It's The Fear (How Could This Happen to Me?) Pt. 1

Another day started for Zero. However this time a letter from the Hunter Association was awaiting him. On the way to the bathroom he ran into the chairman who beckoned him over into his office.

"Good morning, Zero-kun. I've got something for you here," he said and handed Zero the letter.

"Things are back to where they started, huh?" the hunter muttered.

"Right. The association was very impressed by your successful strike against Rido. They're offering you a full time job so to speak," Kurosu explained.

"It wasn't me alone," Zero corrected him gloomily.

"I know, Zero. But Yagari could hardly tell them that you were helped by a pure blood that was related to the victim."

"So sensei told them."

"Yes and unfortunately you have once again not the right to decline," the chairman told him. "Yagari is waiting for you downtown. He'll give you further instructions."

Zero nodded. He turned to leave when something flashed through his mind. "What about my job as guardian. I'm the only one now," he reminded Kurosu.

"I'll substitute you. Don't worry," Kurosu promised and shoved him out of his office.

"Thanks, sensei," Zero muttered and entered the bathroom.

As Kurosu had told him Yagari was already awaiting him downtown.

"You're late," the sensei reproved him.

"Yeah, whatever," Zero replied.

"Look, I know you don't want to be here and do this..." Yagari began but his apprentice cut him off.

"Why did tell your bosses at all?"

"They're also your bosses, Zero. I had no other option. Kuran Kaname had told the council. So all I could do was confirm. Listen, Zero. I'm glad about meeting you today. I wanted to talk to you. About Ichiru."

"I don't," Zero made it clear. "Let's get down to business. Where's the Level E?"

"Zero."

"Sensei," Zero said sharply. "I came here for business not for talking, okay?"

Yagari was astonished by his tone. "I didn't think you'd ever talk to me like that. Alright no talk. Let's get down to business. The Level E is in town. He's not really a Level E yet but he's close to becoming one. Very close," the hunter explained and looked sternly at Zero.

"That's close enough to justify killing him," Zero said. "Let's go. Show me the way."

At the same time at the academy. Yuuki was wandering aimlessly around when suddenly she felt a sharp burning in her throat. Her breathing became hard and she had to hold on to the wall as her body had begun to tremble. She looked to the right to see the chairman watching her compassionately from inside his office.

"Chairman," she said before collapsing on the floor.

"Yuuki!" Kurosu exclaimed and hurry towards her to help her.

"Chairman..." she repeated weakly.

"Hold on for one more minute, Yuuki. It'll fade soon," the chairman explained as he held, supportingly. He was right. One minute later the episode had faded. Yuuki's breathing became slow again and the trembling stopped. "Come on, Yuuki," Kurosu said when he saw that she was better again. "Have a cup of tea with me."

Back in town. They found the Level E entering a tavern soon. Instantly they heard people scream inside. The vampire had found a feast. They stormed inside and caught him preparing to bite a young woman.

"Hey!" Zero shouted, drawing his Bloody Rose and pointing it at the vampire what caused the guests to scream once again.

"Everyone out now!!" Yagari ordered them and no one refused.

Now there was only the woman the vampire had chosen to still his hunger. Zero released a warn shot that grazed the Level E's shoulder. This was enough to distract him from his prey.

"Quick run!" Yagari shouted.

The woman didn't hesitate and ran. The vampire was going after her. Now it was Zero's time to release the death blow but he never did. All of sudden he had fallen into trance. He wasn't seeing the Level E any longer but him as a Level E and even more. He was seeing Yuuki coming across him not doing anything to ward him off. It wasn't that he woke up until his master called him out of his illusion.

"Zero, wake up!" The vision disappeared as soon as the Level E had left the tavern and Zero returned to normal.

"Where's the vampire?" he asked puzzled.

"He escaped. What's wrong with you, Zero? It seemed like you were somewhere very far away," Yagari told him.

"We have to go after him!" Zero replied and quickly left the tavern, followed by Yagari.

Though hidden very well they still found the Level E in a dark dead alley.

"Zero, get back!" Yagari said when there was the opportunity to shoot the vampire and killed him with his gun. After putting it away again he turned to Zero and repeated his question from before. "What's wrong with you, Zero?"

The chairman filled two cups with tea and handed one over to Yuuki who grabbed it eagerly and swallowed the hot liquid down. Kurosu sat down and sipped at his own cup, putting a frown on his forehead.

"What are you doing at this time of the day?" he asked. "You should be asleep."

"I can't sleep," Yuuki answered and quietly added "At least not at daytime."

