It had been a little over a week since Hiei had left the group. The collective strength of the detective, the fox, the oaf and the newcomers should have been enough to contain this new threat, however, the situation seemed to be deteriorating instead of becoming better. The air was heavier and filled with the familiar sense of death and blood. It reminded him of home and he could not ignore the plummeting feeling in the pit of his stomach as this world started to look a bit more like the demon world with each passing day.

Hiei noticed Shuichi pass by. The boy's blue eyes were devoid of the more irritating emotions that he was known for exuding, instead taking on an almost dull and glazed over feature. His feet dragged against the pavement as he walked among the streets aimlessly and Hiei's eyes narrowed. Jumping down from his position, he stalked over to the boy and found what he was looking for perched on his shoulder. The Makai insect was slowly draining him of his energy and it would only be a matter of time until it would sap him of his energy stores completely. As much as Hiei despised the boy, he honestly could not say that he wanted him dead. Besides, he was practically family to Kurama and the fox would do the same for Yukina without a moment's hesitation. Quicker than the human eye could catch, Hiei snatched it off of Shuichi's shoulder and disintegrated it with the heat of his demonic energy.

Shuichi froze mid-step and Hiei presumed it was because he was aware of the figurative and literal weight off of his shoulders. Rather than sticking around to reassure the boy once he was brought out of his daze, Hiei decided to make himself scarce and return to his position in the treetops. His eyes remained fixed on Shuichi as a more vibrant expression replaced the lifeless one he was previously sporting. Shuichi looked around for a few moments, gathering his bearings, before continuing down the path none the wiser.

Hiei frowned as he looked up at the sky. He had been seeing more and more of the insects native to his homeland swarming the human world at an alarming rate. The air crackled with the presence of danger and the sky had been ominously dark as of late. Flashes of lightning and booming thunder had become a periodic occurrence, although there was not a single drop of rain to justify the sudden weather conditions.

It didn't take a genius to notice that this world was on the brink of destruction. He didn't care much for the fate of this world, but he knew that the spirit detective team did. Just what the hell were they all up to?

His frown deepened into a scowl as he reluctantly removed his bandana. Closing his eyes as the jagan slowly awoke, he cleared his mind and focused on what he needed to see. He checked in on Yukina first and was relieved to find that she was safe in Genkai's temple. He then moved to the ferry-girl, figuring that she would know what was taking place and causing the conditions of this world to deteriorate so rapidly. He had expected to locate her within the confines of Spirit World, working frantically to gather information, but what he saw surprised him entirely. She was in the human world, caught right in the thick of it all. His fists clenched as he watched her injure herself saving some worthless human boy who he did not recognize. Where the fuck was the detective and the rest of the motley crew? They should not have left the ferry-girl alone when the enemy was near. Searching for their aura's, he found them outside of the apartment building in a standstill against a group of psychics.

Kurama, Kuwabara and Yusuke should have been enough to withstand the attacks from the psychics, but they were quickly overpowered. Soon after, Kuwabara had gotten himself abducted and Yusuke was frantically chasing after him on a rickety human contraption. Hiei quickly shut the jagan and reapplied his bandana with more force than necessary.

"Incompetent fools," Hiei muttered, before jumping into a sprint.

They really couldn't do much without him.

Botan had awoken to find Genkai, Koenma, Mitari and Shizuru hovering over her. Her head felt all fuzzy and her back was a little sore, but she was fine. Mitari was sitting quietly in a corner of the room, his deep blue gaze full of guilt and self-loathing as he looked over at her hesitantly. She smiled as she reassured him for the tenth time that all was well and that he should not worry.

She strode over to the balcony and leaned against the railing as she looked up at the sky. It was a far too peaceful scene, considering all that had just occurred. She recounted the grim events that had passed: she had intercepted Sniper's assassination attempt on Mitari's life, Sensui launched an attack on the team and then took off with Kuwabara and Yusuke had raced off after him. There were still psychics working under Sensui that they had no intelligence on, meaning their powers were completely uncharted territory. Koenma had gone to Spirit World to find answers while Kurama stayed behind to do some research on his own. Hiei was who knows where. She honestly had no idea what to think about him, especially after the recent discovery that he had called off the bet and refrained from telling her about it.

