+ C h a p t e r 3 +

Amon was seething.

A hand went to his tie, loosening the knot so he could unfasten the top button of his shirt hidden beneath. So much for the old suit and tie routine. They hadn't seemed to have left much of an impression on the Rev. Mother Agnes. And not only was he angry, he was also slightly confused by their conversation. With nowhere to vent his frustrations, Amon settled for shoving his hands into the pockets of his pants and glaring down at the path leading to the circular drive.

But no matter how much his thoughts ran around the preceding events, his mind still managed to be captured by the young woman walking in front of him. Robin had led them along the path that meandered through the rose garden on its way from the main building. Upon arriving at Amon's vehicle, she checked the door handle and, finding it locked, leaned against the door frame to wait.

Despite himself, Amon's eyes drifted over her as he approached. She looked...different from when he had left her a year ago. So much more grown up. Worse still, she seemed to understand her newfound maturity. It was a dangerous situation and he felt a familiar twinge of frustration.

Averting his eyes, Amon rounded the vehicle and opened the trunk. Once her bags were safely stowed in the back, he walked over to unlock the passenger-side door. Ignoring the warning in his head, Amon reached around Robin without waiting for her to move aside and slid the key into the lock. He paused, his hand grasping the door handle, and looked directly into her small face. She wore an expression of open surprise, not unexpected given their unusual close proximity. He only needed to bend a few more inches lower and he could have kissed her. A scent, feminine and floral, drifted up to Amon, his body leaning closer to hers as the silence lengthened. Robin moved first, jumping nervously a few paces sideways to allow the door clearance.

His mind cursed. What was he doing? Had he gone mad?

With Robin now standing at a safe distance, Amon opened the door, motioning with his hand to indicate that he wanted her to get inside. Robin was now gawking at him with large green eyes. Even her mouth was agape. The growing tension between them was too much for Amon and he glanced away, hating himself that all it took to make him weak in the knees was a short skirt on Robin.

Rather, a shorter skirt.

For God's sake, she wasn't exactly dressed like a street woman. According to modern standards, Robin was dressed quite primly. Still far too modest even.

He saw her sigh from the corner of his eye and turned the rest of the way to watch her. His gaze studied her profile as she entered the car, and that's when he noticed the rash of new freckles on her nose. Another flash of guilt spread through him. When Robin had been under his care, Amon kept her indoors most of the day. It wasn't that he never took her outside. Rather, he did so only when he felt it was safe; which admittedly, was not as often as he would have liked.

He lingered beside the car a moment after he had shut the passenger-side door. Running through his memories, Amon couldn't recall ever holding a car door open for Robin. He shook his head and tried to clear his mind. This was bad. He didn't know how much longer he could withstand the tension before...

Amon didn't even want to finish that thought. They had barely spoken a word to each other since he had discovered her in the rose garden. This was very unlike Robin. She wasn't particularly talkative and sometimes seemed uneasy around him, but she was generally more open with him than she had been today. It occurred to him that maybe she also was aware of the tension and was likewise uncomfortable being near him. Living alone in perpetuity with this girl suddenly seemed unbearable.

Robin barely looked in his direction when Amon finally opened his door and sat down behind the wheel. A strained silence promptly filled the car. Amon did his best to ignore it and started the engine. He eased out of the circle, heading towards the chateau's formal entrance. Robin gave one last glance over her shoulder before settling into her seat.

He cleared his throat. "Is it all right to leave that girl behind?"

Robin started at the sudden sound of his voice. She turned to him, eyes wide. She considered his words for a moment, then dropped her face. "No, it's fine," she said. "Elizabeth will be fine," she added, her voice becoming firm as is to assure herself as well.

Not wanting to lapse into further uncomfortable silence so soon, Amon decided to continue with the current subject. "Is she an orphan?" Not the cheeriest of topics, but it would have to suffice.

