Chapter: Enough

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the following characters, except for Keiyma Suriei, Myrani Sakai, Etsu Nakamura, Itachi, and Zakoto.

Important Notes About this Chapter: If you have not read this fanfic since the release of this chapter, it is highly recommended that you go back and read all of the earlier chapters. This story has gone through a serious editing process and has several new scenes added. Please comment on the earlier chapters to let me know if you like/dislike the new scenes and editing changes. Also, note that I have not actually seen YYH since I started writing this story two years ago, so the comments that I'm looking for aren't whether the characters are OOC from the way they act on the show. Please read all of the earlier chapters before reading this chapter, as there are some parts that may not make sense otherwise. I thank you and hope you all enjoy this long awaited installment of "You've Got to Have Hope."

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"Zakoto, get out here."

Keiyma was back in the forest where she had seen Zakoto and Etsu meet. She began pounding on the great mahogany tree, assuming he was still linked to it.

A black portal appeared. Zakoto stepped out.

His black robe was tied on the right sleeve where Hiei had attacked him. Zakoto had obviously cut off what was left of the attachment.

"All alone, my dear?"

"I'm never alone. You're always with me." She grinned. "You made sure of that."

Zakoto cocked an eyebrow, slowly walking towards her, his black robes flowing behind him.

"And that's amusing to you?"

"Side-splitting!" She laughed raucously, throwing her head back. Hair fell from her face, revealing soft skin that glowed strangely in the moonlight.

Zakoto stopped in front of her and peered down at the guffawing girl.

"You've lost your mind, haven't you?" Keiyma's laughter stilled and she looked back at him, cocking her head to the side.

"You want me to tell you that I haven't, that you've taken it from me."

"It would not be the first thing I've taken from you," he sneered.

She shook her head, laughing. "No, it wouldn't." She smiled, her eyes glittering eerily. "But I'm not crazy."

He moved his body closer, eliminating the gap between them, lowering himself to look into her eyes, while still looming above her. He whispered, his voice deep, captivating her just as he had long ago, "Then, why, my dear, have you come back to me?"

She stiffened. She could feel his hot breath against her, impossible to ignore.

"I need to make sure you leave the spirit detectives alone."

"Just them, my dear?" His hand ran lazily across her cheek.

"As if I could save myself," she hissed. He chuckled.

His fingers ran over the bridge of her nose and he frowned.

A sudden rush of warmth flowed from his hands. It was hot, but not uncomfortably so. Keiyma shivered awkwardly.

He removed his hand and smiled. "Much better."

Keiyma touched her nose. It no longer felt crooked or bumpy, as it had for so many years.

"You… fixed me." She gaped at him. He isn't supposed to fix her. That's not his job. He breaks her.

"It was such a pity when your mother did that. Oh, I punished her, but it was still quite frustrating. I'd always tried so hard not to scar your pretty face. No doubt she broke it again after I left."

"Twice." She laughed. Of course, he did it only for him. "Why don't you do that to your arm?"

"That would be straining. I won't bring it back until I'm in a more… comfortable situation."

"Well, what about your face?" She indifferently ran her thumb across a particularly long scar on his cheek.

Zakoto was startled, but didn't show it. Keiyma was acting different, strangely different. Specifically, she wasn't afraid of him…

He needed to change that.

"I had a bit of a… tussle a few years back. I disposed of the fools quickly, but kept the scars. I thought they made me look more… imposing." He smirked. "But, to you, I suppose, I'm much more frightening this way."

He waved his hand in front of his face. The deep, ugly scars melted off, revealing spotless skin. His true face, a face of quivering beauty, remained in place of his unsightliness.

He was right. To her, this face was far more terrifying.

She was ducking down in her closet, her face pressed against her knees. She had tried to disguise herself among the piles of clothes on the closet ground.

She was a teenager now, but it didn't seem childish to hide. It wasn't. Hiding from him was perfectly reasonable.

She was trembling, too terrified to make a sound. She didn't want him to find her.

Her hand clutched stiffly around the helm of a serrated table knife she'd taken from the kitchen.

If he found her… if he didn't stop…

She would stop him.

The closet door began to slide open. She could hear it, but didn't lift her head.

If she didn't look, if she didn't see him, there could still be the chance that he wasn't really there…

'Hello, my dear.' That voice… that horrible, bewitching voice…

He was definitely there.

