We all know that life ain't fair
But there's more of us we're everywhere
We don't have to take this back against the wall
We don't have to take this we can end it all
-Lyrics to 'Bully' performed by Shinedown
Crimson Bonds Part 2
Opening his eyes when the bright spiral of color faded, the newly transported arrivals took in the familiar surroundings of Wufei and Anna's living room to the chorus of cheered, "Uncle Quatre! Aunt Relena!"
Laughing, the Congresswoman and her Companion lowered themselves to their knees to be assaulted with hugs from the young Vampires charging down on them.
After a moment for all of her children to have had a shot in greeting their friends, the Irish Infected stepped up with a grinned, "Alright, kids. Give them a little space to collect themselves. Teleporting takes a little adjustment for the bearings to set in."
Of course, she was upon the pair as soon as they had straightened themselves to pull them into tight hugs.
The scientist held her back, chuckling, "We've missed you, too, Anna." Trowa shook his head in amusement and returned to his wife's side now that his travelers were safely at their destination.
"Nice work taking care of those Rogues," Relena praised quietly before the embrace was lowered. She focused on the smiling faces of the other Preventers, nodding firmly, "All of you. That had been a particularly tough case that Treize and Lady Une had not expected to see handled as efficiently as you all did."
Heero glanced over at his lover and sister flanking him as he smirked, "Well, we did have a bit of an edge thanks to Duo and Anna. Their combined tracking skills were most valuable for closing in on that clan." His creations met his gaze with wide smiles of gratitude for the compliment.
No longer about to miss out on reconnecting with his long-time best friend, Maxwell moved to exchange a one-armed hugs with Winner. "Good to see you, Quat," he said sincerely. "How's the world of modern medicine and genetics treating you?"
Beaming, the blonde Companion pulled back while answering in a rush, "More and more intriguing by the minute. You have no idea how many levels of data can come from a single strand of DNA. And even with the enhanced technologies of today, we're still only scratching the surface! Only one scrape of protein, for example, has over fifteen million micro-"
He cut himself short at the glazed-over looks of confusion from the children along with the bemused looks from his hosts and smiled sheepishly, "Uh, yea. It's still pretty awesome."
The family laughed as the remainder of the clan welcomed in their visitors. At his firm handshake with Wufei as the last to reach him, Winner commented, "I hate to get right to business, but I know that Treize is understandably anxious to hear the results of my tests on those blood samples."
Holding up the black duffle strapped across his chest, he wiggled his eyebrows by means of letting onto his own anticipation to use his gear.
"Anna and I had expected as much," the scaly Vampire grinned. "I'll take you up to the den that we have deemed off limits to our little wrist biters so you can work in peace." That said, he led the scientist from the living room so that their wives could resume catching up.
Once they were well on the way up the spiral staircase away from listening ears, Quatre looked up to the back of his guide. "How many were killed by this bunch before they were finally taken out?" he inquired in genuine concern.
Sighing, Wufei never paused in his steps as he peered over his shoulder to answer, "Twelve that we now know of. But then their humans of interest were not exactly ones on the books. I highly doubt that the cases we determined for certain to be their prey are the only ones they managed to dig their fangs into."
His throat constricting, the blonde murmured, "Twelve. And probably more." Staring down at the stairs, he frowned deeply, "That's more than we've heard of in quite a while for one pack."
Which was exactly why he needed to look into those blood samples to confirm that there was not more to it, of course. Treize and Lady Une wanted those results for peace of mind every bit as much as the Companion did now.
In the end, whatever his findings came up with would not necessarily be the best of news one way or the other... but one possibility was particularly unnerving should there be any change in the results leading up to this round of experiments.
Reaching the top floor, Wufei paused before the office at the far end of the hallway with a view over the mountain range. A scaly hand reached up to twist the doorknob open as he granted access inside and stepped away for his friend to walk past him. "If you need anything, just call for us," he offered kindly.
A quick glance around the spacious, hardwood floored room with a large bay window and a gorgeous view proved to reveal everything was as Quatre needed it.
Positioned at the center of the space was an ornate desk of oak with a small stack of slides and Petrie dishes all bearing secured, wide rings of crimson with a tall microscope from the late twentieth century stationed at the far end of the counter top that was in prime condition for its age... a fossil to those of science in present.
But then, few appreciated that some of the classics of gear were every bit as good as the current standards the way Winner did.
