The darn geography project nearly killed me but I got it done. Yay! Chapter 12! 12 is my favorite number and it symbolizes perfection too. lol Just a little fun fact there. I hope you guys are enjoying this story and I promise it gets better! Of course, you realize it has to get worse before it gets better right:P I'm so evil. ON WITH THE FIC!

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"Shuichi!" Shiori rapped on the door loudly. "Shuichi I know you're in there!" She sighed, her voice dropping to a softer tone. "Please. Musuko-chan," her voice was almost pleading now. "Let me in." Two months. For two months he'd been isolated in that apartment. He wouldn't see her, wouldn't return her calls. She had found out from his friends, the rather rough-around-the-edges Yusuke and that nice Kazuma boy, that he was treating them with the same cold shoulder attitude. He had cut himself off from everyone.

Well, she has let it go on long enough. He may be on his own now, living in his own apartment and supporting himself (or he was up until two months ago), but she was still his mother and she deserved an explanation. She knocked again.

"Shuichi dear, please, I just want to talk." Still there was no answer. She sighed and opened her purse. She had been hoping it wouldn't come to this. She had never had to invade her son's privacy before, but she was beginning to think this was what one would consider an emergency situation. She found the spare key and pulled it out. Undoubtedly he had forgotten he had given it to her. She hadn't even remembered it herself at first. And then, when she did remember, she had vowed not to use it. She wouldn't force her way into her son's life. But enough was enough and drastic times call for drastic measures.

She inserted the key into the lock. It fit smoothly. She turned and a light click graced the air. She hesitated before turning the key back and removing it from the lock. She felt dirty somehow, as though she was trespassing, as she opened the door.

The state of the apartment alerted her that something was wrong. It wasn't anything obvious, certainly not anything that anyone who didn't know her son would consider even remotely messy, but she did know him and she also knew this was very unlike him. There was dust on everything, at least an inch thick. His shoes lay carelessly thrown to the side of the door, both scuffed and damaged and laying in a haphazard way that was completely unlike her well kept Shuichi.

She closed the door quietly, stepping farther into the apartment. The living room was deserted and so she continued on down the hall. The kitchen caught her eye much as the previous room had. Unwashed dishes formed teetering towers in the sink and empty instant ramen cups and used chopsticks were littered all about the room.

Indeed, if this had been a normal boy's apartment his mother would have simply shaken her head, made a mental note to reprimand her son on the state of his kitchen, and moved on without another thought. But this was not a normal boy's apartment and Shiori was generally shocked that her son would let his kitchen fall into such disarray. Becoming even more concerned for her son, the worried mother turned from the kitchen and started towards the only room she had yet to check: her son's bedroom.

She paused in front of the door. She had let himself into his apartment and that was bad enough. She wouldn't simply walk into his bedroom too, not unless he allowed it. She knocked lightly on the wood.

"Shuichi," she called softly.

"K-Kaasan?" the voice that answered her was hoarse from disuse and slightly startled.

"Yes, musuko-chan. It's me," she confirmed.

"Kaasan…" his soft alto sounded troubled, distressed, and at the same time she could tell he was trying to hide it. "What are you doing here?"

"I was worried about you," she answered simply. She stopped herself before she said more. She wasn't going to make him feel guilty for causing her worry. No, he'd do that on his own.

"Musuko-chan," she called softly. "May I come in?" Silence answered her.

"Shuichi?" she called again. There was no answer again. Her hand gripped the handle and she stood for a moment, debating whether or not to open the door. Something in his voice told her all too clearly that something was drastically wrong, that he needed her. But to open the door and enter the room when he didn't want her to would be an invasion of his privacy. She sighed. She had been a very trusting mother and had given him ample privacy. She could afford to shatter that privacy as other parents did…once in a blue moon. She turned the handle and opened the door.

"No!" the strangled cry came too late. She stared into the room, shocked into silence. Empty sake bottles lined the bedside table and rolled across the floor. A great many of them were scattered on the bed as well. Also on the bed sat her son, though he was all but unrecognizable now. His eyes were lifeless, bloodshot and sunken. His face was drawn and pale, no longer fair and creamy. His hair was a mess of greasy knots that fell about his face like a blood red veil. The room stank of alcohol and everything from the bed sheets to the curtains looked in need of replacement.

He was staring at her fearfully, not quite embarrassed but definitely scared. She stared back, her expression still blank and unreadable with shock. They locked gazes and just stared at each other for an eternity before her purse slipped from her grasp and broke the spell with a dull thud.

"Shuichi…" her voice was trembling. She stood for a moment where she was; afraid to cross the threshold of the door; afraid what might follow if she entered the room. Then the fear passed and she was stumbling into the room as though she had forgotten how to use her legs altogether. She made it to the bed before collapsing to her knees. He hadn't moved or taken his eyes off her and now she looked up into lifeless, bloodshot emeralds. She reached her hand up, touching his cheek delicately.

"Shuichi…tell me what's wrong," she whispered, her voice still quivering and her eyes misting over. "Please…musuko-chan…what caused this?" If anything, the fear in his eyes intensified.

