Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing with the exception of the twins, mother, father and any others that do not appear in the Anime/Manga. All quotes/song/etc. are respectfully given credit to their creators and such.

Note: This story is not going to be a typical romance, love at first sight, everyone is happy; she is godly with powers type. I want her to suffer to achieve what she gets in the end. By no means do I hope to make her a mary-sue. If I get facts wrong in any way, I would appreciate a heads up so I can fix it. I need to brush up on the backgrounds of the characters, places and the powers so it's going to be an adventure for all.

Note 2:

'BLAH' -Sign language.

"BLAH" -Speech.

BLAH - Thoughts.

BLAH - Hiei or others speaking through their thoughts.

The shadows tend to hold the darkest secrets that cloud my mind often. I remember the first time I ever met him. It had been a week since we arrived and it was still summer and a few days before school finally started. To say that I loathed the possibility of being surrounded by students, teachers, others or just anyone in general that was not a part of my family was an understatement.

I had not left the house since we've arrived, except to the garden but that was not even a foot outside the door, let alone I did not even spend enough time outside for it to be considered a healthy amount. My mother did not want the possibility of me being a hermit once more so she forced me and my brother outside reminding us that it was a new place and a new possibility to start new and make friends. So yesterday she had taken us to the bank to set me and my brother up an account. For what? I had absolutely no idea. Then it was endless shopping at the mall in where she made me try out everything she could get her hands on saying that I needed something other than the baggy clothes that hid every patch of skin I could as my only wardrobe and look more like a lady. Today was to explore the small shops that surrounded us and 'hang out' like normal teenagers while I wore a white and yellow summer dress and flats that made me feel like a fool and I felt like all the scars on my legs from falling when I was a child were on display.

I think my mother had too many high hopes, for me at least, that would be shot down sooner or later.

The first place we explored was a flower shop. It was a quaint little place and it smelled so fresh and clean, my brother automatically gravitating towards it more than me like a bee to honey. It was as though the pollution surrounding the city no longer existed in that place. It made me happy just to be around there.

My brother, being in his teens alongside me, was a normal guy; arcades, girls and hanging out were his first priority, other than the family, so every place, girl and arcade was his intended target. I on the other hand, had no idea what I wanted to do but I was leaning towards going home and starting a new charcoal drawing or even painting or reading.

We had gotten weird looks from the native people. When we first arrived our mother and father warned us about the possibility that even though we were half Japanese, it still did not hide our foreigner looks and my brother's speech so we would be looked upon with suspicion. They were right, of course. We got weird looks and even though I did not say a word and just signed when I was asked something I knew I got judgmental looks and whispers behind my back or just unnerving stares.

We had been walking for more than three hours, my breath was coming out a bit short and I wanted to go home soon. But when I had seen a library as we passed and wanted to check it out and possibly buy some books, I felt I was too much of a nerd.

Grudgingly, my brother let me do as I pleased and started to follow me up the short amount stairs to the decent size library but as I was near the top, it was strange. I felt something behind me and it made me stop. Ask me what it was and I would not be able to tell you but when I looked away from the entrance and to a small cafe across the street, the first thing I saw was bright red hair. At first glance, I thought it was a woman. Such shine and it was long to the point where I assumed it was a she but then he turned and I noticed his outfit, I knew differently. He had this...power about him, in his eyes and the way his body stood with confidence that sent shivers up my spine.

As though he felt my shivers himself, his eyes strayed to mine and caught my attention. At first I did not know what to do. It was difficult to look away and his smile was kind and charming as was his wave but for some reason, it was misleading. I knew that smile and those fake kind eyes. Fake ones he shows to all. He had secrets, he reminded me about myself. Alone, but not. I hated him in that instant. I never really hated anyone except those that bullied me but he was the exception. He was everything I wasn't. He was calm, confident, perfect.

Narrowing my eyes, I turned away and refused to acknowledge him but not before catching his shock. Perhaps because he was beautiful and unique he tended to attract anything that moved and women would just swoon and flock to his side like chickens with their heads chopped off but not me. I felt different, I was different. I didn't like him nor did I wish to know him. He had been with a few others anyways and looked rather close to them. It was not like he would care anyways. I was a nobody.

Throughout the rest of the day, I felt a chilling stare on my back. Like someone was watching me but every time I turned to look, no one was there or I would catch the ends of long spiky black hair. I started to develop a headache for some reason. It felt like a jackhammering at the very center of my forehead, where my third eye would be.

We had arrived in the library, signing up and receiving a card to check out and buy books. I had always enjoyed it here, in a place full of books. It was like my second home. No one judged me, no one made fun of me and I liked the quiet without the teasing. I had felt something shift behind me suddenly, like a fast wind and it seemed to only tap me on the shoulder. I jolted forward from the electric current that passed from the light touch of it and painfully into the shelf in front of me. Rubbing my chest from the shock and then my arm that I knew would home a new bruise, I shivered and looked behind me to find no one there, again, just me and some old books.

