Episode 4: Revelations

"Yoji, how exactly did you manage this injury?" Omi asked as he wrapped the brunette's leg.

"He had a jagged knife." The blonde man replied, gritting his teeth against the pain. Omi nodded and moved on to the man's side.

"You're not going to be able to go out for awhile." Ken stated.

"But we have to find Ran's sister."

"We'll handle it Yoji. You can't, excuse me," Omi held up a hand. Yoji was giving him the "What exactly can't I do?" look. "You shouldn't put any weight on that leg, or you'll be bed bound for a month. Got me?"

"Yes nurse Chibi." Yoji smirked. Playful though he was Yoji was still worried. Things never went easily for them.

"Now if you need anything ring the little bell and Omi will get it for you. And don't be a pain with it, or I'll punt your room service to the next street. You hear me?"

"Yes sir!" He saluted. Ken chuckled lightly and strolled back to his room, leaving Omi to tend to the other man. Passing Aya's door Ken noticed the entrance was half open, yet again.

"Hey Aya." He spoke, entering the dark room.

"Yoji's hurt, and I almost got you killed tonight..." The red head whispered.

"Aya, I nearly get killed every night. I'm used to it." Ken replied. "Don't beat yourself up about it. She's more than a little confused. She'll come round, if we can get her alone. Just give it time." Aya grunted. He wasn't really listening to the blue eyed boy.

"Ken? Make me a promise." Aya turned to face him. One year older than Aya-chan. Just one year. Omi was younger than them both.

"Depends on the promise." Ken replied. His hand traced down the wood frame of the door nervously.

Aya had been thinking about this for a long time, but still it was hard to begin. "When this is over promise me that you and Omi will take her some place safe and not come back." Aya stated. Ken stared at the red head, eyes wide.

"I can't make that promise Aya." He was too shocked to give a reason. It was all so sudden.

Aya stood up slowly. "Promise me damn it."

"I can't do that!" Ken said softly. "And what about you and Yoji? Are we supposed to leave you?"

Aya moved closer, a cat stalking its prey. He grabbed onto Ken's shoulder and pulled the boy close. "Yoji and I are adults. You're just children! You shouldn't even be here, now promise me! Promise!" The tone was not angry, but cold. Menacingly cold.

"You still just look at me as a child? After everything?" Ken asked, half surprised, half hurt. Hadn't he proven himself yet?

"You are just a child Ken." Aya hissed.

"You're a whole year older than me! What makes the difference?"

"What the hell is going on down there?" Yoji screamed from his room. "If I could get up I would come see, but since I can't would someone like to tell me why everyone is screaming?"

"Nothing's wrong Yoji. Just a debate." Ken replied.

"Get some sleep." Aya added.

"I would if some people in this house would let me!"

"Sorry!" Ken yelled back. He could hear Yoji huff from his room, and the creaking of the old bed as the man situated himself.

"What the heck is going on?" Omi hissed. Ken jumped slightly upon hearing the other boy's voice.

"Nothing Omi." Aya replied. He released Ken's shoulder. The light flickered off of Aya's glistening violet eyes, and Ken realized that he was really upset. The red head looked back out his window to the empty streets below. Was it just about Aya-chan, or was it something more?

"The pain, the anger, the inability to go back Ken, is what makes the difference." He whispered. "I don't think I could... hold her with these hands." The words were barely audible as they fell from his lips.

"Aya, we've all done things..."

"But on the inside you're still Hidako Ken. Anyone can see that. But Fujimiya Ran died a long time ago."

Omi looked on in slight confusion. Just as he was about to ask he decided it would be better to stay out of it, and wait to see what Ken had to say. Ken shook his head wearily. "Aya? I promise." He said. Aya turned around. He scanned the boy's face and nodded. Omi looked up at the two, more confused than before. He felt like something monumental had just happened, and that he had missed it.

"What do you promise?" He asked.

"Let it go Omi and go back to bed." Aya ordered. Omi glanced up at Aya and shrugged. He'd get it out of Ken later.

"Goodnight." Ken said and turned into his own room. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Well Crawford, it seems as if things are going well."

"Mostly sir. I don't think that Prodigy will associate with us much longer. He is having a slight set back from his training. Emotions."

"You shall divine a way to sort things Mr. Crawford. You always do. And the girl?"

"A true gem, sir. She'll do wonders for the organization. We just have to finish her training."

"Well, see that it gets done. We do not want to lose the girl."

"No sir." With a flick of the wrist Crawford closed his phone.

"Any news Bradley?" Schuldig asked. He picked up an apple and tossed it into the air. Farfarello flicked the knife in his hand out, hitting the apple dead center, and pinning it to a wall. "I was going to eat that." Farfarello shrugged.

