Arya got up early, getting dressed and going out to the living room. She checked the time, making sure she wasn't running late.

"Be careful." Ryusei looked at her over his bowl.

She nodded, "I will."

He went back to his book, turning a page.

She looked at Nori, "Are you ready?"

He silently nodded, fiddling with his tie nervously.

"Why are you so nervous?"

"I have not seen him for many years. What if he doesn't like me?"

"You're his brother and a great person, he's going to love you."

"I am a mess and you know it." He gave her a rueful smile.

She smiled, "You might be, but the rest of us love you how you are. Aniki will too." She paused a moment before chuckling, "You're my Aniki's Aniki. That makes you my Aniki too."

He gave her a surprised look. "I do not.."

She smiled softly, "Unless you don't want me to consider you as a brother?"

"I am unworthy.." He dropped his eyes as Ryusei groaned and cursed at him in Fae.

"You're worthy," Arya assured gently.

"I was defeated and captured." He said softly.

"I don't care about that. And I don't think Ichigo will care either. We just care about you."

He smiled faintly. "We must go."

She nodded and started toward the door.

After driving to the graveyard, they got out and went to the gravesite of the Hanamotos. She looked around for Ichigo, not seeing him anywhere.

"Did he not remember? Or is he avoiding my presence?" Nori asked softly.

"He wouldn't forget and he wouldn't avoid you.. Maybe he's just running late?" She sighed before pulling out her phone and dialing his number.

Someone answered but didn't say anything. Instead, there was the sound of fists hitting flesh and pained grunts.

Arya growled, using an app on her phone to track the location. She ran to the car, starting it quickly.

"What is wrong?" Nori buckled himself in.

"Aniki is in trouble. The location is an Ota warehouse."

His eyes went cold and he hissed through his fangs.

She drove as fast as she dared, pulling up to the warehouse. She pulled out her pistol, going to the door and busting it open.

Nori flew past her, a high pitched keening causing the other vampires to grab their ears. He landed atop one of them and sank his fangs into his neck.

Arya started shooting at the others, quickly taking a decent chunk of them out. Someone pushed her from behind, making her lose her balance and fall to the floor. The gun slid away from her.

Nori hissed, attacking her assailant without mercy until he screamed and fell, a stake in his chest.

A silver knife buried itself in her back, burning her flesh.

After letting out a scream, she finally spotted Ichigo. Her eyes suddenly blazed and she struggled to push herself up. Once on her feet, she put her hand out and started shooting electricity into the remaining vampires.

She moved to Nori and removed the stake gently, covering him in light. She healed him up before moving to kneel beside Ichigo. She checked him over and began healing him. The pink light weakened as she lost more blood, the back of her shirt soaked.

Suddenly Kaien was by her side. "Shit." He pulled the knife out gently, using a bandage to put pressure on the wound. He cursed more as the blood went from red to gold, pulling out his phone. "Haru, code red. Get Ryusei and come to this address now!" He hung up and cradled her. "Don't even think about dying on us."

"How did.. You find me?"

"Toya. He collapsed and kept muttering this address."

"Sorry... Had to save.. Aniki.."

'"Stop apologizing. If you two weren't linked, we would have had no idea you were in trouble." He kept a steady pressure on the wound, praying the flow of blood would slow.

Arya struggled to keep her eyes open, looking over at Ichigo.

"Concentrate on breathing. He'll be fine." Kaien's eyes were bright with tears. "Where the fuck are they?"

Her eyes slipped shut, focusing her energy on breathing until she lost consciousness.

Arya woke feeling groggy. Her eyes opened and started darting around looking for her brother. She recognized her location as the safehouse, but she didn't see anyone in the room with her.

The door opened and Ichigo slipped in, hurrying to her side when he noticed her awake. "Ary, calm down."

"Was worried about you," she said quietly.

He gave her a soft smile, taking one hand and squeezing it. "I'm alive and well thanks to you and Nori."

She gave him a small smile, "Nori was worried you wouldn't like him."

"So that's why he's hiding in the basement, is it?"

"I tried to tell him things would be fine, but he worries about everything."

