AHA! I'm going to get better at updating sooner... well I'm gonna try. Writer's Block doesn't help that much though... D: But anywho! Here it is, chapter four. I hope you like it! Again a HUGE 'thank you' to all who have been fav'ing and commenting on my story, I truly appreciate it! :) HAPPY READING!

(p.s. I do not own these characters, they belong to the very talented Matsuri Hino)

Chapter Four

Ruka helped Akatsuki unload his car. It hadn't taken them long to find the groceries. Akatsuki had run around the store, with Ruka always by his side. He didn't let her out of his sight. She felt a little peeved over his little trust in her. Did he honestly think she would run off? Surely he would expect her to have a little self-restraint.

"Ruka, are you coming?" Akatsuki's voice disrupted her thoughts. Looking up, she saw him standing on the stairs with the majority of the grocery bags. She looked down at the two bags she had picked up. She felt her cheeks burn with shame, she had been so wound up in her thoughts that she had forgotten to help Akatsuki.

"Sorry." She mumbled hurrying behind him. Keeping her head down, Ruka made her way to the kitchen. Akatsuki took his time behind her. He could hear her frantically trying to find the right place for the contents in the bags. Knowing Ruka, he didn't want her to feel he was judging her while watching. He smiled at a memory so long ago,

~ "Akatsuki, look at her! She's doing it all wrong! Tell her she's doing it wrong!" Hanabusa shrieked. His baby cheeks were flushed with anger. Akatsuki stared back and forth between his cousin and the little girl. He didn't see what was wrong. It looked like she was making a sand castle in the sand box… what was wrong with that? Surely it wasn't a bad thing.

"I-"

"NO! She's doing it all wrong!" The little girl stood then, little hands flew into fist and rested on her hips. She scowled at Hanabusa.

"I'll make my castle anyway I want Aido-kun!" That said, she sat back down and continued her building with an old cooking pot. Ignoring his fuming cousin, Akatsuki silently made his way over to Ruka. He stopped in front of the sandbox and offered her a shell that he had been holding.

"Do… do you want to use it?" he was surprised she had heard him. She looked up at him, her brown eyes wide. They sparkled as she smiled and accepted the shell.~

He wished he could see that smile again. It had been so long since Ruka was truly happy. If only to see that smile again, Akatsuki would do anything. Sighing, he figured he had given her enough time to finish. He ambled into the kitchen and found her sitting on the counter. One of the leftover biscuits from this morning was in her hand. Honey glistened and was spilling over her delicate fingers. Her face was calm.

"There you are! You certainly took your time." The innocence was spoiled when she spoke; the mask was on again. Akatsuki didn't say anything, but merely shrugged. He came around to the fridge and started unpacking. Frowning, Ruka slid off daintily, still holding her snack.

"Well, I'm going to explore my 'cage'. If you should need me, I'm sure you'll have a better idea of where I'll be than I will myself." Head held high, she grabbed a napkin and stalked out off, her hair billowing behind her. She was the perfect picture of a high-class Drama-Queen Akatsuki thought. Rolling his eyes, he continued his task.

Ruka nibbled thoughtfully at her biscuit. She felt she ought to explore her knew home now. It would give her something to do, as well as give her an idea of what lay ahead of her for the remainder of her time here. She wandered down one of the numerous halls.

