Disclaimer: I don't own any Sly Cooper characters; they belong to Sucker Punch Productions.

Claimer: I own all of my original characters.

Well here's chapter 2. I know it's a little short but they'll get longer I promise. And if you haven't read Alone in the World, please do so. It'll help clarify about half of this chapter. But other than that, please read and review and let me know what you think.

Chapter 2: Shadows on the Balcony

I closed my door with a sigh as I made my way up from the baths. After sitting in the gardens and seeing that face in the water, I decided to take a hot bath and get in my pajamas while the banner was red. So, that's what I did and the hot water only made me sleepier. I was determined to unpack my things and put them away in the closet before going to bed. After carrying it from the wall, I crouched down next to my bag, tossed Sly's card to the side, and unzipped the zipper. I silently started hanging my clothes in the closet while still thinking of that face I saw in the water. It had to have been my imagination but it was just too creepy to forget. I stopped to yawn everyone in a while and I was ready to get some well needed sleep. I had only gotten about a quarter of my clothes hung when I heard the screen door across from me open.

"Well," I groaned silently at the voice, "it looks like I have myself a neighbor!" I glared at the smiling thief leaning on the wooden strip that held the door in place.

"Haven't you ever heard of knocking?" I growled. Even thought I had forgiven Sly for breaking me, but I was still furious with him. I snapped another hanger on the rack and kept sorting through my bag.

"It's a screen, Ramona. You can't really knock on screen." I rolled my eyes and snapped another hanger in the closet.

"Whistling, coughing, clearing your throat, tapping on the wood, scratching on the screen, there are more ways to alert someone of your presence besides knocking." I huffed and returned my attention to my bag.

"Alright, I get it, you're still mad." I narrowed my eyes at the smiling raccoon and huffed.

"You think?" I spat. His smile dropped and he stood from the door frame. I looked into the closet but I could hear him approach me.

"It's been a week since I apologized, Ramona. How long are you going to stay mad?" I didn't even get the hanger onto the rack and ended up throwing it to the ground with a growl.

"A week, you think a week, an apology, and a kiss are going to make up for a year of emotional pain that you and my sister caused me?" I picked up the hanger and put it on the rack.

"I get it, Ramona," he said quietly, "So how about two weeks?" I knew what he was doing; he was trying to flirt his way to my good side but it wasn't working.

"I swear you're biggest jackass I've ever met, you know that?" I threw my shirt at his face and stormed away.

"Why are you in such a mood? You were perfectly fine last week." I stormed over to my second bag and started going through it.

"I don't know, why don't you tell me why I'm in a mood? You seem to get around enough to figure it out for yourself, don't you?" he grew silent and stayed near the closet. After I had visited Paris during the holidays, Sly had finally told me that he loved me. However, the next week I found him flirting the night away with my sister.

"You found out about that?" I nodded, "What do you want me to do, Ramona? What will finally make you happy?"

"For you to tell me something and actually mean it." He nodded and stood up straight.

"Look," he said as he made his way towards me, "why don't I take you out to dinner tomorrow night? We can talk things through without the possibility of being overheard." He pointed to my sister's room, which was on the other side of my room.

"No." I said simply. I could tell he was taken back; I could only assume he hadn't been rejected before, "If you want to talk, we can talk here," I had calmed down a little and I had regained my cool, "but in the morning. I'm in no mood to talk tonight." I gently pushed him back into his room and started to slide the door shut only to have it stopped by his foot.

"Last change on dinner." He said with his usual smile. I raised my eyebrow, un-amused, and rolled my eyes.

"Goodnight Sly." I said firmly while I slid the door shut and locked it. I flicked off my light and crawled into my mat. I grunted softly as I settled onto the floor and my back popped. I was ready to get some well needed rest. And that would be an easy task if I didn't have to worry about what Cooper was planning. Frankly I didn't know what I was going to do about my problems with him. Everything was just complicated when I was around him. After he joined the police force and started dating my sister, I became depressed; really depressed. I'd mope around my apartment all day, doing nothing, until my brother finally dragged me to a doctor. Just like I thought, the doctor put me on medication to help my depression but they didn't really do anything. I was still prescribed to take them but I took them occasionally. I hated feeling like some sort of pill popping monkey.

I closed my eyes and tried to get some sleep. I had almost drifted off into a peaceful slumber when dripping water kept me from taking that final step. I opened my eyes and propped myself up on my elbows while looking to the screen that led to my balcony; the source of the sound. Despite my room being dark, the moonlight gave me just enough illumination to see out onto my balcony. My heart pounded in my chest as I watched the figure on my balcony. It was obviously female and since it was only a solid black outline I couldn't tell any features, but it was just as creepy as the face in the water. The woman was walking slowly but her tattered dress still rippled behind her. The sound of dripping water echoed in my room and I gripped my sheets tightly as she turned to the door. I heard the lock jiggle but thankfully the door didn't open. I heard a hiss before the shadow on my balcony turned and made its way to the other side. I jumped up quickly and slung the door open. I knew what I saw and there was someone outside, but there wasn't anyone out here. There was no water and there were no footprints. I shivered at the wind and I grabbed at my robe so I could investigate. To my dismay I realized I had left it in the baths after I had bathed. I took one more glance before shutting the door and exiting my room. I was going to get my robe and inspect the gardens below to see if anyone was down there. Things were getting stranger and stranger; first the face in the water and now the shadow on the balcony.

I moved the red banner aside as I entered the baths and spotted my rope on the counter in front of the mirror. I stopped in front and briefly looked at my reflection. I still had bags under my eyes and I was exhausted. I picked up my rope and quickly slung it on before tying the sash around my waist. I straightened my robe before looking back into the mirror. I was taken back when I didn't see my reflection in the glass. Everything else was there but I wasn't there. I leaned towards the glass when something peculiar caught my eye. In the back, near the clothes hamper, there was a woman standing there. It was the woman from the lake. The fox simply stood there, her head hanging low and her wet, dripping hair hanging in front of her face. Her dress was as wet as her hair and was tattered and torn. I turned around to the basket only to find no one standing there. I turned to the mirror and she was standing there, but closer. The lights above me flickered as the woman got closer and closer to the glass. My heart was going a mile a minute when she finally reached the glass; her head was still down and her hair dripping with water. I leaned in again slightly when her head snapped up and my eyes locked onto her. There were no pupils or color; only solid white orbs. I found myself unable to move, but look towards the horrifying woman. Her mouth opened and she let out the loudest, longest, and most high pitched scream I had ever heard. I shrieked in surprise myself and backed up until my back hit the wall behind me. My eyes were still glued to the mirror but the woman was gone and my reflection had returned. I was frozen in my place, unable to move at the thought of what I had just seen.

"Ramona?" my sisters' voice snapped me from my thoughts but I still refused to move, "What are you doing?" I opened my mouth but no sound came out.

"T-there's a woman, i-in the mir-rror," I stammered out while I pointed to the mirror. Charlotte stood next to me and glanced to the large glass.

"Yeah, there's a woman in the mirror, but she's also standing next to me." she giggled and I shook my head.

"No, no it-it was a fox." She looked again.

"Yeah, there's a fox, but I'm a fox Ramona, remember?" I shook my head again.

"No! She was there, I just saw her. And she was in the lake and on my balcony. She was there Charlotte, she was there!" She shook her head and gently placed her paw on my shoulder.

"Ramona, no sleep has just gone to your head and you're seeing things. Come on," she started pulling me from my spot, "Let's get you to bed."

"But-but she was there. I saw her!" she shook her head again and started walking me to my room. Despite what my sister said; I knew what I saw in the baths, on my balcony, and in the lake.