Title: The Hardest Choice
Disclaimer: I don't own anything about Vampire Knight
Authors Notes: I'm so sorry this is so late. I had a crazy busy week. I promise that I'll try and get the next chapter up faster. Please review. It's really important that you do.
It snowed so heavily through the night that the next morning classes were canceled. Yuuki spent her whole morning sleeping in. It was such a relief to be able to get caught up on some long needed sleep. It was almost noon when she finally got ready and went out to where the whole school was playing in the still falling snow.
Everything seemed alight. The night class would be safely asleep by now, maybe a little disturbed by the noise, and the day class was more interested in the snow then climbing over the wall to see the night class. She sat high up on the wall watching everything.
She knew that Kaname was watching her. She tried not to look up at the window where he stood, but she couldn't help glancing to meet his eye now and then. The events of the night before still hung around her.
"Hey Yuuki!" Yori waved up at her and she waved back down. "Where's Zero?" She asked.
Yuuki looked around her. She had noticed that he wasn't present, but she just assumed he was getting some extra sleep in like she had. She just shrugged and Yori ran away.
Everything could not be more peaceful today.
The snow made everything innocent and light.
She breathed in deeply letting the cold air clear her lungs.
A startling scream pierced the air.
Yuuki was frozen for a moment, but then got up and quickly sprinted along the wall in the direction of the scream. The day class just watched her go, at first none of them moving. But then they started to follow.
Yuuki got to the scene much before anyone else, and what she saw nearly made her freeze in terror.
A day class girl, not much younger than her, was lying in the white snow. Red crimson blood had sprayed over the pure white making it appear even more red then usual. The girl was dead. A huge area of her neck clearly ripped out.
She closed her eyes, hoping that it was one of her visions. Even though she could smell it, she hoped it was just a vision. She heard the other students coming around the corner.
Quickly she ran towards them, stopping them far enough away so they couldn't see anything.
"You will now all go back to your dorms," she said in a stern voice.
At first they fought, as they always did.
"It seems clear that you should do what she says."
Yuuki looked up at Kaname, his posture tall and calm. Everyone just looked at him in awed silence. The girls hastily bowed and ran off, trying to impress him, and the guys soon followed until it was just the two of them. Yuuki could see the headmaster rushing towards them. Yuuki couldn't move.
Where was Zero?
She looked back at the scene behind her and Kaname was distracted by the presence of the head master.
The smell of blood was everywhere, seeming to suffocate her. She couldn't tear her eyes off of the blood. Her vision began to go red, as if the world was being tainted with blood. She could feel her tears start to fall, and her heart beat madly in her chest. She felt panic start to set it and pressure build up around her. She couldn't move. She couldn't look away. She was trapped in this nightmare and she couldn't call out.
And then he was there.
Zero grabbed her and pulled her to him, away from the sight. She was pressed securely in his warm chest and she couldn't move. His arms were around her, holding her tightly so that she couldn't look at it anymore.
"Look away Yuuki, just look away."
His voice was soft. He was there.
"Just try and focus on me."
She heard Kaname and the Headmaster come up to them. Her body started to shake and she clenched her eyes shut. The vision stayed with her. She pressed herself deeper into his strong hold and felt him hold her tighter. She tried desperately to focus only on him.
"We have to go on full lock down," the headmaster said. "None of the students will know about this."
"I know that the first thought will be of one of the night class, but I assure you that they were all accounted for in their dorms." His voice was smooth as usual, but seemed to hold tension.
"Yuuki, are you alright?" The headmaster asked.
She just nodded furiously as she felt Zero gently caress her hair. He would be able to feel her shuddering and shivering. She couldn't seem to make her body stop. A flash of blood blurred her vision, and she couldn't help a small whimper escape her.
"I should take her inside," Zero said.
"Yes, that might be a good idea. She should not have to witness this."
Zero lifted her smoothly into his arms and started walking through the tall snow towards the headmasters office. She closed her eyes tightly, trying to ward off another vision, but it seemed even her mind was dyed red. She couldn't seem to turn her mind off.
"Zero will keep her safe," the headmaster said.
Kaname let the smell of blood drift over him and he calmly suppressed the urge to feed. He should be the one protecting Yuuki. He suppressed the need in him to go after her.
Zero took Yuuki into the spare room she used when she was staying with the headmaster. Her snow-covered boots were taken off and he hung her coat up on her chair. She was shaking like a leaf.
"Yuuki, can you hear me?" He asked.
She looked far away, like she couldn't see anything around him at all.
"It's just a vision Yuuki, it's not real."
He reached up and caressed her check gently. Her glossy dark hair hung over her eyes, and her brushed it away. She looked stricken, like she had just witnessed a complete horror. Her skin was cold.
Her pulled the blankets around her, pulling her closer to him in the process. He could smell her gentle sent. It seemed to cling to him. He looked down at her, taking in the pale skin of her neck. The two little scratches left by his teeth seemed to leer at him. He caressed them gently, and felt Yuuki shiver under his touch.
"Can you hear me Yuuki?"
"It's cold," she said in a small voice.
Zero moved to sit behind her and wrapped his arms around her, trying to warm her up. She still shivered under him. He rested his head on her shoulder, so close that their cheeks were touching.
"It's okay Yuuki. I know that you can see things sometimes that the rest of us don't see, but they're not real."
"That girl was real," she said in a whisper.
Zero nodded gently, feeling her smooth cheek against his.
"Yes she was."
"It was a vampire."
Again he nodded. "It was."
The vampire that had attacked her all those years ago seemed to leap out at her in her mind, and it forced her to jump back in alarm, and cower in Zero's arms.
