"You're all serious tonight, Shiki. Is something wrong?"

Arcueid looked up from her seat on the swingset at Shiki who was pacing nervously in front of her.

"...Arcueid, how long have we known each other?"

"About two years now, I suppose. Why?"

Shiki raised his head, gazing up into the night sky. "It seems like only yesterday that we first met..." he started, hoping that Arcueid wouldn't bring up the fact that upon meeting each other for the first time Shiki sliced her into seventeen bloody chunks. She didn't, much to his relief, and he continued. "...and even after everything we've been through - Roa, Nero, Walachia... I wouldn't trade the time I was with you for anything." Turning to meet Arcueid's questioning gaze, Shiki took a few slow strides towards her. "The days I've been with you have been the happiest days of my life. You mean the world to me, Arcueid. Which is why..." He paused and took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. "Which is why I must ask you one question."

Shiki reached into his pocket and pulled out a small purple velvet-covered box. "I know it isn't much, but... Arcueid Brunestud..."

He knelt down before her and opened the box, revealing a simple silver ring.

"Will you marry me?"

Across the street, a lone figure cloaked in blue leapt off the top of a lamppost and disappeared into the night.

Ciel haphazardly tossed an armful of curry-flavored Cup-O-Ramens into a cardboard box. Grabbing a nearby roll of tape, she yanked off a strip and sealed the box, violently tearing off the rest of the roll. She was, needless to say, still quite upset at the events she witnessed two nights earlier: What was supposed to be the parting glimpse of another city saved from the touch of the damned turned into something much less satisfying. Shoving the box aside, she pulled another box from the stack on the floor and continued packing.

"The minute I turn my back that... that vampire has him in her clutches. I can't believe I actually trusted her! Of course foolish me believes that he's any different from the rest of his oversexed male friends." She seethed, tightly clutching a small glass flask of curry powder. "Damn you, Shiki!"

Ciel slammed the flask down onto the counter for emphasis, causing the fragile container to crack and break apart in her hand. Cursing, she dropped what remained on the counter, clutched her wrist and hissed in pain, the curry powder doing a fine job of burning the cuts in her palm.

It was around this time that there was a knock on the door.

"Yes, I'm coming," she snapped. Storming over to the door, she flung it open, scowling. "What do you- oh, Shiki!"

"Good morning, Ciel. I just came by to see-" He looked down. "Your hand!"

"What?" She glanced down. "Oh, it's nothing. One of the containers broke, that's all. I'm all right." She winced as the burning sensation intensified. "Really."

Shiki looked at her, then took her by the wrist and lead her inside. "Come on, let me take care of that for you. You don't want it getting infected, you know."

"So," Shiki began, pulling the last fragment of crimson-stained glass out of Ciel's palm with a pair of tweezers. "you're going to be heading back to the Vatican soon, I take it."

"Yes. I've no reason to stay here any longer than I have to."

"You'll keep in touch, right?"

"Perhaps."

Silence.

"...is something wrong?"

"No."

More silence. Shiki dabbed at Ciel's cuts with a cotton ball before tossing it into the garbage.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. After all, it isn't as if I discovered that you proposed to the very thing I'm trying to rid the world of."

"What?"

"You heard me!" she said loudly, her anger rising. "What on earth were you thinking when you decided to spend the rest of your life with that woman?" She looked up, as if having an epiphany. "Oh, that's right! Maybe you were thinking about how nice it would be to still be sleeping with someone who has the body of a twenty-one-year-old when you're old and gray!"

"Ciel."

"Assuming of course she even lets you grow old like a normal human being and doesn't turn you into a Dead Apostle the moment you left on your honeymoon!"

"Ciel!"

"But since you're obviously thinking with your genitals like every other man in existence, all you saw was a carefree life with a woman who cooks, cleans and fucks like a tiger!"

"It's not-"

"Get OUT!" she screamed, pushing him into the hallway.

"It's not like that! If you let me explain-"

"Explain? What's to explain?"

"Ciel, I stopped by to say goodbye-"

"Goodbye," she deadpanned, brushing past him and storming down the hallway.

Shiki continued. "...and to apologize for not being around to see you off when you go back home."

Ciel stopped dead in her tracks, slowly turning to face him. "What?"

"Arcueid and I are moving up north in a day's time." He nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "We haven't found a place yet, but things will probably work themselves out in the end."

"What about your sister?"

"She's the reason why we're moving. I told Akiha about my intentions to marry Arcueid and she didn't take it too well. It would probably be for the better if we kept our distance from each other."

