Sano walked down the market street without looking anywhere but ahead. The shadows under his eyes were more pronounced and he was slightly thinner than he normally was. It had been two weeks since he had a good night's sleep and he was so tired. Ever since he returned from the police station his sleep was consumed with nightmares. He hadn't gotten more than a few hours of restless sleep in the past week, combined. After the first few days he had taken to sleeping during the day, but even that brief respite was short lived as the dreams found a way to invade the daytime as well.

He sidestepped a gentleman as he was walking and kept going. Sano shivered and adjusted the bag in his hand. It was getting even colder and Saitou still had his coat. He was too much of a coward to go and ask for it back and he didn't feel like going to talk to Michael.

Sano believed that if a lack of sleep was the only thing wrong he could handle it; but it wasn't. Weird stuff was happening around him. A strange noise every once in a while, a glimpse of a shadow that wasn't there the next instant he looked back, and even weirder, a general sense of being felt up.

Not actually being groped. More like that feeling you get when someone's checking you out. Sano had been getting that vibe for awhile now but in the past two weeks it had become almost constant. He rarely if ever left his apartment the past week due to that. He didn't feel it when he was in that cold and bare place.

The bag pulled in his hand and Sano pulled it to his chest. He shivered in disgust as the damp cloth brushed his exposed chest. How could he have forgotten his little "present"? All he wanted to do was to take that bag and hurl it as far from him as possible. He nearly cried out in exhaustion. He was so tired.

Sano slowly made his way towards his goal. All he wanted to do was curl up in a warm place a fall asleep for at least a year; but alas, he had no such place. His crap-hole apartment was to cold and horrible to be considered even remotely comfortable and he didn't want to impose upon Michael. He wanted to cry from the unfairness of it all.

After he walked on for what seemed a lifetime, Sano reached his destination. He slowly and tiredly climbed the set of stairs and dragged himself inside. He rested against a nearby wall and closed his eyes. He only wanted to rest.

A rough shake woke him up. His eyes flew open and came to rest on Chou's slightly concerned face above him. He looked around and realized he had slunk to the ground while he was 'resting'. Chou was bent down in front of him and still had his hand on his shoulder. He continued to look at him and then asked quietly.

"You okay, Rooster? You look like crap." Sano groaned slightly and shook off the heavy hand. He tried to stand, only to fall in his exhaustion. Chou watched him for a moment and the decided to help him up. Sano stumbled and bumped into Chou a little.

Chou's grip tightened as he led Sano to his desk. He motioned for an officer to get a chair and when it was in place, Chou sat Sano down in it. He watched as Sano slid down somewhat but then seemed to wake some and sit back up. He looked around and then up at Chou in slight confusion as if he didn't remember how he got there. He looked down at himself and then to a bag he had in his hand. He visibly shuddered, put the bad on Chou's desk, and pulled as far away as the chair would let him.

He watched as Sano tried to fight falling asleep again. Chou felt really bad for the Rooster; it was obvious that he was worn out. He sat down in his chair and glanced down at Sano's bag. When he looked back up he was startled to see that the guy had already fallen asleep. He watched him for a little while and played with the bag's string. All of a sudden his hand touched something wet. The bag was soaked. He pulled his hand away and looked at his fingers. They were red, blood red. Unease took over as he slowly reached for the object. His hand connected with it and he was forced to stop the tremor that encased him. He pulled the bag to him, opened it, and promptly shoved it away.

Chou stood rapidly, backing away. He felt nausea well up inside of him and he pushed it down. He looked at Sano and saw a red patch on his chest, blood. He saw the tiredness and had a sinking suspicion that this was not the first "gift" left for Sano. He slowly made his way back to the desk. He closed the bag and kneeled in front of Sano. He shook his knee and waited for him to wake up. He didn't. Chou tried a few more time until Sano's bloodshot eyes opened and met his.

"Broom head?" the exhaustion laced words struck the sympathy chord in Chou's heart. "What ya' doin' here?"

"I work here, Rooster." He watched as Sano tried to lift his head in confusion and look around. Chou waited a few seconds and when he didn't notice recognition he felt something drop in his stomach. "You're in the police station, Sano." He waited a bit more and then "Sano, I need to know where you got that bag."

Sano's eyes met his and for a moment the words didn't register. But after a second or two, comprehension dawned and Sano's eyes shot to his right, automatically finding the bag. He pulled away in the only direction that was open to him, forward. He buried himself in Chou's arms and started to shake. He clung to Chou like a lifeline and wouldn't let go.

To say Chou was startled was an understatement. He was so shocked that he nearly jumped five feet into the air. He hesitated a moment and then slowly and jerkily wrapped his arms around Sano. They stayed that way for a minute or two until Chou remembered that Sano hadn't answered the question.