'This will take me weeks to get through every room!' She thought. Well, she would have enough time. She stopped at a double door entrance. There wasn't anything particular about this one; the doors were the same heavy, white-painted oak as all the others. With her non-sticky hand, she took the brass handle and pushed the heavy door open. The brightening moon flooded through an immense window on the far wall. It went from the floor to the high ceiling. The light shone on everything in the room. Ruka gasped when she saw the most beautiful grand piano she had ever set her eyes on. It was closed, she thought that a pity. An antique rug was thrown over the lid to keep the dust off the shiny black wood. Ivory keys glinted invitingly. Here caught another shape beside the magnificent instrument. This one was smaller, but just as beautiful. A red-brown wood shone alongside silver strings. A cello, well made and what looked to be quite old. It had a sense of being older despite its perfect condition. Turning around, Ruka saw different instruments covered by sheets to keep off dust. Stacks of music sheets were everywhere. This room would be her favourite she decided. Her fingers ached to exercise across the piano's keys but, she couldn't bring herself set a fingernail on it after eating. No, she would come back. For now though, she would explore once again. She turned reluctantly and made her way out. Once in the hall, she closed the door as quietly as if a baby slept soundly in the room. Curiosity set in, what other treasures and mysteries of the Kain family would she unlock?

OOOoooOOOooo

Kaname wandered aimlessly through his mansion. The aristocrats bowed whenever he passed. He noted that none of them seemed nervous. Perhaps none of them knew of what Akatsuki Kain had planned. Not that the tall vampire ever confided in anyone. He was so quiet and…private. His feelings had always been so masked, up until recently. Kaname stopped abruptly, Akatsuki did confide in someone though! There was only one person that probably knew more about Akatsuki than anyone besides his own parents; Hanabusa Aido.

OOOoooOOOooo

A sigh of near defeat escaped the young vampire's lips. She was thoroughly disappointed in what she had found. Not that the guest rooms were very large and quite lovely but…what was there to find in there? Now Ruka was not a nosy person, she just preferred a good mystery to dull guest rooms. She was about ready to give up; when she saw a door opened a crack. All the other rooms had been shut but this one wasn't. A dim light leaked into the hall. Heart racing, she came to the door. Her hands grasped the double doors and pushed them open. It was bigger than all the other guest rooms, but this one looked… lived in. It couldn't possibly be a guest room. A colourful striped blanket covered the bed. Resting against a bright pillow was a stuffed bunny. Intrigued, Ruka came to the bed. Her hands, now rid of honey, reached out and touched the worn toy. Sad, glass eyes shone brightly. One year was stitched up rather clumsily, as if done by a child. The fur was a dull yellow in most patches, but behind the ears, a proud, warm yellow shone as well as around the tail. Despite its worn color, it was still surprisingly soft. It was missing most of its white yarn whiskers around the pink-satin nose. Picking it up, Ruka caught its scent, a scent that she had known since she was a little girl. The whole room had the same fragrance, but not nearly as strong as the bunny. It was so familiar to her; the earthy smell of cinnamon and the freshness of rain. Yes, she had found Akatsuki's childhood room. A bookshelf very generously stocked stood proudly in the far corner. The worn spines stood as a symbol of much use and love from Akatsuki's eager and gentle hands. Still holding the bunny, Ruka crossed the room to examine a chest. The wood was light in color, but heavy. It was durable she thought, perfect for a young vampire boy. Kneeling, she held the bunny to her chest and opened the box. As she had suspected, she found toys. A wooden train set was piled neatly in one side. An assortment of balls, a bag of marbles and a child's tambourine sat amongst each other. They all showed age and wear, but loving wear. She smiled and closed the lid. She ran a delicate hand across Akatsuki's initials carved into the lid. Ruka jumped when she heard footsteps approaching. They were far down the hall, but she still couldn't bear the thought of Akatsuki catching her in his room like this. Placing the bunny gently on the bed where she found it, she rushed out of the room and left the door open, just a crack; as she found it. Thinking quickly, she opened the door across the hall and peered in; another guest room. As she was closing the door, Akatsuki finally reached her.

"Satisfied so far of what you see?" he asked pleasantly calm. Ruka peered up at him innocently.

"It'll do. Though I have not near finished you know." She retorted. Raising an eyebrow, Akatsuki glanced up and down the hall.

"Hmm, yes well, I hope you don't mind waiting till after lunch to explore more." Ruka sighed mentally with relief. He didn't seem suspicious.

