A/N: I'm sorry it took so long to update. I've been so busy, especially with my Yu-Gi-Oh! GX fanfics, and I haven't had a good idea for awhile. Basically, I got lost in my own tangle of complexity. I hope I won't have to remember it all to continue writing this. Because, believe me, this is the absolute hardest fic I've yet to write. Anyway, I'll try to continue it for a bit. I hope I can finish it! XD

Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight.

Chapter 4:

Yuki made her way down the hall, silently walking alongside Zero. For the past several minutes since they'd separated from Kaname, they had failed to utter a single word to the other. The silence was oppressive, the tension unbearable. She knew he was hurting badly.

Finally, she tried to break the silence. "Zero, I'm sorry. I couldn't help it."

He looked over at her, his eyes lacking any warmth or emotion. "It's all right. I can't blame you for anything."

"Are you mad at me?"
"There's no reason for me to be."

"There's plenty of reason for you to be." She argued softly, feeling insecure. "You had me first. I gave myself to you."

"So what are you saying?"

Feeling increasingly frustrated, she answered, "I don't know. All I know is that now, because of Mizuki, we're in a mess. And I don't know where any of us stand anymore. I care about you, but now…I have to form a lifetime partnership with Kaname…and I don't know how to feel about it. I don't even know if this is what I want. And as much as I tried to avoid this conversation with you, it's time that we were open with each other."

Zero seemed less than pleased as they positioned themselves outside the gate. "It cannot be put off any longer, I suppose."

She shivered in the frigid air and wrapped her arms around one of his, clinging a bit to him for warmth and support. "I'm so anxious about this whole matter," she confessed, "Nothing is going as I'd like it. At first, you were like my little brother, in a sense, now…I don't know what we are anymore. Is this so wrong?" Her warm brown eyes searched his cold silver ones for an answer. "Is it so wrong to feel this way?"

"Feel…what?"

"Love." She whispered the word, as though it were dangerous to be spoken aloud.

His eyes widened a bit. "Love? For who?"

She fell silent, only looked down at the snow. "I…I love Kaname in a sense, yet I also love you, in a different way. And I can't quite figure out which is true love, or even if it is love at all."

"Well, Yuki, the truth is…I've always been attracted to you. I don't know what it is about you…maybe your childlike manners, your innocent naiveté…I don't know. It's just…you."

Blushing, she looked up at him. "Remember, Zero, I gave myself willingly to you. I only allowed Kaname because it was necessary. I've already been bonded to you…what can I do now? Are you not allowed to partake of me anymore?"

"I'm not sure."

"It's not that I don't like Kaname," She explained, leaning her head against his chest and trembling, "It's not that I don't want to be with him…I do. But I also want to be with you, and I know that's not right. But I can't help it. And I don't know who to choose. I don't know what to do."

Zero gazed down at Yuki, uncertain of how to respond. "I don't think we're supposed to be together at this point. I swore my inferiority to Kaname, thus surrendering all that is mine, including you. It can't be helped. I hate this…but we have no choice. I would fight for you…"

She gasped. "You'd fight Kaname for me?"

He looked down at her coldly. "I'd do anything to keep you. For the time being, I must do what I must do. But once this ordeal is through…"

"You would dare to think of turning on him?" Yuki gasped, mortified.

"I wouldn't think twice on it."

They fell into silence again. Finally:

"Kaname must not know of this. We shall continue in secret." Yuki murmured.

Zero seemed a bit surprised. "You're not going to turn me in?"
"I could never." She admitted, leaning up and brushing a bit of his hair out of his face. "But tell me this much; do you have anything to do with this madness? Do tell me the truth."

"I have nothing to do with the matter." He told her, "I couldn't. My duty is to maintain order at Cross Academy, not disrupt it! And this is a matter between Kaname and me; it does not involve the rest of the student body. Why get them involved anyway?"

She only nodded, a bit relieved, yet still suspicious. "You have held Kaname at gunpoint before. Tell me, would you kill him?"

"If I had to."

"I see."

Silence.

"Zero?"

"Yes?"

"Why must you take it to such extreme measures? Settle it like gentlemen. Kaname would, you know. There's no need to become so violent."

"When it comes to vampires, I trust no one."

She sighed and huddled closer. "Is it really worth it to risk your integrity and life for my sake, just so you can have me?"

"In some cases, yes."

"You're crazy."

"I'm not crazy; just crazy in love."

Silence reigned once more.

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"Do you see that, Hayato," Mizuki hissed wickedly, laughing softly, "The girl is with that mongrel! That means Kaname is wide open."

"Peace, brother, there is no need to be so hasty. We must wait."

"What are they doing, anyway?" Mizuki seethed bitterly, "Can't they see they're no match for us? That girl is so weak…she's useless! Basically, it's two against one."

"Don't jump to conclusions. Your rash actions were the ones that got us in this predicament in the first place." Hayato told him, calmly sharpening a knife. "We must not strike yet."

"Then perhaps we should start from the bottom up, with Senri and Takuma as the first targets. After all, they're in charge of the underground operation against us, as our spies have observed."

