Rating: R
Pairings: Gotta wait and see.
Archive: Just ask…actually, I'd be amazed that someone wants to archive my stuff.
Chapter: 3/?

Chapter Three - Headlong

Kaile sighed as she collapsed on the bed in her destroyed room. Javier had suggested that they stay there; whatever was looking for Kaile wouldn't think to come back so soon. She looked around her room sadly. So many of the things she had come to cherish after scrimping and saving for were lying around the room in pieces. The antique armoire that she had found at a flea market and restored, the small night table she had varnished herself.

"Such anger…" she sighed as she rose and picked up a large splinter of wood. "I loved that table."

The sound of her footsteps echoed out around the room as she went around, picking up pieces of wood. The last thing she wanted to do was to spend half the night picking out slivers of wood from her feet should she get up and wander in the middle of the night like she normally did.

"What else can happen tonight?" she muttered as she kicked the last bits of wood into a corner of her room. She took a large wooden leg from the pile and placed it by her bed; who knew when she would need a weapon. She'd deal with the main mess tomorrow morning, if they were still here. A faint knock echoed around her room.

"Who is it?" she called as she seated herself on the edge of the bed again.

"Puck. May I enter?"

"Yes. One moment, I'll open the door for you." he said rising again.

"No need." Puck popped out of thin air in front of her.

"Lord, do you have to do that? You nearly scared me to death."

"My apologies," Puck said as he flitted over to the bed and alighted beside her. "Is there anything you wish to talk of?"

"Like what?" Kaile asked with a curious look. "I know it's going to take a disgusting amount of work to get my home cleaned up again and back the way it was before."

"Well, that wasn't exactly what I had in mind." Puck said with a delicate frown. "Are you sure that there is nothing you wish to tell me?"

"There's nothing!" Kaile said with a laugh. "Now if you don't mind, I would like to get some rest for the night. Who knows what may be thrown at us tomorrow."

"Touché," Puck said with a slight bow. "If you need anything, simply call my name, and I shall come. Intruders, killers, anything"

"I will." Kaile said with a chuckle as she patted him on the head with a grateful smile. "Good night Puck."

Puck bowed once more before he flitted up into the air and disappeared the same way he had come. Kaile shook her head as she went to the windows and snapped the drapes shut. Then she went to her dresser and opened a drawer. 'Gee, they trash my room but not my clothes…some weird people.' She took out the black silk nightgown and changed quickly, and slipped beneath the covers. It felt a bit cold in her room. She shivered as she closed her eyes and pulled the blanket up more closely around her as she drifted off. Everything could be dealt with tomorrow.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Snow swirled around the thick tress, half-blinding and buffering with its force. Kaile clutched her arms with her hands before she realized something; it was a raging blizzard, but she was far from cold, despite still wearing her nightgown. She took a step in the snow, trying to find shelter. 'This is crazy. I was in bed, next thing you know I'm God knows where.' She trudged along, hoping she found some sort of shelter soon.

Her feet made no sounds as she walked along the snow, ears straining to hear above the howl of the wind. She looked up, seeing only white in front of her. 'Just fucking great; how the hell did I end up here? I'm going to have along talk with Javier when I get back; she still has to tell me about some of the freaky stuff.' She looked up somewhat miserably, surprised to see two figures stumbling through the snow. She ran towards them, glad to see someone else here in the forest.

"Hey, can you help me? I'm trying to find some place to get out of the weather." Kaile said as she stood in their path.

"I don't think I can hold on."

"You have to. We'll find a place."

Kaile paused as she looked more carefully at the figures. One was a woman with raven hair that blew wildly around her face. She was being supported by the tall man beside her with long white hair and startling blue eyes. And she could see why; the woman's stomach was enormous. 'Talk about pregnancy…' Kaile shook off the wry thought as she tried again.

"Hey, did you hear what I said?" Kaile's brows furrowed as the man and woman got closer, still not haring her words. "All right, they have to notice me if I don't move."

She planted her feet squarely in the path, waiting for them to come. They drew closer and closer, until they were bare centimetres away from her. And they kept on walking; right through her. Kaile blinked for a moment. 'They walked right trough me…what the hell?' She ran up to a tree and tried to grasp it; her hand passed right through.

"I'm a wraith? Oh, just great!" she exclaimed in frustration. "Might as well follow those two, they might be up to interesting."

Kaile followed after them, the snow whirling all around. She watched as the woman stopped for a moment, clutching at the man's arms tightly before they continued on walking, an urgency in their steps. They finally broke through the trees to see a snug little cabin in a small clearing. Kaile winced as the man banged on the door frantically, the thuds ringing loudly through the wind.

