This here is part two of my Christmas Day post. Enjoy… I don't own DMC or the Characters.

Chapter 6: In Dreams

Vergil was a little taken aback by nearly everything. The woman and boy were the least surprising. They looked similar but were of course different. He figured that they were a dream representation of his own childhood, a perversion of his reality. His dreams rarely ever made since.

He was mostly amazed at Dante's question. He didn't have to be a powerful demon or grim reaper to know when his brother had something on his mind. When they were younger, he always knew when Vergil just needed to talk.

Vergil tried to gather his words when he realized that couldn't look at Dante, at least not dressed like that.

"So, you don't like my work clothes," Dante said somehow knowing, "Fine. I'll change.

Vergil looked up to see that Dante was suddenly wearing black leather pants and boots with a red form fitting shirt. Even his hair had transformed into the same old shaggy do that Vergil was so used seeing Dante sporting.

"And you too," Dante said, "Please don't ever wear that mess ever again! Not even to a funeral! Its way too depressing and it is soooo not you." He knew that Dante was only poking fun, but immediately he asked himself, how does he know that I wore this to his funeral?

In an instant, Vergil was wearing a similar outfit, only that his top was blue. "Everyone attends his funeral. Morbid, but true! Might I say...? I never did expect so many people. Even Enzo's fat ass showed. Nice pick on the casket, V. Loved the colors."

"Um... Thank you?" Of course Vergil would be slightly confused. It's not every day that someone is that thanked for the funeral arrangements by the deceased. Dante always did have a strange sense of humor.

"One more thing," Dante began again, leaning forward, "what was the point of me drafting a will if you were going to ignore it anyway?"

"Huh?"

"Remember, Ivory? You buried me with Ivory. I said you could have it... along with a whole lot of other things... Well, I guess you did pay attention to the other stuff," Dante's voice softened a little when he said the latter.

Vergil knew that Dante was referring to the various area orphanages and group homes that received very generous donations via Dante's life insurance policy. Of course, Vergil, Trish and Lucia were not left out. They were left with enough to retire on. Who knew that Dante could be responsible and plan ahead?

"The Devil Arms are still there, if that's what you mean."

"Hmm... How's everyone?"

"Trish and Lucia miss you too, but they think I'm a basket case." Dante chuckled at that and Vergil continued, "Neven cries every time I come near her, Rebellion, Beowulf, Infrit and Force Edge are fine, Cerberus throws ice at me, Alastor tired to impale me on more than one occasion, Agni and Rudra... just... keep... talking!" Somehow, Vergil was able to say it all with a straight face.

Dante let out a loud, raucous laugh. It had been a long time since Vergil seen or heard Dante laugh this way. It felt good to hear it. Dante's laugh died out with tears in his eyes.

"They're your problem now! It sounds like our dysfunctional family is back in full effect."

Vergil didn't join in on the laugh but did allow a small smile to creep across his face. He turned his attention to the chess pieces before him. He saw the small collection of alabaster before him and obsidian in front of Dante.

"Please, take the first move, Dante." Dante obliged, moving a center pawn two spaces forward.

"Dante," Vergil began, forcing his brother's pawn into a stalemate, "I have been meaning to ask you something."

"What?"

Vergil couldn't find the words. Again, he was lost in thought. What can I say to him? Were you scared? Did you see Mother or Lady? Do you miss us? What do I say?

"There's no point in thinking about. I can see what you want to say in your eyes," Dante moved the knight on his left and began answering the questions Vergil dared not to ask.

"Yeah, I was kinda scared at first. I think everyone is on some level... maybe there are exceptions, like those who battle long illness. I think they have more time to get prepared. Dad lived to be over two thousand, I wonder if he was at least half of how scared I was." Vergil mirrored Dante's move.

Dante moved another pawn and continued, "I saw Mom and Lady a couple of times, but you know... work." Dante still wasn't allowed to be with them yet. Vergil continued ahead with the knight.

"I do miss you all."

"Everyday," Dante finally finished after a beat, without his eyes meet his brother's. That one word summed it all up. In effect, Dante was "living" in the world, but not of it.

Dante made another move.

"Do you ever watch," Dante asked Vergil introspectively.

"Watch what?"

"You know… people watch."

Vergil gave Dante a look. Most of all, he meant to use it to make Dante feel foolish for asking such a question. Inwardly, he was interested in what his brother had to say.

