A/N: Hmmm…kiss next chapter, maybe more?

"Maybe you don't have to go in. Maybe we can find another way." Mika asked hopefully, pacing the floor like a mad woman.

Raizo looked at her wearily. They had been at this for over thirty minutes. "Mika, you and I both know that this is the best way."

Mika sighed finally defeated. She sat back down on the bed and leaned her head against Raizo's shoulder. "It's just that I don't really want you to go. You just got back and…" she trailed off not knowing how to finish the sentence. She was starting to sound like one of those desperate women in those soap operas her mother used to watch. I mean it's not like he hadn't taken care of himself before. She looked up at Raizo. Doesn't mean I don't worry about him. She thought about the time when Raizo was seconds away from death at the hands of Ozunu. If it wasn't for her they probably wouldn't even be having this conversation. Sure she almost got killed in the process but she was only thinking of him at the time.

As if reading her mind Raizo looked down at the scar above her chest. "I think it will be safer if you three stayed here."

He couldn't even fathom what he would do if Mika got hurt again. He also knew that Mika probably couldn't handle if her friends died. He may not know too much about having friends and family but he watched other people around him and they seemed to crave the being around the other person. Like Mika was when she was around Natalia or Maslow or him. Like those people he had seen on a television once in one of those diners he went to. Kind of like he feeling was now. He had since linked the importance of being around people you care for and happiness. It was odd for him, complex even, since he never worried about such matters himself. His life before Mika consisted of survival and revenge. Before his life was cold and emptiness now he actually had something to live for. He had felt lust before, a lot, but he had only once before felt love. For the first time since becoming an assassin he finally realized what Kiriko was talking about.


Outside in the kitchen Maslow and Natalia were having their own conversation. Maslow noticed that Natalia was becoming more and more like her old self she was still a bit jumpy at times but she seemed to be more comfortable in her surroundings. They were now joking about older times like nothing was wrong. Maslow even got a few smiles out of her every now and then. "Remember that time you and Mika ransacked my apartment and made me think that I was robbed?" Maslow asked before taking another sip of coffee. Natalia's eyes lit up at the memory.

"Yes. It was April fools day and me and Mika stole your key and made a copy the day before. You should have seen your face. You didn't talk to us for days" Natalia laughed a little this time sending pleasant chills up his spine.

"Well it took fucking days to clean it up!" He said now laughing himself.

Then. "Ryan?" He knew it was serious since not many people called him by his first name. "Do you think we'll really ever get out of this?"

Maslow looked at his cup trying to think of an answer. "I honestly don't know, Natalia." Then changing the subject as quickly as possible. "They sure were in that room a long time." Natalia smiled knowingly.


Raizo watched as Mika tried to stifle a yawn. She hadn't really slept in days. "Maybe you should get some sleep. You look horrible." He smirked. Mika shook her head. "You know, I know you don't really have many female friends but you should never tell a woman she looks horrible not even in a joke. It's not a good way to make an impression. Besides you look like you need sleep just as much as I do."

"I can do without sleep." Raizo said quietly.

There was a small awkward silence between the two.

Mika glanced at him and then at the wall before changing the subject. "Raizo, that night when you came to my house and that guy tried to kill me, how did you know? How did you know about me?"

Raizo was surprised by the sudden question and debated whether or not he should tell the truth. He decided to go with the truth. He didn't understand why but Mika trusted him whole-heartily. He wasn't going to ruin that it meant more to him than anything else in the world. "Though Ozunu still kept some of the ancient ways they used advanced technology to keep track of…er things. They used a highly advanced and private network but there have been some people who were able to get into it. I met one of those people when I got out. I saved him from a neighboring clan."

Mika looked at him waiting for him to continue. This was the most he had ever said in one sitting.

"I helped him stay hidden and in return he keeps tabs on Ozunu and their business. He found out there was a hit on you two weeks before the actual incident." He then proceeded to reach into his duffel bag to pull out the picture of Mika, now slightly bent at the edges, and handed it to her. Mika studied it carefully it was a copy of her passport picture and she noticed it was covered in fingerprints and smudges liked it had been handled a lot. She turned it over to see her name and address written in neat handwriting. "I watched over you until they came." His voice got tighter remembering how Mika was almost killed for the first of many times.

Mika nodded and licked her lips nervously. "So what about this guy?" she cleared her throat. "Can't he help us expose what's going on between the clans and Zabranski's departments at Europol? I mean if he can find Ozunu surely he can do that."

"Mika it's not that easy."

Her brain hurt from all this figuring out things and she was still tired. "Why?"

Raizo didn't answer. "Mika get some sleep."

Mika yawned she couldn't exactly argue with that statement. She wasn't a pushover but she knew when someone was right. "Fine, but only if you sleep with me."

Raizo swallowed and glanced at her nervously. Mika stared at him before realizing what he might've thought she meant. Shit! Her cheeks got hot. "I mean go to sleep with me. Sleep here. With me." She shut up before she said something else that could possibly be misconstrued and held her breath hoping that Raizo wouldn't say anything to make the conversation even more uncomfortable.

"Fine."

Mika exhaled, relieved and laid down on the bed motioning for Raizo to do the same. Raizo laid next to her and within half an hour she was asleep, her arm draped across his midsection so he couldn't move without waking her.