Welcome back! I know it's been awhile, but here's Chapter Three for you all to read! Shout-out goes to the reviewers of Chapter Two! You awesome peeps get to have cookies! hands them cookies Thanks for reviewing!

Anyways, you must be wondering what this chapter's about, right? Well, here's a summary for ya!

SUMMARY FOR Chapter Three - Time Does Not Heal (Part 1):

They say that time can heal all wounds. But, that's not the case with Numata. Her mind still wanders to the horrific visions of her past when she was a child and learned of what her father truly was. As if that wasn't bad enough for her, seems like another gooney has come to take her away yet again! It seems hopeless . . . he's just too strong! Hiei x OC; Kurama x Botan and Yusuke x Keiko in later chapters (maybe).

FANFIC KEY:

/---/ in Italics Character thinking to themself or communicating telepathically to another. If it is a telepathic communcation, I'll indicate it . . . somehow. oO;;

"---" and text in Italics A flashback or memory.

--DISCLAIMER (since I forgot it in the past two chapters)--

I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. Yu Yu Hakusho is copyrighted to its rightful owners! I do, however, claim ownership of all original characters featured in this story.

Blah blah okay. Enough with my rabble. ONWARD WITH THE FANFIC!

Brand New Tomorrow

Chapter Three - Time Does Not Heal (Part 1)

A day passed and still, the horrible visions of the night before flashed before her eyes. His sadistic grin and the look in his eyes is what terrified Numata the most. It was like, he could see into her very soul and read her every thought. He had an overwhelming aura that made her feel like she was suffocating when in his presences. These were not memories that Numata wished to remember . . . these were memories that made her fear regaining anymore.

But Numata never let the others know she was afraid. She just kept smiling as if she had easily forgotten about it, as if everything was fine. She just went on helping Keiko's parents with the restaurant, barely speaking about it to Keiko or the others.

"Numata, we all got the day off from school today." Keiko spoke as she stood in the doorway of the guest room. Before Numata had moved in, the room was bare with just a bed and a desk . . . quiet empty and dull. Now, it wasn't quiet so dull or empty. Now, it had a personality . . . a personality that reflected that of Numata. "We were thinking of heading out to the park today . . . do you want to come with us?"

"Sorry Keiko. I had plans." Numata replied as she spun around in the chair at the desk. She smiled as she closed a book she had been reading and rose to her feet. "I'm sorry that I can't join you all today. Maybe tomorrow."

"If you're sure . . . " Keiko replied, hesitantly turning toward the staircase. She looked at Numata, who just smiled back at her and nodded. Letting out a soft reluctant sigh, she bid Numata a farewell before heading downstairs to join up with the others.

Once Keiko was gone, Numata flopped back down into the chair she had been sitting upon earlier. She flipped open the book to the page she had been reading, sighing heavily as she looked out the window.

"So she's not coming?" Kuwabara asked as he and the others stood outside of the restaurant facing Keiko.

"No and I'm getting concerned. She hasn't been out much since what happened the other day." Keiko replied with a heavy sigh as she stood beside Yusuke.

"Not surprising. From the way her attacker was discribed, I would be afraid to go outside too." Botan answered, clinging onto Kurama's arm and shivering slightly.

"Good thing Hiei was there." Smiling, the red-haired kitsune hanyou glanced at the quiet koorime that stood adjacent from the group.

"I just happened to be passing by. That's all." Hiei answered as he folded his arms and looked off to the side. Never would he admit that he had been there because he was worried about Numata . . . it would ruin his image.

"I say give her sometime." Yusuke answered, putting a hand in his pocket. "Let her deal with this on her own . . . I'm sure she'll be fine within a day or two."

"I hope so . . . " Keiko replied, glancing up at the window of Numata's room.

"So. Shall we all go to the park?" Yusuke asked, nodding his head in the direction of the nearest park.

"You guys go on." Hiei answered, causing everyone to look at him oddly. "I have some things I need to take care of."

Quietly the koorime disappeared from everyone's sight. He had done his vanishing trick so often whenever they decided to hang out together, the others weren't really surprised. But as they began to head to park, Kurama let out a soft chuckle that caused Botan to look up at him.

"What's so funny?" Botan asked, poking him in his arm.

