Calling all angels calling all angels
Walk me through this one, don't leave me alone
Calling all angels calling all angels...
We're tryin' we're hopin', we're hurtin' we're lovin'
We're cryin' we're callin'... 'Cause we're not sure how this goes
-Lyrics to 'Calling All Angels' performed by Jane Siberry
Crimson Ties Part 86
"Oh my God! You're getting married!" Sylvia shrieked at the top of her lungs. If the whole of the student body and faculty that was walking about hadn't already stopped to stare at the couple that she threw her arms around, they soon did at her excited cry.
Laughing, Duo lowered his left hand that he had flashed to reveal the engagement band on his ring finger so that he could return her tight embrace. Heero wrapped what part of the freshman's waist was still free as he chuckled deeply.
Quatre, Catherine, Trent, Alex and Mueller stood by to snicker and shake their heads in amusement. For the mortals that were only now learning of the engagement, their mouths could not have stretched further in wider smiles while those that did know beamed in their own happiness for their friends.
While Noventa kissed the Vampire and Companion's cheeks in congratulations, Greyson jiggled a finger in his ear. "You know, Syl, you might want to yell the news a little louder next time," he smirked, "I don't think that everyone in California heard you." His classmates laughed as the slight young woman spun to stick her tongue out at him.
Bowing his head to the Senator's daughter, Heero winked and smiled sincerely, "Your enthusiasm over our joyous announcement is most appreciated, Sylvia." He wrapped an arm around his lover's waist when Duo shifted to lean against his side as he said, "I think it is very sweet to know that you are as nearly thrilled by this as we are." His Companion nodded enthusiastically, unable to voice his own renewed elation over the thoughts of their wedding.
A deep blush warming her cheeks, the freshman giggled shyly at the kind words from the handsome and charming immortal. Tied as he was to one of her best friends, she was certainly not above swooning over any attention that the Infected was willing to give her. And Alex suddenly stepped close to his newly established girlfriend to silently reminder her of his presence with a smirk. Blinking widely when she met his gaze, Noventa's blush grew all the more as she grinned and looped her arms around him.
From the corners of his violet eyes, Maxwell noted the growing crowds that were forming on the snow-spotted grass and steps of the nearby buildings to whisper amongst themselves as they looked on.
While the scene was not something that was particularly out of the ordinary since he first appeared at his Chosen's side on campus, there was a far greater number around than the usual. Clearly word was already spreading quickly of how Heero, the normally loner Vampire, and Duo, who as a boy had once hated anything that had to do with the Infected, were now betrothed.
More than that, many of the faces around knew Yuy to be an Original... one of the last of his kind to not already be married with their Companion be they another Infected or a changed mortal. So, this was a very rare thing indeed. For a mortal to be present as the first to hear of this wedding, it was no doubt considered an honor.
No doubt everyone at the school was going to get wind of this before it was lunch. By then, this would be the topic of conversation on everyone's lips to how someone from their college was to marry a Vampire who was considered royalty to many for being one of the first of his kind.
Thankfully for Duo, he wouldn't be around for long to have to endure the attention for much longer. Any whispered musings and rumors surrounding the event that might be passed on from here out would go on with his blissfully ignorant absence.
Suddenly paying more notice to the fact that they were standing before the facility that included the enrollment office, Mueller realized aloud with a deep frown, "Oh... I take it that you're leaving school to get everything organized for the big day?" Instantly, the mood around Alex and Sylvia deflated at the comment.
"Only for this semester, I'm hoping," the braided Companion responded. Wrapping his own arm around his Vampire's waist, he grinned, "Heero and I are going to be doing a lot of traveling around for the next few weeks, so it's going to be pretty hard for us to be able to work and focus on classes at the same time."
Ever the master of avoiding a lie through omission, he of course left the matter to be assumed by his friends that they were traveling to find the perfect location for the wedding and gathering only the best of items for the celebration. Judging by the awed expressions on the livings, he knew that his suggestion had been bought hook-line-and-sinker.
