A/N – After all the weekend didn't revealed itself as terrible as I thought. Time did stretch for me, these two days. LOL

Now, a couple words towards my beloved readers:

And the award goes to: Ikuni Hattori - this time you won the gold medal – you were the fastest reviewer of the previous chapter. Congrats and my sincere thank you's for your kind words – as always, so supportive T_T My God I am getting sensitive about all this… *sniff*

The Ninja and The writer – thank you as well for your amazing parodies and sense of humor.

And finally, big thanks to Takara, for taking time reviewing.

Review people, let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: As always.

Oh and, btw, I have posted a new story – Chaos & Entropy. For those who are fond of Vincent Valentine, check it out if you want. That story will go slowly, since this one – Dreamcatcher- is my priority now. But it will be interesting as well… sneak into the A/N to find out the details of the plot and etcetera.

So, where were we?

Last chapter:

"We may leave."

He passed by me, heading to the car.

After a long second, my legs moved. O.k, I was somehow… worried. What the hell did just happen?

Chapter 9.

The journey home was even scarier than before.

The general was silent – but now, the silence he held was… furious. I could sense in him the rage, the anger, the way his jaw clenched in the shadow that surrounded us, the way his eyes shone… a terrible shine, a freaking death stare.

It was simply petrifying.

We got home quietly, without surprising eyes. I noticed he had his sword next to him, but made no intentions of saying a word about it.

I didn't dare to say anything, by that matter. My mind wasn't even able to process anything coherent. I only wanted my bed, the safety of my bedroom, anything else. The environment around us was heavy, the silence surroundings us difficult to bear.

Everything to stay away from him… My mind was restless, my body quivering.

However, things were about to get even worse. Once inside my apartment, I reached immediately to the door, again, to get it locked. I did think I was all alone in the hall. I did think the general was already in his room, as usual.

I was wrong.

As my hands were finally done with the keys, I felt something grab my arm. In less than a second, I recognized his touch on me. But I had not time to think about anything else, the why's and the how's behind it because, before I could even realize what was happening, my back was glued to the door and my face could only see… a chest. Partially covered with leather, grey hair and the muscle tone giving away the modest strength he was applying into grabbing my arm.

He didn't give me time to say anything, or look at him, because his harsh words hit me faster than I could ever predict.

"You are lying to me."

I felt a pang in my chest when I processed his words. How did he know I was lying? How was this even possible? I couldn't tell him about the specter. I just… couldn't.

"What?" I said, my voice failing shamelessly.

"You heard me." He said, with a low tone. His eyes were gazing into my own, and I didn't know what to do, what to say to calm his obvious misbelieve in me. And I had to admit – my body reactions weren't helping. I was shivering, cold sweat covering my forehead, and the iron grip he kept, holding my arm… didn't help at all.

"I…"

"What are you hiding? Who sent you to find me?"

Oh my God, so that was it. His demanding tone was almost too much for me – he clearly thought I was being ordered by someone – someone who knew he was still alive. Well it was a good theory, however it wasn't real. The only thing in my mind was the image of that specter. That female vision, talking to me, invading my head, my privacy. How could I tell him something like that? I couldn't. I simply couldn't. He wouldn't believe me. And, most likely, he would mock me and, eventually… kill me for that.

"N-No one. No one sent me, I-I found-"

"Don't lie."

"I-I swear. Please."

The way my words stumbled was now close to ridiculous and gave away too obviously I was not telling everything I knew about the whole situation. Oh my God I was so screwed.

"Was someone from the company?"

"No, no, I…"

"Who, then?"

Our eyes were locked since this conversation had started. All about his face screamed General. All about his manners screamed military interrogation. All about him screamed… "I'm not leaving you until I don't have my answers". Despair was taking over me. I didn't know what to think, what to do. Should I tell him what really happened that day, at the reactor? I didn't know if I should. And… how should I tell him that? What, should I say "A fucking specter, that's who!"? No, he would probably laugh at my words.

