Forgotten

Summary: "It's like… like I don't know who I am anymore. Who I belong to…." Hiei/OC

Author's Notes: Yeah…. I'm really sorry that this update took so long! I lost my outline, rewrote it, lost it again, rewrote it again, and lost it. That's the last time I ever try to write while I'm traveling. But it's all good now, because I have an outline and I know where I'm going. And I have a Starbucks frappuccino. Yay frappunccino. And let's not forget that I have wonderful readers like

Asaake: Thanks for showing interest! I hope you like the rest of the fic.

Black Hanyou Rahvin: Glad you like the story! Keep reading and reviewing!

Littleliar: Yeah, it was nice of him to go with her. To answer the question as to why he went along (I guess I didn't make this as clear as I thought I had), he thought he'd made her cry. And even Hiei doesn't like it when girls cry (and I site episode 25 as proof).

samuraiduck27: You are so sweet! I'm glad you like this fic so much! I hope I don't disappoint you.

And so on, so forth.

Oh, by the way, the section in italics is a dream.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything. That's kind of how it works when you're unemployed.

Part Seven: Lost in the Night


It doesn't snow often in places that have such warm climates as are found in Japan, so it's not unusual for residents of such places to be thrilled at the sight of the white powder on the ground.

But after seeing nothing but a snow-covered landscape for a week, anyone would get tired of it.

"God, why did I have to come from such a cold-loving race?" Akiko complained. "I swear I'm turning blue over here."

The fire yokai rolled his eyes in response. God, humans were whiny. Despite his exasperation with the girl, Hiei stopped their progress through the snow so that he could make certain that Akiko was alright. It'd be his ass if she died before they got to Tierra des Ángeles. And aside from that, he'd been watching out for her so long… well, it'd be a waste to ignore her. Not to mention how guilty he'd end up feeling.

"I swear, if I end up with frost bite I'm going straight back to the human world," the girl muttered under her breath. The words had no sooner escaped her mouth than she felt a soft warmth draped around her shoulders. A bit confused, she glanced over to her companion who was now without his cloak. "Thanks," she whispered, pulling the fabric tightly around her thin frame.

Hiei made no response; he merely continued ahead of her towards the center gates of Tierra des Ángeles. Even though he wasn't sure if he wanted to take her there.


Nighttime came early in the plains outside of Tierra des Ángeles; the sky faded to a royal violet by mid afternoon, and, since Akiko wasn't comfortable with traveling in the darkness, the pair of travelers stopped to rest until it was light again.

The girl sat curled up next to a tree with Hiei's cloak wrapped tightly around her. 'I don't like it here,' she thought to herself, pulling her knees up to her chin. 'I really don't like it here.'

To make sure that Akiko stayed warm, Hiei had started a small fire; shadows cast from the flames danced around Akiko, making her almost appear to be burning in the fire, rather than staring into it. Truthfully, that was almost how she felt—like she was burning, dying. Visions of deaths—her death and that of a hundred others—danced around her consciousness. Gradually, her mind slipped into darkness.

..O.O..

"Koenma-sama?" the ogre called to his master, in a voice barely above a whisper.

"What is it now?"

"It's Paciencia, Sir," the ogre answered. "She's dying.

"Send her in," the prince commanded

"Koenma—" a woman's fragile voice called as a petite beauty entered the office.

"You can live if you go back to them. You know that," Koenma told her without any preamble.

"I know. But that is not why I came. If it is either immortality as a beast or death as a fallen angel, then I would chose death a thousand times. I have… a favor to ask of you."

Koenma's features soften with pity for this broken girl. "I'll do what I can for you."

"When I die, bring me back to life as a human."

"Paciencia, I'm sure if that's very wise—"

"Please. I've never asked assistance from you before. All I want is a chance to be an advocate for the inhabitants of the three worlds. To prove what I said to my people. Please, Koenma. Grant this dying woman's request."

"Alright. You have my word that you'll be brought back. But you won't remember this life. That's the only way it can be allowed."

"Then that will do. Thank you, Koenma."

"I believe it's owed to you, Paciencia."

