Koenma's messenger was getting frustrated. She had flown past the Kurama/Hiei dwelling four times now and she still couldn't find the entrance. She knew it was the correct location because she had been there once before, with news of Botan's pregnancy. Now that the baby had arrived, she was to deliver the good news to all of the proud parent's friends with a personal message for each. She could hear voices talking softly within, her large bat ears attuned to very minute sounds that normal demons couldn't hear. Just when she was about to give up, Hiei moved some foliage aside and stared at her.

"You've been flitting out there for some time. Is there something you want?" he asked, somewhat annoyed.

"Hai, Hiei-san. I have a message for your family from Koenma-sama. May I come in, dozo?"

"Oooh. Is the baby here?" Kurama's excited voice could be heard from within. "Hiei, let her in!"

"Arigatou gozaimas," the tiny bat demon said with a nod, as she flew into the opening Hiei made for her.

The kittens were sitting with their touchan getting ready for bed when the bat messenger had arrived. Rami was fascinated with the bat's purple iridescent skin and brilliant blue wings as she floated slowly down. Settling in her landing, she took a note from under her clothing and unfolded it, clearing her throat.

"It is with utmost pride and pleasure that we announce the birth of Emmy, daughter to the great Koenma-sama and Botan. The presence of the Kurama/Hiei clan, tomorrow at the honoring ceremony, will be greatly appreciated," the nervous demon said, trying to sound very official. She took a deep breath as she refolded the note.

"A girl, Hiei. Botan's had a little girl, too." Kurama was practically beaming as if HE were the proud father. Hiei shoved his hands into his pockets with a smirk.

After he gave his life-partner a "look", Kurama told the messenger they would all be happy to attend the ceremony, and thanked her for bringing such happy news. Hiei adjusted the foliage after she left and the house was hidden again from view.

"Why do we all have to go such a boring ceremony," Hiei grumbled, sitting back down onto the fern mat where he and Yoji had been sharpening his katana. Kurama resumed brushing Rami's mane while she hugged Wuzzy, and Hi and Ryu were just completing weaving their fishing nets of fine grass.

"We have to go because they came to our kitten's ceremonies," Kurama explained, as he tapped Rami to stand so he could brush the knots out of her tail. "Besides, it's important for us to pass on traditions to our children, even if they seem boring."

"Well," Hiei grumbled, sheathing his weapon, "don't expect me to be in a good mood or anything."

"No one ever does, koibito," Kurama chuckled. "There. C'mon. Off to bed."

After all the usual protests about not being sleepy, and why does the oldest have to go to bed the same time as the youngest, and then all the protests being ignored, Kurama reached over to tuck in Rami and Hi. Goodnight kisses were dolled out and the demon parents had just made it to the door when....that question was asked.

"Where do babies come from, touchan?" Yoji asked.

"The Makai Market," Hiei announced dryly.

"Hiei! Don't tell them that! They'll believe you," Kurama snipped, frowning at the Koorime.

"They know I'm teasing," Hiei answered innocently.

"Yeah, well, it took me a year to convince Ryu that Rami-chan's tail doesn't grow longer if you pull it everyday, after you told him it did," Kurama growled under his breath.

"So, where do babies come from?" Hi asked.

Kurama and Hiei looked at each other for a moment.

"You want to, or do you want me to?" Hiei offered.

"I think I better try this one, koibito, no offense," Kurama smiled, sitting down between the futons. Hiei sat on the concealed window sill and pulled up a knee, just in case his expert answers were needed. Rami snuggled on one side of their youko touchan and Ryu leaned on the other.

"Okay, let's see. How do I begin?" Kurama thought out loud, as he looked up at Hiei, who seemed to be amused at the situation even though he'd never let on.

"Where do babies come from?"

The shimmering glow of the Makai entrance was just barely visible as Kurama and Hiei rounded the grove of trees that marked the entrance to the meadow where they lived. They would be home after a few more miles walk, and the evening was unusually pleasant, even by Makai standards. A very romantic moon shared the ebony sky with millions of stars that twinkled and flickered in the clear atmosphere. A cool breeze lifted Hiei's cloak now and then, and Kurama's mane and tail drifted seductively across his body. Now that they were out of range of any probing demon eyes, Hiei slipped his hand into his life-partners as they walked the final few miles to their cozy home. Standing outside the entrance of the hidden dwelling, the lovers faced one another, holding themselves at arms length. Hiei tilted his head, looking up at his tall partner, studying his face.

"You seem so lost in thought, kitsune," the Koorime whispered. Kurama smiled. Then, sitting down on the tree stump near the entrance, he pulled his little lover towards him for a hug. The youko wrapped his arms tightly around the fire demon's waist, Hiei resting his arms on the kitsune's shoulders. They nuzzled noses before Kurama lightly kissed his lover's soft lips. Hiei lifted Kurama's face and stared into the youko's golden eyes.

"What is it?" Hiei asked, leaning forward to kiss Kurama between the furrowed eyebrows. "Something bothering you?"

"Nope," Kurama sighed, giving Hiei another tight hug, resting his head on his lover's chest. "It's just...well, it's just that I was thinking..."

"Uh oh," Hiei grunted. "That's what I was afraid of." The Koorime rubbed Kurama's ears, eliciting his favorite purring response. "What were you thinking about, fox."

Kurama moved out of the warm embrace, taking both of Hiei's hands into his, and suddenly looked very serious. He looked deeply into Hiei's crimson eyes and figured he'd just say what was on his mind. He'd deal with the consequences later.

"This is going to come out wrong, koibito, gomen, but...I was thinking...if I had any regret, and you know I swear I don't have any regret, but if I did have any regret about our relationship, it's that we...can't...have any children..." Kurama's voice trailed off as he closed his eyes, swallowing hard. He braced himself for Hiei's anticipated reaction. After a moment or two of silence, the youko peeked open one eye to find his lover still staring at him. He opened his other eye and then frowned again.

"You want to have children?" Hiei asked, his tone unreadable. Kurama sighed, lifting Hiei's hands to his lips for a kiss.

"Well," Kurama began carefully. He rose from the tree stump and, still holding Hiei's hands, led the two inside their home. "I never thought about it before tonight, really." The leaves moved back to conceal the entrance as the demon couple began to undress, not bothering to light the candles that Kurama had stolen. The moonlight provided sufficient light and a lovely, soft glow. Kurama lay on his side on the bedding, his head propped up on one hand. Hiei sat cross-legged near his lover's tail and began brushing the silky appendage.

"Wasn't it sweet the way Kuwabara acted all night? Carrying the twins around like that. Showing them off the way he did..." Kurama sighed, remembering the events from a few hours before.

