Cherry Bomb

by The-French-One

This is the sequal to With Sugar On Top. It is as it appeared on Iceprincess813's page With a few Yaoi upgrades.

PLEASE, ANYONE WHO HAS A COPY OF SPUN SUGAR FROM THIS SERIES PLEASE SEND IT TO EITHER ME OR ICEPRINCESS813 AT OUR EMAIL ADRESSES. IT HAS BEEN LOST...

Cherry Bomb: Prologue

Leon opened his eyes and winced, the sun was shining brightly and... Where was his warm snuggly little bottom that he had grown so accustomed to squeezing in such a short amount of time? Had it only been two weeks since he and D decided to stop being fools? Since they decided to love each other openly? Leon rolled over and felt the bed sheets beside him He frowned when he noted that it was decidedly cool. How long had D been gone?

The bedroom door opened and D entered carrying a steaming cup. Leon frowned; he looked so fresh and clean. Leon liked to wake up and enjoy him all messy and kiss swollen. "Wake up My Dear Mr. Detective." D sat down on the edge of the bed and handed Leon a steaming cup of tea. "It's your day off, and Chris starts school in two days..." D sighed as he looked at his sleepy lover. " I thought we should go and prepare him, you know school clothes, supplies, that sort of stuff."

Leon took a sip of his tea and felt a rejuvenating effect. "What is this?" He asked after another sip.

"Ginseng." D said with a secretive smile. "Now have a shower and if you hurry, you can have breakfast before we head out." D said and stood to his feet Leon enjoyed the way the floral patterned silk glided over D's slim body like liquid. He caught D's hand and caressed it. D looked down and smiled at Leon. "Come along now, the boys are all set to be gone. Ryo and Dee are even going to meet us there to set Bikky up as well. Carol already knew of schools approach, so she is all ready, but wants to come along anyway, Ryo and Dee are going to pick her up on the way over here." D said and looked down at his hand expectantly.

"All right, I'm up." Leon said and shoved himself off the bed. "Fifteen minutes," Leon mumbled and pulled D in for a kiss. "Make that about twenty, or maybe even thirty." Leon said and tossed D onto the bed; He climbed on top of him and began to tickle. D had never felt anything so... Leon marveled at D's surprised laughter. Had he never been tickled? Leon snuggled D's neck and the tickling died down to a simple cuddle. "And here I was so looking forward to allowing the kids to play with your animals all day and spending my day off in bed with you."

"If we leave now, we can be back and still spend a good deal of time in here arranging your things along with mine." D said with a sensual smile. Leon grinned and wordlessly hurried to the shower.

Break

D looked around with speechless horror at the scene before him. He had never set foot in a mall before and he was not sure he would ever wish to do so again. Such an overcrowding of humans and the different smells coming from the circle of more than thirty restaurants were making him ill. D pulled out a fan and fanned himself vigorously. "Are you okay?" Leon asked as he noted D's unusual pallor.

"I'm fine, but thank you for asking." D said and gratefully followed the small group into a clothing store for children. The smells died down here. He saw Leon pick up a brightly colored t-shirt and shook his head. "Ah... he can wear that around the shop, but how about something more like this?" D picked up a stylish button front shirt and a pair of tan pants. He collected several different outfits and packed Chris off to the changing room. "Come out and show us how it looks, I think the sizing is correct, you are rather small for your age. But I daresay, you'll grow every bit as big as your brother." D was quick to amend when he saw the hurt look on Chris' face.

Leon walked around the shop finding several pairs of jeans. He noted Dee and Bikky having a heated argument. "What do you know of anything?" Bikky yelled, "You've never been to California schools, so you wouldn't know what's fashionable."

"Children please," Ryo interjected. "I'm sure that Dee has never before been to school here, but I am also sure that wearing your pants hanging off your bottom is not the least bit attractive."

Chris emerged from the changing room looking triumphant. D smiled; he definitely got an A for effort. D smiled indulgently and knelt down to adjust the shirt and re-button it in some places, he was shifting Chris' pants when a sales lady walked up. "Oh he looks just like his father." She commented and nodded her head towards Leon.

D made the final adjustments and stood, he smiled and the Asian beauty struck the sales woman. "Ah, that's his older brother, we're raising him."

"Oh," The sales lady's entire demeanor changed. She looked over derisively. His kind was always taking away the hot men form single women who could not hope to compete with such artificial beauty. "Pre-op, or post?" She asked him. D paused at the new sneer he could hear in her voice.

"What?" D asked as Chris ran off to parade his outfit in front Bikky, Ryo and Dee.

Leon noted D's confused look and wandered over to investigate. "Everything fit?" He asked and placed a hand on D's waist. The sales lady looked at the tender caress and glowered, before she averted her eyes.

"Yes of course every thing fit, but I fear I was just asked something in American slang that I am unfamiliar with. My grasp of English is superb, proper English, not slang." D said, " I am afraid I do not know what Pre-op, or Post means?"

"She asked you that?" Leon asked and looked over at the sales lady with a thunderous frown. "Come on," Leon said as D nodded, he quickly paid for their purchases and ushered D to the door. "Why don't we investigate the Chocolate Factory after this okay," Leon said. He walked back to the counter. "No operation was needed, He's naturally gorgeous. Who's your supervisor? They should be made aware of your behavior towards paying customers."

"What's going on?" Ryo asked as he came back to see what was keeping Leon.

"She insulted D, good thing he missed the 'American slang,'" Leon said with a sneer. "She asked if he was pre or post operation."

"Come on," Ryo said on a sigh. "There's nothing to be done for ignorance." Ryo gave one parting frown at her before he pulled Leon from the shop. They found D gazing with joy at the myriad of selections of chocolate. D turned and smiled at Leon, and he forgot that he had been angry just moments before.

"After this we need to grab shoes for the squirt," Leon said as he paid for D's mountain of chocolate. D opened the bag immediately and began to place bits into his mouth. Leon laughed, "Save room for lunch." He took the bag and carried it along with the bulkier bags of Chris' new clothing.

Break

Count D placed a small finely boned hand to his brow as they entered the pet shop. "Is something wrong?" Leon asked, "You didn't eat any lunch."

"Just too many people and smells in such a small place, I have a bit of a head ache, that's all." D was quick to reassure Leon. "Oh mail," D picked up the small pile that was waiting for him.

Leon looked over his shoulder and wondered at the strange symbols. "Is that another letter from your Grandfather?"

D stared at the envelope with a mixture of incredulity and fear. "No, Grandfather is in Chicago now on business, he took Q-Chan with him. Didn't you notice he was gone?"

Leon shrugged; "I thought that since you were no longer sleeping alone, he figured he'd make himself scarce." Leon said and wiggled his brows suggestively.

"You are absurd." D said, he waved the children off to play and prepared to open the shop for the day. "This letter," D sighed, "is from my father."

Leon's brows drew together, "your father?" he asked. Leon had never really thought of D as having parents, he had only thought of his elusive grandfather, now the possibility of parents that he would one day meet. "Is he stern?" Leon asked. D had always seemed as if he had been a model child, doing exactly as he was told, always.

"My grandfather raised me; I do not know much of my father." D said truthfully.

"What about your mom?" Leon asked. D just smiled and greeted the next customer that entered his shop.

Break.

D stared in horror as he read the letter again. Tears gathered in his eyes and a couple slid down his face. He abandoned the front of the shop for the solitude of his room, glad that Leon was busy with the children in his new television room. The room had also been made to house a desk and a computer system. D felt fine as long as he did not have to look at them. He heard the chime on his shop door and quickly wiped his face. D walked to the shop to find a delivery boy with a package for him. He was just carrying it inside when Leon emerged smiling. One look at D's face and his smile vanished. "What's wrong, something else from your father?" Leon indicated the box.

"Ah no, nothing, I mean, this is from my Grandfather." D said, he pulled the card away from the box and smiled. His Grand father was sending him souvenirs from Chicago, and a congratulatory note. "He is pleased that I have finally opened my self to love, He commends my decisions." D looked at the other letter in his hand and sighed.

"What did your father say?" Leon asked, he held up the letter and frowned when he could not read a single word, if the strange symbols could be called words. D tried to back away with a forced smile. Leon grabbed his arm in a gentle yet firm grip. "Sharing problems remember," Leon said.

D sighed and began to read in a tremulous voice:

"Child, it has come to my knowledge that you have been living with a human man and child. You do not need me to tell you that such is beneath you. I am ashamed of you.

Your Father"

D sighed again, and gave Leon a watery smile. "He has not cared for my life before; I will not let him interfere now." D sniffled and wiped his face. "We have established something, you and I and I am determined to enjoy being happy."

"And we will be." Leon said as he pulled D into his arms and kissed him. "We will be very happy."

Chapter 1: Life Goes On

Fast forward (from Sept. in the prologue)

October 1st:

Chris ran into the shop and bounced around until D had to catch him and hold him still long enough to make him explain his exuberance. -The school is having a costume contest. The person or group with the best costume is going to win a prize...its money; I can save to buy Christmas presents! - Chris looked around the shop and sighed, Leon was not there.

"He's working a difficult case," D said. "Come on; let's get your homework done so you can spend time with him when he does make it in."

Chris pouted and his lower lip trembled. -For the past two weeks, I've been in bed when he got in. - Chris sat at the table and looked out at the afternoon sun. He hoped Leon would be done with his case soon for he missed him.

"Just think of this way," D said. "When Leon is done with this case, the city will be less one dangerous criminal. I'll make you some afternoon tea." D said and meandered to the back of the shop. He too was worried about Leon, but not about the lateness of his returns. But this time he was after a smuggling ring, not like he had previously thought D was smuggling, but the real thing. The dangerous real thing. Several times he would come home and D would caress the fatigue and worry lines from Leon's brow. D tried not to think of the times Leon had been shot, he would not worry, for what had worrying ever gotten anyone?

D was just helping Chris with his math when the door of the pet shop opened. He looked up expecting a customer and gasped. Leon stood, the sun shining behind him. He looked exhausted. Bikky trailed in behind him. "Mind if he stays over for a bit? Ryo and Dee are taking my shift at work so I can get some rest." Leon said. D rose and walked over to him.

"Of course I don't mind. Before you go to bed, maybe you would like to show Chris the new computer game you have acquired."

Leon tried to find the hidden message; D was looking at him so meaningfully. Had Chris missed him? "Sure, then I have to get some sleep." Leon said his voice full of regret, for sleep was all he was really capable of. Lately he had come home with only enough energy to fall unconscious on the bed beside D. He would be gone before D was even awake. "Come squirt, Bikky; let's leave D to his moldy old pets." T-Chan noted the weary look in Leon's eyes and decided it was not worth the effort to bite him.

Break

D entered the bedroom quietly and sat beside the prone form of Leon. He ran his hands gently through his golden hair, which had gotten longer in only a moth's time. Bleary blue eyes opened. "Sorry, I did not mean to awaken you." D said and prepared to leave the bed.

"S'okay," Leon murmured. He caught D's hand and placed a kiss on the palm. "I miss you. I wish we could just catch the bastards and be done with it." D slid into bed and tenderly licked Leon's ear, then he bit down. "Ow! Okay, okay, I'll watch the language." Leon laughed and pulled D in close; He nuzzled D's neck and fell back into a deep sleep. D sighed and stayed within his embrace all night.

Break

D collected his usual cache of mail and paused as an envelope caught his eye. It was an invitation from Mrs. Burtly. "This Saturday, hmmm." D said and headed of to prepare breakfast. He handed the invitation to Leon, as he sat down with the boys for breakfast.

"Wish I could, but I'm on duty this Saturday." Leon said, he noted D's momentary pout, "But you should go, take the boys with, it says here that children are welcome, they have a daycare on sight. Humph, the wealthy sure know how to party."

"Yes well, eat your breakfast, on your way to work could you drop the boys off at school?" D said he took the invitation back and went to open the shop. Leon found him with a customer; the man had the look of a frightened child. "No the frog is not mocking your efforts; she would just rather be left alone right now. I would suggest you..." Leon simply shook his head and left.

Break

D looked around at all the well-dressed people and felt lonelier. It would have been better to have stayed home. Now that he knew what it was like to be loved for himself, the superficial posturing of these people grated on his emotions like a dull saw. Perhaps his father was right; dealing with humans could never be healthy for a Kami's equilibrium. D felt a hand caress his side he turned to politely ask to not be touched and gasped. "I thought you were on duty." He said to Leon who looked very handsome in his eveningwear.

"I am, the trail led here, and why am I not surprised to find you here?" Leon said as his hand roamed D's lower back.

"I got the invitation earlier this week." D said, "Surely you don't think I'm involved?" D raised his well-sculpted brows. He noted that Ryo and Dee were standing off by the side, keeping an eye on the crowd. He also saw Randolph, scowling at him and Leon. "I see you are all working."

"Yeah, Jill's around here somewhere." Leon said, his other arm came around D and he began to gently sway to the softly playing music. D frowned, and stared up at the stage as he got the vague feeling that he knew this song. He looked at the stage and noted that it was filling with the entertainment. He recognized none of the musicians. With a sad sigh, he turned back to Leon.

"Kono chi ni chikara o

No ni hana o

Kokoro ni ai o..."

D's breath caught and he turned back to the stage. "Andy," He breathed, "She's alive." Leon looked down at D with a mixture of confusion and love.

"What do you mean she's alive?" Leon said, "I thought she just left town for a while."

"She's Arcadian, whenever they up and leave town, it's always dangerous, but where are the normal musicians?" D looked again at the stage. He noted a young man with Green and Black hair, and a woman with startling white hair. He vaguely recognized them, but could not be sure.

"Kono yo ni umarete

Anata no me ni

Nani o utsushite

Ima kono chi ni chikara o

No ni hana o

Kokoro ni ai o..."

"What's she saying?" Leon asked as he wrapped his arms tighter around D. He realized he was dancing with D in public, but he did not care.

"That is the Ai No Uta," D said in perfect pronunciation of the Japanese words. "It is the song of love.

"Good," Leon said and rested his head on top of D's. "I love you." He said quietly. D smiled and enjoyed this moment, even if Leon was on duty.

Break

"D," D turned as his name was squealed across the floor. Leon had resumed his post and Count D found himself sitting near the window conversing with Mrs. Burtly and several of her friends. D stood and braced himself, for he knew of Andy's penchant for hurtling herself at people she cared for. D caught her in an embrace and laughed at her exuberant good cheer. "Did you miss me?"

"Of course," D assured her.

"I need to talk to you." She said in a low voice. Before she could lead D somewhere alone, a hand clapped down on his shoulder. D turned and felt his stomach drop to the floor. Years of memories washed over him as he stared in horror at the person in front of him. The hand squeezed cruelly. "I'm too late." Andy sighed and tears fell down her cheeks as D was dragged none too gently from the room.

Chapter 2: Have I Told You Lately…

Dee frowned as he saw a figure in a black cloak walking very fast with D. As he got a closer look, it seemed that the person was dragging him. Dee became concerned as he noticed D trip over a fold in the persons flowing cloak and get roughly pulled along despite his efforts to remain on his feet. Dee hurried over to Leon. "What's going on?" He asked and indicated D.

"What the..." Leon demanded and rushed forward. Despite his attempt to catch up, it seemed as if he were going nowhere. Leon was immensely confused as he made it to the exit and there was no one in the hallway. He scanned the crowd and found Andy standing where D had left her sobbing piteously. He turned her to face him. "What the HELL is going on, where is that person taking D? What did you do?" Leon yelled.

"Whoa, there, calm down." Leon looked up and stared into the face of man who could comparatively be as pretty as D. "I'm Daphnus, a High Prince of Arcadia." Leon took in the pale skin, large almond shaped eyes and long flowing black hair. "She did not do anything, we tried to get here and warn him. We have to find them as soon as possible."

Andy took a deep breath and calmed herself. She pulled out what looked like a pager and spoke into it. "Tisiphone, take the children to a safe place, Clarisande, you stay with the other detectives and lead them to where ever I end up, track me. Chimera, you and Nestoir come with me." Leon noted the small blond in a red and black pantsuit came forward and nodded. "Carious, silver infinity, I'm on my way." Andy looked pointedly at Daphnus, "Well let's go!" She said and took Leon's hand, "He'll ride with me."

Leon was dragged to the parking lot where a myriad of motorcycles awaited the small crowd. Andy pulled him to one the glowed brightly silver. He gasped as bracelets appeared on her wrists where there had been none before. She clicked them together once and her deep purple evening gown changed to black leather pants and a corset top. She looked at the Bike and smiled. "Two this time Cari," The bike glowed brighter and Leon had to look away from the intensity. When he looked back again, the bike was a two seater.

"You are a bit emotionally upset, perhaps I should drive." Leon said as Andy wiped more tears from her face.

"Carious will only work for me, but you're welcome to try. The longer you piss about the longer D is..." Andy could not continue, she wiped her face again and mounted the bike, Leon wordlessly mounted behind her. He noted a bright red and gold bike beside them, with a tiny blond in red leather. The two Princes flanked the girls. With a roar of multiple engines the small group set of into the night.

Break

D trembled in terror as he was thrown inside the pet shop. "How dare you?" D cringed as the words were yelled at him. He backed away from the cloaked figure as much as he could and raised his hands to protect himself as much as possible. "What were you thinking? Have you learned nothing? Your job is dispensing judgment upon this filthy race and here you are..."Rage distorted anything else that could have been said. D cowered on the couch as the cloaked figure loomed menacingly above him.

Break

Andy pulled to a screeching halt outside the pet shop. She vaulted from the bike and Leon was hard pressed to keep up with her sprint down the stairs. She reached the door and bounced against it when it would not open. Leon reached for his key. "Oophuehnu," Leon was befuddled by the strange word until he saw a burst of what could only be called lightning shoot from her fine boned hand. The door burst in on itself and they ran inside to an empty pet shop.

"Damn it they aren't here," Leon ran his hands through his hair. He turned to leave the shop, but Andy stopped him.

