LDD: Remember, if you haven't read the other story 'Bishi and Bashi', that there is a short time jump in this story between the end of chapter 13 and the start of chapter 14. The events at the start of this chapter may be a little confusing if you do not know the events in 'Bishi and Bashi', but overall it's not going to leave you confused for more than the first scene, hopefully. I still recomend you read it, if only to get a few good laughs from a fun story.

Thank you to my reviewers: !

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o

The World of Songwinds Bishounen and Bishoujo:

Demoonica's Story: Manatsu

by

Lady Demoonica Darkmoon

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o

"Wufei, the next time you tell me that something will be an easy assignment, I'm kicking your ass across the room." Demoonica frowned at the Bishounen from where she sat on the table. The Safety Department's head doctor Millerna was starting her exam. Demoonica had been on what had ended up turning into an extended length assingment, and unable to make her last check-in with a doctor. Millerna wondered if checking Demoonica's blood pressure while the young woman was speaking with Commander Chang was a good idea.

"Glad to see you are back, too." Wufei crossed his arms and sighed. "It, the assignment, was not supposed to become the mess that it did. And because of it, I've been told that you are now completely off any active duty. No matter how Kate is throwing her power around at the moment, Megami-sama is not happy."

Demoonica raised an eyebrow. "Can you swear to that?"

He nodded. "Also, I was asked to pass this along to you." Wufei pulled out a thick bunch of papers folded up together. "Kate was impressed with several of the girls during the time she was with them, she's had these deeds written up for small plots of land. These papers are set to make a predecided amount of space in the BishiWorld immune to the natural shifts in place and changes in scenery. Effectively, the area will become anchored like the cityies for humans and Bishounen."

"I always wondered about that." Demoonica mumbled.

Wufei snorted. "Just take yours." He handed it to her. "There are instructions and some rules, but mostly it's as simple as when you find a plot of land you'd like to own, activate the claim. The papers will anchor it if it's acceptable. You can't change it once you anchor a place, so chose wisely."

Demoonica held the papers close. "Thank you." She said softly.

"Besides, we have a lot of information to go through, Kate aside. With Zander showing back up at the time he did, it piles on the work load of Prof. Steve and his Washu. Consider this an order when I say that I don't want to hear a peep out of you until you are supposed to show back up to work. Understand?"

Millerna shook her head as he left the room. "I really don't know what to make of that man, miss." Then she returned to her job as a doctor. It was still a good amount of time later when Demoonica was cleared to leave. "I still don't understand these readings." Millerna said to herself as she looked though the readouts after Demoonica was out of the room. "But the improvement rate of the baby is astounding..."

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o

Demoonica sat down beside Zander, this was the most uncomfortable she'd been around him for a long time. He'd been gone for what seemed forever, off of the BishiWorld and out of her life while he learned how to finally handle the powers he'd inherited from his mother. No small feat, she found out. And she was so very happy to see him again. She wanted to hold him, to know he was really there, really back. Yet she found herself unable to do something as small as start up a conversation with him.

Zander could see how uncomfortable Demoonica was, if he'd learned anything while away it had been more about interactions between people. Finding out that you are the only child born to an entire race in recent memory, even if you are only a half-breed of their race, can be very shocking. Being tossed into a world where you are seen as their savior, well never let it be know that he did live up to his genetics as the son of one Duo Maxwell. He did however learn to be humble about it... after that first embarrassing whoop of excitement. He wondered if he'd ever return to see how his mother's world and the race of people that lived there had fared. He doubted it.

"Welcome back." Demoonica said softly.

"Yeah, I'm back."

And the silence stretched on once again.

"Demoonica, I-"

"Zander, I-"

They stopped.

"You first." Zander finally started.

"Zander... you've changed, you seem so much more..." She didn't know how to put it. Confident? Somewhat. Powerful? Sure. She could tell he'd grown in so many ways. Had she just idled in place all this time? "I missed you so much, even when I was trying not to show it. You were gone so long..."

Zander rubbed the back of his head. "Heh. Yeah, it did take awhile. Shades and Shocker ran me through the ringer. And the old man, Sarge, gawd he was a bigger pain than the pair o-"

"Zander!"

