Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ The Betrayal ❯ Chapter 7 ( Chapter 7 )

The Betrayal
- Chapter 7 -




The large double doors of the emergency room entrance burst open as Keiko rushed into the hospital. She looked around frantically in search for someone who looked as if he or she might be a doctor, in hopes of finding out about her parents. Behind her, Kurama and Hiei entered followed by the policeman and his partner, who had escorted them there. Kurama turned to them and smiled politely.

"We appreciate you bringing us, officers. Thank you." he said, knowing that Keiko was not in the right state to thank them herself and knew that Hiei wouldn't at all. Not that the fire demon wasn't appreciative of them having told Keiko about her parents, but rather, he just wasn't that sociable when it came to humans. At least, humans that weren't Keiko.

The officers both nodded and after casting Keiko, who had just found a doctor, a pity filled look, they left. Kurama turned from their retreating forms to see that Hiei had already moved in the direction of where Keiko was apparently grilling a man who looked around his own mother's age. He walked up just as the man was attempting to break into the string of questions their mate was flinging at him.

"Ma'am... ma'am, please... if you would just calm... I know this is very hard, but could you... ma'am, please..."

Kurama observed the scene, knowing how frantic Keiko was, but not letting the doctor get a word in edgewise was not going to help. He walked up, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder, even as Hiei came up on her other side. "Keiko," he said in his quiet, calming voice to get her attention, "Please let the doctor speak."

Hiei caught her frantic glance and mentally added, 'If you do not let the doctor speak, you will never know.' Somehow he also managed all that in a single look, so it was no surprise to the doctor when he suddenly had the attention of three very intense individuals turned on him.

The doctor cleared his throat, then looked around before gesturing for them to follow him. He led them to a waiting area with some chairs and instructed them to have a seat. Keiko’s apprehension rose at this and her body seemed to tense even more, if that were possible. They all sat; Keiko in the middle with Hiei to her right and Kurama to her left, each clutching one of her hands in silent support. The doctor sat across from them and with a sigh, began to speak.

“Miss Yukimura, your parents were in an accident.” he began and Keiko’s hands immediately tightened around Kurama’s and Hiei’s own. “Your father appeared to have been driving the car and lost control. The car rolled multiple times and both he and your mother were ejected from the vehicle.” By the time the doctor had gotten this far, tears were already leaking from Keiko’s eyes again. One of Kurama’s arms stole around the trembling girl’s shoulders and gave a squeeze. Hiei simply glared hard at the doctor as he continued to speak. “They were brought into the emergency room in critical` condition. They both suffered from severe head trauma. We did everything we could, but… I’m sorry, Miss Yukimura. Your parents didn’t make it.”

Kurama finally found his voice, "We were told their injuries were only minor." Internally, he was cursing the doctor for dropping the information so baldly. Keiko did not need this kind of stress on top of what she had already suffered the past few days.

Hiei nodded, both to support Kurama's words as well as his thoughts, but to reign in his temper, which would do no one any good right now. "Hn, Kurama, how soon is your mother going to get here? I think Keiko could really use her company right now." He pulled Keiko's unresisting form into his arms as he felt her start shivering.

Kurama felt it at the same time. "Do you have a blanket, sir? I'm afraid that she is going into shock herself."

The doctor nodded sagely. "Of course, I'll get one of the orderlies to bring her one.” He rose from the chair and gave Keiko a pitying look, much like the two officers had earlier. Now Kurama knew why. They must have already known the extent of the Yukimuras’ condition and just hadn’t wanted to be the ones to tell their daughter. “I must get back to work now,” The doctor’s words brought Kurama out of his musing. “I'm truly sorry." he said, and with that, the doctor left the room.

Hiei waited until the door had well and truly closed behind the doctor to mutter, "Damn ningens!"

Kurama put a calming hand on Hiei's shoulder, "Do not blame them, I am sure they did everything they could. It is not their fault that they could not do enough." He looked down at the trembling Keiko who was now shivering between them as he went on, "Now we must focus on our mate."

Hiei raised his body temperature a little, hoping that would help. He might as well take advantage of his heritage, after all. He noticed a small decrease in Keiko's trembling. This really needed a woman's touch. Kurama's mother, Yukina, he was at a loss when dealing with this side of emotions.

Just at that moment, Shiori was ushered in by an orderly carrying a blanket, which she took from him and knelt in front of the shivering girl. "Keiko, dear?" she asked in a soft, comforting voice as she shook out the blanket and held her arms open for the currently unresponsive girl, hoping to get her to move on her own.

