(screams) I'm SO ashamed! It's taken me over a month to type this chapter. I' appologze a thousand times to those I left waiting. (If there's anyone still there) For those of you who are enjoy! Also thanks for the reveiws it's nice to know I'm doing ok.

I don't own YYH, I don't own Beauty and the Beast but Osina is MINE! Here me! MINE! (cackles evilly) On with the show!

Chapter 10: Mutual Mending

Ashley awoke to the sound of fuzzy converstaions. Her head was in a state of constant pain. The thought of opening her eyes was too much to bear. Instead she tried to study her suroundings and condition by using her other senses. She noticed that she was no longer dressed in her small red kimono. In place of it she was wore along kimono that was much to big for her small body.

She laid there wracking her brain for why it was she was in so much pain. All she got was images full of blood and snow. She didn't know what had happened but it couldn't have been good.

As the pain lessened she slowly opened her eyes. The light hurt a bit and she hissed silently.

"Hey she's awake!" cried a raspy voice. Kuwabara ran over to the wounded girl smiling like a madman. She smiled back finding his child like attitude contagious. The footsteps of the others could be heard approaching in the background.

Yusuke's oddly shaped head appeared next to Kuwabaras'. His lips turned down into a small frown when he seen the girl was awake and smiling. "Hey you've only been sleep for an hour."

Ashley stared at Yusuke with a puzzled expression. "Do you know what happened to me?"

A moment of silence followed her question til' Yusuke gave an answer. "We were going to ask you the same question. Hiei locked himself in the living room and won't come out." The teens' intense gaze watched her skepticaly.

Ashley's memories came flooding back at the mention of Hiei. She remembered now. He'd attacked her and she'd ran out into the forest. Then those animals had attacked and Hiei had saved her. Then she in turn had saved his life but she didn't know how. She blushed at the image of him sleeping peacfuly in her arms. Along with that happy memory came the more painful one, he was hurt, badly. She turned her attention back to the two boys. "Can I see Hiei?"

Yusuke frowned at the girl. He wasn't sure what had happened out there but she barely had a scratch and Hiei had been almost beyond repair. Hiei had not always been his nicest friend but he owed him greatly for giving him and Kuwabara a place to stay. "What happened out there?"

She stared at him and turned her head away to look out the window. She knew Yusuke was upset about his friend being hurt. "I was attacked by some strange wolf creatures. Hiei came and saved me. He got hurt and well I'm sorry." She hung her head low knowing it was completely her fault Hiei was hurt.

"There is no need to apologize. "Kurama's soft voice floated into the room followed by himself. "Your actions need not be justified."

Yusuke and Kuwabara looked back at Kurama as he walked forward. "You may go see Hiei, I'm sure he'll be glad to see your ok."

Ashley nodded her head and got up slowly. The trio watched as she made her way to the the west living room to find her rescuer.

Yusuke wheeled around and sent his best death glare in kurama's direction. "What the heck is your problem! What if she tries to kill him in his sleep?"

Ysuske growled when all Kurama did was chuckle. "I can assure you that no harm will come to Hiei while she is there."

The teen stopped shouting to process a bit of information. "Hey she can't even get in there cause it's locked!"

"I never said the door was locked Yusuke, I only hinted thatHiei 'might'have locked it. I'm sure he just wanted some privacy." Kurama looked away innocently as Yusuke growled in irritation.

Kurama only chuckled slightly at how angry he had gotten.

"What's so funny fox boy!"

"Nothing Yusuke, I was just unaware of how much you cared for Hiei." Kurama smiled at Yusuke with a glint in his eye. It was far to easy to provoke the boy.

Yusuke paled slightly at Kurama's comment. "Your sick! I don't like Hiei like that!" The enraged teen fumed and stomped off. He wasn't about to stand around and be insulted by an old fart in a costume.

Smiling to himself Kurama walked off to help Botan in the kitchen, leaving a very confused Kuwabara in his wake.

The poor boy sat and stared in confusion at what had just happened. Torn between asking Kurama or interrogating Yusuke he chose the latter. "Hey Urameshi, wait up!" The lanky teen ran off after his child hood friend, his arms and legs swinging in odd directions as he did so.

Ashley's poor heart was thundering against her chest as she made her way to the western living room. She was taking her time getting there because she was still unsure of what she was going to do. Shehad to hold up the front of the kimono because it was too long for her to walk around in.She halted outside of the roomand rapped lightly on the door and waited for a reply. The only answer she got was a long stretch of silence. She rapped on the door again a little louder knowing full well he wouldn't answer.

As the silence continued she grew more and more irritated. Then a horrible thought came to her, what if he was dead? Shaking away the negative picture she placed her ear up against the cool surface of the door. She could barely hear the sound of his shallow breathing through the thick wood. Knowing he was still alive gave her the energy to knock on his door one more time. She pulled back her hand preparing to give the poor door the beating of a lifetime. When her hand made contact with the door it opened up instead of making noise.

She stood in the doorway with her fist raised high trying to figure out what had just happened. Finally getting over the shock she walked into the room, letting her hand fall to her side uselessly as she did so.