"I thought he went on a little too much, personally," Hiei grumbled. Kurama practically had to drag him to the Ningenkai for Fuyu's and Yuki's 'Christening/Naming Ceremony' - a kind of combined human/demon thing that seemed to satisfy the needs of both parents, much to the enjoyment of their friends and family. Yukina and Kuwabara had had a much simpler ceremony when Kori was born a few years before.

"Well, I thought it was sweet, koibito," the youko announced, rolling onto his stomach so his lover could have better access to the rest of his tail and mane. "I just wish we could be touchan, that's all. We'd be good parents because we know what it's like to have lousy parents." Kurama felt his body relax as sleep was beginning to beacon. He looked over at Hiei, who had stopped brushing, and noticed his lover was chewing on his lip, staring off into space. Kurama reached out and gently touched Hiei's knee, startling the Koorime a little. The youko smiled sweetly, rubbing his hand where he touched Hiei. "Come to bed..."

Hiei put the brush away and joined his lover on their futon. He lightly kissed his life-partner's chest, as he snuggled against Kurama's warm body. "Do you really think we'd make good parents?" he asked, unusually shy. "What if the kid didn't like me...uhm, I mean us?" Kurama's eyes opened wide, and he lifted Hiei's face to his in the darkness.

"But that's the cool thing about babies, koibito," Kurama said softly, eyes sparkling in the moonlight, "their born loving their parents. It's automatic."

Hiei put his head back down and listened to his husband's heartbeat while he twirled a bit of silver silk. "I never really thought about having children, fox." He lifted his head and rested his chin on Kurama's breastbone and looked up at his kitsune. "Shimatta, I never thought I'd ever be married, either," he chuckled. "You, however, must have kits all over the Makai, ne?"

"Come to think of it, I probably do, somewhere," Kurama replied, resting the back of his head on his hands. "I never stayed with any other youko long enough to find out. And I don't know if inter-breeding is possible, even here in the Makai."

"Who would know?"

"Hmm?" Kurama asked, looking down his body at his spiky-haired lover. "Who would know what?"

"If it's possible," Hiei replied. "Who would know if it's possible for us to have...you know...kids?" Kurama smiled broadly and hugged Hiei fiercely.

"You mean, you're willing to find out?" Kurama's voice was incredulous.

"If you want this so badly, kitsune, we should find out how to do it." Kurama took Hiei by the shoulders and lifted him off his body, his eyes searching the Koorime's face in the darkness.

"Don't do this just for me, koibito," the youko said earnestly. "You have to want this, too, or it will come between us. And I would rather spend the rest of my life with just you than with any other creature in all the worlds." Hiei allowed himself to smile back down at his lover.

"Let's find out first, fox, before we start knitting little things, ne?" Kurama pulled Hiei up his body and gave him a passionate kiss. "Arigatou, Hiei," he smiled, hugging him tightly. The lovers then settled down for the night.

Now how does one find out if two male demons are capable of producing a child together? The first place Kurama and Hiei figured they'd look was on Koenma's computer, see what Scientist from the past might be able to help.

"You guys want a kid?" Koenma asked, eyes wide, pacifier dangling from his lips? He looked at Kurama, then at Hiei, scratching his head with his chubby toddler fingers. "I thought you guys were a little nuts when you got married, but now you want a kid, too?"

"Sure, why not?" Kurama beamed, placing his arm around the fire demon's shoulder. Hiei shot his lover a glare, and Kurama lowered his arm with a smile.

The Koorime stuffed his hands into his pockets and shrugged. "Is this a problem for you?" Hiei mumbled somewhat angrily.

"No, no. Not at all," the son of the Afterworld ruler squirmed, rolling his chair over to his computer. "It's just that it's never been done before, that's all." After typing in some commands, the computer displayed the one name of a person that could possibly help the demon couple in their quest for offspring: Albert Einstein

"I remember that name from when I was in school as a human," Kurama's ears perked up as he looked over Koenma's shoulder at the screen. "He was like this super genius from the past. I thought he was a professor of physics or something. Oh, yeah, I remember. He created that theory of relativity. But he's been dead for a long time, ne? Isn't he somewhere else by now?"

"Actually," Koenma explained, "when someone as important as Albert Einstein dies, Enma-sama offers them an option. They can go somewhere else, or they can enjoy continuing their work that they did in the Ningenkai, but always in the background." The toddler pushed himself away from his desk, letting his chair roll around to the front so he wasn't so small next to the married demons. "I'll ask Enma-sama if you can visit him in his laboratory. I can't promise you anything, though."

Kurama looked down at his husband and shrugged his shoulders. "We might as well find out, koibi..uhm, Hiei." Then, looking back at Koenma, asked, "when could we find out if we have permission?"

"Wait right here." Koenma jumped down off the chair. "He's in his office right now. I'll go ask," and he waddled off to his father's chambers.

Kurama bit his lip, sat down on the one chair in Koenma's office, and began tapping his foot nervously. Hiei remained where he was, still as a statue.

Thunderous laughter could be heard coming from Enma's chambers. Kurama stopped tapping at stared at Hiei. Hiei turned around and returned his lover's stare, but with a slight shake of his head. As Koenma emerged from his father's room, Enma's laughter filled the office. Kurama's shoulder's slumped, fearing the worst. Hiei began toeing the ground.

"Okay," Koenma started, sitting back down in front of his computer. "Here's where Professor Einstein is residing. I'll tell him you guys will be arriving in a few minutes."

Kurama's eyes were wide with excitement . "That's it? He said 'yes?'" the kitsune asked incredulously, practically flying out of the chair, rushing over to Koenma's desk. Hiei simply frowned.

"Actually, Enma-sama finds the whole situation quite amusing," Koenma smiled around his pacifier. "It's never been done before and you know how Enma-sama loves a challenge." The toddler typed in a few commands and an 'address' appeared on the screen. "Here," Koenma spoke as he jotted the information down on a slip of paper. "Show this to the Reikai Guards and they'll let you pass." Kurama grinned as he took the note, grabbing Hiei's arm, practically pulling him out of Koenma's office. "Good luck!" the immortal paper-pusher added, but the demon lovers were already gone.

The Reikai was very different from the Makai and the Ningenkai. It was a mysterious place where time seemed to stand still. And the heavy mist certainly added to the ambiance! After following Koenma's directions, the demon pair came upon what seemed to be a laboratory. There were beakers bubbling with all sorts of concoctions, papers strewn about the floor, books piled everywhere. And in the corner of the room, hunched over a microscope was a medium-built older gentleman, white hair rather unruly, bushy mustache containing some of the remains of his lunch. The demon pair looked at one another. Hiei nodded to Kurama to be the first to speak. The kitsune cleared his throat with a nervous cough. The white-haired man looked up and smiled.

"Ah, you're here," he said happily. (Author's Note: I won't attempt to give Professor Einstein a German accent. You could imagine one if you'd like, however.) "That little pisher said you'd show up. So, you want to make some babies, yah?" Kurama smiled at the man and walked forward, offering his hand. The scientist rose and met his hand with a firm shake. After proper introductions, the scientist returned to his seat, the demons standing next to him.