Giving a melancholy smile, the angel turned towards to door, her hand resting on the handle. She suddenly turned back to the deity. "One more favor, Koenma?" The toddler prince nodded. "There is a particular meadow in the human world. I don't think I have the strength to get there myself. If you could have me transported there, I'd be eternally grateful."

"Rest well, Paciencia," Koenma said as his ki filled the room, transporting the broken angel to her meadow.

The grass was soft on her fragile skin; the periwinkle shade of the sky made for a pleasant sight.

What a wonderful place to die.

"Miss? Miss are you alright?" the voice of a child asked her. "Are you hurt?"

Amber eyes flickered to the face of a small boy. The embodiment of innocence. The reason she had stayed. "I'm fine, little one," she replied, her voice dimming and breaking. "Tell me, child," she began, taking a shuddering breath, "are people good? Are people worth saving?"

The child appeared confused for a moment, cocking his head to one side in thought. "People are good," he said confidently after a few moments. "People try to be good."

Paciencia smiled softly and whispered, "Yes…yes, I think so too." Her hand reached up and touched the little boy's face. "Thank you," she said to him with the last breath she had.

Her hand fell to the ground and her eyes closed for the last time.

..O.O..

A small but audible gasp escaped Akiko's lips as she woke from her dream. She was shaking and, despite the freezing temperature, cold perspiration ran down her face and neck.

Hiei was by her side now, watching her calculatingly. "What's wrong?" he asked, sounding more curious than compassionate.

She didn't want to tell him; what would he think of her if he knew how easily these nightmares had scared her? Before she could stop them, tears formed in her eyes and began sliding down her cheeks. The fire yokai stared at her, the slightest hint of worry showing in his eyes not yet piercing the rest of his stoic mask. She didn't want to tell him. But she couldn't stop herself.

"I'm scared, Hiei," she whispered. "I don't want to go to this place. Something inside me," she put a hand to her heart, "is telling me that nothing good can come from me going to these people. It's got me so confused…. Everything is different now. I'm not who I thought I was. Now… now it's like… like I don't know who I am anymore. Who I belong to…."

The yokai continued to watch her for a moment, drinking in just how brave this frail-looking girl must really be to go through the hell that her life had thrust upon her. She didn't deserve all of this.

As much to his surprise as to hers, Hiei cupped Akiko's face in his hands, wiping her tears away with his thumbs. Then, as suddenly as this uncharacteristic show of tenderness had begun, Hiei had disappeared into the upper limbs of the tree above Akiko's head, and he left her with what safety he could offer.


Blindingly white gates engraved with the forms of cherubs and the busts of great philanthropists long dead and forgotten greeted the pair of travelers at the entrance to the capitol district of Tierra des Ángeles. Akiko could not repress a shiver as these gates swung noiselessly open before them. She gave Hiei a worried glance; he did not meet her eyes, but pushed her gently forward, his hand resting on the small of her back in silent assurance that he was right behind her.

"Ah, dear sister, it has been so very long," a masculine voice greeted sweetly—too sweetly—as the girl stepped past the gates. A tall, broad shouldered man stepped out from the shadows cast by the gates. He was smiling at Akiko and holding out his hand for her to take. She did not move to do such a thing.

"I see," he chuckled knowingly. "You do not remember me. I wouldn't have expected you to. I am your brother, Fuerza." He smiled again, this time coldly. "It's been a long time, Paciencia."



Author's Notes: Ok, that took WAY longer than I intended. I'm really sorry for that delay, guys! I hope you can forgive me. I should be able to get one more chapter up this week, and then I'm going to try to get back to my weekly update schedule. Guess what. This was chapter seven of eleven. There are only four more chapters. Spooky, huh? My goal is to have this finished by Cinqo de Mayo, but hopefully it will be done before then. Who knows? Well, I hope this chapter was worth the wait! Read and review, please.

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Ok, that took WAY longer than I intended. I'm really sorry for that delay, guys! I hope you can forgive me. I should be able to get one more chapter up this week, and then I'm going to try to get back to my weekly update schedule. Guess what. This was chapter seven of eleven. There are only four more chapters. Spooky, huh? My goal is to have this finished by Cinqo de Mayo, but hopefully it will be done before then. Who knows? Well, I hope this chapter was worth the wait! Read and review, please.