"Alondra, please you have to wait here!" Ichiru keeps insisting with me. I try to go past him, but others are keeping me in check as well.

"I have to see Zero! I want to go save him!" I yell. Ichiru finally grips my shoulders and looks at me hard.

"You're in no condition to help! You'd only weigh us down. If you won't do this for me or yourself then do this for your sons! My nephews! Quit being so reckless!" He yells at me for the first time. I stop struggling and push away from him. I look down at the ground ashamed. He was right. I shouldn't risk my sons like this.

"Alondra?! What is it?!" Ichiru exclaims once I begin to hurt.

"Th-they're coming!" I yell as the contractions get worse. Ichiru curses under his breath.

"I'll take her to the hospital." Yuki offers. Ichiru gives her a grateful glance. They both rush me to a vehicle and rush me over to the hospital.

                                              ~0~

"Well today is the day." Sara Shirabuki says the moment Zero becomes conscious again. His vision is still blurry so he blinks a couple of times focusing on the voice of the obsessed pureblood. "I wonder how your lover is doing?" She says mockingly. Zero tries to lunge at her, but he is still chained down.

"Damn you! Don't you dare go near Alondra!" He yells at her. She lightly chuckles. She tortures him with a small vile blood. To be exact it was a small sample of Alondra's blood. The scent goes towards Zero. His hunger is strong and the scent of her blood is an ache to his heart and his lust for blood.

He reaches out to her, but can't push through because she's in a lot of pain. He can't figure out why. He thinks of awful things, and desperately tries to free himself. Sara watches for a bit and then leaves him like every time she goes to see him. Cursing at her.

                                            ~0~

"Rei." I stroke my eldest baby's silver hair. I stifle a sob. He's going to grow up to look a lot like Zero. Only difference is that Rei's eyes are brown like mine.

"Atsuko." I turn towards my youngest baby. I pick him up because he started fussing around. I fix the little hat on his brown hair. He opens his little eyes and looks at me with those beautiful lavender eyes. He gives me an adorable smile and closes his eyes.

With them here now I feel some comfort. I still wish Zero was here to see this, but I still haven't gotten word from Ichiru and the others. I sit down with Atsuko in my arms near Rei.

"My goodness they're going to grow up to be handsome young men like their father." I'm startled by someone. I look around and spot a beautiful woman with long, curly blond hair. I have no idea how she got in, but from the feeling I get from her she must be a pureblood. I hold Atsuko closer to me and block Rei from her view. I don't trust her the moment I see her.

"Who are you?" I demand. She gives me a sweet smile, but I can feel the venom in it. She takes a step forward as I fight the urge to step back. Atsuko and Rei sense my discomfort and her menacing aura considering they are crying.

I press Atsuko closer to me and try to comfort Rei as well. The woman continues to watch us. If Atsuko wasn't in my arms I would have summoned my blue and black rose guns. It's been a while since I last used them.

"Who are you?!" I repeat with more force this time. In a blink of my eyes she is inches away from my face. I try to step back, but she holds me in place with her arms. That causes Atsuko to cry louder and harder.

"I'm your future queen. Sara Shirabuki." I freeze to the core of my being when I hear her speak her name. She is the one who took Zero away from me. She is pressing me way too close.

I regain some sense and kick her away before she can crush Atsuko. I turn quickly, and put him safely near Rei. I summon my faithful weapons and point them at her. I shoot my Blue Rose gun at Rei and Atsuko which surrounds them in an impenetrable barrier.

"Sara Shirabuki." I say her name coldly. "You're the one who took Zero. What do you want here?" I ask her trying to keep my composure. If I let myself get carried away it may just get Rei and Atsuko hurt.

She sits down on the hospital bed I was on before and fixes herself up like I wasn't even pointing a gun at her. "I can't be queen if you're alive. I need you dead so I can have the throne of vampire queen." She says so nonchalant.

"What are you saying?! I'm not queen of the vampires!" I yell at her.

She gives me a cold look, but her smile remains sweet and innocent. "No? I hope you haven't forgotten about Lady Sayuri, have you? You have her blood in your veins. You're the only vampire among your extinct clan. I can't have you around ruining my moment." She says with steel in her voice.

"Of course. I refused that title! I'm not queen and never will be! You want the title? Take it! I give it to you! You're queen now! So return Zero to me and leave my family alone!" I say to her with a sneer.

"You wish it could be that easy, don't you? I'm afraid not. With you being alive purebloods, aristocrats, and even level e's are at your bidding. You can control almost anyone. I need your sweet blood in order to become queen. With your blood inside of me I can make that happen." She says as I see a gleam of a sick obsession in her eyes. I'm repulsed by this mad woman.

"Now Ichijo!" She says all of a sudden. I'm not quick enough to look behind me.

"Takuma. . ." Is all I can manage to say before darkness takes me over.

                                                ~0~

"Zero, I hope you're awake. I have a special gift for you." He hears the mocking voice of Sara. He looks up slowly. He stiffens once he sees Alondra in Ichijo's arms. She is unconscious. He notices the bump on her stomach is gone.

