Claudia giggled. The women stood up as Marva put a hand on Hagi's left chiropteran claw and looked at Claudia. She asked, "You think you'd be able to get him something at the store? I didn't expect we'd be in a situation like this before last night." She gave a smile.

"I was waiting for you to wake up so one of us would be here with him," Claudia answered.

Marva smiled at her daughter's foresight. "I'll get you some cash from my purse," Marva reassured.

Claudia waved, "No, no, no, Momma. This is on me, after all," she turned to look at him with joy filled eyes, "he's my big brother."

Hagi smiled back at Claudia and tried to sit up, but the world around him suddenly went out of focus. Marva saw him waver to the left and caught him before he fell out of the bed. She carefully laid him back. He could feel her strong arms catch him and gently pushing him back onto the pillow. She said, "Hold on, you're still weak. You're wounds are not healing as fast because you lost too much blood. You still need more, but they were waiting for you to wake up. Just relax and let your body heal."

He kept his eyes closed, for now.

Marva turned back to Claudia when she realized he wouldn't try to get up again. Worry filled her eyes as she asked, "Claudia, how long did the doctor say it would be before he's completely recovered?"

"The doctor told me a month."

Hagi's eyes snapped open. "No," he whispered.

The women looked at him. Claudia caught his gaze and asked, "Saya will be asleep by then, won't she?"

Hagi only nodded, his face hiding his sadness. This would be the second time he would not be there when Saya fell asleep. It would be 30 years before he saw her again. The thought of being so close was so heartbreaking. When she awoke, her memory would be a blank slate again. Everything he had said, everything they had gone through, her memory would be gone and he would have to start over.

"By the way, Big Brother, what did happen at the Met? We were so worried that Saya was going to…"

She was interrupted by Bethy wheeling in a cart with sausage, bacon and eggs with orange juice in a pitcher. She announced, "I've brought breakfast! Anyone hungry?"

Claudia mouthed the words we'll talk later to Hagi. She apologized that she would not be able to eat breakfast, but she needed to go get Hagi some clothes. Bethy warned her to make sure the clothing was easy to get in and out of, he wouldn't be getting around too well for a while.

Hagi eyed the red haired woman. He wasn't sure where he was and who these other people were. He had heard a man vaguely last night discussing his injuries with Claudia. He was certain he was in a hospital, but this room did not seem like a hospital room. His hand traced along his chest where the crystals were tearing at him, but the crystals were now gone, the only thing that remained were several quickly healing scars. The young, red haired woman then busied herself hooking up a unit of blood to the tube that led to his right arm.

"Don't worry," she stated, "you aren't the first chevalier we've had to do surgery on."

His expression stayed the same as his eyes followed her every moment. He wished that he at least had his daggers near him. Where are they? Where is Saya's sword? He held his even expression as panic rose within him. His eyes darted around the room as his thoughts raced, Saya's sword! Where did I leave it? He looked at Marva and confessed, "I must find Saya's sword."

Marva looked around the room and thought of when she last saw it. Claudia spoke up, "You were hanging on to it with a death grip last night. I can't imagine…"

Marva cut her off, "It must still be in your van, Claudia."

"Oh, yes!" she slapped her fore head with her open palm, "I brought it to my house last night and thought I should clean it up. I was so busy getting clothes together and making phone calls that I totally forgot." She put a hand on her brother's claw and looked into his eyes. "It's safe at my house, Hagi."

He gave a small smile and replied, "Thank you."

"See, you can still smile, Big Brother!" She grinned as she grabbed the folded towel from the window seat.

"Let me give you his sizes," Marva said.

"Mom," she laughed, "I'm a fashion designer. I think I know what I'm doing."

Marva just waved as Hagi's eyes shot open with the possibilities of what Claudia would have him wearing. "Claudia," he almost growled the warning, "please, I am not one of those models. I wish to look decent."

Claudia faked a frown and pretend hurt. "Are you saying you don't like my tastes? I'm hurt."

It reminded him of someone. Something was important that he had said, but what was it? Who was it? He pushed the thought away and answered, "I am simply asking you to make certain that I look like a gentleman."

Claudia was out the door, but peeked back in to say, "Okay, Big Brother, tight neon orange t-shirt and purple leather pants- got it!"

He gave her a glare in return as she laughed, "I won't go crazy." Then she blew him a kiss as she left. Marva chuckled at the exchange as she began to eat some breakfast.

