A/N Just a reminder on this: It is important to remember that Hagi is the only person alive who knows that this girl is not really Mary Frances.

JUST IN CASE- HERE'S THE DISCLAIMER! I don't own Blood Plus, the characters, or whatever else… NOW... on to the thrill of the battle!

Chapter 28- Recovery

He continued to slice and to claw his way through all the creatures as the sun rose over the horizon, bringing light to the blood-soaked terrain. Bodies littered the landscape in grotesque angles. Nearly all were sliced apart in various ways, but their appearance was the most frightening. The brownish colored creatures looked to be something that had sprung to life from a child's nightmare.

Even more surreal was the tall figure clad in black that sliced through them with what seemed to be a deformed hand. His long hair had worked its way loose and was now slapping marks of red on his porcelain face as he whipped around, decapitating monsters left and right. His mind was focused on being the death of these creatures.

The body of a tall woman with very short hair was on the ground a few feet away from the battle. Blood coated everything around. The hole in her stomach would not heal- he knew this. She was princess and while a princess could recover from some wounds quickly, something like this would not heal. She was dead.

He knew this. His mind was focused on the task at hand while inside he was torn. What her existence would mean for his relationship with Saya would not be good. This was certain. So why did he feel this sudden grief and rage for her death? Could it be that something inside him knew she was really his daughter?

Razor sharp claws tore through the beast in front of him. As it gave a wail of pain and rage he turned and sliced his claw through another, bringing his other arm around that held the long blade. He then turned and sliced through one's neck and on the other side of the turn, took the others.

Seeing the last three standing in the distance, his eyes darted down to the cello case that was still embedded in the head of one that seemed to have lost its body at some point. With lightening speed, he thrust the case at them, causing them to fall. As one came to its feet, he released three daggers in rapid succession. They found the creature's face as the other two came to their feet again.

"Urgh." She took inventory of herself without opening her eyes. "What is going on? Why does my stomach hurt so much?" The horrid smell of blood and guts mixing with dry earth filled her nostrils. She opened her eyes to the pinks and lavenders of early sunrise as her hand found the painful spot in her belly. Reluctant fingers traced the tender flesh where she knew there should be a wound or at the very least, a scar, but found only her own unmarred skin.

She turned on her side to see what had become of the battle she had been in. She had to blink a few times to clear the fog from her eyes. What she saw awed her. Hagi was slashing one of three beasts still standing. She was certain that her last count had been at least 18 still standing. His clawed hand was slashing away and his sword was removing heads, arms, legs, and entire torsos in swift arcs.

The blade moved through one, but when it clanged against the second one's skin, she knew he was in trouble. The only other left standing was a near identical copies so she knew it was an armored one as well. He was in serious trouble if he tried to take on both at once. Her hand quickly found the pouch in her belt.

The chevalier noted the two approaching him. Assessing the situation, he noticed a small opportunity as one seemed to be moving slower than the other. He drew his arm back to pull two daggers when something large flew by him. In the early morning light, he could see the dark netting open and engulf the slightly closer creature. Only one person had a weapon like that.

He turned to see the girl on one knee, her hood pulled back revealing the porcelain face that twisted into a vengeful snarl. Her voice was filled with malice as she growled, "This is for sticking your fucking hand through my gut!" She pressed the button for the controller and Hagi turned his stoic gaze to the creature before him, witnessing the power of the weapon at close range. The beast's body convulsed as it let out a mechanical sounding cry of pain.

She held the button down until smoke came in tendrils from the shaking creature and rose to the sky. Her eyes turned briefly as she noticed Hagi taking a few steps toward the creature only to be thrown back just as the girl shouted for him to stop.

He opened his eyes to the now bluish lavender sky. His body still had a few after shocks that caused him to twitch. He noticed she was standing over the two bodies with the large scythe dripping with the blood of all the slain enemies. He watched as she brought the staff over her shoulder in a more relaxed pose.

Her eyes finally turned to him. "Geez you really are a glutton for punishment, huh?" Her eyes then turned back to her handiwork. Pulling her cast net back to her and wrapping it up, she added, "We better get all our weapons and clean them up. I got a box where we can put them until we get to a hotel."