"Is everything alright?" Shizuru asked. The familiar scent of cigarettes and perfume infiltrated Botan's senses as the brunette stepped onto the balcony with her. "You seem different."

"Different?"

"Yeah, like you're not quite yourself."

"My silly little troubles aren't worth dwelling on," Botan dismissed with a sheepish wave of her hand. "Besides, shouldn't we be doing something to help? Kuwabara just got kidnapped!"

"That's exactly my point: there's nothing left for me to do but worry senselessly. I might as well take my mind off it by helping my friend with her troubles instead."

It was then that Botan realized that she hadn't had any actual one-on-one time with Shizuru since the Dark Tournament and as such, Shizuru had been inadvertently kept in the dark about the bet and Botan's time with Hiei. Nevertheless, the brunette was the perceptive sort and was easily able to detect the slight change in Botan's demeanor. The ferry-girl could not hide anything from Shizuru and quite frankly, she did not want to. She considered her a close friend, a confidant and a sister of sorts. Although Botan refrained from saying it aloud, Shizuru's presence was always comforting to her in troubled times. Her calm countenance and realism grounded Botan in a way that few others could.

"It's a long story; I'm not even certain where to begin..." Botan admitted, brow furrowing as she thought of all that had happened in such a short amount of time.

"How about you start at the beginning?" Shizuru offered. "Right around the time when you and Hiei first started your torrid affair."

Botan let out a surprised squeal, eyes wide as she gawked at the brunette.

"You knew?"

"You two looked more than cozy with each other at Genkai's party," Shizuru noted with a knowing smile.

The party brought back memories of much happier times, dyed in the warm color of nostalgia. The regret that followed soon after swelled up within Botan's heart like a surging wave, threatening to wash away the resolve and the determination that she had built up in order to forget about the fire-demon.

"Oh, Shizuru, so much has happened and I don't know how to fix any of it," Botan confessed regretfully.

"You don't have to tell me everything, just tell me what matters most so I can help you," Shizuru said soothingly.

Botan's hands gripped the balcony railing a little tighter as her mind raced to gather her thoughts. Taking a deep breath, she started the condensed version of the past month and a half.

"Well, Hiei and I were sort of dating for a while. It started off as a friendly thing, I wanted to see the human world and he was just bored, but somewhere along the line things changed. I saw sides of him that I never expected and I really liked the person that I found. I thought he was letting me in; I thought we had something there, but I was wrong. The only reason he asked me on a date in the first place was because of some silly, ego-feeding bet he entered with Yusuke and Kuwabara. It meant nothing to him."

The brunette's expression turned deadly, taking on a form Botan had only ever witnessed when Shizuru's wrath towards Kuwabara had reached new heights.

"When this is all over, I'm going to kill Kazuma," she professed threateningly.

"No!" Botan interrupted. "It got messy and complicated. Kuwabara and Yusuke tried to stop it, but it was too late. I found out about the bet and Hiei and I had this horrible fight. We said such cruel things to each other and then it was over."

Shizuru's menacing expression darkened and Botan continued speaking in an attempt to quell the psychic's growing wrath.

"It sounds a lot worse than it is, but they saw it as a harmless prank, really. They didn't expect anything to develop between Hiei and I."

"It still doesn't excuse them. Those boys can be so ignorant and immature," she intoned.

"I know, but I've made peace with it."

Shizuru's dark expression faded into one of bewilderment; eyebrows raised and mouth drawn into a relaxed line. Her warm gaze inspected Botan carefully, brown eyes searching for any signs of deception or dishonesty.

"Have you really?"

"Well, there's just one thing that bothers me," Botan disclosed with a slight frown. "Yusuke told me that Hiei actually forfeited the bet a few days before I found out the truth. He could have told me right then and there that it was over but he pretended that the bet was still valid when we had that big argument. I just don't understand what his intentions were."