"No news Schuldig. In fact they just want us to sit tight and finish her training."

"How?" Farfarello asked, breaking his usual silence.

"That is the question. Any thoughts Nagi?"

"Just one. That you are a lying son of a bitch." Nagi replied. Crawford glanced at him.

"And if I am?" Nagi shook his head just enough to shift his black hair. The vase beside Crawford shattered, sending glass down the man's back.

He stood, toppling the chair to the ground. Aya walked out of her room and glared at the four men. Hair ruffled from sleep and pajamas wrinkled, Aya looked like she had been asleep for hours.

"What is going on?" She asked.

"Just a little debate." Crawford replied. Aya gave him a skeptical look, and noted the glass and chair on the kitchen floor. Crawford picked up the chair and sat down, smiling.

"Fine, but debate, don't break, ok?" She said pointing. Schuldig nodded and threw her a winning smile. Aya shook her head and sauntered back to her room.

"Would you keep it down?" Schuldig hissed.

Nagi glared at the man. "What if I call her back and tell her?"

"You wouldn't dare."

"Read my mind Schu. You'd find that I would dare."

"Stop fighting." Crawford whispered. "She left you Nagi. Get over it. If you had done what I told you, you wouldn't hurt right now."

"If I did everything you told me to, Crawford, she'd be in a ditch, and I would have killed the only person I ever loved."

"You would have never loved her."

"I'm glad I loved her."

"Love has made you bold." Farfarello said. Nagi turned his attention to the silver-haired man. "Being bold has made you stupid." Farefey leapt from his seat, landing gracefully behind Nagi. He placed a knife to the boy's neck before Nagi even blinked. "And slow."

"What are you going to do? Kill me? In front of her?" His laugh was cool, unconcerned.

"No Nagi. You have been too difficult lately. So you are going to leave." Crawford smiled

"And why the hell would I do that?"

"Because we have Tot, and if you ever want to see her alive again, I would leave." He held up a small detonation device. "There is an old warehouse that this is connected to. If you say anything to the girl other than goodbye, in our presence of course, then you will be the cause of death of the only person you have ever loved." Farfarello released him. "And before you pull this out of my hand Nagi, because I can see you doing it, know that this may not be the only one. I could have these things anywhere and everywhere. Maybe only one works, but maybe they all do. Are you willing to chance it?"

"How do I even know she is alive?" Nagi asked. A red mark lay on his neck where the knife had been.

"You don't. That's the beauty of it." Schuldig replied. He smirked. 'Nagi's mind tastes sweeter than honey.'

"Aya." Crawford called. The girl slowly made her way out of her room. She was glad for it. It was a lonely room without Tot, and empty without the younger girl's things.

"What?" She asked, irritated none-the-less by them continuing to disturb her sleep.

"Aya, I have to go away for awhile. I'm gonna go look for Tot." Nagi smiled and took her hand. "I'll be back in a few days."

"When was this decided?" She asked looking past the blue eyes in front of her to Brad.

"He's worried, and we just couldn't talk him out of it." Brad replied. He smiled at her, warm yet empty.

"Nagi, I know you love her, but... but I need you here." She leaned in closer, "You're the only real friend I have left."

"You'll be okay Aya. Just don't let Farefey near your things, and keep Schuldig out of your room. Brad will take care of you." 'I wish I could take care of him.' Aya gave him a hug, looking over his shoulder at Brad. Could he be happy about this?

"When are you leaving?"

"Now. Schuldig said that he had some ideas."

"Hell wanted Tot to go to New York if anything happened to her, so I think that would be the best place to start looking. We'll get a ticket at the airport."

"Tonight? Why so soon? Can't you wait a little while Nagi?"

"No, it has to be tonight. I don't want her to get to far ahead of me. I'll be back as soon as I can. I promise." Aya sighed. She couldn't beg him to stay. He needed to find Tot and bring her back, and no one else could do it.

"Come on kid, I have your stuff in the car." Brad said. He put his arm around Nagi's shoulder and led the boy to the door. Schuldig placed his arm around Aya's shoulder and pulled her in.

"He'll be back as soon as he finds her." He whispered. Aya nodded, pushing her ruffled hair out of her eyes. How was she going to sleep now? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Soft murmuring woke her up in the wee hours of the morning. "Don't these guys ever sleep?" She groaned, puling herself from the last remnants of sleep. "I'm buying earplugs."

Aya gently pushed her door open and shuffled down the hall. She paused outside the door that led to the workroom, the room with no walls.

"...work."

