Wow guys,
are you excited? cause I am.

Two chapters in two days!

Yay!

haha. what can i say. it's school holidays!

Now please enjoy the ZeroxYuki angst :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight (and if I did I would keep Zero all to myself :P) i'm just playing with the characters for my own personal entertainment.

ENJOY

The sun had finally set into the distance, disappearing behind the hills. It was chased away by the dark night sky that fell like a blanket over the Academy and welcomed the large glowing moon that took its place.

Zero slumped over as he sat on the edge of his bed, resting his head in his hands. His room was dark and still, the only light source was from the moonlight glowing through his window, illuminating his bed. The attack from earlier had passed somewhat, he was now able to think more clearly and reason with himself. He knew what the night now meant. He knew that is was the sign that he had to go out into the school grounds and start patrolling, making sure that the Day Class students wouldn't try to sneak into the grounds while the Night Class are taking their lessons.

He was not looking forward to patrolling tonight, and was seriously considering not going. He didn't want to have to face Yuki. He didn't want to have to go through that all again; hurting her all over again. It seemed like everything he did ended up hurting her, whether he intended to or not. And that frustrated him.

Zero gripped his long silver hair tightly in his fists and tugged hard at it.

Why?

What did I do to deserve this?

I was never a bad kid.

Why did fate decide to be so cruel?

But if Zero didn't go, Yuki would probably come and look for him, and he couldn't risk anything bad happening to her. So he grudgingly decided that he would go, he'd just have to pay extra attention to his thirst –he subconsciously raised a hand and rubbed his neck- and try to avoid Yuki as much as he could.

It took a lot of his energy just to push himself off the bed and stagger upright. With a heavy sigh, Zero grabbed his blazer off the end of his bed and slid his arms into the sleeves. He then picked up his red tie and tied it around his neck, evening out the lengths.

He was now only missing one thing.

He walked over to his chest of drawers and pulled the first draw open. He dug through his boxers and singlets until he found the hard metal that he was looking for.

He grasped his hand around the object and pulled it out of the draw.

His Bloody Rose gun.

The only weapon that would stop a vampire in his tracks.

Usually vampire would laugh if somebody pulled out a gun at them. But this gun was different. Zero placed his finger on the trigger and inspected the gun sideways, reading the side inscription Bloody Rose.

He remembered when Headmaster Cross gave him this gun when he first started out as a guardian for the Academy.

Zero and Yuki were standing in Headmaster Cross's office, just learning that they were to be the Guardians for the Academy and all that it entailed.

"You can count on us Headmaster!" Yuki saluted him with a cheery smile, "We won't let you down!"

"Oh!" the Headmaster rejoiced, "Thank you Yuki. You don't know how proud daddy it of you!"

The Headmaster tried to give Yuki a hug but she side stepped him with an uneasy smile and accidently bumped into Zero.

Zero glowered and crossed his arms. He was not at all happy with being the Night Class's protection.

Out of the corner of Yuki's eye she noticed Zero's expression, and then elbowed him in the ribs causing him to drop his arms and wince.

"Right Zero?"

He glanced darkly at Yuki and rubbed his side.

"Yeah, I guess." He agreed reluctantly.

A grin graced Yuki's pretty face and Zero couldn't help but stare at her.

"Oh my children," the Headmaster cupped his face, "I'm so happy!" He tried to hug them both but Yuki and Zero jumped back.

"Can't you rein him in?" Zero muttered to Yuki. "You're actually his daughter."

"Um ... sorry," she grinned apologetically, and then turned to leave the office, "Bye Headmaster!"

"Please Yuki, call me father." He whined.

She just gave him an awkward smile and then waved at Zero.

"See you at our first patrol tonight!"

Zero didn't reply as she stepped out of the office. But Yuki didn't take that to heart. She was used to Zero's rudeness.

"Before you go Zero," he turned back towards the Headmaster who was pulling something out from his desk, "I know how difficult this must be for you, and I do apologise for that. But I do believe that this may give you another perspective about vampires ... well," he allowed, "I do hope."