"I still can't believe I'm here," Einstein chuckled. "I never thought Death would be anything like this." He looked at the tall youko and short Koorime and smiled. "But, here I am, and here you are. Now, what can I do for you boys?"

Kurama immediately liked Professor Einstein. He felt more like a grandfather than the smartest person to have possibly ever lived. And because Einstein seemed so accepting of his situation, Kurama began to relax. Hiei had never seen a laboratory before and his natural curiosity was getting the better of him. He wandered around the lab, looking at everything, sniffing beakers, lifting lids.

"Well," the youko began, "I don't know exactly what we need to do, but, yes, Hiei and I would like to try to create a child together. Do you think this is possible?"

"In my line of work, anything is possible," Einstein smiled. "Are you willing to undergo some tests to help me determine just what I need to do?"

"I guess so," Kurama answered, glancing over at Hiei, who was looking through one of the other microscopes. Hiei looked up and shrugged his shoulders in agreement.

"Ah, good! Now, let's get started, shall we?"

After a few hours of tests, including drawing blood - Hiei was fascinated with the way the blood filled the syringe - checking basic genealogy, family history, etc., Einstein sat back in his chair, arms folded, deep in thought.

"This afterlife stuff is still a mystery to me," Einstein shook his head with a smile. "So you're a fox demon who got to live a short time as a human, and you're a fire demon who has an ice demon for a twin sister?" Kurama and Hiei nodded in sync. "And you two are really that old?" The scientist chuckled, scratching his head. "Amazing."

"Do you think you can help us? Is this at all possible?" Kurama asked, he voice very serious.

"Yah, I think I can help, but," Einstein looked over a Hiei, "we need to see if your sister is willing to donate the eggs we will need. Since her DNA will probably very similar to yours, there should be no problem using her ova. And the babies would still look like you, too. But we will have to do something to the chromosomes, yah? That way the baby won't have duplicate sets. I was fascinated with what they did with that little sheep, Dolly. I'll use something like that, but the baby won't be a clone of any of you." Hiei's eyebrows rose slightly. "Hn," was all he could think to say, however.

"Uhm," Kurama stammered, "I have a question...who would 'carry' the fetus. Hiei and I don't have wombs."

"No kidding," mumbled the Koorime. Kurama gave him an elbow in the side.

"Ah, I was wondering when you'd ask that," Einstein replied, rising and walking over to a stack of books on the floor. "I've been doing some research on this and may have found just what we need. While you ask your sister for permission, I'll construct an artificial womb that will house the baby while it grows. There was some research going on about this when I was still alive, and I think I can improve upon it. So, shoo, go do your work, and I will do mine." The life-partners were gently pushed back out the laboratory door, and as the doors closed, the demons looked at each other.

"We might as well get it over with, koibito," Kurama sighed. "The worst Yukina could say is no..." Hiei shoved his hands back into his pockets. "Hn."

Yukina's delighted squeals could be heard halfway 'round the Ningenkai. She practically knocked her niisan over, hugging him so tightly. Kurama laughed at Hiei's shocked expression, as Kuwabara scratched his head in confusion.

"I knew you guys were weird when you got married, but now kids?" their carrot-topped Ningen chuckled.

"There's this famous dead scientist that Koenma referred us to," Hiei explained, very logically, toeing the ground. "Seems he's got a theory about how to make more relatives, so we're seeing him." Kuwabara and Kurama stared at one another, each trying very hard not to laugh. Kurama winked at his brother-in-law, then put his hand on the fire demon's back, giving it a gentle rub.

"Well, I guess if Yukina wants to help you guys out who am I to stop her. Now, she won't be hurt in anyway, will she?" Kuwabara put his hands on his little wife's shoulders as she beamed at the couple.

"I'm going to assume Professor Einstein knows his stuff," Kurama replied, looking at Hiei. "Trust me, Hiei won't let him hurt a single hair on her precious head." The youko took his sister-in-law's tiny hands into his and smiled down at her. "You're willing to do this for us, honto ni?"

"You don't have to ask twice, Kurama. It'll be my gift to you for making my niisan so happy." She stood on tip-toe as Kurama bent down for a kiss. She then took Hiei's hands into hers, ruby eyes meeting in silent recognition. Yukina smiled sweetly, squeezing Hiei's hands. The Koorime stared deeply into her eyes, then kissed her lightly on the cheek. "Arigatou, imoto," he whispered.

"So what do we do, when do we go?" Yukina asked excitedly.

"I guess we could go now, if you're available," Kurama asked, looking at Kuwabara. "Think you can handle things here by yourself for a little while?"

"Hey, your talking to the great Kizuma Kuwabara, here," Kuwabara said, chest puffed with pride. "Killer of renegade demons, changer of stinky diapers! Of course, I can handle things here. Now go before Hiei has a heart-attack. He looks a little green around the gills."

"I am not a fish," Hiei mumbled, glaring at his brother-in-law.

"Let's go," Kurama laughed, pulling Hiei by the back of his cloak. The three demons made their way back to the Reikai to begin their adventure.

After adjusting to the differences between the Ningenkai and the Reikai, Yukina, Kurama, and Hiei returned to Einstein's lab to find him happily waiting for them at the door.

"Ah, you must be the little one's sister," Einstein smiled, taking Yukina's small hand in his and giving it a light kiss. Yukina covered her mouth and giggled. Hiei glared at Einstein, trying to decide if he should kill him for calling him little or for touching his sister. After deciding the futility of killing someone who's already dead, he just shoved his hands into his pockets and grumbled something unintelligible.

"Come over here and see what I've created," Einstein nodded, as he led the trio over to a large 10-gallon aquarium-looking type of container filled with a somewhat slimy liquid.

"This will be the artificial womb where the fetus will live after we are successful in the fertilization process. Miss Yukina, you are prepared to assist these crazy young men with this plan of theirs, yah?"

Yukina smiled lovingly at both her brother and brother-in-law. "Hai, I'm happy to help them. What do you need me to do, Einstein-sama?"

The scientist gently put his arm around Yukina's small shoulders and escorted her to his lab table. The table was full of bottles of pills and liquids, plus a number of hypodermic needles filled with strange colored substances.

"I know there has been a lot of progress in helping women who can't become pregnant by taking certain hormone-types of drugs," Einstein explained, sitting Yukina down on his lab stool. "One drug in particular has been proven to be very successful and also quite safe. 'Clomid' causes the woman's ovaries to produce extra eggs each month instead of just one. If you are willing, I was going to give you an injection of this drug, and because of your demon heritage, you should produce all the eggs we will need in just a few hours. I can harvest the ova quite painlessly, if you are still willing."

