A/N: So this particular piece has become quite a bit longer and more in depth that I had originally intended. That being said, I sincerely hope that you have all enjoyed this ride. Thank you so much for your love and support. And special thank to the readers who have reviewed. Many of you have become very dear friends, and you guys are by far the best group of people I could ever write for! You rock! Own it.

And to Fandom Angst. I would apologize now for the treatment of Yuki in this chapter...but then...my apology might seem insincere.

The woman sat in a moment of befuddled silence, absorbing the nature of this request. Every sensation in her body stirred inside of her as she looked at him. She felt as if she were in some terrible danger. Yet, she found herself oddly unafraid as she gazed upon this dark stranger with his open hand and this invitation. Should she accept? It was only a dance that he had asked her for, after all. ...wasn't it...? What would happen if she denied him? What...would he do then?

She didn't know.

That singular thought swam in her mind, drowning her as it reignited this omnipresent sense of danger. Like a wildfire as it ran through her with destructive force, muddling her thoughts as she desperately attempted to discern what it was that he had really come for. The vast expanse of this uncertainty consumed her as those pale blue eyes continued to regard her with patience.

Should she accept? Every fiber of her being cried out to get up and run. Move far away from this man and his alluring invitation. Something deep inside of her screamed that he was asking for something far more insidious than a simple dance with her. Yet the same driving force that begged her to run from this terrifying danger also whispered something far darker to her now as she looked into that gaze of frigid ice.

This man was not someone you said 'no' to.

And so...the fragile smallness of her pale hand found its way into the strange warmth of his own. As they met, palm to palm, she felt herself wrapped in the tender embrace of his thin fingers as they encircled her hand, laying claim to her. The woman trembled at the sensation as her heart shuddered in her chest, and the man simply offered her one of his cordial smiles before standing from his place, gently commanding the woman to her feet.

Leading her to the middle of the lounge, Kris could feel the curious eyes of the room slowly drift towards both of them. As they stood at the center of this sea of faceless shadows, Kris slowly drew the woman to himself, gathering her in an embrace that left nothing between them as they came chest to chest, the woman's cheeks dusting in a beautiful shade of crimson.

"Relax..." He murmured lowly into her ear as his hand found its way to her lower back. "Just let me lead you, and I promise you'll be okay."

The young woman breathed deeply, and was immediately overwhelmed with the sheer smell of him. His sent and aroma something she had never experienced before. Musky. Cool, with an odd warmth and slight sting of spice. As her body was slowly commanded into movement, she gave herself over to the soft instrumental jazz that played for them as they swayed together in time and rhythm to the music. She was so close to him. Physically closer than she had ever been with a man. His scent. The music. The slowed movement of their bodies working together in perfect cooperation.

She wanted to believe in his promise. That she would be okay. And a small part of her felt so very safe in the strength of his embrace as they danced. The warmth of his body as he held her close to him. Almost as if subtly offering her protection from some unseen danger with his embrace as he confidently guided them along the current of the light ambiance music. And...she didn't understand... How could someone that...she knew without a doubt was dangerous...make her feel this way? Safe.

"What's on your mind, little girl?" This gentle whisper came brushed along her cheek as she avoided his unnerving stare.

Was it wise to tell him?

"I should be scared of you." She finally whispered back to him as he led her along the improvised dance floor, feeling the minute vibration of his laughter as it passed through her body.

"Yes." Kris murmured in a soft lull. "You should be."

"But I'm not." The young woman spoke timidly, the warmth of her gaze coming to meet the frigid ocean of his eyes. "And that terrifies me." Her tongue wavered along these words as she continued to hold his stare, trusting herself to be guided along by his hand.

"You remind me of him." She spoke softly after a moment of nervously biting her lip in consideration.

"And who might that be?" Kris responded, his expression as cool and flat as his tone as he led the young woman in a delicate spin before bringing her back to himself.

"Yuki's boss." The woman's features came earnest in this innocent statement. "You two seem so very much alike." And as she spoke, the young girl bared witness to the smallest flicker of emotion that played along Kris' otherwise stoic face.

Gone in an instant without a trace of evidence it had ever existed. Easily missed had she not been looking him directly in the eyes.

"I've been told that before." He offered this up cryptically with an almost caustic smile. "But I assure you we're very different."

"In what way...?" The young woman questioned, her voice quavering with trepidation over the answer as Kris drew her just a little closer to himself as he whispered in her ear.

"I'm worse."

And the woman's entire body shuddered in his hold as she felt herself grow weak in his arms.