He tried to rise, but found himself falling back with another spasm. It had been a long time since he'd faced an electrical shock like this. To his surprise, when he looked up, he saw a pale hand being offered to him. Her face was cast in the light of the rising sun. Yellows and golds reflected on her porcelain skin that was marred with spatters and streaks of drying blood as she informed him, "Pretty bad ass shock, huh? I tried to warn you. You were moving straight into the same massive puddle of blood that creature was standing in. I know the soles of your boots are made of steel and not rubber."

He stumbled a bit, causing her to come to his side and steady him. "Hold on there, Hagi," she warned. "You've lost a lot of blood and had a massive electric shock. You need to rest and get some blood in you." She stopped and looked at him. Her eyes moved over him critically before she observed, "You barely took anything from those stoners. I thought you'd take at least a pint from each, but I bet you barely took a thing!"

He focused all his energy to the task at hand- retrieving his cello case and daggers, getting them to the trailer, and getting into the cab of the truck. He noted the different glittering objects in the field and made his way to different ones, gathering them as he went to the truck.

The girl was gathering weapons when she noticed he was doing the same. "Gonna wear yourself out," she murmured as she grabbed the last thing on the field- his cello case.

He came to her side and demanded, "I'll take that."

She pulled it over her shoulder tighter and responded, "I don't need you collapsing in this field 'cause let me tell you something- I'm not carrying your ass back."

He followed her as she came to the front of the truck. Lulu's axe blade was covered in a bloody, pulpy mess amid the flattened circle of entrails, skin, and bones that were stuck in the grill of her precious truck. The girl growled a complaint, "Shit! You just couldn't leave my baby out of this, could you?" She knew he was already putting the bloody weapons in the trailer so she headed in the same direction.

The clinking from the back of the trailer told her that he was still placing the items in a box as she leapt up into the trailer with nearly no effort. She had returned with the axe Lulu had left at the front of the truck. With a swift movement, she removed the bloody cloak and used a towel she had left in the back to wipe the blood from her face, neck and hands before she removed her boots.

Hagi nearly jumped out of the trailer when she began removing her jeans, causing her to laugh loudly. She now had her bloody jeans in a pool around her feet, but a clean pair of shorts clinging to her hips. "Did you really think I was gonna get naked?" she laughed again.

His eyes still averted, he responded, "Your shirt has a hole in it." He couldn't help this feeling of guilt that swelled in his chest. How did she survive this anyway?

She shrugged and removed her shirt, shocking him even more. This time he really did leave the trailer in a blue haze. She wasn't wearing a bra.

When she returned to the truck, she was rather surprised to find he had the courtesy to place a towel on the seat and floor board to soak up the blood on his clothes. His face was turned to the window and his body pressed into the passenger's seat. "Don't think you're getting out of washing my truck."

He did not respond.

"Hey," she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Do you hear me?"

"Mary Frances?" came a small, sad voice from the back of the cab. The curtains were drawn shut, but a small arm grabbed the young woman and dragged her into the back through the curtains in a swift motion.

She was suddenly engulfed in a small, tight hug. She was having difficulty breathing as Lulu began crying out through torrents of tears, "I can't believe you're still alive. I thought you were a goner!"

The young woman tapped Lulu on the arm and warned in a tight voice, "Can't…breathe… Lulu!"

Finally, the tight grip loosened and Lulu wiped her face. "Sorry," she said sheepishly, "I thought you were dead."

The young woman pulled away from Lulu and muttered, "Thanks for worrying about me." She sighed and responded, "I'm just not used to being worried over like this."

Lulu gave a sad look, but felt confused. "She grew up with a mother and she had all those friends at The Center. Why wouldn't she ever feel cared for?"

She continued, "I am pretty sure he didn't feed enough earlier. He's unconscious in the front seat."

Lulu nodded, "We need to get to a motel and clean up. I know an informant in Kansas City."

The dark haired woman gave a curt nod. She pulled her leg under the other and added, "There's one more thing." She noticed Lulu's countenance changed into a look of worry. "During the battle, Hagi got too close to the shock net. He sustained a pretty bad dose considering his boots have steel soles and he was standing in a puddle of blood."

