Chapter Twelve

Hagi's Back

'Hagi!' Riku's mind exclaimed, as she stared shocked at the tall, handsome young man.

Karl smirked, "If it isn't the second rate Chevalier."

Chera looked at the events in a mixture of shock and hatred, "No way! Saya's Chevalier! Nathan said he was probably dead!"

Of course no one but Kai and Riku's family and friends would know that Hagi was still alive.

He fought the brute of a man with grace Riku had never seen… in a fight anyway. He used the large Cello case, swinging it around as if it were nothing. 'He's not paying attention to me, anymore,' Riku thought, seeing an opportunity she probably wouldn't get again.

She soaked the blade of the cross shaped dagger in her blood, leapt onto the back of the brute, and drove the dagger deep into the brute's thick neck. He threw her off, and she landed in Karl's arms. He looked at her proudly, as he sat her down on the ground.

The look on the large man's face was utter shock, and then he fell back, crystallizing the whole way down. When he hit the ground, most of him shattered and scattered across the floor. Chera turned back toward Kai, but ended up staring down the barrel of a 45 magnum… David's gun. "It's just you. Can you take on all of us?" Kai asked, glaring at her.

Chera sneered one last time, and then just like lightening, she speeded off out of sight. "Are you alright?" Riku asked Karl, who was still holding his side.

"I'll survive. See…" he took his hand away, "it's all healed up."

Still… that huge bastard had torn a chunk out of him. He had lost a considerable amount of blood, and the evidence was all over the wall behind them. However, he didn't mention his light-headedness to Riku. Right now, the surprise arrival of the man standing in front of them helped to take his mind off of his own discomforts. "Welcome home, Hagi," Kai smiled.

David smiled as well, and Frannie just looked confused. Argiano sat on the floor, hugging his knees. Riku turned toward the man who had been with her aunt for decades. This man knew more about Saya than she ever would. He had been so devoted to her. So… "Where were you?" Riku asked, narrowing her eyes.

Hagi's expression didn't change. Not a hint of emotion could be seen in his eyes. "Riku," she heard her father's voice… tired, and concerned.

"Where were you when Georgie was kidnapped? Where were you when Nathan Mahler was taking my sister to God knows where? Where were you when we needed you? We're Saya's nieces. It's not like we're strangers. Why weren't you there?"

Hagi, surprising Riku, kneeled down and took hold of her right hand, "I apologize for not being there, but I did not know until it was too late. Is it too much to ask you to forgive me?"

Karl stared at him wide eyed. He might not have ever been particularly too fond of Hagi, but at the moment he kind of felt sorry for the guy. "Is he for real?" Riku looked back at Karl, confused.

He grinned, "I'm afraid so. Noble as ever, I see," Karl crossed his arms in front of him, and leaned against the wall, partially from the state his blood deprived body was in.

"Okay, sure. You're… forgiven. I'm sorry, I just… get up, will you," Riku said, annoyed.

Hagi got to his feet, and then he turned to Kai, "I don't know everything that is going on."

"We'll fill you in. Don't worry. We're just glad that you're back," Kai smiled.

"Blood!" Frannie suddenly shouted.

"You… want…" Riku began, taken aback.

"He needs a transfusion as soon as possible," Frannie pointed to Karl.

He glared at her, "I'm alright."

"That's your blood on the wall, not that guys. You've lost a lot. I'm kind of Julia's assistant, remember. I know…"

"Very well! So you know more about my body than I do!" Karl shouted, annoyed.

"Don't get mad," Riku rubbed his arm, soothingly, "She's concerned… and she's right. We should get you back to Julia's clinic."

He sighed, but then he nodded, "Alright. If it will make you feel better."

"Um…" began Frannie, "What the hell do we do with him?"

Right! Van Argiano! He could've went with the enemy if he'd wanted to. The words that came out of his mouth were 'don't sacrifice yourself for me', but he never said he wanted to go with them. He could've made things very difficult for them. "He isn't exactly safe here… or on his own. We should take him with us. David, can you arrange that?" Riku asked.

David gave a nod, and then got on his cell phone. "Ah, little one… do you know how many laws you are about to brake?"

Riku grinned, "Do you see the pieces of that big guy over there? Jail is the least of my worries, sir."

David's cell phone snapped shut, "Arrangements are being made. We should go now."

Everyone agreed, and began walking out. Karl slowly walked out behind everyone else. He felt someone grab his arm, and spun around to face Hagi. "Yes?" he asked, crossly.

"How devoted are you to Saya's niece?"

He glared at Hagi, "She has a name. She isn't simply Saya's niece. Her name is Riku. You have nothing to worry about. I'm devoted to her. More so than I was to her mother. Will you please let me go now?"

Hagi released his arm, "Thank you," was all he said, before walking out with the others.

II

Karl stared at the thin needle in his arm. This was a lot easier than the way he used to get nourishment… and a lot more human friendly. "Are you feeling better now?" Julia asked, genuinely concerned.

