Part One, Chapter Three- Yohji

Nagi sneezed, waking up enough to rub his nose then settled back to sleep again. Or tried to. He couldn't shake this feeling that someone was watching him in the dark. He knew it couldn't be Aya, for Farfarello was still awake playing with the child in the living room. Everyone else was asleep.

He froze at the sound of something shifting at the foot of his bed. That definitely was not Schuldich trying to play a trick on him. Bracing himself, he mentally turned on the light switch and rolled off the bed.

"Don't you dare scream!" the man hissed moving to corner Nagi in the small space between the bed and the wall. "Not even a mental call."

Nagi nodded, sliding up the wall to stand.

The man nodded. "Good." He said calmly. "Where's Aya?"

Nagi shook his head. He wasn't about to tell a stranger anything, especially not about Aya.

The man's eyes narrowed. "I know you have him! Where is he?"

Nagi dutifully kept his mouth shut, looking at nothing but the man lest he give something away.

"Fine, have it your way." The man said and pulled out a knife, and stalked closer.

Nagi's eyes widened both at the knife and at the better view of the man's face he had now the man was closer. He had seen those eyes before, and that hair, and that face. Though it couldn't be since all of the Weiss boys were now no older than three.

He couldn't help himself; he screamed.

Instantly the man had him in his arms turning him to face the door, the knife pressed hard against his throat. "I told you not to scream!" he yelled wrapping an arm around Nagi's waist and lifted him off the ground.

Schuldich and Brad burst into the room a second later and stopped. Brad had a gun in his hand; Schuldich was glaring daggers at the man holding Nagi captive.

"Let him go." Brad ordered, cocking the gun.

Nagi could feel the man grin. "Let's make an exchange. Aya, for your brat."

"Let him go." Brad repeated.

Schuldich's eyes narrowed. He put his hand on Brad's and slowly lowered the gun. Brad looked at him in surprise. "Balinese, so nice to see you again."

"Mastermind." Yohji acknowledged. "Where is Aya?"

"Safe." Schuldich answered taking a step forward. "Let Nagi go and I'll take you to him."

"Are you insane?" Brad hissed at the telepath.

"I know what I'm doing." Schuldich answered.

Yohji snorted. "Give me Aya and I'll let him go." He said stubbornly.

Schuldich rolled his eyes. A moment later Farfarello appeared, Aya held protectively in his arms. The child looked at the man holding Nagi hostage and tried to hide in Farfarello's chest whimpering slightly.

"What did you do to him?" Yohji demanded.

"What do you mean?" Nagi asked in a choked voice. "He's scared you're going to hurt me."

The assassin released the teen; Nagi fell to the floor then scrambled to his feet and hid behind Brad.

"Farfie, why don't you put Aya and Nagi to bed in my room?" Schuldich said quietly, Farfarello nodded and led Nagi down the hall. "Now, come Yohji, I think there are a lot of questions to be answered on both our parts."

Yohji nodded dumbly and followed the two elder Schwartz to the living room and took the seat offered to him. "What happened?" the blond asked obviously tired. "Ken and Omi are the same way, what happened to them?"

"Kritiker used them for an experiment." Schuldich answered. "Aya managed to escape from what we can tell. Though we thought all of you where changed."

Yohji shook his head. "I had to go to America for a mission, when I returned, no one was there, and then these people tried to kill me."

Brad and Schuldich exchanged looks. "Why don't you start from the beginning?"

Yohji nodded.

***

Yohji walked into the flower shop to find it empty, literally empty. No leaf was on the floor, no shelves packed with flowers. The room looked like there had never been a flower shop at all. It was very strange.

Checking every room he found them much the same, empty. The mission room was bare, the bed rooms nothing but four walls and a bit of dust. Even his room had been cleaned out, though most of it was his doing; the things he knew he would need to keep in storage he had used a fake name not even Kritiker knew.

Why had everyone else left?

Running into the last room of the apartment he found his only clue as to what had happened. Aya's room had a secret crawl space that had not been in the original blue prints for the apartment. Its previous owner had used it to slip in and out of his residence to see his mistress. Yohji had found it before Aya had moved in and had shown it to the red-head secretly. No one else knew about it.

Opening the trap door carefully he flipped on it's inside light and looked around. Aya's things where still there. The young man's extra katana, spare clothes, a few books, and a journal. Yohji quickly stuffed it all in his duffle bag and headed out again.

