Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Mea Culpa ❯ MEA CULPA PART TWO: A Past and Present Circumstance ( Chapter 2 )

MEA CULPA PART TWO: A Past and Present Circumstance

The katana slid out of its latest victim's chest, the blade glowing red in the fading light. The hand holding the weapon twitched slightly as the man shifted, waiting for the next attack. Another form lay behind him, but it wasn't one of his victims. The figure was his teammate, a teammate that he would die to protect until the others could return to get them away from that place. Looking over his shoulder, violet eyes found his friend, still slumped against the wall, but he looked paler. The growing puddle of crimson didn't make the swordsman feel any better. Stepping back, he risked kneeling down beside the man, touching his cheek. "You just hold on, Schuldich and Nagi will be here soon..." One golden eye opened, meeting the concerned glaze of his friend. "You understand me?"

"Yes..." He whispered, once again closing his eye. It was obvious to him that Abyssinian was pissed, but if that anger was directed at him or the people attacking them, he did not know.

Then again *pissed* was the understatement of the year. 'You better be here and you better be here soon!' The redhead knew the German could hear him, he also knew that Schuldich wouldn't answer him. He had deduced in his own mind that this whole mission had been a set-up and misinformation had somehow been handed down to his informants. If he survived, he already knew what his next mission would be. He would find out who had done this to them.

(( Careful... )) That was the only warning he had as the double doors were busted open, the back half of the red car now parked in the hallway. "Oh well..." The German muttered, jumping out of the driver's seat to help his leader. "How is our friend here?" He asked, grabbing the other side of their fallen comrade.

"Not well... what took you so long?" He growled, then his eyes narrowed seeing the bullet holes coving the car. "Problems?" The redhead asked, arching a brow as he laid Farfarello into the backseat.

"Maybe, it was an interesting drive though…" He answered, slamming the back door as Abyssinian climbed in. Jumping back in, the telepath floored it as he headed for the nearest exit. "Well this was fun, gotta jump into life threatening experiences more often!"

The youngest member gave the man a disbelieving look. "We were almost killed and Farfie is injured, this wasn't a fucking stroll in the park!"

(( I'm gonna have to wash out your mouth with soap... aren't I, my little Prodigy? ))

The dark haired boy growled. "Fuck off Schuldich!"

"Temper, temper!" The German only received a dirty look in return. "All I'm doing is looking out for you, kid."

"How about you pay attention to the road!" Abyssinian snapped. Nagi smirked, slouching down into the passenger seat. Leaning over his fallen teammate, one pale hand reached out to cup the injured man's cheek. "Farfarello? Hey Farf?" The golden eye opened looking up into deep violet, the worry evident in them. "I guess asking if you're in pain would be stupid." The redhead whispered, that got a smirk from his teammate.

"Would it hurt god?" He asked, his eye once again closing.

He was about to answer when gunshots rang out, the rear window blowing out covering the two men in glass. "Shit!"

(( We have company. ))

'Thanks for the warning!' He shot back into the telepath's mind.

(( You're very welcome.... ))

Growling, Abyssinian pulled out his gun. "Shut up and drive, you telepathic nutcase!" Schuldich did as ordered while Abyssinian loaded his gun. "I am sick and tired of being shot at!" He spat, kneeling up in the back seat as he pointed the gun out the back window. "I am sick and fucking tired of this god damn mission!"

Nagi looked up as he felt someone's hand on his head. (( Get down kid, last thing I need is you hurt too. )) Dark blue eyes met the crystal blue of the German's, nodding as he slumped down in the front seat. Gunshots went off around him and then he heard their leader cry out. (( Ran! ))

"I'm fine, I need another round!" He answered out loud, grunting in pain.

Nagi nodded, looking though the bag next to him. Pulling out another clip, he held it up for the redhead in the back seat to take. That's when Nagi saw the blood running down the black leather jacket. "You're shot!" He cried out, seeing the driver look back momentarily. "Schuldich get us out of here!" The dark haired boy yelled as more gunfire was exchanged between them and the car behind them. Suddenly there was a loud screeching and Ran fell back against the driver's seat, his eyes closed. "Abyssinian? Ran!"

