Rising Concern

By: Cece Williams

((Disclaimer: I don't own it, and I don't need to.))

Cece: Sorry for the LONG break. I was working on another story and going through some personal problems. I'm back now.

Kurama: (in a black suit) You are about to enter…

Cece: No more Sci-fis for you. Anyway, read on.

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A relieving 24 hours had gone by since Andrea had come out of her coma. The doctors had told them she would have to stay overnight, but Kurama could come back tomorrow and see her, which was exactly what he did.

In the hospital room, Dr. Yamaguchi checked her pulse and blood pressure. "Well, you're doing a lot better," he said, stepping away from the bed, where Andrea was laying with a small bandage on her head.

"I'm just glad to be here," she answered as a knock on the door interrupted her.

The doctor went to open the door and in came a person with flowers obscuring a face. "Well, it seems you have an admirer," he commented. "I just need to check on a few patients and I'll be back." After Andrea nodded, he left.

She looked at the flowers and giggled as she saw a familiar pair of emerald eyes looking through them. "Wow… and I thought I had a flower fetish," she said as she looked at him.

Kurama lowered the flowers from his face. "You wouldn't believe all the people that missed you," he said, taking a few at a time and them to her. "Let's see… there's Yusuke, Kuwabara, Keiko, Shizuru, Yukina…"

While Kurama continued to count off the people and hand her a small handful of flowers from each person, Andrea felt her cheeks redden. "Oh, boy…" she said quietly.

"…And then me," Kurama finished, sitting in the bedside chair, tired from counting the people who had delivered flowers. "Next time, I'll just ask them all to sign a card."

Andrea giggled, ruffling the fox demon's hair. "Poor fox-boy," she said.

"So, I'm safe to assume that he might discharge you today," Kurama said, looking at the girl in the bed. She looked a little better, but he was thankful nothing was broken.

"I hope so," she answered. "Another day in a room like this would make me insane."

"Well," Kurama started, going from the chair to a side of the bed to sit on. "I would agree if you had to deal with four white walls and nothing to look at."

"Except out the window, which all I see are just buildings."

"True." Then, the silence set in, but only for a moment. "I'm really glad you're all right. I just wish that I could have prevented your attack sooner."

"It's over and done with," she answered, smiling at him. The bruises were barely visible from the last month.

Then came a knock on the door, and the doctor walked in. "Oh, I'm glad you're here, sir," he said to Kurama. "Would you mind if we talked alone?"

Kurama looked down to ask Andrea, but she had just fallen back asleep. "All right," he answered. "She just dozed off again." While the doctor's attention went to her chart, Kurama got off the bed and pecked her lightly on her head. Pulling the blankets up to her chest, he brushed her bangs out of her eyes before he walked out of the room and followed the doctor into a waiting room.

"Is there something wrong with her?" Kurama asked as he sat down.

"No, there's nothing wrong. In fact, she's doing very well," the doctor answered. "I'm just worried about her living conditions. Even with the attack on her life here a few nights ago…"

"What about that?"

"Well, she needs a while to fully recover, and she shouldn't really be alone, considering her attacker might try again."

Kurama nodded. Now he was starting to get what the doctor meant.

"I guess what I mean is in order for her to be discharged, she'll have to be under someone's care, someone she can trust and depend on."

"She'll stay with me," Kurama answered, being handed with the familiar papers.

"Just sign here, here, and here at the bottom," Dr. Yamaguchi pointed out where for Kurama to sign. After he saw that the redhead was finished, he took the clipboard. "All right, as soon as Andrea's awake again, she's free to go. I'll go ahead and take out the remaining IVs."

"Thank you," he answered and bowed before the doctor left for Andrea's room. She'll at least be somewhere safe… and definitely not alone. He walked to Andrea's room and watched as the doctor very carefully took out the IVs in her arm. "Is there anything else I should know?"

The doctor disposed of the needles used in Andrea and looked at him. "She's going to be weak for a couple of days, so if she needs to rest, let her," he explained. "You'll probably have to help her walk up stairs, for example."

Kurama nodded, looking at the napping girl on the bed. "I understand."

The doctor nodded. "She's going to be in pain for a couple of days, up to a week," he replied. "Though at times the pain will subside, some won't."

Andrea started opening her eyes and heard the last part of the conversation. She saw the doctor leave the room and Kurama walk up to the bed. "So, when can I get out of this hell?"