He called Manx to find out what had happened. She had told him they had been moved to a new location and gave Yohji the address. There he found nothing but an old warehouse, where a sweeper team ambushed him and tried to stick him with a needle. He had escaped and gone into hiding.

For two months he searched for the others, and finally found them in a safe house. It took him three days before he realized what he was seeing was Ken and Omi; Ken was a barely walking one year old and Omi was still too young to walk. For two more months he watched the safe house and no matter what happened he never saw Aya as adult or child. So he assumed what ever had happened to his friends Aya had managed to get away.

Then he started looking for Aya using the young man's journal as a guide. Another four months later he had gotten a lucky break when he was running out of places to look and stopped in a park for a smoke. There he had spotted Nagi walking along the sidewalk across the street, a little boy with blood red hair clutching his hand. Yohji had instantly known he was seeing Aya and had followed the teen all the way back to Schwartz' safe house.

He had been surprised when he confirmed Aya was indeed living with the enemy and had decided to rescue the child and flee the country before Kritiker could find them.

Nothing had gone according to plan.

***

"…and you know the rest." Yohji finished settling back in his chair tiredly. "So tell me, why do you have Aya?"

Schuldich and Crawford exchanged looks. "I found him on the street and Esset decided we would raise him as a normal child." The telepath answered shortly. "Until now we thought that all of you had been turned into children by an experimental drug. We had assumed, though, that you where all the same age."

Yohji shook his head. "No I can tell that all three are different ages."

Brad nodded. "Well now that we know at least one of you is the right age, you can take Aya and raise him yourself."

"Crawford!" Schuldich shouted turning to glare at the older man. "Shut-up!"

"I agree with him." Yohji said. "I'll just take Aya and be on my way."

Schuldich snorted. "Good luck getting him past Farfarello. He's quite attached to the little chibi." He said with a smirk. "And Nagi would insist on coming with you."

Yohji looked between the two with a raised eyebrow. "What's going on here?"

Crawford slapped a hand over Schuldich's mouth, the telepath rolled his eyes. //Like that's going to stop me. // he said sarcastically, then to Yohji. //Crawfie here and I have a difference of opinion on how to deal with a child. In other words, he doesn't want Aya and I do. //

The last adult Weiss kitten's eyes narrowed. "Why?"

Schuldich snickered. //He's a cute little Kätchen, I always wanted one. //

Both Crawford and Yohji snorted.

Schuldich shrugged removing Crawford's hand from his mouth. "Well I always wanted a child." He allowed. "He makes Nagi happy, and keeps Farfie sane. All I need is for Brad to get over his father phobia and I'll have my family." He glared at Brad. "Of course, it's still early enough to change the records so Nagi can have him."

Crawford scowled. "I am not going to allow Nagi to play father." He said, "And you can't have him either."

"Then give him to me!" Yohji exclaimed. "I'll be on the next plane outta here."

Schuldich shook his head. "Too late, Aya's already imprinted on us, he thinks we are his family. Hell, the only thing he says in any language is Nagi."

Yohji blinked. "Why? I mean, shouldn't he be saying more?"

Schuldich shrugged. "Who knows, maybe he was premature; maybe he was a quiet child. What I do know is…" he shut down Yohji's body, putting him to sleep, the young man slumped against the chair his breathing shallow and even. "You need to stop thinking about taking Aya when we are all asleep."

"So what should we do with him?" Crawford asked lazily.

"Let him sleep." Schuldich said standing. He slowly stretched and gave his lover an air kiss. "I'll meet you in bed; I just want to check on the others."

"Sleep in your own bed." Brad growled.

Schuldich smirked. "It's already occupied; and I get so cold and lonely with out you, Braddy-bear."

Crawford threw a couch pillow at him. Schuldich caught the pillow with a laugh and suggestively sashayed down the hall.

Farfarello was standing guard outside Schuldich's bedroom absently playing with one of his daggers. He watched the telepath accusingly as the man came closer, a low growl rumbling deep in his throat. Schuldich patted the Irishmen on the shoulder as he passed him.

Nagi lay on his bed with Aya curled up in his arms. The child was asleep, the teen was not. Nagi stared at the far wall, running his fingers through Aya's blood red hair. He didn't look at Schuldich as the adult sat on the edge of the bed careful not to wake the child.

"He's not going to take Aya away." Schuldich said and reached out to brush Nagi's hair out of his eyes.

