Summary: Alice & Yuri visit Koudelka only to discover that Halley now looks like Yuri and there's a twin sister. Ok, this is not good; especially when the next day dawns and Alice is dead, Yuri and Koudelka are living together and the sister is a fusionist! Rated "R" for I don't know why – it just is!
Disclaimer: I do not own Koudelka or Shadow Hearts; for that matter I don't own the idea! Blame AriesCelestial!
Chapter 1
A/N: Alice/Yuri Shippers beware! You'll hate me. But flame away – we'll do S'Mores!
Alice and Yuri Hyuga pulled up to the old dilapidated house on Castle Street in London just as the sun fluttered briefly on the horizon and then sank into the waves. They had driven into London from St. Albans in Yuri's new car; a beat-up old Ford that the local garage-man had said wouldn't last a fortnight, but had now lasted nearly a year. Night fell with a return to gloom and fog on these early fall evenings and Yuri put his coat around his wife's shoulders, eyeing the thin material of her own jacket with a jaundiced eye. Yes, he liked her clothing; she bought beautiful dresses and jackets; but she refused to buy anything substantial, claiming the weight of the material was uncomfortable. She had a point, at her soaking wet 110 pounds, she was very delicate; at least in appearance, and until one noticed the tell-tale bulge of her stomach. Yuri Hyuga knew she was anything but delicate; however he liked thinking of her as his delicate flower, the woman he protected; the woman he loved, the woman who was carrying his baby. Finding a place park, they left beat-up Ford down the street and they crossed the bridge to Castle Street, pausing to watch the dark waters for a moment.
"Now try not to get into it with Halley, Yuri," Alice said softly as they stood arm in arm watching the water flowing into and out of darkness beneath them.
"What? We only argue a little; he's like a younger brother," Yuri answered with a grin, remembering the last time they had supped together and he and Halley had gotten into a wrestling match on the floor. It had started out as a contest of who's better and quickly escalated; Koudelka had thrown them both downstairs into the cold basement to work it off, telling them to burn off the excess energy in Sharon's pit fights.
"Well, we did get a bit carried away, I'll admit," Yuri finally said, one hand rubbing the back of his neck. "Okay, I promise."
Alice smiled up at her husband and offered her lips, which Yuri obliged to cover with his own, one hand stroking down her side to rest on her distended stomach, fingers splayed across the growing expanse.
'She's mine,' he thought even as she pulled away and, taking his arm once more, they continued across the bridge to the Iasant residence.
The old house had once been a grand dame, but the years had not been kind to her. Two stories tall, with antique roof tiles and ornate window treatments; she would have looked elegant in her youthful days. But now, aged and grey, dusty inside and out, the old house was on its last legs. Why Koudelka insisted on living here, with the two children, as well as Chris and Halley, Yuri didn't understand. There were so many better places to live, even he admitted that. At least Halley had cleared the ground floor entrance. Once boarded over and piled high with debris, there was now a brightly painted red door and a broken lantern at the stoop. Feeble light came from the old light bulb in the lantern and the doorknocker, polished a bright brass, shown in its light. Yuri chuckled to himself at the attempt to impress.
He pounded on the front door, shaking dust and bugs from the doorframe, and Alice, standing behind him, coughed and swatted at him.
"Must you, Yuri? Why don't you just knock like everyone else?" she asked once she caught her breath.
"Why? I'm not everyone else and neither are you." That earned him a scrutinizing look from Alice but, rather than waste her breath, she let it pass with a shake of her head. She knew which arguments she would win, and this wasn't one of them.
A few moments later, the door creaked inward and, down near the floor, a small brown haired girl stood, a stick in one hand and eyes wide with trepidation.
"Uh-oh, it's you, U-uncle Yuri and Aunt Alice. C-come in," she stuttered nervously and tossed aside the stick showing the two adults into the foyer. A once red carpet led down the short hall to the family room, and the stairs, well lit with bulbs, showed the entrance to the basement where Sharon kept her Pit Fighting rink. Yuri smiled with fondness for the little girl and her pit; she could summon some of the nastiest creatures in the world and Yuri loved fighting them. He no longer did it for prize money or even rewards, but mainly for the fun of it.
"Hey Sharon," Yuri said with a grin, gently tugging the young girl's pigtails. "How's everyone doing? Yer mum all right?"
Sharon, eyes wide, nodded, pulled free of Yuri's playful tug, and slammed shut the front door.
"Yup, e-everyone's okay. Mummy's waiting in the dinning room. S-she says to come on in."