Horrifying thoughts go through his mind, but he pushes them back into his subconscious mind. "I told you not to touch her!" He yells up at Sara. She smiles and walks towards Ichijo.

She lifts up Alondra's head with her hand gently and turns the unconscious girl's face towards Zero. "Look at this lovely face. Watch her wake and look into her eyes before she dies." She says in a whisper. The young woman begins to stir.

"Rei. . . Atsuko. . .Zero. . ." She says before she opens her eyes.

"Zero." I say as I try to sit up, but I realize that I'm in someone's arms not on some couch or bed. I look at who it was. I look up at Takuma, but he avoids my gaze.

"Takuma! How could you?!" I yell at him. He only closes his eyes and stays silent. I get away from him, but I fall to the ground. My whole body is numb.

"You truly thought I'd make it that easy?" Sara says to me as she turns me over with her foot until I'm lying on my back.

"Where are my sons?!" I yell at her. She moves her hand behind her. I see two vampires holding them.

"Give them back! They have nothing to do with your insane obsession to be queen of the vampires!" I say to her trying to get feeling back into my body.

"They have your blood in them. Of course they have everything to do with this. I'll be merciful though. I'll kill one and keep one to be my future king. How does that sound?" She says. I spit at her feet. She kicks me on the ribcage and sends me rolling a long distance. I can hear a few of my ribs breaking.

"Alondra!" I hear Zero call out to me. Well, I can feel my body again, but right now I wish I didn't. I feel the pain shooting everywhere on my body. I look back at Sara.

One of the vampires is giving Rei to her. "Don't touch Rei!" I yell at her, but give a yelp at the strain yelling is putting on my broken ribs. They're already healing, but giving birth just a couple of hours earlier is really taking it's toll on my body.

Before the man hands over Rei he steps back so quickly and kicks Sara towards the cell Zero is in. She wasn't expecting that like the rest of us. The hood to the man's cloak falls of his face.

"Ace." I say in a whisper and with my eyes not believing what I was seeing. The other man holding on to Atsuko reveals his face as well. "Kaname." I say in an even lower voice. I don't believe this. I haven't seen either one of them in years. Ace comes to me quickly.

"Can you sit?" He asks me. I nod my head, but wince at the pain. He helps me sit up with one arm as I try to hold in screams of pain. He gently puts Rei on my lap and then offers me his arm. "Take some to heal your broken ribs." He orders me. I don't have time to argue so I just take a bite without even numbing the spot. I can already feel the pain fading. All that is left is for the bones to mend. I wince at the feeling of bones putting themselves back together in their proper place, but I continue to drink.

I gasp and stop biting him. "Take it easy. Remember I'm immune to the blood and bite of your clan." He says practically reading my mind. I nod finally remembering. I pick up Rei from my lap and hold him close kissing his rosy cheeks. Ace helps me stand. He walks me towards Kaname and makes sure to keep Rei and I covered.

"Please get Zero out." I plead with Ace. He doesn't hesitate and goes towards the cell breaking it easily with heavy stones. I go run to them once the cell is opened. "Zero." I say as I kneel down next to him.

He looks at me a little dazed, but he still sees me. He looks at my arms. "He's-." He starts off, but he seems dehydrated.

"Yes, he's our oldest son, Rei." I say to him as I reveal Rei's face to him.

"He has your eyes." He whispers. I nod and begin to tear up.

"He has your hair." I remind him. He gives me a smile, and closes his eyes.

"I'm so thirsty." He says.

"Unchain him, Ace! I have to give him-." Zero stops me with a hand to my own.

"I want water." He says so silently. I look at his tired body. He hasn't been kept well. If he were human he would have died a long time ago.

"Sorry I don't have Lilly's ability to summon water at will." Ace says remembering his dead comrade. I guess training with Grandma Sayuri helped me a lot. I hope I have enough strength to summon some water.

"Put your lips in my palm." I tell Zero. He does so. I focus and think about cool, clean water. I can feel it running down my hand, but I keep focus until Zero can quench his thirst.

I hear a cry and rustle behind me. I turn to find Atsuko on the ground protected by the stones near him. I feel a touch to my arm and I turn to find Zero unchained.

"Can I?" He says with a clearer voice. I put Rei on his lap because I don't think his arms are strong enough to hold on to Rei yet. He strokes Rei's hair and face gently. I smile at the scene in front of me and turn back to Atsuko.

He was in Ace's arms. He hands him to me. I take him gratefully and fill Atsuko with kisses as he gives off a happy and adorable baby laugh. I then look around me.

"Hold on where did Kaname go?" I ask. Zero and Ace look around, but they don't know either. Then I see that Sara and Takuma are gone. I want to know what is going on, but I would rather stay here with Zero and our sons. I turn back to him and show him Atsuko as well.

                                                   ~0~

Sara is left on the ground near dying after facing off with Kaname. He looks down at her and at the approaching Ichijo.

