Icefire2 - Welcome! Yea, Shuuto wasn't doing anything notable over there. And I wouldn't be so sure about Nanashi yet, if I were you.

Ebbster - Yes you can have a cookie too (tosses a cookie).

Chapt. 10

You Swore

I wake to find myself not on the couch, but in a fluffy bed. Not my bed, but a bed. Sitting up, I glance around. And then I look to my left. At the body lying next to me.

I scream and scoot away, falling off the high bed. Rubbing my head, I continue to scoot back. The man sits up in surprise and looks around. When he spots me he says:

"Klutz." When my vision clears, I recognize him.

"What the fuck is wrong with you!" I hiss.

"Me? What's wrong with you?"

"Why'm I in a bed…with you?"

"Well, Yusuke came down and said that I should put you in bed," he begins. "My room's closer and I was tired. Besides, you were having nightmares about the labor camp." He pauses and stares at me for a moment before adding, "When I tried to lay you down, you wouldn't let go. You said, 'Don't let me fall.' So I had to stay."

I accept his explanation, for, knowing me, it was probably true. Still I glare at him, upset.

"Breakfast!" Keiko calls from the kitchen. When I first heard this word, I got beat up. When I first heard it in this house, I had the same fear. Now, it is a word that sparks my energy.

"Awesome!" I smile, racing away. When I arrive, bacon! Sweet, crunchy, delicious bacon. Then I look around. "Where's Shuuto? Usually he's down here 'fore you're finished."

"Maybe he's still asleep," Keiko suggests, walking away.

'No, Shuuto doesn't sleep like that…'

A scream erupts from upstairs. Knocking over my chair as I get up, I run to the source. It was Keiko, in Shuuto's room, but no Shuuto.

"What's wrong?" Yusuke asks, holding his shaking wife. Shakily, she holds out a piece of paper. Before Yusuke can shift to take it, I grab it and read aloud:

"I have the boy. If you want him back, alive and well, give me the girl within the next twenty four hours of receiving this note. And if my demand is not met, I will kill the boy. Shikima."

As Hiei enters the room, I turn on him and throw several fists. He blocks them all, not quite sure why I was so angry. Not that I care. I push him back into a wall, still throwing punches. And still Hiei blocks them all.

"You didn't protect him!" I scream, kicking high. He grabs my leg and forces me onto my back. "I hate you!" Tears fall from my eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Hiei growls, angry that I attacked him.

"Shuuto, you stupid bastard!"

"But, Shuuto's –" he starts, but stops as he realizes something. "What happened to his ki signal? It just disappeared!"

Yusuke shakes his head. "I don't know. I felt it too. But now…"

"Shikima tricked you!" I scream, scratching at Hiei face, but he pulls away. "He tricked you so you wouldn't know!"

"Shikima?"

I force the note in his face, hating him more for being so ignorant. His eyes scan the easy flowing kanji. Then he looks back at me with sorrow-filled eyes.

"You swore you protect him!" I yell, standing. "You swore you wouldn't let anything happen to him! You swore!"

"Nanashi…"

"Don't! I don't want to hear anymore of your lies! I don't care anymore!" I turn to Yusuke and Keiko. "The only way to get Shuuto back is to be taken, so I'll see you guys later."

Even as they call my name and come after me, I keep running, staying ahead of Yusuke. Soon he stops, knowing it was no use.

And then Hiei appears in front of me. I stop and glare hatefully at him.

"Get out of my way," I hiss.

"You don't even know where he is."

"I don't have to. If I'm alone, he'll get me."

"You're as crazy as Yusuke was! You think that demon will keep his promise? As soon as he has you, he'll kill Shuuto!"

"He'll kill him anyway! Besides, it's your fault he's gone!"

"No, Nanashi, it's yours. If you hadn't held onto me, I would've paced between you both."

"You still swore you'd protect him! I come second, remember!"

"Yes, I remember. But Shuuto's a demon, he can handle himself."

"No, he can't!" I scream, tears flowing again. "He doesn't know how! He hates to fight, hates to kill, even for his life. Shuuto will hide in a corner and wait for you or me, knowing we'll save him." I glare into Hiei's bloody eyes. He stares back.

"I can't save you if you're dead," he whispers, leaving.

I sit on the ground and stare up at the sky. And then I look at my small hands. "I won't die," I mutter.

Something hard hits my on the back on my neck and I fall into darkness.

Ki - Energy

Kanji - Writing style of the Japanese

A/N - If you didn't figure it out, the guy in the beginning was Hiei. And...I leave you with a cliffie! Mwuhahahaahaha! And there be nothin' you can do about it 'til I update next.