Chapter Fourteen
Memories Returned

Kagome awoke the next morning to find herself in Zero's bed in the men's dorms. She blinked as the light from the window shown down on the floor in front of her. She tried to remember what happened for her to get where she was. It came a moment later, and it had Kagome sitting up rapidly on the bed, at least she would have if it weren't for the two strong arms holding tightly to her small waist. Turning her head, Kagome saw the peacefully sleeping face of Zero. His silver hair was mussed a bit, and his amethyst eyes were closed to the world.

She carefully turned around in his arms as she gazed at the picture he made. She couldn't deny the attraction she felt toward him. He had never felt like a brother to her, at least not in the back of her mind where her elder self sat in wait to be reawakened. But as she was stuck in her seven-year-old body, Kagome could do nothing but admire him from afar, at least, until she could break the spell and return to her normal sixteen-year-old body. But it was not time for her to return fully. In fact, she had not planned to get her memories back so soon. When Kaname had touched her, he had reawakened one of her vampire powers. The power to be able to see a person's past, hear their current thoughts, and occasionally see a person's future by just a mere touch.

She had locked that power away as well, when she turned herself into her seven-year-old self and locked away her memories. It was to protect herself and ensure that she remained hidden until the time was right. Kagome had always been there in the back of her mind, watching as her younger self went about her day. She could say nothing from her place in her mind, but she could influence her emotions most of the time. She instilled a fear into her of the nobles and pure-blood vampires, because they were the only ones who could awaken her. If either of them had drank her blood, it would turn her back into her original self. But she placed more fear of the pure-blood, so that he would not get close enough to even touch. Unfortunately, she had been so worried about Zero, that she missed Kaname's presence last night when he touched her.

So now, here she was. A sixteen-year-old girl, stuck in the body of a seven-year-old, and lying next to the boy that she had fallen in love with. The boy who was supposed to be her adopted brother. The boy she was not supposed to love in such a way. The boy who was now looking at her with half-lidded purple eyes.

Kagome blinked slowly when she realized that Zero was awake, and he was looking at her. She sat up as he woke fully and followed suit. They sat staring at each other for a few minutes, neither of them knew what to say. Zero wanted to ask her why she was there last night, but he also wanted to know what happened to her. He could not think of a way to ask her, so he asked the other question that was nagging him.

"Are you feeling all right?"

Despite the fact that I am now a seven-year-old with the hormones and thoughts of a sixteen-year-old? Yeah, I am fine. Just peachy in fact. Kagome knew she could not tell him that, he would think she was nuts, which she probably was. So she just nodded her head and told him she was feeling fine and her head didn't hurt anymore. He seemed relieved and decided to ask his next question.

"Do you know what happened last night?"

Kagome thought about what she was going to say for a moment before responding slowly, "I think that when Kaname touched me last night, one of my powers were awakened."

Zero looked curiously at her for a moment be fore asking, "What powers?'

She looked steadily into his eyes as she responded, "I have the ability to see a person's past and current thoughts with a simple touch if I wished to."

His eyes widened fractionally as he thought of what she said. As soon as it registered in his brain that she could have seen his past, Zero asked, "Did you see mine?"

Kagome looked sadly at him and gave a small nod. Right before she jumped into his arms and hugged him to her as tightly as she could. No matter, what she may feel for him, he had a sad past and no one to comfort him during his time of loss. She would comfort him as long as he wanted. If she could, she would stay with him forever. Maybe in the future she could do so, but at the moment she was still a "child." She was grateful that she still had no need to drink blood as of yet. And though her mind may give her urges, her body did not. It was easy to forget, because she still had the body of a seven-year-old. She was sure that if she was in her original body, that the delicious smell of Zero's blood would be awakening her bloodlust. So yes, she was grateful in a way that she was in her younger body.

Zero did not react at first, too surprised to do anything. It took him a moment, but he finally hugged her back and held her to himself as his past replayed in his mind. While he held her to his chest, he could not stop the feeling that this hug was somehow different than the others they had shared. It just felt different in a way. He didn't mind, the hug was more comforting and... accepting than he remembered.

When he drew away from her to end the embrace, he found silent tears running down her cheeks. He did not understand what made him react the way he did. But as Zero moved his head forward and slowly licked the tears away, he couldn't help the feeling that welled up in his chest as she leaned into his slight touch. Kagome loved how his tongue felt on her face, and truly she would rather have it somewhere else, just as she would rather move her mouth from his own down to his throat where his blood flowed freely just below the surface. She was thrown out of her thoughts as Zero jerked back as if hit when he fully grasped what he was doing.

Zero pulled away from Kagome and sat on the edge of the bed as he tried to give reasons for his actions. He could find none other than the fact that he did not like her tears and wanted to rid her of them. That did not explain her reaction to his touch, nor his desire to move his tongue lower. He ran a hand through his silver locks as he tried to clear his thoughts of Kagome in any way but as his little sister. It didn't help at all when she put her hand on his shoulder and he turned his head to look into her bright blue eyes that were gazing at him in concern and slight confusion. And when he forcefully pulled his eyes away from her searching gaze was when he noticed the time on his clock. Doing a double take, Zero practically flew from the bed and to his closet as he pulled out his school uniform and began to get ready for school. The exams were today, and he had to get to class before it was too late.

He was in such a rush that he completely forgot about what happened with Shizuka last night. He was also in to much of a rush, to realize that Kagome was staring at him with large eyes, before blushing and with a squeak hid under the covers. Much like she did when she first arrived there.

Zero barely remembered to bring Kagome with him so he could drop her off with the Chairman as they took their tests. The day would be a bit shorter today, as all they had to do were tests. And the sooner he finished, the sooner he could return to her and take her somewhere away from their father and his... special personality.

Kagome didn't mind too much as she was dropped off with the Chairman and Zero left to quickly get to class. It gave her time to finish her book, the one her younger mind didn't understand but she did. Which was why she compelled her younger self to read it. The Chairman went through his time moving from working on paperwork and dusting his books, until it was time for lunch. At which point Kagome suggested they go home and make instant ramen. He agreed, after Kagome gave him the puppy-dog eyes. She even added a few tears for effect. Needless to say, he caved when she looked at him.

As Kagome sat back in her father's office, she couldn't help but think about the ball the following day. She knew that Shizuka was not finished with Zero, but Kagome would not let her hurt him. But she did not know exactly what Shizuka had planned for Zero. And it made her nervous as she thought of the possibilities. She knew it wasn't quite time to turn herself back to her normal self, but she didn't know how much she could really do in her small body. She may have the powers, but not the strength and stamina; she would get tired quickly if she used too much of her powers.

She continued to think on it until Zero came in after finishing his test and took Kagome away so they could do something together. He didn't know what to do exactly; he just wanted to spend as much time with Kagome as he could. Before he had to think about what he was going to do about Shizuka and the appearance of his brother.

Kagome could tell that he was thinking hard about something, but she could not read his thoughts because she was not touching him. So instead she chose to divert his attention to something else, that way he would have no time to think on anything that was making him look so melancholy and... angry. After all, they had a ball to prepare for. Yuuki was going to help Kagome get ready, and Kagome would help Yuuki where she could.

Zero still thought the ball was a stupid idea. Why were they letting girls dress up in dresses the revealed their bare necks and parade around in front of a bunch of vampires? But he would go, not only to keep the Night Class out of trouble, but also because Kagome had asked him for a dance. He was not sure if he would dance with her, and if he did it would be away from everyone. But she had asked him to go, so had Yuuki and the Chairman, but it was Kagome that convinced him to actually go. But he would not dress up.