Winter's Rose
Til Death Do Us Part

~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
'December 31
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

'I used to dream of love.
'I used to dream of friendship.
'I used to dream of a happy ending.
'Then I lost the ability to dream whatsoever.

'I had the innocence of childhood ripped away by another man's climb to power. My family lost, my name destroyed. I lost the ability to look to good things happening, only able to see red, to see death. Revenge. Revenge for my family and my sister, so others would not be hurt and others could still dream. But for myself? No... There was nothing. I lived every day with the false hope of that day being the day my sister would awaken, that day would be the one I take my revenge. But every day the natural warmth of my old self was hidden a bit more in ice... every day that midnight came and my sister's navy blue eyes were still closed... every day that Reiji Takatori still lived... was a day I hated. A day I lived but my sister hardly did. A day a man who ruined and corrupted lives lived. Every midnight... I died a bit more.

'Only to find life once more in one of my teammates.

'An unexpected hero when I asked for none, wanted none. One I could always rely on, simply because. He never asked anything, never wanted anything... Nothing more than my companionship in any manner I would give it. One who would never betray me... One who loved me, despite it all. Despite my actions, despite my darkness. Despite my feelings on love and my worth of another.

'One who was able to teach me what love truly was once more, able to accept another for everything that they are. Accepting what they've been, looking to what they may one day be but knowing... and loving... what they are now. Ready to fight everything for their sake, to go against all odds for one chance, for one person, for one single moment... Ready to be theirs, even if they do not appear to want that to be.

'So much time has passed since the rescue, since I was rescued in so many ways. Rescued from the imprisonment of my own darkness and foolish ideas on love. Proving to me just how important I was to him, even though no one knew my true reasons for going somewhat willingly with Schuldich that night. To save them. To spare their innocence from Schuldich's dirtied touch to my already jaded body.

'To be a hero to them, though they would never know, though they never asked me to be. To give back to them all they have given to me. I never wanted to be hero or a martyr before... I simply wanted them to be safe, thinking the sacrifice of my own safety was nothing compared to them... I never once mentioned, even in all this time, that I was given the choice of Omi or myself. Omi's life or my submission. Omi in Schuldich's bed, or my self. Never told them that I tried to enjoy it just once so he would not pull Ken into his games. But in trying to enjoy it, shamefully submitting despite my own pride, sacrificing my all as they have done time and time again for me... It was Ken's touch I imagined to make it bearable. Ken's golden form over mine. My lover... and my love making love to me as he never yet has.

'Years ago one man changed my life and I took the name of my loved one to commemorate and remember, forever.

'Once more, one man has changed my life and my name is changing. Today is the last day I will be called Ran Fujimiya.

'Come midnight tonight...'

~ ~ ~

Ran blinked up from where he was writing in his journal while sitting on the bed he shared with Ken, only the sound of his pen moving over the thick paper in the room. His deep violet gaze fell on the white tuxedo hanging on a hook on the closet door in a clear garment bag, waiting to be donned in a few hours time, a small boutonniere of gentians and a single full bloom pink rose. The single full bloom rose symbolized 'I still love you', the pink meaning 'perfect happiness' and 'thankfulness', a perfectly chosen flower for this day.

A soft smile touched on his lips as he tapped his pen on the white pages marked only by his neat black writing. Slowly turning back a few pages he pulled out the pressed and dried ring Ken had fashioned from blades of grass and a wildflower, just holding the delicate circle in his hand for a moment, looking at it and remembering the day he gave it to him. And every single day afterwards. The ring of grass had been replaced with a simple gold engagement ring after the fragile ring had started wilting, only staying together for so long, even on a florist's finger. Reaching over to the drawer of the bedside table, he pulled out a small ring box to look at the gold band with a black onyx inlay and a single .31 carat round diamond in the sparkling metal. Closing the box, he kissed the velvet top of the box and set it back on the table, pulling open his journal once more to continue writing.

