Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the Monogatari family and friends and all the original parts of their story.

Chapter 23

Against All Odds

It was like watching the family shatter before her eyes. Chi's composure was cracking. He continued shaking his head no as if in denial, a movement that grew more fervent as Rui closed his eyes and nodded.

"Yes, Chi-san," Rui said.

Chi turned, coming face to face with those wide blue eyes that followed his every move when she was around; the eyes that have followed him since she was just a child. He grabbed her hand and turned, running from the room. At that moment there was only one thing on Chi's mind—getting her as far away from the family as possible, keeping her safe from their darkness.

Kuro was unsure of what to do. The part of him that was the Prince said to stay and get information. The part of him that loved Hermione said to stay and protect her, figure something else out. And then the part that was Chi's nephew said to go after him and Chloe.

"Let him go," Rui said quietly as if he knew Kuro's dilemma. "He just needs time."

Kuro had yet to let go of Hermione and she didn't give any indication of fearing him or his decisions. Ayame leaned against the wall in the back of the room, eyes lingering on the two of them. Would Kuro sacrifice the one person he was willing to not just kill for, but die for? Was he willing to remain cursed for her too? Was he willing to condemn the entire family to this curse, just to save her? Ayame closed his eyes, leaning his head back. He knew if he were the Crowned Prince, they would be doomed. He could not fathom an uncursed life worthy of living without Hermione.

"Time for what?" Kuro was not a happy Prince.

He seemed to pull Hermione closer, close enough that she could feel the rumble of his voice through her body. Rui looked at Kuro with unmistakable sadness.

"He needs time to accept that for once he can not be her hero. For once, her fate does not rest in his hands."

Kuro's eyes narrowed on Rui.

"Whose hands does it rest in?"

Rui looked at him, eyes flickering to Hermione briefly.

"Chloe-chan and Hermione-chan's fates lie in your hands, Kuro-san. You are the Crowned Prince and this was placed on your shoulders since childhood."

Kuro wrapped his arms tightly around Hermione and suddenly, his face contorted to a rage as he glared at Rui.

"Then I don't want the crown! Give it to Ayame-san! I want nothing to do with it!"

Rui shook his head as if telling Kuro no.

"You were born to rule, Kuro…fated to find the answers, destined to save us…"

"NO! I won't do it." Kuro looked back at Ayame and then back at Rui. "We will simply remain cursed. I won't sacrifice her."

Rui nodded his head as if he knew this would be the answer from the beginning. There was another reason then that Rui felt they needed to know. Ayame finally spoke up.

"What about safety?"

Rui, Kuro and Hermione all turned to look at him.

"What do you mean?" Kuro's eyes were watching him, his distrust of his uncle quite clear.

"I mean," Ayame said pushing himself off the wall. "What are you going to do about her safety? We now know there is a cure whose keys live and breathe with us. Who says when one of us doesn't get desperate enough…"

Ayame didn't have to finish for Kuro to get what he was saying.

"I won't allow it," Kuro said.

Ayame took a deep breath and stepped in front of Hermione and Kuro, for once looking down at Hermione, his eyes softening for a moment.

"In a moment of hunger…a moment of desperation anything could happen," Ayame explained. "Not to mention what it could mean if the Shadows find out. The cousins would gladly take care of the sacrificing for us in order to cure us and take the throne." Ayame's eyes turned hard to look at Kuro.

"Taka-san would never allow any of the Shadows or any of his cousins to harm Chloe-chan," Kuro said.

Hermione looked from Kuro to Ayame, but neither of them looked as if they would explain. She could have sworn when explaining who the Shadou cousins were at the ball, Chloe made it very clear they wanted to take the throne back…essentially the enemies of the crow and possibly of Darkland. Rui smiled and cleared his throat to explain.

"Chloe-chan once ran away," Rui said smiling at the shocked look on Hermione's face. She couldn't fathom Chloe running away from the home she grew up in, the home that had Chi in it. "She had been trying desperately to let go of Chi-san. He paid her no real attention after all. Even she has a breaking point."

Hermione smiled and nodded understanding that much.

"Well," Rui continued. "She had met this male vampire who was taken with her before he even knew her name. She once told me he had so many traits similar to Chi-san's that it was easy for her to pretend sometimes, but this vampire treated her differently…treated her like a cherished treasure. So, when she ran away…she ran to him."