Ciel could feel her anger receding, despite her wishes. "She didn't attack you, did she?"

"No. When I told her she said I had to decide between Arcueid and the Tohno family. In choosing one I would have to abandon the other."

"...and you chose her?"

He nodded. She stared at him for a few seconds, aghast, before speaking.

"You mean to tell me," Ciel started, "that you were willing to give up everything you had - including your family name - for her?"

"Yes."

"Why?" she blurted out.

Shiki answered softly, "...because I love her."

Ciel continued to stare at him, a mixture of shock and confusion on her face, before he spoke again, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry about this. Don't worry, I'll find my way out." With that, he slowly headed for the front door. Sliding it open, he stepped outside and was about to close it when he heard Ciel's hurried footsteps approaching him.

"Shiki."

"Yes?" he replied, turning back.

"I'm... I'm sorry for the way I reacted," she said, averting her eyes downwards.

"It's all right. I understand how you feel about her."

And how I feel about you, she mentally added. "...and... though I may not approve of your union," she continued, looking up. "I will still pray that your marriage is a happy one."

He smiled. "Thank you, Ciel." Stepping outside, he added, "you will keep in touch, right?"

"Yes. Yes, of course."

"Great. Goodbye, Ciel."

"Wait, Shiki." He paused, looking at her quizzically. "If I may request one last thing before you depart."

"All right."

Her voice lowered. "Kiss me."

He stared at her for a moment. "...Ciel, I'm-"

"I know. I understand that you love her, and that nothing I can say or do will change that. But..." She wrung her hands. "But before you and Arcueid are wed, just once, I want to-"

Ciel's words were cut short as Shiki pulled her forward and pressed his lips to hers. She wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly, returning his kiss in kind. Their embrace lingered on for what seemed like ages before they finally separated, her head swimming with emotion.

He smiled warmly at her, stepping back. "Goodbye, Ciel."

"Farewell, Shiki," she replied, dazed.

She stood in the doorway watching him as he walked down the road, turning and waving to her just before rounding the corner. Once he was out of sight she pulled the door shut, leaning up against it for support. As tears began rolling down her cheeks she slowly slid to the floor, sobbing.

"Damn you, Shiki..."

"Arima residence."

"Good day, Master Shiki."

"Hisui?"

"Is something wrong, Master Shiki?"

"No, no... it's just that I was surprised to hear from you, that's all."

"I am calling you to see if you and Miss Arcueid are well. Am I correct in assuming that you have found suitable accommodations?"

"We're doing fine, thanks for asking. Yeah, right now we're living in an apartment complex. I've been working as a part-time assistant - more like a bodyguard, really - for the head of the Sabaki law firm, and Arcueid's... well, she's doing something."

"Master Shiki, if I may be so forward as to ask what sort of occupation she is holding?"

"She won't say. She's assured me that it isn't illegal, though, and I trust her. Whatever it is, she's earning quite a bit of money for only a few hours of work a week."

Rin whistled in appreciation. "Look at her. If I weren't so good-looking I'd almost feel jealous."

Taking a sip from her soda, Rin continued reading the magazine she found lying on the floor in Shirou's house. Granted, it was lying on the floor under a futon, but it was still on the floor. Practically in the open, even. So it couldn't be helped if someone just came along, picked it up and started reading it, right? Right.

"I'd still love to know how she fit those things into that outfit," she remarked. "It looks like it would be a tight fit for Saber." Thoughtfully, she added, "come to think of it, Saber wouldn't look that bad in it..."

"It's not my colour."

Rin blinked. Slowly turning around, she saw a mystified Shirou and an impassive-looking yet clearly irate Saber standing in the doorway. Thinking fast, she leapt to her feet and angrily waved the magazine in Shirou's face. "How dare you keep this filthy, disgusting, misogynistic trash lying around your house! Have you no shame?"

"...and how dare you enter Master's house without his permission and read it," Saber calmly replied.

"Only so I could know just how filthy, disgusting and misogynistic it really was!" She folded her arms across her chest and snorted. "Honestly Shirou, I used to think so highly of you, and now-"

"This took you fifteen minutes?" she asked.

"Huh?"

"It took you fifteen minutes to determine that you were offended by it?"

"...you were standing behind me for fifteen minutes?"

Saber nodded.

"Yeah, well... uh..." Pointing to something behind Saber and Shirou, she shouted, "look out! It's Berserker!" before running past them and out the front door. The two stood there for a moment before Shirou spoke.

"She does know that we didn't turn around, right?"