"Please." She whispered breathlessly, trembling under the renewed threat of danger as tears began to brim along her lashes.

"Shh." Kris murmured into her hair, his tone low and even as their dance momentarily became a comforting sway. "I have no interest in hurting you." He soothed. "But your friend's employer, on the other hand..." This came lowly whispered into her ear as she stifled her fear long enough to listen. "I don't think he likes you very much."

"Why?" The young woman whimpered helplessly, completely baffled as to why a man she didn't even know would dislike her.

"Because..." The hushed tone of his voice drew her gaze to him as her eyes met his. "You're getting a little too close to that friend of yours."

"What?!" The woman squeaked out, her cheekbones dusting a warm shade of pink. "I really don't know what you mean." She stammered nervously.

"I think that you do." Kris responded smoothly with a small twitch of a smile.

"I care for Yuki as a friend, sir. Nothing more." Her voice grew serious in the delivery of this declaration.

"You really believe that?" Kris asked, his brows coming to a light furrow as he held the woman's gaze.

As the two continued their dance, the woman looked away as her bottom lip found its way nervously between her teeth. And in the silence, she felt the warm breath of a whisper along her flushed cheek.

"It's a pretty cruel game you're playing with him, you know." Kris murmured lightly as they continued to sway to the rhythm of the quiet music.

"What do you mean?" The young woman asked as she held on to the man leading her in this dangerous promenade.

"You really don't see it, do you?" Kris chuckled lightly at this ironic revelation as the woman's expression fell in bemusement. "You don't see how your 'friend' looks at you." His voice lilted in pleasure as his gaze briefly flitted towards the child in question, still lingering at the open bar with his employer. "The way he watches you." He murmured, the hand along her lower back drawing her hips closer into his. "How he longs to touch you like I am. Right now." A smile formed along his lips as he continued, reveling in the way her body reacted to him now. "And you..." He whispered. "...you tease him by coming around here. Because..." Kris breathed this word along the young woman's neck, relishing how her body trembled in his arms. "...the kid is smart enough to know that he's not currently in possession of the one thing that I would be able to give you." Kris separated them as he gently commanded the woman's body into another elegant spin before gazing upon her face, his own expression one of perfect stone as he spoke. "He can never freely offer himself to you." And the two stared at each other in a moment of understanding as the young woman's features fell in complete dejection at what she had just been told.

"You think I should leave..." Her voice came so very heartbroken as unshed tears threatened to make their way down her cheeks.

"Absolutely not." Kris's expression came completely candid as he drew her to himself once more. "Your presence seems to really aggravate his employer." And a brilliant smile flashed along his face as he gave a small chuckle. "And that pleases me. Greatly."

Another subtle glance was spared to the young man at the bar. And that despondent, haunted expression seemed to be almost uncontrollably warring between the desolation of utter heartbreak and the horrifying flames of infinite, unrequited rage. And it was so breathtakingly beautiful to behold. The child's silent ambivalence was mesmerizing, completely captivating Kris as the two shared an entire lifetime in that single glance. But this wasn't what Kris had come for. His ambition was far grander than the mere, simple devastation of one meaningless child. But in order to achieve the destruction of his true adversary, it was necessary to shatter the empty vessel that contained his heart. To mortally wound the man, Kris knew that he needed to murder the child.

And the smile lingering along his lips became frighteningly wide and malicious in its nature as he turned away from the boy. Slowly taking the young woman's chin between the gentle grasp of his fingertips, Kris tenderly pulled her in as his lips unexpectedly met with hers.

The kiss was warm. Gentle. Slow and surprisingly sweet in its tenderness as the woman became helplessly still, unable to respond to what had been so swiftly stolen from her. And the quiet, unobtrusive applause from the patrons over this evenings entertainment was even more sublime to Kris as it heralded his decisive victory. Finally releasing the young woman Kris turned towards the sounds of his triumph to drink in the look of mild shock along the face of the estate's owner.

But the child...

The wretched, forsake child, who had once been so lifeless and passive in his appearance, now clutched his fists in absolute fury. His empty vessel of a body shook before startlingly springing to life as he fled from the lounge through the beautiful bay doors to escape into the vast garden of the estate. All eyes gravitated towards this spectacle with varied levels of curiosity and wonder. All eyes, that was, except for those of ice and obsidian flames. The two men stared at each other, completely absorbed in each others presence and this moment they shared. In a world set far apart and high above the one that continued to revolve around them. And Kris silently watched, reveling in the way the man's upper lip imperceptibly quivered under the rage of his absolute hatred towards Kris.

