Chapter 1: Snow

The little girl stood amidst the swirling snow, watching the snowflakes drop and melt into her red mittens. It was cold but she liked being outside, it was not often that she was allowed to leave the house. She shivered as the gusts became more powerful and the snow fell harder.

Something made her look up suddenly. It was the feeling of being watched – she looked around but failed to notice anything out of the ordinary. It was just the trees with their bare branches and their coverings of snow. Upon further inspection, the girl noticed a bat dangling from one of the branches above her.

She pondered how odd it was to see a bat in this weather and stepped closer.

Flapping its wings, the bat dislodged itself and flew off, vanishing into the increasingly heavy snowfall. The child stood peering as far as she could into the direction it had flown, disappointed it had gone.

"Yuki."

Hearing her name called by the familiar and serene voice, the child turned to see a woman standing some distance away, near the house. The back door was open, allowing light to spill out. The woman's long hair fluttered in the wind as she beckoned for the child.

"Okaa-sama!" Yuki exclaimed happily and sprinted over, the ends of her coat flapping as she moved.

The woman looked at her pensively before kneeling down and wrapping her shawl tightly around the child.

"I told you already…I am not your mother, Yuki," she said quietly before standing back up.

Yuki shook her head stubbornly and embraced the woman, although she was only tall enough to reach her hip and buried her face into the soft fabric with the familiar scent of cherry blossoms.

"Okaa-sama," she repeated insistently, hugging the woman tighter as if afraid the woman would disappear if she let go.

What a tenacious child, thought the woman. She sighed, patted the child's head, and said "Let's go back inside, Yuki."

Yuki nodded and grabbed the adult's hand. The two of them headed back towards the house leaving behind the growing snowstorm.


"Kaname-kun, I'm so glad you could make it!" gushed Kaien Cross, formerly a vampire hunter and currently a school headmaster. "Let me take your coat!"

The youth with a refined demeanor nodded. "I managed to obtain the day off." He took off his coat, handing it to the bespectacled man with ash blond hair. "I wouldn't miss her birthday, no matter how busy I may be."

"Kaname-sama," a soft voice called in greeting.

Kaname turned to face the girl standing to the side of the doorway. She had grown since he last seen her. Her dark brown curls now extended to her waist, and she was almost tall enough to reach his chest. She smiled, and as he looked into her light blue eyes, he sensed a maturity beyond her years.

That smile and those blue eyes, they always made him feel a bitter nostalgia. They bought back memories of his failures both from the distant past and more recent past. She was the only one left, the other child had long perished. He had to protect her, even if it cost him his life. This was his atonement. Feeling a lump rise in his throat, he pushed aside thoughts of the past. He smiled back at her and strode over to embrace her.

"Yoko," he murmured, feeling her warmth against him.

Sometimes he felt so tired, as if he was chained to invisible weights. Being with her, he felt a little lighter and less alone. If only he could stay like this forever...


"She has been doing very well like I mentioned in my letters, Kaname-kun. You shouldn't worry so much, she's a very bright and responsible child," Kaien informed the sullen youth sitting across from him.

It was after the birthday dinner, and having helped clear away the table, Yoko had been sent to bed after bidding Kaname goodnight.

Kaname swirled the dark tea in his teacup absentmindedly. "Yes, I heard Yoko was doing well in her studies, being top of the class and all. That's not what has been bothering me though."

Kaien sipped his tea slowly, before setting his cup down to regard Kaname, who appeared to have something on his mind. "Are you talking about that man? Did you discover something about his whereabouts?"

Kaname curled his free hand into a fist at the mention of that man. Whenever he thought about what happened six years ago a rage always surged in him. With a sharp sound, the rim of his cup chipped, a jagged crack crept down the cup, and tea flowed out onto his hand before dripping onto the wooden floor. The warmth of the liquid pulled him back from his rage, reminding him of the necessity to control his emotions and not accidentally injure those around him. He could not put Yoko in danger, and he did not want her to see him angry.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, with his eyes down, avoiding Kaien's concerned and pitying look.

"What happened that night wasn't your fault Kaname, you need to stop blaming yourself." Kaien shook his head before continuing. "Juri and Haruka wouldn't want you to be consumed by guilt."

"Hearing that only makes me feel worse," Kaname replied, a bitter smile gracing his lips. "I failed to protect what they held dearest," he murmured, "I couldn't stop that depraved descendant of mine from shattering their happiness once again."