The door was opened with just enough time for them to enter and keep out the frigid air. Kaile walked through the door hesitantly, seeing a fire crackle heartily in the fireplace. The white haired man seated himself at the table as the older man poured him a drink and passed it to him.

"Interesting…" she mused to herself; the white haired man actually had platinum blond hair. And he was eyeing the cross on the wall rather uneasily, as if he wanted to get away from it. "Where did the woman go?" Kaile looked around, trying to find out where she had gone to.

Then a piercing scream came from upstairs, making her and the two men look up sharply. The blond haired man made a motion but was stopped by the older one, who eased him back into his seat. 'He doesn't look too thrilled about that.' Kaile looked at the stairs apprehensively as more screams came down, not wanting to exactly see what was causing them, even though she had a pretty good idea.

When an older woman appeared at the top of the flight, motioning to the blond haired man, she could barely see him running. She took the steps two at a time, slowing down as she approached a door that was opened slightly. She peered in through a crack, seeing the younger woman in the bed, the blond haired man, standing at the end of the bed with an unsure expression.

"Come; I want you to see her, Mil." the woman's voice was faint, ghostly.

Kaile watched as the blond haired man came and crouched down on the balls of his feet by the woman's side.

"She has your hair." he murmured, looking into a red swathed bundle in her arms.

"And Devlin's eyes." a look of sadness flitted across the woman's face. "Hold her."

The small bundle was proffered to him, making the man's eyes widen in surprise. After a few moments he took it carefully, a look of joy and sadness in his eyes.

"Dana-"

"Take care of her for me. Protect her in my place." the woman whispered as she pressed something against the bundle. "This will be her birthright, her key to her heritage. For Devlin and I…please."

Kaile remained where she was as she saw he strength slip from the woman, leaving only her corpse behind. The man tried to shake her, not wanting to believe that she was truly gone. After a few minutes, he looked at the bundle in his arms again.

"She didn't tell you your name," he murmured as he held the baby close and rocked her gently. "Kaile."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

With a gasp, Kaile sat upright in bed, a thin sheen of cold sweat on her brow. "What the hell was that?" she mumbled as she ran a hand through her hair. She held her head for a moment before she swung her feet out over the edge of her bed, toes bathed in moonlight. "Wait…"

Kaile looked up, wary and defensive; she had shut the curtains before she had gone to sleep. There in front of the window was a tall silhouette; the only thing clear was the long platinum blond hair that shone unearthly. It was eerily like the hair in her dream. Kaile swallowed as she rose. She could call Puck, as he had said, but there was something in her that held back on that.

"Who are you?" she asked in a soft yet firm voice.

The figure didn't say anything for a moment as they bent their head. "Who am I? The question is who are you?"

"I beg your pardon?" she asked in disbelief. "I really should call Puck." she muttered to herself.

"Don't call that damnable pixie. He sticks his nose where it shouldn't be half the time."

Kaile's eyes widened in surprise. "All right mister, what the hell are you? If I don't get a reasonable explanation, I will scream."

"Much like last time no doubt." the figure gave an audible sigh. "I'd imagine you would want to know about her? About Dana; about your mother."

"My mother? She's still alive; in Albuquerque." she narrowed her eyes as she watched the person warily. "What's your name? I'm sure you have one."

"Indeed I do." they said softly. "Two in fact; which would you prefer?"

"Pick one!" she had to admit, this was the strangest conversation she was ever having with someone.

"My name is Milliardo Peacecraft." he paused for a moment. "Also known as Zechs Merquise."

"Mil…" she looked at him for a moment. "Turn around. I want to see your face."

He didn't make any motion for a moment before he turned around slowly. Kaile gasped as she saw his profile in the moonlight, stark and sharp with the luminous light. The brow, the nose, the lips, the chin; they were all the same as in the dream. When he faced her fully, his face fell into shadow once more; his brilliant blue eyes seemed to burn from the shadows.

"No, this can't be real," she said in an empty voice.. "It can't be."

"It is." he said simply.

"My mother lives in Albuquerque. Sh-She likes to bake pies."

He shook his head. "Your mother hated cooking and died in the Carpathian Mountains."

"My father has Alzheimer's."

"Devlin," he paused for a moment, thinking over his words. "Was very different, as was Dana."

"That baby couldn't have been me. That's just not possible." Kaile said as she shook her head. "I don't know who you are, but you have five seconds to leave before I scream bloody murder."