"This will more than do," the Companion announced with a wide, pleased smile as he headed for the desk with his personal gear. Nodding back to the Infected, he said, "Thanks, Wufei. Hopefully this won't take me too long."
Chang reassured, "If it does, we'll made sure you have the space you need for all the time you need." Chewing on the inside of his cheek, he finally muttered, "Good luck." Silently, he closed the door behind himself.
Biting his lip nervously, Quatre peered back at the desk- specifically the dishes of blood samples- with that last sentiment resonating in his mind.
'Good luck.' It was not meant to suggest that Winner needed luck in finding results. It was intended to carry over the fortune they'd had so far in what those results were... It was the kind of luck that everyone was hoping for.
Quickly removing his pack and setting his station to allow the most efficiency in his work, the scientist pulled himself up close into a chair and rubbed his hands together as he stared at his subjects.
"Okay," he whispered to himself, "here goes."
Set to his task, he took up the dish from the top of the stack.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Back downstairs, Midi was pouring 'tea' for her long-time friend seated at the back patio table. "And how is the world of politics, Relena?" she asked.
Folding her hands together in her lap, the Congress woman had left her skirts and dress suits for a much more casual look of blue jeans and a simple, deep pink sweater on this day away from her civil duties.
"Oh, the usual long processes of delegations, debates and signings," she smiled with a shrug. "Not a lot to report on that end as far as anything new." As she accepted the cup offered to her, her grin widened with a soft, "Thank you, my dear. And how have you been adjusting to your new power?"
Her host giggled, "Very well if you could not even tell that I am not actually Midi." Nearly dropping the china glass that she was bringing to her lips, Peacecraft gasped, wide-eyed. Laughing, the Latin Infected stepped into the room at the same time that her mirrored-self vanished. "Forgive me, Relena," she continued to snicker along with Anna, "I could not help myself."
Quickly recovering when she turned towards her friend, the Original giggled, "Well, that certainly answers my question. How is it to be able to have several of you running around at once?"
"I never have to worry about guests coming over since it takes me no time to make sure the estates are in order and there is almost always one of me making sure that my restaurant is running smoothly," Midi beamed. "And as an added bonus, watching after my nieces and nephews when Wufei and Anna are away is no challenge at all."
Sighing, Anna propped her head up on her hands as she murmured, "What every mother on the planet wouldn't give for that - to not only have more than two hands to take care of her kids, but to have more than one of herself fielding them." She smirked, "Luckily Wufei is able to mimic that gift when we really need it."
Relena lowered her cup atop its rounded plate and met the Irish immortal's eyes, commenting, "The two of you must be looking to add onto your family again pretty soon, I imagine. Rosie is several years along now and your eldest lot have moved on to be their own Clan now that they have paired up with their Companions."
The corner of her mouth curling up, the Siren shrugged, "We have discussed that and do plan on more, of course. One of the nicest parts of being Vampires is that we have plenty of time on our side for a whole other wave of babies when the time is right."
Relena chewed on her bottom lip before focusing back on the redhead to begin, "I hope that I do not make you uncomfortable by asking this, but it has been something that has always made me curious..."
At the silent permission to go on from her friend when Anna nodded, she made vague gestures with her hands as she all but whispered in embarrassment, "How do you and Wufei... well... know when you are safe to... be together and not become pregnant? I know that neither one of you would be able to practice abstinence."
Yuy-Chang's head fell back with a vibrant laugh. "Uh, no... Not a... chance of that!" she managed between the breaks in her bursts of mirth. Calming herself, she wiped a stay tear from her eye to grin in reassurance, "And you should know by now that I'm not shy, anyway."
To the chuckles of the other immortal ladies, she leaned back in her chair to inform, "We have been through enough pregnancies now that Wufei figured out the signs. He can taste the slightest bit of bitterness in my blood when he bites me to indicate when my body is basically ovulating. So we find... alternative ways of taking care of our libidos until it passes in a couple of days."
"O-Oh," Peacecraft stammered in surprise, her gold-and-blue eyes blinking widely. "That is fascinating. I never would have thought that your chemistry could change like that, but it does make sense that there would have to be come kind of difference since you have a functioning reproductive system."
Anna smiled, "Yep. It's the only part of me that's working besides my blood production. Sally continues to be fascinated by it, so she has been using me on the side for some tests and samples from time to time for her research in the medical field." Tilting her head, she concluded, "It's all been a help for us as well, making it easier for us to prepare for extending our family again."
