Chapter 14

Hikari enjoyed a long warm shower, humming to herself happily. She and Hiei still had so long to go, but now they had a direction and they were moving there. There was hope.

Hikari stood in the shower until her hands became pruny, enjoying the hot water running over her skin. Finally she turned off the water and toweled her pink skin dry. Walking over to her closet she chose a purple tunic dress with a tie in front, long flowing sleeves, and high slits as well as a pair of black jean shorts to go under the tunic. Hikari took a rare moment to dab on a bit of make-up, and a squirt of perfume under her neck and behind her ears.

Hikari left her room, closing the door behind her and started down the hallway, only to realize that Hiei had been waiting for her, dressed in his usual becoming black, hair still damp from his own shower, but just as gravity defying as always. She couldn't help smiling at him, damn he is hott. Feeling playful Hikari turned towards Hiei and offered him a wobbly curtsy. Hiei raised his eyebrow in confusion but once he met Hikari's mischievous eyes, he offered her a gentlemanly bow. Silently the linked arms and walked down to to the kitchen together. As if they had decided upon it before hand, when they neared the kitchen they both dropped their arms and defaulted to walking side by side. Everything is just so new again, Hikari said to Hiei through their reforged mental link. I know. I feel the same. The bakas will have plenty of time to make jokes in the future, no need for them to start now.

Upon entering the kitchen Hikari was surprised to see everyone was there. Glancing at the clock she realized it was breakfast time, which explained the contradictory smells of meat, vegetables and rice with pancakes and syrup. There were enough people in the house who enjoyed a traditional Japanese breakfast and enough who enjoyed American style breakfast that Kurama would often make some of both when there was time. Hikari walked over to Kurama, outfitted in his pink apron by the stove and hugged him saying, "Thank you for breakfast, and thank you for everything else".

"The pleasure is always mine, Hikari. My friends are most important to me."

Friends, Hikari pondered the word. Yes, I think I would indeed like to call Kurama my friend. "Do you need any help cooking?" Hikari offered.

"Hmmm, I don't think so. I suppose you could add some tea bags to the kettle, I think the water is hot enough now. But other than that feel free to sit down and be lazy for a minute."

Hikari smiled and replied, "Okay".

Hikari made the tea, poured herself a cup, and then took a seat at the table next to Yukina and Yusuke. Yukina smiled at Hikari with a slight uncharacteristic rolling of her eyes. It took a moment for Hikari to realize that on either side of her and Yukina was a teenage boy stuffing his face.

"Food seems to be the only thing that keeps Kuwabara from paying attention to you" Hikari joked to Yukina.

"That it does" Yukina smiled fondly at her distracted boyfriend.

Hikari caught Keiko's eye, who as sitting on the other side of Yusuke, non-pulsed at Yusuke's table manners. Then all at once Keiko, Yukina, and Hikari burst out laughing at the amusing situation.

Realizing all three girls were look at them, Yusuke and Kuwabara said "What?!" almost simultaneously with mouths full of pancakes. Their indignation just made the three girls laugh harder until Hikari lapsed into a coughing laugh and had to stop to take a sip of her tea.

I don't eat like that, Hiei said defensively in Hikari's mind.

No, Dear One, you don't. That is why we are not laughing at you.

Dear One? Hiei replied questioningly.

Yea, Hikari blushed.

I like it, Hiei assured her. I like it, Angel.

Hikari's blush deepened. She picked up her tea cup in order to have something else to look at other than Hiei's mesmerizing crimson eyes.

Breakfast continued with the usual commotion and banter around the table. Hikari was so wrapped up in the goings on that she didn't notice her headache begin. Hikari found herself enjoying everyone's company, and feeling grateful that instead of discussing what happened on the Hiei rescue mission, everything had returned to normal. She felt comfortable with this lot of strange people, and began to consider what it might be like to let these people fill the holes in her heart and life.

Hikari felt her stomach tighten suddenly and saw a picture flash before her eyes. Why here?! Why now? Hikari swallowed hard and focused on her breathing. No good, the flashback would not be delayed. Instead Hikari stood up from the table with the visible intention of walking over to the sink to rinse her dishes. When she got there she only had a moment to put her plate down and turn on the water before she was somewhere else.

Hiei watched Hikari stand up suddenly from the table and without a word, bring her half eaten plate towards the sink. That's odd. Hikari hates wasting food. Or at least Hikari use to hate watching food. Hiei followed her with his eyes, hiding the direction of his stare underneath his bangs. Hikari put her plate in the sink, turned on the water, and began to wash it, or began to appear that she was washing it except that instead of in the sink washing her hands were gripping the rim of the sink's basin, white knuckled. Hiei waited a minute and then two for Hikari to move, but she did not. No one else seemed to notice anything was off. Discretely Hiei stood up himself and made his way slowly over to the sink.