"Seems adequate enough." She permitted. Akatsuki nodded and turned to lead the way back to the kitchen. He could hear her heart begin to slow. He bit his lip to resist laughing. She must have thought he hadn't seen her come from his room. He wouldn't let her know that he knew. He knew from her scent, it had been stronger in that room. Not that he really cared if she was in there. He didn't keep anything out that would be… embarrassing or anything. At least, that's what he thought. He had forgotten something. While in there, Ruka had just missed seeing a small black journal on the bedside table, and Akatsuki had forgotten its very existence. But, for now they were both completely, innocently unaware of its presence.

As Akatsuki was clearing the dishes away, Ruka decided to ask him something.

"Akatsuki, you don't mind me going through the house do you?" she kept her voice still so as not to show her nerves. It was still small though.

"No. Of course I don't." The answer was quick, no need to think about reasons why not. Ruka sighed relieved.

"I just don't want to be imposing. Would I be able to make a map? It would help me not get lost." Akatsuki looked up and smiled his usual sleepy smile.

"Of course." He murmured. Drying his hands, he found a pad of paper, a pencil, ruler and an eraser in a drawer. He handed it to Ruka before going back to the dishes. She thanked him and began to sketch out the interior from the great hall. Being the daughter of such a distinguished family, she was to learn all about designing extravagant homes. Her hand moved expertly across the page. Akatsuki watched discreetly, impressed with her work.

"I think I'll leave investigating to tomorrow. I'd like to stay in the music room for the remainder of the night, if that isn't a problem?" She stated almost as a side note. Akatsuki nodded, forgetting that she had her head over her page. She saw though. Just as he had been watching her, she did him. He had rolled his sleeves past his elbows to clean the dishes. She couldn't help but marvel at his strong forearms. He wasn't what you would call the most muscular, but he was well muscled. He seemed to come about it naturally. He had always been a tall, lanky kid, not quite fitting into his body. But now, he had filled out quite handsomely. Shaking away those thoughts, Ruka focused on her paper. Once she was satisfied, she left for the music room. She was eager to file through that lovely sheet music, just waiting to be played. Akatsuki chuckled when he saw her pick up her pace outside of the kitchen. He had known she would love the music room. She had always been a musical child.

Ruka's chest rose and fell exaggeratedly as she came into the room. Everything was as she left it, untouched. Her bare feet made no sound on the marble floor and she crossed over to the piano. She lifted the rug and folded it neatly before setting it on the floor. Her pale hands contrasted against the black exterior. Gently, she lifted the lid and propped it up. The strings gleamed in the moonlight. Her breath hitched as she sat down and set her fingers atop the smooth keys. Her index finger lightly pressed down on the middle C. The sound was beautiful. She tried a chord. Somehow, the piano was perfectly in tune. Remembering one of her favourite childhood songs, she began. Für Elise, it rang out in the room and drifted throughout the house. Akatsuki looked up from his book and smiled. He remembered it well.

After going through some of her old favourites, Ruka decided it was time to explore the music sheets. A particular song was running through her memory and she was determined to find it. Shifting on the seat, she leant over and picked up one pile closest to the piano. They were stacked perfectly, each in perfect condition and alphabetically placed. It would speed up her searching, she thought with a sigh of relief. Checking the sheet on the very bottom, she found all 'A'.

"Next pile." She murmured. Getting up, Ruka wandered through the room. Whenever she came to a pile, she would check the last and first letter in the pile. It seemed each pile was all one letter. For all the organization in the room, the sheets of music were placed all over and not at all in the proper order of the alphabet.

"This will never do. I'm going to place them all in the right order." She would get no peace of mind if she didn't. One thing about Ruka, she was a very determined young lady. She smiled contentedly as she worked. Time seemed to fly by. She forgot all about everything that had happened to her in the past few days. Kaname was far from mind, which rarely ever happened. Ever since she had first met him, he was all that was on her mind. Some [like Akatsuki] thought that it was a little worrisome how much she thought about him. Ruka was totally oblivious to her friend's cautions, which was another thing about her; she didn't listen to reason well.