What I had felt through that shock, the shadow that passed bellow me before I felt the sudden touch, was dark and angry. It scared me for some reason and I could no longer stay in that one place alone. I looked for my brother then and signed almost way too quick and frantic with shaking hands for him to understand that I had wanted to leave and go home. At first, he said it was paranoia. He said it was probably a cute guy checking me out and he'd have to beat him up, but who would like me?

My face still retained a small chubby look, a bit fuller on my cheeks. My mother would pinch them and said it was cute and added to my charm, I scoffed silently and rolled my eyes at the memory. My eyes had a sharp look to them and made me look odd. Stoic and sometimes mad when I was contemplating and even though my face only had two old scars and a small amount of freckles it still took attention away and focused on that heavily. Boys where shallow sometimes. They saw one imperfection and it was over and you were too ugly for them.

In the end, I forcefully ignored it and the feeling went away quickly like it was never there.

As I was checking out and bought the books I wanted after an hour of contemplation, luckily reminding myself that I had to change the currency of our money the day before when we went to the bank, I spotted the red head enter into the building calmly as though nothing bothered him. He looked around, his emerald eyes searching, calculating. When they went around and spotted me, my eyes went wide and I realized I'd stared too long and got caught. But as I looked away hurriedly, I spotted the all-knowing smirk on his face and realized that I was right in assuming that his self-loving attitude knew no bounds. Prick.

We started to exit, but the group of friends, albeit a smaller version of the one I saw with him was blocking the door with their huge frames. They looked to us, and I felt a dark chill go up and down my spine from the shortest one of the group. My brother stepped in front of me, my hands automatically grabbing the back of his shirt.

"Can I help you…?" He spoke coolly, his British accent heavily influenced into his Japanese but it was still understandable.

They didn't answer for a long moment; they just stared as though from that they would get all the answers they sought. The red head stepped forwards with a kind smile on his face and shook his head. The obvious peace maker to the heavy tension that was starting to surround us.

"Ah, no. We spotted you both heading in here. We do not see many foreigners, so we assumed you were new to the area. We just wanted to say hello and introduce ourselves." He spoke with such a calming elegance that it almost made me want to stick my head out and greet him. Almost.

Shaking my head into my brother's back, he turned his head slightly to look at me. I did not want to meet them. He knew it when he saw into my eyes.

"Sorry, but I think we are headed home for now and don't have time to stay and chat." He took a breath before placing a fake small smile on his lips to appear friendly. "So excuse us…" His sharp tone and ever increasingly tense body left no room for further discussion and grabbed my hand and headed out quickly. Passing by them, I tried not to look them in the eye but it was impossible and I saw the look in the red head's eyes. He looked at us coolly, like we were interesting, dangerous or something disgusting. I couldn't tell which.

Before we passed them completely, I felt one of them grab my arm tightly and jolt me away from my brother's grip with a sharp pull. It was the short man, although a slight bit taller than me by an inch or two, he looked me in the eyes and I could not look away or calm the fear growing in my heart. My brother tensed fully, a loud growl coming from his throat and it looked like he wanted to lunge at them and beat them up but I was in the way and he would not risk my safety.

"What are you, onna?" His dark and deep voice spoke out to me menacingly. When I did not answer, by some lucky chance forgetting my flash cards with my name and answers to questions I was frequently asked, he looked to grow inpatient.

"Now, Hiei. Release her. You heard them." He addressed the one holding me in place, calmly but with a slight hint of dark humor in his tone. "They must be on their way.." The red head told his companion.

Releasing me sharply, I brought my arm to my chest and painfully clutched it. My heart was pounding too hard and I heard it in my ears. My brother grabbed me then, forced to pick me up bridal style and rush out the door and away from the group as they looked at our retreating forms in question.

He ran all the way home with me in his arms as I tried to calm my heart until I could take my medicine. When we arrived my mother and father were frantic, asking what had happened. When he explained, she had a sad look on her face and my father looked like he would go into a raging fit. Perhaps they had thought that because of that experience I would shut myself inside my room and never come out. The sad and pitiful looks had me rethink just that. I did not want to upset them or continue to give me those looks so I smiled and told them I was okay.

In the end, my heart calmed after the medicine and I had started to read one of my new books but as I looked out from my window on the second floor of my home, I felt like something was still watching me. The shadow of the big tree outside started to change in the slightest bit and I could no longer keep the curtains open. Closing it, I forced my mind to be blank as I crawled into bed. I was tired and these few days I had before my freedom was taken from me after a long year of recovery were precious. I was to go out into the world again after so long of staying away from others. I had to be strong, though. For my family and especially for myself. I did not want to be weak and afraid anymore. But if I knew what the future held for me at that time, I would have stayed away from everything but not everything comes out as one would have planned. That, I would learn the hard way.

End Chapter.

AN: I'm making Hiei a bit taller because I can and this story is AU. He is too short for my liking and amazingly sexy. So yeah…This is not going to be a simple beginning. So I hope I can pull this off. Anyways, I hope this story comes out okay. Read and Review if you'd like.