• 1-Selfish Desire
• 2-Chapter 2
• 3-Chapter 3
• 4-Chapter 4
• 5-Chapter 5
• 6-Chapter 6
• 7-Chapter 7
• 8-Chapter 8
• 9-Chapter 9
• 10-Chapter 10
• 11-Note
• 12-Last Chapter
• 13-Epilogue
• 14-Yukina and Kuwabara, a Romantic Night

Epilogue: Special Day

A light drizzle of rain fell from the heavens, the cloudy gray of the
gloomy sky making the event that took place no more cheerful, and much less
bearable for the people that stood in the quiet cemetery.

The last of the guests were leaving, a few family members of the deceased
lingering here and there, talking quietly while exchanging phone numbers
with those they had not seen in years. Three figures remained by the grave,
the taller of the two clutching only a single red, thornless rose between his
slender fingers. The rose slipped from those delicate digits, falling into
the open grave until the soft thump of its silken petals and stem indicated
it had reached the casket below.

The shortest figure glanced up at his parents, lifting a single dark
brow. A nod from his taller father was sufficient answer for the child, who
clumsily tossed his bouquet of white flowers into the open grave before
reclaiming grip of each parents' closest hand. "Bye, bye, Obaasan."

"Let's go." The deep voice of his lover captured Kurama's attention,
drawing rom rom his mother's lowered casket. Slightly moistened emerald
eyes turned towards the shorter form of his life mate, and new child.

"Yes. Let's go home."

T

The trio turned away from Shiori's grave, ready to make their way off of
the cemetery grounds. No sooner had they walked from the area did the
sound of a hurried step alert both youkai that they were being followed.
Behind them, a human man perhaps a few years younger than the true age of
Kurama's human body stood, almost out of breath.

"Excuse me for being rude, but I thought you were someone else," he
breathed, his dark hair streaked and graying, as Kurama's own flame red
locks should have been at his age of seventy-nine.

The fox appeared thoughtful, his green eyes resting on the man before
him, a man that he knew, and had known since the age of fifteen. "Whom did
I appear to be?" he asked softly.

"For a few moments...I thought you were my stepbrother that disappeared but...but you couldn't be him; you're at least forty or fifty
years too young."

Kurama smiled grimly, a simple curving of the corners of his lips was all
he could muster. "I am Minamino Kurama, his grandson, if that brings any
peace to you. Grandfather has always spoken very kindly of you in his
stories. It is a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Grandson?" The older Shuichi stared at the youthful face before him.
The face of a brother who had disappeared many years ago, sending only the
occasional letter to his stepmother, Shiori.

The redhead nodded, seeing the confused on the elderly features of
Shuichi. "I am sorry that we could not meet on more pleasant terms."

The elderly man removed his glasses to rub them on his sleeve before
returning them to his face. To him, such a resemblance between grandfather and
grandson was amazing, so amazing that he found himself rudely staring again.
"Do tell me...whatever happened to Shuichi?" he asked.

Kurama felt Hiei's eyes burning into him, as well as the curious gaze of
their child watching him closely. "I'm afraid Grandfather is gone."

Disappointment showed briefly on the old man's face, though he nodded
politely, asking no more questions to delay the redhead and hold the small
family in the cemetery any longer. "Thank you for answering my questions.
I hope that you and your father stay well."

"We shall. Farewell, sir."

As the three departed the cemetery, Hiei spoke up. "Why didn't you tell
him the truth, fox?"

"Because some things are better left unsaid, Hiei."

***

The ethereal force that settled behind the ice apparition crept closer to
his unsuspecting victim until mere inches separated him from her lovely
back. While a lesser man would have delighted in the situation, or a more
playful one would have found this to be an opportune moment for a practical
joke, none of those thoughts occupied the guardian spirit's mind. He
wouldn't dare frighten his angel.

What he did do, however, was gently brush the thick ponytail of mint
green hair to the side and lean down to place a soft kiss against the bare
skin of her neck.

Yukina squirmed, large crimson eyes growing even larger in their sockets.
"Kazuma, I know it's you. You weren't supposed to come here for another
two hours," the Koorime said as she turned around to face the materializing,
broadly grinning figure.

"Well, I hope you knew it was me! I've only been doing it for twenty
years," the carrot-topped guardian replied, enfolding her into a tight hug.

"Kazuma, I've told you this every month. There's no need for you to
leave your duties each time new immigrants arrive."

"I'm not leaving my duties, Yukina, because guarding you is one of
them. I haven't missed one scheduled arrival in fifty-nine years, and I
will not miss one now."

"I can take care of myself," she argued, although her words lacked
anything resembling a serious tone.

"And I want to take care of you." The guardian angel, who had
earned his 'wings' so to speak in so little time it had broken Reikai records, slid his arm around the
petite body of his fiancee. "I saw Hiei, Kurama, and Haru leaving the
cemetery. They should be here shortly."

A smile graced her lips. She always adored seeing her brother, his mate,
and the little boy that had been gifted to them. She had never expected to
be an aunt, nor had they ever believed they would be parents. When the
proposition came from Yomi as a 'gift' several months ago, that a clone
could be made in their image, neither Hiei nor Kurama had turned down the
chance at fatherhood.

There was also her own little secret to tell everyone.

A light flush touched Yukina's cheeks, and she turned her face upwards to
gaze into the eyes of her protector, before her slender arms wrapped around
him, and she rested her cheek against his muscular chest. "Kazuma...I meant
to tell you this later, but I can't wait any longer now."

"What is it?" he asked, blinking down at the small ice apparition.

"Do you remember. when we spoke of my reproduction cycle, and how it was
not necessary for a male to impregnate me?"

"Yes." he replied, wondering what his little princess was getting at.