Zander found himself with his arms full, Demoonica crying into his chest. She was also speaking, hiccuping, and once-in-a-while sniffling. He got the basics of what was said though. He wasn't completely dense though and there was no denying the hard roundness pressed against his side. And she was blurting it all out to him; the events leading to her discovering she was pregnant, how she'd been so distracted emotionally that she'd not told him when he'd left, and the fact that even now she seemed to not be able to avoid one case of trouble or another in the BishiWorld. He couldn't get in a word, and he would admit that his excitement about telling Demoonica everything he had gotten to see and do while gone seemed insignificant now. So he held her while she released all the pent up emotions that even she hadn't realized had built up over the past several months.

When she'd cried herself out, she seemed to be empty emotionally. And tired. Even in a small amount of pain from crying so much. At some point during her outburst Zander had pulled her onto his lap and she was curled up against his chest. "We'll be all right. We'll get back into the swing of things." She heard him say softly. "I'm here now and I won't leave again."

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o

Demoonica's second day back at the Safety Department included a trip to see Bill, who thankfully was visiting at that time, likely pitching the idea of a new invention or three. Zander was with Professor Steve and Washu, having a multitude of tests run now that he'd returned. She'd even seen a little of Sterling that morning, the younger boy talking about having finally passed Wufei's standards. He was now ranked on the same level within the Safety Department that Demoonica did. That meant he could return to his normal activities as a trainer back on the BishiWorld surface. He was thinking about becoming a Collector... er Retriever… ah, whatever they were called, the trainers who found and brought in newbies to Orientation.

It had been a surprise, being grabbed from behind in a hug by someone taller than her. She squeaked and looked back and up. Eyes that blue and hair that color of white-blond normally only appeared on Bishi, but the boy was human. And now taller than her, what a difference less than a year could make. He'd been laughing, happy that both the people he'd bonded so closely with had returned to the Department Headquarters. "Sis!"

"S-Sterling?" She stuttered out at the younger teen.

He spun her around and the next hug actually lifted her off her feet. "I heard in class today, how could I not with Comander Chang teaching, that you'd arrived yesterday."

"Down, down, let me down."

He loosened his grip and she dropped back down to her feet. This caused her look up at him, he wasn't as tall as Zander yet, but he sure was trying hard to catch up. His enthusiasm wasn't dampened any. "Where's-"

"Professor Steve dragged him into testing at dawn."

"Oh. He'll be out by lunch, right?"

Demoonica shook her head. Bottomless pit, but at least it seemed to only be going into his height. "I doubt it. Zander will insist on being freed by dinner though."

"That's good." He hooked his arm into hers, turning so they were once again headed the way Demoonica had been going and began walking, taking her with him. "So, where are we going?"

"Lab area, to find Bill." She paused. "I've forgotten his last name."

Sterling laughed. "Don't worry, I've forgotten Professor Steve's last name."

"He never told me it at all, I thought people in this line of work were suppose to go by family name."

"Commander Chang does."

"He's also a pain to deal with."

"He just want people to know what they are doing. Keeps him from writing more reports."

At that Demoonica started laughing. "No wonder he's always mad at me, I'm always causing an uproar." Sterling joined in on the laughing.

Smoke billowing from the next lab ahead signaled they'd found the one Bill occupied. The localized fire alarms kept attempting to turn on the water sprinklers, then suddenly would sputter out. Demoonica and Sterling ducked into the door. "Hey, Bill?" She asked as she entered the disheveled lab the man kept at the Department.

"Demoonica!" He greeted with a big smile. "Haven't seen you in a long time. Your last correspondence said that the bond serum was working to the level I'd estimated. Still taking the daily injections, correct?"

Demoonica nodded. "Yes." Even though she hated poking herself with a needle every day and she was sure the bruise on her upper arm would never fade. "But I came to see you because I think there may be some problems once it gets so much in both mine and my Bishi's systems."

The man stopped his tinkering with a large metal device and looked at Demoonica in thought. After a moment he pulled the goggles and gloves off, and removed the heavy apron. "Okay, give me a bit to clean up and meet me in the medical wing." The smoke was coming from the device, but there didn't seem to be any fire. He pressed a button on it and the smoke stopped. He patted the thing. "Localized weather." He explained.

