Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Coming Clean ❯ The Recue, The Sacrifice ( Chapter 34 )

The detectives wasted no time in beginning their search for Intaro. While Yukina, Botan, and Genkai combined their healing skills to restore Kurama's body to an inhabitable condition within the one-week deadline, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Hiei tracked the demon in Ningenkai. It seemed that Intaro had not returned to the demon world. His energy was still affected by the strength enhancement drug he had taken, so the detectives had to settle for tracking him the old fashioned way. They returned to the cave in which he had held Kurama and started looking.

 

Kuwabara entered the cave and tried to pinpoint remnants of Intaro's altered ki. Due to the unusual nature of the energy, they could not track the demon from a distance like this, but with the carrot-top's superior sensitivity, close range tracking may be an option. Hiei steadfastly refused to enter the cave. Instead he and Yusuke scoured the surrounding area for footprints or tracks. Within a day, the detectives were hot on the demon's trail without any help from Spirit World.

 

During his stay in Reikai, Kurama spoke to no one. He did not eat or drink, of course, since he had no actual body. He also avoided the healing chamber where his body was being restored. He spent many hours sitting alone in the garden of the Reikai palace. His silence turned to melancholy, and finally to outright depression. On their short breaks from healing, Yukina and Botan would each try to coax a word out of the morose fox, but he never spoke and even stopped making eye contact with them. They became seriously concerned about his survival. Even if his body were restored, if he had lost the will to live, returning him to it would become impossible.

 

On the fourth day the detectives got close enough to their prey for Kuwabara to pick up Intaro's warped energy signal. Despite Koenma's repeated warnings not to engage Intaro while he was under the influence of the drug, they slowly crept to surround him. They planned to take revenge for their friend. With a nod from Yusuke, the three detectives sprang at Intaro in unison, rei ken, rei gun, and katana poised for the kill.

 

When all three landed on clear ground with no bloody corpse between them, they realized that Koenma might have had a point.

 

A loud thud drew Hiei and Kuwabara's attention. Yusuke sailed between them to strike a tree, upside down. Sliding down the trunk to land on his head, the detective took a few minutes to recover from the blow. Without hesitation the two standing team members turned and launched at Intaro. Kuwabara rushed straight in with his Spirit Sword blazing. Slicing and chopping, he blindly drove Intaro back. Hiei, anticipating this attack, flitted around to the demon's back to try to catch him in a pincer between them. Intaro was faster yet, sidestepping and grabbing Kuwabara by the head. In one strong movement, he pushed the larger human into Hiei. As Kuwabara tumbled, Hiei quickly regained his footing and struck at his opponent again.

 

By this time Yusuke had recovered and was aiming his Spirit Gun at their foe. Unfortunately Hiei kept getting in the way of the shot. After a moment, Yusuke realized that Intaro was leading the fight like some twisted waltz, keeping the fire demon in the line of fire as a shield. Cursing loudly, the teen lowered his finger and charged into the fray to battle with his fists.

 

In Spirit World an overworked Koenma sat at his desk stamping as fast as he could. He barely noticed when Jorge came running in. "Koenma, sir!" the ogre called impatiently. No response from the godling. "Koenma, sir!" Jorge called again. "Lord Koenma!" Nothing. Finally Jorge just bellowed, "KOENMA!" so loudly that the papers on the desk shifted and fell to the floor.

 

"What is it ogre? Can't you see I'm busy?" Koenma retorted.

 

"Koenma, we've just received a report. Yusuke, Hiei, and Kuwabara have engaged Intaro in Ningenkai," the blue ogre said hastily.

 

"What?" Koenma shouted. Shuffling through the mess of papers, the demigod found the remote control to his television and quickly sifted through the channels to find his detectives. The sight that met his eyes was unpleasant, to say the least.

