Author's Note – Okay, a further introduction into my new fan fiction. This is my first real serious fanfic – so go easy on me X3. I've decided to write a (hopefully) realistic series continuing from chapter 48, so if you haven't read the scans and don't want to – you probably shouldn't read this as it will contain many spoilers. But for other people please give it a try!

I want to make this story, as close to the feeling of the original as possible, so therefore I will do justice to every character, despite my own preferences… I want to fight OOCness in all of its glory!!! XD So anyways – on with the Story!

The songs for this chapter are 'Shattered' by Trading Yesterday and 'Song To Say Goodbye' by Placebo. I'll put an '*' where they should be played.

Disclaimer – I don't own any of the characters (except some characters I might make up in the future) or the original story of Vampire Knight. I can't quite draw that well unfortunately… The only thing that is mine is the added plotline.

Chapter One – Beyond the Crossroads

Yuuki

The pitch black swept across the night with no star in sight, no light. Just the smothering darkness that clenched around Yuuki with menacing arms as she swept hurriedly across the dust- the swamped courtyard of Cross Academy, hand in hand with her Onii-sama by her side, the man she loved.

They were travelling at a very fast pace as it seemed that Kaname wanted to leave this now wretched and dilapidated corpse of a building that had been her home for so long, as fast as they could possibly muster. Every brick, every memory was blurring past as they were abandoned behind her at the crack of a whip.

At the moment of time Yuuki had no wish to defy him. She wanted to leave this place as much as he did and grant herself freedom to forget. His hand gripped hers firmly and she ignored the discomfort that was flooding through her – not because of her brother's anxious grip, she relished in how protective he was, but because of the turmoil spinning webs of confusion in her mind.

Discomfort was such a laughable word when it came to expressing the feeling of unbearable pain, which spread through her blood, suffocating every cell in her body.

Her mind was desperately trying to grasp all that had happened in the last heart-wrenching forty-eight hours. Not so long ago Yuuki had been a fragile, insignificant human and now she was a vampire – a beast disguised in a human mask that hungrily devoured blood and life energy from others. Furthermore, she wasn't only that. She was a princess of all vampires, a being who had the power to bring all of them to her feet. She was a pureblood, one of the last descendents of the Kuran family. Nothing could ever be the same, and much of her energy was spent adjusting to her sensitive vampire body.

Her eyes had been opened and suddenly she had become increasingly more aware than before. Smells inhaled easily and were distinct, varied, in her pale nose. Sounds rang more pronounced in her ears and she could identify pitch and tone with outstanding clarity. However, the biggest change of all was a factor that ruled all the instincts in her body – the sudden and all too clear, yet delicious awareness of all frothing, moving blood surrounding her - blood so easy to reach and bring to her lips if she chose to.

It was so very tempting and always occupied a small fraction of her swimming mind, its ghost teasing the back of her throat.

Adjusting however, was not so hard a feat for Yuuki as she had thought before and part of her was scared by the fact, making her shiver involuntarily. Everything was starting to feel natural, familiar. When she wiped away her tears, her fingers felt her own, the same as they always did, as they touched the tender skin underneath her eyes – despite the fact that she knew it was different, smoother and paler as if alabaster. Her legs had grown, and she was taller – but she could run as easy, no – easier than she could before. Most of Yuuki's human self was being invaded by the 'new' Yuuki, by her senses and urges. She had no choice but to accept it. Or no – she wanted to accept this. This was who she really was – something that she could never change.

In a strange foreign way, part of Yuuki, she guessed, had known who she was all along, and now that her eyes had finally fluttered open into this darker world, she felt a newfound freedom that she had never tasted before. Yuuki had migrated from a small childlike sandbox to a larger cage with bigger room where she could play. Really, it was a most reasonable exchange – she had no reason to complain. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't help but miss that little sandbox – no matter how small and shallow it was. She still couldn't bring herself to forget and regret the life she was leaving behind with Kaname.