"By royal order of the Arcadian court, Desist," She commanded. Faint light could be seen in the pet shop. Leon blinked doubting his eyes. The rest of the royalty set up a defensive stance around Andy. "Desist," She said again. The light grew brighter and voices could be heard.

"Not only do you allow that filthy man to live here in the shop, you have allowed him to defile you." A thud was heard. Leon looked around. He could hear D saying something, but the words were muffled. "You're nothing more than a plaything for the humans; you are a disgusting loose…Whore. How you shame me and the vast legacy that is ours by rights of revenge. How dare you?" Leon felt tears prick his eyes, he could not see D and who ever was berating him. His dearest need was to hold D and comfort him. He blinked and could faintly make out D standing in front of the couch, tears streaming down his face. The cloaked figure stood before his hands out as if he wanted to strangle D. Leon ran forward and slammed into what could only be an invisible wall.

D hung his head and sniffled. "I love him." Leon paused; those words coming from D had always made his breath catch. He looked up to see the cloaked figure draw his hand back. The back of his hand connected with D's face and sent him sprawling. Leon shoved against the invisible barrier; he looked at Andy and saw that she was trying to open it.

"Desist now, I say," Andy yelled. The haze over the room vanished and Leon fell forward. He caught himself and ran immediately to D's prone form. Leon pulled the figure away from D. He gathered D into his arms and stroked his face. "It's my fault, it's all my fault." Andy could be heard sobbing.

"Leon..." D mumbled as he felt gentle hands caressing the side of his face that wasn't bruised. Leon could see the cloaked man striding towards him and he drew his gun. D scrambled from Leon's lap and stood in front of him. "Leon, he's my father." D would have said more, but his father shoved him aside. "Father no!" D said and stood back in front of Leon. "I won't let you hurt him." D's father looked murderous.

"You would protect him, with your life." D's father said and pointed an accusing finger at D. D stood firm and nodded.

"Touch him again and I may be forced to hurt you." Leon heard the tiny blond woman say as she stepped around. In her hand was a golden gun, cocked and ready.

"Chimera, surely you understand..." D's father began.

"I understand only that you have a hatred for my race, or did you forget that the Arcadian Royale is as human as Leon. We are gravely insulted." Chimera said, not once lowering her weapon.

D's father gave him a look and broke into bitter laughter. "You love him, and you say he loves you. I will expose the lie and reveal the truth. He does not love you, because he does not know you. Tell him the truth, child and if you have been so foolish as to defile yourself for no apparent reason... you know the consequences, and do not be so foolish as to think that I would ever suffer a human as my son."

Leon was not clear on the proceedings of the evening, he was not sure what had just been said, but Andy looked fit to kill. "You will be hearing from King Zarro himself." She grated out.

"Long has been the time since I have done his bidding," D's father said derisively, with a swirl of his cloak, he left the pet shop and vanished into the night.

D sank weakly to the couch and cradled his head in his palms. Never had Leon seen him so dejected. He had seen him shaken when the basilisk had died, he had been near tears when Leon had nearly destroyed the dragon egg, He had been livid, and hurt when he had thought Leon was seeing J.J, but never had he been so distraught. Leon took D into his arms and held him tightly. D winced and held himself rigid.

Andy held out one of her small cold hands and pressed it to his bruised face. D sighed and leaned into the touch. "Andromache!" Nestoir yelled and snatched her hand away. "I can not allow you to...sorry D, but," Nestoir pulled her to her feet.

"No, I would never ask it, had I realized in time... what she was doing, I would have stopped her." D said and leaned heavily against Leon.

"Then find him and bring him back...he dealt it, he can damn well deal with it." Andy demanded.

"You know he is long gone by now." Daphnus said trying to be calming in the face of Andy's near hysteria.

"Then Nes-honey, let me...it's my fault he found out. I was so happy for D that I was talking about it in court, he heard it from Aurora, she meant no harm, she thought he would be as pleased as every one else that D was happy, but he wasn't and it's my fault D is hurt."

"It was not your fault, your highness." D said, "My father would have found out sooner or later."

"What is she trying to do with her hand?" Leon asked, he had witnessed lots of strange things tonight; he would not be surprised by anything said.

"Transference... I am an empath, I can take his pain and either keep it or pass it on." Andy said, straining against her husband's hold. "I deserve to keep it, for having a big mouth."

"Can you do that to anyone?" Leon asked and Andy nodded. "Then do it to me, my face has had more slaps than any man ought to, I can take one more."

"You are only looking at the surface." Daphnus said as he noted D's rigid posture.

"No, your highness," D said to Daphnus. "Just my face, so I can work in the front of the shop without too many questions being asked."

Andy broke free of her husband and touched D's arm. "Dear God!" she broke into sobs. "He beat you." D completely folded into Leon hiding his tears.

"Do it." Leon said. "He got this because of loving me. I at least have the muscles to bear it." Leon said.

"Are you sure?" D asked incredulous that Leon would do such a thing for him.

"I love you...despite what papa D thinks, I will always love you." Leon turned to Andy. "What do I need to do?"

"Not squeeze my hand." Andy said, she left one hand on D and took Leon's other hand. She glowed brightly silver and Leon gasped as he felt invisible hands hitting him he gasped one final time as a hand struck him hard across the face. Leon was breathing heavily as he looked over, he raised the sleeves of his elegant evening cheongsam and sighed, there were no more bruises.

"I'm ok, see, just a couple of bruises, I get worse in a bar fight." Leon said wiping tears from D's face. "That wimpy vampire did more harm than this." Leon assured D.

"You had a quarrel with him?" D asked. Leon shrugged and pulled D in close.

"I was fighting over you before I even realized it." Leon kissed D's forehead as loud footsteps could be heard coming down the pet shop stairs. Ryo, Jill, Dee and the children ran in.

"D!" came from loud voices as several other Arcadian royalty filed into the pet shop.

"Everything is all right." Andy assured everyone as she ushered them out of the shop leaving Leon and D alone.

Chapter 3: Would You Love Me Even If…

Leon cuddled D in closer and he felt D melt against him and wondered why he had no desire to anything more than hold him. The door of the pet shop creaked open and Andy re-entered. She took in Leon and D and gave a watery smile. "Please accept my apologies for causing this."

"You did not cause anything." D said he raised his face and accepted Leon's handkerchief. D wiped his face, "T-Chan!" he said and stood. He looked frantically around the room. Leon followed his line of vision and saw the little goat boy lying curled up on his side. "Oh no," D moaned. "Father locked the other animals away, but T-Chan was in Chris' room, he came to my aid and father kicked him hard." D placed his hand on T-Chan and sighed when he opened his eyes.

"For someone who loves animals as much as he claims to, he sure abused this one." Leon said and picked the little creature into his arms. Leon gently deposited T-Chan on the couch.

"Don't let him harm Count D." T-Chan mumbled as he looked at Leon.

"D is not hurt." Leon assured the young man. "I made sure." Leon smiled through the growing bruise on his face.

"Clarisande, we need medical attention in here." Andy said into her little pager-like object.

"I can treat him." D said. He went to the back of the shop and returned carrying a basket of bandages and salves.

"You treat Leon," D looked up as a pretty Asian girl entered his shop. She smiled at Leon and moved over to the couch. "We will have to take him to Arcadia. I'm afraid his ribs are broken, that is beyond even you." Clarisande said as she ran her hand gently over T-Chan. "You two go ahead, we'll lock up after ourselves."

"You broke the door." Leon said as he remembered the door exploding.

"Anything broken by Arcadian hands can be fixed by them. Thank God for that," Clarisande said, her deep brown eyes twinkling merrily. "Andromache here is as clumsy as she can get."

"I did not trip and break the door." Andy said defensively. "I blew it up." She winked at D who laughed. Clarisande waved her delicately boned hands over T-Chan. He glowed with a bluish-purple light before he vanished. "Never worry about him D, we'll take good care of him and return him good as new." Andy assured him. "Christopher has been taken to Ryo and Dee's house for the night. Now go, tend your man." Andy said as she meandered over to the door. "I'll fix this and we'll be on our way." D nodded gratefully and ushered Leon to their bedroom.

Break

D helped Leon to undress while the deep pool filled with hot water and soft bubbles. D winced when he saw the bruises that now covered Leon's arms and chest, there were a couple on his back and the one on his face was getting darker. "I am sorry; you did not have to..."

Leon placed a hand under D's chin and brought his face up. Leon kissed him, "I would rather feel this than lose you, hell Baby, I'd walk over coals if it would make papa D happy." D broke into sobs as Leon pulled him into his arms despite his protest. "Will you believe me; it does not hurt as bad as it looks. I know it felt horrible to you, but my body has more muscle than yours and I have been in many fights before. Hell, honey I've been shot a couple times. Please stop crying I told you it drives me crazy."

D sniffled and took several deep breaths trying to calm himself. He stood and led Leon into the bathroom. The tub had just filled, D shut off the water. As Leon got into the tub he gave a great sigh. "This feels great." He said to D. "Come in here, we both know there's more than enough room." D nodded silently and stripped down, for once not bothering to neatly fold his cheongsam. D slid into the tub, careful of how he touched Leon. He picked up the soft sponge and began to gently wash Leon before he sank back into the tub. Leon smiled as D disappeared under the water. He came back up and shook the water from his hair. Leon laughed and splashed him back.

"How can you be so...My father was serious, you know?" D said, he left the tub and dried himself while Leon rinsed the soap away. D wrapped himself up in his thick bathrobe and came back with large bath towels for Leon.

"Okay, so your father hates me, you still love me and that's all that matters to me, your dad can kiss my ass." Leon waited expectantly; D simply wrapped the towel around him and headed back into their bedroom. Leon grew puzzled; wasn't he going to get bitten? Leon frowned and followed after D. He found D pulling down the bed sheets. D then went and set out salves and creams. Leon strode forward and pulled D into his arms. "Talk to me." He said when D refused to look up at him. "What can your father do about us?"

"Leon," D said and stepped away. He sat on the bed and folded his hands in his lap. He studied his hands as if they held all the answers. "I know you love me as I am, or as you think I am. But my father, my family, has a secret, and until you know that secret, you can never truly love me." D fought the tears that gathered into his eyes. He knew of Leon's skepticism. It would be horrible if Leon refused to believe the truth, for that would be a rejection, as his father would see it.

Leon grew worried; D's dejected look of earlier was back. His father had spoken of consequences. Were they so dire that Leon could not handle it? What was the family secret and why had D kept it from him? Leon took a deep breath and sat on the bed. He felt crushed as D scooted away from him and crouched by the headboard as if he were afraid of being hit again. By Leon...? "Baby, you're scaring me. What secret are talking about?" Leon reached out a hand but pulled it back as D shrank from his touch. "You really are a criminal?" Leon asked, "I don't care, we'll leave here and go as far away from the law as possible. I'm a cop; I know how to avoid the law."

D laughed soft and bitter, "I wish that were so." He said and dared to look at Leon, he saw Leon's deep worried look and the bruise on his face and sighed. There was no help for it. He could not defy his father and not tell Leon and now that Leon knew there was a secret, he would not rest until he knew it. "Leon," D said with out looking up. How could he explain without totally shocking Leon? What words could he use? D sighed and decided to approach the situation as Leon would, perhaps then he would understand it better. "I'm not human." He told his hands. Leon gasped and D shrank further into the headboard.

Not human?! Leon thought frantically. All this time, what had he been sleeping with, surely not one of the... Leon could not finish the thought. Homosexuality was thing, but bestiality... How could D do this to him, keep such a secret? D chanced a glance at Leon and saw the horror on his face. D felt crushed, he folded further into his little ball. "What are you?" Leon asked trying to maintain a sense of calm. Not everything was as it seemed here, maybe there was an explanation, hadn't he seen lightning shoot from Andy's hand? Had he not been noting the animal's true forms and maybe he had heard D wrong.

"Kami," D said quietly and sniffled.

"What is that? Some sort of animal?" Leon asked growing ever more worried. Staying with D and not knowing he was an animal was one thing, but staying here and knowing...

"No, not an animal," D looked up. "I guess, well, the loosest translation to an English word would be a god. But that word does not nearly define it, I am so much more and yet so much less." D tried to explain. Now that he had said it, he realized just how unbelievable it all must sound to Leon. Perhaps he had gone into it a bit fast, but he had ever believed that such things should be said straightforward. Usually he talked in his clever little circles, but now he felt Leon deserved the truth in strait facts. Count D would rather have his fate decided once and for all.

"I don't understand," Leon said as he took in D's tremulous posture. "So you are not human, but you are not an animal, you are kind of a god, but not." Leon's brow furrowed as he tried to take in all that D had revealed.

"For centuries my family has been charged with taking care of all animals' great and small. We used to consider humans as part of our charge. Humans grew disdainful of us and started to hunt us for favors and began to even capture us and keep us as slaves. Because of our beauty our kind was greatly abused." D said still talking to his folded hands. Leon had to listen intently in order to catch all of the words. "My father was enraged that the High King had done nothing and so he hated him. The king never knew what was going on, there was a war on Arcadia and he had his hands full with rogue angels. This went on for centuries, before the Kami began to ignore our job of taking care of humans and began to fight back. Several went into hiding. My Grandfather went to the Arcadian court and complained to the High King of our treatment at the hands of the humans. His Majesty changed our jobs to what it is now. But father was not satisfied. He felt humans were baser than animals. I had an older brother...he was one of the unfortunate that was kept as a slave. Upon his release he went quite mad. In grief of what had been forced upon him, he took his own life."

"Forced upon him?" Leon asked afraid of the answer. D nodded, and Leon felt he could understand some of Papa D's anger. But this tale seemed so old. He knew Chinese people kept their history very well, but D was speaking as if... "How old are you?" Leon asked for the first time in their long relationship.

D still refused to look up at Leon, "one thousand twenty four years. That is quite young by Kami standards. It is why father still calls me child. Comparatively to a human I would be around nineteen years old."

"Holy shit!" Leon expelled before he could catch himself and back away from D. Tears began to fall in silent succession down onto D's folded hands.

"I understand," D said and if possible seemed to fold further into himself.

Leon's mind was racing in so many directions he felt dizzy. Not human, but not an animal, a god but not. He was not sure what D was, but he was certainly old, or young, he was confused on that too. He existed before America did, D had barely missed the coming of the Christ, and if he was a god... "But, there is only one God," Leon said sure he knew the truth of things. "Only one, there is to be worship of only one."

"We did not ask for worship and we never received it. Our King is High King Zarro of the Arcadian court. His King is the one true God." D said in defense of himself and his race.

Leon sighed; he raked his hands through his hair and felt even more confused. But underneath the confusion... Leon sighed and looked at D. Really looked at him. His slight form folded over, the delicate hands and for the first time...a faint glow. But it was still D. Under the bathrobe, were limbs of pure porcelain, long and slim, perfectly shaped. There were the same beautiful eyes that had always perplexed him by their colors and yet intrigued him by their beauty. "Man... Criminal...Kami...I really don't care...I still love you." Leon said. "Please tell me what I have to do to keep your father from taking you away from me."

D gasped, had he heard right? Leon still loved him? D finally raised his head and looked incredulously at Leon. "You still love me?"

Leon nodded, "now please, tell me what I have to do to keep you father from taking you away."

"You just did it." D said and his tears fell anew. "You just did it." He said again and in a move that would have made Andy proud, he hurtled himself into Leon's arms.

Chapter 4: Sleep, Who Needs Sleep?

Leon held D close marveling at the feel of the small warm body snuggling trustingly close to him. He allowed his hands to slide up and down D's back counting each bump on his spinal cord. He felt so small, how could anyone ever raise a hand to do him harm? Especially his father, his own flesh and blood. Kami's had blood he was sure, he had seen D cut his own wrist to call forth the fish in that lake. "The blood of the dead god…" Leon remembered the words the Peruvian terrorist had spoken. But D was alive… wasn't he?

D sighed, Leon knew the truth, and he still loved him. He felt foolish, he should have known Leon would love him not matter what. He had allowed his father to instill doubt in his mind. D looked up at Leon and noted the pensive look on his face. "What?" D asked breathing deeply and refusing to fall into his father's trap again. He would not doubt Leon's love.

"Just remarking on how small you are." Leon said, "I know you are not made of porcelain, but how could he hit you?" Leon embraced D as if he still had the bruises, trying to console him. "Why didn't you fight back? I know you can."

"It would be a great dishonor to ever raise my hand to my father." D said shuddering at the possibility.

"Then don't raise a hand...you should have kicked him." Leon mumbled and kissed the top of D's head. His lips trailed down D's face and gently pressed against his lips. D sighed and opened his mouth. Leon slid his tongue inside and tasted D as if it were the first time their lips had met. His tongue explored the recesses of D's mouth while his hands found the tie in the robe. Leon growled when he could not get it open. In his earlier upset D had knotted the belt. Leon simply slipped his hands inside and stroked D's chest paying close attention to the small nipples that pebbled under his touch.

"Ah...Leon," D gasped and readjusted his position in Leon's lap. Leon moved D until he was straddling Leon's hips. D wrapped his arms around Leon's neck and sank deeper into his kiss. Leon's hands cupped D's backside and squeezed. He backed away and looked into D's eyes.

"Your eyes..." Leon breathed. "They're glowing," Leon could not resist the need to suck the pulse beating sharply at the base of D's neck. He bit down gently smiling as he thought of all the times D had bitten him. He soothed the small bite with his tongue and savored each shudder that wracked D's body. D whispered something in Leon's ear that he could not understand. "What?"

"Ummmm... Shite..." D moaned and rubbed himself against Leon. Leon couldn't take anymore. He picked D up and switched their positions until he was on top of D. Once again Leon attempted to open the bathrobe, with a frustrated growl he pulled roughly, the delicate material ripped and D lay bare before Leon. Not only were his eyes glowing, but so was the rest of him. Leon began a trail of burning kisses along D's body. D panted and gasped. He moaned as Leon made it to his crotch and began to suck. "Leon..."

