Chapter Twenty

Stuck

Katani threw the last blanket in the corner. By now the cuffs had chaffed to such an extent that her wrist began to bleed. Much more of this and I'll just cut my arm off. Kurama sat down and this simple action jerked her arm. Her body fell with a thud on a stack of cloths. Each member had been assigned a mission to complete before the battle tomorrow morning. Katani and Kurama had been given the task of organizing the supply room. After an hour of silent teamwork they were finished.

Neither had spoken a word since Ty left and neither planned on initiating anything. Katani felt guilt for putting both boys through this and yet she couldn't make up her mind which one she preferred. Kurama was still a stranger to her, despite all they had been through in the last twenty four hours. Ty was becoming less and less in her eyes. After she had half heartedly told him her feelings that were not hers to begin with, he had stood over her like a starving wolf over a fresh kill.

Yet he had reason not to fully trust her. Had she not been alone with Kurama for a long period of time? Had she not committed less then faithful acts after her cleansing? And then Kurama had to grab her with such passion right in front of Ty.

Katani rubbed her forehead with her free hand. She couldn't blame Kurama if he didn't want to be with her anymore. Even now feelings of love for him were non-existent. The most that grew was a fondness because of all that had happened. Her eyes fell to her cuffed wrist. The pale flesh was torn and gold blood dripped down her hand and fingers. With a grimace she touched the wound, big mistake. The torn flesh stung from the light pressure she had applied.

A hand grabbed her arm, the hand was cuffed like hers but unlike her torn wrist his was flawless. Kurama placed two fingers on the wound despite Katani's gasp. A thin vine worked the flesh and carefully knit it together before excreting a clear liquid over it. The gel was cool and felt like aloe. The burning stopped and the skin was a clean and soft as her other wrist. Kurama released her and laid back.

"Thanks," she mumbled. This awkwardness was horrible and she wanted it to stop. How would she have handled this when she knew him? Her mind fought to try and remember something, anything about him. Nothing. Alright, well that won't work. She thought about his personality and how he acted. He had remarkable patience and thought things through very carefully. He was smart, kind, dangerous, and very attractive. That last one might not help much though.

From the corner of her eye she glanced at him. He was sitting against the wall with his eyes closed and arms folded across his chest. Listening closely she could hear his very light breathing. Was he sleeping? Katani slid a little closer, then a little more. Hiei had warned her that the mind naturally opened up in sleep. Maybe if their connection still existed she could peek in and find out what he was thinking. He's probably just having dirty dreams…

Katani hesitantly began to poke into his mind. He wasn't sleeping.

One eye slid open and he glanced at her. "May I help you?"

Katani had been leaning over him trying to see what he was thinking. At his words she jumped and fell backwards. Kurama was jerked and he too fell on the floor.

"I'm going to kill Yusuke." Katani sighed. "What was that idiot thinking? Shoving something like that into his mouth. I can't believe he's the only thing keeping this world from utter chaos. You'd think we'd all just die." Flipping onto her side she supported her head with her hand and looked at him. He was resting with on hand behind his head, the other near her cuffed wrist. From on his back he turned his head to look at her. "So, who are you, really?" she asked.

Kurama raised a brow.

"Well you seem like the kind of guy who could kill very easily. Why do you work with Yusuke and the others?"

Kurama closed his eyes. "Death is not always the answer. You of all people should know that."

"Yeah, but you're really strong. I bet if you wanted you could become one of most dangerous things the Human World has ever seen."

To her surprise, he smiled. "I still am."

"That's a bit conceited."

"Not if it's true."

"Okay, then. Answer this question then. Peanut butter and jelly or ham and cheese?"

"What?"

"Just answer."

Kurama opened his eyes and sat up. "Well I'd have to say peanut butter and jelly."

Katani frowned. "Really? But if you don't eat it right away the bread gets all soggy."

"When given something do you set it aside for another day or do you enjoy it?"

Katani started to laugh. Her hand covered her mouth as the giggles grew even louder. He looked at her but that only made her laugh harder.

"Are you feeling alright, Katani?"

"We're sitting here, on the verge of a battle, talking about peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as if they contain life philosophy." Through the giggles she managed to continue. "How is that not funny?"

Kurama smiled. She was the same person as before.

Katani stopped laughing immediately. She had seen that face before. But where exactly? Her mind raced and searched frantically for it. "You… You've smiled like that to me before." The picture in her mind began to clear. "We were at my house, after the storm. You were telling me stories. It was about when you were Yoko. You thought I was asleep but somehow I could see you and the entire room, as if I watched it from above. You stopped the story and smiled, like that, at me. 'Good night, Katani.' You said and then kissed me."

"You remember?"

"It's not my memory, it's yours." Katani said. Tears threatened to overcome her and she quickly wiped them away with the back of her hand. "Dammit. I'm so emotional right now. I must be getting my period or something."

