Touya closed his eyes as he felt the breeze off the ocean on the cliff at Hanging-Neck Island. Jin came beside him. "Tomorrow we're facing Team Urameshi." Touya remarked quietly, watching for his friend's reaction.

"The humans?" Jin glanced at him, his ears wiggling.

Touya rolled his eyes, Jin's ears had been moving practically non-stop since Yusuke's fight with Chu. Then sighed. Jin, sensing what was bothering his fellow paramour, put a friendly arm around his shoulder.

"Cheer up! Rekka's fine! Look wha' she did to Shin! If I had fought 'im, I wouldn't be able to bruise him!"

Touya smiled thinly and looked up at the clear blue sky. How similar it was to the land where Rekka had trained. "What do you think she's doing now?" He asked, a quick pang of pain in his chest. In his heart.

Jin looked up at the sky and smiled, a stronger breeze caressed their bodies. "She's probably thinkin' about us." He glanced at Touya and gave him a cocky wink. "Or so I like to think.'

In mock surprise, Touya kept his voice serious. "You think?"

"Now tha' wasn' very nice." Jin pouted, then laughed.

His face taking on it's normal expressionless appearance, Touya looked at Jin, this time solemnly. "Do you really think so?"

Jin nodded. "Of course! Why wouldn't she be able to keep two handsome mugs such as ourselves off her mind?"

Touya rolled his eyes yet again. "You think to highly of yourself."

"Maybe, but no one's proved me wrong yet!" He laughed and rocked up into the sky, enjoying the feeling of the sun against his skin and the free wind ruffling his hair.

Touya shook his head in slight despair, then turned and walked back into the woods, and sat down in the shade of a towering oak. He unsheathed his knife and stared at the cool silver, running his hand along it. Rekka...

Soon we slowed and came to a stop at a familiar pool. "REKKA!" I turned just in time to get shoved into the water, with approximately a half dozen pups drowning me. Surfacing, and sputtering, I gave them my best death glare. In annoyance, I brushed my now drenched hair out of my face.

"Plastered looks good for you." I glared at Luki who was remarking about my new, unintentional hairstyle.

"Shove it, wolf." I muttered, getting to my feet, amid the puppy-eyes and whimpers of the young ones.

"Please... Rekka?" One of the younger pups looked at me, his earth brown eyes wide and moistening. His lip trembled.

I threw my arms in the air in resignation. "Fine. I'll play." As one, they shouted out in joy and proceeded to dunk me under again.

About an hour later I managed to escape the pups. Quickly drying my clothes, I followed them back to the den. Upon entering, my nose was bombarded with the smell of roasting venison and then I noticed something. A presence was missing. I looked around to make sure. I closed my eyes, then opened them as the others gathered for the meal. I did not taste much; I was too preoccupied in thought. Was it possible that... I shook my head. After dinner ended and I went out towards the river, Luki glanced at me, saw the look on my face and sighed. "I hoped you wouldn't find out until tomorrow... But..."

"Spke is dead, isn't he..." I let out a slow breath.

He nodded; he looked somewhat close to tears. "And Vern is...?"

"Yes..." I confirmed, feeling melancholy.

"Damn it." He muttered, leaning against the wall, his eyes closed.

"Who's alpha now?" I saw the uncomfortable look on his face. "You?"

"Actually... Yeah." He got an ironic smile on his face.

I rolled my eyes, then I saw the glint in his own. I stiffened slightly. Risho had gotten that look once or twice, and nothing good ever came from it. And there was another emotion I couldn't identify. Shit.

I sighed and rubbed my face tiredly. "I'm goin' to head back home. Thank you for letting me stay a short while."

"But you just got back-!"

"Yeah, and I want to sleep in my own bed, for once. I'll drop. Eventually." I looked at him.

"But-" He took a step towards me, then stopped and shook his head. "I'll hold you to that."

I smiled slightly. "Yeah, see ya." I took off and ran the five miles home. Quickly unsealing the entrance, I closed it behind me. Half-walking and half falling down the smooth stone corridor, I came to the core and let myself fall in. Completely submerged in the lava, I smiled and fell asleep amid the flame and heat.