"What?" Leon smiled and placed D's Legs over his shoulder and licked further. D began to buck his hips as Leon began to insert fingers. "You taste so good." Leon said, his words were muffled, and D was beyond any understanding of a spoken language anyway. His body was now his only form of communication. He pulled at Leon's hair, wanting him closer. Leon followed on fear of losing the hair he had diligently grown.

"Shite," D hissed and pulled Leon's face to his. Leon kissed him and reached for the nightstand. He palmed the small bottle and generously applied it. D smiled as Leon slide deep inside. "Hai...Aishiteru...Leon-Kun" D was not capable of coherent sentences, but Leon understood him all the same.

Break

Leon realized he had collapsed on top of D and rolled to his side pulling D with him. "Whoa..." Leon breathed when he regained the ability to do so. He felt drained and yet, exhilarated. His blood hummed inside his veins. He knew he needed sleep after the day he had been through, they both did, and yet. "Baby?"

"Hm," D moaned, still unable to make coherent sounds.

"You okay?" Leon asked, not sure why, but needing the reassurance.

"Um hmm," D nodded his soft hair brushing against Leon's sensitive skin.

"Good," Leon said and pulled D on top of him. He arranged D's legs around his sides and positioned himself. "You need more?" Leon asked indicating the bottle of lubricant. D shook his head wondering at this strange new position. Leon lifted D and entered him slowly. D's eyes widened at how fully he could feel Leon. "You know how to ride." Leon smirked. He placed his hands on D's hips and lifted him slowly and slid him back down thrusting up to meet him halfway. D gasped and braced his hands on Leon's chest. He felt something he had never felt before. The fullness of Leon was joined by something... D wiggled around slowly trying to find the spot again. He found it and gasped in pure unadulterated pleasure. "What are you doing?" Leon asked when D clenched his knees around him and rocked his hops.

"It is wonderful Leon… Kimochii… ah…" D panted and Leon lifted him up and pulled him back down. Leon hit the spot again and D cried out in joy throwing his head back in wild abandonment. He raised his hips and swiveled them, enjoying his newfound control. Leon's half moan half growl encouraged him. D moved more, breathing heavily as Leon urged him on. Leon pushed up hard against the spot and D cried out covering them both with his sweet mixture and Leon smiled, he so loved this sweaty, pliant, slightly pink Kami that was slumped gloriously in his lap.

Break

He was exhausted. D opened his bleary eyes and looked over at Leon who smiled at him in the darkness. Leon pulled D closer and kissed him deeply. They were both breathing heavily when Leon pulled away. "We need to sleep...You need to heal...I have to apply..." D began, but felt Leon's hand groping him. Leon urged D to erection again and placed him on his knees.

"You need more?" Leon asked again. D nodded and Leon reapplied the lubricant; D moaned and rubbed his backside against Leon's hand.

"Now...Shite," he demanded for the moment forgetting that Leon was injured. A man with this much sexual energy could not be in that much pain D decided as Leon rocked them both back and forth.

Break

D had not one ounce of energy left. He looked over at Leon and breathed a sigh of relief. Leon was half asleep. "D?" Leon said and stroked D's back. "What would have been the consequences if I had turned you away?" D's breath halted and he shivered, suddenly very cold. It was a startling contrast to the smoldering heat of only moments before. His hand clenched where it rested on Leon's chest. "D?"

"He would have disowned me." D said. "When a Kami disowns a child, there is a choice he is expected to make. He can either choose to turn the child into a human, thereby casting the child out from all contact with family, friends...everyone." D buried his head under Leon's chin.

"Your father said he would never suffer a human as his son...what is the other choice?" Leon said, he pulled the covers around them because D would not stop shivering. He ran his hand over D's back trying in vain to warm his chilled skin.

"Death." D said calmly. "He would have killed me." Leon was in shock. He felt distinct wetness as D's tears fell onto his chest. Leon wrapped his arms more securely around D. "I did not tell you, because I wanted to know the truth. I felt I would not wish to continue living if my father was right and you did not truly love me. I would rather not live, than to know that you didn't..." D could not continue.

"Damn," was all Leon could say. He smiled as he felt D's tiny teeth sink into his chest. "You know...I age." Leon said, "I will grow old and eventually die..." D moved quicker than he thought possible and kissed Leon, halting any more he could have said. "Ba..." Leon tried again and D kissed him again. "Okay," Leon said needing to alleviate the panicked look that had entered D's eyes. He held tight and drifted of to sleep.

Break

The sun was shining bright into the room. The two lovers lay entwined on the bed secure in their love for each other. D awakened first and ran his hand lovingly over Leon's face, carefully working around the now purple bruise. Leon opened his eyes and smiled. He was no longer the only one sporting bruises. D's neck was covered with them in the shape of Leon's mouth. His hips bore signs of Leon's hands as well as, Leon could not see them but he knew they were there, his backside.

"Morning beautiful," Leon said and smiled. He tried not to wince as his face muscles rebelled against stretching. Leon looked away from D's concern and surveyed the bed and its occupants. "Looks like we need another bath." D sighed and gracefully detangled himself from Leon. D walked in all his nude glory to the bathroom and started a hot bath.

"This time," He said as he re-entered he bed. "I will tend your wounds once we are clean.

"This hurts worse." Leon said and took D's hand, he place it between his legs. D wanted to laugh, but Leon captured his lips. Incessant knocking on the shop door halted their movements.

"That's Andy," D said and separated himself from Leon.

"Wouldn't she just open the door on her own?" Leon asked as D looked over his bathrobe. He looked up at Leon and raised a brow. Leon simply shrugged and searched for a pair of jogging pants and a t-shirt. D gave up on the robe as a lost cause and went to the closet to retrieve a new one.

"Not if she thinks she may walk in on something she'd rather not see." D said and headed towards the front of the shop.

Leon hurried after him. "Well if she knows that...why is she still knocking?" Leon grumbled and plopped on the couch as D opened the door to admit Andy. She was grinning as she bounded into the shop. She turned her bright smile on Leon and he could not help but return it.

"Good morning," She sang and fairly danced further into the shop followed by her husband High Prince Nestoir and High Prince Daphnus. "Did you guys sleep well?" She asked, D did not answer and went to the back of the shop to prepare tea.

"Kind of early for a visit," Leon complained as D came back carrying a tray. He would be forever amazed at how fast D could prepare a steaming pot. Must be a Kami secret, Leon decided and made room for D beside him on the couch. Their guests seated themselves around the room. Andy thought nothing of dropping directly into Nestoir's lap.

"Early? It's nearly noon," Daphnus said. Leon marveled at his prettiness. Leon turned to D prepared to ask if the High Prince was a Kami as well. D shook his head. "We are all human." Daphnus said correctly interpreting Leon's look. "I resemble my mother." Daphnus said and tossed his waist length jet-black hair over his shoulder.

"Kind of like a peacock...they need the extra plumage to attract a mate because their personality..." Nestoir did not finish for he received a quelling look form Daphnus. "What can't stand to hear the truth?" Nestoir said laughing at Daphnus piqued look.

"Honey," Andy said and pouted.

"Does this visit have a purpose?" Leon asked, "Because I was so looking forward to spending all day in bed."

"As was I," Nestoir confessed. "We are on official business of his Majesty High King Zarro himself." Andy produced a white envelope and handed it to D. D raised a questioning brow and opened the missive. Leon looked over his shoulders and frowned as more strange symbols appeared on the page. The symbols were different from before. "It's Arcadian; I doubt you can read it." Nestoir told Leon.

"We are being summoned to appear before the King, immediately." D said weakly.

"You have enough time to prepare yourselves." Daphnus informed them. "We will return in two hours to retrieve you." Daphnus stood and bowed politely before he pulled Andy to her feet Nestoir stood and bowed as well, Andy tossed D and Leon a cheeky grin before they left the shop.

"She is too much a child to be married." Leon observed. "I can not imagine taking her to bed... Ah… Not that I would of course, but...So we have to go see the King." Leon said and decided that his foot did not taste very good. D turned his cool look on Leon before meandering to the bathroom where he had left a bath running. Leon was amazed that it had not overflowed in their absence. "Hard to believe you are comparatively only nineteen...at least it's over eighteen and that's all that matters." Leon said. He grinned as a well-aimed wet sponge bounced off his chest. With a wicked gleam in his eye, Leon stripped and headed for the tub.

Chapter 5: Yes Your Majesty

Leon rubbed the towel through his hair and watched as D meandered through his large closet. He emerged moments later carrying what looked like yards of black and purple shimmering silk. After carefully depositing his outfit on the freshly made bed, he searched through his jewelry chest. Leon quirked a brow as D pulled out several chains of jewels and laid them next to the clothing.

D looked up and smiled as Leon pulled his black silk evening pants up over the new silk boxers D had given him when he had moved in. Leon suspected D enjoyed pulling them off. He had a myriad of tiny scratch marks on his thighs from D's frantic tugging. "Don't look at me like that," Leon said as still D stared at him. "We have to go see your king and we don't have time to play." D said nothing and undid his bathrobe; Leon turned around and fought for control. He lost badly.

"Careful detective, my clothes," D said from underneath Leon. Leon ignored him and nuzzled his neck.

"I always thought you were a cock tease." Leon growled and rubbed himself fully against D. D smiled and arched his back. "Ever hear of a quickie?" Leon asked as he undid his pants. D could not speak, but his hands groped inside Leon's boxers. "I bet you'll be screaming in ten minutes." Leon said and pushed D's knees up. He grabbed the lube and grinned as D's nails raked down his back.

Break

(Ten minutes later.)

D had never felt so drained after so short an amount of time. True to his word, Leon had made him lose any semblance of composure in less than ten minutes. D breathed heavily as Leon wiped them both off with a warm damp towel. "Now will you put some clothes on?" Leon muttered as he straitened his pants and donned a white t-shirt. D smiled and picked up his slim black pants.

Leon had marveled when he discovered that the pants were all D ever wore, they were his underwear. D secured the fastenings and slipped into a sheer sleeveless sheath that only went to his knees. Over that he pulled on an opaque black sleeveless sheath that dropped to his ankles. D fastened his clothes and went to sit at his vanity. Leon watched him brush his ebony tresses and smiled. D looked into the mirror and saw Leon watching him. He smiled and sat the brush down. "I wonder what the king wishes of us." D mused and walked over to the bed and picked up the last article of clothing. Leon gasped at the beautiful creation.

Leon moved and took the garment from D and held it out. D smiled and slipped his arms into the overly long black sheer sleeves. Leon wondered how D would manage to walk init as the bottom of the robe brushed the floor. It seemed to be made of silk and yet Leon had never felt anything softer. It shone as if polished; the jet-black robe was an impossibility of design and technique that Leon had never seen any thing like it. A deep purple bird of flames was emblazoned proudly across the front, the birds wings and feathers wrapped around D's waist and ended as it the creature were embracing D's slim frame.

Leon shook himself and made a mental note to not stare at D; despite the fact that he was so beautiful...he had to finish dressing. Leon picked up the matching black silk shirt and began to button down the front. D handed him a deep purple silk tie. "A united front," Leon mumbled. Knocking at the front door alerted Leon that their time was up. Leon opened the door and was surprised to see Ryo, Dee and the children.

"Whoa...what's the occasion?" Dee remarked on Leon's outfit.

"D and I have been summoned to court, a royal one, not the legal one." Leon answered. He smiled as D emerged from the back of the shop and Dee and Ryo were struck dumb by his beauty. Leon noted the addition to D's outfit and wondered at the chains of black and purple jewels that draped his waist. Leon briefly wondered how the chains were attached. D

D waved a hand towards the tea set that steamed incongruously on the table. "Good afternoon gentlemen and lady." D said in his deep smooth voice. With a smile he bowed at Carol who was hard pressed to close her mouth as she stared at D.

"Is this a good of bad thing that you are going to see your king?" Ryo asked D. D's shoulders slumped a bit.

"I wish I knew," before D could say more the door of his shop opened and a stately man in uniform entered.

"It is my pleasure," He announced to the shop at large. "To present her Highness the lady Andromache, High Princess of Arcadia, his Highness, lord Nestoir, A high Prince of Arcadia and Lady Clarisande, a Princess of Arcadia." The man bowed and stepped aside to admit Andy dressed in a floor length deep purple gown. The sleeves dropped down to the floor as well. On her head was the tiara she frequently left at home. Its silver shone in the shop almost as bright as her eyes. Leon thought as he remembered them glowing when she had broken the shop door. Clarisande stood beside her in nearly the same dress only it was deep blue in color. She curtsied and greatly partook of the tea. Nestoir stood behind the ladies in formal black, a dark blue high collar shirt his only hint of color.

"Punctual for once," D quipped. Andy grinned unrepentantly and sauntered over to him. She bumped her hips to his and D felt his apprehension melt away. It could not be too bad if she was this playful; although her formal attire had thrown him for a moment.

"Ah, Detectives," Nestoir said and acknowledged Ryo and Dee. "Your statements to Princess Tisiphone are greatly appreciated. And they will be of great help in today's proceedings." Nestoir collected Andy from where she had plopped on the floor in order to play with Pon-Chan. "Come along honey, we don't want to keep his majesty waiting."

Ryo and Dee agreed to keep Chris for one more day as Leon and Dee entered the waiting sleek black limousine with the Arcadians. Briefly, Leon wondered why he could not see outside the windows as the car sped off down the road.

Break

The car pulled up to the gates of a rather large looking house. Its white columns standing proud along the porch, he looked up and could see a large balcony covered with flowers. Leon looked further around at the edifice and realized they were in an upstanding part of town. The king must have rented the house for his visit; Leon thought and followed the group inside. As Leon entered he felt as if a strange wind blew past him. D seemed not to notice, so he said nothing. Leon and D were shown into a large chamber; the floor was made of tan marble that looked like gold veins were shot through it. "This is from Fire Star." D informed Leon as he noted his preoccupation with the floor. "The planet was once the most famous for its marble and its weapons. They have lost much." D said sadly. Leon was speechless, as he looked further around the room. In the center was a large Dais with a white marble slab covered with pillows. In the center was a man of medium build with flowing black hair and pale skin. He seemed almost too small to fit on the throne he seemed so comfortably seated on. An ornate crown graced his brow. He smiled and stood reaching out a hand to D.

"Ah... my child, how wonderful to see you again, you are well I trust?" The king said and indicated Leon's bruised face.

D flushed becomingly and nodded. "Yes your majesty." D remembered his impeccable manners and turned to Leon. "May I present to you, Detective Leon Orcot. And Leon I would like to introduce you to his majesty, the High King of Arcadia, Zarro." Leon bowed stiffly. Zarro raised his brows approvingly.

D could not help but feel proud of Leon's courtly behavior. Leon took in the long white pants the king wore and the long white flowing shirt. Leon frowned as he got a closer inspection of the man in front of them. Was the king was barefoot? "So, Count D, I hear things have been going well for you." The king looked Leon over and smirked at D. Leon felt as if the king's strange aqua colored eyes bored through him. "Very well." The king said. He laughed when D blushed scarlet.

"Your Majesty," D murmured and lowered his head. King Zarro gently placed a hand under D's chin and raised his face. "Are you injured?"

"No your Majesty, High Princess Andromache took the pain and bruises and gave them to Detective Orcot." D explained. He looked around the courtroom and found Andy. She waved animatedly at him. D smiled at her. His eyes roamed the room and lighted on a figure in dark suit seated in front of the throne. His heart plummeted, "Your majesty, my father...?" Leon gasped as he got a good look at D's father for the first time. He looked the same age as D. The man looked like a carbon copy, with long flowing hair that fell in a curtain around him. He met Leon's gaze with a sneer.

"I'm going to need you to undress." King Zarro said to Count D.

D's eyes widened to three times their normal size. "Excuse me you Majesty?"

"Just the outer robe, I'd hate to have it ruined." King Zarro said.

"Am I to be punished?" D asked.

"The hell he is!" Leon snatched D and shoved him behind, wishing he had thought to bring his gun. King Zarro looked perplexed for a moment before he burst into laughter.

"Young man if I ever need a snack, I'll call you." King Zarro said. Leon frowned, young man, the king looked like he was near Leon's age if not younger, but then again D was over a thousand. "Come now Count D, off with it, there is no need to worry I promise you, why on earth would I punish you?"

D's eyes flew to his father as his trembling fingers began to undo the chains at his waist. He undid the frog buttons at his throat and Leon helped him slide the garment off of his shoulders. Leon gently folded the material and held it as D stepped around the king in only his sleeveless shifts and pants.

"How easily can you move in this?" Zarro asked and inspected the slits in the sides of the layers. Once the King was satisfied with the thigh high openings he reach for the soft material. D blushed as the king opened the slits and inspected their width. "Good, well then, come along Alera, not a test if you don't use your best." D prepared to ask what the king was talking about when Zarro turned to Leon. "You may sit there in the chair near my throne. Quite an honor but well deserved for willingly taking a beating." Leon was not sure what the king meant but he followed him to the throne, tossing a look at D who stood alone in the center of the immense room.

A beautiful woman strode forth, she was quite diminutive, with waist length flowing white hair bound in a ponytail. Leon wondered at her skintight black-cropped top and shorts. She stretched and approached D. She looked as if she were about to attack D. "Count D, defend yourself." The King demanded as Alera jumped and indeed she did attack him.

D expertly dodged the attack and the next. Alera pinned him to the floor after a third try. "Come on honey make this look good, kick my but, if you can." Alera whispered in his ear. D's brow furrowed as he looked up at Alera, 'If he could', she winked one of her jewel bright green eyes at him. Recognition hit D like a brick. With a huff, D knocked Alera off and tackled her to the ground. "I can't believe you did not remember me, for that, I'll kick your butt good." Alera growled and jumped D again.

