A/N My deepest, sincere apologies to you, my lovely, dedicated readers. I have been painfully busy with training at my new job and dealing with my daughter's school activities. Please enjoy chapter 34 and to answer your question, trigger, Saya will be joining the action at the end of the next chapter.

Chapter 34- Together in War

The rains had finally dissipated, leaving a clear autumn day. The sky was brilliant blue with not one cloud to obstruct the golden rays of sunlight that fell over the vibrant green grass that peaked out in patches of the rich russets, golds, and oranges of the fallen leaves. Small puddles remained from the rains that had come and gone, but the delicate, bare feet that splashed through them were now covered in bits of broken leaves and splotches of mud.

Her long, raven locks were tied into a high ponytail with the bangs parting in the middle to reveal her unusual burgundy eyes. Long tapered fingers were tipped with pink nail polish that covered the nails of said fingers as they brushed along the fall flowers. Deciding to pick one of the ever blooming pink rose blossoms, her fingers wrapped around the stem only to grasp the sharp prick of a thorn. Wincing, she brought the assaulted hand back to her pale pink covered chest.

A loud call erupted from the girl as she hurried off toward the mansion, a small smear of blood stained her shirt. Before she made it to the threshold of the door, the injury was completely healed.

The small young lady nearly slammed into a crisp white shirt. Her burgundy orbs slowly moved up the shirt to a strong alabaster chin and sharp, long nose that topped the straight, serious line of a mouth. Finally, burgundy met steel blue.

"Hagi," she gasped as she produced the injured hand, looking at him with pleading eyes.

"You are unharmed, Saya," he commented in a flat monotone. The chevalier was assisting in the kitchen with his queen's lunch and had decided to forgo the jacket some time ago, when he sensed her distress. In the environment of the museum, he received many curious looks and found that it was slightly less conspicuous to walk the halls in a white dress shirt and black slacks.

"Hagi," she said again in a breathy tone. Her eyes closed as she turned back to the outside world. Her brow slightly twitched as she opened her eyes to him. "I was just thinking, it's been a week that we have been here at the Zoo. I-I want to know why it is that we are not going to fight Diva. What happened to the Red Shield? My blood should be spilled for greater purposes than a rose I wanted to pick."

The chevalier turned and walked up the stairs to their quarters without a word. He knew she would follow him. As he made it to the landing of the second floor, he felt her hand grip his, causing him to stop and look down at her.

She casually shrugged and explained, "I usually grab your jacket sleeve, but you aren't wearing your jacket." At this, color came to her cheeks and she pulled her hand away and clasped her hands together behind her back.

He responded in his usual monotone, "I do not mind, Saya."

The upstairs kitchen was a new addition to the mansion where she had grown up. It was nothing compared to the size of the original, but there was really no reason to keep a full sized kitchen just for the short times they would be there.

They could hear the recent addition to the staff, Kora, fixing Saya's lunch. She was humming a she cleaned up the kitchen while she waited for the bread to finish baking and the soup to cool enough to eat.

Her position would change once the two chiropterans left. Originally, she was hired to clean the upstairs meeting place for the Red Shield; the bedrooms and bathrooms as well as the upstairs kitchen. There was a maid for the downstairs museum so she would only remain upstairs.

Hagi led Saya to the bedroom that was hers long ago. It remained just as she remembered it. This was her room and always will be her room. The only change was the pink rose that Hagi always had brought her was now red. A small scowl etched her brow as she wondered why he now brought her a red rose when he had always brought pink before.

She settled in on the plush covers of her frilly pink bed and waited for her chevalier to inform her of his reasons for keeping her here.

Hagi leaned against the wall behind him as he looked at the young woman that captured his heart. Would she understand that he had always loved her- even after his secret was revealed? This would be the fifth time he would try to explain what had happened while she was asleep. Every time he tried, something would come up. The first time, she was still not completely herself. On the second time, he was ready to pour his heart out only to find she had disappeared into the kitchen to find a snack.

The more he thought about it, the more he understood he wasn't truly a victim of circumstance. This was just the result of him doing his best to delay the inevitable- she would soon be going back to Omoro to see Kai, his children, Diva's children, and, unfortunately, the girl that called herself Mary Frances. He could already see her reaction in his mind and he knew that it would be best to inform her of the situation now, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it.