That was where the real turmoil fell into place.

She couldn't completely let it go, at least not yet, no matter how much she strained to deny it. She was leaving her friends behind. It was hard to imagine that she'd never again see the cheerful face of her goofy Oto-san who couldn't cook a proper meal to save his life no matter how hard he tried, or her day class classmates who had shared her school experiences, who had supplied with her with a good work out every time she had to restrain them at the Moon dorm gates. She still couldn't help but treasure the sweet smile, and companionship of her best friend Yori, to who she owed so much and who had always managed to comfort her in times she couldn't stand. She even despaired for Yagari; the stern but thoughtful part time Vampire Hunter, half time ethics teacher, full time badass. Then of course… there was Zero.

No! She silenced that thought as quickly as it had appeared. She wasn't going to allow herself to think about Zero – it was too painful. She had no choice but to numb up all thoughts and feelings for her old fellow guardian and lock them deep within her heart where she could barely feel it – otherwise she felt that it might just break and shatter into dust. She would have to disconnect, silence the part of her that was threatening to bleed into tears.

At least Rido could no longer torture her, twist her mind to his dark ways. That was the only lonely pleasant thought she could produce amidst the overwhelming crowd of reminders of tragedies, darkness that had hatched in such a small amount of time. But unfortunately, even that thought didn't warm her heart. The way her uncle had looked at her, said her mother's name – there was a hidden sadness in his eyes that she had rather she had not have noticed.

Whether she liked it or not, Yuuki was going to move on with Kaname and start a new fresh chapter of her life. A chapter with a new focus: her and Kaname. She had no idea as to where she was going, where she was going to end up along her journey far into forever - but she trusted her brother with her life. She knew he'd never put her in danger and would rather die, a trait that worried her sometimes to no end.

He would always be by her side, her crutch when she needed it. She used that thought to try to propel herself out of her heavy depression but her spirit barely lifted and a smile didn't quite grace her face.

Shadows of trees sped past across her vision, as one foot dashed after another.

Yuuki examined Kaname's cold majestic face, which seemed to her the majority of the time so heart-warming. His bold features were handsome and angular, his dark brown hair hanging orderly to frame his face, and he wore a dark commanding aura that constantly surrounded him. She frowned at his grim, stern expression. What had happened to the Kaname that had always been so cheerful and calm during her childhood?

I suppose Oniisama has been through a lot of pain alone when I was human.

Yuuki's face fell and her eyes grew watery. That was why she had a responsibility, a strong will, to stay by his side from now to forever. She owed to him at least that much. She rubbed the back of Kaname's hand softly as they walked. He sighed gently at her touch and looked at her face with a sad smile.

"I think we can go on from here", he said softly as he came gracefully to a stop.

Yuuki glanced around swiftly at the tall, dark, looming trees, frowning in confusion. ? Why had they stopped? Surely this wasn't their destination? It couldn't be because he was tired? It took a lot to tire a vampire. When she felt she could almost gather enough courage, she turned to ask him, but he had already moved. In a flash, he was standing behind her, his face resting on her shoulder. Yuuki's heartbeat sped slightly, as she could feel his breath tickle her neck.

"Close your eyes", he whispered in his commanding tone, and her eyes drooped closed.

Yuuki could feel him hang his arms around her and she let out a little scream as a blast of wind battered her front and sides, her hair flying wildly around her. She felt significantly lighter, almost as if she was a feather, floating in a storm - drifting speedily away and she became less aware of her surroundings, her own body feeling non-existent as well as the towering body behind her. The wind continued to threaten her balance and she knew that if she were still in her human body she would have fallen over with no effort at all. It strangely held the same aura as of Kaname and she felt suffocated by its might, losing herself in its power.

Gradually the battering came to a shuddering stop and Yuuki felt herself come back to Earth. Everything was steadier - the ground beneath her feet, her composure, her now slower breathing. The air was cool, and the slight cold met her shoulder as Kaname left her back leaving it bare. Yuuki opened her eyes with a start and gasped.

