This is my Choice

AN: I own nothing of Blood+. Only my imagination.

Saya laid awake, turned upon her side as she stared out at the moon-washed landscape. It was just a little past three in the morning, and a sliver of dawn could be seen from the horizon.

Half an hour ago, she heard the creak of the front door as Kai returned. Saya listened to his footsteps, trying to make a mental map in her head of where he walked to pass the time.

Seven footsteps.

The creak of a cabinet opening.

A slight mutter along with a rattle of ceramic clanking together.

The cascading of water.

The rattle of a sugar packet.

One footstep.

Pause.

He continued walking, the creaks and groans of the hallway floor marked his position as he stopped outside the girls' bedroom. Kai stayed there for a moment's breath before he turned again, heading back towards the front of the house where the living room connects with the kitchen.

There he sighed, settling into one of the chairs.

After that he was silent and the crickets' orchestra once again filled the silence of the house.

Saya breathed deeply in, waiting for the morning to come.

Suddenly her senses were heightened the moment Haji's fingers grazed over the exposed skin where her shirt had been pulled up when she turned over. From her back, his fingers danced over her waist and down, pulling her body flushed with his still uncovered chest.

His nose skimmed the edge of her ear then he nestled into the crook of her neck before he said, "You should be sleeping."

Still wrapped in his arms, Saya turned so that she could be face to face with him.

"You're awake." She said in relief while also dodging his question. "I was afraid I took too much." She placed a hand upon his cheek. "How do you feel?"

"Perfectly fine." He assured her, kissing her forehead. "You should sleep. I'll keep watch."

Without giving her time to argue, he pulled Saya close, holding her securely within his embrace.

Giving in, Saya felt her eyes grow heavy till at last she fell into slumber, breathing in the familiar scent of her chevalier.

Before she ever fully awoke, Saya could smell breakfast wafting through the house.

"I'm starving." She muttered into Haji's neck.

Somehow during the night, she found herself resting on top of her Chevalier.

Not that it was a bad thing…

With a small chuckle, Haji leaned up, cradling her so that she was still lying against him.

"Then wake up." He said simply.

Saya only grumbled, still feeling the effects from the lack of sleep, but nevertheless she untangled herself from Haji's arms, though she let her hand linger in his a moment longer before she walked into the bathroom.

She discarded the sweater and jeans she'd worn for the past few days to the floor and splashed her face with cold tap. Toweling off, she realized that she had no other change of clothes with her.

Maybe there's something of the girls' in the drawers that I could borrow?, she thought.

Peaking slightly out from the bathroom door, she found the bedroom completely empty. Opening the door wider, Saya noticed that the bed had been made so perfectly that it would put the world's strictest drill sergeant to shame. There was also another set of clothing left folded on the edge of the bed.

Saya smiled, wondering how he always managed to stay one step ahead.

On the kitchen table was a conveniently placed plate filled to the brim with generous helpings. Saya took a deep breath of the mouthwatering aroma.

"Help yourself." Kai said from the living room as he flipped through the channels on the TV.

Saya grabbed a fork from the kitchen drawer then settled herself down into the deep blue colored loveseat across from her brother.

Kai sat with a plate of his own, pushing the scraps around, halfheartedly. He looked a million miles away even with his eyes focused on the TV screen, Saya noticed.

She ate in silence for a while, letting her brother gather his thoughts, and half-way through her breakfast, Kai suddenly switches off the TV.

Saya looked up from her plate, expecting to meet her brother's gaze, yet his eyes appeared to be as blank as the TV screen.

"I'm such a fool." Kai whispered, covering his face with his palm.

Setting her plate aside, she knelt beside her brother, taking his hand within hers.

"Kai, stop it." She said softly, but firmly. "You couldn't have possibly have known Joel's intentions."

"But what does he want? Over thirty years he's had his scientists come and observe the girls, and he knows that they are no danger to the human existence. And you! You've done nothing but help them from the start. Joel would never use you like a tool…would he?" Kai demanded, starting intently into his sister's eyes that she had to look away.

"I can't answer that." Saya said, dropping her gaze. "So much has changed that it's hard for me to believe that I'm actually alive."

Kai chuckled lightly. "Trust me, you are as well as I." His smile faltered. "What exactly are his intentions, Saya?"

"Don't tell me your that blind, Kai." Hibiki scoffed.

They both jumped when she spoke, and looking over, they found her perched against the doorframe with her arms crossed, still dressed in her PJs.

"Oh, Hibiki, you're still awake." Kai greeted her.

She rolled her brown eyes. "Good morning to you to." Hibiki said, walking over to plop down into one of the armchairs.

"Can't you two see what he's trying to do?" The twin asked.

She was met with blank stares.

