Standard Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho, Yoshihiro Togashi does, but I did wish I owned it (sob). If I did Hiei and Kurama should have been together…

9 Months of Maternity

Chapter 23- One's Gain is another's lost

Kurama was worrying, there was no sign of Hiei giving birth, it was the last day of the ninth month, Hiei was afraid himself. Kurama talked to Genkai about it, Genkai said that things would come at the right time. Kurama wasn't sure of it neither was Hiei.

It was night; many people came to the apartment of Kurama looking like demons, or monsters, because of the special occasion which was Halloween. The children around the place would door bell in front of the hoe of Kurama and Hiei and shout "trick or treat!" it was old tradition, Kurama gave the children candy whenever they passed by. Both of the couple ate their dinner in silence.

The door bell rang again, another trick or treater. Hiei and Kurama were done with their dinner; Hiei was off to the bathroom, while Kurama was going to hand out the candy. As the door shut, Hiei who was inside the bathroom experienced pain. Hiei dropped at the tiles of the bathroom floor, holding his stomach, painfully.

Kurama ran to his mate inside the bathroom. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Ku-ku-kurama…The ba-baby…" Hiei was in intense pain.

"Hiei lay down. And I'll call Genkai." Kurama carried (bridal style) Hiei to their bed. Hiei was lying down; he tried to control the pain.

Before Kurama left the room to call Genkai Hiei spoke, "Kurama…"

"Stay here Hiei, avoid moving. Please." Kurama left the room, he quickly called Genkai.

Kurama ran to the phone, and dialed Genkai's number, the phone rang. It wasn't long then someone picked the phone up.

"Genkai," Kurama began as the spirit master answered the phone.

"Kurama? Yes? What is it?" Genkai replied.

"Genkai, it's time, Hiei is-"

"I understand, I'll be there in a moment, tell Hiei to hold on to the baby until I arrive. Prepare hot water, many towels, and ask Hiei to wear a night gown or something that isn't pants, lastly always be at Hiei side, do understand me Kurama?" Genkai said.

"Yes, Genakai." Both of them put the phone down. Kurama ran to Hiei.

Kurama saw Hiei holding the pain, Kurama saw his mate suffering. But it cannot be helped. Kurama prepared all the things Genkai told him to, he boiled the water. He gathered almost all the towels he could find at their home as fast as he could.

All he needed to do was to dress Hiei. Kurama got a Yukata, he went to Hiei. "Koi? I need you to dress up in this." Kurama said to Hiei.

"Kurama…it hurts…it hurts so much…" Hiei said to Kurama, Hiei was lying down, he grip at Kurama's shirt tight.

"Koi…here, let me help you." Kurama took off the shirt Hiei had, he just placed the Yukata over and out of Hiei's arms, and took out his pants. Hiei was still lying down. Kurama knelt down beside his mate. Holding his left hand tight, Hiei was in a state of throbbing.

After a few moments, the door bell rang. Kurama rushed to the door, and opened it, it was who he was expecting, Genkai. Genkai wasn't alone, she was with Yukina. Yukina held the things Genkai needed for the operation.

"Where is he?" Genkai said as she stepped foot at the living room of Kurama.

"Inside the room." Kurama lead the way to their room. Kurama, Genkai, and Yukina entered the room. Hiei was still lying down.

"Kurama where is the hot water?" Genkai said immediately. Kurama went to get the water Genkai was asking for. Yukina went to her brother, held his hand. She saw how much he was in pain.

"Onisan…everything will be alright, Genkai is here. So you don't need to worry." Yukina tried to make Hiei's situation lighten up.

"Th-thank you, Yukina." Hiei could barely speak; he said it in a low tone.

"Yukina! Get the materials ready!" Genkai ordered. Kurama came in with a basin of hot water. Genkai positioned the legs of Hiei, she was professional about it. Hiei bother now, all he could think of was letting the baby go. "Yukina place all the materials in the hot water in the basin."

"Yes, Genkai." Yukina nodded and rushed to do what was ordered for her to do.

"Kurama, where are the towels? Give them to Yukina." Genkai asked.

Kurama went to get the towels and gave them to Yukina. Yukina had prepared everything.