The woodland landscape had vanished and an ornate white stone corridor was revealed to be in its place. The corridor's ceiling arched gracefully in delicate circular waves and beautiful sculptures were carved in its smooth texture, roses and thorns entwining in a beautiful array. The whitewashed stone corridor was lit with glowing torches, and it was impossible to ever see its end, even with Yuuki's vampire-enhanced auburn eyes. This was a place she feared was larger than she could ever imagine.

"Where are we?", she mumbled quietly, taking in the scenery.

Kaname turned to her and stared her straight in the eyes as he spoke, his face shadowed in the dim light.

"This is where we'll live from now. A place I've prepared exactly for this moment".

If she was addressing anyone other than Kaname, she might have rolled her eyes at such an uninformative answer. Instead she nodded, eyes wide, taking in the daunting sight of her new home. Her Onii-sama brought a finger to her chin, rubbing it gently under his skin.

"My dear girl will be safe now. As long as you remain here – There's no chance you could ever be harmed."

Yuuki nodded, ever touched by her brother's loving concern. They paced down the corridor together, passing various doors until they reached a large open area, revealing a set of very large old rich oak doors.

Yuuki tentatively pushed one door forward onto an exquisite dining room, furnished with a grand long dining table which stretched to be the length of the room. It gleamed under the raining chandelier of glittering glass, which captured beams of light and tilted them into different directions, highlighting every corner of the room. A black, reflective grand piano waited proudly in the far corner, ready to be elegantly played and a pure white marble fireplace gave shelter to a flickering nest of flames to the side.

Who had lit them? Would she meet other people here, living in this vast place?

A creaking sound echoed throughout the room and Yuuki spun her head towards the door set on the opposite side of the room. Her question was answered as the patter of little feet announced the arrival of a small girl with grey, shiny hair swaying below the shoulders, and big lilac eyes. Yuuki choked on her breath, her hand twitching to cover her neck. She had never once thought that she might set eyes on that girl ever again. The little girl named Kurenai Maria stared piercingly in her direction, a light blush flushed along her two cheeks.

"Oh hello Yuuki-chan", giggled Maria in her high soprano voice, curtsying in front of her, feet light and arms graceful as if she was a little ballerina.

Yuuki's mouth had fallen open and she closed it quickly, her face an icy white. Questions rose to her lips and she turned to her brother in a daze. Kaname's face remained expressionless as he opened his mouth and spoke,

"Kurenai and I have a certain understanding. She assists me in managing this mansion and insures that everything runs smoothly, while I supply her with a home". His eyes flashed, as he spoke.

Maria giggled again, her laugh ringing like tinkling bells.

"I'll always be in your debt – you have all my thanks Kaname-sama", her voice came out shy and small as she bowed in Kaname's direction

A small smile widened, flashing her blindingly white, orderly teeth and fangs.

Yuuki stiffened, a shiver managing to creep up her spine. She didn't know what was wrong with her – this was exactly how she had seen the real Maria after she was freed from Shizuka. She had been shy, sweet and timid – and apparently still was now. But something felt wrong. Maybe it was because of Yuuki's unease, but something about Maria seemed off… unnatural.

Why had Onii-sama taken an interest in the former night-class student?

Yuuki chewed over what their relationship could truly be, but no good reason stood out.

She wasn't quite comfortable around Maria, especially when she had been so tied up with Shizuka. Yuuki knew that Shizuka had been controlling Maria that fateful night so long ago, and that Maria was perfectly friendly albeit a little too friendly, but was she really trustworthy enough to stay so close to Onii-sama and herself?

Yuuki sighed. There were still many things she had yet to discover about her brother. Now that she really thought about it – she never quite knew what he was thinking, what he had done in the last ten years without her, while she had been staying oblivious in her human form. She didn't know much about him at all. She loved him so very much.

