Disclaimer (by Gareas): What did you think of the cliff-hanger I had Rhapsody leave? Good, ne? Sango: Just do the disclaimer! Gareas: Fine! Rhapsody does not own the FY characters or storyline, only Deirdre, Tamara, Alicia, Faye and Elena! Happy?

Chapter 4: Before I Die

Deirdre gasped as she felt something sharp pierce her body, an arrow, she realized when she slowly stopped running. Her feet had slowed and she began stumbling now. She still stayed upright though and turned her body around muggily. She looked down at her chest and saw an arrow sticking through the right side of her. 'It missed my heart...' Deirdre said to herself though she knew she could still die of blood loss.

Deirdre turned her eyes back up and saw Faye. Deirdre expected her to look triumphant; this is what she had wanted... But the look on Faye's face told Deirdre this was unexpected. For a moment, she was the old Faye, looking horrified and scared for her friend, her eyes large and her mouth open.

"I never meant to-to..." Faye had started her old self fading away. She didn't grin as the icy calm returned, but grimaced and turned around and jumped over the railing.

"I leave the rest to Tamahome if he lives!" Faye screamed running back towards Kutou. Deirdre stumbled a bit, turning herself back towards the others, the shield faltered and it flickered. 'Am I going to die?' Deirdre asked herself, catching the railing.

The shield disappeared, her own strength waning. Deirdre whimpered, realizing that Mitsukake was supposed to heal Tamahome. 'This is it then...' The sixteen year old thought, trying to walk back towards the others. Tamara and Alicia stood stalk still, rooted to their spots, minds blank in disbelief.

Tasuki and Amiboshi had said nothing and Amiboshi closed his eyes in horror. Tasuki turned his eyes back towards his friends. Deirdre blinked, trying to keep her own open.

'Can't give up...' Deirdre thought, feeling herself gurgle and blood rise in her throat. A stream of copper dribbled over her lip as she watched Mitsukake heal the honored Suzaku warrior.

Deirdre whimpered again as her exhausted feet carried her down the set of stairs. 'I don't want to die.' She said in her mind. Deirdre went down the last step and heard Miaka's happy cry of 'Tamahome!' Mitsukake's hand went over Tamahome's wound and it disappeared in the healing green bubbles.

Nuriko's astonished cry brought the others to attention. He had looked back and seen Deirdre, blood staining the tunic she had been given. A copper river running over her lips. The arrow sticking out from her chest.

Tamara's shock started to wear and she screamed herself. "DEIRDRE!!!!" The curly haired girl burst into tears as she ran towards her friend, one of her dearest friends and now...

The other seishi reacted, even Tamahome and Miaka. Mitsukake reached her after Tamara and checked the wound.

"She has internal bleeding, if I had my powers right now it would be fine, but..." He trailed off, leaving Tamara's worst fear confirmed.

"No, no, Deirdre. You can't die, not now... What are we supposed to do? How do we get home, you have to see your family again! You're only sixteen you can't die, you have to finish high school, and you have to get married... You have to have those twins you wanted, remember? Faye and Elena after out friends!" Tamara was sobbing so hard none could understand what she said.

"And the son you wanted too! After Faye's brother, the one you had a crush on, Frey? Remember? You have to do all those things! You have to write the story of your life, about this adventure! You can't die!!!" Tamara's eyes were red from crying already and she was hiccupping because of her sobs.

Alicia walked up next to her, her own face one of disbelief. Tamara hiccupped and tried to calm herself so Deirdre could understand.

"See? Mitsukake can't heal you right now, but I will! Remember the spell Elena wrote?" Tamara said in between sobs.

"Tears of the Fire bird,

Sing your Healing song so sweet.

Heal any illness absurd,

So we may enjoy Life, our one Treat."

Tamara held her own hand over the wound as Mitsukake had done. Snow flakes dropped from her palm and melted into Deirdre's chest like tears, like Phoenix tears.

Deirdre had passed out from shock by now, though her heart was still beating. Tamara's healing power seemed to work as the wound closed over and the arrow disintegrated. Mitsukake patted Tamara on the shoulder, he smiled as she slowly stopped sobbing, though her hiccups kept up.

Everything was back to normal, or as normal as it could be in the Universe of the Four Gods.

IN KUTOU

"Tamahome, so you returned. Did that girl, Deirdre, live?" Faye asked the Suzaku warrior as he began to pass by her. Tamahome turned his eyes to her, seeing the under-lying fear in her eyes.