But… maybe he was bluffing. Maybe he hadn't noticed her…

She felt the weight of the clothes she had used to cover herself being lifted from her. A warm hand trailing up her back, replaced them.

She shivered. The hand reached the top of her spine, and grabbed the scruff of her neck to lift her until she was standing.

The hand moved to her shoulder, another mimicked it. She was turned around to meet a beautiful, sneering face.

'I guess I've won your little game.'

He always won, didn't he?

His hand shifted delicately to her face, his fingers tracing along her jawbone.

But this game wasn't over yet.

She tightened her grip on the knife, slowly raising it up, hoping he wouldn't notice…

He did.

His eyes darted quickly to the sudden flash of metal. He looked back at her, his eyebrow raised.

'What are you planning on doing with that, my dear?'

'I–' She wanted to tell him, to scream at him, to make him fear her. But nothing came out.

He smiled his evil, ridiculously perfect smile. His white teeth burned bright as Hellfire, making her raging teenaged hormones jump in excitement. Oh, how she wanted that feeling to stop. How could she feel so excited by him when all he did was hurt her?

She wanted it all to stop.

She raised the knife quickly and jabbed it at his chest, wanting him to bleed and scream like she had. She wanted to enjoy his pain like he had enjoyed hers.

But she couldn't.

His hand had grabbed her wrist, halting her effortlessly. His other ripped open her grip, causing the knife to fall to the floor in a daunting clatter.

She had failed.

He pushed her hard against the wall of the closet, producing a feeble whimper from the petrified girl. He pinned her chest in place with one hand while he reached down to pick up the knife. She tried to squirm away, but he was too strong.

He was back, his face inches from hers, his dark eyes boring holes. She wanted to get away, to grab the knife back, to stab him, to slice him, to pull his shimmering hair, to claw his flawless skin. But she couldn't. She couldn't move.

He pressed the blade to her throat, just enough for her to feel the uneven edge against her.

He clicked his tongue disapprovingly. 'Playing with knives is very dangerous, my dear. Someone could get hurt. Don't you know that?'

Of course she knew that. That was the point.

She didn't respond.

'No answer? Well, if you're so eager to introduce this…toy… into our relationship, I'm going to have to demonstrate.'

'No.' Her voice was strained, scarcely there.

The blade moved downward, only just grazing her skin. It paused beneath her collarbone.

'Oh, yes, my dear.' The blade dipped into her flesh, carving a stream of fresh blood across her chest.

She screamed and strained against his hold. It caused the blade to jerk and worsened the pain, but she couldn't help herself. It hurt so badly…

He hissed to her, and she heard him despite her shrill, blaring screams, 'You must learn.'

Keiyma couldn't breathe.

She didn't even notice as Zakoto walked around her and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her against him.

His lips brushed against her ear and he began humming softly, the same tune Keiyma had heard him humming a few days before, as he read a newspaper at the table like some sort of human being. She had thought it was familiar then, but, now, she remembered it perfectly.

Her body ached everywhere. She was black, blue, and bloody. Her arms were out beside her, her legs stiff and straight. She was completely worn out. He was so rough, so horribly rough, worse than he had ever been before. She had tried so hard to kick him off, but he had pinned her down, slashing, beating, and pounding into her.

It was so quiet, as if he had left. But that was stupid. She knew he was still there, watching her.

She started to cry softly, her head lain against the bear mattress. The sheets had been pulled off in their scuffle.

She heard his breath above her. He lifted her into a sitting position and sat behind her, letting her fall against his chest, his legs framing her small body. He was clothed, now, but that didn't matter. He was still just as terrifying.

He began to hum, rocking her softly as she cried. It was so… strange. It would have been comforting, had he not been the one who had hurt. But this… this was not comforting.

This was mocking.

He was treating her like a child, a child crying in her crib for trivial reasons, as though she was being silly.

She was, though, wasn't she? It was silly to cry. What good would come from it? Nobody could hear her. Or, if they could, they didn't care. He certainly didn't care. It encouraged him. So why cry?

He squeezed her stomach, causing her to yelp in pain. He chuckled through his humming.

That was why. Because it hurt and because she was afraid. He knew that. That's why he was doing this. He was making fun of her. She was just a baby, a crying little baby.

