I want to give a warm welcome to Evelyn and Skylar18 who have kindly dropped their reviews, and a great hug to Komakipureblood for her continuous support. You go girl!

~Audriel

Chapter 12

Finally the internal dispute was settled and a semblance of peace came over the center of hunter society. It was still too early to be relieved, but it was enough, considering the upcoming event that would establish the position of the Hunter Association in both the vampire and the human society. The whole Association was busy with the preparations for the grand ball that would meet the most influential figures in both societies from different nations. Being the main headquarters for hunters in Europe and Asia, the Japanese headquarters of the Hunter Association was chosen to be the place for the important ball to be held, making the current leader, the infamous Kiryuu Zero, as the host.

Everyone knew the importance of this ball to succeed, because it would be a milestone in the history of vampires and humans when finally the two different kindred could stand in equal grounds, or at least, enough for the two of them to make an appearance that they were. They were prideful beings, vampires and humans alike, they wouldn't easily accept the idea of being the lesser, let alone be an equal, but it was a good beginning to achieve a lasting peace that most of them wanted.

Zero was sitting at the head of the table, leaning on the hand that was bent on the armrest while the other was resting on the other armrest of the dark leather recliner. The posture he assumed appeared relaxed, almost bored even, only if they disregarded the cold, calculating look in those silver eyes.

The meeting room was completely silent, save for a tall bearded man who was giving his reports of the situation in Southern Asia and of the representatives that would be sent to attend. It was a formal meeting that gathered all of the leaders of the branches of Hunter Association in the whole world that was usually held every year. Being the leader of the largest branch of the Association, he held the highest position among them.

In the early years of his leadership, he was often taken rather lightly by the other leaders that was evident in their faces although they didn't say anything. He relied rather heavily on Yagari back then, not having established a strong position in front of other hunters yet. However, after he was getting a hold of things, he managed to bring them down under his command. Fear and respect were certainly what the Association needed.

Zero might not necessarily like everyone who was present in the room, but he admitted that they were reliable. They would not want to seem incompetent whenever they had to make their reports before other hunters, so they would give their best. All he needed was to give them his approval or some directions.

Some of them might not like the idea of getting in the same room with vampires, let alone socialize with them, but they knew that it was necessary. True, the Association wasn't perfect, there were some fools here and there, but most of them were dedicated hunters whose objective was only to protect the weaker beings, which were humans. And those vampires who preyed on them didn't really bother to repress their nature. Their suspicions were well justified.

The ball was actually the closing part of the whole event that was held in few hours before midnight. Before the ball there would be some signing of a peace pact between humans and vampires that was going to be discussed during the week between each representative. The hunters were acting as the mediators for both sides. That was why he was chosen to overlook the whole preparation, being a vampire-turned hunter that was expected to remain neutral to both sides and make sure that his fellow hunters would do the same.

The meeting was finally adjourned after endless hours of reporting and discussion how things should be done, from what it appeared significant to insignificant things. All of them didn't want to give any reason for those important people attending the ball to look down at them.

If Zero let them have their way, he had a feeling that until the day the event was started they would keep discussing it without a break and he intended to give the break they needed so they would be fully ready for the dreary week. When he said this, he looked at every single one of them in the eye as an extra measure; all the signs of protests were immediately silenced.

Slowly they shuffled out from the spacious chamber, leaving the young president and his two most trusted confidants as the ones remaining.

"That was good," Yagari noted plainly, amusement was evident in his tone.

"We're going to need all the rest we have," Zero leaned back on his chair, feeling slightly stiff for sitting too long, one of the downsides of being the president.

"You're such a good boy, Zero," Cross commented in his outwardly nature he used whenever he wasn't using that professional attitude. As much as he had a soft spot for his adoptive father, he felt that attitude was a bit too much, especially knowing what kind of man truly Cross was.

"What are you two going to do with the break?" Zero asked the two older men.

"Well, I suppose I'll just return to the Academy, delegating some matters while I'm away."

"Not much, maybe I'll just make sure everything's in place," the dark-haired man shrugged carelessly.

