Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own YYH or the characters used or anything. This story was created for fan purposes only.
I'll be Home for Christmas
Yusuke cuddled his wife Keiko in his lap one cold Christmas night. The fireplace was crackling with a delightfully warm fire and together they sipped mugs of apple cider. They sat on their plush couch a quilt covering their legs and wind and snow howled outside the window positioned right over their heads. The air was filled with the scents of the evergreen Christmas tree mixed with the pleasant sweetness of chocolate chip cookies, which they inhaled deeply.
"Keiko?" Yusuke asked quietly nuzzling her hair inhaling its sweet scent.
"Yes, Yusuke?" she replied dreamily too happy and content to say anything else.
Yusuke looked into the fire for a minute before inhaling deeply to say what he was dreading to say. He knew she would hate him for it but at that point, he had no other choice. "I have to leave tomorrow."
Keiko jerked back from Yusuke's touch and glared at him. Stuttering for words, she spat out, "What the heck do you mean, 'I have to leave tomorrow?' What's going on?"
Yusuke wrapped his strong arms around Keiko's back and held her close to him letting her tears fall on his shoulders. "Shh. It's okay. There's business in Makai I have to attend to."
Keiko's sobs wracked her body. "But I thought you had settled that! You left for three years, why do you have to leave again? For Pete's sake, we're married now! I want a family, Yusuke!"
Yusuke felt wetness around his eyes and realized that he too was about to cry. For the life of him, he didn't want to leave her for any amount of time. She needed him and most of all he needed her. Squeezing her tight, he whispered in her ear, "Honey, I want a family too and I don't want to leave you not now or ever and not for any amount of time. This trip is to settle the fact that I won't ever have to come back, not now or ever. It won't be three years, I promise but I can't guarantee a short one either."
"I'm so selfish, Yusuke, so selfish. I'm sorry." Keiko's eyes began to stop tearing but her nose was still pink and her nose was sniffling.
"No, Keiko. You're not. You never have and never will be. I wanted to take you with me but then realized that it would be too dangerous considering you're a hot girl who belongs to me."
Keiko blushed and giggled at his slight humor even in a situation so heart-breaking. "I love you so much Yusuke," she whispered embracing him tightly.
"Can I promise you something Keiko?" Yusuke asked suddenly breaking the silence.
Keiko didn't answer him, but rather nodded her head in approval. Yusuke took that as his cue to continue and walked over to the piano they had in the corner of their living room. Ever so slowly, he ran his hand over the ivory keys and sat down on the bench. His fingers found the notes he was searching for and he began to play for her.
His fingers fluently danced over the keys as he played the familiar tune "I'll be Home for Christmas." The song was one of Keiko's favorites.
He paused looked at Keiko who looked as if she were about to weep again. "Would you like me to stop playing, baby?" Keiko shook her head not wanting to let go of their last moments together before he departed the next morning. She thought he looked radiant with the silver tinsel they had put around the piano reflecting the candlelight and the Christmas tree lights reflecting off the piano's smooth mirror-like ebony surface. All the lights reflected out of his own brown eyes making them look like twinkling jewels.
The piano continued to fill the room with sweet music as Keiko closed her eyes in concentration. Even without the words, she could hear the words echoing through her head.
"I'll always come home, Keiko. Don't be so downcast. I'll be back." His fingers continued to play over the keys filling the room with the beautiful melody. Keiko didn't know who was taking his leaving worse, he or she. The past year was spent making their house into a home, now she had to take it up for an unknown period of time. The polished hardwood floors, stone fireplace, rustic furniture, old-time quilts, he had helped make all their dreams come true. They were a family, though small.
Yusuke stopped playing taking notice of how overcome Keiko was. In all honesty, he couldn't blame her for he had left once saying he would come back and he had. But what if this time fate had other ideas? It was a thought neither of them could bear.
