Disclaimer: Trinity Blood and its characters do not belong to me. And Within Temptation could never be mine too.

Author's Note: Hello! If any of you are wondering why am I updating SUPER late, it's because I fell down from the stairs in my college hostel. And I ended up right-legged for a few days:S I'm so sorry! My laptop was at a far distance from me, cuz I was insisted to stay in bed!:(

This chapter might seem familiar, and if anyone can actually point out what makes it so, I'll give them a cookie;) love you all!

This heart was hurt by the light and

I see your world that tries to deny us

Now everything that I love has died or has been shattered to pieces

It's always the same, they fear no way out

~Blue Eyes - Within Temptation~

The song for this chapter would be Saigo no Kajitsu sung by Maaya Sakamoto from Tsubasa Tokyo Revelations;) As says the chapter title…

::

Silver and Blond

Chapter 25: Aisure Tte Donna Koto?

(Just what does it mean to love?)

::

The Vatican

::

Abel woke up to the piercing brightness of the sun's rays. As soon as he opened his eyes, the rays passed through the little gap between both his eyelids and illuminated his vision. Abel reflexively closed his eyes once more, and slowly opened and closed them alternately, trying to adjust his vision to the golden brightness.

Memories came flooding back of golden hair, but Abel pushed them aside. It was just not the time to remember, it was the time for him to recover. Abel looked to his wounded shoulder and felt pain as though a sharp object had been embedded in his flesh and had not been extracted, the pain searing through his nerves. He gritted his teeth, determined not to let the sensation win over his fighting spirit.

Abel surveyed the area about him, and was shocked to see a head with blonde curly hair lying face down by his side on the bed. Abel realised that he was lying down on a bed located in the Treatment Wing of the Vatican, where the chosen few of the Vatican were treated. Even the Pope Alessandro XVIII, the younger brother of Caterina, had been sent to the wing when he had suffered from curable sicknesses.

Abel looked around the wing, satisfied that it was empty, and only Caterina and he were the only ones who were present. Abel spotted his spectacles on a desk not too far off from the bed where he lay. Ignoring Cain's words during battle, he sighed and stretched out his arm to reach his spectacles. Unfortunately, Abel was not so careful, and his body movement awakened the sleeping Caterina.

She awoke very slowly, and Abel's heart was pinched with guilt as he noticed the bags under her eyes, the clear sign of her lack of sleep. However, when she saw him, Caterina's grey eyes shone with happiness, and she threw her arms around his neck.

"Abel!" she cried out on his shoulder. Abel, grateful for the warmth she filled him with, put his own arms around her body and held her tight. When he felt slight moisture on his shoulder, he knew Caterina was crying.

"Caterina," he called her name gently, his uninjured arm coming up to stroke her blonde curls gently, trying to subside her upcoming sobs.

Caterina then pulled away and cradled his face with her hands, her mouth open in an expression of disbelief and wonder. She stroked the smooth skin of his cheek and touched the silver lock that fell over his forehead. She held him close once more, as though she feared he would evaporate into thin air as she held him.

"I thought you had died for a second time," she said, her words slightly muffled by the fabric of his thin garment allocated for the patients in the Treatment Wing. When she pulled away, her face was more controlled than the first time she had pulled away. She even managed to smile at him shakily, and Abel tried his best to smile back at her in hopes for her to be happy.

It seemed so hard for him to smile at that moment, what with the discovery of the truth behind Cain's grievous crimes and Lilith's prophecy.

"You brought my body back, and for that I owe much to you," Abel told her. Caterina only shook her head at this, her rosy fragrance reaching his nostrils. She smiled at him, and held his hand gently, their fingers interlacing with each other.

"No, I didn't. Esther found your body. I could not do anything, I had to remain here," Caterina explained, her face bearing a guilty expression. Abel squeezed her hands.

"You did the right thing, Caterina. I'm just very touched that you were the first person I saw when I woke up," said Abel. Caterina gave a true smile, and showed her pearly whites.

"I'm so glad you're all right, Abel," she spoke softly. Abel's eyes hardened at her statement.

"Cain is still out there," he said dryly. His blue eyes looked out to the bright sky, wondering where Cain was at the moment, and how severe his injuries were.

"Are you going to go after him? After what he did to you during your first enecounter?" whispered Caterina, her eyes full of meaningful warning, trying her best to discourage Abel from pursuing Cain.