Shrugging, Duo added, "I'm sure that I can make up my classes from home this summer before the fall and then we'll both be back to our normal, everyday lives." He mused to himself, 'At least as normal as two immortal beings could expect their existences to be if the war really is over by then.' Easily picking up on the subtleties to read between his lover's lines, Yuy gave him a tight squeeze and pressed a soft kiss against his temple in reassurance.
"Oh that's great to hear," Noventa sighed in relief. "It just wouldn't be the same without either of you here. It'll be hard enough for this one semester." Alex and Mueller nodded in agreement; Quatre, Catherine and Trent doing the same to keep up the act of their being in the dark.
Deeply touched by the sentiment, both Heero and Duo smiled warmly. Unlike the rest of their peers, they knew the words to hold even more true considering how the trio were friends with them long before their relationship was established. There was a genuineness to the camaraderie that they shared and it was to be treasured.
The Original offered, "Well, you all know that you're more than welcome at our home once things start calming down again. We have no intention of staying strangers." He smirked, "Besides, we need to keep in touch since we have every intention of seeing that you're in attendance for our wedding. Wherever and whenever it takes place, we'll make sure that you're accommodated so that we can have the pleasure of your company."
It was comical to Maxwell as he watched the wide eyes and covered mouths of the closest onlookers as they passed along the word of his partner's invitation. No doubt the shocked mortal friends were about to be very popular on campus from here on out now that the whole school was about to know how they were in such good graces with the pair.
Blinking his enlarged eyes, Alex breathed, "Wow." Quickly recovering from his surprise, he held his hand out to the Infected with a beaming smile on his face as he said, "Thank you. This is a real honor." Smiling back, Heero exchanged handshakes with him and Mueller when the other junior stepped up to offer his own gratitude.
His fatigue catching up, a wide yawn caught Trent by surprise and he rubbed his face with his hands. The motion of rubbing his skin only made the subtle circles under his eyes stand out all the more when he lowered his arms to check his watch and suggested, "Well, I better get moving if I don't want to be late for my first class."
Mueller frowned in concern when he really took his classmate's weary appearance in for the first time since running into the group when they'd stepped out of the main building. "You okay, Greyson?" he asked. "No offense, pal, but you look like hell."
"Long night," the former Hunter shrugged. Smirking, he subtly glanced up and over his shoulder to peer at the high treetops where he knew the reason for his staying up until the wee hours in the morning was well hidden from sight.
Ever since he had learned the details around the struggle with the Others, Rosshe had volunteered himself to oversee his future brother-in-law's protection. Joining the ranks of his new English friends- Perry and Tilly- in keeping a close eye over their living charges, his presence might not have been visible but it was definitely felt and appreciated by Trent. Already, he felt safer knowing that the Egyptian Infected would never be far from him.
With a wave and a voiced salutation to his friends, Greyson hurried off for his class. On his cue, the crowds that had gathered began to reluctantly disperse as well to the tune of sighs and frustrated grumbles by those who could not stick around.
And that meant the lot closest to the engaged pair had to leave as well. More embraces and handshakes were exchanged along with the 'see you soon' glances from Quatre and Catherine before Heero took his lover's hand to lead them back to the parking lot. "That was really nice of you to extend that invitation," Duo smiled over to his Vampire when they had slid back into the seats of their car.
Starting the engine, Yuy grinned back, "Well, of course your classmates will be at the wedding. Not only are they friends of yours, but I've grown quite fond of them all also." He was taken by surprise when his Companion suddenly leaned in to reward him with a sound kiss. Chuckling deeply when they broke apart, the Infected easily navigated the vehicle from the lot and onto the winding roads through the campus grounds.
"A few excuses for Quatre, Catherine and Trent and they'll be able to miss out on the rest of their classes for the semester to focus on helping us out," Duo sighed as he stared through his passenger window. "Even with the guard that they have while they're at school, I'll just feel a hell of a lot better knowing that they're actually with us where we'll have the real numbers to watch after them."
