(Standard disclaimer: I don't own YYH or its characters; they are the sole property of Yoshihiro Togashi, Shonen Jump Comics Weekly, Studio Pierrot and Fuji Television)

Type in italics indicates 'flashback' sequence.

Type in non-italics indicates song lyrics.

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to mhmartini, who's posed query in her review was its inspiration. Martina -- though it's not very good, this one's for you.


"As I love you, Fox," Hiei whispered, gently squeezing the hand still in his. "I only wish I'd told you….."

His voice trailed off. Of what good, though, were his wishes now? He gazed down at the pale face of the boy lying so still within Kuwabara's strong arms; gentle, forest-green eyes closed in eternal slumber. Reaching up, he brushed Kurama's bangs from his face, wondering at the silken feel of the crimson locks.

"Hiei," Kuwabara began; his voice soft and filled with grief, "I… uh….."

Raising his head, Hiei regarded the human with wide, vermillion eyes. The naked anguish the carrot-topped teen saw reflected in the depths of those eyes, and Hiei's strangled, "Why?" were enough to rip a hole right through the young man's heart. He'd always thought the shrimp to be too cold, too unfeeling to care for anyone or anything other than himself. Now, he knew better, though the knowledge brought no comfort; only more grief.

Mutely, Kuwabara shook his head, having no answer to the little demon's anguished question.

"We need to go," Yusuke's quiet voice intruded as he knelt beside Kuwabara. Without giving either of his friends a chance to answer, he continued, "the noise will surely have attracted someone by now, and I sure as hell don't wanna' be around to have to explain," he jerked a thumb to the scattered corpses of the demons littering the park, "them."

"You won't, Detective," Hiei responded. Though his voice was soft, the words were not. Raising his ki, he gathered a ball of blue/black flame into his right hand, shooting it toward the six demon corpses, incinerating each in less time than it took to draw a breath.

"Urameshi," Kuwabara looked at his friend, "what about..." He looked down at the body he held. "…..his mom… we need to….."

"You and Hiei, take Kurama to my place," Yusuke answered, pulling a set of keys from his pocket and tossing them to the fire demon. At the look on Kuwabara's face, he continued, answering the unspoken question. "She's not there; don't worry."

Kuwabara nodded. "So, then, where're you goin'?" he asked.

"Baka, where do ya' think?" Yusuke snorted, then added softly, "someone has to tell his mom."

Again, Kuwabara nodded then gently lifted the lifeless boy in his arms as he stood. The boys separated; Kuwabara and Hiei heading for the apartment Yusuke now shared with his fiancée, and Yusuke to the Minamino house, wondering just how he was going to tell Shiori that her only child was dead.


Hiei unlocked the door and stepped into the darkened apartment. Quickly locating the nearest source of light, he turned the lamp on, just as Kuwabara came through the door. Gently, the taller boy laid the body he carried on the sofa then went in search of a blanket.

Alone with his fox, Hiei knelt beside the sofa. Reaching out a tentative hand, he smoothed crimson locks from the still, pale face. Kurama appeared to be sleeping, if not for the dark stain marring the sea-green silk of the shirt he wore.

"Stupid fox," he whispered tenderly, "couldn't you, just this once, have thought of yourself instead of someone else? Tell me," his voice quivered, almost breaking, "what am I supposed to do now… without you?"

The hiyoukai closed his eyes, fighting the tears that threatened just as Kuwabara returned, clutching the blanket he'd found. Shaking it out, the carrot-topped teen spread it over Kurama's body, tucking it gently around the slender form and up under his chin.

"Hiei….." he began looking down to where the little demon had been sitting only to find the space empty. Hearing a noise from behind, he quickly turned to find the living room window open, Hiei perched on the sill.

"What the….. where the heck are you goin'?" he asked, anger stirring within.

"Makai," was the clipped response.

"Bu… but…. Urameshi'll be comin' with Kurama's mom. Dontcha' think ya' should at least wait….."

A glare from blood-red eyes silenced whatever else he was about to say. "Mukuro needs to know what happened," Hiei ground out before disappearing into the night.

"Damned shrimp," Kuwabara muttered as he walked to the window, shut and locked it, "why do ya' always have ta' hide whatcha' feel? It's okay to hurt... and to grieve, ya' know."

Sighing, he walked back to the couch and slumped to the floor beside the body lying peacefully upon it. Drawing his knees up to his chest, Kuwabara wrapped his arms around them, and closing his eyes, laid his head down on them, giving way to his own pain and grief.


Yusuke stopped just outside the gated entryway. Leaning against the whitewashed concrete wall, he studied the house before him, noting the welcoming light that spilled from the carriage lamp mounted just to the right of the doorframe. How am I supposed to do this, he thought with a sigh, running his hand through thickly gelled raven hair. How did you tell a mother her only child was dead? With a heavy heart, and another sigh, Yusuke moved forward up the paved walk to the front door. Steeling himself for the task ahead, he raised a hand, index finger pushing gently against the doorbell, only vaguely hearing the soft chimes within.

