Ready or Not

Kurama hastily carried his fallen flower to the temple and saw Hiei in a world of Pain, holding his beloved Nakia in his arms. Kurama was taken aback and gasped as Hiei's energy rose up bringing a barrier of his power around the two. Kurama, looked down at Botan and smiled sadly as he figured out what had happened.

Hiei ignored the fact that the redhead was watching as he flitted away with his dead love in his arms. Kurama wanted to say something, but no words came. How had things gotten so out of hand, it was still surprising to Kurama even after all they had been through. He looked down when he felt Botan stir in his arms. She looked up at him through sleepy and confused eyes. Kurama found it cute, though he could not smile, not until he found out what had happened...

"Ku-Kurama" She smiled up at him weakly, "Kurama!" She gasped and wrapped her arms around him in a desperate hug. He hugged her back with just as much disparity and sighed taking in the scent of her hair.

"Botan." her name slipped from his lips smoothly. "How are you feeling?"

She shook her head, "please, Kurama, don't dance around your questions, just ask me, what I did, I know you want to..." she staggered as Kurama set her lightly on the ground.

"I want to be wrong, Botan, I know that I am not. Did you kill Nakia?" he looked through her eyes as she looked away in shame.

"I did, I was trying to kill Hiei and she stepped in front of him, that's when I gained control for a moment, I was sad that I killed Hiei's only chance at love, but at the same time I was happy that I didn't kill him. Kurama, I hate myself" She shivered

"Botan, what you did, I know you didn't mean to. And sure it doesn't make I right, but Botan, I told you I would help you and I will." He reached out for her but she pulled away.

"Don't, Kurama, Please don't come near me, I might kill you too," she said

"No, you won't, I freed you, Botan, see you remember me, you remember now don't you?" he asked

"Yes, I do, I remember it all, Kurama. But what if Haru comes looking for me? What if he does it again and I kill you? Kurama I don't want to kill you, I love you!" she held a hand over her mouth, never thinking that she would utter those words. She was so afraid of his rejection that she never told him... "I have to go..." Kurama grabbed her wrist careful of the cuts and pulled her to him.

(Botan's POV)

I wanted to run from him, how could I even say that I loved him, I am not worthy of him. And was I truly going to believe that Kurama could love me back, after what I had just done? No there wasn't any way. I had to leave but he pulled me back, he wanted me there with him, after all I had done.

I sighed as my tears stained her shirt and grabbed at him wanting the pain to leave. He ran his hand through my hair and whispered smooth words to calm me. Did he love me back or was he only being a friend? That was the question I would ask, on occasion, it seemed that we were just friends and other times I could have sworn it was more.

"Shh, Botan don't Cry. Please don't, I can't stand to see you like this." he whispered and I shivered, he was so caring, so kind, and so soft... I looked up at him my eyes red from crying. "Smile for me?" I would climb mountains for him but at that moment, what he wanted seemed to be harder, it seemed to be impossible for me to perform the simple action of smiling

"I-I cant." I muttered, "I am sorry" I said looking down wanting to hide.

"Botan." he said in a soft tone that made me melt, never had he said my name with such love. I looked up at him and his eyes were sparkling, they made me blush. "I love you, too" he said...wait did he just say he loved me? He did. I blushed as my body danced and sang with his words, playing them over and over in my head.

"Ku..." I was about to say something anything, no words would come but it didn't matter because at that moment, I felt something smooth slide over my lips.

(Normal POV)

The kiss only lasted a second but it was more than just that to Botan and Kurama, for they had finally found each other. He pulled her from the embrace and looked at her with a serious face. "I know you might not be ready, but you have to tell all of us what you know and what has been happening, we need to but a stop to this before any more people get hurt."

"Hai!" Botan nodded her eyes, still sad, held determination, she was upset about killing Nakia and she knew that it would never go away, but she had to move on and save the world. "Come on, get everyone and meet me here" She said summoning her oar.

"And you will be?" Kurama asked just as she hopped sidesaddle on her oar

"I need to find Hiei." She said flying off.

Somewhere in the Makai

Hiei's face was jaded and cold as he covered up the hole. Nakia was his love and he was not ready to let her go, but he had to. He buried her and cried leaving a few red and black tear gems. "Good-bye my love" he stood up from his kneeling position and turned around never to look back again. "What do you want?"

Botan gasped at his dark voice but she knew she deserved it. "Hiei I came to..."

"I have nothing to say to you," he said

"But Hiei..."

"You are just lucky that I don't kill you." he said and vanished before her eyes. Leaving Botan to look at the grave of Nakia. She walked slowly to the grave and knelt down and whispered a few words to the dead.