Well, if you knew how much this moment means to me
And how long I've waited for your touch
And if you knew how happy you are making me
I never thought that I'd love anyone so much
It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me
It feels like I'm all the way the back where I come from
It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me
It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong
-Lyrics to 'Feels Like Home' performed by Chantal Kreviazuk
Crimson Bonds Part 90
Behind a sealed off room far from any ears to hear, two voices cried out in rapture.
Panting as they fought to catch their breath out of sheer instinct rather than the actual need for air, Heero and Duo collapsed against each other. The Original was only just able to keep both of their naked bodies up on their feet while he set the Hybrid to lean back against the wall that he had been propped against.
Each sporting matching fang marks, the couple chuckled hoarsely as they rested their foreheads together. "That... was all too necessary," Maxwell grinned. He shivered when his lover tilted his head and licked at the droplets of his blood that leaked out of the love bite in the nape of his neck.
"Yes it was," Yuy concurred, smirking.
Their long round of coupling had been every bit as passionate and incredible, as any of their love making experiences were. However, there was also a solidifying peace that came from this first turn since their separation.
Of course there was the raw, primal urge that never seemed to quit... but this time there was also that want of a reassurance that all was right between them again.
What time had been lost made no difference at all as they had never missed a beat. Everything was as it should be in their world.
Sighing as he rested his chin on his Companion's shoulder, Heero murmured, "I need to see Anna."
That simple, heartfelt sentiment echoed Duo's own painful longing to check in on their sister. But his own heart broke over the last encounter he'd had with the Irish Infected. Swallowing roughly, he bit his lip hard against the threat of tears as he confessed in a breath, "I hit her... she was trying to stop me from killing every Hunter I could get my hands on when we were trying to escape and I hit her. Hard."
Overcome by the excruciating memory of Anna's wide, horrified eyes staring up at him as blood from the blow ran from her nose, Maxwell shuddered. "That was the last time we were together in that base and that's what she had to remember me by," he whimpered.
Yuy blinked in disbelief, closing his slackened jaw to gulp down the lump that had formed in his throat. Drawing a deep breath, he released it in an audible sigh as his cobalt-and-gold eyes narrowed at the tension growing in his soul mate. "Then we shouldn't wait another minute," he stated. Taking up their clothes, he handed over his lover's in a gestured command for him to get dressed.
Nervous as he was in facing his sister after what he had done, the Hybrid went through the motions of changing and braiding his loose hair without really thinking about what he was doing. Once they were both decent, the Original took his Companion's hand and led the way out into the hall.
Without really seeing where they were walking, Duo remained lost to his fear and uncertainty of how the Siren would handle seeing him again.
Then, before he knew it, they had arrived at her room. Knocking softly, Heero slowly pushed the door open to peek inside. A sharp gasp filled the air when his head peeked inside and Anna' voice whispered his name.
A loving smile warming his face, the Japanese Vampire was clearly fighting his own emotions at finally laying his eyes on her and pushed the door the rest of the way so that he could enter while pulling his lover in behind him. For a second, the half-breed planted his feet to resist the tug on his hand, but finally relented out of his wish to confirm that his best friend was really okay after the scare that he had lost her.
When he had his first glimpse of the red-eyed Infected sitting up in her bed, Duo could hardly stand being a few feet away from her. But then his attention immediately shifted to the shocking sight of his twin sitting on the edge of her mattress facing her with their hands laced together in her lap.
His head peering over his shoulder to the doorway, Solo blinked widely at having been caught sharing a private moment with his sister. Clearing his throat, he righted his shoulders and turned his own reddened violet-and-silver eyes away to gaze back on the Vampire. "Thank you, Anna," he muttered with a small smile and a firm squeeze of her hand.
Though he was well aware that he was being watched, the blonde Hybrid decided he didn't care and embraced the smiling redhead as she opened her arms wide to him. At the end of their tight embrace, he pulled back and kissed her temple before he rose to his feet. Beaming up at him, the Siren winked.
Duo's jaw had fallen open wide at the sweet gesture from his brother, and remained so as the other half-breed walked for the door.