"It's a little rough, but we're making ends meet. So... how's-"

"Hey Hisui, it's Shiki, right? Let me talk to him."

"Hi Kohaku."

"Hey Master Shiki! So how're you and the Missus? Have any kids yet?"

"Well, not yet, but-"

"'Not yet?' So you're planning on it, eh? Hey, if you need any help taking care of your kids Hisui and I would be more than happy to give you a hand."

"Thank you for your offer, Kohaku, but Akiha needs you more than I. Speaking of which, I was about to ask how she was doing."

"Well, after you left Miss Akiha tried her best to make it seem like she didn't regret what happened, but it's pretty obvious that what happened between you two was eating her up inside."

"...I see."

"She's doing much better nowadays, though. She's going out all the time with that one girl, Miss... Sero? Zeon?"

"Akira Seo?"

"Yeah, her! Anyway, they've been hanging out with each other more often these days and it's been doing her a world of good. A little social interaction does wonders, you know."

"Ah, Akiha-"

"That's Mistress to you."

"Mistress, could you please untie me? I know I've been a naughty girl and all but I really need to use the bathroom, okay?"

"That's a relief. Anyway, it's been nice talking to you two again."

"Likewise... and hey, if you have any trouble with your kid or 'performing' for Arcueid, just give me a call and I'll hook you up, okay?"

"Thanks... I think..."

Swallowing on a dry throat, the new assistant stood in front of the door leading to the office of Hideto Toyowara, head of the Toyowara Foundation. Only three weeks into his career and here he was, about to meet face-to-face with the head honcho himself. Though what he was doing at the moment amounted to little more than a courier job for Mr. Toyowara, he still hoped to make a good first impression.

"Better get this over with," he mumbled to himself, and knocked on the door.

"Enter," a deep voice boomed.

He opened the door and stepped into the office, immediately awestruck by the room's opulence: Fine mahogany bookshelves filled with books on law, business and military strategy spanned the entirety of one wall, with the other wall being home to framed diplomas, awards, photographs and certificates, and a stand which held several katana which looked to be centuries old. The door to the office was flanked by two maroon couches, with a svelte raven-haired woman in a fashionable violet dress lounging on the one to his left. In front of him sat a massive desk, home to a flat-screen PC monitor, a flask of brandy and several stacks of paper.

Behind that desk was Hideto Toyowara, who shot a stern glare at the aide before going back to writing on a legal pad. Though in his sixties - and rapidly losing his hair - he was still in better shape than most men thirty years his younger. This, combined with his chiseled, almost angular facial features, gave him a rather imposing presence of which the young man was feeling the full brunt.

"Well?" he said gruffly. "Come out with it."

Composing himself, the aide bowed deeply before speaking. "There's some new information regarding the Toyowara clan's distant relatives," he said.

"Did they finally discover who murdered them?"

"No, but... they did manage to find a survivor."

Hideto's brow furrowed briefly, belying his surprise. He set his pen aside, directing his full attention towards the aide. "A survivor?"

"Yes, sir."

He looked pointedly at the manilla folder in the young man's grasp. "I take it that contains the information on him, or her?"

"Yes, sir."

"Bring it here."

He obediently strode to the desk and handed it to Hideto, who opened it and began sifting through the various reports and surveillance photos. Without looking up he intoned, "thank you. You may leave."

The young man bowed once again and made a dignified yet hasty exit.

As Hideto read through the reports the woman stood up and made her way over to his side, gingerly perching on the edge of his desk. "With the way you obsess over them I'm surprised that you haven't changed your name," she said with a wry smirk.

"Don't be ridiculous. They were the ones who married into our family." He shuffled through the photos, then tossed the folder onto his desk and leaned back in his chair, irritation evident in his expression. "...for all the good it did. The one remaining member of my ancestor's clan and he turns out to be male. Married, no less. Even if I did have one of them take her out of the picture there would be none who could bear his child and continue the bloodline." He scoffed. "Four sons, and they're all useless."

"Not all of them, dearest." The woman reached out a slender hand and picked up one of the photos that spilled out of the folder. "You forget that your eldest is wed as well."

"What good is he?"

"Though you may not be able to have a grand-child, a great-grand-child is not out of the question."

Hideto drummed his fingers on the desk as he pondered his wife's statement. "A possibility. Assuming of course that he decides to sire a child with this... foreigner."

"He will."

"What makes you so certain?"

She laughed. "It's a simple enough matter to know how a young man's mind works... and besides..." Standing up, she placed the photograph back on the desk and slinked towards the door. Pulling it open, she continued. "The photographer caught them... shall we say, 'in the act?'"

