The next morning Kurama drove to the hospital, as usual. But this time he payed closer attention to his mother's actions, and as the morning wore on, Kurama began to see Hiei's point, and it scared him. Shiori would constantly turn and look out the window, she didn't talk as much as she used to, and she made a point of avoiding eye contact. He left about an hour later and walked out to his car. He sat in the seat for a while. Hiei had been right, but he had not wanted to believe it and had hurt his feelings. If Hiei never confides in him again it would be his own damn fault. He squeezed his eyes shut and bit his bottom lip. I'm so sorry Hiei!
He drove home in misery. Once home he went straight to his room and sat down at his desk, simply to think about how miserable he was. Let's see here... my mother doesn't accept me, Hiei hates me, not to mention my grades have been slipping because of my mother's sickness, but I've been worrying over nothing because she's going to get well, but then she'll come home and reject me... how much worse could my life get?
"Oh hell I'm pathetic!" he shouted to himself. "I come home, sit at my desk and think about my own self-misery! How more pathetic could one guy get?" He ran his hands through his hair, and grabbed a handful on the back of his head. "What do I need to do to lead a normal life?" he wondered to himself.
A familiar energy entered his senses and he jerked his head up. He didn't have to turn his head around to know who it was. "What do you want?" Kurama sighed, spinning around in her chair to face the window. Hiei was perched on his favorite branch on the large maple tree outside his window. The pane was locked at about a foot, so Kurama stood up swiftly and walked over to slide it open all the way. Hiei didn't move to enter, like he usually did.
"I'm sorry about what I said to you yesterday, but I don't take it back because I think it may be true..." Hiei answered, leaving his statement hanging.
"No Hiei, I'm the one that should be sorry. I shouldn't have snapped like that. I saw my mother today and observed her. I'm afraid you may be right." Kurama dropped his gaze to the floor, and fingered a lock of silk red hair.
"I'm sorry about your mother... I wish there was something I could do..."
"There's nothing anyone can do, I'm afraid. My mother has a right to her own opinions. I knew she had always believed in the supernatural, like spirits, ghosts and demons, and that made me a little nervous because I didn't know how much she knew. She read a lot of books like the one I borrowed from Koenma. She was against a lot of them, but also praised some for their great deeds. Theives and bandits she hated. I guess it makes sense of why she now hates me."
Kurama picked up the book and looked at the cover. "I should never had borrowed this. Then none of this would have happened."
"No Kurama. Maybe it's a good thing."
"How can this be a good thing?" Kurama wondered frantically. "My mother hates me!"
"Would you like her to pass away thinking her son is a perfect kid? I know I wouldn't. I'd want her to know."
"But her knowing is causing her to reject me!"
"True, but..." Hiei was cut off by the shrill ringing of the telephone.
The fox jumped, but quickly recovered and walked with quick, springy strides over to the telephone sitting my his bed.
"Hello?"
"Yes. Is everything all right?" Kurama answered to the other end.
"No. I was there about an hour ago. I saw nothing different. She was the same as usual."
There was a long pause before Kurama's eyes widened and fear quickly entered them.
"What?" Hiei saw every muscle in the red-head's body tense.
"But... how?"
"Oh, well that's good. Will she survive?"
"Possibly is good. She's a strong woman. She'll make it." His eys and whole body relaxed.
Another long pause before Kurama's emerald eyes widened again. "ME?" Kurama screeched. Hiei was startled by the sudden voice. "You think I did it? Are you insane? I love my mother! I'd never do that, even if I did hate her! I don't try to kill my family."
Now it was Hiei's turn to be surprised. Did they think that Kurama tried to kill his mother? Hiei flitted into another room and picked up another phone.
"Yes. We went into her room to check on her, as usual..." a deep voice was explaining. "And her IV was out, as was her oxygen tubes and the medicine had been spilled on the floor. When Shiori awoke, she said you had done it."