Keiko just stared at Shiori for a moment, as if in a daze, but then finally her eyes focused and without a word, the girl flung herself into the older woman’s arms and began to sob uncontrollably.

Her sobs ebbed as she looked up at the woman who for all intents and purposes was her mother-in-law now and started pouring her heart out about the last 48 hours.

"Oh, Shiori, I don't know what's going on anymore! One minute, everything's fine between me and Yusuke, the next, I'm finding him together with Botan on the roof of the school! I ran from that only to run into Hiei, who confesses his feelings, who then takes me to Kurama, who feels the same way! I've discovered feelings for them deeper than anything I thought I could feel, as if I could conquer the world, if only they were at my side! Now this . . . My parents . . .” She let out a quiet hiccupping sigh as she finished, "I feel like I'm on a roller coaster and just want it to stop. I can't take much more of this."

Shiori held the girl as she cried and told her about what all had happened. This girl was a definite trooper that was for sure. She wasn't sure how she would have held up under all this stress at that age. All she could do was continue to hold her as she poured her heart out, seeing the concerned looks that her son and Hiei were giving their mate. She smoothed Keiko's hair and made soothing sounds. Once Keiko quieted a little, she grabbed some tissues from a box on the desk.

"There, there. The chaos cannot go on forever, dear.” Shiori cooed, “Make it through these next few days and I'm sure that the three of you will make it together. It's crises like this that bring families together, or drive them apart forever. From what I see, the three of you are doing splendidly and I'm proud to call you part of my family."

It was a few moments later before Keiko was calm enough to reign in her tears, but she still snuggled into Shiori's arms, taking what motherly comfort she could from Kurama's own mom. She could feel the heat of her mates' gazes on her and she slowly withdrew from Shiori to turn and give them both a small, but reassuring smile.

It wasn't long after that that a doctor, a different one from the last, entered the room holding a clipboard and some papers.

"Yukimura, Keiko?" he inquired and Keiko nodded a silent response. The doctor moved forward and handed her the clipboard and papers. "If you don't mind, we need your signature to claim the bodies..."

Keiko's eyes began to tear up all over again at these words and her hand trembled as she reached for the pen the doctor offered. Finally managing to scrawl her name on the papers in the appropriate places, Keiko gave the clipboard back to the doctor, who took it from her noticeably shaking hand.

“Thank you, Miss. Yukimura. The morgue officials will be by shortly to show you where to go to…” the stern looks the doctor was receiving from both Kurama and Hiei, as well as Shiori, caused him to trail off before clearing his throat and starting again. “Yes, someone will be with you shortly. I’m very sorry, miss.”

The doctor left quite quickly, leaving the waiting room silent except for the ticking of the wall clock and the sniffling of one completely devastated Keiko Yukimura.

~*~

Hiei glared at the door that the doctor had used to exit the room, his look clearly stating that he was wishing he had his trusty katana. Whether to defend Keiko from everything that was transpiring, or quite possibly to skewer that inept baka of a doctor, Kurama did not know. Looking away from the glowering youkai, Kurama returned his gaze to the stricken Keiko. Though he immediately felt the urge to comfort her, Kurama knew that what Keiko really needed was a mother's shoulder to cry on. As if sensing this, Shiori took the sobbing girl in her arms while Kurama patted her consolingly on the back.

Hiei finally tore his eyes from the door; reassured that the doctor would not be returning to cause his mate more pain, and looked down at Keiko. "Hn, this is too much stress for her in such a short time, Fox.” He murmured low enough to draw Kurama’s attention. “Is there no way for us to take her from all of this?"

“Hmm,” Kurama considered a moment. "While I do have a plant that would induce a period of sleep if we were home, I am reluctant to use it here.” He finally replied. “However, the fact remains; she will require rest and will get that best at home with both of us beside her. She needs us to be strong for her now, especially if our vision is true."

"Hn."


The sound of the waiting room door bursting open made Shiori, Kurama and Hiei look up, each expecting someone from the morgue. Keiko was still sobbing in Shiori’s arms, albeit a bit quieter. It was obvious that she had been well on her way to crying herself to sleep, which Shiori had been doing nothing to stop. She agreed with her son, Keiko needed to sleep off the shock.

The last thing they expected was to see an elderly couple come barreling in. The woman cried out, "My poor baby!" before proceeding to bump Shiori aside as she grabbed Keiko up into her own arms, jolting the poor girl wide awake again, though just as exhausted and still somewhat in shock. The man just looking at the two other males in the room with suspicion.

Shiori, having been knocked off balance, was assisted to her feet by her son before turning to the woman now holding Keiko. "Excuse me,” She inquired as politely as she could. “But, who are you?"

