Recovery p2

"Oh my god!" Bria gasped, "N—" she was cut off as the Hybrid raised her hands in a silencing motion.

Nao bit her lip, "Please, for the love of Kami, don't shout. I'd like to wake up a bit before minna starts pouncing on me," she said quickly in a soft voice.

Bria giggled, "Hai," she nodded and started getting the tea.

"Darn and I was already ready to just gloump." Nicky fake pouted. "And I would love tea." Luckily for them, they could eat and drink whatever they pleased, but it took a lot of their blood to process it down. That meant feeding blood more often. "Just don't poison it." He added in an afterthought.

Nao and Bria both laughed and shook their heads. Nao rubbed Nicky's arm, "I'd like to talk to Lese-san, choudai? This is a good a time as any, since later I'm sure I'll be surrounded until bedtime."

Bria finished the herbal tea Lese had set out for them earlier and set a cup in front of Nao before handing two regular Green Teas to Nicky, "For you and your mom," she told him.

"Of course," Nicky said with a smile. "Come on." He led her up the stairs and into his parents' room where Lese was quietly figuring out herbs and other medicines that might be used, "Momma?"

Lese looked up, "Ah! Nao! Was there something you needed? You shouldn't be wandering around." She took the tea that Nicky gave her and sat down in a chair near the coffin. Lese moved aside and patted a spot beside her. "Or would you prefer a chair?"

Nao shook her head and sat down next to the woman, "Did Rae finally tell you what was wrong? I was going to, but every time I was about to, I forgot what it was I wanted to say." She rubbed her eyes with a free hand, "Was it you who gave it to me?"

"I did give you blood." Lese nodded, "And Rae did tell me what was wrong. I'm glad that you are okay. However, I do wish that you'd take more care of yourself." She watched her, "You look tired...did you need more blood? I'm willing to give you more, or do you want to drink the blood from the packets I have in storage?"

"Packaged blood doesn't sound very appealing," Nao said wrinkling her nose. She nibbled on her lip, "Its awkward asking for it," she smiled sheepishly, "Your blood is quite interesting. It's icy, but warm, like…some sort of juice on a summer day, quite sweet and tangy, too."

She glanced at Nicky, "Though, my curiosity is ticking…what kind of effect other blood has on me? You're calm, Lese-dono, and quiet. I am interested to see if Nicky's bubbly side will give me more energy to do things and energy to endure the hugs and such I'll get from my comrades," she tilted her head smiling.

"An experiment," Lese nodded her approval. "And please, I know enough Japanese to tell you that 'dono' is not the suffix you should be using. Chan or san is fine with me, Nao-chan." She smiled warmly. "If my son," She looked over at Nicky, "Feels up to giving you blood, you should ask him." She looked back at Nao, "He is, old enough not to be having permission from me."

"Hai," Nao nodded lightly, "I'd like to try it…" she felt awkward calling their blood food, but she remembered they did the exact same thing to everyone else. She giggled and set her cup to the side as Nicky came closer.

Nicky burst out laughing, but it was strained. "Pure all-out Vampire huh? I guess I should be really happy that I am." He flashed a smile at her. He really wasn't, but this was what he was and what he was always going to be. Having a reminder of that only helped him realize his weakness more. "Should we go down stairs and watch you get gloumped by other people? Mikey would be ecstatic to know that your okay. He wouldn't leave your side until Jacob came over and dragged him away."

"Sure, I'd like to just talk to you now," Nao smiled and stood, stretching, "Well, it seems I was right. I feel so much better."

Lese smiled, "I am glad that you are. Please do not strain yourself too much okay? Have fun."

Nicky grinned as he stood up and took the tea cups that Bria gave them. "Come on." He nudged her lightly, knowing that whatever she wanted to talk to him about was going to have to be a private conversation.