Robin turned her head to look out of the window at the Italian countryside below. She rested her cheek in a hand, propping her elbow against the car's windowsill. "Yes. Tragic really." Amon didn't say anything, waiting for Robin to explain. "It's fortunate that her family had already built a room to hide themselves. They barely had enough time to get Elizabeth into it before Solomon agents burst in. She watched through a peephole as her entire family was shot to death. I don't think anyone had enough time to use their crafts in defense, the attack was that well planned and executed." Robin seemed oddly unaware of the pun she had used. "A close friend of the family found Elizabeth the next day huddled in a corner of the flat. She's been shuffled from one shelter to another since then." There was a pause. "No one knows what happened to the bodies after Solomon took them away."

Amon's expression was somber. "How old was she at the time?"

Robin raised her head to look at him, then resumed studying the landscape out the car window. "She was ten. She refused to speak for the next three years." Amon grimaced and Robin bit her lip, lost in thought. "She made up for it later, though." He thought he detected a subtle hint of irony in her voice at the latter statement.

"And you are positive that it is all right to leave her behind?"

She sighed. "I think she will be fine. Besides," her pause sounded ominous even to Amon, "it's dangerous if I stay at the chateau any longer."

Amon waited a beat to answer. "That's true. Is Elizabeth American?" he asked, attempting to lighten the mood. It worked, judging by the amused look on Robin's face.

"No. She's English." The smile grew and she seemed a little more like the Robin that Amon remembered. "I suppose the accents sound similar to those who are non-native speakers of Italian, like yourself." She gestured towards him.

"It must have been good to speak in your native tongue again."

"I suppose. But, I haven't had any problems with Japanese since we've been speaking. And I am part Japanese."

"You were taught Japanese at a young age."

"Yes." Robin nodded. "That's why I don't have too much difficulty with Japanese."

Amon grunted in response. Once more, silence engulfed the two occupants inside the vehicle. When the car passed through the chateau's gate, Amon felt an air of relief flow over him. The incident with the Rev. Mother Agnes was finished and he would never have to suffer through another humiliating encounter like that again. Or, at least, he hoped so.

They had proceeded down the road another mile or so, the tension between them only increasing as the drive progressed. Amon glanced occasionally at the girl sitting beside him, currently doing her best to focus her gaze at the landscape out of the window and not in his direction. He wanted to groan aloud.

Quite unintentionally, Amon's gaze traveled down her figure, pausing once he reached her lower body. Robin sat with her legs crossed, skirt falling to reveal more of her upper thigh than if she had been seated normally. Amon's eyes were captivated by the firm curves of her legs and smooth skin. His gaze finished the journey by arriving at her heeled sandals.

A pothole jarred the vehicle and Amon's attention snapped back to the road. To his dismay, the car had drifted, riding precariously along the side of the road. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. The road was far too dangerous to be caught off guard. What was rather curious was how Robin hadn't seemed to notice.

"Stop the car."

Robin's voice rang out in the car's silence, surprising Amon. His foot hit the brakes, doing as she had ordered. Shocked at both her firm tone and his subsequent automatic response, Amon turned to stare at Robin. Thankfully, the road was rarely traveled and the vehicle occupying the lane would not impede further traffic. Amon frowned.

"Take me back to the chateau."

"What?" he asked, thoroughly surprised and confused. Just minutes earlier, she had assured him that it was best for her to leave. "Why? Is something wrong?"

Her gaze dropped to the hands folded on her lap. She bit her lip. Amon gave himself a mental kick for thinking that she looked positively adorable when she brooded. "Being my guardian is a big responsibility for anyone to bear. I don't want to make you take on something this--" she waved her hands around, searching for the right word, "--big, that you don't want to do."

He leaned forward and turned off the engine. "Robin," he said, swiveling to face her. She didn't turn around. "Robin," he repeated, his voice more firm to gain her attention. Reluctantly, she turned to him. Her expression was apprehensive, clearly desiring that he not return her, despite her own words.

"Do you want to stay at the chateau?" He continued before she could speak. "When I asked you earlier, it sounded like you didn't."

"Well..." Her voice trailed off.

"What makes you think that I don't want to be your guardian?"