"I was so stupid leading him here." Nagi said tiredly. "If he can find Aya who's to say Kritiker won't?"

"Who's to say they don't already know where he is?" Schuldich countered. "I'm sure they have spent as much time searching for him as Balinese."

Nagi finally looked at him. "I found something interesting about Weiss I didn't tell you." He said quietly.

"What was that?" Schuldich asked, refraining from searching the teen's mind for the answer.

Nagi glanced down at Aya then met Schuldich's eyes. "Abyssinian and Siberian were lovers. Kritiker was going to wait another few years for their experiment; but the two lovers where found out and they became a liability. They are why Kritiker experimented on Weiss. They couldn't afford to have two of their top assassins become lovers; there was too great a risk they would get each other killed."

Schuldich snorted. "Ahh, the paranoid minds of our enemy. Makes me wonder why we have yet to defeat them."

"'Cause then we wouldn't have Aya-chan." Nagi explained logically, holding onto the toddler a little tighter.

"True." Schuldich admitted, leaning over to give both boys a kiss on their foreheads. "Now get some sleep, and don't worry too much about Balinese; Brad isn't giving Aya up and Kudou won't get past Farfie if he tries to take our kitten by force."

Nagi nodded. "Brad can be a bastered sometimes, but he's really possessive over things he claims."

"Just remember, he has claim to you, too." Schuldich reminded him standing carefully so he didn't jolt the bed.

"And you." Nagi said with a knowing grin. "But not Farfie, I think Aya's already got that job."

The telepath smiled and shook his head. "Go to sleep, Farfarello will stand watch."

"Goodnight Schuschu," Nagi said as Schuldich flicked off the light switch.

"Good night Nagi." He said and nodded to the Irishmen before walking to Crawford's room.

***

The first thing Yohji felt when he woke was the plush cushions of a couch beneath him. The second was something lying on his chest; too small to be a woman, too big to be a cat. Opening his eyes slowly he was met with the vision of blood red hair.

Why the hell was Aya sleeping on him and why did he only have half a body? Yohji blinked several times before his sleep fogged mind gave him the answer he wanted. A two year old was sleeping on his chest; a former adult that had been regressed eighteen years because of stupidity. Or was it jealousy? Aya's journal had mentioned that Manx had found him and Ken having sex; and Yohji knew Manx secretly wanted Aya for herself.

That, however, didn't explain why there was a toddler sleeping on his chest.

Aya whined in his sleep molding himself closer to Yohji as he shivered in the cold of the room. The blond looked around carefully and saw a blanket caught in his bare feet. He must have kicked it off sometime in the night; which led to the question of how long Aya had been here.

He kept himself from jumping as a golden eye filled his vision suddenly. Farfarello looked down at him, a hostile expression on his face. The psychopath picked up the blanket and shook it out before placing it over Yohji and Aya.

"Don't disturb him." Farfarello warned quietly. "He needs…" he glanced up at a clock on the far wall, "…two more hours of sleep to stay healthy."

Yohji glanced at the clock to find it was almost noon. "How long-" he started to ask but was cut off when Farfarello clamped a hand over his mouth.

"He slept an hour last night before coming in here; he played till five then decided you made a good bed." The Irishmen answered quickly then moved away to lean against a wall.

Yohji watched the man for a moment then stared down at the sleeping toddler. It wasn't much of a view; all he could see was red hair and a little arm clutching a teddy bear. As an adult Aya had never let anyone touch him, nor would he have been caught dead snuggling up to someone so innocently in sleep. Fujimiya, Ran had not been innocent; he had it stripped away when his whole family was killed, then what little remained was taken when he willingly killed in the name of revenge.

Baby Aya was the definition of innocents. He was undoubtedly adorable without meaning to be, with an air of shy charm that couldn't be faked. He wasn't a child that had mischief written all over him, curious about everything, yes, but not one that would test his limits before he got in trouble just because he could. Yohji had to wonder though if that was natural or if his caretakers had something to do with that.

Well maybe not, Aya was also the type of child that would hide from anything or anyone he was afraid of.

For three days Yohji had watched the child interact with the others as he went though his daily life. Since he had woken the first day- to find his weapons, identification, and shoes gone- he had figured since he wasn't going anywhere he might as well make sure Aya was alright.

So he watched.

Farfarello followed the toddler everywhere he went; changed diapers as the child refused potty training, bathed him, fed him, played with him, and everything else a parent might do to help a child's first few years benefit them as they grew. When Nagi came home from school he played with Aya for a while then went to do his homework, usually while the toddler played in his room. Schuldich - when he wasn't with Brad- played with the child as well or rocked him in the rocking chair while the child slept.