Snorting, Solo reached over to push up on his braided counterpart's chin to close his mouth with an audible click of his teeth. "Nothing to be gawking at," the blonde grumbled, rolling his eyes. "It's common practice for a guy to hug and kiss his big sister. Try to not make it a big deal." He stepped from the room without looking back.
Finally blinking his enlarged eyes, Maxwell shook his head and returned to the present. "He's still here," he commented softly to the closed door as his husband snickered in amusement.
"Yep," Anna smiled widely. "And he's staying with us from now on."
That had come as more than a shock to Duo, but then he never ceased to be amazed at how easy it was for his sister to disarm even the most stubborn of creatures.
Now that he and Heero had her to themselves, his nerve began to falter again. Forcing out a sharp breath in a huff, he spun his head back around to take in her face as fresh tears began to roll down her cheeks. Never losing her brilliant grin, she patted the open spot on the edge of her bed.
Of course there was no anger. No resentment. No anxiety. All that she had for him was adoration and a want to have him close.
In the next breath, Maxwell became a blur of himself to cross the room as fast as possible. Materializing at his sister's side, he pulled her into a fierce embrace that she returned in kind and sobbed into the shoulder of the one being that had kept him together through their shared ordeal. "Git it out," the redhead urged quietly, her accent slipping out. "I've got ye."
"I-I'm so... so sorry," he managed to mumble out.
Rubbing the back of his head, Anna cried silently and held onto him all the tighter. "Sorry for what, silly?" she replied when she could trust her voice, giggling brokenly as she closed her eyes.
Duo knew fully well that she knew what he was referring to, but she had already forgiven him... if she had held any resentment for the strike he'd delivered at all. At that, the Hybrid was able to let himself off the hook and just melted against her in the release of his guilt and let go of the last of his distress over the horrific nightmare they'd endured together.
They survived. They were safe now. Everything was going to be okay... as soon as Maxwell could shake off his actions during the attack on Septum's base. For that, he knew he would have to turn to Solo for help. And now that he had seen firsthand how his brother was with Anna, he was convinced that he could turn to him for support.
Sighing, the braided half-breed reluctantly peeled himself from his beloved sister and cupped her face in his hands as he leaned to give her lips a kiss. "Don't ever scare us like that again," he all but begged.
"I'll do everything in my power not to," the Siren vowed.
Her eyes welling up again, Anna cast them on her dear brother and creator. Practically shaking in anticipation as he rushed to close the distance between them, she found herself scooped up in Heero's arms when a mere hug was not going to be nearly enough. He needed to have her whole body pressed against him.
Throwing her arms around his neck, she sniffled and whispered thickly by his ear, "I knew you and Wufei would find us, brother."
A sharp sob breaking from him, the Original buried his face in her thick curls. "God, I've missed you so much, little brat," he breathed. He lowered himself onto the side of the bed beside his husband as he continued to cradle his sister. Lightly rubbing the back of her head, he allowed her to go on crying against his shoulder and closed his eyes as he hummed 'The Last Rose of Summer' to soothe her.
It was as much a healing process for Heero as it was for Anna, the loss of her ability to conceive having affected them both deeply. They took on their shared grief and mended each other the way that only they could by simply being in each other's presence and embraces.
Content to take the moment in, Duo sat back on his half of the mattress as he looked on with a smile. That was the first time he noticed the bite marks in his sister's skin. Actually, there were three matching sets spread out just above her exposed collar bone and neck.
Smirking to himself, the Hybrid caught onto the healthier paleness and a shine to her hair following what no doubt must have been a fun round of getting reacquainted with Wufei.
There was a profound relief in realizing that the pair the chance to indulge in that much-needed level of connection. Already feeling immeasurably better from his own encounter with Heero, Maxwell couldn't have been happier for his siblings.
When the Irish Infected pillowed the side her head on her brother's shoulder, Heero reached to tenderly dry her cheeks with the pad of his thumb and asked, "Have you been following Sally's orders and resting when you can?"
The Original's response was a sheepish grin along with a batting of the blue-and-gold eyes peering up at him. Raising an eyebrow, he growled in concern, "Anna."
