And when the hour is upon us
And our beauty surely gone
No you will not be forgotten
And you will not be alone... no, you will not be alone
-Lyrics to 'Now Comes the Night' performed by Rob Thomas
Crimson Ties Part 46
The minutes slipped away since Wufei had stepped into the Vampire Council's chambers. Seated at her bench before the Representatives' podiums, Anna's head was lowered as she tried her best not to image the scaly Infected demanding a quick... and likely painful end.
Her neck and wrist shackles clinking softly as she turned herself in her chair, the redhead looked to her family and Karl to return their encouraging, sad smiles directed at her. Though her world was in shambles, at the very least she was able to find happiness in having them stand behind her.
Just then, the side door to the private quarters opened to the bailiff who called for everyone in the room to rise. Every conversation came to an immediate halt as the audience obeyed and watched the board members file out to return to their stations.
As the last to step out into the open, Wufei remained shrouded in his hooded coat. Hands in the pockets of his loose pants, he stared at the floor as his quick and measured steps carried him past Anna. Biting her lip, the Irish Vampire tried to make out any expression on his face before he hurried beyond her, but he made sure to keep it hidden from her.
Then, passing through the swinging door that separated the halves of the courtroom, he continued down the aisle without so much as a glance to the muttering crowd that trained their eyes on him. Silently making his way through the back doors, he rounded the corner and vanished from sight.
Sitting into his tall-backed chair, Treize addressed the masses, "Please, be seated." Quiet murmurs rose once again as the Vampires and humans alike lowered themselves atop the benches once again.
Midi, however, shot off in a blur after Chang before the back doors were even finished closing after him. Blinking in surprise over her departure, Heero, Trowa and Karl sat back down as they exchanged their confused expressions.
Before even she could dwell over the matter, Anna turned her head up to Khushrenada when he announced, "Miss Yuy, this case has taken many an unexpected course. In light of everything that transpired here today, Wufei made a plea to have the charges brought up against you dropped." Voices rose in protest from the crowd as the redhead's back straightened rigidly in her wide-eyed shock.
Over the commotion, a frustrated growl rose up just behind the Irish Infected and to the right of her. And there was no need for her to look back to know that it had come from Meiran.
None of the reactions mattered to her besides the stifled sob that broke from Heero.
From the corner of her eye, she caught her brother hunching forward and his hands lifting to conceal his face. Tears of relief already filling his eyes, Trowa smirked and patted his back soothingly. Karl couldn't help his wide smile or the loud clap of his hands.
Still, there were not many humans in the audience that were very happy with the suggestion. Raising his hand to call for silence, Treize glared out at those mortals that were still crying for the redhead's death. At the sight of that fiery ire, those people swallowed roughly and became still.
"I am not finished," the head of the Council gritted. Sighing deeply, he frowned down on his friend, "While we would normally honor the wishes of the victim of the crime, this is far too grievous an act that we cannot allow to go completely unpunished. After all, you had admitted your guilt clearly."
Her shoulders slumping, Anna nodded firmly as Heero sat back up, the panic in his eyes mirrored by Trowa and Karl. The humans that had been a little less than thrilled up until then, however, were appeased and smiling amongst themselves.
Taking a deep breath, Treize grinned to the trembling Infected before him, "In light of that, we unanimously decided that the absolute minimum sentence would be more than just." Already knowing what that punishment would be, the redhead breathed her first real sigh of relief in days as her eyes closed.
Khushrenada raise his gavel, decreeing, "Anna Yuy, you are hereby sentenced to ten years in the maximum security prison for our kind in Antarctica. You will have a few minutes to say your farewells to your family before you will be sent away to carry out your time immediately thereafter."
The crack of the hammer echoed through the room as the audience rose to their feet and quietly discussed the proceeding on their way from the room whilst the Representatives stood and moved into their private chambers.
One of the guards stepped forward to guide the prisoner by the chains of her shackles to the side quarters at Lady Une's gesture before she stepped through the door.
