Chapter 4:

Special Notes For This Chapter: Anything written in Italics except for just one word or something… is a dream sequence.

Jade plopped down on the couch, staring out the window. It was already nightfall… She looked over at the clock. It read: 2:19. Jade sat up quickly and grabbed the clock off the wall. Yes, it was 2:19 AM. Seems it had been night fall for a long time. She placed the clock back on the wall and fell over onto the couch once more. She didn't have the strength to go to her room. After shopping with Kayko, everyone, except for her father and Genkai, forced her to model her new clothes. Yukina took pictures. After that, Genkai decided to train her. The last bit of training she had to do for the day was sit on a rock and meditate until she figured out how to lift the rock without getting off it. The answer: Who gives a f? But seriously, she knew how to do it…she just wasn't capable of it. She'd have to move the rock with her mind. She just wasn't that disciplined.

Slowly, Jade's mind could stay conscious no longer, and she fell asleep on the couch with the windows and all open. It was a very chilly night too…

Hiei pulled off his covers as he rose up from his mattress. He glanced at the clock. 4:25. He decided a past midnight snack was called for. He stood up and stretched. Thinking no one would be up, he didn't bother putting on a shirt. He walked into the kitchen and pulled a box of chocolate ice cream out of the freezer. He grabbed a spoon and turned to walk over to the couch when he noticed someone laying down on it. He placed the ice cream down and walked over to the limp person. He tilted his head to the side and stared at her. He slowly raised an eyebrow. She seemed asleep, but what was she doing out here?

Then he felt a cold breeze coming from the window. He realized that it didn't matter why she was there, but if he left her there, she would most certainly be ill in the morning. Rolling his eyes, he leaned down and picked her up. He walked into her bedroom and not as gracefully as one would think, he dropped her onto the bed. He was about to walk out when something stopped him. He noticed that there was a quilt hanging on some rack. He jerked it off the rack and spread it over the slumbering girl. Then, he decided to return to his ice cream.

Later That Morning:

With cold sweat beading down her forehead, Jade tossed and turned in her sleep.

Jade found herself looking down a dark yellow hallway. At the end of the hall, her stepfather sat on the sofa with a belt in hand. She began breathing harder and harder. Suddenly, the man turned in her direction.

"What did I tell you!" he screamed. She flinched. He stood from the sofa and began walking down the hall. She turned to run, but was stopped by her mother.

"Where do you think you're going?" she asked darkly.

"I, I…" Jade started. Her stepfather grabbed the back of her head and threw her against the wall and began swinging the belt on her back.

"I TOLDYOU TO NEVER DISTURB ME!" he screamed as he released her head after the last swing of his leather belt. Jade fell helplessly to her knees, her back throbbing. Her mother planted a kick at her side.

"You useless, damn excuse for a daughter!" the woman yelled at her. Her stepfather once again grabbed the back of her head and slammed her into the wall repetitively. "It's a wonder I ever kept you, you filthy little slut!" Her mother grabbed a hold of her long, black hair and twisted it around so much, Jade could have sworn she could feel the hairs on her head being plucked out. She was lifted to her feet and was slapped across the face a couple of times. "You were a MISTAKE! I'm sure that even if I ever gave you to your father, he would murder you on the spot!"

That did it. Jade shot up, breathing heavily. She wiped away the sweat on her forehead along with the salty tears that were beginning to streak her face. Hearing footsteps down the hall, she held her breath. She didn't want them to hear her breathing so heavily, like in her dream. Her bedroom door creaked open, revealing a green haired woman. Jade tightly closed her eyes. Here it comes, she thought.

"Jade?" Yukina asked quietly. "Are you alright?" Jade opened her eyes, realizing that Yukina wasn't going to harm her. She tried to control her breathing.

"Y-Yes Aunt Yukina. Why do you ask?"

"Well… I thought I heard you scream. In fact… everyone heard you scream…" Jade stared at the quilt that was around her. How'd that get there? she wondered. She felt a little weight on the mattress as Yukina sat down. "Were you having a nightmare?"

"…"

"Do you want to talk about it?" Jade shook her head. Yukina place a gentle hand on Jade's cheek as the young girl flinched. "Well, I'm always here. Maybe you should take a shower. I'm sure you'd feel better." Jade nodded. Yukina stood from the mattress and walked out, closing the door behind her. Jade took in a deep breath. Suddenly, she noticed she was in her room, where she hadn't been when she fell asleep last night. Thinking that it didn't matter, jade rose from her mattress and walked across the hall to the bathroom.

"Is she OK?" Kayko asked when Yukina returned from checking on Jade. Yukina nodded.

"It was just a nightmare, I think," she replied. Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kayko nodded at the answer.

"It must have been quite a nightmare," Kurama noted. "She screamed as if she was being murdered."

"Or beaten…" Hiei mumbled.

"Hm?"

"Where is she now?" Hiei asked Yukina.

"She's taking a shower." Hiei nodded and walked over to the fridge. "Do you want to talk to her?" Hiei gave a slight nod as he began heating up some milk in the microwave. (Don't worry, it's not in a bottle.)

When he heard the door in the bathroom open, he waited for about ten minutes, giving her enough time to get dressed, before walking down the hall to her room. He knocked on the door and when her heard, 'Come in,' he entered. He sat the mug of warm milk on the nightstand and sat down on the mattress after closing the door. Jade seemed nervous.

"I heard you had a nightmare," he said. Jade's head drooped. "I also heard you scream." She turned her head away from him. "What was it about?" Jade said nothing. "You know, it does help if you talk about it."

"… it was about mother and… her husband." Hiei raised an eyebrow.

"Were they beating you?" Jade nodded. "I thought so."

"Hm?" Jade brought her head up to him.

"Listen, there is no need to be afraid of them. They can't hurt you here. Drink that." He stood up and began to walk out.

Jade took a sip of the warm milk before saying, "Thank you… Daddy…" Hiei stopped at the word she had just called him. He turned his head back slightly, then nodded. He obviously didn't understand exactly what she was thanking him for, believing the thanks were for the milk and comforting words.

CrashedmyHarley signing off! I guess it's sort of weird that anyone would call Hiei Daddy, but… Jade's not the type of person to call anyone mother or father without it being an insult. And… I thought it was just too awkward for Hiei to be 'Dad'. And I understand that 'Daddy' is even more awkward, but I thought that it was so weird… it made sense… I dunno, maybe I'm losing my mind.