DISCLAIMER: Kyoko Tsuchiya and Project Weiß hold the copyright over all names, likeness and rights of Weiß kreuz. All these characters and materials are used without permission, and I'm not profiting from this piece of fan fiction.

[Manx]
I feel my hand tighten around Shuuichi-san's arm as we enter the ballroom, attending yet another of those social gatherings for politicians. As I let my eyes fall on the graceful companion of the Prime Minister, I can't help but recall Shuuichi-san's many rants over this-- humiliation. During these events, Takatori Reiji's companion appears as always the epitome of an aristocratic Japanese lady. Dressed in a fine kimono... looking so sweet and demure. It is agony for us to see Fujimiya Ran like this. And I-- who once met Ran before he entered this madness... Seen the innocent and open boy he was before Reiji murdered his parents... The guilt eats me to see what he's become.

Shuuichi-san would swear that his brother does this to rub salt into his wounds. It is-- to see Ran looking at Reiji with-- with love in his eyes... How it was accomplished, we still don't know, but Ran is as he is now. In love with Takatori Reiji and willing to do anything the-- the bastard would ask of him.

No... Ran had always been agreeable to any of Reiji's requests, especially seeing how his sister is under the control of the bastard's caretakers. When Shuuichi-san first told me that Ran was willing to give his body to Reiji's lusts... I've never seen a greater love for a sister. In the past, I understood that it was always with reluctance. Now... It is too painful to see him like this.

"Be quiet." Crawford snaps back at me as I try to make him look to where the Kitten is walking with our 'employer'.

"What those sluts did was an abomination." I don't like what they did to him, and I can't stop complaining about it. Where was the finesse? Where was the artistry in manipulating another's mind to whole-heartedly accept what you want him to believe? "Can you say you like what was done?"

"It's no matter to me, Schuldich. Let Takatori play with his toys. As long as he doesn't interfere with the grand plans, he can do what he likes." Crawford dismisses my ranting without a second thought. "Now stop fretting and stay sharp. Something's about to happen."

"Weiß?"

"No, someone far more stupid. Keep an eye on the Kitten."

I silently berate myself as I catch sight of the Schwartz redhead lounging outside the observation window of the surgical theatre. I shouldn't have been startled to see him. Not especially since he was the one who carried Ran-kun from the function.

#Never thought you'd ever see your Abyssinian risk his life to save Takatori Reiji, did you?#

No. And for that I feel my despair grow for what must have been done to his mind.

#An atrocity.#

I find myself shocked at the vehemence behind his words. /Pot, Kettle, black, Schuldich?/

He gives me an annoyed look. #What was done to his mind, Kitada... there was no finesse to it. It was crude, rude... I would not have done this to him. That is not my way.#

/No... You much prefer to have your-- targets come to you willingly./ I nod to him grudgingly. "Or at the least, think they are acting of their own accord."

"You know me too well, Kitada." He smiles as I approach to stand beside him. "Wasn't it a sight to see? The little Kitten with his claws unsheathed to save the Prime Minister from an assassination attempt."

I have to close my eyes as the memory that his words invoke appear before me; Of seeing Ran explode into action armed with only a long fan. It made me think that Ran must have unconsciously adopted the practice from his old team mate. Kikyou, an accomplished swordsman in his own right, used a fan as a weapon of choice when he wasn't carrying his blade.

"Not all of him has been buried." Schuldich's eyes turn back to the doctors as they continue their operation on the pale figure within.

"Buried?" The word suddenly registers to me as I turn my head towards him. "What do you mean--"

"Those butchers walled up his memories. They didn't erase him." Schuldich shrugs. "He's too strong for that."

The significance of the choice of the fan as a weapon springs at me. "So Ran still has his memories intact."

"Somewhere in his mind... Yes."

I can't help but think of how Ran still stepped between Reiji and that bullet. Our eyes meet at that thought, coming to one agreement over this abominable state of affairs. To be fair, Takatori Reiji does, in his own twisted way, love Ran. In my long association with the Takatoris, I cannot recall Reiji ever losing his composure over anyone as he did when Ran collapsed after taking that shot for him. I don't believe he was as upset when his wife committed suicide.

