, though a few new thoughts were now swimming around his head.

He decided to continue. "But that wouldn't happen...she has a job, doesn't she?"

"...no."

"She doesn't?" He feigned surprise. "Well...don't worry 'bout it...I'm sure it's not going on anymore." He roused up a cough at the end of the sentence for no apparent reason. Just to make it a bit more interesting, it seemed...

Hiei was silent for a few moments before speaking up once more. "What about you?"

"What do ya' mean?"

"She was with you...did it happen then?" It was almost shocking Aiku how well the little endeavor was proceeding. Hiei seemed genuinely ticked-off, which only made it easier for the black-haired male...

"Well...yes." He whispered, suddenly sounding a tad upset. "Sad, really...she snuck out behind my back the first few months we were together...I always wondered where her new clothes came from..."

The images of Bronwyn modeling those new outfits from the expensive boutique in the mall abruptly flashed into Hiei's head, but he mentally shoved it away. She had gotten that money from Kurama, he remembered...but would the kitsune really have given her enough money to buy ALL of those outfits?

"And don't get me started on how flaky she can be at times...."

He was sprung back into reality by Aiku's statement, and brought his icy gaze to the male in front of him once more. "What do you mean?" He asked tentatively after a few moments of silence had passed between them. The ningen was REALLY beginning to tick him off...by shoving all of this new information directly in his face, it had appeared like he was blatantly mocking him...plus, he was actually egging him on by asking questions when he knew he shouldn't be...but how could he not? Why had Bronwyn never told him about any of this stuff before? Had she been purposely trying to hide it from him? What if Aiku was wrong, and she was secretly-

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed. The minute you aren't entertaining enough for her, she just leaves you for something else. Like she doesn't even care..." Aiku's sudden statement had once again shattered Hiei's train of thought, causing the fire demon's expression to grow even more venomous.

"She's never done that to me."

Aiku's smile curled up into a smirk at his statement. "Sure about that?"

Silence.

"As I seem to recall..." He continued, "She seemed pretty comfortable with just leaving you with those ningens at the medical tent at the amusement park...or am I mistaken?" He conveniently left out the fact that he and Yusuke had been the ones to persuade her to come with them. Hiei didn't really need to know that...

Words managed to elude the fire demon. Aiku was right...Bronwyn had pretty much abandoned him after his...'mishap' (He never called it 'vomiting'; that was a ningen occurance). Was it because she hadn't found the situation...entertaining enough?

But that just didn't sound right...her expression had seemed to convey genuine worry, he remembered...but...maybe believable facial expressions were something you picked up when you were in a certain....'profession' for so long....

Nothing was making sense anymore. It was the simplest way to put it.

"And if it's happened before....what will stop it from happening again?" Aiku abruptly spoke up once more, emerald eyes glinting as he regarded Hiei with an innocent expression.

Perfect.

It was so perfect.

Even he had had his doubts, but this...this was just so amazingly flawless that he was starting to have difficulty holding down his laughter.

He suddenly felt something rising up in his throat, but instead of a chuckle, like he had genuinely expected it to be, it was quite a deep yawn. Stretching his arms out involuntarily, he seemed to realize for the first time that the afternoon was rapidly turning into evening.

"Would you look at the time!" Aiku cheerily pointed out, his head cocked towards the bluish-grayish tinted sky. "Well, I better get going...have the people at my residence wondering by now..." He chirped, letting his emerald-tinted eyes drop back down to Hiei, who was staring at the dirt ground, muttering something to himself that even Aiku, standing only a foot away from him, couldn't hear...

"We'll...finish our little brawl later, okay?" He suggested to the fire demon, who was still paying virtually no notice to him. He waited a second or two before trying once more. "Um...earth to Hiei...?" He whispered tentatively, snapping his fingers directly in front of the fire youkai's face. Only a few tries proceeded before his head snapped up abruptly, obviously realizing for the first time that Aiku was still present.

"Later..." He finally spoke up, a distracted tone evident in his voice.

The male before him took this as a good-enough answer, though, and a pleasant smile drifted across his face as he began to stroll away from the fire demon, back onto the small dirt path that he knew would lead him back to the busy neighborhood street right beside the forest.

The smile remained plastered on his face until he was sure he was far enough down the path so that Hiei would be unable to hear him, and then he finally let forth the laugh he had been forcing down for so long, his smile having transformed into a broad smirk.

That was almost too easy...

-NOTES-

This chapter reminds me of how much I loathe Aiku...x.x

But, besides that...yes, this chapter sucked, thank-you very much. I already knew this...

But people, PLEASE...push that button down there and leave me a review. I think that part of the reason this chapter took so long was because I became depressed by the fact that my readers seemed to be abandoning me because it took so long to get a chapter out. Well, hopefully, the story will be livening up enough for me to get inspiration....

But, yes...I don't care if it's one word or twenty...it'll make my day, which has been very depressing so far...x.x