"Haven't you ever wondered?" Zechs voice was nothing more than a soft whisper. "Why you were so different as a child? Why you could sense things others couldn't? Why you could outstrip them in everything? I can answer any questions you have."

Kaile paused, looking at Zechs carefully; all of what he had said was true, plus a few more things. "Very well, you have my attention."

Zechs inclined his head as he took a step forward. "If you-"

"Don't move!" she said loudly, making the words echo around her large room. "Just stay where I can see you. There, in the moonlight."

"As you wish." Zechs reached into his pocket and drew out a necklace. "Dana left this to you."

Kaile watched as he held the necklace from his fingers, the gold glimmering gently. Her brow creased as she tried to see the symbol at the end. She rose slowly and walked over, standing in front of him.

"I am sorry to have intruded on you like this."

Kaile didn't say anything as she took the necklace from him, fingertips brushing his skin. 'You're cold. Icy cold." she paused for a moment. "What exactly are you?"

"A vampire." his eyes never left hers. "As was Devlin."

Kaile took a deep breath. "And Dana?"

"Mortal with the blood of Irish gods running through her."

"I see." her gaze shifted to the necklace in her hand. "It's a triad of some sort."

"But to what, I don't know." Zechs sighed. "That is some sort of key to your birthright and heritage."

Kaile nodded as she stepped back a few steps. "Zechs…"

"Yes?"

"Are you truly a vampire?" she was still looking at the necklace.

Zechs didn't say anything, letting the silence flow between them. Kaile lifted her eyes; she was surprised to see a cloud where Zechs had been. She took a step forward, eyes searching for him. When a white wolf padded its way out from the mist, she took an involuntary step back.

"You're the same wolf as before."

'Yes, I am. Just don't scream again, all right?' he sat on his haunches.

"All right." she said slowly. "Look, I don't know if I can trust you, but the fact that you came here after so many years to give me this necklace for Dana says something. She must have trusted you," she hesitated for a split second. "With her life; and so I have to ask you for your help."

'With the Daemons?'

"Yes, with the Daemons." Kaile took a calming breath. "I don't want Javier getting any more involved or hurt; she's my best friend, and a witch, but I don't know if she can handle something like…that."

'She merely annoyed them that night; nothing more. Unless she was holding back. For your sake, I hope she was.'

"And I'm not too sure of what to make of Puck." she walked back to her bed and sat down. "I mean, Javier called him and now he's sticking around. Call me crazy, but I get the feeling that he likes me."

'You wouldn't be the first.' he paused, sniffing before he faced the door, fur bristling up right as he gave a low growl. 'Something else is in here.'

Kaile grabbed the chunk of wood by her bedside; nothing was going to take her by surprise again. The sound of her feet against the wood floor was nothing more than a whisper as she walked forward with Zechs. He seemed to be heading for a pocket of shadow beside her destroyed armoire. She slipped to the right, lying in wait as Zechs came from the left.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion to her. Zechs lunged into the shadow causing the person to dart out. That was when she brought the piece of wood down hard, connecting with the person's head. They collapsed to the ground, moaning.

"Quickly." she said as she dragged the body into the pool of light.

'You seem to attract these people like flies.' Zechs noted wryly as he sat on the person's chest, muzzle sniffing around their face.

"Don't scare them too much." Kaile said as she nudged the person with her foot. "Wake up!"

"Ugh," the moan was low and painful. "Honey, are you all right? I came to see who you were talking to."

'Honey?' Zechs' twisted his head back to look at her.

"I don't know. What the hell is going on in this place?" she mumbled to herself. "Come on, speak up or he rips your face off."

'Rip his face off?'

"Just go with it." she muttered. "Actually, you can get off of him so we can get a better look."

Zechs didn't say anything as he gave a snort and padded his way over to Kaile, seating himself by her side. She had to admit, she felt a bit comforted with Zechs by her side. Should her strength fail, he was bound to get physical. She snickered for a moment as she envisioned him soundly beating someone up.

"Kaile, what's that doing here?"

She snapped out of her thoughts as the person's voice broke through her thoughts. It was deep and contralto, altogether pleasing. But the tone of disgust didn't escape her. She watched as the person rose, dusting off their slender frame. Her eyes widened in surprise as she recognized the features; in particular the eyes; the eyes that sparked with a light of mischievousness.

"P…P…" her mouth opened and closed like a dying fish's.

"Kaile, I was so worried!" he made a motion forward but stopped at Zechs growling. "It me Pu-Pietro, remember."

"Pietro?!" Kaile shook her head as she angrily walked up to him. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" she hissed between her teeth.