"All right," Yuri said, not noticing the girl's nervousness and, taking Alice's arm, escorted her down the hall, for once acting the true gentleman.
Koudelka was seated at a long table comprised of two saw-horses and a plank. The wooden plank was covered with a red cloth, and an ancient piece of lace was placed in the middle, nestling close to the candlesticks. The dishes were mix and match with no two the same but they were clean and the silverware polished and there was even a nosegay of violets set in a glass by the plates for the guests.
"Wow, pretty impressive," Yuri said to Alice. "Well excuse me," he then added when a set of hands pushed him from behind forcing them both to step into the dinning room.
"Sorry, gotta get in," a female voice said and Halley and a young female pushed through with the serving cart. "Hey mom, I think Chris needs help with the stew, she says she burned it," the girl said and Koudelka, sighing, rose and left the dinning room.
Yuri watched as Halley and the dark haired girl set about placing the tureens and bowls from the cart onto the table and he wondered who she was.
'I thought Halley and Chris…' but then Halley turned and smiled at Alice, and Yuri frowned in confusion. Halley's usually light brown hair was darker now, like he had dyed it and, on looking closer, Yuri realized the girl looked just like him. Yuri blinked.
"Yuri, glad you came. Sis will seat Alice," he said and then stared wide eyed. "Whoa, yer preggers!"
"That's pregnant and yes, Halley, I am," Alice said with a smile and let Katie take her to her seat. Yuri stared at the young girl, watching as she helped settle Alice with a pillow for her feet and then stayed to chatter softly with his wife.
"You a… your sister?" Yuri blurted.
Halley looked up at Yuri and chortled. "Yeah, Katie's on her bests tonight, promise. But you already know looks are deceiving," Halley said with pride and then pointed at the girl. "But watch her 'round the silverware. Piss her off and she's liable ta…"
"I do not," Katie said, turning toward her brother and scowling, her dark eyes sparking a flicker of red in the irises. Yuri's heart skipped a beat as he felt a pulse of energy from the young girl and felt a tug from his fusions.
'Who the hell is she?' he wondered but then joined Alice at the table.
He continued to stare at young Katie throughout dinner, watching as the children passed bowls of vegetables and salad across the table even as Koudelka ladled out servings of stew into bowls that each passed down the line. Once Alice got hers she immediately closed her hands over the food and said a quiet prayer and Yuri turned and whispered softly for her to say one for him too.
Conversation was limited during dinner as the children were enthusiastic talkers, overrunning anyone else who wanted to speak. Alice was content to speak with Chris on her right while Yuri was near to having whiplash from looking first at Halley on his left then to Katie next to Chris. The resemblance between these two was uncanny and Yuri remembered thinking they might be twins when he first spotted her. Indeed she had Halley's looks, right down to the upturned nose; but she also had dark hair, matching Halley who, as far as Yuri remembered, was a dirty blond to light brown. And where had the sister come from? He didn't recall Halley ever mentioning a sister, let alone a twin, when they traveled together last year. But maybe in all the fuss, he had forgotten her. But looking at the mirror image across the table Yuri didn't think so.
Yuri tucked into his stew, watching Alice from the corner of his eye as she delicately scooped up a spoonful of stew, blew on it and then put a small amount in her mouth. He mentally sighed, wondering if she'd ever put on enough weight for the baby, and then shrugged; of course she had, he mentally laughed at himself and then looked up to see the radishes rolling across the table from left to right and back in a zigzag pattern. No one was moving them.
He looked up suddenly and watched as the line of red radishes made the circuit of the table and stopped at Halley's plate where he stabbed one with his fork.
"Thanks," he said to no one in particular.
Yuri rubbed the back of his neck with one hand and looked around, pretending to stretch as he did so. At the far end of the makeshift table sat Koudelka with Sharon and Joshua next to her. The two youngest were playing war games with their mashed potatoes and peas, and Joshua had made a mashed potato fort and ran his gravy around the potatoes, spotting them with chunks of meat like rocks. Sharon had made a well of her potatoes and filled it with gravy, making diving motions with her bits of carrots while the peas floated like swimmers in the brown liquid.
Chris sitting next to Katie was frowning deeply, her eyes like beads watching everything Katie did, and Yuri wondered if Chris liked the other girl, as her expression was angry. He was about to turn to Alice again when a cloth napkin walked across the table, dipped itself into Chris's gravy and then splotched it's way across the table to rise up and slap Halley in the face. Halley grabbed the gravy-laden cloth and tossed it down the table toward Sharon and it landed with a plop in the gravy boat.