Caterina was shaken by Abel's death, and when she had learnt that Cain had gone to the church where Abel lay in hopes of attaining the latter's nanomachines to add to his powers, Caterina had been nothing but in a frenzied state. She had almost lost her control, had it not been for the latest update sent by Esther regarding the success of locating Abel's body, whole and alive.

"How many people know that I'm alive?" Abel asked dodging Caterina's question, knowing the answer would only sadden her. Caterina looked down at her gloved hands for a moment, exhaling very slowly, and looked into Abel's eyes.

"Only Esther, Kate, Tres and I are the ones that know of your condition. The information was not disclosed to the other AX agents," she confessed. "Esther was the one who found your-" Caterina had to pause and collect herself, "-body back in the laboratory in Londinium. She relayed the information to us, and that's how we all thought that you were dead.

"But when Esther witnessed the fight between you and Cain and found you once more, alive but barely breathing, she told it to me in secret. The others would not believe it, even if they saw you alive once more. The only others who know are Tres and Kate, whom we have nothing to worry about."

"Esther?" Abel asked for confirmation. Caterina nodded her head, her curls falling over her shoulders.

"She found you, and she and Tres both brought you back to Rome."

Abel paused for a moment at Caterina's explanation. He had been so worried for Esther, especially when Cain confronted her. And even in the church in Londinium, Esther had tried her best to prevent Cain from approaching Abel's coffin. Abel realised that he owed much to her.

"Caterina," he began. "I-"

"Esther will be coming here soon, I sent her to retrieve an object in my office." At Abel's questioning gaze, Caterina rose gracefully from her chair, her eyes never off his face. "Esther and I have been by your side ever since you were brought here in secret."

Abel frowned at her. "Caterina, you've been neglecting your duties just because-"

"Abel!" Caterina suddenly cried out, and Abel's eyes widened at her reaction. "If anything happened to you, I would not stop to blame myself because I was the one who sent you to Albion, even when I knew the possibilities of you facing true danger there. And when you were in the church, I failed to be perceptive and was not aware of the lax security that guarded you. According to Esther, Cain had walked into the church as though it had been so simple to go past the lines of security. Even Tres was no match for him! What would you expect me to do?"

Tears welled up in Caterina's eyes, and Abel felt the strong urge to rush forth to her and embrace her once more, just to stop her tears from flowing. The entrance door of the wing then opened to reveal a young nun with red bangs framing her face, running towards Caterina at full speed.

"Your Eminence, I've-" she was saying, and her words were stuck in her throat when her eyes met Abel's.

Esther found that she could not breathe, and her heart thundered in her chest. Witnessing her reaction, Caterina silently excused herself, gliding away gracefully in such a way that her regal figure managed to go unnoticed by Esther.

"Esther-san," Abel said her name, and by doing so, snapped her out of her daze. Esther blinked hurriedly, and wildly looked about for a chair. She pulled the closest chair to her quickly and sat on it, her face bowed and hidden by her bangs. "I want to thank you," said Abel earnestly. At hearing his tone, Esther looked up and her eyes watered, only by looking at him.

"Father, you had to know why I did it all," she said softly.

Abel shook his head, though he knew what Esther was coming at. He had been aware of it all the time, her adoring gaze, the beautiful smile she shot him when he cheered her up. But Abel knew he could never let Esther walk the path he chose for himself. He could not allow her to share the weight of the burden placed on his shoulders.

"Abel," Ester called him by his name for the first time. "I love you!" Esther burst out, and looked at her hands just after she had finished. There was a silence following her words, but it was not the silence that came before a harsh rebuttal.

"Esther-san." Esther looked up very slowly at her name being called by Abel. He was wearing a sad smile on her face, very much unlike the cheerful and jovial smile he had always given her during the times when they worked together in the Vatican. "I am a sinner, Esther. And please don't tell me that I do not deserve to call myself so. You don't know what crimes I've committed in the past, and the grave task that has been placed upon me since that fateful day almost a millennium ago.

"You cannot attach yourself to a monster like me, Esther. You are very pure, and you are well loved in the Lord's eyes. You have truly repented for your previous sins, and judging by the goodness of your soul that the Lord has granted you, you have been forgiven. You have seen my true form, Esther? What does it remind you of?" Abel asked her. Esther did not reply, but her eyes were locked with his in an intense gaze. "I am a monster, both in flesh and soul. I deserve not to have the love of an angel like you."

Esther had now sprung to her wits, and shook her head fiercely at him. "In the Bible, it stated that Abel was the person loved by God and that Cain was the sinner! Is it not the same with you and him?" Esther asked indignantly. "Put aside your past sins, Father. The Lord is always forgiving."

