Promises and Pledges Lost.Daydream

Summary: Yuuki finds an old fairytale book and reads 'Little Red Riding Hood' with Zero. She looks back on their promise from a long, long time ago. Zero has to decide how to protect her amongst the darkness of their lives.

Disclaimer: I love Vampire Knight and all of Grimm's Fairytales but I own nothing but the plot!! :)

Note: This is my first fanfic ever! It kind of got out of hand, so I have no idea what I've ended up with - the title and summary are pretty vague O.O Please R&R! :) Aaahh!! My story is in your hands!! Enjoy!

Promises and Pledges

'Little Red Riding Hood went walking by herself, all alone in the deep, dark forest. She was visiting her Granny's cottage, with only the hood on her back to protect her from what lurked in the darkness. The bundle of goodies she was delivered hung around her arm, swinging, going swish, swish, swish.

As luck would have it, the Big Bad Wolf had found out about Little Red Riding Hood's visit, and there he was, waiting for his chance to eat the goodies, and to eat Little Red Riding Hood.

Little Red Riding Hood was in big trouble when she arrived at her Granny's cottage in the middle of the woods She knocked on the wooden door and took a peek inside. There, on the bed, was Granny. Or so she thought.

"Hello Granny! Look, I've brought you some goodies!" said Little Red Riding Hood happily.

"Oh, hello there my dear. How are you?" said the Wolf. It was the Big Bad Wolf in the bed, and he was trying his best not to be found out.

"Why, what big ears you have Granny!" she said.

"All the better to hear you with, my dear," replied the impersonating Wolf.

"What big eyes you have Granny!" she said.

"All the better to see you with, my dear," hissed the Wolf.

"And my! Granny! What big teeth you have!" she said.

"All the better to eat you with!" he snarled and leapt out of bed. The Wolf had eaten Granny, and now, he was going to eat Red too!

But luckily, a good woodsman came along, and with one great big chop, he stopped the Wolf and saved Granny. And without the Big Bad Wolf, they lived happily ever after.

The End!'

Yuuki sighed as she read the last few lines of the story, and continued to stare at the colourful illustrations. The Big Book of Fairytales had been a Christmas present from long, long ago, perhaps even before she had met Zero. She no longer feared the dark, nor its secrets. Vampires and the world of the Brothers Grimm were more reality to her than the books she lugged around all day. She lived in the world's darkness, knowing more about reality than most. And restless and bored, while cleaning out her drawers, she had stumbled upon this precious memorabilia.

"'Let's read it one more time, for old time's sake!'" Zero piped in. "Isn't that what you said? And that's what we've done. Can I go back to sleep now Yuuki? II don't usually go for the whole, 'Let's read a picture book, just because I found it and thought that maybe, just maybe, the book fairy snuck in and changed the ending!' " Zero was sleepy, and sarcastic at that.

"Gomene, sorry!" said Yuuki, smiling sheepishly. "But it's been ages since we read this as a bedtime story. And it wouldn't feel right if Zero wasn't here with me."

Zero refused to comment, staring out the window with his typical steely gaze. Who could blame him? To have a girl stumble into their room at 3 a.m. on one of the few days they got to sleep, just to read a fairy tale, who wouldn't be ticked off?

Yuuki continued, "Don't you remember how scared I was of the Big Bad Wolf?" Zero could sense the sudden chill Yuuki felt when she said that name, so quietly, so timidly. He gazed at her, wondering, and his eyes gazed softly, sadly. It was all too familiar, like a bad dream that wouldn't go away. There really were monsters that went bump in the night, in the middle of nowhere. Yuuki's eyes reflected a snowy day, an unknown day, a terror that would nevergo away. They both knew all too well that there weren't always 'happy endings' for those entangled in the web of the Big Bad Wolf.

Yuuki straightened her back and made an attempt to unclench her hands. Exhaling, she placed her hands firmly onto her crossed legs. She wasn't going to lose her composure then and there. "But you promised you'd be here to protect me!" Yuuki flashed Zero one of her cheeky grins, but a deep kindness and understand lay beneath it. Even in complete darkness, Zero knew that he would always be able to see Yuuki's bright, pure smile. He would always make sure of that.

"And I was so happy, just with that!" Yuuki smiled, and yawned. Her eyelids had been slowly drooping, and she was already leaning against the wall. Sitting on Zero's bed, backs to the wall, they continued their nostalgia. Yuuki further leant into Zero's pillows. After causing so much trouble, it looked like she was going to take his bed away from him too!

"Don't you remember what I asked you when you said you'd protect me?" she slurred, dreamily.