~ ~ ~

'Come the first tolling of the twelve bells, signaling the dawning of the new year... Two lives will be one, two hearts beating as one. Come the end of the day, I shall die once more as Ran Fujimiya.

'And Ran Fujimiya-Hidaka will be born in his place.

'I used to dream of love.
'I used to dream of friendship.
'I used to dream of a happy ending.
'Why dream when I have so much more awake?
'Because there is no reason to fall to slumber and dream when you have everything you could have ever wished for in waking reality.'

~ ~ ~

There was something about snow that made everything pure and innocent. The area was blanketed in soft white powder.

A young man walked through the headstones and statuaries arranged in perfect rows across the cemetery. The snow crunched softly beneath his booted feet, his black leather trench coat billowing about his calves. In his leather encased hands the young man held three arrangements of flowers. A bouquet of Zinnias in assorted varieties, the other of Verbena tulips, and finally a single stem from a purple hyacinth.

He quickly and easily came up to one grave. The ease of which he found it a testament to the frequency he visited it. The typical date was there on the headstone but it was the name that anyone who knew him as Siberian would question why he was there.

Kouichiro Kase.
Beloved son of Tanama and Keiko
Dearest friend of Hidaka Ken
May they continue on in eternity.

Right next to that grave was his own.

Hidaka Kenji.
Beloved son of Kenji and Alice
Dearest friend of Kouichiro Kase
May he find his innocence in eternity.

Ken dropped before the two graves. At Kase's he left the arrangement of Zinnias. 'In memory of an absent friend', at his own he left the Verbena tulips. 'Will you get your wish'. He reached over slowly and dusted the two graves of fallen snow, cleaning out the etching of their names. Clad in black wool slacks and matching cable knit sweater he simply sat before the two graves. He leaned back with a rueful smile and laughed lightly. "I bet you two didn't think I'd ever make it to today. I bet you two didn't even think I'd live this long." Ken shook his head sadly. "I did it though. Something neither one of you were ever able to take from me. My ability to love. Ahh Kase... I thought I died when I heard you were killed in the explosion that took you from me. You never knew I loved you, and not like a brother... it could have some day been what Ran and I have now, but... obviously it didn't happen. Kenji... you did die that day. I buried you the day they put this empty coffin in the dirt. The innocent boy who loved with all his heart. Loved someone who he never realized hated him. I'm glad you never knew that man Kenji. But you know what... even now I can't hate him. I can't really hate anyone... not even him..."

Ken sighed softly, the light pat of hot tears melting the snow followed. "But you guys... I'm happy now. Happier than I've ever thought I could be, and in a way... I have you guys to thank for it. Had you not been who you were... I would have never met Ran. I wouldn't be marrying him in a few hours. Kenji... Kase... I really do hope you two are happy." Standing he brushed his hands over his back and palmed the last arrangement in his hands. "Do me a favor... score one against Fate will ya. She's the only one who's ever managed to sneak by me."

He laughed lightly and tipped his head making his way through the gravestones. From his pocket, he pulled a sheet of paper and looked about raising a hand to shield the red glow of the fading sun. Locating the area he wanted, he made his way over to a different part of the cemetery.

Ken stood silently before a newer grave. This one not even a year old, the headstone fresh as of two months. A shaky hand moved to brush the snow of this stone before he knelt before it. The tombstone read:

Kai Mortimer.
The Master of one man's heart...
The Master of one boy's hope...
The Master of another's sanity...
The Mastermind behind the darkness.

Here Ken placed a single purple hyacinth wrapped delicately in baby's breath and ribbon. 'Please forgive me'. From his pocket he drew out a pistol. Dry flecks of blood fell onto the pristine snow from the barrel of the weapon. Digging a small hole in the snow, Ken put the gun within it and covered it once more. "As much as I want to hate you for what you did to him... I can't. And that pisses me off, Mastermind. Pisses me off to no end. What you did to him... allowed him to be who he is now. I'm not thanking you... just... I don't know, just know that I don't hate you. I love Ran too much to hate you. I hope you're having fun wherever you ended up, and I hope that when ya come back... you come back as something nice. Maybe I'll even teach you to play soccer." He stood and turned to go then glanced over his shoulder back at the tombstone. He smiled softly. "You were one Hell of an opponent, Schuldich... Rest well."