Lulu winced and turned her head. She could almost sympathize with him. Shortly after the net had been made, she had touched it while a current was still running through it. The shock was bad enough, but nothing compared to what Hagi had experienced. "Poor Hagi. We really need to convince him to get rubber soles on his shoes."

The young woman gave a smile and a nod. As she climbed through the curtain, she commented, "We better get moving. The stone-faced chevalier needs a few pints of blood and I could use a long, hot shower."

"Dibs!" Lulu shouted, but knew it was already too late. Mary Frances had already spoken it out loud. She added through the curtain, "The informant runs a small motel in town. I'll call ahead so he can make sure to have plenty of blood."

"I hope there's a car wash nearby," she called back. Her face turned to look at the unconscious man. He was such a mystery. It seemed he would do something nice and then completely abandon her. It surprised her- that look on his face when she thought she had died. He wore the look of concern as his hand reached for her. Did he really care for her?

He fought so hard. The chevalier took down 15 chiropterans while she lay unconscious. As her hand held the gear shift, she sighed. "I have to do this," she muttered, knowing Lulu had heard her. It was the least she could do for the man that saved her life. As she leapt from the truck and took off into the sunrise, she thought aloud, "Besides, I have to get that bastard strong enough to wash this truck.

~0~

Lulu was rather surprised when the chevalier had joined her in the back of the cab. His long legs stretched across the bed, causing her to smile. He was paler than usual and she could tell he was trying to stay conscious, but it was a short time before his blue-grey eyes closed and his breathing became steady and deep.

In the darkness of the sleeper, a light whisper asked, "Hagi, are you asleep?"

The answer came in a deep, yet quiet voice, "I do not sleep, Lulu, although I am quite weak." He turned his head to the side and wondered at the lack of the third presence. "Where did the girl go?"

"I don't know," Lulu answered. "She said, 'I have to do this' and left."

Before he could utter another word, the presence returned. The door to the cab opened and shut. The girl was careful to open the curtain just wide enough to come through and moved quietly onto the bed next to Lulu. Blue and red rings illuminated the darkness.

Her voice seemed slightly deeper as she spoke, "I have fed to the point of bursting, chevalier." She then pulled her wrist to her mouth and bit down hard as a growl of pain rumbled in her throat. She then presented the bleeding wrist to his thin lips and commanded, "Drink."

He tried to turn away from her, but two very strong hands pulled his face back causing those eerie ringed eyes to meet cold steel blue. Her voice growled out as she shoved her bleeding wrist back to his mouth, "Drink, damn it, or so help me I'll plaster you to the front of my truck like you did with that fucking bat creature!"

With her wrist shoved deep into his mouth, he couldn't help but swallow. He was too weak to fight and his chiropteran nature had taken over. The chevalier went into survival mode as steel-blue eyes opened wide. A vibrant blue began to bleed into his normal looking irises as she could feel his sharpened teeth dig into her flesh. A primal snarl erupted from his throat before he began taking gulps of the offering before him.

"Mary Frances," Lulu warned with wide eyes, "it's blood lust. He may kill you!"

The girl's eyes continued to glow as she responded, "Nah. I took in a lot of blood. To be honest, I was trying my hardest to keep it down I was so full. I doubt he could drain me right now."

But it wasn't long before she began to understand Lulu's worry. Her eyes had begun to fade back to their normal brown and yet he was still taking strong pulls from her wrist. It took all her energy and the help of Lulu to pry the starving chevalier off her wrist. He was panting in short gasps as his wild eyes glowed in the darkness, illuminating the sleeper in an eerie blue glow. His back was arched as growls began to grow in his chest with each breath. A trickle of blood left the corner of his mouth and trailed along his porcelain skin.

The girl bolted into action and pinned him to the cot. He was thrashing and twisting wildly. Lulu came to his side, knowing her physical strength was no where near strong enough to subdue him- especially when he was so well fed. Instead she spoke calming words to reassure him that he had not harmed anyone and that no one would harm him. The moment the name Saya left her lips, his eyes faded back to their normal color and his mouth shut. His body relaxed into the mattress before his eyes shut. He was not asleep, but he couldn't face them. It had been many years since he had last let his chiropteran nature have control. He couldn't face their judgmental stares ad repulsion mixed with fear.