Heero, Trowa, Karl and the recently returned Midi were on the Irish immortal's heels on her way inside the chambers. Removing their black robes, the Council members all stayed in the far half of the room to give their guests some space in both their reunion and farewells.
Her neck and arm restraints removed, Anna let out a sharp cry and launched herself into her brother's opening arms. Wrapping herself around him tightly as she was caught up in a fierce embrace, she smiled sadly through her tears as he rained kisses on her face.
Both thrilled and broken by the sentence that would tear them apart, Heero clung to his sister as he allowed his own tears to fall. "Love you," he whispered brokenly, burying his head in her shoulder.
"Love you, too," the redheaded Infected breathed. They continued to remain locked together for a long moment before Midi walked up, hands folded at her waist.
With a sad smile, Anna released her brother to hug the 'little mother.' Swallowing roughly, she hesitated before asking as softly as she could, "D-did you catch up with Wufei?" Simply speaking the scaly Vampire's name threatened to break her.
Nodding against her shoulder, the brunette answered just as quietly, "Yes. I told him that he would always have a safe audience with me, should he ever need to talk. He need only seek me out when he's ready."
The Irish immortal released a deep breath in a long sigh and held onto her cousin all the tighter in a wordless extension of gratitude. Pulling back, Midi reached up to wipe at her wet cheeks and giggled, "I am going to have dozens of closets filled with new clothes made and waiting for you by the time you return home."
"I don't doubt that in the slightest," the redhead giggled with a sniffle. "Hell, I'll even wear dresses from time to time for you." Gently laughing they exchanged kisses to each other's cheek while quiet conversations between Heero, Trowa and their friends on the Council could be heard.
Shaking her head, Lady Une frowned deeply, "This was easily one of the hardest things that we've all had to do. I promise you that we looked at ever angle we possibly could before making this decision." Her head pressed against her husband's shoulder as he held her close, Relena continued to cry silently and nodded to back her cousin.
"We just knew that there would be an uprising if we did not give some kind of sentence," Zechs sighed in clear frustration.
Noin growled, "You saw how those humans acted when they thought we would drop the charges against her. If she walked free, then all of the work that we've done these last few months would have been completely undone."
At that, Anna stepped away from Midi to face the board and replied patiently, "They're afraid. And rightfully so, since we've been a thing of dark folklore meant to scare children for centuries... only now they realize that we're very real with thousands of us out there. It's just going to take time for them to realize that we mean them no harm."
Scanning her friends amongst the Representatives, she smiled in reassurance, "I understand the judgment and I accept it. You could not have been kinder or more merciful than you've been towards me and I'll never be able to thank you enough." Their eyes misting over, Treize and all of the Council grinned in appreciation.
Barton stepped forward to catch the redhead up in a tight embrace. Pressing and holding a kiss to her cheek, he whispered shakily, "I'm so.... damned proud to call you my cousin."
Anna trembled and her sobs caught up with her as she held onto him fiercely. "That coming from you means more than you could ever know, Trowa," she told him sincerely. Pulling back, they shared a quick peck to their lips and the Irish Vampire was next greeted by Relena with her political family right behind for their chance to have a moment with their friend.
Once the captive had seen everyone in the room, the guard returned to replace her shackles. Chained again, the Infected followed her escort from the room to be sent to away for what would be the start of her decade-long sentence in a cell hidden in the dark, cold depths of Antarctica.
The moment his sister's silver neck chain was in place, Heero was before her to scoop her up in another fierce hug. "I'll see you as soon as I can, dear one," he promised softly by her ear.
Smiling in knowing that he would keep that word, Anna cried silent tears of fear and sadness. Her wrists already bound and hanging before her, she just slackened her whole body to lean heavily against him for as much of a return of his embrace as she could offer before they had to be separated.
With one last nod to her friends and family, the redhead grinned against her breaking heart. Stepping away, she kept her brother's gaze before the walked through the door to leave him behind in what would be their first time truly apart since she had woken into her new existence.