 

Yusuke was standing stooped, breathing heavily. He held his ribs with one hand and a tree with the other. He was bleeding from his eyebrow and nose. Kuwabara was laid out cold at his feet. The only one still fighting was Hiei, and even he looked ragged. The hiyoukai was fighting with his hands, his sword having been lost some time ago. He did not release the dragon because he knew he lacked the mental control right now to keep it from consuming everything, even himself. His attacks were frenzied, and it was obvious he was being guided by anger and hatred, not his usually keen fighting sense.

 

Intaro, himself, had taken quite a few hits. His enhancement drugs were still effective, but he had not had a dose since he had kidnapped his prey, and the effects were waning. The demon was bleeding from several gashes, and his speed was finally slowing down. Still, he fought Hiei very well. Hiei's mindless bloodlust and desire for revenge dampened his skills. Intaro had only to wear him down a bit more, and the fight would be over.

 

"Dammit! What the hell were they thinking? Were they thinking? Dammit, Yusuke, why the hell..." Koenma said. "Get Kurama! He has a far better battle sense than I do, and he knows Intaro. Get him in here!" Jorge scurried to heed Koenma's commands.

 

The fox was sitting in the garden watching the flowers forlornly. He was no longer certain that he even wanted to return to his body. It held so much pain, and the shame of his death was gnawing at him. For four days he had been wondering, wracked with the guilt of being so selfish, yet terrified of what lay in store for him if he did go back. His body had died. He had been pulled from it, like a pawn, with no knowledge of what was happening, and no say in the matter. Sure, Koenma had explained his reasoning. It even made perfect sense. But Kurama felt lost, like a little boy in a crowded circus. Things were going on all around him, and he had no control. When Jorge burst into the garden, Kurama did not even look up.

 

"Kurama? Kurama? Oh, there you are!" the ogre said. "Come with me to Koenma's office immediately!" The fox spirit did not move. "Please, Kurama. It's the others. They need help, and you may be the only one able to devise a plan. They're in danger!" Kurama looked up at this. Jorge stepped back when he saw the emptiness in the spirit's eyes. The life was leaving him, as it had his body. "Please, Kurama," Jorge asked softly. "Just come look. Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Hiei's lives depend on you."

 

At that last statement, Kurama stood. Hiei's life depended on him. Maybe he could make enough of a difference to save Hiei when he failed to save himself. With a silent nod, he followed the ogre from the garden to Koenma's room.

 

In the throne room the picture on the screen was growing more and more grisly by the moment. Intaro was taking the upper hand. Kuwabara had regained consciousness, but was very unsteady. His rei ken flickered and wavered as he struggled to stay awake. Yusuke was dangling on Intaro's back, trying to choke the demon. Every time the detective attempted to take one hand off the taller demon's neck to form his rei gun, Intaro would twist, nearly knocking the boy off. Hiei still flitted in and out of range, trying to inflict damage, but he was slowed down considerably and was limping noticeably. Kurama's eyes widened when he saw his friends' situation.

 

"Well, Kurama, do you have any ideas of how we can help?" Koenma asked. Kurama stood silently, watching, as Yusuke was flung off Intaro's back and the demon swiped out a foot to catch Hiei in the sore leg, sending him sprawling. The fire demon was up again in a heartbeat, but was showing his exhaustion and pain in his off balance stance. Kurama shook his head. He couldn't let this happen. He had no control of anything, though, what could he do?

 

"Well, Kurama? I need a plan, here! We've analyzed Intaro's power expenditure rate, and he is burning himself out. At this rate he will fight himself to death, but not before he kills them. They're going to die unless we figure out a way to help them, and I have no fighters here capable of doing that. You're the strategist. Can you come up with anything?" Koenma asked, panic rising in his voice.

 

After a long moment, for the first time in days, Kurama spoke. "Send me."

 

"What? You're a ghost! You can't do anything!" Koenma bellowed.

 

"Put me back in my body and send me," Kurama said.

 

"No way! Your body is nowhere near healed! Even with the full week of healing, it will be frail and fragile when you reenter it! To go right into a battle, especially one of this magnitude, will kill you. You're staying here. Can you think of anything else?" the demigod asked. Kurama just shook his head silently, cursing his lack of control. Despair washed over the fox as he watched his friends dying. In a flash, the helplessness disappeared. Suddenly Kurama knew what he had to do. Silently he turned and left the throne room. Koenma and Jorge were so enrapt in the scene before them that they never even noticed.