"What do you think of dinner?" Zero had informed Misaki that he would come home few days before the actual event took place and she had suggested for him to bring the two to spend the night for a good rest, which included dinner. She thought it would be a good way to introduce them to his family, before she had to make an appearance in the ball. He agreed with her.

He had to suppress his smirk when he saw the identical look of surprise directed at him, wondering whether he was out of his mind for giving out such unexpected offer.

"I'd take that as a yes, then." Wordlessly he stood up from his seat and strode to the direction where his vehicle was, not bothering to check whether Cross and Yagari were following him.

The two of them were surprised, well maybe surprised would be an understatement, shocked or flabbergasted was more appropriate when he brought them not to the small apartment they knew they had or any restaurant that would serve dinner at such late hours, but to a pretty long drive to an unknown town and arrived at an unfamiliar mansion.

"Welcome to my residence, gentlemen," he told them with the slightest hint of mock courtesy as they got out from the car which he parked behind the other car that was mainly used by Misaki and their children.

"I'm not aware that you have a mansion, Zero," Cross commented as he examined the olden yet with a touch of modern design of the mansion.

He wouldn't say it was magnificent, the mansion was comparably modest, but it was beautifully designed and that could be seen still in the darkness of night. What interested him most were the warm lights filtering through the half-covered windows, indicating the presence of occupants in the mansion. At this the chairman raised an eyebrow and exchanged confused looks with the other hunter. It seemed that Zero was no longer living alone. His eyes unconsciously darted to the pale glint of metal on his adopted son's finger.

"I bought it three years ago."

Zero led them through the entryway and using his key, he opened the door to the house. The moment he stepped into the house, he never failed to feel safe and warm and welcomed just by being within the newly lived in mansion. He unconsciously realized the reason was because he could sense traces of his family's signature in every part of the house. A trace of his daughter's laughter here, a trace of his son's kindness there, and traces of his wife's warmth everywhere. Home was where the heart was, indeed.

This was home.

Out of habit, he went down on his knee, knowing that whether his daughter was aware of the presence of guests or not, she would still jump on him whenever he returned after long days or weeks absence from home. She might be more a Kiryuu to others who didn't know her, but for her parents, she was their darling daughter and for her twin, she was his other half, his perfect foil.

"Otousan!"

It didn't take time for him to have his hands suddenly full with bright and lively Mizuki. He chuckled lightly; his daughter was getting better in controlling her speed and strength it seemed, few months ago he was nearly thrown back by sheer force after being gone for a month. Misaki had laughed at him, telling him that a lesson in control might be required for the twins if he didn't want to be assaulted every time he went home after long trips. He met those blue eyes that slowly resembled more of her mother and gave a soft smile as he released the hug.

"You're home!" The little girl exclaimed, although rather calmly compared to most children in her age. She had let her hair grow so that she had no short front bangs anymore and preferred to keep her hair in braids like her mother.

"Otousan's very busy," a calm yet childish voice stated, almost scolding. Her twin walked leisurely compared to her, but his son looked no less bright at the sight of his father. While Mizuki grew slightly more like their mother, Kazuki appeared to inherit most of their father.

Kazuki also was more attentive to his work as the president of the Association, realizing how tiring and stressful his father's responsibility was so he wasn't bothered with the lack of time spent with him and his sister. He saw more of his father now than when they were in Paris and that satisfied him enough. The calm façade was broken though the moment Zero ruffled his hair in affectionate gesture, earning a pleased smile from the boy.

"Where's Okaasan?" Zero didn't sense her presence approaching, instead he sensed her upstairs.

"She had a call. Work," Kazuki answered curtly.

"She was still talking to the phone in the drawing room when Otousan came home," Mizuki, as usual, was the one who elaborated.

"Ah." Misaki has mentioned it before that there was some rival firm trying to lay their hand on her firm's project whom she and Harada was working hard to get. He wasn't worried too much though, slightly pitying the other firm for challenging his wife who was pretty fiery under her calm and reservation. "I suppose she told you that we had guests tonight."

The two gave identical nods. They were twins, through and through. Only their parents who could see immediately past the identical appearance and see their real personality when they looked at them both.

"The light-haired man with glasses is my adoptive father, your grandpa, Cross Kaien," he saw the children looked at the shorter man behind them without being pointed at.