Hermione's mouth fell open. She could not imagine Chloe with anyone but Chi. She couldn't imagine her running to anyone but Chi. But some small part of her could understand why she ran to this other young man. Could she stand to be near Kuro day after day watching him and he pay her no attention? Would she run to the next best thing if it got to be too much…too overwhelming…too heartbreaking? And curiosity overwhelmed her.

"Who was this vampire?"

Rui smiled.

"It was Taka-san."

Hermione gasped. A Shadow? Or more importantly one of the leaders of the Shadows?

"She didn't know he was Shadou Taka," Kuro added for Rui.

Rui nodded and continued.

"She stayed with him for quite a while," Rui said. "About six months. When she returned I had to catch her up on her studies and she was not returned unmarked."

"Unmarked?"

"Yes," Rui said. "You never noticed the scar on her wrist? It's where Taka had bitten her. Usually she wears that bracelet over the scar so she doesn't have to see it…or so Chi doesn't. See the Shadou are vampires in the sense that they are like all the others in Darkland. The original vampires were made like in those silly legends, but how can any species survive without adjustments? Slowly, through the years, vampires changed, they evolved if you will. The Shadou cousins are even more advanced than the others. They not only can be out in the sunlight without problems, but they can feel you, almost like an empath would and it's to a more extreme level if they love the person and to taste their blood sends that ability to an extremely exaggerated level. Taka-san will always feel Chloe-chan for the rest of his life. And when she eventually dies, he will simply feel that emptiness that was once Chloe-chan."

Hermione's eyes were wide.

"So, she returned then?"

Rui nodded.

"Of course. She could never let go of Chi-san…not since she was a child and he pulled her from the terror the Shadows left in her house. She doesn't blame Taka-san for that though." Rui saw the curious look on Hermione's face. "Taka-san was not yet ready to fight for the throne. It was a year after her parents' murder that he joined them."

Hermione's eyes floated to Kuro. The story had created tears in her eyes. Kuro pulled her close.

"As, I said," Kuro said. "Taka-san would not allow them to hurt Chloe-chan."

"We don't know that for sure," Ayame said looking down at Hermione. "Imagine feeling someone you love for the rest of their life, but not being able to be with them. I think Taka-san might prefer the nothingness over the constant reminder."

Ayame turned and left the room.

When the door shut behind Ayame, Rui looked at Kuro and Hermione.

"Am I to assume the answer is no?" Kuro nodded his head. "I'll tell Hanajima-chan to try to find another way that doesn't require the girls' death."

Rui left the room in the same graceful way he arrived. Alone with Hermione, Kuro looked down at her, gently brushing her hair out of her face before lowering his lips to hers. Nothing would happen to her. He would make sure of it.

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"What is his Achilles heel?"

His cold eyes turned toward the Death Eater at his question.

"I know what his Achilles heel is," he said. "What I need is a way to kill them. Our spells do not work on them."

The Death Eaters in attendance were silent. Rabastan stepped forward.

"I have a group working on it."

"How so?"

"They are searching old, ancient spells," Rabastan explained. "And researching the Monogatari family for any clues. We think there might be a way if we use some of the ancient spells and adjust them somewhat…we need to tap into their own world's magic though."

Their true leader nodded his head. Yes, that is what they needed. To tap into Darkland's magic, but how so? The man held his wand up, observing it and thinking about the magic.

He knew what he had to do.

And it started with that Achilles Heel.

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Hermione dropped her quill to the table and lifting her arms up above her head, she arched her back, stretching. Harry looked up from his book and next to him Ron lay on his book sound asleep mumbling something about spiders. Hermione and Harry looked at each other and laughed. Ron was still afraid of spiders. Harry nudged him awake as Hermione turned to Kuro. He didn't have NEWTs after another day like they did, but he still had some work Chi had assigned and he sat working on that.

Chi was nowhere to be found, not since the day before when they were given the news. The story she was told about Chloe still lingered in her mind. It never occurred to her that Chi and Chloe had a story of their own to tell and it might not be as brightly lit as Chloe's personality.

Her mind began to drift to the curse and how she and Chloe played a part in their cure. Her eyes wandered to Kuro. He felt her eyes on him and slowly looked up. His dark eyes smoldered as they settled on hers and Hermione had to take a deep breath. It was overwhelming how he could take her breath away with one look. She wondered if that was how Chloe felt when Chi would look at her.