Suddenly an argument broke out down the table and Joshua and Sharon were throwing food at each other, voices raised in childish ire. Sharon's potato pool was flattened and gravy ran over her plate while Joshua's moat and potato castle wore carrot spears. Halley sat laughing to himself at the antics and Katie – Yuri's jaw dropped as young Katie stood, hands on hips and frowned at the other children. The frown was his own; the eyes, flaring amber then red, were his own.
'How the hell does she look like me,' he thought, then gripped the table as she stomped one foot on the floor and the room suddenly erupted with silverware. Knives, forks, spoons, ladles, empty glasses, half empty plates, the butcher knife from the kitchen, the chopping board as well were flying in the air above the table, circling like vultures over the table, the diners and especially Joshua and Sharon.
"Make her stop, make her stop!" Sharon screamed and erupted into tears and with that the silverware, dishes and butcher block crashed to the makeshift table, piling high in the center and then falling to the floor as the wooden slab split in two and sent the rest of the dishes and plates crashing to the floor. The dinning room was a disaster, food scattered and splattered everywhere and Alice and Yuri sat at their places, looking totally surprised.
Halley, wearing the peas and potatoes in his lap, laughed heartily.
"Told ya she was mean!" he exclaimed and laughed the louder.
"Am not!' Katie yelled even as Koudelka took Sharon's and Joshua's hands and led them from the room.
"Are too!"
"Please stop!" Alice cried in dismay, and Yuri leapt to his feet.
"Shut the fuck up, both of you! Clean up this goddamned mess and shut up!"
Chris rose from her seat and took Alice's hand. "Come on Auntie Alice, I'll take you upstairs; you can rest while they clean up."
"Hey! I didn't—" Halley began then stopped when Yuri's glare threatened to eat him alive. "Okay, okay; but you know she's close to her first Trial. You said so last week and you were gonna give her the big ugly guy," Halley said as he wiped the ruined food off his clothing and onto the destroyed table.
"Her Trial?" Yuri asked turning back toward Katie who stood with her fists jammed against her legs, her whole body trembling.
"Yeah, you said she was due soon; happens to Harmonixers and all. You said you'd give her Death Emperor as her first fusion. Don't you remember?"
Yuri shook his head, puzzled and a little frightened. He felt like he'd stepped from his normal life into – what, a nightmare?
"Um, well, just clean up here Halley. I'm gonna check on the kids and Koudelka." He turned to stare a full minute at Katie before turning from the dining room.
Down the hall and in the kitchen Yuri could hear the sniffles of Sharon and the consoling voice of Joshua. There were a few more coughing sneezes and a hiccup just as he entered and Sharon turned toward him, her deep brown eyes wide with fear.
'No, no, keep him away; he's a bad man, a bad man," Sharon said as more tears burst from already tearstained eyes.
"Wh-what did I do?" Yuri said surprised.
"Just give us a minute will you Yuri," Koudelka said and turned Sharon back toward the sink and a hastily applied washcloth.
Yuri watched the homey scene, wondering if he'd get the opportunity to apply a washcloth to his own child, and then mentally kicked himself: 'Of course I will; we're having a baby, dummy!' Once finished, Sharon walked the long way around Yuri, forcing the young harmonixer to move out of the doorway to let her pass.
"You'd think I was gonna eat her or something," he said. "What did I do?" Yuri pulled a stool out from the wall and sat down looking over at Koudelka's turned back. She had returned to the sink and was placing the remaining dishes into the waiting water.
"You frighten her, Yuri, you know that," she said, not turning around.
"Well I didn't used to. Hell, she used to like me, just last year."
Koudelka continued to place dishes into the sink and not answer.
"Oh for Christ's sake will you turn around and talk to me!" he said, and left the stool to pull Koudelka around at the sink, pushing her back against the rim and looking down into her intense golden brown eyes. "You all are acting really strange," he said, "and who the hell is Katie and why does Halley think she's his twin sister, and why haven't I seen her before?" he blurted out all at once.
Koudelka looked up at him and her eyes sparkled with an inner light that made Yuri suddenly very nervous. He pulled back and let her go.
"Please, Koudelka, tell me. What is going on?"
"You don't remember do you?" she said softly.
"Remember what?"
"Sixteen years ago."
The fusionist scratched the back of his head and moved away from the sink, a puzzled frown creasing his brow. "Sixteen years ago I was orphaned. I haven't forgotten that."