Hiei's face scrunched up and he squinted his eyes. "How would you 'harvest" these 'eggs?'"

"Ah, yes. Well, with the healing abilities you told me Miss Yukina has, I should be able to insert a needle through her abdomen and carefully withdraw the ova from her ovaries. She would be able to make sure that the procedure is painless to herself. I will use an ultrasound machine to make sure I find the ovaries."

"Oi, Hiei," the youko tapped his lover on the shoulder, "you know that machine. Remember a while back when I had that trouble with my testi...." Hiei covered Kurama's mouth with his hand.

"Hai, I remember. I'd like to forget that entire situation, fox, if you don't mind." Kurama smiled around Hiei's hand, then gave it a lick. Hiei glared at his lover, but didn't hide his half-smile as he wiped his hand on his trousers.

"Professor Einstein, if you don't mind my asking," Kurama said, as politely as he could, "I didn't remember that this type of science as being your specialty. How do you know so much about it now?"

"Yah, well," Einstein answered, "that's one of the advantages that Enma offered me when I died. He said I could continue to sit in on the classes and lectures of my choice, even some operations if I wanted, in the Ningenkai as long as I didn't make my presence known. I even branched into other fields of science and medicine. It's been fascinating. I've learned so much more being dead then I even did when I was alive. Oh, well. Such is life. Or, rather, death!" he laughed. "So, Miss Yukina, shall be begin your part of the procedure?"

The Ice Demon nodded with a smile. "Now, this should only pinch a little," Einstein said softly, rubbing her upper arm with a little cotton ball soaked with alcohol. He carefully injected her with one of the syringes, rubbing the spot afterward, giving it a gentle pat. "Why don't the three of you take a stroll for about two hours, then come back and see me, yah?"

Yukina looked at her brother. "I haven't been to the Makai market in ages, niisan. Would you guys mind if we spent the time there?"

Hiei rolled his eyes. "Shopping..." he grumbled. "Oh, c'mon, koibito. It'll be fun," Kurama grinned. "Maybe we can find a baby toy." Hiei snorted as he was dragged along quite unwillingly to spend the waiting period doing one of his least favorite things. "I'd rather listen to Kuwabara talk about his lawn mower," the Koorime mumbled under his breath.

Having endured the shopping (torture) - Kurama was able to finagle a baby rattle out of one of the vendors by trading her a lovely bouquet of roses - the trio anxiously returned for the next part of making a baby. When they returned to the lab, they noticed an attractive woman working along side Professor/Dr. Einstein. The two would put their heads together now and then and giggle softly. Hiei cleared his throat loudly.

"Ah, you've return, good!" Einstein smiled. The attractive women stepped forward, extending her hand to shake Kurama's. "This is a very good friend of mine," Einstein began, putting his arm around her waist.

"How do you do? I'm Madame Marie Curie. You may have heard me..." (Author's Note: Madame Curie spoke French with a Polish accent. Use your imagination here, too!)

Hiei and Yukina looked at each other and shrugged. Kurama, however, shook her hand quite enthusiastically. "Wow! Madame Curie. You didn't tell me you knew Madame Curie," he grinned at Einstein. The scientist hid his mouth from the rest of the group and whispered to Kurama, "Know her, I'm dating her! Besides being so cute, she's so smart! She wanted to do some more research after she died and her husband didn't, so Enma fixed us up."

"The old smoothie," Kurama whispered back with a wink. Speaking louder, he added, "I remember you from my school days, too. You did all that marvelous work with radiation. Are you here to help us as well?"

"Yes, I am. I believe my knowledge will assist you in triggering the fertilization process you are seeking. I have compiled a formula that will allow me to radiate the ovum and merge it with the sperm of the brother and sister," Madame Curie smiled sweetly at Yukina, then Hiei. "This way when the youko's sperm - youko, correct? - when his sperm meets the newly designed egg, we should have successful fertilization. My radiation process will also eliminate the worry of inter-breeding. Miss Yukina, are you ready to donate the ova?"

Yukina looked anxiously at her brother and gently squeezed his hand. "Hai, I'm ready."

"Good. Then I'll take you into the next laboratory where the Professor and I will harvest your wonderful donation. Come." Madame Curie led the sea-green haired ice demon into the other lab. "This shouldn't take too long. Gentlemen, have a seat."

Einstein nudged Kurama with his elbow, giving him a wink. "I told you she was smart, yah?" he smiled, giving a nod to the 1903/1911 Nobel Prize winner, then followed her.

Hiei stared at the closed doors. "If they hurt her..." he whispered. Kurama walked up behind his life-partner and wrapped his arms around his shoulders, hugging him tightly. "They won't. I trust them. They seem like they really want to help us, koibito." The youko nuzzled his lover's ear, giving it a nibble. That didn't seem to appease the Koorime entirely, but he allowed himself to sit on Kurama's lap while they waited.

Yukina's healing powers, indeed, made the harvest go smoothly and painlessly. After locating the very full ovaries, Madame Curie removed the eggs through a fine needle and began the process of separating them. Einstein held Yukina's small hand the entire time, patting it now and then, whispering words of encouragement. Even a bandage was unnecessary after the procedure, and Yukina smiled triumphantly as she emerged from through the lab doors. Hiei jumped off Kurama's lab, rushing to his sister.

"Are you all right," Hiei's eyes searched his sister's face, looking for any sign that she was uncomfortable. The petite ice demon gave her brother a warm hug.

"I'm fine, niisan. It didn't hurt a bit. Would you walk with me to the gate?" Yukina took her brother's hand in hers. "I'd better get home. Who knows what condition the house will be in with Kuwabara-kun in charge!" Kurama smiled at his tiny sister-in-law who just completed such a large task. "Arigatou," he mouthed. She waved her other hand as she and Hiei left the magical Reikai laboratory. Kurama watched intently as Einstein and Madame Curie began the separation process under a double microscope.

When the demon siblings arrived at the gates that separated the Ningenkai from the Reikai, Yukina turned to face her brother. Hiei frowned, noticing her face was so serious.

"Nani?" he asked, brushing a stray green strand from her face.

"Are you really ready to go all the way with this, niisan?" she asked softly, searching his face.

"Sure, why not? Kurama certainly is."

"But are you ready?" Yukina looked deeply into his ruby eyes.

"Hai, I'm ready." Hiei thought he sounded convincing. Yukina caressed his cheek before kissing him, squeezed his hands, then slipped back through the gates to her home among the humans. Hiei stared at the gates for a few moments, then shoved his hands into his pockets. "I'm ready..."

Hiei took a deep breath before pushing open the lab doors. Upon entering, he found Kurama standing on tip-toe, tail nervously swishing back and forth, trying to see over the shoulders of their new friends at the microscopic eggs being placed into a freezing solution. Kurama turned and smiled at his husband.