Having said goodbye to his demons... Ken was now ready and able to face his new life with Ran as his life mate. Today was a day for new beginnings... he had to say goodbye to the past. The present and the future were all that mattered now.

~ ~ ~

'Wenn man vom Teufel spricht, dann ist er nicht weit
'Talk of the devil and he is bound to appear
'Does that extend past death, surpass life as we know it? If we speak of you, will you return... You said you were the devil himself. But I don't think you were, not in the least. You were human. Where is it that you are now Schuldich? I doubt that any of us will ever get to Heaven, so we must enjoy all of the happiness on earth, making it worth the eternal damnation of our souls in Hell.

'Do you know what my name means, orchid? My name means guilty. I am guilty of all crimes imaginable and unpunished of just as many.
'What was it that you were guilty of, Schuldich? What exactly... Being an assassin? That is something we are all guilty of. Everyone in the world is guilty of their own sins. But most repent to have them forgiven... You delighted in them, delighted in your darkness, delighted in your many sins. Reveled in it, upheld it simply because it was yours. Something that could never be taken away, even in death. I hated you. I feared you in a way. Because you were my darkness in the white I supposedly am, you were truth when I preferred the lies of my own life.

'You were not always Schuldich, the Guilty One, the Mastermind of Schwarz. The man with a million names and a million more faces. The man who heard voices of all in the world and only wanted his own heard by one person... and one person alone. Once you were Kai. Once you were innocent. Instead of having your innocence robbed by one man... you had your very self taken by millions of voices. Is it every sin of the world you considered yourself guilty of, unsure of whether they were your thoughts or other's...

'You were my dark counterpart in Schwarz, the man I may have been in some ways had Aya-chan been killed as well... If I had nothing to lose. Nothing to live for but my own revenge against a society that cast me out, that wanted a corrupt politician to lead them instead of good, just people trying to enjoy life in what may have been simple lives but... it was all they know. You never asked for telepathy, and I never asked to be an assassin. You are the fallen angle to my rebelling, the black to my white...

'I still have nightmares of those days, your fire hair and emerald eyes flashing through my mind as it did once in my dreams. So many years ago... For so long I feared you were still out there, somewhere. Ken's love has been able to pierce through the dark fear of what you are but I did realize what I was...

'I didn't want to be you. Even more so than I already was.'

Silent in his room but no longer alone, Ran stood in front of the mirror. His crimson hair and violet eyes contrasted beautifully against the ivory tuxedo he was carefully putting on, pale hands working over the bow tie at his neck. *Adjust the tie so that one end is slightly longer than the other; crossing the long end over the short...* he muttered softly in his mind, repeating the instructions he'd been told to get the tie to look right. *Bring the long end through the center at the neck...* He urked quietly as he screwed up once more, a light sigh crossing his lips as he pulled the tie off and straight to try again.

Figures. Ran Fujimiya, ready to take on mindraping telepaths, drug lords, evil politicians... thwarted by a bow tie.

"Are you sure I need a tie?" he mumbled, thoroughly annoyed with the tie after the tenth unsuccessful try. As he glanced again in the mirror to try again, the light scowl faded from his lips to be replaced by a wistful smile, remembering for just a short moment watching his father get ready for work and have the same trouble with the silk ties he wore as the CEO of his company. Like father, like son... And his mother would always be able to get it perfectly tied and laying flat, the short end on the under side, in one single attempt.

Giving up on the tie for a bit longer, he picked up the ivory vest to slip over the white dress shirt, running his fingers over the imprinted rose design on the vest, everything of his outfit the perfect unblemished white, much like the new fallen snow blanketing the city. It had started snowing two days before the Christian Christmas day, ironically on Ken's birthday. And had continued snowing almost every day up until now. The night outside was crisp and clear, the endless velvet sky sprinkled with the dots of stars that went on forever. Shedding their light down on the city blanketed in a white gentle peace, lit perfectly by starlight on the fresh snow.