"I'm okay Nagi, just in pain." The boy smiled, glancing at the wound for a moment. "Don't worry about me..." He whispered, pushing away from the seat to look over Farfarello once again.

The youngest Schwarz looked over the passenger's seat, seeing the car that had been chasing them wasn't moving. "What did you do?"

"Blew out there front tires. Schuldich take the back way to Headquarters so we know no one else is following us."

He nodded the grumbled. "This is the last time we take my car on mission.."

Ran sighed, looking down at his friend once again. "Jei?" The Irishman looked worse than he had when they had been trapped in that hallway. He reached down, undoing the buckles to the man's vest as he pulled back the bloody material that covered the wounds. Ran counted four bullet holes, he didn't want to think what other damage might have been done. "Damn it, how many times have I told you to wear a vest on these missions!" He growled, he could hear Nagi whimpering behind him. "Oh Jei..."

"Bullet proof vests please god." He whispered, once again looking up at the redhead above him.

Ran couldn't decide if he wanted to laugh or cry, he settled on shaking his head. "I'm going to hurt you, you know that.." Jei smiled, nodding as he went to speak. "I know, hurting people hurts god…" The golden eyes closed once again as Ran pulled the fabric back over his wounds. Turning around, he leaned forward so he could see out the front window. 'We need to get back to base or we are going to lose him.'

(( Jei won't die, he's too stubborn. )) The telepath shot back. (( But then again we all know I'm just saying that to make myself feel better. )) He saw Ran nod, looking down at the dark haired boy next to them. Nagi had turned around while the two had been speaking, he was looking out the passenger window.

"Are you okay Nagi?" The younger boy just nodded, not turning to look at the redhead leader. "Nagi look at me?" After a moment the young man did, brushing away tears as he met Ran's gaze. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" He asked, reaching up to touch the wounded shoulder. He needed something to occupy his mind, it was too soon to be loosing another teammate. Checking the redhead's wound would keep him occupied for a moment, but he couldn't help but glance back at the man laying in the back seat. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, deep blue looked up meeting the violet of his leader's as he shook his head. "You're hurt, are you going to be okay?" Ran nodded, hissing when the younger boy checked the wound further. "You don't have to lie to me." He whispered, pulling back the leather jacket. "The bullet is still in there, you must be in a lot of pain." The redhead didn't respond, or maybe he just never heard him respond. Suddenly his mind seemed wrapped up in the ifs and buts of Farfarello's demise. "Tell me the truth." Nagi whispered. "You don't think Jei's going to live." After a moment pain filled eyes looked up meeting his. "I've been doing this long enough, just please don't...don't lie."

He just nodded, the blues eyes closed. "Nagi, I'm sorry." He knew that boy would take it hard, for so long Schwarz was all he had known. Then one by one the family he had made fell apart, first Crawford and now possibly Jei. He felt bad, he truly did. Aya had once complained that Nagi was to young and so misguided in life, she had taken it upon herself to be the boy's mother figure. Schuldich and Farfarello had agreed that Nagi had seriously been lacking a mother figure in his life. Then suddenly there was this woman, only three years older than him physically but so much more emotionally balanced and she wanted to care for him. It had confused, amazed and brought new life into the youngest assassin. Unfortunately it had also brought him out of his shell, now the death of his teammates seemed to bother him more that it would have a few years prior. 'I'm doing this to him, keeping him in this life. It's my fault that he is in pain right now...'

(( You know that isn't true, he's old enough to make his own decisions Ran. You know he would never leave, even if you ordered him to, this is the only life and only family he knows. )) Ran just sighed, wrapping an arm around the dark haired assassin. (( He's been doing this since he was twelve, just believe me when I say he's stronger than he looks. If Farfarello dies, he will be hurt but Nagi would never let it destroy him. You are the only one who seems to take everything out on yourself. ))

'I don't remember inviting out into my mind, Callan!' He shot back, hearing that annoying laughter echoing in his head.

(( Your mind is an open book to me, you may not want me in your mind but subconsciously you open that little door every time I am near... )) There was silence for a moment. ((But why you do that...it remains unclear. I know it can't be my charms...perhaps then it's my good looks! ))

Ran smirked at the German's vanity. 'Maybe I like you in my mind, I like the thought of someone understanding me fully. You could tell people things I would never be able to say.' Pausing for a moment, he looked up seeing Headquarters in front of them. 'Maybe I trust you...' With that the mental door closed, Callan smiled to himself.