The brunette took a long drag of her cigarette before answering.

"I think we're missing some critical information. It doesn't add up."

"I can't get it off of my mind and it's driving me absolutely insane!" she moaned.

"Of course it is," Shizuru sympathized. "There are lots of things left unsaid between you. You need closure."

Botan paused as the brunette's words fully sunk in. Closure. It was such a simple concept. All she needed to do was get some answers and then she could properly move on. She would finally be free from all of this confusion and hesitation and longing. She would be able to move on the proper way and her heart would finally be at ease.

"Shizuru, you're a genius!" Botan exclaimed.

The brunette smirked, tapping the ash of her cigarette butt over the railing and watching it fall before turning back to Botan with a more serious expression.

"One more thing: if you're going to go through with this, my advice would be to do it sooner than later."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, the Dark Tournament was one thing. If the boys failed, we would have all lost our lives. But this thing with Sensui? The whole human race is at stake. We don't know how things will end and that's what worries me. I don't think we have the luxury of holding onto grudges or keeping our feelings concealed right now. If there's something you need to tell him, I think now's your best chance."

"But he's gone..." Botan pointed out. "And if Hiei doesn't want to be found, there's no way of telling where he might be."

"I wouldn't worry. I have a feeling that he'll return when it matters most."

"Yusuke said the same thing and I want to believe you both so badly, I really do, but I..." Botan's voice broke at the same time that her uncertainty began to rise from within.

"Hey," Shizuru placed a hand on Botan's back and rubbed. "Don't stress it. I know things are confusing for you now, but just listen to your heart. What is it telling you?"

"...My heart has led me wrong before," Botan replied with a bitter smile. "It's sort of what got me into this mess in the first place."

"But at least you can live with no regrets. You did what you wanted, you experienced life differently and now you're left to pick up the pieces. When the time comes - and it will, believe me - you need to talk to him."

Botan found strength in Shizuru's comforting words and she nodded.

"Alright, I will," she promised.

"Good."

"Thank you Shizuru."

"Anytime hun."

It did not take long for Hiei to find Yusuke engaged in a losing battle against a psychic who possessed the power of telekinesis. The two stood on a plateau, high above the forest where the detective had nowhere to run. It was a pathetic sight to witness: the victor of the Dark Tournament cornered and bested by a human of lesser strength and experience, but there was more to this situation than met the eye. The detective was different from his usual self, somehow; his confidence was shot, his motivation was low and his resolve was wavering. It was time that Hiei put an end to all of this and with a swift jab of his sword he quickly immobilized the psychic. Hiei knew by now that killing a human with his track record would just land him back where he started with Spirit World, so he made sure to avoid any major organs and watched as the human fell to the floor with a thud.

Yusuke was relieved to see him, but Hiei did not give him any time to react as he launched himself into an attack against the detective. It was obvious in the boy's demeanor that the more recent events of this case had him shaken up and doubting himself. But the detective was strong; he just needed to remember it and Hiei was willing to lend a helping hand, or fist, whatever it took to get the job done. Besides, both he and the detective weren't good with words; this tactic was more direct and more telling than words could ever be.

As they fought, Yusuke's confidence surged with each and every strike. His movements, which started out unsure and hesitant, quickly evolved into his notorious quick and powerful fighting style. Their opposing energies clashed around them and just as Hiei was beginning to enjoy their duel, the detective stopped suddenly, giving Hiei an impressed look.

"If you had used those moves on me back when we first met, I might not be standing here today," he acknowledged through winded breaths.

"We both know that you would have found another way to succeed. It's what you do," Hiei replied somewhat begrudgingly.

Yusuke chuckled heartily and threw an arm around Hiei's shoulder.

"I knew you would come back right when we needed you the most. You really do have a heart deep down."

Hiei pushed his hand away with a scowl.

"Tell me what's happened since I left," he demanded.

"A lot went down, but I'll give you the abridged version," he replied as he rubbed at the back of his neck. "Sensui was the last spirit detective. He went insane after he saw this tape that Spirit World keeps on lockdown-"

"-Chapter black," Hiei interjected, having been all too familiar with the elusive tape.

