I watched her grin spread across her small face and realized just how much she resembled her mother. She had the same mischievous look. The kind that made me wonder what she was thinking. She suddenly squealed excitedly, grabbing the attention of the old golden mutt. The said mutt wagged his tail in response, trotting over to her and licked her face. The toddler's ruby eyes, hues that belonged to her father, brightened and she giggled.

I heard a familiar shrieking voice.

"HECATE!" Celosia yelled at me, smoke already fuming out of her ears. "JUST WHAT KIND OF BABYSITTER ARE YOU? VARIA'S GONNA KILL ME IF SHE SEES DOG SLOBBER ON HER BABY'S FACE!"

I lifted an eyebrow at her questionably. "I thought dogs had cleaner mouths than humans?"

"What stupid freak told you that?" Celosia snapped, roughly snatching the child's arms to pull her closer. The child cried out in pain, causing Solace, who had been reading directions on the map, to growl.

"DON'T DO THAT CELOSIA! CAN'T YOU SEE THAT YOU'RE HARMING HER?"

I sighed, sensing another shouting contest between the two. Shiva didn't bother with trying to keep the duo apart. She realized a couple of years ago that it was better for them to get it out of their systems rather than separate them.

The child wiggled out of Celosia's grasp as they continued to argue and waddled to the dog. The dog, whose ears lowered to its head, had curled up underneath a willow tree with Shiva. Shiva smiled gently, inviting the child to join her. She had snuck off with the map Solace was reading and decided to read it herself.

After all, how much can you trust an alien with directions? This wasn't her planet; therefore we highly doubted her abilities to find Varia's new location.

I studied the Veela. As old as she was now, precisely two hundred I believe, she still had her childish figure. Her blond hair was the only physical feature that changed, growing now past her hips. Of course, she had the eyes of a wise soul, but nothing else was different.

Celosia, on the other hand, changed physically. The woman was twenty-five, a year older than Varia, and looked it. Her figure had developed beautifully into a lady, one that Kurama was proud of. Though they've been mates for a while now, she still had that fiery temper. We had hoped that Kurama's presence would damper that but to no avail. I think even the fox demon got annoyed with her at times.

Solace was still as motherly as ever, guarding the new generation with her life. Her daughter had gotten herself married and pregnant so she took on the duty of being a grandmother rather quickly. When she heard Varia was with a child as well, she nearly cried. For joy that her friend was pregnant or frustration that she would have yet another child to take care of, I could not tell you.

And as you can see, Celosia and her still go at it. I don't think that will ever change.

"We've been heading in the wrong direction this entire time, Hecate," Shiva sighed tiredly, our doubts of Solace's ability to read Earth maps confirmed. "We're supposed to be heading east. Not west. We are going to be so late!"

I smiled softly, sitting next to the Veela. "I doubt that Varia would be angry with us."

"Perhaps not Varia, but Hiei will have our heads on a platter for sure."

"Again, I doubt it. Varia has Hiei tightly wrapped around her fingers."

At this, she chuckled. "How true."

A medium sized fireball whizzed by our heads, landing somewhere behind us.

"Celosia, no more fireworks. I will not be held accountable for your actions. If you cause a forest fire, Koenma will have a few lovely words with you," I warned her.

The child laughed, looking at the fire with delight. Not too surprising, she is Hiei's child.

Shiva picked her up and placed her in her lap. "I wonder when he's gonna begin training with her?"

"Probably not for a long time. Knowing Varia, of course."

She frowned. "I rather her not be trained at all."

"She has to be. She's part spirit redeemer, ice and fire demon. She will have many enemies," I reasoned.

A soft sigh uttered from her lips. "I know, but I want to believe that we'll always be there to protect her."

"Believe what you will, but reality will take her from us. Sooner or later."

Shiva scowled at me, however, she knew that it was the truth as much as she didn't like it. I didn't either for that matter. I turned my head to watch the toddler again, who was flip flopping the dog's ear. I gave into the urge of ruffling her dark black hair, feeling the silk of it. We finally reached Varia's new house. Due to a new child, she wanted a bigger place and Hiei had agreed as long as the house was still close by to the other former spirit detectives. You know, just in case someone dared to ambush his family.

Celosia didn't even bother knocking or ringing the bell; she just barged in like she owned the place, which caused Solace to huff in annoyance.

"Still as rude as ever," the alien muttered under her breath.

I chuckled, leading the toddler to her expecting mother. Varia's eyes gleamed when she saw her offspring.

"AWW! Celeste! You've returned to me! And safely too. That's a surprise," she grinned. "What's the matter Celosia? You losing your touch? No ambulances, sirens, fire hazards,-"

"We came close to having the last one," I interrupted. "But we managed to control it."

"Ah, as usual," Varia grinned, flipping her long black on her back. The spirit redeemer, like Celosia, had developed into a woman. Much of her childish baby fat was gone. The only fat that was on her now was from carrying a child.

"Where's the hubby?" Celosia questioned, already raiding the kitchen for food.