"Kurama do you have any plant that can serve as anesthesia?" Genkai turned to Kurama.

"Yes, but it may take time for it to grow." Kurama said.

"That's not good; we have to perform the operation without it. Hiei, brace yourself, it may the most painful experience you will ever endure." Genkai warned.

"Okay, Genkai everything is set now." Yukina said.

"Alright everyone, as much as possible prevent Hiei from doing any kind of movements, get me? Yukina hold his legs, Kurama stay beside him." Genkai was ready, she was about to perform the operation.

"Hiei, I need you to push." Genkai called from the foot of the bed.

Hiei was hesitant at first, but the pain was unbearable. Hiei's energy began to drop dramatically; it was low because of the child who ate up most of it. Kurama was holding the hand of Hiei, he squeezed his hands tight, and Yukina was hesitant at looking at her brother and the agony he was in. Hiei looked at them both, and he began to push.

"That's it. That's it," Genkai encouraged him. "Come on, Hiei. You can do it."

Hiei panted for a moment before taking another deep breath. Again the pain and again he could feel the loss of his energy. He was in pain. His head throbbed. Hiei cried, his vision blurred and Hiei's Tear gems littered the bedspread. He nearly collapsed forward, Kurama catching him just in time.

"Kurama…it hurts…" Hiei said to his fox, looking at him he was suffering. Hiei couldn't speak that well, but he tried to speak to fox.

"Shh…Hiei, its okay…you'll get through this, you're almost there." Kurama held Hiei's hand tighter; Kurama could clearly see his mate in so much pain.

"Hiei, I need you to push again. The kid doesn't want to come out. This time I want your push to be like your putting everything into it." Genkai ordered.

Hiei closed his eyes tight. He began to give everything in this push. It hurt, blood, so much blood, everywhere. Hiei was shouting, he tried to breath. Kurama could see that Hiei was dying; he was dying right in front of him. Hiei was trying to breathe, but it hurts so much.

"I can't…" Hiei shook his head. Tear gems dropped one by one. Hiei was sweating dramatically. He was pale. He held on to Kurama, tight.

"Yes, you can. Everything will be over soon." Kurama said to Hiei afraid, Kurama kissed Hiei's forehead, crying with his mate. Yukina couldn't watch, she closed her eyes tight, she still held the legs of Hiei, her hands had blood as well, and she couldn't bear to look.

"I can see the head," Genkai announced "Hiei, one more, just one more big push." Genkai said, Genkai's hands were filled with blood. Hiei lost so much blood.

"Onisan?" Yukina looked at Genkai, she was unsure. She was afraid to see how much Hiei was suffering.

"You can do it Hiei." Kurama said to Hiei. Encouraging him.

Hiei closed his eyes for a moment. Holding on to Kurama's hand tight. He was gripping to the sheets tightly; he took one last deep breath. Pain and blood was all he felt. If he had had any energy left he surely would have spontaneously combusted. He felt as though he was being ripped in half. He cried out one final time and then he pitched forward again, managing to catch himself this time. He didn't know whether he still felt pain or not, his whole body had gone numb. He couldn't hear anything, he couldn't say anything. He lost so much blood. All Hiei wanted to do was be done with it.

Kurama looked at Hiei, his face was pale. Hiei looked like he was candor corps. "Hiei?" Kurama's eyes widen.

The sound of a cry of the baby was covering the room. Genkai held the baby she tried to wipe all the blood she can. She cut the baby's cord. She handed their baby to Hiei, the baby was wrapped in a towel, and was lay beside Hiei and Kurama.

"You have a beautiful daughter, Hiei, Kurama." Genkai said smiling as the baby was placed in between them. Yukina opened her eyes, she smiled. She let go of her brother's legs, and watched the family.

Hiei opened his eyes, he saw his daughter, she was crying, she was so beautiful. She cried tear gems just like her father does, her tear gems were light yellow mixed with red. Hiei held his daughter's small right hand. And he smiled. Kurama still holding on to Hiei's hand was crying. It was midnight. Hiei was very weak, as he saw the window; he saw a snow drop from the cloud.