"Yeah, that's the one," Yusuke affirmed. "Anyway, Sensui's held a grudge against the human race ever since then and now the psycho wants to open up the dimensions between our worlds to let the demons wreak havoc here. He started breaching the barrier and now he's got Kuwabara to boot."

Hiei looked out towards the distance where he could clearly see the distortion within the barrier. It was larger than he had expected, covering the entirety of Mushiyori city. An energy almost similar to lightning crackled around the edges of the barrier, attempting to stretch and break it completely.

"Where does the oaf fit into all of this?" Hiei questioned, drawing his attention back towards the detective. "I hardly think the enemy would find him useful with his spirit energy, much less without it."

"Kuwabara's got the power to rip through dimensions. It sort of just developed during his fight with one of the psychics: Seaman," Yusuke recounted. "Speaking of the enemy, Seaman – or Mitari as we call him now – is on our side. We defeated three of Sensui's lackeys, so that means there are four enemies left."

"I see," Hiei nodded. "And what's your plan detective?"

"Find the creepy hideout, save Kuwabara and kick Sensui's deranged ass."

"Hn. Should have known."

The sun had started to set as they made their way towards the source of the breach. If they failed to stop Sensui, this world would undoubtedly fall into darkness before morning. Each step brought them closer and closer to the dark energy and the distinctly heavy and thick air that drifted through from the demon world. Although this world was close to its destruction, the familiarity of home comforted Hiei more than he cared to admit. He was so close to it and yet, there was one last obstacle preventing him from letting go and returning to the place he needed to be.

"Looks like we made it just in time," Yusuke muttered, drawing Hiei out of his thoughts and alerting him to the others standing in the distance near the mouth of a large cave.

Hiei's gaze flickered past the psychics he dismissively before quietly regarding the fox, the old woman and the prince. Crimson eyes finally landed on the ferry-girl, pausing to inspect her for any signs of injury and relaxing once he noticed that her posture and movements were unhindered. Genkai must have healed her and for that, Hiei was grateful. When she finally took notice of their approach, her eyes lit up in relief. Hiei had expected her smile to drop the moment she saw him, but it didn't waver in the slightest and he forced himself to look away from the brightness of her expression. He told himself that her relief was only due to the fact that he was en extra ally, another source of power that they could use to their advantage. She wasn't happy to see him, she was simply grateful for the added strength that he could supply to the team. These flimsy justifications were the only means he had of preventing himself from getting caught up in the whirlwind of his treacherous affections towards the woman.

Although he hated to acknowledge it, seeing her get hurt was the sole reason for his return. He had fully intended to leave the team behind for good and all it took was the slightest inkling that Botan was in danger to bring him back to her side. It was pathetic, but for now he could not be bothered to care. The times were too uncertain; the danger was too real and unpredictable. He could not afford to leave this threat in the hands of the others, not when the lives of his sister and the ferry-girl were on the line. He would let go of her when all of this was over and this would be his final case with the Spirit Detective team.

Botan stood in front of the entrance of the cave, looking into its depths through unsure eyes. A sense of dread was steadily building within her as her heart thundered with anxiety. Sensui and the rest of the psychics were waiting just beyond this area, biding their time until the barrier to demon world was broken and the sea of unforgiving demons ravaged the land. It would throw the human world into its Dark Age centuries too soon. The death toll would be remarkably high and her frown deepened when she thought of all of the senseless violence that would occur.

Koenma had just given her very specific instructions to return to the Spirit World and alert his father if there was an earthquake anytime soon. She knew what that meant; the prince would have entered the fray and used his Mafukan. The pacifier, for lack of a better term, was only used for severe situations and she would have to let King Enma know that the human world was in need of the Spirit World's aid. She was afraid; in all of her time as a ferry-girl she had never entered a situation where her boss, her dearest friend, would be forced to take action.

"Hey, Urameshi's back and it looks like he brought the little angry one with him," Yanagisawa stated.