Yuuki stifled a yawn. Ever since she had been bitten and converted into a vampire, she hadn't recovered her strength. Maria skipped shyly up to her and beckoned for her to follow. Yuuki snatched a quick kiss from Kaname before heading after her sleepily, earning a small distant smile before disappearing out of the elegant room and into another corridor at an impressive speed. She waited outside the room as Maria shut the door behind them, all sight of Kaname disappearing after a great wooden slam. Yuuki's wrist was then grabbed, as the petite girl surprised her by dragging her through the corridor at a running speed.

"This is fun! I was so dreadfully bored after dear Shizuka-sama died… but now Kaname-sama is so very…. interesting", she giggled in her high soprano vocals, her eyes flashing as she looked back into Yuuki's flustered face.

Yuuki started and quickly registered with shock how little Maria's character had changed when they were alone.

"I'll show you to your room Yuuki-chan!", sang Maria, cheerfully as she continued to 'guide' a flustered Yuuki through the maze of marble passageways.

She sprang to a halt in front of one of many doors; this one being particularly grand, carved with a beautiful illustration of a landing dove, and smartly turned the knob with a gloved hand. The door clicked open and Yuuki was practically shoved into the Grand Bedroom that awaited her.

Her eyes widened as her eyes grazed the spectacular features of her room. The walls were painted in a soft rosy pink and yet another fancy chandelier dangled from the high ceiling. A gigantic wardrobe took up half the space of the ridiculously large room, and was filled to the brim with variations of extremely fashionable clothing to Yuuki's surprise.

At the end of the room stood an extraordinary four-poster bed, draped with fabrics of rich blood red, matching the billowing curtains that flooded the walls in waves. Why the walls needed curtains when there were no windows, Yuuki had no idea. She had a feeling that this mansion she was now living in lay underground. A silvery full-length mirror leaned casually against a wall near the wardrobe, its substance so clear and reflective that Yuuki almost found herself believing that she was seeing her double.

Yuuki shovelled out the few items she had brought with her on her journey, including her Artemis, various clothing and a few other necessities, storing them in her new room. They looked a little out of place in the stunning bedroom, and now that she realized it –so did she.

Although Yuuki's face had been altered slightly and made more beautiful, she somehow managed to see the ghost of the old, ordinary Yuuki staring back at her in the mirror – and it made her feel…lowly… unsatisfactory.

She'd never be perfect enough for Kaname, inside and out, but Yuuki decided to try hard to become someone who could be.

She really was out of place - but as far as the room went, she realized there was one thing she had that wouldn't be, something that could really compete in beauty and wealth. Yuuki took out gently the little glass encased rose from her bag – the very one Kaname had given her as a present, and balanced it lovingly on the bedside table, just as she had done at the academy along with her other most prized possessions. She gazed at it a little while. It truly was astonishingly beautiful and it took her breath away just looking at it.

However it did seem lonely without the portrait of her old self and Zero, she winced, by its side. Yuuki closed her eyes and sighed heavily, feeling a pang in her heart. She had to leave it behind; no matter how much deep within her she wanted to stare at it late into the approaching night.

Zero *

The last rays of the sun beamed down upon the spot where Zero knelt on the rotten dark earth below, wiping his black hands on his matching day class trousers. It made no difference. His hands remained stained and dirty. He slowly rose from the ground gazing at the sky with strained amethyst eyes, breathing hard.

Zero was digging a grave under the branches of a sakura tree for his dead brother Ichiru. It was a dark cloudy day, matching his mood, and he had nearly finished digging a large human-length pit as night began to near.

Despite Zero's vampire strength, digging the grave had taken enormous amounts of willpower. His heart burned within his chest and he had never felt more alone in his life, but that was how he deserved to be – forever. He was a stranger in this world; he wasn't really part of it – an intruder, and never would. He'd roam this forsaken earth until his debt was paid, and then he'd finally be able to rest and whither into nothingness.

