A/N: Hey guys, Nirianne here. Here's another story following last year's Wintery Regrets. I hope you guys like it. If anybody is curious about this story and its predecessors, why not read it in this order: Last Call, Wintery Regrets and Winter Warmth. It'll give you a better idea than asking me who is this and why is she important. Anyway, happy holidays to you and your families. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Summary: Wintery Regrets Sequel - A year has passed since Kai visited his fallen friend. With a fever burning his skin, his friends never thought they witnessed the day Kai smiled for the first time.
Winter Warmth
Christmas was always the saddest time of the year, Kai mused walking down the snow covered paths of Moscow. Clutching a bunch of lilies in his right hand, he passed by several by standers at the bus stop, rubbing their hands together as the cold breeze grazed their faces. Turning a corner, Kai disappeared behind a curtain of snow. He continued walking and thinking of the things he wanted to say to Viktoria but no sentences formed in his mind. What was there to talk about? A year later Kai had barely changed but others? They changed a lot. Walking across the street, Kai continued to think: Tala was adopted into a loving home any child would have dreamed of while the others continued on with their university studies. Heck, even he was enrolled in university. Listening to the sound of crunching snow, Kai had arrived at the cemetery.
"Here goes nothing," he spoke aloud, to no one.
Pushing the rusted gates open, piles of snow slipped off the curved designs of the gate. Entering the area, Kai saw most of the tombstones were touched by snow. Walking through the snaked cobblestone path, Kai reached the end of the cemetery where his friend slept. Dusting away snow from the tombstones, Kai read the inscriptions on the stone.
"Viktoria," Kai mouthed. Turning to the smaller tombstone, Kai called out, "Snowflake."
Silence. Of course, both of his friends no longer existed. Looking at Viktoria's tombstone, he couldn't help but wonder how she was doing, now crossed over to the other side.
"Hey," he began. "I promised last year that I would visit and here I am."
He blinked, watching the wind push snowflakes to the side. The tombstone remained unmoved. What was he supposed to say? Pausing the conversation, he reached into his shoulder bag and pulled out a bag of cat treats and a warm bottle of milk. Placing down a metallic dish and a ceramic bowl, he poured in the milk and cat food. Standing back up, nothing seemed to change. Strange, something was not right. Last year when he stood at this very spot, he felt as if Viktoria and Snowflake where nearby but right now, all he received was silence.
Brushing hair out of his face, Kai said, "I guess you moved into the light,"
Bowing, Kai turned heel and left the cemetery. Viktoria didn't want to talk to him today, he concluded.
Kai tossed and turned in his bed, battling the fever. His skin burned to the touch as his mind refused to rest. Kai was one to never get fevers but this… this was something else. Releasing a grunt, he tossed and turned feeling his skin set ablaze. His breaths were short and sharp with every inch of his body aching. Leaving the window open, a breeze escaped into his room, caressing his face. Kai abruptly stopped thrashing feeling a warm hand on his cheek. His body relaxed and his breaths returned to its normal rhythm.
"You came," Viktoria smiled, caressing his cheek with her thumb. "You came."
A dip formed on the side of the mattress, by Kai's side. Snowflake materialized onto Kai's stomach and purred loudly, curling into a ball.
"Sorry that I wasn't here today…" Viktoria trailed off. "I didn't mean to ignore you."
Kai moved a hand to his chest. Viktoria reached out to his hand, placing a hand on his. She was saddened he couldn't feel her but she knew he sensed her.
"You've changed so much, Kai. I wish we can talk more but my time is limited… I don't have long before I have to return into the light. Yet, I'm glad to see you."
Kai's eyes twitched, slowly opening to the warmth around him. His vision was blurry, making out a form of a young girl with long blonde hair in a white dress. He blinked again yet the brilliance remained. He wanted to reach out to her but his fingers remained froze on his chest. Yet, all hope was not lost.
"Vik…toria…"
"You remembered," Viktoria spoke.
Kai saw her lips move but no sound was heard. Maybe he was dreaming of Viktoria sitting next to him with the smile she was known for. All of this… was it real or was it part of a cruel illusion he wished for? Kai blinked again, watching the brilliance flicker and fade.
"Kai, my dear friend," Viktoria spoke sadly. "Let me be your strength in battling this fever. This is all I can do for not appearing before you earlier… Please accept my apologies."
Pressing a hand over Kai's forehead, Viktoria concentrated on the fever transferring the unwanted heat into her. Removing her hand away from him, the fever dissipated. Kai, without realizing it fell into deep sleep.
Turning to Snowflake she whispered, "Come, it's time to go."
Floating away from Kai's bedside, his door to his room suddenly opened with the Bladebreakers entering. Nobody said a word when each locked eyes onto Viktoria's ghostly form, hovering close to the window. Tyson's mouth was wide open as Daichi and Kenny's. Hilary was the only one from the group courageous enough to break away, walking towards Viktoria.
Summoning her voice she said, "A-Are you Viktoria?"
She nodded. Hilary moved her eyes to Kai then to Viktoria.
"We've heard… what happened," Hilary began. "He truly feels guilty and—"
Viktoria shook her head. "He doesn't have to be." Glancing over to Kai, she smiled. "I'm just glad that he finally knows what it means to be happy."
The rest of the Bladebreakers approached Viktoria. She especially looked at Tyson who was unsure of what to think, looked behind him.
"Do not worry, Tyson. I mean no ill will."
"Um, thanks?"
"Thanks to you, his eyes opened. No longer was he the once self-centered child. He knows how to laugh, smile and finally be free." Viktoria looked at everybody. "It's because of you guys, his friends. I cannot thank you enough."
Another breeze slipped through the window. Snowflake hopped into Viktoria's arms as she begun slowly fading away. With her last ounce of energy she waved to the Bladebreakers.
"My time is up… Thank you… friends."
Just like that, Viktoria and Snowflake vanished with the wind. The Bladebreakers looked toward each other feeling a wave of warmth wash over them. Yes, it's true; they were Kai's friends. Moving to Kai's bedside, it was one of those rare moments when the world stood still as everybody cherished the quiet moment. Everybody knew who Kai was; a boy once destined to be on top of the world as he crushed dreams made by others. Not once had he considered anybody to be his friend. And here they stood, all of them by his bedside watching him breathe gently with a smile on his face knowing his past sins were now forgiven.