Botan quickly turned away from the cave, her eyes landing on the familiar black clad form that she longed to see. Hiei was back, just as Yusuke and Shizuru assured he would be. Her heart flooded with relief and her face split into a wide and joyful grin as Yusuke and Hiei joined up with the rest of the group. Their current situation was so bleak and unclear, but when the entire team was together there was nothing that they could not overcome. She had seen it time and time again. They would rescue Kuwabara, they would defeat the enemy and they would close the breach in the barrier. Everything was going to be all right because Hiei was here.

They quickly decided that Yusuke, Kurama, Kaito, Genkai and Koenma would enter the caves, led by Mitari. Botan would remain outside with Yanagisawa, ready to return to Spirit World if Koenma's warning came to pass.

"Let's do this thing," Yusuke said, stepping forward determinedly.

"Hiei, wait," she called out hesitantly.

The others heard her and the ones that knew about the bet had all reacted subtly. Kurama glanced back at them quickly, Koenma's steps took a slight pause and Yusuke tensed, but they each continued onward, giving her the chance she needed to be alone with the fire-demon.

He looked at her expectantly and she took a deep breath as she started.

"I know that we both said a lot of things that weren't true. Well, I said a lot of things that I didn't mean," she corrected quickly, before looking at him imperatively. "But I don't want that to be the last meaningful conversation we ever had between us."

"You're assuming we'll fail."

"No… that's not it," she tried to explain herself but all coherent thought was failing her. The sun retreated in the horizon and the faint orange light was starting to dissipate. As daylight began to slip away and she felt as though something else was ending as well. Perhaps it was the end of peace in the human world, or perhaps it was the end of Sensui's terrifying reign; whatever the case, the sudden danger felt realer than ever. She needed to let him know that she didn't hate him as much as she tried to let on. "What I'm trying to say is-"

"I know what you meant," he cut in. His guarded and tense expression softened slightly as he stared back at her and it gave her the courage she needed to speak her mind.

"Even though you hurt me and even though I'm still angry with you, that doesn't change the fact that I…"

… that I can't seem to forget about you…

…that I miss you…

…that I still care for you…

"…that I don't want you or any of the others to get hurt," she finished resolutely.

"These psychics are unpredictably strong foes," Hiei stated evenly. "But we've faced similar situations and come out on top. This one should be no different."

"Right, so you boys better win!" Botan urged. "If you or any of the others die on me, I won't ferry your souls. I'll let you all wander around aimlessly and never find peace."

"That's uncharacteristically morbid of you, woman."

There was a hint of a smirk tugging at his lips and lighting his crimson eyes with a familiar amused glint that she had not expected to see again. It had her smiling back at him despite the doubt and fear swirling around in her mind. Even though he had been lying to her for the past month, her heart ached for the times when they could just spend time together without imminent danger hanging over them like a freshly sharpened guillotine. Her smile slowly disappeared as she stared back at him uneasily.

"I'll see you when this is all over, won't I?" she asked.

Hiei nodded firmly. The confidence and assurance in that simple gesture exuded in waves and somehow calmed her as well.

"You will," he affirmed.

No more words passed between them and Botan watched as he entered the cave.

The bout with Sensui was a grueling one. They had almost lost on more than one occasion and for the first time, Hiei had felt the oppressing weight of hopelessness. The despair had nearly engulfed him when he realized that he was completely weak and helpless; trapped within Itsuki's binding territory with no plausible way of escaping. The fear had seeped through his bones, restricting his movement and hindering his breathing. It was something he promised himself that he would never succumb to again.

The crippling fear and sense of hopelessness, although seemingly stretching on for an eternity, had only lasted a short while. With the detective's demise, he had risen to a new level of power. But even with that new strength, Sensui had shown him that there were echelons of strength that he had yet to obtain. That immense power was entirely reachable; he just needed the catalyst to reach it. So when Mukuro contacted him, he knew that this was his best shot. It seemed as though things were aligning in his favor. He was never meant to stay in the human world and now that his sentence was over, he was free.

Now all that's left was to leave.

