Hey there! Sorry this took so long to get out but I wanted it to be perfect. Or as close as perfect can get. So here it is and I hope you enjoy, there isn't much left for this story but I'm currently working on a new one. If interested the details will be in my Bio.

Anyone seen Star Wars III yet? I did and it's gotta be one of the worst movies I've seen for quite sometime. Yoda was the best part. It might be because I'm a trekie but I'll stop complaining now.

Stop!

Before you go on read this. There is a wonderful YYH fanfic on this site. It's written so well that I felt ashamed to even be trying to write my own fic. That alone sent my muse packing for a while. Now, if you don't mind original characters and love great stories you have to read it! The original characters are fantastic by the way. It's called 'The Devil's Dance Floor'. It's a must read for all of you. I'm not demanding that you read it but I can't see how anyone wouldn't. So as soon as you finish this, go to the link in my Bio and read it. It's honestly the best YYH fanfic I've ever had the pleasure of reading, ever. Go read and review please, maybe they'll update it!

Chapter 17: All or Nothing at All

"Napkins!" screeched Botan loudly, completely shocked by the news she'd been told. The boys had come running to her to tell her of the latest goings on. They were now all in the main living room, standing in front of a roaring fireplace. Hiei never used napkins. Whether it was because he didn't need them or simply refused to use them she didn't know.

Botan opened her mouth to question them further when she realized someone was missing. "Where's Osina?" She looked around the room with her pink eyes scanning everything, a delicate finger resting on her lower lip.

Kuwabara suddenly found the floor very interesting and Yusuke began to whistle some unknown tune. Kurama stared calmly at Botan, who cocked her head in confusion. "Well, where is she?"

"She is safe Botan, she's currently in the library under Hiei's watch." stated Kurama. His voice didn't waver even as he watched a look of pure horror arise on her face.

"She's where! I can't believe you three would allow something like that to happen! She's probably already dead and buried!" She stopped shrieking long enough to point a finger accusingly at Kurama. "And it's all your fault!" She'd hated Osina when she'd first arrived but over the past month she'd grown attached to her. Most likely because they were the only women in the mansion. She'd be devastated if anything happened to her.

Kurama sighed heavily as Botan continued to rant and pace, stopping occasionally to point an accusing finger at one of the boys or to yank roughly on a lock of her light-blue hair. "Botan, Hiei has no intentions of harming Osina in the least. Have you not noticed the change between them?"

The fuming woman froze in mid stomp at Kurama's last sentence. She blinked stupidly and glanced at them. "What… change?" She gave them all a perplexed look as she tried to recall anything about the two. Her face twitched slightly and she gritted her teeth in annoyance.

Her hands flew to her head and each grabbed a fistful of her long hair.

In the background Yusuke leaned over enough that he could whisper to Kuwabara, a sly grin on his face. "And here I thought you were the stupid one."

Kuwabara started to laugh and stopped. He sent a scowl Yusuke's way before walking over to stand near Kurama. The demon offered him a sympathetic look before casting Yusuke a warning glance.

In retaliation Yusuke pulled down his lower eyelid with his finger and stuck his tongue out them. At the sight of Kurama's reproachful look he grinned madly.

All this went on while poor Botan stood hopelessly trying to recall something that she'd never remember. A light tapping on her shoulder brought Botan back from where ever she'd gone to search her mind. "Huh…" she looked back to see Kurama smiling weakly and his eyes closed loosely.

"Listen, ever since that day Hiei rushed out to save Osina the two have been acting, strangely. If you see one you can be sure the other is not far behind. I myself like to call what they share a love-hate relationship." said Kurama.

The room became suddenly quiet and Kurama allowed another exasperated sigh to escape as he stared at his now quite vacant audience.

"The both have realized they have feelings for one another and for some reason hate each other because of it." explained Kurama.

The clueless look only seemed to worsen as Botan cocked her head to the side and Kuwabara zoned out completely. Yusuke had his arms folded and seemed to be glaring at something beyond him.

Kurama brought a steady hand to his temple and looked away from them mentally exhausted. Just once he'd like to have a conversation without needing to explain why they were having one in the first place.

Nothing. There was absolutely nothing in these books. Hiei chucked a random book across the room enjoying the 'thunk' it made when it hit the floor. He was never going to get out of this prison and now he knew he was never meant to do so. He pounded the arm of his chair with a balled up fist. He needed a distraction and his memory reminded him of that upstairs hallway. He began to lift himself up when a small hand grabbed his.

