Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or it's characters. I do not own the music. I do own Angela.

AN-In the beginning of this chapter, it's not actual thoughts like -Man he's cute!- The thoughts are more disconnected so they won't be in -Thought- pattern.

Legend:

Music

Noise

-Telepathy-

-Thought-

/Flashbacks/

Chapter Four

She was floating in a dark space. What happened? /The porch lights of the stadium. Running./ Running? What was I running from? /Raspy gurgling breaths./ What? Who was breathing? /Shadow rising from the ground. Claws raised./ What happened? /Searing pain. Back. Chest. The guys shouting./ Am I dead?

Wait. What's that sound? Muffled voices. "Is she going to be alright?" A muffled reply. The voices fade. She fades back into the comforting darkness.

A cool feeling on her forehead. More voices, slightly clearer. "The wounds are healing nicely. In fact she should be awake by now, I don't know what's causing her to stay unconcious."

"She has to want to wake up first."

"If I was her I wouldn't want to wake up. Not with what all's happened." Wake up? Do I want to wake up? No. It's nice here. No pain, no troubles. She fades back into the darkness.

Movement in her hand. Someone is holding her hand. A familiar voice. "Come on, Angela. Wake up. Please?" Who is that? Nevermind. She fades again.

A slight throbbing pain. Her back and chest. Warm hands holding her own. Hunger, thirst. A light is on somewhere. Another familiar voice. "You're almost there, Angela. Just a little further." A little further? To where? "Come on. You can wake up." Do I want to wake up?...Yes.

She opened her eyes. She was in a strange bed in a strange room. Sitting next to her holding her hand was Michael. "See you could do it," he said softly.

"Where am I?" she croaked. Her throat was very dry. Michael handed her a glass of water that had been sitting on a small bedside table.

"You're in our apartment. Don't take big drinks, take it easy," he advised.

She took a few sips. "What happened?"

"You were attacked."

"By what?"

"First lets get you out of bed, change your bandages and get some food in you," he said, taking the empty glass away. As she got out of bed she realized she had on only a long sleeved shirt and panties. She quickly threw the covers back on.

"Here, let me get you a pair of Hiei's pants," he said without her having to ask.

"Who's Hiei?"

"That's one of the things we need to talk about."

A few minutes later, Michael helped Angela down the hall to the bathroom. Her chest and back were slightly throbbing with pain. After fully remembering being attacked, she didn't want to look at what was under the bandages, but she didn't have much choice since Michael was about to change her bandages. She felt a little embarrased and didn't like the thought of him seeing her breasts, but she really didn't have a choice. When she pulled off the shirt, she found that the bandages wrapped around her breasts, most of her stomach, and over her left shoulder. She averted her eyes as Michael started to undo the bandages.

He saw her and his eyes softened. "Don't worry, it isn't that bad. The gashes have been healing nicely, in a few days there won't even be scars."

She looked down at her chest as the last of the bandages came off. It was true, the four gashes, reaching from below the middle of her breasts to just above her right hip, were already closing. -How can they? They look big and deep enough to have needed stitches to close.- Michael handed her a bowl filled with a green paste. "It's a paste of a healing plant. Rub it on the wounds." He then proceeded to rub some on her back. From the way he was rubbing, she could tell that there were four gashes going from her right shoulder to the middle of her back. After they had rubbed the paste on the wounds, Michael bound the wounds up in fresh bandages. "Now, let's go into the kitchen, get you some food and then we'll talk," he said as she put on the shirt.

Jason was in the kitchen making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He was surprised to find Angela and Michael in his way as he was coming out of the kitchen. "Hey Angela, are you feeling better?" he asked, concern in his eyes.

"Yeah, a little. Right now I'm told I have to get something to eat before ya'll tell me what's going on."

"Ah. Well here," he said, handing her the sandwich. "I can make another. Sorry but we're out of everything else."

"Now that I have food, can you please start explaining what has happened?" she asked Michael.

He sighed. "Yes. Let's go sit in the living room."

Randy was sitting in the living room laying on the couch, watching the tv. When he saw Angela and Michael come in he turned the tv off and sat up on the couch and scooted to the end to give some room. Angela sat next to him and Michael sat on her other side.

"Where do I start?" Michael asked.

"How about what the hell happened last night?" she snapped, tired of all this stalling.

"Hn. It's been three nights since you were attacked," Randy said.

"Whatever! And I've had it with your 'hn's Randy!"