"Hullo," Cross was a bit startled to be directly addressed as Zero's adoptive father and nervously tried to make the twins that eerily resembled the silver-haired man at ease.

"The other one is my former teacher, now my advisor at work, Yagari Toga." At the change of introduction, their eyes went to the taller and darker man who merely nodded in greeting.

"Why don't you introduce yourself?" He straightened up, walking around the two children and nudging them forward to the older hunters.

"I'm Mizuki and this is my brother, Kazuki," Mizuki was the one who introduced them both instead, while Kazuki only nodded politely.

He could see those bright and inquisitive eyes observing and examining the strangers whom he only mentioned through his stories. It seemed his children gave the same treatment to his parental figures with other strangers they met. He waited, wanting to see the result of his observation.

Interestingly, they lingered longer on the chairman than the one-eyed hunter whose appearance should interest them more. The twins exchanged a quiet glance between each other. He understood their confusion.

"Kaien-jiji's aura is a bit different, isn't it?"

The twins raised their heads to look at their tall father, giving a mute nod, confirming his suspicions that they inherited all of his hunter's instincts.

"Then?" He asked, not unkindly.

"Strange. But not bad," this time it was Kazuki who answered. Inwardly he smiled in satisfaction, his children wouldn't act based on prejudice.

"Zero-sama?" Hayasaka appeared, most likely under the orders of Misaki. Zero turned towards the elderly voice.

"I'm afraid Misaki-sama would be held up for a while. She told me that you could wait in the living room," she kindly gestured to the living room. Zero let his guests followed the grey-haired lady to the comfortable sofa where his small family usually spent time together. Cross and Yagari took the single separate sofas, while Zero followed by his children sat on the longer sofa.

"Would you like anything to drink, sires?" Hayasaka asked politely with a friendly smile.

"Coffee, please," the usually curt Yagari felt the need to be polite, considering that he was in his former student's place and the lady seemed alright.

"Um, tea would be fine," Cross wasn't really thirsty, but he felt that tea would help him understand everything he just found out. His first reaction was to jump and squeal in happiness that his adoptive son –who introduced him as their grandfather!- was actually married with children, with twins!

But after that initial reaction, it was quickly replaced by the surprise that he failed to notice that Zero already had a family of his own, only until few months ago when he saw the white-gold band on the young man's finger. And what completely caught him off guard was the children.

He never thought he would see another living Kiryuu twins after Zero and Ichiru. A girl and a boy that inherited their father's hunters' gifts or had the hunter gifts as the Kiryuu twins. Both of them greatly resembled their father, save for their clear blue eyes, which he suspected they inherited it from their mother. They also had their father cool and indifferent attitude, although the girl was rather warmer than the boy from the greeting that she gave to her father.

But most of all was the look that seemed to bore through him, observing and examining him with eerie calmness that little children rarely possessed. He didn't remember Zero giving that kind of look when he was that age and when he grew older, it wasn't as calm as the children were.

Cross' musings were cut short with the arrival of his requested tea. He blinked when he smelled the scent of his favorite brew of tea with a mixture of lemon. He glanced at the other drinks laid on the antique table, finding that each drink was given based on their personal preferences. He saw Yagari's coffee black with extra sugar cubes on the saucer, the children were given fruit juice and Zero had a full glass of red wine with a mixture of familiar bubbles on its base that could only be caused by diluted blood tablets.

"Misaki-sama thought you needed it." Cross saw the maid explained to her employer and saw the silver-haired man let out an amused chuckle.

"Thank you, Yurie-san." Taking that as a sign of dismissal, Hayasaka excused herself to return to the kitchen. There was a moment of silence as they quietly sipped their drinks.

"How does she know the kind of coffee I like?" Yagari bluntly asked, raising his cup.

"I've mentioned it to Misaki." Cross blinked at the answer. He had learned that Misaki was the name of the woman of the house, and now he learned that Zero mentioned such small, insignificant details to his wife and that the young man himself noticed that small things.

Clear blue eyes and Misaki. Those seemed to ring a bell somehow.

"Your wife's name is Misaki?" Cross frowned thoughtfully, trying to remember.