"Nothing. Just thinking about Hiei and how he thinks I don't know what he's really doing." Kurama replied, smiling down at the blue-haired death deity beside him.

"What do you mean?" Botan asked, looking at little confused as to where this was going.

"Hiei's obviously worried about Numata. That's why he keeps disappearing on us." Kurama answered, slipping his arm around Botan's shoulders and holding her. "He won't openly admit it, but I know he does."

Botan glanced up at Kurama before slipping her arm around his back and holding him as they walked down the street.

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"Numata, I thought you left with Keiko and the others?" Keiko's mother had paused in the doorway of the kitchen when she noticed Numata sitting at the counter peeling an apple.

"No. I wasn't feeling too well today I'm afraid." Numata answered as she stripped the apple of its last piece of skin. With solmen eyes she watched it hit the countertop before placing the knife down in the sink. She took the bare apple in her hand as she rose from her seat and faced Keiko's mother. "Is it all right if I go out for a walk?"

"Of course it is. It's not too busy right now, and I think some fresh air would do you some good."

"Thank you." Numata replied with a nod and slipped out the door.

"That girl . . . " Keiko's mother sighed, watching her disappear from sight. "She can be . . . so strange at times."

Numata walked down the street, half of the apple eaten away. She glanced up at the sky, watching as a stray white cloud past over the sun. In that brief moment of darkness however, a strange man had managed to slip behind Numata and was now gazing down upon her with his golden eyes.

"Mighty tastey looking apple you got there, missy." Numata sensed the presence of the stranger behind her and began to turn to face him. But before she could fully face him, he siezed her wrists, forcing her to drop her apple and prevent her from moving. "But then again, you're not so bad yourself."

"And you are?" Numata questioned, feeling her blood began to boil again. She glared upon this stranger, her crimson eyes flashing as the sun once again emerged from behind the cloud.

"Just a friend of Higen." The stranger answered, his pale skin seeming even paler in the sunlight. He smiled more devilishly this time as he gripped her wrist tighter. "You know . . . that lizard demon that died yesterday because your friend?"

Numata's eyes widen in shock as she feels her heart skip a beat. The stranger noticed her change of expression and laughed. He released on of Numata's wrists and was about to hit her with his free hand, when a ball of light came hurling out of nowhere and struck his wrist. Growling in pain and anger he staggered back, releasing Numata from his grip.

"Numata, are you all right?" Keiko asked as she and Botan ran up to her side.

"All right buddy, you got some explaining to do." Yusuke answered as he, Kuwabara and Kurama stood in front of the three girls. He glared at the stranger that had tried to strike Numata, his fingertips glowing.

"What are you doing here?" Numata asked, looking at Keiko and Botan shocked.

"We were going to get some ice cream when we noticed you and Mr. Whitey." Botan replied, glaring at the stranger then turning back to Numata.

"Step aside. This doesn't concern you." The stranger answered, his golden eyes flashing as his hands slowly rolled into fists.

"Like we'd listen to a punk like you." Kuwabara spat back, cracking his knuckles and popping his neck. He grinned as Kurama and Yusuke stood on either side of him.

"Care to tell us what you want here?" Yusuke replied, his eyes never leaving the stranger.

"You don't DESEVE to know!" The stranger kicked off the ground and charged head on toward the Reikai Tentais. With blinding speed he suddenly appeared before Kuwabara and punched him swiftly in the chest. Spinning around, he gave Yusuke a round-house kick to the face and hit Kurama twice in the chest.

"Damn it." Yusuke cursed, holding his stinging face in pain. "This guy moves fast."

"Glad you think so." The stranger replied as his short black hair swayed in the wind. He got down into an attacking stance as he smiled. "By the way, the name is Garanos. Just thought I'd give my victim's the curteousy of knowing my name before I killed them."

"I've had enough!" Kuwabara shouted as he charged forward. He summoned his Spirit Sword at took a swing at Garanos, intending of chopping him in half. But Garanos foresaw his attack and quickly jumped into the air. Before Kuwabara realized where he had gone, he felt a heavy a blow to the back of his head and dropped to the ground.

"Oh no . . . Kuwabara!" Keiko shouted in shok as she watched him hit the ground.