And he was her daddy.

Keiyma couldn't move. Her powerful insanity had crept away. She was once again that little girl kept captive in her bedroom.

She was scared.

Zakoto ceased his humming and looked down into the wide, distant eyes of the defeated girl within his arms. He smirked.

She was his.

O—o—O—o—O—o—O—o—O

Hiei was almost there. He couldn't believe he'd wasted any time going after Keiyma.

But that kiss was just so…

There was no time to dwell. She wasn't thinking straight, and he needed to catch up with her before she hurt herself.

He wasn't sure where she was, but he had a guess. If he didn't find her at the tree where she had entered Zakoto's portal before, he'd just have to keep looking.

Hiei stopped. She was there.

But so was he.

Zakoto was behind her, holding her with his remaining arm.

How dare he touch her?

Keiyma's head was down, but from what Hiei could see, her eyes were glazed over, as though she were caught under a spell. Whatever spell it was, it was Zakoto's doing, and Hiei had to stop him.

"Get your fucking hands off of her!" Hiei screamed as he charged towards Zakoto, katana in hand.

He had almost reached Zakoto, when he was suddenly shot backward by a burst of energy at his chest. Hiei looked up, squinting in pain. Zakoto was watching him in silence, an amused smile playing across his face. Keiyma looked up, her eyes still misty.

Hiei tried again, now more determined. He got closer this time, but the burst of energy still hit him, this time even stronger.

He grunted in pain, causing Keiyma to snap back into reality. Hiei ran again, now even harder, not caring how severe the blast would become.

Before Hiei was close enough, he stopped.

But not by choice.

A new barrier had formed around the energy barrier. It caused no pain to touch, but still halted Hiei from reaching his target.

Keiyma was staring at him.

"No, Hiei."

It was her barrier. She had stopped him from helping her.

But he had helped her. She wasn't under Zakoto's spell anymore.

"Please, stay back. I don't want you to get hurt," she said.

Was she still acting crazy? He wasn't sure.

"I don't care if I get hurt."

Hiei pushed against the barrier. It was powerful, no doubt in that. He swung at it with a mighty blow of his katana, but it stayed intact.

"I'm going to break through this, eventually."

"Then I'll be quick." She grinned, more dreamily than hysterically, and removed Zakoto's arm, which was still wrapped tightly around her stomach. She turned to face him.

He was smirking.

She summoned her spirit daggers and raised them threateningly. Her breath quickened.

His eyes were glowing in laughter for her.

"What are you planning to do, my dear?" he whimsically repeated the same question from three years before, his voice completely unfazed.

He was not afraid. He had never been afraid of her.

But he should be.

She jutted both of her daggers at his chest, aiming for his collarbone, just where he had hurt her the last time she tried to attack him.

His hand immediately shot to one of her wrists, and wrapped her arm around the other, using her own limb to pin her arms and halt the attack. She was stronger than she had been before, but she still could not overpower him.

He gave her arm another painful twist, enjoying the sob of pain it created.

"My, this is familiar, isn't it?"

'Playing with knives is very dangerous, my dear.'

No. She couldn't. She couldn't have failed again.

"I think we both know how this will end."

'You must learn.'

"No!" she screeched, pulling against Zakoto's grip to elevate her, and kicking against his abdomen.

He let go, grabbing his victimized stomach, causing Keiyma to fall to the ground, landing on her side. She jumped up quickly, needing to attack Zakoto again before he regained his breath.

She leaped at him, managing to slice two deep cuts into his chest before he maneuvered her away, blasting a bright red energy beam at her left leg. She tried to dodge the attack, but failed. Her knee sounded a nauseating crack as it broke. She carefully repositioned her weight to the right leg, the left now completely useless to her.

The loud clack of Hiei's katana attacking the barrier increased.

"I guess we're even, now," Keiyma said bitterly.

"Not nearly."

Zakoto grabbed Keiyma's injured leg and pulled it upwards, hanging her upside down with her back to him. She screamed with the sudden burn of her wounded knee, dangling her inches from the ground and safety from gravity's pull.

"You still have your leg." He yanked Keiyma higher, just enough to make her to howl in pain, and grinned wickedly. "But we can change that."

"Please!" she screamed, "Please stop!"