Kurama smiled and chuckled. "After you've woken enough," he answered. "The doctor explained that you'll probably be in pain for a while."

When Andrea moved her arm and winced, she nodded. "Oh, yeah." She started to get out of bed, gritting her teeth, until she felt an arm sneak around her waist.

"Okay," Kurama had wrapped one of her arms around his neck and was starting to steady her as she stood to her feet. "You've been off your feet for about a month, so just take it slow for right now." He took a step forward, keeping himself within arm's reach of her.

Andrea took a step towards him, shaking but took one anyway. "I think I'll be okay," she said, looking at the floor at her shaking legs. It was the first time in a month she was able to stand up. Sure it was with Kurama's help, but at least she was still standing. She stayed still just until she could handle it.

"You're fine," Kurama said in a reassuring tone, taking another step back. "If you start to fall, I'll catch you."

Andrea took another step and wobbled, falling into Kurama's arms. What she didn't know, however, was a pair of lips against hers. Her eyes widened and slowly relaxed at the sight of his crimson bangs.

Kurama, though, was still stunned by what was going on. Nor did he try to stop it. The only thing he could do was support her against him. He finally broke away, his cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment. He looked into her eyes and then at her confused yet startled face. "Are you all right?"

Andrea blinked, not really knowing what to make of it all. She nearly fell, sure, but he had kissed her. Why? "I…I'm okay," she answered.

"I think you're going to need a lot of walking to get the feeling in them again."

"I guess so," Andrea answered, sitting back down on the bed with Kurama's help at the same time the doctor walked in.

"Well, I see she's up and about," Dr. Yamaguchi said, walking up to them. He went in front of Andrea to get her blood pressure and her pulse. After a minute passed, he looked at the machine. "Hmm… 120 over 70," he reported, taking the blood pressure wrap off of her arm.

"So… what's that mean?"

"That means you're free to go," the doctor answered, much to Andrea's relief. "After you change, you can leave right now." He looked at Andrea. "Now be careful the next time."

"There won't be a next time." Andrea started to stand up, this time Kurama's arm was around her shoulders as he helped her up. "I'm fine." She started off to go behind a curtain.

"Thank you, Doctor," Kurama said as he and the doctor bowed before the doctor left the room. When he turned around, however, he was only met with a bare arm, fingers clenching and unclenching.

"I knew I forgot something," Andrea complained from behind the curtain.

Kurama looked at the arm for a second and then blinked. "Oh! I forgot," he said, heading for a bag he had brought with him. Looking in it for a second, he handed her the bag. "I had no idea what you felt like wearing, so I tried to find something."

Andrea grabbed the bag and looked inside. She pulled out a pair of blue jeans, a pale green sweater, and a pair of sandals. Though when she dug deeper in the bag, she blinked.

"Um…" By now, Kurama's cheeks were pink while a sweatdrop rolled down the back of his head. He really didn't want to pick out anything like that for her, but he knew in his mind, Youko was smiling.

"Oh. Thanks a bunch," she answered, shredding off the hospital gown that she had worn for a month. After a few minutes, she peered around the curtain and looked at Kurama, who had his back to her. "Um, Kurama? You don't happen to have a brush on hand, do you?"

Kurama pulled a hand to his hair and pulled out a comb, his composure regained. "I don't have a brush, but I do have a comb, if it will suffice for now," he answered, handing it to her.

Taking it, she stepped out from behind the curtain and started combing her hair. Wincing a little from the tangles, she finished and handed the comb back to him. "Thanks."

You are never gonna wash that comb out again.

Youko, give it a rest. He looked at her and smiled one of his famous platinum smiles. "I'll go ahead and get that wheelchair for you," he said, but as he walked away, Andrea grabbed his arm, making him blink and turn around.

"I don't need one," she said before her knees buckled beneath her again. She blinked and found herself held by Kurama again.

"I think you do," he answered, helping her into a chair. "You shouldn't stress yourself too much at the moment." When she looked up at him questioningly, he rephrased the former sentence into facts. "You just came out of your coma yesterday, but you're not fully well yet." He knelt down next to the chair and looked at her. "And the only way you're able to leave this hospital is in a wheelchair. I promise, one trip in a wheelchair and that's it."

Andrea blinked and looked at him. "Just one trip?"

