Life Goes On

Yeah, I was productive last night. :o)

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Scene 51 ------------------------------------------- Later That Day

* Yusuke is drinking a cup of coffee in the armchair beside Hiei's bed. Chiisai is laying asleep, curled up on the other side of Hiei. The room is so silent that Yusuke's ears catch Hiei's slight shifting. He quickly places the cup on the side table and moves to sit beside his koorime. When Hiei moans as he continues to struggle up out of the hibernation Yusuke leans to speak quietly in one of his ears.


Yusuke- (Quietly) It's okay, Hiei.. The danger is past.. Take your time, Babe..


* The words seem to make it through since Hiei's body relaxes. Chiisai sits up, rubs his eyes, then looks at his Papa.


Chiisai- Papa?

Yusuke- Shh, Chi.. He's got to wake up slowly.. Why don't you go get Uncle Kurama and your aunts?


* Chiisai nods, sprouts his wings, and leaves as quickly as they'll carry him. Yusuke gets up to wring a rag out from the bowl of cool water on the desk. He then returns to his place and begins to swab Hiei's forehead, avoiding the ward as much as he can. When Kurama, Botan, and finally Yukina enter Yusuke holds a hand up toward them.


Yusuke- He's trying to come around.


* Botan hurries around to the other side of the bed to help since Yukina is hanging back by the door, holding Chiisai. Kurama moves to place his hands on Yusuke's shoulders. The Toushin can feel his First mate's concern that nearly equals his own. It takes nearly an hour, because of the koorime's weakened condition, before dull red eyes blink open partially. Slowly they move to focus on Yusuke with considerable effort. Hiei raises a hand toward him.


Hiei- (Weakly) Yu-suke,..

Yusuke- Hey, take it easy, Babe.. I'm fine..


* Hiei lets his hand sink again. Yusuke scoots closer, then leans to embrace his wounded mate carefully.


Yusuke- I've never been so confused.. I should thrash you for taking that hit.. But I need to thank you for saving my life.. again..


* Yusuke pulls back to look down at Hiei again.


Hiei- (Weakly) Du-ty.. to pro-tect.. you,.. Alpha..

Yusuke- Well, now it's my duty to get you better.


* Yusuke watches Hiei's eyes shift up to look at Kurama over the Toushin's shoulder.


Hiei- (Weakly) Where.. was I.. hit?


* Kurama leans to lay his hand on Hiei's bandaged chest.


Kurama- Here.. in your chest.. It went in close to your heart..


* Hiei swallows and nods.


Hiei- (Weakly) I.. tried to.. place it in my.. shoulder.. I.. mis-calcu-lated..


* Kurama chuckles, then they hear Chiisai whimpering to be released. Yusuke looks toward Yukina and nods.


Yusuke- Come on, Chi.. Easy, now..


* Chiisai flaps over quickly and settles down beside Hiei gently.


Chiisai- Papa,..


* Hiei opens his weary eyes again to look at Chiisai and lifts a hand. The boy quickly grasps it and nuzzles his face against it.


Chiisai- I was so.. scared, Papa.. Please get better..

Hiei- (Quietly) I'll be.. okay,.. son.


* Koenma steps out of his portal and hurries over to the foot of the bed.


Koenma- I was monitoring from up there.. How are you feeling, Hiei?


* Hiei looks toward the godling.


Hiei- (Quietly) Weak.. tired..

Botan- Well, of course you do. You lost a lot of blood..

Kurama- The projectile was a Heartseeker root coated with Makai Bleeding Plant nectar.


* Hiei closes his eyes with a slight nod, growing too tired for much more talking already.


Koenma- You need to rest. It's going to take a while for your blood supply to replenish.


* Hiei scrunches his eyebrows a moment, then looks at Koenma again.


Hiei- (Quietly) C-call.. my brother.. Ryuji.. He'll come an'.. help me..


* Yusuke looks up at the others.


Yusuke- I want to speak with Hiei privately, please.


* Kurama gathers Chiisai up, Koenma notices Yukina slip back out quickly.


Botan- Try not to get too worked up, Hiei.


* Hiei glances up toward Botan. He then watches them all leave before casting a puzzled gaze back up at Yusuke.


Yusuke- Yeah. I thought about that already.. So I contacted Mukuro.

Hiei- Why.. is he not.. here, then?

Yusuke- Well, he did come to visit you.. But he took a great risk in doing so..

Hiei- What's.. wrong?

Yusuke- I can't meet her demands.


* Hiei studies Yusuke in quiet weariness for a couple moments.


Hiei- (Quietly) What does she..?

Yusuke- Our baby.