Heero nodded, "So far it looks as though they're shrouded from Dorothy's sight since Perry and Tilly drank from your blood directly. And we have to see that their leave of absences are spaced out as to not raise suspicion. Everyone at school here knows how tight they are with us."
Gripping the wheel out of frustration, he peered from the corner of his eye to meet his partner's gaze as he commented, "But, I would also like the reassurance of always having them around every bit as much as you. Just another week or two and we won't have to worry about that." As he gave a shallow nod of his own, Duo turned back to stare out the window once more.
Catherine would be the first to ask for a momentary lapse in her studies. She had the easiest excuse in being the only surviving member of her family now that Howard was gone. A claim of needing to get her estate in order would be more than enough to get her out of her studies without issue.
Then it would be Quatre, with the help of his parents' involvement. They had agreed to talk to the board, insisting that their son was needed for the family business to look over things while they were away.
Not wanting to know the details to what was actually going on, the Winners were simply willing to accept that their boy was needed by the Vampire Council in solving some important research that required his expert studies in genealogy. They were so honored by the request delivered personally by Treize Khushrenada that they did not hesitate for a moment to agree.
And only a few days after that, Trent would be taking up a prestigious internship in assisting non other than Relena Peacecraft in working through her speeches to present before the Human-Vampire council sessions when they resumed again in the summer. In her letter to the admission office, she would say how she simply had to have his aid ever since she'd had the chance to meet him at Duo's party where she was taken by his knowledge and sensibilities in public addresses.
Being the historical and political major that he was, Greyson would be the pride and joy of his professors and therefore willing to lose him for the weeks that it took to help the worldly-known Councilwoman. Thanks to that rouge, it would be an easy explanation to anyone that might learn of how he was moving in with the Merquise family.
That would tie everything up in a nice, neat little package for the public eye to see. No one besides those involved needed to know the horrors of the war that the present actually held beneath the surface. Once those last details were out of the way, all of the key players would be in place to dedicate themselves to ending Solo's reign once and for all.
For now, however, other matters needed to be tended to. Namely one very big discovery that was now being sorted out.
By the time the pair entered their home, the steps in using that new development were already being taken. Around the round living room table, Anna and Sally were busy in their work of cleaning a small pile of discarded medical equipment from the surface while Trowa and Treize sat and talked casually. Inspecting the pint-sized medical bags when they looked near full of blood at their charges' sides, the doctor and nurse took note to the measurements before resuming their other tasks.
"Come join the party, cousin," Barton grinned to his fellow Original, turning carefully as to not jar the needle that was in his left wrist so that their golden gazes could meet. "We were almost afraid that you were going to miss out since everyone else has long been finished here."
Heero chuckled and did not hesitate as he raised the sleeve of his deep blue sweater. Taking one of the available seats, he propped his exposed arm on the table. Anna was at his side in a blink to swab the inside of his arm and prick a good vein with a fresh needle that was already linked to a long tube and bag that began to fill slowly. Satisfied that all was well there, the redhead was moving beside Trowa to swap his filled bag with a an empty one.
For Duo, it was a strange thing to not be the one offering blood for a change. Instead, it was the dark life force of his immortal friends and family that were giving everything that they could to preserve the existences of their kind.
If the theory surrounding Rosshe's indirectly drinking from the hybrid was true, this process of donating and delivering this turned blood could buy a considerable amount of time for both those dying Vampires that had been separated from their Chosen. At the same time, they would be able to protect the Others from being doomed to the fate of the Wilds.
When his sister opened the medical cooler to place Trowa's bag inside, Duo blinked in surprise at how many others like were already sealed away. Only then did he also note the two other containers that looked ready to be taken away. "How much blood is that?" he asked in little more than a stunned breath as his skin paled.