Hikari found herself in cold room, void of any light and stinking of death. Her arms and legs were shackled, holding her body against the wall and about a foot off the ground. Her muscles ached at the strain of being suspended off the ground and trying to hold herself in just the right position to keep the shackles from digging into the tender skin at her wrists and ankles. There was no light to make shadows she could manipulate. Instead of aiding her the darkness around her was suffocating. She was defenseless. Fear choked her and she tasted bile climbing up her raw throat. Hikari blinked over and over again, trying to clear her vision, to bring her back to the kitchen that faded farther and farther away from her. Despair crept into her mind. Make it stop! Where is a knife? Help me! I'm trapped. . . they have won. . . I will never be free. Hikari sunk into herself until she felt a gentle pressure around her waist from behind her. I have no shackle around my waist, so what is this pressure? Arms? They smelled of Hiei. Hikari shook herself, sure she was imagining his timely rescue as she had over and over again during the torture. Then she heard his voice in her ear, "Hikari, I love you and you are safe. I am here in the kitchen. You are here with me. I am real."

Hikari blinked again and this time saw the sink in front of her, white and gleaming, filling with water because her plate was blocking the drain. Quickly Hikari moved the plate and watched as the water sink down into the drain. Grabbing the soap and a scrubbie Hikari washed her dishes clean, and any other dish in arm's reach. All the while Hiei still hugged her from behind, silent, but real. He was real. The kitchen was real. The hot water in the sink showed it was real.

Are you going to be alright now? Hiei spoken telepathically to Hikari.

I. . . yes. . . thankyou, Hikari answered before quivering out her own question, Did you see anything? Did you see any of. . .

The flashback? Hiei supplied. No, I did not. If the time comes when I should see it, you will show me.

Their mental conversation was interrupted by Yusuke's wolf whistle in their direction. "Having a romantic moment by the sink guys?" Yusuke joked.

Since neither Hikari nor Hiei were practiced in taking jokes, Hei dropped his arms from around Hikari while the both stared at Yusuke, utterly embarrassed.

"Not as romantic a moment as you and Keiko were having in bed last night!" Kuwabara jeered to Yusuke, quickly getting up from the table and out of the reach of Yusuke's punch.

The embarrassment moved to Yusuke and their conversation devolved into a wrestling match between Kuwabara and Yusuke, while the on looking occupants of the kitchen table errupting into various decreases of laughter from giggles to an all out guffaws.

Hikari looked to the door longingly, wanted so badly to get away from them all, to retreat into her room and her solitude where only she knew how weak she was. And yet, Hiei saw her weakness and he had not left her in disgust. He. . . had helped her. . . he had brought her back faster than she had even been before. Somehow he had known just what to say. Hikari felt ashamed that she needed Hiei, but also couldn't help but feel so much relief that she was not alone anymore. What the implications of not being alone were, what it could mean for her future, she decided to contemplate at a later time. Instead she pushed away the memory and coldness of the flashback, found a smile to put on as Yusuke and Kuwabara battled it out, and began to gather other dishes to put away.

"Hmmm" Hikari said with a forced mischievous grin, "I think since everyone has left the table that means everyone is done eating, so I should start putting the food away."

Following her lead, everyone bolted up from the table and began carrying all the American breakfast foods away. Hikari counted down the time it would take Yusuke and Kuwabara to register what she was doing. . . three. . . two. . . one. . . "Hey! I'm not done with those pancakes yet!" Yusuke exclaimed, shoving Kuwabara's foot out of his face. This got Kuwabara's attention who immediately said, "Wait a sec, I just want one more piece of bacon!"

"Oh really?" Hikari said with playful mocking. "It looks like you are all done to me."

In a second flat both Kuwabara and Yusuke had returned to their places at the table and were looking up at Hikari with pleading faces. Hikari smirked at them, and then put the plate of bacon she was holding back on the table. Kurama returned with the pancakes and syrup, struggling to keep a serious expression on his face.

"Be careful, when you get up from the table and start playing, it sends the message you are finished with the meal. Next time you get up before you are finished you will have to wait all the way until lunch to eat anymore." Kuwabara's and Yusuke's faces fell at this inconceivable punishment and both nodded their heads vigorously at Hikari as she left the table and returned to doing dishes.

"That" Kurama whispered to Hikari, "was one of the funniest things I have ever seen."

"I aim to please" Hikari smiled back.

If you act that way with our children, Hiei said mentally, they will be perfectly disciplined before they can walk.

Our children? Hikari stammered, red blush painting her cheeks and ears.

"Is something wrong?" Kurama who as still standing next to Hikari asked.

"No. No no no no. No. I'm great. Nothing's wrong." Hikari rambled, still beat red. "I think some fresh air would be just great right now, so excuse me" Hikari finished, retreating from the room.

Hiei grinned, watching Hikari leave. He helped finish the rest of the kitchen clean up before going to find his blushing onna, still grinning at her embarrassment.