2.

A/N: Ok chapter two is up, please continue to support this story and thank you for reading :) On with the show!

Kurama had been asleep for a little over six hours and the bright red numbers of Shizuru's alarm clock would have told her it was now twelve in the afternoon had she bothered to check the time. Truthfully it could have been ten at night and Shizuru would still have been there watching him sleep. Back leaning against her bedroom door, an unlit cigarette delicately balanced between two long fingers. She knew it was odd. Watching him sleep that is. If it was the other way around and he had been the one to gaze at her prone form for hours on end she may have felt compelled to call the cops because she would have been majorly creeped out. Thank kami Kurama didn't scare easily, not like she did. The image of Kurama waking to find her standing there and becoming frightened was preposterous, preposterous enough to bring a bought of giggles to her lips. She bit them back. The last thing she really wanted was for him to find her not only watching him sleep, but also giggling like one of Keiko's girly school friends. She had an image to uphold after all. Which was more than she could say of her red headed guest. Most would assume that a guy as cool, calm, and collected as Kurama always seemed to be, would be downright peaceful asleep. But from where she stood they would be wrong. Verywrong. Kurama's face contorted in painful expression after painful expression and every few seconds he turned this way or that way. Granted that as beautiful a man as he was his scrunched face could almost be considered cute. Cute that is, if she couldn't feel the hurt rolling off him in waves. Unfortunately her spiritual awareness allowed her to feel his pain until she willed herself to turn off the connection. The pain had been so deep and consuming that she couldn't help but wonder how he remained asleep at all. The final straw in her decision to watch him was when she noticed that he had broken out in a feverish sweat. She had desperately wanted to wake him from whatever painful experience he was reliving in his mind, but decided against it. Kurama was too proud for that. Whatever demons he was facing he wanted to face them alone and without anyone ever suspecting him of facing them in the first place. Instead he was now sporting a cool wash cloth across his forehead. All that was left to do was wait. Something was going to happen soon. She could sense it. Almost immediately after the feeling had passed demonic energy that could only have been Kurama's flooded the room. It was familiar and yet different from Kurama's normal energy. Where his typical energy was cool and calming, the energy now was simply cold. A chill ran through Shizuru as she attempted to huddle into herself, briefly considering the wool blankets she kept in her closet.

"Isn't it an invasion of privacy to watch me sleep?"

His words, like this odd new energy were like ice and for a moment Shizuru was caught off guard. Brown eyes appraised him cautiously. Sweeping over his now upright body. He seemed fine. Although for a second his eyes appeared to be glowing yellow. Whatever it was passed eventually and the stiffness in him seeped out, disappearing along with the cold..

"Isn't an invasion of privacy to let yourself into my house and pass out on my couch?"

"Good point."

Red hair spilled over his shoulder and triggered the memory of how she had come to find him sleeping in her arms, warm breath blowing softly on her skin. She could feel her cheeks grow warm with color and she quickly turned her head away in hopes that he would not be able to see her blushing. Although her worry of this subsided as he slumped over slightly, undoubtedly still exhausted. He looked worn and for the first time she could imagine him being thousands of years old. It was in his eyes.

"Thank you Shizuru. I'm sorry."

She exhaled a breath she didn't know she'd been holding and found enough strength in her sore legs and feet to push herself up from her leaning position on the door. The steps she took were slow and measured as she moved closer to her bed. Finally reaching it she sat at what she hoped was an appropriate distance. She then noticed the way her hip accidentally brushed against his knee as he made room for her on the mattress.

"Listen, I don't know why you're apologizing to me, but I hate it when nice guys say sorry for no reason. Guys like Yusuke and Kazuma should basicly be on there knees begging for forgiveness 24/7 cause chances are that they did something wrong anyway. But you, I know you're better than that."

He was avoiding her gaze now. He should have been chuckling like he normally would whenever she poked fun at his friends. Especially Kazuma.

"You really think too highly of me Shizuru."

"I'm sorry you feel that way. Now tell me what's going on."