Keiko walked over to Yusuke and fell into his waiting arms. Ever so slowly, she looked up into his deep, chocolate brown eyes. The eyes that she had fallen in love with so many years before when they were only fourteen. In them she saw the promises from past years and the innumerable hopes of the future. In that moment she realized that he would be back. He wouldn't abandon her or the life they had created for each other. She saw the love in his sparkling eyes. She saw the headstrong look written on his face. They loved each other and no force could keep them apart. Closing her eyes, she stood on her tiptoes to reach him. He responded in the same fashion locking them both into a kiss that neither wanted to break. It wasn't extravagant, nor was it simple. It deepened and became sweeter by the moment each enjoying the other's taste.
Keiko didn't want to let go of Yusuke but realized that she had to. Ever so tenderly, Yusuke swung Keiko's legs off the ground and gently carried her upstairs to their bedroom. Keiko felt safe and protected against his strong, muscled chest being carried in equally strong arms and savored every moment of it, afraid to let go. Gently, Yusuke lay Keiko in their bed, crawled under the blanket next to her and wrapped them in the thick, soft comforter. Yusuke held Keiko next to him until the next morning.
Yusuke rose early long before Keiko would ever arise so he could leave with as little heartache as possible. He looked at Keiko's peaceful sleeping form in his arms, resisting the urge to awaken her one last time before he left but he thought better or it. He swept a piece of wayward hair from her face and planted a gentle kiss on the side of her cheek. Turning quickly, he grabbed his bag and left silently.
Keiko awoke the next morning to bright sunlight streaming in through the window and realized it was probably so bright because of the heavy snowfall they had the night before. She rolled over in her bed to give Yusuke his typical morning kiss then realized that he had probably already left.
Keiko groggily got out of bed and pulled on a terry bathrobe to warm her from the slight chill in the air. Smiling, she walked down the stairs and into her kitchen, mentally reliving every moment of the previous night with her husband. The moments she had shared with him were enough to keep her from worrying about him too much. With a cup of coffee in her hands, she made her way into their living room and stared out the window at the world beyond. It was then something caught her eye.
Something small and white was on the piano. She walked over and saw it was a little card from Yusuke. Opening it, she read the message.
I'll be long gone by the time you get but always remember that I love you and I will come back.
A single tear rolled down Keiko's face and dripped off of her chin onto the card.
"I'll always be here waiting, Yusuke," she whispered.
Two months later (February)
"What is it, Keiko? Did you hear from Yusuke? What's wrong?" Botan rapidly fired her questions to Keiko who was sitting in Botan's living room.
"You know, you should really give people time to answer one question before asking another," Kurama, her husband, said entering the room.
Keiko giggled in spite of herself. "Why are you telling Botan to quit doing things that make her her?"
Kurama smiled as he sat on the couch and circled Botan's waist with his arm. "So, what is this piece of news you're wanting to share?"
Keiko's eyes glazed over for a moment as she thought what it would be like if Yusuke were there. Yusuke should be the first one to hear of her joyous news, not her friends. How happy they would be. Yusuke would never be quiet about it once he found out.
Keiko looked down into her lap and, struggling to say the words, whispered, "I'm pregnant."
Botan let out an ear-piercing squeal and ran over and hugged Keiko tightly exclaiming over and over, "I'm so happy for you! You're going to have a baby!"
Keiko laughed and sat back down. "I just don't feel completely whole without Yusuke here. I mean, he should be the first one to hear I'm expecting!"
Kurama spoke up suddenly. "Do you want me to go find him in the Makai and tell him?"
Keiko shook her head. "Nah. Knowing him, seeing the look on his face when he comes back will be good enough for me."
"When are you going to tell everyone else, Keiko?" Kurama asked.
"Well, if you want, how about you and Botan help me spread the news?"
Botan still hadn't let go of Keiko and was still ecstatic over the news of the coming baby.
7 months later (September)
Keiko's cries of pain echoed throughout the halls of the labor and delivery department of the hospital late one rainy and chilly night. She had called Kurama, Botan, Kuwabara, Yukina and Shizuru begging them to go with her.