He just shook his head and laid back feeling the blood replenishing his body. It was all he could do right now.

"You should really try to eat something," Bethy told Hagi. "I know chevaliers do not eat, but it will help us to see if your stomach has healed. Just a piece of toast and a bit of milk."

She pushed a button on the side of the bed to raise him into an upright position. Bethy then placed a small glass of milk on the tray next to him and handed him a small plate with a piece of toast on it as she asked, "Would you like any jelly on your toast? We have strawberry, grape, peach, and blackberry."

"Blackberry," he answered as the memory came rushing back. He saw Saya licking the jelly from her fingers as he scolded her for her terrible manners. She wanted the red lilies that grew on the side of the cliff, a gift for Joel's birthday. He refused to let her go after them, so he went instead, but his hand slipped. He felt himself falling as he looked up into the terrified face of his beloved Saya. He felt so much pain. His head hurt, his back hurt, he couldn't breathe. He then felt Saya's mouth on his and the metallic liquid that transferred from her mouth to his. His body felt hot as he began to breathe again. He began to violently twitch and convulse.

After a time, the twitching stopped and he was knocked out yet again. He heard Saya leave to get help as he dreamed for the last time until today…

Joel's voice, "It is a simple procedure. Saya needs blood to live. She is not like you or me, she can eat food, but she feeds on blood.

Hagi's thought, "Have I now become like Saya? I have received her blood."

Amshel's voice, "It is good to see the two of you getting along so well." Hagi was grabbing the blackberry jam for the picnic they were going on this morning. He simply smiled politely to Amshel. Hagi felt bothered by Amshel's smile, it seemed as if he was having some impure thought going through his mind.

Hagi turned to leave when Amshel's comment stopped him in his tracks. "I wonder when you're going to get on with the matter you were purchased for," Amshel mused.

Hagi looked at Amshel in confusion.

Amshel stood before him and grabbed the young man's chin and confessed, "You were purchased to be a breeding partner for Saya."

Hagi simply hid his emotions as he pulled himself away from Amshel, turned and walked away, leaving Amshel to smile at his own dirty thoughts. He would speak to Joel about this later, but later never came.

When he awoke from his fall, he went to find Saya.

He was interrupted from his memories as a voice asked, "Well aren't you going to eat?"

"Ah yes," he responded as he picked up the toast and glanced at the two women. Bethy was looking at him expectantly while Marva was finishing her breakfast and gave him a knowing look. After all these years, she knew him all to well. He wondered what Joel or David's response would be to the revelation that he himself had a family like Saya.

Hagi ate the toast slowly, enjoying the taste of the jelly. It brought back more memories of the Zoo, Saya, and the first Joel, who had been like a father to him. He drank some of the milk as he eyed Bethy.

"How do you feel?" she asked him and noticed he had finished the toast, "Would you like some more?"

"I am fine," he answered. He handed her the empty plate as he stated, "No more, thank you."

"You sure are polite. The other chevaliers we cared for treated us like we were their slaves," she informed as she cleared away the empty glass and adjusted the IV.

"Diva is dead," he stated as he looked down at his hands, "and so are all her chevaliers. Saya and I killed them all."

Bethy put a hand over his claw, to his surprise, without flinching, "We are all grateful for that, Hagi. Saya has done so much for human kind without any reward and so have you."

Hagi shifted in the bed as he asked, "Are you and your family members of the Red Shield?"

She laughed, "We have wanted to be since my father left Diva and Amshel. He saw what they were up to, artificially creating chiropterans. I even saw the Shiff before they escaped." She shivered, "What a horrible thing to do to anyone. Those people were created to fight and then die."

"Only the youngest Shiff is alive, Lulu," Hagi responded. "The Red Shield is trying to find a way to prolong her life. She has been fighting by our side since the rest of the Shiff have died."

"I am glad she has survived. I only wish we could have done more for the rest. My father is the one that helped to release them, he couldn't see them caged until their death. He wanted Amshel's experiments to end." She then stood and smiled, "We are all on the same side, now. The evil has died with Amshel and Diva and you and Saya are finally free. I only hope you get to see her before she falls asleep."

Hagi looked at his hands again as he answered, "So do I."

Marva added her empty plate to the cart and Bethy left the room that Dr. Stein would be with them in an hour. Marva noted Hagi hiding his face behind his loose, black waves. Claudia had brushed them until they shined. Marva grabbed the navy ribbon from the sunny window ledge. It was a cloudless day and beautiful for a walk. The recent rains had cooled the air outside. She planned to take him outside later, if the doctor permitted.