"Just one, and that's just to a cab outside," Kurama assured her. "And that's it, no more wheelchair." After he finally saw her nod, reluctantly still nodded, he stood up and started out the door. She must not like wheelchairs too much, he thought.

More like she wanted you to carry her home… Youko gave out a mental purr.

I think it's just the idea of staying in a hospital longer than what she's used to. Kurama continued to walk until he spotted a nurse and asked her where the wheelchairs were. After a minute, he got a wheelchair and wheeled it almost to the room. Then he had an idea to make her feel better about getting out.

Back in the room, Andrea was looking out a window until she heard a knock on the door. When she turned her head, she blinked and nearly looked like laughing. Kurama was wheeling himself in the same wheelchair he was getting her back into the room. "What did you do, trip over a nurse?" she asked.

Kurama stood up and out of the wheelchair. "Not in the least sense," he answered, helping her out of the chair and into the wheelchair. "Don't worry. If it makes you feel any better, I'm not fond of them myself."

"Well, why were you in it just then?" Andrea asked, looking behind her to look at Kurama.

Kurama went around to the other side of the room to get her things. He grabbed the empty bag and placed the stuffed seal that the little girl had given him to give to Andrea. "I know with the stress you've been under for a good month and a half, even with you unconscious." He set the bag in her lap and started to leave when the nurse walked in.

"Oh, she's leaving us today?" she asked them.

"Yes, she's going home," Kurama answered. That was a definite half-lie. She would be going home, but she wasn't going to stay there. "Please excuse us, there's a cab waiting for us." Another lie.

"Oh, of course," she said in a sugary-sweet voice as she waved at them leaving.

Andrea waved for a second and as soon as they were out of earshot, she held a hand to her face while Kurama stopped them at an elevator and pressed the down button. "That voice was giving me a headache."

Kurama chuckled as a ding sounded. When the elevator doors opened, several people walked out with flowers and balloons. He wheeled a reluctant-Andrea-in-wheelchair in the elevator and pressed a button to go down to the lobby. He watched as the elevator took them down to the lobby and as it dinged and the doors opened, he wheeled her out of the elevator.

"Any chance I can get a shower when I get home?"

Kurama blinked and looked down at Andrea's upside-down face. "Well, you do look like you've seen better days…"

"Oh, thanks a lot, Einstein," Andrea answered sarcastically, rolling her eyes as she rose her head to look out a window.

"I didn't mean it that way," he answered, putting the brakes on the wheelchair and sitting next to her. He could feel the heat rushing to his cheeks as he felt Andrea's oceanic gaze on him. "You want out of that wheelchair, don't you?"

"Yeah." Her voice was filling with apology. "Look, sorry I snapped at you…"

"You were just under a tremendous amount of pressure," he answered, looking at her somewhat tired form. "The whole ordeal with your ex-boyfriend, pressing charges on him, and him attacking you while you were defenseless…" He stopped as her hand held onto his.

"Last night, I never got to thank you for that," she answered. "I mean, I wanted to, but…"

"You were exhausted, and you had just come to earlier that day," Kurama interrupted. "Even more, the doctors felt you should have rested a little more last night anyway." A smile started to form on his lips as he looked at her. "That's enough of the past, hmm?"

"Yeah," she answered but blinked as she saw a car stop at the entrance and honk the horn.

Kurama noticed the car and stood up. "That's our ride," he answered, standing to his feet. He pulled Andrea out of the wheelchair, with her holding the bag, and walked to the cab. He noticed that Andrea would most likely need a little while to get her feet on the ground, so to speak. After helping her in the car, he sat down beside her.

Andrea only looked out the window, not hearing that Kurama had asked the cab driver to take them to her apartment. She watched as the hospital became smaller between the other buildings in the area. When she looked in front of her, however, she blinked as the car stopped.

Kurama fished out the fare and some extra. "Thank you for coming on short notice," he said to the driver while helping Andrea out of the car. After he closed the door, he waved to the cab driver, which left. He helped her up the stairs to her apartment.

Andrea took a deep breath and sighed. "Home sweet home," she said as she walked, more like limped, in her apartment with Kurama behind her.

"I'm afraid you might not stay here for now," Kurama answered, which made Andrea turn around and look at him.

"What are you talking about?"

"The other condition that you would be released would be that you stayed at my place until you got better."

