Well I have to say that this is extremely embarassing, only one reviewer? I feel unloved!

So I dedicate this chapter to BlackSongBird...when you said they were perfect were you talking about Kuwabara and Junko or Hiei and Reiko?

Standard disclaimers apply

Chapter Twenty-Three

(Junko)

Stirring from the darkness that had claimed my mind I dragged myself a few inches up off the cold, wet ground I had been lying on. I was in a gutter and I vaguely remembered how I had gotten here. Yukina had been walking me home and someone had attacked us. They had been strong, in body and spirit. Standing had no appeal for me for it would take too much energy and I had none. Turning my leaden body onto its back I stared up at the dark sky as rain fell on me. It was just my luck, the one night I get attacked it rains.

"Yukina," I whispered hoarsely reaching out unconsciously with my sixth sense to see where her energy signal was. I couldn't find it. "Yukina!" I hauled myself up into a sitting position. I nearly collapsed as blood drained from my head and the world spun. Shivering I looked around trying to find my new friend, there was nothing except this small little grey lump on the ground near me. Swallowing hard I reached out and picked it up. It was Athena. Shock raced through me, her neck was broken. Someone had deliberately killed her, an innocent kitten who could do nothing.

Dragging myself to my feet I cradled my baby's body against me as I stumbled off. I had to find Yukina. They had been looking for her; they hadn't wanted anything else. The park I found myself in was empty. No one was nearby. Rain fell steadily and I grew more and more chilled. My voice gave out due to how many times I screamed for Yukina. I had to get to her friends. They would know what to do. Navigating the empty streets I ignored the stares I received from the few who were out. Yukina had said that guy Kuwabara lived nearby with his sister. Reaching the place that I assumed was his I knocked on the door and waited. No one answered. No one was there; there were no lights on. Sobbing dryly I slid down and allowed myself to be swept away by the encroaching blackness.

(Kuwabara)

"There's no way we're going to be able to find her tonight," Yusuke announced after hours of searching for my flower. "I'm going to contact Koenma and see what he can do, you guys should try and get some rest."

"How can we rest at a time like this?" Reiko demanded. "All I can think about is Yukina out there in the dark scared, alone and soaked!"

"I know, but if Hiei can't find her with his Jagan than that means that someone doesn't want her to be found." Yusuke was pushing his intellect to the limit trying to explain what was going on.

"So you think that someone kidnapped her?" Reiko closed her eyes and shook her head. "I hope to God it's not true, she shouldn't have to suffer through something like that." Hiei laid a hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him her eyes searching his before softening. "I'm sure she'll be fine, she's strong, far stronger than we probably know."

"If anyone finds anything call here at Genkai's and she'll call everyone else and give them the information. Does that sound good to everyone else?" Kurama set up the plan and we all nodded. "Now lets try and get some rest, Yusuke's right, it we're tired we'll be of no use to her." Walking into the other room I gently woke up Shizuru who had fallen asleep after changing into a spare set of clothes.

"What's the plan bro?" She asked standing up and watching me.

"Go home and rest." It felt so wrong. I should be able to do something! Nodding slowly Shizuru led me out to the car and we drove home in silence. Where could Yukina be? What could have happened? The rain that beat on the car seemed to lull me into a sort of half awake, half asleep state. When we reached the house I noticed there was something huddled on our stoop. Walking up to them I bent down hoping against hope it was Yukina, I knew it couldn't be but I still wished. As soon as I touched the person I realized they were burning up with fever, they must have been out in the rain for a while.

"Who is it?" Shizuru asked coming up behind me.

"I don't know," I replied shaking them gently to try and wake them. "Hello? Who are you?" Their head lifted and I found myself staring into deep pools of liquid brown that were swimming with tears. They were familiar, I knew I had seen them somewhere before. Then it hit me: it was Junko.

"Mmm," she moaned softly. Quickly I scooped her up and stepped back so Shizuru could get the door for us. I might not like Junko that much but it didn't mean I wanted her to die.

"We better run a bath for her, follow me and get her out of those clothes," Shizuru instructed and I followed her to the small bathroom that contained a rather big tub. Shizuru turned on the water and began to race around getting towels, clothes and other things while I set Junko down. I went to draw her arms away from her body so I could remove her first wet layer, but I was hindered by the fact that she refused to move.

"Junko you need to let me help you." I tried to pull her hands out but she flinched away and hugged something closer to her chest.

"They killed her, she's dead. Never to live again," she whispered this so softly I barely caught it. "My poor baby."

"Who's dead?" I questioned trying to figure out what she was talking about. Had someone been murdered? What did she mean her baby?

"Athena." Junko held out the broken body of her kitten and I cried out at the sight of it. Her fur was matted with blood and mud; I had never seen anything sadder I don't think. "My baby, what did she ever do to them?" Gently I took her from Junko and placed her on the counter, there would be time for a proper burial another day, but right now we needed to focus on getting her better.

"Can you get out of your clothes? You need to get into the bath." I turned around and turned off the water. "Junko, do need any help?"

"I can't feel anything," she murmured and I began to panic. Without thinking I shucked her clothes off of her and helped her slip into the tub just as Shizuru walked back in.

"What's with the drowned rat on the counter?" She asked quietly as she supported Junko for if she didn't the heart broken girl would slip under the water without noticing.