"It will work." Schuldig hissed.

"Blowing up the little flower shop will not get rid of Weiss. They're like cockroaches." Crawford whispered.

"They live in that flower shop, they'll never expect a direct attack on them."

"Of course they will. They're assassins too, they aren't stupid Schu."

Aya listened more attentively. They were talking about the ones that killed her brother. All she needed was the address.

"Besides, I don't want to trek all the way down to 13th street just to get them. We'll figure out a really good plan later. It's too late now."

"Another headache?" There was no answer. Aya smiled to herself and stalked down to her room. She slid on her pants, clipping the belt with her Sais to her side. She would leave when they had gone to bed, which had to be soon. Soon. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Omi woke up. Sweat dripped off of his nose, and his breathing came in short, raspy waves. What had he been dreaming about? Whatever it was it had managed to scare the youngest member into an awful state. It took five minutes before Omi's breathing became normal.

He slid his feet into a pair of slippers. "Maybe someone else is up." He wondered, pushing his door open. The hallway was dark, the moon and stars shut out by the heavy curtains. Omi noticed a soft glow coming from beneath Yoji's door. He knocked softly.

"Come on in Chibi." Yoji whispered. Omi stared at the door before opening it.

"How'd you know it was me?"

"You were screaming earlier." Yoji explained. "I figured you woke up when it stopped."

"Oh. Why are you up?"

"My leg won't stop hurting. Hand me a light."

"You shouldn't smoke Yoji." Omi replied as he handed the brunette the lighter on his desk.

"Yeah, and I shouldn't kill people, but I do." Yoji replied, lighting the cigarette. "So, what were you dreaming about?"

Omi shrugged slightly. "Don't remember really. But it was freaky."

"Well, why don't you just chill with me for awhile. Maybe a smoke will calm your nerves." Yoji smirked. Waving the box of cigarets in front of his face, Yoji couldn't help but see the temptation to take one.

"I'm not smoking one of those cancer sticks." Omi replied softly. Yoji shrugged and put the 'cancer sticks' aside. Omi glanced out the window to the street below. How crowded it was during the day, and how desolate at night. Much like their own lives.

Something on the street caught his eye. It was moving with an elegant cautiousness, keeping away from the street lamps and the pools of silver moonlight. The figure was slinking closer to the alleyway by the flower shop.

"What are you staring at?" Yoji asked, trying to move himself so that he could see.

"Someone is coming for us." Omi whispered.

"You have an active imagination Chibi. Maybe you should get more sleep." Yoji replied, exhaling the smoke in 'O' shapes. The door below them creaked open, and then shut with a light click. Omi jumped and switched off the light, certain that the person had already seen them on. Yoji shifted in his bed and closed his eyes, relaxing until his breath came in even, slow waves.

Omi went into Yoji's closet and opened up one of the hidden side drawers, where he pulled out four darts.

"Since when do you hide things in my room?" Yoji whispered. Omi smiled back at him and shrugged.

"I hide things everywhere in this house."

The door beside them creaked open and was shut. It was Ken's room. Omi and Yoji held their breath and waited for a scream. Nothing happened. The door creaked back open and was closed again. They could hear the soft treading of boots across the carpeted floor.

Omi nervously fingered the inside his pocket, knowing that this was not an ordinary burglar. The door across the hall opened and shut again. Aya's room. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aya glanced down at the sleeping man. So innocent in his sleep, so evil when he was awake. In the darkness she could dismiss the striking resemblance between the imposter and her brother. His violet eyes were closed, and the shadows darkened his hair and complexion. This man was not her brother.

She pushed a strand of hair out of her blue eyes. This was her moment. Slowly, she slid her Sais out from their sheath. They glistened in the low light. She was determined not to make a sound, no cries of vengeance, no theatrics, just the kill.

Suddenly the door was thrown open, and the smallest member of Weiss ran in, and upon seeing her ready to strike, yelled.

"Aya-kun wake up!"

The red head awoke with a start. He didn't realize what was going on, and sat there in a half daze for a few moments. Aya-chan shook her head and moved toward the window, sliding her Sais unwillingly back into their sheaths.

"Aya? What are you doing here?" Aya asked, looking at his little sister in disbelief. She glared down at him, then turned and dove out of the window.

"Aya-chan!" Aya cried. He raced to the window, relieved when he saw her land on the ground safely. Omi threw his jacket at him and held out his katana.

"Well, hurry the hell up." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aya raced out the backdoor, and hopped on Ken's motorcycle. Aya-chan was running toward the park. Glaring down at the dashboard Aya noticed that the keys weren't there. "Damn it."