"Do you?" she returned, her voice surprisingly aggressive. "You haven't seemed very happy to see me since you've come back." Her face crumpled, belying her own hurt feelings.

Amon looked away, hiding a smile. He shook his head. "Robin," he began. "It isn't that I am not...happy to see you--" to his surprise, the words were difficult to say, "--it's that I have a lot on my mind." A certain Rev. Mother, his mind added. He turned to face Robin fully. "Well, then. How was your stay at the chateau?"

She stared back at Amon, studying him with obvious skepticism, then turned away with a frown.

"Robin."

She kept her gaze firmly to the side, refusing to turn around.

"Robin."

This time, she sighed audibly and looked back to him, looking irritated. "What?"

"I suppose that you must harbor some resentment towards me--"

"I don't resent you," Robin said, interrupting him. She seemed puzzled by his assertion.

Amon was equally taken aback. "You're not?"

She cocked her head to the side. "Why would I be?"

Amon ran a hand through his hair. "Well...I did leave you in an Italian convent for a year."

"I thought it was for my...safety?" The puzzlement grew in her eyes.

"That's true. But I also could have taken you with me, despite the risks," he said, finding the truth hard to admit--both to Robin and himself.

"I thought it was still too risky..."

"It was." He looked at her. "And I still believe that leaving you here was for the best. However, just as the day I took on the role of guardian, I am just as committed today."

"Committed?" she echoed, obviously not liking his choice of words.

"Yes, committed. Meaning that I still plan on acting as your guardian."

Amon despised himself for not being able to admit that he wanted to be her guardian. Wanted to stay by her side. Wanted to state that the past year had been a difficult time for him, too. But he couldn't say any of those words just yet.

"Besides," he said, not bothering to conceal his smirk. "I've spent too much time and money finding a flat just for you."

Robin stared at him, her expression conveying her surprise. She blinked as a slow, small smile spread over her face. "Are you blaming that on me?"

"I am." He sobered. "Do you still want me to take you back to the chateau?" He lifted an eyebrow in her direction. "I will if that's what you really want."

With a mock, exasperated sigh, Robin sank into her seat. "It's all right, we can go."

Amon restarted the car, relieved that the tension had so easily evaporated. Once they were traveling down the road at a good pace, Amon pointed at the glove compartment. "If you look in there, you will find a couple of brochures about the flat."

Robin looked in the direction he had indicated and pulled out a couple of glossy brochures. She looked up. "England?" She sounded pleased with his choice of locations.

He nodded once. "The UK appears quiet for now." He gestured to one of the brochures. "The flat is already fully furnished with what you see there." He considered pointing out the bathtub before realizing that such subjects could be awkward. Oh, what the hell. Such simple pleasures were good for her--and he still felt a residual bit of guilt for not letting her outside more often. "There's also a whirlpool bath--you can see it in the other brochure...there." He pointed to it.

She ogled the picture. "Wow. That's nice." Her expression became unreadable. "Actually, I've stopped taking baths." Amon nearly swerved off of the road from the news. Robin reddened. "I mean, I take showers instead."

"Really?"

"Well, we had to get ready so quickly at the chateau, that I switched to save time."

"I see." Amon started, remembering something he had forgotten. Lifting the cover of the console between the two seats, he pulled out a disposable paper coffee cup. It had cooled substantially since he first purchased it. "I bought this for you in town right before I came up. It's still a little warm," he said apologetically, proffering the enormous cup.

To his surprise, Robin stared at the coffee like an unfortunate animal caught in a car's headlights. She turned away. "It's fine." Her next announcement floored him. "I don't drink coffee anymore."

"You're joking."

She turned back, looking rather indignant by his disbelief. "No, I'm not." She closed her eyes and inhaled, looking ready to recite some pre-written speech. "I am too young to drink so much coffee and since I am unable to limit my intake, should abstain altogether." She opened her eyes. "Since my arrival at the chateau, and upon discovering my unfortunate...problem...the sisters have withheld all coffee--and caffeinated--beverages. Today, I am completely fine, happier and no longer need my daily coffee." She seemed absurdly pleased with herself, behaving as though she had conquered some lifelong, painful addiction to a controlled substance rather than something anyone could find in the average grocery store. It seemed to Amon that the sisters had drilled this little speech into her head every day she had stayed at the chateau.