"Ah." Replied both Demoonica and Sterling. "I'll be waiting." Demoonica added, then just as the water sprinklers attempted to again come on she left. She was sure she heard Bill wondering why he kept getting rain, when he was just trying to form clouds. Beside her Sterling tried not to laugh as he caught the words, too.

"I'll come with you." Sterling said. "Then you and your Bishi can join me and mine for lunch?"

After a moment of thought, Demoonica agreed. "Yeah, I hardly know any of the other Department members."

Once at the medical wing the doctor on call, who was the Millerna that Demoonica knew, left them in one exam room. Sterling had quieted as they walked and now was silent as they waited. A few glances later and she knew why. "She's Zander's."

He jumped. "Sorry, I heard Commander Chang talking about... well he wasn't speaking about it in a very nice way. Too many annoying Maxwell relations as it is. Or along those lines. I guess knowing you were pregnant and seeing you... it's surprising? Odd." He paused and nodded. "Yeah, it's odd."

Demoonica grinned. "Truth is, I'm feeling better now than I have in months. It's good having Zander back here..." Her voice lowered. "I'd started to believe I'd be going through this alone."

A few minutes passed in silence after that, before Bill entered the room looking much more cleaned up and presentable. "I hate needles." He mumbled to himself as he moved about the room. "Why did I make it as an injection?"

Demoonica though still heard him, she raised an eyebrow. 'You mean I could have been taking this stuff another way?' She asked herself, slightly annoyed. She frowned.

Bill ducked out of the room for a moment, calling in Millerna to get his blood samples taken for him. Though she did as asked she told him he should simply call a nurse, she was a doctor, who could take blood just as easily. He seemed to not hear her. Instead he'd already placed a drop of Demoonica's blood onto a glass plate and was comparing it to the last sample he'd had taken. Millerna sighed and left.

"Now that's odd. Where did that come from? There is way too much- And that isn't created by the body or my serum. Wait, that could cause... How in the world?" And he continued to mumble. Demoonica could only catch parts of what he said, and when she looked at Sterling he only shrugged.

Demoonica had the urge to call out her Bakura. She wasn't sure how, but the self proclaimed pervert had become one of her greatest comforters. He may not admit it, but he knew when to and when not to act up, even if he swore otherwise. Now though, she was feeling worried and left out of what was going on. She'd been having a lot of that being left out of the loop part. A soft hand on top of hers caused her attention to switch. Sterling patted her hand again, as if to let her know he was with her. She'd forgot, she would admit. In just a few short moments she'd forgot in worry.

"Darkmoon." Augh, her last name coming from Bill just seemed all kinds of wrong. "I need to run actual tests on your blood. Where did that woman go... Oh, here, she left several sample tubes filled for me. How thoughtful."

"Sir." Sterling interjected. "You asked Miss Millerna to take those for you."

Bill just looked at him, blinked, and went back to looking at the blood sample. "Yes. I can say though, you can stop taking the serum. It's working at full, actually it seems your body has started to produce it's own version. I can't wait to see the difference beyond what I can already see." He paused. "By the way, did you happen to know you are pregnant?"

"W-what?" Demoonica asked confused.

"Yes, there is a difference in the blood, you see..." Bill turned around and perhaps for the first time that day took a moment to look at the person he was speaking with. "Oh, well it seems I'm a bit late to deliver that news. Goodness, congratulations are in order, aren't they?"

All Demoonica could think to say was, "Thank you, sir."

"Stop taking the serum, your Bishounen too. Daily shots are no longer needed to keep the serum active. Actually, if I can reproduce what is in your blood, future trainers will only need a single dose."

"What's it do?" Sterling asked, having no idea what all this had been about.

"Hhm? Ah! Yes, of course." Bill stood up a little taller. "My young man, the Bishounen to Trainer Bonding Serum is an invention of mine. It will reinvent the way the blood bond formed during a Bishi capture works. My original version of the serum allows, after time spent building up in the blood system of both trainer and Bishi, to allow the time and distance restrictions to be broken with no ill effect to either involved. In the final revised version, I had hoped to include the serum into the production of the BishiBall itself."

"Awesome." Sterling whispered. "And now?"

Bill stopped. "And now? And now what?"

"The version Demoonica's body is making? What is it?"

"I'm not exactly sure. Some of the compounds are in neither the human body naturally, or in my serum. It could have originally been introduced from an outside source, though I couldn't tell you how."

