Thanks for all the reviews! And thanks to Destiny852, I appreciate the encouragment. Well, here is the next chapter! Enjoy!

Ch.18 To the Spirit World

Kurama was now sitting in a chair next to the bed. His hand held Minagi's as his head was laying on the bed. He had fallen asleep sometime around two o'clock. He had listened to Minagi mumble in her sleep until she had calmed down and slept peacefully.

Minagi felt her eyes flutter open, and her sences started to kick in. The first thing she felt was the pain from her wounds, then the wet blood from her body, and finaly the warmth of the crisp sheets. Her vision was blurry but she blinked until it was clear. She saw the ceiling fan spinning above her and then searched the rest of the room with her eyes. She winced in pain when she moved her head, but tried to ignore it.

She was surprised but then she smiled when she saw a red head laying his head on the bed and grasping her hand. She could feel his breath on her palm, his lips against her skin. She gently stroked his lips with her fingers, feeling his cool breath run over her hand. She looked up at the ceiling, watching the fan spinning. She closed her eyes for a moment and sighed. She blinked a couple of times, her vision becoming blurry again. Then her mind cleared and she remembered what happend...her dream.

She remembered what had happend. She remembered the warmth, the passion, the love. She closed her eyes trying to remember everything. She felt her eyes become moist and a tear slid down her cheek. She could still feel the warmth of his lips against hers. She lifted her aching hand and touched her mouth. Yes, she could feel it so well. She hoped and prayed that that feeling would never leave her lips. Her vision was blurred by the tears, but she let them fall. They were tears for Kuronue, and she would never wash those away. She could still see him, like it was printed on the back of her eyelids, everytime she blinked he was there. She blinked then closed her eyes again, takeing in the image. He still had that cocky smile on his face, his eyes were bright but tears stood in them. It was the look he had given her before he told her that he loved her, those beautiful words that echoed in her head.

" I'll never forget, " she whispered, almost as if she was speaking to Kuronue. " Never."

A shine of light came through the glass doors leading out to the balcany. Minagi glanced down to see the sun, slowly rising above the motropolis horizon. It warmed her face, greeting her with its engulfing light. She watched as it rose, and for the first in a long time, Minagi smiled.

Suddenly, Kurama stirred. She could feel his eyes flutter open against her palm. His emrald eyes awoke to the sunshine, blinding his view. Kurama, suddenly remembering where he was, rubbed his cheek against Minagi's palm and gave it a tender kiss. Minagi layed still, so she could watch Kurama's movements before he realized that she was awake. He sat up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, covering his mouth as he yawned. He glanced over at Minagi and found her smiling at him. His eyes widened and he grasped her hand, gently touching her forhead with the other.

" Minagi!" he gasped, stroking the hair out of her eyes. " Are you alright? What happend? Why did you--"

" Kurama..." she said weakly, almost in a whisper. " I'm okay--are you okay?"

" What?...Oh, yes," he said, a little shocked that she was worried about him. " I'm alright,but i'm not the one laying in a bed."

Minagi said nothing, but felt more tears come to her eyes. Kurama cocked his head and gently wipped her eyes with his finger.

" Minagi," he asked. " What is wrong?"

Minagi sniffed and rubbed her cheek against his hand. " Oh Kurama," she sobbed. " Forgive me...sniff...please forgive me..."

Kurama smiled and carressed her cheek. He got close to her face and spoke gently, " I already have," he said, makeing her look into his eyes. " Nothing you could do could sway my trust."

Minagi smiled, and ignoring the pain, she wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him. He was caught off gaurd and blinked. But he smiled and embraced her, gently trying not to hurt her anymore than she was. She rubbed her face against his firey hair and his broad shoulder.

" I'm so sorry, " she whispered in his ear.

He carresed her soft hair and gently whispered in her ear. " There is nothing to forgive, little elf."

He held her for a moment longer and genlty layed her back on the bed. He stroked her forhead, wipping away the rest of her tears. He looked at her gently, his eyes sparkling.

" Why?" she asked. " Why did you do this for me? After what I ..."

