It has been…years. Hi. I just got a Master's degree. Yay! I am celebrating a moment of respite by writing a chapter for this story, because it has the most reviews. I hope the writing does not seem too different for it to be worth reading. If anyone's still out there—Enjoy.

3456

"Well, that was just…" Reito began as Natsuki pushed past him up the stairs. Mai stepped forward.

"Romantic? Adorable?" she offered, and he shifted to face her suddenly. It was odd, the way Shizuru and Reito moved. When they were occupied, their bodies were just so still. It always shocked her when they shifted their attention because any movement seemed like so much. He considered her coldly for a moment, his eyes first dancing across her face, and then crossing the rest of her body. Then, a smile slowly spread across his beautiful features as he met her eyes. It was charming. Very charming.

"I had been prepared to say 'rude,' but those words are also appropriate. Perhaps I should be more positive," he said smoothly. "It is so wonderful to meet you, Mai Tokiha." He took her hand and kissed it, causing her face to heat up until she was sure it was the color of her hair. People only did this in movies. She reminded herself this man was over a hundred years old.

"We m-met earlier," she stammered. She took a step back to ground herself, as they needed to discuss a serious matter.

"Of course," Reito said, his eyebrows rising as she stepped away from him. "I simply meant that it was nice to have a formal first meeting. I am Reito Minagi, born Kanzaki," he said, and his smile fell. "My sister," he said, his voice taking on a darkness that sent a shiver down her spine, "How is she alive?" Mai sighed, her shoulders falling. She was exhausted.

"I'm not entirely sure. This was my first mission ever, you know? I was introduced to Mikoto as my partner, and they told me it was her first mission after recovering from serious injuries. I really don't think the Council takes my intelligence seriously at all," Mai started. I knew who Mikoto was the second I met her, just like I knew Natsuki," she added in a sullen mutter. Reito did not react, his eyes boring into hers until she continued. "Okay…well, I guess she must have been hurt very badly, given that she supposedly died over 100 years ago. I never did manage to find out how long she had been in recovery," she told him, and saw his eyes move to her mouth as her expression tightened and she looked at the floor. She forced the next part out. "I think Arturius hurt her for a long time, in a lot of different ways," she whispered. She didn't like to think of it at all, and saying it was close to impossible. She hoped she would never need to say it again. The room was silent for a long while, and only looked up when she felt a hand touch her face. Reito was very close, and his eyes were kind. He pulled her into a hug, and he held her gently—as if she might break. She was, of course, stronger than the average human, but he could still break her. She stood very still, too shocked to respond.

"There is no way to thank you for caring for my sister as you have," he said quietly. "However, I would like to try. If you ever have cause to ask anything of me, I shall do everything in my power to see it done," he promised seriously, then stepped away and released her.

"There's, um, there's really no need for that," she said. "I love Mikoto. She's an amazing person. I've never met anyone like her," she said honestly, "And I'd do anything for her." Reito smiled that mysterious, charming smile at her again that made her stomach flutter, the serious moment passing.

"You do seem like that type of person, Mai Tokiha. I'm glad to hear it, but my offer stands," he said, then gave a small bow, "Now, I have a job to do for my sire," he said apologetically, and left the room.

3456

Shizuru had propped herself up on some pillows so that she could be upright when Natsuki came in. She was feeling particularly weak—not just physically, but emotionally as well. The appearance of strength was comforting to her. She had no idea what she would say to Natsuki, how she could possibly explain…everything, but as it happened there was no need to have worried. Natsuki had charged into the room, red-faced and wide-eyed, and with a breathless exclamation of her name, fallen on her in the bed and held onto her for dear life. Shizuru's eyes widened in surprise at the girl's strength.

"Ouch," she exhaled, and Natsuki stumbled off of her so quickly she fell to the floor.

"I'm so sorry, Shizuru, I forgot you were hurt—I, that was so stupid," she stammered as she stood up again, and Shizuru smiled and took her hand.

"Natsuki, I am no longer injured, you are just very strong," she said with a laugh in her voice. She pulled open her robe to reveal the newly healed skin over her heart. Natsuki leaned in without thinking and brushed her fingers across the healed skin, and jumped back as if burned when Shizuru gasped.

"Sorry," she said again, and Shizuru's smile widened.

"That was not painful," she said, and Natsuki's face turned a bright red.

"Oh," she squeaked, and Shizuru began to laugh. Natsuki dropped her hand and crossed harms, huffing her name out in exasperation. "I thought you were dead," the dark-haired girl accused, and Shizuru's laughter ceased abruptly.

"I, ah…I apologize for that. I am not sure how to have this conversation," she admitted awkwardly. Natsuki sat cross-legged across from her on the bed, and shrugged.

"You could just answer my questions." She said, and her sour mood seemed to evaporate. Shizuru watched her apprehensively, but nodded. "What are you?" she was silent for some time, considering how to reply.

"I am neither Lost, nor witch, but I am also both," she finally said, and noted with amusement how adorable it was when Natsuki's eyebrows scrunched together in confusion.

"What does lost mean?" she asked. Shizuru looked away.

