Chapter Two

Touchdown, ten yards to go till home

Sorna didn't know which was worse, the fact that she was shaking as the plane took off and flew toward Chicago or the fact that she would soon be in a totally new place with new people. She had never been very shy, but the way Yusuke was going on about this Morgan girl, it sounded as if she was a stuck up know-it-all. She didn't like people that thought they were better then everyone else and told people what to do while they sat on their asses. She sat in one of the cushioned seats and tried not to look out the window, worrying about all her problems.

Yusuke sat adjacent to her peering out the window at the ground going rapidly by below them. Only a few hours until they reached their destination and he couldn't wait. He loved the city of Chicago and had gotten used to it since he had transferred there on several assignments required for his job. He came out of his thoughts to notice Sorna averting her eyes from the window and went to comfort her. He slid into the seat next by her and waited until she noticed his presence. He knew she had things to ask him and no doubt she was confused.

"Yusuke?" She asked softly gazing at a point beyond his shoulder, not wanting to make eye contact.

"Yes?" He looked down at her and she couldn't avoid his eyes.

"Is this some kind of joke?"

Yusuke rich laughter filled the small area with a sense of belonging and the pilot at the front smiled. Sorna smiled in spite of herself too. "I'm sorry." He said, his eyes still smiling despite his somber attitude. He took her hand and held it in his. "No, why would I lie to you, but if you don't believe me, Kurama and Morgan will set you straight." She nodded and went back to herself, Yusuke got up to seek out the stewardess and talk to her about 'things'.

Sometime later, Yusuke came back to find Sorna asleep in her seat, her head resting on the seat beside her. Yusuke shook his head and tried not to smile. He felt something towards her and watching her sleep felt rather selfish. Maybe this was how Kurama had felt when he had first meant Morgan. He could tell they where passionately in love with each other. He had caught the glances, the outings they took to be by themselves. He found Morgan very attractive but she just wasn't his type and she made him nervous with her glares and ways of knowing just what he was thinking. He preferred the quiet type, the ones that just begged to be rescued and taken to a nice warm bed somewhere. He blushed and noticed the plane was slowly descending into the O'Hare airstrip. Yusuke took his seat beside the window and Sorna, watching the lights that where on in the early dusk. To his left, he could see the jagged peaks of Chicago and could almost feel the cold wind that would bite into his skin as he stepped out of the taxi they would take and into the open wind.

The jet landed with a bump but Sorna didn't wake. He sighed, supposing he would have to carry her, he didn't have the heart to wake her. The plane came to a stop and he stood up.

The stewardess poked her head around the curtain to the cockpit and smiled. "Sir, Kurama is here to see you, he's waiting in the terminal."

Yusuke bent over and picked Sorna up. She slipped her arm around his neck and snuggled into his grip, never waking. "Thanks." He stepped up and around the stewardess and exited the jet through a long lighted tunnel that ran up to the boarding area.

Kurama stood just beyond the gate, waiting. He raised a hand in greeting and stepped forward. He studied the girl in Yusuke's arms, red hair a shade lighter then his spilling over one of Yusuke's arms. Kurama smiled at Yusuke's frown and held out an extra coat for Yusuke, seeing that he didn't have one.

"How…" Yusuke was about to ask.

"I assumed that she might not have one but I see you gave her yours." Kurama's green eyes smiled.

"Where's…"

Kurama cut him off again. "Morgan? She fell asleep while I was taking a shower." He stretched his arms and muttered. "So demanding."

Yusuke didn't ask further. "Damn it Kurama, you always know what I'm going to say."

"It's a habit I picked up after knowing you so long. What else can one do but learn so as not to go insane." He walked off, not waiting to see if Yusuke followed.

"Hey! That's not very nice!" He followed Kurama, carrying Sorna as if she didn't weigh a thing.

Kurama turned. "Shhh! You'll wake her." He pointed at Sorna.

"Oh! Oh right." He walked along beside Kurama until they reached one of the doors by baggage claim. Kurama held out his arms and Yusuke looked at them as if Kurama had gone insane.

"Her." He moved his arms to indicate that he would hold her.

For some reason Yusuke didn't want Kurama to hold Sorna. He felt that she was his to protect. He jerked her slightly to one side. "No."

