It was almost dark by the time I got back, and I was mentally kicking myself. No doubt Hilda had been busy while I was away. Just because I had darker villains to worry about didn't mean I could ignore potential threats like… I burst in through the door, and she startled so badly she fell off the couch where she'd sinisterly been… reading, her book.

She gave me that old familiar attempt at a glare as she got up, brushing herself off. "You didn't have to scare the Donklestomp out of me!" She plopped back onto the couch, and tried to find her place in the book. I stood there awkwardly, looking from her, to the door I'd knocked from its hinges, then around the room, this time hoping a trap would spring up out of nowhere to justify my entrance. When one didn't, I silently set about putting the door back on its hinges.

She didn't even look up. "Leave it. I've fixed it enough times to learn its peculiarities by now." Almost as an afterthought, she added over her shoulder. "I did your laundry."

Nothing she'd ever fired at me had hit quite that hard. What on earth? Sure, I'd appreciated the lack of evil plots the first day, but I'd expected to be back to our old selves by now.

She turned her head and must've read the questions on my face, because her glare deepened. "Well from the way you stormed out of here without any of your stuff, I figured you'd be back eventually, so there was really no point trying anything today."

I come every day.

If she'd read my mind that time, she refused to acknowledge it.

I got the door to click back in place, but it fell in again.

There was an annoyed sigh from the couch. "I told you, I'll fix it. Dinner's in the fridge."

I rubbed my arm, and headed for the guest room instead. This whole thing was just a bad idea. As I stood there, staring at the clean clothes she'd laid out, I couldn't help but wonder what she'd been doing in my room in the first place. My gaze fell on my bag, and my heartbeat quickened. I snatched it up, and zipped open the inside pocket. Nothing out of place. I took a deep breath, and then I saw it. The little yellow blinker the boys had installed to let me know that someone had found, and opened, the secret pocket inside. I quickly opened it, feeling no relief when the flash-drive was there, intact. Idiot! I should have taken it with me.

I marched back out to the couch, and before Doofenshmirtz knew what was happening, she was on the floor again. I wrenched her arm behind her back and pinned her, sticking the flash-drive in front of her. I didn't need to see her face to know that she paled.

I twisted her arm a little more. Not enough to really hurt her, but enough to remind her that I could.

She swallowed. "I… I just wanted to know what was going on. I only looked at the top file, I swear!"

I considered twisting her arm harder, but the catch in her voice stopped me. "I thought it was all some sort of O.W.C.A. malarkey; you staying on full time instead of just popping in. I knew you were hiding something, so, when you vanished this morning, I went into your room…" Her voice snapped back to normal. "My guest-room, and when saw your bag lying there, I snooped. You are my brother's nemesis after all. I told you that you were being too trusting."

As much as I hated to admit it, she had a point, though it didn't excuse her.

"Are you going to break my arm, or let me up?"

I glared at her, then slowly backed off. She got up, warily, rubbing her arm, then jerked her head to the computer. "You can check the memory banks. It will show you exactly what I saw."

Unless it was some trick. Still, it was worth looking into. I sat down, and brought up her recent history. As she'd said, only my mission status had been opened. My family was safe. But… why? I turned to look at her.

She was staring at her feet. "I know we're enemies by default and all, but whatever trouble you're in… it's not really because you went rogue. I know you better than that." The last sentence was said so quietly, it was like she was ashamed to admit it. Slowly, her questioning eyes drifted to mine, capturing my gaze.

I broke free, and turned the flash-drive over in my hand, then plugged it back in. As much as I hated to admit it, I'd yet to come up with a plan, and, so far, she was the only one I dared to involve, and she'd willingly put up with quite a bit. I still wanted to know why, but there's that saying about looking a gift horse in the mouth, and I had to admit that by letting me stay here, she'd made my life easier than it could have been since the threat.

Since I'd dragged her into this, I figured I might as well tell her as much of the truth as I could. At least if she decided to turn on me, my family wouldn't suffer the consequences. Whoever had threatened me just told me to get out. Technically, I was complying.

I moused over the part of the file detailing my fake trial, confession, and dishonorable discharge, and brought up a note, and started typing. 'It was all for show. I was blackmailed.'

"That doesn't sound like you, either."

Neither did hinting at my biggest weakness to someone sure to tell my nemesis, yet here I was. 'They found out what was important to me, and threatened it.'

That shut her up.

'So I played along, and got Monogram in on the act. Long story short, the people who were threatening me are still out there, and that's why I needed a place to stay. Technically, the O.W.C.A. is looking for me. It's just the blackmailer I'm concerned with.'

"How can I help?"

I turned to stare at her in shock.

She rolled her eyes. "You came to my door, asked to stay in my building, and you have been, for two days. I think we're beyond the whole, 'why would you help your brother's nemesis, thing, don't you?"

Why are you helping me?

She shrugged. "Technically, I owe you one. Several, actually. I've lost count of the times Heinz or I would have died if you hadn't come back for us. I know you're the good guy, and it's your job, but still…" She broke of with another shrug, eyes narrowing a little in irritation as she crossed her arms. "Do you want my help or not?"

A/N: Sorry things have been so boring for the past few chapters. I've got more of the story written, but a lot of it needs to go through some deep editing. If anyone has any suggestions for further chapters, I'd love to hear them!

Thanks for reading this far!