A/N:i got four reviews, so...at least four people want me to put another chapter. here it is.

You Could Be Happy by Snow Patrol was my inspiration for this. you guys should listen to it. it's a great song.

Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight nor any characters associated with it. I do own Suzue Amaya and the two OCs (vampires) in this chapter.

Bloody Rose

It barely takes her two days to realize her mistake. She's at work, busing tables, when she comes to the realization that makes her nearly drop everything. She stands perfectly still, afraid to move, afraid to breathe.

I made him leave. Oh God. I've done exactly what she did. I abandoned him.

Her boss comes into the back, demands to know what she's doing. She rips off her apron, tells him she quits, and runs out of the restaurant. The job is not important. The apartment's not important. He's important.

She can't find him. Panic begins to rise in her. Where is he?

Oh, God. If he's killed someone... He wouldn't. Zero wouldn't.

If he kills himself, I swear I'll just-- She stops, pausing in the middle of the sidewalk. People moving on either side of her glance her way, but if she notices, she doesn't care. She hangs her head, hides her face from passerby with her long hair. She stares at her feet with wide eyes. What will I do?

Like with so many other questions, she doesn't have an answer.

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She arrives on campus of Cross Academy in the middle of the night. Her hands are in the pockets of her long jacket, and her fingers lightly touch Bloody Rose, which Zero had left behind. Reassured, she strolls confidently. There is a faint breeze. A vampire is suddenly in front of her. His hair is blond, spiked, and his fangs gleam brightly in the darkness as he smiles.

"Well, hello," he says.

"Let me pass." Zero taught her never to back down. They take weakness, they use it. Zero and Yuki had had advantages; Zero was a vampire himself, and Yuki was connected to Kaname, the president of the Night Class. Suzue Amaya, as a human, has none such advantages.

"I'll let you pass if you play with me a little." The vampire licks his lips.

She draws her gun, holds it to his forehead. "I'm not in the mood for games, I'm afraid."

The vampire's eyes widen. He recognizes Bloody Rose.

"Now, I don't know about the new Prefects or Guardians or whatever they're being called now," Suzue hisses, "but I will shoot you. Kindly move out of my way."

Wind whips her hair back gently as more vampires appear, circling her. She recognizes none of them. All the ones she went to school with have gone. The new ones seem to have no restraint. One of them steps forward, his black hair long and wild. His eyes remind her of Kaname.

"What mess have you gotten yourself into now, Shio?" he says.

The vampire in front of her glances toward the one speaking. "It's not my fault. I thought she was a snack."

The Kaname-look-alike has his hands in his pockets. He speaks in a nonchalant manner, as though the young vampire's actions don't bother him in the least. "What would the Headmaster say, Shio? He wants us to co-exist peacefully with the humans."

"I know that," Shio snaps. "But those blood tablets are horrible, Rinji-sama. They don't slake the thirst at all. This chick was just asking to be attacked, walking around at night alone."

Rinji, who Suzue could easily assume was the new Night Class president, spoke to her. "Your appearance suggests you are not a student."

Her gun hand doesn't even twitch, though her mind is in a turmoil. Adrenaline pumps heavily through her veins. "I graduated two years ago."

He bows slightly, a smirk on his face. "My apologies, senpai."

The honorific is only used to mock her. "I'm here to see the Headmaster. Or would you prefer I just shoot him?" She uses her free hand to gesture at Shio.

"No need for violence, senpai. If you are a friend of Headmaster Cross, we shall not restrain you." Rinji's voice is level. "However, it would be in everyone's best interest if you first lower the gun."

This is wasting time, she thinks in a panic. He could have left by now. He could be gone by the time I even get to the Headmaster.

She pushes past the vampire, Shio, with her gun, tucking it safely into the pocket of her jacket. Once inside the building, she runs. Bursting through the doors of the Headmaster's office, she is relieved to discover that, although it is nearly midnight, Kaien Cross is at his desk. He looks up in surprise.

"Suzue?" He blinks behind his glasses. "What are you doing here?"

