ALONE NO MORE

Chapter Twelve

  Annika awoke with a start.She was still completely naked.She wrapped the blanket around her.She glanced by her side.He was gone.Every memory of the night before was still vivid in her mind.After what happened between them at the cliff,they made their way back to her apartment and there they made love almost the remainder of the night.She could not help it,much as she knew that she shouldn't have allowed Hiei to do that to her but because of the extent of her love for him,she willingly gave herself up.She had wanted that to happen If Hiei still decides to go back to demon world then that night would be a precious memory she would cherish forever.She knew that she couldn't keep him from doing what he wanted to do She was in no position to stop him .For now,it was enough for her that she felt how it was to be loved by someone like him.Although it would cause a deep,stabbing pain in her heart if she would never ever see him again...
   "This is what I have been afraid of,"Kurama began as he and Annika were walking.He was walking her home.He waited for her dismissal at the university that afternoon.
   Annika was walking slowly, hugging her books at her chest,and eyes on the ground.Kurama was careful on choosing the words he'd say to her because he didn't want to add to the pain that Hiei had already caused her when he just left without any warning.
    "I'm afraid Hiei has really gone back to demon world.And we don't have any idea if he can still come back here.The ruler of one of the territories there, Mukuro,has personally chosen him to become her right hand man and that means he'd have to stay there.To top it all,he would be her heir,her successor."
   Annika didn't breathe a word.She just kept hr eyes lowered, kept on walking.Kurama could sense that she was trying to mask her feelings.
   "I could not keep him from leaving, Kurama,"she said after a while,"I absolutely have no right to keep him here.I've got no hold on him.If that is what's going to make him happy then I have to let him go..."
   "How about you,Annika?!Are you sure you're all right?!"Kurama stopped walking.Annika stopped,too.She lifted her head before answering him.
  "I would be lying to you if I tell you that I'm fine, Kurama.No,I'm not all right.I feel like my ...my heart has been torn out of me,"then she bowed her head again,"But,I 've got to be strong,to just accept this as another setback in my life.I was too damned foolish to think that if I gave him my everything,my body included, he'll never leave.But I was so wrong,Kurama.My heart has been shattered and I'm still not sure of what I would do to nurse these wounds he has left me!". 
   Annika then ran off,without looking back.Kurama was stuck where he stood.He didn't dare follow her,he knew she wanted to be left alone. He could feel it,she was so much in pain,it was tearing her apart.There was nothing he could or anyone for that matter could do about it.,.
   Kazuma pounded his fist on the table,making Shizuru and Keiko jump up in surprise.
  "Why the hell did you do that for?!"Shizuru burst out irritably,almost throwing the lighted cigarette butt she was holding in his face.Yusuke and Kurama didn't stir an inch.
   "That bastard literally has no heart!!He just thinks of himself! Who'd ever think that he'd leave Annika just like that?!She shouldn't have fallen for him in the first place!"Kazuma exclaimed.
  "We can't do anything about it now,Kuwabara,"Kurama said sadly,"Hiei has made his decision and we know he's gonna stick to it."
   "I feel so sorry for Annika.She's truly dying inside.She's trying to get on with her life but deep inside her, she's aching badly.Could she stand it?!"from the tone of Keiko's voice it was apparent that she was very concerned about Annika.
   "Guess all we could do now is to help her get over the pain.If we can't get her to forget about Hiei then we can just help her ease her sadness.Maybe she'll get over it in time,"Shizuru sighed,"It's not going to be easy but for heaven's sake,she must get over it! Hiei's not the only man in this planet! There's a whole lot of them out there!"
  "So you think just having another would solve her problem?!Whatever do you think of her?!"Kazuma reprimanded his elder sister,"Is it that easy as changing underwear?! That's a totally dumb thing for you to say!!"
   Shizuru fell silent,realizing what she had just said.For a few minutes no one spoke.Yusuke finally was the first to break the uncomfortable silence
  "By the way,where is she now?!I haven't seen her for a while now."
  "Probably, she's still at the university.From the looks of things, she's trying to concentrate more on her schooling.Word came to me that she stays at the university library until closing time,keeping herself busy!"Keiko answered.
   "If that can help her then I can see no reason why we should prevent her from doing so.Not unless it would affect her health or something..."
  Kurama was deep in thought.Maybe Yusuke was right.If Annika would just keep herself too busy to have time to think of Hiei,she could get over him in no time.But what if she didn't?!He could feel how much Hiei meant to her.He was her everything.Everything has gone completely wrong for her since he left and there seemed to be no way to make it right...