Zero shook his head. His view that vampires are disgusting beasts would never change.

Headmaster Cross walked up to Zero and placed something cold and hard in his hand.

"I want you to have this Zero."

He looked down to see that the Headmaster had placed a small silver gun in his hand. Zero held it up to his face and inspected it.

"Bloody Rose?" he asked as he read the inscription on the side.

"Yes," Headmaster Cross said, "It is a very special and unique vampire gun. I want you to have this when you are patrolling at night. Though be aware, you should not use it lightly. While it will do no damage to a human it can be fatal if shot at any vampire."

Zero's eyebrows rose, intrigued.

Headmaster Cross noticed this.

"Now I didn't give this to you so you could go and shot any member of the Night Class that you want to." In his tone was a warning, "I gave it to you so that you are not left completely defenceless if you need to protect yourself."

Zero weighed the gun in his hands.

"Why didn't you give it to Yuki?" Zero asked, suddenly concerned for the young girl's safety. He hadn't thought about what dangerous situations this job might just put her in, "Surely she needs more protecting than I do."

Headmaster Cross laughed, "Do you really think that Yuki would even take the gun if I gave it to her?"

"No," Zero agreed, "I suppose not."

"Don't worry about Yuki," Headmaster told Zero, patting him on the back, "She has her own secret weapon."

They have been doing this job for two years now, and Zero has never had to pull this trigger. He wasn't sure whether he should be thankful for that or not. Though there had been many times out there when he had been tempted to use it. Yuki has always held him back.

Zero swung his arm down, dropping his gun to his side and hung his head, ashamed; locks of his silver hair fell into his eyes. It was too easy for him to lose him temper around the Night Class. Sometimes he wished that he could be stronger, more closed off, so their comments wouldn't get to him so easily.

That is probably why Zero and Yuki were paired together. Headmaster Cross knew that Zero would protect Yuki at all costs –better than anybody else in the Day Class who could be up for the job- and Yuki would be able to calm Zero down if he was about to do something rash.

Strangely enough, Yuki and Zero complemented each other perfectly. Zero felt a strong connection and bond to Yuki which makes them such a unified team.

Zero slid the Bloody Rose into his blazer pocket –tucked his hands into his trouser pockets- and spun away from his chest of draws and strolled out of his bedroom door and made his way to the grounds to start patrolling.

Yuki sat cross legged on her dorm bed and stared at her maths text book with a blank expression on her face. She chewed on the end of her pen, leaving little teeth bite marks on it. She was finding it very hard to concentrate on the equation questions before her. All the numbers and letters were blurring together on the pages, making Yuki's head ache.

With an exasperated huff, Yuki pushed her text book off of her lap and threw her pen down along with it. She closed her maroon eyes.

This usually happens to Yuki. She tries, and tries and tries to study and learn, but she just isn't one of those smart people.

Yuki looked out of her dorm window and into the dark blanket that covered the sky.

Time to go.

She swung her slender legs over the edge and pushed herself off of the bed. She quickly checked that her Artemis rodwas securely strapped to her thigh and hiding under her school skirt. She then walked over to her door and flipped off the light.

Yuki ran into Yori on her way down the dorm corridor.

"Patrolling again?" Yori asked as she passed Yuki to go into their room. She noted that Yuki was still in the uniform while she was wearing her green pyjamas.

"Yeah," Yuki said with a smile, "it's no trouble though, I actually enjoy it. It's peaceful."

"So is sleeping."

Yuki chuckled at her friend, allowing that one, "True." She nodded her head. "Anyway I've gotta get going. See ya later Yori." She gave her friend a wave and then made her way down the corridor.

Yori watched the carefree girl as she walked away. It always seemed strange to her how Yuki was able to be so cheery when she seemed to be working all the time.

I guess Yuki is just one of those people.

Yori gave a small smile and opened the dorm room door, eager to just fall asleep.