Her demand seemed to catch him off guard. He had been expecting the apathy that was considered traditional for shizuru and that fact she was interested made him look into her face for the first time that day.

"What do you mean? Nothing is going on."

"Don't give me that Kurama. You've been coming to my house everyday for the past two weeks, when we've barely ever spoken before. And now that you not only managed to let yourself in unannounced, you also pass out in my arms and sleep for six hours! So don't you dare try to feed me that 'Nothing is going on' crap!"

In a flash Kurama was on his feet, damp wash clothing falling into a heap on the floor. Shizuru was sure she had never seen him wear such a grim face. He made his way out into the hall and ever so slightly brushed past Shizuru.

"I'm sorry Shizuru, but the only reason I ever came is because Kuwabara asked me to. Nothing more and nothing less. He worried for you living on your own and enlisted my help in keeping an eye on you. That is all."

"What did you say? Are you telling me that the reason that you kept coming to see me was because my idiot brother asked you to?"

"Kurama continued to walk towards the door. If he could hear her words and the emotions behind them he didn't let on. He soon was opening the door to her apartment and walking out.

"Like I said, I'm sorry Shizuru."

He closed the door softly behind him and suddenly Shizuru was colder than she had ever been.

"I am sooo going to kill Kazuma."

Kazuma Kuwabara fidgeted nervously with the napkin he held in his hand. Currently both he and his sister were seated in an American style diner. He had ordered a burger and as much as he wanted to enjoy it, he couldn't let his guard down. In all of his years of life, never had he and his sister gone out to lunch. Alone. With each other. Only twice had they ever eaten out anywhere together and both those times Yukina was there. What unnerved him even more was the casual way Shizuru picked up a fry and dipped it in her milkshake, biting into it with relish. She hated diner food, especially milkshakes. Finally gathering up his courage for an apparent beating, he decided to attempt speaking with her.

"So sis, what's up. It's not like you to come to a place like this. And it's really unlike you to come to a place like this with me..."

"I don't know what you mean Kazuma. Isn't this what you wanted? To keep watch over me twenty four seven? You didn't have to sic a spy on me. You could have done it yourself. Or were you to busy to visit the woman who raised you and put you through school?"

He had known something was wrong the minute he sat down and she smiled at him, but this was too much! Kuwabara had never been more confused in his life, and that was saying something!

"What the heck are you talking about Shizuru? I know that you miss me at home, but this is weird, even for you."

"Don't give me that Kazuma. I know all about how you begged Kurama to watch over me now that you moved out. What gives you the right to spy on me? Just because you're in med school and I'm a freelance psychic? Well sorry if my life doesn't live up to your high standards, but I don't need my baby bro to watch after me."

Shizuru finished off her rant with an indignant huff and began to munch angrily on her fries. Kuwabara watched her, anxious of another surprise attack when a light bulb turned on in his head.

"Well geez Shi I didn't think you would be so mad over Kurama volunteering to go check on you."

"What are you saying? Kurama, volunteered?"

"I mean yeah, I guess you could put it that way. I just mentioned how I was worried about your safety since I moved out and you moved into that crappy neighborhood. He told me he would go check on you one of these days. I guess he really annoyed you. I'm sorry about that."

Kuwabara glanced nervously at his sister who had gone oddly quiet.

Maybe its her time of the month or something...

"Uh you ok there Shi?"

"Never better."

"Uhh ok."

"Well actually Kazuma could you do me a favor?"

"Yeah... I guess."

Shizuru pushed away the food she had previously eaten,a disgusted look taking distorting her features.

"Do something with this slop. You know I hate diner food."

And just like that she pushed herself away from the metallic counter and hopped off the 60's themed red, white, and blue upholstered stool in one fluid movement.

It was odd, but from her easy going gait and the way she trailed her hand along the counter-top as she walked away Kuwabara could have sworn she was happy. But was it something he said? He looked at her untouched food and began to eat it.

Nah it couldn't be...

-To be continued

What did you think guys? Better than the last chapter? I hope so. Thank you so much for your support. Please review.

-BabyDukes