"A Vampire can lose three pints of blood and not be affected, so everyone of us that can donate is giving that much. By the time everyone here is done, we'll have twenty-nine pints between Treize's family, our family, Rosshe and our English friends. By nightfall, we'll have another twenty-seven ready for the next shipment and so on," Anna replied.
Meeting her little brother's silver-and-violet eyes, she brushed back a wisp of hair that had come loose from her high ponytail. "Your brother and I are the only ones that won't be able to be included because of our unique makeup. No matter what I tried, I just couldn't keep a needle in long enough to extract any blood before from Wufei his scales pushed it back out. Then with me, well..."
She ducked her head, grinning sheepishly, "There's the little fertility matter. I thought poor Rosshe was going to collapse when I warned him about how he should be careful when he is finally united with Dorothy."
The lot snickered at that mental image. No doubt such an announcement had to have come as a shock to the Egyptian Infected.
As she approached Treize to seal up the sloshing bag beside him, Sally removed the the needle from his arm. "That's your three pints, so you're good until this afternoon you'll be replenished and ready to go again," she announced.
When she turned her back to remove a band-aid from the pocket of her medical coat, she looked back to the find the tiny puncture wound only to find that it had already closed while the Councilman looked on her surprise with an amused smirk.
Laughing, the braided doctor shook her head, "Now that was just silly of me to think that you needed this." A faint blush on her cheeks as the Vampires snickered around her, she slipped the band-aid back into her pocket and saw to storing the precious blood that had been collected.
"What is the plan when we're finished here?" Heero asked the Commander across from him. "Do we have an idea to who will be receiving our blood?"
Khushrenada nodded, "Lady Une and I have already compiled a list of those Vampires in the most dire need. They would be the first to have lost their connection with their Chosen. Even at the rate that we will be transporting pints, there is no way we would be able to reach everyone that has fallen ill."
He frowned deeply even as he had to voice that concern and sighed, "However, we can get to the worst cases for now and increase our numbers in willing donors. We will also have a few more deliverers by the end of the day as many of those guardians of the ill will be coming in to travel where Relena sends them to multiply our efforts."
Leaning back in his chair, Treize went on, "Zechs and Noin are in the middle of finding our kind that are closest to death that have felt the complete sever of their link to their intended partners. Several Others killed the night of the attack were not Wilds, so we could potentially have Infected that are completely lost to the world now that death has taken their soul mates. If their hopes to bond them with the Wilds in our possession works, we may have a way of saving them all."
His eyes growing, Yuy breathed, "I never even gave that a consideration. It's a brilliant concept, considering how there is a need by both creatures to be tied so that they can exist." Treize smiled, nodding shallowly in a reserve of his own excitement over the possibility.
At that, Trowa smirked, "Imagine what all of this would mean for our steadily growing army. Once those healed Infected are informed of what happened to their tied, they'll be up to the challenge of fighting to bring them back."
'More soldiers for the cause', Duo thought to himself. Already working out the many scenarios in his head, he couldn't help the wide smile that spread across his lips. Within days, they would have hundreds of Vampires and fresh Companions in their ranks.
Solo still had the upper hand by leaps and bounds in numbers up until that moment, but that was about to change very quickly.
Feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders begin lighten a bit, the hybrid slipped into the chair next to his Vampire's free side to lean against him. There were so many new developments to process and even more steps that needed to be taken, but little by little some very key pieces were falling into place.
The angels were all being brought in to fend off the demons that threatened life as everyone knew it.
Heero smiled warmly when Duo rested his braided head on his shoulder and closed his eyes. Placing a cool kiss on his Companion's forehead, he wrapped an arm around him to hold him close.
* * * * * *
The sun was just beginning to set in Athens to paint a beautiful backdrop of color that stretched from the heavens to kiss the earth below. People and Vampire alike walked the streets casually in the blissful scene while children played and laughed in the last bit of snow that remained now that winter was beginning to wind down so that it could make room for the quickly approaching spring. Everything about the city that early evening was portrait-perfect in its beauty and serenity.
