I faked illness the next few days so that Tao wouldn't come and visit. I didn't really think I could handle seeing him after what had happened between Hiei and I. But that had been the defining factor. I knew I needed to break up with Tao, as soon as possible, even if I couldn't be with Hiei. Finally, I couldn't avoid it any longer, and I called Tao up.

"I need to see you as soon as possible," I said, not giving him the reason why.

"Okay," he replied. "I'll be over there in a jiffy. I have a present for you."

I swallowed guiltily at this information. I would feel so cruel if I dumped him right after he gave me a gift. I was such an awful person.

I paced around the apartment nervously, waiting for Tao to arrive. When he finally knocked at the door, I almost jumped out of my skin. Breathing quickly, I pulled open the door, and he stepped in. I closed the door behind me, leaning my back on it. I felt way too anxious to look Tao in the eye.

"Tao, there's something I need to talk to you about," I began. Before I could continue, Tao pressed a finger to my lips, silencing me.

"Before you say anything, let me give you your present." He reached inside a pocket of his jacket, and pulled out the little silver ring that he had been wearing the day we 'met.' He held it out to me, and I took it, confused.

"You don't remember it, do you?" He asked. I shook my head in confusion, and he sighed. "After Susano found out that we were hanging out so much, he gave this ring to me so I could protect you in case you were attacked. I think it used to hold some of his power, but ever since I lost my memory the power's been dormant. I managed to bum it off of Hiei when I told him it belonged to your brother."

Tears welled up in my eyes as I turned the ring in my fingers, admiring the beautiful red jewel. I suddenly realized why I thought the gem was so lovely. It was the same color as Hiei's eyes…

"Susano's ring?" I whispered softly. I slipped it onto my middle finger of my left hand. A perfect fit. "Are you sure I can have this?"

"Well, yeah. It's not my job to protect you anymore. It's Hiei's."

I looked up at him in shock. Sheepishly, he ran his fingers through his hair.

"Sorry, I should have told you before. I just hoped that you would forget your feelings for him and fall for me eventually. But I can see that isn't going to happen. So I won't force you to see me anymore."

Tears were flowing freely down my cheeks now. "I'm sorry," I cried, "I'm so sorry!"

Tao smiled, and ruffled my hair. "Can we at least still be friends?"

I tried my best to smile back, although I didn't think it quite worked. "Of course."

**************

Tao helped me to clean up after I finished crying so I could go see Hiei. He chatted about his plans to get a decent job and rent an apartment, possibly in this same building. When I was presentable, I thanked him, and ran as fast as I could to Kurama's house, which was quite a ways away. I didn't know how lucky I would be, but if Hiei were there…

I pounded on the door, bending over to catch my breath as Kurama opened it, looking perplexed.

"Is…Hiei…here?" I gasped.

Kurama shook his head. "No, I haven't seen him for a couple of days. Come in, though, I'll get you something to drink."

Although I didn't want to waste time here when I could be out looking for Hiei, I politely followed Kurama into his house and collapsed on the couch. Kurama brought me a glass of cool water, and I gulped it down.

"Do you need him for something?" Kurama asked.

"Yes," I replied, nodding. "I need to tell him that I love him." If I hadn't been so panicked about finding him, I doubted I ever would have said that. Kurama certainly looked surprised, anyway. Or at least he did until he started to laugh.

"Is that so? Well I am sure he'll be happy to hear that. You know what? Check the temple and the forest. He likes to hang around there."

I bowed gratefully to Kurama, and ran out of the house. He was still chuckling.

**************

"Hiei!" I yelled, loud as I dared in the forest surrounding Genkai's temple. This forest wasn't the safest place for humans, and I didn't want to become something's dinner when I had just found the courage to tell Hiei my feelings.

This forest was beautiful, even if it was creepy. Sometime, I would really have liked to take more time to explore it, but I was in far too much of a hurry to do so right now. I raced through the trees, searching for Hiei's aura and calling out his named every so often. No luck. Although I did manage to earn a couple of scratches, courtesy of the tree branches. But I didn't care.

I finally gave up, and ran up the stairs to the temple, taking them two at a time. I grabbed at the stitch in my side, racing towards the temple. I saw someone leaning over the garden.

"Yukina!" I cried, skidding to a halt. Yukina looked up at me in surprise.

"Tera? What's wrong?" She asked in worried confusion. I saw a trowel in her hands. Huh. Gardening was the perfect hobby for her. I imagine that the flowers thrived under her touch. But I had no time to be thinking about this.

"Nothing's wrong. Where's Hiei? I need to talk to him." I said quickly.

"Why? Has something happened?" A deep voice asked. In shock, I spun to look at the entrance to the temple, where Hiei was standing, leaning against the door. I broke into a smile when I saw him.