"What does it look like?" he hissed back, his eyes flicking to her face before they locked onto the Zechs' once more. "My true identity is not lost upon you?"

"No, it isn't Puck!" she sighed as she rubbed her temples. "I am trying to figure out if you're incredibly brave or incredibly foolish."

"It's a little of both actually." he said, giving her an impish smile. "Are you sure you're all right? I've already woken up Javier. That… creature didn't do anything to you."

"For fuck's sake." she hung her head in dismay. "No. I'd imagine that Javier is in the living room?"

"I would imagine so." Puck said as he searched her face more intently. "Are you sure that you're all right?"

"I'm fine Pu-Pietro." Kaile said as she turned him around and pushed him towards the door. "Go and tell Javier that I'm coming. And that we have a guest."

Puck's eyes clearly showed his apprehension towards this but he nodded his head anyway. Kaile breathed a sigh of relief as Puck's steps started towards the door. She turned around to face Zechs once more when she felt arms wrap around her. Zechs was obviously not pleased with this, as he took a step forward, baring his fangs.

"I'm so lucky to have a girlfriend like you." Puck said in a quiet but loud enough voice.

"Out!" Kaile said as she pointed a finger imperiously at the door. "Wait with Javier."

Puck hurried from the room as Kaile closed her eyes and counted to ten. Her stress level had simply burst through the roof; the way things were going, she would need to have to take the world's longest bubble bath before she could even contemplate dealing with the situation unfolding around her at the moment.

When a hand rested on her shoulder gently, she snapped her head back to find Zechs looking at her. She didn't say anything before she patted his hand quickly and shrugged on a robe that she found in the drawer. It felt odd; as if his hand was permanently frozen in time. The muscles and bones were still there, but they were only reminders of what had once been living and pulsing with vitality.

"I hope you're ready to meet Javier." Kaile said suddenly in a stern voice. "She can be very grumpy when she's woken up in the middle of the night."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The clock ticked away the seconds that passed by, the pendulum swinging back and forth unerringly. Puck gave cleared his throat nervously as Kaile glanced at him and then at Zechs. He was standing in front of Javier who was seated, and had a frosty expression on her face and her arms crossed. Kaile closed her eyes as Javier shifted, crossing one leg over the other; she was ready to rip into someone, Kaile had seen it before.

"So," Javier's voice was quiet. "You're the infamous one everyone talks about."

"Huh?" Kaile looked at Javier puzzled.

"This is the thing you don't know about." Puck said as he explained quickly. "Simply let her talk and you listen."

"I suppose you have a good reason as to why you have simply entered without leave?"

"I came to see Kaile."

"Ah. You came to see Kaile." Javier's voice was cold and bleak. "After you dumped her on a foster family and took off? How many years has it been? Five? Ten? Twenty? I would say your sense of responsibility is somewhat delayed, Peacecraft."

"I renounced that name long ago, you should know that."

"I know." Javier looked at him. "I never forget a face, vampire."

"Javier…" Kaile murmured in embarrassment; the tone of voice was not lost on her.

"He's done far worse, believe me." Javier said her eyes boring into Zechs'. "The way I refer to him is nothing to him than a passing slight. Now, what is the reason why you are here?"

"The Daemons," Zechs said simply. "You don't have the power needed…witch. And they are definitely after Kaile for a reason. I intend to see that it doesn't happen."

"Appearing now with the intent does not make up for years of neglect, of not knowing." Javier said. "But, as you said, the Daemons are after Kaile. As to what reason, I don't know. And I will admit it; I am still finishing off some things to make myself stronger."

Zechs gave a small chuckled as he crossed his arms. "You could simply get to the point."

"Don't try that line with me. I was resting peacefully until Puck came and woke me up; he was screaming that there was a vampire in the house and it was in Kaile's room."

Kaile glared at Puck who was giving her something of a sheepish, apologetic look.

"So, I propose a truce. We band together to watch out for Kaile; there are still many things she doesn't know about Otherworld and she will need eyes and ears to guide her. I will take the day, while you take the night, Merquise."

"What do I do?" Puck asked in a curious voice. "I don't want to be useless."

"Stay out of trouble." Javier said as she rose from her seat. "Now I am going back to sleep. If anyone wakes me again, it had better be about somebody's impending death, or they will suffer a gruesome fate."

Kaile watched as Javier walked from the room quickly and a resounding slam echoed back to the living room. Puck, Kaile and Zechs all looked at each other rather uneasily until Kaile gave something of a high pitched and nervous laugh.

"Well, that wasn't too bad." Kaile said. "She could have killed you outright."