However, there was no such happiness or peace to be found. Hooking a few loose strands of her long, blonde hair behind her ear, Kristy sat hunched over her long-time friend that lay stretched out on his infirmary bed. Gently brushing a fresh rag over the unconscious Vampire's soaked brow, she fought the tears in her eyes with a soft whimper.
Already naturally small in his forever teenaged frame, Jacob appeared little more than a child in his disintegrating state. His head turning away to release a series of raspy coughs the Infected fought for breath.
Instantly, the Companion lowered the now dripping cloth away and gently turned her friend onto his side as she rubbed his back in soothing circles to help him get the air he needed. Once he was still and softly breathing again, she carefully lowered him onto his back again.
The gold-and-crimson band on her arm glistening in the natural light that poured from the window, the lovely blonde ran a hand through curly locks of hair that were practically glued down to the sides of the Vampire's handsome face from the sweat that continued to pour from him.
Hearing the nearly nonexistent sound of footsteps rushing into the room, Kristy spun to meet her lover's concerned emerald-and-gold eyes. "Oh, Amara, he's slipping away so quickly now," she wailed, flinging herself into the arms that opened and closed around her in a fierce embrace. Shaking her head against a strong shoulder, the Companion whispered between sobs, "I... don't know... how much longer... he can last like this."
The Grecian Vampire set the medical cooler that she had returned with onto the table beside them to properly hold onto her Other. A few droplets breaking past her own defenses to run down her pale face, she replied just as softly, "I know. Even the blood that the hospital has been so kind to donate has lost its effect. But we have to try whatever we can... we can't just give up on him now."
Suddenly, three very strong knocks on the front door resonated through the air so profoundly that the couple almost jumped. Their shimmering eyes widening, Amara and Kristy shared confused expressions before they both moved to answer their unexpected visitor together. Whoever it was that had come, they were very deliberate in making sure that their arrival was heard with the truest sense of urgency.
Keeping one hand around her lover's when they stopped in the entryway, the dark-haired Infected raised the other to undo the main door's deadbolt. Out of habit, she left the chain lock in place as she opened their home just enough to peer at the two hooded creatures standing on their front step. And when their heads lifted so that their faces could be revealed, she gasped sharply at the sight of the closest to her. "C-Commander Une," she stammered.
"Hello, Amara," the Councilwoman smiled kindly in greeting. Craning her head to the side to peek at the equally stunned face behind her agent, she nodded, "Kristy. It is wonderful to see you both again." Those words hardly left her mouth before the chain lock was removed and the door was opened in a flourish just before the pair latched themselves around her in sheer relief.
Only just managing to keep them all upright, Lady Une's smile grew as she hugged the couple back. "I do apologize, dears, but time is of the essence as I am sure that Jacob is not faring well. We must make this quick so that we can all be off," she commented gently. Not needing to be told twice, nor wishing to hesitate whatever it was she had planned with questions, the Vampire and her Companion led their guests down the hallway in a rush.
Stopping just inside the doorway to Jacob's room, the Commander's eyes widened with a pained gasp as she took in just how badly off her sweet, young friend was. "He's been like this for weeks. All of a sudden, he made this drastic turn for the worst without warning. Any time we try to speak to him when he is lucid, he refuses to speak," Kristi shared, a deep frown marring her face while she and her Vampire stood in the corner, clinging to one another.
"That is very odd," the Councilwoman muttered to herself as she walked around the bed to sit on the edge by her charge's head. Leaning close, brushed the backs of her fingers against the side of his warming cheek. "Jacob," she called softly. "Can you hear me, sweetheart?"
Pained brown-and-gold eyes fluttered open, but only partially. after a few blinks, the parts of the irises that were revealed cleared with recognition. "L-Lady Une?" Jacob breathed, voice hoarse from coughing as violent as he had been for days. "Y-you came to say goodbye to me... I am truly honored." Tired as the Infected was, there was a real acceptance of his fate both in his posture and expression that included a tired smile of relief that the end of his suffering was near.