 

Quickly, Kurama ran to the one place he had been careful to avoid. Entering the chamber, Botan and Yukina were considerably startled to find him at the foot of the bed, staring at his own dead form. Genkai was in the next room sleeping. They were working in shifts to heal the fox, and taking turns eating and sleeping. Kurama was relieved the old psychic was the one off duty. She was the only one with the power to stop his plan.

 

"I have to go back to Human World, now," Kurama said to the two healers before him.

 

"But Kurama, your body isn't ready yet," Yukina said, never moving her hands from their healing position.

 

"It's ready enough for what I need to do. After that, it doesn't matter anymore," the kitsune said bitterly.

 

"What the..." Botan began.

 

"They are going to die to avenge me," Kurama said in his ever-calm voice. "My so called death will have been pointless, and they will be gone forever. I'm the only one who can help them." 'Besides,' he thought to himself silently, 'Koenma was right; sacrificing one to save the others is the best plan. I need to go back.'

 

When Botan and Yukina began to shake their heads, Kurama ignored them and simply launched his ethereal form onto the bed where his physical form lay; he had merged with this body once before, surely he could do it again.

 

Kurama felt a swirling sensation followed by a falling sensation. The fall took his breath away, but the landing sensation at the end of it knocked the breath out of him. Gasping, he sat up, only to topple to the side and land heavily on the floor. Coughing and gagging, he realized he was breathing. That realization was quickly overshadowed by another: sheer agony. His muscles protested the influx of life, and tried to remain still. Forcing his wayward body to behave, Kurama managed to roll onto his side. Botan and Yukina rushed to his side.

 

"What did you do that for?" Yukina asked in her soft voice. Kurama could not answer for a moment. His partially healed body still held the pain of his torture, and he was reliving it all simultaneously.

 

When he managed to fill his lungs slightly, he gasped to Botan, "Take me to them. I must save them."

 

"Kurama, I hardly think you're in any condition to..." Botan began. But seeing the pain in Kurama's face, and remembering the pain his soul had carried for the past four days, she simply nodded. "Let's go save them," she whispered as she summoned her oar.

 

When the two arrived at the site of the battle, Yusuke and Kuwabara were standing off to the side. They had backed Intaro under an overhanging cliff face. Now they were powerless to attack him. They had both gotten a second wind of sorts, and were standing on their own, eyes burning, ready to fight once more. But their actions were blocked. Intaro held a barely conscious Hiei by the throat, slowly suffocating him. Spots swam before the fire demon's eyes as he clawed weakly at the hand crushing his throat. Even the clawing gestures were getting weaker and slower.

 

"You will all join your precious fox friend soon. Although his death was so much more delicious, I will not pass up three more toys to break," Intaro said, shaking Hiei slightly. Upon seeing this, Kurama's mind went blank. His instinct took over, numbing him to pain, to fear, to reason. He made ready to jump off the oar to save his lover.

 

"Kurama, wait!" Botan said. Kurama paused, ready to jump if she tried to talk him out of this again. Instead, the ferry girl handed him a small pouch. "I don't know if any of these will help you, but they are all I could scrounge up on short notice. Good luck. I'll be right here, in case...in case..." but she could not finish that sentence. Kurama opened the pouch and poured the contents into his hand. A small variety of seeds tumbled from the pouch into his palm. Most would not help; Kurama doubted giving Intaro poison ivy would win the fight, but one very small Makai seed caught his eye.

 

"Yes, Botan, this is perfect. Thank you. And thank you...for staying," the fox said, as he slipped off the oar to land near Intaro.

 

Intaro knew his strength was about to give out. His grip on the hiyoukai's neck was tight, but he could feel his hand going numb. Realizing that he had to end the fight quickly, he decided to snap the neck in his hand and finish the two humans in one blow. The he could make his way back to Makai and restore himself with his energy enhancement drugs. He was about to end Hiei's life when a flash of red to his right caught his attention.