"Aw. You know how active I am," his sister pouted. "Sleeping is just so... pointless. I'm not even tired." Yuy's halfhearted glare never faded. Shoulders sagging, she relented, "Oh, fine. I'll get some rest once I've had the chance to peek in on my niece and nephews." At that last bit of an ultimatum, she gave a toothy grin.
Unable to hold onto his frustration, Heero laughed and kissed her forehead. "Alright. But no more excuses after you've seen them."
No sooner had he agreed to the arrangement did the door open to three familiar faces, each pushing a wheeled crib from the nursery. At the front of the bunch, Trowa snickered, "Actually, that was perfect timing. The babies just woke up for their late night feeding when we were visiting them and we figured we'd find all of you here."
Her breath hitching in her throat at the sight of her husband, cousins and the triplets that she had carried for nine long months, Anna's eyes welled up all over again. Biting her bottom lip, she whimpered and opened her arms up to Barton as he all but ran to her for a tight squeeze as he picked her up from Heero's lap.
Shaking a peck on the lips with her, the Latin Original murmured, "It's so good to have you home, cousin."
"I missed you, too, Trowa," the redhead replied with a broken giggle. As soon as she was freed, Midi was upon her with a sudden squeeze that nearly knocked them both over. Hugging the trembling Infected, Anna swallowed hard and whispered, "Aw, I'm ok, little mother. Yer goin' te git me goin' again."
The brunette pulled back as she cleared her throat. Gently playing with her cousin's hair, she gave a watery smile, "It's been so busy today that I haven't had time to dress up your room or bring some comfortable clothes for you yet. But I'll have that taken care of soon, my dear." She was rewarded with a second tight embrace.
Holding each of her cousins' hands in hers when she stepped back, Anna smiled, "And I hear congratulations are in order. You're both going to make wonderful parents." Beaming in excitement and appreciation, the Latin pair draped their free arms around each other's lower backs.
A small cry broke through the redhead's train of thought, her gaze instantly turning to the three little ones that were lined up side-by-side. A long breath pushing through her parted lips, the Siren gulped and slowly made her way to the babies. Stopping before their cribs, her growing eyes scanned over the small faces, tiny hands and socked feet with a watery smile.
Yuy walked up and hugged his sister's waist from behind to steady her. "Duo and I gave each of them a combination of English and Japanese names to reflect our nationalities," he explained.
Gesturing to the boy in a blue sleeper on the far right with a head full of chestnut hair and Heero's nose, the Original introduced, "This is Hajime James." Smiling warmly, Anna nodded at remembering the Japanese name to translate to 'beginning.' Violet-and-gold eyes shaped like her brother's blinked up at her in awe.
In the next crib, the second boy sported Duo's nose and cobalt eyes framed by silver rings. "And here's Stephen Masato," Duo smirked, making his way to the redhead's side. "Stephen after Father Maxwell." The middle triplet began to squirm inside the confines of his swaddled blanket with a little more fervor than his brother and sister.
The Siren giggled, "Oh, so you were the one who liked keeping me up at night with your constant kicking." As the rest of her family snickered, she gingerly bent down to run her fingers over his fine, dark hair.
Finally, violet-and-silver eyes watched the Vampires approach. Nose down, the tiny one looked every bit like Duo while her other features were all Yuy's. "And we named our daughter Annabelle Miku," he muttered softly. Off in the corner of the room, Wufei gasped along with his wife at the declaration.
Miku- meaning beautiful crimson color in Japanese... a more than fitting choice for a Vampire-Hybrid mix. And there was no explanation needed as to why the new parents picked their girl's first name.
Kissing the Siren's cheek as their eyes watered over, Duo said, "It's the very least we can do to thank you for everything you sacrificed and faced for their sakes with the grace and courage that you had. We couldn't have asked for anyone better to bring them into the world for us. Now our kids will always have a way of knowing what an amazing Aunt they have." Heero nodded, roughly wiping away his own tears from his face with one hand and squeezing his sister with the other that remained around her waist.
Her head shaking back and forth as she faced her brothers, Anna attempted to say something, but her voice wouldn't work when she tried to form words. A small sob was the only sound she could make and she launched herself at the couple to latch onto them instead. Snickering, the Original and the Hybrid held onto her.
