Beautiful.

It really was beautiful.

The house I was never supposed to remember.

I stood there.

Outside.

As the snow fell heavily onto my hair.

I gazed at it.

Soaking in its memories.

Its happiness.

And its tragedy.

Perhaps...if things were different...I'd never have been able to look upon this house again.

That is why I stared.

Kaname ordered the others in the night class to enter the building.

He stayed out there with me.

He allowed himself to become cold.

So he could watch over me.

I was grateful for that.

I was grateful, that when silent tears made their way down my cheeks...that he was there.

As he wrapped his arms around me, there was no coldness anymore.

Only warmth.

I clung to that as we stood there.

I began to shiver.

"We can go in now. Kaname." I murmur.

We walk silently towards the house.

As we draw closer, I feel more nervous.

What would it be like?

To enter this house?

The home of my past?

As if he could read my thoughts, I feel Kaname's hand that is holding mine tighten.

I glance at him and his eyes are full of unspoken reassurance.

I smile softly.

I know.

I know that everything will be alright if he is there.

As the large, ornate doors open, I hold my breath.

As if everything would crumble apart around me as soon as I stepped inside.

Kaname went first, gently pulling me along behind him.

As I stepped from the cold, wet ice, onto the polished wooden floors...

I feel a weight I hadn't noticed before lift from my shoulders and I release my breath.

I glance around me.

Taking in the beautiful walls, decor and atmosphere.

The condition of the house was pristine, and I wondered why there was no dust.

The night class students had already vacated the main entrance hall of the mansion.

I guessed Kaname had told them where their rooms were.

I glanced at him then, noticing that I hadn't been paying attention to him.

He was stood by the stairs.

A light smile played on his lips.

But he appeared sad at the same moment.

I moved toward him, a question in my eyes.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

His eyes flickered down briefly.

Before meeting mine again.

"It's nothing. Really." I frown.

I know that it isn't nothing.

If it was nothing, then it wouldn't be affecting him so outwardly.

I sigh.

I slowly place my hands onto his cheeks.

I watch as he moves his head to place his lips to the palm of one of my hands.

The action makes me smile.

But I withdraw my hands.

I look at him, worry etched into my face.

"Kaname? Please...I don't want you to keep anything from me."

I look away.

"I'll love you, no matter what it is." I murmur.

I hear him exhale and the tension that had been there ever since he returned, suddenly felt overwhelming.

"Please..." I hear him whisper. "Please don't make me...make me tell you..."

I tear my eyes away from the spot of the floor that I had been studying and look at his face.

He looked devastated.

His perfect features were scrunched.

And his eyes looked darker than usual.

He looked away and placed a hand onto his face.

"Kaname. I promise, I won't be angr-"

"Don't. Don't Yuki...You can't...you can't promise that..."

I feel my eyes widen in shock.

He had sounded so...

So...scared.

And wounded.

"You can't promise me that. You just...you just can't." I hear his voice break.

"Kana-"

"Yuki. I'm sorry...I'm so...so...sorry..."

I watch, in complete shock, as he sinks to his knees in front of me.

"What? What did you...? Why are you saying this Kaname?"

I see his body shake.

Is he crying?

But there are no sobs...

Nothing.

He's silent.

But I can feel his inner turmoil.

His pain.

And I can't do anything.

"Please...forgive me Yuki..."

I stare, not knowing what to say.

"Yuki...Yuki I'm..."

"Kaname?"

I hear him take in a shuddering breath.

"I'm a monster!"