Leon stared in complete amazement at the martial skills being displayed below. He looked over at the King and noted his pensive look as D and the woman went back and forth. He had always known D could do martial arts, he had witnessed a few moves, but Leon had never guessed at the depth of D's skill. Leon cringed as D hit the floor, he moved to help him but the king held his arm. "He's fine," The king said and nodded towards the center of the room where D had reversed their positions. Leon suppressed a grin as D held the woman firm.

"Concede," D said breathing deeply. Alera frowned, she couldn't move. "Come," just as Alera figured out a way to free herself, she thought of the purpose of this exhibition, they were not in training and she did not have to beat him.

"Fine," she ground out. "I concede, victory is yours, this time." D stood to his feet and helped Alera to stand. They bowed to each other and then turned to the king.

"Excellent!" the King cheered and left his throne he strode forward and Leon followed. "Thank you Alera for proving a point for me. Now we can continue. D do you need a moment to refresh yourself?" The king asked D and looked him over. The king smiled, D was not breathing heavily or sweating.

"Takes a lot to make him sweat, believe me." Leon muttered and helped D back into his top robe. D blushed and pinched Leon's arm. Leon laughed. "I knew you were good, but man..." Leon smiled, pride and love visible for all to see in his expression.

"Please have a seat." The king motioned for a seat not too far away from D's father. "Ladies and Gentlemen of the court, I bring before you a case of the most perplexing. How is it, I ask you, that someone with the skills displayed before you today, taught by master Xi himself, could get badly beaten and yet his attacker had no marks whatsoever on his body?"

"Your majesty?" D asked and looked at his father.

The king brushed aside D's remarks "Prince Angel, if you would..." A tall blond man approached the king and held out what looked like a crystal ball. "The statements of one Detective Dee Laytner," The King announced.

The ball glowed and above it, as if on a projector, Leon gasped, there was Dee talking to a blond girl. "Well," Dee said, "I noticed a guy in a long black cloak dragging Count D from the room I told Leon and then Leon, that's Detective Orcot, ran after them. That's all I know." The image faded and the Angel Prince bowed to the king before he melted away into the crowd.

"Detective Orcot, How long have you known Count D?" Zarro asked Leon.

Leon looked over at D's father and frowned. "Almost four years," Leon answered.

"And in those nearly four years...has he ever mentioned his father?" Zarro asked.

"All he ever really talks about is his grandfather who raised him, a couple of weeks ago he got a letter from his father that upset him. It was the first I had heard of the man...or Kami...whatever the heck he is."

Zarro smiled and turned to D. "You studied martial arts under Master Xi did you not?" At D's questioning look the king smiled. "You would know him as Lord Suzaku." D smiled as the familiar name was said.

"Yes your majesty," D said.

"And is it true that while this man," Zarro pointed at D's father, "Attacked you, you did not defend yourself?"

"Yes your majesty," D said.

"Why not?" Zarro asked.

A tear slid down D's face. "Because he is my father," D wiped his face with a handkerchief that he pulled from his sleeve. "I would never dishonor him." D said and looked to his father who avoided his gaze.

"Do you know why he attacked you?" Zarro asked.

"Because I love a human," D said. "Because I live with a human and because I have been..." D paused and his face turned so red that Leon feared he might faint. "I have been intimate with said human."

"Would that human be detective Orcot?" Zarro asked.

"Yes your Majesty," D said.

"What Childhood memories do you have of your father?" Zarro asked next.

"None your majesty, my grandfather raised me," D said. "For a while, I thought my grandfather was my father."

"Do you know your mother?" Zarro asked.

"Enough!" D's father said and stood. He glowered at Zarro. "How dare you?" He yelled.

"How dare you come into my court and try to have your son disowned? And you would not have granted him humanity. You have not the right. You did not raise him, you have no say." Zarro said and stood. Even though D's father was taller, he was intimidated by the King's imperious glare. "I take that right from you now. And demand that you tell him the truth of his lineage, tell him about his mother and about his brother."

"I refuse," D's father turned away from the king. "He can live as he wishes with his human and I will continue to have nothing to do with him." D's father turned and glowered at D. "I have no son."

"You have always hated me father, why should now be any different?" D said as he found his voice. Leon held his hand and patted him surprised that D was trembling violently.

"You are mine...I could never hate you child," D's father said. Leon heard a gasp and he looked around to see Andy staring at D's father, tears slide down her face as she buried her head in her husband's lap. "I was the condor when you jumped from the plane. It was my image in the lab that saved you from exposure to the guard. Don't you see..., I have always looked after you? When you were suffering from a defective heart, I sent you the cure. I could not hate you. But neither could I allow myself to love you. You see..." D's father paused, and Leon felt D tense for he knew his father's words, whatever they may be, would be painful to hear. "It's your fault D-San is dead."

Chapter 6: The Sad and Bitter Truth

Leon felt D tremble violently beside him as he stared in horror at his father. "I only ever met him once." D said in a weak voice that sounded nothing like his usual smooth tones. "He kissed my forehead and told me I was beautiful, he told me that you were my father, then he ran off and I never saw him again...I swear I didn't...I did not kill him...I would not kill my own brother."

"I never said you killed him." D's father ground out. King Zarro took hold of his arm as he took a step towards his distraught son. "I said it was your fault that he was dead."

"You go too far Count." Zarro reprimanded.

"I threw that name away as easily as I know throw away any relations to you..."D's father paused; trying to block out D's shocked and hurt look. Leon noted D's tense stance, the way he trembled and balled his hands into tight fists at his sides. Leon saw a drop of blood fall from where his nails had punctured his delicate skin.

"It's double edged isn't it?" A small voice asked. D's father turned to glare at Andy. "Every time you stab him, you doubly wound yourself. Why... Why do you persist if it hurts so much?" Andy reached to lay a trembling hand on D's father's robe; he snatched his arm back and shoved her away from him. Andy lost her balance and fell onto the marble floor. Leon moved to protest her treatment and left D standing rigid...before he could take another step he heard a feral hissing sound coming from behind him. The sound made the hair on the back of Leon's neck stand on end.

Leon froze and turned to seek out the pissed off animal only to be chilled by the sight of Nestoir, his hair seemed to stand on end, two abnormally long incisors showed through his sneer and his eyes had taken on a cat-like quality. The hiss turned into a growl. D's father's eyes widened and he clutched his middle. He opened his mouth to gasp and smoke came out as if he were burning from the inside.

"Nes...No..."Andy mumbled and stood to her feet. Leon moved to help her stand and was surprised when she moved to stand in front of D's father. "He hurts."

"He deserves it." Nestoir ground out. "I was there..." Nestoir turned to D. "Child...you are innocent of any wrongdoing. Your father..."

"It is not for you to tell him," Zarro interjected.

"Baby?" Leon grew worried as still D did not move or acknowledge anyone. Leon placed his hands on D's shoulders and shook him. D seemed to blink out of his daze and stare up at Leon. "You want to go home, forget this mess...?"

"If there was something in your family, would you not wish to know the truth?" D asked. Leon nodded and vowed to remain by his side, no matter what anyone else said.

D's father looked at Andy, he tried to fight the burning compassion he saw there and tears that incongruously fell...For him? "I do not wish an audience for the disclosure." He informed Zarro.

"My wife's salon will do, I must insist that I be present...you understand my worries." Zarro looked at D's father. "I do not trust you to not harm him."

"No worries your majesty, I'm not leaving his side." Leon said and wrapped his arm securely around D's waist. D's father said nothing and led the way to the Queen's salon. Inside were deep red curtains and wall hangings. There were no chairs only large pillows strewn about in an organized messy way. Fragrant flowers the like of which Leon had never seen stood in tall vases about the room. Leon turned and glanced around the large throne room and saw Nestoir pick his wife into his arms. He would never understand her mercurial moods. One moment she wanted to kill D's father and the next she looked like she wanted to hug him.

Zarro shut the door and stood away from the group keeping a watchful eye on the proceedings. "Sit child," D's father commanded. D arranged himself on one of the larger pillows. His father frowned when he realized that D had purposefully chosen one that would have enough room for Leon to sit beside him. Leon plopped down and pulled D's hands into his lap. Leon pressed his handkerchief into the deep gauges from his nails.

"A long time ago," D's father began. "I was very much like you." He said to D. "I took care of all creatures' great and small, including humans. I loved them, and I thought one loved me." D gasped, he thought his father hated humans...what could have happened... "I met him," D's father paused as one of Leon's brows shot up. "One day while I was out watching the stars. He seemed lost, so I directed him. He was not lost in the physical sense; it was more that his soul needed direction. He smiled at me and it was the most beautiful smile I had ever seen. Even D-San's mother could not compare and she was full Kami. She had lost her life while giving birth to D-San; I treasured him as I had once treasured her."

"The man proceeded to court me despite the fact that he already had a betrothed of his own. It was not uncommon by men of class to have a wife and male bed-partner if the need should be there. It took him two years before I would even allow him to kiss me. Another year before I allowed him into my bed. He said he treasured me all the more because I made him wait. He hurt me, and could not bear the sight of my tears. He spent weeks trying to atone for his brutishness. I had never known a man's touch and have not been so used since." D cringed from the bitterness that crept into his father's voice.

"I was with him for several years. I grew fearful that his wife would hate me, for he proceeded to spend more time in bed with me, than he did with her... D-San teased me often, and yet he was happy, because I was happy. He had even dragged me away to introduce me to the girl he had hoped to take as his bride, he was afraid to introduce us because the girl was human, but in light of my own love..." D's father sighed, "she was a beauty, she was unrefined, and yet you could not doubt her love of my son...though she could be considered crude, I gave my blessing. She was a ninja, from a family who had long protected China."

"One afternoon, several years after I had been involved with my human, his wife came upon me in my garden. I thought surely she would harbor bitter feelings towards me, and yet it was to him that her ire fell. We became friends… of a sort. I felt a great sadness for her." D wondered at the shadowed look that crossed his father's face. I should not have touched her but… and then… it was the night before he had left for a war, he had visited her true, but he left her bed and crawled into mine. It was my lips he kissed upon his departure. That was a mistake I have regretted ever since. As with her husband, once was not enough. Every night until his return she would visit me. I felt bad, but there was no turning her away."

"A month passed and when he came home he was greeted with the news of his wife's pregnancy. The time frame supported his departure. I thought all was well. He began to split his time more equally between us, but as her time of delivery grew near and her stomach grew ever rounder, he found himself more in my bed, than in hers. He was with me when the servant found him to alert him to his wife's impending delivery; he left my bed at once and was not seen for three days. It was a difficult labor."

"On that third day he startled me by slamming into my room. I stood to congratulate him on the birth of his child. He threw me to my bed and took me roughly I suspected that he was trying to hurt me...He did. He dragged me to his wife's room by my hair and threw me to the bed beside his deceased wife. The birthing had killed her. I was then pulled into his room and beaten severely. He left me on the floor and shoved..." D's father paused and looked up at D... "He shoved you into my arms." D's father could not bear the horrified look that covered D's face. Leon was in shock as he held D close he noted his unnatural stillness as he listened while his father continued his tale.

"He promised me, that as I had hurt and betrayed him, so he would hurt and betray me. In his bed, bound hand and foot was D-San. I could do nothing. He tied me to a chair, you lay at my feet and I could hear D-San scream as my lover raped him. I can still hear him crying for me to help him, to make the man stop hurting him. I do not remember much after that, I only remember waking up outside in the cold cradling you in my arms. D-San was no where to be found. My father found us and dressed my wounds; he took care of you because I was incapable of even looking at you." D sobbed silently beside Leon as his father continued.

"I searched every where for my son, or his corpse, either would have ended my madness. I found out that D-San was still inside my lover's house; every now and then the servants would hear him screaming. D-San was not the only Kami captured and kept there, after my betrayal, he hated our kind, he kept them and he...took them repeatedly, his own personal harem." D's father sighed. "My father came here to plead for the king's aid, even though he had ignored our plight."

"I never ignored your plight, I knew nothing of it." Zarro said. "I only heard of the Kami that were happily mixing with humans, not of the others...no one told me or you know I would have put an end to it. As I did as soon as it was brought to me." King Zarro glowered at D's father's accusations. "I defended you and your family, your son was returned to you within a day of my finding out what was happening, and the man you had taken as YOUR lover was killed on sight."

"Yes my son was returned to me, his body healed, but his mind never did." D's father said. D felt a pang of regret as he remembered the first and only time he had ever seen his brother. He had been in his grandfather's garden...He had found out that the man he thought was his father, was not...and then... D frowned, as his memory grew fuzzy... He had kissed him...on the forehead...and told him he was beautiful...he would... D stood and placed a hand to his head as more memories flooded him...He would help him... D-San promised to make sure to protect him. Leon stood and followed D who looked paler than Leon had ever seen him.

"The real memories of that day are coming back, are they not?" D's father taunted as D's breathing increased in speed. "Your Grandfather insisted that we take them from you." D's father continued. Leon grew worried as D began to hyperventilate. His eyes dilated and he fell unconscious in a crumpled heap in Leon's arms.

Chapter 7: Home Again

The park was filled with the sounds of Children playing. Ryo looked from his newspaper every now and then to make sure that everything was okay. Bikky and Carol were tossing a ball back and forth while Chris amused himself playing with Cujo and his Goat. Why the hell would the count give a child that lives in the city a goat for a companion? Ryo would never know. Why did the goat look like a boy with horns in the shop? Ryo was afraid to ask. He hoped Dee did not need any help today. It was rare that they were not on duty at the same time. And Ryo felt uncomfortable, what if Dee needed back up and he was not there, he was here at a park with kids.

Ryo hoped Leon and Count D would return soon. What ever the Arcadian King wanted, he hoped it would not be too taxing. Those two had traveled a long road to reach their current happiness and Ryo would hate to see it all come crashing down around them. Andy had told them all that they were not to worry too much; the man at the party was D's father. The king wanted to emancipate D from his father's rule...How the hell old was D if he needed to be emancipated. He had never asked, never thought to. He had always assumed that D was of age...Leon was a cop, this could be bad.

But wait! Ryo thought. D lived alone, he was so mature, he was definitely over the age of consent. A thud brought Ryo from his reverie; he looked up to see the goat attacking a young man. Chris was on the ground crying. Bikky and Carol were running to his aid. Ryo sat down his paper and hoped Leon and D would be back soon. He shook his head and went to separate the ruckus of children and angry animals.

Break

Leon had never seen D behave this way. He cradled him in his arms and gently rocked him back and forth. "Detective...I do believe he may need air." Leon looked up at the King and nodded. He placed D on the pillow and began to undo the buttons at the neck of D's cheongsam. He made it to the jewel chain and could not find the clasp.

"Here, let me." D's father said. Leon nodded and stepped aside; he knelt by D's head and raised one of his hands to his lips. They were so cold. D's eyes fluttered and opened, He saw his father looming over him, undoing his cloths and a look of such terror crossed his face that Leon was momentarily shocked until he felt D snatch his hand away and shove at his father.

"No!" D half sobbed, "please no," D shoved again and pulled the edges of his robe closed. D's father looked perplexed, then sad.

"It's me child, not D-San...I'm your father." D shook his head and backed away further.

Leon pulled D into his arms. D held on tightly to Leon's shirt, bunching the delicate material in his fist. "What the hell did you do to him?" Leon ground out as D shivered uncontrollably in his arms.

"He said he would help me..." D said looking down at his lap. His voice was almost a whisper, but Leon was so focused on him that he heard every word. "He said he would make sure it wouldn't hurt when they got to me so that I would not scream, they beat you if you scream. I was delicate and would not survive a beating, so he would make it not hurt when they came for me."

"Make what not hurt?" Leon asked

"When he found me in my grand father's garden, he said I was beautiful, they would definitely come for me. He assured me that it would hurt, a lot, and that I would cry, but after a while it did not hurt. So he would be the first, he would bear my cries and then I would not cry for them and I would not be beaten." D buried his face in Leon's neck. "How could I have forgotten?"

"It was your Grandfather's will." Zarro said. "He wanted to make sure that your first physical encounter was a pleasant one. After the attack you retreated into yourself, you would not eat, they feared for your life. Count D had already lost one son, after realizing what he had done. D-San felt such great remorse that he had hurt his younger brother that he went further insane and ended his life."

"But he didn't..." D said and looked at the king. "My father arrived and pulled him off of me before he could..." D blushed and looked away.

"We never knew how far he got, you would not speak. Are you sure?" D's father asked. D nodded and his father simply sat on the floor in his own personal hell. He had lost one son due to his affair with his lover's wife and another due to his bitter hatred. "In all this, you were the innocent." D's father said to him and turned away. "I blamed you, if you had not been born my life would have gone on as it was with Hamanosuke, Hikari would still be alive, and my son would have married his human and ...but you were born and everything was ruined."

"Was your life with Hamanosuke really worth keeping intact?" Zarro asked with a shrewd look at Lord D. Lord D avoided the king's gaze and refused to speak.

Leon gathered D closer into his lap. "I can understand your hatred of humans, but not your own son...he did not ask to be born, it was something he could not control and yet you hated him any way."

"I never hated him...I couldn't, he was so beautiful, so innocent, I could not hate him...I watched over him from afar."

"I am half human..." D said.

"No you are not," D's father said. "You mother was human yes, but a half Kami always has a choice, I denied you that choice by never telling you of it...you have lived beyond the life span of a human, the choice is no longer yours to make." D's father looked thoroughly beaten. Leon felt sorry for him. What if he were not forgiven for all the times he had been a bastard... D would have kicked him out a long time ago.

"I know you were not there for most of his life...but it's not too late to get to know your son...if you can put up with his love of a human." Leon smirked.

D's father looked up could it really be so easy? He saw Leon place a kiss on D's forehead and smiled. The bond between them spanned the ages...they just could not see it. The warrior/protector and the Kami, would they ever be separated? D's father sighed. "I'm too old to change."

"Suit yourself..." Leon said, "If you ever change your mind, you know where we live." Leon looked at D and helped him to re-fasten his robe. "Are we free to leave now? I would like to take him home and put him to bed."