"Yes. Um… thank you."

"Of course. What exactly happened at the prison?" Julia asked, turning to David and Kai.

"We were questioning Argiano, when a woman named Chera…" David began explaining.

"Which is one of the Chevaliers that Nathan forced Georgie to create," Kai added.

"Yes… she showed up with another Chevalier while we were questioning Argiano. Karl fought him… and then Riku helped fight him after we found out what was going on. Shortly after…"

"Hagi showed up," Julia smiled.

"Everyone…" Frannie sighed, sadly, "they killed everyone in the prison. When we searched, we found no one left alive except us and Argiano. How could they?"

"Because they were told to. It's as simple as that. You have to understand something," Karl told them, "It wasn't always Diva giving the orders to us."

Riku shuttered at the sound of her mother's name, "Do you have to…"

"I apologize," Karl sighed, "Most of the time it was Amshel giving orders. Nathan is like Amshel in that way and that way alone. He's the Queen's voice. He speaks for her, and they're never going to question it… except one. The boy… Dalton. I have met him. I kept it from you, because he asked me to. He showed up in your room. He was sent to find out if you were okay for your sister."

"Did he say anything about Georgie?" Riku asked, hopefully.

"Nothing useful," Karl shook his head.

"Dalton said it's because of the power that Nathan can offer them," Kai said.

"Yes. For us… we truly believed it was her will. Because Amshel often made it a point to tell us that his words were her words. There was only ever two to go against Amshel… openly."

"You," Riku looked sympathetic.

He nodded slowly, "I was forbidden to…" he glanced at Riku and then at Hagi, "It doesn't matter why I went against him. Because I went against him… I died. Solomon openly went against him on several occasions."

"Yeah, and he died for it as well," Kai sighed.

For a split second Karl's face was overcome with a sadness, but then just as soon as it came… it was gone and his face was normal, "Yes… so I've been told."

Riku gave him a look of sympathy. 'Solomon was also a cause of his death back then, yet… he really is sad that he's not here.'

"DJ and Lewis are talking to Argiano right now. As far as we know this is the first time they've tried to come for him," David sighed.

"I should call Mao. She's going to be pissed that I've taken this long to call," Kai told them.

Riku looked over at Hagi. He'd been quiet while they were talking. She wondered what he was thinking. Having been told everything, he'd sat quietly ever since, not speaking a word. "Excuse me," he finally said, making Riku jump a bit… he'd been like a statue for so long, she hadn't expected words to come out of his mouth.

Hagi walked out the door. Karl stared after him curiously. "I wonder where he's going?" Riku asked no one in particular.

"Where do you think?" Karl sighed.

III

It had been a while since Hagi had been back here. He tried to visit as often as he could… when he was sure no one would be around. Now here he was, standing in front of Saya's sleeping place… the place she would be sleeping for nearly another year. How he missed her. Being so close to the person he loved more than anything in the whole world without being able to touch her, or hear her was truly painful. "I figured this was where you were going."

He didn't have to turn to see who had spoken. He recognized the voice. "It isn't much longer."

"I assume it seems like decades to you, though. No matter how many times Riku tells me it's okay… I just do not belong here. It's hard to ask for forgiveness when the person you're asking it of can't hear you."

He turned to see Karl still on the steps. He only had a few more steps to go, but he had chosen not to climb them. "She can hear every word you say. I'm sure of it. You should know. You used take care of someone who slept like this as well."

Karl laughed, amused, "You're referring to Diva. She's hardly like Saya… no matter how much they looked alike. If Diva heard a word I said, she never let on."

"Saya can hear you," was his only response.

Karl raised an eyebrow. He didn't argue further. This man knew Saya… at times he'd known her better than she knew herself. If he said she could hear them, chances were Saya could hear them. "I apologize."

Hagi's expression stayed the same, "You apologize?"

Karl glared at his old enemy, "I'm not good at these kinds of things. I'm sorry for… everything…"

"I understand. I except."

"Starting a new life means that I have to make up for my old life. You asked me how devoted I am to her. I meant what I said. I won't give up until I'm worthy of being Riku's Chevalier."

"It seems to me she believes that you are worthy."

"I suppose it's one of those things I just need to prove to myself. I don't know that I'll ever regain my sanity I lost when I was with Diva. However… I'll never go back to the way I was. I'm not alone anymore," a hint of a smile came to Karl's face.

"I believe Saya is very happy to hear that."

"I'm leaving now. As I've said before. I feel like I don't belong here… yet, anyway. Thank you… for showing up. I just… wanted to say that. Even though you don't owe anyone anything…"

"Neither do you."

"You're wrong," Karl shook his head, "I owe Riku my life."

A/N: Here's a new chapter. This one kind of sucked, but at least it's an update. I'll try to make the next ones better. Maybe throw in some action. Anyway, here you guys go.