"Sano, where did you…" He was cut off by Sano clinging to him harder and whispering.

"He... he left it. Outside… outside my door. He was right there. He was right there!" Chou could hear the panic rising in his friend and could hear Sano trying not to sob. He looked up and saw every officer looking at them as if both of them had grown three heads.

He motioned for a nearby officer and quietly told him not to let anyone near his desk, at all. He helped Sano stand up then took the side corridor and made his way to the one place that Sano would not be disturbed; Saitou's office.

Saitou had been gone all day and had planned to be gone tomorrow as well. Today was a mandatory day off and tomorrow he had planned to spend the day contacting his personal informants. Chou knew that the office was empty and so he unlocked the door with the key that he had managed to swipe off Saitou somehow. He opened it and moved the still quivering Sano over to the couch. He deposited him on it and then went back for the bag.

He grasped it with a revolted twinge and carried it to the office as well. He put it in a box and then placed it on the desk. He closed the door and turned to Sano.

Chou suppressed the small urge to weep. Sano was rocking somewhat with his eyes closed and would let out a small groan every once in a while. He was obviously in a great deal of distress and Chou felt helpless. He wasn't good with this shit, damn it! He walked over to the couch and bent down to sit on his ankles.

"Sano," he shook Sano's knee again. When he had opened his eyes Chou gave a sympathetic smile. "Why don't you lie down for a little while? You look like you're about to collapse. " Sano shook his head and Chou tried to keep the exasperation from his voice. "Why not?"

"Because…" Chou watched as he looked away. "Because that thing's there every time, every time…" he choked back a cry. Chou understood.

"Well why don't you lean back and I'll go and get you something to drink?" He watched as Sano slowly and drowsily nodded. Chou stood and left the office. He went back to his desk and took out a piece of paper and pen. He wrote a quick and precise note to Saitou, sealed it, and then walked over to an officer. He pulled him away and spoke quickly and quietly.

"Take this to Fujita's house. Give it to him personally and no one else. Do you understand?" the officer nodded. "Do NOT read it. If he's not there, wait. Wait as long as you have to but make sure he 

gets this. It's of great importance." With a final nod the officer left and Chou messaged his shoulders. He went back to Saitou's office and found Sano laying down, sleeping. He gave a sad smile and opened a closet door and grabbed a couple blankets from it. He walked back to his tired friend and covered him up. He dragged a chair outside the door and closed it. He sat down with his back against the door and waited.

Saitou nearly growled as he made his way back home. There had been no progress what so ever in the case. No, there had been progress, just not the right kind. The sick fuck had killed another three people, bringing the total of bodies up to 11. The bastard even went another step further and mutilated his latest victim. Saitou knew the bastard was taunting him now.

He turned a corner and continued on. The city was in a panic. They were terrified and rightly so. To anyone watching, which was a lot; it seemed as if the police were doing nothing to catch the madman. The increased patrol seemed to increase the number of bodies if anything. As he rounded the last corner to his house Saitou had a fleeting thought of the Ahou. The few times Saitou had seen him, he hadn't looked well. He looked like Saitou felt.

His eyes narrowed as he saw an officer standing by his front door, a carriage out front. He watched the officer spot him a run up to him. The young man was breathless with the cold that he had obviously suffered from for quite some time. He handed Saitou the note and stepped back.

"Chou told me to wait and give this to you personally. If you weren't here, I was told to wait."

"How long have you been here?" He asked as he opened the note. He didn't look at it right away.

"A little over two hours, Sir." Saitou glared at him and looked down. He scanned the note and took off towards the carriage. He flung the door open and ordered the driver to take him to the station as fast as possible. Saitou grasped the crumpled note in his hand tightly as the carriage careened down the road towards the Police Station.

Rooster's received a stolen present.

Chou

Chou's head nodded a bit and snapped back to attention. He looked down the hall to the bull pen. He could see several people filing paperwork and chatting with friends. He glared silently at them wishing they would just get back to work. Saitou wouldn't be happy when he got here and found all the officers mingling like they had nothing to do. They'd wish they were dead after he was done with them.

Chou stood and stretched, the popping he heard in his back made him flinch. He turned to the door and opened it while leaning over the chair. He peered into the darkness and made out the lumped shape of Sano on the couch. He watched for a moment and was about to close the door when Sano started on the couch. Chou heard a groan and he saw the shape shift over on the coach. He waited a moment more before shutting the door and sitting back down in the chair. He rested his head on the wood behind him and pulled out his pocket watch. He sent that note to Saitou over two hours ago and he had a feeling that Saitou would arrive shortly.