Andrea blinked in shock. She was finally out of the hospital and she had to go stay with Kurama? She looked around her apartment and grabbed her stuffed animal, holding it close to her as if she felt she would fall over as she sat down on the couch. "Why?" she asked him, still holding the plush.

Kurama leaned against the wall. She was due for an explanation, although at the moment, he wasn't sure if she needed it. "To make sure you're safe."

Andrea rolled her eyes at him. "Kurama, I've lived by myself for about three years," she tried to reason. "I can take care of myself."

What she said was true, but after what had happened, the redhead wasn't taking any chances. "This is just for a while," he answered, bracing for an argument.

"How long is 'a while?' A week, a month..."

A good long year... Youko thought, loving the thought of having Shuichi's "woman" stay at the house… even though his human half gave him a good wallop.

"Just until we can find him and make sure he doesn't hurt you again," he answered, going to sit in a lounge chair near her.

Andrea raised an eyebrow, which hurt for a second. "But he's in jail again, isn't he?"

"It's just a precaution."

Andrea continued to hold her stuffed animal and looked out the apartment window, something she hadn't done since she had been in the hospital. "If I go with you, that means I'm putting everyone in your family at risk... again." Her voice held fear and concern, fear for the fact that Jason would attack again, and concern for his family.

Kurama shook his head. "Not so this time," he explained. "I planted Alarm Flowers all around the house. If someone enters who's not supposed to, then I'll know, whether asleep, awake, or miles away." /1/

Andrea rested her chin on the stuffed seal's head. "Think it'll keep Yusuke away?"

Kurama sweatdropped. He knew what Yusuke would probably tell her when and if he showed up. "Unfortunately no, but he does have a date with Keiko tonight."

"Oh, his girlfriend." /2/

Like you're Shuichi's, although a certain redhead hasn't figured that out yet, Youko thought, looking at the somewhat tired female on the couch.

Can I ask you a question?

I'm listening.

How do you like your kitsune? Raw, medium, or well done?

Andrea took a breath in the silence that seemed to linger in the room. Trying to look casual, she stood up from the couch, which made Kurama blink. "Well! Guess I better get packing..." She headed to her room.

Kurama stood up as well and turned in her direction. "I'll help you if you like."

Though part of her wanted to, the other half didn't want Kurama in the room with her. "No, thanks," she answered over her shoulder as she disappeared into the room. She took another deep breath and started folding some of her clothes and putting them in a suitcase.

Watching her enter her room, Kurama shrugged. "All right."

Look, since you're not going to tell her, I will.

Youko, you even try and I'll have you by your toes.

Doubt that. With that, Youko only took over for a second. He had to make his voice sound like his human half. "I don't know how to tell you, but I love you," he said, letting Shuichi take back over with an innocent look on his face.

The sound of a suitcase falling from the bed made Kurama blink and look worried, putting his head in his hands. What had Youko just done? Youko!

There, you finally said it.

I didn't say it! You did! Scrambling to find a cover, he grabbed a book from the bookshelf and pretended to look through it.

Meanwhile, Andrea hurriedly finished her packing with a sort-of shocked look on her face. "He didn't say that, did he?" she asked as she shut the suitcase. "There's no telling how long he knows how long I've had feelings for him..." She looked at a framed picture of the Tantei and some of the gang. /3/ "Or if he even knows anyway…" Letting out a sigh, she grabbed her book bag and slung it over her shoulder.

In the living room, Kurama was dangerously close to having his face match his hair, although the book he was "reading" covered his face. I can't believe you said that to her.

She was going to find out anyway.

No more fox nip for you until the next full moon.

Damn... and this is the thanks I get for finally getting the truth out?

Without my say so!

Andrea came back out of her room with her book bag on her back and a suitcase in her hand and noticed Kurama reading. "Kurama? Did you say something?"

Kurama peered over the top of the book and looked at her. "What? I didn't say anything," he said but added mentally, For once.

Andrea blinked unbelievingly at the redhead. "I thought I heard you say you love someone," she replied, wanting to cross her arms if it weren't for her luggage.

You, Youko thought in Shuichi's brain.

Inwardly, though, Kurama was panicking. How was he going to get out of this one? "I don't believe I said anything while you were packing."

Andrea blinked, looking at the book in his hands. "Oh... you must have been reading from that," she answered.