And that's where they stood. Kurama and Kuwabara stood by Keiko's bed allowing her to squeeze their hands for support while she struggled to give birth to her baby. Sweat beaded her forehead and ran down the sides of her face, her hair was matted down, and she panted for breath out of exhaustion.
Yukina and Botan kept cold wet rags on Keiko's forehead, Shizuru coached her on and Kurama watched Keiko's vital signs. There was almost no need for the nurses at all.
"AAAHHHH!" Keiko cried pushing her head forward as she felt another strong contraction take a hold of her.
"Push!" Shizuru cried. "1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10!"
Keiko pushed and groaned but fell back into the pillows weak. "I can't do it," she murmured tiredly. "It hurts too much, I don't have any strength left. I just want to go to sleep..."
"Come on Keiko! You can do it! Just think of how surprised Yusuke'll be when he gets back," Botan cheered on.
"Yusuke..." Keiko growled to herself. Her face immediately underwent a change from pain and exhaustion to that of anger and rage at her husband for being gone. Another contraction seized control of her and, digging her nails into Kurama and Kuwabara's wrists, pushed with the last of her strength.
Keiko cried out as she felt her baby's head being pushed out of her. The pain was more then she could take and screamed to the whole delivery room, "Yusuke you jerk! I HATE YOU!"
Despite the situation at hand, the others couldn't help but giggle slightly at Keiko's outburst.
"Here it comes!" the doctor said and he began to hold the baby's head in his hands. "Keep pushing, Keiko, you're doing fine. Here it is..." he paused as Keiko drew in a deep breath. Everyone stood around the bed anxious to find out what the baby was.
"Congratulations Mrs. Urameshi! It's a girl!" The doctor gingerly lifted the baby and placed it on a clean white blanket on Keiko's chest. Keiko looked at her baby girl too overcome with emotion to say anything else and let the tears of joy speak for her.
"Oh..." Keiko groaned. "Another... contraction," she panted. "What's going on?" Once again she grabbed Kurama and Kuwabara for support while Yukina picked up the baby girl and started cleaning her off.
"I don't understand... Keiko, there's another one! You're having twins!" Botan shrieked.
Keiko's scream echoed through the delivery room, people covering their ears at the anguish the sound waves carried. Keiko squeezed the tears out of her eyes and fell back all of her remaining strength and willpower gone.
Another baby's cry pierced Keiko's senses and she realized that her job was done. She had successfully given birth to twin babies. Weakly, she reached her hands out and whispered, "My babies... I want my babies..."
Botan was more than happy to oblige and gently laid the bundled up twins down on Keiko's chest.
"A boy and a girl," Botan murmured. "What are you going to name them?"
Keiko sat silent in thought for a few minutes before whispering quietly, "Sakura and Hoshi."
Everyone around the room smiled. "Fitting names, Keiko. Fitting names."
Keiko's eyes teared up. "I want Yusuke to come home..." she whispered before falling asleep.
(December)
"Shh," Keiko walked around the room gently bouncing the sleeping form of Sakura in her arms. Hesitantly, she place the baby girl in the bassinet next to her brother's who was also sleeping. She kissed each of their heads before tiptoeing out the door and down the stairs.
She smiled at how Kurama and Kuwabara had volunteered so readily to help her convert the storage room to a baby nursery. As far as Keiko was concerned, she was eternally in debt towards her ever-faithful friends.
"They asleep now, Keiko?" Shizuru whispered as Keiko descended the flight of stairs.
"Tomorrow's Christmas, Shizuru. The party's tomorrow." Keiko paused gasping for breath as she tried to hold back her sobs. But the dam of tears in her could not be held back. Shizuru embraced Keiko and let her cry on her shoulder. In between sobs, Keiko's voice sounded raspy as she said, "I... want... Yusuke... back..."
"Shhhh... It's all right Keiko. He'll be back. You ought to go to sleep cause I think you're really tired."
Keiko nodded sleepily in agreement as Shizuru took her arm and led her to sit on the couch then covered her with a warm quilt. The instant Keiko lay her head down, she fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.
