Disclaimer: Don't own YYH or Osa.

Note: This is the last chapter. The finale. The end.

Chapter 37

For All the World

Darkfire pulled from Lucifer's comforting arms, slipping on his shirt.

"What is it?" he asked, sitting up on his elbows.

"Hiei's here," she answered, buttoning a few of the buttons. "Can't you hear him?"

"Darkfire," came a faint voice.

"Ah, yes, there he is. And you're going to meet him?"

"Send him home with his prize. He has no business in Hell." She fled from the house and stood on a cliff overlooking most of Hell.

"Darkfire!" Hiei yelled, looking around as he slowed to a stop.

"Up here, Hiei."

The demon looked up and saw the black-winged angel. But he didn't know it was her. "Who're you?"

Darkfire feigned disappointment. "It is I, Darkfire. We met so long ago, so it's understandable that you wouldn't recognize me. Or did you expect me to look like Hokage?" She sat on the ledge and dangled her feet over the edge, tempting him.

"Can you make her live again?"

"What?"

"Can you make Hokage animate again…alive? Can you be her soul?"

"Hiei, Hokage is dead. She can't come back to life simply because you will it."

"The others miss her, too. Be her soul, bring her back…I'm begging you."

She looked down at him with sad eyes, but her coy smile gave him no comfort. "She bled to death, dearest Hiei. She bled from the wound you gave her. I hate to tell you this, but had you not stabbed her, she would have lived."

"She told me—"

"She told you what she hoped. But the moment he slipped that dagger into her, she knew he had missed. She knew she would die by your hands. Life is cruel that way. Life made you kill the woman you loved most."

Hiei fell to his hands and knees. "Hokage…why?"

"Why? Because she loved you. Because she wanted you to live and learn to be happy."

"Even if it meant being alone?"

"Alone? My dear Hiei, how can you say you're alone? You have friends who would die for you, a sister who's still waiting for you. Hiei…you've never been alone in your long life. Someone's always been with you, whether you could see them or not."

Hiei shook his head over and over, trying to convince himself otherwise. "No," he said.

"You doubt me? I was beside you. I led you towards painful decisions and consequences, knowing the end would justify the means. For that, I'm sorry. But never have I left you alone. Hokage never left you." She closed her eyes.

"Come back with me, Darkfire."

Her eyes snapped open. "What?"

"If Hokage can't return with me, can't you? Can't you love me in her place?"

Darkfire's eyes flared with pain. "You dare forsake her love so easily, so quickly? You dare throw her memory, which you so longed to hold onto, into the dirt? Shame on you, Hiei."

"You and she were once one. You must've felt some trace of love for me. Aren't you, in some way, like her?"

"No, Hiei, we're not alike in that many ways. Not in enough ways. You see, unlike Osadyro and Angel, her body wasn't designed for me; she wasn't created for me. Perhaps if I had taken over when she was still and embryo, like Youko, it would've been different. You probably wouldn't have fallen for her because she would've been me."

"Please, Darkfire. If not for me, then for the others."

"The others?" she laughed. "They don't care. Not about me, least ways. They fell in love with Hokage, not me. I'm the enemy, remember? The one who tried to take her away from you."

"Please!" He stared up at her from his knees with sad eyes. His face with twisted with distress. It was pathetic, really. This demon of legend was supposed to be strong and heartless, betraying no emotion. He was supposed to feel no pity or love for anyone. Yet, here he was, practically in tears over his dead lover.

Darkfire looked down at the weak demon with uncaring eyes, though her heart was breaking. Sighing, she produced a black book from thin air. She tossed it down to him. "Give that to the fox."

"What is it?" he asked, picking it up.

"A diary of sorts. Inside is everything he wanted to know about us. On the last page, though, is something for all of you."

Hiei opened it to the back page and read the title, "'Last will and testament.' She left this?"

Darkfire nodded. "Yes. It gives details on what she wants done with the things she left behind. She wants it followed to the letter, as everything has a specific thing to be done with it. And she wanted it to be made perfectly clear that if it says 'trash,' she means 'trash.' She doesn't want you keeping those items." She added, "And when you take your leave, an angel by the name of Raphael will be waiting for you by the waterfall. He will give you Hokage's body and take you both home."

Hiei closed the book and pocketed it. He hung his head in dismay, thinking of the love he lost.

She could not help but wish she had tears to cry, for she would shed them. Her heart ached for him. It pulled at her to go with him, to comfort him. "I told you that you'd be the last thing on her mind. Does that not bring you some comfort?"

"Comfort? What can comfort an empty heart? What can mend a shattered heart?" He held his head with one hand, the other gripping at his chest.

The angel closed her eyes.

"Darkfire."

She looked down at him.

"Come back with me. Tell them how Hokage died for them. Learn to love me. I beg of you with what's left of my pride." He stared up at her with pleading eyes. "Please, Darkfire. Comfort me and I will comfort you."

Her heart stopped for a second. She had the will, the means, the opportunity, and permission to go away with this man. Yet another chance to live on Earth was presenting itself to her, imploring her to take it. But would she? Could she? She had promised her lover that she wouldn't go with this demon. Would she forsake that oath and go away? Would she betray Hokage's memory and steal the man she had proven her love to? Would she throw away all vows of trust ever bestowed to her? Could she?

No, not this time.

"Forgive me, dearest Hiei, but I cannot return with you."

"Why not? What will make you come?"

"Nothing, Hiei, nothing in the world. I made a promise. And I will not steal that which is precious to her. There are others to comfort you, lovely demon."

"Please—"

"Don't make me say it again! I cannot and will not go back." She stood and turned away. Her heart tightened in her chest. "Dare not cry, Hiei. Not for me, not for her." And she slowly began to walk away.

"Please!" Hiei called after her. "Please!"

"I'm sorry, Hiei. I'm so very sorry."

And there you have it.

For those of you urging (threatening) me to write a sequal, I must inform you that there will be none. The sequal would have no point, for his love, Hokage, is dead (obviously) and can never come back. So, there.

But, if any of you so wish to write a sequal for this, simply tell me so that I may read it. You have my permission. Ironic, ne? A fanfic of a fanfic. Anyway. There's that.

Until then, I bid thee farewell.