Lost in thought, lost in his scrutinizing gaze, I felt my voice failing completely. He was figuring me out, he was realizing I did know something but I wasn't telling him. And that, exactly, made him extremely irritated.

"TELL ME!" He said, raising his tone, his eyes fuming.

Unfortunelately, my body reacted the way I didn't want it to. The vegetative reactions to such stressful situation had its limits – and mine were now being achieved. I felt a pressure growing in my orbits, my eyes watery. Blinking slowly, I realized tears would be falling soon. Thankfully, I didn't sob or something – it would have been humiliating, cry like a five-year-old in front of such person. I didn't want it to…

But, unwillingly, I felt my face wet. The tears fell, reaching my jaw line and then disappearing below my neck line, drawing shining lines across my cervical anatomy. His face remained neutral but I could see the anger in his eyes subside – even so little. My despaired mind wondered if he had never seen a woman cry. I honestly doubted, since his roughness would have certainly made a lot of men cry… so, who was I to be different from those?

"Please…" I whispered, in his direction, hoping he could believe in me. "No one sent me. I-I was only there, doing my job and… I ran into you."

O.k, it wasn't a complete lie – but it wasn't the whole mighty truth, either. I tried to avert my stare from his, but to no avail. Reacting to my action, his hand reached for my chin and jaw and trapped me. I had no other choice but to stare back to him, letting myself go, exposing the desolation I felt, right behind my watery eyes. Seconds, minutes went by… and we remained there, motionless… as statues, his eyes never leaving mine. His hand, his fingers were warm against the moist skin of my face. His eyes… beyond description. I only knew this was disturbing me, influencing my body constants. Why was he so cruel? Why was he torturing me like this?

"That's not what your eyes tell me." He finally said, his voice devoid of any anger. Well at least he was – somehow - back to his neutral-mode again.

However, little by little, I became conscious I was – really – considering his affirmation. What, did he have any power? How could he – simply – realize I was hiding information from him only by looking at my eyes? He didn't know me enough to perceive that. Maybe it was one of those military techniques, it has to be. Only that way I could explain-

"And your body gives away your anxiety."

Wow, that one earned an eye-brow rising from me. It was as impressive as frightening, this capacity he had of… scanning my reactions, of reading my body.

"You are simply scaring the hell out of me." I said, my voice shaking, trying to justify my actions.

"Am I?"

I nodded in sign of agreement. His hold on me loosened a bit and his hand did left my face in a sudden movement.

"Are you that afraid of me?" He asked, half-closing his eyes as he said the words.

"You know the answer. Why bother asking?"

I could swear I found surprise in his eyes, reacting to my words. What, did he expect more tears and desperate cries towards him? No, I had enough of that in my past.

"Because your arm is fighting my hand since the beginning of our conversation."

O.k, so that was his problem. Someone reacting – fighting him. A simple woman, defying the mighty sociopath general. I could only grasp he – definitely - wasn't used to insubordination, of any kind. Most likely, he was a man who had everything his way.

"I'm not the resigning type." I said, without knowing where did I get the courage to say that. Sometimes, I surprised myself with such… affirmations.

"So I've noticed." He said.

"Would you mind-"

I was going to tell him to let me go, to release my arm, but he didn't let me finish. Instead, he rested his other arm next to my head, supporting his hand at the door, incapacitating me – completely – of doing anything else but… to look at him. And he changed his manners, all of the sudden. The military general disappeared and a somehow amused and curious man rose, instead. His face now was approaching - slowly –mine. I buried my head in the door behind me, but I had my limits – and he knew that; he was categorically taking advantage of my "trapped prey" position to do… whatever he wanted to do or say, to me. I didn't know what it was, why it was, but I doubted he needed to get that close of me for that purpose. His proximity was frightening and remarkable, at the same time. The fear I felt for him, given his unpredictability, his neutrality, his freakiness, was being now – slowly – replaced with curiosity, with… interest.

Snap out of it Sora. The man is threatening you, for God 'sake.

I knew my mind was right, but there was something inside me that didn't want to run away from him, from his touch, his stare. So I didn't fight his strange movement. I let myself observe how his gaze did seem to travel inside me, recollecting information, discovering my secrets, my darkest moments, exposing my undisclosed desires.