However Brad couldn't be spared to even see the child. He ignored Aya when he went into the living room for something and the toddler held out his arms begging to be picked up. Farfarello would glare at the American until either he conceded and picked up the child for a while or left the room slamming the door to his office.

Thinking back to the conversation the night he broke in to rescue Aya, Yohji couldn't help but think that if anyone were to adopt the child it should have been Farfarello.

//He is// a voice said in the back of his mind, startling him out of his thoughts. The telepath strolled into the living room, carefully picked up Aya, blanket, teddy bear, and all; and sat in the rocking chair. //Brad might have the birth certificates, but Farfie and I have adoption papers that are just as good. If he where to leave with Aya tomorrow he could do so and have no problems. But he wont, Crawford might not want Aya, or Nagi for that matter, but he made sure they couldn't escape either//

Yohji sat up to look at the man. [How is that?] He asked silently.

Schuldich tucked a leg under the other and used his other leg to rock gently back and forth. //Farfarello won't leave without Nagi; he's appointed himself the guard to both. Brad knows this and made sure that he couldn't leave with Nagi. I could leave with both, but I suppose you know how good that fact is. Brad adopted Nagi and made it very clear that he won't give up anything that is his. Farfarello leaves with both, Brad will call it kidnapping.//

[Then why do you stay?] Yohji asked glancing at Farfarello. [Why not just leave if you can?]

There was a mental sigh. //Because I'm as much a prisoner as you are// he answered wistfully. //I don't know if he loves me, but I love him. No one ever said I had good taste or judgment when it came to my own heart. He has the ability to care for them, he just doesn't want to; he's been a cold hearted bastered too long. //

[You never struck me as one to be 'captive by love'] Yohji said.

//Yes, well, you have a lot to learn about people. I am human you know. Just because I act a certain way when it amuses me to, or because you once were my enemy, doesn't mean I act in such a way all the time. // Schuldich scolded // I was the one to bring Aya here, I found him. I could have easily killed him if I where the man you think I am. You've been watching all of us, are we what you think we are? //

[No,] Yohji admitted. [Except Crawford, he's as much of a bastered I always thought he was.]

A small smile spread over Schuldich's face. //That he is. Very controlling and controlled, in everything. You would think not a very good lover, having to control everything, even in the bed room. //

[Actually I would rather not think about it, thank you] Yohji said with a grimace. [Ken and Aya where cute together, I'll admit it. But I'm still having trouble digesting you as nice, let alone you and Crawford as lovers.]

Schuldich snorted. //That's an understatement.//

[Yes, well, give me back my things and maybe I'll be more agreeable.] Yohji answered irritably.

//Not my decision// Schuldich said his attention wavering as Aya began to squirm. The telepath looked down at the child then looked up at the clock with a frown. Aya slid back as he pushed off Schuldich's chest with an unhappy whine and nearly fell onto the floor. The telepath reached out quickly in panic and grabbed the child before he hit the ground and held him up. The toddler looked at him with a blank expression then his face scrunched up and he wailed at the top of his lungs.

Farfarello had the child in his arms in a second, the back of his hand against Aya's forehead. "Fever." He said and vanished down the hall.

Schuldich sighed and rubbed his temples. "Well that was unexpected." He said to himself and stood slowly before following Farfarello.

Yohji watched them for a moment then followed then down the hall to the bathroom. Farfarello was sitting on the closed toilet seat with Aya in his arms coaxing the child to hold still so he could stick a small device in his ear. The toddler held out his arms to nothing, tears streaming down his face. Farfarello finally got the device in Aya's ear, pressing a button and held it until the thing beeped.

"102°" the Irishmen said looking at the little screen then set the thermometer on the counter. He stared at it a moment then stood. "Alright, hospital then."

Schuldich nodded in agreement, following Farfarello out of the bathroom and into Nagi's room to pack up a day bag and get Aya changed.

"Why does he have to go to the hospital?" Yohji asked. "His fever isn't that high."

"For an adult maybe." Schuldich said stuffing a few things into the already over stuffed bag. "But for a child, a fever can be deadly. Aya is small for his age and very frail; it's always a good idea to take every precaution with him."

"Oh." Yohji said.