*

"So this would be Weiss, Ran has spoken about you numerous times." She could see the confusion and, could it be, mistrust in their eyes. The woman that now claimed the title of Persia was in her mid thirties, long blond hair was pulled back into a bun as gray eyes looked them over. There was no doubt she was beautiful, but one thing bothered the three newly instated assassins, they didn't know who she was. "There is something wrong?" She asked.

Yohji looked down at the blond, knowing he was thinking the same thing he was. As much as there were different they did tend to think alike. "Nothing is wrong," the blond began hesitantly. "It's just, well you see, the last Persia was my uncle and we knew him..." The sentence fell away.

"You don't know me therefore you don't feel you can trust me?" She asked, getting three nods as her confirmation. "You are not always going to have those around you that you can trust." She then said, looking down at the file on her desk. "According to this, your group had some problems near the end of your final mission."

"Look, you asked for us back, what does that have to do with what may have happened?" Ken growled, he already didn't like this. Then again Siberian never trusted quickly or easily. "If we choose to stay and you want us then you got us, good with the bad."

Persia simply nodded, closing the file. "That is very true, then again I never wanted you." Three young men looked at one another at that. "Your reinstatement comes from others, not from me, unfortunately their choices overwhelm my own. We might have come back for you in about a year, but desperate times call for desperate measures."

"So we are your desperate measure?" The sarcasm was plain in the eldest Weiss's voice.

Persia didn't care, she wasn't here to play nice, and but then again she never really did play nice. She was there to do a job and the three men before her had better realize that. "Precisely. You were brought back for one reason and one reason alone. Seems one of our higher ranking members is very fond of you three and it was effecting his work. Weiss was brought back as a kind of plea bargain, they believe Ran needs you here with him."

"Well, if that isn't a fucking slap in the face." Yohji muttered, the blond nodded in agreement.

The new Persia looked over at Aya, she stood there silently looking at the three men she had brought with her. "I trust Aya explained everything to you, Ran's offer and the situation that you are presented?" They simply nodded. "Fine then, Kritiker gives you one week... in the end you stay or go. It is your choice, though I warn you now, if you do choose to leave I will make sure you are never re-enlisted again. One time offer boys and that is all, this or your flower shop."

Aya turned, looking at the new Persia. "They understand all of this, perhaps we should explain to them about certain things..."

"Namely Schwarz." The eldest assassin growled. "You call us a desperate measure, what the fuck were they?"

"Schwarz was in no way a desperate measure. If it hadn't been for them, Estet would still be in command and we would have never defeated them. They are a valuable and irreplaceable team to Kritiker and to your Abyssinian."

"Well, if they are so wonderful, maybe Ran doesn't need us!" Yohji growled, he could see Aya wanted to say something but didn't.

The blond simply shrugged, leaning back in her chair. "That is fine with me." It was obvious this woman was nothing like Omi's uncle. It was also obvious that for whatever reason, she did not like the Weiss boys, which was fine with them.

Omi sighed. "Persia, I understand everything you are saying. Perhaps in a way you are correct but if Ran is saying he needs us do you really think that we would just leave and not try to help him?"

The woman smiled slightly, then nodded. "I hoped you would feel that way Omi." Persia responded, then turned to look at the woman beside her. "You can tell them the rest, they may take it better from you."

Nodding, dark eyes looked at the three men before her. "You will respect Schwarz, I hate to tell you this but because of your time out of Kritiker, they out rank you right now." The shock on the three assassins' faces was priceless. "If you don't like that..." She said, pointing behind them. "...there is the door. I don't have time for whiners and babies in Kritiker's ranks. If you want to come back, you are here to do a job. I don't know how you acted before but we are not the same way you remember and I am no Manx, neither is Ran."

"But..."

Aya simply held up her hand. "If you think I am being unfair than you might as well leave. Ran can be as bad, if not worse than I am." Ken, Yohji and Omi were silent, they couldn't even think of anything to say to counteract what this woman had told them. "Abyssinian asks a lot from his teams...duty, honor, respect and courage. He will accept no less, no whining and no bickering."

