Well then, recap: the twins are alright... need I say more? More Hiei for you all right here; I'll be gone in three days, don't know when I'll be back, so if you keep reviewing as you have been, I'll post at least two more chapters after this. And I'll try not to leave any cliffhangers- though that may be difficult from now on!

Hiei was fighting a battle with himself. Since Kuronue had explained to him the rules of the in-between new ideas were springing into his mind. Part of him was open to the 'crossing over' idea. He could still check on Kurama and their children- it didn't sound so bad. But another part of him feared that unless he kept constant- or at least near-constant- surveillance over his Fox something catastrophic would happen. A silly fear, he knew, but he was unable to shake it off and clear his mind.

Apparently philosophy no longer managed to keep Kuronue fully occupied. Recently the Bat had adopted the habit of slipping in lectures of crossing over during his constant musing. It annoyed Hiei, but that part of him that was open to 'breaking the chain' listened, debating. In the end, however, paranoid Hiei always won, keeping the Jaganshi rooted to his vigil.

It was such a day when Kuronue was speaking of crossing over that the paranoid Hiei snapped. He asked the Chimera why he continued his pointless mission, when Hiei was in no mindset to listen. Kuronue had grown indignant. "Look at that sky," he'd said, gesturing wildly towards the enduring dusk. "Do you remember asking me if it's always like that? Do you want to know why your sky never changes? Did you not die at sunset? It never changes because you won't let it change. You unnecessarily bind yourself to a life ended, and it's reflected in your surroundings. This isn't an afterlife, it's a rift. A rift that you created for yourself. It's pointless, Hiei. None of this will help Kurama."

"Shut up!" the fire demon growled. "Leave me. Everything you just said is ridiculous babble."

Kuronue narrowed his indigo eyes and his wings rustled irritably, but he kept silent. Instead of saying anything further, he turned and stalked away.

Hiei watched him until the Bat's tall form was no longer visible. The one side of him knew Kuronue was acting with pure intentions, merely wanting to help him. Then the other side argued that he had nothing to benefit from helping him. They'd only met here; it wasn't as though they were friends in life. Were this situation involving Kurama rather than Hiei, he wouldn't wonder at the Chimera's actions.

Kurama. He had to be the reason for Kuronue's insistence that Hiei cross over. He was jealous. Kurama was bearing Hiei's children. Maybe Kuronue had wanted children from Yoko. Now Hiei had a link to Kurama and their soon to be born family, and the Bat wanted to disconnect it. Perhaps he regretted passing his chain of such a link and didn't want Hiei to enjoy seizing the same opportunity now.

No. That was outlandish paranoia. Perhaps Kurama was the reason Kuronue was doing all of this, but to think he was acting out of jealousy or spite was ludicrous. Trying to think clearly, Hiei wondered what Kurama, if he was he able to see all this, would think. Knowing the Fox, he wouldn't want Hiei stuck in a limbo because of him. This 'rift,' if it truly was one, would cause him a great sense of guilt- the last thing in the world Hiei wanted to make Kurama feel. Maybe Kuronue was encouraging Hiei to move on because he knew that was what Kurama would do, and because the Fox was incapable of doing so, the Chimera was simply doing what a friend should do.

The second theory was a lot more likely than the first. Perhaps he was too obsessed with the affairs of the living world. Maybe he should begin listening to Kuronue's words more closely.

Suddenly beginning to feel the Bat's absence, he reluctantly abandoned his post to search for him. He noticed a change in his in-between's appearance. Hadn't the city appeared larger, gloomier, before? Weren't the buildings more imposing when he'd first arrived? Hadn't everything been more dark and gray? Perhaps he'd imagined it all. Or maybe it'd simply changed without his noticing.

To his surprise he found an end to the city, though he was sure last time he'd explored it it'd just gone on and on. The wall, to his annoyance, continued, but its harshness was softened by a vast field (not unlike his own little park) bordered by a forest. Curiosity got the better of him, and he decided to investigate.

Among the trees he saw the silhouette of someone, assuming it to be Kuronue. No, not Kuronue, too short. "Who's there?" he called warily, slowly approaching the shadow. Kuronue was the only one who came to his in-between. Who was this person?

He now stood close enough to see the stranger, make out its features. Her features. Hiei widened his eyes, shocked.

A woman. She was short, of a petite build, and was clad in an icy blue kimono. Long aqua hair fell to the small of her back, tied in place by a crisp white ribbon. Her skin was like ivory, her eyes two large garnets… like his.

For a moment he was unable to conjure any words. Finally, he managed to get one out: "Yukina."

She looked at him for the briefest of seconds, recognition flooding her eyes. "Hiei," she said softly, giving him a small smile, sad and happy at the same time. A tear gem fell to the grass by her feet. Then she disappeared.

Hiei raised his eyebrows. That wasn't Yukina's voice. He'd heard it somewhere… a long time ago…. He rushed to where she'd stood. There was no evidence of what he'd seen. What sort of phantom was this?

No, not a phantom. He picked up the tear gem, holding it between his index and middle fingers. She was real.

The most probable explanation was that their realms had momentarily clashed- his in-between and her world. He thought it over while returning to his Lake. That had to be it.

But why hadn't she stayed? Kuronue never disappeared like that.

If he crossed over, he'd be able to see her….

The Jaganshi shook his head. He would not be so easily tempted by mirages. Not even by… his own mother.