"You gotta' see this, Hiei," the youko said excitedly. "It's so cool!"

Hiei shook his head and walked silently over to the trio. Madame Curie had separated over a dozen of Yukina's unfertilized eggs into separate glass vessels, each being individually frozen so they could be used one at a time. Einstein was busy writing, figuring, plotting how the process of in-vitro fertilization would take place. He looked up from his work when Hiei walked back in.

"Ah, good. You've returned," the Professor commented. "Your sister was fine, yah?"

"Hai," Hiei replied softly. Kurama looked at his lover with a puzzled expression, but chalked up Hiei's particularly somber attitude to nerves over the situation, though he knew the Koorime would never admit he was a little nervous.

"Now comes your part of the procedure," Einstein said, with a slight smirk on his face. "I need a 'donation' from each of you," and he held out two specimen cups. The life-partners looked at the cups, at each other, then back at the cups. "What are these for?" Hiei mumbled.

"I need the two of you to go into that area behind the curtain and each give me a sperm sample."

Hiei's eyebrows rose so high they lifted his bandana practically off his forehead.

"You want a what?"

"Sperm, Hiei. He needs our sperm if we're gonna' make a baby," Kurama explained, as matter-of-factly as he could.

"And you expect me to fuck a cup?"

"Hiei!" Kurama blushed. "Don't put it that way." They both took their respective cups from Einstein.

"I'll give you boys a few minutes of privacy. Then we can make our first attempt at fatherhood." Einstein returned to his charts and figures while Hiei stared blankly at the cup in his hand. He sighed deeply, shaking his head. "What I do for you, fox..." he muttered, "what I do for you..."

"C'mon, koibito," Kurama whispered with a wicked grin, pulling Hiei into the small room, drawing the curtain. "I'll race ya'." Hiei glared at his kitsune. "Baka," came the growled response.

Well, suffice it to say Kurama won the race, but Hiei was successful, though not as enthusiastically as his lover. They handed their cups to Einstein who immediately began studying the samples under a new microscope. After several "Mmm's" and "Ahh's", he looked up and smiled.

"You boys are very healthy. This should be no problem," Einstein observed, looking back into the microscope. "Hiei, you have very healthy sperm. And Kurama, your 'boys' are, how shall we say, very active." Hiei glanced over at the sheepishly grinning fox with a snort. "Let's see if my first formula works." The demons became very quiet and attentive as they watched Einstein remove some of the specimens and release them into the petrie dish that contained one of Yukina's eggs. Madame Curie then very carefully placed the dish into the tank.

"What keeps it from floating away?" Kurama asked, practically pressing his nose up against the tank's glass.

"We've hopefully created a friendly environment for the sperm and the egg to meet, like it would in nature," Madame Curie explained. "And the liquid is very thick, thicker than normal amniotic fluid, so the specimens should stay still."

"When, or how, will we know if it works?" the youko asked, standing back up. He looked over at Hiei, who seemed a little distracted.

"If there is fertilization, we will know in about 12 hours, or in the morning," Einstein explained. "Understand, the egg and sperm naturally do this sort of thing in the dark, so we will come back tomorrow and see if we were successful. A watched pot doesn't boil, yah?" The Professor put his hands on each demons' shoulder, giving them both a fatherly squeeze. "You two go home and come back in the morning. Marie and I will close up for the night."

"Arigatou, Einstein-sama," Kurama said warmly, shaking the Professor's hand. "We'll see you tomorrow." Hiei simply nodded. Then the two demons left for home.

The Koorime was very quiet as the two 'touchan-to-be' walked through the Makai gates. Kurama hadn't thought about the awkwardness of the situation, and he couldn't help quietly giggle.

"What's so funny, fox," Hiei grumbled.

"Gomen, koibito. I didn't know we'd have to do that." The youko reached out and held his lover's small hand in his. Since it was dark, Hiei allowed it, not worrying that they'd meet anyone else at this time of night.

As they approached their small tree dwelling, Kurama looked over their home.

"Oi, koibito. If we become touchan tomorrow, we'll have to get a bigger place," Kurama smiled.

"Hn. Let's wait and see, fox," Hiei replied softly, climbing through the entrance. "Let's go to bed. I'm kind of tired."

"Honto ne? I'm so excited, I don't know if I can fall asleep." Kurama followed his lover to bed, and somehow managed to fall asleep anyway.

The next morning, Kurama practically ran to Einstein's laboratory. Hiei strolled, figuring whatever they'd find would be waiting for him no matter how fast he got there. What they found was Einstein scratching his head, mumbling to himself.

Kurama looked into the tank and saw the petrie dish was missing. He looked over at Madame Curie who was studying some of her radiation formulae. She looked up at the youko and smiled sweetly.

"Ah, did you sleep well?" she asked, putting the papers back in her folder.

"A little," Kurama answered honestly. "I'm just so excited about this. What's going on? The dish isn't in the tank."

"No, I'm sorry, Kurama. The first try didn't work," Einstein apologized. "But this is perfectly normal. For most couples this is often the case. We should try again. Give Marie and me a day or two to come up with a new formula, yah? Then we try again."

"Sure," the kitsune sighed, as Hiei made his way through the lab doors. Kurama looked over at his lover, making a dejected face. "We'll come back." Hiei frowned at the youko.

"Didn't work?"

"No. But the Professor says that this is normal, so..." Kurama tugged on Hiei's sleeve, trying to motion for him to leave. "Does that mean I have to fuck a cup again?"

"Probably," the youko answered, pulling Hiei back through the lab doors. "We might as well go see if Koenma has anything for us to do while we're here. I couldn't just sit around and wait for two days." Kurama began walking in the direction of the toddler's office. Hiei watched as Kurama went on ahead. "Hn," was all he could think to say, and ran to catch up to his partner.

Two days is normally only 48 hours. But to Kurama, it was the longest 48 hours he thought he'd ever endured. He was so anxious about the idea of becoming a touchan that he looked at the clock in Koenma's office about 10 times waiting for the little immortal to show up with an assignment. Koenma, somewhat sympathetic to the couple, gave them rather routine jobs, picking up harmless Reikai violators not too far from the Makai. Kurama let Hiei have all the 'fun' in arresting the troublemakers, realizing it was better to keep his lover physically occupied and let the youko think about what was happening in Einstein's lab.

The two days finally passed, and the demon couple arrived back at the lab. Einstein described the differences between the first try and this try, all of the information going over the lovers' heads. But to be polite, they nodded as if they knew what he was talking about. The Professor then handed the boys each a new specimen cup. If looks could kill, Einstein would be dead again. Instead, Kurama smiled sweetly, dragging the growling Koorime with him into the small room they would soon get to know intimately.