And it was sure to be a long ten years for the both of them until they were reunited.
* * * * * *
One week into her captivity, Anna continued to go on without a single regret for her actions even as she sat in her prison of granite and metal. Lying on her back atop her cell's bench, she stared at the ceiling with her arms folded behind her head. Beyond her barred window high up in the wall that stared out to the north, the cold wind whirled and howled to pick up the snow that covered the ground.
Lonely and empty as she felt not having her family and friends around, the Vampire was still grateful that she was still alive... or whatever she was that she could still be a part of the world. Wufei had given her a gift by fighting on her behalf to try and drop her sentence.
Biting her lip at the thought of the scaly Infected that she tried her best to not have flood her mind the way that he still managed to, Anna swallowed past the lump that formed in her throat. When the tears came on, she closed her eyes and turned onto her side to double over herself with the deep pain wracking her body and soul.
"Anna?" sounded in the form of a whisper on the wind. Gasping, she sat upright and looked through the darkness around her. There was an aching familiarity as the sound of her name, but then there was nothing to see as far as a source.
Her head of long hair shaking, she frowned to herself, "I must already be losing my mind." And it was only the first week of her confinement. What other tricks would her subconscious try to play on her over the next decade?
Just as she was about to lie back down, that voice returned with a deeply chuckled, "Up here." Wide-eyed, the redhead turned her head upward to find the dark shadow sitting on the other side of her barred window's ledge.
Instantly recognizing the Infected perched there, she froze, breathing in disbelief, "H-Heero?" Hopping to her feet, she rushed for the wall to scale it using the cracks and gaps between the stones. When she reached the wide ledge to stretch her legs out along it, she gripped the cold steel of the bars. "How...? What are you doing here?" she breathed.
"You didn't really think that I would leave you here by yourself for long, did you?" Yuy snickered. Managing to rest their foreheads together through the bars, he winked, "Treize gave me the location here as well as the schedule for the changing of the guards so that I can come and go to see you every chance I can besides the monthly visitations we're allowed."
Eyes shimmering, Anna sputtered, "I... I can't believe that you'd do this for me." As soon as she spoke those words, she shook her head and giggled, "No, I take that back. I'm not at all surprised that you would do something like this."
Shrugging, Heero smiled, "You would have done the same for me. What are brothers and sisters for?" Really taking in just how especially pale the other Infected was against the deep blue of her one-piece prison attire, he frowned deeply, "When was the last time you fed?"
His sibling appraised her bare arms to see that even her 'freckles' were not as dark as they normally were. "We're only allowed to feed from hunted animals that are brought in every couple of days," she answered, meeting the gold-and-cobalt eyes on her. "It's all part of keeping us weak so that our guards won't have to worry in keeping us under control."
Physically stricken by that, the unruly-haired Vampire swallowed hard. "Here," he offered softly as he rolled the long sleeve of his right arm up and stretched his exposed wrist between the bars towards her. "They should know better than to think you'd give them any grief. Besides, I need this as much as you do."
Anna's eyes closed as she sighed, "God, I love you, brother." Without hesitating, she held her own arm out to him and they both sank their fangs into each other's flesh.
Once the waves of euphoria caused by their shared drink ebbed at the end of their feed, their strength was already returning as they shifted to sit more comfortably shoulder-to-shoulder along their halves of the window ledge. Their hands joining between the bars, the redhead asked in little more than a whisper, "Has there been any word on Wufei?"
The hand in hers squeezed and Heero's eyes stared ahead of himself as they narrowed in a fiery glare. "No," he growled deeply.
Nodding shallowly, Anna dropped bringing the matter up. It was far too painful to hear what she had already expected. Wufei was gone. He wouldn't be coming back into her world. All that she could do now was silently hope and pray that he would find peace and happiness in his new existence.
It would have to be enough.
Completely closing that brief chapter in her life, the Vampire did her damnedest to keep her heart from sealing itself off along with it. There was still much love in her world to appreciate and return between her dear brother, cousins and friends.