[Flashback Scene]

The fierce winds were cold enough to chill one to the bone, blowing snow everywhere. In front of an ancient and stately manor deep in the mountains, a crowd had gathered despite the harsh weather. They waited silently for orders from their master, who was standing in front, observing the couple blocking the entrance of the manor.

"I'm amazed you escaped the guards of the Senate, older brother," Haruka glared down from the top of the stairs at the man who had once been his respected brother but was now his enemy.

Juri stood behind him, also somberly staring at the man she despised. She had trusted him, and he had betrayed her trust in the worst possible way.

Rido grinned darkly. "You shouldn't be surprised. You knew I would eventually return for the princesses you've hidden away."

Hearing his words, Juri dropped her cool fa?ade and screamed, "You bastard! Taking my children away again!"

Eyes glowing red with fury, she was ready to pounce on him and tear him to pieces. As she stepped forward Haruka blocked her, shaking his head and looking at her with a sad but meaningful expression.

"Juri, let me take care of this," he said and caressed her cheek softly. "What you wanted to do for the children... now is the time."

Her anger gave way to loneliness, her knowing it was finally time to bid farewell to the one who had been beside her all those long centuries of her life. With tears stinging her eyes, she rested her head against his chest, feeling his warm, protective arms around her for the last time. Ignoring the crew of assailants observing them in their last moments, she turned his face to her and drew him into a kiss.

"Having spent my life with you, surrounded by your love and being blessed with our three children, I am thankful." She smiled, her eyes conveying her sincerity.

She then broke away and headed back into the manor after capturing the final image of Haruka smiling gently back at her.


Kaname looked up from the crib he was standing guard over when he heard the nursery doors open. He had been unsuccessfully trying to soothe the two crying babies lying inside. Juri hurried over and regarded them sadly. She had to make a difficult choice, but there was no other way. Sensing the reassuring presence of their mother, the twins quieted down and gurgled contently.

Juri knelt down to meet at eye level the boy who appeared around the tender age of 5. "Kaname…I'm sorry. I wanted to give you and the girls a normal life in which you could laugh and cry without care, unrestrained by the conventions that shackle us."

He looked at the woman smiling sadly at him, a pleading expression in her eyes, and protested, "Don't apologize. You've already done enough, raising me as your-," he was cut off by her kissing him on the cheek.

"You're our son no matter what," she insisted softly then continued. "Haruka and I wanted to live as a family with you and the girls, seeing you all reach adulthood... but it seems our dream has been cut short."

His eyes widened at the realization of what she was about to do.

"Please, even though it is a selfish request... watch over the girls, even if one of them will no longer be your sister."

"Don't do this, we should escape together for now and plan-" Once again he was interrupted, this time by her placing a finger over his lips.

"Please don't stop me Kaname, this is the decision Haruka and I have arrived at."

He looked down at his shoes, feeling sorrow he had not felt in a long time, sorrow he had escaped from ever since he had been reborn as their child.

Juri rose and looked at her twin daughters, who looked back at her curiously, unsure what was happening but vaguely aware something was wrong. If only she could do this for both girls…but it was one life for another, a law she could not change. Steeling her heart, she started preparing her final gift to her youngest child. She could only hope the other child, older by less than a quarter of an hour, could live as wonderful a life as possible for a pureblood.

"I'm sorry, Yuki and Yoko…mother can no longer be with you," she whispered as the sealing spell started. She held Yoko's small hand in her grasp, feeling its warmth against her one last time. His heart aching, Kaname looked away, not wanting to see the bloody ending.

"Please…live on happily…"

With those last words, Kaname heard and smelled the torrent of blood that burst forth, followed soon by the clinking sounds of crystalline remains shattering into a million pieces. He closed his eyes tightly and swallowed the lump in his throat before turning back to the crib. Yuki was crying inconsolably while Yoko wore a dazed expression. He picked Yoko up carefully – she was no longer his sister but a normal mortal from now on. Now he had to focus on getting them away from Rido and his henchmen. In his current state he had recovered his memories but not even half his original power.


The very moment he reached for Yuki, the nursery doors were slammed open by a powerful force which also knocked him into a wall. He cursed himself for having failed to notice Rido drawing closer thanks to the distractions of Juri's blood permeating the room and Yuki's loud wailing. A couple of lowly vampires entered and scanned the room before being followed by their master.