"He has not had an easy life, I'm guessing." Ichigo seated himself beside her bed. "He won't even look at me. As soon as he woke, he fled."

"The whole protector thing is stupid. It's a terrible way to treat a person." She sighed. "I've sent letters to Court to try to get it stopped so no one else goes through that."

"About that.." Ryusei approached quietly. "The Court is anxious to meet you formally."

She frowned, "I still don't think they are going to like me."

"You do have your detractors. But most of the Court is on your side."

She nodded, "Well, set up a meeting date then." She paused, "And I'm assuming you healed me, so thank you."

He raised an eyebrow. "Why are you thanking me? We are family and I do not let family die. And I will pick an appropriate time. Will you do something for me when you are able?"

"Sure?"

"Please pummel your boyfriend for being too damn anxious to throw himself into danger so soon?"

Ichigo snickered under his breath.

"I'll talk to him," she smiled, sitting up.

"You like talking to yourself?" Ryusei asked drily.

She rolled her eyes.

"His brothers all lectured him and he left with Hitoshi anyway." The Fae snorted, then left the room.

She shook her head before looking at Ichigo, "Why don't we go talk to Nori? Maybe I can get him to open up."

"If you think it will work, sure. I have a gift for you, if you'll accept it." He looked nervous.

She raised an eyebrow, "A gift?"

"I was going to give it to you when we met. I think they would want you to have it." He withdrew a house key from his pocket and pressed it into her hand.

"They? Is this a key to our parents house?"

"One of them. Their will actually said to inherit for dowry. I decided you were old enough to get it anyway."

She hugged him tightly, "Thank you."

"You remember the summer house, don't you?" He gave her a smile.

"Oh, I love that house."

"It's yours now."

She smiled, "I can't wait to tell Ryu and Shouma."

He chuckled. "The grounds are quite large."

She nodded and looked thoughtful, "Maybe I'll talk to Toya and see if the guys would want to move in too?"

"It might be the only way to keep an eye on your impetuous Hunter." Ichigo winked at her.

She chuckled. "Let's go check on Nori for now. I'll worry about the house things later."

The door opened, Ryusei returning with a scowl. "Damned incalcitrant vampire...I should kick his ass."

"What's wrong?"

He showed her a set of fang marks in his hand. "Caught him with this again." He tossed her a vial of pale purple fluid.

She shook her head, "We were about to go talk to him. Hopefully I can get through to him."

"What is that?" Ichigo looked at her blankly.

"Lyrith."

He paled. "That is poison to us. Why does he have it?"

"Well, originally it had to do with the whole protector thing. Once done with his task, he was supposed to take it. Thinking that's bullshit, I obviously talked him out of it."

"And now?"

She shook her head, "Either he thinks he's unworthy or he's afraid of you not liking him would be my two biggest guesses."

Ichigo's face fell.

"He's been through a lot and dealing with him takes some getting used to. Try to stay calm and just let him know you care, alright?" She smiled softly.

"I don't wish to scare him."

"You can't tell him you care if you don't go see him yourself," she answered before taking his hand, "Let's go. Everything will be alright."

"Good luck." Ryusei was wrapping his hand, giving a small wave.

Arya led her brother to the stairs and started down them. When she got down there she called out, "Nori?"

"You are angry." His voice was almost inaudible coming from the farthest corner.

She approached slowly, "I'm not angry. I'm worried about you."

"I am fine."

"You don't seem fine," she said softly. "Why are you hiding down here?"

"I am afraid."

"You have nothing to be afraid of," she slowly sat down beside him.

"I do not wish to disappoint, but I always do. I am unworthy to protect you. You were badly hurt because I did not do my job." He kept his eyes averted from her, his hands on his knees as he kneeled on the cold floor.

"Is that what this is about?" She sighed, "Things happen. It's literally impossible to protect me from everything. What's important is we saved Ichigo and we are all alive. I'm sorry I didn't protect you well enough and you got hurt too."

He looked up at her quizzically. "I am a weapon. If I am damaged, you discard me. But you insist on keeping me. I do not understand." He glimpsed Ichigo and froze.