"It'll make tomorrow morning's news for sure."

I can't help my disparaging snort at his statement. "Do you actually believe that it'll do any damage to our Prime Minister?"

"Unlikely." Schuldich's lips quirk slightly as we both remember how Shuuichi-san had torn Ran's kimono so that he could reach the wound to staunch the flow of blood. There could be no mistaking the distinctly male chest beneath the kimono. "The public already knows that the Prime Minister took in a pair of orphaned siblings after the loss of his own children, so there's no need to say anymore about that. But he will never let anyone suggest that Fujimiya is an okama."

I have to agree. "A scandal like that would not sit well with the Prime Minister's office."

"I could probably tell you what the news will say right now. That of late someone had been trying to use women to get to the virtuous, many-years-widowed Prime Minister. That Fujimiya dressed that way to help him keep the sluts at bay and to be his personal bodyguard..."

"I suppose you're right." I could see something like that happening. "He has the power to hush up any attempts to expose his relationship to Ran as a lover."

"That he can do..."

Schuldich's expression makes me take a long look at him. I could have sworn that I heard an element of regret in his voice. But we don't speak again as we keep our vigil of the operation.

"Don't interfere."

"Should I have left him to die then?"

"No, I see-- he will have his uses to us."

"Dammit, Bra--!" He catches me with a hand around my neck and drags me from the chair before I can react.

"Stay away from him."

I should have taken notice of the tight set in his jaw. But I was never known for my tact. "Why? Are you jealous?"

His fingers tighten around my neck, making it difficult for me to breathe. "Would you actually trade this child for me?"

"No." I choke out obediently. /Maybe.../

Youji's hand slams over the picture bringing my attention to him. "Manx--"

I decide not to beat around the bush and just tell them what I know. "He's been moved out of the ICU. Far as I know, Ran is resting at the Takatori's estates."

"He-- was trying to protect Takatori." Ken hissed. I don't believe I've ever heard him sound so angry. "Kami-sama, Manx, Ay-Ran hates him! Why did--?"

"Not anymore."

"Not--?"

"Schreient saw to that." I see Youji stiffen at my statement and throw a hard look my way. There's no mistaking that his thoughts must now be on his ex-partner, Asuka, whom we now suspect became Neu.

"They are *not* taking him away from me too."

His words make me blink. I wonder if Youji is aware of what he just said to us.

It is this strange incongruity of the innocent killer that intrigues me and makes me want to risk Crawford's wrath to see him. The Kitten's injury certainly gives me ample chance to interact with him without Takatori or Crawford's interference. Busy as he is with his political schedule, Takatori has had to leave the lonely little Kitten at his estates. And it keeps Crawford out of my hair too since the Prime Minister is still in need of an able-bodied bodyguard.

The Kitten doesn't exactly trust me, but the enforced bed rest bores him. It was a simple enough bit of bribery to exchange books for company. What a little bookworm. He is such a delight to tease. I know that I deeply confuse him. He doesn't know what to do with the feelings I invoke in him by being so close. I never knew it'd be so easy to make him blush.

Since those-- bitches worked him over, he's never questioned the love or devotion he's given to Takatori. I want to change that. Make him see that the affection and the love is just a conditioning that he's been forced to accept. I want to make him think. However, it is difficult to work with this rather bewildered little Kitten.

Crawford is right. I wouldn't trade lovers. His soul is far too unsullied for me to take without guilt.

"Youji-kun?" Omi timidly interrupts our confrontation. "That-- would make us fight Ay-- Ran-kun..."

"He hasn't hurt us yet!"

"'Yet' being the operative word, Kudou." I snap at him. I don't want to risk it.

"Manx, something is slipping." I'm not surprised to see Ken take Youji's side. I've always suspected that he had a protective streak in him. "We're sure of it. He's never used the edge of the blade on us, Manx. Never. And the last time we faced each other, he hesitate to even strike us."

"Wait Ken-kun, we can't attack the *Prime Minister*. Ran-kun will protect him. He's proven that he will before. But Manx-- what-- is wrong with him now? Why was he with Schreient?" As ever, I can trust Omi to get to the heart of the matter.

