AN- This is my first Mai Hime fanfic so if you spot anything wrong please feel free to let me know. Also it has elements of Prototype and Prototype 2 in it.

This chapter is dedicated to WhenAnxietyKicksIn, if not for her I would never have had the guts to post anything in the first place.

Disclaimer- I dont own Mai Hime/Otome or either Prototype. But I really wish I did. :)

Brilliant crimson met bored Emeralds as Dr. Fujino was preparing to leave for the evening, she was hoping that Natsuki would react or at least say goodbye, but as usual she had to initiate the conversation with the girl.

"Ara, Natsuki, are you going to be ok without me here to take care of you for the night?" She spoke as seductively as possible with one of her few genuine smiles and was rewarded with an immediate reddening to Natsuki's cheeks. She had only recently started to tease her and had discovered that her patient could turn so many different shades of red.

"Sh-shut up, idiot. Isn't it against regulations or something for you people to become attached to the specimen, you know me." Once again she deflected Shizuru's tease the only way she could by creating distance trying to remind Shizuru what she was. It was strange to her, Natsuki had never cared for people before, but the thought of hurting this one human female pained her slightly. She is the only human how has ever treated you as a person and not some monster, that's why. She would tell herself this all the time but it just didn't fit to her, maybe I'll ask mother next time I get a chance to visit.

Shizuru's smile faltered ever so slightly as Natsuki's words once again caused her pain. No matter what I do you won't let me see you as anything other than what all the others have said they see. Shizuru wished she could forget what Natsuki really was but she would always remember her fifth meeting with Natsuki, four weeks ago.

She had accidently angered the blunette and before she knew it she was being held in the air by the slim hand around her throat, feet dangling inches above the floor, she could only stare wide eyed at the beautiful eighteen year old before her in terror, Natsuki had but her down gently after seeing the fear in her eyes and said so quietly that Shizuru could barely believe what she heard, "…you are the only one I don't want to fear me…"

For the briefest moment her hurt flashed on her face but she put up her façade so fast that Natsuki barely caught it.

Sighing, now Natsuki wanted to appease the brunette before she left for the night. "Shizuru, I… I'm sorry if I upset you, maybe next time you could ask the general if we could go on another walk around the building, if you want to… Shiz-gahh" She jumped as Shizuru embraced her saying, "Ara thank you my Natsuki, I'll go ask General Kanzaki before I head home."

A now beet red Natsuki quickly escaped the hug while muttering and looking anywhere but Shizuru, noticing that all of the guards to her room had worried expressions on their faces, but seeing Natsuki jump back flustered had them relaxing but confused. If anyone else were to attempt that they would quickly end up as Natsuki's next meal. Great now everyone is going to think I'm going soft…

Shizuru was just gazing at Natsuki with a real smile waiting for Natsuki to become defensive in 3-2-1 and… "Idiot why don't you leave now before I get some mayo and eat you." Natsuki had a smirk plastered on her face, thinking Shizuru would leave now.

Her smirk wavered as Shizuru's smile grew, this can't be good…

Ara, poor Natsuki. You just make this too easy. "So you wish to eat me, Na-tsu-ki." Shizuru's Kyoto-ben dropping low and becoming so seductive, that even Natsuki's guards were sweating. The blunette had become so red Shizuru thought her head would explode. Natsuki for her part had frozen, her brain had just stopped working, heart had stopped beating, and to Shizuru it looked like she had stopped breathing which had her a little worried.

"… Natsuki, are you all right?"

Natsuki snapped back to life at her words, hearing genuine concern in them, she can't possibly care can she, she nice but… Dammit now I really need to talk to mother this human is to confusing.

Seeing Natsuki breathing and moving again Shizuru relaxed but the blunette's thoughtful expression had her slightly worried. Hoping she didn't anger her Shizuru was about to apologize when Natsuki spoke.

"Please leave…" The quiet words left the room silent.