"I…" he couldn't bring himself to say it. If she knew the truth… He'd already lost Hiei, he couldn't lose her too. He couldn't bare anymore loss.

"It's alright, musuko-chan," she reassured him, suddenly smiling albeit sadly. She placed her other hand on his shoulder. "Whatever it is, you can tell me."

Before he even realized what was happening he had slipped from the bed to join her on the floor and was enveloped in her hold. Just being held…it felt so good! The tears came before he could stop them and soon words were spewing past his lips beyond his control. He told her everything. He told her about Youko; about his former life; about his rebirth as her son; about Yusuke; about Kuwabara; about Koenma; about Botan; about every tournament and every mission. And then, once he had told her all that and he sat in her arms allowing her to rock him like a child, he told her about Hiei.

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Another month ticked by and still he was here, locked to a freezing table, confined to this small white room. The doctor had come twice more, much more quiet these times than the first. She assured him (and the Elders) that the child was developing normally. The relief of this revelation, however, was short lived when compared to the knowledge that the child's life might very well end in one short month.

Two months and still Kurama hadn't come. Why? He couldn't understand it. Why had the fox not come? He didn't know what to think of the redhead anymore. More often than not he was angry at the fox for leaving him here and endangering the life of their child. Usually he attributed this anger to his mood swings, which were becoming ever more frequent, but it was hard to tell.

Now he sat, brooding, as he waited for Rui. She had continued her visits but was becoming increasingly distant. He wasn't sure why. She refused to talk about it and insisted nothing was wrong when asked. Eventually he just stopped asking and decided to wait and see.

The door's creak caused him to look up and he watched Rui enter the small room. She didn't smile at him as she used to and so he felt no need to smile back. Though he'd never admit it out loud, he missed her friendly attitude.

She crossed the room to him silently and handed him the regular loaf of bread and some odd fruit. He'd had it before. It was about the size of a small watermelon but was not heavy at all. It was sweet and eaten rather like a ningen strawberry.

She waited patiently, as always, for him to eat before attempting to speak to him. In truth she needed the extra time to work up the courage to ask the question that was on her mind. She found the nerve to speak just as he was licking the last of the fruit's juices off his palm.

"Tell me, what is he like?" she asked quietly. Hiei stopped in mid lick, his small pink tongue suspended above his palm. He turned unreadable rubies on her but she just stared back at him.

"I'm sure they're wrong," she added after a moment. "In fact, I'm positive that he loves you. So tell me about him." He lowered his hand and the pink tongue was slowly retracted. He was silent for a moment, turning his gaze on anything and everything in the room. Finally, his crimson stare landed back on Rui.

"He…he's perfect," he said after a moment. The statement was quiet and unsure, but even as he said it a million other things came to mind and he continued swiftly, his voice gaining confidence. "He's like…a rose. Kind and gentle, beautiful, but he has thorns too. He can be merciless and cruel...but I love that part of him just as much as the soft and caring side. Sometime—most times—I don't understand him. The things he does…pet names…and cuddling…ningen things. But I think he does it for my reaction… I don't deny I can be cold and distant with others, but not with him…and he loves that. He loves me."

Hiei paused, taking a moment to fight off the stinging that was forming in his eyes. He clenched his fists and bit his lip and finally felt sure he could continue without tears.

"At first, I didn't believe him. I felt sure I was just…just the "lover of the month" so to speak. That he wouldn't, couldn't really love me. But…time passed…and nothing changed. If anything, our bond became stronger. And soon…I loved him just as much as he did me…I still do."

He stopped again, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. He wouldn't cry, not in front of her, not even when he was alone. He wouldn't! She didn't say anything, didn't show any emotion at all. She had become as stoic and blank as he could be, as he wished he could be at this moment.

"And…and when I found out about this child," he began again, his hand resting on his stomach which had begun to expand ever so slightly, "he was the one who told me. He knew first. He…he wanted it…but he didn't tell me that. He want me…to make my own decision…he was afraid of…of pushing me into anything. Crazy fox…" he suddenly choked on his words and knew if he continued he'd surely start flat out bawling, but he couldn't stop. "He loved this stupid kid since that first night, when he…when he smelled the pheromone! He was so excited. I…I'd never seen him…like that before. And…it wasn't just the child either…he…he said it…it made him love me even more!"

Hiei squeezed his eyes shut again, realizing too late that it would do no good against the tears. He clenched his fists until he felt blood trickle from his palms.

"Damn it, Kurama!" he screamed at the ceiling, black teargems with swirling crimson cores bouncing off the table. "Why haven't you come yet! What are you waiting for!" The anger died, whether because of a mood swing or some other reason he didn't know. He didn't care. He lowered his head and just let himself sob, wishing the damned shackles would let him draw his knees up to his chest.

Rui was suddenly very uncomfortable and seemed to realize she shouldn't be witnessing this breakdown. Silently, and completely unnoticed by Hiei, who was still locked in emotional turmoil, she picked all the teargems she could find up off the floor and left. The door closed with its usual creak and Hiei was left alone in his misery.