Zero really was a monster, a beast. Ichiru had been his kindred soul, one of the only people that truly understood him, who had power to mend part of his haunted mind – and he had devoured him. All that was left now was the empty cadaver sinking into the debris below by his feet and the rich blood that ran through Zero's veins.

Zero lifted Ichiru up into his arms and laid him gently inside the grave, watched sombrely as his lifeless face descended into the rich soft soil. It was disturbing, burying his brother – the features mirroring his own gave the impression Zero was burying himself, and part of him wished he was. There was however a crucial, blinding difference between the face of his dead younger brother and his own. Although they shared the same wild, shining, silver hair and the same pure lavender eyes – Ichiru's fair face held something Zero could never obtain. A sense of peace, happiness and acceptance that illuminated all his features inside that grave beneath the sakura blossom tree.

Zero brought up his shovel and focussed his eyes down as he slowly started to cover Ichiru's body with dirt. A blast of wind billowed and frail petals of pink fluttered through the twilight sky to rest on Ichiru's face and amongst his hair. Zero could imagine him faintly smiling.

He felt himself shudder as he continued to heave up the earth with his shove, the repetitive metallic sound it made ringing in his ears. Zero froze, and brought a hand up to his face below his eyes, feeling wetness with his fingertips. Was that what he thought it was? Was he crying? He had thought he had lost all ability to cry long ago – yet streams of tears ran down his face, at a quickening rate.

Tremors vibrated through his body and he concentrated all his strength on piled dirt up into the grave. He cried silently for Ichiru, cherishing memories of their childhood, when they had been one instead of two separate beings, never one without the other.

He remembered how comforting it had been feeling that he was part of something, that he was never ever alone. He conjured up easily in his head the gentle, fragile face Ichiru always seemed to wear, always there to support him.

The tears kept on coming, and the shuddering wouldn't stop, and Zero found himself swallowed by a black hole of never-ending sadness. He wept for the loss of his parents, the fate they met, the monster he had become, his brother – and then he found himself crying for Yuuki.

Yuuki… He groaned, clutching his aching chest. Past sweet images of Yuuki tormented him, making him bleed devastatingly from the inside. How he longed to see her once more – not the present, empty, pureblood, Yuuki – the cheerful, beautiful old Yuuki who he had fallen in love with.

Her smiling angelic face plagued his mind endlessly. His whole body cried out to touch her once more, her soft full lips, and her small gentle hands. He craved to wind his hands in her soft brown hair, feel her snuggled in his arms once more. He longed to gaze into her warm captivating auburn eyes and swim in their love forever. He wanted her back – but she was no longer a being he was allowed to crave. The old Yuuki barely existed, but it was too late. She was only a whisper on the lips of the pureblood that had taken over her body.

Yagari watched his student with pity behind, hidden in the trees. He dared not intrude. This was a moment Zero needed dearly and it couldn't be disturbed.

The sun sank slowly to leave a filling darkness as the last shower of dirt fell on the awaiting grave, leaving Zero exhausted and silent, listening to the deadly silent atmosphere, knelt on the ground.

He stared, now emotionless at the grave. It wasn't finished. It was a plain enlarged lump, rather than a dignified place for his brother to rest. It needed to be marked with something, but he had nothing to give. A slight whistling noise rang throughout the air and Zero spun in a flash to catch a katana, thrown in his direction. It was the katana Ichiru had been using from when he had travelled with Shizuka, the very sword that had once threatened him.

"I managed to find that buried in the remains of the Moon dorm and knew it would be needed", Yagari stepped out into the open, his long rough leather coat hanging heavily by his feet, the ever –present cigarette dangling from his mouth.

Zero spun the sword sideways and held it with two hands, the hilt and blade sliding into separation. He ran his fingers across the shining mirror blade, and then turned to his old sensei and nodded slightly before plunging the katana down beside the grave. Yagari breathed in his cigarette intently and tipped his shadowing hat to the grave in respect to his other prized former pupil.