Kurama gently hushed her by laying a finger on her lips. " Whether you tried to kill me or not," He explained " You are still my partner." He stopped for a moment, as if thinking. He closed his eyes, remembering, then opened them and touched her cheek. " I lost a loved partner once, I will not lose another."

Minagi smiled and nodded. A sudden shot of pain surged through her body makeing her wince. Kurama stroked her hair, trying to comfort her.

" Hold on Minagi, " he said, takeing ahold of her arm and looking at the bandages. They were almost covered in her blood. " I'll be right back, I'll go get you some bandages. "

He carressed her cheek and rushed out of the room to get more bandages. Minagi gripped the sheets in pain. It wouldn't stop, it was a throbbing pain. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. Suddenly, she felt Kurama's presence. She opened her eyes to see him reaching into his hair and pulling out a seed. He held it close to Minagi's mouth and smiled.

" This should stop the pain," he said, gently placing the seed in her mouth. Minagi felt the flat taste on her tounge and swallowed without chewing. She felt the seed falling into her stomach. Slowly, the pain subsided and she felt better.

" Those plants of yours are very handy," she said looking at Kurama who was takeing off her old bandages and replacing them with new ones.

" That seed will affect you for about an hour," he said smiling, he had finished with her arm and rubbed it gently.

" What else do you keep in that hair of yours?" Minagi asked almost laughing.

" Well," he said, starting to laugh himself, " It's a very handy place for school work."

Minagi chuckled at his joke. She had always teased him about keeping things in his hair, he usually just went along with her teasing. It was only now that she relized she was...well, naked. She looked under the sheets at her body, which was also bandaged. She looked suspiciously at Kurama who looked back at her.

" Kurama--" she asked. " Did you bandage me on your own?"

" Yes.." Kurama answered, without realizing that he had made a mistake in telling her. " Why do you--"

But he was cut off by a slap across his head. " What were you thinking!!??" Minagi yelled at him, fumming and covering herself up with the sheets. " Pervert!"

" Minagi!" Kurama pleaded, holding the lump on his head. " I didn't look at anything, I swear!"

" Liar!!" she yelled, her elf ears twitching. " I can't believe you!"

Suddenly, the door opened, and Kurama and Minagi froze. It was Kurama's mother. She was dressed in a sunflower dress with an apron wrapped around her waist.

" What is all the comotion in here?" she asked, seeing her son on the floor grasping his head and Minagi sitting up in bed, covering her chest with the blanket. Minagi, recovering from her shock, covered her elf ears with her hair as quickly as she could.

His mother saw Minagi awake and hurried over to her, sitting on the bed.

" Oh Minagi," she said motherly, " How are you feeling dear?"

" Oh, umm--" Minagi looked over at Kurama who was now standing by his mother and gave him a your-lucky-she-walked-in- look. " I'm alright. Just a little soar."

" I bet you are," she said giving Minagi's hair a pet. " Well, since your up I will fix you a wonderful breakfast."

" Oh you don't have to--"

" No no," she said, standing and walking to the door. " I insist. You need nurtishment after all you have been through. "

" All I've...?"

" Well, you just rest and I'll be back in a moment. Kurama, don't let her lift a finger."

Kurama rubbed his head and nodded. ' Shes already acheived that,' he thought.

His mother left , leaving Minagi stairing at Kurama. " Kurama, what did you tell her?"

" No more than she needed to know," he replied walking back over and sitting on the bed causiously. Minagi sighed and let the sheets fall to her lap. Minagi looked at her arm, thinking back to that night when she...inflicted herself. How foolish she had been, to think such things. She had thought that she had needed to be punished for her crime, so she did herself. Now she wished she hadn't. She unwrapped her other arm and examend the cuts. Kurama saw this and grasped her hand.

" Minagi," he soothed, " It's alright. I understand. " He grasped her arm and gently rubbed the sliced skin, sending a nervous chill down Minagi's spine. " I will take care of you."

Minagi just looked at his emerald eyes. How could he be so compassionate to her after everything? The Kurama she knew was colder than this, true he had his own soft side, but this Kurama looked as if he couldn't hurt a fly. His touch was so healing and comforting, and those big greeen eyes were to die for. She blinked her thoughts away and smiled back at him, placeing her hand ontop of his.

