Hi guys! Here is chapter 11. Thank you so much for your feedback. I hope that you enjoy and have a nice weekend! :0)


Voices, Yuki was sure that she could hear them while in the comfortable black world she was visiting. Soft voices that were talking with concern about her and her condition. Warm hands held hers, eager for her to awaken. Her eyes fluttered and then opened trying to adjust to the light. She was in the infirmary at the academy in a brightly lit room. Outside it appeared to be sunny. The Chairman held her hand tightly, his face laced with worry and possibly guilt. Upon seeing her eyes open however, his expression turned joyful.

"Oh Yuki! You've awoke!" He bent over and hugged her tightly.

"Chairman?" She tried to remember what had happened.

"Yuki, rest as long as you need to. Yori is going to visit this afternoon and I will cook a dinner for you both. I'd like you both to stay inside today, besides, you need your rest."

He smiled softly at her before standing and exiting the room. Hidden behind him, in a corner of the room, was Zero. He stood silently and seriously, his eyes piercing her with his gaze. She stared back, surprised to see him, wondering if she should speak.

"Zero." She spoke his name softly. Seeing his eyes made her remember what had happened in the night. "Thank you."

With his face still serious, almost scary, he walked over to her bed and brushed his warm fingers across her cheek.

"How are you feeling?" He asked her with genuine concern.

"I'm alright." She smiled and reassured him.

His fingertips left her skin as he turned and walked out of the room leaving her alone. She watched him exit and then turned over to face the window. She could feel her wounds healing, but she required blood to fully restore her energy.

"So Zero...you must still care then."

She closed her eyes and fell back in to a deep sleep, trying to reserve as much energy as she could. She wanted to return home appearing unharmed even though she knew that Kaname would know what had happened.

She had been woken from her sleep hours later by the Chairman at around three in the afternoon. She quickly had a shower and got ready for Yori's arrival. Her wounds from the attack the previous night had nearly healed. Her arm was fine and only a faint line ran across her cheek now, hardly visible. The wound on her side was taking slightly longer to heal but was still progressing at a fast pace.

She dried her long chestnut hair thoroughly and inspected her injuries once more in the mirror before dressing. She wore a mauve coloured, long sleeved dress that opened in a v shape at her chest, with a white blouse underneath. She wore matching mauve heels to complete the look.

Out in the kitchen; Yori, the Chairman, and dinner were waiting. Yuki quickly ran to embrace her friend.

"Yori! I'm so glad that you're alright. I'm sorry that I couldn't get back to you."

The look of surprise on Yori's face was obvious upon hearing Yuki's apology. Her eyes then focused on the pale wound that was fading on Yuki's cheek.

"Yuki, I'm just glad that you're safe."

Touched by Yori's response, Yuki hugged her friend tightly to hide the tears that were forming in her eyes.

"Dinner is ready!" The Chairman announced, and they happily sat down to eat.

The rest of the afternoon and evening was a lovely time for the girls as they finished dinner, shared hot chocolate, and exchanged early Christmas gifts. Yori had given Yuki a silver friendship bracelet along with a discount card to use at their favourite ice cream parlour in town. Yuki had bought her friend a necklace from the jewellery shop along with a sparkling white snow flake ornament. The Chairman happily watched the girls in front of the fire while sipping hot chocolate from his 'world's greatest dad' mug that Yuki had given him minutes earlier.

At 7pm the girls said their goodbyes as Yori headed back to the day class dormitory. Yuki headed back to her room to pack her gifts and retrieve her coat. In her room, Yuki carefully placed her gifts within her luggage and then zipped up the top. She then walked over to her night table and grabbed Artemis, placing her companion in her coat. Also on the table, sat a small box covered with black velvet. She picked it up and stared at it for a few moments before softly shaking her head. Pulling her luggage behind her she headed for the kitchen.

"Yuki! Promise me that you will visit again!" The Chairman exclaimed embracing her tightly.

"I promise." Yuki smiled back.

The Chairman opened the door so that she could exit when she stopped and turned towards him.

"Yuki?"

Yuki reached in to her coat pocket to find the black velet box and then handed it to the Chairman who appeared confused.

"Chairman, I debated with myself about whether to give this gift. It's actually for Zero..." She blushed lightly and looked away while the Chairman smiled.

"I'll give it to him, Yuki."

She smiled, hugging him once more, and then stepped out in to the dark and snowy evening. He watched her until she reached the gate and got in to the black car that was waiting and then drove away, and then slowly, he closed the door.

Driving back to the mansion, Yuki felt weak and thirsty. She craved her brother's blood and wondered whether he would share any with her, or possibly punish her for the trouble that she had found herself in over the weekend. When she had woke earlier in the afternoon, she had throughly checked her purse for blood tablets, certain that she had brought some, but found none. She thought about her encounter with Zero and his fingers on her cheek, and lightly, she rose her hand up to the spot his fingers had touched. She felt the cut that the deadly ring had made, nearly vanished, she fell asleep for the rest of the journey.

At nearly 10pm, the car arrived at the Kuran mansion and she tiredly stepped out and retrieved her luggage. The driver offered to walk her to the door but she kindly refused and thanked him for his services, bowed, and then began to walk towards the mansion. She reached the door and went inside immediently spotting Aido.

"Yuki-sama!" He exclaimed when he saw her, "You were expected home over an hour ago."

"Eh?" Her eyes widened. "I didn't realise..."

"Well Kaname is worried about you I'm sure, so go and find him so he knows that you're home."

She nodded and put her coat away then carrying her luggage up the stairs. Aido had insisted he help but she had told him that she was more than capable of carrying her luggage herself. She walked down the long hallways that were silent except for the clicking of her shoes against the floor and her luggage softly rolling behind her. She reached the master bedroom that her and kaname shared and opened the door. The room appeared empty and she walked over to the bed, setting her luggage on top of it. She unzipped the case so that she could empty it but stopped, standing still by the bedside, feeling incredibly tired.

"Welcome home, Yuki."

Startled and suddenly awake again with her eyes wide, she snapped around to face the familiar voice.


Unlike at the Kuran mansion, back at Cross Academy, everyone was sleeping or preparing for sleep. The Chairman hummed happily in his pajamas while placing last minute decorations on his Christmas tree, while in her room, Yori slept peacefully with a smile on her face, a friendship necklace around her neck, and a sparking snowflake ornament hanging from her bed post.

Alone in his room in the dark, sitting on the floor by his bed, sat Zero. He held a black velvet box in his hands. It smelled like her, and he couldn't help himself from bringing the box close to his nose and inhaling her sweet scent. He then hesitated a moment before he opened the box. Inside sat a flower pin that was lavender in colour, similar to the colour of his eyes. It caught the bit of light that entered his window and sparkled. It was truly beautiful, like her, and he could only stare at it in wonder. She was a beautiful and blooming flower, he thought to himself in the darkness. He could have thrown it across the room, left it on the floor, or even gave it to Yori telling her that Yuki had left one more gift, but he didn't. He took the pin from the box and pierced it through his uniform jacket, close to his heart, and then put the back piece on, securing it in place. Then he rose and walked over to the window, staring out in to the night, watching the snow softly fall. Like the Chairman, he had watched her walk across the grounds and to the front gate. Watched her enter the car and then drive away. His right hand rose and touched the flower as his lips formed the name of the one person who was held in his heart.

"Yuki."