Ever since Youji was forced to kill Neu, he's been about ready to explode into violence and say to hell with the consequences. Schuldich said as much to me when we bumped into each other at the office earlier today. I can't say that I'm sure if Schuldich was gloating over Youji's reaction, or feeling sympathy for him, when he told me about the confrontation that brought about Schreient's demise. I don't doubt that Youji did scream Ran's name as Schwartz exited with him though.

"Aya-chan was killed in a car accident about two weeks ago."

Youji and Omi gasp, and Ken leaps to his feet at this revelation. "No-- Ran?"

"He's devastated. Reiji sent him to Schreient to get them to block the memory. They had other plans."

"We can't leave him in that-- that bastard's clutches!" Youj is snarling now. I can understand him. I *know* how he feels about the situation, but there's nothing that we can do.

"And we can't move now." I tell them firmly. The time isn't right. "The SS wants him. Until Takatori Reiji decides to listen to them and give up Ran, we cannot make a move to retrieve him. Weiß *cannot attack* the *Prime Minister*!"

Ken flops back onto the sofa. "So all we can do is wait?"

"And watch for a chance to get Ran-kun back."

"Yes." I hate waiting and doing nothing as much as they do. But our hands are tied.

I am too slow to stop myself from flinching at his words. I had thought that I was being oh so secretive with my clandestine visits to the Kitten. Crawford is smirking at me now. He noticed my fright, but from his expression I know he doesn't feel a least bit threatened by the Kitten. It seems he is, thankfully, more secure of the bond between us.

"Why do you care about my amusements?" I ask cautiously. "It doesn't interfere with our plans."

"Like Schreient? Who would have guessed that the bitches would prove to be of any use? If we left him with them long enough, they could possibly have resurrected their master." Crawford sniffed grudgingly. "In any case, they've confirmed his suitability enough for the SS. I've convince Takatori of Ran's instability, so he's about to release the Kitten into our custody for us to keep an eye on him. But we still need Takatori's permission to give Ran to the SS.

"Heighten your manipulations. The SS want him."

I wait expectantly. I can tell that he's not quite done with me yet.

"Fujimiya Ran is far too innocent for your black soul, Schuldich. And I dare say broken goods don't interest you."

What else can I do but return his smirk? He would say that. The Kitten's too shattered by his sister's death for me to have the guts to try and put him together again. I don't think I can. But to just get him away from Takatori's clutches...

/Sword? Why?/

#The SS wants the Kitten. Takatori isn't giving him up. And *you* want him out of the Prime Minister's company.# I can feel the smirk in his tone. #The Kitten's conditioning is unravelling, Kitada. Give me his sword and he will awaken. You want that to happen.#

Yes, I do. But I wonder if I will be condemning Ran-kun more to let the SS get their claws on him.

I can't believe how low the Kitten made me feel when I knocked him out... I hate this. He has already been through so much... I already feel bad about delivering the Kitten to the old geezers, but for us to use him as well...

"Don't dwell on it, Schuldich." Ever the businessman, Crawford doesn't care.

"You have such faith in him to accomplish this?" I'm *so* not happy. The bastard knows it, but he hardly ever listens to me anyway.

"The element of surprise, Schuldich. One thing that I've always admired about Abyssinian is his resourcefulness." Crawford relaxes in his chair as he regards me. "What are they doing now?"

I shrug and turn my attention back to telepathically monitoring the room where we left the Kitten with the three old geezers. "They're-- oops, they're talking about keeping him as a sex toy once their youth is restored. Tsk, tsk, what a thing to say?"

"And he's heard everything?" The amusement in Crawford's voice makes me quirk a smile back.

"He was awake before we left the room. Not that they would know under my shielding. The Kitten's got himself worked up into a well controlled fury now."

"Then release him and let the fun begin."

"With pleasure." Crawford is right about the Kitten's resourcefulness. He doesn't immediately bust into action on my release of his motor control. He bides his time until they are in the right position before he springs his surprise. "He got two in one stroke. Shall we help him mop up?"