"Yes. Hisakawa was her maiden name." At this, the eyes behind the glasses widened in surprise and recognition.

"Hisakawa Misaki? You're married to Hisakawa Misaki?"

"You know her?" Yagari asked in surprise.

"Yes. She's one of the brightest students of the Day Class. She graduated a year after Zero. She was rather shy and reserved girl. I've never seen you both together," Cross directed this at Zero who merely raised an eyebrow.

"No one did," Zero calmly answered.

"Otousan, Jiji knows Okaasan?" Mizuki who quietly followed the conversation innocently asked.

"Jiji is the principal of the school where Father and Mother went to."

"Oh, that's where you met!" Mizuki brightened up, she always liked the stories about her parents, especially how they met each other, because she knew, if they didn't meet, she and Kazuki wouldn't have such great father and mother. Mother had mentioned that grandfather was the one who had the school -or academy, she said- and that made her like his grandpa more.

"Cross Academy." Kazuki piped in, he might not share his sister's enthusiasm, but he was interested that it was the first place where vampires and humans could go to school to. Suddenly a thought occurred to him, "But isn't Jiji a hunter?"

Zero looked at the light-haired man, giving a chance for him to explain.

"I used to be," Cross couldn't help but slightly tensed when those blue eyes turned towards him, "As the principal I'm very busy, so I can't be a hunter anymore. Sometimes I help your Father with his work, though."

The little boy seemed wanting to speak, but held himself back, looking between the two older men. Zero could only guess what might make his son hesitate.

"Do you want to see their weapons, Kazuki?" His son sharply turned to him, his eyes wide, wondering whether he was allowed to. Zero slightly smiled, Kazuki never had the chance to meet hunters or to see more of their weapons. Both Yagari and Cross exchanged silent words at the children's interest and knowledge of hunters, wondering whether it was alright to encourage the two in such early age.

Yagari seemed to shrug at this, "I can show you mine."

Kazuki perked up in interest, glancing at his father to ask his permission. Zero merely nodded and gave a slight nudge towards his advisor. His little boy, wary like his father, approached the intimidating dark-haired man who knelt down before him carefully pulling out his gun and laid it on his palm for the boy to see.

"A gun?" Kazuki queried.

"One of the most common weapons for hunter and some of the favorites," Yagari explained with surprising patience, "Your father and I favor guns."

"Can I touch it?" Kazuki knew that he couldn't hold it yet, he was barely able to hold the Bloody Rose, and the man's gun seemed heavier than his father's gun. When he got the permission, he carefully touched the surface of the gun, tracing the outline and remembering the details, instinctively comparing with the gun he knew.

"It's different from Bloody Rose," he frowned in confusion.

"Why is that?" Yagari raised an eyebrow. His curiosity piqued, the little boy carefully slipped his small hand under the gun, his fingers naturally found its way on the trigger and handle. He placed his other hand on the handle. When he tried to raise it up, the gun nearly fell from his hand if not for a familiar steady hand held him up.

Kazuki didn't need to know it was his father. He was slightly apprehensive that his father would scold him, but instead he corrected his hold on the gun, re-positioning his fingers and straightening his hand and arm then suddenly he let go, but his hold on the gun was steady, to his own surprise.

"How does it feel?" Silver eyes met his own; he could see a hint of pride in his father's eyes, making him feel proud of himself. He nodded to say that it felt somehow right, although not as right as when he felt Bloody Rose in his hand.

"Kazuki looks like Otousan," Mizuki commented with a smile seeing his father and brother side by side, hiding a smile as she felt his embarrassment through their bond, being compared to his idol.

"Bloody Rose feels better and… not as dead," Kazuki frowned, not sure of the right words to describe it to his father.

"Bloody Rose is a little different," Zero explained patiently, prying the heavier gun from his son's hands gently, noticing the boy's hold was getting shakier. Kazuki had described the difference between Bloody Rose and other hunter guns accurately.

"Because you are?" Kazuki was certainly his mother's son, being able to see the implication of the difference.

"You can say so," Zero gave a slight smile, returning the gun to the dark-haired man.

"But Father is Father, isn't it?" This time it was Mizuki who piped in, tilting her head thoughtfully.