Dante brushed off the glare and continued. "Just watch everything around you, take in the people who share your space." He motioned his head to the children playing on a swing set and parents that pushed them higher.

"When you pay attention to their actions, even their clothes, you understand who they are, where they're going, and where they have been. Humans lead far more interesting lives than you or I have previously thought."

Dante calmly pushed his freed rook forward.

Vergil didn't think that Dante was much of a philosopher, but now he was thoroughly impressed. What Dante had said, sparked something in Vergil's mind.

His younger brother had been happy only having the simplest things in life: friends and family. Dante sorely missed that now. He had found an indirect way to tell Vergil to appreciate the people around him, for they could be gone in the blink of an eye.

Any "immortal" devil would know having human relationships would be like playing roulette with the heart. They would know that they would outlive their loved ones.

For as long as Vergil known Dante, he had seen Dante as one who would constantly seek attention. In truth Dante, had just Vergil in on a secret; besides Lady, Vergil was in fact the only other person he had in the world. Being the center or attention was a means to keep the loneliness at bay. He was lonely when Vergil had disappeared and now Vergil understood how it felt now.

More pieces were moved and detained and two were quiet for a while.

"Huh. Will you look at that; something I couldn't do when I was alive," Dante said.

Vergil regarded the chessboard intently. "What do you know? I do believe that you have me in three moves, little brother," Vergil smiled, moving his king out of check.

"Yeah, but how 'bout now," Dante chided smugly as he slid his bishop diagonally across the board. "Check…"

"…Mate," Vergil said turning his king on its side. "Great game."

He didn't see the same cockiness in Dante's face, only slight disappointment. He probably sensed that Vergil's mind was elsewhere and wasn't playing his best.

"Dante."

"Yeah?"

"I want to know… what happened between you and –"

"Nothing," Dante cut Vergil off with a half-hearted smile. Vergil raised a silver eyebrow and Dante decided to level with him.

"I can't tell you that... What happened will always stay between her and me. She will eventually have to atone for it," Dante said casually, shrugging off the incident.

"How can you be so blasé about it? She stabbed you and left you to bleed to death! What happened?!"

Dante wasn't angry about Malina. And why should he be? There was no need for the dead to hold grudges.

Still... Dante sucked in air between his teeth, probably thinking of how to share this information with a living being.

"I want to know, Dante!"

He raised a brow and coolly said, "Are you sure you want to know? You may not like what you see."

"What I see," Vergil echoed.

"Yes, I will share my entire experience with you. You will know everything about that day. You will know what I saw, thought, felt... everything. So... I'll say again: Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

Vergil had to get to the bottom of this. He felt as if he was solving a puzzle – all the pieces were laid out but, none fit. This could put everything together.

"Yes," he finally answered, looking Dante in the eyes.

"Fine. But remember, you won't be able to change anything or do anything different. You are merely taking on a passive role."

Dante held out his left hand. Vergil followed suite. A blade with a white hilt materialized in Dante's right hand. He sent through the back of Vergil's hand and straight into his own. Blood flowed freely onto the other's hand and onto the fallen king.

A red aura surrounded Dante's hand and blue for Vergil. Soon their hands were enclosed in a steady, swirling stream of purple.

They were suddenly standing in well kept fields of green. There were the occasional trees sprinkled about the fields with headstones dominating the landscape. From the shade of an oak tree, Vergil could see a suited Dante crouched near a granite headstone. His hands tenderly rested on it, carefully tracing the lettering.

"I thought you didn't like suits," Vergil looked at the man attached to his hand.

"No, but Lady said that I looked cool in it... like I was in the Mafia or something."

Dante looked over at Vergil and said, "No turning back now. You have ten hours here. Just remember... this isn't you." He pulled the knife out and disappeared on the wind.

Vergil blinked. When he opened his eyes once again, he was wearing the suit and staring face to face with Lady's gravestone.

Don't go anywhere there's more to come, plus I am in need of your sweet, sweet reviews.

I thought it was cute that Dante would do anything for Lady, even wear stuffy suits.

Oh! And I know that the whole "thank you for the funeral" thing is weird, but I figured that given the chance your loved ones would actually thank you for it. Also, I always wanted to be placed in my casket – buttocks up with the words "kiss my a" written across my cheeks. But I am just strange like that.