But the second formula was no better than the first. Neither was the third or fourth configurations. The lovers were starting to show signs of stress, getting a little sarcastic with one another, even in front of the scientists. Einstein suggested they visit the lab once a week instead of daily. They had enough of Yukina's eggs stored to try this new schedule. That way they could forget about this and follow their normal routine. Easy to say. Hard to do. How could they not think about this? Both Kurama and Hiei were feeling the strain of not being successful, even though this was a unique situation. They had to curtail lovemaking two days before donating new samples in an effort to supply the freshest, highest count samples, and this bothered both of them. It made lovemaking planned and routine, something neither of them felt comfortable with.

The lovers tried to take each failure in stride. On a visit to Yukina's for dinner one night, after trying for a few weeks, Kuwabara made the mistake of jokingly saying, "So, when are you gonna' make me an Uncle? I can't wait forever, ya' know!" The demon couple remained silent, looking down at their plates of food, while Yukina gave her tactless but well-meaning husband a kick under the table. He looked at her somewhat confused, and she tried to give him a signal, but Kurama looked up. "Your guess is as good as ours!" and tried to cover his own disappointment with a grin. Hiei didn't bother to comment, figuring instead he'd just dismember Kuwabara at the earliest convenience and try to make it look like an accident.

Each time the in-vitro fertilization failed, Einstein would try to cheer them up with the same comment: "We try again, yah? I think this next time should work." Madame Curie had tried all of her radiation formulae as well, but even she was at a loss as to why nothing was working. On paper, it looked like it should have worked. So, why wasn't it?

"No, I'm sorry. Not this time, again," Einstein said softly, taking his glasses from his nose and chewing on the ear-piece end. "I just don't understand. We've tried everything known to science," he sighed.

Hiei and Kurama stared at the tank. The youko could sense the fire demon's ki was very agitated, and he looked over at this lover. Hiei face was set in anger and his breathing seemed a little raspy. He glared up at Kurama. "I hate this!" he hissed, and stormed over to the chair in the corner, sitting down in a huff, folding his arms.

Kurama looked up at the scientists, who tried to apologize, but the youko cut them off. "Let me talk to him, alone, dozo?" Kurama said with a small smile. Einstein motioned to Marie to follow him into the next lab. The kitsune closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. He slowly walked over to the fuming Koorime and knelt in front of him, placing his hands on Hiei's knees. The chair was so large that Hiei's feet didn't touch the ground. Kurama studied Hiei's angry face a few moments, then spoke very softly.

"Talk to me..."

The Koorime looked away, biting his lip.

"Hiei, talk to me. What's going on? Gomen. I didn't realize you hated this so mu..."

"I don't hate this, fox," he interrupted. "I hate...I hate not being successful." He unfolded his arms and covered Kurama's warm hands with his own small, rough ones. Kurama searched his sad face for some sort of opening to offer words of comfort, but he felt locked out of Hiei's emotions, even more than usual. "Talk to me," he whispered, giving Hiei's knees a gentle squeeze.

Hiei inhaled sharply, painfully, trying his best to contain the torment he was hiding from his lover. The angry scowl on his face began to soften as he closed his tired eyes, gathering his thoughts.

"When we first started this a couple of weeks ago," Hiei began, staring at their hands, "I thought this would be easy. That we'd come here, do this thing, and we'd make the baby you wanted so much." Kurama tilted his head, suddenly feeling guilty: 'the baby he wanted so much...'

"I thought we both wanted..."

"Let me finish, kitsune, dozo," the fire demon interrupted again, squeezing Kurama's hands tightly. The youko sat back on his heels, downy ears starting to droop, but listened intently to his lover.

Swallowing hard, Hiei continued. "When we first started this, I thought it was just something to make you happy. I didn't think much of having a baby. I didn't think we really could, but I started to get into it a little, especially when Yukina got so excited about helping us." Hiei's breath was getting a bit labored as he fought to maintain control. "At first, I thought it was cool because I wanted this for you. Then, after awhile, I started to want this for us. But now..." Hiei breathed in sharply. "But now, I realize I want this me. I want for this me, Kurama. I want this. I want this so badly now I can't stand it." Hiei's eyes filled with tears. "I thought maybe if I became a touchan...I could maybe raise the baby like I wanted to be raised, like I wished I was raised." Kurama felt an ache in his chest as his eyes filled with emotion as well, rubbing the little fire demon's legs in comfort. "But what hurts, too, is the feeling that..." Hiei swallowed again, "...the feeling that this is all we are now. That if we don't make this baby, it will come between us. And I couldn't live like that." A crystalline tear made its way down Hiei's right cheek, coalescing into a tear gem, that fell silently onto his trousers. It was quickly followed by another on the left. Kurama reached up and caressed his life-partner's cheek, brushing against the damp track. He put his hand behind Hiei's neck and pulled the Koorime towards him, kissing him on the Jagan. Hiei finally looked into his lover's golden eyes, searching. The youko smiled back sadly.

"Hiei," Kurama's voice cracked. The kitsune sat up on his knees so he was face-to-face with the Koorime. Kurama looked down at their hands. "When my kaasan married my step-father, she told me that she was lucky because she got to have another child automatically. All the fun and no work, she said. She always told me that children were a gift from God; that we're given children. We don't necessarily select the children, but that we accept them and love them for what they are." Now it was Kurama's turn to share what was in his heart. "Koibito," Kurama's voice trembled with emotion, "I would love have children with you. I would love to give you the chance that you want so badly." Tears rolled down the youko's cheeks as he struggled to find the perfect words to expressed himself. "But if we can't, if all this hard work that all these people are doing for us doesn't work, it'll be ok because we still have each other. Hiei, we were going to accept whatever child or children we were going to be given, but I chose you. I chose to love you, forever and ever." Hiei's eyes flashed with tears as he listened to his fox profess his love, again, but this time with new meaning. "I don't need a baby to show the worlds how much I love you. And if you want to stop right now, I'll completely understand." Kurama caressed Hiei's cheek, the fire demon pressing his face into his lover's warm hand. "I'm happy beyond measure just living with you. We'll take care of each other, koibito. Besides, I can't take much more of this, either." Kurama wiped his face with the back of his hand and sniffled.

"Ai shiteru, fox," Hiei mouthed.

"I know," Kurama mouthed in return, trying to smile. The youko reached out and pulled the Koorime's trembling body off the chair onto his lap, hugging him fiercely, Hiei returning the embrace. Kurama kissed Hiei's tired, wet eyes, then found his lips, giving his beloved a passionate kiss.

"We can stop right now, koibito," Kurama said, gently returning Hiei to the chair. "We could just accept this and become the best Uncles in all the Worlds." Hiei looked up sadly at his husband, smiling meekly. The youko got up and brushed off his trousers. Hiei rubbed his eyes with his fists, and gave a sniffle.

"No, we might as well try it one more time. Einstein thinks he's got the formula right this time." Upon hearing his name, the Professor and Madame Curie returned to the lab.