 

Yusuke and Kuwabara were as surprised as Intaro when Kurama dropped, seemingly out of nowhere, to land gracefully on his feet only a few yards from his "killer". Intaro stared for a moment before his mouth fell open and Hiei slipped from his grasp. The fire demon landed hard on the ground, gasping and choking. As he rolled from Intaro, Hiei looked up and saw his lover. "Kurama?" he rasped though his constricted throat.

 

"No. I killed you," Intaro said, a feverish gleam entering his eyes. Kurama had seen that gleam before; it had haunted him during the eight days Intaro had mauled him. But this time, the gleam had a desperate madness to it. "You're dead! I made you my own by taking your life. What the hell are you doing here?" Intaro shrieked, losing control by the minute.

 

Kurama did not bat an eye. In his calm, serene voice, he simply replied, "I'm taking you with me. It's what you wanted: ultimate intimacy." In a flash Kurama held out his hand, holding the one seed he had selected from Botan's stash. With all of the energy he could summon, the seed burst into life, and a huge, magenta trunk wrapped around his arm. The plant grew taller, sprouting a huge bud. The bud opened to reveal a gaping maw.

 

Intaro stepped back as the plant loomed above him. He had no idea where the fox was getting this energy; he could sense no youki from this form. Before he had time to act, the plant swooped towards him. Realization dawned on him at the moment before the plant struck, and he looked at Kurama with lust in his eyes. "Ultimate intimacy, indeed, my Little Foxy," he said as the plant slammed into him, devouring him in an instant. The acidic, saliva-like secretions within the plant's gut quickly dissolved Intaro's body before a scream could even escape. The demon with the oddly enhanced power and the sick sense of intimacy was gone.

 

Kurama stood still as the plant wrapped around his arm wriggled: its version of a swallow. Hungrily, the plant began to seek more food. The smell of the detectives' blood, so fresh, so close, was driving it onto a feeding frenzy. Kurama turned to face his friends.

 

"You are all alive," he said with some satisfaction.

 

"Yeah, thanks to your help, Fox-boy. But I thought you weren't supposed to be up and around for another three days. Where'd you get your youki back so fast?" Yusuke replied with a grin.

 

"He didn't," Kuwabara said in a soft and subdued voice. To the super-sensitive youth, Kurama's energy was visible, swirling and winding around his body and feeding the gargantuan plant he held. They energy Kuwabara saw was not youki, however. "He's using his own life energy," Kuwabara said sadly.

 

Hiei, who had just regained his footing, turned to look at Kurama. "Fox?" he said hoarsely.

 

"I'm sorry, Love. I have to break my promise to you. I can't come back now. Please forgive me," Kurama said, his chin quivering slightly.

 

"What are you talking about, Kurama?" Yusuke asked. "Just put that plant thing away, and we'll get you back to Spirit World. They'll heal you up, and we'll all go home."

 

"It is not that easy, Yusuke. I haven't much life energy left; it was never fully restored."

 

"So, why did they send you here if..." Kuwabara began, but trailed off. All three detectives realized that no one had sent Kurama; he had just come.

 

"Fox," Hiei said, stepping closer.

 

"No! Stay back," Kurama hissed, grimacing as he stumbled a bit. "I have not the energy to return this plant to a seed. When I lose consciousness, it will be free of all control. It will consume anyone it finds. You must escape. Destroy it, Yusuke, so it does not kill another."

 

"But if I shoot it, I'll hit you, too," Yusuke protested.

 

"No, Yusuke. I will not be here. As I said, it will consume anyone it finds. Being the closest... Now please, go," Kurama whispered, as unconsciousness reached to claim him. The three detectives watched in horror as the kitsune slipped into darkness and fell to the ground, his arm slipping free of the trunk. The plant thrashed for a moment, then sought its prey. Drawn by the scent of Kurama's still unhealed wounds, the plant paused for only a second before the head shot down to consume the fox. The mouth crashed into the ground where Kurama had stood.