She blinked and waited for him to speak. He was taking longer than she could remember he'd ever had before. Usually Hagi was an open book at relaying information to her. He knew that it was imperative that they find and eliminate Diva and her chevaliers, why was he stalling?

Finally, he took a breath and spoke. "Diva and her chevaliers were all eliminated by you before you went into your sleep 30 years ago. Do you not remember?"

She looked away from his eyes as if to see if the memory was on the wall to her left. Her head shook lightly as her mind went over all the details that she recalled before her sleep. "I… I remember Kai and… Dad- he died… with my blood. Riku… he… Diva… he was my… ch-chevalier." Her eyes came back to the somber blue-grey of his. "He died when Diva- Diva r-raped him?" she questioned as she looked at him inquisitively.

He nodded and then pushed off the wall. Looking off to the window and the world that lay beyond, he asked, "Do you remember what happened after that?"

She looked at the floor for a moment before meeting his eyes again. "No," she responded. Before he could say anything, she stood to her feet and came to him, placing a hand on his stiff shoulder and said, "I know that you feel it's the best thing for me to remember on my own, but has that worked even once yet? I seem to remember at this past awakening… what I do remember of it… was that we nearly got killed because I lost my trust- in everyone. I-I thought you lied to me by not telling me about my past."

She turned her eyes to his face and tried to judge his features, "Isn't that enough to make you see that it's a mistake to let me remember on my own?" The stoic mask didn't falter and she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. "If there's a threat out there, I need to have all my memories back in order to defeat them."

He finally turned his stoic, constant gaze to her and responded, "The threat is no longer from Diva herself. You defeated Diva and her chevaliers. Her daughters are alive and well in Kai's care." He turned his eyes back to the window and the beautiful cloudless day. "The new threat comes from Van Argiano and a new scientist named Earnest Smith, but they are not using Diva's blood."

Her surprised gaze turned to him as he moved away from the window. It wasn't difficult to see that something had upset him, but what it was, she wasn't sure.

His deep baritone continued in a soothing monotone, "It seems that while the fight with Diva raged on over the past century, her chevaliers were spending time with human women. Dr. Julia has discovered the offspring and calls them princesses."

A small scowl marred her features for a moment before she asked, "I thought that we can't have children with humans- something about our blood being different."

He glanced over his shoulder at her and responded, "That is true for queens, but, apparently, not chevaliers."

Her eyes widened as she thought of the possible offspring out there. "How many?" she asked.

"I cannot answer that because there are more that are yet to be discovered. At the moment, there are 22 throughout the world." He then added, "It has been discovered by our enemies that princesses can also create chiropterans. The strongest one was used to create a number of the chiropterans we fight now."

Not all the details were being told and she knew it. "Why do you still hold back?"

He raised an eyebrow and turned back to her. Even at this moment, he couldn't bring himself to admit it- even when she confronted him. The chevalier had been run through with everything from metal lances to entire trees, faced down enemies that seemed to come in never ending droves, and kept an even expression through it all; but this was more frightening than all the others combined. Why? Because he had poured his heart and soul into this woman- into his love for this woman… and he would soon have to reveal that he had betrayed her.

She looked at him through a narrow eyed glare and thought over what she did know. A brief flash of memory came into her vision. She was looking down at two little babies- one with brown eyes and one with blue. Their torsos and lower bodies were encased in a tan cocoon. The knowledge of their existence came back to her- Riku and Diva's twins!

She grasped his lapel and felt her eyes bleed crimson. Her pained and desperate expression faced the cool and calculated eyes of Hagi. The corners of her mouth turned downward as she begged, "Please tell me they did not get the twins."

He looked away from her and admitted in a low voice, "They captured Kanade, the red-eyed queen, for a short time. Unfortunately, it was long enough to get samples of her blood".

Her grip loosened as she turned her head and let her sad expression find the floor. "No," she whispered as she felt his strong arms supporting her and moving her to sit on the bed. "I n-never wanted them t-to fight like Diva and I did."

Taking her in his arms, Hagi kept the stoic façade firmly in place, but his eyes conveyed the sympathy he felt. It was the underlying desire Saya kept hidden: for her sacrifice, no one would ever have to fight again. However unrealistic the goal was, it was one she desired above all else. Why else would she have fought so hard and in the end, given her own life?