He led her to his room. The floors were toasted brown; his walls were soft orange-yellow. His ceiling was painted like a very soft sunrise. Light pink, purple, and blue melted into each other and blended nicely. His coffin was covered by a red blanket, and his desk held a few books. "What do you want to talk to me about?" He asked her lightly, putting the tea cups on top of the coffin. He had two squashy bean bags that were lying around. He also had a wooden chair that was tipped over, that was near his desk as well. He didn't have a lot, but his closet was barely shut. As if he piled everything he had into that small storage space.

"I said the pure Vampire bit back their mostly because of your mom, Nicky," was the first thing Nao told him for his answer. She suppressed the hyper side she had gotten from Nicky and brought up Lese's calmness and serious side, saving the energy for when she needed it.

"It is true." Nicky said shrugging. "I am pure vampire. That's all I am and will be. It doesn't matter." He knew it mattered; it mattered a lot to him. However, what could he do? He was pure, through and through. "Just because my mom was there, doesn't mean you had to say it. Not that it's a bad thing; I'm not scolding you or anything. I'm just saying…" He paused, biting his lip.

"I'm just saying that you didn't have to tell my mom…" He said softly. "My mom knows that I'm pure, it's my father that has the doubts. I'm not a real good heir to the Fireside Gang nor am I a good heir to uphold our clan either." He laughed bitterly. "I like having fun, that's why me and Mikey and Ellie get along...or well Ellie sometimes."

"But I did hide it, and that was because of the fact you do want to disappoint your parents. What would you like better, talking about it here in private, with just us, or me blabbering using up the energy I got right there in front of Lese?" Nao asked him. She pursed her lips and then went over and flipped the tipped chair upright. She sat down and started combing her long hair with her fingers.

"Uh…" Nicky gave her a smile, "I think I'd rather have it be talked about us between us. Yeah…I don't want to." He smiled, but despair was evident in his eyes. "But I am a disappointment."

"You scratch my back I scratch yours right?" Nicky asked, shrugging. "Shoot away." He gave her a playful smile.

"Worst case scenario; major hope it doesn't happen, but if something ever happened to your father, would you want to lead Fireside? How about right now, if you had to make the choice now, would you want to lead Fireside?" Nao asked.

"Don't have a choice in the matter." Nicky told her softly. "I'm the only son they have. If something happened to my dad, then yes, I have to lead. Do I want to? Do I honestly have that desire to just……take the reigns and hope for the best? No."

He shook his head. "I wouldn't last long in a gang fight, and I'd loose a lot of respect from the fellow gang alliance that we have. I'm not fit to be a leader. And…I really honestly can't stand the thought of having the throne."

"Ok, I'm going to go through that answer backwards……" Nao mused to herself, "You don't want the throne because of Ally, right? You're afraid it'll change you too much, make you harder, less fun-loving, and it'll kill your relationship, yes?"

"That." Nicky said nodding, "But I also don't want the throne because I don't……Ally's a gentle person. Someone that's always looking out for another… She's not a fighter, she can't stand blood, and she's scared to even pick up a knife unless it's for cooking. I'm scared of me changing, but I'm also scared of what it might do to her."

"Okay…um, if she can't stand blood or sharp things, then how and why is she in love with a Vampire?" Nao asked honestly confused.

He laughed. Nicky just cracked up at the question. It hurt his ribs and his stomach, but he was so glad that someone had the same question. "I asked myself that a thousand times, Nao." He said, calming himself down, shaking his head. "I never asked her."

Nao laughed lightly also, grinning, "Then maybe you should, because I heard a lot of soft whispers your keen ears picked up but your mind never registered. I know you two are Lifebonded, because I could sense some sort of link there, so I know a couple things I'm sure you don't." She grinned brightly.

"Okay then, what do you know? I know more than three, I win the game." Nicky teased her, but was serious at the same time.

"Well…one is that she doesn't give a damn what or who you are, who your family is, or even what you're a part of," Nao stated first, "You told her once that because you are so pure, you think that even if you tried to turn her, your blood would be too potent. I heard the whisper – while you completely changed the subject – which she doesn't care."

Nicky watched her amused slightly. She had a point to the first one. To the second, it was more like an accusation than a point. Both way, he didn't know and she was winning. "So what's the third?" He asked wondering.

