A/N: ok everyone…. The next chapter is here! Like I said, I had to up the rating because of situations and the amount of violence and blood shed (mostly in chapter 9)… I hope you enjoy it though…. I already have like 18 chapters written and I still have more to write…. I really don't know what else to say… I am trying to update more often…. I had writers block for a while but now I'm on a roll again…. If any of you have ideas for me please tell me and I'll try and put them in the story IF they don't collide with my ideas… ok enough talk… on with the action… oh yeah…. I don't own YYH…. The only thing I DO own is this story and the characters that aren't in the series.

Ch 8: Grieving

Hiei was sitting at the table when they all came in.

"Where is she? Where is Nami?" Taro yelled.

"Keep your voice down. She's sleeping in my bed. It's the only one that didn't have things all over it." He replied.

"What happened to her?" he said, this time trying to control his anger.

"Yukina, Kuwabara, I need to talk to you alone."

The three of them went to the other side of the room. There was a brief silence, then Yukina gasped, running to be with her daughter, with Kuwabara right behind.

Kurama and Kanu had heard what Hiei told them. They cringed at the thought of it happening to one of their own. For Hiei though, it was like a steak in the heart. He thought he could have prevented it. He partially blamed himself for not sensing it.

"What happened… to my sister?" Taro asked through clenched teeth.

Hiei knew he would have to tell him. Just then, Yasuo came in.

"Hiei, where is she?" he yelled in a similar manner to the way Taro had earlier.

"Be quiet. She's sleeping!"

"Is she ok?"

Hiei's eyes were filled with pain.

"No, she's not." He replied.

"Somebody better start filling me in before I lose it." Taro demanded again.

Hiei was silent for a moment then he spoke up.

"When Taro sensed something wrong, I used my jagan eye to see what was wrong. I went to her immediately, but when I got to her, it was already done. Nami had been raped by a man from team Morimoto."

"What?!" Taro and Yasuo yelled at once.

"You!" Taro said, turning to Yasuo. "This is all YOUR fault!"

Taro punched Yasuo in the face and went to be with his sister.

"Nami… No… It's not true! I have to see her." Yasuo said standing up.

"Yasuo." Leiko put her hand on his shoulder. "You better stay here for now."

Nami

Nami looked so peaceful in her sleep. Her eye was bruised and she had marks on her arms from where the man had tied her up. Taro looked around the room for some sign that this was all a dream; that it wasn't really happening. But everything he saw just proved to him that it was all truly happening. Yukina ran her fingers through her daughter's hair, crying, and Kuwabara held onto his wife, trying to comfort her. Taro sat down next to his parents, tears streaming down his face and turning into beautiful jade colored Tear-gems. No one knew why his tear-gems were Jade, but they were beautiful.

"Why… Why her? Why couldn't I have protected her?"

"It's not your fault." Kuwabara said. "It's no one's fault. These things happen for a reason, to make us stronger. Shizuru told me that when our dad walked out, then again when our mom died. She was right. I didn't think so then but I know it now."

"I don't want to be stronger. I just want everything back to the way they were, before we had to come to this stupid tournament. Things were so much easier then."

"I know son, I know."

Others

Yasuo was crying and Leiko was comforting him. Hiei was sitting in the corner, alone in his thoughts.

"S… She insisted I be with Kuroko…. to protect her. She said… it was my… job." Yasuo said, then gasped. "The necklace. I wonder what happened to it."

"What necklace?"

"It was the part of the artifact that we were supposed to protect. If they got it, then we failed."

"Hiei." Kurama said. "Can you use your jagan and read Nami's mind to find out what happened to the necklace?"

"No. I'm not going to watch what happened to her again."

"Hiei this is important." Kanu spoke up. "The man could come looking for it again and target Nami again, or worse, Yukina or one of our kids. Are you willing to risk that?"

Hiei's eyes were filled with pain again and he agreed. He went in and explained things to Yukina and Kuwabara. When he had gotten the information he needed, he told the rest of them he was going to retrieve the necklace.

Hiei headed to the arena because Chuu's team was fighting.

"I can't believe how this match has turned out. It all comes down to this last mach. Jin VS. Kotaro. Amazing!"

"Well now, this will be interesting." Hiei said to himself.

"Let's get this show on the road shall we?" Jin said, preparing his wind.

"BEGIN!"

Jin immediately lunged at Kotaro. Kotaro Did a spinning kick to hit Jin. Jin blocked with his tornado fist and sent Kotaro flying. Kotaro gracefully pushed himself off the wall, heading for Jin. As Jin dodged, he was stabbed in the back with something. He turned around to see a spear of rock protruding out of the ground. Noticing Kotaro's control over the earth, Jin decided to fly. He thought he could avoid Kotaro's element this way. He was wrong. Jin found himself dodging dirt clods the size of bullets. He knew he had to do something fast, but what?

"Giving up yet, little man?"