"Look out below!" Ken called, dropping the keys out of the Yoji's second story window. The red-head plucked them from the air and jabbed the key into the ignition.

"Man, I'm glad he took your wheels." Yoji muttered, watching the bike disappear into the night. "You two better go after him."

"Hai." Ken said. Racing back to his room he nearly tripped over the pushed up rug. He rolled out of the fall and into his room where he grabbed his bug knuckles, not even bothering to put his goggles on. He and Omi raced down the steps and out the open door. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brad woke up suddenly, his head throbbing. Pain killers didn't work, and his divining came in short, broken images, few and far in-between. What could be wrong with him?

Crawford sat up and looked at his clock. '3:30 AM.' The bold letters screamed. He covered his amber eyes from the red light and sighed. He thought he had had a vision, but there was nothing now.

"Brad? We have a problem." Schuldig yelled from outside his door, not knowing that he was already awake. "The girl is gone."

"How can that be? Did you watch Nagi get on the plane."

Schuldig threw open the door and sighed. "Of course I watched him get on the plane, and I watched it take off. None of her things are gone, except her Sais. What can you see?" Crawford wrinkled his forehead. 'Nothing!' He wanted to scream. 'I see nothing.' But a broken image came to him, one with a young faceless girl, pinned down by a man.

"She's attacking them, go get the car."

"Crawford, why did you not see it sooner?" Farfarello asked as Schuldig pushed past him towards the garage.

"I don't know." He hissed.

"It seems as though love has not just made Nagi weak." He replied as he left, blood trickling down his fingers leaving a small path of scarlet on the carpet. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He was catching up, he could feel it. The limb of a nearby tree rustled, shaking some of the green leaves to the ground. He jumped off of the bike, leaning in so it would land in the grass unharmed. Flipping in the air he could see her, running towards the woods. He would lose her for sure if she made it in there.

Ran sprinted across the green field, and smiled when she faltered. This would be his big chance. He leapt at her, knowing if he missed he would lose her. But he didn't miss. He hit her with a force that sent them both rolling, until he landed on top.

He pinned Aya to the ground. She struggled to get away but he held her fast, staring down into those blue eyes, praying that they would see him.

"Let me go!" She screamed.

"Why don't you recognize me?" He asked her. She looked back up at him, glaring.

"Why should I? Sure, you look like Ran, big deal! It doesn't make you my brother." She replied. Aya relaxed, knowing she wasn't going to be able to get away. He was too strong for her, and she couldn't get her hand around to blast him.

"But I am your brother! Ask me anything! I'll know it." Ran didn't relax his own grip. He didn't want her to get away, not now that he had her alone. There was a short silence before she replied.

"Why weren't you there when I woke up?" Aya asked, staring into his violet eyes. 'He really does look exactly like Ran.' She thought.

"Because you were kidnaped. I became an assassin to pay for your treatment. You were taken from the hospital. Taken by a group of assassins called Schreient."

"That's not true! They had to take me out because my brother died! He did become an assassin to pay my hospital bills, that's true, but he wouldn't work for the bad guys! Ran had more integrity than that. "

"We don't! Aya. Crawford and his crowd are the bad guys, not us."

"You're lying." Aya snapped. She struggled again, wanting more than anything to be out from the gaze of those eyes. Ran's eyes.

"You're not listening!" He yelled. Exhausted, Ran shook his head. He wanted Yoji to be there, but the other man was still homebound. Stupid injuries.

"You're right. I'm not listening to your lies!"

"Aya!" A voice called out from a distance. "Aya!" Ran turned his attention to the voice. It wasn't anyone he could think of.

"Brad! Brad I'm over here!" Aya screamed out. Ran turned his attention back to his sister.

"What can I say to make you believe me?" He asked. He could feel Crawford getting closer, creeping up in the shadows to take her away again. Butterflies grew in his stomach till he could hardly breathe. Tears rolled down his cheeks, landing on Aya's lips.

The tears moved her. "What did you get me the night of the accident?" She asked, her voice barely reaching above a whisper.

"I got you a pair of earrings. Long gold ones, but you only had one when you woke up, because I have the other." Ran tilted his head to the side, revealing the long golden earring, the match to the one she was wearing.

"Aya!" Brad cried out when he came across them. He moved like a wolf, jumping at Ran kicking the boy sharply in the side. The blow knocked the wind out of him and sent him rolling. Brad helped her to her feet, touching her hair lightly.

"Did he hurt you?" He asked. She shook her head weakly. Could he possibly be Ran?

"Aya." Ran's voice trembled. He pushed himself to his knees, dismissing the pain that the movement brought. "I would have given anything to have been there when you woke up, Otohime." He whispered.