Yuki had her face shaped like Hiei, the color of her eyes were of Youko's, but the shape off her eyes were almond just like Hiei, her nose was Hiei's as well, the style of her hair was like Kurama's but the color was Hiei's, it was black. Yuki had most of Hiei, but she was also a demon, a fire-ice-fox demon, it made a good combination. Just like Kurama can, Yuki can transform into the fox, when she was in the right age, but for now, she looked human to everyone's eyes.

Hiei tried to speak. His lips were moving. Kurama couldn't hear him, he griped closer to his mate.

"Yuki," Hiei said. "Her name is Yuki." Hiei whispered, he blinked and a tear gem dropped.

Hiei was weak, his body was pale, because of the so much blood that was lost. Hiei was going to die. Kurama's eyes widen, he thought of what was possible to happen. "Hiei!" He called out his mate's name.

"…sorry, Kurama…I love…you, both." Hiei's eyes closed. All his hands loosened. He didn't breathe another single breath anymore. Hiei was dead. He wasn't able to make it, Hiei did what he could to labor his daughter, he did what he could, but he had to pay a price.

"Hiei! Don't! Please don't! Don't leave me!" Kurama cried so much. Kurama placed his hands above the chest of Hiei, trying to revive him. "Hiei wake up! Wake up!" Kurama yelled, Genkai held the arm of Kurama, shaking her head wearily. It was too late, Hiei was gone. He wasn't able to make it. "No!" Kurama cried so much, he couldn't accept that Hiei was gone, forever. In exchange for the birth of Yuki Hiei had to give up his own life.

Yukina held Yuki at her arms, she sobbed. Her brother dead, it was hard to believe. Yukina's tear gems were mixed of those Hiei and Yuki shed. "Onisan…" she cried.

"We better leave them Yukina." Genkai stepped out of the room, and so as Yukina bringing the baby with her.

"Hiei, finally it has disappeared, all the pain that you feel, all the bitterness that you felt, it will be blown away by the wind." Kurama called out for the very last time. Kurama cried, his tears were falling on Hiei's face. "I am alright, you know…both you…and I…have lived with a scar that doesn't disappear, just like the sufferings that you always go through, I wonder if I can do it. The snow, its beautiful when you look at it falls slowly. You don't have to force yourself to smile in front of me to just make me happy. But it is one thing I love to see when you're happy I am happy." Kurama paused; he was looking at the face of his dead lover. He look like he were just sleeping, but he was really dead.

"Things that happened in the past are like a dream. It will disappear someday. I am sure that someday I will see that your happiness, a smile coming from the bottom of your heart. I knew it…from the beginning that I couldn't change the way you carry your life. I know…I knew it…Thank you so much for everything, good-bye, Hiei. Thank you for loving me, thank you for giving me a child. I love you very much." Kurama kissed Hiei on his lips. He cried, "I promise to raise our child the way you want her to be raised, I'll give her all the love that she will need, more than she'll need. Thank you Hiei, thank you so much, my love." Kurama said his final words to him.

Kurama got all the tear gems Hiei cried, and placed them inside one drawer. But Kurama left one, he got the last tear Hiei shed, and kept it. Kurama was going to give it to Yuki, as a memento of her father to her. Hiei was brave; he was an honorable warrior, and a loving, caring mate. Hiei gave everything that he could, and now Kurama had to continue it. Hiei gave his life for their child, now he remains resting in peace.

It was a tragedy for Kurama to loose his most loved one. But it was also a gain for him to have his daughter born safely. One's lost is another person's gain. It was an equal exchange for Hiei and Kurama's family. Since that day, it began to snow; even Hiei could not escape the Koorime curse of snow. Yuki was a blessing to Hiei and Kurama; she was Hiei, another form of Hiei.

(X)(X)(X)(X)(X)(X)(X)(X)(X)(X)

BDT: (CRIES) Okay, I don't really want to end it that way, I just thought that it would be nicer…I think to end it that way. It's so tragic!! I know, but I hope you enjoyed it. Oh yeah! If you want to see how Yuki looks like go to this site www.lunaswings. or go to my homepage in my profile look through the albums there and you'd see Yuki. Yuki by the way is the Japanese word for snow, aint it cool? Uh…I don't know what to say, but uhh…Its so tragic…READ AND REVIEW PLEASE! This is the second to the last chapter I am afraid…