"Don't let them fool you." The three Weiss assassins turned looking at the woman who had walked into the room. "They are a lot better than they are acting, loyal as well."

"Manx?" She nodded, smiling at the young blond. "Oh Manx!"

Turning, she closed the door. "How are my boys?" She asked, looking them over. "Not too out of shape I see. So are you coming back to Kritiker?"

"We are still deciding." She turned, looking at the dark haired Siberian. "I mean, well, yeah maybe..."

Smiling, Manx breathed out in relief. "I hope you do stay." Suddenly the smile faded. "Unfortunately I didn't come to see you three, though I was planning on it."

"What's wrong Manx?" Persia stood, leaning against her desk. "What has happened, did something go wrong in the mission?"

"Yes, I'm afraid it did." The redhead whispered, walking up to the desk. "That mission we send out Schwarz on, it was a trap." Everyone was focused on Manx at those words. "I'm sorry but we have lost an assassin, Farfarello..." She paused. "He is dead...Abyssinian is injured, Prodigy is shook up to say the least. You know they only lost Crawford six months ago, it's too close for the poor boy, but he's going to be okay. Schuldich made it out with a few bumps and scratches."

Aya walked over, looking up into the concerned green eyes. "What happened? How badly is my brother hurt?"

"Seems as they were escaping a car followed, they started shooting at their vehicle. Ran was shot in the arm while returning fire, he's going to be fine in a few weeks." Aya leaned against the desk, he face in her hand. "Aya, it's okay, but a dare say you better go see Nagi. He needs you right now... you and Callan and Ran." Nodded, she walked out of the door, leaving the five in there alone.

Persia fell back into her chair. "I want to know how they knew we were coming, do it now before Ran comes in here to bite my head off."

"I already told him, my people are on it now." Dropping the file, she once again looked up to meet Persia's eyes. "Callan is complaining about his car, it's... well, let's just say there's no real way to repair it." She nodded. "Would you like me to take Weiss to their leader?"

"If you think he can handle it," she answered. "Remember, this was your idea to bring them back, I hold you responsible for what happens."

Manx simply nodded. "Believe me Persia, you can trust my boys. They come from Ran's leadership, you know what miracles that boy has worked for us... namely Schwarz." The redhead knew that Persia had to at least admit to that, no one else had been able to even get close to the ex-agents of Estet's. But somehow Abyssinian had not only spoken to them, but had gotten them to betray their own people. He had never told anyone how that had been accomplished, not even her but whatever it was, and it had worked. "Come with me please."

Persia shook her head as she saw the three Weiss asked no questions of the redhead agent, just did as she said. "I hope you're right Manx."

*

She knew it was coming, and she knew whom it would be coming from first. "Go ahead and get it out now Yohji."

He grabbed her arm, green meeting green. "Schwarz?" She nodded. "Come on momma cat, it's Schwarz!"

She couldn't help but smile at the pet name Yohji had always called her, obviously he still found it a proper endearment. "Yes, it is Schwarz. The same Schwarz that tried to kill you and the same Schwarz that helped us. They are good people, though Callan can and does get annoying." Manx pulled her arm away, breathing out. "Well he's Ran's problem and seems to know how to handle him."

"Callan?" The youngest Weiss asked, she looked down nodding.

"Yes, Callan is Schuldich's real name, Nagi is Prodigy's...Jei was Farfarello's."

Running a hand though his hair, Ken sighed. "We are going to be working with them?"

"Working? Oh boys, you're going to be living with them." She paused, looking back. The three Weiss had frozen in place, Manx just sighed. "You will be living with Ran and Schwarz lives with Ran. You three really need to get over this hatred, Ran has and he was more stubborn than all three of you combined."

"Okay that's fine, but what was all this shit about us being some fucking plea bargain?" She turned, looking back at the eldest Weiss. "She made us sound like we were unwanted, some kinda rejects."