Here she was, facing another war, but this time, the war played out between her two nieces. Her shoulders began to shake as she buried her face in his crisp, white button down dress shirt. Hot tears seeped through the thin material and warmed his cool skin.

How long had he desired to hold her without having to just be a comfort? The chevalier leaned his cheek into the soft silk of raven tresses and took this moment of closeness for all he could. To her, it would be for a shoulder to cry on. For him, it was an outlet to his hidden feelings for her. Deep inside, he knew she had forgotten the admission at the Met and he would not force the memory, neither would he openly admit now when so much was already hanging over his head.

The memory of a torn and battle worn Hagi, missing one of his ebony wings, flashed behind her closed lids… an embrace… a touch on the cheek. She could almost hear him repeating those words in her mind. "I have always loved you, Saya." Then, there was the kiss. She wondered what she felt herself, but right now, there was a new mission and no time for those feelings.

That same nagging sensation tugged at his mind, begging him to tell her about everything she was going to face upon her return, but once again, the excuse his mind conjured was, "It is not the right time."

~0~

Riku and Kai arrived in Germany at the end of the week. Kai furrowed his tan brow as he looked around for a familiar face. It wasn't long before another person- a man with sandy blonde hair came to their side. He smiled somewhat warmly and shook their hands as he gave a slight bow. "Mr. Myagusuku, Riku," he greeted.

Kai's mind drifted back to a time when he recalled a more stony looking expression as the man's father put him in his place 30 years ago.

Michael closely resembled his father, but he had his mother's soft smile. He often was brought in to work with upset clients for the Red Shield and often when a translator was needed. Kai had contacted him shortly after Mr. David had been dispatched to pick up the girls and escort them to Praha and then into Germany, eliminating chiropterans along the way.

"Joining the fight?" the tall blonde asked the two as they strode through the airport toward the baggage claim. Not awaiting an answer, he continued to walk and looked over at the youngest in their group of three and scowled. "I am a bit surprised you allowed Riku to fight."

Kai mumbled something Michael couldn't understand as he watched his sneakered feet while they continued on through the crowded hallway. Riku heard what was said and hung his head sheepishly.

"Sorry?" Michael questioned in a completely polite manner, making Kai wonder who this boy's father really was. He acted nothing like Mr. David, but his looks were another matter.

"There's been… well," Kai tried to explain as he looked at his youngest son. He then turned his serious gaze back to the child of his two good friends and informed him, "It looks like Kanade has turned Riku."

Michael's eyebrow went up in a completely Dr. Julia manner as he looked at the 20-year-old. "A chevalier?" he questioned. Suddenly remembering his surroundings, Michael suggested with suspicious eyes scanning the airport, "I think this discussion would be much safer in different surroundings."

"Duh," Riku muttered, causing Kai to shoot him a reprimanding glare. The young man's eyes quickly turned to something a few feet away and then back to his father.

Kai could be a bit thick-headed at times, but he knew his kids. The way Riku was acting and his body language told him more than words could. Riku had noticed that someone was watching them- probably even listening. As Michael began to move toward the baggage claim again, Kai's line of sight followed Riku's.

In the distance, there was a man reading a paper as he leaned against a wall. He almost looked casual, but in a busy airport where there are still a few seats on the other side of the walk way, he looked a bit conspicuous.

Riku murmured to his dad as they turned to go, "So much for covert tactics, huh?"

Kai smirked and responded lowly, "Argiano is more of a business man and Smith is a scientist. Any sort of espionage they'd need would have to be hired in. Considering their original facility was destroyed about six months ago, I don't think they have the money to hire in people from the outside unless they're cheap"

Riku turned to continue walking and watched his father follow suit. When he glanced over his shoulder, the man moved again. Riku gave a half smile at the "spy's" moronic methods.

~0~

"What's going on?" Kanade asked as the limp form of her boyfriend was carried in to the girls' shared room and laid on the bed by none other than Nathan himself.

Hibiki was fidgeting with the hem of her t-shirt while Mary Frances looked off at some interesting spot on the wall. All the while she was whistling a tune and trying to look completely innocent.

"We found this young man hanging around some very unsafe company," Nathan responded with his usual sly smirk. He flipped his golden hair and chided, "You really need to keep a closer watch on your boy toys, they could get hurt if they get involved."