"We're heading back to the common room," Harry said looking between the two as if he was positive he did not want to remain in their presence; not that they seemed to really notice him.

Hermione turned as she realized Harry and Ron were leaving and quickly handed them their study schedule for their last day. They each took it from her, but it was clear where the schedules would go when they were out of her sight. She shook her head as they exited the library, very aware of what they were going to do. Kuro was still watching her, gripping his book tightly. Hermione looked around. Chi's absence was beyond noticeable.

"Where is Chi?"

Kuro looked at her for a moment. He really didn't want to be answering questions right then. What he wanted was to feel the warmth of her skin beneath his fingertips, feel the pulse in her neck against his lips and hear the every little sound she made with the slightest touch from him. He cleared his throat and sat up straight.

"We don't know where Chi-san is. He did not return Chloe-chan to the Darkland estate."

Hermione's mouth was open wide along with her eyes.

"You mean he ran away with Chloe? Why?"

Kuro did not want to discuss this. He didn't even want to bring the subject up again.

"Rui-san thinks he might actually be frightened enough that he doesn't trust us around Chloe-chan," Kuro said.

Hermione thought about Ayame's words that day. And then Chi ran with Chloe to get her away. Was Ayame mirroring Chi's thoughts that day? Did Hermione have reason to be frightened?

"Was what Ayame said true? Could it be dangerous for me and Chloe to be around any of you?"

Something dark seemed to pass through Kuro's eyes.

"They've all been living with this curse a lot longer than me," Kuro said. "I won't deny that it concerns me, that it worries me what could happen if I'm not there." He reached out and grabbed the tie that hung loosely around her neck and pulled her closer to him. He was almost nose to nose with her. "I won't leave your side and I can control myself."

Hermione's held tilted ever so slightly, an eyebrow rose in undeniable disbelief of his statement.

"Really?"

"Really," he whispered before he pulled her the rest of the way toward him allowing her lips to meld into his own.

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His breathing had become erratic as he stared into those bright blue eyes. This wasn't the first time she sat before him, offering a taste. Though Chloe wasn't one to just offer, it was always more subtle…like at the celebratory ball. Chi had been so angry at her for being klutzy enough to get hurt…again. In all honesty, all he could do when she was near was worry. She was always getting hurt. He didn't like to feel that way. It was too…human and he was a monster.

At the celebratory ball he had tossed her up onto a table a little too roughly causing her to squeal in surprise as the table scraped against the marble floor. In her surprise she had grabbed his shoulders to remain steady. Even then, her blue eyes seemed to open part of him he hated. Chi pulled a chair across the floor and sat down to better see her ankle. His fingers were gentle, but that didn't stop her moaning in pain. He had looked up at her so irritated with her making any sort of sound, but felt himself freeze. That was when one of the doctors attending the ball came in. Chi stood up, pushing the chair back across the marble floor…the scraping sound causing him no distress.

It was what happened when the doctor left that was most vivid in his mind. He had been watching the doctor tend to her ankle and listening to her every whimpering moan. His eyes had glazed over in hunger and now they were fixed on this young woman, a young woman that did nothing but wait for him with a smile on her face. And Chi could not understand how someone could do that…he was a monster after all.

He had stalked toward her, eyes so dark it would scare anyone else. She sat there though, not the least bit frightened. She didn't move when he reached her though. She stayed where she was at even though Chi was almost flush against her. His breathing had become erratic then too as he inhaled the scent that was screaming for a taste. His hand brushed her hair off her shoulder and he felt her shiver at the touch. He leaned down, his hand dropping from her shoulder to the table and his nose rested gently against her neck as he inhaled deeply. His free hand had reached up, gently moving up her chest and she still didn't move. To him it was like offering a taste. His fingers reached her throat, moving them gently across the sensitive skin, barely in control of his own hunger, and very aware of her whimpering moans.

And then he felt it.

It was warm at first as if alerting the owner that it found where it belonged. Not burning, just warm as if it were a part of her body. His hand dropped to the table so that Chloe was on the table now, between his hands gripping the table as if that would save her…as if it would save him. He pulled back just enough to see the stone lying on her neck. It was the stone she always wore and this was the first time he realized what exactly it was.

It was his stone.

"Get out," he whispered into her ear. "Get out….NOW!"