And the smell he emanated, his breathing, air leaving his nostrils and reaching my face, a warm breeze strangely soothing. His hair, falling next to his face, pending now in the space that separated us, eccentrically volatile for a mere human. I had to fight the urge of touching it.

And finally, his face; his hard features, softly designed a fair face, so outstandingly beautiful as… malicious.

A thin column of air was all that separated our faces. Honestly, I didn't know what on Earth could he possibly want with such… attitude.

"So tell me,… Sora…" He said, pausing strategically before and after saying my name. "… from what did you not resign, exactly?

"From life." I breathed, barely capable of thinking straight.

"That's very poetic for a woman that barely enjoys her living."

His tone was soft and – dare to say – a little ironic. However, it was the bare truth. And I didn't have the words to answer to him. So, I stood quiet, avoiding his eyes, trying to focus on something that wasn't him, practically attached to me, having fun teasing the stupid young woman without purposes in life. However, his next question made me look back at him in less than a second.

"What are you running from?"

My heart pounded in my chest like a freaking hammer. My reaction to his question was obviously unsettling. And he knew it. We both knew it.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You. You are constantly hiding."

What in the world…?

"I am a reserved person."

"You do have reflex defensive moves, for a regular woman."

What, was that a compliment of some sort?

"I… I am a… "

"From whom are you running from?"

And that was it. The final, treacherous question. "Who?" Oh, if he knew only half of the story. But no, I wouldn't tell him that. That was my private life and he didn't have anything to do with it.

"I don't ask you questions. So I would much appreciate you could do the same, in return."

His complexion showed a little bit of surprise. Clearly, he didn't expect me to say something like that. Clearly, he didn't expect a lot of things from me, lately.

"Fair enough." He declared, stepping away from me – finally. Without his influence, my mind worked a lot better. I relaxed a little bit when he let go of my arm and when I felt the distance between us was now acceptable – and not categorically intrusive, as he enjoyed so much.

However, his freaking dissecting stare was still on me.

"Are you done?" I said, not bothering to look straight at him.

"I am."

"Good."

I did leave the hall without saying anything else. No more words, no more freaking sick stares. I passed by him, headed to my bedroom, closing the door behind me with shaky hands.

I supported myself against the door for a while, my forehead rested there as well, my eyes closed. It was the freaking adrenaline, again, rushing me and my breathing, my heartbeat, like… like… like I was about to suffer a heart attack.

Why? Why was this man like this? This… behavior? Did he have some hidden pleasure in torturing me?... teasing me merciless, experimenting my limits.

This was hell. Living with this man was the most consuming living I had experienced until now.

Gathering strength to get to my bed, I finally sat there and resumed to my thinking.

These were moments difficult to erase from my mind.

Lying in my bed, all I could remember was his smell, asphyxiating me; when I closed my eyes, all I could see was his complexion, adorned with the most beautiful green eyes I have ever seen in my life.

And, in the end, I was only able to recall how his words, his manners, his irony, destroyed completely any form of sympathy I could eventually feel for him.

A/N – Oh the tricky heartbeat, the urges impossible to control… our dear Sora is getting into trouble. But there's how these matters of the heart are: just plain irrational :) And what about our Seph, what does explain his attitudes? Yes, he is a very non-standard guy. Let's see how it works out next chapter. You know what to do to stimulate my writing: Review:) [Pls:), I absolutely adore your opinions.]

Next chapter:

…

"Excuse me."

His voice knocked me out of my mental chastising, as I roamed around in the kitchen, not minding my surroundings.

Reflexively, my head turned to him. The general stood next to the kitchen door, scrutinizing me as usual, and all I was able to do was… gulping. I didn't know what to say. For a change.

"Care to join me?"

I opened my eyes in awe. Me? Joining him? Talking about freezing my brain mass...

"Where to?" I asked, not believing this. Him, me, this… situation. This was too awkward.

"The bedroom."

…

[O.k, don't be mean.]