Lowering herself into a chair across from the redhead, Midi smiled wistfully, "And it will be wonderful to have another bunch of little ones running around."
She tilted her head, causing her brown hair to bounce past her shoulders as she winked at Anna, "I, on the other hand, am perfectly content to be busy enough raising my own 'kids' in my dear cousins. This last mission had me pacing the floors so that I am surprised I did not wear the carpets down to the glue holding them down. I could not dream of having babies to fret over in such a way."
"It is true that you never stop worrying over your children," the Irish Infected nodded shallowly. "I know that Charles, Isabel, John and Carol are more than capable of taking care of themselves. And they all found the perfect Companions to spend the rest of their existences with."
Shaking her head, she snorted, "Hell, they live in these same mountains and I still can't help but wonder how they're doing all the time. Even years after they set out into the world, I still have the occasional times of wishing that we were all under the same roof again."
Relena smiled sadly and squeezed her friend's shoulder when she stopped herself just on the verge of becoming emotional. Folding her arms around her waist, Anna gave her an appreciative grin when came the shrill cry from the living room, "MOM! Solo tugged my hair for no reason!"
The boy's voice hollered back, "I did not! You're making it up!" Rosie, Fiona, Mao, Cai and Ian all chimed in over each other immediately following that until they were all one loud and unintelligible clamor.
Her shoulders sagging with a deep sigh, the Irish Vampire chuckled sheepishly, "I emphasize the word 'occasionally' to my last statement." On her feet and rushing for the door, she took on an authoritarian tone as she ordered over the shouting voices, "Alright! Everybody retract your fangs and drop now!"
There was not another sound from the distant room while she disappeared through the door, the sound of laughter from the lovely immortals she left behind following her heels.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Over the course of the next few hours, the Trowa-Yuy Clan busied themselves by playing with the youngsters as their tension slowly grew with every minute that passed. Quatre was a thorough researcher, and so they all knew that he was going to be a while before re-emerging from the den with his results that he would have double and triple-checked.
That did not mean that the Vampires were any less anxious for some kind of word.
Finally, the slightest shuffle of feet along the hardwood of the spiraled staircase reached the family gathered in the living room.
Their backs straightening rigidly in the middle of what they were doing, the patriarchs and matrons stepped out into the hallway with Relena just as Winner descended the last couple of steps to face them.
At the grin on his face, the lot physically eased with quiet sighs.
"The only possible creator for the two mutants could only be the Infected that led their Clan," the scientist announced.
Rubbing the back of his neck, Duo shrugged, "Well, I guess it's good to know that we're still only up against other Vampires as opposed to any new freak shows like me." He sniggered when Heero rolled his eyes and nudged him in the ribs.
Though he was not actually coming down on himself for being a Hybrid, the truth in Maxwell's sentiment was that at least the Preventers were only facing actual Rogues and not something they had never encountered before... for whatever little comfort that afforded.
As if he had read his brother-in-law's train of thought, Wufei muttered under his breath, "So we just go on killing our own. Lovely." Half-growling, he added, "With any luck, this outbreak of bastards trying to make a name for themselves by creating a Clan of mutants will finally come to an end."
"Word has to be getting back to every one of the millions Infected around that they won't get far if they try the same," Trowa suggested. "It's not as though our organization of 'police' is a secret amongst our kind. Rogues are nothing more than bullies who are greatly outnumbered by us to keep them from successfully rising up."
Shrugging, he went on, "There is more than enough proof of that in how not a one of them are looking to stand out since they all keep the number of humans that they turn down to a small handful. Prey on a few wearer targets and pick their fights to be the ones they are sure they can walk away from."
Heero nodded, "There is enough for Infected to worry about with Hunters looking for a reason to kill us for anyone to want to risk bringing us down on them too. We deal with rises in the waves of this nature every so many decades and they all pass. What we are dealing with now will be no different. At least we know what we are dealing with."
"I can exist with that," Anna commented. "It would always be nice to not have any clean up work at all, but this isn't anything we can't handle." Smirking, she brushed her hip against her husband's to have him face her. Once their gold-rimmed eyes locked, Chang couldn't help but smile despite his somber mood.