"My sins are too cruel for Him to forgive," Abel answered her shortly. Esther shut her eyes as though she was in pain, and when she opened her eyes, she gave him a smile that reflected her sadness. Never before had Abel seen such an expression on her face.

"I know that he loves you," came her soft voice. Abel's eyes widened at the way she had said the fourth syllable of her statement. "And I know that you love him." Here, she took a breath before she continued. "All those years, when you saw people in love, I'd see you wearing a pained expression. And when Cain's name was mentioned by any of the AX, you'd have that very same expression. Even now, you are wearing it."

"Esther-"

"It's all right, Father," she told him brightly, though tears had trailed down her cheeks. "In my eyes, your love is pure. Perhaps, there are some things in you past that you cannot seem to forget or deny or leave behind." Abel was shocked at how perceptive Esther had been, and listening to her words gave him more comfort than she could imagine. "I only hope that someday, you will find the love you've always been hoping for. You deserve it, Father. Although you keep on denying it, you deserve it."

"Esther-"

"If you do wish to do a favour for me, Father, I have one small request to ask of you." Esther's sapphire eyes now shone with hope through the mist of her tears. "Please pray for me to find the love I've wanted all the time. Even though you're not the person to share my love with, I still care for you. My only regret shall be the fact that you've still not realised what a good and brave person you are, and how God loves you more than you think He does."

Abel watched as Esther rose from her chair and walked about the room, her pretty face now seemingly more mature than before. When she neared the door, she looked back at him. Trying her best to put on a happy face, she held her arms behind her back as schoolgirls did when they talked to their confidantes.

"I've been crowned as the new queen of Albion," she informed him, and Abel's mouth was open in shock. Esther laughed at this, though it sounded hollow and possessed no warmth. "I was told that I was brought away from the palace shortly after my father's murder." Esther's face turned sorrowful for a moment, but instantly smiled when Abel's brows creased in concern.

"I hope I can make a difference for the people of Albion, Father, just as you have a made a difference to those in the Vatican, and perhaps, even those outside the Vatican whom you helped during your missions." Abel wanted to say something, but once again, Esther was faster. "I'm so sorry you can't make it for my coronation, but Caterina-sama said that your condition was privy between the chosen ones. Goodbye, Father, and don't forget to wish me luck!"

Faster than his Abel's eye could catch her gaze for a last look, Esther had opened the doors and stepped out very quickly before she quietly closed them behind her. In the wing, Abel felt as though someone had doused him with cold water and then replaced it with a douse of warm water. The changes were too contrasting to the present, and too sudden for his liking. There was just too much information for him to process.

Esther's speech had been long, and rang true with each word she had uttered. She had known so much, for someone her age. And Abel found his eyes straying to gaze upon the closed doors almost sadly. Even if he had never loved Esther the way she had loved him, he did love her very much as a brother would love a sister. Somehow, Esther had reminded him of both Lilith and Seth.

Her red hair and the softness of her voice would always bring back happy memories of his days on the Ark with the gentle Lilith. When Esther's big eyes sparkled in delight in happiness, her joyful nature reminded him of Seth, the sister he longed to see. Like Esther, Seth would have been able to talk to Abel and tell him situations the way they were, albeit in a feistier manner, as she was his sister.

Abel only hoped that Esther would soon meet someone who could ease her sorrow and love her, as he had not been able to.

Unbeknownst to Abel, Esther had sunk to the floor in the corridor outside the wing. Her back leaned against the closed doors of the entrance to the Treatment Wing. Bringing her legs up to her chest and hugging them, Esther rested her forehead on her knees and cried.

To her, Abel would always be the most beautiful man she had ever met, not only beautiful in his physical aspects, but because the purity that existed within his soul was so breathtaking. If only Abel was strong enough to see it for himself, thought Esther sadly.

::

Alexandria, The Abandoned City, The New Human Empire

::

An empty street void of the soft footfalls of people who once used to dwell within the vicinity became a medium that bore the trail of blood. The tall, graceful pillars adorned with an architecture long forgotten became witness to one who bled on the same road.

Somewhere behind the large stone slabs that used to be the foundation of a mansion, a young man with golden hair hissed in pain. He looked up to the sky, and found himself lost in a dark blue sea spangled with silver.

Silver, Cain thought to himself vaguely. He gave a brittle laugh. His right hand clutched at his left arm. His eyes narrowed at the sight of the blood flowing out from a deep gash in his left shoulder. The gash was long, stretching all the way from his clavicle to his wrist on his left arm.

