Well now, we're approaching the end, as you all know. This chapter ought to speed that up, I'm sure you'll understand after you read it. That's the only warning I'll give you right now.

"We should have had the wedding while you were still pregnant," Yusuke said regretfully. "We could have had it in your bathroom for all I care. All that counts is that you would have been there."

Kurama smiled slightly. "Where's the romance in that though?" he tried to joke.

"I'm sorry you won't be there, Kurama," Keiko said.

"So am I," he said sincerely.

"It won't be the same without you," Yusuke added wistfully. He was trying not to look at the Fox. When they'd returned and had seen him, it had been painfully obvious that Kurama hadn't long.

"Yes, well, I'm sure you two will be happy together regardless. I want you to promise"- he added when it appeared Yusuke was about to argue- "that you won't allow my absence to ruin what should be a happy day. I won't be able to go in peace otherwise."

Yusuke sighed. "Fine," he said in a defeated tone.

"Good," Kurama said, trying to sound light-hearted. But even he couldn't maintain the mask, and he found himself glancing at the door apprehensively.

"Don't sweat it, Kurama," Shizuru said, following his gaze. "She'll be here."

He gave a pained smile. "I hope you're right," was his reply.

"Hey man," Kuwabara began, in an effort to cheer Kurama up. "You don't have to worry about a thing, okay? We'll all take care of Rikou and Takashi for you, got it?" Suddenly he shuddered. "Hey, you don't think they'll hate me like the Shrimp did, do you?"

A smile appeared on Kurama's face, a real one. Whether Kuwabara was acting this way on purpose or if it was genuine, it'd worked either way. "Hiei doesn't hate you. And they won't either. Though you may damage their impression of you by speaking of their father in such a way."

"Um, I knew that."

Shizuru looked behind them. "Hello, Mrs. Hatanaka."

Kurama swallowed and looked at the door. His mother had come.

The others saw too. "Um, we should go," Kuwabara said. He clenched his teeth together. "Um, we'll see each other again, huh, Kurama?" He gently punched the Fox in the shoulder.

"Of- of course," he replied, doing his best to keep cool as tears streamed down his face. "This isn't permanent by any means."

"Yeah… Tell Shorty I say hi, okay?" He hesitated, and then Kurama found himself being suffocated in the carrot-top's 'embrace'. "Aw man!" Kuwabara exclaimed. "I'm gonna miss you!"

Kurama could feel himself trembling. He really didn't want to say 'good-bye'. If he did, he might break down. And he didn't want to break down in front of his mother. "We will all see each other again," he said softly, choking on the lump in his throat.

The others were more reserved in their farewells, remembering Shiori was in the room. "Bye, Kurama," Shizuru said. "I'll make sure my brother and Yusuke aren't in the same room as your kids without supervision, okay?"

"Hey!" was the dual defense, and for a split-second the atmosphere lightened. Kurama smiled.

"Okay," he said softly.

Keiko hugged him. "I'll miss you," she said sadly.

"Likewise," was his barely perceptible reply. "Congratulations," he added.

Yusuke clenched his jaw and fists. He opened his mouth but the only sound that came out was air escaping. He took several deep breaths, and tried again. "Bye, Fox-boy." Yusuke was shaking involuntarily now. "Tell Hiei I said hi, too. I don't want Kuwabara getting suck-up points without me, you know." Kurama merely nodded, unable to talk at this point.

They waved to him, trying to keep their cool if only for his sake. They could cry later, when he wasn't there trying to stay strong. He waved back, trying to do the same for them.

And then he couldn't see them anymore. He swallowed, and then turned toward his mother. "Hello," he said softly.

Shiori stared at him. He lay in a limp heap, too weak to even sit up. She heaved a sigh. "Hello."

"Kazuya found you?"

"We crossed paths on my way here. He told me what you shared with him, about the heirlooms, and your…" she trailed off. She didn't want to say 'grave'.

"We don't have to talk about that right now," he said, noticing her expression.

She nodded absently and took a seat at the foot of the bed. "I apologize," she told him softly. "I was avoiding you today. I understand your decision now, or at least for the most part." She sighed. "And almost immediately after I came to that conclusion, I came here. Up until I arrived, the same fear kept running through my mind- that while I was off brooding you might have… that I might not have the opportunity to tell you that I'm sorry."

"It's okay," he said sincerely. "I should have told you myself rather than you finding out that way."

"Don't feel guilty. You wanted what was left of our time together to be happy." She paused. "I hope you don't mind. I gathered up those pictures- the ones of you and Hiei. I want to put them in an album for the babies. I- I don't want them to grow up not knowing who you are. Though I'm not sure what I'll tell them about Hiei…"

"Just tell them everything that I told you. Anything you can't tell them, perhaps my friends can." He suddenly looked anxious. "You'll keep in touch with them, won't you?"

"Of course I will." She stared him in the eye. "You fear I won't love Rikou and Takashi because of what has happened."

He swallowed, guilt creeping up on him. "I…"

"Suichi, you needn't worry. There's no way in the world I'd be able to not love them. They're a part of you." She looked thoughtful. "And Hiei," she added. "They're a part of him too. From what you've told me, and what I saw last night, I know I could have loved him, had he not died before I had the chance to." She looked at him and forced a small smile. She hated seeing him like this. Had he felt this way when she'd been sick?

Kurama saw her looking at him. "I love you, Mother."

She nodded, and, finding his hand, squeezed it. "I love you too, Suichi." Silence fell between the two. "Have I ever told you about the day you were born?"

"No," he replied. Of course, she didn't realize that he remembered the day of his rebirth perfectly. However, he didn't have to tell her that.

"I remember it perfectly." She moved up the bed, closer to him. "The labor was short and there was little pain. And after it was all over, they wrapped you up and gave you to me, and my first thought was, 'Where did you get you red hair!'"

He smiled, even laughed a little. Then he curled up against her and shut his eyes. She was too good a woman to suffer this way because of him, especially after the rotten way he had treated her as a small child. 'I'm sorry, Mother,' he thought. 'I love you.'

"I'm still not sure just where that red hair of yours came from," Shiori continued. "But you were a beautiful child, and I loved you right from the start." She sighed and smiled. "That was the happiest day of my life."

Kurama offered no reply. He was still, his eyes were shut. "Suichi?" Had he nodded off? She sighed and reached out to move the hair out of his face.

Then she froze when she realized he wasn't breathing. His skin wasn't as warm as it should be, and he was paler than he'd been a few minutes ago. Trembling, she felt his neck for a pulse. Her stomach lurched when she found none.

She found comfort in the fact that there was a smile on her son's face, and he looked more at peace now than he'd been in months. However, it didn't keep her from cradling his body in her arms and crying until she had no more tears left to shed.