"Don't worry, he's here because he cares about you." She shook her head, "Remember, you're a person, not a weapon. I care about you. You are family."

"I am.." He yelped as Ichigo threw his arms around him.

"You are my Aniki and I've missed you so much." He murmured, holding Nori tight.

"We love you," Arya added gently.

Nori began to sob, clutching Ichigo desperately.

Arya watched quietly, smiling softly.

After ten minutes, Nori passed out.

Ichigo looked at her worriedly. "Is he alright?"

"Probably just wore himself out. Let's get him to a bed so he can rest."

Ichigo lifted him easily. "He feels so light." He headed quickly for the stairs.

She followed him quietly up the stairs, hoping Nori would be alright.

They emerged to Kaien's glare.

"What's wrong?"

"Ever get the urge to tear Toya a new literal asshole?"

"What'd he do now?"

"Remember that shifter fight club we were staking out?"

"Yeah..?"

"Guess who their main event is tonight?" Kaien scowled.

"Why though?"

"Because he got caught searching their office for evidence to get a warrant on." Kaien showed her a webpage on his phone.

The announcement was for a shifter vs human fight to the death. Hitoshi and Tomoya's pictures were prominentlydisplayed.

She shook her head, "Let's go save their asses."

"Yeah. Rumor is they're peddling some kind of drug that drives shifters insane. They supposedly q1give it to their fighters beforehand."

She sighed, "Let's go before they get into more trouble." She started to the door.

Kaien nodded, Haru joining him with a roll of his eyes. The two men climbed on their bikes, waiting for Arya.

She got in her car and followed them to the location.

They glimpsed the fight promoters exiting a storage unit laughing. Kaien could be heard growling through her earpiece.

Arya got out of the car, unsure if she should just start attacking them or if she should try to sneak Toya and Toshi out.

Kaien finally calmed and started giving orders. "Haru, go find Toshi. He's not in the storage unit, so he's probably in the building somewhere. Feel free to snack on anyone you want. Arya, go help Toya in the unit. Hopefully, he won't attack. I'm going to go kick those promoter's asses."

Arya acknowledged before going to the unit. She got the door opened and looked in, "Toya?"

A vicious snarl was her reply, the sound freezing her blood.

She finally caught sight of him, backing up slightly as she tried to figure out what to do.

He snapped at her, his arms chained to a wall. He struggled to get to her, his eyes holding no recognition.

She got as close as she dared, holding up her hands and pouring pink light into him as she checked him over. She tried to find the drug in his bloodstream, wondering if she could dissolve it like she did when he was poisoned.

He snarled again, jerking against the chains. One side began loosening from the wall as he eyed her hungrily.

She worked on attempting to dissolve the drug, the process slow and taking longer than she wanted.

The loose chain finally snapped and he swung his claws at her with a howl.

"Toshi's free." Haru reported. "Got a goose egg but otherwise fine."

Kaien grunted, then reported both promoters in custody. "Arya, is he alright?"

She narrowly avoided his claws, continuing to try to dissolve the drug. "He's been drugged. I'm working on getting it out of his system but it's not going fast enough. If he gets unchained, I think he's going to try to eat me," she admitted. "I'll figure something out."

"Understood." The comm went silent, then she heard him curse. "Arya, I swear your brother has a fucking death wish."

"Who?"

"I apologize. I did not mean to alarm you." She heard Ryusei tell Kaien. "I felt her fear and followed it."

"She's in the unit outside. Put those damn things away before someone sees." Kaien replied before addressing her. "Take care of Toya while I drop off the trash."

She sighed and acknowledged as she continued to dissolve the drug.

"Let me help." Silver light melded with the pink as Ryusei entered.

Tomoya was quieting, his eyes beginning to droop.

She looked at him worriedly. After a little while longer, she couldn't sense any more of the drug left.

"It is neutralized." Ryusei broke the chain holding Tomoya upright and brought him down gently.

The wolf's eyes fluttered weakly, but he didn't wake.

Ryusei looked at her. "Where is your car? I would take him like this, but Kaien would lecture me." He gave her an amused smile as a pair of silver wings softly rustled behind him.