Hideto reached out and picked up the photograph in question. "So he did," he said matter-of-factly.

"He almost looks like you when you were that age, dearest..." she purred, as the office door slowly swung closed. Smiling, she added, "almost as energetic, as well..."

The doctor reached out and gently shook Shiki by the shoulder. "Mister Arima?"

Shiki jolted awake. "Mnuh?"

"Sorry to startle you. Your wife has come out of the delivery room." He paused for dramatic effect. "Congratulations, Mister Arima. It's a girl."

An expression of pure joy spread across Shiki's face. "That's... that's great! What about Arcueid? Is she all right?"

"Your wife's fine. She's currently in Room 307. Just head down that hallway and make a left."

Standing up, Shiki quickly made his way down the dimly-lit hallway, weaving through the various staff members, patients and visitors. Giving a curt nod to a pair of nurses as he slipped by, he rounded the corner and found himself in a decaying, run-down hall, the flickering halogen lights coloring everything a sickly yellow. He slowed his pace, looking about before a twitch of motion drew his attention towards the ground: There lay a wounded doctor, his face and arms covered in deep claw marks, grasping at the floor as he slowly crawled down the hall. His legs lay limp behind him, a smeared trail of blood in his wake.

Sprinting over, Shiki slid to a halt as he knelt by his side. "What happened? Who did this to you?"

The man slowly turned and looked up at Shiki with dull, unfocused eyes. He made a gurgling noise before coughing, covering the floor in front of him with red flecks. "N... not huma... n... killed oth... ers... please..." he moaned, before his body slumped to the floor, unmoving.

Shiki made a mad dash back down the hallway and leaned out around the corner. "Hey, this man needs a doc-" He trailed off. "...tor?"

The hall that he had walked down not more than thirty seconds ago, filled with over a dozen people, was completely empty. Shiki glanced behind him and promptly did a double-take: The wounded doctor, too, was no longer there, though the trail of blood he left behind still remained. Focusing himself, he drew his knife from his pocket and carefully crept made his way down the hallway, following the trail left by the missing doctor until it lead him to one of the patient rooms. The door was closed and the number plainly visible.

307.

"Please be safe," he whispered to himself, then turned the knob and gave the door a push. The door slowly swung open and Shiki nearly gagged at what he saw: A nurse was slumped against the wall near the door in a pool of gore, her neck torn open and her uniform covered in crimson. In the middle of the room a doctor lay on the floor, his abdomen torn open and his entrails dumped in a bloody heap at his side. Fearing the worst, Shiki looked to the bed... only to see Arcueid smiling sweetly at a bundle in her arms, seemingly oblivious to the macabre scene surrounding her. "Arcueid?"

Arcueid looked up at Shiki, still smiling. "Hey there, dad."

"'Hey there, dad?' Arcueid, what the hell happened here?"

Her smile faded and she arched an eyebrow. "Huh? Oh, you mean them," she said, gesturing to the bodies on the floor with her free hand. "Well, your daughter got a bit hungry, that's all." Looking back at the baby she cooed, "she's such a fussy eater. Yes she is. Yes she is!" The baby, delighted with the attention it was receiving, burbled happily. "You know, I think she has your smile."

Despite his every instinct urging him not to, Shiki warily stepped over to Arcueid's side as she turned the baby towards him. The baby looked up at her father with golden eyes and smiled, its mouth opening to reveal dozens of long, needle-like teeth.

The doctor reached out and gently shook Shiki by the shoulder. "Mister Arima?"

Shiki jolted awake. "Mnuh?"

"Sorry to startle you. Your wife has come out of the delivery room." He paused for dramatic effect. "Congratulations, Mister Arima. It's a girl."

An expression of pure joy spread across Shiki's face. "That's... that's great! What about Arcueid? Is she all right?"

"Your wife's fine. She's currently in Room 307. Just head down that hallway and make a left."

Standing up, Shiki was about to make his way down the empty hallway when he paused. Something tugged at his memory like a half-remembered dream; he wasn't sure what it was, precisely, but he was certain it had something to do with this hospital. He continued on his way, keeping an eye out for anything out of the ordinary.

Rounding the corner he looked toward the floor, only to find... nothing. Of course the fact that there was nothing of note on the floor didn't bother Shiki so much as the fact that he expected to see something there. Odd to be sure, but stranger things did happen. He shrugged it off, continuing down the hallway to Room 307.