Yuki made her way across the Academy grounds and over towards the classroom building. She scanned the surrounding area. It was a peaceful night, with no Day Class students trying to sneak in and catch a glance of the Night Class.

It's going to be a boring night.

Yuki strolled over towards the large fountain that was in the middle of the grounds and sat on the edge of it. She leaned over and dipped a few fingers into the water and swirled her hand around. She flinched because the water was ice-cold, but continued playing with it; trying to make images with the ripples she was creating.

With a small sigh, she lifted her hand out of the water and wiped her cold fingers on her uniform. As she scanned the area again, her heart sunk.

She had really hoping that she would run into Zero. He had left her so confused and worried in the afternoon when he raced away from her so suddenly.

She just wanted to know what was going on with him. She just wanted to take away his pain. She just wanted to help him.

All Yuki has ever wanted was to help Zero.

Even the very first night she had met him.

A young Yuki –much younger than she is now- was playing with a new doll, in her purple themed bedroom, that Headmaster Cross had given her previously that day. She was brushing the doll's long blonde hair with her own hairbrush with a small content smile on her rosy little lips.

It was cold outside that day ... and it was snowing. She could see it from her bedroom window. Yuki didn't like the snow. She had bad memories from the snow. So she turned away from the window and began playing with her doll again.

Suddenly, Yuki heard the front door bang open and could hear the wind whistling and racing into the house. Dropping her doll on the floor, Yuki raced from her bedroom and down the stairs, holding up her green night gown in one hand so that her feet could run faster.

Yuki froze when she got to the last step, her little hand clutched the banister tightly, her maroon eyes widened in shock.

Before her, standing next to Headmaster Cross was a young boy about her age. He had messy silver hair and icy blue eyes. He was wrapped up in many blankets; so many that it looked difficult for him to move. She then noticed that he was scowling.

Was he cold?

It was then that Yuki noticed that blood that drenched the left side of the boy's neck and had soaked into the blankets.

Her gasp was loud and echoed through that front room. She quickly covered her mouth, and with wide eyes stared down at the boy. But that damage was done.

He swiftly shot his head up to look at her and their eyes connected.

Maroon on ice-blue. Ice-blue on maroon.

Yuki, as young as she was, felt the overwhelming urge to go over and envelope the boy in a hug. She wanted to take away all the pain in his eyes, this boy that she didn't even know.

The boy was locked in her gaze and he knew that she was different, that she was special. He tore his eyes away from her and hung his head, looking at the ground.

Headmaster Cross noticed their silent interaction and gave a small smile.

"Yuki," the little girl's head snapped in his direction, "This is Zero Kiryu." He explained, "He's going to be staying with us."

Yuki nodded and saw that Zero's expression did not change, even after mentioning that he was going to be living with them.

"Would you please take care of him?" Headmaster Cross asked, "I have to head out for a little while to sort some things out."

"Of course," she said in a small voice.

She then slowly walked up to Zero and stopped when she was a few feet away from him.

"Thank you Yuki," Headmaster smiled gratefully, "I'll be back as soon as I can." He then walked out of the house and closed the door shut behind him with a dull thud.

Yuki studied the boy, deciding what she should do. The blood was definitely going to need to be cleaned first, she settled.

"Hello," she started in a gentle voice, "my name's Yuki."

He didn't respond and she frowned on the inside.

"Would you ... would you like to get cleaned up?"

Zero didn't move or make any gesture to whether yes or no.

"Come on," Yuki said softly and placed a gentle hand on his back, guiding him to step forward. Zero took a few timid steps and Yuki smiled in victory.

"The bathroom's this way." She guided him slowly up the stairs, being careful not to startle him, and lead him into the bathroom.

Zero stood in the corner of the room, while Yuki ran a nice hot bath.

"Would you like ... to have a bath?"

He made no movement; he just stared at a spot on the tiles.

She realised that she was going to have to clean him herself. He was in no state to be doing anything.

"Can I take off your clothes so I can clean you?"

Again, he didn't respond. So Yuki decided to take that as a yes.

