An: I know, I've been waiting for this so long as well! Please READ and REVIEW. If I don't get more reviews, I might not feel motivated enough to publish another chapter!
Zero shoved open the double doors with the flat of his palms, the slap stinging his hands. Kaname stood waiting in the foyer, serene and reserved in composure, but Zero could see the unrefined hatred glittering in his burgundy wine eyes. Reaching into the inside pocket of his jacket, he pulled out Bloody Rose with the sound of clinking metal chains chiming in the eerie hush. Zero looked down the gun pointed directly at Kaname's heart, the blood thudding in his ears. The sound just reminded Zero that it wasn't his blood that flowed through his veins. The click of the safety snapping off reverberated in the huge room, multiplied a thousand times over.
"Kaname? Where did you go? Kaname? Kaname!" Yuuki's singsong voice floated around the room, settling over Zero like a layer of dust. She appeared soon after at the top of the stairs, dressed in a white gown, a hand trailing like a caress on the banister. Her sweeping gaze fell upon Zero and the weapon pointed straight at Kaname's heart and she froze, confused. Didn't everyone like Kaname?
Zero's throat tightened painfully. She truly didn't remember him. There was no recognition in her perplexed expression. Locking all his feelings for her back into the box whence they had come, hidden even from him, he took a step forward. Kaname intercepted him, calmly keeping his eyes on Zero's trigger finger. Zero's eyes narrowed, reminded of the vampire obstacle.
"Yuuki. Come here. I know you don't remember me, but I have a promise to keep, and you have one too. Even if you've forgotten it, it still holds!" Zero hissed angrily, uncertain who exactly who he was the most furious with. Twisting Bloody Rose in his hands, he turned the grip away from him. Kaname smirked, finally understanding why Zero had returned. Laughing aloud, he gestured to Yuuki, telling her it was okay to join them at the bottom of the stairs.
Yuuki cautiously stepped down the stairs, moving towards Kaname, craving his comforting touch. His arm wrapped around her waist for a moment, then propelled her forward. Kaname gestured again, this time towards the gun, trying to repress his grin. Zero had made his execution so much easier.
Taking the gun from Zero's hands, her eyes meeting his and then danced across his face. Zero watched and swore he saw the barest flicker of recognition light up their depths. She ripped her eyes away from his face to examine Bloody Rose, appreciating the beauty of such a dangerous object. Yuuki's fingers gently traced the patterns engraved upon its length. After she finished her inspection, she tried to hand it back to Zero.
"Shoot me, Yuuki. Aim for my heart." Zero's voice came out quiet, twisted with hurt, seeing her reaction to his words. Innocent horror filled her eyes, bewildered by his request. His voice rose, gathering volume with force of the snowball of his anger. "You promised. Now keep your word!"
"SHOOT ME, YUUKI!" Zero roared, his voice hoarse. Falling to his knees, he clutched her wrist, putting the gun properly into her hand with his other. Pulling the gun down to his heart, he stared up at her, wishing for his end. Yuuki's baffled terror changed into tears as memories flooded back, broken through the barrier that Kaname had erected in her mind.
Her arms surrounded the body that housed a broken heart, unknowingly breaking Kaname's as she tried to comfort Zero's shuddering sobs. She shouldn't be able to remember him! Kaname thought, mentally sputtering. As his insides churned, he maintained the unruffled façade on the outside. Yuuki would come back to him; after all, she had all but proclaimed Kaname as her lover these past weeks. Quietly, he made his departure up the stairs, returning to his room, waiting for his Yuuki's return.
Yuuki led Zero outside, leaning on her like a crutch. She had to get him somewhere that was away from the listening ears of the Moon Dorm's vampires. Zero's sobs had turned into quiet sniffles, ashamed of the way he was acting like a child. Dead leaves stirred in their passing as she towed him behind her. Finally, convinced that no one was around, Yuuki confronted Zero. His bright amethyst eyes shone in the dim shade, no longer holding any anger but the deep sorrow still lingered.
"Tell me what happened Zero? I remember everything now… I can't believe Kaname would erase my memories of you without asking!" Yuuki was outraged, but all the pain of Zero's harsh parting words crashed into her heart for the second time. Struggling with her own hurt heart, she understood that whatever had happened to him was far more important. She hadn't thought about killing herself, but he seemed on the brink of using the gun on himself, to hell with any promises.
"I'm falling to a level E. I killed an innocent girl. I drained her, Yuuki!" Zero's lips twisted, remembering the lovely taste of Imari's blood. After taking so much to drink, he was still full. He felt physically better than he had in weeks. Yuuki flinched at his declaration, fright creeping into her eyes. Playing on her fears, he forced his lips into a maliciously mocking smile. "Kill me before I kill you, Yuuki."
"No matter what kind of sick joke you have played on me, I won't kill you before you descend to a true level E! You're still not there yet, so don't bother in trying to get me to do it!" Yuuki yelled, turning on her heel to march away from Zero, livid. With her spiteful words Zero finally recalled what he had said to make Yuuki let him leave. Gaping at her rigid back, it took him a couple seconds to start after her.
"Wait, Yuuki! I didn't mean what I said to you! I knew that you wouldn't let me leave any other way, so I said what I could to make you want me to leave…" Zero trailed off as she stopped, her back still to him. Yuuki mulled over his words, trying to discern if this was just another trick. He probably would say whatever he could to make her shoot him.
"I don't believe you!" Yuuki turned around sharply, staring into his eyes defiantly. Her hair whipped around her face in the sudden gust of wind. Surprised, Zero took another step forward until they were only inches apart. Yuuki had to crane her neck to look up at him. She had forgotten how tall he was.
"I have only lived his long because of you. Now I want to die, for you. I couldn't bear to kill you, Yuuki." His voice was soft, barely a whisper. She leaned forward, trying to catch his words. Abruptly his arms were around her, holding her close. He bent his head to smell the apple spice scent that he had missed so much. Murmuring, his voice muffled in her hair he pleaded. "Please, don't let me hurt you."