Nao's smirk got a little bigger, "The night after we rescued her, when she was able to go home, you took her. She wanted you to stay, and boy did you," she gave him a sly smile, "So, with that in place, what if I told you that after enough time passes and he has the will and want to do it, that you're own heir could take your father's place if you didn't want to?"

He stared. Fact three, most important… Fact four, what the hell? "……What?" He couldn't believe it. He just...couldn't believe it. "I'm…she's pregnant?!" His mind wrapped around the thought. It made sense, Ally did say that she was getting sick and didn't want him to catch anything, even though he was practically immortal. "Oh god. Oh my god…" He was happy, scared, excited, and nervous.

"Ally is pregnant, yes, Nicky," Nao grinned hugely, "You are going to be your own father. I don't have to taste your blood to see what you're feeling now," she laughed and stood to go hug him.

"I'm……I don't know what to think." Nicky said, his mind was blank besides trying to figure out everything. "I don't know if I should call her, go see her or what I should do…oh…" His excitement and happiness disappeared in a flash. His nervousness increased and his fear. "No….no this is a bad idea. Bad, bad idea…"

Nao frowned, and she felt her heart sink. She'd thought she was able to make things better, but she supposed she just made it worse. "What's wrong, Nicky-san?" she asked reluctantly as she dropped her arms from the almost-hug.

"You said to my mom…that I was…am a pure vampire. Pure vampire plus pure human……" Nicky shook his head, "It means trouble…it means a lot of things. I have to go see her. I promised Andy that I'd look after everyone, and I know I shouldn't shrink that duty for anything but, this is Ally and if what you say is right, I don't even know how much of the child is Vamp and how much of him is human."

"Fine, then I'm going to continue going backwards from that other bit of information you gave me. It may or may not change a thing, but hell, I'll say it anyway!" Nao hissed as she caught his arm before he had a chance to get away and she was really upset now.

"You said you weren't fit to be a leader, said that you wouldn't last very long in a gang-fight. Fuck, you went with us last night and you did a wonderful job, Nicolas. You aren't fit to be a leader? Hell, you'd possibly be the best one there is. Why? Because you are fun-loving…You're too stubborn and free-spirited to let such a thing as being leader of a gang stop you from being who you want to be."

"Fine, you don't have a choice, but you would are a benefit even now and are so wrapped in it you don't even realize that it wouldn't do much damage if you did become Fireside's leader," Nao closed her eyes and let him go, dizziness getting to her, "I would tell you everything's going to be fine, but who ever listens to what I have to say anyway?" She shook her head, "Forget it." She went to leave the room.

"I listened." Nicky said, "I can quote all of what you said to me, Nao. You're right and you're a bit off the mark. Maybe there wouldn't be any damage with me being Fireside's leader. Maybe I would benefit from doing it. However, that's not who I am. Your right I don't have a choice and right again when you told me that my kid…no…Ally and my child can take the throne, but I don't I want to be human Nao."

His voice was strained. "You don't know how lucky Mikey is to be human. How lucky any of the Ninja brothers are to be human… Not having to fear the light. Not having to drink blood ever few days at a time. Not having to keep seeing someone you love die every few fifty, seventy something years."

"I'm tired of being immortal. I'm tired of acting as if everything in the world is great. I don't want the throne, and I'm glad you think that I can be a good leader…but…it's a reminder to me. A reminder of who I am."

"However I can't change that. I never can and I know that it's never going to happen. So while I'm really happy that I have prep talks to fall back on…you honestly don't see the curse that I do. Maybe it's because I'm too cheerful to think about the curse. Maybe it's because I don't want to think about it……so thanks…For the prep talk I mean. I'm going to need that for a few more centuries' to come maybe."

He gave her a soft smile. He knew he was sending mixed messages, but he wasn't being sarcastic or bitter.

He was being honest to god truthful.