"Sir?"

"Bill, is it safe?" Demoonica asked. "What is it doing?"

"Safe? I suppose so. Your body is making it after all. As for it's effects, it is beyond my imagining. The time and distance restrictions have been completely dissolved for Demoonica's Bishi. In fact I would presume that those restrictions are only in effect for any new Bishi she's catching during the short time the bond requires to fully form. Anywhere between an hour and a day. I suspect, the addition of the extra serum being injected everyday has actually led to some side effects. Those were what you came to ask me about, correct?" Stunned by how much Bill could gather by simply comparing the differences in two of her blood samples, Demoonica could only nod. "Of course you would. They are probably feeling the effects of the bond as if the serum were acting in the opposite manner, that being a strong draw to your location and proximity. Once the injected version of the serum works it's way fully out of the system, I'd say a few days to be sure, that effect will be gone. However, I must tell you that your Bishounen are likely to always be more... how do I put this... comfortable, being on more friendly terms with you... than other trainers are accustomed to. Nothing to the point of a physical attraction, I assure you, but quite... cuddly?" By the end of Bills' speech the man seemed to almost be questioning, leaving himself confused.

"You have no idea." Demoonica said to herself, then spoke up so Bill could hear. "I've noticed some of that. So you say it'll go away on its own?"

Bill nodded. "Most of it. Just stop taking the serum, you can leave what you have remaining in my lab, when you get the time."

"So... it's okay?"

Bill was gathering the tubes of blood along with his other things. "I'm not a medical doctor, not of the type you are use to in any case. However, I can tell you it hasn't done any damage to you. Physically, you are fine. Just, as I said, stop the use of the serum, you don't need it. I don't need you taking it to get more data. Now, I'm rather in a hurry. I promised my wife and son I'd be home by tonight. I need to get packing."

He left. Demoonica could hear one of the nurses. "Oh, Professor! You're going to drop something, let me help you carry that!"

"Lunch?" Sterling offered.

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o

It was happening again, she'd so hoped that as he grew in strength that the power would settle. He may still be inside of his Bishiball, but at the moment Demoonica could feel the spike in power that came from Hiead. It was late into the night, the time when he seemed to have the most trouble with his powers. It was after all nightmares that were often the cause of his EX reactions. It had been several days now after her return to the Bishi World Safety Department Headquarters after her last assignment. The floating island, while busy, had yet to have a situation that put her into trouble. Quite a change from being down on the planet's surface. Too good to be true, she should have known.

She sat up in bed, collecting her glasses from the bedside stand and putting them on as she stood. Zander, asleep beside her, rolled over mumbling something in a dream. The desk pushed against the other wall was covered in her trainers gear, her belt, BishiBalls, and wrist-worn BishiGear. Hiead's ball drew her like a moth to a flame. It was easy to tell apart from the rest, being secured to a ribbon into a makeshift necklace. Even if it hadn't been, she had grown to be able to always know exactly who's Ball was who's.

She snatched the Ball off the desk by the ribbon and didn't even stop to put on slippers as she left her sleeping quarters. The halls were eerily quiet this late at night, they always were, because of the mandatory lights out for Safety Department trainees. She'd made a habit of sitting on the benches and looking out of the huge viewing windows during her stays here, tonight would be her return to that habit. The Ball in her hands shook violently. Had anyone seen it, they would have thought the Bishounen inside was fighting against being caught. But Hiead had been in her possession for months now.

A hand was gently placed on her shoulder causing Demoonica to jump. She looked up into the worried eyes of her Yami. How had he gotten out of his BishiBall? His eyes moved to the Ball she held, then back at her. "It seems that you are having some trouble." He sat down beside of her, looking up out of the window in front of them.

They sat there quietly for a few minutes. The Ball in Demoonica's hands still shook wildly. "It's Hiead... and his EX." She finally stated. "From the time I caught him, he's struggled to keep the EX ability from activating, because when it does he looses control of himself."

"EX ability?"

"Sorry, I forgot you have only been with us... perhaps four months now?" She shook her head. "It's like a psychic ability, that in Hiead is only supposed to enhance his speed in movement. However, the reaction is being coupled with nightmares of his Originator, his first, the Hiead from the show. It's from what I've seen, a mix of the dreams Hiead had in the show and the events that happened during the show. It's a nightmare in his head he can't get rid of."