She left as fast as she could and the moment she was gone, Chi shoved the table with all his might across the marble floor allowing it to crash into a set of chairs. His anger had taken control and with another fell swoop he sent another table sliding across the floor only to hit the wall with such a force that it splintered the table into a myriad of pieces.

And now he stared hungrily into those blue eyes again.

"Please, Chi-san. You can't starve yourself."

He had eaten, but he had had no blood in days now. This time she was out right offering. And it was beyond tempting. He had never bitten her though and now he outright refused to. He knew what would happen…it was simply the chance of that happening that kept him from her all these years. He refused to be a slave to a desire that ran like alcohol through his veins. He would not do it. He closed his eyes. He always knew. When he was honest with himself, he always knew what would happen if he took the slightest drop from Chloe and he simply was not ready to accept that this klutzy girl could and would become someone he could not do without.

He wouldn't do it.

"Go away, Chloe-chan," he whispered turning his head away from her.

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Hermione stood outside the castle hugging her two best friends as if it were the last time. She pulled away wiping the tears off her cheeks.

"I'll write you both as soon as I can," she promised.

"Why can't they just let you stay with us?"

She gave Ron a watery smile.

"I'll be safe at the estate in Darkland," she reassured.

"Yea," Harry said. "But didn't Kuro have to leave because they found someone dead right outside of Darkland?"

"A vampire and a Death Eater each were found," Hermione elaborated. "Outside of Darkland. I'll be fine."

She gave the boys one last final hug and watched them enter the carriage that would take them to Hogsmeade and the train. As the last of the carriages could be seen pulling through the gates of Hogwarts, Hermione heard her name.

"Miss Granger."

She turned. Ayame was still leaning against a nearby tree, watching her as told. Hermione's eyes first flashed to Ayame as if unsure if he could control himself, if there was the possibility of him snapping. Then her eyes landed on Lucius Malfoy approaching her with his head held rather high. She looked up at him waiting for the reason he was approaching her.

"Have you decided?"

"Decided what?"

Lucius looked down at her trying to keep his temper in check.

"On your wedding dress, Hermione."

Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes.

"I don't know how you got my mother to sign that, but I'm not marrying you. What did you do, Imperio her?"

She started to walk passed him back to the castle to get her things.

"Perhaps," Lucius said knowing that would cause her to stop. She turned to look back at him. "But if I did there would be no way for you to find out. All you need concern yourself with is that the paper is binding and your cavorting with vampires will stop."

Hermione turned the rest of the way, ready to move toward him and show him how willing she would be, but Ayame was there in seconds, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the castle.

"Come on, Mi-chan. We must be going."

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When Ayame pulled up to the Darkland estate someone was waiting to open the car door for her. As she stepped out, the pale man bowed slightly.

"Hermione-hime," he said in greeting.

Hermione looked from the vampire to Ayame who only smiled, but still did not look directly at her. He led her through the front doors where two more vampires waited, opening the doors and offering the same greeting. Finally, as she stepped through the doors, eyes landing on the library door she asked.

"What do they keep calling me?"

"Princess." The voice was not Ayame's. It was Kuro. Hermione looked up to see him standing there with a slight smile on his face. "They are calling you Princess because as far as they are concerned…you are their Princess."

There was that look again…the one that took her breath away. It was something in his eyes. It was dark. It was like he was devouring every inch of her every time he looked at her like that.

"Did you find Chi-san and Chloe-chan?" Kuro nodded at Ayame's question, not taking his eyes off Hermione.

"Yes, they are with Rui-san in the throne room."

Ayame nodded and wandered off passed Kuro, not bothering to look up and take notice of the look in Kuro's eyes. He simply wanted out of the room. This was going to take time. As he opened the doors to the throne room, Hermione could hear the yelling.

"Do you not trust your own family?"

Hermione recognized Rui's voice though she had never heard him quite so angry.

"NO! I don't trust any of us when it comes to this! And more than anything I don't trust myself!"

The door closed, blocking the sound of desperate anger in Chi's voice. It almost pained Hermione to hear and a little voice in the back of her mind reminded her that she was in the same situation as Chloe, except Kuro wasn't taking her away from them. He was moving her in and the staff was referring to her as "Princess."

Her heart pounded as he stalked toward her. She didn't move, refused to. It was like a switch had been flipped since she saw him at Hogwarts. Whether it was because she was no longer a student or because of his realization that she was very much human…very much killable by any of his enemies or both, she didn't know. She wasn't going to complain though.