As he reached for the doorknob he paused, that nagging sensation returning once again. Somehow he had the strangest feeling that he didn't want to see - or shouldn't see - what lay beyond. Writing it off as nothing more than anxiety, he opened the door. Inside was...

...was Arcueid, holding their child while seated in a perfectly ordinary bed in a perfectly ordinary room. Inwardly scolding himself for being so paranoid, he entered the room. Arcueid looked up at him, smiling. "Hey there, dad."

"Hello, mom. You feeling alright?"

"You weren't worried about me, were you?"

"A little, yes."

"Don't worry, I've been through a lot worse. Your daughter's doing fine as well. See?"

Arcueid turned the bundle towards Shiki and a small human form jumped out and latched onto Shiki's arm. No more than two feet tall, it looked like a shorter version of Arcueid - complete with white sweater and purple skirt - with a tail, cat ears and eyes that took up half of its face. Looking up at Shiki, it grinned. "Nya! Hi, pops!"

The doctor reached out and gently shook Shiki by the shoulder. "Mister Arima?"

Shiki jolted awake. "Mnuh?"

"Sorry to startle you. Your wife has come out of the delivery room." He paused for dramatic effect. "Congratulations, Mister Arima. It's a girl."

Shiki peered up at the doctor, suspicion evident in his expression.

"Is something the matter?"

"There weren't any problems, were there?"

"No complications at all."

"Nothing unusual, such as her being born with teeth or cat ears?"

The doctor was put off slightly by Shiki's question but politely replied, "nothing of the sort, sir. Your daughter is perfectly healthy."

Shiki breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you. 307, right?" he asked, standing up.

"That's right," the doctor replied, checking something off on his clipboard. It wasn't until a few seconds later that it dawned on the man that he never said anything about the room number. He turned to ask Shiki how he knew, only to see him round the corner at the far end of the hall.

"Weirdo," he mumbled.

Hearing the "click" of the door knob, Arcueid looked up from her daughter to see Shiki step into the room. "Hi. How are you feeling?"

"Relieved." She paused, then added, "...but still worried."

"Did something happen?"

"No, it's just that... well, look."

Shiki hesitated for a moment, but emboldened by his earlier dreams - after all, he thought to himself, it can't be much worse than that - he went over to his wife's bedside to take a look at his newborn daughter, who reached her tiny little hand out towards the strange new person before her, giggling in delight. There didn't seem to be anything missing or out of place: Ten fingers, ten toes, a tiny little nose, no pointy teeth, red eyes...

Wait... red eyes?

"Don't babies have blue eyes when they're born?" he asked.

"That's what I'm worried about."

"You don't think that there's something wrong with her, do you?"

"Oh, no. It's not that; I was just hoping that she would have looked more like you."

He sat down on the edge of the bed next to her. "What do you mean?"

"You know, more Japanese. So she'd fit in."

"I think she'll be all right; it's not as bad as it used to be." He adjusted his glasses. "Besides, I heard there's some Japanese men who find exotic-looking women very attractive."

She smiled warmly at him. "Thanks, Shiki." Looking back at her daughter, she furrowed her brow and said, "we still need to think of a name for her, though."

"Ichiko?"

"Ichiko? How many kids do you plan on us having, anyway?"

"It was just a suggestion. I'm not too fond of it myself, but it's a start."

"We could always name her Shiki Jr."

Shiki shook his head. "People will think that we're unoriginal."

"...and Ichiko isn't?"

"It was just a suggestion. How about Ryogi?"

"Ryogi? Isn't that a guy's name?"

"It can be a girl's name."

Arcueid looked down at her daughter. "She really doesn't look like a Ryogi, though."

The three of them sat there in silence, Arcueid and Shiki lost in thought and their child looking up at them in wonder.

"...Satsuki."

He looked at her, surprised. "What?"

"Satsuki Arima. That sounds nice for a May child, don't you think?"

Shiki said nothing, turning away and nodding sullenly. Arcueid looked at him with a puzzled expression for a few seconds before it dawned on her. "Oh, that's right. Your friend... it's too morbid, isn't it?"

He shook his head. "No, it's a good name. I think... I think she'd approve."

"Alright. Satsuki it is, then." Looking back at her daughter, she inquired, "how does that sound to you?"

Satsuki giggled joyfully in reply.

A/N: This was prompted by a thread on a forum a while back about hypothetical children and started out in that vein, but ended up being about something more personal as it went on. The forum doesn't exist as such anymore, making this entirely obsolete. Yet here it is, for reasons you can likely intuit. "Applause is the spur of noble minds, the end and aim of weak ones."