Gripping his shoulders tightly, the Original shook her head, "You are not about to die on us now." She grinned, "Not when we came to bring you to Sharon." At that, the exhaustion and agony passed in wide-eyed disbelief. Trembling, Amara and Kristy watched their guests in the same shock. Nodding to the unspoken questions, Une chuckled deeply, "That's right. So, we best see you off with us so that you may be united."
The excitement and wonder that had flooded the now fully alert ailing Infected was replaced with doubt and panic as he frowned deeply, "But I... I have felt her not long ago through the methods of reaching her that you taught me.." Shivering violently, he moaned, "She hates our kind so. There is no reason for me to go on knowing that she could never love me as I love her."
Stunned, it was Lady Une's turn to blink widely. "Jacob... is that why you are no longer fighting?" she whispered. Biting his lips against the sob that broke from him as tears streamed down his face, the frail Vampire nodded vehemently.
Quickly lowering his hood to reveal himself, Wufei moved to the opposite side of the bed so that he could sit close to the Grecian. More gasps filled the room at the sight of his scales that he had purposely covered to conceal his identity. Amongst his own kind especially, Chang was worldly known from the trial that had allowed him as the last legally turned Vampire. To no surprise on his part, his hosts gaped at him in surprise.
Of all the beings present in the room, no one was more taken aback by the last of their kind than Jacob. His mouth falling open, he stared up at the scaly Infected unblinking.
The corner of his lips curling in a small smirk, the Chinese Infected peered over to his Commander as he asked, "May I?" A wide grin spreading across her face, Lady Une bowed her head.
Drawing a deep breath, Wufei smiled sadly and leaned closer to charge's face to tell him quietly, "Your Other... is going to love you the moment she lays eyes on you. She's just lost at the moment, a victim every bit as much as you are, but nothing in this world will change how she feels for you, for it is exactly what you feel for her."
A tear rolled down Jacob's face as he swallowed roughly, whimpering, "But what if you're wrong? What if I'm not good enough for her and she rejects me? I would sooner die than have that happen."
"You are exactly everything that Sharon needs in her life," Wufei replied, keeping his voice soft but firm in its certainty.
Caught up by the emotions of his words from experience, he could feel the prickle that stung his eyes as he went on, "Everything is going to make sense as soon as you're back together. She'll remember how she's dreamt about you from as far back as she can remember. Her world that has been in chaos will suddenly all make sense and have direction the second you step into it because you are the single most important creature in her existence. Never before will she realize how when she was surrounded by people she's been completely alone until you join her side."
Slowly but surely, those clouds of fear and doubt began to pull away from Jacob's widened gaze as he listened intently without breaking his focus on the scaly Vampire over him. Those heart-felt sentiments, so profound in the depth of their surety, strengthened him with every syllable that was spoken.
After a brief pause so that he could clear his throat of the lump that had formed there, Chang smirked, "I fought all of that as hard as I could with everything in me..." Swallowing roughly when his voice broke off, he whispered, "And in the end, I realized that I was running from the very thing... from the very person that I wanted and needed more than anything I had and ever will know."
The Vampires and Companion standing by were all wiping away at their wet eyes as they took in the beautiful and perfected description of their own connections to their Chosen. Sniffling, Wufei brushed away a few droplets from his scaly cheek and chuckled in conclusion, "So... you do not have a thing to worry about."
Jacob laughed through his tears, a sound that soared through his friends that had been without the bright sound for far too long. Sitting himself up, he nodded firmly to his visitors, "All right. I'm ready to go to her now."
Easily scooping him into his arms, Wufei smiled, "It would be my honor to take you there." Frowning in confusion, Amara and Kristy followed Lady Une's silent direction to step beside Chang so that she could have an arm around him and the other around the embracing Grecian couple.
And in a blink, the world became a flash of color.
TBC...
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