"Mmhmm." Actually, he found this to be an incredibly amusing turn of events--unlike Robin, who shot an irritated look in his direction. He gave a dramatic sigh. "Then I suppose I will have to drink this. Considering how much I spent on the flat, I can't let any more money go to waste."

With Robin's eyes riveted to the coffee, Amon slowly lifted the cup towards his mouth. She appeared to be in the most agonizing of physical pain. Her eyes darted away, only to be drawn back again to the tantalizing cup, lips parting in anticipation. Amon paused, the lid a fraction of an inch from his mouth, a part of him wishing that she would look at him so desperately. He had almost given up teasing her, when Robin thrust out her hand.

"Fine. I'll take it." She yanked the cup from his hand before he could respond. He didn't bother to hide a smirk.

Being sure to keep one eye on the precarious road, he watched Robin sink into her seat and take a long deep sip. She closed her eyes, lips curling into a contented smile. Amon couldn't help but think that her expression was similar to one on the brink of sexual ecstasy. He made a mental note to deprive her of coffee more often.

Amon reached back into the console and pulled out a second hidden coffee. He grimaced at the lukewarm liquid, wondering how Robin could look so happy after drinking something so disgusting. Not that he had ever had a love for coffee near Robin's level.

Once she had gotten a hold of herself, Robin turned to him, studying him closely for the first time since he had arrived at the chateau. She gestured to indicate his hair. "You got a haircut," she said, looking bewildered by the change. "It's a lot shorter than before."

Amon was suddenly self-conscious. "Ah, yes." There was a pause as Robin waited patiently for a further explanation. He shrugged, not knowing what to say. "I thought it was time for a change."

"Mmm." She still looked interested, but didn't inquire further.

He glanced down at her skirt. "Pink?"

Robin grew self-conscious, her face reddening as she sharply glanced away. "There is nothing wrong with change...or pink." Her voice sounded strangled.

"No," he agreed. "There is nothing wrong with change--or pink."

She fidgeted with the brochures in her hands. "Are we leaving for England tonight?" she asked, quickly changing the subject.

"No. We're going to stay in the neighboring town. It's the same one I stayed at last night." He almost felt a tinge of regret that he had rented a suite with two separate rooms. He mentally kicked himself. "I talked with Nagira last night and he should be rendezvousing with us before we head to England."

The news caused Robin to look up, eyes shining. It had been well over a year since their last meeting with Amon's eccentric older sibling. "We're going to see Nagira?"

He nodded. "Yes. But just for a little while since he has...other issues on his mind at the moment."

"Yes. I've heard." She glanced back, studying him. "I was very surprised when I heard the news. I never thought of him like that."

"Me either," Amon said, shaking his head.

"You must be excited, too." He looked over to her expectant face. "Since you're going to be an uncle," she explained.

"I'm still in shock."

Robin lowered her coffee cup and stared at him with amused eyes. "It's already been five months."

"Yes," he said, nodding. And I'm still in shock."

She was amused. "I guess that's not surprising."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," Robin said, shrugging. She hid a smile and turned her head away.

He wanted to persist in his questioning, but Robin's attention was caught by the sleepy little town below.

"Is that where we're staying tonight?" she asked.

Amon nodded, his gaze turning towards the town. This was it. The beginning of their new future together. The thought alone left Amon quivering with both excitement and agitation.

+ Author's Notes +

So. I just could not get this story where I wanted it. Took weeks of editing and this is all I have. Very frustrating. I also wasn't sure where to stop the chapter. Figured I might as well upload or I would never do it at all. Hmm. Still feels like too many adverbs and adjectives in this chapter.

Boy, this is getting difficult. I'm worried that I might have to stop this story because it isn't progressing as fast as I had hoped. It hasn't even really started yet! Argh. We'll see.