Kurama shook his head and held out the coat. While Yusuke stared at it Kurama snuck around him in a spilt second and took Sorna before Yusuke realized she was gone. Yusuke lunged at him, forgetting that Kurama had no intention of hurting her. "Whoa, just wait a second lover boy," he held Yusuke's hand in his palm, wincing at the sting where it had hit him, "I want you to put on the coat! That's all, then you can have her back."

Yusuke withdrew his hand and shook his head. "Sorry Kurama, don't know what I was doing, one minute you were there and the next… it was like I was a whole different person." He put the coat on and held his hands out for Sorna. Kurama didn't say anything.

The smell of roses came to Sorna and she stirred. It reminded her of a warm summer evening, her parents sat out on the porch and she sat on the front steps, holding one of the roses that grew on the trellis in her hands. She caressed its silky petals and held it to her cheek, feeling the prick of thorns on her fingers. She woke to dark emerald eyes peering into her face. She realized that this green-eyed stranger was holding her and yelped. He set her down in haste and backed away, an odd glitter in his eyes. Was he laughing? She couldn't tell. Sorna turned to see Yusuke behind her and than the background came into focus, they where standing just outside the airport. Yusuke stood with a confused expression on his face and she yawned, feeling tired again in the darkness. Lights in the distance told her that they where in Chicago and were waiting for a ride.

"Well, at least I don't have to carry her up a million stairs now." She turned back to the airport doors, the green-eyed stranger emerging into the light. His hair was on fire, a deep red that burned in the light from the street. "Kurama." He offered a hand and she shook it, realizing that this was the guy Yusuke had told her about.

"Where's Morgan?" She blurted out.

Kurama laughed, a throaty sound. He looked to be about twenty and muscled behind the thick black coat he wore. "She wastes no time, Yusuke."

Sorna turned to Yusuke as he grinned and held his hands behind his head. "Nope." He replied in a causal manner.

She looked at both of them as a yellow cab pulled up and stopped beside them. Kurama opened the back door to the cab, motioning to Sorna to get in. She entered the cab and slid across, Kurama slipping in behind her. Yusuke took the front seat and told the driver where to go. The window to the front was closed; Sorna was completely alone with Kurama.

The cab moved and Kurama turned to face her. "I haven't gotten the chance to ask you your name." He stated.

Sorna peered out the window, watching other cars stream by on the highway. "Sorna." She said nothing else, not being able to think of anything to say.

Twenty minutes later, Kurama pointed out the front window at the approaching city. "The Sears Tower." He indicated the tallest building set off from the exact center of the city. "The John Hancock." He pointed at another building, somewhat smaller then the other, to the west of the Sears Tower. He sat back, and looked out at the city. "Morgan lives right by the Chicago library, a penthouse. I live with her and Yusuke lives by himself in the better part of Stony Island in an apartment. It's ten minutes out of the city and in the suburbs on a good day."

Sorna nodded. "Whom will I be staying with?" She hoped, for some reason, that it was with Yusuke.

"Yusuke staying in one of the three guest bedrooms tonight and you will too." He thought for a while and then added. "The third bedroom is usually for Hiei, he comes and goes as he pleases. He's not in at the moment so you won't have to put up with his dry sarcasm." Kurama laughed to himself.

"I take it that it's a good thing that Hiei's away?"

Kurama reflected. "Well, he doesn't bother Morgan or I but he annoys the hell out of Yusuke."

Sorna found this funny. She knew that when she meant this Hiei guy, she was going to get along with him. Morgan on the other hand, she couldn't say. She worried about it the whole ride into the city and up to the penthouse where Morgan lived.

All three got out and Yusuke paid the driver. Sorna shivered and Kurama ushered her inside, Yusuke on their heels. The entry to the apartment was decorated in modern décor, Christmas lights already lighting a small pine in the corner. Mail boxes on one side and a reception desk on the other, elevators at the end. Kurama stopped at the desk and greeted the man behind; he then pushed a door open behind the guard. "You guys go on ahead, I'll meet you at the top." He disappeared and they heard him clomping up the stairs.

Yusuke and Sorna walked to the elevator and it opened to admit them as soon as Yusuke pushed the call button. When inside, Yusuke pushed the button to the penthouse and waited in one of the corners as it climbed up to the top. Sorna stood in the center and then turned to him. "Yusuke?"