"He is."

Zero recognized the voice instantly; a small smile appeared on his face at the answer that was uniquely hers, the tone of her voice suggested that it was supposedly an obvious answer. He didn't find any difficulty to find her figure descending down the stairs. She was still in her working clothes, cream-colored turtleneck with long sleeves combined with black pencil skirt, her golden hair tied into a French twist, giving the right impression of professional attitude.

"Okaasan!" Both the children jumped on their feet at the appearance of their mother, being the one whom they first went to whenever they had something to tell or ask. Zero barely hid his mirth as the two of them tried to tell her what they just learned, their childish voices mixed with each other, making them rather hard to hear. However, for both of their parents who had learned to listen to their chatters, they had no difficulty in deciphering the jumbled sentences.

"That's nice," she smiled warmly to them, while she was approaching her husband and their guests.

"Tadaima," it was the first word he instinctively said when he saw her, earning a twinkle in those blue depths to the fact that he still remembered to say it after having to entertain their guests first.

"Okaeri," Misaki decided that she would still give him a welcoming kiss on the cheek regardless of their audience, not wanting to break their ritual. "I'm sorry I didn't welcome you with the children. Needed to take care of some things."

"They're still being stubborn?"

"What do you expect?" Misaki raised an eyebrow, daring him to say that it would be an easy fight. She turned towards their guests who already stood from their seats.

"Cross, Yagari. This is my wife, Misaki," Zero nearly forgot of them, but fortunately remembered his manners, especially now that his newly married wife and the mother of the twins finally appeared before them.

"Chairman Cross," Misaki smiled, shaking the hand of the light-haired man as he was the one who stood closest to her and addressing him by his formal title.

"Hisakawa? I could barely recognize you," Cross looked at her in amazement. He had quite a good memory when it came to faces, and he remembered most of his students well enough, but he had quite a difficulty in matching the face he knew years ago with the face before him. It took him awhile to be sure that this was really his former student.

"Misaki's just fine. It's been seven years. I suppose it can't be helped," she laughed lightly, she hadn't returned to Japan since she studied in Paris. "How's the Academy? Any problems with the students?"

"Well, the same problem as always when you have a bunch of teenagers in one place, especially the ones that have certain needs."

"I can imagine," she responded emphatically, briefly imagining how she would deal with her teenage children later, "But you'd have it no other way."

"Indeed," Cross nodded in agreement. Misaki was the way he remembered her to be through their brief interactions, kind and understanding; she had her way to make others feel comfortable around her. From the former principal of hers, she moved to the dark-haired man whom she met for the first time.

"I've heard quite a lot of you Yagari-san," Misaki shook his partly gloved hand firmly, calmly looking into the remaining eye of the taller man as if she didn't notice the eye patch.

"I wonder what my foolish student said about me," Yagari noticed the way her clear blue eyes seemingly seeing through him but with such subtlety that if he weren't experienced in dealings with elusive and scheming bastards he had to interact with throughout the years being the representative of hunters in the inside and outside of the Association, he would likely not realize the direct observation. So that was where the twins got that kind of look. He couldn't help to think that his former student's choice of wife was interesting, especially after the Kuran girl.

"I don't think you have to worry," she laughed lightly. "I hope he doesn't cause you too much trouble."

"Heh. That'd be an understatement. He's a magnet for trouble, and I'm the one left to take care of his mess," there was a note of exasperation in his voice, but it wasn't meant as a complaint. Misaki knew that he didn't begrudge her husband because of it.

"I hope you'd like Nabemono for dinner," Misaki told her guests after the introductions, "It's the easiest dish to prepare for six and Yurie-san's Nabemono is delicious." The twins seemed to brighten at the mention of the maid's Nabemono, confirming their mother's statement.

"Sounds good," Cross didn't mind even if they were only served simple dishes, it was better than simply having dinner by himself.

"I think it's done. Shall we go to the dining room then?" The guests obediently followed their host to the dining room that was only separated by a beautiful folded screen and half-circular stairs to the second floor where they guessed it was where most of the family bedrooms were. The dining room was simple and comfortable, like the rest of the house, adjoined with the kitchen where they could see the old lady appearing from with a clay pot in her hands.

