If you write a review and it's a bad one, don't say something like 'rant all you want' or something like that. I'm not going to complain, and don't use reviews just so you can send out spam. (I apologize for accidentally making two reviews on my story that are the same thing. I messed up and now I can't delete it…)

"What! You better not be lying, kitsune! Is Ume really alive?"

"I'm not lying."

"I don't believe this……" he paused. "I knew this fool was too stubborn to die."

He turned around pretending not to care, Kuwabara smirked at him and Yusuke grinned.

"Com'on, we should get back to her house." Yusuke advised.

The others nodded, began to pickup Ume, and were going to leave when Kuwabara said something.

"What about him?" he pointed to Akio, who was still unconscious.

"We'll take care of that."

They turned to see Botan along with some ogres from Spirit World.

"We'll make sure he'll be in prison for a LONG time. You just worry about Ume."

"Alright."

Ume was brought back to her house. Her 'mother' had placed a damp towel on her forehead and got her into the bed of the infirmary at their dojo. She slept in the bed for several days with Hiei by her side the whole time.

The others were having a conversation in the next room.

"You think Ume is gonna be ok?" Botan asked concerned.

"Hopefully." Kurama replied.

"Hiei's been sticking with her the whole time, jeez, he must feel guilty about what happened, not like it was his fault anyways. It was Akio's fault."

Keiko, who was there as well, looked at Botan and they giggled.

"What's so funny? Aren't I right about him being guilty?"

"Yea Yusuke, I bet he's really guilty." Botan said sarcastically.

"What is up with you two?"

They just giggled more.

In Ume's room Hiei was still by Ume's side making sure nothing else happened to her. Ume's 'mother' stepped in and gave Ume medicine.

"This will help her recover faster." she assured him. "You must really love her if you are planning to stay with her until she recovers."

"Wha-What! I do not care for her…I just…"

"Heh, say no more, I get it."

"…"

Ume's 'mother' rose and was beginning to leave when Hiei stopped her.

"Do you know what happened to Ume's heart-shaped locket?"

Ume's mother smiled.

"Hmm…I seem to recall Ume giving me such an item when she was younger. I'll be right back."

She returned in a matter of minutes holding a little black jewelry box. Inside was the locket.

"I'm guessing she wanted to give it to you."

"…"

"Well, here you go. I was planning to keep it, but I think it'd be better off with you."

Hiei took the little black jewelry box.

Days have past since then; one day it was raining and the only one of Ume's friends that was at her house was Hiei. Suddenly, as Hiei sat there, Ume stirred. She began to wake up.

"Hey Hiei, what's up with that look on your face."

"…After all that just happened, is that all you can say to me…!"

"Huh?" she paused and thought, trying to remember what had happened. "Oh yea…tee hee…"

He just sighed.

"Well, at least you're better now. Here, you might want this back." And he tossed her the little jewelry box.

"Huh? Oh, this? I said I wanted you to have it, remember? So here, keep it." She placed the box on Hiei's hand and closed him palm.

"But it's precious to you, I can't just take it."

"You're not taking it; I'm giving it to you. Just don't lose it or anything like that, got it?"

"I didn't get it from your ningen (human) mother just to keep it. It's yours, so take it."

"Fine, fine, have it your way." She took the locket from Hiei. "Oh, one more thing, come here."

Ume pulled on Hiei's arm and led him out the infirmary and through the dojo. They eventually got to the 'house' side of the building. She dragged Hiei all the way to her room at the end of the hallway. They opened the door with the sign still hanging on it and went in. Inside, Ume removed a giant pile of trash and laundry (mostly dirty) and revealed a 5x6 ft. box. She opened it with a key she took out from under her pillow and took out some sketch books.

"These are drawing I make of memories, such as my house, my family, and my friends." She said as she flipped through the pages showing pictures of Yusuke, Kuwabara, Botan, Keiko, Ko-Enma, and Kurama, but no Hiei.

"That explains a lot, but where's my picture…not that I'm expecting it to be in there or anything like that…"

"Well…"

She turned to the next page, and there was Hiei, except there was a giant red 'X' across the drawing. She turned the page once again showing the same thing.

"About that, you see I tried to draw you but there was this look in your eyes…How to explain this…It was a kind of look of loneliness and isolation. It was practically impossible for me to draw on a piece of paper and these are the results, but at least you gave me a challenge in the drawing department, I've haven't found anything that was hard for me to draw in a while."

She then took a step closer to Hiei, she stared dead at him, and she laughed.

"What are you laughing?"

"It's just that that the look of solitude in your eyes, has well, disappeared. At least it'll be easier for me to draw." She winked at him and Hiei just looked away.

Several days past since Ume had awaken. They were just normal days, nothing out of the ordinary, except that Hiei was still forced to go to Yusuke's school for Ko-Enma's delight. Ko-Enma let Ume have the chance to stay in the Makai World and be summoned back to the human world when needed but she didn't mind staying with her human parents-who were quite happy about it.

"Besides, it'd be a pain if you had to keep sending me back and forth." was what she would say every time the subject was brought up.

"Well, at least I don't have to go back and forth worlds to visit you." Hiei had whispered to her in a voice so soft, that if it weren't for Ume's wolf-like ears, she wouldn't have been able to hear.

"Hey, Hiei, wake up!"

Ume had thrown a rock at Hiei who was sleeping in his usual spot.

"Leave me alone."

"Com'on, you need to pose so I can draw you."

"Can't you draw from memory, like you do the others?"

"Your picture will look much better if you'd model for me."

"You have got to be kidding right?"

"Come on!"

"Argh, you owe me for this."

He lazily jumped from the tree and followed Ume to her house.

"Hehe, alright, sure, sure, now hurry up already."

"Hey, why don't you get in an outfit and I can draw you in it."

"Now you're pushing it."

I know, I know, my ending wasn't the best ever, but I guess I'm better at making ending of chapters than in stories. Anyways, I'm planning to make my 2nd story soon! P.S. I might change my ending, I'm not sure.