"Randy isn't my real name. It's Hiei." She looked confusedly at Randy, Hiei.

"Yes, how about I start with the fact that we aren't who you think we are," Michael said. "My name is Kurama."

"And I'm Yusuke," Jason said, sitting in an armchair to the side of the couch.

"So you're saying that everything you told me about yourselves is a lie?" she asked, hurt at what seemed like a betrayal.

"No, only the reason why we're here and our names," Kurama reasured her.

"Then why are you here?"

"To protect you."

"Huh?" She felt a dull throbbing in her chest. "I'd say you failed."

Hiei stood up, "Hn! You're alive aren't you! Those shadow creatures were intent on killing you!" He stormed down the hall.

"You must forgive him, and us," Kurama apologized. "We blame ourselves for not keeping a better eye on you."

Angela shook her head. "I guess I didn't make it easier on you. I'm sorry for having said that. But what are these 'shadow creatures'? And why are you here to protect me?"

"Let's start by explaining a few things to you..." Kurama started.

"...So you're telling me that demons and ghosts exist and that there are three worlds. The Living World, which is where we are, the Spirit World, where, you said, dead souls go and is ruled by a god called King Yama and his son Koenma, and the Demon World?" she asked an hour later.

Kurama nodded. "Yes. And we are called Spirit Detectives. We work for the Spirit World, investigating and intervening when demonic trouble arises or any odd paranormal activity happens."

"Like these shadow creatures? By the way what are they?"

"We don't know. Koenma suspects they may be something other than demons."

Angela sat there quietly for a few minutes, taking in what she just heard. "Okay...But why were you sent here to protect me?"

"Well..." Yusuke started, rubbing the back of his head. "You're the last of an ancient race."

Kurama nodded his head. "Yes, from what Koenma says, you are a desendent of a race humans would refer to as 'Angels'." Angela's eyes widened. "It's been four thousand years since the last one died."

"Wow...I knew Angela meant angel in some other language, I just never thought I was really an angel." Yusuke chuckled at that comment.

"I wonder what Candy will say to this when I tell her." She caught the look that passed between Kurama and Yusuke. "What? Can I not tell her?"

"It's not that..." Yusuke mumbled.

Kurama continued for him. "You see...for some reason that we can't guess at for the moment, the shadow creatures created a dopple ganger of you that has taken your place..." Kurama paused. "You can't go back to your old life."

It took a moment for that to sink in. Angela looked at Kurama, tears starting to appear in her eyes. "Never?"

"I'm not sure. But I guess it's a good thing in one aspect." He raised his hands to stall anything she might say to that comment. "Wait...hear me out. We were also sent to ask you to come with us to Spirit World. We weren't sure how we would manage explaining why you were going to Japan."

"Yeah," Yusuke piped in. "At one point we were thinking of having Hiei hypnotize people into just thinking that you were gone."

Angela reacted badly to this. "You mean thinking that I was dead!"

Kurama glared at Yusuke, who backed off. "No. Not like that. At any rate, this way there won't be any questions, and maybe you might be able to regain your life," Kurama said, giving her hope. "So what do you say? Come with us?"

She thought about it for a few minutes. -It means I might never see my family or friends again.- She thought about the last few words Kurama said. -But he said there was a chance I might...Anyhow, where else can I go for now...- She looked at Kurama. "I guess."

Kurama smiled. "Great, we leave tomorrow."

"But how can you. Don't you have to go to school tomorrow."

"Hiei can hypnotize everyone to forget about us."

"Ohh...How exactly can he hypnotize everyone you ever came in contact here?" she asked, trying to hide a yawn.

Kurama noticed her yawn. "I'll explain tomorrow. You should get some rest, you're stilll recovering."

"Fine," she said behind another yawn.

She walked down the hall to the room where she had come out of earlier. However, inside was Hiei. "Uh..Sorry." She started to leave.

Hiei stopped her. "Hn, you can have the room. I usually sleep on the balcony in the living room anyways." He started to walk past her.

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier," she said as he passed her.

"Hn," was his only reply.

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Hiei looked out on the city, sitting on the railing of the balcony, the multiple lights reflecting in his red eyes. Kurama walked up and stood beside him leaning on the railing by Hiei's feet. They stayed like that for several minutes, not talking.

Finally Kurama spoke up. "We did all we could. As you said, she's at least alive."

"Hn."

"How could we have known where she was going? We did the best we could."