"I am not a child Leon...You of all people should know that." D said to Leon with a look that spoke volumes. D stood from Leon's lap his composure well and firmly in place again. Leon smiled he really loved that haughty attitude. Before it would annoy the hell out of him, now it warmed his heart.

Zarro nodded and opened the door of the salon. Andy bounded over and threw herself forward. D braced himself for impact but was surprised as she wrapped her thin arms around his father. D's father tensed and suffered through the hug for a moment before he stiffly returned it. He sighed and fell into the warmth of the strange human girl. He felt like she understood his pain, like she cared. She backed away and he sighed, perhaps he had been too harsh on this race after all.

Break

Dee and Ryo looked in amazement at Leon and D. The tale of the royal court had been told over dinner. After dinner, Dee pulled Leon aside and handed him a manila envelope. With a sigh Leon opened it and frowned. The man who had bought a frog several weeks ago had died...his intestines were splayed across the picture with several inches missing in what looked like bite marks. "I got the call today." Dee said, "I figured you would want to head the investigation, but since you live here the chief handed it to me, I am not compromised by loving him."

"Let me warn you now...you'll never be able to pin anything on him." Leon smiled confident in D's innocence. "Besides, it's his job."

"To kill?" Dee asked.

"No, to sell pets, he gives the people what they want, what they need and what they deserve. Without him...Sly Reams would not have been caught you know that." Leon said and watched as D tended to Chris' cut knee from his earlier fight. D looked over at Leon and smiled. Leon grew warm, he was afraid that the events in the courtroom would affect D, he should have known better.

With a defeated smile, Dee and Ryo collected Bikky and Carol and left the shop. Leon and D put Chris to bed. "Sorry squirt, my one weekend off and I could not spend time with you."

-That's ok bro. - Chris said. –I heard Ryo and Dee talking, you had to go to see Count D's father. - Leon smiled and ruffled Chris' hair. D kissed his little forehead and shut the door. Clarisande had repaired T-Chan as promised and he spent a pleasant day raising hell at the park. Poor Ryo, D thought with a small smile.

"What are you smirking about?" Leon asked as they reached their room.

D turned and looked at Leon, his smiled turned from a smirk to a sensual invitation. Without once taking his eyes off of Leon, D undid the robe. Leon stood in aroused amazement as D undressed layer by tantalizing layer. He sat on the bed and looked at Leon expectantly. Leon hurried over to his side and pulled him into his lap. The pants Leon wore had grown too tight and yet he made no move to remove them. D wrapped his arms around Leon and sniffled.

"I need you Leon," He whispered. "I need you to make the bad memories go away."

Leon held D and wiped the tears that fell from his beautiful eyes. "I don't have any magical powers..."

"But you can love me." D said, "All I need is for you to love me...the last memory I have of being touched are...please Leon." Leon kissed D before he could say more. Leon sat D on the bed so that he could undress. D arranged himself and pulled Leon to him as soon as he was bare. "Make it go away."

"I'll kiss every inch of you...the last memory you will have will be of me kissing every inch of you." Leon said, he was amazed that D had managed to appear as if he were perfectly fine, even though he obviously was not. His haughty demeanor for the rest of the evening had all been an act. Leon smiled and proceeded to kiss and lick his way across D's smooth as silk body.

Break

Leon could not catch his breath. He was beyond exhausted. Usually it was him that kept them up all night. For some reason he could not satisfy D, as soon as they finished he would practically beg for more. Leon was worried as D's bottom was now a pinkish shade with several of Leon's handprints covering it. "Leon..." D hissed and raked his nails down Leon's back. Leon grabbed D's wrist and held his hands above his head with one hand he held the delicate appendages. D moaned and arched his back, Leon sighed and took himself in hand, after this he was afraid it would not work properly. He entered D and kissed him as he moaned loudly. Leon would be amazed if Chris did not expect one of them to be dead come morning. As he continued to pound D he feared that he would be the one that was dead. Did D not realize that he was only mortal? He needed rest, sleep, and maybe if he were lucky...Food.

He was close, and from the sound of D's labored breathing he was too. D gasped and Leon felt him go slack. He moved to withdraw and D sighed. Leon looked down at him and sighed with relief, D was fast asleep. Leon carefully lied down beside D and fell into exhaustion. He was calling in sick to work tomorrow...Leon looked out the window and saw the sun rising. Fine, he thought... He was calling in sick today.

Chapter 8: Closets, Nuts and Bolts

Leon was quick to answer his cell phone. Before he whispered "hello" he looked over to make sure that D was still asleep. D was so deeply under that Leon checked his pulse before he left the bed. "Look Dee…I had a rough night…Thanks for covering for me." Leon said and sat on the couch. He was just lighting a cigarette when T-Chan came and growled at him. "I know, you guys haven't been fed, Hell, I'm starving…No not you Dee."

"What the hell happened, you were fine when we left?" Dee questioned, he had told the chief that Leon had cleared a day off with him when Leon failed to call in this morning.

"Little D happened, man, I feel like I got hit by a truck." Leon mumbled into the receiver.

"Did you two have a fight?" Dee asked. Ryo looked at him oddly from across their desk.

"No, I might have come out better if we had." Leon said as he seriously considered placing an ice pack in his lap for the day. "I told you that we learned some upsetting news about D's family right?" At Dee's affirmative answer Leon continued, "Well, I can't go into much detail, but it really upset D, I mean, more than he let on. Last night he wanted me to make the memories go away. He was insatiable; as long as he was awake…he wanted more. He fell asleep with me inside him."

"Awww…Poor Leon," Dee mocked. Leon frowned and wished he could punch him.

"Ow…" Dee said, he had put the phone on speaker and Ryo had been listening in on the conversation. Leon smirked as he heard Ryo punch Dee. "What'd ya do that for?"

"Get some rest Leon; we aren't covering your ass tomorrow," Ryo said not unkindly as he disconnected the lines. Leon smiled and dropped his cell phone on the couch. He adjusted his jogging pants and went off to feed the animals and make sure that Chris was fed before he was sent off to school.

Break

Dee looked over the files on Count D and whistled. "Man, Leon was practically obsessed with D, no wonder they are together now." Dee said as he reached for his coffee. Ryo looked over his shoulder and pointed to something that was written on the page. "Whoa, look at that, Robin Hendrix…" Dee said.

"I never would have thought Little D was involved, his death was a tragedy, I remember seeing his movie with a couple of friends when it first came out." Ryo said, "So how did he die?"

"According to this, he looked into the eyes of Medusa… A suicide, double too, the lizard offed herself after he died, looked into a mirror." Dee mumbled as he read further on. "This report sounds more like a tragic love story than a criminal report. A modern day Romeo and Juliet, except instead of a boy and his girl, we have a man and his lizard, sick…" Dee would have said more but a familiar head peeked into their office. "Diana!" Dee stood and embraced the flamboyantly dressed FBI agent.

"Ryo…Dee…It's so good to see you, when I found out that you were in town permanently, I just had to come by and see you." Diana gushed. She sat in Ryo's vacated chair and arranged her bright red skirt. She looked like a naughty schoolgirl in red pleats and a black button down top with a skinny red necktie. Her hair fell in long blond waves around her shoulders. "Looking good as usual boys, Ryo, sure I can't convince you to be strait just for me?" She giggled as Ryo blushed and became determined to find something in the files that he and Dee had been looking over.

Diana looked over to see what Ryo was looking at, "China town eh?" She frowned. "I thought the pet shop was Orcot's case, why are you two going over it?"

"Oh, you haven't heard?" Dee snickered and took the case file away from Ryo. He closed it and placed it in his desk. "Orcot has some definite issues with this particular case, seeing as how he is living with the pet shop owner and they are currently enjoying a very amorous relationship." Dee grinned as he thought of this morning's conversation with Leon. Ryo tried not to grin as he too thought of the incident.

"You're kidding me right?" Diana gasped as she looked from Ryo to Dee. Her eyes had turned into wide saucers. "Leon would not…He's not…you know…"

"Why is it so hard to believe?" Ryo asked, almost offended. She had readily accepted that he was gay and yet she seemed unwilling to even consider the possibilities of Leon.

"When we were in college, Leon and I had a thing, that's all, I never would have figured him for a homosexual, no offense intended to you guys of course, it's just a bit of a shock that's all." Diana said. Ryo and Dee stared goggle eyed at her. "I was young; he was cute, end of story." Diana said and breezed out of the office she passed Jill on the way into Ryo and Dee's office. "Did you know that Leon…"

"Yep, caught 'em kissing in the office," Jill said, "And then there was the deranged gunman that tried to hold Count D hostage, That was funny by the way, then Leon smacked him on the butt in plain sight of everyone. Where is Leon by the way?" Jill asked Ryo. Diana simply sighed and left to find out her next assignment.

"Leon's at home he's a bit under the weather." Ryo answered.

"More like a bit under Little D." Dee smirked; he dodged the expected punch from Ryo and laughed as Jill quirked a questioning brow at them before she too left them alone in their office. Dee retrieved the case file from his desk and looked into it again. "Hey check this out, Man Eating Rabbits…eew, look at these pictures." Dee said and handed the file to Ryo who blanched and shoved his half-eaten plate of fries away from him.

Break

Count D moaned and rolled over to his side. His eyes opened and he knew it was nearing late afternoon. Had he slept all day? D sat up and winced. He placed a hand to his head and looked down at the fingerprints that marred his milk white skin. Leon…D smiled and surveyed the room. He noted Leon's pajamas tossed into the hamper and the evidence of a shower. D stood and slipped on his bathrobe and padded barefoot from the room. He found Leon asleep on the couch with T-Chan staring up at him. T-Chan sniffed D before he stared at him with wide eyes and ran from the room. D sighed, would he forever act so strange about he and Leon's relationship, he thought T-Chan had gotten past that.

D kneeled beside Leon and gently brushed his deeply waving hair away from his face. Bleary blue eyes opened and D almost smiled at Leon's apprehensive look as he gazed at him. "I am so sorry," D said and sat on the small available space beside Leon's prone form.

"For what?" Leon reached up and pulled D over him. D easily lay on top of Leon and stared down into his handsome face.

"I was a bit over zealous last night, then I slept the day away leaving all the responsibilities of this shop to you, can you forgive me." D asked, Leon pulled D's face towards his and kissed him deeply. D opened his mouth to allow Leon's questing tongue access, and dueled with his own. Leon caressed D's backside, D smiled and shifted his hips rubbing his crotch against Leon. Vaguely the bell over the front door could be heard.

"They were right," D sat partially up and looked to see a blond woman enter his shop. She stared aghast at the scene on the couch.

Leon looked over and quirked a brow at her. "Spacey, when did you get back in town?"

"Just last night, I came in to see Ryo and Dee and they told me that you were, well…" Diana averted her eyes until Leon realized that he was still cupping D's backside. D blushed and excused himself to go bath while Leon chatted with his friend.

"Hey Diana, it's been a while since we last saw each other." Leon said reached down and scratched Pon-Chan on her ears as she came crawling from under the couch.

"T-Chan said Count D smells funny," The little creature said to Leon. "Go smell him yourself, I did and he does, you should smell him too." Pon-Chan said excitedly.

"My sense of smell is not as keen as yours; I'll take T-Chan's word for it." Leon said and smiled at the little creature. Diana gave him an odd look.

"Leon, you were just talking to a raccoon." She said, worried her friend may have lost his mind.

"No actually she is a European Badger." Leon said with a smile. "D corrected me."

"So what happened, I mean the last I knew of you, you were into girls, I know Count D is pretty, but…he's still a man." Diana was trying her best to remain calm. She would never admit, at least not now anyway, that her choices of men had always been Berkeley and Leon, One or the other would have suited her just fine. The last time she had come home all banged up, Leon had come by to visit her bringing chocolates and flowers, and he had even listened to her rant about her injuries. "Well, so uh, you came out of the closet," Diana said uncomfortably.

"Truth is, I was never in one. One day I would have jumped the first available babe that came near me, and the next I realized that I was head over feet in live with Count D. The rest is all mushy, like a cheap romance novel, but you get the drift." Leon smiled as he pictured him and D's first night together. Leon would have said more but his Cell Phone rang. He searched among the couch pillows until he found it. "Orcot here…Chris…what…I'll be right there." Leon closed his phone and stood. "Sorry Di, but there has been an altercation at the school involving Chris and one of his little friends; I have to go, but come by and see us sometimes." Diana tried not to notice how easily the word 'us' had slipped from Leon's mouth and she desperately ignored the fact that he easily called her by a name he had used when they were dating in college.

She listened intently as she heard Leon head into one of the doors in the back of the shop, he had not closed it behind himself and she could hear clearly what was going on. She heard a splash and a deep voiced giggle, "Come to join me?"

"I'm exhausted; you will wait till tonight to try to kill me again, after you feed me a Herculean meal of course, humans need food remember. But for right now, I have to get to the school; Chris and Bikky are in some kind of trouble." Diana heard the definite sounds of lips meeting before she beat a hasty retreat. Leon added a top shirt to his jeans and t-shirt before he got into his car and headed for the school.

Break

A lone figure in a dark cloak stood a few feet away from the store. He watched as a blond woman rushed form the pet shop, and few minutes later the Detective left at a more leisurely pace. Count D would be alone. The figure took a step towards the shop and then paused as his nerve faltered. He did not have the right. Not anymore and he wasn't sure he ever had the right to know his son. With a sigh, the figure turned and walked away from the possibilities.

Break.

A young man with bright blue eyes tapped his fingers on the counter of the Police Department waiting for someone to notice him. "Can I help you?" He looked up and smiled at the beautiful blond woman before him.

"Ah yes, I'm Ethan Montgomery, My brother died here a while ago and I was overseas for a trimester at the time, but I inherited his plant. I don't know how to take care of it and I would hate to let it die. Is it possible that I can get the address of…" Ethan reached into his pocket and pulled out a slip of paper. "Count D's pet shop." I searched the internet and no one has ever heard of the place; no website, nothing."

Jill laughed, "I doubt little D would ever have anything to do with anything electronic, especially the internet." Jill would have to stop picking up Dee's habit of referring to Count D as Little D, she thought as wrote down the address to the pet shop for Ethan. "Wait, your Brother was Sylvester Reams?!" Jill exclaimed. Ryo rounded a corner with new paper work on D about the Frog guy. He tossed a questioning look at Jill.

"What's up?" He asked, he looked at Ethan and recognized him from the camp Bikky, Carol and Chris had attended the previous summer. "Hello, Squirrel isn't it?"

"Real names Ethan, nice to see you again, wait, D!, camper Chris called his brother's friend D, I new it, it must be fate that we see each other again." Ethan grew pleased at the prospect of seeing Count D again. He turned and left the PD in a hurry, not pausing to hear Jill try to warn him about Leon and D's relationship status.

"Think Leon will shoot him?" Jill asked.

"Possibly," Ryo said and put his paperwork into a file. "Dee and I have to head to the school, Bikky beat up another kid." Ryo shrugged and headed for the Escalade that Dee had running he regaled Dee with the news of Squirrels appearance as they made their way to the school.

Chapter 9: Fated Expectations

Ryo sighed a placed a hand to his brow in an attempt to manually smooth the tension. He was not looking forward to this, the moment he had stepped into the principal's office, the room had quieted, the whispers had started, and one assistant had even turned up her nose at him. Okay, so Bikky was not his natural son, he had a right to a family, just like any other kid, it did not matter if he were adopted or not. "Hello there young man," Ryo looked up and forced a smile at an older distinguished looking gentleman. He noted Dee standing off looking pissed, next to Leon who looked the same.

"What seems to be the problem, Mr…?" Ryo hedged not sure of the man's name.

"Tobey, Mr. Tobey." The Principal shook Ryo's hand. "We seem to have a problem, you see, your uh…your son?" Mr. Tobey asked indicating Bikky who stood holding a towel to his bloody lip and scowled at another young boy who looked as if T-Chan had gotten to him. Chris sobbed silently next to Bikky. Ryo nodded and accepted the Principal's calling Bikky his son. "Your son," Mr. Tobey sighed, "Attacked another student, young Mr. Edmund Randolph, on behalf of your…" Mr. Tobey turned to Leon. "On behalf of your brother's tears. Neither student will confess as to what caused the altercation, so we thought it best to call you."

"Hey Squirt," Leon knelt down and stretched out his arms to Chris, Chris sniffled and hugged Leon. "Wanna tell me what happened?" Chris sniffled again and glared over his shoulder and shook his head. "Wanna tell D what happened?" Chris began to sob openly, -I want D! - Leon held him close and stood with Chris in his arms. "Okay, I'll call him." Leon pulled out his cell phone, Chris quieted while he dialed.

Break

D looked over at Andy and had to suppress a laugh, she had an ill look to her face as she stared at the assortment of salad that he had set out for lunch. He could tell her she was with child, but he figured it would be more fun for her to figure it out on her own. Although it couldn't hurt to inform …No, He thought, Nestoir would surely tell his wife why she was feeling ill at odd intervals, tired for no apparent reason. And tender in certain areas of her body. He could plainly hear the voice of the small child, it knew it would be well loved, it was not really speaking to D, it was singing to its mother, in a voice she could not hear.

"I don't understand it D, I thought I was sick, but Clarisande ran all sorts of tests, and she says I'm not." Andy complained and sipped the gentian tea he gave her; D had supplied it with generous amounts of honey and a small dollop of lavender. She sipped again. "This is really good, I feel better already, thank you so much. Nes" She continued her complaint, "seems to think nothing is wrong and he got upset when I turned him away last night."

D did smile then. "He was not upset with you Highness, he was worried, he called me this morning to see if I could shed some light on your illness…I told him not to worry, it will pass…Drink your tea, my lady."

Andy sipped again and frowned. "You know something, don't you?" D was saved from answering by his telephone ringing.

"Count D's pet shop," He said into the receiver. "Leon, hello, what…of course, I'll be right there." D hung up the phone and looked oddly at Andy. He had his own car and driver, but he needed speed now. "Andy, you drove here yourself today correct?" Andy nodded grateful the tea had caused her nausea to cease. D handed her a slip of paper, "how fast can you get me here?"