The next morning I woke up refreshed and cleaned up. Quickly cleaning the volcano, I went down to the forge. Going to the containers that held the gems Vern kept, I sorted through them. Finally finding the three I was looking for, I began to work. I needed to take my mind off Jin and Touya.

Touya clutched his wound and Jin grinned weakly at him. "Urameshi sure packs a punch." He groaned.

Touya smiled slightly, and winced. "So does Kurama." He shifted position slightly and sighed. "Damn it... I was hoping that... We could've lived here... The three of us..." He closed his eyes.

Jin shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. Any way, I am goin' to stay until the end. Urameshi is goin' to need all th' help 'e can get."

Touya nodded slightly, then smiled. "You two could have been brothers."

Jin cocked his head to one side. "Really? Huh, I wouldn't be surprised." He laughed. "C'mon." He pulled Touya to his feet. "Let's go find that bastard Risho. I've got a score ta settle with 'im."

I closed my eyes on the breeze at the summit of the mountain. It felt good... It had been two weeks since they had left for the Tournament... They would be coming home soon, if they could find me.

I opened my eyes and stared up at the clear, blue sky. Hell I missed them... My ears pricked up when I heard a howl in the distance. Reluctantly getting to my feet, I easily ran over to the pack a few miles away to see what the fuss was about. As I turned the corner, I stopped.

Jin turned around, a huge grin on his face. "REKKA!" In a flash he was hugging me. I smiled as I hugged him back. His grip tightened, crushing my rib cage.

"Uh... Jin? Little air!" I gasped. He quickly pulled away.

"Sorry." He grinned sheepishly.

I glanced up at Touya and smiled. His cheeks turned a rose color. Luki came over and looked them both up and down and nodded, apparently satisfied with something. I sent him a questioning look; he just shrugged and smiled slightly. Shaking my head, I led the two back to the volcano, where we had our more intimate reunion.

A few hours later, I lay an exhausted heap between Jin and Touya. Touya glanced up at me with a small, content smile on his face. Kissing him lightly on the lips, I slowly, so I would not feel sore, sat up.

The other two got up and followed me to the top peak. I lay down on the grassy side of the mountain and stared up at the stars. They lay down on either side of me. A light breeze cause my hair to flutter slightly into my eyes. Brushing it away, I sighed, content. I reached my hand out, as I did all those nights ago when I first came to the Shinobi. Jin glanced at me, then smiled slightly at the memory.

"You think Gama's up there?" I asked, remembering the ever-levelheaded Master of Make-up.

"I am sure he is." Jin echoed his response.

I smiled slightly. Touya hesitantly put an arm around my shoulders. I moved slightly closer to him. I felt some of his agitation dissipate. I rested my head on his shoulder.

"So what now?" Jin asked, still staring up at the stars.

"There is no way I am going to go back to work for Risho." I remarked as I stretched slightly.

Touya nodded in agreement. "We might be able to get work from Koenma. And, with your consent, Rekka, Jin and I will stay here."

I looked at him as if he was crazy. "You don't need my consent, you baka. You're my family now. You don't need my permission to stay at our home!"

"'Our home'... I like the sound of that." He whispered. He smiled and hugged me slightly. I smiled back and then up at the stars.

The wind picked up and I could have sworn I heard Vern's voice, echoing. "I knew you'd like the challenge." I laughed slightly to myself. Touya looked at me questioningly. I just shook my head at him and gave him a reassuring grin then looked back up at the stars. I did, father, I did.

fin

I hoped you enjoyed my first fan fiction. I plan to write another Yu Yu Hakusho, but in the mean time I am going to write an X-Men and I will try to update regularly, though if someone reviews, it gives me a little more motivation. And after the YYH I might do a Fushigi Yugi and/or a Star Wars, but I have too see how much time I have. Give it a few days for the X-Men, next week at the most.

Thank you again (especially to those who reviewed, Tsuneari, waterswind, and xXDaRkNeSs RoSeInEsSxX, if I did not mention you, I apologize).

Jesse Rivera