Shizuru was dumbstruck, as was every guard in the room, the guards had never heard her say please for anything and Shizuru could hear the confusion in hear voice. She would have teased her again but the emotions flashing through Natsuki's eyes made her yield to the request.

"A-ara, I'll see you tomorrow then Natsuki, I'm sorry I upset you. I'll see if they will let Duran in here for bit after I leave." Shizuru grabbed her files and made for the door to Natsuki's glass cell, right as the guard outside unlocked it she heard the voice she loved to listen to quietly drift to her.

"Shizuru wait…"

Shizuru had turned around the instant she heard it and was patiently waiting for her to continue.

"… I …" Natsuki couldn't bring herself to say anything; she just didn't have the words.

"It's alright, why don't you think on it and get some rest. Then tomorrow my Natsuki can tell me." She was relieved that Natsuki wasn't upset with her, now she could leave with one less worry.

Shizuru had just left the team that looked after Duran only after they assured her that Natsuki would get at least twenty minutes with her beloved pup. There were only three things that could make Natsuki have any kind of emotional reaction Saeko, Duran, and … Shizuru. Thinking of Saeko brought on a whole host of unsettling thoughts to the crimson eyed beauty, Natsuki at least tries to appear somewhat human. Saeko couldn't care less what anybody thought of her, she readily seemed to despise humans.

Human. Shizuru wanted to show Natsuki what it would be like to live as a normal human girl, but how. After meeting the girl four weeks ago, she had been enraptured by her, then it turned to something else. All she could think of most of the time when she wasn't with the blunette was how to help her out of her current situation.

Now back in her office Shizuru had begun getting her things ready to head home when her eyes fell on the blood sample on her desk from earlier that day. I think I might have an idea, but first maybe Reito will reconsider…

Having made up her mind Shizuru grabbed her cell and dialed his number.

"Hello."

"Hello Reito."

"Ah Doctor Fujino, how can I help you?"

Well it's now or never. "I wanted to see how you felt about adjusting the security measures assigned to Natsuki."

"…Shizuru…" sighed the general through the phone.

"… Alright Shizuru, I got it and I'll see what I can do. But you're sure about this, I mean this isn't just going to piss off Sears, it's also going enrage all of district one, including the general."

The woman on the other end had a point, but the earlier conversation with General Kanzaki had gone much worse than she had anticipated. "I know, but that is why I made sure to have a little bit of insurance just in case. Don't forget the laptop at my apartment, I need you to get that as soon as possible. And Chie be careful ok."

"Hey worry more about yourself ok, I'll be fine. And Shizuru good luck." Shizuru could hear the worry and fear in Chie's voice, so she did the only thing she could think of to lighten the atmosphere…

"Ara, you sound so worried about me, I'm flattered but what will we tell Aoi?"

"Hey now no need to go and get her involved in this ok, right, Shizuru… please."

"Alright, now please hurry. I'm leaving right now, and I suggest you do the same."

"Ok, heading out. It's gonna take me a few hours to get there though, and watch yourself Shizuru. You know I don't trust Sears or District One and I never have."

"Goodbye Chie." With that they both hung up, and Shizuru grabbed the vial and left her office locking it on the way out. Sorry to get you involved Chie, but you always wanted a big story and this is definitely big.

Shizuru had just stepped out of the building and was hit by the cold night air, and was immediately thankful for her skinny jeans and the leather jacket she had on over her dress shirt. She started walking after she made sure that there wasn't anyone around, if I can make it to the train before anyone notices then it should all workout.

She had made it three blocks from Sears' Japan branch in Fuuka City when she felt odd like someone was watching her. At the same time her phone rang, she checked the caller ID to find it said colonel t. Ara I really don't like Colonel Takeda at all, always looking at Natsuki with want and yet always calling her a thing or monster.

She just kept walking and noticed two people on the other side of the street, they quickly averted their gazes. Oh no. They couldn't have found out yet could they, her heart rate began to sky rocket.

There was an ally coming up to her right that cut right to the park which was only a block from the train station. She paused right next to it and turned to see the people behind her and noticed a third person behind her on her side of the street.