"She lived. That other one, Tamara has healing powers." He said to Faye before walking off to get the Universe of the Four Gods scroll. He heard Faye exhale the breath that she had been holding.

'Why do I still care about someone who hurt me?!' Faye thought angrily, hitting herself in the forehead. Elena patted her on the shoulder.

"You were worried about Deirdre?" She asked, her blue eyes narrowing.

Faye nodded. "I don't like her, but it was me that hurt her. I wouldn't have even cared if it wasn't me. I've never actually killed anyone before." Faye said, Elena felt that she was covering up,, but said nothing.

Elena shrugged. "It would have been the same for me. I think I've found a way to hit Deirdre's heart, but we'll need his help."

Tamara and Alicia had been watching over Deirdre for a long while. She had been healed, Mitsukake had told them, but she still hadn't woken. It worried them both.

Somebody knocked on their door. "Come in." They answered in unison. Amiboshi entered.

"Hello, I came to see if you'd like me to play you a tune? I could wake Deirdre up if you wish me to." He told them, which got even Alicia's attention.

They nodded and he played. After about three minutes it worked and Deirdre was waking up. She sat up yawning and then suddenly grabbed her chest, pulling open her robe. Tamara covered Amiboshi's eyes.

"I'm alive!!!" Deirdre exclaimed, amazed. She looked at where the wound should have been and then closed her robe back up, feeling her lips for any sign of dry blood. She snorted.

"Maybe all of it was a dream, except..." She looked around the room at the people in it and then back at her robe.

"Nope this ain't my house." Deirdre said happily turning to her friends. The girls grinned and rushed over to her, hugging Deirdre.

"We were so worried! We thought you were going to die!" The two girls shouted in unison. Amiboshi chuckled.

"Why don't we tell everyone else she is alright?" He asked, walking out of the room. Tamara and Alicia ushered her out of the bedroom, excited and into a small recreation hall.

"Where's Miaka?" Tasuki asked. Nuriko scoffed.

"Don't be stupid, with Tamahome of course!" He informed the seishi, frowning. Tamara, Alicia and Deirdre stood outside for a moment, at Deirdre's request. Hotohori was standing outside as well.

"Don't forget Tamahome's love for Miaka as well." Hotohori said suddenly, startling the girls. They heard sounds of a muffled Tasuki bashing inside and chuckled. Amiboshi walked up shyly to Hotohori.

"Would you like me to play a tune, your Highness?" He asked, holding his flute aloft. The Emperor nodded, smiling softly.

"Yes, a song would be nice." After a little while Hotohori had went to bed, the others were still up though, talking. Nuriko was questioning the girls now.

"So how old are you all?" He asked. The girls smiled.

Deirdre answered for them. "I'm 16 years old. Tamara is almost 17 and Alicia is still fifteen." Nuriko nodded, laughing.

"You're all around our age group! Anyways, how about another song?" Nuriko asked Amiboshi.

Alicia blushed when her eyes met with Amiboshi's. "Nuriko, how about a duet?" The black haired girl asked. Nuriko shrugged.

"A-Chiriko, could you play along with what I sing?" Alicia asked the flutist. He nodded and waited for her to begin.

"Sometimes I get so weird, I even freak myself out...

I laugh myself to sleep, it's my lullaby..."

When she had finished singing Deirdre and Tamara had laughed aloud. "That describes our life and what happened today." Tamara said.

Deirdre had her eyebrows raised. "I didn't know you liked Avril Lavigne. Thought you said she was a poser or something." Deirdre stated to her friend.

Alicia shrugged. "She is, but whoever wrote that song is a good songwriter. The lyrics are good and with a different voice I think the song would be wonderful."

The seishi shook their heads in annoyance. "We have no idea what yer talkin' 'bout here." Tasuki exclaimed.

Alicia yawned and Tamara did as well. The two girls got up, saying good-night to the seishi.

"You coming to bed Deirdre?" Tamara questioned as she left the room, waiting outside the door. Deirdre yawned, though she shouted a no.

"Well, I'm going for a walk in the garden. Unless I'm not aloud?" She directed the question to Nuriko who had been staying at the palace the longest. Nuriko crinkled his nose.

"You are, but Imperial Courtesans are not. Because you have those clothes on, some of the guards might take you back to the harem. They'll probably think you're some exotic woman they brought in for the harem. Or they might think you're a guy, either way. You're un-identified." The seishi of strength shrugged.