Midi dried her face turned to her husband, sighing, "These hormones are going to kill me. I'm emotional as it is without them." Laughing with his own eyes shining, Trowa pulled her against his side and nuzzled her hair.
After a bit of effort at putting the pieces of her control back in place, Anna waved at her eyes and spun to smile widely at her nephews and niece. "It's so nice to finally meet all of you in person," she told them. Already a natural at handling multiples, she was able to get the triplets into her arms and cradled them in her lap once Heero returned her to the bed.
Glowing with pride over the little ones, she made sure to study every one of their details and rained kisses over their pudgy cheeks. "They're all so cute," she gushed up to her brothers while Wufei, Trowa and Midi closed in around them for another good look at the newest members to their family.
Stephen decided then that he had had enough of waiting for his bottle and let out a howl of a cry that his siblings echoed, their eyes squeezed closed and faces contorting in their irritation. "And they're also hungry," the Siren chuckled, the remainder of her Clan laughing.
* * * * * *
"Nancy is going to go through with informing Congress of the Preventers when the appeal resumes," Treize informed his loved ones and the faces of the remaining Vampire Council members that had patched into live feeds on the Clan's laptops.
Frowning deeply to the stunned expressions watching him, he shook his head in defeat. ""We all know what is at risk when news of this breaks. Our kind's credibility with the livings will be in shambles and even our closest allies in the Senate will be forced to turn on us not only in this vote, but in reexamining every aspect of the Human-Vampire Treaty," Khushrenada declared.
With his arms spreading out, the Infected concluded, "I am at a complete loss as to how to proceed from here and look to all of you for guidance."
Anxious silence was his only answer as those partaking in the sealed off meeting absorbed the impossible situation that lay before them. The mortals would be hearing of Rogues for the first time. They would learn not only of their existence, but of the calculated measures taken to ensure that no living was aware such deadly Infected existed.
Nancy's supporters that had preached for decades of the dangerous monsters Vampires were would now have all the proof they needed to open the eyes of their naysayers. Humans would enlist by the droves to become Hunters. There would be nowhere for the immortals to turn for safety.
"Fuck it," a voice snorted at last. "Beat her to the punch."
Every wide, gold-ringed eye in the room fell on the equally stunned Companion that had spoken up. Blinking in surprise at his own harsh words that had originally been intended to be kept to himself, Quatre scanned the faces drawn onto him. "I-I'm sorry," he grinned nervously. "I didn't mean to for that to come out. And it's really not my place."
Crossing her arms, Noin leaned back against the couch she was sitting in and smirked, "If it's good enough to make our brother swear like that, I have got to hear this." At her side, Zechs snickered quietly and nodded.
Lady Une leaned forward in the chair at the table she and her husband were sharing, urging, "Go on, cousin. You're every bit a part of this discussion as those of us on the board, or we would not have invited you to be a part of it. What do you suggest?"
Winner chewed on the inside of his cheek and glanced to his wife. A warm smile spreading across her face, Relena nodded encouragingly. Clearing his throat, the blonde Companion straightened himself in his seat and fixated on the head of the Council.
"Treize, you have the floor in the appeal first," Quatre began. "You're already going to have to inform the world that there have been successful Vampire pregnancies and there is another on the way. When you've gotten all of that out, just come clean with everything..." His cousin bowed his head in agreement.
Waving his hands excitedly in the air, he went on in a rush, "the Preventers, Duo and Solo, the fact that Infected and Companions are able to obtain powers from them... all of it! Don't hold anything back!"
Jaws fell open, eyes enlarged and gasps rose from his audience.
His head shaking, Winner bent forward to prop his arms on his legs and folded his hands together.
"Look," he sighed specifically to a shocked Treize, "I know how bad this is going to initially go over, but it'll be so much worse if it comes from Nancy and not you first. At least if you're the one to explain, to reason and leave everything out on the table by making your kind an open book... then maybe you'll be able to win over the Senate and the public at large again."
Falling back in his cushioned chair, he gave one last throw up of his arms again as he went on, "This way you won't have to worry about hiding anymore. Duo, Anna, Solo, the kids can go on without having to look over their shoulders."