The German... I once more ponder the note he had slipped to me, telling us of Crawford's blind spot, when I passed him Ran's sword. I wonder whose side he is on. Then again, it was also a surprise that Takatori Reiji conveniently allowed me to come across information on the location of the final ceremony.

"It's four and we don't know how many hundreds against Weiß and Botan. Four ordinary men, Manx."

"They are hardly ordinary." I try to protest, but I know what she means. "Persia--"

"So we just wait? Wait and watch what happens? This stinks and you know it!"

Yes, I do. And she's right. I've always been standing at the sidelines, passing missions and messages... doing nothing. I've been watching for too long.

"After the ceremony-- What-- Are we--?" The kid's upset.

"Nagi, we're killers, murderers, betrayers." I nod towards the bodies of the three old guys. "Yeah, we're out and out scoundrels. But we're not rapists."

"You talk like we're going to keep him." Crawford frowns at us when he's done. "I have a buyer ready to take him off our hands once we're finished with this."

/I know, and I don't like it./

But she didn't kill Crawford, we owe Schuldich that much to not kill his leader. From where we stood, we could see that his expression was tight but accepting of the injury. "It's finished! The place is coming down around our ears. We can fight here and die, or we can get the hell out of here."

Weiß hesitates for only a couple of seconds before Omi-kun gestures for Youji to pick up Ran. A truce it is.

Poor little Kitten... I don't envy Weiß for what they'll have to go through with him. Admittedly I dare not make the attempt. With his sister gone... The Kitten's already showed us that he's quite suicidal... At least he's not in the clutches of some sexual pervert. Bastard I may be, I still have a conscience about vice. No amount of power will ever tempt me to be a party of that.

It's all up to Kudou now. Heh, I could feel him practically dripping with undisguised possessiveness when he saw me carrying the Kitten towards the altar. But will Kudou be strong enough to help him? It'll probably be worthwhile to eavesdrop a time or two to check on them.

Thank God Schuldich was curious enough to pay them a visit. From Omi's account, they had been frustrated trying to find some way of reaching Ran when the telepath unexpectedly dropped in on them and offered his help. Of course Youji had to be persuaded to trust him. They were desperate enough to eventually allow Schuldich to try and he succeeded in pulling Ran out. But Weiß were left with a very confused and shattered young man.

Beyond all our expectations, Youji showed Ran the patience and persistence of a saint. According to Omi's report, no matter how much Ran screamed at him or tried to shut him out, our former playboy stayed by his side always. Apparently his stubborn diligence finally paid off. Ran now accepts the comfort he's offering.

It may still be a few months before they're ready to rejoin civilisation though. Ran's not ready to come down and Youji will not leave him. Ran's also still too unstable for Youji to want to chance leaving him alone for any length of time. Omi and Ken have seen it as their responsibility to take care of both their needs through this time.

Birman paid them a visit to bring this letter back for us. She had told us that Weiß were tentatively talking of finding an apartment that they could share when they returned to Tokyo, rather than keep separate apartments. The two younger members had complained rather cheerfully to her that Youji and Ran were getting out of all the household chores while they were up there, so they were determined to get their own back when it was all over. It'll be their turn to keep house for them when they return to Tokyo. When this will happen, though, is still to be determined.

Ran -- he was devastated by the loss of his sister... his mind so fragmented by what those bastards did to him... We don't know how long it will take him to recover from the trauma. Omi tells us that he still has trouble holding down solid food, and the nightmares keep him and Youji awake almost half the night. Still we feel some hope that he will eventually recover.

Shuuichi-san looks up at me to share a smile as we gaze at the picture Omi had sent to us. It's true that the lighting seems to indicate that it's the middle of the afternoon, and it is troubling that the two people in the picture are probably leaning against each other in exhausted sleep. But it is still a sweet scene to see Ran resting against Youji's shoulder, while Youji's head is resting on Ran's head. It's difficult to miss Youji's arms curled possessively around Ran's waist, while Ran's hands lightly rest on Youji's. With sleep to smoothen all the cares of the world from their faces, they look like a pair of snuggling kittens.

It warms our heart to see them like this.