She slowly peeled off each layer of blankets then started to gradually undo his shirt buttons, which she then dropped to the floor.

She wet a washer in the warm bath water and then brought it over to Zero's neck.

"Can I clean this?" she asked cautiously.

She took his silence for another yes, and began to light dab the cloth on his neck, trying to be as gentle as possible so she didn't hurt him.

It continued like this for the entire time she was cleaning him. Yuki took small and measured steps and would always ask his permission in a soft and gentle voice before doing something. She felt that the boy in front of her would breakdown if she didn't.

Pain filled Yuki's heart as she remembered that first night, remembering just how broken and lonely Zero was. It took him a long time before he actually opened up to Yuki and began speaking to her openly, and even after how close they have become after all these years, she still doesn't know what happened to Zero that night before he was brought home by Headmaster Cross.

Yuki pushed herself up off the fountain's edge andbegan strolling around the grounds. She wandered over towards the classroom building and peered up into the large glass windows. There she saw Kaname resting his back up against the glass, holding an open book in his hands. Seeing Kaname made Yuki remember something.

Crap.

Tomorrow was Valentine's Day and Yuki had completely forgot about making Kaname's gift and she didn't have any time to do it know. She slapped the palm of her hand against her forehead and groaned. What was she going to do now?

All of a sudden Yuki heard a rustle in the bushes behind of her and some voices whispering animatedly.

Day Class students.

Yuki rolled her eyes. She then backed up and took a run up and then leapt over the bush, landing on the other side with her knees bent and one hand holding her body balanced.

The two Day Class students, who were giggling from behind the bushes, screamed loudly when they saw Yuki appear out of nowhere. One of them dropped her camera.

A sharp pain shot through Yuki's hand and she realised that she had just landed on a twig that was on the ground. She stood up and shook her hand and then narrowed her eyes on the two girls and showed off her Disciplinary Committee arm band.

"Day Class students," the girls were still getting over their initial shock of seeing Yuki, "you know that it is against the school rules to be wondering around the grounds at night! And not to mention taking photos of the Night Class without their permission!"

"We're sorry!" the girls cried.

Yuki pointed behind them, "You broke the rules. Go to the Headmaster's office."

The two girls tried to argue but Yuki scowled at them.

"Don't think that I won't find out if you don't go!" she called out after them.

Once they left her sight, a satisfied smirk found its way onto Yuki's face. She clapped her hands in achievement.

She snickered lightly, "Another win for the Disciplinary Committee."

"Well, hello Disciplinary Committee."

Yuki spun around to find Aido and Akatsuki standing behind her. She gasped loudly in surprise and held a hand and placed it on her racing heart.

"Oh," she gasped then gave a shaky smile, "It's only you Aido and Akatsuki. You scared me for a moment there."

"Sorry," the handsome blonde vampire gave Yuki a charming smile, "Akatsuki and I just came out to see what all that commotion was about."

The tall red head vampire rolled his eyes at Aido, not bothering to mention that he was dragged out here.

"Just catching some Day Class students," Yuki informed them, "you shouldn't be bothered again tonight."

"But you see Yuki," Aido took a step closer to her, causing Yuki to grow weary, "there is something else that is bothering me."

Yuki took an unsteady step backwards as Aido advanced towards her.

"And what is that?" her voice shook.

"Hanabusa." Akatsuki warned him.

Aido stood still and tilted his head up into the air, taking in a deep breath.

"Akatsuki, can you smell that?" Aido asked him.

"C'mon Hanabusa, let's go."

"But it smells so delicious," he whined.

Yuki's brow furrowed, she was confused.

"What does?" she asked.

Aido's hand snapped out and grabbed Yuki's wrist.

"Aido," she gasped, "What are you doing?"

He flipped her hand over so that her palm was facing up. A trail of red oozed out from a cut on her palm.

Blood.

She must have cut herself when she landed on that twig.

Aido leaned forwards and brought Yuki's palm up to his face and inhaled, causing his eyes to drift shut.

"Delicious." His mouth watered.