But he didn't. He only laughed at her.

He'd done so many things to her, but he'd never… he'd never taken away her leg. He'd hurt her, but she was still physically whole.

"You can't help but to get yourself in these situations, can you, my dear?"

How could anyone avoid them? It was always the same, over and over and ov—

There was a quick flash in front of her.

The daggers. She still held them!

Keiyma stabbed blindly behind her, taking the only chance she ever had. The dagger made contact, but then continued its course. She hadn't stabbed him in the center of his leg, as she'd hoped, but slashed through the outside.

By the sheer generosity of chance, Zakoto lost his balance. She thrashed wildly, screaming at the pain it caused, and he fell backwards.

Keiyma quickly jerked herself upright into a sitting position and moved her legs away from Zakoto's grasp. She was sitting on his abdomen, her legs straddling him, while her right hand was raised threateningly and the left held a dagger stiffly against his throat.

"If you wanted to be on top, all you needed to do was ask," Zakoto taunted.

Keiyma couldn't help but blush. Even when she was in complete control… she wasn't.

How could he remain so unaffected?

"I want to kill you," she said through gritted teeth.

"Yes, it would appear so." Unbelievably, he sounded cheery.

"How does death by castration sound?" she growled, demanding that he fear her.

"Ah, a poetic justice. How fitting." He frowned slightly. "But don't you think that it would be far more ironic if you fucked me to death, my dear?"

Keiyma stared. That was… shocking. He'd never been so direct before. It was unusual, and, somehow, horribly intimidating.

It made her feel like a filthy slut.

Her cheeks burned hotter with shame.

"I hate you. I hate you." Her voice was choked, half-sobbing, her knuckles white from the intensity of her grip.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I want to… to…"

"To what?"

"To… hurt you, to make you scream, make you cry. I want you to beg me to stop. I want you to suffer the way you've made me suffer. Then I want you to die."

"But what of all the memories we have?"

A knot formed in Keiyma's throat and she couldn't speak. Zakoto laughed lightly.

"You'll never get rid of me, my dear."

"You're not really in a position to say that, Zakoto." She pressed the dagger tighter against his throat, pushing against his Adam's apple. He didn't react to the movement.

"Oh, you can kill me, but I'll still be with you. I'll be in your dreams, your thoughts. Though, it's more than that, little Keiyma. Don't you see?"

"See what?" He grinned at her confusion with an air of mock chivalry.

"The urge you have to torture me, the pleasure you get from the very idea… is it not akin to mine?"

No. That was not true. She was nothing like him. He was cruel and vindictive, a monster disguised in mortal flesh!

She didn't think like that. No, not like… like that…

But… didn't she?

She wanted her turn to laugh and mock, to feel only pleasure in pain. Just as he had done to her, she wanted to do to him.

Her desires were his.

They were the same.

She said nothing. She could say nothing but.

"Kill me, then, my dear. Immortalize me. Become me."

How could she kill him after he had said that? It would just be proving him right…

"Do not deny yourself, myself. Kill me, as you do so crave."

Crave… yes, she craved it. She wanted to kill him, but she couldn't. Not while he teased her, not while he told her to do it.

Didn't that ruin the idea? How could he suffer if it had been his idea?

"Do you think it will save you?"

Save her from what? From him?

He's trying to trick her! Trick her into believing that letting him go with free her mind.

But it won't, will it? Either way… he'll be with her.

So, if she can't avoid it…

She can accept it.

"What are you going to do, my dear? The time is wasting…"

"You're right. You've become a part of me," Keiyma removed her daggers from their threatening positions and reabsorbed them, but still remained on top of Zakoto, "Which is why I won't kill you."

Zakoto smiled. "I didn't think you—"

"Instead," Keiyma interrupted poignantly, causing Zakoto's face to darken, "I'm going to let you live knowing that there's someone in the world who can kill you whenever they want. Who will hurt you for no reason and enjoy themselves. Who can make you scream and cries in ways that you have never before imagined. Someone who is always there and always ready to hear you cry. And I will; I will hear you cry, daddy."

"Such big words for a little girl."

"I'm not your little girl, anymore. Never again. It's your turn, now." She stood up from her position on Zakoto and hobbled backward, careful to keep her weight on her uninjured leg. "Run away, little baby, run away."

