Summary: Once a loving family, once a happy heart. The darkness seeped in the cracks and tore a life apart. Life has always been easy for Kai and Lily Hiwatari, but what happens when the darkness finally wins in the echo of a bedtime gunshot?

Okay this is my first try at writing fics hopefully it isn't toooo bad well maybe it is but, anyways I hope you all will enjoy it. Plz review J

Lingering Shadows of Fire

Prologue

Chilly winter sunlight fell through the large windows; brightening the room and letting the long slanting fingers of light caress the faces of four children who were happily playing together.

Shouts of laughter filled the room as they merrily knocked each other over and ran around in circles.

The door to the room opened slowly with a loud creak. The children heard the sound and stopped playing long enough to glance at the door. Then they unconcernedly resumed the game.

"Now, now that's no way to treat your father," the man at the door smiled with easy grace. He then put an injured look upon his face said: "Is it Kai, Lily? You two don't want to set a bad example for Mika and Tala do you? They will think that you don't care about me." The man's eyes twinkled with concealed amusement.

Kai laughed and accidentally collided with his father. In a calm voice, he said: "No it isn't Daddy. I am sorry."

The man turned towards Lily took a deep breath and put on his most miserable voice. "Are you sorry, little pumpkin?"

Lily stopped playing and whipped her long golden-brown hair out of her face. Innocently smiling at him, she asked, "No should I be? Is it important for me to be sorry?"

The man laughed at her feigned innocence, and picked her up. "Very," he answered.

"Oh, okay, then I apologize," Lily said indifferently.

"There's my girl. Now who wants some sandwiches?"

Tala, who had been busy tying Mika's hair around the back of her seat, not paying attention to the conversation, grinned roguishly. "I do uncle."

Lily wiped her mouth sedately; addressing him she said, "Since when did he become your uncle? Brat."

"Manners, Lily. He can call me uncle," said her father frowning.

"There's no sense in calling a man who is not your uncle 'uncle.'" Lily shook her head stubbornly at her father, making her point clear. The man began to frown more pointedly.

Kai pinched his sister's arm and fiercely whispered, "Shut up! Or we won't be able to get our hands on that thing you so wanted."

Lily shrugged and to irritate him said in a loud voice, "So?"

"Ugh you are intolerable," Kai muttered to himself.

"I HEARD THAT!"

"Stop bickering you two. Why are my little angels always acting like little devils?" Spoke a voice from the open door, cutting in on their argument.

Lily sighed as she turned around. "Because we are devils Mommy. I guess we inherited it from you- know–who." A wicked grin adorned her features.

The man sighed expressively. "I guess that is a possibility."

The woman came to his side. "Why don't all of you go play outside hmmm? It's nice and breezy, go on I know you all were itching to go outside a little while ago."

Lily rolled her eyes in mock submission, muttering: "I guess whatever you say is law around here. It always is."

Her mother laughed lightly. "You are absolutely right darling; now go tell the others not to forget their jackets it might be a bit cold outside."

"Fine, Mommy. Whatever you say." Lily marched compliantly out of the room.

The man touched the woman's shoulder gently. "Arielle, honey is everything fine? You are very anxious."

The woman shook her head and spoke, her voice tearful. "The plan seems to be failing, Voltaire seems more interested in them than in us. He seems to suspect that something is wrong."

The man frowned. "That's not possible. If my . . . 'ahem' dear father is indeed interested in them he would have kidnapped them by now."

"That's exactly what I am afraid of," the woman whispered, tears glinting in her eyes, "what would I do if he took Kai and Lily away to that abbey?"

"That won't happen as long as they are with us. They are safe, don't worry darling. I am quite sure that Voltaire has no idea about the plan and even if he did he wouldn't dare do anything too openly, it would cost him too much. All his carefully made plans would fall." The man nodded again to reassure his wife.

"I hope you are right," the woman sighed, "for Kai and Lily's sake."

A few minutes later:

Mika clasped her mom's hand tightly as she waved goodbye to Kai and Lily. She felt that she would not see Kai for a very long time.

"But how could that be . . .?" She sighed to herself. It must be one of those odd feelings; that usually meant nothing. She knew she could visit Kai anytime she wanted to.

"Thank you, Arielle for taking such good care of Mika," the girl's mother said, smiling.

"Oh I assure you it was my pleasure," Arielle nodded back. "I hope she had a good time." She turned to Mika. "Well did you have a good time, Mika?"

Mika grinned cheekily, here eyes flashing with happiness. "Yes, Mrs. Hiwatari! I had loads of fun." She looked at her mother with innocent appealing eyes. "Can I come next week too Mommy?"

Her mother smiled down at her. "I am sure it can be arranged, if that's not too much trouble with you Arielle?"

"Not at all," Arielle smiled at Mika. "Mika is welcome here any time she would like to pay her friends a visit, so I guess I will be seeing you next week Mika, hm?"

"Yes, Mrs. Hiwatari," Mika grinned happily, sticking her tongue out at Kai and Lily.

Kai scratched his head thoughtfully gazing at Mika. He let his thoughts wander; they would certainly not be able to persuade their parents to camp out if Lily kept behaving the way she was doing now.