Yuki saw his eyes glow red with lust and she shrieked, her eyes growing wide, and yanked her hand out of his grasp and staggered backwards. Her hand immediately went for Artemis and pulled it out and lowered herself into a defensive crouch.

"Drinking human blood on school grounds are against the rules." Yuki warned him through clenched teeth.

"Now, now, Yuki," Aido put his hands up in surrender, but Yuki didn't relax her stance; his eyes were still glowing red, a dangerous sign. "You can put your toy away."

She scowled and pointed Artemis at him, causing Aido to take a step backwards.

"You were saying." She raised an eyebrow.

Aido cleared his throat and put a fake smile on his face, "I was going to say, who ever mentioned drinking blood?" he asked innocently, "I know I didn't."

Out of nowhere, Yuki heard the click of a gun being loaded and in the next second –so fast that her eyes couldn't follow it- she saw Zero appear, holding the Bloody Rose up to a frightened Aido's temple.

"And you aren't going to." Zero voice was low and menacing, sending a shiver down Yuki's spine, "Now get lost before my finger accidently slips and pulls the trigger."

"Zero," a voice called from above.

Aido and Akatsuki immediately stiffened.

Yuki looked up to find Kaname standing on the above balcony that was connected to the building, "Would you please put that gun away, it is quite frightening to vampires."

Zero glowered at Kaname for a moment, then pulled the gun away from Aido and dropped it to his side.

"Thank you," Kaname then turned to Yuki, "I hope they did not frighten you too much Yuki."

"Uh ... no," she wasn't quite sure how to respond, "It's okay."

"Hanabusa, Akatsuki. I shall see you in my room."

Both the Night Class vampires nodded their heads solemnly and trudged up to the building.

"Have a pleasant night, Yuki." Kaname smiled then frowned at zero, "Zero."

Zero kept a blank face as he nodded back at Kaname, not wanting to exchange pleasantries with him. Then he spun on his heels and stalked off into the trees.

Yuki didn't want Zero to escape her this time.

"You too, Kaname." Yuki rushed out and then raced off into the trees after Zero.

Kaname watched as the cute brown haired girl raced from his sight into the trees after Zero. As much as Kaname could try and win Yuki, as much as he truly cares for her ... He sighed, he can't control just how much she cares for Zero. He stared at the spot she had just been standing at and pushed himself away from the balcony. He would try not to think about Yuki for the rest of the night. The key word was try.

Yuki puffed as she raced through the trees, dodging them from side to side. The darkness of night made it difficult to see more than a few step in front of her, but she was determined and kept going. Zero had gotten a slight head start on her, but she wasn't going to let that stop her and she pushed her legs that little bit faster.

Out of breath, she came to rest on a tree. She slouched against it and rested her head back. Her chest was heaving and her heart was beating rapidly in her chest as she tried to catch her breath. She could feel the adrenaline pumping through her veins.

She glanced around in the darkness but she couldn't find any sign of him.

"Zero!" Yuki called out night. Her voice echoed around her but no response came.

Then out of the corner of her eye she spotted a flash of silver hair shoot past her.

Zero!

She launched herself off the tree and picked up her speed. She had managed to find Zero, seeing snippets of his hair and uniform and started chasing his figure through the night.

She then chased him out into the pathway that led straight back towards the Sun Dorms. She could see him clearly now and that only made her more determined. The trees that framed the pathway blurred as she raced past them.

"Zero!" Yuki called out breathlessly after him, but he refused to turn around.

Not willing to give up, Yuki powered through on her slender legs, and because she is so small and lean, she managed to catch up to him just as they entered the Sun Dorm grounds.

"Zero," she grabbed his sleeve, and Zero tried to break free, but she just held on even tighter and tried to pull him back to her, "Stop running from me Zero!" she cried, puffing.

Zero was exhausted and couldn't run anymore even if he tried. So he stopped and bent over, resting his elbows on his knees and sucking in some much needed breaths.

"Stop," Yuki repeated softer this time, while gasping, "Stop running from me. Stop running Zero." Her voice cracked that last time.