Yami blanched. He had no idea what Hiead was seeing, but Demoonica seemed to know. "You said, you've seen these dreams?"

Demoonica nodded. "Several times. Hiead lashes out during his EX reactions, many times mentally. I got dragged in. I've also seen the show he's from, Megami Kohousei, and read the manga. I'm very familar with his nightmares, I just can't do anything about them other than get dragged in and try to snap him out of the loop of events as best I can."

"But that's dangerous!" Yami jumped to his feet. "You can't keep letting yourself be dragged into his nightmares like that!"

Demoonica gave a half-hearted shrug. "He never lets me help him when he's awake... actually when he's awake... he either refuses to talk to me... or..." She trailed off suddenly.

"Or?" Yami prompted.

"We..." She shook her head. Yami raised an eyebrow at her, not letting her refuse to tell him. "We fight, verbally, mostly." She took a breath, well she might as well say it. Yami didn't look like he was going to let her leave anything out. She spoke the rest softly, making Yami lean closer to hear her. "Sometimes... he sort of loses control then too... the next thing I realize we're kissing." Here Yami snorted. "Sure, no big deal, right? It's kissing, it's harmless. But... he frightens me then. All his yelling and his violent temper I can handle. If he took a swing at me, I'd know how to react to that." She looked up at Yami suddenly, they were nose to nose. "But when he kisses me, I like it, but it frightens me."

Yami stared into his trainers eyes, seeing the confusion and mixed emotions there. After a moment he leaned forward and placed his forehead against hers and spoke, "You have such a light soul, my trainer. I can see that this is hurting you also. Let me try to help."

Leaning back he motioned her to bring Hiead from his BishiBall. It wasn't shaking as violently as before, so she knew the worst part of the nightmare had already passed. She felt guilty for not having tried to stop it. She called Hiead out, the Bishounen hitting the floor after having been lyiing in his bed moments before. Yami took hold of her shaking hand. The impact forced Hiead into wakefulness and he cursed the rude awakening. His eyes adjusted to the light of the night. "What do you want, fangirl?"

"Actually, we." Yami replied. "And what I want is for you to sit still and not fight this."

Hiead glared at him, but the eye contact was just what Yami needed. The Millennium Puzzle flashed to life, the gold light blinding. When it faded away Demoonica, Yami, and Hiead found themselves floating in the starry sky that was Hiead's mind.

"Impressive." Yami commented. "All your memories are like distant stars to us. However, they are scattered to you too. A jumbled mess."

Hiead glared at him. "Why in the Hell did you bring me back in here?"

"To put a stop to this. Whatever it may be." Yami looked around and was surprised when the space below his feet became solid enough to stand on. Demoonica and Hiead however both looked more worried by this event. Then he felt it. "I can feel a darkness approaching."

-CLICK!-

The sound of the gun being cocked was right behind Yami's head. He froze.

"Well now, why wasn't I invited to the party?" The voice was Hiead's, but Yami could see Hiead and he'd not moved at all. Actually, he looked paler than normal, as did Demoonica.

Hiead and Demoonica watched the hooded figure. Beneath the hood would be a Hiead look-a-like, a split personality of sorts, one that they both wanted to be far away from. The figure tilted it's head to the side. "Nothing to say?"

"I take it you are the 'problem' in here?" Yami said. He felt the gun press closer to the back of his head in warning. He ignored it. "Looks like someone likes to play games..." Yami smiled wide and an insane glint came to his eyes. "I like to play games too."

Yami spun on the spot, facing the hooded figure. "You are a coward, hiding within Hiead's soul. Well I have news for you..." Around them whisps of dark fog rolled on an unfelt air curant. None of them had noticed it creeping in about them until now. The fog about their feet cleared, revealing they were now standing on a sandstone floor. It seemed more out of place suspended in the sea of stars than the people upon it did. "The area you are standing on belongs to me and I never deal kindly with those who trespass in my soul."

The figure tried to take a step back, to retreat off of the sandstone floor. It couldn't move.