"That time has come," she whispered softly, turning her face up to his to
see his expression, her cheeks burning bright. "I want twins...like my
brother and I."

A dumb look settled on Kuwabara's features. He would be lying if he
claimed he remembered every detail of what she had told him. "You can
decide how many you want?"

She shook her head. "No, silly...It's already begun...and will be a girl,
unless you..." The warmth in her cheeks seemed to spread even further,
indicating her embarrassment to speak words few ice apparitions eve
bo
boldly uttered. "Help me," she whispered. "Tonight."

Those last three words sank in. "Oh! Like that!" A face-splitting grin
replaced the puzzled countenance of the great Kuwabara Kazuma, and he would
never look so forward to any other night, than perhaps, the birth of those
twins he and his soon to be lover would create that night.

***

Every day, for the past three years since her death, he had visited her
favorite spot in tillsills where she requested to be buried during her final
days. He had buried her in the grassiest gnoll, which was later flourished
with sweet-smelling flowers by his sympathetic youko friend.

Visiting her grave didn't relieve the pain of her death, nor did it bring
solace to know that she had moved on to a better place. Koenma and Botan's
words had been meaningless. In the end, Keiko was just human, and as a
human she would wither and die like all others.

He watched old age creep into her features, senility into her brain, and
forgetfulness slowly removing all memories of their life together as she aged
more and more. When she had finally died, regret and relief both were
present. Now, it was only misery.

"Yusuke!" a voice cried behind the Toranin lord, interrupting his visit
to Keiko's grave.

He turned around to narrow his brown eyes at the owner of the voice.
Botan smiled at him, hovering upon her oar with both slim legs crossed.
"You better have something real important to say if you're bothering me
now."

"I do!" she assured him. But you'll have to come with me to Reikai to
see!"

He didn't appreciate his visit to Keiko's grave being cut short, but the
young lord agreed, grabbing ahold of the oar. The ferry guide, turned
princess, soared off towards the sky, and moments later burst into the the
hyper speed that allowed her to cross dimensions from one world to the next.

Outside of Reikai Palace, the oar was dissipated, and both made their way
inside, weaving through the busy open office of hard-working oni. "He came
with me, Koenma!" she called through the doors, which opened without
hesitation at the sound of her voice.

"What did you two want that you had to drag me all the way to Reikai
for?" Yusuke asked impatiently, obviously ticked.

"Now, now, hold on to your pants, Yusuke."

"Yeah! We called you here for good news this time," the blue-haired
princess stated, taking a seat besides her husband's adult form.

Koenma picked up his remote, fiddling with the buttons, then slamming it
against the desk edge when it refused to cooperate. "There. Now turn
around, Yusuke," he told the hanyou.

The ex-punk gave the junior lord a wary glance, then turned to face the
large flat screen television, where a happy couple and many children and
friends stood surrounding a young child at a table. The young girl was
seated before a birthday cake with only three candles, and seemed ecstatic
that it was her birthday.

"So?" Yusuke asked, rolling his eyes.

"Look a little closer," Koenma urged him.

Yusuke did just that, and when the resemblance was finally recognized, he
did a double take. "How?"

"We didn't tell you right away, because we weren't sure how long the wait
would be, or if she would be able to remember...but...when Keiko died, her soul
came here to be judged Yusuke. She asked to be reincarnated so that she
would have another lifetime with you."

Botan beamed brightly at him, and even Koenma could hardly keep the smile
off of his face. "But lately, she's had dreams of a young man who can shoot
balls of light from his finger. As she grows older, she'll remember you,
Yusuke. It's up to you to wait now, then find her when she comes of age."

The young lord stared at the screen, and heavily sat on the edge of
Koenma's desk, content to stare at the image of a happily smiling little
girl, one that bore an exact resemblance to a girl he had grown up with
since kindergarten. "I'll wait as long as I have to," he murmured.

And so, Urameshi Yusuke, the former number one of Sarayashiki junior
high, ex-punk, and Lord of Toranin, who had been given two chances at life,
was now given another chance at love. His luck never seemed to run out.

Now that there is THE END! Yes, I did
use the title of the chapter from volume 19 of the manga. Yes, I think its
fitting. If you don't, that's your prerogative not to. And that's all,
folks. It's over and done, and I hope all of you had as much fun reading it
as I did writing it. I always feel kind of odd when I finish a story,
especially when its for good without any sequel to follow. I won't write a sequel, but anyone else can feel free to write one for Yukina and Kuwa, or Yuusuke and Keiko with the evidence I've left behind.

Kuwa gets his physical body in record timing, he and Yukina try to have kids.

Yomi does a GOOD deed, doesn't rape beat molest or kidnap Kurama :o he provides the couple with a clone of their combined dna to raise as their child, considering two males cant have children.

Keiko dies, yes she gets a raw deal, but in the end she was only human. She'll always choose to be reincarnated for as long as Yuusuke is still alive. And he'll always go to look for her when she begins to grow up.

Several brief one shots will follow over the course of the next three
months, that I promised to friends and those who requested certain fics, and
challenges I saw no one answer. Yes, I do take requests, but usually only
as one shots unless its something that -really- interests me. I've had 5
requests and these are them.

You can count on reading the following pairings without any particular
order:

Botan/Yukina

Yuusuke/Botan

Hiei/Yukina (Normal)

Hiei/Yukina (Non-incest)

Koenma/Yuusuke

Hiei/Kurama

All of you may or may not agree with those, but a request is a request is
a request, and I do stand by promises made to friends. Throughout the next
month I'll be trying to finish at least three of those before moving on to
'Bound by Destiny' and continuing 'Forbidden Magic'.

From now on I'll be adopting this pattern to my writing: One IY fic, one
YYH fic, one 'other' (including crossovers). Oneshots don't count, as I
can do one of those and complete it in less than a day.