Delicious aroma of steamed seafood filled the dining room that came from the two clay pots on the small electric heater in the middle of the dining table for eight where six bowls and chopsticks were already prepared on each side. Zero and the others sat on one side, Misaki sat on the other with the children, sitting at the opposite of her husband. After finishing their prayers of gratitude for the meal, they started to eat. The Nabemono was certainly delicious; especially it was just newly cooked. The older men didn't have anything to complain about the food, rarely eating that kind of food unless they had someone to keep them company.

The dinner was a pleasant affair as the ice between them was slowly broken. Misaki as the hostess was the one who initiated the conversations over dinner, deftly directed so it would keep going without participating actively.

She explained to Zero's closest parental figures how she met him which was when he was doing his mission in the school grounds and how they kept meeting each other on the rooftops during lunch breaks, only letting out the fact that it was actually intentional because she needed his help. It was enough for him to follow her and add some parts of his side without giving away her identity as an Aruda.

She told them that she was an architect and had a small firm in the city. Cross remembered that she had scholarship to a prestigious Architecture major in Paris so she only confirmed that she had been in Paris for seven years and only returned to Japan after gaining her license.

Zero let her do the explaining when they found out they were married for less than a year while the children was already in their fifth. She vaguely explained that they had a long distance relationship, which they did, although not sharing the same meaning most people thought. He knew that both Cross and Yagari noticed the slight discrepancy in the explanation with what they knew, but they held back.

Eventually she changed the direction of the conversation that was more focused on his childhood, to his slight horror. From the glance she gave to him, he knew that it was partly because she wanted to distract the others from further details and partly because she wanted to know more of him, although it would cost him quite dearly.

However, in the end, he found that the cost was worth it. Sure, there were enough humiliating stories about him when he was barely of age, but behind the stories that were told such way that it elicited amused reactions from his family, there was more depth into the stories. He was surprised to see how many stories that the two of them had of him, some were things that he barely remembered or he deemed insignificant, some were the things that he didn't know that they noticed.

He pretended to be annoyed and gave them a warning glare not to proceed further, but inwardly, he was touched to realize how much they cared about him. Cross who sometimes acted too much and tried too hard of being a good father for his adopted children that it tended to irk him. Yagari who more often acted indifferently around him as if he was just another brat he barely tolerated.

He felt guilty and ashamed of himself that he felt the need to hide the truth from them when they were unfailingly by his side at his worst and accepted his flawed self completely, even when he tried hard to push them away. He decided to tell them the truth of everything that had happened; they deserved that for the least. It didn't matter how they would see him after they found out. Zero caught Misaki's eyes, letting her know what went through his mind. She merely smiled and nodded encouragingly.

By now they had moved to the living room, exchanging more stories that mostly came from the children who started to open up to the new acquaintances while eating desserts. Mizuki warmed up easily to the cheery former hunter who indulged her the way he indulged his other granddaughter. It seemed he had quite a soft spot for little girls. It might be because he had better patience and willingness to understand them, compared to most men. It was no wonder why Yuuki was so fond yet so exasperated with him.

Meanwhile, Kazuki seemed to get along fine with his former master, despite the older man's gruff manner. His son had better patience than him in his age that helped him to understand Yagari better. Yagari seemed rather pleased at the questions his son asked and the attention given to his explanations that he tried to simplify for the five-year-old to understand better. His advisor was careful in giving his answers, sometimes glancing towards his way how far he should explain to the kid, acknowledging his prerogative as the parent. Seeing this, he was inwardly satisfied for it would make the future arrangements easier.

Eventually the five-year-olds reached their limit, giving signs of dozing off between the conversations.

"I think it's about time for bed," Misaki commented lightly, cutting the conversation. At first the two children shook their heads, but after few persuasions from their mother and a promise for them to question their guests more tomorrow, they finally relented. Misaki helped the children on their feet, her hand on their backs.

"I'll send them to bed now. You might want to stay up longer, although I suggest you sleep before midnight," Misaki raised an eyebrow, contradicting the suggestion as a warning. "I've had the rooms downstairs prepared. Have a good rest."