Her eyes lit up, "We have wings?"

He laughed softly. "We are Fae. Of course we have wings. It is part of our appearance when we are at Court."

She smiled widely before looking back at Tomoya. "My car isn't far. Do you want a ride too?"

"Better to avoid my bond warrior's wrath as much as possible." He grinned and easily stood, Tomoya in his arms.

She led him to the car and got in before speaking in her earpiece, "Toya is taken care of. We'll be back at the safehouse."

Kaien and Haru acknowledged.

Ryusei watched the streets going past for a moment, then cleared his throat.

"Something wrong?"

"Do you wish Shouma and I to return to Court? Permanently, I mean."

She frowned, "Is that something you guys want to do?"

"It is what is expected. Only the Queen chooses her life." He looked out the car window wistfully.

"I don't care about what's expected. I care about what you two want."

"It is not that simple. We were hidden while small and Shouma was expected to take the throne while I was written off. Then we found you. Now we are supposed to return to a place we knew for only a short while. I do not believe we will fit in, but what choice do we have? The Q'tan prefer segregation as much as possible."

"I was waiting to talk to Toya about things first, but I was just given a house by Aniki. It's a pretty big place. I was hoping you two and Nori would come with me..."

Ryusei's jaw dropped. "You would allow this?"

"Of course I would."

He dropped his eyes to the floor, studying the carpet. "May I ask why? I mean, I know out here it is not uncommon to live together.."

"You are family. I love you guys and want you to stay with me."

"At Court, we would only see you at functions or if you sent for us. Aside from that, we would be unwelcome in your presence. We are lower status and therefore unfit to be seen together."

"That doesn't sound nice. I want you to stay, and it sounds like you don't want to go, so just stay with me. Even if I have to like.. Explain things to Court or something."

He chuckled. "I accept."

"Good. I'm going to talk to Toya, but the place is huge, so I was going to see if the guys wanted to move in too."

"I would have thought you would prefer to live with only Toya."

"The guys are always over anyway, it would be easier to just live together, don't you think?"

Ryusei laughed. "Haru does practically live with us."

"Exactly. If Toya's ready to move in together, we'll have our own room to enjoy, but I think we're all so used to being around each other it would work out well."

"Are you sure you want to live with me?" Toya's exhausted voice asked.

She glanced in the back, "Sorry if we woke you. And yeah, I thought we could sit down and have an actual conversation about it, but yes. I've been given a house we can all move into."

"You didn't wake me, the migraine from hell did. What the hell happened? Last thing I remember is getting injected with something that made my head explode."

"You were given a drug that makes shifters go crazy. We got it out of your system though."

"I didn't hurt anyone did I? Where's Toshi?" He got steadily more panicked as he tried to remember the events.

"It's alright. Toshi is fine, I think he was with Haru. You didn't hurt anyone, you were chained to a wall so you couldn't get free."

He exhaled softly. "If you're going to yell, can you keep it under a hundred decibels?"

She sighed, "I won't yell."

"That's what our own room will be for, right?" He tried to joke before grimacing.

She pulled up to the safehouse and got out, opening the door and helping him out. "Let's get you some pain medicine."

He tried to grin at her. "You didn't answer the question." He stumbled drunkenly into the door.

She chuckled, "I think we can find better things to do in our room than yell."

He bit back a laugh as he finally managed to get through the door. "Probably."

She helped him get to the medical room before finding some medicine and getting him a glass of water to take it with.

He took the pills, then laid back on the bed. Through heavy eyes, he looked at her. "Why do you really want to move me in?"

"Well, I was thinking it'd be easier if you guys were all close. But.. I don't know. We've been dating a few years now, I just thought it'd be the next step. I understand if you don't want to, I just love you and thought it'd be nice to get to wake up with you every morning."

"I keep waiting for you to dump me. To say it was all a big joke…" His eyes closed as he trailed off.

"I love you and have no plans to leave you."

"Nice dream…" He let out a snore.

She smiled softly and kissed his forehead before sitting down next to him. She watched him sleep, imagining what it'd be like to really live together.