Wow, how long has it been since I've updated? Years, ages, eons... Anyhoo, sorry for taking so long but I've had a heck of a time writing this for more then one reason. Can we say, computer crashing? Well, I won't bore you with the details so you can read this chapter. Just want you to know that it's almost over. Then I'll be working on Moo Moo Hakusho!

Chapter 18: One Last Time

Hiei stood silently at the exit of the hallway, his back loosely pressed up against the smooth stonewall. The cool surface penetrated his cloak chilled his skin on contact. He could hear the other four moving about in the main living room, as if waiting for him or the onna to appear. When had his every move become their main source of entertainment?

With a low grumble, he forced himself closer to the wall. He needed some way to get past without being seen. Otherwise, he would be interrogated about what had happened between him and the onna. That was something he was not ready to talk about and never would be.

Cautiously Hiei peeked around the wall to see where they were exactly.

Kurama who had long given up explaining the situation had returned to his latest book. He now sat comfortably in one of the many rustic colored lounge chairs, trying his best to ignore his companions. They were obviously incapable of being silent for extended amounts of time.

Kuwabara and Yusuke were squabbling over something and Botan was playing mediator between the two; all three were holding cards. Yusuke was sneering at Kuwabara over his hand as Kuwabara fidgeted nervously. Botan kept looking at them from time to time to keep any more fights from breaking loose.

Hiei grimaced at his task. Either return to the library and deal with his dark past, or be forced to endure their annoying questions. An uncharacteristically pained expression appeared on his face at the thought of either. Maybe he could get by anyway. Kurama was absorbed in his book and the other idiots were never going to notice him.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward hoping he was not noticed before he made it out of harms way.

Unfortunately for Hiei that was not going to happen. No sooner had he stepped completely out of the cover of the stonewall an old floorboard underneath him cracked, loudly. His eyes widened in shock and he froze up.

The sound of creaking wood immediately drew four sets of curious eyes. Each one stopping on the small, dark figure that was frozen stiff in the middle of the entryway.

"Um, Hiei? What are you doing?" asked Yusuke, an eyebrow raised in curiosity as he scanned the surrounding area for Osina.

"Where's Osina shrimp?" Kuwabara asked as he leered at the dark man, as he voiced Yusuke's thoughts.

There was no answer as Hiei silently cursed the old floorboard for betraying him.

Botan only stared, her skeptical gaze trained on the former demon. He was hiding something.

Tilting his head slightly Kurama tried to discern what Hiei seemed so unwilling to say. "Hiei, you seem upset. Did something happen between the two of you?"

As always, Kurama managed to be too perceptive for his own good. They all noticed something was a miss. Hiei chanced a look back to see if they were still staring at him, and they were. All four of them were patiently waiting for him to answer any of the questions thrown at him.

"I- she's inside the library…." He said at last as he sent them all a hateful glare. Why could they not mind their own business as they used to? More importantly when had they gotten so comfortable with his presence? They used to cower before him or flee when he came into the room. Now they were all cozy next to the fireplace, silently mocking him with their laughing stares.

"You know we haven't seen her all day. We're starting to worry", mocked Yusuke with fake concern.

Yusuke had only been mocking him but he couldn't help but notice that they all seemed worried, despite their casual attitudes. What would they do if they found out he had… No, they could never know that.

Without warning Hiei darted back into the dark enclosure, escaping their penetrating stares. He couldn't take their intrusive behavior any longer. Not after finding out what he had done. They may very well try to punish him for it, if he didn't do so first.

"Um, do you think we went too far?" asked Yusuke. It hadn't been directed at anyone solely but to them as a whole.

"No Yusuke, you went too far." replied Kurama calmly.

"Tch, whatever." Yusuke returned to his card game with no more comments, quite content to pout for a while. Kurama rarely accused anyone of anything. He was either worried or body snatchers had taken over his body. Like that was ever gonna happen. If Kurama was worried, there could be trouble.

After thoroughly contemplating the problem to the best of his abilities, he looked at his new hand and grimaced. Life sucked.

After a short sprint, Hiei had made it to the Library doors without being followed. His breathing was labored and beads of sweat clung to his brow. His heart pounded violently in his chest, which was still an odd feeling, as his demon heart had been incapable of such a fete. Even after all this time, his mortal body was still worthless. So what should he do now? He'd run from them but on the other side of those doors lay another problem. He was not sure of what she would do if she seen him again. At any rate, he couldn't keep running away.