" Thank you," she said, almost in a whisper. " For everything that you have done."

" Kuronue wanted me to take care of you."

" What?"

" Those were his dieing words, to take care of you."

Minagi looked down at their hands. Even after death he was takeing care of her. She smirked laughing to herself, thinking that Kuronue had this all planned out. But the other thing he had told her, that there was someone else who loved her. She thought on that for a moment, she knew that she could never love someone the way she had loved Kuronue. No one would feel that place in her heart as he did. The only other person she had ever loved in 500 years was......no, it wasn't possible! Her head turned towards Kurama who was looking at her, still holding her arm. He backed his head up a little when she looked at him, almost in surprise. She stared at him for a moment, did he love her? Was he the one that Kuronue was talking about. He had told Kurama to take care of her, and thats what he was doing. But was he really IN LOVE with her? Was the real him in love with her? The Yoko side? She honestly felt that Kurama may love her, but what about Yoko? She had not seen him in decades, did HE hate her for what she had done? For shameing their partnership? She had to know the truth, however, she didn't know if she could love him back so easily. Kuronue couldn't expect her to let go of him so easily, could he? Either way, she had to know.

" Kurama," she said finally.

" Yes? What is it Minagi?"

" Kurama..." Minagi said slowly, as if in hesitation. But she suddenly let it all out in one breath. " Kurama, I need to talk to Yoko."

Kurama sat in silence for a long time, just staring at her. He blinked and finally gave a sigh, thinking about this. " Minagi," he started. " I cannot just bring him forth so easily. I do not posses me--"

" I know that," she said, grasping both his hands, almost pleading, " But I need to see him. I need to talk to him. There are still some things that I'm not sure about. Only he could answer my questions."

Kurama sighed. " Minagi, the heart of Yoko still beats within me. It would be almost impossible to---" He looked into her big, pleading blue eyes. He knew what she was feeling, and only he could fufill her desire. True it would not be easy, but if he didn't Minagi would never stop mourning. He lowered his head and nodded.

" I will do all that I can to bring Yoko back to you."

Minagi's face lit up and wrapped her arms around his neck. " Thank you so much Kurama!" she smiled, finally releasing him

He nodded, hopeing that he could keep his promise. Suddenly, his mother came through the door with a tray full of food.

" I hope your hungry," she smiled walking over and placeing the tray of food into Minagi's lap. Food of all sorts colored the silver tray. Teriake chicken, noodles with carrots,rice, meiso soup, and even a little yogert on the side. Minagi blinked at the wide variety. Kurama's mother smiled with pleasure.

" Wow," Minagi said speechless. " Thank you. You didn't have to got through so much trouble--"

" Oh sweetheart," she said pressing her hands together, " It was no trouble at all. Now you eat. You need your strength. Oh Kurama, your friends are here to see you."

Kurama blinked. " My friends?! " His mother left the room with a smile and in her place Yueske, Kuwabara and Hiei walked through the door and when they saw the girl in his bed, Yueske and Kuwabara's jaws dropped.

" Whoa! Kurama!" Kuwabara said. " No wonder you weren't at school!"

Kurama waved his hands infront of him, " No no! It's nothing like that!"

" Dude!" Yueske said walking closer. " Is she--? Did you guys--? What is going on?!!"

Kurama stood and tried to explain before Minagi interupted him.

" Hi," She said cutting up a peice of chicken and putting it in her mouth. " How are ya doin'? I'm Minagi, I'm an elf, and I tried to kill Kurama. So who are you?"

Kurama's eyes twitched as he lowered his head. ' Not the best first impression Minagi,' he thought.

" Whoa!" Kuwabara said walking over to her and pulling her hair back and revieling her large, pointed ears. He pinched the point of it and pulled. " Dude, she's one of Santa's elfs!"

Minagi frowned, her forhead throbbing, then she stabbed Kuwabara's hand with fork that was beside the chopsticks. Kuwabara released her hand and grasped his hand. " Don't touch the ears."

" OWW!!" he yelled jumping back and grabbing his hand. " Stupid elf bitch."

