Author's Note: Vampire Knight is a series that I never expected to like, even though I've been intrigued by vampires since I was a little kid. I figured I'd reached my limit of vampire fiction for the time being, especially stories with human/vampire love triangles – and yet despite that, I started watching the VK anime and found myself hooked from early on in the first episode. Eventually went on to read the manga, and honestly this series has been on my mind constantly ever since. To this day, I can watch the anime or read the manga from the beginning again and be just as entranced as I was the first time. That's why, when an idea for a fanfiction finally came to me, I had to write it, even though there's people who will probably be cursing my name for starting yet another multi-chaptered story. (Sorry, guys!)

Pairing Warning: This is, and always will be, a Zero/Yuuki story, and I'll warn you in advance, it's going to take more than a few chapters for them to get together. They will get together, and I'll do my best to make it believable, but you're going to have to trust that I know what I'm doing and be patient. Enjoy the story, enjoy whatever cute things happen along the way, and enjoy the journey to them falling in love because personally, that's what I enjoy most. And if you're looking for them to be making out by chapter five, for smuttiness and lemons, this story probably isn't for you. I'm saying this all now, so that you guys know what you're getting yourselves into when you start reading this story. ;)

Disclaimer: This will be my one and only disclaimer, and will apply to all future chapters. Vampire Knight does not belong to me, now or ever. This is a fanfiction, by a fan, for fans, and that's all there is to it.

Intertwined Destinies
A Girl Named Blessed

- Prologue -

Pulling the hood of her cloak up over the waves of her hair, Juuri Kuran stepped out into the cool winter's night. The child slumbering peacefully in her womb would arrive soon, and when that day came, neither she nor Haruka would have the freedom they knew now. Haruka, Juuri thought, bringing her hand to her throat. She knew he would scold her for leaving the house when she was meant to be resting, but this was something that couldn't wait. Forgive me. Without a second glance behind her, she fled.

The snow crunched loudly beneath Juuri's boots as her feet guided her along the familiar path into town. On several occasions the pureblood paused, shielding her face from the harsh wind for a moment's respite before continuing on her way. When the trees and snow drifts finally faded into the distance and the street lamps of civilization grew nearer, Juuri cradled her stomach in her hands and sighed. By human standards it was late into the night; the backstreets and sidewalks were empty except for a handful of businesses that still had their lights on, hoping to tempt customers inside from the cold. Juuri hurried past each store window, knowing it was only a matter of time before Haruka came looking for her. She smiled fondly. He was a persistent fool, one that had often got on her nerves during her adolescence – but she loved him.

Several feet ahead stood a young girl with loose blonde curls; she didn't appear much older than ten or eleven, but she glided with the sophistication of an adult, not at all perturbed by the fact that the sun had been down for hours and she was wandering the streets alone. The only trace of emotion she allowed through her mask was the glistening of unshed tears in her cobalt eyes.

Juuri hesitated, drawn to the sorrowful child that she quickly recognized to be a fellow pureblood. After contemplating for only a few seconds, she stepped toward the young girl, a kind smile gracing her lips. "It's not often that I come across one of my own kind here. Most make a point of avoiding this town."

Gripping her fur coat tightly around her, the young girl turned her gaze upon Juuri. "Is that because they are afraid of the vampire hunters?"

"Aren't you?" Juuri asked.

"No," the girl said softly. "My worst fear has already become a reality. In comparison, those who hunt us like beasts are nothing more than little lambs." Though her expression remained passive, there was a note of pain and longing in her voice that washed over Juuri's kind heart, pulling on all the right strings to make the elder pureblood want to wrap her arms around this child and never, ever let her go.

Instead, she asked, "What is your name?"

"Sara Shirabuki."

Juuri's eyes widened. One week ago the vampire society had been devastated when two of their precious purebloods committed suicide, leaving behind a single descendant of the Shirabuki line.

"Aren't you going to tell me how sorry you are for my loss?" Sara asked, tilting her head. "It's what everyone says, but they never mean it, not really. All they care about is blood, and ours is the purest elixir of all."

Stepping forward, Juuri brushed a strand of hair away from Sara's eyes. "I care nothing about your blood," she said, placing her hand on the young girl's shoulder. "And I am sorry for your loss."

Sara jerked away from the contact, mouth opening and then closing again. Before Juuri could apologize, Sara ran into the older woman's arms, tears flowing freely down her cheeks at last. She choked back a sob, clutching her fists tightly against Juuri's dress. "I don't understand," she cried. "Why… why did they leave me alone?"