He stood at the steps of the old woman's temple, overlooking the rest of the group as they spoke quietly. Kurama would be joining Yomi's army and Hiei had no doubt that the fox would excel under Yomi's tutelage. Yusuke had accepted his birthright as Raizen's heir and was headed off to his ancestor's territory with the purpose of becoming stronger and getting acquainted with his demon roots. Koenma was attempting to regain a foothold in Spirit World after the damage that Sensui had inflicted and the ferry-girl would no doubt have her work cut out for her as well. Kuwabara would do whatever it was that humans did, but Hiei could not be bothered to care. The only thing he that mattered concerning Kuwabara was the fact that he would still be around to protect Yukina should the need arise in his absence.

They were all moving forward with their lives, jumping headfirst into the next phase. He could not afford to remain stagnant and stay here.

"Excuse me Hiei, may I ask you something?"

The dulcet tone could only belong to his sister and he turned to find her standing near him.

"What is it?" he asked, remembering to soften his usually gruff manner as he spoke to her.

"If you happen across a demon with a stone like mine, would you please give this to him?" she asked as she pulled a silver chain off of her neck and held her hand out in front her.

When she opened her grasp, Hiei's eyes met with the brilliance of their mother's hiruiseki stone. His gaze widened slightly at the sight of the untarnished and perfect stone and he suddenly felt the weight of his own stone more prominent and heavy than before. He realized that she was still speaking and he had zoned out. He only caught the tail end of her sentence and by the looks of it, she was explaining what the stone was and what it meant to her.

"If it's that important, why are you entrusting this task to me?" he asked.

"Something tells me that you might have a better chance of coming across my brother than the others," she said somewhat vaguely. "It shouldn't be hard to find him with your gifted eye."

"Hn."

"If you do happen to find him, would you please give the stone to him and tell him that his sister is looking for him in the human world?" she requested.

"He's been missing for years, correct?" Hiei asked. "What makes you think he's still alive?"

"I believe he's alive," Yukina responded, smiling wholeheartedly. "I know that I will find him someday; maybe we've been apart for so long because he just needs some time to find himself first."

"What do you mean?"

"My brother is a special case. He's an emiko, a male born to a primarily female clan, and as such there aren't many like him. I can't imagine how he must have felt being abandoned immediately after birth and it pains me to think of the loneliness and suffering he endured because of the stigma our people placed on him," she revealed. "I know that my brother is a strong warrior, but he must carry a heavy emotional burden because of his past. Perhaps he needs time to heal and to grow. And when he finds himself, I'll be here waiting for him to find me."

Yukina spoke of him as though she knew the truth, but it wasn't possible. There was absolutely no way she could have known. She took a step closer to him, holding the stone out in her hand.

"So please, if you find him can you tell him that I'm here and I won't stop searching for him?" she asked.

Hiei opened his hand to accept the stone before pocketing it.

"Thank you," she said, ruby eyes boring into his own as she smiled at him.

He would take the stone to ease her mind but he had no intentions of ever revealing himself to her. Yukina was safe, she had the company and protection of Genkai, Kuwabara and the Spirit World and she had the chance of a new life without the oppressing rules of the ice maidens stifling her. He had no regrets leaving her here as he watched her walk over to Kuwabara's side.

Hiei stepped further into the temple's front yard where he was afforded the view of Botan saying her tearful goodbyes to the fox and the detective, wiping her watery eyes on the sleeves of her kimono as she sniffled.

He thought he would be able to cut her off easily, but when faced with her again, his resolve cracked and threatened to crumble entirely. With the ever-present threat of danger and death looming above them, it was easy for Hiei to justify his return to the ferry-girl and the rest of the group. He was doing it for the whole team and he was doing it for this world, because the threat was bigger than all of them and it needed his attention. But with Sensui gone and the world in peace again, he had no justification for his weakness. He had nothing and no one to blame his hesitation on but himself. He was still holding on, but he needed to let go if he ever expected to achieve the greatness that was due to him. Both he and Botan were holding on to the remnants of a relationship that should never have happened and it was time to let go.