As he reached her, his hands moved up her neck, into her hair pulling her toward him. The slow sensual movement of his lips, as if he were savoring every second, caused a small whimper to escape her. And when those same lips started moving down her neck, she knew there was a huge difference between when Kuro kissed her like that and when Ayame did. A huge difference. An important one.

The door to the throne room burst open.

"I'll find a way to keep her safe! Hanajima-chan has to find another way!"

Chi stormed out of the doors and up the stairs. Rui stood there and slowly turned to look Kuro and Hermione. She was several shades of red as Kuro had her against the wall, mouth slowly devouring every part of her neck it could until the doors had burst open.

"Kuro-san," Rui said with a hint of warning in his voice, but so much calmer than what she heard coming from the room earlier. "You have a room for that."

Kuro bowed slightly in apologies. Hermione thought she saw the corner of Rui's mouth turn up in a barely hidden smile as he wandered off down a corridor. After Kuro showed her to her room, Hermione spent the rest of the daylight hours unpacking her things and putting them away. Her mind wandered over several things.

One of which was the betrothal.

Would Lucius come for her? How binding was that betrothal agreement her mother signed and was there any way for her to prove he coerced her mother? Would it even matter? And the staff here referring to her as "Princess." Did that mean that Kuro saw more of a future for them? She suddenly thought of a future without him and that pain shot through her. The pain and loss she felt on the tower that evening right before Ayame made himself known. Even Draco knew who would fill that hole, who could. And he was right. There was nothing she wouldn't do for Kuro. She grabbed some parchment out of a box and quickly jerked her hand back, looking at her finger. A small amount of blood eased from the cut…the red fluid of her life.

The key to their cure.

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They all watched. It was like watching Chi give up his own heart and soul. He had made a decision. He knew what could happen if any of them became desperate enough…if any of them could no longer take the curse that has plagued them for hundreds of years. He wanted…needed to take that option away from them.

He rushed down the stairs with her wrist in his hand again and her bag tossed over his shoulder. For all appearances he was running away with her again, but they all knew and Hermione felt the tears prickling the corners of her eyes. When he reached the front door, one of the staff of vampires stepped forward.

"He is here. He's waiting outside by the gate."

Chi nodded.

"What is going on, Chi-san?"

Chloe's blue eyes were wide with worry. She stumbled out the door after Chi, curious and frightened. He had clung to her it seemed since finding out about her part in their cure. He had not let her out of his sight and now, she did not know what he was doing. Her heart pounded heavily.

He rushed down the steps to the driveway path that led to the gates.

"Who's here?"

He was not answering her, but everyone knew when she realized. She suddenly stopped her fumbling following of Chi. Her blue eyes grew even wider and she began to shake her head, her dark hair swaying against her back. At the gate Taka stood, slowly walking toward them, intent on meeting them halfway. His lips turned up in a smile at seeing her and something softened on his facial features, his eyes sparkling with the story of their past. Chloe shook her head.

"NO! NO!" Her voice cracked with the sound of her heart breaking. She shook her head and pulled with all her might to stop Chi from moving forward. It had no effect on him. She hit at him, crying "no" over and over, but he forged on, not looking at her, keeping the cold look he so often wore.

"Please, Chi-san….please," she cried, her voice dropping to a whisper on her last plea.

Chi closed his eyes for a moment. He had to maintain his control. At the front door, Rui had turned away, having conceded to Chi's point that she was safer away from them, it was too difficult to watch the young woman he raised from a child clearly in so much heartache and pain…a young woman who had already lost so much too early in life.

In the distance, Hermione could see Taka toss his hair out of his eyes and she noticed the emotion in his eyes…the emotions he was feeling from Chloe and watched him twist his face to try to appear neutral.

It was getting harder to pretend she wasn't fighting him. It was simply too much.

"STOP IT!" When Chi yelled, he pulled her forward so fast and hard that in her clumsiness she stumbled and fell. Chi felt the hitch in his chest, but did his best to stamp it down. He had to do this. He looked down at her, dropping her bag down by her and pointing toward Taka.

"Go to him," he yelled. "GO! You don't belong here! You never did! GO BACK TO TAKA-SAN!"

Taka had approached them finally and looked down at Chloe; he felt his own aching heart as he reached down to help her back up. Taka glared at Chi.