Zero's head snapped up when he heard her voice crack. He saw that her wide maroon eyes were swimming with tears. He groaned.

Why are you doing this to me Yuki?

Isn't it hard enough without you caring?

"I want to know ..." Yuki looked at him straight in the eyes, "I want to know what it happening to you Zero. Something has changed in you," she shook her head, "and I don't want you to tell me that it's nothing! I'm not that stupid!"

Zero's face had suddenly turned so vulnerable, the mask started to finally slip off. Yuki had never seen Zero like that before and was stunned to silence.

"Don't Yuki," his voice was pained, "Don't do this."

"Do what?" she asked confused, taking a step towards him, "I don't understand."

"Stop," he moaned, "It's not safe, Yuki."

She was getting to close to him and he could start to smell her blood; her tantalizing ... appetizing ... and delicious blood.

Blood.

That's all that he could think about. How it would feel to press his fangs against her porcelain white skin and bite down, how it would feel to have her warm blood running down his throat, satisfying the burn.

The sane part of Zero shook his head, trying to clear these thoughts.

"Why isn't it safe?" Yuki asked, confused, "It's just you."

That's the entire problem.

"Give it a rest, Yuki." He spat darkly, his hunger was making him more hostile.

"Why?" Yuki exclaimed, hurt by the tone he had taken with her, "Zero talk-"

Zero cut her off.

"Just leave me alone!" He roared his eyes were wild with hunger. He needed to get out of there.

Yuki cringed back at that, and the traitor tears started to form in her eyes. After all these years, Zero had never once yelled at her ... until now. And she absolutely hated it.

She felt sick to her stomach as she watched Zero spin on his heels and stalk away to his dorm room and disappear from her sight.

"It's the best way," Zero had to remind himself through clenched teeth as he forced himself to walk away from Yuki. That was the first time he had ever yelled at her and he could tell how deeply it cut at her. He wasn't oblivious to neither her hurt expression nor the tears in her eyes.

"It's the best way," he muttered so that he wouldn't turn around and rush back to her side to try and take all her pain away, the pain that he caused.

It's the best way.

Once Yuki was able to move out of her frozen state, she walked unsteadily all the way back towards her dorm room.

She felt numb.

She wasn't really thinking. She wasn't really seeing. Just doing, like she was on autopilot. She didn't feel connected to her body.

She hardly noticed that Yori was already sleeping away contently as she entered her room. She just grabbed her pyjamas and made a beeline for the dorm bathrooms, which were thankfully still open. The hot water pulsing from the shower head –that would usually soothe her aching muscles- did nothing for her either. She just stood under the water, letting it drench her entire body, and stared at a spot on the tilled bathroom wall.

After only a few minutes she shut off the water and grabbed a towel and began drying her body off. She pulled on her red and black pyjamas –not caring in the slightest that her singlet was on inside out- and then mechanically brushed her teeth.

She exited the bathroom and padded her way over to her room and to her bed and slid in under the sheets. With her head resting on her pillow, Yuki looked out of the window at the dark night, and the tears that had been pooling in her eyes for the last half an hour, finally started to fall. Yuki rolled herself into a ball and sobbed, pushing her face into her pillow to muffle her bawling.

Zero.

Yuki cried for her friend, for all the pain that he is in, for all that he has been dealing with that she had been blind to all these years. How could she be so blind?

Yuki cried for herself. The need to help him and to be there for him was so strong, so demanding. But Zero wouldn't let her get close to him to help him. True, she may have been too pushy, but she only acted like that because she cares so much, and right then she just felt so useless.

Once the tears had started to flow, Yuki couldn't get them to stop. Her stomach ached from all the sobbing and she was starting to get a headache. But most of all she just felt exhausted. She was physically and emotionally spent.

Drifting off to sleep after that was easy, but just before she was consumed by sleep; Yuki realised what she had to do.

and what did she realise she had to do ...?

Yeah that's right ...

Review!

all my love,
glistening teardrop