Sure enough, Chou heard the sudden silence of guilt and imminent death in the bull pen. He adjusted himself in the seat and braced himself for the incoming explosion. He didn't have to wait long.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING? WE HAVE A MURDERER ON THE LOOSE AND YOU'RE JUST STANDING AROUND TALKING TO YOUR LITTLE GIRLFRIENDS! GET THE HELL OUT OF MY SIGHT OR YOU ALL WILL BE FIRED!" A pause. "AND WHERE THE HELL IS CHOU?!"

Chou heard a poor soul whimper out a response. A moment later he heard heavy and angry steps coming toward the hallway. He turned his head and saw Saitou come into view. He stayed in the chair and raised his hand in greeting to him. Saitou stopped beside him and glared daggers at him.

"Don't look at me, Boss. I've been in this chair in front if this door since I sent that note. I didn't leave this spot for anything. Those idiots had it coming." Saitou glared for a moment more and then nodded. He looked a bit longer and then sighed. Chou raised an eyebrow in question.

"Chou, the heart?"

"Oh!" Stood quickly and moved the chair. He reached for the door knob and stopped short. He turned to Saitou with a serious expression. "Boss, I have to tell you."

"Yes?" It was Saitou's turn to raise an eyebrow.

"Sano, I put him in your office." Saitou narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth to yell at Chou when Chou pushed ahead rapidly. "He was in bad shape, almost broke down in the bull pen. He's completely exhausted, Saitou. I put him in here so no one would disturb him and so you could question him. I knew he couldn't leave and your office was the only isolated place I could think of."

Saitou nodded after a moment and glared at him again.

"Chou, if he touched anything…"

"I doubt it. I left to go send that note and when I came back not three minutes later, he was fast asleep. He fell asleep standing up by the door and again as soon as he sat down at my desk. When I woke him up he didn't even know where he was at first, he's so tired. I doubt your screaming even woke him up."

Saitou looked over to the door. The boy was apparently on his couch sleeping, sleeping so soundly that Chou doubted that his yelling would have penetrated the boy's fatigue induced coma. He reached out, turned the knob, and entered into the darkness.

Saitou's eyes immediately found the boy on his couch under his covers. He narrowed his eyes and turned to Chou who grinned sheepishly and told him that the kid was cold when he came in.

"Of course he was, Chou. We have his coat and he was too stupid to come and get it back." Chou shrugged and smirked.

"Would you have given it back?" Saitou returned the smirk.

"Not without him answering a few questions." Chou shook his head.

"Then it's a lost cause." He looked over to the couch and Saitou watched as a concerned look took over Chou's face. "Boss, I'm really getting worried." He looked Saitou in the eye. "That sick bastard is getting too close to Sano. He left that," He pointed to the box on Saitou's desk "just outside his door."

Saitou frowned and looked to the box on his desk. He looked back to the kid and walked over to him. He kneeled to get a better look at the youth that was hidden beneath the two wool covers. He stilled when he heard a quiet snore. He slowly raised his hand and pulled the covers back slightly. His eyes widened a little at what he saw under his hand.

The boy looked horrible, dark circles stood out prominently as if black paint on white canvas. His mouth was curved down into a frown and he was pulled back into the couch. Saitou looked at him a moment longer and then stood. He walked to the desk and pulled the box to him. He ignored the slight stench and opened the lid slowly, waving his right hand to Chou signaling for light. The sight that greeted him was revolting to say the least.

The bag was soaked in blood; the excess had seeped out and started to stain the inside of the box. Saitou, who was by now used to the smell of blood, heard Chou try to resist gagging. He gave a grim smirk and reached into his pocket and took out a pair of disposable gloves. He pulled them on and took an unnoticeable breathe. He pulled the bag open and glared down in the bag. He looked at the heart inside and closed the bag. He pulled the gloves off and gave the box to Chou. He made a face and held it 

at arm's length. He looked at Saitou, nodded, and headed out the door to take the heart to where the bodies were.

When the door closed Saitou turned back to the boy on the couch. He approached slowly and looked down at the bane of his existence, Sagara Sanosuke. He noticed the slight curve of his chin and the visible softening of the overall look to the young man's face when he was asleep. The haunted look in the young man's eyes was gone. He looked younger when he was asleep. He looked like his age, Saitou thought to himself. Saitou raised his hand and gently traced Sano's cheek.

His hand stilled and then snatched back. Saitou stood swiftly, turned around, closed his eyes, and growled. Damn it! What the hell is happening to me? Damn this mongrel! Damn it! Damn him! He turned back around and had to resist the urge to slam his fist into Sagara's face. He watched angrily as Sano shifted in his sleep again. He glared and stomped over to his desk. He turned on the lamp light, sat down, opened the right hand top drawer, and pulled out a stack of papers. He might as well get some work done now because his time later would be filled with interviewing Sano. And besides, Sano looked like he needed the sleep, badly. As he dipped the pen in the ink his hand froze. He slowly turned his gaze to the youth on his couch and cursed.

He had called him Sano