Sighing, Hibiki sat up. "My sister and I are a part from our mother therefore our blood is as one, and as long as Aunt Saya is alive our blood cannot kill one another, making it impossible for him to destroy us. Which is why Joel sought out you." She said, glancing Saya's way. "He already has our blood, which is lethal to you as our mother's once was. All he needs now is Aunt Saya's blood to take care of us, therefore ending the chiropteran race forever."

Saya blinked. "I never thought of it like that, but it makes the most sense." She conceded; within a blink of an eye, she paled. "The blood transfusion." She whispered to herself. "He already has my blood." She told the two.

"Which is why we must find a way to strike first." Haji said, appearing out of nowhere, standing behind the loveseat.

Saya stared in wonder at the crisp clean suite and freshly pressed shirt he now wore instead of his recently bloodied outfit.

Where could he have possible have gotten that?, she thought to herself.

"If it's a fight we've entered, then count me in." Kai said, standing to his feet. It's been awhile since I've been in action."

"Which is exactly why you're not going to be doing anything!" Saya exclaimed, rising to her feet as well.

"I'm coming as well." Hibiki spoke.

"Absolutely not!" Saya and Kai agreed brashly at the same time.

Then began a whirlwind of an argument.

"Saya, I'm old enough to make my own decisions!"

"You also have two children to take care of!"

"Don't treat me like some child! I'm not some impudent teenager! I'm nearly thirty years old in human terms!"

"I'm over two hundred years old! Compared to me, you are still a child, Hibiki!"

"This is just as much as my fight as yours! I have my sister to protect!"

"Which is why you need to stay here!"

"Hibiki, you can't possibly fight when you could go into hibernation within any minute!"

"I'm tired of you treating me like some defenseless human!" Hibiki jumped from her seat, storming out the front door with a bang, making the floor shudder underneath.

Gripping his hair within his fists and pulling hard, Kai muttered, "Dammit".

Saya propped her elbows against the back of the loveseat, burying her face into her hands.

"Kai…" She began.

But he said nothing, only grabbed the plates from the living room and wordlessly brought them to the sink, turning the faucet on as he began to wash them.

Haji stared wordlessly at his queen, knowing very well to stay out it as it was something for her and her family to deal with.

"Kai, please," Saya begged, staring at her brother's back. "Take care of the girls. Leave this to me."

Her brother slapped the dish towel against the sink, turning to face her. "And who's suppose to take care of you? This is not just your fight!" He shouted. "I promised Dad to look after you." His eyes soften. "Besides the girls…" He whispered, suddenly looking his age. "You're all that I have left. You three give me a reason to keep fighting...to live on."

Saya embraced her brother. "Then live." She said into his shoulder. "Nankurunaisa."

"It's been forever since I've last heard that." He admitted. Kai sighed once. "Just when I thought our life would be normal, you have to show up and bring trouble with you." Kai kidded, stepping back to rub a hand through her hair, making it spike up.

"Normal is overrated." She tried to kid back, but it was halfheartedly.

Kai laughed, patting Saya on the shoulder while his gaze went to the front door.

"What about Hibiki?"

Kai turned back to his washing. "Just let her be. It's better for her to deal with it herself. She'll cool down in a little while."

"Okay, if you say so." Saya stood on her tiptoes, giving Kai a chaste kiss on the cheek. "You make a great father, by the way. Dad would be proud."

Kai didn't say anything in return as she walked way, heading back towards her bedroom.

Haji followed close by, stopping at the doorframe as Saya knelt down to the floor, pulling Haji's cello case closer to her. She clicked the lid open and there awaited her chevalier's soul, glinting in the morning light. Saya ran a hand over the smooth surface of the wood. Her heart aching for the music only Haji could achieve. From the cello, her hand raised till it came upon the latch to the secret compartment. With a flick of her finger, the sheath of her sword was revealed.

"I made a false promise." Haji said to his queen. "Your life should not be painted in blood by wielding that sword."

Saya ran her thumb over the handle before grasping it in her fist, pulling it fully out of its sheath for the first time in thirty years.

"No." Saya replied, turning the blade so that it caught the light. "I will no longer wield this sword out of the order of someone else, but out of my own choosing to protect what I love…This is my choice." Her reflection stared steadily back at her, as if awaiting the orders from its master.

AN: Okay, here you go. Chapter 14 for you guys.

I hate saying this because it makes me sound really mean, but would it be too hard to ask for 5 reviews for this chapter?

I wrote this during my spare time while also studying for my exams, so I really went out of my way to get this chapter finished as quickly as possible, and I'm only asking for 5 reviews as a small reward. Again, I don't expect a long lengthy review. Just stopping by to say hi or your input on the story is enough for me.

Maybe I'm just ranting.

Who knows?

I also have a question for the readers.

Do you think this story is worth continuing? I'm just afraid that I'm doing a crappy job over here.

Though please consider that I don't nearly have the time to put forth the effort I wish I could into this story like I want to, but how is it so far?

Thanks again to those few readers who made it this far. :)

Cookie~

(p.s. I'll just go ahead and thank you now Esther. XD )