"Thank you for sharing." Kurama moved closer to her.

"I'm sorry, I'm alright."

"Katani, can you see my other memories?"

She tried reaching the top layer of his mind. An invisible barrier stopped her. "No. I want my memories back, dammit!" She punched the floor, hard.

Kurama said nothing.

Silence encased the two for a while longer. Just as Katani was about to get up Kurama laid a hand over hers. The metal in the cuffs rattled against each other as his fingers held hers.

Katani leaned on him. For a while longer they watched as the moon rose higher and higher into the starry sky.

Katani felt a gentle pull and rose with Kurama. They both needed to prepare for the upcoming battle. She led him to the girl's room where she selected a fresh battle suit. Rayson had provided a warm and well layered suit of armor. It was made for female fliers so it provided greater flexibility and speed in comparison to the heavy battle suits the males wore. The Hawks knew how to defend themselves.

Once everything was ready she glanced to Kurama. "Doka tue filiansa remedia?" Do you need to prepare anything?

"Matea." No.

She gaze him a look and he responded by pulling his rose from his hair. This was the only thing he'd need to carry in battle.

At that moment Botan strode through the open screen. "My goodness I head from Ty what happened. Are you two really stuck?" They lifted their wrists and showed her the handcuffs. "How unfortunate," she grinned evilly. "It's too bad Koenma didn't tell you the safety word that automatically unlocks them."

"Tell us," Katani jumped up.

"I think not. Its fun to see you like this, Katani. My, you really don't remember anything. Yusuke told me what was going on. I wish you luck taking a bath tonight." She disappeared down the hall.

"That manipulative witch." Katani spat.

"Easy now, she is right. We should bathe before bed."

"Exactly what are you suggesting?"

Kurama waved his hands in the air. "Calm down, Katani. I'll turn away while you change and vice versa. Have you not been to an onsen before?"

"Fine. If you peek-"

"I will not."

"-I will throttle you in your sleep."

"I say the same for you."

Katani's face flushed. "What kind of woman do you think I am?"

Kurama began walking forward. "I know what thoughts go through your mind. You are not as innocent as people believe." He grinned. "Also you find me attractive."

Katani's word seemed caught in her throat. "Well- that doesn't- shut up! Don't think I can't read what you're thinking! This is a two-way street pal, you keep sneaking into my mind and I'll do the same."

"You gave me free access to your mind when you healed my scratch. I believe that was right after you were finished admiring my muscular arms."

He called it a scratch! That wound was as wide as her finger and as long as a chopstick! Any human with that would have dropped dead in minutes.

"I am not a normal human." He pushed the door to the bathing spring open and handed her a towel.

"Stop that!" She decided to fight back and look inside his mind. …still does not remember. I'm starting to worry if she may never remember. My Katani, come back to me. His words stopped her. The weight of emotion was heavy as she turned away from him. A blockade was built around her thoughts.

They walked into a small changing room. Katani turned away from Kurama and began changing. Her eyes flicked to Kurama every few seconds to make sure he wasn't looking. Changing with one hand was difficult and at one point she nearly fell. After a few difficult moments she stood with the towel wrapped tightly around her.

"Go ahead." She closed her eyes tightly. While she heard the rustle of clothing she tried not to think of anything. The walls around her mind were as high and thick as she could make. Cannons couldn't make it through her walls. Kurama was more dexterous then she and finished in seconds. Katani kept her eyes averted as they walked out and over to the large in ground spring. The Hawks had found a way to divert the flow of river water through an underground tunnel that flowed through the springs. The water was unnaturally scalding and clean.

Katani kept one hand tight around her towel while making sure the cuffed one was not pulling on his. Kurama let his towel hang around his waist.

They both stepped into the water at the same time. Katani reached for the soap and began to clean the dirt and grime off her body. The soap slipped away from her a few times and she scrambled to retrieve it.

Kurama couldn't help laughing.

"What's so funny?"

"You are so stiff. It's as if you think someone will rip your towel away any second."

"Do you blame me for being skittish? I barely know you!" She reached for a bottle of shampoo.

Her words wiped the smile from Kurama's face. "I see."

Katani struggled to soap all her hair with one hand. Kurama lifted his arm to offer her more flexibility. After a low thanks she used both hands and dipped under the water to rinse.

Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Rayson walked into the hot springs.

"Hey, Kurama!" Yusuke waved. Katani was still under the water and out of sight. Kurama's cuffed hand was also under water. He waved back, slowly. "Where's Katani?" He stepped in the water with the others.

Katani popped out of the water and gasped for air. "Phew, it's hot down there. Oh, hi guys."

The boys' mouths dropped open. "What were you doing?"