"What did you just do...?" This whimpered moan attracted Kris' attention away from his nemesis as his pale gaze drifted towards the young woman once more, her delicate slender fingertips hovering over her trembling lips.

"I just proved my point." Kris offered this chilling response from lips as cold and ruthless as his words before he gave the small nod of his head. "Thank you for the dance." He murmured politely before turning away from the woman to make his way towards the bar, leaving her alone to grieve in the wake of his devastation.

Slowly meandering through the lounge towards the open bar, Kris delighted in the wrath of his enemy as the man's threatening gaze narrowed in on his approach. In an almost childishly petulant display, the man swiveled himself away to hunch over the bar as Kris silently claimed the empty stool next to him. And the two sat together in the stillness of this moment. One consumed by the inferno of his own rage...the other basking in the heat of its flames.

"Looks like your boy had a bit of a conniption." Kris lilted calmly through the heavy quiet of this moment as he casually gloated over his victory. "Shouldn't you be seeing to him?"

"Are you quite pleased with yourself, Mr. Mitchell?" This question came darkly muttered in bitterness as a small smirk tugged along the corner of Kris' lips.

"Always." Kris deadpanned sardonically, stifling his amusement towards the exasperated sigh that followed.

"So..." This seductive lull trailed a small puff of smoke as Kris helped himself to a cigarette, the two starring forward, avoiding each others gaze. "I suppose this means you'll be seeing a lot more of me." And the man's head imperceptibly drooped with the weight of this declaration before Kris turned towards him, his expression falling unreadable through the thin smokescreen.

"You know what your problem is?" Kris murmured through another drag of his cigarette as the man finally turned to acknowledge his presence. "You care too much." He stated bluntly as smoke made its way past his lips in a tantalizingly lazily crawl "You're too emotional, and you care too much about what people think about you." The man's expression fell into a slight frown towards this cold, harsh declaration of truth. "Believe me..." Kris, murmured coldly as the cigarette came gracefully poised between his thin fingers. "...caring isn't an advantage." And at these words the man turned away, his expression falling blank and depleted of emotion.

"So..." Kris whispered through a soft lilt and veil of smoke. "Tell me again how my lack of emotion is a deficit..."

"Please, Mr. Mitchell." The sound of his name came heavy with exhaustion as the man once again averted his gaze. "If I asked you to leave me for the evening, and simply go away... Would you?" And the slowed nod of his guest in acquiescence came silently as a low murmur followed in response.

"Of course." Kris lulled softly as he snuffed out his cigarettes. "It seems the party is pretty much over, anyway." He quipped, standing from his seat in order to depart.

Placing currency along the counter in exchange for the few drinks he had consumed, Kris slowly turned on his heels to leave the premises. Sparing a glance towards his people who lingered in the distance at the edge of the bar, Kris gave another faint smile as he removed the designer frames from their resting place atop his head to veil his ruthless gaze. Inclining his head towards his vanquished enemy, the little side smile along his lips spread just a little further as he offered his parting gift before leaving.

"Happy birthday, by the way." And the man was made to watch Kris' back as he faded away into the shadows in which he had come.

The End...

...or is it...?

I've! ...become...

Impossible
Holding on! ...to when...
When everything seemed to matter more
The two! ...of us...
(all used) All used...and beaten up
Watching fate

As it flows

Down the path

We have chose

You!

And me!
We're in this together now!
None of them can stop us now!
We will make it through somehow!
You!

And me!
If the world should break in two!
Until the very end of me!
Until the very end of you!

Awake to the sound

As they peel apart the skin
They pick and they pull
Trying to get their fingers in
Well they've got to kill what we've found
Well they've got to hate what they fear
Well they've got to make it go away
Well they've got to make it disappear

The farther I fall, I'm beside you.
As lost as I get, I will find you.
The deeper the wound, I'm inside you.
For ever and ever, I'm a part...of...

You!

And me!
We're in this together now!
None of them can stop us now!
We will make it through somehow!
You!

And me!
If the world should break in two!
Until the very end of me!
Until the very end of you!

All that we were is gone, we have to hold on...
When all our hope is gone, we have to hold on!
All that we were is gone, but we can hold on!

You!

And me!
We're in this together now!
None of them can stop us now!
We will make it through somehow!
You!

And me!
Even after everything!
You're the queen, and I'm the king!
Nothing else means anything!

A/N: As a completely random side note, two of my favorite words in the English language are 'shenanigans' and 'conniption'.

Featured lyrics in this chapter come from the song "We're In This Together" by Nine Inch Nails.