Rido had been injured by Haruka, as evidenced by a large wound to his abdomen and the shredded state of his coat and shirt. It was not enough to kill him, and not even a particularly serious injury. After all, he had become more powerful after devouring his parents as they slumbered unsuspectingly in their mausoleum. Using a hunter weapon in the fight also contributed to his victory. Kaname scowled at the cowardly tactic, before staggering to his feet while cradling Yoko who issued a weak whimper. He could not face Rido in a duel right now, he had to grab Yuki and flee with the power he had left.

Rido stood, assessing the scene before his eyes with sadistic glee. Finally, he would devour the remnants of Haruka and Juri's wretched family, bringing the curtain down on these people he had once loved but now hated so much. Kaname made for the crib as Rido was distracted, staring at the blood-soaked dress that Juri had perished in with an almost pensive expression on his face. However, Kaname's sudden movement alerted Rido, who quickly bit his finger, forming a whip with his blood and lashing at the boy, causing him to move back from the crib.

Kaname gritted his teeth at the sting of being cut but was relieved to see he had sheltered Yoko from the attack. Damn it, if only he was in his real form with all his powers intact– for him, the ancestor of the Kuran family to be so helpless against his own crazed descendant seemed a cruel joke played by the gods.

"Rido!" he snarled and glowered at the man a few feet before him. "Don't you dare touch her!"

How Kaname hated his current childish voice, it was a reminder of his sad state.

Rido was completely undaunted by his warning and chuckled. "How laughable, the mighty, revered ancestor of our clan reduced to such a state. You can barely protect yourself now…you should just run away before you lose even that chance."

Kaname felt tendrils of panic at the growing realization Rido was right. He was cornered, with a real threat to his life. The crib was also too far, he would not be able to grab Yuki and run for it. Anxiety coursed through him, something he had not felt since the days when he was the ancestor warring against other purebloods. At that moment, he hated himself so much for being so weak that he almost would not mind if Rido killed him on the spot.

Kaname had no choice though; he had to survive. Even if he had to live with this self-hatred for the rest of his immortal life, he had to protect at least one of the girls. He cast a regretful glance at the crib and focused the last of his power into one final attack. Charging at Rido, he unleashed the telekinetic attack which had enough force to pierce through the older man, ripping his wound into an even bigger bloody mess and knocking him back into a wall. Simultaneously, the henchmen in the vicinity were all thrown back and scattered into ashes by the powerful force. He looked back one last time to see Rido already staggering back up, his entrails and lower rib bones exposed. Kaname apologized furiously to Juri, Haruka, and Yuki, and ran with all his remaining physical strength, bursting out of the destroyed nursery and carrying the crying Yoko. The other baby's cries trailed after and haunted him as he escaped into the raging snowstorm outside.

[Flashback End]


Kaname was interrupted from his recollections by the hand placed on his shoulder. Kaien was trying to comfort him. As if reading his mind, the headmaster sighed and asserted that Kaname had done the best he could given the difficult circumstances. The boy gave up on insisting otherwise and got ready to leave.

As he stood at the door, ready to walk over to the awaiting car, he turned back to face the headmaster.

"I managed to find out something a while ago. That man's wife escaped from his manor a few years back."

Kaien looked at him surprised, recalling that Rido Kuran had always locked up his wife. She was the one pureblood that had never been formally introduced to vampire society, shrouded by mystery and rumors of supposed insanity.

"Whatever her reasons for fleeing, he is probably searching for her at the same time. With his attentions split, we should be able to buy more time."

Something in the way Kaname announced the last sentence made the headmaster scrutinize his face. He had been alive for a long time, even if it was only a fraction compared to the "boy" before him, but his instincts told him his unease was well-founded. Ever since Kaname came to him that winter night six years ago, entrusting his only remaining relative to him, he had gradually changed. Every time Kaien saw him, the darkness in the boy's eyes seemed to have grown stronger and more desperate, reminding Kaien of himself in the past.

"Kaname…what are you planning?"

The boy gave him an impenetrable look, ignored his question and bid him goodnight.


A/N: Thanks for reading. All favs/ reviews/ follows are appreciated.

*I do not own Vampire Knight, only this fic and the associated OCs