Andy smiled the old mischievous sparkle back in her deep brown eyes. "Normal travel time would say about twenty minutes; I can get you there in five to ten."

"That is frightening, but could you please?" D said succinctly as he closed the shop, a wave of dizziness hit him and placed a delicate hand to his forehead. He blinked a few times to clear his vision before he placed a piece of chocolate in his mouth and followed Andy outside.

Andy pulled up at the school in seven minutes D released the tight grip he had of the dash board and blinked relieved that he was still alive. "You should be more careful, if not for yourself then for that which you can not yet see." D said. Andy frowned at his cryptic remark before she followed him inside. They entered the principal's office and Chris immediately ran and threw his small arms around D's waist.

-I don't care what anyone says D; I want to learn Kung-fu like you, and I love you. - Chris bawled. D turned questioning eyes to Leon who shrugged and rounded on Bikky, "Fess up Kid, your Mommy looks ready to kill you," Leon said. Ryo glowered at Leon then turned to Bikky.

Bikky sighed and pointed to young Edmund Randolph. "This jerk made Chris cry because he said he wanted to be a ninja for Halloween and do Kung-Fu like Count D. He laughed at him."

"So you beat him up?" Ryo asked, at the disappointment in Ryo's voice Bikky hung his head refusing to say more. Chris little fist clenched tightly bunching the fine deep blue silk of D's robe. –Tell me what happened Chris- D said inside of Chris' head.

Chris sniffled, - he said that you only knew sissy kung-fu cause you were a faggot just like my brother and that his cousin said Leon was a faggot too and a shame to the detectives. - D looked up at Edmund and he was chilled to the core by the coldness of D's stare. "I am removing Chris from your care until you can teach your students to have better manners." D said coldly to the principal. He took Chris' hand and turned to leave the office. The pain he felt would never be added to fuel the fire of ignorant hatred. Andy hastily wiped a tear from her face and followed. Ryo, Leon, Bikky and Dee stared in amazement at the sudden change in D. Leon had been unable to hear what ever Chris had said, he had a feeling that D had purposefully blocked him.

"Ba... D what's going on?" Leon asked as he and the principal caught up with him. Two beleaguered looking people were rushing towards the office. The Principal paused to catch his breath.

"Mr. and Mrs. Randolph, how nice to see you," D halted and turned to the parents of the mouthy little boy in the office.

"Is this the child that attacked my son," Mr. Randolph demanded as he looked pass Chris and glared at Bikky. Ryo placed himself in front of Bikky and flashed his badge. "Oh good, your arresting the little punk, I will be pleased to come down to the station to press charges."

"I'm Detective Randy McLean, I'm taking him home." Ryo ground out. "I see no reason to press charges for every school yard squabble, if we did, not only would we waste tax payers money, but we would have a overflowing of children in the prisons. Yours included, excuse us." Ryo turned to leave and Mr. Randolph grabbed his shoulder.

"My son did nothing wrong, that mulatto brat…" He got no further as Dee's fist reached around Ryo and sent Mr. Randolph sprawling.

"Detective Dee Laytner here, can't really allow you to insult our son now can we, press charges if you like, and we'll explain to the judge how nice and prejudiced you were to a child."

"Your son?" Mr. Randolph said and turned his nose up at Ryo and Dee. "Looks like they are letting anyone adopt now a days," he stood to his feet and rubbed his sore jaw. Dee had not really tried to hurt him, just shut him up.

"John!" Mrs. Randolph said, "I am sorry detectives, my husband has been under a lot of stress lately. His nephew took a pay cut and lost his apartment and has been staying with us…he is a detective as well you may know him, Charles Randolph. I'm afraid my son idolizes him and has been copying his behaviors. I apologize if he provoked your son." D smiled at the gentle lady and felt a modicum of calmness.

"Your graciousness does you credit Mrs. Randolph, may your children emulate you one day." D said, Mrs. Randolph was amazed to find that the beauty she had assumed was Leon's wife, turned out to a man. D took Chris by the hand and left the school. "Andy please drive safely this time, for the children's sake."

"I thought Bikky would be riding with Ryo and Dee," Andy said a puzzled frown on her face. D smiled knowingly at her. D would have said more but his dizziness of earlier returned. He placed a hand on Leon's shoulder to steady himself. Leon rummaged through Chris' uneaten lunch bag and handed D the brownie inside. D gratefully un-wrapped it and sat in the car. He fanned himself and his cheeks flushed as his vision blurred. He blinked and stared out of the car, for a moment, he thought he had seen a figure in a black cape watching them.

"Have you been eating? You seem thinner," Leon remarked as he placed a hand on D's forehead testing his temperature. His skin was cool and Leon frowned, he gasped and held on to his seat as Andy pulled away from the curb.

Break

Lord D pulled his hood back and watched as the group left the school. He frowned. Perhaps he should visit the shop, and get to know his son; before it was indeed too late. He felt the old familiar pain in his chest as he thought of the centuries he had lost. The things he should have taught him, things he had missed watching him learn. He sighed and replaced his hood and vanished down the street.

Break

Ethan sighed; he had been waiting around for ten minutes already. The shop could not be closed for the day, he thought as he paced back and forth in front of the door. It looked so nice, no wonder camper Chris…Ethan paused, they were no longer on camp grounds, he could openly ask D out. He was puzzled by his reaction to Count D. He had never before been attracted to men, but he was willing to try something new in order to be with the beautiful Asian man.

He looked up as a bright teal car pulled up to the curb. D almost ran to the shop. He walked right past Ethan. D paused and turned to stare at Ethan. "Are you here for a pet?" He asked and tried to take calming breaths. Why was his father making him ill? D wondered sure he had seen him, and sure he had felt ill upon seeing him. Or was Andy's condition affecting her empathy, was she projecting her illness onto him? D shook his head as Ryo pulled up behind Andy's little Saturn. "Please come back tomorrow I am afraid the shop is closed for the day." Ethan noted the way Leon's hand hovered near D's lower back as they entered the pet shop. He sighed; perhaps it was not fate after all.

Chapter 10: Comforts sleeping peacefully

Dee sighed; it had been a while since he had seen Ryo look so sad. Count D had sent the children to play and confessed to what had started the altercation with the children. D was just setting out a fresh pot of tea when the chime on his door signaled that someone had entered his shop. They all looked up and were surprised to see the Randolph family standing in the doorway. Their son was covered in bandages and looking mutinously at his mother.

"Please," Mrs. Randolph said as D stood to welcome her to the shop, yet inform her that it was closed. "Allow us to bother you for a moment of your time. I merely insisted that my son apologize, not only to you but to Chris as well." Mrs. Randolph nudged her son forward. He looked at his father for support. Mr. Randolph pointedly looked away from his son and studied the cages of animals that surrounded them. T-Chan sniffed Edmund and growled. D pulled him back and handed him to Leon who was tempted to let him go.

"Go on," Mrs. Randolph said, her tone threatened dire retributions if he did not obey.

"I'm sorry for insulting you sir and you as well detective Orcot." Edmund muttered and stared at his feet.

D smiled and knelt down in front of the small child. He raised his face to his. "Do you know what the words you said mean?" D asked calmly, Edmund nodded and D sighed sadly, "Do you know that those very words have caused the deaths of many men and women through out this nation's history?" Edmund looked up in shock; he turned wide tear filled eyes on the occupants of the room in search of a friendly face. He lighted on Andy; she smiled sadly before she turned her face away.

"I serve a God of love, not hate." Andy said and sipped her tea. "Love and hate are both a choice we humans make daily, and sometimes that choice is made and a life is ended. Perhaps we will forgive you, if you do one homework assignment for us." Andy looked up at his parents and Mrs. Randolph nodded her assent. "I know that at your grade level, you are doing book reports, so I want you to find all the information you can about a young man by the name of Matthew Shepard, and tell Count D all you have learned. For this can not be a true apology, because your mother has forced you to do it; you should understand the ramifications of hatred, and be sorry of your own accord. On that day you will also apologize to Chris."

Edmund hung his head at the disappointment in Andy's face as she turned away from him. "What's your name?" He asked her.

Andy smiled, "I am High Princess Andromache of Arcadia." She answered; his parents gasped and stared at her in awe. Andy placed a hand on D's shoulder to steady herself as she felt a wave of dizziness. D stood and took her to the couch.

"Sit my lady, do not overtax yourself." D murmured and handed her a silk handkerchief to sniff. The lavender calmed her and she smiled. The Randolph's took their leave of the shop and D excused himself to lie in bed for the rest of the day. Ryo and Dee took Bikky home, while Leon closed the shop and fed Chris dinner, a worried frown on his face as he peeked in on D lying in bed, Leon noted D's thin frame and his wan features. Andy was ill, was she contagious, had she gotten D sick? Leon put Chris to bed and went and took D in his arms. D was as cold as a stone left out on a cold night in Chicago during the winter.

D…Baby… Open your eyes!" Leon said and shook D. D did not move, Leon reached for the phone to call an ambulance then thought better of it, better to make sure he had all the facts before he called. Quickly he checked for a pulse and other vital signs. D lived, but Leon feared that he would soon expire, his heartbeat was so faint, his breathing was very shallow, and his skin was so cold. Leon reached for the phone and looked up in shock as a slim hand held the receiver down. He looked up into the deep purple eyes of D's father.

"They can not help him." He said simply and went to sit beside his unconscious son. Lord D ran a hand over D's brow. He pulled the blankets around him.

"We have to do something, he may be dying." Leon gasped out blinking back tears.

"I know," Lord D said sadly, "I know, lie down beside him and try to keep him warm, he is expending too much energy lately, I don't know why, I'll have to speak with his grand father to confirm my suspicions, but…" D's father sighed as Leon slid into bed and pulled him into his arms. He shivered as D's skin came in full contact with his own.

"Stay calm," Lord D said and left the room, he returned a few moments later with a cup of warm water and a plate of white powder. He poured the entire heaping pile into the cup and stirred. "Hold his head up and open his mouth." Lord D told Leon. Leon looked up at him suspiciously. D's father took a sip to show that is was not poison and Leon did as he was bid. Leon looked at the granules in the water and frowned, if he did not know any better, he would say that was nothing but a cup of sugar water.

"Where did you come from?" Leon asked as he and Lord D carefully slipped water into D's mouth.

"I was in the area, and I felt his presence lessen, I knew he would expire soon, so I came to lend aid, that's all." Lord D confessed.

"What's wrong with him?" Leon asked next.

"That I am not sure of, like I said, I need to talk with his grandfather, he is either dying, or…"

"I thought you guys were immortal," Leon exploded and held D closer praying he would open his eyes. "Please baby wake up, I love you so much, I need you, Chris needs you, he'll be a wild hellion with out you. I'll be a hellion, please, wake up." Leon whispered into D's ear. Lord D turned away and concentrated on getting the water into D. D sputtered and coughed. Leon sat him up and stared into his frightened eyes.

"Leon!" D gasped and coughed again. His eyes surveyed the room and lighted on Lord D, "father?"

"Here child, drink this." Lord D handed the glass to D. D turned questioning eyes on Leon who nodded. D took the cup and tasted it, after a sip he drank it down. "I have to speak to your Grandfather, he is in Chicago right?" Lord D asked.

D nodded and sat down the empty glass, "Yes, he has Q-Chan with him." D said, he smiled, and he felt so much better. He stretched and Leon looked puzzled, moments before he had looked near death and now he looked just fine. "Do not worry so Father, I think that Andy may have accidentally lent me her symptoms, I am fine now." D's father looked at him quizzically and smiled.

"I would rather be assured of your safety, than to be carefree and suffer the consequences later." Lord D said. Leon smiled knowingly; it seemed that Lord D really did care for his son. "If you feel any sign of weakness coming on immediately eat something, that chocolate you love so much, or something else that will lend you energy. I shall return as soon as I find something out." Leon would have questioned the Kami further, but he vanished as if he had never been in the room.

Break

A week passed and D showed no signs of further illness, thereby confirming his earlier suspicions that Andy had unknowingly passed her feelings on to him. Ethan had not returned to the shop and D smiled, hoping the young man would not be too upset that D was not available to him. In truth, D had never been available to him; D suspected that no human but Leon ever had a chance of touching his heart. D's smile dimmed a bit as he thought of the fact that Leon had not touched him since his father had left. The Chime over his shop door sounded and he fixed a smile to his face and greeted his new customer. His smile faltered as he recognized the detective that walked in.

"Count D," The young man said and moved a strand of bright hair away from his deep blue eyes. "I know you probably would rather flip me again, but rest assured I have no designs on Orcot, not anymore." J. J. sighed and walked further into the shop.

D looked at him questioningly. "Is everything all right detective?" D indicated that J.J. should sit. "You seem like something is bothering you."

"I did not come to L. A. to follow Dee and Ryo, My grandmother is ill and I'm all she has." J.J. was not sure why he confessed, but there was a certain understanding in D's cool assessing stare that made him feel comfortable.

"I see," D sat opposite J.J. and picked up his cup of tea, "What brings you to my shop?"

"Well, she seems lonely when I go to work and I thought that I would get her a puppy or something. I knew of your shop and I thought…" J. J. Shrugged. D smiled at the young man.

"Why don't you tell me about your Grandmother and we can pick the perfect pet for her…"

Break

Leon followed his suspect into the seedy part of town and waited for him to make his move. Ryo and Dee were on the other side of the street lending aide, while Jill stood on a corner and tried to be unnoticed as she too pursued the villain. As soon as he handed his package to his dealer, Leon and the other's sprang into action. Leon reached them first and tackled him to the ground. Ryo began to pursue the contact that ran, Dee was close behind him. Jill stood back in awe as Leon slammed the criminal to the ground and pummeled him before he slapped cuffs on him and hauled him to the car. Leon ground out the criminal's rights and slammed the car door, ignoring the curses.

Jill sighed, maybe D was mad at him; he was only this gruff when he was denied sex…Jill decided to stop by the shop to see if D was okay. Leon pulled to a screeching halt in front of the PD and dragged his captive to the holding cell and roughly threw him in. "Police brutality I tell you!" the prisoner yelled.

"Oh you want brutality, I'll give your drug smuggling ass brutality," Leon yelled back. The prisoner shrank back from Leon in mortal fear of the slightly deranged look in his eyes.

"He really needs to get laid, is he having issues with D?" Jill looked up and shrugged as Ryo stepped back to allow Dee to deposit their criminal into a holding cell. Ryo sighed, "We've been kind of busy with this case, and so we haven't been by the shop much. I thought everything was fine, but you can never tell with D, he will smile at you one minute, then get alone and cry."

"Drives Leon bat shit." Dee snickered and headed down the hall to process the paperwork of another job well done.

Leon sat as his desk with a fierce worry frown creasing his brow. He had spoken to Lord D the last time he had called the shop to check on his son. Leon had asked if it was his fault that D was ill, and Lord D had not been able to give a definitive answer. Leon had vowed not to touch D, until he knew for sure. He worked late and left early. He had noted D pouting at him, but he was afraid to voice his fears. "Want to talk about it?" Leon looked up as saw Diana and Jill shutting his office door. "Ryo and Dee have hightailed it to the shop, so fess up, what's going on?" Jill said. Diana sighed, Jill had informed her of the deep abiding love between Count D and Leon, and though it was a shock to find out that Leon was gay, she was happy that he had found happiness.

Leon thought of not talking, and then gave up, "D is sick." He said sullenly. "We don't know what's wrong with him, I don't want to touch him and have him get worse, you should have seen him Jill, laying there on the bed, he looked dead, and his skin was like ice, I thought he was dead, till his dad showed up." Leon looked up into Jill and Diana's stunned and confused faces.

"His dad? I thought he hated you both." Jill said

"No, he loves D and tolerates me, he has been calling everyday, he went to Chicago to talk to D's grandfather, they have suspicions about what is wrong, but there are no definitive findings." Leon said.

"Take him to a doctor," Diana said reasonably. Leon shook his head, and Jill was surprised that she had not thought of that, but somehow it had not seemed right. D would never consent to having a doctor look at him, not if it involved removing his piles of clothes; according to Leon he even wore his robes to the beach. Jill held in a snicker as she wondered how Leon had managed to get him undressed in order to…Jill paused her train of thought and focused on the problem at hand, D was sick.

"Well what's wrong with him?" Diana asked.

"We don't know," Leon expelled a sigh, "That is what his father and grandfather are trying to figure out."

"I mean what are his symptoms?" Jill asked.

"Sometimes he gets really pale, then he eats sugar cubes and he's fine, once I was eating ranch dressing on a salad and I thought he was going to vomit, he's never had a problem with the smell of it before, now just the sight makes him retch. T-Chan says he smells funny, all the animals' tiptoe around him, he moves and they run to follow him as if he is made of glass. It's so weird. Even Chris, though he is responding to the animals. And I think his hair is growing, it reaches his shoulders all the way now, not just the slight brushing it used to do." Leon sighed and sipped his coffee.

Diana laughed, "Well it's a good thing D is a man or I would swear that he is Pregnant." Jill laughed as well and Leon found he could not. D was not technically a man, but no, Leon thought, Kami women bore children, it wasn't possible…was it?

"I have to go, D is probably pissed with me, and I should talk to him" Leon was distracted as he left the PD.

Break

Ryo and Dee pulled up to the pet shop just as J.J. was leaving with a collie puppy in his arms. Ryo suppressed a shudder as he saw D sitting limply on the couch. They took in his graceful slump and watched as his abnormally pale hand slowly brought a sugar cube to his lips. He looked up as Ryo and Dee came and sat near him. "Hello detectives, if you have come to tell me that Leon will be late again, I had already assumed so." Ryo saw the sad look on D's face and noted that he was blinking rapidly.

"Is something going on with you two?" Ryo asked gently, he placed a hand on D's and was shocked at how frail D felt. "You look like you have lost weight, is everything all right?"