Rayson flared. "Debauchery! Mithril, away at once! I will deal with this man who has deceived you dear cousin." He grabbed Katani's arm and pulled. Both Katani and Kurama flew forward.

"Ouch! Rayson, that hurt!" She could not understand what was wrong with them, men and women shared baths all the time. If it was that big a deal to him the Hawk Prince should have built a divider. The scene replayed in her mind. Her face paled. "No! No! No! No! That was not at all what it looked like!"

"Uh hu, sure. You da man, Kurama!"

"Mithril, dorefj fjiof okesadf eofkes joek?"

"Nao, beidnf keis doidsm odism." Katani replied.

"I think I understand now. There must be some solution to this." He looked from Katani's pale wrist to Kurama's strong one and frowned. "This cannot be tolerated. It sickens me to see it."

"Rayson!"

"It's all right Katani." Kurama stopped her. Yusuke and Kuwabara looked angry now but restrained themselves.

"Can we talk about this later, Rayson? I want to have some peace before I murder." Her tone dropped. "Will you let me talk with my companions?"

"I will bend to your will, Mithril. Forgive me for my words. I am merely looking out for you. As long as nothing happens between you and a hot blood I am content."

Katani looked away to hide the anger in her face. "We'll talk later, Rayson." Her proud cousin rose and left them in silence. As soon as the screen door shut Katani slammed her fist down in the water. "He can really tick me off!"

"What's going on between you two anyway?" Yusuke asked.

"Yeah, I thought you were dating Ty. That's why I didn't say anything when I saw you making out in the barn."

"We weren't- never mind." Katani leaned against the side.

"So tell, are you two together or what?"

Katani put half her face under the water and blew bubbles.

"No, no we're not." Kurama answered.

"What? Oh come on! Stop dragging it out and get it over with already!" Yusuke picked Katani up by her waist.

"Put me down!" She kicked and flailed while clutching her towel.

"Kiss him!" Yusuke shoved her at Kurama.

"Wa?"

"Kiss him! You seemed to be enjoying yourself earlier so go on before that uppity canary prince gets back."

Katani paused and leaned as if she were going to do it. At the last second she landed one well aimed kick. Yusuke dropped her instantly.

"Why?" He whimpered.

"Katani, do you still love Ty?" Kuwabara swooped in.

"This is nobody's business!"

"Come on, do you or don't you?"

Katani's anger simmered. "NO I DON'T LOVE HIM! I NEVER DID!" She screamed.

Yusuke and Kuwabara froze. Kurama blinked.

"Will you guys just stop. I can't think right now." She disappeared under the surface of the water.

"Leave her be." Kurama muttered. "Her mind is very torn right now."

"You can read her mind again?" Yusuke asked.

Kurama nodded. "She is very confused. I doubt she will ever remember me."

"You love her?" Kuwabara stared like an idiot.

"Wait for it." Yusuke nudged.

All the pieces of the last few months came together. "But with the- and when she- and you? This is," Kuwabara struggled to find a word big enough.

"Big?"

"Yeah there we go! This is big!"

Kurama looked away.

"You okay man?" Yusuke seemed concerned. He knew what a broken heart felt like.

"Yes, Yusuke, I'll be fine."

They were all silent a second longer. "Is she alive down there?" Yusuke looked around for Katani.

"Their gold blood hold ten times more oxygen then humans. She could stay down there for twenty minutes if she choose."

Yusuke whistled. "Well good because this gives us more time. What do you mean not remember? Come on Kurama I've walked in on some pretty heavy stuff and there's no way she could forget that!"

"Urameshi! That is sick! Love is about kindness and trust and caring for some more then yourse-"

"Yeah, yeah. But it's also about getting some-"

"Urameshi!"

"What?"

Kurama shook his head slowly.

"Do you think she meant it?" Yusuke asked.

"About Ty?" Kuwabara rubbed his chin. "She was pretty angry. Hey, what did you walk in on?"

Yusuke grinned. "Just a little of this, a little of that."

Kuwabara stared blankly at Kurama. "Did you two really?"

"No, it never went that far." He sighed. "I would give anything for her to remember again."

Both boys fell silent. Kurama looked cold and his gaze was always somewhere else.

"Hey, man, I'm sure she'll come around. I saw you kiss her today and she was not fighting at all. I think she quite enjoyed it."

"She cannot love someone whom she does not know. I fear she is waiting, waiting till her memory returns. Some part of Ark still remains and makes her wary of me. She is waiting until she can remember before making rash decisions."

"Rash? You two were all over each other! I saw how she looked at you even before anything was going on. It's the same way Keiko looked at me and you look at Katani the same way!"

"If she loved you once Kurama, she'll love you again. Believe in the power of love!"

Kurama smiled, maybe they were right.

With a gasp Katani resurfaced. "Ah…"

Yusuke whistled again. "Hey baby, wanna come swim by me? You're looking hot in that towel. So hot I want to see it on my floor."