He raised an eyebrow, a habit. "Yes?"

"Why didn't Kurama come with us in the elevator?"

"He doesn't like the movement, of all the things."

Sorna didn't ask more but looked down at herself. Shorts and a gym shirt, she couldn't possibly meet anyone in what she was wearing, Morgan sounded like a sophisticated person. The elevator dinged softly and opened to a small entry hall, Sorna was suddenly nervous. They entered the hallway and about halfway down, Yusuke opened a door Sorna hadn't noticed, he dumped his coat unceremoniously inside and held out his hand; taking hers from her. A small table sat under a mirror behind her and she turned to study herself in it. Flyaway hair and sleep filled eyes; she looked like the wakeful dead.

Yusuke started down the hall and several strides later; he was knocking on a mahogany door. It opened and Sorna held her breathe with sudden panic. What if Morgan didn't like her and thought it was all a mistake.

A pair of chocolate eyes peered out through a crack. "Go away, I don't want to know about it unless Kurama's with you, Yusuke!" She hadn't noticed Sorna standing behind him. Cheery whistling reached their ears as Kurama emerged from another hidden door in the wall by the elevator. The chocolate eyes sparkled at a yell emerged from the person behind the door. "Kurama!" She yelled in happiness. The door was thrown open and there stood Morgan in red silk pajamas. She stepped forward but faltered as she saw Sorna. Brown hair lay in waves down her back as she shook her head. Sorna wasn't sure what to do. Morgan looked from her to Yusuke. "It's you."

"Me?" Sorna put a hand to her chest.

Morgan's face split into a smile that made her eyes sparkle. "Yes you. Sorna." Sorna was surprised that she knew her name. Kurama came up behind her and came to Morgan's side. She looked up into his face and Sorna could tell that she had forgotten everyone else in the hall. So had Kurama, he leaned down and kissed Morgan with a passion. They acted like they had been away from each other for years.

Yusuke's sigh broke them apart. "Are you guys done making out?" Morgan blushed. "While you grope each other, Sorna and I stand here falling asleep!"

"Sorry Yusuke." Kurama retreated with Morgan into the apartment.

"Come in, both of you." Morgan added from inside.

Sorna stepped in behind Yusuke and was immediately wrapped in a blanket of warmth and a feeling of belonging. She looked around. A fireplace, cheerfully bright, sat in one corner, armchairs and a couch around it in a semi-circle. A swinging door to her right led somewhere else. Across the room in front of her a hallway went opposite ways away to bedrooms, she assumed. Kurama and Morgan were sitting in the armchairs and Yusuke had sat on the couch. Sorna was left standing staring at all around her. She blushed and sat on the couch, studying the women in front of her.

Morgan looked to be about twenty, her face beautiful in the firelight. Brown hair spilled onto her shoulders and beyond, shimmering dully. Sorna thought of her own fiery hair and wondered how Morgan got her hair to shower. She jumped as Morgan sighed.

"Much care and conditioner." She stated as if reading the girl's mind.

Kurama chuckled. "And way to much time in the shower!"

Morgan kicked him softly. "She doesn't need to know that, let the girl be."

Kurama held up his hands in surrender and went back to the book he had picked up off the coffee table. "Don't know why, shouldn't even try." He muttered to himself.

Morgan smiled and looked at Sorna. "Tired?" She asked, as Sorna eyelids seemed to close.

"A bit. I hate time change." She yawned.

Yusuke stood up. "I'll take her to bed." He took her hand in his own and pulled her up.

Morgan looked at him with distrust. "You won't take her anywhere she doesn't want to go."

Sorna started to speak. "It's okay…"

"Yeah, yeah." Yusuke said to Morgan as he walked down the hall.

Sorna heard Morgan yell. "I'll sic Hiei on you!" Kurama laughter followed and Sorna giggled at the image of someone coming after Yusuke.

Yusuke opened a bedroom door and Sorna went in, dropping on the bed and falling asleep before her head hit the pillow, she didn't even think to thank Yusuke for bringing her here. It felt so right to be with these people.

Yusuke closed the door softly after tucking her in and kissing her softly. He retreated to his bedroom, listening to the mummer of Morgan's voice as she talked to Kurama.