 

Yusuke and Kuwabara stood transfixed. Neither even saw the movement. One second Hiei was standing beside them, and the next second he was falling to the ground, Kurama's limp form in his arms. Somehow he had found the speed to grab the kitsune before the plant made contact. Hiei whispered one word before collapsing, unconscious, to the ground, "Detective." Taking the hint, Yusuke took aim and sent a reigun blast into the cliff face directly above the plant. The rocks rained down onto the Makai plant, crushing its trunk and the large bud. When the rubble settled, the plant was dead.

 

Botan appeared at Yusuke's side instantly. "Come on; we have no time!" she said hurriedly as she opened a portal. Taking the hint, Yusuke and Kuwabara scooped up their unconscious teammates and carried them behind the ferry girl back to Reikai.

 

When they arrived in the healing chamber, Yukina and Genkai were waiting. When the ice maiden had awakened the psychic and informed her of Kurama's rash actions, Genkai had grumbled, but she knew his motives, and was impressed that a demon would possess such a strong love for another. When two patients were presented to them, the three healers began healing immediately. Hiei was injured, but mostly needed to sleep as his demon body healed. Genkai began to tend to him. Kurama had spent his life energy, and only a tiny spark remained. Carefully Botan and Yukina began to nurse that ember back to life. Yusuke and Kuwabara leaned against a wall tiredly. They were both beaten up, but they knew their teammates needed attention first.

 

The door opened as Koenma ran in. "He didn't," the godling said incredulously. "He did," Koenma concluded with one look at Kurama. The kitsune was inches from death, and this time there was no magic trick to pull out of his hat that Koenma could use to help. Shaking his head, he turned to the two detectives that were awake.

 

"I saw on the lists that Intaro is dead; officially, irreversibly, absolutely dead. The mission is over. Now we have to get you guys patched up. I'm not sure why you went after him in the first place when I specifically told you to wait, but the mission was to take him out, and he is most certainly out, so good job," the demigod said with no hint of satisfaction or mirth. Yusuke and Kuwabara just nodded. They were too tired to speak.

 

Before Koenma could even turn to appraise the two demons, a flash of light caught his attention. The captain of Enma's elite squad of demon fighters stood beside him. Before anyone could ask a question, the captain spoke. "Step away from the demon, Kurama." Of course, he was promptly ignored. He repeated his command and raised his hand, a strange glow forming around his fingers. This caught the attention of everyone present.

 

"What the hell is going on, Captain? I demand an..." Koenma began.

 

"This demon defied a direct order from Spirit World when he resumed his body prematurely, and in doing so has removed himself from our care. He is to be sent to Human World to live or die, as is his fate. Now step away from him, or I will be forced to take action," the captain said. Yukina and Genkai ignored him, but Botan paled visibly at this news. Nevertheless, she continued to heal her friend. The glow around the captain's fingers grew brighter. Koenma stepped between the captain and Botan.

 

"Botan, stop what you are doing and tend to Hiei," Koenma ordered.

 

"Lord Koenma?" the ferry girl asked in a soft and uncertain voice.

 

"You heard me," Koenma directed. With a moment's hesitation, Botan did as she was told.

 

"What the...?" Yusuke asked.

 

"As a creature of Spirit World, Botan is bound by my father's law. Her life is forfeit if she disobeys this order. The captain would kill her without a second thought," Koenma explained, narrowing his eyes at the captain, who merely nodded his assent.

 

"Well I am not of Spirit World. I am a creature of Makai, and will do as I damn well please," Yukina said, never looking up from her work, and never wavering in her healing of the fox. Genkai slipped away from Hiei's side to join Yukina in healing the fox.

 

"I will take action and you will be arrested," the captain threatened. When Koenma did not remove himself from the captain's path, the soldier said quietly, "Remember what happened last time, Lord Koenma. Enma has given his order, and that supercedes even your commands. Now step aside, or I will move you." When Koenma refused to move the captain sighed, then balled up his fist and struck Koenma soundly in the solar plexus. The demigod crumbled. The captain approached the healers. "You are both under arres..." he began.