The chairman still caught it. "Yuuki, I'm not your real father but not only as the director of this school I really worry about you. You know what just happened, don't you?" Yes, she did know everything about it. What it was and where it came from. "Yuuki, I know you were forced to adjust to many changes recently but you shouldn't try to resist them." Yuuki didn't answer. She just burst out into tears. "Yuuki..."

"But I can't!" she sobbed. "I don't know why but I can't adjust to this life."

Of course Kurosu felt sympathy for her but he didn't show it. When he raised his voice again his words were subjected to rationality.

"But you have to, Yuuki. You are a pure blood but there's one thing they share with Level E's. When it comes to that they lose control because of their instincts provoked by blood thirst. You as a pure blood need even more blood than a Level E."

He suddenly drew a tiny box from the inside of his drawers and held out a small pill to Yuuki

"I don't want this," Yuuki refused. "I don't want to drink blood. It makes me feel sick."

"One thing you share with Zero. Now you know what he's going through all the time. You should talk to him. I'm sure he'll convince you to do the right thing."

Yagari and Zero were walking through the town. Zero had been silent all along. Yagari had watched him closely. He sighed.

"Well, you better get back to the academy now. Lie down and rest. You'll feel better after that. I'll report to the council that you successfully eliminated the Level E as ordered."

"But I didn't," Zero said crestfallen. "I screwed up."

"It's okay, Zero. Don't blame yourself too much. The best of us have a bad day. I'm sure you'll figure this out. Be good."

The sensei said goodbye to Zero and left him alone on his way home.

The chairman was right. Zero was the only one who could help her and give her comfort now. She went to his room only to find it empty. When she closed the door she remembered that classes hadn't terminated yet. So she went back outside to the yard and waited for the sound of the gong. When it finally stroke the students came out of the building for some fresh air. Yuuki soon caught sight of her friend Yori.

"Yori!"

Yori looked around to see Yuuki.

"Yuuki! What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in bed at this time?"

They walked away from the others so they couldn't listen to their conversation.

"I'm having a few problems with that lately," Yuuki told her. "How are you? I'm missing you. I wished we could go downtown together again like we used to do," she added sadly.

"So do I," Yori agreed and hugged her.

Being so close to her something awoke inside Yuuki and the pain in her throat returned immediately. Oh my God no! Not Yori-chan! she thought and quickly backed away.

I fear who I am becoming,
I feel that I am losing the struggle within
I can no longer restrain it,
my strength, it is fading,

"Yuuki, what's wrong?" Yori asked and then she startled. "Your eyes! They're crimson red!"

"Yeah, I know," Yuuki replied. "Look, I really need to talk to Zero. Have you seen him?"

"No," Yori answered. "He wasn't at class this morning. It's like he vanished during the night."

Yuuki knew better. Zero wouldn't just run away. Not anymore. She figured that he might have got a hunter job to do. She said goodbye to Yori and ran back to the Moon Dorm before her instincts would take over and... No. She could never forgive herself if she did this to Yori...

It's the fear
Fear of the dark
It's growing inside of me,
that one day will come to life
Have to save
To save my beloved,
there is no escape,
because my faith is horror and doom

Not long after Yuuki had left Zero returned to the academy. As soon as she saw him approaching Yori came up to him.

"You," he said. "What do you want again?"

"I don't. It's Yuuki. She asked me to tell you that she needs to talk to you. Something's not alright with her. Her eyes were the color of blood!"

Zero eyes widened. "Say that again."

Yuuki closed the door of the Moon Dorm and ran up the stairs. She met Ichijou halfway who jumped surprised out of the way.

"Yuuki-chan!" He saw her red eyes and sighed. "You've gotta put an end to this, Yuuki! If you continue that–"

"Shut up!" Yuuki spat and slammed the door of her room shut.

Ichijou sighed again. Aidou came out of the room next to hers and joined him.

"She's really carrying it to the extremes," he said.

"I wished she wouldn't be so stubborn." Ichijou shook his head. "Or she'll do something she'll regret."

"What exactly will happen to her then?"

"She'll be like a Level E controlled by her instincts and hunger for blood."

A few hours later there was a knock on the door to Yuuki's room. Yuuki was sitting on the bed, her legs pulled up to her chin and her arms leaning crossed on her knees.

"Come in," she said in a dull voice.

The door opened and Ichijou entered.

"You're coming? Class starts in ten minutes," he said.

"I'm not feeling well," she told him. "Isn't Kaname coming back tonight?"

"No," Takuma answered. "He's going to stay at the headquarters all night long."

"In that case I'm gonna stay here," Yuuki declared.

"Okay. See you later," Ichijou said and left.