Hiei glared at the city lights. "You're full of shit Kurama. You know we were no where near doing 'our best' in protecting her. Hn..In a small sense, she's right. We failed in fully protecting her." They fell silent again.

After a few minutes Kurama talked again. "Are you ready to wipe our existence from the minds of this city?" "Hn, done did," Hiei said coldly. Kurama turned and walked inside. Hiei went back to staring at the city lights.

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Yusuke tossed and turned in his bed, sweat forming on his head. "Nng...noo...don't..go...nng..." He shook his head from side to side. His eyes flung open and he sat up abruptly. "Keiko!" he shouted. He sat there for a few minutes, collecting his thoughts after the nightmare, breathing heavily. -It was just a nightmare...but it felt real.- He rubbed his eyes. -It's been seven years. But it still feels like it happened yesterday...Keiko..- He put his head in his hands and started crying.

Kurama laid in his bed in the room next to Yusuke's. He heard Yusuke shout. He looked at the clock, 3:34 am. -He acts like he's moved on but the night tells otherwise.- He rolled over, thinking about the past few weeks. -However, he's woken up shouting her name less often since he started school. Is the school work making him so exhausted that he just sleeps deeply, or is it something else?- Kurama remembered how Yusuke gave compliments to Angela, how he was always eager to get to Algebra, and how he was moshing with her, trying to protect her from injury without being obvious. Kurama smiled. -Maybe he's beginning to heal at last.- He heard weeping from both rooms on either side of his. His smile faded, thinking of everything that had happened to Angela. -It's going to be hard on her.- He fell asleep contemplating on how to help her adjust to her new life.

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"Kurama?" Angela asked the next morning as she came into the livingroom, still half asleep and wearing only the long sleeved shirt and panties. The only person in the livingroom was Hiei. He looked up, blushed and quickly looked away. "Hhe's in the middle room," Hiei said, only slightly stuttering. She saw the blush.

"Oh c'mon," she teased. "I'm sure you've seen plenty of women half naked, and probably just as many fully naked. What with your sexy self and badass attitude, you're practicaly irresistable."

She walked down the hall, leaving a red faced Hiei speechless. -I'm what?- He thought, stupified.

She knocked on Kurama's door, "Kurama?"

"Mmf..." came the muffled reply.

She knocked again. Sounds of movement came from inside. "Kurama?"

"Ugh...Yes?"

"Can I come in?"

"Hold a minute." There was a moment of various sounds, drawers opening, sounds of rumaging, drawers closing, sounds similar to hastily donning clothing and finally sounds of shuffling feet towards the door.

Kurama opened the door, half dressed in blue jeans and a white unbuttoned long sleeved shirt, showing his chest. -It's hard to believe this sexy man was my teacher!- she thought, blushing. She saw him staring at her.

"Uh...I beleive I know what you're about to ask. I think I can manage to find something in this house to fit you," he said hurriedly as he turned around in his room, heading towards the dresser.

"Actually," Angela said, stopping him. "I was wondering if my pants were at least salvageable, cuz I'm sure my shirt was ripped to shreds."

He turned around, thinking. "...Yes, I guess they might be, the blood stains won't be that noticeable. They'll do for now."

"Good. Can I ask something else?"

"Sure."

"Can you wash my clothes, well what's left of my clothes, my pants and...Well, could you wash them while I take a shower?"

Kurama had started to slightly blush midway through her sentence. "Uh..Sure..."

"Thanks, I'll just slip them under the door."

"Sure..."

Yusuke walked out of his room, catching sight of Angela slipping into the bathroom. He whistled softly, as he walked into the living room. Hiei was back on the balcony railing. "I see you're back in your favorite clothing," he commented, indicating the black cloak, white scarf, and black pants tucked into black boots. "Hn."

The two turned their heads when they heard Kurama walk down the hall way. "Hey, Kurama. Why are you doing laundry?" Yusuke asked, indicating the small basket of clothes he was carrying. "Weren't we going to make a clean getaway? Hiei already erased everyone's memories. Technically, we aren't supposed to be here are we?"

"Hn, yes, and didn't you do laundry yesterday?" Hiei asked. "Aren't those some of my clothes? I know all of my clothes were cleaned yesterday." He came up to Kurama and dug in the basket. He soon pulled out a pair of panties. His cheeks turned red. "Uhh..." He quickly put them back in the basket under a pair of his pants.

"You'll just have to make people think that it's normal for me to be doing my laundry in the apartment laundromat," Kurama said to Hiei.