Koudelka took his hand in hers and guided him back to the stool before pulling another one out and sitting next to him, their backs to the kitchen doorway. Behind them, they could hear the voices of Halley and Katie as they argued over the clean up; assorted thumps, clangs and bangs accompanying their jovial efforts. Koudelka held Yuri's hand and looked down at the blunt fingers; it was a strong hand, with long fingers that wore minute scars and calluses from his fighting claws.
"Tell me?" he asked her softly. "Please?"
There was silence for long minutes while Koudelka held his hand. Then finally, "Do you remember being at Nemeton?" she asked.
"Yeah, early last year when we fought Albert and rescued you," he said.
A small smile crept onto her clean clear features, and Yuri noticed for the first time that she didn't have any wrinkles and wondered if she would give some of whatever she used to Alice - for later.
"Last year - but not sixteen years ago?"
"I just said, I was in China sixteen years ago," he answered and pulled his hand from hers. "What is this all about Koudelka? Cut to the chase, eh?"
Koudelka sighed. "I suppose you don't remember because it hasn't happened for you yet," she said.
"What hasn't?"
Koudelka looked up at the tall man sitting on the stool next to her, her eyes taking in his still youthful face, the eyes that always teetered on the edge of reddish amber, and his strong, muscular physique - the same physique that had both frightened and intrigued her once upon a time. "Nemeton Monastery."
Yuri frowned as he looked down at the gypsy woman. "You'll understand when I say yer fulla shit, Koudelka," he said gruffly.
"No, Yuri," Koudelka said and climbed down from the stool, returning to the sink as Halley and Katie brought in an armload of remnants. Yuri watched as the duo made a couple more trips, each time bringing smashed plates, cups, silverware, and finally the table cloth with the remaining food handing in it like a sling. Yuri's stomach growled slightly as he watched them scrape the messy food into the bin.
'Damn an' I'm still hungry,' he thought. 'What a waste.'
Finally, the twins were done and Katie apologized to Koudelka then turned to Yuri, standing defiantly in front of him, her chin turned up and her eyes a mad mixture of dark brown turning to red.
"Sorry, dad; it won't happen again," she said and Yuri could tell from her voice that she didn't mean a word of it, but he nodded dumbly and watched as they left the kitchen.
"Dad? What the fuck is that about? She thinks I'm her old man!"
"That's because you are," Koudelka said.
Yuri felt like ice water had suddenly drenched him and he looked at Koudelka; she stood, her back to the sink and her head down, eyes looking at some spot on the dirty floor.
"You damn well better explain that cuz you an' me never did nothin' Koudelka!" Yuri growled.
"Yes we did; sixteen years ago, at Nemeton Monastery – the day after we defeated Elaine."
"Fuck," Yuri said softly and then rose from the stool crossing the kitchen floor in three long strides. "You ain't lying to me, are ya?" he asked. "You really think we – "
Koudelka nodded. "It hasn't happened for you yet, but soon I think as you are noticing things you didn't before."
"Huh? What the fuck does that mean?"
Koudelka shook her head and her pale reddish brown hair fell down around her cheeks.
"Nothing. Don't worry Yuri. Everything will work out," she said. "Why don't you go upstairs with Alice? Good night," and she turned back to the sink, turning away from the questions she could not answer and the young man who asked them.
"Wait, if I did something ..." he began and looked at Koudelka with confusion. "How do I fix it?"
"Is something broken? Does it need fixing?"
"I don't have any kids, 'cept for the one Alice and me are having."
"Are you so sure of that, Yuri?" Koudelka said with a smile. "Men often don't know if they aren't around."
"Edward Plunket was Halley's dad, not me; and he didn't have a twin sister an' ... an' why does Sharon fear me for god's sake?"
Koudelka sighed. "You are a powerful man, Yuri, demanding; and not always the best father. But you have tried. Now go upstairs with Alice. Good night."
Confusion and anger warred inside for a moment then Yuri shrugged and turned from the kitchen, climbing the stairs to the second floor guest room. He quietly opened the door in case Alice was asleep, peered into the darkened room, saw the mound in the middle of the bed, and knew she was bundled up in the linen. Alice complained of the cold and Yuri was hard-pressed to do much about it except offer his coat and cuddle her closer. Of course, if she would wear more substantial outfits - ah, but Yuri liked the cuddle part so he remained silent on that issue.