"Oh my… I guess I have lost weight, do you think that is why Leon no longer finds me attractive?" D asked as he looked worried. "He has not come near me, he works late and leaves early, I even made it a point to wake early, but he said he was in a hurry. Have I grown to thin? I didn't mean to, I don't even know why."

"Wait, you mean, you two haven't…" Dee began.

D sniffled, "It's been almost two weeks."

"Leon thinks you're hot stuff…I don't think he would care if you were thin or fat, has he been feeling well?" Dee said, "He might be sick or something and doesn't want to pass it on to you."

"No he's not sick but…" D paused, "I was ill about two weeks ago, maybe that's why…" D would have said more but the shop door opened again to admit a tall figure in a cloak.

Lord D pulled his cloak off and stared bemused at his son. His eyes surveyed the room and he smiled tightly at Ryo and Dee. "Please Gentlemen; allow me a moment alone with my son." Lord D said, and stared again at his son as if seeing him for the first time.

"Your son?" Ryo gasped. "I would have thought he was your younger brother for surely you are too young for him to be your son…you're almost twenty right?" Ryo looked at D who had just stuffed a sugar cube into his mouth and refused to speak. Lord D smiled and nodded.

"Never the less, appearances can be deceiving, he is indeed my son." Lord D said. As Ryo and Dee took their leave Leon strode in to the shop. "Ah good, Detective Orcot, I have news, D-Child, you are not as ill as I had thought, but your Grandfather has asked that we not discuss it more until he arrives. Rest assured that with proper care, you should be fine." D sighed and nodded, willing to let the matter drop.

Leon pulled Lord D aside, "Was I making him ill?" He asked anxiously. "I mean, our lovemaking…was it making him ill? Is it safe to touch him?" Leon blushed.

Lord D blushed as well, "It is quite all right for you and my son to continue…" Lord D could not say more, his face flaming he left to find a spare room in the shop where he could await the arrival of Sofu D, his father. Chris bounded in from school and took in the serious atmosphere of the shop. –Is D still sick? - He asked Leon.

"He'll be fine," Leon said and felt relief for the first time in what seemed like ages.

Chapter 11: Handcuffs Can Be Fun

Leon tried to be patient. He figured Dee knew and that was why he was delaying leaving. He stood there yammering at D's father like he couldn't talk to him tomorrow, the man would be here tomorrow, he was staying for a while until D's grandfather arrived from Chicago. Leon fought the urge to shove Dee out the door. Ryo looked over sympathetically, he would drag Dee out, but he was having so much fun watching Leon squirm. Taking pity, Ryo stood and reached for his jacket. Tomorrow was a big day, they would be taking the kids out trick-or-treating, and they needed their rest. And Leon needed to get laid…soon.

D could feel Leon's eyes on him and he felt as if he was bare before the room full of people. D's face turned red as he was sure his father had intercepted one of the heated looks Leon had sent his way. D was not entirely pleased with the out come of tonight's events. To use one of the vulgarities that Leon was so fond of, to say the least, D was quite pissed. He sat through out the night quietly simmering, wanting to keep Dee and Ryo there simple to avoid having Leon drool over him like a slavering bull dog. If he had desired him so much, why had he ignored him for almost two weeks? The hurt had vanished and left D with nothing to hold on to but pure anger.

Finally! Leon felt like cheering as the door closed on the final guest and Lord D had retired for the evening. Chris had been put to bed and the animals had all dozed off. Leon crept into the room to find D removing his clothes for the night. Leon slipped his arms around D from behind. He felt a brief flash of pain and looked up dazed from the floor to see that D had easily moved to the other side of the room. "Baby?" Leon questioned and stood to his feet, he wished he hadn't as he was painfully reminded of D's accurate aim as a small shoe bounced off his forehead followed by the matching one. "Dammit D!" Leon rubbed his sore head and strode foreword. He reached out his hand to D.

"Do not touch me, do not come near me." D expelled and stomped away from Leon to sit on the bed. He folded his arms and turned his back to Leon. Leon crept up behind D and thought better of it, he had just been shown why that would not be a good idea, and he would rather not be tossed across the room again. He was sure the sound of the body falling might have startled Chris and there was no need to have him wondering if world war three had broken out in their bedroom.

Thinking fast, Leon reached into his back pocket. D glowered at Leon as he was toppled over. For the first time, Leon used his strength against Count D and held him pressed flat to the bed with his arms held in a vise like grip. "What is with you, for fuck's sake D?"

"Stop swearing at me," D ground out. "Get off me now, I do not wish to hurt you." Leon was mesmerized by the sheen of tears that lighted D's beautiful eyes.

"Well, I never would have guessed that one," Leon muttered as he remembered clearly the shoes bouncing off his head. D's eyes widened as he felt cold steel on his wrists, he looked up to see that Leon had hand cuffed him to the bed.

"How dare you?!" D tested the bonds to see if he really was stuck. He stared at Leon incredulously, "Release me at once."

"Not until you tell me why you just kicked my ass." Leon said and adjusted his seating until he was straddling D's slim waist.

"Stop swearing at me," D said mulishly. "How dare you ignore me for so long and then treat me like a cheap harlot, undressing me with your eyes in front of guests, my father included. Speaking of my father, you did not require his permission to make love to me before and you certainly did not need it now. I am not a child, nor am I a plaything for you to…" D could not continue, his breathing hitched and a tear slipped past his valiant attempt to hold them in.

"Sweetheart…Baby…don't," Leon leaned down and licked the tear from D's face. "Never think I love you any less than I have always loved you and how I always will love you. But you have to understand, I thought I was making you sick and I would rather castrate myself," Leon paused at the look of absolute horror that crossed D's face, "I would rather castrate myself than to lose you. I had to be sure that I was not making you ill, please understand how much I love you, please understand how it nearly killed me to stay away from you, and yet I would, Baby I would if I thought it would keep you with me. I was scared, I almost lost you, you were so cold, I thought I had lost you and then I thought it was my fault." Leon paused as a tear of his own slid down his face and D was amazed at the depth of feeling that Leon had bottled up inside of him.

"Leon-kun," D breathed as Leon lay atop him and nuzzled his neck. He felt the tender caress and melted. All of D's fears, and anger, and hurt feelings melted as he turned his face and captured Leon's lips with his own. Leon deepened the kiss and was glad that D was half-undressed when he had found him.

"Baby please," Leon ground his hips against D. D sighed and raised his butt pressing fully against Leon. He tugged on his arms and frowned when he still could not move them. "I don't think so." Leon said and pushed the sleeveless sheath up, He reached for a pocketknife, "you have a million of these things." Leon said and sliced the offending garment away from D. D moaned as Leon tossed the sheath aside and licked his way down from his neck to his chest to the waistband of his now too tight pants. D raised his hips and allowed Leon to slide the pants down. Leon's mouth never left D's body as he removed the pants. D gasped and began to pant as Leon placed D's legs over his shoulders and licked deeply. "There is nothing I love more than the taste of you." He murmured against D's backside. D whimpered and tugged fruitlessly against the handcuffs, wanting desperately to pull Leon close.

D panted as Leon did no more than lick and suckle. "Leon, please." D begged raising his hips.

"Pleas, what, please this?" Leon said and slid a finger deep inside of D. He sucked and slid another in. D whimpered and begged for more. Leon stood and divested himself of his clothes. He palmed the lubricant, unable to deny himself and D any longer. D sighed with relief when he felt Leon sliding deeply and fully into him. His sigh soon turned to cries as he frantically pulled on his cuffs and enjoyed to feel of Leon as he was consumed by blinding pleasure.

Break

Leon collapsed on top of D and placed a kiss on his lips. D sighed and relaxed against Leon. He wanted to lower his arms, "Leon, do you think that you can release me now?"

"Oh, shit, yeah, sorry baby." Leon said; he attempted to move, but felt D's teeth sink into his shoulder. "Sorry," He mumbled and left the bed in search of his keys. Leon searched his pants, he left the room and searched the pet shop, he came back with a sheepish look on his face. "You know, honey, sweetheart, baby…dear, in light of everything else I have ever done this is kind of funny. Don't get mad." Leon said very fast.

"Leon…"D said carefully. "Release me."

"I would…If I could…I left my keys somewhere, probably in Andy's car…I'll call her, bad idea this late…I'll go to the PD and get my spare set."

"Don't you dare leave me here like this!" D frowned and struggled against the handcuffs.

"Hot," Leon muttered as he wiggled his brows suggestively at D and climbed back onto the bed.

"No! Leon…find some way to get these maudire things off of me." D turned his lips away from Leon. Leon latched onto his neck and sucked a bruise onto the delicate surface. D fought the desire building steadily. "Leon…" He sighed as Leon slipped inside of him again. "Ah…oh…ohhhhhh" D moaned and forgot that he wanted to be free of the metal cuffs.

Leon calmed his breathing and tried to pull D close. "I could call someone; all cops keys can open all cuffs." Leon suggested.

"Just don't leave me here like this." D said and nodded. Leon smiled and reached for the phone.

Break

Ryo gripped the sheets and bit back his cries. Bikky was a heavy sleeper it was true, but he was not unconscious. "Ah…" Ryo gasped and held oh tighter and bit his lip. He squeezed Dee's shoulders and lifted his hips before sliding down impaling himself completely.

"I told you that's my job," Dee whispered gruffly and pressed his lips to Ryo's. Ryo opened his mouth and his tongue dueled mightily with Dee's. Dee reached down and took Ryo cock into his hands and stroked.

"Oh Dee…uh…I'm…ah…Com…" Ryo panted.

"I know me to." Dee ground out. He held Ryo close and for a moment nothing else existed but the two of them. Dee slowly lowered Ryo's legs and laid beside him on their bed, pulling his lover close he frowned as the phone rang. "Of all the things… Who the hell is calling us this late? HELLO!"

"Whoa, calm down, you know I would not call you if it were not an emergency," Leon said into the receiver.

"Someone had better be dying or you will be," Dee ground out.

"Oh, did I interrupt something?" Leon asked with a smirk. D cleared his throat and Leon was recalled to the situation at hand. "Well um… seriously… I need a favor…Could you um…bring your keys by the shop? As soon as possible, like maybe now?" Leon said he waited a beat. "Dee?"

"I'm just debating whether or not you have lost your mind, where is D?"

Dee asked and trailed a hand down Ryo's back and caressed his backside. He squeezed and Ryo smiled and licked Dee's nipple. D grinned as Ryo wrapped his lips around the sensitive bud and sucked.

"He's here," Leon hedged, "not going anywhere anytime soon in fact…Ow, how the hell did you do that?" Leon jumped away from D who had somehow gotten his leg up far enough to kick Leon. "Get these things off of me." D mouthed to Leon. "I'm trying," Leon whispered.

"Leon, what's going on?" Dee asked slowly afraid his friend was losing his mind. "I just had the most wonderful orgasm and I am a matter of inches," He rubbed himself fully against Ryo, "Fro another one, so this had better be good or so help me…"

"IhandcuffedDtothebedandIdon'thavemykeyssouldyoucomeandunlockthecuffsformebeforehekillsme?" Leon said very low and fast.

"Wait, you did what?" Dee asked barely containing his laughter.

"It's not funny," Leon ground out.

"I beg to differ." Dee guffawed, "Oh baby, this is good." He said to Ro who looked confused, he sat up in bed and pulled a sheet around him. He snatched the phone away from Dee.

"Hey Leon, what's going on?" Ryo looked over to where Dee was laughing uncontrollably and holding his sides. After a moment Ryo too began to laugh, "We'll be right there," Ryo hung up the phone. "Shut up, get dressed, come on or I'm leaving you." Ryo gasped as he tried to contain his laughter.

"Oh I wouldn't miss this for the world." Dee stood and pulled on his hastily removed clothes.

Break

"Leon," D said. Leon grew concerned as he saw D's complexion pale.

"You need…"

"Yes." D said Leon nodded and quickly left the room. He bumped into Lord D.

"My son," Lord began.

"Will be fine," Leon said, he took the silver tray of sugar cubes Lord D had been carrying and did an about face back into his bedroom. He was sitting in bed feeding D sugar when Lord D admitted Ryo and Dee into the shop. They were silently amused as they followed him to his son's bedroom. Dee took one look at D and began to laugh. Ryo poked him in the ribs and rushed forward to release D from the bed.

"Thanks" Leon mumbled and shoved Dee from the room. Ryo followed after tossing an amused look over his shoulder at D who blushed scarlet and looked away.

"Do you think," Lord D said quietly to Leon,, "That you could keep the sounds to a minimum, there are some things no father should ever hear. His son's nocturnal activities are one of them, good night." Lord D blushed and left the room.

D buried his face underneath the blankets in abject mortification as Leon crawled into bed. "Hey sexy…" Leon said and licked D's back.

"Le…ahhhhhhh." D began and sighed as Leon licked a trail down his back to his backside. Lord D shut his door and wished his grandfather would make haste.

Chapter 12: Happy Halloween

Count D opened his eyes slowly; he blinked and smiled as he enjoyed the feel of the warm body pressed against his own. He ran his hands over Leon's chest and smiled brighter. He looked up into wide-awake blue eyes. Leon leaned his head down and brushed his lips against D's. "Morning beautiful," He said against D's lips. D nuzzled Leon's neck and paused, something was not entirely right. He placed a hand to his stomach and frowned. Leon wondered why D's complexion turned slightly green. D breathed deeply and feeling the nausea go away, he calmed his breathing.

"We had better see that Chris is ready." D stood from the bed and his knees buckled underneath him. Leon scrambled over and swore, as he did not catch D before he fell to his knees beside the bed. He was breathing in shallow pants. Leon opened a Resses cup and handed it to him. D gagged and shoved Leon away. He clutched his middle and rocked back and forth. D moaned and dashed from the room. Leon paled as he heard D retching, he reached the bathroom and could do nothing but hold his love's hair back.

Break

D sat at the kitchen table with his head in his hands while Leon paced back and forth. Lord D suppressed a smile as he stirred a cup of tea that would sooth his son's stomach. D trembled and Lord D stirred a bit faster. Leon looked visibly shaken. "He'll be okay? Please tell me that he'll be okay." Before Lord D could answer the door opened and Q-Chan flew in. Lord D sighed in relief. Count D looked up and smiled as his pet landed on his shoulder and nuzzled his cheek. "Q!" Q-Chan chirped and looked aghast at Lord D.

"And so I told you," Lord D said to the little creature who sniffed D again and flew out of the room.

"Will Grandfather arrive soon?" D asked and gratefully accepted the cup of tea his father handed him, after one sip he felt his stomach begin to lessen its heaving. It was a good thing, since Chris chose that moment to run into the kitchen wearing his ninja costume. –D, there is a man in the front of the store, say's he's your grand father, but he looks like your brother, he wants to have a word with you all. - Chris said and quite oblivious to the stunned silence he left behind, he sat and began to serve himself a breakfast of cold cereal and milk. D took one look at the meal and hurried from the kitchen, before he wasted the absolutely fabulous tea his father had made for him.

Sofu D rose and Leon was amazed at how closely he resembled D. They even had the same hairdo; only Sofu's eyes were both golden. He took D's hand and stared into his face as if he had never seen his grandson before. "Dear Child," He exclaimed and pulled D to sit on a chair. "How you glow." Sofu remarked. D blushed and looked over to Leon.

"Leon, this is my Grandfather, it is his title of Count that I carry, but most people call him Sofu D, Grandfather, this is Detective Leon Orcot." D said politely, he wondered why his grandfather had not released his hands, but he smiled, his grandfather had never been one to show this much affection.

"It is nice to meet you; I have heard a lot of you." Sofu commented, his manner was chilly and Leon wondered why he was not weirded out to see two people that looked so much like his love. Sofu placed a hand underneath D's chin and brought his face up to better look at it. He then ran his hands over D's arms and finally touched his stomach. "Your father has his suspicions as to why you are so ill of late, and I am off a mind to agree." Sofu had not removed his hand from D's stomach. "It is a very rare occurrence, so rare in fact that…I am amazed that it is still even possible."

"Grandfather?" D said and looked up trying to figure out what had been going on that he had missed, something he did not understand.

"Through out the known histories and even some that unknown, there have been only four male Kami's capable of such a feat, you are the fifth, your father fears for you, for only two have survived." Sofu said sadly. He leaned back against the couch and the look in his eyes showed his true age. Leon grew very worried.

"What can I do to help?" He asked as he moved forward and took D into his arms.

"Young man, you have done enough," Lord D said. He looked closer at the two of them and smiled. "You love my son a great deal, and he likewise loves you. It is only with such deep abiding love, on both sides that such is even possible."

"What is possible?" D asked sipping his tea as he looked at the grave expressions on his father and grandfather and grew frightened.

"You child," Sofu said, "Are carrying."

"Excuse me," D said his eyes as wide as saucers. "Carrying what?"

"No way, he's a he." Leon said and held D tightly in his arms. Refusing to believe what he had secretly begun to suspect.

"It is true that my son is a male, but it is also true that he is not human." Sofu said, he tried not to smile at the disbelief that covered both Leon and D's face. D gasped and the world took on a horrible tilt as he realized the only thing he could possibly be carrying that would be a result of love. Chris chose that moment to run excitedly into the room. –Come on Bro, D, let's go find Ryo and Bikky and Carol and Dee and go Trick or Treating. - He jumped around quite oblivious to the fact that D had fainted.

Chapter 13: Thanksgiving

D opened his eyes and blinked a few times trying to be sure that he was not dreaming. He looked around the room and noted his father, his grandfather, and Leon sitting around him. Chris had been told to go and collect T-Chan, so that they could go Trick-or-Treating while Leon had carried D to their bedroom. "I wasn't dreaming? How is this possible?" D asked weakly. He sat up and Leon watched him carefully, if he showed any sign of falling again, Leon was determined to be prepared. He saw D reach for a sugar cube and place it into his mouth.

