Vash looked around him carefully. Having satisfied himself that there was no-one around, he stepped through the door of the small cabin and knocked the snow off his boots.

"Don't worry, it's me" he called out to the silent household. Almost instantaneously, a young girl rushed downstairs and leapt into his arms.

"Big brother, you're home! I was really lonely without you!" The Swiss man laughed and stroked his sister's head.

"Ja, I am. What did you do today? Did anyone call?" Serious, piercing green eyes stared into innocent, soft teal ones, relaxing when the other replied in the negative, and then began babbling about what the day had offered her.

"…and then I sewed some clothes and cooked and-! Oh! Big brother, would you like something to drink or eat?"

"Hmm…alright, Lili."

"Yay! I'll get you some strüdel!" And with that, the girl skipped off towards the kitchen, whilst still keeping up her innocent chatter. Smiling to himself, Vash paced into the front room. Passing the window, a… not a movement, more a sensation of a movement, caught his eye. Instantly alert, evergreen irises narrowed, searching the darkness. Please no, please no, please no…Scheiβe! The very thing that the man had been dreading, he had spotted. Slowly backing out of the room, he bumped into his sister.

"Vash, I couldn't-" Speaking quietly and quickly, Vash cut her off.

"Lili. Listen to me very carefully. Go upstairs and hide, alright? Stay very quiet. And don't come down unless I come and get you. If I don't," the blond swallowed "then wait until you haven't heard anything, then wait until morning the day after. Then, go to the nearest town. You know where that is? Gut. Now go!"

Releasing the girl's shoulders, he stepped back. She remained still, shaking on the spot.

"Big brother, you're scaring me! I don't understand!"

"Lili! Go! Now! And…you know ich leibe dich, right?" She nodded her head, eyes wide, and headed for the stairs.

"Ich leibe dich auch, big brother!"

Alone, Vash started to search for a hiding place, tearing through the rooms as heavy, powerful fists pounded on the door.

"Zwingli, open up! It'll be easier for all of us~!" The Swiss continued to look franticly round, jumping slightly as the door burst off its hinges. Sighing, he stood still. Within a few seconds, he was in the centre of a ring of guns.

Upstairs, Lili huddled in the corner of her wardrobe, hugging her knees close to her chest and rocking back and forth. Straining her ears, she heard raised voices. One, a creepy and weirdly soft voice, spoke.

"Ah, we've found you at last~ we missed you, you know! The Bratva doesn't like to lose family members... especially one as skilled as you~ But I suppose it can't be helped... Where is the other?"Then, her beloved brother.

"She's dead. She got ill and I buried her back in Liechtenstein." But…she was alive…why did he lie? The first voice spoke again, this time with what Lili imagined was a hint of a cruel, sadistic smile.

"Oh, that's a shame~ I was looking forwards to dealing with both of you... so much more fun!" There was a heavy pause, evenually punctuated by a... giggle? "...Ah, well... I suppose we'll have to make do~" Lili shrieked and clapped her hands over her mouth as the unmistakable sound of gunfire filled the house.

~~ le timeskip.~~

Bleak sunlight filled the house and birdsong the air. Lili awoke and stretched, rolling out onto the wooden floor of her room. There had been no more sound last night after those few seconds of terror. That must have meant her brother had fought the bad men off! He was so strong!

Tiptoeing downstairs, the Leichtensteinian girl peered into the kitchen, her week-old short hair brushing her chin. There, in the centre of the floor, lay her brother, apparently asleep. She smiled. He must have been tired afterwards, so he took a nap! So cute! Ah! But I'd better wake him up. He doesn't like to oversleep. Kneeling beside him, Lili gently shook his shoulder.

"Big brother? Big brother, wake up!" No motion. The young girl frowned and shook him again.

"Big brother? Come on, you can't stay there all day!" Crimson stained the hem of her dress as she continued to try and rouse him. Her cries took on a plaintive tone.

"Why aren't you waking up? Wake up, big brother!"

The empty house seemed to swallow her lonely words, reflecting nothing but pain and bitter sadness. Now, although she didn't know it, there was no-one who could truthfully answer those words.

"Big brother?"

Bratva: Russian branch of the mafia.