"Lulu," the girl whispered, "you think he passed out?"

"No," Lulu responded, "but I think it would be a good idea to get to that informant and find a place to rest up before we head on. Hagi should stay back here and rest."

Mary Frances nodded and moved to the front of the cab. Once she felt the truck begin to move, she began phoning the informant in Kansas City before she called Lewis and explained her mistake to him. Though she felt quite embarrassed, she was glad to be giving him the news that Mary Frances was still alive.

~0~

The car was delivered and the flight back to Okinawa was uneventful. The dark haired woman relaxed in her seat, grateful that Joel felt it would be best for the two to travel by private jet. She took her side of the plane and he took his side. The two never spared the other a glance. Her ipod sent her into a musical trance as he mind tumbled over the events that had transpired.

All the chiropterans in the US were now dead. They could relax for a time. When Saya awoke from her sleep, Hagi would take off to help her regain her memories. The Red Shield thinks it will be about a month before Saya will be ready to fight. That gave her a month to settle in and begin working on building her stamina and speed with her weapons.

The night they stayed in New York, she had a lot to think on as Hagi had taken off in his usual quiet mood. She used the time to sharpen her weapons and re-thread her net to make certain any holes or frayed wires were repaired.

The television emitted a bluish glow in the dark hotel room. The thick curtains were drawn shut to keep the inside completely secluded from the outside world. Lulu was back with the CIA and Mary Frances was grateful for all the training she had received from her.

Somehow, Kai managed to forward a letter to her. She kept sniffing back tears as she realized who it was from. The return address was LA and there was only one person alive in LA that knew she was going to Okinawa. "I can't face this now," she admitted to the empty room as she rocked on her heels. She then placed the letter in her luggage before heading outside to watch her truck, her baby, disappear beyond the horizon. A deep sigh left her lips. She was on to the next part of her life.

Deciding she was tired of the depressing motel room, she followed the vibe that she knew would lead her to Hagi. There was a deep heavy emotion flowing off him that made her curious. What was it he was doing and why did it make him feel this way?

She leapt from building to building in a dark hood that covered her face and eyes. The speed she was traveling prevented any human onlookers from seeing her as her cloak flapped in the wake of her movements.

When she landed, it was near what looked like a park with many stone statues. The stone plaque near the entry declared New York Metropolitan Opera Memorial. She ignored the rest of the plaque as she recalled this was the place where Saya killed Diva and Hagi had been buried alive.

As she moved through the park silently, she noticed stone statues of various musicians. One was a small woman wearing a long dress with a zig-zag hem, bat wings and shortly cropped hair. The plaque at her feet simply read Diva. She pulled her hood back to take in the features of what was Saya and Hagi's mortal enemy and closest relative. She looked like some unassuming little girl. How could this creature possibly be a threat to anything was beyond her.

She moved on toward the epicenter of the emotion she was sensing. She was close, he was here somewhere. Her eyes roamed the peaceful landscape to see more statues, including one of a cellist frozen in the midst of drawing the bow across the strings in a tune none were meant to hear.

A smirk etched her features as she murmured, "I found you, you bastard." She quietly made her way to the statue and peeped around it.

There he stood at the edge of the memorial. He seemed to have his blue-grey eyes fixed on a patch of weeds in front of him. She muttered, "Weirdo" as she waited for him to move or say something. He did not move. The only thing that moved was a few strands of hair as the light breeze caught them.

She concentrated to hear the thoughts that passed his mind. Her eyes registered blackness and her nose caught the smell of freshly dug earth and blood. She could feel the overwhelming sense of urgency to return to Saya. She had to know he was okay. Mary Frances could feel the sting and ache of major wounds as fingernails tore through the earth as he dug his way out.

The words that echoed in his mind reverberated through her once again. He was gazing sadly into the hole that she now knew was where he had dug himself out. "I should have died here."

Not I could have died here- I should have died here. Her brown eyes slid to catch a glimpse of the stoic mystery of a man that had created her. What was making him so sad and why did he feel that he should have died?

She shook her head to rid herself of the thought. She added to herself, "Not my place to figure him out." She opened a magazine and began to glance over the articles and pictures. Thankfully, this will be a long, quiet flight.