Picking up the evil tie to try again, he turned to look at his sister sitting on the bed, helping him get ready. It had been close to two years since she had awoke from her coma and she was as vibrant and cheerful as he could have ever remembered. After Ran and Ken saw plans of Youji's... Animal Print Jungle wedding... or Omi's Pokemon themed wedding, they'd turned the planning over to the female Fujimiya, knowing she'd make it something they'd actually want to remember. Ran still believed that Youji had tried to force his love on animal print on them just to get out of doing the rest of the work on the wedding. And Omi was just... genki.

Aya was basically his maid of honor, even though he wasn't technically a bride... it had been decided that if either Ken or Ran was the blushing virgin bride, it was Ran. Hmph. But since the groom was supposed to have the best man and the bride the maid of honor, he guessed it seemed fair. Youji had been appalled to be called the maid of honor once if Ken was to be the bride. Everyone else had been amused.

"Of course you have to wear a tie! You'd look like a dork without one. Here let me." The young woman moved lithely over to her brother. Her sleek tan colored skirt splitting nicely along her leg showing its sleek womanly curves. Her kidskin high-heeled boots clicking softly on the hardwood floor. The off the shoulder sweater matching in a light cream color hung loosely on her nubile frame yet displayed her feminine curves nicely. The neck which was open enough to allow it to slip down her shoulder was trimmed in soft fur as were the cuffs of the sweater. Her soft brown hair hung in fat curls that cascaded like a milk chocolate waterfall down her back.

Aya still looked younger than her twenty years of age, but she had aged just very slowly. Whatever it was about her that had forced her to retain her youth falling back into its less active state. The best Kritiker scientists could ascertain was that she was some sort of Bio-PK. Meaning that she could control her body's regenerative abilities as she saw fit. She'd gone to school to train her ability as well as attended college. She was studying medicine deciding to forgo the nursing career and become a neurosurgeon.

As well as being a med student, Aya was also a Kritiker agent. She'd been assigned to one of the newer groups of Crashers. Arthur, Lancelot, Gwenevere, and Gawain. Aya had of course taken the codename Gwenevere and was in charge of all things medically related and often used her abilities to heal her teammates and innocent bystanders who were inadvertently caught in the crossfire. She worked with the team's Gawain at hacking into medical facilities and such to smoke out their targets. This team of Crashers dealt mostly with medical and biochemical affairs. They also were one of Weiß's direct information givers. Many of the atrocities that her Crasher team had uncovered were sent to Weiß to be dealt with. She also knew of and was friends with some of the other Crashers teams within Kritiker. Aya had already been regaled with tales from Reiichi, Naru, Yuushi and Masato of her brother while he was part of their group. A twist of irony she always manages to smile about. In fact, she was even dating the White Knight himself, the handsome charmer having utterly and completely swept the young woman off her feet and, in the spirit of romance that was roaming about between their circle of friends, was herself engaged to the Crasher and was planning her own wedding in the summer, as evidenced by the giant diamond on her left ring finger.

With her heels, Aya stood at eye level with Ran having grown considerably since her awakening. Slim delicate, perfectly manicured hands worked effortlessly over the tie. She patted it lightly upon completion. "There. Perfect." She blushed lightly as she saw the brow go up silently. "I've been tying Yuushi's for ages. I often wonder if Queen tied his for him. Ooh... guess what Yuushi told me this morning. Queen and Merlin finally admitted they're dating! Now that's not only Yuushi and me joining those two teams but our secretaries too!"

She laughed softly and spotted the time on the bedside clock. She cursed suddenly and glanced at her own watch. She pulled a mic down from her ear and flicked it on. "Knight, sweetie. Is Siberian back from wherever the Hell he disappeared to?"