"Please don't go." said Osina. She sat on her knees beside of him, a small dark hand ensnaring his own bandaged one.

"I'll do as I please." He wrenched his hand away from her violently. "Do not touch me."

"Please, stop hurting yourself! There's other ways of dealing with problems. Violence isn't the only answer." She pleaded, her voice growing louder with each word.

"What do you know? Nothing." He hissed. "Now leave me be."

"NO!" She was now standing in front of him, a crazed look in her eyes. He was probably going to kill her now.

Hiei's red eyes glowed dangerously. No matter what he did or said she continued to defy him. He'd tried to be understanding and this was what he got for it? Well he'd had enough. He reached out and grabbed her arm and twisted it mercilessly.

Osina gasped and bit her lip to keep from crying out. She couldn't do that or he'd probably do worse if she did. Her mind screamed at her to stop him but she chose to ignore it. He twisted it further and a few pained whimpers escaped her mouth. Silent tears streamed down her face as she still refused to open her mouth. She brought her free hand up and placed it on the hand that was currently twisting her arm. "P-please, stop." She cried.

With a look of contempt he released her none too gently and watched as she fell in a heap to the floor. "Get out of my sight." He turned away from her not wanting to see her tears.

There was a sharp intake of air from Osina as she struggled to sit herself up. She reeled in pain from some unknown pressure. Her arms suddenly became weak and she collapsed back to the floor. She hadn't hit her head so why did it hurt so much. She blinked rapidly as strange but familiar pictures began to appear before her very eyes. It was as if someone had opened up a door that had been closed for years. Everything she'd never known or barely understood became indisputably clear.

That was why she'd been so frightened of him, yet strangely attracted to his presence. This also must have been what Jin had never spoken to her about. She wasn't normal; she was far from it. She was some rare form of half-breed demon that had been thought extinct. Though she had regained much of her memory there was still something locked inside that she couldn't reach.

It didn't matter what he'd done in the past; his violent actions were tearing her apart. This time with an inner strength she'd picked up from her newfound memories, she began to pull herself up.

"No more" she said quietly coming up to sit on her knees. "You don't need to do this anymore. She wouldn't want you too hurt yourself like this!"

Hiei froze. How could she know about her? He's said nothing to anyone, not even Kurama. He whipped around and stared at her suspiciously. "What do you know?"

"I know that you had a sister and a mother. That you used to live here together with all the other ice demons. I know you are one of the cursed ones and that the owners of this house seen you as a threat. They hired-"

A backhanded slap sent Osina reeling to the floor again. Hiei stood over her fallen form his hand still raised. "How dare you," Hiei growled shaking with anger. "Where did you get this information?"

Osina made no moves to sit up and continued speaking where she lay, paralyzed by pain from his attack. "I know that your mother and sister were brutally murdered and everyone thought you had too. Until you came back…"

Hiei had been about to slap her again when she'd continued on but hesitated at her last sentence. 'Until you came back…' It didn't make any sense, how could she know all of this.

"You came back and killed them all, every last one. Only two escaped that bloodbath you created and one died shortly afterwards."

A light came on in the back of Hiei's head as she spoke. "You… were there."

"I was hiding from my mother when you came bursting in. We'd been playing hide-and-seek. I watched you kill them. You even killed the children and the elders. Y-you killed my mother…" Osina fell silent unable to say anymore.

A stunned Hiei stared at Osina incredibly. Why hadn't he seen it? She could have almost been a perfect copy of the woman that had cursed him years ago had it not been for her lack of height. Both had been strangely defiant and held an inner will power few possessed. They also shared another common trait and that was the ability to turn his world upside down. He found his throat suddenly dry, unsure of how to act around her.

What could he possibly say to her?

Nothing…

Shaking slightly he cast a wary glance down at her huddled form, her white kimono creating a stark contrast on the rustic carpet beneath her. She wasn't crying or angry or showing any emotions as he expected she would. It was as if the memory was not her own and she had only been permitted to see it.

He watched her silently still unsure of what her next move would be. Would she kill him as she had done those vacers, or curse him as her mother had? He expected no forgiveness and he would offer no apology. With that being decided he left the room quietly without turning back.

Shortly after Osina righted herself once more but made no other moves. Her head lowered and her small frame hunched over she wept silently for Hiei and the loss of everything she'd never known she'd possessed.