A/N: I know it's been forever, and I've been plagued with writer's block and every kind of sickness you can imagine, I'm sorry. School and work is killing me too. However it's almost the holidays which means UPDATES!

Raining Heart- Sorry, please don't stone me.

Makurayami Ookami- SCARY THINGS, lol, kiddin', kiddin'

Yipster 54- I think he might shoot someone for that, or at the very least beat them within an inch of death.

Kosmic Kitty- THE MADNESS SPRINGING FORTH! lol, I wouldn't be too surprised, all that "alone time" would make anyone lose it.

Redrose Moon- God I stopped reading that, and I have no clue why, I'm going to buy them all for Christmas so I keep myself sane.

DISCLAIMER: see previous chapters

Being Part VI of II

"Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light." - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (screenplay)

"Thoughts can leave deeper scars than anything else..." The Pensive Rememberer

Aeris tossed and turned in her bed.

It was nearly midnight and she'd been lying still for an hour without success.

Chuu kicked her feet in her deeply drugged like sleep. Aeris watched her, fascinated.

Chuu could sleep if a hurricane struck the apartment and begun to tear it apart.

Sighing, Aeris got out of bed and went to her balcony doors. It was a beautiful night, not too chilly and just a bit windy. There was hardly a cloud in the sky and the moon shone brightly.

She opened the doors and stepped out onto the balcony, ignoring the chill that swept through her.

The wind picked up and blew her loose hair in front of her face.

A whoosh sound came from overhead and she swept the strands out of her face.

"Dark." She smiled. "Been a long time."

Satoshi paced in his bedroom.

He could see her from his balcony, straight through her room and into her own.

And he could also see the black wings.

But he could just imagine the look on Aeris's face if he interfered.

"Dark is my friend!"

Why did all of her friends have to be male!

She already thought he didn't trust her and it had taken a long time for her to trust him.

He clenched his fists and finally flung himself in his chair by the balcony doors. He'd wait and see.

"I take it that you're not too happy with the commander," Dark hunched on the railing with his hands clutching the bar between his feet.

Aeris gave him a look before turning back to see Satoshi's lights out, sure he wasn't sleeping.

"What happened to your cheek?"

"It was an accident."

Dark cocked his head to the side and smiled at her. "Don't you know by now koibito? Accidents just don't happen to you."

With a mock salute he released his hold on the bar and fell back straight down until he opened his wings and the wind caught them like a parachute.

The wind blew to the east and Aeris felt the chill all the way to her marrow.

He watched as Aeris stood still for a moment before pulling on a coat that fell to her ankles like a dress and pulled the hood over her head.

Where could she be going so late at night?

Aeris ran as if the hounds of hell were after her. She couldn't explain this feeling, but she had to get away and had to see them.

Pushing the ivy covered gate open with a bang she nearly tripped on her long coat before stumbling before their graves.

"Father, mother…" Her hands tightly clasped together she knelt her head as if praying.

She touched their graves as if she was stroking their faces as her stomach rolled over. "I don't think… I don't think I should've come." The wind was fierce, and she pulled her coat even tighter.

"That's right."

Aeris whirled to see Krad smirking at her from a top a grave. "Hm, your not what I was expecting."

"K-Krad?" She began to inch backwards. "Can't you see I'm in mourning? Find some other girl to harass." To her credit, Aeris sounded a lot braver than she felt.

She knew next to nothing about Krad, except from the little Satoshi had told her which was far from comforting.

"…He's a raving lunatic."

'A lot of good that information's going to do me!' Aeris thought frantically as she backtracked to get further away but Krad wasn't having any.

With every foot she put between them he would jump to another gravestone and be closer than ever before.

"Come on now, you'll make me think you don't want to be near me." Krad grinned and landed in front of her.

"Caught on quick have you?" Aeris snapped.

"Hm, now what have we here?" Krad grabbed her face and pulled it to his. He turned it roughly and ran a long finger over her stitches.

Aeris tried to jerk out of his grasp but he simply looked at her and she went still.

"There's something about you… I just can't quite figure out, you're not that beautiful."

Aeris looked taken back, just what the hell was that supposed to mean?

Regaining her senses, she struggled and broke free. "Don't touch me!"

The smile slipped off Krad's face and his eyes flashed. "I can touch you if I want. You don't belong to him."

"What's that supposed to-"

"Leave her alone."

Aeris' eyes went wide in surprise at seeing Arima stand boldly in front of her.

"Get out of my way boy." Krad snarled but Arima didn't budge.

"You'd better leave before your keeper comes." Arima snapped and Krad looked mad enough to kill.

"You shut your filthy mouth!" Krad lunged at Arima who quickly dodged out of the way.

"Attacking humans are we now, Krad?" Dark landed in front of Aeris and crossed his arms.

"It's not your concern." Krad seemed to regain his composure and stood up straight.

"I disagree, she is my concern."

"Hmph. Not for long." Krad smiled before taking flight.

Aeris felt numb on the ground. Forget Dark, Arima had come to her rescue.

"Aeris…?"

She looked up to find Arima's outstretched hand waiting for her to take. He hauled her to her feet and looked her over before turning and walking away.

"H-Hey…!" Aeris stammered.

"Let him go, Aeris." Dark ordered. "The commander's is going to have a big enough fit as it is, just seeing me here."

The words had only just registered when Satoshi himself arrived and clutched her arms. "What happened? Are you all right?"

"Krad showed up to give her hell. The boy stood up to him, badda bing, badda boom. Enough said. Remember what I said Aeris." Dark winked at Satoshi before taking off as well.

Satoshi looked at her expectantly and she sighed. "Can't it wait until morning Satoshi, I just want to sleep."

He looked like he wanted to protest but instead nodded. "Sure thing, let's get you home."