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"I'm not accustomed to having you in my office, my dear." He pours her a cup of tea and chuckles. "Well, yes I am. Usually, however, you did not come willingly."

Suzue gives a strained smile, well aware of the rule-breaking antics she had been brought to this office for when she was in school. "I don't suppose you've spoken to Zero recently?"

The Headmaster gets a sad look on his face as he considers her question. "No, I can't say I have. He hasn't contacted me since he left. It's my understanding that you two left at the same time. Did you not keep in touch?"

Kaien's choice of words, nor the twinkle in his eyes, are not lost on Suzue. Her face goes red. She knows that he knows. The Headmaster never was very good with keeping a poker face.

She avoids his eyes. With a knowing smile, he gestures towards her neck. "The bandages made it obvious, Suzue."

Her hand goes to her neck, where she had wrapped long lengths of white bandages in an effort to hide the puncture wounds from the man who had just a few days ago been her lover. She had thought that the high collar of her jacket would have hidden it.

"He needs to feed, Kaien-senpai," she says. Something in her wanted to call him Headmaster, to regain the years where all she had to worry about was detention for getting caught putting fruit punch in the fountain. "If you know where he is, please tell me."

"I can't do that, Suzue." He folds his hands together. "He told me not to."

She leans forward in her chair. "So he has been to see you! Please, tell me where he--"

"He doesn't want you to find him."

For a moment, she just sits frozen, her eyes very wide. Then she suddenly explodes. Bam. Her hands slam onto his desk and she stands up, her face furious. She buries the pain inside, focusing only on the anger.

"What do you mean he doesn't want me to find him?" she asks dangerously.

"He doesn't want you anywhere near him--"

"I don't give a shit what he wants!" she hisses, leaning forward until she is so close to the Headmaster that she can see her reflection in his glasses. "I refuse to abandon him. I don't care what he thinks of me. I will not be like her!"

The silence that follows proves that the Headmaster knows exactly who she means by 'her'. "You're only human, Suzue. If he feeds from you again, you'll die."

"If I let myself allow him to become Level E, I'll die," counters Suzue fiercely.

I don't care if he doesn't want me for more than my blood. He can't become that...that... She can't finish her own thought. I won't let him.

"It's not up to you," he says sadly, and that's when she notices that he has already resigned himself to what Zero will become.

Why has everyone given up on him?

"If he doesn't want to be found, Suzue, you will not find him."

With a wordless shout, she turns on her heel and exits, slamming the door behind her. For a long while, Kaien stares after her. He takes off his glasses and rubs his eyes tiredly. I wonder if I should have told her how he feels for her, he thinks. No. That would only have made things more unbearable. With a sigh, he turns off the light.

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I won't give up on him. I won't! The tears sting her eyes as she hurries around the campus. She is searching, but she starts to realize she will not find him. The Headmaster is right. If Zero does not want to be found, he will not be found. She stumbles over a tree root, cries out as she feels her ankle twist, and leans on the tree. She sinks to the ground slowly, as the invisible knife in her heart twists deeper.

I can't save him. I can't do anything. I'm just fooling myself to think I could help.

Laughter travels to her ears. "Back so soon, senpai?" comes a mocking voice.

Shio is but three feet from her. She closes her eyes, to his immense surprise.

"Do what you want, vampire," she says. I don't care anymore.

"It's no fun when they don't struggle," pouts Shio. He saunters toward her. "Oh well. I'm too thirsty to care much."

He grabs a fistful of her hair, tilts her head. Her pale neck is exposed. He licks his fangs in anticipation. Dimly, Suzue registers that if he doesn't kill her, she'll just become a Level E herself. Her fingertips brush Bloody Rose in her jacket pocket and she smiles. No, she won't. She won't let it get that far. If she lives through this vampire's feeding, it will be a simple matter to place the barrel to her temple and pull the trigger. Little effort. She resigns herself to her fate as the vampire places his sharp fangs to the skin of her neck.

A/N: good chapter? continue? stop?

feedback appreciated everyone.