"Okay," Leon said, trying to be rational in a world that suddenly no longer made sense. "Let's say that he is carrying a child, where is he carrying it, males don't exactly have wombs; and how the heck is it going to be born?"

"You see," Sofu D began to explain. "That is why it is only possible when two love each other as you do; for there is a great deal of changes that have to take pace in his body. Now that he has acknowledged the fact that the child is indeed there, his body will make room for it. It can be painful, so I have heard." Sofu sighed sympathetically and looked away from the fear in D's eyes. "Then there is another change, a rather personal one." Sofu paused, how could he say it in a way that would be understood?

"You will still be a male," Lord D assured his son as he intercepted a look of pure horror on his face. "As the term comes to an end, a rather tender spot will appear, it will function as a birth canal, once the child has been expelled, and it will close on its own and will be as if it was never there. It is a very difficult process for a Kami to give birth; even Females have a hard time of it that is why they usually have only one. But for a male, it can be fatal. It is your choice whether or not you wish to go through with this… you have to do so soon, for now that the child has been acknowledged, it will begin to grow."

"You're talking about an abortion." Leon said he would ordinarily never consider such an option; it was his child growing inside of D. But then again, he loved D to the depths of his soul and would never do anything to bring him harm, if this could end his life…

"To abort…to end…you would Kill my…our child." D looked around the room with his arms protectively wrapped around his middle. "I have never been particularly fond of children, but…well I love Chris and I am sure that I will love this child."

"If you live," Lord D exploded, the fear he had contained for the past few days crashing down around his head like a catastrophe. He had just started to know his son, he would be devastated to lose him now, and it was entirely this human's fault. Lord D turned a venomous stare to Leon. "I can terminate this now, I am a doctor you know."

A slow smile crept across D's face as he looked at his father and shook his head. "Since you are a doctor, I will trust you with my care, but I will have this child." D said to his father, he then ran a hand over Leon's. "I sense your fear, love, I do not fear death, you see, I dreaded the time when you would depart and leave me to centuries to suffer with out you. But if I go, then you will not have to go so long until we meet again, do you understand? At least this way, our child will be a living testimony to our love."

Leon crushed D to him in a fierce embrace, "I don't care how you do it…" He said to Lord D, "but you make sure he lives."

Lord D nodded and hastily wiped a tear as Chris ran into the room. –They're here… They're here, let's go! - D smiled and stood to his feet. He turned a bright smile to his lover and his family. "Shall we?"

Break:

Several Weeks Later: The Thanksgiving Dinner

Leon sat at his desk and stared at the tiny velvet box as if it were his worst enemy. There it was mocking him, as it had mocked him since had had gotten it shortly after he had found out that D was…Leon gulped…Pregnant. He opened it and stared down at the ring, the white gold seemed to suite D, as well as the diamond encased in topaz and amethyst, the smaller jewels surrounded the diamond and made it seem to glow brighter. "Just ask him already and get it over with, he'll say yes." Leon looked up to see Ryo and Dee enter his and Jill's office. Jill had been ignoring him. For weeks now she had seen him stare at the ring as if he were willing the ring to propose on its own.

"We should get going…"Jill said. "I promised D that we would leave here early to make sure I could help him cook, you too Ryo." Jill said. She then turned to Ryo and Dee. "Thanks again for inviting me to dinner."

"Yeah thanks…"Leon mumbled and shoved the box into his pocket and left the PD HQ.

Break

At Ryo and Dee's House:

D took the lid from the pot and stirred, the sauce was coming along perfectly. Jill and Ryo had decided to cook the dishes that had meat in them, while he and T-Chan were diligently cooking everything else. Chris helped to stir the pudding and make the dessert. D looked up as the front door could be heard opening. He walked into the living room to greet everyone. Leon picked him up and planted a kiss on his lips. D laughed and shoved away from him. Dee nearly bumped into him on his way to hang his coat. Playfully he lifted D to set him aside. He frowned. "You put on some weight?"

"Perhaps," D said straightened his gold, red, and tan cheongsam. The fire pattern across it in diamond, made the garment look as if it lived. "I hope you do not mind, but The Arcadian's do not have any family in Los Angeles and I told them it would be an honor to share this American holiday with them."

"You guys are the ones that have to cook enough to feed them, invite the entire football team for all I care." Dee said. Ryo stepped on his foot as he headed into the kitchen to wash his hands and begin cooking.

"That's a definite step up from the box," Dee said as Leon stood in the kitchen and stared at Count D.

Lord D arrived and the Arcadians soon followed. Andy marched to the kitchen and pointed an accusing finger at D. "You!" she scowled, "You knew, and you didn't tell me." Andy held up her floor length skirts and marched closer to D, she would have said something but she placed a hand on his arm and gasped. "You too? My God, how?"

"My Lady," Count D said cautiously and removed his apron in order to embrace the princess. Nestoir looked D over and smiled, he winked at Leon. "Congratulations," Leon gasped as the word entered his mind the same way Chris' usually did. Chris and Bikky ran in to the room to greet the newcomer's T-Chan poked his head out of the kitchen and signaled D that he was needed. D stepped away from Andromache and re-tied his apron, with a smile and a wink; he disappeared back into the kitchen.

Leon looked over at D who delicately ate his food. The dinner was a noisy affair with lots of laughter and talking. Leon marveled that D's hair now passed his slender shoulders. Lord D said it was common for a Kami who was carrying to have a slight change in appearance. It had been decided that while Lord D cared for D, he would remain at the shop, and when D began to show signs of his condition, Lord D would run the pet shop, and D would try and avoid being seen, so as not to raise questions.

"Alright, that's it, I can't take it anymore." Dee expelled after he had swallowed his mouthful of turkey. Leon grew worried as Dee had a look on his face that was reminiscent of the look he had worn the first night they had met when he had exposed the truth of Leon and D's feelings. "You two are frighteningly pathetic sometimes you know that?"

"Ahhh, Detective?" Count D looked puzzled up at Dee who just frowned at Leon. Leon stood from the table and excused himself and D. D looked confused over his shoulder as Leon dragged him from the room. Andy giggled into her hand. Daphnus rolled his eyes and smiled at Jill, she had done a fair amount of staring at him all evening. Princess Chimera snickered as the door to Ryo and Dee's bedroom was shut with a snap.

"No! No!" Dee sputtered and knocked on his door. "If you two are not out of there in ten minutes so help me…"

"Why are you making such a fuss, he's just going to ask…" Tisiphone began but paused as Dee shook his head.

"You don't those two, within moments, Leon'll have that robe up around D's hips and…"Dee paused and looked around into the curious stares of the children. "Well, Leon would, D would protest…but well." Dee blustered and sat back at the table. "How would like them in your bed?" He asked Nestoir who grinned.

"Thank God that's not possible." Nestoir laughed, "if they could find our bed they deserve to use it." He finished smugly, without Arcadians, they could not reach Arcadia and their true house in Chicago was a long way from L. A.

Break

D looked at Leon and wondered what this was all about. Leon looked scared, and happy, how he had managed to feel both at the same time was a mystery that D was not sure he wanted to figure out. "You know beyond a doubt that I love you right?" Leon asked. "I know that you love me, so I just thought, I mean not just, I've been thinking it for a while, but, well, you and I should, I mean would you…what I'm saying is that…" Leon got down on his knees in front of D and wrapped his arms around D's waist and pressed his face to D's stomach. "Just, please, say, yes." D looked down and saw Leon holding out the small deep blue velvet box. He opened the box and gasped as tears fell down his cheeks.

"My dearest, dearest love," D said and removed Leon's arm and joined him on the floor. He wrapped his arms around Leon's neck and held tight. "Yes…Yes…Yes… I love you, yes." Leon laughed and hugged D tightly. Leon pulled D's left hand in front of them and with shining eyes placed the ring on his third finger. D smiled brightly and stood to his feet. "Come, now, before Dee begins to wonder about what we're up to."

"Let him wonder." Leon said and began to kiss D passionately.

Break

Ten Minutes Later

The bedroom door opened and Lord D looked away from his son embarrassed, as the glow to him was unmistakable. Ryo leaned close to him and whispered tactfully, "Do we need to change the sheets?" D blushed and nodded before he rushed off in search of the dessert.

"Ummm... Cherry flavored," Leon whispered to Dee who sputtered.

"Sick... bad enough you used our bed... but you used our lube…" Daphnus began to laugh uproariously.

"You see Angel…aren't you glad you came, we haven't laughed this much since Andy decided to drive Nes' car and found out what an Arcadian tweaked accelerator can really do." The blond Prince smiled shyly at Daphnus and hid his laughter behind his napkin.

"Oh… you guys." Andy pouted; Nestoir laughed and placed a kiss on his wife's lips.

I know Thanksgiving is kind of gone on by and Christmas is around the corner, but rest assured I will finish the Holiday Spectacular before this weekend, I think.. Please Review and let me know what you think.

(Merry Christmas)

D and Leon re-joined the dinner table and tried to quietly sit and enjoy the many desserts that had been laid out before them. Lord D looked curiously at his son who looked up and smiled. Lord D felt that smile down to the depths of his soul. He surveyed D and noted the ring on his finger. "Child, what trinket is this?" Lord D took his son's left hand and stared down at the ring that glistened in the light of the candles that lighted to dinner table.

"It is a western tradition father," D explained. "Leon wants to formally unite us, for the rest of our lives," D smiled over at Leon who blushed refused to meet anyone's eyes.

"For however long that might be," Lord D said and tried not to dwell on the fact that his son's life could very well be coming to a tragic end.

"Yes," D said with a sad smile. "I am happy father, please do not…"

"You are my child…how could I not?" Lord D sighed, he stood from the table no longer able to enjoy the sweets D looked down at his half eaten mousse and sighed; his father had never shown him affection before, yet now he feared. Could he be so seriously close to death? D blinked and re-called himself to the curious stares that were being directed to him and Leon. D smiled and forced himself not to worry over what could not… Would not be changed. He would have this child, no matter the outcome.

D allowed his hand to be gawked at by everyone and the evening proceeded with lots of laughter and good food. Leon looked at D as he sat with Jill and the Arcadians and talked of the fabulous Arcadian palace and some of their many adventures. He saw the glow to D; his hair had grown in beautifully. D looked up, a smile on his face. The same tender smile that he saved only for Leon was there for all to see, and Leon realized just how much he had to be thankful for.

Break

D breathed in and tried not to shiver in the chill of his father's room in the pet shop. He would never understand his father's love of cold climates. For some reason he could not abide heat and hated the temperatures of L.A. D rubbed his hands over his chilled arms and looked up at his father. The chill was not the only reason he shivered. He felt Leon place a supportive hand on his shoulder as his father instructed him to lie back on the bed.

Lord D looked over his son and sighed, he never thought he would have to do a physical on his own son, especially not this kind of physical. Lord D placed his hand on D's abdomen; D suppressed a startled cry at the temperature of his father's hand. Lord D smiled at D and gently probed his stomach. He pressed down and D winced. Leon looked up and frowned at Lord D. "It is fine, I need to gauge how far along in the process of accommodation you are." Lord D told D. D nodded and held his breath as his father pressed down at strategic intervals along his still flat tummy.

D whimpered as his father found a particularly tender spot. Lord D pressed down and D squeezed his eyes shut. "Almost…done...bear with me," Lord D whispered, and then quickly, before he or anyone could think what he was doing, he slipped his hand beneath D's sheath and felt behind his testicles. D whimpered again and squeezed Leon's hand. Lord D removed his hand and breathed a sigh of relief that it was over. He turned and washed his hands in a basin of warm water. He turned as he dried his hands and saw Leon cuddling D close. With a sigh he turned and left them alone in the room. He could give them the results later.

Break

Ryo stared confused at the body that lay before him. The man was dead, this was for certain, no pulse, no heartbeat, and yet…he had a blush on his face as if he were embarrassed, about being dead. Once a body releases the spirit it grows cold and pale, or so Ryo had always thought. He looked up at Dee and was relieved to see him as freaked out as he was. "I half-expect it to move." Ryo whispered to Dee.

Dee sniffed the air and sighed, "Incense, looks like we're going to China town."

Break

Lord D sat at the table and smiled as his son and Leon strode forward arm in arm. D had begun to wear his hair in a ponytail at his nape as it had grown long enough now to bother him while he worked. "Well," Lord D said after they had sat and began to partake of their tea. "The first physical went rather well. The child is taking it's time before it calls for the accommodations, which means it will be a small child, this is a good thing, the smaller babes that are born usually do not cause the expiration of their parents." D smiled brightly at Leon. While it had not frightened him terribly, the loss of his life, he had wanted to enjoy his child a bit with Leon before he left this world.

"So, he may be ok?" Leon asked, feeling hope bloom in his chest. He was looking forward to the birth of their child, and yet he dreaded it. Lord D nodded, not daring to show the relief that burgeoned in his breast.

Christmas Eve

D smiled at the tree as he watched Chris circle it and look for gifts with his name on it. Although the tree was almost six feet tall, the presents piled up to nearly half the size. Ryo, Dee and Bikky had opted to come to the pet shop for the holiday. It was a merry time; even his father had slipped several packages underneath the tree. D felt tears gather in his eyes, he never thought he could be this happy. His life before Leon was cold and empty. He feared it would always be so, and now. Leon placed a hand on D's arm and pointed upward. D had been so lost in thought that he had not noticed that he was standing under the mistletoe. "Waiting for me?" Leon said and took him into his arms.

"Always," D said and pressed his lips to Leon's, "I think I was always waiting for you, love. I was waiting all my life to love you."

Leon slipped his tongue into D's mouth, he pulled back after a moment, "You don't have to wait anymore, I'm here, and I'll always be here, loving you." D laid his head on Leon's chest and was perfectly content.

Christmas Morning

Chris could hardly contain himself, it was Christmas morning, it was finally here. He ran and shook T-Chan. –Wake up T-Chan it's Christmas. - Chris tripped over Pon-Chan on his way out of his room. Bikky sat up in bed and looked with an amused smile on his face as he heard Ryo and Dee greeting Christmas with surly growls as Chris ran into their spare room. Chris opened Leon and D's door carefully. He peeked over the bed and saw D sleeping on Leon's chest, his fingers curled around Leon's hair that now brushed past his shoulders.

Chris reached out a hand and placed it on D's shoulder. D moaned and snuggled closer to Leon. "Not now, Love, the children will soon be awake," D mumbled and pulled the blankets over his head. Leon opened bleary blue eyes and stared into Chris excited face.

"The children are awake." He said his voice gruff with morning sleepiness. D peeked his head out of the blankets and looked behind him to see Chris smiling brightly.

-Wake up D, its Christmas! - D smiled, he felt his father before he saw him. Lord D stood in the doorway, and motioned for D to follow him. D crawled from bed and followed his father from the room. Leon moved to follow but Lord D shook his head and indicated Chris who watched the proceedings with the curiosity that only a child could show.

Leon nodded and scooped Chris into his arms and laughingly strode from the room. D sat on his father's bed and bore his touches and probes. He winced when he checked for tenderness along his lower abdomen. "Just as I thought," Lord D said. "Soon your stomach will make room to accommodate the child, and then the real pregnancy can begin. I will be here with you throughout, so do not fear. The pain may be great, but if you are calm and try to relax, you should be able to bear it." Lord D said. "Now come, I think we have delayed the celebration of the birth long enough." D smiled tremulously at his father and wished his father had left Q-Chan with him when he returned back to Chicago with the Arcadians.

Bikky and Chris were both sitting on the floor by the tree and the adults had sat around the room on various chairs and cushions. Dee looked up at Lord D and suppressed a shudder. Lord D was worse than Count D when it came to coldly accepting that he had inadvertently caused the death of a person. The pet he sold had indeed killed the blushing man, but according to the contract, the man was not to ever watch the cat while it bathed, and he did and so he died, and so Lord D, could not be held accountable for his breaking the contract and ending up dead, case closed. When he had learned of the death he had merely shrugged and asked for his cat back.

Ryo began to hand out the gifts; he found a large white box with purple trim. He handed it to D and smiled as he read the card. It was from Leon, although he and Jill had helped him pick it out while they were investigating a murder, it would suit D. D opened the box and moved aside the tissue paper, he stared in awe at the white Cheongsam that lay pristine in the confines of the box. The fine silk shimmered with silver threads and a purple, blue and gold peacock covered it from his left shoulder and circled around and would wrap his body and end at his left foot. Further in the box was a sheath with sleeves that would brush the floor when he stood and a silken sleeveless sheath to go underneath. The white pants and matching silk slippers were all there with a jeweled belt to circle D's slim hips. "Leon, it's beautiful, wherever did you get this?" D asked.

Leon blushed, "some store down the street, I wanted to go back and get you another one, but I could not seem to find the store."

"What store?" D asked, his clothes all came directly from China; no store in America would sale such exquisite pieces.

"It was called, That Boutique," Leon smiled, "A lady named Aurora owned it, said she had been waiting for me to come and buy it .She was so darned pleased when we left, then we could not find the store again, no matter how hard we looked."

Ryo nodded, Jill has done tons of searching, but the only listing for it is in a mall in Chicago." D smiled, it seemed The Arcadians were playing around again. He looked down at his ring and remembered Andy's excited chattering as she gushed and planned a February gathering on Arcadia where he and Leon could celebrate their love. She was so pleased about the snow that would cover the palace and make it look like a fairytale that she said D would fabulous in a white Cheongsam and Leon could blue, her husbands court color.

On and on she had went until Nestoir and Daphnus had to drag her from the house and still she had called him over these many weeks planning and asking him for his preference. D smiled, He had never been so happy in his long life as he was at this moment. He looked aver the room with shining eyes and sighed. Leon stared in awe at the Rolex that D had gotten for him. He impulsively kissed D's lips. D laughed into his mouth and grinned as Chris and Bikky made headway thought the pile of Gifts. Ryo and Dee had disappeared behind the tree, D was sure to exchange personal gifts and share a kiss or two. D smiled; briefly before the rest of the gifts were handed out, D wished them all a very merry Christmas.

Owari