She would survive with that.
* * * * * *
Ten years later...
Hard enough as it was to believe even as she stepped through the personal belongings claim office, Anna was free. She laughed quietly laughing at the large bag slung over her shoulder that was filled gifts Midi had made for her over the last decade including colorful scarves and socks that were not really needed but still cherished and worn anyway.
Changed into a simple pair of pants and a red sweater, the Infected made her way down the long corridor for the main entrance of the massive prison.
The black-uniformed Vampires standing guard at the door smiled and nodded to her as she approached. having expected her, they didn't even bother checking her official slips of release. Simply taking the papers away from her, they stepped aside and opened the double doors.
A gust of wind greeted the redhead along with the brilliant brightness of the sun reflecting off the land of ice and snow. Taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly, she stepped out into the large courtyard and headed for the gates sealing off the perimeter of the jail to find her brother waiting patiently on the other side for her.
Heero smiled widely when their eyes met, hands in his pockets and posture casual though the anxiousness was practically vibrating from him. Biting her lip, Anna quickened her steps and the guard in the lookout tower brought the gate to swing open.
Throwing her bag aside the moment she had set foot into the outside world for the first time in ten years, the Irish Vampire clung fiercely to her brother with all limbs. Yuy laughed as he just managed to keep them upright. Raining kisses on her face, he spun her around and held on as tightly as he could.
Brokenly, the younger immortal breathed, "Love you." And she poured every bit as much of the emotion and gratitude in her with that sentiment. Were it not for her brother's coming to spend nearly every night with her as he had, she highly doubted that she would have survived her sentence.
"Love you, too," Heero whispered in return, pulling back so that their lips could meet in an innocent peck. He patted her back, smirking, "Let's get you home."
Sighing deeply in hearing that suggestion, Anna nodded and released him to gather her bag up again. With her free arm hooking to the one offered to her, she leaned her side heavily against her brother. A contented smile on her face, she leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.
Soon, she would once again be surrounded by the creatures that really did love her. And that meant that the healing process could truly begin.
* * * * * *
Her gold-and-blue eyes blinking when she and her brother reached their destination, Anna frowned, "Switzerland? I thought that you said something about trying to make a home in the United States."
"We were," Heero answered as he removed their bags from the cab that pulled up to the edge of the beautiful city amongst the backdrop of white-capped mountains.
Frowning, he glanced to his sister and informed, "But Trowa and I have been following the political movements and alliances that have been forming throughout Europe the last few years closely. For the time being, we thought it best to wait out the potential storm that could be coming as Switzerland is staying neutral." [1]
Anna chewed on the inside of her cheek at her reminder that the year was now 1909. It was the start of a new century. Much had changed in the world whilst she had been in prison. Yuy and Barton would be the ones to stay up on all of the events, so she trusted their instincts.
If this was where they needed to be, that was where they would be.
Walking the streets with her brother, the redhead marveled at the humans that smiled and waved to them as they passed. "There was a time when I thought that we would never see this day," she smiled, waving back to a couple of children that were calling for their attention as they played and laughed across the street.
"You're far from the only one," Heero smirked. "It all took a bit of getting used to, but the treaty forged between our kinds actually has been working out." He pointed to the estate at the end of the block to grin, "Welcome home."
At the sight of the three-story home that they approached, Anna's shoulders slumped as she sighed deeply, "It's not a cave. Or a rundown, abandoned shack." Snickering, Yuy nodded and led her up the stairs to the front porch.
Though she had only been in the new world for a few hours, the Irish Vampire already knew that she was going to love it.
* * * * * *
Only moments later, a certain 'little mother' had her arm tightly wrapped around her cousin's neck, she sobbed quietly into the redhead's shoulder. "You know, love," Trowa chuckled as he leaned against the living room doorway, "it's a good thing that Anna no longer needs to breathe or you would have choked her to death by now."