"Sure, yes, ok, a small prep talk is what my trying to help you is?" Nao asked glancing but not turning back, "Oh, well, I guess it's better than other possible things. This is my curse, Nicky. I try to make things better but instead I make things worse. I killed Kimiko because of the Elite and the fact she wanted to help /me/, and that almost happened with Michael. I try to talk with someone, make things better for them, but like with you I just made your problems double up. Now I'm probably going to be hurting Ally some way because she's going to be dragged into this now.

"Oh, let's not forget the fact that I'm a rat that tells the painful truth instead of being a liar. I hide things, important things, from even the one I care for. Oh, but I can't say any of that because I'm not the only one and I'm just sounding like a selfish bitch who's turning this all back on me." Nao's hands flexed, subconsciously trying to decide whether or not she wanted to make them fists.

"Okay now that's just wrong." Nicky said with a snap in his voice. "You try. That's all that matters. You hide things from Michel, but guess what? Rae does and still does the same thing to Raphael. I do the same thing to Ally. She knows I'm a vampire, she knows that I'm in a gang, what she doesn't know is that I'm not pure of heart. She doesn't know I killed; she has no idea that I know different methods to killing."

He shook his head and waved it off. "You're not a selfish bitch, you're a kindhearted idiot. You try helping people, but you don't know when to stop and that's what hurts everyone. You dig too deep. Way too deep."

He took in a breath. "You didn't kill Kimiko. Kimiko killed herself. She was hurt. She damaged her leg, and she couldn't run. She knew this, and she knew that she'd only slow you down because of it. She tripped on accident, but she got herself killed on purpose. She didn't want you to slow down. She wanted you to keep running and never look back. You were healthy and you were able to. You got caught yes, but it happens."

"I knew I should've stayed in bed today…" Nao murmured, voice thick not with anger, but with regret, "Never mind, Nicky-kun…I'm sorry for saying anything. But now that you know she's pregnant you can go give her the good news she's not sick, ne?" She laughed once; "Yeah…" she shook her head and started walking again.

"Nao…" He paused in his words before shaking his head, "You don't listen to what others have to say. When you do, you take it negatively." He paused again and asked in a soft voice, "Out of all the people, Nao, you helped me. I know it's not instant satisfaction, but humans……no…Vampires themselves, have a mind to process and to think. Allow that to happen, and something will."

He walked over and gently placed an arm around her, giving her a little shake. "Believe me when I say you helped me, Nao. Because I know for a fact that if you keep disbelieving what is being said……you're insulting yourself and the other person. You're too kind for that. Now then, you go back to bed, I'll go see Ally…tell…tell Andy I somehow managed to find a flying octopus and I decided to chase it." He grinned at her.

Nao paused and took a moment. The little words were what she tended to listen to, and since this was one who wasn't a long detailed explanation, she listened closer to it. She blinked at him, blinking in more surprise than anything, "I'm glad I helped, and I think what you just said clicked something for me. I am sorry for what I said to make you upset, so I guess we're even now."

Nao smiled and nodded, reaching to give him a hug, "Everything will be fine, and guess what? I just remembered something from a long time ago…"

"And what would that be?" Nicky asked with a smile as he responded to her offered hug.

"It's not the power of the curse, it's the power you give the curse," Nao told him.

He laughed softly and gently pulled away. "I'll be sure to remember not to give my immortal self anymore power over me then." He winked at her. "I'm going to talk to Ally, and come up with a few……plans. I'll see you when I get back."

He had just was about to go to the door before saying, "Oh and Nao…you should do the same."

Nao smiled, "Arigato." She watched as the Vampire finally left, using his speed to get out faster and without being seen. She shook her head, "Unique, that he is…" She left as well and quickly went to her and Mikey's borrowed room to get out of her nightwear. She then went to the stairs and started down when she heard laughing and complaining and all sorts of conversations coming from the kitchen.

She took a deep breath and made sure no one was in the Main Room before she proceeded and she used her wind to hover and sneak to the doorway. She listened and waited for the perfect moment for her to come in, lowering her ki and everything so she wouldn't be sensed.