"I believe you will find this is now mine also." Yami held up the gun. "Not that we'll be needing this one." The gun disappeared into nothingness. "Let's play a game shall we?" Darkness rose up between them and formed itself into a table, upon it lay six guns identical in all ways. "You like to take other's lives into your hands and play with them. Let's see how the Gods of Fate feel about that. Before us are six guns, but only one is loaded. A simple game of Russian Roulette." Yami's smile twitched. Above the table a coin appeared, spinning in place. "Head's or tails for first, I call heads." The coin dropped to the table. Heads. "I go first."

Yami picked up a gun. He paused looking at Demoonica and Hiead. "I think it best you not witness this... game."

Demoonica felt a push, it was done mentally, then she was sitting on the floor in the hallway of the Safety Department. The return to her own body had never been so smooth or easy. Hiead, as always, was sprawled out on his back a few feet away. He wasn't thrashing about, so she considered that a good thing. He didn't seem to be awake though. "Hiead?" Nope, no reaction.

She sat there watching him for a few minutes, but they seemed to pass painfully slow. A few times Hiead had twitched, causing her to jump in surprise. The dark and quiet were not good when you had an over-active imagination. Yami, or perhaps she should say his body, was resting against the wall, head bowed. He looked asleep, but Demoonica knew at least part of his soul was caught in a dangerous game.

Then Hiead gave a soft moan, his eyes fluttering open, then closed again. And Yami lifted his head. "It is done."

"Yami? What is, was, that in Hiead's mind?"

"A fractured piece, like the personality Malik once had." He shook his head. "I can't tell you why it happened, just that things like this are normally made to deal with great pain, be it mental or physical." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "I didn't destroy the darkness outright, it was more than just an evil that had taken hold of Hiead, it was literally parts of his personality... the bad parts. I did my best to repair his shattered soul. Even found the representation of his 'good' if you will. He'll need time to adjust and to finish healing, but I've done all I can." He sighed, then yawned. "I hope this isn't a common event when you are here, I've used a great deal of power tonight."

Demoonica couldn't help but smile. "Go back to bed, Yami."

"Heh, agreed."

Demoonica still couldn't understand how it worked, but even at a distance and around corners and through what she hoped was her closed door, the BishiBall worked. Maybe it was willpower alone that allowed it. Still from where she sat all it seemed to be was Yami pausing to concentrate, then he was enveloped in a bright red energy, became part of it, then it flashed out of sight. It was almost too fast to see, but she knew that it didn't actually disappear, but zipped down the hall and around the corner, out of sight.

Hiead seemed to be making a new attempt at returning to the waking world. "Hiead?"

His eyes fluttered, then cracked open. "Mmn?" He replied sleepily.

"You okay?"

"Mmm... uh-huh." He rubbed his eyes, and sat up. "I'm fine, fangirl. My head feels like it's been through a Victim attack." He stopped. "I didn't mean to say that out loud." Another pause. "Oh Goddess I am like Zero, can't shut up."

Demoonica giggled. She could't help it. Yami's 'repair job' had apparently left Hiead without the ability to think something and not say it. His 'filters' were 'off' so to speak.

"Shut up! It's not funny!"

"Oh yes it is. I can ask you anything and right now you can't keep your mouth shut."

"I can leave." He pushed himself up, a bit off balance from the sudden movement.

"Oh no you don't, this is priceless!"

"I'm not listening, Ikhny-girl-wanna-be."

Demoonica stood, catching up to him as he stormed down the hall. "Oh, c'mon, I've been in your head Hiead, can't be too much left I haven't seen."

"You're going to wake the entire hall up." He tried to get to her room before she did.

She slipped in front of him, grabbing the doorknob so he couldn't, turning to face him. "Then why don't you just return to your Ball to get away from me?"

"My head's too fuzzy to concentrate." He paused. "Fuck." He glared at her. "Move."

"Promise to answer my questions."

"Look, I don't have much mental control right now. Leave me alone!"

"Why should I?"

"Because! There is something I want to do and I'm trying not to."

"What?"

"This." Hiead grabbed Demoonica by the shoulders, pulled her close, and claimed her lips in a rough kiss. Her eyes went wide as he slipped his tongue passed her parted lips and one of his hands found its way into her hair. She was effectively trapped when his other hand moved from her shoulder and he wrapped his arm around her.