Her guests politely returned her wishes with their own. She nudged her children forward to the direction of their bedrooms gently, though not failing to give a comforting squeeze on his hand when she passed him by. The three men silently watched the figures of the mother and her children ascending the stairs and disappeared to the eastern wing where the children's bedrooms were located.

"That's quite a woman you have there," Yagari commented off handedly as he threw himself on the couch, crossing his legs comfortably.

"She is," the edge of Zero's mouth quirked slightly, sharing the sentiment, as he filled each of their cups with their chosen beverages. There was a moment of comfortable silence between the three most influential people in the hunter society as they settled to their seats. When Zero looked at the clear brown liquid in his cup, he found himself unable to take another sip of the tea. Suddenly he was brought back to that rainy day where she served him hot tea in her apartment in Paris.

"It was six years ago…" Zero spoke softly, breaking the silence and immediately caught the others' attention. The look in the younger man was distant, as if his mind was anywhere but here. Cross tried to remember what happened six years ago and it didn't take long for him to realize the significance of the year, a small gasp escaped him. Calm and almost sad silver eyes found his surprised eyes as if confirming his suspicions.

Six years ago was the year when Yuuki was married to Kaname. It had crossed his mind briefly when he counted back the children's conception, but he had shrugged it off. It couldn't be that the children were…?

"I went to her. It was supposed to be just a visit to a friend, because that was what we were back then. She was a friend that I could completely trust and rely on and a friend that understood me most." There was a pause, this time those silver eyes no longer meet his eyes, instead he looked somewhere in a distance. "But that day, I destroyed it. I broke the trust."

The implication of the words was clear. The two older men went still on their seat, blinking in surprise at this confession. Cross could hardly believe it. Zero might be upset and sometimes he could do foolish things when he was, but he never thought that he could go that far. However, everything seemed to make sense. The Hisakawa he knew was a dedicated student, she worked hard for her dreams. She would try to focus on her studies while in Paris, raising children was the last thing she would do. She was just, what? Twenty years old?

"And what did you do?" Cross was afraid what he did after, having a vague idea of the twenty-two, young, foolish Zero back then did.

"I left."

"You just left?" Cross tried to suppress the incredulity and reprimand in his tone. Knowing the young man, he knew when he meant that he left; he meant that he left without leaving any message or any goodbye.

"I thought it was best for her to stay away from me and she wouldn't want me around her anymore," the only sign of his distress of the set of his jaws. "I intended to do so, until three months later."

This time it was Yagari who reacted. As his advisor and his second-in-command, Yagari was aware of most of the young president's activities and moods. He knew that the man could hardly forgive himself of what happened and the only way he knew best to handle it was to busy himself with his work.

He remembered the days where he came to the headquarters and found Zero looked so worn out, so filled with self-loathing that he spent most of his waking days working and working without Yagari being able to stop him. The silver haired man finally stopped, only to disappear suddenly without specifying his destination.

"It was when you suddenly disappeared for weeks," Yagari stated, receiving no denial at his own conclusion, "What happened?" He felt that whatever the reason why he was gone without a trace and barely any contact wasn't a good sign.

"She was attacked," they saw Zero tried hard to compose himself, "by vampires."

"Why?" Cross sounded horrified; especially he knew that the young woman was supposedly pregnant.

"Because of me," Zero smiled bitterly at this. "It seemed that those people who didn't like me were trying to get to me by getting to those I was close to. Somehow they found about her.

"She was brought to the hospital immediately. The twins were unharmed, but she was in a coma. And only by then, I found out that she was actually pregnant."

"You went after them." It was a statement, not a question.

"Yes," Zero answered firmly, the old anger was once again sparked at the thought of those vampires who hurt Misaki and their unborn children. "There were four of them. The leader was the Gentleman, Belmont."

"Belmont," Cross whispered in disbelief, sagging weakly against the chair. He was aware of that man's reputation, being one of the best hunters in his time.

"Of all vampires, Belmont?" Yagari was as surprised as Cross, especially knowing that the man wouldn't work alone under no one's orders and he wouldn't work under just anyone. He was aware that Zero had gained many enemies since he became the president of the Association, but to gain such powerful enemy that could order the Gentleman just to hurt a defenseless woman?