Minagi picked up a clock next to Kurama's bed and threw it at Kuwabara, smacking him in the head , makeing him fall on the floor.

" I take it he's the idiot of the group." Minagi said chewing on her noodles.

Hiei smirked walking over to stand beside Yueske, stepping over Kuwabara as he went. Yueske laughed putting his hands in his pockets.

" Heh, I like her. About time someone shut him up. So whats the deal Kurama? Whats this all about?"

Kurama sat down on the side of the bed while everyone else listened and Minagi ate.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOOOoOoOoOOoOOO

" Wow," Yueske said after Kurama had finished. " So, you did all this to avenge the death of your old boyfriend?"

Minagi was sitting in the bed, takeing another one of Kurama's seeds because her pain had come back. " Yes," she said looking at Yueske. " I felt like Kurama had betrayed myself and Kuronue. If I had been there a second earlier--"

" It's pointless to dwell on the past," Hiei said, " What has happend has happend. However, I would find it hard to forgive you for even thinking that one of my partners would betraye me."

Minagi lowered her head, trying to hide her face from Hiei's gaze.

Kurama touched Minagi's hand. " It was a misunderstanding, Hiei. She ment no wrong and has seen that she was false. I have fully forgiven her for what she did, for she did it out of love."

Yueske put a hand on her shoulder." I'm sorry," he said. " For what happend."

" Thank you, Yueske," Minagi said raising her head up to look at him.

" Hey, any friend of Kurama's is a friend of mine. Espeacially one who beats up Kuwabara." He said laughing.

Kuwabara was sitting in a chair, rubbing a finger over the huge bump on his temple. " Shut up Urameshi!" he growled.

Minagi laughed, holding her knees. " Yeah, well, i'm not a total bitch. Only to those who are bitches to me."

Yueske laughed. Kurama laughed as well. He even thought he saw Hiei smirk. While there was a silence, Kurama decided to ask Hiei the question on his mind.

" Hiei," he said, Hiei looked at him. " Is it possible to bring forth Yoko again?"

Hiei blinked, a little surprised by the out-of-the-blue question. " You did it once before, you should be able to do it again. Do you still posses the potion you used before?"

Kurama shook his head. " No," he said. " I gave it to Kowenma. Whether he still has it I do not know. "

"Why do you ask Kurama?" Hiei asked.

Kurama looked at Minagi and looked bakc at the little fire demon agian. " I'm returning a favor."

Hiei frowned and looking at the elf girl on Kurama's bed. Minagi looked at Hiei, staring into his red eyes with her big, blue ones. He looked away and turned to Kurama. Yueske stood.

" Well then," he said looking at Minagi. " I guess were paying a little visit to the Spirit World. "

Kurama stood also. " Thank you Yueske."

Kuwabara stood too, still a little dizzy. Minagi looked around at the four friends. They were so close, and cared for each other. She was unsure of Hiei, but she was sure that the others trusted her, which gave her comfort.

Minagi edged herself to the edge of the bed and placed the empty food tray to the side. She placed her bare feet on the cold floor and tried to stand. Kurama and Yueske went to her side.

" Minagi!" Kurama scolded. " Your not strong enough to be moveing around yet."

" Your not leaving me here," Minagi said peeling Yueske and Kurama off her, standing on her own. Kurama was about to protest, but she covered his mouth with her hand. " Don't even think that your going anywhere without me. I wont be left here alone, waiting. I'm very impatient. Now where is my clothes?"

She stood, grabbing one of Kurama's shirts on his dresser and covering her body with it. She limped to the door and down the stairs. Kurama blinked and shook his head.

" She hasn't changed." he mumbled.

"Are we really gonna let her come with us?" Yueske said.

" Yeah, she's kinda scary." Kuwabara said.

Kurama laughed. " If we don't, she'll follow us anyway. Plus, she'll kill us if we leave her behind."

" We can just let her take her anger out on Kuwabara," Yueske said, walking out of the door with Kurama and Hiei.

" Yeah she...HEY!! I'M NO BODY'S PUCHING BAG!! HEY! WAIT UP!!"