Shizuru stroked the side of Keiko's face in a loving, sisterly fashion eternally grateful that she had convinced Keiko to let her stay and help her until Yusuke returned. Keiko had put up a strong fight insisting she could handle herself and her new family but Shizuru knew better. All in all, Keiko finally agreed to have Shizuru stay with her and she was grateful for all the help she offered.
And Shizuru knew this.
A baby's cry sounded alerting Shizuru that Hoshi was awake. She ran up the stairs to tend to him determined not to wake the young mother asleep on the couch.
The next night
Keiko closed the door after the last of her friends had left. She had even convinced Shizuru to go home. Smiling in contentment she walked over to the couch and settled down into the plush material. Kurama, Botan, Kuwabara and Yukina had all come over earlier that day to celebrate Christmas day with her and she was glad.
But something had been missing.
Yusuke.
Keiko picked up a couch pillow and wrapped her arms around it. It had been a good day with everyone fussing over Sakura and Hoshi, the exchanging of gifts, the chatter and the food but it was so much different. The year before there had been the odor of apple cider and chocolate chip cookies filling the air. There had been candles lit, lights outside the house, a twinkling Christmas tree but this year all was dark save for the crackling of the fireplace.
Keiko looked at the grandfather clock standing proudly in the corner of the room and saw that it was nearing 11:30. Where are you Yusuke? You said you'd be home for Christmas! If you break this promise... you're running out of time!
Keiko stared into the fire ignoring everything around her. Nothing was right. Yusuke should be there holding their babies.
She closed her eyes in concentration mentally reliving the previous Christmas trying to bring back the feelings. The feeling of being held in her husband's arms under the quilt. Sipping cider and eating cookies. Recounting and giggling of memories past. Knowing of the swirling blizzard outside but not allowing it to enter. Candlelight reflecting out of their eyes. Dreaming of the future. Hearing him whisper sweet nothings in her ears. Smelling his aftershave. Listening to him play the piano for her...
Suddenly, those memories and sensations weren't hard to mentally relive after all. Keiko felt as if she was really there. She heard the sounds, smelled the smells... She opened her eyes to stop the heartache that came.
But the music was still was playing.
Can it be? No, it couldn't possibly be she thought.
But something pulled at her heart and she turned around to look at the piano.
And time froze. Keiko sat petrified as she watched Yusuke play the same song he played before he left. He sat watching her, waiting for her to respond. He stopped playing and stood his gaze never leaving her.
Keiko tried to move but everything moved in slow motion. She moved her limbs as if they were in water. Yusuke tried to move as well but he was too frozen in his spot.
Time came back. With outstretched arms, they ran to each other. Keiko ran into Yusuke, knocking him to the floor. Crying, she held onto his shirt afraid to let go. Yusuke, in turn did the same letting his tears run down his face.
His hands moved to her face as they stared into one another's brown eyes and he claimed her lips with his, Keiko doing the same. Words were not necessary. Their hands ran through each other's hair while each took their time savoring what they had missed. Keiko held on with her might as he ran his hands up and down her back, rediscovering the woman he had been without. Gently, he drew his face away from hers and stared into her eyes.
"Keiko..." he whispered huskily.
She didn't want to pull away. She clung to him tighter whimpering, "Don't let me go, don't let me go, please. Hold me, Yusuke, hold me." Yusuke held onto her, not wanting to be rid of her touch against him.
The clock struck midnight.
"I told you I'd be home baby," he said.
Keiko rolled off of him and together they stood, Keiko grasping his arms and his hands on her shoulders.
"Yusuke... yes you did and once again you kept your promise." she whispered back. She ran her hands up and down his arms making sure he really was real and not just an illusion. "Yusuke... have you..." -she paused as she felt his biceps- "gotten stronger?"
Yusuke smirked. "Yeah... I mean, after all, the Great Urameshi never stops training. Besides, I need the strength to do this..."