"Hn," was the reply as Kurama walked out of the apartment.

Yusuke started cracking up. "Hehe...Hiei...haha. Hiei blushing...Hahahaha. I thought I'd never live to see the day!" Yusuke snickered.

"Hn! Shut up!"

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Knock Knock

"Angela," Kurama said through the bathroom door.

"Yeah!" she yelled over the hair dryer, which she assumed was Kurama's.

Kurama opened the door a crack. "Here's your...things...and one of my clean shirts." The hair dryer shut off. He handed her the clothes through the crack. "And when you're dressed we need to redress your wounds."

"Ok." A few minutes later, "I'm ready."

Kurama came in, holding the small bowel of paste. As they started rubbing it on her wounds she asked a question. "Kurama, how can a plant heal wounds like these so quickly?"

"It's a plant from Demon World. Healing plants from there are quite potent."

"How did you come by a plant from there?"

"I'm from there."

She turned to face him, "What!"

"I'm a demon...Well I used to be. I was a fox demon with a penchant for stealing. 29 years ago I was hunted down and gravely injured. I escaped from Demon World into the unborn child Shuichi Minamino. So, you could say I'm part human now," he explained.

"Shuichi? I thought you were called Kurama?" she asked as he started putting fresh bandages on her.

"Shuichi is the name that ordinary humans know me by. Yoko Kurama was my demon name. Since I'm not 'Yoko', yet at the same time not exactly 'Shuichi', demons and some humans that know that I'm a demon call me Kurama."

"Woah. Didn't know that by looking at you."

"You can't always tell a demon just by the way he looks. What do you think about Hiei?" he asked, finishing with the bandages.

-What?- she thought. She was silent while she buttoned up the shirt. Kurama waited patiently. "Well...I think he's hot, but no matter what I do I can't get close to him."

Kurama fell over, a weird grin on his face. As he got up he coughed. "That wasn't what I was asking."

"Then what were you asking?"

"I was trying to prove a point." He paused. "Hiei is a demon."

"Ohhh." Understanding dawned in her eyes. "Is that why he can hypnotize so many people, like you said he could?"

"Yes. Ever wonder why he always wears a bandana?"

"Sorta. I just thought he was in a gang or something."

"He hides a third eye. It's called a Jagan."

"So with this 'Jagan' he is able to hypnotize alot of people at once."

"To make a long story short, yes."

A cheery voice called from somewhere. "Hellooo!" Angela tried to pinpoint where the voice was coming from, but couldn't. Soon, however, the voice started to come from the living room. "Hello Yusuke!"

"Who's that?" Angela asked.

"Ah..That would be Botan," Kurama replied, leading the way out of the bathroom and into the living room.

Inside was Yusuke, Hiei, and a blue haired woman in a pink kimono carrying an oar. "Oh! And you must be Angela!" she said, bouncing towards Angela. "Hello! I'm Botan! Chief pilot of the river Styx," she said cheerily, sticking out her hand.

Angela shook it. "Pilot of the river Styx?" she asked.

"Another term for it would be the Grim Reeper," Botan joked. "I guide dead and lost souls to the afterlife."

"Well, I'm Angela, nice to meet you."

Yusuke whispered to Kurama, "How is it that Botan and Angela are able to speak to each other without a Hear-Ring or Tongues-Ring?"

"The beings of Spirit World are fluent in all languages," Kurama replied.

"Now, are you all ready to go to Spirit World?" Botan asked the group.

"Uh...Botan..." Yusuke said. "There's no way you can take all of us by yourself."

"Oh don't worry. I didn't say I was going to take all of you. I brought help." She then whistled and two females in different colored robes flew through the ceiling on oars similar to the one Botan held.

"Wow..." was all that Angela said.

"That still only makes three of you and four of us," Kurama said.

"Oh I can hold both Hiei and Angela. They're not that heavy," was Botan's reply.

"Hn."

"Oh come on Hiei! Is that all you ever say," Angela teased.

Botan looked at the group, "Is everyone ready to go? Don't worry about packing. Koenma is sending someone here to take care of all of that. He said once you're finished in Spirit World, all of your things will be back at Genkai's. I know it's Kuwabara's and Yukina's now but I still think of it as Genkai's..." She babbled on, as she sat on her oar.

As Angela and Hiei started to get on the oar, Angela whispered to Hiei, "Is she always like this?"

"Hn, yes. But then again who are you to be talking, I've spent many days listening to you babble."

"Hmpf!"