"This grave would be to his liking – your brother", he blew out a puff of smoke into the air, "under the cherry blossoms where he belongs, kind-hearted and fragile just like the petals which fall to the ground. "

Zero remained silent, his back to master, his eyes fixed on the now ornamented grave. Ichiru hadn't deserved to die. Zero's hands clenched slowly into fists. The dark clouds above shuddered as a current of thunder struck the sky, making the ground almost tremble.

Those damn purebloods. He felt his teeth dig angrily into his tongue making him taste blood. They all had to die, and by his Bloody Rose. He would slaughter every pureblood with its thorns until they were drained completely from this Earth, using every earned death to propel him further in this hell he was tied to. He would strip himself of every emotion, every feeling, hope, memory from the past that distracted him from his objective.

The old, naïve, caring Zero was now dead, leaving a colder, empty, and hollow Zero instead. What was love anyway? It hadn't served him, helped him at all: it was a hindrance. He had allowed himself to open up, to dedicate himself to the only person that had truly mattered to him, cared for someone, protected that person with all the fibre of his being – but in the end, it had only hurt him to a point where if he didn't have a duty to carry out he wasn't sure he could take it anymore. He was doing this to protect himself, and to supply himself with enough hatred to bring all darkness to an end, otherwise his caring side would hold him back.

Zero buried all that he was deep inside him in a cage where it couldn't get out: his old life had come to an end and he was starting anew. When he would come across Yuuki once again, he wouldn't hesitate to kill her – and then he could finally be released and kill himself at last, the past obstacle forever put aside. He would be nothing but dust scattered in the black where he had always belonged. Whether he had loved Yuuki in a past life or not, wasn't going to prevent him from what he had to do. The soft Zero who was in love with her was now long gone. This funeral was one for both Ichiru and himself: the Kiryu Twins, his final goodbye.

"Going to hunt after the purebloods are you?", chewed Yagari once more, casually on his cigarette, his one startling blue eye studying Zero's turned back.

Zero slowly turned around and looked him straight in the eye, his own eyes now narrowed, cold and lifeless. Yagari stiffened and the cigarette in his mouth fell out, sailing limply to the floor. Zero secured his bloody rose in his pocket, the chains rustling chillingly in the tense thunderous atmosphere, the hidden thorns present, but unseen.

"Are you planning to stop me?", the dead words stretched lazily from this mouth. Yagari gave him a meaningful look.

"I have no intention to die just yet – but I will accompany you. You are still my student and you're still-", his voice growing stern, he wasn't going to give up without a fight, "my responsibility".

They stared each other down, the heavy rain striking down from above, soaking their clothes. Finally Zero walked out of the clearing, Yagari following in his lead, his giant boots crushing the sinking wet muck below.

He had quickly interpreted Zero's face and understood what he was doing, leaving everything behind. It pained him that events had turned out like this; he would give anything to see his young student smile once again. He paced solemnly through the forest, when he heard a faint sound of bells under his feet, despite the now raging storm.

He bent down swiftly and plucked out the bells that had belonged to Ichiru – and Shizuka before him, and placed them in his jacket pocket, storing them ready for that distant hope that Zero, now the rightful owner, would someday want them back.

I forgot to mention before – I've read the manga and the anime so sometimes I get them confused, which isn't so good since they differ slightly from each other. That means my writing is kind of the two of them merged together, although it should lean more towards the manga. (The anime is not entirely on my good side due to the CRIME that was committed at the end of 'Vampire Knight Guilty').

For people who haven't seen the anime – the bells mentioned in this chapter were attached to Shizuka's robe and became one of her trademarks. When she died, Ichiru took them (and wore them in his hair which looked a little….never mind XD). It's supposed to be symbolic somewhat, and that's what made me want to include them in this chapter. I hope that's cleared that up for you.

– PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!!! I'm not totally convinced this is good, and may lose inspiration because of that – so keep me going if you like it - I've really enjoyed writing this! Next chapter will be coming up shortly.