Zakoto stood up gracefully and extended a long finger of his lone left hand to caress Keiyma's jaw line. "I will be back, my dear.

He snapped his hand away. A thin stream of sanguine appeared across his knuckles.

He glanced back to Keiyma and saw a familiar sneer upon her face.

She'd attacked him so quickly… he hadn't even seen her move…

"And I'll be waiting," she said.

He stared at her. Keiyma did not look away.

With a wave of his bloody hand, Zakoto's black portal reappeared.

He turned to it, but paused before stepping out.

"You haven't won, you know."

"But neither have you."

He chuckled darkly and stepped through his portal. It disappeared immediately as he entered.

CRASH!

The sound of broken class filled the air. Keiyma jumped and turned to find Hiei, in his demon form, standing, katana drawn, in front of the remains of a broken barrier.

Hiei vanished and instantly reappeared in front of her in his human form.

She smiled woefully. "I forgot you were there."

"I'll always be here for you."

Keiyma wanted to cry. Why did he have to care?

"You shouldn't have let him go."

Keiyma sighed.

"Maybe not."

The cool breeze blew Hiei's black locks over his strangely compassionate crimson eyes. The Ardention was begging her to touch him…

Did he feel it, too?

"We should probably go back and get your knee fixed. He wouldn't have hurt you if you'd just let me help," he grumbled, staring at the damage.

Keiyma took a slow breath.

"Hiei, I have to go."

His eyes darted back to her face.

"What are you talking about?"

"I told you, I'm not going to let you feel any of my suffering. The only way I can make sure that doesn't happen is if I… if I leave you, Hiei."

"You don't think I'll suffer when you're gone? You don't think it will hurt me, kill me to be without you?"

"It will– "

"We're soul mates. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

She ignored the question, simply because she had no answer.

"I'm leaving, Hiei. You will forget me, and it won't hurt anymore. I promise."

"I won't forget you. That's impossible."

"Yes, you will. I am nothing to remember."

"Keiyma…"

"Goodbye, Hiei. Please, be free."

Keiyma wrapped her arms around Hiei and pulled him into an embrace, her head resting on his shoulder.

She squeezed him tight. Bubbling, boiling pain ripped through her skin and coursed through her veins, and she screamed.

And then she was gone.

Hiei wanted to chase after her, but could not sense her energy.

Keiyma had hidden herself from him.

O—o—O—o—O—o—O—o—O

Hiei sat in the tree in Kurama's backyard. He needed to be close to Keiyma, but, though the memory of her still lingered in the tree top, it wasn't enough.

He felt empty.

Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama sat around the tree, dependant on assumption and reasoning to figure out the situation, as Hiei gave almost no answer.

Kurama noticed that Hiei's eyes were glazed over, yet focused, the unusual look he bore whenever he was deep into the confines of someone's mind.

"Are you still linked to her?" Kurama's words broke the solemn silence surrounding the four men.

"Yes," Hiei answered, his voice slightly on edge.

"What's she thinking?" Kuwabara asked.

"Hn," said Hiei simply.

The three friends silently agreed to leave their friend alone. They were obviously not helping, and he was not ready to talk yet. They returned inside the house, each sharing looks of deep concern.

Hiei remained outside and didn't even watch the three as they left him. He was in his own little world, or, rather, Keiyma's world.

He couldn't tell what she was thinking, butmanaged to hearthe unintelligible mumbling of her inner monologue. It was just enough to convince him that she was still there, still real.

"Keiyma…"

He hadn't intended to project that thought. An uncontrollable force took over him and called to her, needed her.

But he didn't want to stop it.

Keiyma's scrambled thoughts had silenced with his whisper. She had heard him, that was sure, but did she care?

"Hiei… please, let me go. I don't want you to hurt anymore."

"You still hurt me, Keiyma. You can't run from your fears."

"Sometimes… being brave isn't worth the risk."

"Everything is worth the risk if it means we can be together… Before you, my entire life was spent searching for acceptance, and when I met you…"

"Hiei, please…"

"You are my hope, Keiyma. And I… am hopeless."

"I'm sorry."

Silence.

Their lives were plunged in darkness; their hearts grew cold and weak, begging for the one touch that would warm them, that would finally teach them of love's charming ways.

No more words were said.

But neither stopped listening.

-End-