She moved her chair next to him and, still standing, put a hand on his shoulder. His gaze still on his chiropteran hands he spoke, "She is about to go to into her deep sleep. She will not remember all that has happened when she wakes up. She won't remember…" His voice trailed off as he tried to hold back his emotions. This was his family, the only people he trusted enough to show emotion, but only on rare occasions, this being one.

Marva lifted his chin to look into his sad face. She could see the pain and pent up emotions in the depths of those slate eyes as she responded to his depressing thoughts, "Hagi, we will find a way. She will not forget you for long. She will remember you- we'll do everything we can to help. You know that."

Hagi embraced her as she felt his shoulders shake and tears against her shoulder. She stroked his hair with her right hand as she embraced him with the left, being cautious of the IV, still clutching the navy ribbon in her hand. She let him release his emotions as long as he needed, for him, it was as if he had lost Saya at the Met. Silent sobs shuddered from her son and Marva could not keep her tears from falling. After a long while, his body seemed to relax, she reached for some tissues on the night stand near the door with her left arm still on his shoulder. He took the tissues and dried his eyes as he said, "Thank you." He then let his gaze turn to the beautiful day outside and wondered how Saya was doing. He then said to Marva, "I am sorry for causing you so much concern. I do not wish to burden you and Claudia with my injuries. I should have controlled my emotions better, as well."

Oh, no, he's trying to go back to that man of steel routine, Marva thought. "Hagi," she stated as she grabbed his left claw, "you are my son. I wouldn't have it any other way. You need us right now and we are going to be there for you as long as we live. You are an important part of all our lives now, not just Claudia and I, but Clay, Bubba, Ray, Dan, Jim, Ellen, the new ranch hands, and even Angie and her band members." She smiled as she observed, "Hagi, you don't have a family, you have an entire town!"

He chuckled at her observation. She was right, he had so many people he was close to, more than ever before. For nearly a century, since the Zoo burned down, his only real companion was Saya. He did not trust anyone enough to become closer than a casual acquaintance or a type of informant, but he let Marva and Jeff into his secret world and they accepted without reservations. Now there were so many more that he thought didn't know his secret, but he was wrong.

"Did you want me to put your hair up?" she asked as she held out the blue ribbon.

He smiled with gratitude as he held the precious ribbon in his hand, "I am relieved that you kept it safe for me."

She went behind him as she began to brush and gather his wavy strands to the back of his head. He was not really comfortable with all the attention he was getting, but he was too weak to do much for himself. He could feel his strength returning with the blood that was filling his veins. He felt safe, and he would gratefully accept the attention from Marva and Claudia because they were his family, but he wanted to get away from this place as soon as possible. Marva had explained what she knew of the doctor and his family, but Hagi did not trust anything or anyone associated with Diva, past or present. He could remember nothing of the mystery man that had saved him except that he had said something very important. Hagi would not force his memory, he'd dealt with Saya's memory problems far too many times. He would let the memory come back gradually, after all, he had plenty of time on his hands.

"So, why is this ribbon so special to you?"

He smiled at her curiosity as he let the old ribbon slide along his fingers, "When I was still a boy, Saya would braid my hair. One time, she tied it tightly and the ribbon broke, so she took one out of her own hair to tie mine. The ribbon reminds me of her when she's in her deep sleep. I suppose now, it is really my ribbon, not hers."

Claudia walked in to see Marva taking the ribbon from Hagi and wrapping it around her brother's dark locks. She stifled a giggle as she announced, "I could chop it short for you so you won't need to tie it anymore."

"I do not think that is necessary, Little Sister," he growled as he kept from turning his head. He could feel her brown eyes watching the scene. She had pulled her dark brown curls into a ponytail at the back of her head. He noticed a long black duffle bag over her shoulder.

She noted that Hagi was seated almost upright and the sheet had fallen to his waist, leaving his chest exposed. "I hope that Bethy hasn't made a move on you, Big Brother. I don't want her to ruin you for Saya," she teased.

Hagi raised an eyebrow and pulled the sheet up as Marva asked, "What are you ranting about, Claudia?"

"She was talking about how handsome he was last night while we were cleaning him up," she informed and laughed as her brother finally showed some color in his face. "Oh, don't worry, she did the waist up and I got everything below the belt."