"You may be a toughie, but I can handle it." Jin replied.

Jin had an idea. What if he were to deflect the bullets back at Kotaro? He would up his tornados again and waited for Kotaro to make his move. Sure enough, he went back to shooting dirt bullets. Jin used his fist as a bat and hit Kotaro in the shoulder with his own bullet. Now they were both injured and Kotaro was mad. His eyes rolled back in his head and the ground started to shake. Jin was pulled flat on his back and pinned to the ground with rock hard chains.

"I won't kill you. You'll make good prey for after the tournament." Kotaro said.

He formed steaks and stabbed one through each of Jin's shoulders. Koto counted to ten and everything disappeared. Jin was left bleeding on the ground. Rinku hurried over and used some of his power to stop Jin's bleeding. The crowd roared and the teams went to the locker rooms. Hiei was already waiting when Chuu and the gang came in.

"What an unexpected surprise." Touya said. "What brings you here, Hiei?"

"I need to get into your room. Nami has been hurt and I need to get her things." He said, trying the hide his pain.

Rinku agreed to take Hiei to the room while the others rested. Touya, being the alternate for that round, stayed behind to help the others.

On the way to the room Rinku broke the silence.

"Ok Hiei, what happened to her?"

Hiei explained everything. Anger and pain filled Rinku's heart.

"Do me a favor and don't tell anyone else. She doesn't need anymore pain."

Rinku nodded in agreement as they reached the room. Hiei quickly grabbed all of her things, including the jewelry box, and left with out another word.

Hiei sat on the windowsill, staring at the necklace. This stupid little necklace caused him and his family and friends so much pain. And this wasn't the end of it. No, he could sense it. This was just the beginning. Things were going to get a lot worse before they got better. Hiei was awoken from his thoughts when he hears Yukina calling his name.

"What is it?"

"Nami woke up and she's asking for you."

Hiei immediately went in to see her. She was sitting up. When he came in, the rest of them got up to leave.

"Thanks man." Kuwabara said. "You saved her. She said the man stopped when he sensed you."

Hiei cringed at the thought of what might have happened if Taro hadn't sensed his sister's pain in time. He went over and sat next to Nami. Nami immediately put her head on his shoulder and wept.

"Don't waste your tears. That man will pay with his life."

"It's not that." Nami said, choking back tears.

"What is it then?"

"It's Taro and Yasuo… Taro blames Yasuo for what… happened to me. I over heard them arguing earlier. T-taro wouldn't let Yasuo come see me. I don't want them to fight."

"You rest and don't worry about it. I will have a talk with them. You just get some sleep." Hiei said calmly, trying to hide his anger at the immature boys.

As soon as Nami fell asleep, Hiei went to get the 2 boys. They were in the main room arguing again.

"You two," Hiei said, pointing at them, "come with me. NOW!"

They followed Hiei to a secluded area in the forest. Taro had his arms crossed and Yasuo was holding back tears. Hiei turned around to face them. He lunged towards them and punched them both.

"What the heck was that for?" Taro screamed.

"You two need to grow up! The last thing Nami needs right now is you two fighting and placing blame. This is not Yasuo's fault, Taro. He was doing his job. Nami told him to go. And Yasuo, you need to stop wallowing in self-pity long enough to realize the world isn't a fair place and learn to deal with it! Right now, Nami needs you both by her side more than anything. You two mean the world to her. You have no idea how much it hurts her to see you fight. Start acting like men instead of children."

They both looked ashamed of them selves.

"I'm sorry Yasuo. Truce?" Taro held out his hand. "Yeah man." Yasuo took his hand in a truce.

"You two go back and be with Nami for a while. I've got some things to do."

Hiei followed the man's scent. He would kill him. His repulsive scent was all over Nami. He came to a clearing and heard someone talking. He hid in the shadows.

"Haroko, Did you get the forth piece?"

"No Kotaro sir, they had it hidden. But I did get something from the girl." He replied evilly.

"Fool."

"What do you mean by that?"

"There is a rumor going around about that girl."

"What kind of rumor?"

"They say she's related to Hiei, the black dragon master."

"Indeed." Hiei said stepping out of the shadows. "She is my niece, and what you did to her is unforgivable!"

"You won't do anything to me. You're the co-owner of team Urameshi, and as such, if you lay even one finger on me before the fight, your team will be disqualified." Haroko said with a cocky tone.

Hiei had forgotten that rule. He couldn't do anything now that the kids were in the finals.

"Know this," Hiei started out, "if my team doesn't kill you during the tournament, I WILL afterwards." He said, disappearing in a black blur.

A/N: ok folks. That's the end of chapter 8. It's a bit longer than usual…. And the fights are almost over. YAY!!!! But don't worry… there is another event looming just around the corner. Then there is another one after that…. I love writing fics…. It's so fun…. Anyways PLEASE review… I want to know what you think about it… and your ideas and predictions too