"I am dead when the sun is in the sky, and alive when it is not. I must consume human blood to continue to exist. My body will never age beyond its current state, nor can I die of any disease. I—" Natsuki's hand slapped down on the bed suddenly, and Shizuru looked up to find her face incredulous.

"You're a freaking vampire?" she said suddenly. Shizuru shrank back.

"We do not use that word, for—" Natsuki narrowed her eyes in challenge, "yes, I suppose that I am," she conceded, "but I am also not."

"…Wow." Natsuki said, and Shizuru thought she was accepting all of this with much more levity than expected, "That's…well, I don't know what that is," she said, and fell onto her back on the bed suddenly, staring that the ceiling. Shizuru's hands were clasping the blanket on her lap repeatedly, compulsively. Natsuki sat up again, looking down at the british woman's hands. The younger girl's expression was pained. Shizuru forced them to stop moving. The other girl watched Shizuru sadly for a time. Then, the british girl watched several expressions slide across that beautiful face quickly. First a thoughtful expression, then a sly smile, and then the younger girl met her eyes with a determined, piercing gaze that froze her to the spot.

"W-what…what is it?" she asked, and Natsuki crossed her arms.

"I have a plan. I'd like you to answer the rest of my questions now, as simply and quickly as you can," Natsuki said, and Shizuru raised her eyebrows.

"I…will do my best," she responded uncertainly.

"Good," Natsuki said, and began, "So you are both a vampire and a witch?" Shizuru frowned.

"I am both Lost and a witch," she corrected, and Natsuki rolled her eyes.

"Mai told me earlier that my power was strength, immortality, and the ability to hide myself, somehow," Natsuki said, unsure about the last part, but pressed, "is it the same for all witches, for you?" she asked, and Shizuru was trying to decide how best to answer—how to phrase, whether to answer quickly or precisely, when Natsuki snapped her fingers. "Quickly," she said impatiently.

"No, it is not the same. Each family of witches have a different power. All witches are stronger than humans, but the Kanzaki are the strongest of all—stronger than even my kind. They do not age as humans do, and heal quickly. The Tokiha can hide the presence of themselves and others from supernatural beings like ourselves," she answered hurriedly, sinking into a strange, resigned obedience as Natsuki pressed on.

"And the Viola?" Natsuki had noticed she had left herself out, and Shizuru smiled sheepishly.

"The Viola power is command over the element of air," she answered, and Natsuki paused, the expression of awe directed at her making Shizuru shift uncomfortably.

"That's how you could fly?"

"Yes," the british woman was glad to have a simple question this time.

"Mai told me each witch family could only have one heir. Are you the heir or are you illegitimate too?" she asked, and Shizuru's brows raised again. She seemed to have missed quite a bit of exposition. This time, when she took too long to answer, Natsuki did not press her. Something must have shown on her face.

"I am the last," she finally said, quietly enough that Natsuki leaned forward to hear, "There are no other Viola and never will be," she looked up as Natsuki squeezed her hand briefly before continuing.

"Who were the people trying to kill you?" Natsuki resumed her barrage of questions, and Shizuru stiffened.

"Lost," she answered, and Natsuki rolled her eyes, and the questions came much faster.

"Why were they trying to kill you?"

"It is forbidden for us to kill our own kind, and I did so."

"There was more than one group—the Russian and the other girl, who were they?"

"They were both serving masters who are Elders among the Lost. I do not know Alexi's master, but Amahte serves Taliyah, an Elder who is several thousand years old,"

"How old are you?"

"One-hundred and seventy-three," Natsuki paused for a low whistle. This frustrated Shizuru, and then watched in fascination as Natsuki seemed to steel herself for something, before adopting a stern expression that made the british woman afraid to disappoint her.

"What was your favorite color again?" Shizuru frowned, but answered quickly,

"Lavender."

"Why did you jump in front of that sword?"

"Because I am in love with you," Shizuru answered quickly, and then clapped a hand over her mouth in shock. She shrank back against the headboard before looking at Natsuki, and was similarly shocked to find her smirking. The bed shifted as the dark-haired girl sat beside her.

"I love you too, Shizuru." Natsuki said, and then kissed her.

3456

It was quiet upstairs for hours…until well after the sun had come up, but then everything happened very quickly. Mai looked up as she heard Natsuki coming down the stairs.

"Oh my God…" she was muttering, repeating. Her face was white as a sheet.

"Natsuki?" she called to her, and unfocused eyes passed over her. Was she talking to herself?

"What…I don't...I…I'm some kind of…you're a—" The dark-haired girl stumbled as she hit the last step, and looked through Mai at the front door. "Shizuru is…It's too much. It's all too much," she said the last part to Mai, actually seeing her this time.

"Natsuki, it's all right. You're just…you need to take a minute, everything is still the same. We're all still the same," she tried gently. Natsuki's eyes narrowed, and her voice was shaky.

"No," Natsuki struggled to get out, "No," she repeated, as if she couldn't seem to decide what the "no" was for, but when she ran out the door, Mai was smart enough not to follow her. She'd known Natsuki had accepted all of this far too easily. She was so focused on Shizuru that she hadn't even considered everything that had happened in the last few days outside of their interactions. Natsuki could be maddeningly single-minded when she wanted something, but apparently that something had passed.