Cain gave a sigh. He straightened himself, which was a task fairly difficult, considering his position. Ironically enough, he sat in a pool of his own blood. His torn white outfit was bathed in a bright, crimson red. He shut his eyes and issued a mental command to his body. He felt a gush of activity rush through him for a moment, before he felt aware of the changes that had occurred within his own flesh.

When he opened his eyes, a red light shone out from the irises. The blood that pooled around him was now drawn slowly into the open wound. He brought his left arm close to his mouth with much difficulty and started to lick the gaping wound. As his tongue made contact with his skin, he could feel the dead cells in his skin slowly being replaced by new cells, and his wound underwent a sluggish recovery.

This was how it was, being injured by another of his own kind. Attacks from others left no effect on him whatsoever. But this time was different. He had attacked. The eyes that shone red suddenly dimmed in their reddish glow, and were replaced by clear, blue eyes. They were same eyes of his attacker.

"Abel," the blond Crusnik whispered to the wind.

He looked out at the night sky, and his gaze fell on the crescent moon, a thin silver curl among the ebony night sky. For some reason, it reminded him of a lock of Abel's hair. Cain then gave another laugh, wondering why Abel always drifted into his mind for some reason. Cain scrutinised the wound on his shoulder, and frowned subtly. The wound did heal to a certain extend, though the recovery was not as progressive or promising as Cain had hoped it would be. His eyes narrowed.

"Why am I not healing as fast as I normally should?" Cain mused out loud, his fingers touching the blood that trickled out from the open wound. The skin at the ends of the wound still had not joined. Cain's hand slapped the floor, sending tiny droplets of his own blood splashing onto his face.

"Damn you, Abel," he hissed to the air around him. "Because of your lack of anger management, I suffer at your carelessness." Images of Abel wielding the scythe and releasing the powerful electric bolt flashed in Cain's mind, making him even angrier.

Cain tried to move his arm, and found that he could not. His hand that had slapped the floor was still on the floor, though his shoulder was higher in the air. A viscous, black liquid joined the empty space between the joint of his elbow and his lower arm. Cain gritted his teeth, witnessing the ugliness of his body falling apart.

"Damn you too, Isaak, and your useless progress reports and data," Cain muttered irritably. He had thought that his analytical mind had surmised the correct facts, and that his body's current state was just as perfect as it had been created. Unfortunately, the battle with Abel had done more than tear open severe wounds and deep injuries.

Nevertheless, Cain's cunning and sly mind were already forming plans. He needed to get back to the headquarters of the Orden, and hopefully, Isaak's papers would be where he expected them too.

During the time Cain spent in the Orden, he had been undeniably close to the Panzer Magier, who in turn entrusted him with information privy to only Cain and Isaak. Cain had watched Isaak, and picked up several of Isaak's wondrous skill at handling machinery engineered using Lost Technology. While Isaak fixed Cain's body parts together, Cain had learned a thing or two, should a worst-case scenario arise.

However, Cain was very much aware that with the current state of his body at that moment, he could not make it beyond two blocks and head to the Rosen Kreuz Orden's headquarters. He needed his body to hasten the healing process, and only one solution seemed to be present in Cain's eyes.

As Crusniks, Cain, Abel and Lilith had been taught by Seth that the blood of Methuselah helped to sustain their body at its optimum state. When Cain had been infused with 100% Crusnik, the high concentration of nanomachines enabled him to fuse with his nanomachines completely without having to feed on a Methuselah moments before.

Cain then looked to his gaping wound, cursing, as the blood flow did not seem to cease. He knew what he needed at that moment. Cain was both relieved and joyful when the hasty spur of his wings during his escape from his last battle with Abel at Londinium had carried him off to a lost city.

The last thing Cain needed was Methuselahs who took particular delight and pleasure in instigating the purpose of a stranger who recently came to their city. He did not want any person to nose around his business, and he was glad he had privacy and silence all to himself. Alexandria had been abandoned centuries ago, when the capital of the Empire had switched from Alexandria to Byzantium after Armageddon met its fateful ending.

Cain suddenly stood up, and slipped the spacesuit over his exposed shoulder and straightened it out, hoping that he looked presentable. It had been a while since he fed on Methuselahs, and he found himself strangely thirsting at the thought of the warm liquid slowly trickling down his throat. Cain could taste it as though it was nectar in the very air he breathed in.

"I promised you I'd leave a trail, didn't I, Abel?" he asked as he looked out at the abandoned city.

"And you shall receive most prominent details of my presence."