The door opened, revealing a smiling Shiori. "Forget your key again, musu…." the teasing voice broke off as she realized the young man standing before her was not her son. "Yusuke," she began, "what are you doing here? I thought you'd gone to the movie with….." Whatever else she was about to say died in her throat at his nod.

"We did," he replied, his dark eyes studiously studying the ground at his feet.

Icy fear settled around Shiori's heart. "Then I don't understand," she said. "Why are you... wait…." Her eyes searched the darkness behind the boy, vainly looking for the three who weren't there. "Where are the others, then…. Hiei, Kazuma and…. and….my son?" she finished quietly.

"Mrs. Minamino," Yusuke looked up, finally meeting her eyes. "Could we go inside? I…. I have something I need to tell you."

Numbly, she nodded then stood to the side, allowing the ex-Tantei to pass. Yusuke removed his shoes, walking into the living room as Shiori closed the door softly and followed him. Turning, he faced her again.

"I think you might want to sit down," he said.

"Yusuke…. what's happened?" she asked, the fear she felt a palpable thing now. "Please…. just tell me," she finished, sinking down onto the sofa cushions, her eyes pleading with him to tell her that everything was all right, yet knowing that it was not and never would be again.

Yusuke looked down at the woman in front of him, seeing the silent plea in her dark eyes. Dammit! Why did this have to happen? Slowly he approached her. Kneeling down in front of her, and with a tenderness few ever saw from the former street punk, Yusuke took Shiori's hands in his own.

"Kazuma and Hiei took Kurama to my place," he began, using the demon's name, since he knew Shiori was well aware of who and what her son truly was. He paused, gently squeezing the hands he held. "There was some trouble on the way home tonight."

Before she could ask, he hurried on, "we were walking home…. just gotten to the park, when we were attacked."

"Attacked?" Shiori breathed, closing her eyes for just a moment, the band of ice around her heart contracting painfully. "Who…. or what?..."

Yusuke nodded, again applying soft pressure to the hands he held. "They were demons," he went on. "We learned later that they were an assassination squad – after Hiei."

Shiori's eyes widened, her grip on Yusuke's hands tightening. "Oh God! Is he..."

"He's fine, but….." Suddenly Yusuke tore his gaze from hers, unable to look into those soft, unfathomable eyes – so like Kurama's had been.

"Yusuke." A soft hand on his cheek turned his face back to hers. "Please... I have to know."

He nodded, taking her hand into his once more. "I don't know how," he said quietly, peat dark eyes misting with the tears he refused to let fall, "but somehow Kurama…. he sensed them before the rest of us. He…. he pushed Hiei behind him just as one of them attacked. He took the….." He swallowed as the tears spilled over, silently falling. "Mrs. Minamino, I…I'm so sorry but….Kurama….he….he….he's dead."

"Nooooo!" The broken whisper echoed in the stillness of the small room. Shiori shook her head, not wanting to believe, yet knowing the words she'd heard were true. Her son…. her Shuiichi…. was dead! No, her mind argued, that can't be! Dear God! He was barely 19! He had his whole life ahead of…. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Soft, broken words penetrated her haze of pain and the thoughts whirling through her brain.

"Mrs. Minamino," Yusuke began. "I wish that it had been me…. or any one of us except….."

Shiori put her arms around the boy, pulling him to her in a warm embrace. "No Yusuke." She shook her head. "Don't say that. Don't ever even think it again."

"B..but…" he sobbed, his face hidden.

"I know," she replied, still holding him, letting him cry himself out. She felt the wetness of her own tears as they fell, mingling with those of the boy in her arms. Finally, the storm abated and Yusuke pulled back, looking up at her.

"I want to see my son," she said, reaching out to wipe the remaining tears from his face.

Yusuke nodded and helped her to her feet.


Kuwabara felt their presence several seconds before the door opened and looked up as Shiori stepped into the dimly lit apartment; Yusuke behind her.

"Ma'am," he greeted her quietly, climbing to his feet.

"Hello, Kazuma," she returned. She smiled gently at the orange-haired teen before her eyes fell to the slender body lying on the sofa, covered in a soft blanket. Again, she felt tears fill her eyes and slip down her cheeks as she approached.

Tenderly she lifted the scarlet head as she slipped onto the couch. Wrapping her arms around Kurama's lifeless form, she held her son in a gentle embrace.

"Where's Hiei?" Yusuke whispered as Kuwabara came to stand beside him.

"Gone," was the equally quiet response from the taller boy. Hearing a sound, both boys turned their attention to the sofa.

Kurama's head lay in Shiori's lap now as she softly smoothed flame-red locks back from his face. Her lips moved, singing the song that had been his favorite lullaby as a child.

Where is love
Does it fall from skies above
Is it underneath the willow tree
That I've been dreaming of

She continued on, stroking her son's cheek as she sang his final lullaby. When she was finished, she wrapped her arms around him, once more embracing him to her. Leaning down, she placed a soft kiss on his forehead.

"Sleep well, musuko-chan," she whispered, "ai shiteru."


On the roof of the building directly across the street from the apartment, a small dark figure, his ki masked so completely as to be utterly untraceable and invisible to those within that apartment, stood, hands thrust deep into the hidden pockets of his black cloak.

"Forgive me," Hiei whispered…..