Her brown eyes blinked in confusion, but something primal in Kanade had awakened. As she took in a deep breath, she could scent as well as sense her sister's blood flowing in Hojo's veins. Her vision flooded with crimson as she uttered one word, "Chevalier."

Hibiki knew just what Kanade was feeling. It was only a few months ago that her sister and adoptive brother returned home with torn and bloody clothes and she somehow just knew that Riku was now her sister's. Forcing her way between her sister and her chevalier's healing body, she placated, "Sister, it was the only way to save him. You were having a transfusion and completely KOed."

Nathan added, "Besides, if you ever want babies…" He checked his nails and then buffed them with the front of his shirt before sliding his sky-blue eyes to Kanade and finishing, "…it will be your sister's chevalier you will mate."

Mary Frances glared at Nathan and accused, "You set this up, didn't you, ya little prick fairy?"

Nathan casually turned his face to the princess, "My dear, I did absolutely nothing except show up to destroy the chiropteran. Call it divine providence- call it fate, but either way, I did nothing to cause it to happen."

"Yeah sure, the great conniving Nathan had nothing to do with setting Kanade with the man of her dreams. One problem, buddy, Kanade's blood will kill him," Mary Frances reminded.

Nathan giggled, causing the ladies to look at him in curiosity, "You girls never were very good at hearing the whole story- especially you, Mary Frances." As he watched them all settle in, he began to explain. "Remember, I explained to you about how your mother died?"

With a nod of two heads, Nathan added, "Their mother died not simply because she was run through by Saya's sword, but because the sword had Saya's blood on it. You know that, Mary Frances, but what you don't know is that when a queen becomes pregnant, her blood loses its power."

Mary Frances added the pieces in her head and responded in just above a whisper, "So that means that Hojo has to get Kanade pregnant."

Nathan tapped the end of his nose and smiled. "See? I told you she's as sharp as her dad!"

She responded with another curse and lewd comment, all the while glaring at the blonde chevalier.

"Ouch!" he mocked injury. "She has a temper to match it." He crossed his legs in a lady-like manner and continued, "It won't take long. Actually, if we left them alone now it would be enough."

"Are you serious?" Hibiki asked with wide eyes and was surprised when she felt a thump at the back of her head. She turned her blue eyes to her sister who was glaring at her.

"We're not rabbits. Stop trying to put us in a cage just to breed," she warned. "Besides, we still have a war to fight. It would be really stupid to go into it and have a pair of babies in my belly and no powerful blood to rely on."

"But it's your blood we are fighting," Mary Frances reminded. "You could get pregnant and Hibiki and I will fight them… and Nathan, if he wants to." She turned a pleading glance to the ancient chevalier who simply nodded his head.

"But Hibiki will need her chevalier," Kanade reasoned. She looked down at Hojo sadly and then added, "She needs him just as Aunt Saya needs hers. Besides, it was my blood- it's my responsibility. I will be fighting, too." Before anyone could argue, she added, "Dad is on his way with Riku."

"You sensed your chevalier's movements?" Nathan questioned with a proud look in his eyes.

She nodded, causing Hibiki to complain, "Hey! I'm the one that's been training! Why can't I sense mine, yet?"

Now it was Mary Frances' turn to hit her in the back of the head. She added, "Duh, he's just now been turned. Don't you think it would take a little longer for those senses to develop- at least until he's conscious?"

She stuck her tongue out at the princess while group watched Kanade brush a lock of hair from Hojo's face. Bending down, her lips touched the outer rim of his ear as she whispered, "I guess I'll have to be really careful around you now. You can't get any of my blood near you. Please be really careful."

Nathan gave a gentle smile as he watched his grand-niece kiss her future husband's forehead. Hibiki's voice pulled him from his reverie, "So does this mean that Kanade has to turn the guy I want into her chevalier?"

"Yeah," Nathan answered. "That is, only if you want to stop your 30 year hibernation."

"You mean that having kids will stop the hibernation?" Kanade asked.

He nodded and answered, "When the blood loses its power, yes."

Hibiki looked sad suddenly and then turned her eyes to her sister, "Because all Mom's chevaliers are dead, that means that Aunt Saya will always have to hibernate."

Nathan frowned and responded, "She wouldn't have to, if she could get pregnant from a chevalier of the blue line."