He quickly sloughed off his outer clothes and slid into the double bed, its lumpiness a welcome familiarity, having slept here often enough. He moved closer to Alice and took her shoulder in his hand, gently pulling back to bring her within his arms. She was cold. He sighed softly as he breathed in the clean scent of her hair and the warmth of her breath. Snuggling close, he let one hand wander down her side, gently caressing the soft roundness he encountered; there the gentle swelling of full breasts, then the curve of ribs to hips - and the little bulge that was the baby. He let his hand splay open and cover her tummy, the roundness something he wasn't used to and the thought that they had made that little life together ... Yuri pulled her closer, pressing her back to his chest and letting his warmth envelope her. She really did need more flesh on her bones he thought, and gently pinched a fingerful of flesh at her waist. Well, maybe not too much, he thought and remembered the rounding of her hips, and how they were no longer perky, but did still swish in an enticing fashion. He liked her backside, was used to walking behind her just to watch her perky behind in its flouncy skirts; but now, with the pregnancy...
Yuri chuckled. 'She's becoming a wide load,' he thought and gently pinched the nipple of one breast.
"Hmm?" What is it Yuri?" Alice asked sleep muddling her words and her thinking.
Yuri smiled into her silver white hair and kissed her.
"Nothing, just enjoying touching you. You have love handles," he said, teasing.
Alice stiffened a little in his embrace. "I do not," she said, more awake.
"Well, a little. But that's all right; gives me more to love," and he kissed her to forestall her reaction. "I think you are beautiful and I love handling you."
Alice remained silent for a long minute before responding. "If I weren't so warm and cozy, I'd swat you, Yuri. But I won't, because I am; and I love you."
"Ore mo," he said softly and putting his arms around her, closed his eyes for sleep.
Yuri stood in the darkened room, his amber eyes squinting to adjust to the dim light from outside. One of the street lamps was flickering and it played, casting shadow enemies on the faded bedroom curtains. He scratched his head, wondering why he'd gotten out of bed. He looked back at the double bed and the mound that was his pregnant wife, a grin making its way from eyes to lips. He was the luckiest man alive, certainly luckier than he ever dreamed of being. He had not only the most powerful Demon Eyes as his lover, but he had the most beautiful woman in the world as his wife. He felt himself stiffening and he quickly crossed the room to climb back beneath the covers to cover his wife. He straddled her pregnant body, his rough hands cupping the firm yet luscious breasts and his mouth made contact with her lips, scouring down her chin to her neck and kissing the delicate skin. He felt her stir beneath him, her hands taking him and caressing him and he looked down to see the fire igniting in her dark eyes, the sheen of her reddish blonde hair catching in the flickering street lamp.
Yuri blinked. Her reddish hair? Alice didn't have...
He looked again as he pulled back slightly to find Koudelka beneath him, her body responding to his needs and her expert hands giving him shocks of pleasure to match the shock of her presence in his bed.
"What the fuck!" he exclaimed and pushed away from her, falling out onto the cold floor. He looked up to see the flickering street lamp shine on his sleeping wife, Alice stirring slightly as the chill air touched her.
"Oh man, I was dreaming," Yuri muttered and climbed to his feet, sliding back into bed. 'What a fucking stupid dream,' he thought and cuddled close to Alice once more, pulling up the comforter to tuck in around them. Sleep skittered close then took him again with a sigh as the street lamp flickered on the curtains in its own mad dance.
Yuri started awake, hearing sounds outside and realized it was a warning siren; the German's were being a pain and sending planes and balloons in an attempt to attack London and the English shores, but the British military was strong, the country secure and Yuri sighed, wishing he hadn't been awakened again so soon. He straightened the comforter and snuggled down closer to Alice; she felt cold again to his touch and he tucked in the warm blanket and snuggled next to her hair, kissing her neck and smelling her perfume.
Suddenly he jerked back; her perfume was that of death and decay. He looked down at a desiccated corpse, wearing the blue dress he remembered from Asia, its ruffled lace brown with dirt and dried blood, her once beautiful face mummified. With a shout, he grabbed up the corpse and held it to his breast, a scream bursting its way forth from his heart and he cried out in wretched pain, great sobs wracking his body as he rocked Alice back and forth in his arms.
"Oh goddamn!" he cried and came awake suddenly in the cold bed, looking around the darkened bedroom, illumined only by the flickering street light. He closed his eyes a minute, gulping the cool air and waiting for his heart to stop pounding before he turned in the bed. He lifted the comforter and found... nothing.
"Alice?"
The sheets were cold, no indentation showed in the bed where she had laid but moments ago, and Yuri, scanning the dark room jumped up in the bed and screamed.