"Shut it." Katani leaned against the wall again.

"Burn! She told you Urameshi!" Kuwabara beamed.

"What has the water done to her?" Yusuke marveled. "Blondie is too angry to retaliate? I think the end of the world is here."

Katani watched the boys talk with each other. She couldn't help noticing their build. Kuwabara was well, Kuwabara in every sense of the word. Yusuke had something going for him if you discounted his sex drive. Kurama though, her eyes lingered on his finely toned muscles and fiery hair. A gold blush crept into her cheeks. Ashamed at her own thoughts she pushed them aside. Rivers… Just think of a river… Kurama swimming in a river. NO! Stop. That is wrong. Let's see, the sun. Yes the sun. It's so pretty and bright and sunny. I like the sun. The sun is hot. Kurama's hot. No! Darn it!

A memory flashed in her mind. Her hair sopping onto the carpet. Back covered in blood and torn flesh. Every muscle ached. Someone carried her and tended her wounds. A blank face held her while she cried.

She snapped back to the present. Had that been Kurama? That night there had been a storm, she had nearly died trying to rescue Feer and someone ended up saving her. The memory was fuzzy but still there. Could it have been him?

"Katani?" Yusuke waved a hand in front of her face.

"Huh?"

"Where were you? I called you like three times and you didn't answer."

"I remembered something." She looked at Kurama.

"What? What?"

"I think I may be starting to remember. Crap, I just lost it."

"Be patient. It'll come."

"What was it you wanted to say, Yusuke?"

"Oh, your towel slipped."

Katani looked down. Her breasts were almost completely showing. She pulled the towel up and punched Yusuke with her free hand. "I'm getting out."

Once she threw on a robe she tossed the towel in a waste basket. Kurama followed suit. She stomped to her room and flopped on a futon, ignoring the spirit fox attached to her.

"Katani, calm down." Kurama rubbed his wrist.

"Sorrrrry." She turned away. "Do you plan on staying?" Her tone was bitter.

"That depends, do you plan on killing me?"

Katani glared. "Don't look." She threw on some pajamas and flipped off the light. Kurama changed as well and pulled a futon next to hers.

"I am sorry for this." He said.

"Why should you be sorry? It's not your fault we're stuck together. I don't blame you for the death of my family. You didn't kill my brother. You didn't make it so that every time I try to remember you my head throbs." Her voice broke. "It's not your fault that I can't remember. It's not because of you that Ty is hitting on me." A sob choked her words. "Why should you apologize when everything that's happening is my fault? I should be sorry. Rayson should be sorry. This whole stupid place should be apologizing for taking everything from me!" Tears were pouring down her face. For a while she just lay there in tears. Everything that had been stored up inside her was let loose. "Darn it, I must be getting my period. Stupid freakin hormones!"

Kurama placed a hand on her back and rubbed. He said nothing for what could he say to ease her? All he could do was be there and comfort her. Gentle fingers massaged her back and eventually her sobs died down. The only sound was his hand rubbing the cotton of her nightgown.

"You still have me. I'm not going anywhere." He said. She turned her face to look at him. Her pale cheeks were streaked with tears. With his cuffed hand he wiped away a tear. Carefully he tucked a stray hair behind her ear. She looked as if she could cry again any moment. In the moonlight her eyes shone beautifully.

"Somehow I feel like this kind of thing has happened before."

"That's because it has."

"And you're not sick of it?"

"No. You are crying for me as well. I feel what you feel, in more areas then in others, but you feel things which a passion."

"Fancy way of saying emotional cry-baby."

"Not at all. Keep crying, because I cannot. If you shed tears for my sake I feel as if I don't need to weep. That is enough to get me through."

"I can't see you crying over anything. It seems as if I'm the only one who is afraid."

"I fear so many things. I fear losing those I love. I fear you never remembering how we first met." He placed his hand over hers. "I am afraid you will never remember the time we spent together. Our first kiss, the way I held you, or when we first shared our love. I become scared when I know that your mind is being invaded, your memories stolen. I fear losing you, Katani. I have so many things to be afraid of and you feel them as well. That makes me glad, knowing that you express them for the both of us."

She forced herself to gaze up at him. The look of care in his jade eyes was so pure. Her heart melted at his words. With a muffled cry she held his arm. She clung to his hand as if he were the only thing keeping her from going under, and he was. As she lay there, holding to his strong arm, she drifted from crying to a daze. Her mind was still aware of everything but she felt peaceful. At any moment she would drift to sleep.

Kurama bent over and kissed the top of her forehead. As he lay down with his handcuffed hand near hers he saw her eyes flutter open.

"Hey…"

"Yes?"

"Goodnight, Kurama." She moved closer to him from her mat and wrapped her fingers in his.

He smiled at her and she smiled back.