She hated the fact that it had even been brought up, hated more that, Persia had said it to their faces. "I'm sorry, but it's true. We weren't supposed to come back for you for another year." She answered. "Even though that was tentative timing, Persia had been thinking about permanently retiring you, to not bring back Weiss at all. She felt you were outdated and of no use to us but Ran…"

"What about Ran?" Ken asked. "Everyone keeps saying things about Ran!" It was driving him crazy, he was still in love with the missing assassin yet from the sound of it they were saying he was everything but stable.

"Ran…" Manx leaned against the wall, her eyes cast down to the floor. "He's been...better. Abyssinian found out a lot of things about himself and about Kritiker and they have effected him. He takes too much responsibility and blame onto himself and he is breaking from the pressure." Looking up, she met Ken's eyes. "The one thing he has always wanted and fought for was to be reunited with you three. It killed me the night I came to dismiss you, then to tell Ran he had to leave, that he couldn't stay? I hated doing that, he was so stable with you, so sure of himself and he led you so well. Then to be thrown into all of this, it was like... it wasn't fair."

Omi walked up, taking her hand. "So, now what, Manx?"

"Aya and I fought to get you back, we needed you back for his sake. Also for Kritiker, I believe you boys can still do wonders for us. Persia didn't have a right to tell you those things, not even Aya knew that you might have been shoved to the side."

"That's why she looked so shocked." Ken whispered, Manx nodded. "Ran can't know can he?"

"Aya isn't stupid enough to tell him, he would throw a fit if he ever found out." She said, pushing herself away from the wall. "But none of that matters, you are here and you will show them all."

Once she had explained that to them they started to walk again. Manx hauled them into an elevator taking them down a few floors. When they got out, she led them into another hall that looked precisely like the first. Omi was getting confused, everything looked the same to him and he was beginning to wonder exactly how they got around. "Manx, where are we?"

"You're on Ground Level Six, there are seven levels to Kritiker. Level One though Three are above ground, that is the building that you saw when you pulled up. Ground Level Four through Seven are below ground."

"So we are below ground?" Yohji said, looking up at the ceiling. "That's eerie somehow."

Manx shook her head, a small laugh escaping her lips. "Actually your about ninety feet below the surface, there is about sixty feet between the surface and Ground Level Four, then each Level is about ten feet high."

"Guess it's a good thing none of us are claustrophobic." Ken muttered, trailing behind the other three. The longer they followed Manx the more nervous he was getting. He hadn't seen Ran in over a year and it was obvious he was different. 'What if he has changed, what if I don't love this man he's become.' He thought, seeing Omi look back at him but he just ignored the blond. 'Can I stay here even if we don't love one another... but how different can he be if he kept his promise?'

He felt a hand on his arm, looking up to meet jade eyes. "We are here," Manx whispered, squeezing his arm. "Everything is going to be okay, do you understand?" Ken could only nod, Manx released his arm as they walked into the room. "Aya?" There were only two people in the room, neither being Ran. "Where is he, and where is Callan?"

She looked up, smiling when she saw the three men with Manx. "He is off being Ran, running a rampage and using his power in Kritiker to strike fear into the hearts of others." She answered, Nagi smirked at her way of explaining their leader. "Callan, he's with him laughing at all the people who go running off to do my brother's will yet making sure that Ran doesn't accidentally kill someone."

"Your brother has yet to kill anyone here, even in one of his worst moods." Manx replied, gesturing to a couch. "Why don't you three boys have a seat while we wait for the wayward leader to return from his escapade."

Aya just smiled. "Okay fine, he just likes laughing at the people as they run and personally being a nuisance to my dear overworked sibling." Standing, she walked over to the redhead. "Manx, please talk to him! He's injured and needs time off! Since Weiss is here now, I thought maybe he could take a week off so they could talk and also so he could rest?"

"I couldn't agree more, but it's getting your hot tempered brother to listen to reason."

Aya hugged the woman. "That's why you're here, he will listen to you." Manx sighed, once again seeing she got roped into disciplining the man. "Thanks! Oh... Callan said they're coming down the hall now."

The doors opened as the telepath walked in, another redhead walking in behind him. (( Can a man suffer from PMS? )) Manx smirked while Aya just shook her head.

Obviously Ran wasn't in the mood for jokes. "I don't know what you said." He growled, looking up at the man beside him. "But when I find out, I'm going to slice you open and stuff you like the fucking pig you are!"