Keiko, finally emerging from her dazed state, looked up at the woman whose arms she was in now and asked incredulously, "Grandma?" She looked over at the other man, "Grandpa?"

The woman now identified as Keiko's grandmother nodded, "Yes, dear, it's me. We're here now and everything will be alright."

Keiko just sat there, staring numbly between her grandparents, Shiori and her mates, unsure of what to say or do. The emotional distress of everything was taking its toll on her, making her weak, both physically and mentally. The need for familiarity was imperative and though the woman holding her close was her father’s mother, Keiko couldn’t help but yearn to be back in the matronly arms of Shiori. She couldn’t explain it.

Before she could extract herself from her grandmother’s arms in order to move back to Shiori, her grandfather’s voice cut through the quietness as he addressed the people who had been found with his granddaughter and doing what he felt was “family responsibility”.

“A better question would be, who exactly are you three and how do you know our granddaughter?”

The other three looked back at him, momentarily shocked.

Hiei couldn't believe the gall of this Ningen, questioning his relationship to his mate. He didn't care about this Ningen's relation with Keiko, no one could question him like this. Before he could attack, though, Kurama's hand was on his arm, calming him somewhat and holding him back from doing any damage.

Kurama's calm voice cut through the pregnant pause that had befallen the room. "I am Kurama. This is Hiei," He indicated the shorter fire demon, "And Shiori, my mother." He then paused. "And we have both been friends with your granddaughter for a while now. I introduced her to my mother a short while ago."

“I see…” Mr. Yukimura drawled, turning to look at the other woman who had been holding his granddaughter upon their arrival. “Well, I thank you for being here for Keiko in such a tragic time, but I think we can take it from here.”

The matronly Yukimura nodded her approval of her husband’s words, never once letting her grip on Keiko go. Keiko simply remained as if in a trance in the woman’s arms.



“I am sorry, but we really can’t do that,” Internally, Kurama cursed the elderly couple’s untimely need to protect their granddaughter. Arguing them would, unlikely do nothing more than put even more stress on Keiko. "You see, we have been close friends for quite some time and Keiko needs that familiarity around her now." He pointed at Keiko, saying quietly, but heated all the same, "Do you not see? She was starting to calm down before you two burst in here, now she is going back into shock!"

Hiei didn't trust himself to say anything; Kurama seemed to be handling the situation quite well. "Hn." He nodded.

Seeing Keiko start to shiver, he took off the cloak that he always had with him, and went to drape it over her shoulders. But before he could complete the gesture, Mrs. Yukimura’s hand shot out and brushed the material away. “No, thank you. My granddaughter is quite fine the way she is.” She said in a not quite rude, but not entirely polite tone.



Sensing a source of warmth that was being withdrawn, Keiko's hand automatically shot out and caught the cloak before it fell completely and brought it back, her fist grasping the material tightly over her mouth, just beneath her nose. She clutched at it like it was a lifeline, especially since it still smelled like him, her mate, and the remnants of the fire demon’s body heat caused it to be even warmer. The combination from the cloak stirred something in her, a feeling of safety and love. Her hold turned less frantic, and into something softer, as if she were embracing it.

Hiei felt justified in smirking slightly, especially seeing that Keiko started to relax now that her primary mate's scent surrounded her.

"Any idiot knows to keep someone in shock warm." He stated smugly, giving a cold stare to the now flustered woman.

Mr. Yukimura turned red in the face and began to splutter. His wife released Keiko and immediately rose to her feet indignantly. "How... how dare you!" She fumed, glaring down at the shorter, dark haired young man before her.

Kurama put a steadying hand on Hiei's shoulder, sending silently ~While that did help our mate, Hiei, that did not in fact help the overall situation.~

~Hn, if they bothered to get their heads out of their asses, they would leave our mate be. The three of us were handling the entire situation quite well.~

Shiori took the opportunity that had arisen to help Keiko pull the cloak around herself and sat back down, with a calmer Keiko in her lap. Keiko immediately snuggled into her, whimpered softly as she buried her face, still covered partially by the cloak, in the crook of Shiori’s neck.

Hiei was impressed with the way Shiori could calm Keiko so quickly. ~Fox, your mother has an astonishing touch.~

~How do you think she managed to tame me?~

~Good point.~

Keiko's grandmother just looked at Shiori, "And who do you think you are?"

Shiori looked up, knowing that she could not reveal just what her son and Hiei were or what they were to Keiko, but she could put it in terms that they could understand. "I hope to be your granddaughter's Mother-in-Law."

Before either grandparent could respond to this, the door opened yet again. This time, a couple of men in the typical hospital attire entered the room, interrupting the confrontation that most assuredly would have occurred if not for their arrival.