***

Esset's medical facility wasn't so much a hospital as a clinic. The nurse met them, eying Yohji suspiciously, looking him over and raised an eyebrow when she saw his bare feet.

"This way." She said turning her attention to Farfarello. "The doctor is waiting."

Farfarello nodded to the woman and followed her down the hall to an empty room; the doctor met them at the door asking for Schuldich and Yohji to wait in the hall while he gave Aya a check up. They waited as Aya alternately screamed and cried, wincing when the sound rose in volume. Twice Schuldich had to restrain Yohji from bursting into the room to demand why the doctor was hurting the child. Schuldich calmly reminded him each time that if the doctor were harming Aya then Farfarello would have come out carrying the mans head in his hand.

It didn't make Yohji any happier about it.

After nearly an hour Aya's cries died down and the doctor stepped out of the room leaving Farfarello behind. "It was a good thing you brought him here." The doctor said calmly. "He has influenza. I've made an order for antibiotics and blood work that should be back in a few hours. For now I want him to remain here until he's better, Farfarello has insisted on staying with him if that's alright with you."

Schuldich nodded. "It's not like I could force him to leave anyway." He said. "Is Aya going to be alright?"

"I don't know." The doctor said solemnly. "It will be touch and go for the next few days; we will do everything we can for him. Now, I would like Nagi to come and have a check up too, I understand he and Aya share a room?"

"Yes," Schuldich said.

The doctor nodded. "I would have still suggested it with Nagi being so young, but I will have to insist now; there is a good chance the boy has been infected as well."

"Then I will return with him." Schuldich said hurriedly, grabbed Yohji's arm and dragged the older man out of the hospital.

"What's the big hurry?" the blond asked wincing as he stepped on loose gravel.

Schuldich held out what looked like a pager. "Nagi's panic button," he said unlocking the car and slipping inside, followed by Yohji. "He's in trouble, or about to be grounded."

Yohji raised an eyebrow. "He's a telekinetic, why would he ever be in trouble?"

"He didn't use his gift when you threatened him with a knife." Schuldich pointed out, driving out of the parking lot and into traffic at a neck breaking speed. "If he's scared he can't concentrate, if he can't concentrate he can't use his gift; well except in panic, then he can use his gift." He glanced at Yohji. "Just remember, if you use that against him I will be forced to shut you down again and you will not be waking up."

"You forget." Yohji countered. "My people betrayed me and mine. I have nothing against you and yours unless you deliberately hurt Aya."

Schuldich nodded, "Just so long as we are on the same page then."

"We are." Yohji assured him.

The car weaved in and out of traffic a combination of luck and Schuldich's gift keeping them from being killed. Nagi's school was fifteen minutes away, less then ten with the telepath's driving. Both were out of the car before it even had time to stop, racing up the path to the school's main doors. Schuldich led the way to the teen's current class, stopping himself before he could burst inside. He looked through the window, searching for the boy and when he didn't find him, caught the teacher's attention.

"Yes?" the teacher asked, stepping out into the hall. "May I help you?"

"Naoe, Nagi, where is he?" Schuldich demanded.

The teacher blinked. "His father came to pick him up ten minutes ago."

"Who?" Schuldich asked. "What was his name?"

The teacher shook his head thinking. "Mr. Naoe." He answered after a moment.

The telepath growled. "He was adopted, there is no Mr. Naoe! The school records should say so!"

"I'm sorry sir!" the teacher said. "I was only given a note."

Schuldich turned and stalked back down the hall Yohji following close behind. As they left the school he took out his cell phone and called Brad. "It's me." He said when the American answered. "Is Nagi with you?"

~Of course not, he should be in school. ~ Brad answered. ~What's going on? ~

"Aya's in the hospital, he has the flu. When I was asked to bring Nagi in his panic button went off." He said rubbing his temple as he looked around as if looking for some clue. "His teacher said a Mr. Naoe came to get him."

~What?!~ Brad yelled over the line.

Schuldich frowned looking down at something on the ground and bent to pick it up. He held the object up to the light and cursed in German, in his hand was the panic button. "Get to the school, Nagi's been kidnapped."

~To Be Continued

Next chappy- Yohji, Brad and Schuldich have a race against time to save Nagi, both from his captors and from the illness he could be dieing of (yes the flu can kill). But what Nagi's kidnappers want from him might be far worse then any thing they've faced before, all leading to one Dramatic Rescue and one Heroic Sacrifice.

Part One, Chapter Four- Count Down