The Library doors creaked open slowly before the already flustered Hiei. His breath caught in his throat as he took a few hasty steps backwards. She was coming out now. Why now?

The doors opened fully with Osina right behind. She paused in mid shove to watch Hiei, her brown eyes noting the look of confusion on his face. She took a few slow, dragging steps towards Hiei finally stopping a few feet in front of him. Her head was raised and facing Hiei and the hem of her long, white kimono swayed softly back and forth to her subtle movements. Small brown hands were clasped loosely in front of her as she cast a thoughtful smile in his direction.

Hiei held his breath and tried his best to stay perfectly still. It took her an eternity to get to her destination. Patiently he waited for her to lash out at him, whether verbally or physically. But, all he received was a gentle understanding smile accented by her warm brown eyes. His own face contorted into a look of pure, undiluted confusion.

A soft laugh escaped her lips at Hiei's reaction, her obvious amusement dancing in her eyes. Apparently he'd expected her to hurt him or at least blame him for her harsh life. True that there was a small part of her that hated him for taking away her family but she could never hate him completely. In so short a time Hiei and his friends had become her entire world. So many people had never so openly accepted her. With a bright smile, she turned her attention back to the confused young man.

"I, I forgive you." She whispered silently to him. "I could never hurt you."

Hiei looked taken back by her words. She was forgiving him. The look in her eyes was one of compassion. Yukina had often given him that stare after some of their squabbles. There had never been a time when she had looked at him with anything other then love. Even as he fell to what he thought had been his doom she had smiled, loving him until the very end.

"Yukina…" His voice came out strained and gruff. That name, he hadn't said it since that day.

"Hiei, who is Yukina?" asked Osina, keeping her voice barely over a whisper. His eyes had taken that pained look he seemed to wear so often. She wanted nothing more than to wipe away that feeling with her hands. To smooth away his worries till he was left with nothing but peaceful thoughts. Knowing that wasn't going to happen she silently waited for him to answer.

"She, she was my sister." He said at last, surprising himself. He'd never told any of them about his sister, though he guessed Kurama knew something about it.

"You have a sister?" she spoke hesitantly.

"I 'had' a sister." He said, correcting her choice of words.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I just thought that, you know…" For a moment she stopped speaking when she seen his 'annoyed' expression. "I'm annoying you again, aren't I?"

"Yes, you usually do."

Osina sighed lightly; she seemed to always irritate him, no matter how hard she tried not to. Shewould always be theannoying half-demon no matter what she did.

"But, not this time." Hiei said, bringing Osina out of her negative thoughts.

"Huh?" It was her turn to be confused as one of her eyebrows arched upward. What did he mean by, 'Not this time'? Osina eyed him suspiciously as she waited for some form of clarification.

A great sigh escaped Hiei's parted lips as a meaningful look filled his eyes. "Hn, don't be so dense. I said you were not annoying me this time."

The former demon received no reply as Osina stared at him, unblinkingly. And here he'd thought it impossible for anyone to be as unintelligent as Kuwabara. Hn.

"B-but, I thought you hated me?" She sputtered at last, still a little put off by his words.

"I do hate you but lately I find the mere thought of your presence no longer existing painful."

A small goofy grin inched its way across the woman's face. "Heh, are you saying you can't live without me?"

He wondered, as he watched her face nearly split in half from smiling, if it had been wise to tell her that. "Don't take itliterally, I only said that so you would stop bothering me."

Her smile faltered before slowly vanishing and the lights in her eyes seemed to fade a little at his coarse words.

Hiei looked away, unable to look at her face any longer. Now she would run off crying and then the rest of them would blame him. It had not been his intention to make her cry, he just wanted her to stop grinning like some fool.

After a momentof dead silenceOsina spoke. "I didn't think I could live without Jinn. Yet here I am,alive and wellwithout him." She stared at the stone wall as if looking beyond its solid frame. "I just wish I could have seen him, one last time..."

As he listened to her quiet plea an idea came to him. "You still can, if you wish to."

"Really?" she exclaimed as her eyes brightened once more.

"Hn, follow me." He turned and headed in the direction out of the hallway with Osina hot on his heels. Heknew hecould never completely atone for what he'd done to her, but he could at least try. If seeing her brother could ease her pain then he'd give it to her, no matter what the cost.