They all averted her gaze and the second they did she bolted down the alley without a second thought. As she came upon a fence that cut the alley in half she heard people running to the entrance of the alley.

Quickly climbing over it she glanced back to see that there was now four people chasing her, she ran out of the alley as fast as she could and right across the street without even looking when she heard a shot ring out in the night.

She looked over her shoulder to see that they were still chasing her and that what she heard was a warning shot. That didn't matter to Shizuru cause she had just reached the stairs that lead to the subway station and practically leapt down all of them.

She landed poorly and twisted her ankle, regardless she was far too afraid to stop moving, she was right about to board the train when she heard them all right behind her.

Putting up an almost pleasant smile she turned to face her pursuers, taking note of the four guns aimed at her.

"Can I help you?" Shizuru's smile grew slightly when she noticed that there was no strain in her voice.

"Ma'am you're going to have to come back with us, and we'd like you to hand over the sample…please." The way he said please Shizuru could tell someone high up told them to take her alive, good. They probably would like nothing more than to fill me full of lead.

She reached into her coat pocket, the four guns aimed at her steady themselves at either her head or chest. Taking a breath she pulled out the vial that they wanted and with the vial in one hand she raised her hands up and they lowered their weapons, caution etched on their faces. Good they know what it is.

"I am assuming that you know what this is, so I think that I'll be going and you for can catch the next one."

"I'd advise against that Doctor Fujino, we will shoot you." The apparent leader said taking a step forward.

"Really well…" she took a step back and a shot resounded through the station.

Shizuru just barely caught the vial as pain shot there her left arm where the bullet went through.

After everyone was sure that she had a hold of the vial, all eyes turned to the one that had shot her.

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing recruit!" The group's leader was enraged.

"Preventing her escape sir." The recruit was starting to sweat under his glare, while their teammates just kept quiet. Shizuru for her part was keep silent while screaming in her mind, if she could just get to the train she had only a few minutes before it would depart.

"ALIVE and UNHARMED, with the VIAL. You just nearly cost us all three, you fucking moron."

While he was going on Shizuru had backed up slowly, she was now only six feet from the doors. Yet every step was agony do to her twisted ankle, and the gunshot wound in her shoulder was pushing her willpower to her limits as she tried to keep silent.

Right as she turned around she heard the recruit say something to her superior and could feel the guns on her back again.

"Stop right there Fujino, you are coming back with us no matter what and so is that vial."

Just then the doors started to shut and Shizuru tried to bolt for it as several shots rang out from behind her.

Natsuki sat on the bed in her room, cell is more like it she thought dryly.

She looked around it at the few items she had; a computer that had access only to a small database, two desks one was large for the doctors and scientists to use the other was hers, her bed, and some small dog toys for when they allowed Duran into see her. The whole time her thoughts were on a certain crimson eyed brunette, she had this strange suspicion that something was wrong.

"Natsuki…" The blunette was jolted out of her thoughts by her mother's voice echoing through her mind, her mother rarely talked to her like this so now she was even more worried.

"Natsuki my darling girl, it is almost time for us to stop playing these humans games. And just like that she was alone again, but now she felt afraid for Shizuru. Her mother's message meant that the day they had both been waiting for was about to arrive. The day when they would both leave this building forever and Saeko would have justice against the humans, Natsuki had grown up to this so she had no other idea how to live and as such no vast hatred for humans like her mother, but still she had wanted to be out of this cell for good. This was the day that Natsuki had been waiting for her whole life and yet now it did not seem so great, she feared for the one human who treated her human, the one person who seemed to appreciate her existence for more than a science experiment, the one being who made her feel things she's never felt before.

Shizuru… I will find a way to protect you at least from her. That was all she could think of as she felt a jolt run through her. Shizuru…

AN- So there it is. Please R&R. And for any who happen to be reaching for a weapon, fear not for it would be hard to have ShizNat without the Shiz so please just wait and see. And thanks for reading. ;)