Writer's Comment: I had to repost this chapter and In the After due to realizing I had not resolved a few things. Sorry.

They had only a few short hours. A few hours spent without saying a word. One holding the other, both in complete understanding that those would perhaps be the last they were going to have together.

If there were times the arms encircling Kurama tightened, where he was pulled closer than before he relaxed willingly into the embrace. Comfort came in all forms and he was loathe not to take what he could get from someone so willing to give it.

Occasionally there was anguish that crept into the silence. A secretive ache that surrounded them but it like everything else that had occurred in the dark cell was accepted and faded into the quiet.

"He's coming."

"Kurama..."

"It doesn't matter. It will be over soon. One way or the other."

"I hate you."

Two meanings clashing. Hurtful words said with soft sweetness.

"I suppose I hate you as well."

"You were right. I would."

"Of course."

"You're an ass."

A glance shared, warm and full of the things they would never say to each other.

The cell door opened.

Yusuke would spend a great deal of time later on, during those long bouts of sleepless nights trying to recall everything that occurred after Orochi had arrived in the cell for that last time. For some reason it all blurred together in his mind, some things flaring to brightly while others were shrouded in confused impressions.

He clearly remembered the first few minutes.

Orochi approached them as he and Kurama stood close together. He still had a hold of Kurama's arm, worried that if he let go to soon all of his friend's suffering would have been wasted. That state he went into could not be called in any way sane.

Instead of gesturing towards the center of the room as he had done the last two times Orochi paused for a moment studying the two of them. A slow, sickening smile spreading across his face.

"You served your purpose well Yusuke Urameshi." Orochi said appreciatively.

"What are you..." he began.

Orochi snatched at Kurama, yanking him from Yusuke's grasp. There was a flash of energies that sent Kurama flying across the cell to slam into the far wall. He fell to the ground with a nauseating thud.

Yusuke rounded on Orochi ready to attack then froze as the demon grabbed him by the throat, a jolt of humming energies taking control of his body.

"He was never going to live through it." Orochi gloated leaning his face close, "not and sate my curiosity. I needed you to hold him here for me. As a reward I'll treat you to what will be his dieing reality..."

...he was being forced, humiliated as cruel laughter surrounded him. Shame and disgust choked him...

He came to himself slowly, trying desperately to shake off the mind numbing horror that filled him.

That was what Kurama had been going through.

That had been only a glimpse of what Orochi planned to do to him.

That was what Orochi planned on being Kurama's last thoughts as he died.

Sounds of fighting brought him out of the daze. Something crashed against the wall next to him sending shards of stone flying. One of them clipped his cheek drawing blood.

He raised his head and the scene brought him to his feet.

Kurama and Orochi traded blows almost to fast to follow directly across from him. As he watched Orochi slammed his fist into Kurama's chest, unable to block it Kurama was tossed against the nearby wall from the force. Orochi followed grabbing Kurama around the throat.

The breath in him disappeared. Abruptly he was seeing everything in a new light, a new haze that focused him fully on Orochi and the overwhelming hatred he felt towards the demon.

He sifted into the familiar stance, purposefully allowing the hatred to grow, to consume every part of him. He was not going to allow Orochi to touch Kurama in that way ever again.

The demon had neglected one very salient fact. He had not studied as fully as he should have or he would not have made such a serious mistake.

He was the master of the final moment. He had perfected the art of sudden death.

This time he knew he felt the surge of his spirit energies along with the piercing agony of the wards reacting to it. He welcomed the pain, gloried in it because finally he could do something.

Kurama was to close but that was alright.

"OROCHI!"

The demon turned his head towards him at the sound of his voice.

He grinned knowing it looked feral in intensity, "You should have kept it to yourself."

What emerged from his fingertip was not the usual blast. It was pinpoint by comparison, destroying only the head of the demon that had tormented the both of them. Granted it also traveled though the wall behind him and Yusuke was fairly certain it went through more than just that wall as it traveled.

He could feel it, the pain that was about to overwhelm him. It was not so simple a pain as ouch. It was going to be an impressive amount of it that would rival even the better beat downs of his life. It was going to chew and chew on him and never spit him out. It was going to shred him into fine powder. It was not going to be blazing, hot white but ever freaking color of the rainbow.

But for that second the only color he was centered on was clear and green, focused entirely on him, and abruptly in his face.

"Yusuke..."

"...I...think I sprained my spirit gun..."

The world tilted as his legs gave out. Strong arms caught him up and the shock wave of agony swept away any thought past that.

What plagued him on those sleepless nights was exactly how Kurama had found the energy to face off against Orochi. What had inspired the red head to such a rage that he had been able to trade blows with the other demon when his demonic energies had been subdued. What exactly he had seen on Kurama's face that last moment before he had called out Orochi's name.

What else plagued him was his own knowledge that Kurama would have rather died then be subjected to what Orochi planned for his final moments. Knowing that he had been willing to help Kurama avoid it as well.

When he had finally awaken they were outside of the half demolished remains of some structure they had been kept in the entire time. The destruction attributed of course to his spirit energies. Kurama had been alert but clearly disturbed by something that he would not share with him.

That had been the first time he had realized that neither of them had expected to live. Kurama had summed it up during the first day. It was not the time to trust a demon's words. So even though they had hoped, in the back of their minds they had known what the final outcome was supposed to be.

That had also been the beginning of realizing something was drastically different between them. That something caused them to not meet each others eyes as they waited to regain their strength. It affected the easy way they had once talked, making their conversations short and only if necessary. They apologized unnecessarily if they touched, shying away from the contact.

Not long after Hiei and Kuwabara found them, alerted by the flare of his spirit gun. Kurama took lead in what he had been fearing to do, explaining to the others where exactly they had been. He had been silently thankful that Kurama had already thought up a cover story, one that gave as little actual information as possible.

In the end the story about the portal in the forest had turned out to be just that, a story. He had already had his suspicions in that area so it came as no surprise. Orochi had planned the whole thing to trap them.

Both of them began the arduous task of beginning to pretend there were no lasting affects. Both hoping if they could do so convincingly enough to others it would eventually be true for themselves.