“The Yukimura family?” the man on the right asked.

“Yes,” Mr. Yukimura responded, as he pulled his wife closer to him.

“If you please,” the man on the left said in a sympathetic and friendly, yet at the same time, authoritory voice, “There is a lot of paperwork to go through and plans must be made…” he said, “Only family members of the deceased can be present during this time. I’m sorry, but if you are no relation, then you will have to leave.” He looked to Hiei and Kurama as he said this.


~I hate ningen laws, Fox. Can't we take our mate to the Makai and be done with it?~

~Koenma would never forgive us, Hiei. For now we must obey the laws of the Ningenkai.~

Kurama nodded, "Of course, Hiei and I will be waiting down the hall with my mother to take her home with us. I am her fiance." He felt that it would only help their case to build upon the foundation that his mother had used.

Before leaving, Kurama went over to Keiko and carefully cupped her chin. He tried to determine still how much in shock she still was over the whole situation. She seemed to be recovering with Hiei's cloak, he only wished he could give her one of his roses, too, but there was no possibility of that with the strangers in the room. He bent his head and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "Remember, itooshi, should you need us, you have but to call." He was not sure whether the words sank in or not, but his tone was reassuring.

Keiko recovered enough to give Kurama a shaky nod.

It was then, and only then that the three got up, Shiori disentangling herself from Keiko and settling her back into the waiting room’s chair, and left. Kurama couldn’t help but notice the blatantly smug looks on the Yukimuras’ faces as he passed them on his way out, and for once in his life as a ningen, the fox wanted to punch someone for simply looking at him wrong.

Hiei followed Kurama, ~Fox, are you sure our mate will be safe with those two? I don't trust them.~

~I may not trust them either, but we are currently bound by the laws of this realm, or else Koenma really will have our heads.~ was the redhead’s mental reply.

~Hn.~ Hiei sent back, before falling in a black mood. The diminutive demon sank down into a chair, his only consolation being the fact that Keiko had recognized his scent on the coat as witnessed by the fact that she had relaxed. Something familiar in a situation that was all too unfamiliar to her. ~Courage, Keiko, mate and bearer of my children.~

As much as it pained the both of them to be separated from their mate at such a crucial time, they both knew that it would not be safe to make a scene. They remained in the other waiting room down the hall from where Keiko and her grandparents were making arrangements and everything that went with the passing of a loved one.

Kurama looked at the clock. It read 10:32.

Ten minutes passed… Then twenty. A half hour later found them still seated in that room, albeit uneasily. Neither of them, not even Shiori, figured it would have taken this long. Finally, after nearly an hour had passed, Hiei, being the most impatient of the three, leapt to his feet and began pacing back and forth across the room. Finally, at a quarter to 12:00, the fire demon had had enough.

“This is ridiculous! Fox, I’m going to get our mate.” He did not even wait for Kurama or Shiori as he charged out of the waiting room and down the hall. He was bursting into the room they had left Keiko and her grandparents in in a matter of seconds, only to find the room completely empty, save for a couple of orderlies.

Kurama came in quickly following the hot-tempered one in their little bond, only to also be pulled up short by the absence of any of the people he was expecting to see.

Shiori shortly followed her son and seeing the speechlessness of the two boys, she quickly asked one of the orderlies, "Excuse me, but we were waiting for the young woman who had been in this room. Can you please tell me where they were taken?"

One of the orderlies looked up at Shiori and gave a sad smile. "They couldn't get her to calm down and so had the doctor give her a sedative to help her rest, the poor dear child. The grandparents took her home and told the doctor that they would bring her back tomorrow or the next day after she'd had time to calm down a bit."

Hiei glared at the orderly, even though it wasn't this individual's fault. With his Jagan eye, he could tell that this one was sympathetic to his mate's plight and would have willingly done nothing to further disturb her. No, his anger was for those who took the decision out of Keiko's hands and removed his mate from their care. He was starting to glow a very dark color, promising retribution for anyone who stood in the way of their mate.

Kurama just stood there, trying valiantly to contain his fury, and consequently his youko form. Hiei could be explained, he didn't have fox ears and a fox tail on an otherwise human form. He had a slight problem with his demon form in the Ningenkai. His struggle only had one side effect: A poor potted weeping fig that was in the room seemed to grow about five inches. Fortunately the two orderlies were turned away from it and so didn't see it, but Shiori did and looked at her son in concern.

And, unknown to them, in a family car traveling East just a few blocks away from the hospital, Keiko's tattoo had begun to glow brightly in response to both her mates’ fury.

~*~

TBC…