"Don't be so foolish. That's what he wants us to do! That would send a warning signal to him. No, he's already suspicious. However, he only knows you are against him. He doesn't know of me… But…besides, what if it's a set up? What if it's a distraction to keep us from striking Kaname? They could be decoys…it's too risky. They might know they're being spied upon. We can't be sure in our actions until we get the entire story."
Mizuki frowned. "You would wait until the world ended to make a move! You're too careful. Those who are too cautious never advance in society."

"And yet those who cast all logical thought into the wind grow even farther behind. At least those who are cautious are secure in their position. Those who take a step forward too soon end up taking two back. You only fall farther behind."

"Silence your idiotic words of wisdom!" Mizuki shouted, sending a sharp blow across his brother's cheek. "You fool! If we can't work together, then nothing shall be accomplished. So I suggest you cease your incoherent prattling as the wise men do and focus on the situation beforehand. Have you not one ounce of common sense in that empty head of yours?!"
"Strange. I was about to ask the same of you."

"Why, you incompetent little--I should put an end to your life for your slander!"

"Mizuki, try not to be so loud--"

"I will not listen to you anymore. You are no brother of mine. Neither are you the boss of me. I'm tired of waiting. I want to strike now!"

"Mizuki, don't!"

It was too late. Mizuki leapt through the freezing night air silently, landing softly behind Zero and Yuki, not even ten feet from them. Hayato shrank back, realizing that nothing could be done except for to elude himself. If the plan were to continue, he would have to switch gears.

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"Zero," Yuki was saying, clinging tighter, "I don't feel so well. I have a strange sense, as though something is wrong."

Zero stiffened. "You're right," He murmured in a low voice, "I feel it too."

"I-I'm scared." Yuki dropped her voice to a near whisper, "I can feel death coming stealthily on us…"

"Ordinarily, I'd try to calm your fears, however, I cannot deny that I have the feeling as well."

"What should we do?"

"Wait."

"Wait no longer," Mizuki thought, raising his dagger, about to strike upon the unsuspecting couple, "The time has come."

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Kaname sat in his study, a feeling of apprehension grasping him so tightly, he could hardly stand it. Sighing, he shifted in his seat and looked anxiously out the window. Once more, he attempted to redirect his focus back on his book. At that moment, there was a sharp knock on his door.

"Who is it?"

"It is I, Takuma. I have urgent news concerning the underground operation."

"You may enter." Kaname granted, although he felt uneasy. Reaching under his chair, he wrapped his long, elegant fingers around a gun.

The door opened, and Takuma entered. Kaname stiffened. This did not smell like Takuma. Could it be that looks were deceiving?
"What is the news?" Kaname asked warily, his hold tightening around the gun which he'd now concealed in his jacket.

"Everything is in place, my lord," Takuma told him, "We're ready to take orders. What is your command?"

"I have none. You weren't supposed to be finished until next week. I thought I told you not to rush the preparations but to take your time to make certain all was well. What has happened to speed up the process?"

"It didn't take as long as we'd originally speculated." Takuma responded. "Don't worry, all is thorough, I assure you."

"I don't believe you."

"What?"

"I said, I don't believe you. Prove it to me."

"But…sir…"

"Prove it!" He snapped, growing unnaturally enraged.

Takuma seemed taken aback. "Kaname-sama…why are you behaving so coldly and cruelly towards me?"

"You're not Takuma." He seethed through his teeth, pointing the gun at him. "Tell me who you are and what your business is."

"I tell you, I am Takuma. And I only wanted to inform you about the condition of the underground--"

Kaname shot, causing the bullet to barely miss him. "Tell me the truth."

Takuma' s gaze grew cold. He seemed unfazed. Finally, seeing that Kaname was unconvinced, he smiled wickedly and began to clap, his voice growing deeper. "How perceptive, Kaname. The rumors I heard of you were true."

Kaname's eyes widened as Takuma transformed into a tall man with long, silky raven hair and eyes blue as the ocean yet dark as the night. "A shapeshifter…" he whispered.

"Did you really believe that we were only a legend? Feast your eyes upon the truth."

"The Kiroki…" he gasped, "So it is true?"

"Yes," the man smirked, "And I can assure you that pathetic weapon can do you no good. It can only harm vampires. But I have achieved a new state, I've advanced beyond that! Don't you see what good assimilation research can do? Ah, the new levels I can reach! Just try and kill me, Kaname, you'll see the task is impossible."

Kaname opened his mouth and closed it.

"That's right, Kaname, you're through." The man pulled out a communication device. "Carry on with the plan. Stage B is completed, I have him hostage…and soon…he'll be dead."

The man laughed as he put it away. "Well, well, it appears you have no escape this time. Your luck has run out."

Kaname's brown eyes widened as the man produced a gun. "But…"

"It's been too long." The man muttered, aiming.

A shot rang out from the Moon Dormitory. Silence filled the air once more.

A/N: Mwahahahaha! Cliffhanger! I'll try to update more often, promise.

Next time: The bloody revolution begins.