Garanos looked at the remaining two Reikai Tentais and smirked yet again. He lept high into the air, looking down at Kurama and Yusuke as he hovered above them. Quickly he reached into his back pocket and removed two small capsule like things that he then threw at Kurama and Yusuke. Immediately the capsules broke upon contact and released a thick smoke that clouded the visions of both Reikais. Taking advantage of his distraction, Garanos landed between the two confused Reikais and kicked them both in their backs.

"He's really starting to piss me off . . . " Yusuke growled as he coughed from the smoke and touched the sore spot on his back.

"As long as this smoke is here, we can't see where he is coming from." Kurama answered, as he reached for something. He formed his Rose Whip and whirling it about, he began to make an opening in the thick smoke.

"Nice true, kitsune. But you still can't win against me." Garanos suddenly appeared behind the two Reikais, smiling. He elbowed them both behind their heads and as the fell beside him, he glanced at the three girls that had been sitting their watching this entire time. He then formed a thick chain in his hands, all the while the smile still on his face. "Cause, you see, I always get what I want!"

Garanos raised the thick chain above his head as he stood above the three girls, preparing to strike them. In the instance between his preparing to strike and it actually occuring, Numata felt the pulse surge stronger inside of her chest. Quietly she heard a voice whispering and could feel a pair of demonic blood red eyes looking down at her. /You know that if you don't kill him now, he'll kill you and your friends. Think of yourself and your friends . . . KILL HIM BEFORE HE KILLS YOU/

"DIE!" Garanos shouted, bringin the heavy chain down at a fast pace.

"NO!" Numata screamed as she closed her eyes and protectively loomed over Keiko and Numata. Suddenly her eyes flashed open as a memory flickered in her mind.

"Numata, my sweet daughter." A beatiful woman with long flowing hair held a 5-year old Numata in her arms. Gently she began stroking her young daughter's hair. "Mother loves you very much, you know that . . . and so does father. We'll do anything to protect you from harm . . . anything . . ."

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"Father, why did you kill mother? Why?" Numata, now 10-years old looked upon her demonic looking father covered in blood. She tugged on his arm, demanding an answer. But the only thing she received was a forceful slap to the face that sent her to the ground.

"Filthy child. That wench did it to save you." He spoke, his eyes looking down at her. They shinned with insanity as he took a step toward her. "But, I suppose it was no major loss . . . as I said before, I still have a use for you Numata."

/Mother died . . . prortecting me from my father . . . / Numata thought herself, her eyes still wide in shock. She heard Keiko scream and tilted her head upwards. The chain was closer now, only mere seconds away from striking her body. Quickly she shut her eyes and prepared for impact. But when she felt nothing, she slowly reopened her eyes and gasped. "Hiei!"

Hiei stood before Keiko, Numata and Botan, the chain wrapped around the blade of his sword. He pulled his sword away, causings the chains to slip free and hit the ground. He turned his head and looked down at the three girl's kneeling behind him. "I think it's best if you all get away from here. This could get dangerous."

"Come on." Botan replied as she rose to her feet.

"But . . . " Numata stammered, looking at them worried.

"Don't worry. The guys will be all right." Keiko answered as she took her hand and began to run.

As Botan lead Keiko and Numata away, she glanced back at Hiei.

"Hiei's obviously worried about Numata. Although he won't openly admit it, I know he is."

/Hiei, you better not get yourself killed./ Botan thought as she ran as fast as she could. Worry began to build inside her more as she remembered Kurama laying unconscious on the ground. /Kurama . . . please be okay . . ./

"Worried about the girl?" Garanos asked, swinging his chains over his left shoulder. "It's just a waste of effort trying to save them. I'll just end up getting them back in the end."

"No chance." Hiei answered, standing directly before Garanos, the tip of his sword pointing at his chest.

"Foolish koorime . . . " Garanos chuckled. He raised the chains above his head and began to swing it over his head. "Unlike Higen, I won't go down so easily!"

"We'll just see." Hiei replied, glaring at the foe standing before him.

And that was Chapter Three! I don't know . . . I seem to end up having Hiei facing the foes a lot in this story. oO; Oh well . . . I love the little koorime! XD Chapter Four shall be appearing sometime soon, so stay tuned!