The room was darker then usual and astrange tint wasbeing cast from the red curtains. With extreme caution she made her way over to the spiky bush coming from one of the chairs. From behind she could see his cuts and gashes had bleed through the wraps of her Kimono she had placed on him earlier. The dried blood was caked all over him and on the chair he wassitting in. She cringed at the sight of his right arm. It was mangled and torn beyond recognition. She became overwhelmed with guilt at seeing the sad state he was in. It was entirely her fault.

Coming around in front of the chair to get a better look she found him wide awake and glaring at her.

"Oh your awake!" Surprised to find him awake she tried her best to sound innocent.

Hiei continued to glare at her never blinking, never flinching.

"I was just walking around and I'm leaving now." Turning on her heel she headed for the door only to be stopped by a quiet voice.

"Wait."

She turned around to face the chair waiting for him to say more.

"Come here." His voice was quiet and barely above a whisper but still held that commanding tone.

At hearing his voice she felt compelled to do as he said. Her body was placed on auto pilot as she walked back over to his chair.

Hiei's intense gaze was focused on the fire. Even though she could clearly see that she still felt like he was watching her. She still felt a little skittish around him and continued to tap her foot lightly against the rustic colored carpet.

"Are you afraid of me?" Hiei was still focused on the fire but he was listening to every sound she made.

She shuffled around a bit still unsure what to say to him. "No, not anymore."

Hiei's eyes glanced over at her and he smirked slightly to hear that she 'had' been afraid of him. It was nice to know that he hadn't lost his touch. "You may leave now."

She shuffled around some more becoming increasingly uncomfortable. "Has someone taken care of yor wounds?" she asked. She knew no one had but maybe he'd let someone if she said something.

"My wounds are none of your concern, now leave." Hiei's voice had grew irritated as he spoke.Turning his eyes back to the fire he stared directly into it's burning glow.He would not have this onna thinking she meant anything to him. Those moments in the forest had been an accident that would not happen again. He stole a glance over to where she had been standing to find she was still occupying the area.

"I told you to leave, why are you still here?" Hiei questioned. Peoplealways didwhen he told them.Why did this particular onna feel she was different.

She raised her head slightly giving him an inferior stare. "Someone needs to treat you wounds, they'll get infected."

Hiei's lips turned up into a disgusted grimace. He disliked the prospect of anyone touching him. Least of all her. What was even more annoying was the fact that she had just given him that haughty look Kurama sent his way constantly. Pulling himself out of his thoughts as he turned to face her tryng his hardest not to raise his voice. The last thing he needed was for Kurama to stick his nose into his problems."I do not need my wounds treated onna, leave me be."

"I'm not leaving until you let me clean those!" She pointed at his numerous bloody gashes and cuts. "Now we can do this the hard way or the easy way. Choose."

The fire seemed dim compared to the blazing glare Hiei was sending Ashley. He had turned around completely so as to glare at her more efficently. How dare she defy him again? "I do not want your presence or your hospitality. Get out before I force you out."

The only moving she did was to place one hand on her hip as the other one lay at her side holding a rag. She turned her own glare on him daring him to 'force' her out.

A bit taken back by her silence he turned back around to face the fire. Maybe if he kept quiet she would take a hint and leave. The sound of her dragging a chair from the other side of the room killed that idea. He forced himself to sink lower into the seat as he watched her place a small kettle on the fire.

Finishing setting everything up she turne to face him and smiled a little. He loooked like he was trying to hide from her. She sat down on the stool she had placed next to his chair and yanked his arm out from it hiding place.

Hiei grunted angrily as he watched her undo the pieces of her kimono. He bit down on his tounge as she pulled it way from his scarred skin. He could easily have stopped her but he couldn't bring himself to raise his hand to her. Instead he watched as she took off all the bandages she'd put on him and threw them into the fire. One piece of the red kimono caught a little gust of wind and landed softly in front of the fire.

The kettle started to whistle and Ashley grabbed a small bowl and poured the hot water into it. The warm steam rose up from it making the air around her slightly moist. Rolling up her sleeves she dunked the rag into it and rung it out. "How are you doing up there?" She asked him quietly never looking away as she began to clean of the blood.

Hiei continued to watch her until she laid the scorching hot cloth on his skin. He tensed slightly as a solitary tear made it's way down his face. Regaining his composure he finally answered her. "Hn" He watched as she raised an eyebrow without complicating her job.

"What's 'Hn' mean? Is that anything like huh?"

Hiei answered with another 'Hn'.

"Ok then silence it is but first I'm gonna need you to lay down. I can't get to your battle scar on your side."

Hiei slowly rose from the chair and laid down on the soft cushioned floor. The carpet was soft and welcoming as he lost himself in the fabric. The small but firm ministrations she was applying to his wounds and the heat of the fire sent him into a dream like state in a matter of minutes.

She smiled when he began snoring loudly. He could use all the sleep he could get. She brought out a roll of wrap and started to cover his larger wounds.When she had covered them all she brought a small gentle hand to his faceand brushed a few strandsof his dark hairaway from his forehead. "Thank you Hiei, for saving my life."

Foursets of eyes, that had poked their heads in earlier,watched in scilenceas a young woman lightly stroked the face of someone who had always seemed wild and different to them.

There ya go! Hope you likedit enough to hang around for an update. Thanks for stopping by and have a nice day! ..or Night! Your Payment is one review.