Hello again, everyone! Terribly sorry for my long absence. The last couple of weeks I've been finishing up classes, then I had the oh so exciting finals of doom. Now, it's summer vacation! I hope you can all forgive me for my tardiness!
Sakura02: Well, Infected kind of goes with Senna. And yes, Senna would be happy if Kaname got with his real true love :). Then she'd have an awesome mommy and daddy.
althearegine: Ichijo is actually going to show up in this chapter.
Thanks: Azura Soul Reaver, Usagi323, Sayuri x3, cityhobo1118, KayTester, AnimeMangaLover98, Princesa de la Luna, guardianranger, CuttlefishShiz, hisanachan, bluerose00, and Hunnychan123 for reviewing!
"Senri-nichan!" Senna screamed as she flew through the air and tackled the poor vampire. She laid on top of him and rubbed her cheek against his. "I missed you! I missed you!"
Senri simply stared at Senna blankly. "You haven't changed at all."
"I think she's gotten much cuter since I last saw her."
The voice made Senna's heart stop. It was such a warm and soothing voice that Senna closed her eyes for a moment. It was a much loved voice that she had feared she would never hear again. When she lifted her head up, tears immediately filled her eyes. She was off of Senri in a flash and running into the open arms of the person she had been longing to see for the past year more than anyone else. It was the person that had found her and been the bright light to guide her even when she was in the darkness of Rido's control. "Ichi-nichan!" She wailed out as she clung desperately to him.
Ichijo smiled and hugged her back tightly. "You've gone back to your original form." He breathed out. "That's good."
Senna simply sobbed into his shirt and clung tightly to him. "Where'd you go! Where have you been! I've missed you so much! I wanted to come find you but Kaname wouldn't let me! I was so scared that you were dead! I didn't get to tell you sorry for all the bad things I did to you when Rido was controlling me! I was scared I'd never see you again!"
"My silly beautiful little girl." Ichijo cooed. He lifted her face up and brushed the tears from her red cheeks. "There's nothing for you to apologize for. You did nothing wrong."
Senna shook her head stubbornly. "I bit you and said all those terrible things to you!"
Ichijo laughed and stroked her hair. "It's all right." He smiled as he held her in a few moments of silence before the question he had been dreading popped up.
"Where were you, Ichi-nichan?" Senna whispered.
"Well," Ichijo took a deep breath as he tried to think of the best way to tell Senna. "you see, Senna, I'm sort of, kind of, working for Sara-sama."
Senna stared blankly at him for a moment before shrieking at the top of her lungs. "Why're you with that stupid Sara-hag!"
Ichijo sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "It's…complicated, Senna." He frowned as Senna attempted to pull away from him. "Senna…"
"No!" Senna began crying again in anger. "I hate that woman! Why'd she take you away! Why haven't you left her yet!"
"Senna, I can't." Ichijo pled with the still struggling and upset child. "It's too difficult to explain right now. Please don't be angry at me. I promise you, I'll be with you again soon."
Senna wiped her tears away and sniffled. "Promise?"
Ichijo smiled softly at Senna and kissed her forehead. "I promise."
Rima had been standing to the side watching the whole thing. "By the way, Senna, did Kaname actually let you wander off without supervision?" The silence she received was answer enough. "You're going to be in trouble." Rima glanced at Ichijo. "So, did you know she's got two boys after her? A vampire and a vampire hunter."
"Ichi-nichan, you're scaring me." Senna shuddered at the murderous intent rolling off of Ichijo.
"That's preposterous!" Ichijo shouted. "If those boys think I'll let them near my cute little Senna, they've got another thing coming to them! Does Kaname-sama know about them!"
Senri sighed. "Yes and he's not letting them too close to her."
Ichijo's murderous intent disappeared and he smiled brightly. "Well, that's wonderful. Now, if you'll excuse me." He blinked as Senna grabbed his jacket.
"You're leaving!" She asked, desperation clear on her face. "What about Kaname? Aren't you going to at least say hi to him?"
Ichijo smiled and knelt down to Senna's level. "No, it would be best if he didn't see me right now. Well, more that I don't think I can face him right now. I promise I'll see you again very soon, Senna. Be a good girl for me, okay?"
Senna bit her lip before leaning up and kissing Ichijo's cheek. "I'll be good for you, Ichi-nichan." She sighed as Ichijo hugged her one last time before disappearing.
"You better not get all sulky again." Senri poked Senna in the head with his finger.
Senna batted his finger away and stuck her tongue out at him. "I'm worried about Ichi-nichan. That Sara-hag…she's up to something."
"When are Purebloods not up to something." Rima sighed out. She knelt beside Senna and patted her head. "Don't worry. Ichijo will be okay."
"There you are, Senna!" Aidou puffed out as he ran over to the three. "Kaname-sama has been looking everywhere for you!"
Senna tilted her head to the side. "What's wrong?"
"Did something happen?" Rima asked.
"It seems that one of the Hunters that were patrolling disappeared and Ouri-sama is missing." Aidou huffed out.
Senna thought for a moment before remembering Kaname had told Ouri was one of the other Purebloods, Sara's fiancé. A flash of the scent of blood clinging to Sara went through Senna's mind and she shuddered. She glanced over her shoulder at the hallway where Ichijo had disappeared down. "Ichi-nichan…" she whispered.
"Sorry, but, I need to take her to Kaname-sama." Aidou grabbed Senna's hand and dragged her back to the main ballroom where Kaname was waiting.
Senna immediately ran over to Kaname and leapt into his arms. She buried her face in his neck. "Kaname, something bad is going to happen."
Kaname breathed a small sigh of relief seeing that Senna was all right. "I know, Senna. This violent chess game is just beginning and I'm afraid you will have to witness it."
And we're stopping! Review please!