"Is everything all right?" Madame Curie asked, sounding quite motherly. The demons were beyond feeling embarrassed in front of the scientists, figuring them must have known what their conversation had been about. For goodness sakes! The scientists had seen every part of their bodies by now, what's a few tears?

"Hai," Kurama sniffed. "We're all right. We figured we'd try once more."

"Ah, good!" Einstein exclaimed, excitedly. "I have a feeling this time it's going to work. Trust me!"

"He said that last time," Hiei mumbled to Kurama under his breath, wiping his nose on his sleeve.

"And the time before that, too," Kurama mumbled back, but with a slight smile. "So!" Einstein grinned, holding two cups before him. Hiei sighed deeply.

"Fuck a cup, huh?"

"Oi, koibito. Let me try something. Maybe I'll get creative," the youko offered. "Shall we go back to 'our' room?" Hiei rolled his eyes, following the kitsune, drawing the curtain liked he'd done so many times before. The scientists went about their business preparing the petrie dish, but couldn't help blush as they looked at each other, listening to the sounds of clothing rustling, some moaning, and a lot of giggling. After only a few minutes, the curtain was drawn back, and a very disheveled Hiei and blushing Kurama emerged triumphant. "Why didn't you think of that a few weeks ago," Hiei whispered out the corner of his mouth. "It just came to me," the kitsune replied. Hiei looked at his lover and snorted.

"Why don't you boys go home and come back tomorrow, and we'll see if we've made a baby," Einstein said, handing the specimen cups to Marie. The demons looked at one another, then back to the Professor.

"If it's all right, can Hiei and I stay here tonight? I don't think I could take the pressure waiting at home," Kurama asked, taking Hiei's hand into his. He knew the Koorime felt the same way.

"I don't see why not. Though there's no place to sleep, really," Einstein replied, looking around the lab. The only furniture in the room, besides the one chair in the corner, were stools under the lab table. And the 'sample gathering' area only had a bench behind the curtain.

"That's ok, we've slept in worse places," Kurama assured the scientist. "I'd just like to be here in the morning. We'll be fine on the floor near the tank."

Einstein smiled warmly, his eyes twinkling in understanding. "Yah, I think it's a good idea. Now Marie, let's make this baby." The scientists did all the same steps they'd previously done and gently placed the delicate cargo into the tank. The demons watched it sink to the bottom, as it always did.

"Now we wait," Einstein said softly. "If we are successful, we should see something in the tank in the morning."

"What might we see?" Kurama asked, staring through the murky liquid.

"You know, I really don't know," Einstein laughed. "I do know we should see something, since the previous dishes that didn't work came out the same way they went in. Your demon DNA should grow the fetus much faster than a human's, so my calculations say if we are successful, one day in the tank equals about one month's gestation. But then again, anything can happen. Sleep well. We'll see you in the morning. Come, liebshin," Einstein shut the lights, then escorted Madame Curie from the lab. The only light in the lab came from the diffused evening Reikai light that filtered through one of the small lab windows. Kurama sat down at the base of the tank, Hiei sitting in his lap. As they snuggled themselves to get comfortable for the long night's sleep, Kurama reached his hand up and stroked the glass with the back of his hand. Hiei reached his own hand up and pressed his and the youko's hands against the tank, his fingertips making contact with the glass as well. The exhausted lovers fell asleep quickly, remaining quite still all night.

Einstein crept in quietly the next morning, trying not to disturb the sleeping pair. He noticed that where the couple's hands were still touching the glass there was an iridescent aura forming a shimmering silhouette. He crossed his fingers, took a deep breath, and peered into the tank. The Professor was a little shaken by what he saw...

Looking out of the tank was a tiny set of almond shaped, amber eyes. They seemed to be floating in the liquid womb. A somewhat shapeless form surrounded the tiny eyes that blinked and blinked. They seemed to look at the sleeping couple, then look back at the bemused Professor, then back at the couple.

"Well, hello little one," Einstein said softly to the creature in the tank. "Came to see your touchan, yah?" Kurama's eyes fluttered open at the sound of 'touchan,' Hiei's eyes fluttered at the sound of 'little one.' They disentangled themselves and stared up at the tank. Kurama's mouth dropped open to his chest.

"Hiei, look! We did it!" he gasped. "Hn?" Hiei yawned, rubbing sleep out of his eyes. "We did?" Kurama jumped up so fast, Hiei fell out of his lap, landing rather unceremoniously on his butt. "Ouch! Oi, fox..."

Kurama stared into the tank. The tiny amber eyes stared back, almost in recognition. The overwhelmed youko covered his mouth with his hands as tears filled his eyes. He pressed his index finger lightly on the glass and the eyes practically crossed looking at it. The youko choked back a laugh, as he smiled at the tiny creature. Hiei put his face so close to the glass, his nose pressed against it. The tiny eyes blinked over and over, floating up and down excitedly around Hiei's face. Kurama put his arm around his husband's shoulders, giving them a gentle squeeze. "We did it, koibito. We're gonna' be touchan," the youko whispered. Kurama wiped his eyes as he saw Hiei's broad smile reflected in the tank's glass.

"Now what?" Hiei asked, shoving his hands into his pockets, straightening himself.

"Well, if my calculations are accurate, which they seem now to be, you should be able to take your fully formed demon baby home in about a week." Einstein smiled as he went to the lab doors. "I've got to wake Marie. She'll be so happy for you! And I am, too," the Professor said with a wink, then left the new touchan by themselves for a few minutes.

"Wait a minute, Einstein-sama," Kurama called out, stopping the scientist. "Why do you think it finally worked?"

"Something special must have happened last night, yah?" Einstein's eyes twinkled, as he glanced at the tank. The imprint of the couple's hands were still visible, though they had started to fade. Kurama smiled as the professor left the lab.

As the tiny form darted about in it's slimy home, Hiei slid his hand into Kurama's, squeezing it tightly. They looked at each other and smiled the goofiest of grins. Then, with their other hands, they both touched the tank's glass.

Now, if waiting two days was long, waiting almost a week was agony!! The new touchan were getting underfoot in the laboratory, since neither one wanted to go home. Koenma had given up trying to give them any assignment while they were waiting, and word had gotten back to the Ningenkai that a little bundle was on it's way. Yukina was naturally overjoyed. Kuwabara seemed happy with the idea of becoming an uncle, but an uncle to what. Everyone wanted to know what the baby would look like and, of course, what sex it would be.

And speaking of sex, idle hands are the devil's playthings. In this case, the demon's playthings. Around the fourth day of waiting, while the scientists attended a lecture on some new drug being introduced called "Viagara," they had left the boys alone with their growing baby. Upon returning to the lab, Einstein and Marie thought they heard noises coming from behind the curtain. Not knowing what it was, Einstein pulled the curtain back suddenly. Marie gasped, blushing violently, and covered her mouth. Einstein put his hands on his hips and scowled. "And just what are you two doing?" he grumbled.