"It's her kitten, Athena." I gave her a pointed look and understanding hit, silently she mouthed, 'Junko?' Nodding I slipped out of the bathroom and headed to the kitchen to make some tea. Reiko had said that Yukina had taken the bus back into town with Junko so she could walk her home. She had never come back. That meant that Junko had to know something about what had happened to Yukina she just had to. A few minutes later Shizuru came in to see if the tea was done, she told that she had put Junko in my bed. It was only logical, my bed was on the first floor and it would be easiest to access and plus I had a couch so someone could keep an eye on her.

"There were a few minor scratches on Junko, nothing major, but her clothes were soaked with blood." Shizuru told me as I finished making the tea. "It must mean she gave her attacker one hell of a fight before she dropped."

"Or it means her companion was hurt badly, Yukina was walking her home." I put the stuff on a tray and I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Yukina's fine, we would have known if she was dead, you know that." Shizuru squeezed before she let go. "I need some more sleep, be nice to your girlfriend."

"She's not my-" I started to yell but she was gone before I could finish. Muttering under my breath I went into my bedroom to find Junko lying in my bed on her back talking to no one.

"Thanks, you saved my life." At first I thought she might be talking to me but before I could answer she began to talk again. "You know that technically I was out during the fight so the fact that you used me to get rid of them doesn't mean anything." Another pause. "You did? You know where she is?" Tears welled up in her eyes and she began to sob curling up into a ball.

"Junko, is something wrong?" I had already set down the tray so I hurried over and sat down on the bed next to her.

"She's alive, thank God she's alive." She turned her face toward mine. "I thought they might have killed her, but Hiro says she's alive."

"Are you talking about Yukina?" I demanded and she nodded ignoring the tears streaming down her face.

"We were attacked and before I could get my mace they had knocked me out. Hiro took over and fought, but he, in my body was no match. They got away, but he was able to follow them." Sighing she relaxed a little and I refrained from asking any more questions. Suddenly she started and fought her way into a sitting position, the covers fell down and revealed she was wearing about three layers of clothing with the top layer being mine. "I need to feed my kitties!"

"You're in no condition to be going anywhere." I gently pushed her back down with her resisting the whole way.

"I can't let them starve! I'm their mom! Please, Giselle will be missing Athena; I have to tell her that she won't be coming back! Isis and Agamemnon will need to be brushed and Hesperos needs his medicine!" Junko was crying even harder as she clutched at me.

"How about this, you stay here and sleep and I'll go take care of your cats?" I offered and she looked at me blindly in confusion for a moment.

"You'd do that? But you hate me." She wiped tears off her face.

"I don't hate you I just like Yukina better." I tried to be kind and firm at the same time.

"Ok, here's what you have to do…"

X-X-X-X-X

Standing outside Junko's apartment I couldn't help but feel like I was intruding her personal space even though I had yet to even go inside. Pulling out the key she had given me I unlocked the door and walked in. Instantly four cats appeared out of nowhere and began to rub up against me purring loudly. Making my way through the sea of fur I went into the kitchenette where when I opened the cupboard I found probably more cat food than human food. They were all labeled; each one of them ate different brands of cat food and different types. Once I was done pulling out what was needed I searched until I found the five little water bowls and four food bowls like the food they were labeled. Fighting off cats left and right I managed to get them fed without loosing a finger in the process.

Sitting there watching them eat because I had a few more tasks to do when they were done I took in what they looked like. The one who was eating out of Giselle's bowl was a big fat tabby that had grey coloring. The next one was Isis, she was a longhaired cat with pure white fur and she was very thin after her was Agamemnon, he was another fat cat, but he was longhaired and had orange fur. The last one was a black cat with only three legs, Hesperos. When they were done they came over to where I was sitting on the floor with the hairbrushes I had collected. Calmly I informed them that Athena had, "passed on to the land of long scratches and catnip," as Junko had told me to say. For five minutes each I brushed Agamemnon and Isis then I petted each of them for an additional five minutes. Once that ritual was done I gave Hesperos his pill, which took about ten minutes because he kept spitting it back up.

Wandering around her apartment I took in how it looked, it was small and homey. She had a small T.V. and a huge sound system hooked up to her CD/tape/radio and there were lots of handmade stuff hanging around. Finding my way into her room I poked around in her closet looking for something for her to wear because I didn't think she'd want to stay in borrowed clothes. Pulling out a really pretty top that had bell sleeves and intricate embroidery, the bottom of the sleeves were see through and it had a v-neck. Looking inside for a label or tag to show where it was from I found none. Placing it back I picked out a well-worn long-sleeved shirt, sweatshirt and pair of comfy looking jeans.

Turning to leave I spotted a full-length mirror that had little pieces of paper sticking in it crowding in on the view. Approaching it I read the scrawl on the first card it said: laugh and the world laughs with you, cry and you ruin your mascara. There were tons of them, some were sayings, others were reminders and some were dreams. Keep your chin up. You'll find love someday. Take your time. Someday your prince will find you, mine just took a wrong turn, got lost and is too stubborn to ask for directions. Live life one day at a time. You are beautiful just being you. Pay it forward. Why be normal when you can be yourself? Don't take crap from anyone.

She was a lot different than I thought she would be, shaking my head I left and headed back home.


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