Half-heartedly glaring at her husband, the brunette began to pull back so that she could stick her tongue out at him and wipe at her eyes. "It's alright, Midi," Anna reassured, giggling and patting her cousin's back. "I've actually been looking forward to hugs like that."
No sooner had she been released with those words out of her mouth than Barton closed the distance between them in a rush to threw his own arms around her. Laughing, the Irish Vampire kissed his cheek and held him back.
After the rest of his family had his chance to reunite, Heero stepped in to take up the discarded bag on the floor. "Okay, okay. Let's give my sister some time to get herself settled," he snickered. "We'll have plenty of time to catch up later." Stepping back, Trowa returned to Midi's side and they gave the redhead wide grins before she followed after her bother up the main staircase.
"The second floor is ours," Yuy informed over his shoulder. "I have the northern half and you had the southern wing." Her own wing, his sister thought to herself, marveling that they were living in a place large enough to have so much space.
When they reached the second floor, the unruly-haired Infected suddenly lowered the duffle bag in his hand and turned to face the redhead as she caught up to him. Confused, Anna blinked and tilted her head in confusion. "You're also sharing your half with someone," Heero informed softly. He gestured with his head towards the southern wing.
Freezing rigidly, the Irish immortal's breath hitched in her throat and her eyes widened. Very slowly, she peered around her brother to find a familiar shape standing before the bay window at the end of the long hall. Though the sunlight pouring in cast them in shadows, there was no mistaking who was staring out to the city.
Stricken, she gasped sharply as she spun to try and run back down the stairs when her brother grabbed her arms to hold her in place. "W-what is he doing here?" she breathed, paler than usual and panic-stricken.
Gently cupping her face in his hands, Heero kept their eyes locked. "He went to Treize to find us almost a month ago. Well, to see Midi more specifically. He's been staying with us ever since the two of them spoke privately," he informed softly. "I wanted to tell you, but he was worried you wouldn't return if you knew he was here... afraid that you might hate him."
"Hate him?" Anna repeated in a stunned whisper. Eyes shimmering, she shook her head. Such a thing was simply not possible. All that she wanted more than anything was to be back in his arms... to forget everything that had happened before. But... Whimpering, she asked brokenly, "... I don't even know what to do. What do I say to him?"
Moving his hands to rest them on her trembling shoulders, the other Infected smiled sadly, "You tell him everything that's in your heart. You can't really go wrong with that."
That... was simply the best advice that she could have heard. Swallowing roughly, the redhead grinned and wrapped her arms around Yuy's neck. Embracing her back, he kissed her cheek and stepped away to head back downstairs without another look back.
Nervously brushing down the front of her sweater, Anna made her way down the hallway. Steps careful and slow as though she were afraid that what she was looking at was an apparition that she could scare away, she bit her bottom lip hard.
Try as she had to forget Wufei, everything about him that stood before her was just as she had last seen him. Still lean and strong in his build, the Infected's fine scales on his face and exposed skin practically shimmered in the brilliant light that seeped through the window that he continued to stare out. And when his head turned to meet her gaze with his own, piercing onyx-and-gold eyes, her heart would have leapt in her throat if it were still beating.
Still achingly beautiful... still hauntingly perfect.
Far too shaken to move another step towards him, the redhead paused stiffly a couple of feet away from him. There was nothing in his posture, stare or expression that gave away what was going on in his mind... to what he was feeling.
Her mouth opening and closing, Anna finally found her voice to begin, "Wufei, I-" The speech that she had planned out was cut short when Chang caught her up in a fierce hug, pressing his lips against hers in what would have been a bruising kiss. Gasping, her enlarged eyes closed on her when the momentary shock passed and she returned the kiss tenfold.
Still holding her up in his arms when he pulled away, Wufei pressed their foreheads together and breathed, "I am so... so sorry." His eyes watering, he shook his head, "I know that you tried to release me from whatever... this is between us, but it's just not possible." Taking a deep breath, he sighed, "And I've finally come to realize that I don't want to be freed of it... or you."