Kaname wasn't going to come back before the morning. She urgently needed to see Zero. Now would be the perfect opportunity to take. But her mind knew better. After what happened hours ago she would not hesitate to bite him. She couldn't do that to him. He wouldn't allow her to do that and she didn't want it, either. It was one thing to share her blood with him but she didn't want anything in return. No, she couldn't see him. She lay down and leaned back into the pillows. A smiled crossed her face when she noticed that she was tired at night. She wasn't that vampire-like yet.

Over there in his room in the Day Dorm Zero went to bed. Tonight he didn't need to fulfill his guardian duties. Kurosu would fill in for him again. Zero wondered if the chairman got some sleep at a time. He pulled up the blanket and looked at the spot of moonlight on the door. Thinking of the moon his mind trailed off to the night... to vampires and finally to Yuuki. When Yori had told him about Yuuki's red eyes he had known at once what was wrong with Yuuki. He knew this well enough for himself. Her hunger for blood was at its limit. But why? he wondered. There's only one possibility, he figured. She's not drinking blood. She's resisting...

This thought made him smirk. She wasn't that different from him after all.

That night both Zero and Yuuki didn't sleep well. They actually even shared a nightmare. But whereas Zero remembered sucking Ichiru dry and now dreamt to do the same to Yuuki, she dreamt she would kill Zero in bloodthirstiness.

As expected Kaname came home the next morning. He was welcomed by Ichijou and Aidou who did not wait to report about Yuuki.

"Kaname, Yuuki's not well," Ichijou explained. "Please give her blood, will you?"

"If necessary force her to drink," Aidou supported him. "I don't dare to imagine if she doesn't receive blood soon."

Kaname was surprised by this news.

"Isn't she taking the blood tablets?" he asked.

"No. She refuses to take them. Yesterday she was almost at the limit. She skipped classes, too."

"I see. Thanks for telling me. I'll take care of it."

Kaname went upstairs and entered his room. Yuuki was sitting on the bed and read a book to distract herself from the thirst. When Kaname suddenly came in she startled.

"Kaname, you gave me a fright."

"I hope so," he replied coldly.

"I don't understand."

"You're still awake?" he asked her.

"I couldn't sleep," she lied.

"I talked to Takuma and Aidou," Kaname told her now. "They told me everything. Yuuki, it can't go on like this. You have to stop resisting." He sat down on the bed next to her. "You obviously need blood. All vampires do. It's essential do us. We need it to survive. If we don't drink it we will not only starve and die of thirst but before we will go mad and lose control. We're like animals. If we're in danger our instincts take over. Do you want that to happen?"

"No, of course not but..." Yuuki began but Kaname didn't let her finish the sentence.

I try to hold onto a time when nothing mattered
And I can't explain what happened
And I can't erase the things that I've done
No I can't

"No buts. I'm sorry, Yuuki but you leave me no choice." He raised his finger to his neck and scraped it. Blood was flooding immediately from the wound. Seeing this Yuuki's eyes turned red and her vampire instincts took over. She couldn't resist anymore. Her head came closer to Kaname's. She put her mouth to the wound, welcoming the viscous liquid with her tongue. Then she sank her teeth into his neck to widen the wound and drank a little. Too little to Kaname's mind.

"You're already stimulated?"

"I wasn't that hungry," she lied. Then she started to cry.

How could this happen to me
I made my mistakes
Got no where to run
The night goes on
As I'm fading away
I'm sick of this life
I just wanna scream
How could this happen to me

Kaname took her into his arms and patted her head. "I'm sorry, Yuuki. But you have to subject yourself to your vampire life. You can't deny who you are. And most of all it hurts me to see you suffer like this. So please do it for me. Accept being a vampire and drink blood."

Though scared by his nightmare Zero went back downtown eager to prove himself that he was a hunter after all. It wasn't difficult to find a prey. The one in question was near a church, just feeding on a young girl in her teenage years. Zero prepared his Bloody Rose and pulled back the trigger, focused on only looking at the beast. But he couldn't stop his eyes from wandering to the girl. Then again he was caught in an illusion. Repetitively he saw himself feeding on Yuuki's blood and the visions from his dream came into view. A voice inside his head quietly said "First Ichiru and then.."

It's the fear
Fear of the dark
It's growing inside of me,
that one day will come to life
Have to save
To save my beloved,
there is no escape,
because my faith is horror and doom

"No!" Zero exclaimed and forced himself out of the illusion. When he opened his eyes he noticed that the Level E had escaped.

Half an hour before afternoon classes Zero entered the chairman's office. Kurosu was surprised by his visit.

"Zero-kun, what brings you here?" he asked.

"I need you to report to the association that I'm no longer able to carry out their hunting missions."

The chapter was too long so I divided it into two parts. Another songfic again. It's "It's the Fear" by Within Temptation and "Untitled" by Simple Plan. Part 2 will soon be uploaded too. So long goodbye!