Chapter Acht

They did not believe her. Botan sat alone under the slid in utter hopelessness. They were her only hope. And she could do nothing to stop the dark Lord, not with her spirit energy locked up in the pacifier, Koenma had never told her how to get it back out. The rain above her Pelted at the slivery metal of the slide adding a crying sound of metal to the lucent laughter of the Children.

"Onna Come out of here now!" Hiei said. Botan climbed out and looked at him, a smiled tugging at her lips. "Don't get too excited, The others made me come out here and get you, because of the storm."

"But Hiei, Don't you…believe what I told you? Why would I lie about something like this?" Botan pleaded with him. Her innards retching within her, how could she get them to believe her?

"Hn. Come on," he tugged her forward bringing her to the entrance of the city. He then brought her down into the city and to a small house. "Get inside and dry off."

"But…" She was cut off when Yusuke and Kuwabara pulled her into the house. "Hey, now come on! What the h…"

"Botan. Calm down. I turns out that the fire was for you." Kurama said as he walked from a room in the back, He pushed back the door revealing a slimy looking demon that was tied and gagged. "He gave us all the information we needed." Kurama said, " your story as it were, is a true one."

"Wait. Does this mean, that you know who you are now? And we can stop the…"

"Hn, He didn't say that." Hiei said walking into the house the rest of the way and closing the door behind him.

"So you don't remember anything?" She frowned when they shook their heads. "Well Boy's just leave it up to me. I have a plan. The temple should still be up there but…"

"But what?" Yusuke asked.

"You'll see," she frowned, "you will see…" She turned around, "Come on we have to get back to the surface."

"Wait, I think it would be wise if you," Kurama paused to close the door that held the demon. "Dried off a bit and took a nap. It is late."

"We don't…" Botan was about to voice her protest until she got the looks that took her, she would not win if she tried. "Yes, I know you're right."

"Good." Kurama said smiling and walked over to a door next to the captives and opened the door. "Sleep well, we will be out here if you should need anything." Kurama said and watched as she walked in sighing in weariness.

"Good-night." Botan said and closed the door behind her.

"Okay, so what did that demon have to say now?" Kuwabara asked

"He was reluctant to talk." Kurama admitted, "I got him to confirm Botan's story, as you know, but he doesn't seem to remember how we lost our memories or even what the Awning cube does."

"Well then I think it is time I stepped in." Hiei said darkly.

"Eheh, I don't think that is such a good idea, Hiei you will probably kill him." Kuwabara said shakily.

"Hn, so."

"No, I think we should just rest for now, that demon isn't going anywhere and we haven't been to sleep in almost a day." Kurama stated, "Yusuke you and Kuwabara watch out for the demon, Hiei you take the couch and watch over Botan, I will watch the outside." Kurama said

Hiei growled lowly and turned to the door where Botan slept and looked back at the couch taking a seat, and just watched the night air in the room grow darker as the fire in the fireplace slowly died, until he too slowly feel into a state of sleep.

Two hours later

Botan's mind raced with the thoughts of Hiei and how she saw him last. How he drew her to him. Then she sat up with a start upon realizing that, if Hiei didn't remember himself, then how could he possibly remember loving her?

She looked down at the Hiruseki stone on the ring around her finger. "I'm I that forgettable?" She cried to herself. "Was this some kind of sick joke, Koenma?"

Hiei bound up and opened her door seeing, Botan's sleeping form sitting up with glistening tears making rivers down her face. "Onna?" Hiei walked over to her and shook her but still she remained in her mind of sleep. He then shrugged and turned to leave but Botan pulled him back.

In her minds eye she saw Him sitting next to her in her dreamland. The strange thing was, was that she felt him, his warmth and his heart; she could feel and hear him. She spoke to him in her dream, not realizing that she spoke to him in the real world. "Why, did you leave me?"

"Excuse me?" Hiei flinched as she pulled him down next to her and hugged him.

"You said it would all be alright, Hiei, but now you…you don't even remember me." He said crying deeper. "How can it be okay?"

"What are you talking about." He said pulling away, an unsuccessful attempt as she held him tighter. "Let go." Botan finally let go and fell back down unter her pillow sleeping soundly. Hiei sighed and tucked her in then left the room. "Baka." He whispered.