"AHA!" She exclaimed proudly. She had finished placing everything accordingly. In doing so, she had found what she had set out to find. Just the name alone brought up memories from so long ago. A yawn took over as she came over to the piano once more. Brushing aside the fact that it was getting late, Ruka set the music up and read hungrily. Notes sprang up and filled her heart and flowed through her fingers. Taking in a breath, she let loose a pure note.

Akatsuki looked up from his book once again. He heard a note, not a piano note, but a voice.

'…it goes like this: the fourth, the fifth
the minor fall and the major lift
the baffled king composing Hallelujah…'

Ruka's voice was sweet and pure. The song was so nostalgic to him. He remembered when he first heard that song… when he was no more than three years old.

His family had come to visit the Souen family one weekend. He was always a shy and quiet child, especially around other children. He had met Ruka before, and she had always made him feel especially shy. She was a year younger, but much more outgoing. She reminded him a lot of his cousin Hanabusa. Unfortunately, the two didn't get along, even at that age. His parents had let him roam on his own, and he found himself in front of a large glass door. Curious, he reached up and opened the door. It silently swung open. Music was released as he did so. It was so pretty. He glanced around the room and saw a small piano. A woman was sitting at the instrument and playing beautifully. Then a small voice began to sing. Looking again, Akatsuki saw a little girl, Ruka. She sat in her little white dress, her curls in pretty, pink ribbons. She was singing with a big smile on her face, he small feet wriggling gaily just off the chairs cushion.

"…hallelujah, hallelujah…" It was such a sad song, but she sang it with a child's innocent love. Not wanting to be seen, Akatsuki quietly shuffled over to the side, and sat beside the open door. He closed his eyes and listened, content. ~

Yes, he remembered it well. He leaned his head back and listened once again, his sepia eyes closed.

Ruka felt a tear prick her eye as she sang, but she wouldn't stop. As she was singing, she heard something… another voice. It sang perfectly in harmony with her. The voice was deeper, but it sounded wonderful. She finished the song, hoping to hear it better, but it stopped as soon as she did. Disappointed, she closed up the music. She yawned again, and she tried to cover it with a lazy hand.

"Tired?" She yelped when she heard Akatsuki's voice.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." He apologized coming into the room. Ruka put a hand up to dismiss it but was distracted with another yawn. Chuckling, Akatsuki offered his hand and helped her up. He closed the piano and led her out of the room.

"You'll have tomorrow to continue you're music." He murmured in her ear. His breath tickled her neck and sent a shiver down her spine. She tried not to let him see he wriggle slightly. If he did notice, he didn't comment. As he shut the doors behind them, Ruka remembered there was something she wanted to ask him.

"Akatsuki, I-"

"Ask me tomorrow Ruka. You should get some sleep." He interrupted her before she could get anything else out. Frowning, she let him whisk her away to her room. After handing Ruka her pajamas, Akatsuki left the room and closed the doors behind him. Ruka stared at where Akatsuki last stood her hands on her hips. Was he singing earlier? Surely it was him. She had meant to ask him about it, but it was almost as if he knew what she would ask and was trying to avoid it.

'I'll get an answer. He can't run from me.' That was it, she wasn't going to let this down… but she was awful sleepy, and the bed looked terribly comfortable. Maybe... in…the morn-

Akatsuki put his head against the tile wall in the shower. The hot water poured down his back, loosening tense muscles.

'That was too close.' He thought running a hand through his wet hair. He was going to have to be more careful. Ruka was a lot sharper than his cousin. He would just have to try and distract her, couldn't be too hard right?

Well, another chapter gone and done :] I really will try to get up the next chapter, but I'm going to have to rattle my brains for the next part. :P But It'll be up, I promise! KEEP ON READING AND REVIEWING AND THANKS SO MUCH!