Soft male laughed echoed over the mic. "Like brother like sister. Relax Gwennie-"

"Gwenevere."

"Yeah sure. Relax Gwennie. KEN. Just walked through the door. I'm heading him off at the pass and directing him to his room to change. Do not worry he's not getting up to Ran until you direct his Groomliness up the isle."

"Thank you Balinese."

"Aya... Relax. It's just a wedding."

"It's my brother's wedding. Gwenevere out." The young woman sighed and rubbed her forehead tucking the mic back up into her hair and out of sight. She grinned sweetly and innocently up at her brother and pulled out a small box and handed it to Ran. "Here. Maid of Honor is supposed to give the 'bride' a gift."

Letting the girl fidget with his tie for just a few minutes to get it perfectly tied, Ran gazed down at his sister who was near eye level with him in her heels, hardly the petite little slip of a girl he'd towered over for years. The last two years had been good on his sister, in so many ways. He looked at her fondly, the girl humming the wedding march lightly under her breath unconsciously as she nibbled her lip, her head turned down to eye the bow tie. His violet gaze shone with sudden unshed tears before they were blinked away, staring at the girl who'd gone above and beyond everything he could have imagined for her.

Med student. Kritiker member. Fiancée. Wedding planner and coordinator for her brother. She had a similar reputation as he did in Kritiker. Utterly infallible and a strong asset to the team. The Fujimiya name in Kritiker was nearly famed, the two almost legends in their own right. He had been pleased to see her become a member of the organization that helped see her to health, for awhile the girl just going to a Kritiker funded school. Kritiker had kept her safe for so long alongside him and now they could continue to do so... only now she could keep herself safe, to some degree. He was still far too overprotective but she was very much her own woman living her own life. Which was what he had always wanted for her.. which was why he became an assassin and nearly stopped living. If Takatori found out they were still alive they could be a liability... therefore he had to die before he came after the two who would know their father had been innocent.

The fact that she was a non-lethal pleased him even more so. He had come to terms with what he did long ago... but the thought of a woman studying to be doctor killing people for any reason at night was unsettling. There was a higher level of danger for Weiß than for the other groups. Assassins were sent after assassins. Schwarz was sent after Weiß. He never wanted his sister to face a group like Schwarz again. The time she had spent with Schreiend and Schwarz while in her coma was bad enough.

A soft sigh touched over his lips as she finished adjusting his tie, the male leaning forward to touch his lips along her hairline, not wanting to mess her light make-up. "Like mother like daughter. Kaasan always had to fix tousan's tie for him in the mornings before work." He twined a long finger into her hair to set one of her thick curls to frame her face. Looking at her now and listening to her interact with Youji... it made the past four years completely worth it. All of it.

Frowning lightly since he wasn't used to lacking a mic set when everyone else (except Ken) had one, Ran reached up to her ear and turned a dial to turn off the audio, stopping their voices from transmitting over the lines but any words from the others she would still be able to hear. This was just... a private moment between the two he didn't want to share with anyone else. A moment he never thought would come. His wedding, his sister giving him away to fully unite with his beloved as he would do in just a matter of months to her marriage to Yuushi. "You look so much like kaasan did at your age, Aya... Think they'd be happy of what we've become? I know you've already outdone yourself with what they expected of you, even without that M.D. after your name yet." His hand moved to smooth her hair back, noting the slight crease in her forehead. "The wedding will go perfectly, Aya. I cannot express how much I appreciate what you've done with this. Two Fujimiyas are involved in this ceremony. We will not let anything go wrong."

Dropping her a light wink, he sat back down on the edge of the bed, smoothing his hand over his ivory pants to not crease them. His jacket still hung neatly over a chair to be put on later to avoid wrinkling it or collecting lint. "You didn't have to get me anything, you have already done enough..." he blushed lightly, not used to days completely dedicated and centered around him. He didn't much like attention. But even still he slowly started to unwrap the gift, his eyes bright with almost childlike wonder at what Aya would get him for his wedding present. "And I'm not a bride..."

