Disclaimer: I don't own any of the original Shadow Hearts characters including those in the sequel. However the ones that I add well obviously I own. So suing would be a real waste of time.

Note: I have played both games but it was shortly after the second one came out so it's been a while. So if anything that happens in this story doesn't fall into the story line please forgive me and consider this an Alternate Universe piece. This story takes place three years after the end of Shadow Hearts the Covenant.

Yet Another Note: The character ages are most likely wrong but oh well, correct me and I'll think about fixing it.

Reviewer's Responses

kingleby: I'm glad you like it. Please keep reading!

Kuriya: I do actually and there aren't really any reactions in this chapter, but wait until the next one!

F-chan1: Thanks and here ya go!

Fragile Reunion

Chapter 3 Family Relations

"You must have me confused with someone else." Karin said with a smirk.

"No I'm not mistaken. I'm your brother's youngest daughter, Nika." Nika said her eyes wide.

" You mean Darius? But he's in America." Karin said her eyes widening.

"Yes, he is or rather was." Nika said sadness entering her voice.

"What are you…you mean…he's dead?" Karin gasped her eyes narrowing in despair.

"Yes, my older sister, my mother and my father. All are dead." Nika said fighting the tears that were threatening to roll down her face.

"Oh my god…how, little Jiea too?" Karin said her voice becoming choked.

"Okay it's obvious that you two have a lot to talk about, so I hate to ask but can it wait until after my party?" Anastasia asked firmly.

Her mother gasped, "Anastasia!"

"What? I said I hate to ask." Anastasia said. Her mother was speechless.

"It's okay, we'll have plenty of time to talk later." Karin said as she wiped the tears that had begun falling from her eyes. Nika nodded and looked at the floor.

"Okay then let's get this party started!" Anastasia yelled as she raced towards her chair next to the king and queens' throne. Nika looked around the room and was amazed at all the people who were there, but then it was a birthday party for a princess.

She found a row of chairs against the wall and she made her way over to them. She sat down and watched as couple's danced around the room. She caught sight of Karin and Yuri at a corner table. It was obvious that Karin was crying.

"Yuri I didn't even know!" Karin said crying weakly.

"When was the last time you heard from your brother?" Yuri asked sympathetically.

"God…it was ages ago." Karin said her eyes flooding with tears.

"Did you know you had nieces?" Yuri asked.

Karin nodded, "Yeah I knew about Jiea but the last time I really spoke with Darius was just shortly after she was born, I was still really young. No more then five or six a the most."

Yuri nodded sympathetically, "Well, I think you need to go and speak with Nika. She came all the way from America just to find the remains of her family. You're all she has left. She's to young to be completely alone."

Karin sighed, "Yeah…okay." she said miserably.

She got to her feet and passed across the dance floor after having her foot trampled on by Anastasia, a less then competent dancer. She could tell by the look on Kurando's face he would be more then happy when the dance was over and his abused feet could take a rest.

She walked over to Nika who looked extremely uncomfortable in the royal setting or maybe it was just the dress, or it could have been the fact that all the young men of station that Anastasia's parents had invited were all vying for her attention.

She was blushing and nodding along to whatever the men were saying and Karin saw the relief in her eyes when Karin asked them to excuse the two for a private chat. Karin moved over to another table on another side of the hall where it was slightly quieter.

"So…how old are you?" Karin asked trying to start the conversation while watching Yuri dance with Anastasia; he was having about as much fun as a cat in a bath.

"I'm 18." Nika answered.

"So you were born a year after Jiea?" Karin asked glancing at her.

"Yeah. My father never told us about you, not until he was dying but then there was only me to tell." Nika said sniffling.

Her eyes wandered over the crowd, she felt like she was being watched but she just dismissed it as one of the more determined young men at the party.

"Tell me about your life in America." Karin said watching her.

"Well I was the youngest of two girls in a town with few women. So when Jiea became old enough to marry ever man with in a thirty-mile radius knew it. My father had made a huge joke of it and decided that he would hold interviews so Jiea could meet the men in a chaperoned environment. The night before I woke up to find a line of men camping out in front of our house, I was about 16 at the time so I got my fair share of sidelong looks and comments but I was too young for anything but a dance partner and a listening ear." Nika said her eyes misting over at the memories of her beautiful sister.

She had always been considered the dowdy one, while Jiea was residing beauty queen. She hadn't minded though she had been best friends with her sister and they would often times take walks and laugh about the silliest things just because it made them feel closer.

"What happened to her?" Karin asked her eyes bright.

"She married a young man named James Michael Danfield. He was originally from Mississippi and decided to go back there and show off his wife to all of his old friends. They were on a night ferry when the captain decided it was a good time to get drunk. He slammed the ferry into the rocks and about ten people died, including Jiea, her unborn baby, and her husband. We heard the news about a week later, that's when my parents came down with the illness. I had just turned 18 and a few weeks later I was supposed to have a little coming out party just like Jiea had but I didn't want it and besides my parents were dying, my sister had just died and it didn't feel right." Nika explained, she didn't feel the slight bit disappointed about it; she had accepted it before she even knew it was going to happen.

"Then two months later they died leaving me alone to find you." she continued.

"I know it may be strange at first my being only about seven years older then you but I want to be a real aunt to you." Karin said suddenly, her whole demeanor had changed during the story and she seemed really determined to do something, Nika just wasn't sure what.

"I'd rather have friends." Nika whispered staring out at all the friends her aunt had and feeling slightly jealous.

Karin noticed her gaze and smiled, "Give them time and we'll all be friends." Nika smiled up at her and nodded. "Well, let's get a few formal introductions in, shall we?" Karin said standing up.

Nika nodded, "Sure."

Celsie: I realize that there isn't a lot going on in this chapter but stick with me because their will be, I just have to get there.