Blinking back tears of her own, Juuri bent down and pulled the sobbing girl tightly into her embrace. It was the only thing she could do, for no kind words could console a child grieving the death of her parents. Our existence is a blessing and a curse, Juuri thought, stroking the young girl's hair. We're gifted with immortality, but at what cost?

After her tears subsided, Sara pulled away from Juuri's arms, unable to meet her gaze. "I apologize," she said, her expression emotionless once more. "Such behaviour is not permitted of a pureblood."

"Sara-sama!"

Both vampires turned to see a middle-aged man running from across the street toward them. Juuri tensed, shielding her stomach with her hands – but as the man drew nearer Juuri realized he was not a member of the senate. She relaxed, arms falling to her sides.

"You shouldn't wander off on your own like that. You may be a pureblood, but you're still just a child, and there are many who would take advantage of your vulnerability," the man scolded, placing his hand on Sara's arm.

"I'm sorry," Sara said. "The atmosphere in that place… was suffocating me."

The man sighed, shaking his head. "Be that as it may, as the last of the Shirabuki's, you must be more careful. You're lucky to have only run into Lady Kuran." The man turned then, dropping into a small bow before Juuri. "Thank you for watching over my ward."

"Of course," Juuri said, smiling. "But could I maybe ask a favour?"

The man straightened his posture. "Anything!"

Few people knew of Juuri's pregnancy. To explain her absence at all the soirees, Haruka told anyone who asked that Juuri was travelling, something she had enjoyed greatly before they were married. It was a necessary lie easily accepted by the vampire society, though it meant Juuri keeping out of sight for long periods of time. She suddenly felt relieved that her stomach had not grown much – it was easily hidden by her dress. "Please don't tell my husband that I've returned early. I want it to be a surprise."

"Certainly, Lady Kuran," the man chuckled. "Your secret is safe with me. We should be returning to the soiree ourselves – come along, Sara."

A sigh of relief escaped Juuri's lips as she watched Sara being led by her guardian back to that evening's soiree. She only hoped the aristocrat kept his word not to mention her presence in town to Haruka. She had already wasted too much time talking to Sara Shirabuki, time she didn't have. Hurrying through a nearby alley, Juuri made her way to the next street over. Her steps thudded heavily against the tiled stone until finally she came to a stop in front of a tall apartment building. Abandoned for several years now, the building didn't serve much use to anyone these days. Juuri quickly climbed the steps and entered the building. Walking down the hallway, she began to sense his presence – the one they called the vampire without fangs. It took only moments to reach the end of the hall and enter the room where they were supposed to meet. She closed the door behind her and lowered her hood as she turned to face Kaien Cross.

"You're late," Kaien remarked. "Your message to meet here sounded rather urgent."

"I don't have much time," Juuri said breathlessly, stepping forward. "Haruka–"

"–is at the soiree in town, yes, I know. But why the secrecy?"

"The struggle between humans and vampires has reached a stalemate, but a new player is about to be born," Juuri cried, resting her hand on her abdomen. "My child… I have seen what the future holds for her, bits and pieces of what her life will become. Haruka knows this, it's why we've kept my pregnancy a secret from the senate… but there is something he doesn't know, something I can't bring myself to tell him." She blinked as tears slowly began to spill over.

Kaien stared at her for a moment before drawing closer and placing an arm over her shoulder. "You should sit down and rest for a moment," he advised, guiding her to a torn armchair in the corner of the room. "Haruka would be angry if he knew I let you go traipsing through the snow in your condition. Now, what's all this about your child?"

"We cannot protect her from the influence of the senate forever," Juuri said, hugging her arms around herself. "The day will come when Haruka and I… we will die."

Kaien smiled then, kneeling in front of her. "Your kind is not born with an expiration date like us mere humans, and you're almost impossible to kill. I know – though it feels like a lifetime ago, I tried to kill both you and Haruka once."

Despite her worries, the corner of Juuri's lip lifted. "Don't tell me you've become so blind since leaving the hunter's association that you actually believe the Shirabuki's death was a suicide. If ending our own lives was really that simple, I'm sure that my kind would have become extinct by now." How many purebloods lied down in their coffins, never to rise again? How many sacrificed their lives to free their children from the curse of immortality?