Kurama was sitting on the chair they had moved from the corner. Hiei was sitting on his lap, facing him, Einstein's stethoscope dangling from his ears. He was also wearing the Professor's lab coat, which had fallen sensually around his shoulders. And both were naked as....as...well...newborns.

The youko smiled sheepishly up at the scientists. "Playing doctor?" he replied.

"And in my good lab coat?!?" Einstein shouted. "Shame on you boys! You're getting it all hot and sweaty!" Marie began to giggle.

"As a matter-of-fact, I was just taking Kurama's temperatu..." The silver youko's hand covered Hiei's mouth. The Koorime bit the youko's hand. Kurama lifted the end of the stethoscope and blew air into it. "Ouch!" the fire demon protested, shaking the instrument out of his ears. Einstein rolled his eyes, pulling the curtain closed.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Einstein clicked his tongue, as he and Marie went over to his lab table. While they heard Kurama and Hiei dressing, Marie leaned against Einstein's arm. "We'll have to play doctor sometime," she whispered seductively. "I was just thinking that myself," Einstein smiled, looking up at her over his glasses.

Feeling somewhat ashamed, though not entirely, the lovers emerged dressed and composed from behind the curtain. "Gomen, Einstein-sama," Kurama apologized. "We didn't expect you back so soon. It won't happen again."

"Well, you don't have to worry about that, because I think you can go home tomorrow with your baby boy," Einstein said, sitting on the edge of the lab stool, arms folded, glancing at the tank.

"Boy?" Hiei asked, looking into the tank. The fetus had grown remarkably fast over the past four days. And sure enough, right there between the baby's chubby little legs, was a little 'stem.' "Oh, it's so kawaii," Kurama beamed. "He looks like you, koibito!" Hiei squinted at the youko, not quite sure how to take that remark, but figured everything on the baby would grow in time, so he let it go. The fetus had a crown of black fuzz with a sea-green starburst just forming in the hair on it's forehead. And with the amber eyes, he was truly a group production.

"Can we really take him home tomorrow? How will we know when he's...done?"

"Actually, the baby will come up naturally to the surface for oxygen. We will have to watch very carefully for that moment. And then, we'll clean him up and you can take him home," Einstein explained. "It should happen anytime, I think."

Kurama smiled at the scientists. "I can't thank you both enough for giving Hiei and me this wonderful gift. I can't...I wish there was...something..." the youko stammered. Einstein closed his eyes and shook his head.

"I'm just happy I got the chance to do something like this. My original work was rewarding enough, but I never got to see the results. I know Marie feels the same way, too." Madame Curie was over at the tank next to Hiei making baby noises, who was tolerating it, for the moment.

And right on schedule, little Yoji rose to the surface to the waiting arms of his touchan.

(Author's note: 'Yoji' means infant child in Japanese)

"Is that really where babies come from?" Rami asked sleepily around her thumb, hugging Wuzzy tightly. Hi and Ryu were just about asleep, but Yoji hung on every word.

"Well, that's were you guys came from. Now, c'mon. It's very late. Time to go to sleep." Kurama turned to tuck in the curious children.

"How did the rest of us get here?" Ryu asked, rubbing his sleep-filled crimson-colored eyes.

"When touchan and I were ready to have more kits, we were allowed to see Professor Einstein again. He really did get the formula right. You all have little bits of all of us in you."

"Is that why I have silver hair with a black starburst in front?" Ryu yawned.

"How come Rami and Hi look more like you, touchan?" Yoji asked Kurama, as he settled into his futon. Hiei folded his arms and smirked.

"Well, uhm, when we were ready to have another child after Ryu, I asked Professor Einstein if there was a way to have a baby that looked a little more like me instead of your touchan," Kurama winked at his husband. "He was kind enough to put a little extra of my...donation...into the mix. I guess he put a little more than any of us expected, because we were surprised when we had twins." Kurama leaned down and kissed Hi and Rami. "But I couldn't have been happier!" The youko stroked Hi's long black silky hair as little ruby eyes blinked at him. Kurama smiled down at his small silver female fox, who had fallen asleep since the conversation was getting boring.

"Is that how Aunt Yukina had Kori and the twins?" Yoji asked, snuggling into his pillow. Kurama grinned at Hiei. "Well, now that's a different way to do it, I supposed..." he began.

"That's it - light's out!" Hiei growled, blowing out the candle. The Koorime was not going to get into a conversation about sex and his sister. Especially since it involved Kuwabara.

The moonlight drifted in, casting a luminous glow onto the sleepy demon children. Kurama rose quietly, carefully stepping over kits. The life-partners stood at the doorway of the kitten's bedchamber and smiled.

"Oi, fox. We haven't played 'doctor' in awhile." Hiei smirked quietly in the dark.

"Hmm," the youko giggled. "I just might have to take your temperature. You've been feeling a little 'hot' lately..." and led his lover into their bedchamber.

Copyright 1998 Julie Farel

Yu Yu Hakusho is the property of Togashi Yoshihiro and Jump comics and Studio Peirrot. All children in this story are from the inner workings of my mind.

I don't often write explanations to my fanfictions. But the feelings expressed in this particular story are very close to my heart. When couples get married, there is the assumption that they will eventually start a family. Well-meaning friends tease the couple, especially those friends who already have children. Expressions like "so when are you going to have your baby?" crop up in almost every conversation, regardless of whether the couple has decided to have children or not. We tried for over six years to start our family. We lived through endless "awkward" tests, embarrassing tests, even painful tests, and still couldn't make a baby. We each, separately, felt it must be our fault. The feelings of failure became overwhelming, and to hear friends constantly tease added to the painful reminder that something just wasn't working right. Also, the feelings that sex was becoming routine, or that the only goal of having sex was to make a baby was beginning to stress the limits of love and patience. That couldn't be the only reason we loved each other and got married. It became our lives, trying to get pregnant. It was all we were. We couldn't look at couples pushing baby carriages and not feel worthless. Six long years of effort, of heartache due to "almost" being pregnant only to experience loss, were finally rewarded only when we sat down and re-evaluated the purpose. We did everything according to science, but it still didn't work. It was only when we decided that we were there for each other first, and that we would leave it up to God, that something magical happened, and today we have a beautiful daughter.

Now, those same well-meaning friends couldn't help themselves, and while we were pregnant (and it's "we" who are pregnant, not just the woman), new expressions cropped up, expressions like "you still haven't had that baby yet?" (no, I'm crossing my legs each night on purpose!) or "so when do you want the next one?" (let me get the first one out!) o.0 We were blessed with only one. But she was worth the wait, and they'll never be another one like her in the world.