 

"Botan," Koenma gasped from the floor. "Arrange to take Kurama to a human hospital in Human World. He will have to recover there. I'm sorry, guys; I have no choice. If they lock up the healers, no one will get better." Hatred practically poured from the godling's eyes as he glared at the captain. The captain remained to watch as the arrangements were made and the kitsune's limp form was taken away. With a last menacing glance, the captain turned and disappeared to report to Enma.

 

"What was that about?" Kuwabara asked.

 

"My father hates demons. He hates that Kurama and Hiei, who broke into his beloved vault, are in my employ. Don't forget that he tried to have Yusuke killed as well to prevent his resurrection as a demon. He's paranoid, and I'll bet he sees this as a way to be rid of one of the demons he despises the most. I'll see what I can do, but for now we have to play by his rules. I'm sorry, guys. If they lock up Yukina and Genkai then no one will be left to help Kurama. This way we can sneak some healing in when Kurama is back in Ningenkai. My father does not have as much control over demons in Human World as he does here in Reikai. Now, you two should get back as well. Hiei can recover here; it will be faster that way, and it will give Botan something to do. Even in Human World, she will be killed if she disobeys my father," Koenma explained, staggering to his feet. The two boys nodded, and followed him out of the room.

 

When they returned to Human World, Yusuke called Kurama's mother to let her know where her son was and what had happened. She arrived at the hospital in record time. The nurse was just leading her back into the emergency area when a flurry of activity erupted in a small room. Doctors were calling out to nurses; nurses were running back and forth bringing medications and equipment. Finally one doctor called a code and the entire staff scurried for a crash cart. A doctor yelled, "Clear!" and a second later the bare feet of the patient, the only part visible through the throng of people, jerked as electricity passed through the body. This was repeated a few times.

 

As interesting as this was, Shiori just wanted to see her son. She gently nudged the triage nurse who was leading her and asked, "May I please see my son, Shuuichi Minamino?" The nurse looked back with sad eyes and tried to speak, but no words came out. Finally, the nurse just looked back at the poor patient who was dying in the room before them.

 

After a moment the truth sank into Shiori's mind. "No," she whispered and turned to her husband. Kazuya held her close, watching over her shoulder as the doctor inside pounded on his patient's chest to get a heartbeat. As the nurse lead them away, he heard the doctor calling for an endotrachial tube and oxygen. Stunned and scared, they sat in the waiting room, waiting for something to happen.

 

After some time, the doctor from the room approached the Hatanakas. He introduced himself and escorted them to a small office. Shiori remembered the office from her last visit to this emergency room. That seemed a lifetime ago. That was when they had told her that her son was in a coma. She wondered idly what news they would give her this time. When she finally looked at the doctor, she saw that he was waiting, giving her time to prepare herself.

 

"Mrs. Hatanaka, all I can say is your son is a fighter. Somehow, he's alive. We're not sure how, but we are doing everything possible to keep him that way. As you saw when you first arrived, we had some trouble. He went into full arrest; his heart stopped completely, as did his breathing. We got his heart started again, but he cannot breathe on his own. A respirator is breathing for him. He has not awoken yet, and probably will not for some time. We'll be moving him up to intensive care as soon as he is more stable. I have to ask some questions about how be got so injured. I see in his record he was here within the last year for similar, if less severe, injuries. What is going on?" the doctor asked.

 

"My son does not look for trouble, yet somehow it always finds him," Shiori said in an emotionless tone. "He's not one to watch while others are hurt or taken advantage of. He disappeared almost two weeks ago, and I have not seen him since. We thought maybe he had been kidnapped. They...they..." Shiori managed to stick to the story they had made up to explain Kurama's absence while he recovered, but she was numb. She felt as if she were functioning on autopilot. Some part of her mind was telling her to just go to sleep, and when she woke up this would all be a nightmare, and her son would still be coming back to her at the end of the week, like that person with "Jr." on his forehead has promised. Absently, she laid her head on her husband's shoulder.

