WoM- This is my first (And most likely, only) entry in the Vampire Knight fanfiction. It's just a quickie that wouldn't leave me alone, so I decided to get it out. I don't own Vampire Knights or it's plot and character, so please refrain from suing me.

Full Circle

He had been staring at the girl for nearly half an hour now.

Ever since her brother had explained the situation and left, all he could do was sit there and stare at the tiny girl sitting on the couch opposite his chair. She hadn't said a word since she got here, just sat on the couch staring blankly at her feet, which couldn't even reach the ground.

Such a fragile little thing…

Sighing, the ex-hunter drained the last of his drink, and collected the dishes as he stood up. A part of him wondered why he agreed to this. He had no experience with children, after all, and there were a million and one vampires who would fight each other to the death for the honor of caring for a pureblood even for a single night. So what on earth was the girl doing in his house?

Oh yeah, that's right, her mother. The kindhearted Pureblood Queen who'd changed his life. She was the one who told her children to come to him if anything were to happen to her and her husband. And that was exactly what her son had done, leaving his sister in the ex-hunter's care while he went back to try and do something about the mess those greedy rebels had made.

He should've said no when the boy asked him to care for the girl, but he couldn't. He couldn't leave her child alone and in danger, not when she had put her faith in him to protect the girl from anyone who might hurt her. He couldn't say no to that, especially when the girl looked so much like her mother.

Even after all these years, nothing has changed… He thought wryly as he headed to the kitchen with the dirtied cups and plates. He was forced to stop though, when the back of his shirt was caught by something. Turning around, the ex-hunter was mildly surprised to see the girl was the one holding him. He hadn't even heard her move… Frowning softly, the man tried to figure out what the problem was, realization hitting him like an anvil when he saw that her hand was trembling and her large, red eyes were filled with an anxious fear.

Please stay. The child seemed to say without ever opening her mouth. I'm scared to be alone right now, so please don't go…

"It's okay, I'm not leaving you." He told the girl in the kindest voice he could muster. "I was just going to wash the dishes. You can help, if you want." After considering his words for a moment, the girl nodded mutely, but didn't let go of his shirt as she followed him into the kitchen. After he set the dishes in the sink, the ex-hunter grabbed the dish towel off of the ring it had been hanging on and presented it to the child, who blinked up at him in confusion. "I'll wash and you'll dry, okay?" The girl hesitated a moment longer before silently accepting the towel, earning a nod of approval from the older man before he went to work washing the dishes.

Other then the running water and the melodic clinking of the china cups and plates, the room was silent as the ex-hunter and the vampire child toiled over their chores. When the last plate had found its way back to the cupboard where it belonged, the man gave a sigh of relief. Turning back to the tiny vampire in his midst, the man frowned when he saw her studying her feet again, her red eyes veiled by chestnut bangs.

"It's getting late." He said casually to break the somber silence. "Let's get a bed ready for you, okay?" Hopefully, everything would make sense in the morning, after a good night's sleep. Heading purposely for the kitchen door, the man had his hand on the knob when a small, shy voice made him pause.

"Will they be okay?"

Surprised, he turned to look at the girl, who stared back at him with pleading red eyes, her hands clenched into tiny fists at her side.

"My mommy and daddy… They're gonna be okay, right?" she asked softly, a tinge of fear evident in her voice. "Akira's not telling me anything. He just brought me here and told me to behave. Th-they're not gonna die, are they?" the man hesitated a moment, debating with himself on how to answer.

He didn't want to tell the girl that things looked bad for her parents, that the likelihood of her ever seeing her parents again was low. That Shirabuki pureblood had joined together with those greedy nobles in order to try and upset the current reign of power to her favor, according to what the boy had told him, and his mother didn't dare bring her newborn daughter out of their home. It would be the same as leading a lamb to the slaughter. That's why she begged her elder children to come to him, to stay safe as she and her husband fought against the dangerous odds. If those two only had themselves to worry about, the situation would probably be better, but with a helpless baby to consider…

Sighing roughly, he forced himself to stop considering these sort of things. This girl and her well being were his greatest concern right now, she was trusting him with her children. Walking over to the little vampire, he knelt down so that the two of them were eye-level, tousling a pale hand though her hair.

"I don't know how things will turn out." He said honestly. He wasn't going to lie to the girl, not about something like this. "But I will say that your parents are some of the strongest vampires to ever live. I've fought with your father enough times to know that he's not a man willing to lose, especially when his family's on the line." Rubbing away an unshed tear, he forced the girl to look at him, to see and hear the sincerity of his words. "Have some faith in your parents. They won't leave you alone if they can help it." Red eyes widened at that, before the little girl's gaze returned to the floor, her fingers entangling themselves in his sleeve.

"…Thank you." He wasn't sure what she was thanking him for, but felt that asking her to clarify would be invasive. Instead, he stood up, taking the girl's tiny hand in his own.

"Misaki, right?" he said, studying the girl who now refused to meet his gaze. "Let's get that bed ready for you now. Your parents wouldn't want you up all night worrying about them. Get some sleep, we'll find out what's going on in the morning. Your twin should be back by then, too."

"I understand." Kuran Misaki responded quietly, smiling shyly at the man. "Thank you for your hospitality, Kiryuu-san."

"Don't mention it." He sighed, leading the girl out of the kitchen. "Let's get that bed ready for you, okay?" Though she did not say anything, Misaki obediently followed Kiryuu Zero down the hall to the guest room, her stoic calmness and maturity that belied her youth making the hunter-turned-vampire think of Kuran Kaname. Zero frowned at the thought of a little Yuuki look-alike with Kaname's personality, disturbed in spite of himself.

Still… Zero thought as he watched the girl closely as they walked. Knowing that she's Yuuki's daughter, there's no way I can leave her alone. A humorless smile came to Zero's lips as he realized the irony of the situation he'd been placed in.

Even after all these years, he still couldn't turn his back on the girl who meant so much to him.

WoM- Yes, I am mean. I already know this, so don't bother telling me again. And just so you know, I don't really care about VK pairings one way or another, though I did think there was a certain irony to be had if Zero was forced to take care of Yuuki and Kaname's daughter, which is where this was born. I doubt I'll ever expand on it, I just wanted to get it out in the open.