"No need to take you temper out on me my Captain, I didn't do anything." The grin on the German's face didn't make Ran feel any better. "Poor Kitten got some bad news...seems there is no news."

That confused Manx. "No news... as in nothing Manx. Crashers hasn't reported in on their little jaunt and no ones knows shit on how we got false information into Kritiker." She was about to speak when Ran held up a hand. "One of my assassins is dead Manx, least you can do is point me towards the person responsible."

"And then what Ran?" She asked, looking at his arm. "You're going to go bitch them to death? You are injured and leader or not, you cannot go out in this condition. Now Aya has suggested that since Weiss is here that maybe you should take a week of and be with your team."

The redhead growled. "I will not take a fucking week off... " Suddenly what she said hit him full on. "Weiss? But I thought...they are here already?"

"Yes dear."

He shot the telepath a dirty look. "Fuck off!" Looking back at Manx he saw her pointing towards the wall, he turned, a mixture of relief, confusion and fear in his eyes. "Yohji? Omi?" They both nodded, but could see his attention was taken. Ken looked exactly as he remembered him, he couldn't help but have that familiarity wash over him once again. All this time he had dreamed of the soccer-loving assassin and yet no dream could rival the beauty he saw before him. "Ken?" It was only a whisper but chocolate eyes lit with warmth as the younger assassin nodded. "I thought..." Shaking his head he turned to look at Aya. "They weren't supposed to be here till Tuesday?"

"Ran, my brother you really need to take a break." She said, suddenly concerned. "It is Tuesday, actually its about 45 minutes to midnight so in all fairness it's almost Wednesday."

Callan grinned, mussing Nagi's hair. "See kid, told you Captain over there got hit upside the head one too many times." He looked around the room seeing no one was laughing. "Damn, hard crowd."

"I don't have time for this." Walking up to Ran, Manx met his eyes. "I want you out of here in 30 minutes, I don't want you back for a week." He went to open his mouth but she stopped him. "No, it's an order, you're about to fall on your face, you need rest and you need to let that wound heal. Take the boys home, talk to them spend time with them. I'll be at your house tomorrow." He nodded, watching her leave.

Ken couldn't help but stare at the redhead while the others spoke, if anything Ran was more beautiful that he remembered him being. Still pale, he had become slightly more muscular than he remembered their leader being. His hair was cut short in the back, eartails gone, his bangs now grown out layered down to cheek level. He was wearing all black, leather pants went down to cover black boots. A sleeveless leather vest stopped right above his knees, buckles holding it closed on his right side and shoulder. He looked up to meet Ran's eyes as their conversation finished and Manx walked out. Once again a smile crossed the tanned assassin's lips, if anything they had deepened. 'They look more...what is it? A jeweled purple, or that deep purple the night sky looks sometimes. Not anything like Aya's... hers are more midnight.' Seeing the blood tinted bandage in the left arm brought him out of his daze, walking up his fingers gently brushed across the bandage. For a moment he could feel the taller man tense, Ken knew he should pull away that maybe he had changed, but he couldn't help it. Not when he had seen the relief in his eyes at seeing the three Weiss there. "You're hurt..." He finally whispered, Ran breathed out meeting his eyes as the man looked up at him. "Are you going to be okay?"

"Yes." He answered, there was a flash of a smile but it was gone too quickly for his liking.

Ken nodded, running his hand down the rest of his arm. "I'm glad." There were scars that hadn't been on him the last time they had been together. Ken knew Ran's body as well as he knew his own, he had bandaged it enough. Brown eyes fell on the pale neck and the scar that ran across it, that made him shiver. 'If it left a scar it must have been deep. Gods, Ran what have you been doing to yourself all this time you have been gone?'

(( Perceptive Kitten... )) The voice in his head shocked him, but he didn't flinch. (( Your boy there has been though a lot, but he's only a little worse for wear. ))

'The scar on his neck, how did it happen?' He thought, wondering if the telepath was still listening. Looking past Ran, he saw the German smiling.