"I wish you would tell me why it's unsafe for her." Chi said nothing. "I will eventually find out." Chi still said nothing still. Chloe was still crying, almost hysterically and moaning "no" over and over and "please, Chi-san" again and again.

"I won't bring her back this time," Taka warned, his dark eyes boring into Chi's making it clear that this time, he would not give up so easily.

"I know," Chi said in a cold dead panned response. And he did know. Taka would make sure none of them got near her again…he would make sure she remained safe…alive.

His eyes, a cold icy mask, turned to her and settled on the choker. He reached out with one hand and tore the choker containing his stone from her neck and held it in his tightly closed fist.

"It was never yours to have."

Chi turned away.

Taka took Chloe's bag and took her hand, leading her toward the gate and her new life back with him. Chloe felt as if her heart was being torn from her chest with each step she took away from Chi.

Chi turned back around to watch her leave. She looked over her shoulder back at him, her tears streaming uncontrollably down her face. It was devastating the emotion just those tears evoked in him…watching her walk away. She would never be back. His fist tightened around the choker he held.

So many chances he had.

When he did nothing but look away from her, she turned back around not thinking of the turmoil her emotions put on Taka…his intense connection to those feelings creating a tear of his own. She would never love him as she loved Chi.

Chi felt the panic rising in his chest and the emptiness that was Chloe creeping in. He had never tasted her blood, but still that draw…that emptiness would linger there. It was always her. She accepted him, dark side and all. She remained by his side even when he pushed her away. She knew when he was in a darker than usual mood and she was there with her bright blue eyes and bright smile.

He began to pace back and forth like a caged animal, hand running through his hair as if not sure what to do with himself, trying desperately to keep a hold of himself. He never knew a heart beating in your chest could hurt so much.

"I love no one."

His words to Kuro that day seemed to echo in his head. It wasn't true. Those words were only half true. Yes, Chi loved no one because no matter what Chloe was the one always on his mind and in his heart.

His pacing became frantic.

He had no choice. He wasn't willing to risk her life to keep her by him. He wouldn't do it. It was a sacrifice he was willing to make because he could not fathom a life, a future, a world without Chloe alive in it…even if she wasn't with him.

And Chi knew.

He couldn't just let her walk away.

It was so sudden. Chi's pacing stopped, the choker dropping from his hands and he ran, grabbing Chloe's hand before she could exit the gates with Taka and pulled her back to him. He kept a hold of her hand, kept her close and his other hand slowly slid across her cheek resting on her jaw line, thumb gently caressing tears away. She was crying even harder, her light eyes looking up into his dark ones.

"I'm so sorry," she said in between sobs. Chi couldn't believe he had succeeded. She thought it was because of her constant attentions that he was being so unusually cruel…that he was sending her away. "All I ever wanted was your heart….I'm so sor…"

She was cut off by Chi's lips crashing down onto hers. The shock stilled her and the warmth frightened Chi. He felt his own body quiver at the touch, as if this were something his entire being had been waiting for…wanting for a long time now. His other hand let go of her hand and slid up her neck, resting just beneath her ear. Her tears mixed with the sweet taste and would remain a haunting memory for the days following.

It was the first time he had kissed Chloe.

And it would be the last.

His lips slowly moved from her lips, across her cheek and at her ear he stopped, taking a deep unsteady breath.

"It was always yours, Chloe-chan."

Her body became wracked with sobs again as she realized what he was saying, that he wasn't sending her away because he didn't want her, but because he did. Taka pulled her back. Even from the front of the house, Hermione could see the pain on Taka's face. He pulled Chloe back and looked down at her and spoke so gently compared to the way he was at the ball. She was precious to him, but to Chi she was his life.

"It's time to go, Chloe-chan."

Chi felt her being pulled from his arms and he let go despite the feeling of his heart being ripped from his chest. When they reached the gate, Taka got on his motorcycle and helped Chloe on behind him. Her teary eyes, so bright, looked one last time at Chi. He stood frozen, watching as Taka drove off with the one thing he would sacrifice anything for…with the one person he would remain cursed for.

They disappeared into the darkness…Chi hoping the memory of her face never would.

He fell to his knees.

Hands reaching up into his own hair, gripping it like a man going mad and bent over, his cry echoing into the night.

A/N: For those actual Chi/Chloe fans I did a post a while ago on my LJ when I posted this chapter of Chi/Chloe icons…it is friend locked though.

Also...there is a very important note at the bottom of my profile.