"Then again, you have that shield thing. Could you make yourself invisible?" Nuriko asked out of nowhere.

Deirdre raised her eyebrows. "I have no idea. Maybe, but I don't have many powers. Only the shield and the dream thing. If I do, I'll tell you when I find out."

She left then, walking down to the garden, wanting to be alone. Deirdre had no idea that someone had followed her.

"What are you doing out so late at niiiigghht!" Tamahome had come up behind her, and though he was a martial artist, he was barely quick enough to dodge a woman in fear. He sighed, his hands still held in an up position and his form chibi.

"Sorry, sorry! I thought you were Miaka! You're the same height!" He said, gaining back his breath. Tamahome looked at her closer and laughed.

"I'm really sorry now! I thought you were a girl! Never mind sir!" He walked away, scratching his head and then came back, his eyebrows furrowed.

"You are a guy aren't you?" He questioned. Deirdre realized he was probably thinking of Nuriko and sighed.

"Thanks for being so considerate Tama-boy, but I'm all woman, thanks." She let her hair down then, walking away from the seishi.

"I give up." The man muttered, walking back out of the garden.

Deirdre examined some of the flowers they had there, the moonlight provided her with enough light. She saw a small bird fluffing it's wings for warmth, and the chicks snuggling closer under her.

Deirdre smiled. Her own footsteps were silent as she walked down the paths, following their twisted tales. Bamboo grew off into the distance, showing that this was indeed China. She looked up at the sky, at the moon, sighing.

'I love this place…. But I'm not sure Kara will be okay.' Deirdre thought, twisting some hair around her finger. Kara was her beloved little sister, the only real family she now had.

'I have her… I have my step-mom, but she's not blood and flesh. I miss my real mom so much…' Deirdre sat down in the middle of one of the paths, twitching her ears.

Deirdre dozed off in the middle of the path, thoughts swirling around in her head. She dreampt…

"Mom! How did you get here you die-" Deirdre's mother cut off, shushing her with a finger to her lips. The woman smiled widely, twirling her hair softly and then turning around. Her mother ran the opposite way, into a forest.

Deirdre ran after her, but was stopped by an arm when she reached the edge of the forest. She looked up to see who the arm belonged to. It was Tasuki. A fang peeked over his lip as he gave her a genuine smile and tossed his hair out of his face. He pointed toward the palace a little ways off in the distance and then pushed her into the forest.

Deirdre woke as her face fell into the ground. "Ow! Who did that?" She grumbled, waking up.

She turned around and spotted Tasuki. Deirdre jumped up, blushing.

"Sorry! Wait, why am I saying sorry? Why'd you kick me?!" She asked, furious because her nap had been interrupted.

"I was walkin' out here and you blocked my path. Get to bed if yer goin' to sleep!" Deirdre spied a half full sake bottle in his hand and sighed, shaking her head.

"Yeah, yeah. You shouldn't drink you know, it poisons your liver." Deirdre told him, dusting herself off.

Tasuki raised his eyebrows. "This is sake, not poison!" He told her, shaking the bottle around.

Deirdre frowned and slapped him lightly in the face. "Okay. 'Night Tasuki!" The red head snarled something after her, but she ignored it, walking clumsily to her room and to the bed. Tamara and Alicia's snores could already be heard.

A/n: Hey all! You guys reviewed again, that makes me so happy! Anyways, I think I fixed most of the errors in here. If you see any tell me in a review! (Looks at reviews) Wow, I'm surprised none of you asked what happened to Deirdre! Lol, do you guys know she was actually based on me? (I know one of you does!) Though she's much prettier than I am and has a better personality. I would be too shy to say anything to the seishi! Review response time!

Neko-ane: Well you'll just have to wait and see! I can't give the story away now, could I? Well, I can, but more like I don't want to! Lol, um, yeah.

Phearel: Well, you can guess about her soul-mate if you want, but can't reveal it just yet! Though I plan to make it a believe-able relationship, no just out of the blue: Oh Deirdre I love you even though I've only known you for blah, blah and you don't know me, blah, blah. That stuff gets annoying sometimes. Well, I don't know if I should put in why Faye hates Deirdre so much, well, I mean if I should put it in now or later…. We'll just have to wait for me to think up something smart!

DOREMIdan: Great? Lol, well, glad you think so! Though anybody who does anything themselves (If they're modest anyways) think they suck. Though I am proud to say that I did better on that chapter than I usually do.