Ebbster - Right, I'll keep that in mind for later...

Baka Hanyou Rahvin - Yes, yes, Hiei will find her.

Today is my 15th birthday! Therefore, I have decided to put of the last chapter, coincedentally the 15th chapter (not planned at all), of this story of for y'all to see. I hope you like the way I ended it. If not, I can't change it. I mean, I can, but I won't...

Well, just go and read.

Chapt. 15

What We Want

It's been three years since I ran. I guess that would make me about sixteen or so. I've been living in the wild all this time, making due with what I can find. Done a lot of running, trying to find game and water and such. But I've been living. And living quite comfortably, in fact.

"There you are," I whisper, notching an arrow and taking aim. The small doe lifts her head slightly from the water and her ears twitch. But then she goes back to drinking. She straightens to walk off as I let my arrow fly.

She stumbles a bit, but falls dead shortly, her pain gone.

I leap from my tree and trot over to her. Kneeling at her side, I say, "Thank you for feeding me and keeping me warm." I dislodge the arrow and wash it off in the water. Taking up her hind legs, I drag her off a little ways, just far enough away from the water.

Pulling out a dagger I made from a rock, having not brought my own, I begin to fillet the beast. Being careful, of course, to keep the pelt in decent shape.

When finished, I go rigid at the sound of leaves wrestling without wind. I notch an arrow and take aim at the noise.

"Come out where I can see you!" I shout, keeping steady.

It is a man. Black tank top. Black pants. Black, soft-soled boots. White bandana. Black hair and white starburst. Cold, bloody eyes.

"You should've stayed home," I say, still aiming at his heart.

"Would you really kill me?" he asks, the corner of his mouth twitching.

"Yes," I hiss, letting the arrow fly. He tries to catch it, but misses and it pierces his hand. "I never thought you'd miss."

He growls and pulls the arrow from his hand and snaps it in half. "If you kill me, I can't tell you what I came to say."

"Then spit it out."

He stares at me, emotionless. His eyes dull, lifeless. And then he says bluntly, "Shuuto is dead."

This takes a moment to sink in.

When it does, I shoot arrows at him like crazy. After he dodges them all, I throw the bow at him. And then my knife. And then my fists.

"You swore you'd protect him! Swore you wouldn't let any harm come to him! How could you lie about something like that? I hate you, Hiei! I despise you with all my soul!" I scream, growing angrier every time he stops my punches.

Tears of anger, grief, and disbelief slip from my eyes. But behind them I glare at Hiei. Our height had remained even after all this time and I hate it. I hate him.

Suddenly, I find myself in a reverse headlock. I growl and scratch at his arm, but he only tightens his grip. Gasping, I stop my struggle, tears dripping carefully to the ground.

"Don't you even want to know how he died?" he questions, guiding me to the ground. I lay there, my breath shaking.

"You'll tell me anyway. Besides, I know it's my fault."

"It had nothing to do with you. He understood why you left and lived happily, knowing that's what you'd want. It wasn't too long ago, actually, that he died. A month or so maybe. He died nobly." Hiei takes a moment to breathe, glaring at the air. "It was another fire. I told him it was useless, that he couldn't save them, but he insisted. Said, 'If I don't at least try, I'll never live with myself.' And then he smiled. 'Besides, I have a feeling that my destiny lies within those flames.'

"So he left, charging carefully into the jaws of death. I waited for him to come back. And just as I started to go after him, there he was. I dragged him and the people he saved from harm. But it was too late for Shuuto. We both knew. 'Tell Nanashi…that it was what I wanted,' he said. And then he was gone.

"All those fires were meant for him, I know that now. But you were always there to save the last ones. Always there to take the pain. Why do you think you always escaped death? Shuuto knew he couldn't run from his death anymore. He wanted you to know that."

I sit up on my knees. "Don't lie to me!" I scream, punching him in the face. He doesn't dodge or block, just takes it. "Don't lie to me… Don't lie…" I cry, touching the red bruise on his cheek. "Shuuto!" I sob, throwing my arms around Hiei's neck. He pats my back cautiously.

"Why, Mitsukai? Why didn't you save Shuuto? Why didn't you save that stupid boy? Why?"

If he says anything, I don't hear. I just cry into his neck. Into that soft skin I missed. That gentle comfort trying to soothe my aching heart. The one that is breaking to pieces. Pieces I'll never be able to put back together.

"I failed him too, Mitsukai. I swore I'd protect him. And I ran away. I left him. I lied to him. Hurt him. Failed him."

"No. Shuuto understood. He supported your decision. That's why I didn't find you sooner. He wouldn't let anybody look. Don't be angry at yourself."

But I continue to cry.

"Stop it! Stop acting like child! Grow up and come home." He pulls me off of and up with him. "You're not a pathetic human anymore, you're a warrior. Act like one."

I wipe away my tears and glare at him.

"Now, let's go home."

"I am home. You go home."

He stares at me in disbelief.

A small smile slips onto my face. "I can't just start over like nothing happened. I can't go back there."

"Not even for one night?"

"Not even." I turn to leave, forgetting about the doe, but Hiei grabs my arm.

"Then take this." He holds out a dagger.

"My dagger…" I whisper, taking it. It felt good to hold it again. "Thank you…for everything. Know that when the others have slipped from my memory, you will remain beside Shuuto. You, my demon angel."

He kisses my forehead gently and then flits away.

"Shuuto, I will live for you. I will carry on for you. And when I die, it will be for you."

With tears and a smile on my face, I disappear into the forest.

Never seen from again.

Never heard from again.

Never touched by again.

Maybe forgotten.

Maybe remembered.

But never alive with more hope.

The end. Thank you for reading and reviewing, any and all of you.