(( Call me Callan, not German or Telepath or any of those other lovely names you have flitting around that head of yours, and of course I can hear you. Your mind is a bit too interesting to ignore. Your fear that he no longer loves you. The pain that he might have changed and you might not love the new him... don't worry kitten, your Ran is in one piece and still adores you. ))

Ken's eyes left the clear blue of the redheads seeing that Ran was still looking down at him. "I-I..." Suddenly he didn't know what to say any longer. Blushing, he took a step back from the redhead he had once though would be his partner. Even though Callan had told him the love was still there, he found himself doubting it.

"We should go home."

"If you say Captain!"

Growling, Ran turned on the man behind him. "Stop calling me Captain, you fucked up psycho!"

"Surely Captain!" He just sighed, tossing his arms up in the air. Grinning, Callan pushed himself off the wall. "Just wait, one day I'm going to bust into song... Oh Captain my Captain..."

Ran could only frown. "Have I told you that you're twisted?"

"Many times."

He nodded. "I'm guessing I shouldn't ask if you know all the lyrics to that song?" The telepath busted into a smile once again. "Shit..." Walking over, he grabbed his coat off a chair. "I need sleep, having you rattling around in my head all day has given me a headache..." The seven walked out of Ran's office, turning he locked the door then started down the hall. They all piled into the elevator and Aya pressed the button to go up to the surface. 'What do you think?'

(( They aren't thrilled by the idea of working with us but I don't see them killing us. )) Callan purposely bumped himself into Ran's side as his leader glared up at him. (( Right now they know I'm talking to you in your mind. ))

He crossed his arms, looking back at the door. 'I don't care.' There was silence in his head, blessed silence and he could no long feel the telepath's presence in his thoughts. But as suddenly as he had left he was once again pouncing around his head like it was his own private playground. 'What?'

(( Honesty for a moment, are you okay? )) Ran looked up at him, arching a brow. (( Jei, I know you two had become close and I have never seen you cry like that before. You never broke down when Crawford died, though I knew it upset you...but Jei... ))

Ran nodded, looking away. 'We had an understanding... am I okay? No. Will I survive? Yes.' Once again the man left his thoughts as the doors opened to the garage area. "Where are their things?" He asked, looking at his sister.

"In the van, I'll follow you up." Ran nodded walking towards his car as they walked down to the vehicles. Aya looked up at Callan for a moment, nodding then smiled. "Ran." He paused, looking back at the group. "The van's gonna be kinda crowded, maybe Ken should ride with you?" The tanned assassin blushed as Ran arched a brow.

(( Come on Captain...where is that lust filled passion you have for him. Rowr…Abyssinian is wanting a mate, a nice strong Siberian to satisfy his hunger! )) They saw Ran blush, shooting the German a look. "I'm teasing!" He yelled.

Shrugging, he turned to walk once again to his car. "If Ken wants to ride with me that's fine." Ken head shot up, brushing dark bangs from his eyes as he watched Ran stop beside a silver car. Then without another thought, he went over to Ran and jumped into the vehicle.

"I still say he needs to find a mate." Callan said seeing the woman beside him nod. "Abyssinian and Siberian...what an interesting mix!"

Aya sighed. "Get in the van." The five loaded into the familiar vehicle, seeing that Ran had already left the garage. 'You think they are going to be okay?' She thought, looking at the man beside her.

(( Most definitely my love... )) He then grinned. "You know, I missed you while I was gone, had no one to play with me."

"Callan!" Giggling, she shook her head. "You are so awful!"

That caught Yohji's attention, leaning forward he looked from the Schwarz man to Ran's sister. "Please don't tell me the boyfriend you were talking about is the psycho here?" Aya just smiled, nodding and she looked back at the redhead. "Shit!"

"Now Kitten, can't let you win all the woman can I?"

The playboy frowned, sitting back in his seat. "Whatever..."

*

They sat in silence, actually they hadn't said one word to each other since this drive started. Ken looked out the passenger window, desperately trying to figure out something to say, then it hit him. "Where is your Porsche?" The redhead had adored that car, he had been obsessive over that car and now he wasn't driving it?

"I gave it to Aya when I got this one." He said, once again going silent. They didn't say a word to one another for a few miles, this time it was driving Ran crazy. This wasn't how things were supposed to be, he knew that he loved the man beside him but he didn't know if Ken still felt the same. After a moment he just shook his head, glancing at the chocolate haired man beside him. "How have you been?"