He finally advanced towards her when she was away from the others, standing near enough for the portal to cast a blue glow over her features.

"Hiei…" she regarded him softly.

The sound of the airways rushing around within the portal reminded him that he was on a time limit. It would only remain open for a short while and there was no time for pleasantries or sugarcoated words. He could not prolong the inevitable any longer and he swallowed thickly before hardening his gaze and lifting it towards the ferry-girl.

"I want you to forget everything that happened between the two of us," he advised. "Unlike the fox and the detective, I don't plan on returning."

She stared back at him confusedly, brows drawn together as she frowned.

"But what about Yukina?"

"Yukina is safe," he said quietly, taking a moment to look over in her direction. She was talking with Kuwabara and smiling gently at something he had just said. "She's happy here and that's all that matters."

"But she still needs her brother, Hiei," Botan reasoned quietly. "You and I both know that she won't give up on her search for you."

Hiei's attention returned to the ferry-girl and he shook his head.

"I don't want to talk about that right now."

Botan bit her lip, contemplating her next words as her eyes drifted towards the grass below.

"You really won't come back?"

"I don't intend to."

"Oh," she said sullenly.

The wind rustling the trees and crickets chirping filled the silence between them. It was a calm night, one that they had earned after the near destruction of this world. Hiei's gaze wandered to the others as they said their goodbyes for a moment. There was a hint of sorrow and longing in the air. The gloomy atmosphere hardly suited their ragtag group.

"I hoped that we might be able to at least talk things through," she professed. "Even if it was all just a game to you, it still meant something to me."

"You're confusing our time together for something that it wasn't," he stated.

Her expression fell almost pitifully.

"What?"

He pressed his mouth into a thin line as he contemplated his next words. The lengths he had to go to let go of a mere ferry-girl were disturbing. He had to end it now and he knew exactly how to do so. He had never been one for lying and hiding the truth, but this would be his last lie.

"We aren't friends; we were barely acquaintances and forced allies. What I did to you was deceitful, but I do not regret the reasons behind my actions," Hiei began. "I'm not suited for this world or the life that it entails and when I found the chance for freedom, I took it. You were just an unfortunate casualty caught in the crossfire, nothing more."

"If I meant so little to you, then why are you still standing here, Hiei?" she asked. Her tone was angry, but he knew that her anger had only stemmed from a deep-seated pain caused by his callous words. He could see the hurt etched firmly in her features and reflected in her eyes but he resolved to ignore it as it beat within his own chest. "Why bother telling me any of this in the first place?"

"Consider it an apology or an explanation; take it as whatever you need it to be," Hiei directed. "It's time that we moved on from all of this."

Botan's expression eased into one of contemplation. There was a far off look in her amethyst eyes, as though she were remembering something important. He caught the sound of her voice drifting in the air between them and if he hadn't had such sensitive hearing, he surely would have missed it.

"Closure," she mumbled quietly to herself. "I guess this really is the end."

Something painful twisted inside of his chest upon processing her declaration. It was one thing for him to decide and accept their ending, but it was another feeling entirety when Botan was inclined to agree with him. He pushed aside his wavering thoughts as she looked back at him determinedly.

"I appreciate your honesty and I wish you well. Goodbye Hiei."

He should have opened his mouth to respond with the clichéd final goodbye, but the words caught in his throat. Instead he responded with a curt nod of his head before turning to face the swirling portal ahead. Each step felt heavier than the last and he determined that this hesitation would be his final weakness. Mustering up the last vestiges of his resolve, he entered the portal and passed through into the familiar atmosphere of the demon world.

I know that a lot of people were thinking that Hiei and Botan would naturally get back together once they were faced with possible death and the end of the human world, but I thought that it would be a bit of a cop out. I hope you're not disappointed that they have both chosen to move on with their lives and go their separate ways. Of course, things are far from over for our favorite pair.

In other news, I can't believe we're already at Chapter 20 and almost hitting 300 reviews! We've still got a way to go so I hope you're all still interested! Thanks for the support so far. Hope you're looking forward to the next update, because I'm really excited about this next phase.