AN. This NA fanfic is different from my first one Heart On Fire. It goes in a slightly different direction. It's going to be in line with the present events that happened in the movie but I've added my own and removed some for the fic creativity. Hope you enjoy my 2nd offering.

"To hide the key to your heart is to risk forgetting where you placed it."

Timothy Childers.

Mika Coretti's deep slumber was cut by the piercing sound of her mobile phone ringing on the bedside. She tried to ignore but the more she tried to mentally block the sound the more it was penetrating her sleepy haze. Giving up, she groaned and blindly reached for the device. She opened one eye and saw her sister's number flashing on the screen

"Leona, what the hell?" she said in an irritated voice to her sister who was on the other end of the line.

"A little cranky this morning, aren't we?" Leona replied with a chuckle.

"It's four freaking am in the morning! Nine hours difference, remember?" Mika grumbled.

"Oh, sorry honey, you hadn't called yet, I was getting a little worried" Leona retained her elderly sister voice.

"I was going to call, I'm still settling in, I spend the better part of yesterday pushing furniture and by the time I decided to relax I just fell asleep" Mika explained.

"Hmm, so how's the loft, do you have a romantic view?" Leona chuckled again

"Well, its part of metropolitan Berlin so there's not much to see, count for a few trees and grass. But I like it; its cosy and just my type of place. I'll take some pictures once I finish putting everything in order"

"I'll be waiting, so, any hot neighbours you might want to borrow that cup of sugar from in the future"

"Leona!" Mika giggled despite her disorientation.

"What, early morning lesson in candy men" Leona laughed on the other hand.

"No, I haven't met anyone yet, I'll let you know when the big bang happens, the flash of realization and time suspense" Mika said sarcastically.

"Ok, I have to put the kids to bed now Mimi, I'll talk to you later"

"Thanks, give them my love" Mika said fondly thinking of her niece and nephew.

"We're already missing you; we'll visit soon once I get some days off work. Europe sounds like a nice place to be"

"I miss you too guys" Mika said with a little more emotion.

"Take care of yourself, bye" Leona said and after a while they both hung up. Mika looked at the time and felt a little happy that she still had more time left to sleep. She snuggled back into the covers and soon drifted into a deep sleep.

Being given a chance to come and work for Europol as their Forensic Researcher was a dream come true for Mika. Not only did it mean she was meeting new challenges but also the fact that she was moving places. She had always wanted to tour Europe at some point in her life and get to see places and now that opportunity had just been offered to her. She was so excited about starting over in a new place, meeting new people and even trying out new things. She hoped that Berlin would be kind to her.

Forensic researching was something Mika took at heart. She loved spending endless hours in the archives and library poring over records, files, disks in search of knowledge, in search of the truth. Her outstanding achievements with the LAPD had earned her recognition from the FBI Behavioural Analysis Unit in Quantico and in no time she was working cases for them. Although she had been asked numerous times to join the field force Mika had declined. She didn't think she could stand the horrors that sometimes came with it, the constant adrenaline rush and the real thing was not an easy job. It was after working on a case that the FBI and Europol had formed an alliance; to nail down a mobster that Mika got her invitation to work for Europol. She knew she had no problems fitting in because she was fluent in most European languages. Leona had always teased that she was a "know it all" much to Mika's embarrassment.

Growing up with an abusive father hadn't been easy for both sisters, while Leona had turned into a tough cookie for Mika's sake; Mika had just turned to books. All the countless hours she spent in the library whilst growing up had made up for the fear their father induced in them whenever he was drunk or flew into one of his frequent rages over small issues. The library had been a place of refuge for Mika; she was always the last one out and eventually she had been offered a part time job there that managed to see her through college.

When Mika finally woke up to begin the day the sun was already up. She didn't bother changing from her pyjama shorts; she still had to finish up putting things in order in her apartment before reporting to the Europol offices. She also had heavy furniture to push around like her antique bureau which she had insisted to be shipped together with her few belongings. She would definitely need help with some of the lifting; perhaps it was time she paid a neighbourly visit like Leona had suggested. The thought of her sister made her smile, Leona was more than a sister to her, and she was a best friend and sometimes mother figure to her.

Mika got out of her apartment and crossed to the door that was opposite to hers and knocked.

At first Raizo thought he had misheard when a light knock sounded on his door. No one had ever knocked on his door, unless they were lost or mistaken which was rare because he lived at the far end. He had been busy doing his daily rigorous exercise routine with the blindfold around his eyes. He preferred working out that way, Ozunu, his leader slash self-appointed father had told him that the sense of sight was overrated; he could do without it and still achieve the same results. Just the thought of the name Ozunu left a bitter taste in his mouth. It was a thought that he fought to block from his mind every day of his life. He still found he couldn't completely block because as much as he hated the name and the man himself he couldn't escape the fact that his life had been shaped by that man's hand.

Seven years; he had been on the run from Ozunu and his henchmen and he had managed to evade them well. However the question he asked himself regularly was for how long would he stay in hiding, how long would he keep changing places from time to time all around the word? He never stayed at the same place for more than six months; his last place was in Istanbul, Turkey before moving here to Berlin. He had left after his cover was almost blown by a girl who had approached him in the laundry room, she had been sent by the Hanta Kirra to kill him. A fierce fight had erupted which resulted in him leaving her to die in washing machine, a deed he had performed without even flinching.

There was however no worry that the person knocking would have something to do with Ozunu, because ninjas did not knock and certainly did not inform you of their presence. With his sharp hearing he could hear the steady thumping of a heart. An art he had acquired since he had got to know Kiriko, another name that brought a sharp pang inside him. Without bothering to put his t-shirt on Raizo soundlessly crossed over to open the door. The person must have been listening for footsteps. When he opened the door he was met by a startled gasp then he found himself looking down into a pair of frightened brown eyes.

"Hey I—I….." Mika stuttered with embarrassment at being discovered listening on the door as well as being startled by the soundless manner in which the door had been opened.

The shirtless man's face remained blank as he waited for her to speak again. Mika looked back at him trying to string her words together.

"My goodness, this guy is ridiculously hot; he's sex on the legs!" Mika's inner girl voice squealed silently. He looked like he had just been working out. His well-muscled and toned body was gleaming with sheen of sweat and locks of jet black hair fell on an arrogantly good looking face.

"Ok, stop staring, it's totally creepy!" Mika said under her breath now looking away, he raised an eyebrow, he must have heard her and she was clearly starting to look and sound like a mad woman.

"Sorry, I—I seem to have disturbed you" Mika blushed realizing he looked faintly irritated now.

"Can I help you?" he finally spoke. He had a deep slightly accented voice that made anyone who was listening want to pay attention but it was laced with a little hostility.

"I uh—I'm new here, I've just moved across you, I wanted a little help with moving some of my heavy furniture" Mika said in a meek voice, she sure wouldn't be borrowing that cup of sugar from this neighbour. For a moment she thought he was going to shut the door in her face. He raised a surprised eyebrow, as if he found it amusing that she would ask of him anything. It was as if no one had ever asked him for anything, judging from that gloomy look, which person in their right minds would.

"Let me get my t-shirt" he said quietly then retreated into his apartment. Mika sighed after he was out of sight; she had made a complete fool of herself. She had stared, she had stuttered and she had lost coherence in just a few minutes. If first impressions lasted then hers was a flop, but this guy didn't look like the type who minded, being an expressive person herself she was quite confounded when he showed little to no expression at all.

"Mr Cardboard" Mika muttered to herself then she gave a start when she realized he had returned whilst she was lost in her thoughts and he had surely heard her. However his face remained the same rigid composed mask.