Dark eyes met violet, clearly puzzled. 'What am I supposed to say to that? You walked out of my life without a word or explanation and then ask me how I have been? I'm miserable, I'm lonely I still love you with all my heart and soul, I still need you!' Sighing, he ran a hand though messy hair. "I'm okay I guess." Ran just nodded. 'Stupid stupid stupid! You can't even say what you feel!'

The redhead was now completely confused, he had thought he had seen love in the man's eyes. 'Maybe I'm wrong, maybe he's moved on, damn it this isn't going well...' Sighing, he pulled off to the side of the road. "Ken, can we just talk?"

"Sure, what about?" He asked, refusing to look at the man beside him.

Turning off the car, he sat back into the seat. "We need to talk about us, about everything that has happened."

"And you want to do this now? In a car, in the middle of no-man's land?"

The redhead nodded. "Neither of us can run away, we have to face our problems." Suddenly he was hating his own idea. "Maybe we should go to my house." Reaching to the key, a tanned hand covered his. He looked up at Ken, who was now smiling at him.

"I like the idea of staying here, we do need to talk." Ken pulled his hand away from the key, holding it in his. "When... you just left I thought maybe I had done something wrong." He finally whispered, his thumb running along the pale palm he held. "I kissed you twice without asking...I thought you hated me. But then again that didn't make sense because you had responded."

He nodded, focusing on Ken's hands. "I'm sorry, it was wrong of me to do that to you. You never did anything to deserve that treatment." Sighing, his eyes closed. "What happened had nothing to do with you, when you kissed me... I was in heaven." His eyes opened, Ken was looking at him his eyes shone with a happiness he hadn't see in a long time.

"Funny, all this time I was miserable without you because I wanted all the things we could have been." He whispered, the smile leaving his face. "Then I realized that you had never been mine in the first place. How can you want something back that was never given, but I gave you my heart without thinking, I wanted you to have all of me."

"Ken..."

He just shook his head. "I wanted all of you Ran. I was willing to risk everything as long as it was you I held in my arms every night. But then you were gone and my arms were empty, so was my heart."

"I never meant to do that to you." He replied, seeing that Ken was still holding his hand. "I'm sorry I never explained, that I never said goodbye or left you a reason. The letter...Manx should have given you a letter." He nodded. "I begged her to give that to you, when she agreed I only had a few minutes to write something. It wasn't enough time to explain, even if I could have, so I said the one thing I knew you needed to hear."

"I love you." The younger assassin whispered. "I still have that letter, I couldn't get rid of it. I always believed there was some alternate meaning to it."

Ran simply shook his head, smiling at the man beside him. "It was how I felt, I couldn't explain what was happening so I wanted you to know my heart. I had loved you those nights you came to me when I was injured and I loved you before that. I loved you long after that. When you kissed me, words could never describe how I felt. I loved you Ken." He nodded, understanding what the redhead was saying but Ran could see he was taking it wrong. "I still love you Ken."

That made him look up, violet eyes shone with compassion as the words sunk in. "Then...then w-what are we Ran?"

Shaking his head, he pulled his hand free of Ken's hold, running it along his cheek. "I don't have that answer, but I would like to find out." He whispered. "Ken, do you still love me?"

He could only nod as he leaned forward, kissing the man for the first time in a long while. The redhead moaned, his arm wrapping around the younger man's waist to pull him closer. At that, the kiss deepened as Ken wrapped one arm around the redhead's neck. When they finally pulled away, both were panting. "I missed that." He whispered, a slight blush covered the pale skin of the man across from him. Reaching up, his hand ran down the smooth skin, first his cheek then down his neck as one finger traced the scar that was now there. "I still love you Ran, you're still so beautiful."

"So are you Ken."

He leaned over, kissing the redhead once again. "How about we go home now?" He breathed, his lips brushing against his newly found love. "We can talk more?" Ran nodded, pulling away from the man beside him as he started the car once again. Ken leaned back into the seat feeling better about the situation. 'Wait, Callan never told me how he got that scar on his throat?' Shrugging, he looked to the redhead beside him knowing that he would have plenty of time to find out now.