"You're fired!" Gloria roared. Behind her was a fiery red background that matched her angry expression.

Tiny Hart, quivering at her feet, bowed. "Please!" he sobbed, petrified. "Don't fire me! The Vesper's will kill me!"

Gloria simply laughed maniacally, and grabbed his shirt collar. She threw him out if her office, while Hope watched, a grin slowly creeping onto her face…

The scene changed.

She was standing in the centre of a large bedroom that was simply furnished with a nightstand next to the queen bed, and a dresser in one corner of the room. It was a complete stranger's bedroom, but somehow, she knew that it was her house; hers and her husband's.

But she did not have a husband.

The walls were plastered with floral green wallpaper, but it was a much lighter green than usual (she also somehow knew that). There was a light shade of orange, and as she averted her glance towards the door, she saw that there were flames flickering. She ran out of the room.

Afraid, she let her instincts take over. There was a fire, and she should have been trying to get out of the house, but she found herself walking calmly towards a bedroom across the hall and entering. Inside were two little kids; the first one, a girl that looked like a miniature copy of herself, and the second, a boy no more than three years old, still sleeping.

The girl looked up at her with big, jade green eyes. "Mommy!" she cried.

She tried to speak, to tell that adorable little girl that she had it wrong, that she wasn't her mom. But she found that she couldn't…

Hope woke up with a start. She sat up on her bed, panting and sweating, as if that fire had been real. Looking around at her surroundings, she was relieved to find herself still at home; she could hear the loud humming of the refrigerator a floor down, and water dripping from the leaking tap.

Hope shook herself. Silly. It was just a nightmare, probably because I stayed up late, reading about the fire that destroyed Gideon and Olivia's house.

Standing up and stretching, she glanced at the clock. It was eight.

She yawned once more, and headed towards the bathroom to do her morning routine.

"Hart," Hope said, trying not to ground her teeth, "please. Don't."

He grinned at her. "Don't what?"

"Kindly step away from me, before I am forced to pulverize you. I'm a black belt." She could smell his cologne, and as much as she hated to admit it, it smelled good.

"That's quite intimidating."

"Quite."

"But I don't think I will."

"And why not?"

"Because I don't want to."

Hope shoved him away with such force, that it was enough to send Eisenhower Holt packing. Then, she whacked his head and he fell.

"Ow! What was that for?" Hart complained, struggling to stand up.

"For being such a dope," she answered bluntly. But shoving him down was so… Tomas of her, and she instantly felt guilty.

So Hope did the only thing she could think of— she offered him her hand.

He stared at it suspiciously. "Are you wearing one of those shocker things that clowns own?"

Hope glared at him, and dropped her hand. "You really are an idiot. Though," she added as an after thought, "that is a pretty good idea…"

"I shouldn't have spoken," Hart muttered. He stood up so suddenly, that he knocked Hope down. He glanced at her. "Karma."

Hope just glared up at him.

Sighing, Hart pulled her back up. "How's the research going?"

"Do. Not. Touch. Me," Hope growled, staggering on her feet. She brushed a non-existent speck of dirt off of her pants. "And I should be the one to ask you that."

"It's going perfectly well. You really shouldn't be worried about me."

"I wasn't."

"Ouch."

Hope threw her hands up in exasperation. This guy could really get on her nerves. "Why am I even here? If our job is to research, then why do I have to go to work?"

Hart smiled slowly, and sweetly. "Why, to see me of course."

"Will you stop being such a conceited twit!" Hope exploded. She gave him the best glare that she could manage, snatched her research off her desk, and attempted to walk out the door. "Good day to you, Hart!"

A moment later, he answered cheerfully, "you too your majesty!"

"Mom, please, please, please, let me quit a mission just this once!" Hope begged. She was inside her mother's bedroom, stroking a newborn kitten that still had the appearance of a rat.

"Hope," Grace said, trying to reason with her. "I don't understand why you hate this guy so much."

"He's a Vesper!"

"That's a prejudice," Grace responded quietly, but firmly.

"He's so conceited and sure of himself!"

Grace sighed. "He was sent to spy on you, Hope, not the other Madrigal agents."

"And he does that by hitting on me? Not fun."

"He has a mission, you have a mission. You can't change that."

Hope put the cat on the bed, and stood up, preparing to pace the floor. She stayed silent for a long while, and just when Grace thought that she wasn't going to answer, Hope asked a question that was completely off topic.

"What's his name?"

Grace raised an eyebrow delicately. "Who's name? Hart?"

Hope waved it off impatiently. "Not him. I meant the cat."

Grace glanced at the rat-like animal sleeping on a blanket. Even as a baby, it already had a strong, defiant look to it. It reminded Grace of someone related to the Tomas', someone who had fought bravely, and showed mercy to his enemies.

"Saladin," she finally responded. "His name is Saladin."

A/N: Hehehe, so not my best chapter (sheepish grin). I think I might have a few mistakes, so please point them out, and I will fix them- whenever I'm not lazy.

Thanks to all my reviewers, and especially Lapulta, my beta who is temporarily (it better be temporary!) on vacation. I thank you all!

Sy; I'll fix the little Madeleine (is that how you spell it?) error later on... Thanks for the review!

Starbuckslover; Send me a PM on your account, please? My search button's screwed up...

Lieutenant Evergreen; Thank you! That's a lot of 'pleases'! :P

Muse; I forgot to mention this last time, but Hope isn't seventeen. It just states that she did those things at seventeen. I'm sorry, I should have made it clearer.

Okay, so now tell me, do you think that Hope was being a little... over dramatic? I'm kind of insecure about that! ^^

P.S. Little advertising right here: If you liked the italics part (I'm sure you didn't, but just in case...), then you might want to read my other story, "The School of Mary Sues". I'm not sure if it's any good.