Kaname may seem cold and heartless, but Ichijo was his friend once and he decides to spare him. He walks away leaving Ichijo to grieve the death of his beloved Sara Shirabuki.

Ichijo picks her up in his arms. They silently speak with each other. Talking about their love for each other. Sara reaches up and kisses him on the lips. He doesn't hesitate to do the same. By the time their lips part she disintegrates in his arms.

He looks at his empty arms and closes his eyes. Grieving and regretting that he almost hurt the other young woman who was his closest friend. "Alondra, I'm sorry." He whispers.

                                                ~0~

"Come on you're so close! One of you say it! Come on! Don't make me beg!" I say to Rei and Atsuko who are seated looking at me confused. I put my head down on their booster seat table thingy. I feel a small hand go to my head. From what I can guess it's probably Atsuko trying to comfort me. Sure they can do that, but neither of them can say "vampire".

"You'd think a mother would be teaching her one year olds the word "mom" or "dad", but you want them to go right out and say big words. " Zero says. I usually would have expected that remark to come from Ichiru, but not this time.

"I agree they're smart, but they're still just babies." Ichiru adds on.

"A woman can dream, can't she?" I say as a counterargument. They look at each other, and sigh. Of course they're letting me win. Or else I get mad and well it ain't pretty. We hear a knock at the door.

"I'll get it!" I offer. I rush towards the front door and open it.

"Ace. I'm glad you came." I tell him as I motion for him to enter. He does so and hands me a gift.

"Here an early Christmas present." He says with a warm smile. I thank him and open the present quickly. I feel an arm go around my shoulder. I elbow the very familiar vampire. He grunts.

"Nice to see you too, Aido." I say still opening the box to my present. I open it to find a beautiful necklace. It has a black onyx gem. I can't help the delight that fills my voice when I thank him.

"So, where are they?" He asks me.

"They’re with Ichiru and Zero." I say still looking at the necklace. Ace surprises me with a peck to the cheek.

"I love you." He whispers into my ear. I shouldn't be surprised, but I still am. He walks backwards and leaves my home again. This time I'm sure I'll never see him again. I feel saddened a bit by this, but then I'm driven away from my thoughts at a complaining Aido. I roll my eyes at him.

"Who was it?" Zero asks as he tries to get Atsuko to let go of his hair. I hold in a giggle and help him.

"It was Ace. He came by to say 'goodbye'." I say to him as I show him the box that has the necklace inside it. He looks at it with jealousy. I peck his lips to reassure him that he didn't have to worry. He wasn't having any of that and he takes me by my waist and kisses me passionately. I start to laugh. Zero pulls back a little confused.

"Atsuko, don't eat my face." I say laughingly. Zero pulls back and sees that Atsuko has his whole mouth on my cheek. Lucky for me he still doesn't have his fangs yet.

"Hey, Alondra! Come on it's time for cake!" I hear the still childish Maria Kurenai. My ears perk up at the mention of cake. I was about to exclaim my delight for cake when I hear two adorable little voices beat me to it.

"Cake." We all gasp at Rei and Atsuko's first word. All us females are going on and on about how adorable that was. We're disappointed that we didn't get it on film. Rima with her usual laziness hands me a CD.

"I got it." She says. I thank her. I don't even question how she got that so quickly.

"Now then let's give the birthday boys their cake!" I say. I put Atsuko down and he waddles to the kitchen. Yuki and Ruka follow behind him while Rima and Shiki follow after Rei. Everyone starts to head over to the kitchen, but I'm pulled back.

I turn to face Zero. He looks like he could tear up at any second even though he is smiling down at me. I put a hand to his cheek.

"What's wrong?" I ask him, and press closer to him once our chests are pressed close to each other I stop. He holds me tightly and then lifts me up like when we reunited back at Cross Academy all those years ago.

"Thank you so much you have no idea how happy you've made me." He says looking me in the eyes with all sincerity in his heart. I can't stop the blush forming on my face or the smile spreading across my face.

"Don't thank me. You're the one who saved me from the darkness and gave me a new darkness with stars and a moon." I say to him. He rolls his eyes.

"Coming from someone else that would have been offensive, but it's you so it's the most beautiful thing I've heard." He says with a chuckle. I make a face at him.

"Just kiss me you idiot." We both say and then kiss each other.

"Alondra! Zero! You can eat each other later, right now Atsuko is trying to find you and Rei is trying to quiet him down." We glare at the smirking Ichiru. Then I hear Atsuko call out

"MAMA!" I quickly rush to my poor baby's side.

"Ichiru, do you still love her?" Zero asks his younger brother.

"Of course I do, but I know how to keep that feeling hidden. We're two halves of the same heart so of course I still love her with the same intensity you do." Ichiru says as he watches the young vampire woman comforting her little brunette. Zero nods his head.

"Well, then let's go. I don't think-,."

"Zero hurry up!" He hears Alondra yell. He sighs.

"she can wait for us to talk." He finishes. Ichiru chuckles and follows behind his elder brother.

                   The end