Glancing across each of the Council members, the Companion stated, "You've all existed long enough to know that eventually the truth always finds a way out. If livings can't cope with this now, the outcome won't be any different whenever it does surface. Better to have that happen on your terms and not someone else's." He shrugged, closing, "That's all I have."
Stillness fell thick over the room once more.
And just when it was about to go on a solid minute, Treize called, "Relena." Lifting her head, Peacecraft waited for whatever he had to tell her. "Be sure to hold onto that one," her cousin smiled. "He's wise beyond his years and had a good heart." On the screens, the board members grinned and nodded with everyone else spread throughout the space.
Taken aback by the compliment and the acceptance of his advice, Quatre gawked at the Vampires as his wife hugged his neck and kissed him soundly. Displaying her pride in her brilliant smile when she pulled away, Relena asked, "I second the proposal."
On the monitors, the patched in members of every ethnicity and background echoed their own backing of Winner's suggestion, raising their hands with their friends.
Khushrenada lowered his own arm and decreed, "It's unanimous. And so we are decided."
It was all in and let the chips fall as they may.
* * * * * *
"There you go, Hajime," Anna whispered as she lowered her firstborn nephew back into his wheeled crib at the end of his feeding. His eyes heavy, the tiny one yawned widely and his eyes that had been staring up at her slowly blinked closed.
Covering her opening mouth to stifle her yawn, the redhead fought to keep her own eyelids open. "So much for not being tired," Heero snickered as he set Annabelle into her crib while Duo handled Stephen.
With a sigh, the Siren mumbled, "Yea, yea, yea." Peering over to the bed, she bit her lip and began to walk towards it. She tried to cover up the discomfort that her movement caused, but the flash of pain that washed over her face betrayed her in the first three limps of steps.
In a blink, Wufei was there to pick her up in his arms and winked to their concerned brothers. "Don't worry," he told them. "I'll make sure she gets plenty of sleep." Yuy and Maxwell smiled in gratitude. Under her breath, Anna huffed something about her 'conspiring family' much to her husband's amusement as he carried her to her bed.
Appraising the sleeping triplets, Midi commented, "We should get these precious ones back to the nursery. She stepped up to her Irish cousin and kissed her cheek as she hugged her tightly. "I'll have this room feeling more like home before you wake up."
"You're too sweet, Mom," Anna giggled as she hugged the Latin Vampire back.
Trowa was upon her next and he lovingly tucked her sheets in around her. The kind gesture had the Siren fighting back tears. Pressing his lips against her forehead, the Original leaned in for an embrace. And just when she thought that he would begin to pull away, the arms around her only squeezed harder as he said quietly, "I'm so glad you're safe, dear cousin. We all would have been lost without you. Sweet dreams."
Finding it hard to catch her breath, let alone her voice, the Irish Infected could only hold him all the tighter with a sniffle to express her appreciation for his sentiment.
Their own hugs and kisses exchanged, Heero and Duo said their personal 'good nights' and salutations to their sister and wheeled their babies from the room with the rest of their family in tow.
Along the way, Maxwell stopped before his brother and frowned, "I'm sorry about what happened back at the base, ''Fei. I had no idea what I was doing when I attacked you. You know I would never want to hurt-"
Snorting, the Chinese warrior smirked, "You didn't have anything on me anyway, little brother. No need to worry." The siblings and their family around had a good laugh as they pulled each other in for a tight, one-armed embrace. Turning serious during the exchange, the scaly immortal murmured, "It's good to have you home, Duo."
His throat clenching at that, the Hybrid nodded with a watery smile and pushed Stephen's crib as the last to leave the room.
As the door closed behind them, Wufei turned out the light and slipped into bed with his wife. Sensing her anxiety over having to fall asleep by how strongly she held onto him, he held his lips against her temple. "It's alright, Anna," he said, "I'm here." Tightening his scaly arms around her, he promised, "And I'm not going anywhere."
Swallowing roughly, the Irish Vampire nodded against the shoulder her head was pillowed on and gave in. Her eyes drifting closed, she fell into a rejuvenating slumber.
TBC...
Back to SkyLark's Fanfictions Page