The nickname struck her. Ran was the only one who called her that. Was the only one who knew. "Oni-chan?" Aya took a timid step toward him. The realization was beginning to dawn on her. He didn't look like Ran. He was Ran. How could she have looked past it for so long? Ran lifted his head slightly, the blood red hair falling into his sad violet eyes. A ray of hope lingered there when she whispered his name.

"He's getting to you. Let's go." Crawford grabbed her hand and twirled her around. Aya was too shocked to fight back. Crawford pulled the girl behind him, but it was already ruined. Even with his seeing ability he had been to late.

"Ran? Ran!" Aya tried to pry her wrist free of the leech-like grip.

"Aya!" Ran struggled to his feet. He had a couple bruised ribs, but that as not going to stop him. He pulled out his katana and raced after the fleeing figures.

"What are you doing?" Aya hissed.

"Taking you home. They've gotten to you. I told you it would happen. Why doesn't anyone listen to me? You don't listen, Nagi doesn't listen..." He hissed, tightening his grip. 'Hell,' he thought, 'I don't even listen to myself.' The anger swelled inside him, and his grip tightened all the more until she could feel the flesh bruising underneath his hand.

"You're hurting me. " She whispered.

"Aya!" He was catching up. Aya glanced behind her shoulder, and Ran could see the fear in her eyes. He ran faster, leaping over bushes and ducking under trees. The pain in his side was a constant throbbing, one that could be ignored for the time being.

Suddenly Schuldig and Farfarello jumped out form the brush, smiling. "And where do you think you're going?" Schuldig asked. He aimed his gun at Ran's head and smiled. Farfarello revealed his longest knife, and ran the cold metal across his tongue. "To get your sister? I don't think so."

"I do not have time for you two." Ran muttered. He tightened the grip on his hilt and charged them, hoping to plow them over. Schuldig fired twice. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Aya!" More voices broke the quiet of the night. This time, however, it was Ran they were looking for. Omi and Ken made their way through the park. How many times had they been here now?

"Where is he?" Ken muttered. "He's still not thinking straight."

"When it comes to his sister he never thinks straight." Omi replied. In a way he could relate. He had not known Ouka as long as Aya had known his sister, but the lose of her was still hard to bear. If it had been her instead of Aya's sister, Omi didn't know how he would react.

Two gunshots broke the evening silence. Ken flexed his hand, reassuring himself with the feel of the bar inside his glove. Omi glanced over at the other boy.

"We better hurry up and find him." Ken whispered.

He and Omi ran through the park, passing the place where Ouka died, farther in to the darkness. In the distance they could hear the sounds of battle, clashing noises of metal.

"Well, he isn't dead." Omi whispered. Ken began to take the lead, forgetting about how much faster he could run than Omi. He pushed the branches out of his way and leapt over bushes, praying that he would make it in time.

"For once I will not screw this up." He whispered to himself. A wayward branch sliced his face, but he didn't even feel it.

Ken's intuition took over after that. He didn't even remember jumping out of the brush and slicing Farfarello across the stomach. Nor did he remember dodging the two bullets Schuldig fired at him. Ken did a back flip, landing in front of Aya's fallen form. Schuldig smiled at him and waved, dragging Farfarello back into the darkness.

"Go after them." Aya whispered. Ken looked down and nodded. He flexed his hand, tightening it into a fist, and ran off after the two members of Schwarz.

Omi arrived just as Ken left.

"Where's Ken?" Omi asked. He knelt down beside Aya and inspected his wound. A gunshot to the side. Perfect.

"Asked him to go after them." Aya replied faintly.

"He'll get killed!"

"No he won't. He'll screw up and lose them in the woods." Ken replied as he came out of the brush. He pulled a wayward leaf out of his brown hair and sighed. 'Chalk one more up on the board.'

"You didn't mess up, Ken." Aya whispered. His black coat was slowly beginning to glisten from the blood. Ken untied his orange sweater and balled it up. He placed it on the wound, adding pressure to stop the bleeding.

"How are we going to get you back?" Omi asked himself. He elevated Aya's head on his knees and smiled down at him.

"You're not." Aya replied. He coughed, and a small amount of blood trickling down from his lips. "Make me another promise? Promise me you'll save her." He whispered.

"Aya..."

"Promise Ken. I slid it in her jacket..." Aya grabbed Ken's arm. His grip was still strong, but his eyes were glazing over.

"I promise." Ken replied. Aya smiled slightly, and fell into a world of darkness.

A/N: Not much to say about that one...anyway! What will happen? Tune in next week for the final episode! Same Weiss time, same Weiss channel.