Because She Died

Dane Soar

On looking back at the last few chapters, I have to agree with the reviewer who pointed out that their shortness makes to story difficult to keep up with chapter to chapter. Sorry about that folks. In writing this story I was trying to see if I could tell a story in tiny chapters, a piece at a time. Which must be pretty damn annoying.

Hang in there! Only three more chapters. And please drop a review on your way out and thanks to everyone who reviewed that last chapter, opinions are always welcomed.

Part 9

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Yusuke ran forward to meet Hiei as he burst out of the burning house. He was shocked to see that Hiei wasn't carrying Kurama, but Yukina, who he hadn't even known was in the house.

As soon as Kuwabara saw that it was Yukina he was quick to take her from Hiei, who, in light of the circumstances, surrendered his sister to him without comment. Though he did give him a warning glare.

"What about Kurama?" Yusuke demanded.

In answer, Hiei turned on his heel, to renter the house.

Yusuke grabbed him by the arm. "You can't go back in there! The whole ground floor is on fire, you'll never be able to get out again! You might be a bit fire resistant but Kurama sure as hell isn't!"

But Hiei shook him off, ignoring him and was back inside before Yusuke could make another snatch for him.

"He's gonna get himself killed," Kuwabara said, from where he was tending to the coughing Yukina. "There's no way to get out of that place without frying him and Kurama both. You okay?" he asked Yukina, who was sitting, with him kneeling by her.

She nodded, still trying to clear the smoke from her lungs. "…yes… I just breathed… in a lot of—"

And then the rest of what Yukina said was made inaudible by the collapse of part of the upper story of Kurama's house.

"… that was where the bedroom was." Yusuke said quietly. "And if Hiei put Kurama anywhere, it would've been there."

They were frozen in silence for a long moment, staring at the flames, but then Yukina pressed her hands to her face and tears fell from her eyes, to crystallize before they hit the ground. "He left Kurama inside?" she asked hesitantly. "When he saved me… he…"

"Don't." Yusuke said, cutting her off. The last thing they needed was Yukina blaming herself for Hiei's action.

If they had been under that part of the roof that had fallen in, there was no doubt that Hiei and Kurama were dead, especially given the fact the Kurama wasn't even conscious. Or if they weren't dead they were at the least seriously injured somewhere in there.

And if that was the case… Yusuke ground his teeth in frustration. There wasn't a damn thing they could do to help them; the two demons were in the middle of an inferno!

How the hell had things gotten this out of control?

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TBC