Zero looked upon her tired figure. Still so fragile, yet still so feisty. Yuuki, although years older, continued being such a child. Giving her an old story, one he remembered so well, as a lullaby wouldn't be that bad. Perhaps, like he used to say, perhaps, like he used to hope, it would chase away all of her evil dreams of the darkness and of not remembering.

"'What would you do if I ever got caught by the Big Bad Wolf?'" muttered Yuuki, a fragmented line from her precious childhood memories. She was barely able to keep her eyes open.

Zero was ready to leap into action if she slumped to sleep. But he wanted to give her something sweet to think about as she slept. Something for her to be reassured that he hadn't forgotten, not about what he had said and promised her.

" 'I'd be there to protect you, idiot, so you'd never get caught by him!' " Zero whispered. He hadn't forgotten that, and he chanted his lines, as though he was in a dream. Yuuki, as a child, had been so frightened by the story. He remembered her hand taking his, trembling, and her eyes struggling to hold back her weakness, her tears. It was so like her. Back then, he could not grasp the reason why. Zero had felt that familiar pang, defenceless as he stood idly by as she relived her fears.

"And then you got it into your head that I'd fail miserably in protecting you, and you kept asking, 'But what if I really did get caught? What would you do?' You were so annoying back then, you know!" Yuuki's eyes no longer tried to resist sleep, and she sunk deeper into Zero's pillows.

Gazing at her once again, softly, kindly, he barely whispered, "You haven't changed from back then, you foolish girl. My foolish snow." Zero would never criticise Yuuki for being 'Yuuki'. She had overexherted herself again, and try as she might, she could do nothing but succumb to a sweet sleep. Here was his Yuuki, taking on the world, doing everything she could, everything she could, to help everyone, to make everyone else happy. And yet when the darkness came, she was the one who needed the most help, the most kindness.

As he lay her more comfortably, he tucked away a loose strand of her hair. "Don't tire yoursef out needlessly. There are those who need your smile more than most. So, don't hurt yourself Yuuki. Don't ever become sad."

Yuuki was now resting her head on Zero's shoulder. "Mmm." She gazed dreamily into his eyes, and he stared back, carefully, lovingly. "And then you said… And then Zero said-..." Yuuki trailed off into her dreams. And then, there was silence.

" 'As long as Yuuki is happy, as long as Yuuki is safe…' " He would never forget. When he had said that, and when se had smiled so brightly, how could he ever forget?

Zero exhaled a long, deep sigh. He could make out Yuuki's faint smile, and he knew that there would be no nightmares for her tonight. Resting his own head against hers, he barely whispered, murmuing the last few lines of their precious memories together.

" 'As long as Yuuki is happy, as long as Yuuki is safe, I will always, always look after you.' "

…Even if it costs me my own happiness. Zero would never back away from his promise, his pledge to that warm-hearted child. If it was for her sake, he would go to the ends of the earth and back again. Whatever it took of him, whatever it took from him.

I will strive to save this fool. For she has always saved me from the Big Bad Wolf, from myself, with that smile of hers.

Zero continued gazing calmly at Yuuki's sleeping form; her eyes, her lips, her breathing, her heart's beating, her neck, her blood. Zero's eyes hardened.

Before the Beast comes out, before the Wolf devours me, I must continue to save her. But soon, how long will it be before I must protect her from myself? How long until, to protect this innocent child, I will have to destroy myself, her protector? Before I devour her blissful smile whole.

And with another gaze, soft and lingering on Yuuki, he embraced her and lay her down to sleep.

He would deal with the Beast within him in the morning. Perhaps then, he would have the strength to pull the trigger. For her sake, he couldn't wait any longer, but he couldn't abandon her so entirely either.

Gazing at her, taking her in one last time, he closed the door and stole away under the cover of darkness.

So as not to abandon her, so as not to destroy her.

It was the force that had pulled the two together that also tore the two apart. And Zero gazed one last time at her window, at his window, and then turned his back, as though forever.

… 'As long as Yuuki is happy, as long as Yuuki is safe, I will protect you.'

… 'As long as Zero is safe, as long as Zero is happy, he will always be there. I will always protect him.'

And Yuuki's breathing kept rising and falling, thinking of that one phrase that kept her going, kept her smiling. And her slow deep breaths kept rising and falling, like the fragile falling snow.

… To protect her from the Wolf.

… To protect him from himself.

… I will always be there to save her.

… I will always be there to save him.

And so the snow fell until the morning.

Author Note: I am such a big fan of Yuuki.xx.Zero, as you can now probably tell.

Such a random piece. :) This is what happens when schools don't give enough homework ... Tee hee!!

I'll write again soon!! :) AAHHH!! I can't believe this is my first fanfic ... Soo nervous !! :S

I hope you enjoyed it!!

.xx. Lost.Daydream .oo.