Lily nudged him breaking the stream of thoughts. "I hope you are not feeling too unhappy that she is going Kai-chan," she smirked wickedly. "Or are you?"

Kai glared at her. "NO, I am not who would be sorry to see a girl going? Especially a fussy one like her."

"Is just me or do you seem a bit interested in her, darling brother?" Lily said in a disdainful voice, an evil glint appearing and disappearing in here eyes in light speed.

Kai grinded his teeth, "Why you-"

SLAP!

"Hahaha! Missed me! Missed me! Even your aim sucks darling brother, is it affected by you-know-what???"

Kai growled threateningly. "How dare you . . .?!"

"I dare what Kai-san – think like that or tell the truth about stuff?'"

Kai smirked. "Anyone who thinks like that has gone soft in the head."

Lily smiled. "Aww, bad boy Kai. It's not good to tell lies now, is it?'

Kai taunted right back, "look who's lying little sister! Better shut up because if Mommy heard you then you would be in big trouble."

Lily threw her head back and laughed mirthlessly. "Who would be in trouble I wonder?" she said coldly.

"You kids better get inside for lunch, immediately." Arielle shouted in between their rapidly heating argument.

Their father laughed. "Last one to the table is a rotten egg and will be serving us lunch as well."

Kai and Lily smiled wickedly at each other at the mention of the challenge and raced for the door.

The man groaned putting his head back on his chair. "Ouch my back hurts. You kids are fast, no doubt about that!"

He grimaced. "The shame; being beaten by your wife and your kids!"

"And you are not even that old daddy dear," Lily interjected, "double shame."

Their father hung his head in mock embarrassment and donned on a waiters apron.

Later on that night:

Arielle gently rocked Lily and Kai to sleep, humming an Old Russian lullaby.

BANG!

The man jerked his head up astonished. "What the hell is going on?"

The door flew open and two men with loaded guns came in, followed by none other than Voltaire Hiwatari.

"My, my son," he sneered. "You haven't even prepared a welcoming for your old man; don't tell me you didn't know that I would be coming?"

Arielle gazed fearfully, but defiantly into Voltaire's eyes. "What do you want, you-"

"You know very well what I want, Arielle," Voltaire coldly interjected, "and so does your darling husband." He turned to his son. "Don't you, son?"

The man held his head up boldly. "Enlighten me, dear father."

He silently motioned Arielle to try and sneak out with Lily and Kai.

"Such insolence," Voltaire smirked. "It would be better if you were more cautious with your words my dear boy. They could lead to your undoing."

He lifted and positioned his gun. "Then again, maybe they already have." A sadistic grin appeared on his aging features.

Bang!

The bullet flew and entered his side with a thump. He clutched it as blood spewed out. Teeth clenched as the pain radiated in waves, he shouted out to his wife. "Arielle, run!"

With speed born out of desperation she flung herself to the door holding Kai and Lily. Suddenly, she felt a gun pressed against her back and heard Voltaire's vicious whisper in her ear.

"Where are you going? Taking your charming little family with you, my dear?'"

The gun dug in deeper. "I planned on taking my grandson and granddaughter to a long vacation where they would not be molested by their parents."

Arielle let go of Lily and Kai's hands and silently pushed them towards the door as she turned around ready to meet the gun.

Both of them understood and even as they heard the gunshot and the thump of a body hitting the floor, they closed their ears to the sound and ran towards the door that would take them outside.

Kai opened the door; he could here his sister's barely suppressed whimpers. Her whole body was shaking. He firmly grasped her hand and as he did so he felt an excruciating pain on the back of his head and amid panicked shouts and tightening of fingers in his hand, the world went black.

Lily struggled in her captors grasp but hopelessness pervaded her senses as they both were led to room their parents had died in. The stench of fresh blood rose and she saw Kai shaking his head, coming round. Tears fell like tiny hot rivulets upon her cheeks as she saw the still forms of her parents lying on the ground surrounded by a pool of darkening blood. She felt her captor release her and bewildered she looked at him.

Voltaire smirked at their predicament evidently enjoying the pain he was causing. "Don't you two want to say goodbye to your parents?" he sneered sadistically. "They seemed so eager to let you go so soon."

Lily took a few hesitant steps towards their still forms and heard Kai follow her. Kneeling beside her mother she heard her mother whisper haltingly – as if she was using the last of her strength to form the words.

"Lily, Kai take care of yourselves. I . . . I love both of you . . . Nothing in the world can change that . . ."

Lily grasped her mother's arm tighter and her tears fell on her mother's cheek she felt Kai's hand pressing her shoulder, shaking with stifled sobs.

Her mother's hands closed tighter around hers as if she felt their sorrow and as she continued to speak, crimson blood trickled out of her mouth. "Remember . . . I . . . will always love you, no matter where I am . . . Don't ever forget that Lily, Kai . . ." Then she went still.

Lily felt her mother's grip go limp and the world around her went cold. Both her father and mother smiled at her and Kai for the last time and whispered one last thing.

"Don't ever give up."

The words rang in her ears as their eyes shut. They left the world . . . left both of them alone in the vast darkness forever.

Hmmm that was a bit sentimental towards the end well I hope you enjoyed it; again plz review until next time toodles!!!!! P.s. I know my writing sucks but it should, I mean it will grow better in time J