"…You found out his master?" Yagari carefully asked. The Zero that he knew would just go after the four vampires immediately after he knew their identities, but the fact that he remained missing for weeks spoke otherwise. The only reason was that Zero was looking for the man behind the order.

"Esterházy." Everything just fell into place. He remembered the odd and secretive actions Zero did when it came to Eastern Europe, but he didn't link it with the sudden and series incidents involving the members of Esterházy family. The angry young man didn't go after the man's life; he went after his family instead.

"What about Misaki?" Cross asked worriedly, "She, she's alright now?"

"She is alright now," Zero smiled slightly, trying, but failing badly to assure the older man.

"She was in a coma, wasn't she? But she continued her studies normally? H-How?" Cross frowned as he tried to make sense of everything.

"I gave her my blood," his answer caught them off guard, eliciting a bitter, sardonic smile. "It appears that my blood has the same effect with purebloods'."

Then he sobered, the traces of bitterness were gone, "Her wounds were completely healed, and she regained her consciousness, but I knew I couldn't stay. It wasn't an option. The moment Esterházy found out that I took his bait, there was no guarantee he wouldn't try again.

"I placed her under the protection of a vampire servant named Baudin, and Kirihara, and her friends. I didn't contact her for three years."

This time it was Cross again who managed to catch the significance of the date. "Kaede?"

"Ironic, isn't it?" Zero smiled sadly, realizing that the things that influenced the relationship shared between him and Misaki were related to the Kurans. First the wedding. Then the birth of the princess.

"I didn't intend to meet them, but I did. The twins and their mother whom I only had their picture of." At this Zero stood up, moving to the fireplace where various framed pictures were. He took the one picture in the middle where it depicted a picture of Misaki with two silver-haired bundles in her arms.

"I ended up staying and seeing their lives without me. She managed to catch up with her studies, but she also had to work and take care of the children. But she had a lot of support throughout the difficulties, and none of it was from me." He returned the picture on its original place.

"I wasn't sure I was needed, but she asked me to try. And in the end, I tried," he said wistfully, "It took a while to rebuild our relationship as it was. But she has been nothing but kind and patient, taking things in stride.

"I couldn't explain how we end up here, because it was just sort of happened, and I still have my own fears and doubts whether it's the right thing to do." Zero remained standing near the fireplace, looking at his parental figures.

"All my life everything I hold dear crumbles into ashes and disappears from my grasp. I don't know whether this would be any different. All I know is how to bring pain and sadness, chaos and destruction to those around me. I don't know how to be a husband; I don't know how to be a father. I could've subjected the children to suffer the same fate as me and Ichiru."

"That's not true, Zero," Cross's voice was soft and sad as he stood from his seat and approached his adopted son, furiously shaking his head.

"I've seen you with the children. You're a great father," Cross stated this clearly, daring him to say otherwise. He laid his hands gently on the taller man's shoulders, forcing those silver depths to look at him in the eye and knew that everything he said was true. In response there was only a tight smile on his features.

"Misaki…" Cross had mentioned that he made a good father, but was a good husband? His wife… his amazing, brilliant wife who remained by his side through the best and worst of their relationship, who never lost faith in him even when he didn't deserve it…

"Is it wrong to be selfish, Father?"

Those silver eyes looked so sad, so lost, and so vulnerable that made his heart instantly reach out to the only son he ever had. For once, the always selfless Zero went to seize what he wanted instead just letting it slip through his fingers, but he still second-guessed himself. All of a sudden he pulled the younger man into a fierce embrace while trying hard to hold back the tears at the pain and sadness of how much Zero didn't understand that he deserved to be selfish for once, and be truly happy.

"No. Not for you. Not for you."

Yagari watched the sight before him, sadness graced his features, feeling the same way with the other man who also had watched this amazing young man grow up into the man he was. Among the three of them, Zero was the one who deserved to be selfish the most. They wouldn't stop him, and they wouldn't make the man regret it for the very first chance of happiness in his life.

They would not.

I am of utter, complete belief that Cross and Yagari are Zero's father figures, and Zero is their beloved, prodigal son. 'Nuff said. Review, and I'll happily reply to you!