She almost went into hysterics as Hagi's blush extended over his face. He groaned with embarrassment as Marva put a hand on his shoulder. "Someone had to do it, better Claudia than someone else."

"You should have told a man to tend to me," he answered rather angrily.

Claudia was obviously surprised by his display of emotion, "Big Brother, I didn't mean to upset you. I did not want some stranger touching you. Besides, who do you think will be tending to those needs when you are released from this place? You will have to stay with me for a while as you get better."

He regretted his sudden outburst on Claudia, she had only ever thought of him as her big brother and never would have any impure intentions toward him. "I am sorry, Claudia. I am not accustomed to being cared for."

She came over to him and placed a hand on his thigh, "It's okay, Big Brother. I'm just glad I have something on you the next time you decide to pull that 'I changed your diapers' line."

He chuckled as he put his claw over her hand. "I never would have thought anyone, any human, would so easily accept me for all that I am," he mused. "Thank you both."

After a few moments of silence, Marva asked Claudia, "Have you called Jim, I'm sure he's frantic by now?"

"Yes, I called last night. I think he'd been holding his breath, waiting. When he relayed the news, I heard everyone cheering." She turned to Hagi, "They all wish you well, and hope to see you soon, even Jim."

Hagi's brows furrowed in confusion. Marva turned to him and sighed before she let the truth out.

Hagi was visibly upset at first, but as he soon understood. The day his leg was crushed, he was certain the truth would be out, but Marva had prolonged the inevitable. He smiled at the thought that it was Jim who had called Marva and Claudia. He never thought Jim cared much for him, but he was glad he was wrong.

Claudia took a deep breath before she asked, "So, what happened at the Met? Jim said that you had basically written a farewell letter, but he felt that deep down you knew you couldn't do it. It's why he called us to check it out."

He explained the details, how Saya had killed Diva and he thought he'd killed Amshel. She was about to kill the babies and then command Hagi to kill her when Kai burst in commanding her to listen. She shook her head as if to say, "You can't understand."

Then Kai turned his attention to Hagi, commanding him to tell her how he felt. Hagi responded that he only did as Saya wished. Kai then gave him a right hook.

Claudia laughed as she slapped her mom across the shoulder, "I told you! Haha! I told you, someone needed to knock some sense into him! Jim and I won the bet."

Hagi ignored this as he didn't want to get into the wrongs of gambling at the moment. He cleared his throat and continued. "I told her I have always loved her. Even since we were at the Zoo and she held me when I told her that I was purchased to be her servant. I told her I have done everything she wished, but I would disobey, just this once. I wouldn't kill her. I wanted her to live on and then I kissed her on the side of her forehead. She pressed her cheek to mine as she allowed tears to fall."

Claudia and Marva were literally on the edge of their seats with the expectation. "So then?" they both asked ignoring Hagi's far away look.

"She said, 'I want to live,' and then she kissed my mouth. I was never so happy before. I was so lost in the moment that I did not know who had burst in and announced that the Met was being bombed, but I hurried behind Saya as she carried one of the babies. Part of the ceiling came down and took my right arm with it. Amshel returned and demanded the babies. Saya grabbed her sword and went after him. I pulled the sword from her in the midst of her attack and then ran Amshel through. He told me I would pay for it and ran me through with his claw, pinning me to his crystallized body. I told Kai to get everyone else out and told Saya I will always love her. That is when everything went dark. I was only aware of her screaming for me."

Marva and Claudia had tears in their eyes. Claudia was the first to speak, "Well, that sucks."

Hagi let out a hearty laugh as her comment broke him from his thoughts. She was so much like Kai. Marva and Claudia looked at him with confusion. He waved a hand and said, "Claudia, you have a way with words. I was thinking the same thing."

Now Claudia and Marva joined in the laughter. After a time, Marva spoke, "I tried to tell you many times, your love would make the difference. Why didn't you see that?"

"I told you Marva, I thought Saya would never have me. I am her servant, her chevalier, it is not acceptable."

"Who says?" Claudia burst out, "Diva? Amshel? They're dead and the only true chiropterans left are you and Saya- I don't think Saya has a problem. In the future, if Diva's daughters have a problem with it, send them to me- I'll set 'em straight."

He smiled at his protective sister. Somewhere inside his mind was the answer, some one had told him, but he couldn't remember, not yet.