"This should cover the 'something old' part. You did borrow my earring that you wore for so long in my memory. The new is the Rolex Ken gave you last night with today's date engraved on the back, and the blue is the ribbon on your boutonniere." Within the small velvet lined box was a set of gold cufflinks twisted to resemble the kanji for 'Fujimiya' There was a diamond stud within the design center of the symbol.

The young woman joined her brother on the edge of the bed, her hand resting innocently on his thigh as he opened the box. "You know that box of stuff Mama left for me and for me only in the will. Inside that box was a letter and in it she told me to give them to you on your wedding day. They were the ones Papa wore on his and Grandpapa, and Great-Grandpapa, and his father before him. Papa was supposed to give these to you, but I guess since he's in Heaven now I'll have to do it. You're the fifth generation of Fujimiya to wear them, and in the box is a message Papa left for you. I didn't read it though. I figured it was private between father and son. Go on... tell me what it says."

With trembling fingers Aya brushed the tears that threatened to fall from her deep blue eyes, the memories of her parents and the promises they made which now they would never be able to fulfill, the sweet voice of her mother and the stern tones of her father echoed softly as she read the note that her mother had left for her. She smiled sadly desperately wishing they were there now in body and not just in spirit, but at least Aya and Ran had each other and now with Yuushi, someday she could have the family she wanted and rebuild the one she'd lost.

The deep frosted plum gaze stared down at his shirt cuff, his fingers tracing the glittering gold and diamond cufflinks twisted into his surname. Five generations... and it seemed that now he would be the last. A bit difficult to have a son to carry on the family name and family heirlooms and traditions to be passed onto when his soon to be spouse was a male as well. Rubied lashes closed over his eyes as he sighed faintly, taking his hand off of the gold fastenings and he placed it over his sister's. Many times he wondered what his parents would think of him if they could see him now. Ever since the incident with Schuldich... he wondered how many would see him. How he saw himself.

His fiancé was everything anyone could ever want in a companion. Patient and kind, supportive and accepting of all of his faults and ways. But he was very much... male. Not quite the partner he guessed his parents had always wanted for their first and only son. There was no doubt in his mind of whether he loved Ken or not, just a fear of his own shortcomings. Their parents had wanted everything for them and his parents' approval of him had always meant the world to him... He always had bouts of wondering if they would approve of his lifestyle, but this day... It was just one that he had long wanted to share with his parents and now never could, nor could he ever introduce his beloved to them for approval.

So long as he was happy, he liked to think they would approve of whatever he was doing.

Opening his eyes to come out of his own thoughts, Ran draped an arm about Aya's waist to pull her close against his side, letting her lean on his shoulder as he saw the tears in her eyes from thinking about their lost family members, also wishing they could be here for this day. His fingers reached into the small box to unfold the note to read the message from his father. His throat tightened as he saw the neat kanji of his father's penmanship across the page, something he hadn't seen in years.

'I remember when I first held you and looked into your orchid blushed eyes. I knew that though named after a flower, you would never be weak.
'I remember when the other children played basketball and tired themselves out, you simply studied the science in the game, pointed out ways to better work forces and angles for the game. I knew that you would astound us all with your logic and intelligence.
'I remember when you wanted the responsibility of a job and your own money I tried to get you a job as a messenger boy in my corporation only to see you get a side job as a waiter. I knew that you would get things done, but always you would get things done your way.
I remember when you took up kendo in school. I knew you would be wise in your 'strength.
'I remember when you protected your sister from all harms, watching over her when we could not. I knew that you would always care for her if something happened to me, carrying on the family pride and name as we would.
'I remember loving you every day as my only son. And I knew that one day you would love someone as I loved your mother, and they would lucky to have someone as you in their life.
'Know this now as you go into the world, today on your wedding day as you give the family name to the one you love. There has never been a day I was not proud of my son and there never will be because I know what I taught you and I know who you strove to be.
'You are Fujimiya Ran. You are my son. And that's all I ever asked you to be.'