Chapter Zwölf

Broken, each one of them was broken hearted, broken souled and Broken minded. Everything they had strived to live for was no longer around and they tortured themselves in the only way they knew how… they fought.

Botan watched her favorite heroes train in the yard into the long hours of the next day. She dozed off a few times before going back into the temple to lie down. Her body would not let her sleep, as she was too afraid that her reality would be a dream.

-

Light tremors brought her eyes to a flutter and her mouth to open in a yawn, someone was shaking her, waking her. Her eyes were met by the faded smile of Kurama. "Umm, Kurama…" She said sleepily, "Kurama!" she jumped up, "How are you feeling now? Where are the others?"

"Yusuke and Kuwabara are outside mourning the loss of the girls. Hiei went missing and well, things aren't going so well. Botan." he paused looking at her through serious eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Now that you guys are here, what could be better?"

"Botan, that's not want I mean. I mean it must have been hard for you to be strong through all of that? You must have something to say on this matter? Something to let out." Kurama sat next to her on the couch.

"No, Kurama I'm fine." She smiled fakely and Kurama was no fool, he knew when something troubled his friends. That's when he noticed the ring on her finger. 'Hiei.' He thought. "Botan don't lie to me, you know you can tell me anything."

"I know but, there really isn't anything wrong." Botan smiled

"Well," Kurama stood up dusting he pants, "If you need me, I will be in my room." He said and pulled her up and into a hug, then coolly walked away.

Botan sighed exasperatedly and looked outside, the rain continued to drench the land and the sky was blue with sadness and gray with death. She sighed again and looked out at the forest, where she was sure to find Hiei. Alone. She could not imagine losing a sibling. "Please bring him home." She said sadly.

Kurama frowned and watched her from the doorway before turning and leaving to his room to think of the matter at hand. Mourning was something that could not last long if they were hoping to stop the dark lord.

Botan failed to notice the very watchful and concerned Kurama behind her as she stepped out into the wet world and took a deep breath of air. It was amazing, that one puff of air, and how it could make someone feel so good. But the good feeling was short lived as she found the sadness in her soul. It was catching up with her again, now that she had nothing else to worry about, having the boys around, that is.

The boys were back and, though she knew it was wrong, she felt like the rest was up to them. She was putting her complete faith in them saving her soul and in return she would help them. She didn't know how she would do so but the thought was a start.

Botan looked out into the twilight, it was usually her favorite part of the day for it only lasted five minutes it was rare to catch twilight. It was magical, the way the stars would appear in and instant. But this twilight was maddening. Hiei was still missing, she wanted to share twilight with him, wanted him to take away her pain.

Botan tightened her fist at her side and moved to step away from the Temple but was stopped as Yusuke and Kuwabara looked up at her from the bottom of the steps. "Where are you going?" Yusuke asked

"I was… No where." Botan lied

"Hiei won't be easy to find, why don't you just wait for him to come back, I am sure he will." Yusuke said as if reading her mind.

"I know, you're right. I just wish there was something I could do for you guys. I mean I just couldn't stop him. I was too…" Yusuke brought up a hand to silence her.

"Botan there was nothing you could have done, the only thing you can do now is have faith in us to do the right thing. We will set things right. So Botan, Smile." Yusuke said

"Oh Yusuke." She smiled, the first smile in a weeks time, it felt good to smile. "Thank you." She looked back out at the forest and frowned anew. "Are you sure…"

"Hiei will be fine." Yusuke said walking up the five steps to the top and into the temple.

"Yeah, Botan the shrimp will be fine, he always is. We might not always get along, well we never get along, but I know he cares." Kuwabara added following Yusuke into the temple leaving Botan alone to think.

'But what if he becomes darker, too dark to see his friends, what if her forgets us, what if he forgets me?' Botan thought sadly idly twirling the ring on her finger and continuing her path down the stoop and out to the beginning of the forest. "Hiei." She whispered and walked back to the temple, knowing that she would never find him in the dark.

A cool hand, a warm soul hidden in darkness, covered in pain and drenched in hopelessness. He looked down at her and the ring on her finger. Oh he remembered. All too well did he remember her and how she could make him feel good. But he shook his head, how could he protect Botan if he couldn't even protect his oh flesh and Blood.

Yukina's death shed new light on him. Sooner or later it would be over and he didn't want her to lose her. But…He leaned down and brushed his lips over hers and he slipped the ring off her finger and flitted away. He didn't know what was happening to him but he knew that he could not be seen like that, the others would never understand, Botan would never understand, not even he understood why everything in his life was meant to be… Broken.