He just held her, rubbing her back and arms, trying to sooth her.
"I won't let anything happen to you Yuuki, I promise you that."
Despite what her mind was telling her, she felt safe in his arms. She believed him when he said that he'd protect her.
"Why are you so far away?" She asked him.
Zero looked concerned at her words.
"I'm right here."
"No you're not," she argued softly. "For the last little while you've been far away from me. What have I done?"
Zero couldn't not look defeated at her words.
"Yuuki, I'm not trying to hurt you."
"But you are," she said evenly. "Is it because you hate yourself?"
Zero hesitated. "Yes."
"Why?"
"Because of what I keep doing to you."
She finally looked up at him. Her eyes wide and innocent. She looked so small, so frail in this moment and he knew it was partly because of him. It broke his heart to see the affect he had on her. She still trembled. The fear and torment of the event was clear and obvious in her eyes.
"Every time I bite you Yuuki, I swear it will be the last time. I look at how weak I've made you, and how pale, and I know that I'll never bit you again. But then the thirst takes over inside me, and I can feel myself being drawn to you. The cravings become so much that I can't control myself, especially when you don't fight back. I hate that I can't stop myself."
Yuuki looked up at him silently, not wanting to stop him from this rare occasion. He almost never opened up to her.
"You shouldn't have to bare my burden with me," he said.
"But Zero, I don't hate you because of it."
Yuuki became aware of how close they were suddenly. She was sitting, curled up, between his legs and he had his arms around her, pressing her to his chest. Their faces were so close, close enough to kiss.
"I wish you did," he said sadly. "I wish you wouldn't always forgive me."
"Why?"
"Because I can never forgive myself."
Yuuki leaned her head in to him so that she was resting against his neck. He put his chin above her, so that he was resting his weight on her. They didn't move for a while. But slowly, Yuuki stopped shivering, and the visions had already passed.
"Will you be alright if I go and help the headmaster?" Zero asked.
Yuuki shook her head. "I'm going with you."
"I think you should rest."
"I don't want to be alone right now."
Zero waited a moment, and then got up, lifting her up and putting her back on her feet. She seemed slightly uneasy on her feet still, but she stood stubbornly beside him.
"Are you ready?" Zero asked.
She nodded.
When Zero started walking in front of her, she reached out and gently took his hand.
His hole body seemed to jolt at the contact. Sure, they had been much closer a moment ago, but he was consoling her. Now she had voluntarily taken his hand and walked calmly beside him. He could feel his heart beat in his chest.
They reached the headmaster and Kaname within a few minutes. They were in his office, talking about what might have happened. They both looked up when Zero came into the room.
Yuuki tried not to look at them. She felt foolish and weak for her reaction.
Kaname's eyes moved directly to their joined hands and they sparked with a hidden fire. Zero noticed it, but he just held on to Yuuki tighter, daring the vampire to do something about it. In this moment, Yuuki was his.
"Are you alright Yuuki?"
Yuuki was swept away by his smooth voice and she had no choice but to look up into his eyes. They were both soft and caring, and slightly intense. She didn't know whether to be comforted or afraid of his look.
She nodded.
"Come in and sit down my daughter," the headmaster said gently pulling her towards a chair. She pulled Zero down to sit next to her.
"Yuuki, what was it that affected you so much?" The headmaster asked.
Yuuki felt like everyone was looking at her. She felt the reassuring squeeze of Zero's hand and took a deep breath.
"I was just caught off guard, that's all. Nothing like that has ever happened on the school grounds before."
"No, and they will not ever again."
"We do not yet know what caused it," Kaname said.
Yuuki stole a glance at him. His eyes were fixed on the headmaster. He looked slightly tense. Usually he seemed calm and gentle, but something in his posture made him look harder. It took her a moment to realize that he was clenching his jaw. The strong muscles of his face flexed lightly. He was angry.
Yuuki felt guilt wash over her. Was he angry at her? Was it just because of the girl in the yard? Yesterday he had offered her everything, and she paid him back by clinging on to Zero.
She gently let go of his hand.
Zero looked at her, but he didn't say anything.
They talked about it for awhile, but they couldn't really come up with any possible suggestions to explain the events of the day.
"We need to patrol the grounds more thoroughly, but I'm afraid Yuuki and Zero cannot do it by themselves."
"I will set up guards from the night class," Kaname said.
"Wasn't it a vampire who did this?" Zero said pointedly.
He and Kaname's gazes locked and all at once the room seemed to darken into uncomfortable silence. Yuuki couldn't help but shiver at the sudden stillness of their silent argument.
"It wasn't anyone from the night class," Yuuki said after a moment.
"Good, then Kaname will send some people to help you patrol the grounds. I think that classes will need to be canceled for a few days, until we can be sure that there's nothing out there harming the kids," the headmaster said logically.
"Yuuki, if you do not feel well enough to patrol, I will take you place."
She looked up at Kaname. She new very well how big a gesture he was making. The idea that a pure blooded vampire would patrol for her was almost absurd. And yet his eyes were serious. He was offering to take over for her so that she might rest. She shivered.
"I am fine Kaname, I assure you."
He nodded and stood gracefully up. "I will go make arrangements."
He looked at only Yuuki as he left the room, and she couldn't help but blush at his gaze.
Zero's eyes became hard again.
Kaname left the room.
"We should go patrol," Zero said standing up.
Yuuki nodded. She got up and walked quickly away from him.
Zero watched her go and his expression was pained.
The headmaster watched him and realized what his reaction meant. But when Zero looked up again, no emotion was left in his face, and he went to follow Yuuki.
End of Chapter Two!!!!
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