 

"I see. That explains why some of the injuries are partially healed. Well, I will take you to see Shuuichi, and you can accompany him to his room when they move him. I should warn you, though; he looks like a mess right now. He's hooked up to almost every machine we have. We had no choice but to install a jugular catheter, so you will see that, and he's very pale. Please be prepared," the doctor warned. Shiori was still numb, so when they saw Kurama, she had no reaction at all. When the time came to move him, Shiori and her husband went along. Finally, in the wee hours of the morning, the dam broke, and she sat by her son's side crying bitterly into her husband's shoulder. As for Hatanaka himself, he just stared. Although he did not get along with his stepson, and he disapproved of the boy's lifestyle, he certainly never wanted anything like this to happen.

 

When Yusuke and Kuwabara entered the hospital room the next morning, they found the Hatanakas dozing in their chairs. Kurama looked scary with all the tubes, and the noise of the respirator and the forced movements of his chest were so opposite his usual, silent grace, it took a few minutes for them to realize that this was their friend. Perhaps the scariest sight was the thick tube and needle poking into the side of the red head's neck, feeding transfusion blood and fluids directly into his jugular vein. When Shiori awoke, they softly explained in detail what had occurred and where Hiei was: still lying unconscious in Spirit World. Still overwhelmed, Shiori just nodded.

 

--

 

On the third day after Kurama was admitted to the hospital, Shiori was sitting by his bedside alone. He was still unconscious, but due to his condition, this was expected. Hatanaka had taken time off work, but had to spend some time with his own son. The boy was highly upset to learn that his stepbrother had died, come back, died, was revived, and now lay on a respirator. Hatanaka was trying to spend time with his son, to be there when the boy had questions. Yusuke had been visiting, but the sight of Kurama like he was was too much for the teen. He had left and was standing outside the door to Kurama's room. Shiori looked up when she heard voices in the hallway.

 

"I don't think you should go in there yet. Let me tell you what's going on."

 

"Get out of my way, Detective!' came an angry reply.

 

"No. I think we really need to talk before you go in there!"

 

"Move, or you'll be lucky you're in the hospital already."

 

"Look, normally I'd be afraid, but you look like shit. Why did the Reikai infirmary release you like that?"

 

"Hn."

 

The sound of a minor scuffle could be heard then a figure appeared in the doorway. The petite form approached the bed slowly, crimson eyes taking in everything.

 

The kitsune lay on the white sheets, his skin almost the same color. Tubes ran into both arms and right into the side of his neck. A thicker tube was going into his mouth, and his tongue stuck out around it. His eyes were closed, but the skin around them was dark, almost as if it were bruised. Machines beeped and hummed, and one particularly obnoxious machine sucked and hissed regularly, forcing air into and out of the body's lungs. The bright red hair was dull and limp, pulled to one side of Kurama's head to keep it out of the way of all the tubes and wires. To put it bluntly, Kurama looked like roadkill with IV lines going into it.

 

"Kurama?" Hiei whispered, right before he fell to his knees and leaned forward to brace himself with his hands. With a pained expression, the hiyoukai struggled to his feet. Shiori watched as Hiei arose slowly and made his way to a chair. Reaching out, he whispered, "Kurama?" again. His hand was shaking visibly. Slowly Shiori arose from her chair, circled the bed to stand beside the small demon, and gathered him into a hug.

 

"They didn't release you like this did they? You just left," she murmured. Hiei nodded, never taking his eyes of his fox.

 

"I just wanted to be here. What... What is going on?" Hiei asked. Shiori explained the situation to him. With sad eyes, Hiei looked at his lover.

 

"All we wanted was some peace, and some time together. Your summer vacation was supposed to be just for us. Fox, please come back to me," Hiei mumbled as he closed his eyes wearily. Shiori showed him how to recline his chair, and covered him with a blanket, then returned to her own chair. The two sat in silence, watching the person they loved the most sleep on, oblivious to the world.