Whatever else there needed to be said in that moment in time didn't matter to Anna. Tears streaming down her face, she felt the first real smile that reached her eyes wash over her face. Leaning in, she moved for another passionate kiss to express herself in the most effective way she knew right then.
Maybe what this was might not be perfect... but it sure as hell came close enough.
(End Flashback)
* * * * * *
Falling back against the chair that he had been leaning forward in, Duo sat limply with wide and damp eyes.
"Damn," was the only thing that he could manage in a shaky breath after a long pause. Mentally reeling over the story, he looked on his 'sister' in a new light. While he always thought of her as being tough and courageous, he only now realized just how strong and brave she truly was.
Swallowing past the lump in her throat, the redhead across from him nodded, "Yea... that pretty much sums it. I have no idea what words were exchanged between Wufei and Midi, but I'll forever be grateful that they had their talk as I know that's the reason he stayed. And I would have been lost without him."
Not wanting to dwell over the past any more than she had to, she reached across the table to take one of the living's hands to squeeze it. "You needed to hear that story, not only to know how we got to where we are as a family, but to know what a remarkable creature my bother is. I wouldn't have survived those years in prison without him."
At the lump that formed in her throat, she cleared it away and allowed her tears to fall silently as she whispered, "Heero is by far the most selfless and compassionate creature existing in this world. To those he loves, he loves them unconditionally, truly and deeply without any reserve to do everything in his power for them and he asks for nothing in return."
The corner of her lip curling up, Anna commented, "There is no living in this world luckier than you are in your tie to him. He loves you with all of his being, mind, body and soul right down to the very fibers that make him what he is."
Squeezing the hand in hers again, she bit her lip and requested, "If there is any part of you that knows how you feel about him, for both your sakes, don't deny it. Embrace it and make it known. You'd be surprised how freeing a thing it is to let go and let it be as it will."
Fewer truths were ever spoken. Duo knew it. And he was also aware now more than ever exactly where he stood in how he felt towards Heero.
Nodding firmly, he vowed in a whisper, "You have my word that I'll take that advice." How could he not in light of what his dear sister had endured all because of Wufei's fears and doubts to what was happening between them?
Pleased with his promise, Anna beamed and hopped to her feet. Opening her arms as Maxwell rose, she giggled when he picked her up and spun her in a tight embrace. "Thank you," he told her sincerely as he released her, kissing her cheek gently.
Wiping a stray tear, he sighed, "I just don't have a damned clue how you managed to get on so easily with Wufei after all of that. There would just be so many worries if I'd been in your shoes. Between his being betrothed and his duty as a soldier, did you ever think that maybe he would have been better off if you never met? Wonder if you're still the 'other woman' to that life for him?"
He instantly regretted asking the moment the words left him to send the redhead's smile away. Clearing her throat, Anna lowered her head for a moment. When she lifted it again, her golden eyes were shimmering as she breathed, "Every single day."
She laughed, but painfully, when the teenager moved to interject. "Oh, no worrying about me now. I'm alright," she urged, waving one hand in the air an drying her face with the other. Poking her little brother in the chest, she smirked, "You, young man, have another full day of training ahead that you need to prepare for, so off to bed with you."
As much as Duo hated leaving her in such a state of mind, he knew that he couldn't argue when his exhaustion over the early morning hour caught up with him. Sighing, he pressed and held a kiss to the Vampire's cool forehead and muttered a 'good night' to her before he stepped from the room.
Mentally and physically drained, the braided youth collapsed into his bed. His eyes drifting closed on him, he made himself a silent promise that from that day forward Heero would never have to wonder again where he stood in his feelings...
...and in that release, Duo could feel himself almost floating from the world in his newfound freedom even as the deep recesses of sleep claimed him.
TBC...
[1] The build up pacts leading into World War I before the 1914 assassination of Archduke Ferdinand that became the real catalyst for the battle. Throughout both WWI and WWII, Switzerland managed to stay neutral- never getting involved in the conflicts and never being attacked.
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