The smile on Kaien's face faded, replaced a grave expression that revealed his own concern of the matter. "It would appear that someone is trying to set the fight between our races in motion once more," he said, standing. "Though who is moving, and what they hope to achieve, I can't say. But if you're afraid your family may become a target–"

"I'm not afraid," Juuri murmured, rising to her feet. "For three thousand years I have lived and I have watched the world around me change while I stayed the same. I've never wished for death, but I will not fear it. To protect the precious future… we would sacrifice our very existence. The moment I learned I was pregnant, a terrible feeling of despair was born and I realized that day was coming."

Kaien reached forward and grabbed Juuri's hand, giving it a small squeeze. "Then I will just have to find a way to protect all of you. I won't let anything happen to the precious people who gave me peace and hope during the darkest hours of my life."

"I can't let you do that," Juuri protested, pulling her hand back. "There is only one person in this entire world that I would trust with my daughter's life. Do you understand, Kaien Cross? If what I've seen and what I feel in my heart is truly inevitable, I want you to take my daughter away before her existence is discovered. What she does with her life after that is her choice – as long as she is free from the games and politics of our kind." Juuri grabbed the hand that had gripped hers so tightly only moments ago, and brought it to her heart, eyes pleading. "If we should die… will you protect her, like you would protect us?" Will you love her, as if she were your own flesh and blood?

Kaien looked into her eyes for a long while before he finally answered. "I will."

Sighing, Juuri released Kaien's hand and lowered herself back into her seat. "You don't know how much this means to me," she told him, pressing her hand to her forehead. "Maybe I'm just afraid because of what happened to Kaname, my poor sweet baby. If Haruka knew I came here tonight, I'm sure that's what he'd say… but the images flashing in my mind don't seem like the result of grief or stress. I see her every night in my dreams, my unborn child, and she is so beautiful and sweet, like a ray of hope in our cursed existence. It was never like this before."

"Times are darker now."

"Yes," Juuri agreed. "Sometimes I wonder if Haruka and I were wrong to bring a child into this world with the way things are now. And now that I've seen what her life could become… I guess I'm a little frightened."

"You've never believed in destiny," Kaien remarked. "What changed?"

"You're wrong," Juuri said, smiling then. "I've always believed in destiny – but I believe we make our own. When Haruka and I decided to try and have another baby, this was the fate we chose for ourselves. Whether we live or die doesn't matter. All I really want… is for her to also have a choice."

Kaien walked over to the only window in the room, staring down into the street. The glow from the streetlamps below reflected in his glasses, shielding his eyes from view. The only thing that hadn't changed about the ex-vampire hunter over the years were his eyes, Juuri mused. In them she had always been able to see what he was thinking; there had been times when he'd pointed his sword at her heart, killing intent radiating from his very being, but in his eyes Juuri had seen the truth: he had no reason for living. Loneliness, despair, and a misguided purpose were all he believed his future held, all it could ever hold. The day that finally began to change was the day they agreed to work toward a brighter future, one that would end the war between humans and vampires once and for all. So many years have passed, and nothing has changed except for the viewpoint of one hunter.

"You aren't going to tell me what you've seen in that child's future, are you?" Kaien asked suddenly, turning to face her. "The thing that's got two purebloods from the powerful Kuran lineage so spooked?"

Juuri looked away, unable to meet his gaze as she rose to her feet and walked toward the door to leave. "She will have the power to alter the course of this war. That is the only certainty I've seen." The door clicked shut behind her, leaving Kaien alone in the dark.

Author's Note: Whew, finished! I really enjoyed this chapter, surprisingly enough, and I hope anyone reading this enjoyed it as well. I know Juuri probably seemed a bit strange, particularly while talking to Kaien about Yuuki and the vision that she had. When I think about her having a vision, it's not like a clear picture where she sees okay, you do this and this will be the result of that. The future is always changing, and I think if we could see into it, it would be very confusing and nothing would be certain. Kind of like when you're listening to the radio, but there isn't a good enough signal and it cuts in and out between different stations. Juuri is seeing pieces of different possible futures, and there is also a feeling she has on a more instinctual level that she simply can't get rid of. Also, as far as her character's concerned, I've always pictured her personality as being a lot like Kaien's: they can both be completely silly and ridiculous (and Juuri in particular can be a bit crazy) but they have their serious moments too, which is what was shown in this chapter for Juuri especially. Next chapter will be present-time!