Keiko looked at him curiously. "To do wha- Ah!"
Yusuke swept her off her feet bridal style and spun her around listening to Keiko's angelic laugh that he had been without for so long. He bent his head and kissed her once more. "I love you, little girl. Did you know that?"
Keiko smiled and nodded. "How did things go while you were away?"
Yusuke cocked his head and said thoughtfully, "I won't ever have to go back ever again because I made it so Hiei would."
They both laughed and Keiko exclaimed, "That means we're all in trouble!"
Yusuke sat Keiko down on the couch and sat next to her. "You have a nice Christmas?"
Keiko's eyes widened as she realized that her husband didn't yet know that he was a father. A father of twins no less! "Yusuke, close your eyes. I have something to give you but I have to lead you."
"You didn't have to give me anything, Keiko!" he protested.
"You don't have a choice so come on." She took Yusuke's hand in her own and led him upstairs hoping and praying that the twins wouldn't wake up. Making sure his eyes were still closed, she opened the door to the baby's room and led him inside.
"Can I open now?" Yusuke asked impatiently.
"Not yet." Keiko walked over to Sakura's bassinet and picked up her sleeping form careful not to wake her. She turned and laid her in her father's arms.
Yusuke's eyes popped open and he looked wide-eyed at the bundle he was holding. It was... a baby? His fingers trailed her face and felt the soft crown of black hair. He looked at Keiko still trying to get over his shock. "When did you have this?"
Keiko smirked playfully. "Oh... back in September when you were gone. Yes, she's yours and her name's Sakura."
Yusuke walked around the room talking to his daughter. "You're sure a pleasant surprise to come home to aren't you? You have the best momma you know that?"
"And the best father," Keiko interjected. "And there's more." She turned back to the Sakura's bassinet.
"M- mo- more? How could there be more?" Yusuke stuttered as he turned and looked at his wife's back.
"You haven't met Hoshi." She turned revealing another baby in her arms.
Yusuke took the bundle in his arm. He looked from one to the other awestruck. "You had... twins. I'm... I'm a... I'm a daddy!" Tears rolled down his cheeks as realized what he had missed while he had been gone. "You had them by yourself... you did all of this... and I wasn't there..."
Keiko reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder. "No, I didn't. Shizuru helped me care for them and Kurama and Kuwabara helped put the nursery together. They knew you couldn't be here so they stepped in and helped. Oh, another thing. You're going to be competing with Kuwabara for best father."
"And why is that?" he wondered out loud.
"Yukina told me earlier she's pregnant, too and Kuwabara's boasting that he's going to be the best father there ever was."
Yusuke threw his head back and laughed. "At least I know Kuwabara hasn't changed a bit. But, I know for a fact that I'm gonna win! Besides... I owe him one for his help with taking care of you." Keiko nodded her agreement.
Keiko took Sakura from her father's arms and put her back in her bed leaving him with Hoshi. "Yusuke, I'm tired so I'm going to bed, all right?" Not waiting for an answer, she turned and began walking out of the room.
His words stopped her. "Wait, Keiko. I want to do something."
She turned and looked at him. "What's that?"
Yusuke looked at the floor sheepishly. "I know it's going to sound cheesy but... well, I want to be with my family tonight so how about we take these two and let them sleep with us?"
Keiko nodded and took Sakura and led the way to their bedroom. "There's nothing at all cheesy about that."
30 minutes later
Yusuke came out of the bathroom from showering and changing into his white cotton pajamas to find his wife sleeping with the twins lying between her and where he was going to be.
He pulled the blankets back on his side and crawled in savoring being with his new family. He kissed his wife, then his two children then looked out the window at the snow falling out of the night sky.
Yes, it was indeed a good Christmas to be home.
He lay his head down on his pillow and fell asleep dreaming of what he and Keiko would have in store for their children.
AN: -has turn into a pile of goo- I feel all warm and fluffy inside now, yay! Anyway, please review nicely and if you want to flame, please leave. Thanks a lot for reading and Merry Christmas to all!