* Hiei's eyes widen briefly. When he tries to sit up Yusuke keeps him down.


Yusuke- No.. Easy, now.. I'm not going to give her our baby.. Relax, Babe.


* Hiei tries to curse but ends up coughing until he forces himself to settle down. He slumps back onto his pillow, his energy nearly exhausted again.


Yusuke- I'd rather you recover naturally than do that.. Ryuji offered to help anyway..

Hiei- (Weakly) No..! S-she'll.. kill him for.. defying her..

Yusuke- Yeah. That's what I told him..


* Hiei slowly grows somber and looks away at the cieling.


Yusuke- We'll think of something..

Hiei- (Quietly) Will t-take.. nearly.. my whole pregnancy.. to recover..

Yusuke- Then I'll take care of you.. I want you to just.. take it easy.


* Hiei closes his eyes.


Hiei- (Whisper) Yusuke,.. I want to.. give you this baby..

Yusuke- We'll have our baby.. Don't you worry about that..


* Slowly Hiei nods and lets his exhaustion take him back into hibernation again. This leaves Yusuke concerned about the last thing he felt through their bond. He makes sure Hiei is comfortable, then goes out to the livingroom. He moves to look at Koenma, Botan, and Yukina who are sitting on the couch together. Kurama looks up from the armchair where he's cradling Chiisai.


Yusuke- Don't smooth this over no more.. Will the baby survive this?


* Koenma glances from Botan to Yukina, who lowers her eyes, then looks back up at Yusuke.


Yusuke- He just told me that it may take the whole three months for him to recover.. I didn't like what I felt when he asked me to keep the baby alive.

Koenma- Nothing is written in stone, Yusuke.. The condition will keep Hiei weak..

Yusuke- Give it to me straight!


* Koenma sighs and looks toward Chiisai.


Kurama- I gave him a small dose of sleeper dust.


* Koenma nods and looks back up at Yusuke. Before he can speak Yukina leaps up and hurries through the portal that leads back to Genkai's. Yusuke scowls then looks back down at Koenma.


Koenma- He may be too weak to deliver the baby.. normally.. if it.. does survive that long..

Yusuke- So you mean he'll have to have a C-section.. or something like that?

Koenma- Yes.


* They all watch Yusuke raise his eyes to think on this. He soons pales and swallows.


Yusuke- (Quietly) He.. won't survive that.. I know that procedure takes cutting him open..

Koenma- As I said, Yusuke. Nothing is written in stone..


* Yusuke turns and moves away. He pauses next to Kurama as he telepathically asks his mate to follow. Kurama glances up to watch Yusuke continue on out onto the balcony, then stands and places Chiisai in Koenma's arms.


Kurama- I'll go try to calm him down.


* When Kurama steps out onto the balcony he slides the glass door shut behind him. Yusuke is leaning on the far wall. Kurama goes over to join him.


Kurama- Yusuke,..

Yusuke- I lose our baby.. or we lose him..

Kurama- We can't be certain, yet, of either.


* Yusuke looks at the kitsune.


Yusuke- If.. you were the Alpha.. What would you do?


* Kurama doesn't respond for a few moments as he looks out over the Estate grounds. Then he turns his golden eyes on Yusuke again.


Kurama- In this form.. I think mostly as a full demon.. Even at that, there are two views.. As a pregnant demon, I am driven to preserve the lives of my young.. All demons are.. If I were an Alpha.. as I have been in the past..


* Now Kurama looks away again.


Kurama- (Quietly) I would use my botanical knowledge to.. remove the baby. This would preserve my mate and we would create another during the next Heat cycle.


* Yusuke leans forward to look at the ground far below. For several moments neither speaks, then Yusuke breaks the heavy silence.


Yusuke- Naturally, you know of something that would..

Kurama- Of course.. But.. As a human, I would do that only as a last resort.


* Kurama looks at Yusuke again. The Toushin nods quietly, but the kitsune feels the weight of the decision rending his Alpha inside. He turns to lean against the wall and pulls Yusuke over in front of him. Yusuke leans to hide his face against Kurama's chest.


Yusuke- It's not fair.. He just spent two years watching over that shell Shishi.. Now he has to go through this s---..

Kurama- Our little koorime is tougher than a lot give him credit for.


* After a moment, Yusuke nods.


Yusuke- Like you said.. Only as a last resort.


* Kurama tightens his embrace around Yusuke, hoping to help ease him of some of his sorrow. But suddenly, Yusuke pulls away.


Yusuke- Come on.. We have someone we can take our frustrations out on.

Kurama- I was hoping we'd get to this soon.


* Kurama follows Yusuke back inside, his bushy, vulpine tail standing out rigidly in angry anticipation.