"No! Well, yes, but nothing bad!" I replied, jogging towards him. I reached out, and touched his arm. Images burst into my mind with mind-splitting intensity.

Hiei was standing next to me with a hand on my arm, and as far as I could tell, we were just talking. I looked troubled, and it almost seemed like he was trying to reassure me. I almost was crying, but trying to hold it back for his sake. He looked surprised, and let go of my arm. My eyes widened in shock and I suddenly pushed him away, attempting to run. But he wouldn't let me. He held on to me, keeping me close no matter how much I struggled. And then it came. A handsome, obviously inhuman man appeared in the corner of my vision, and I began to scream, trying anything I could to get Hiei away from this new guy. Hiei only looked confused, but not for long. A moment later, his expression turned into one of shock and pain. I looked down, and saw a rather broadsword that had pierced right through him. He looked into my eyes one last time, and then dropped to the ground. I could feel his aura rapidly weakening…

I screamed as soon as I found myself able to. I threw myself back, falling off the small wooden ledge and smacking roughly into the ground. I gasped in horror as both Yukina and Hiei rushed over to me with expressions of shock and horror on their faces. I couldn't take my eyes away from Hiei. Oh god…I was going to get him killed!

"No!" I yelled when he reached out to help me. He froze, bewildered and hurt.

"What did I do?" He asked quietly. I couldn't answer him.

"Stay away!" I yelled fiercely. My head hurt terribly, but it also felt empty. I felt light, and yet, and the same time, heavier than ever before.

Hiei knelt next to me, his hand on my shoulder. "Did I do something to make you hate me?" Hiei whispered.

"No!" I screamed, hysterical. I held my hands to my head, and shook it violently. "No, no, no, no, no!"

Yukina crouched down by me, using her healing power to see if I was hurt. I glanced up at her, and she gasped in surprise.

"Tera! Your eyes…They've changed color!"

I blinked rapidly in surprise, leaning away from the both of them. I couldn't see the change, but from the looks of it, both Hiei and Yukina could. "How…?" I breathed quietly, afraid to know the answer.

Hiei's fingers lightly brushed against my cheek below my right eye. "It's…Brown. They're both dark brown. The gold is gone."

Oh no…This was awful! The strange gold in my eye was where I had gotten all my psychic powers from. That last premonition must have been strong enough to completely wipe out all my powers…This was not good!

I tried to scramble to my feet, away form Hiei and Yukina, but I only succeeded in falling backwards again.

"Tera…" Hiei reached out a hand to me, "Please, what's wrong?"

"I can't!" I shrieked. "You'll die!"

Hiei and Yukina both froze in place. "What…?" Hiei asked.

"I saw it!" I sobbed. "You were dying!"

"Come on," Hiei said, grabbing my wrist and gently pulling me to my feet. We walked a distance from Yukina, and I tried my hardest to stifle my tears.

"Nothing bad is going to happen," Hiei said. "I promise."

I glared at him. "You don't think so? I saw it. Do you know how awful it was to see you die?"

Hiei looked at me curiously. "Why should you care that much?"

I scowled. "You three-eyed idiot," I snapped. "You can't tell? I'm in love with you. That's why. Thanks a lot."

Hiei dropped his hand from my arm. "You're what…?" He asked in surprise.

Oh no. This situation was suddenly very familiar. "No!" I screamed, roughly shoving him away from me. I tried to get away from him, hoping that the demon that killed him was after me, and would be satisfied with killing only me.

Oh no. I was acting out the premonition exactly as I had seen it. No! This way, Hiei was going to die!

I had never deliberating changed the future as I had seen it. But now I was going to. Spinning around so abruptly that it alarmed Hiei, I threw my arms around him. I held on to him tightly, and I saw his eyes widen in horror and he tried to push me away. I kept embracing him, until I heard a step on the dirt path behind me. I threw Hiei away from me, just in time to receive a sword through my gut. Hiei, swearing horrendously, leapt around me and lunged at my attacker. I turned around to face him, and he came back to me in time to catch me as I collapsed.

"Tera!" He yelled, while Yukina rushed to my side and attempted to heal me. I could tell by her teary eyes that it wasn't working.

"Good," I sighed, closing my eyes. I didn't really feel much pain, which probably meant I really was dying. Well, this was everyone's dream, right? To die in the arms of the one you loved? I certainly didn't mind.

I reached up to touch Hiei's cheek. He looked so sad, that it felt like it was breaking my heart. I smiled, trying to reassure him that this wasn't as bad as he seemed to think. But I couldn't hold on anymore. I closed my eyes, letting my hand fall. I slipped peacefully into the afterlife.

The heroine died...

Anyways, I'm so sorry it took so long to post this. College is crazy...