Kurama looked at the book in his hand and inwardly sighed in relief, thanking Inari that the book was the perfect cover. "Oh, must have," he answered her. "I sometimes mumble the words without realizing it."

"It's a hard habit to break," she said, looking at the cover again and nearly giggled. "Considering it was Shakespeare."

"Yeah. It is."

Andrea now wanted to fall over laughing as she looked at the title. "Oh... Romeo and Juliet. What a sad way to go."

Kurama nodded, remembering the story of star-crossed lovers all too well from high school. "I found it particularly tragic."

Andrea grabbed a couple more books off the shelf and put some of them in her book bag. "Okay... I guess I can catch up on Greek Mythology while I'm homebound."

"Oh, are you interested in Greek literature?"

"I'm still reeling from that quiz a friend took of me," Andrea answered, putting another book in her suitcase. She wasn't the type of person to be compared to a Greek goddess or, well, anything really.

"Really? What was that?"

"Which Greek goddess was I... and I had to be the one I had to do that report on," Andrea answered, her brow twitching at the memory of being…

"Aphrodite?"

The answer made Andrea shudder. "That'd be the one."

And Shuichi? Ares... wait... wasn't he Aphrodite's brother...

Half-brother, Kurama told his kitsune half to shut him up.

"Although someone said I should have been the goddess of ... oh, what was it..." Now her brows furrowed as she was trying to remember the alternative of the quiz she had to take.

Kurama mentally took a deep breath of relief as his face went back to normal. He leaned against the wall, setting the book on the shelf. "Well, there are quite many," he answered. "There's Hera, Selene, Diana, Artemis..."

Andrea blinked. "Wait, are we talking Greek or Roman?"

"Diana and Selene are in both."

Andrea scratched her head. Was that true? "I must have slept through that part." While Kurama shrugged, she snapped her fingers. "Now I remember! It was Amphitrite."

"I don't believe I've heard of her."

Andrea set down the suitcase in her hand and opened the book that remained in her other hand. "Oh, where was it..." she said, flipping through pages hurriedly. "Oh, here it is... 'Amphitrite: Greek goddess of the sea, wife of Poseidon, and daughter of Nereus and Doris or Okeanos and Tethys. Poseidon chose her from among her sister Nereids. Amphitrite fled, but she was retrieved by a dolphin and returned to Poseidon. Mother of Albion, Benthesicyme, Charybdis, Rhode and Triton.'" /4/

Kurama nodded slightly. It seemed to suit her better, as she came from America… and a Southern state, no less. "Interesting."

Andrea's ocean eyes looked up at the redhead, the entire Greek thinking in her mind. "Though I can think of who you'd be," she offered.

"I'm afraid to ask." Kurama didn't really know, and given Youko's personality, he probably didn't want to know.

Andrea gave Kurama a good once-over and flipped through the book. "Let's see..." While Kurama waited beside her, Andrea's fingers continued to flip through the pages until… "Okay, don't laugh."

"Why should I laugh?"

Andrea tapped a finger on the page. "Dionysus," she answered.

While Kurama mentally told Youko to shut up with his laughing, he blinked. "Well, uh, that's... Different."

"He's the god of the vine," Andrea explained, thinking of Kurama's ability to use vines or anything plant-like in battle and mentally giggling. "And I think it suits you." /5/

Kurama read the rest of the history and nodded. "Yes, I do believe it does."

Andrea stuck that book as well into her suitcase and then closed it. "Well, I'm ready," she said, picking up her stuffed animal.

Kurama nodded. "Let's go," he answered, helping Andrea out the door and following after, locking the door behind them. At least she understood the danger of staying alone, still, the concern for her rose even further.

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Author's Notes:

/1/ Well, in different doujinshis that I've read, Kurama can make anything out of a plant.

/2/ She doesn't know of Yusuke getting engaged to Keiko.

/3/ The picture that Keiko holds during the end of "Sayonara Bye Bye" is the one in question.

/4/ Ironic… she loves aquatic life and she gets the cool one.

/5/ Too real here… but vine does mean "wine", so no biggie.

Cece: Yep, another chapter done, another break for me…

Kurama: Huh?

Cece: What?

Kurama: Aren't you going to tell them what happens in the next chapter?

Cece: No, that's a surprise. Review here, please. And thanks for the mint-flavored water!