'Oh, shit.' Her hand loosened from the door knob. His BishiBall dropped from her other hand, clattering loudly to the floor.

He pulled back. "I'm sorry."

Demoonica couldn't help being reminded of Hiead's capture. His fast and uneven breathing, made more difficult because she'd been sitting on him at the time. His eyes had been unfocused then, too, and he'd had a large bruise blossoming across the entirety of one cheek. In that moment she could see the ghost of that bruise again and couldn't stop herself from touching his cheek gently, just as she'd done before. He'd been dying from blood loss, his heart beating so hard she could feel it. She hadn't wanted him to die, pouring all that desire into one tiny plea. One word. Please. It meant so many things. Please don't die. Please let the ball catch you, it will stabilize your condition. Please... don't leave me. "Please."

Hiead squeezed his eyes shut. His hand that was in her hair moved to her hand upon his cheek. "Don't talk to me in that tone of voice. Don't care. I can't handle someone caring." He shook his head slowly.

"We're connected somehow, Hiead. Not just by the bond, but by something much deeper and more powerful. I feel it. Mind, body, and soul... I want you. I need you. Please, don't leave me."

Hiead nodded, more to himself than to Demoonica. "From the first time. I can't do anything to fight it. I'm so very confused."

"You're very important to me."

"You cause me emotions I've tried to suppress for so long."

She could see it too, the emotion glittering in his crimson eyes. "Yeah, you can't pull the 'trained to deny all emotion' card on me anymore." She would have laughed, but they were standing in the hallway, outside her bedroom door. Zander was asleep in her room, and she'd been happy to feel the safety she felt when back in his arms. Still, she'd woken in the night because of Hiead's EX fueled nightmare. Her words caused his lips to twitch, a small smile, a real smile. She took it in, burning that look into her memory. Once Hiead found his mental filters she was sure she'd never see it again. "It's late, you should return to your Ball, get some sleep without nightmares interrupting." She pulled her hand from his and removed his arm from around her. "Your Ball..."

The Ball was resting against the door across the hallway. Hiead lifted it by the ribbon. "Why don't you keep it on your belt with the others?"

"What and have you and Zero kill each other?"

Hiead rolled his eyes, something she'd never seen him do before. "I wont kill Zero, no matter how annoyed I get."

"I know." Demoonica replied softly. "I also just wanted..."

"Wanted?"

"You next to my heart."

She could see the emotion pass over his eyes again. It was amazing and frightening to be able to read them so clearly. He stepped closer to her again, cupping her cheek with his empty hand. "But I've always been in your heart, haven't I?"

"I'm terrified by that thought."

"Don't be." He leaned down, kissing her gently. It was the first time he'd kissed her with no anger fueling his actions, the first time he'd not grabbed her roughly or forced her back against something and trapped her. It didn't last long, it didn't become something more. Just a soft kiss. He pulled away. "I think you are right, it's very late into the night." He thumbed the button to his BishiBall, an easier way to cause his return to the device then willing himself away to it. Demoonica had to reach out quickly and grab the Ball as it started falling.

She stared at the Ball. "Now what am I supposed to do?"

She'd receive no answer, she knew that, still... She sighed, turning to her door. She was glad they'd not woken anyone. She was in no shape to be caught out in the middle of the night, without a reason. She could almost hear Wufei yelling at her.

It was dark and quiet in her room when she entered. Because of that, she felt some level of relief sweep through her. She'd half expected to find the light on and Zander watching the door, ready to ask her where she'd been. She only realized after she got in bed that she'd kept hold of the BishiBall. This wasn't going to work anymore. She was deeply in love with Zander, they were having a baby, together.

She flipped on the bedside lamp, reaching over she shook Zander by the shoulder. "Can we talk?" He hardly roused from his sleep, so she shook his shoulder again, a bit rougher. "Zander. Hey, wake up. I need to talk to you."

"Wha' is it?" He mumbled.

"C'mon, this is important."

"Impor-wha?" He sat up, suddenly wide awake. "Wait, are you okay? Is it the baby? Should I call for Millerna?"

"No, no, calm down." She still had hold of one of his shoulders. "I need to talk to you."

His shoulders drooped. "In the middle of the night?" He asked tiredly.

"Yes, it's important."

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TBC...

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LDD: Please leave a review! Thank you!

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