Slipping beside her soul mate as he draped his banded arm around her waist, Relena rested her head on his shoulder. "Treize and Lady Une will be more than relieved with the news when we deliver it to them. I only wish that we did not have to run off so quickly to do so," she frowned. "But then, we do have another Council session tomorrow morning to prepare for since it is expected to be focused around our kind."
Midi tilted her head, replying, "Oh? Is it alright to ask what the debate is in regards to?"
Peacecraft righted herself with a hint of frustration in her expression. "The usual," she shrugged, "moderating the Harvests, the state of our Human-Vampire Treaty... the registration. We usually have a couple of newly voted in politicians amongst the living who want to tighten the legalities around us."
She shook her head, snorting bitterly, "Nuisances that are not of any real concern since they are always outvoted."
Quickly sensing the nervousness from Wufei and Anna in particular, she craned her head towards them and smiled, "Don't worry. You'll be prelude to any changes in the registrations as well as a way to work around it all should anything crazy actually happen."
"Good to have friends in high places," the scaly Vampire grinned. Bowing his head, he said sincerely, "Thank you, Relena. We could never thank you and your family enough for how you have protected us." Biting her lip, his bride nodded fervently.
The Councilwoman waved a hand in the air, insisting, "No thanks needed. Even if our clans do not share the same blood, we consider each other family nonetheless. And family always looks after family at all costs." Having said as much, she closed the distance between herself and the couple to embrace them both tightly with a kiss on their cheeks.
Rounds of hugs and fond farewells were passed along as the children filtered in to be included. Once everyone had had bid their adieus, Trowa stepped between Quatre and Relena so that they could each rest a hand on either of his shoulders. Waving to the family with their free hands, their visitors faded from sight in a swirl of color.
Heero smirked as he turned towards his siblings. "Well, a promise is a promise," he declared, "you two should have some time alone. Duo and I will take care of the kids until you return to repay you for our privacy." His Companion grinned to show his own acceptance over the offering.
Blinking widely, the pair met each other's gaze again and smiled widely. "Thank you, brother," Anna replied when she peered back at the Original.
She scanned over the little faces watching her, telling them, "And your father and I expect you to be on your best behavior for your Uncles while we are away." Raising an eyebrow, Chang folded his arms with a smirk for their youngsters.
"Yes, Mom and Dad," the smiling children chimed up at her as one.
Duo snickered, "Aw, no need to worry about them. 'Ro and I have no problem keeping them in line." A mischievous grin curling his lips, his violet irises sparked with light as he added in a deeper voice, "And if we can't, Shinigami will."
Mock screaming, the laughing children bolted off in blurs of themselves with their braided Uncle right behind them.
Holding onto her brother in a tight embrace, the Irish Infected whispered by his ear, "This means a lot, brother. I cannot remember the last time Wufei and I were able to be alone for a while."
"All the more reason why we are happy to help out," Heero grinned as he clung onto her just as fiercely. "Take all the time you need and I will not stand to see you back before at least a couple of days have passed." It was the perfect scenario in his mind, granting him and Duo the opportunity to be more one-on-one with the kids as they considered the right opportunity to pop the big question to their siblings.
Pulling back to kiss him on the lips in a quick peck, Anna beamed, "I can rest assured that the children are in the best hands possible between you and the family. Thank you." In a flash, she spun and grabbed her husband by a scaly wrist to pull him up their staircase in the blink of an eye.
Before Wufei could react by surprise or laughter when he suddenly found himself inside of their room without a bit to do of his own will power to carry him there, his lips were assaulted by a passionate kiss. Pulling back just as he was able to partake in return, Anna cheered in a rush, "We can visit our favorite spot at the side of the mountain for the next couple of days. It's beautiful and away from everything and-"
Finally catching up with her, Chang cut her off by cupping her face in his hands to fix their gazes onto one another. "That would be perfect," he snickered. Gently taking hold of his Chosen's hand and bringing it to his lips, he commented, "And just to be safe..." His fangs grew in, biting into her skin at the back of her palm for a quick sample of her blood. Smirking as he released her, he informed, "We're in the clear."
A deep sigh erupting from her, the redheaded immortal replied, "Good." She gave a playful grin, purring, "I intend to take every advantage of this time away to use every second to the fullest." That said, she faded into a bolt to gather up a light travel case that she filled with a few change of clothes.
Snickering, Wufei was right behind her in securing everything that they needed for their long-overdue vacation.
TBC...
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