"Working still," Varia replied instantly, as if this was a routine between the two. She turned to face me. "So how was babysitting?"

"Fine," I answered casually.

"Until Solace got us lost. We wanted to visit the beach but somehow went to a volcano." Celosia hung her head upside to see Solace. "Are you sure you can tell the difference between the two? You know, one has a lot of blue stuff and the other has a lot of red stuff."

"You mean like your face? You really shouldn't look upside down, Celosia, it does gross things to your complexion."

"Don't make me bite you alien."

"I wouldn't if I were you. Kurama would get jealous of you biting a real woman."

"No, he'd tell me to take five pictures minimum."

Solace, appalled, chocked on her piece of bread. "He would not!"

"Okay, okay, so maybe not. Youko would though."

Shiva patted Solace on the back as the alien pounded her fist on her chest. Once her air ways were cleared, she thanked the veela. A sudden crash made me jump to my feet only to find Hiei lying on the floor shaking his head. The black clad fire breed had just crashed in. Courtesy of Yusuke, who had thrown him in from the window. Thankfully, the window was opened due to the fact that Varia was cooking and the temperature had been rising to dangerous levels.

Yusuke, the fool who will always remain a fool, howled with laughter after hearing Celosia shout a string of colorful words at him because he had made everyone jump out of their skins only to be scolded by Varia. Foul language around the child was forbidden. Hiei scowled, dusting himself off and plugged his ears. I was about to ask him about it when his daughter let out an extremely high-pitched shriek of "DADDY!"

I smirked as the child attached herself to her father's left leg, causing most of the women to laugh. The dog suddenly stood up, trotting to the door and not a second later did the doorbell ring. Shiva opened it, permitting a worn-out Keiko to enter the house. Her three-year-old son released her hand in time for his mother to tighten her hold on the six months old baby girl that she was carrying on her hip.

"Heru! Be careful! Don't run in the house!" Keiko ordered and sighed.

"Exhausted much?" Celosia asked, taking the baby from her.

"Very," she smiled tiredly.

"Want some grub Kei-chan?" Varia hollered from the kitchen.

"Yes, if you don't mind."

"Never!" Varia grinned, the grin meeting her eyes.

" 'Course she doesn't. She cooked for an army!" Yusuke said, sniffing the food.

"Get out of there!" Hiei whacked his friend on the head, holding Celeste with his other hand.

"Well, I was expecting you guys to visit me since the other already came," Varia explained, gesturing to her former mind invaders.

"I figured that a nice reunion would do us all some good," I told her. "We haven't seen each other since the wedding."

"Sorry, been busy," Varia replied.

We all looked at Celeste and grinned. "We know."

Her face blushed several different shades of red. "Not like that you guys."

"Suuuure. Keep telling yourself that," Celosia teased. She was midway of stuffing a roll of bread in her mouth when Solace yanked it out.

"Could you at least eat like a lady?" the alien snapped.

A collected groan was heard around the table, preparing for another battle between the two.

"She does have a point, darling, it's not healthy to eat so quickly. Take your time," Kurama's soft voice came from behind us.

Yusuke frowned. "Hey! When and how did you get in?"

Celosia rolled her eyes. "The how part is rather stupid to ask."

"Well, I wasn't asking you."

Kurama cut in before they could quarrel. "Someone left the door unlocked. I'm assuming it was Shiva?"

Shiva chuckled. "How can you always tell?"

"Your scent of willow trees is there, along with Keiko's but Keiko looks like she just arrived."

"Once a fox always a fox," Varia laughed. I tuned out for most of the conversation after that, only watching their warm interactions with each other. In our strange way, we were a family. The word family lingered on my tongue. The term still felt foreign there but I was adjusting to it.

I was never protective of anyone. I was never attached to anyone. I never loved another being.

I blame much of the changes on Varia. The first person I protected, the first person I grew attached to, and the first person I loved as 'family'. I find myself surprised sometimes because rather being disgusted with myself for lowering to human standards I'm quite happy.

Celeste was released from her father's iron hold and she waddled to me, seeing as I was a little further away from the group.

It's the first time I feel like I belong somewhere, and as the child's small hands tighten around my fingers, I feel like I'm needed.

Should Varia and Hiei fall in enemy's hands, they will feel my wrath.

Should harm come to the child, someone was going to die painfully.

They were no longer just my friends. They were my family, a part of my territory. Only mine to joke around with, mine to protect, and mine to enjoy. I will show no mercy on those who wish to disturb them.

I sound like a demon though I chose to live a human's life. How odd.

"Hecate, are you gonna join us back in reality or what?" Celosia's voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Celosia, you don't share the same reality as us," Solace scoffed.

"Solace, go get laid or something."

I didn't even bother biting back my laughter. Sure enough, this is my family.

XXXXXXXXXX

Suntiger: It's been a LONG time since I wrote something about them. I think..two years. So no one's confused.

Celeste is Hiei's and Varia's kid.

Heru and unnamed baby are Yusuke's kids.

Let me know what you think of the 'slight' return of the group. Might be the last time you see them actually.