Hey everyone! Hope everyone had a wonderful New Year's with celebrating! So I figured I'd start off the new year with an update for everyone! *grins* Enjoy!

-Chapter Eleven-

Standing in front of Hei's door a couple of days later, Mitsuki raised her hand to knock as she looked to the number on his door. She couldn't help but give a small smile at the irony that his apartment number had matched part of his Messier code. Still, she wondered if he chose it on purpose or if it had been coincidence. Giving a knock, she hoped he was inside. There wasn't any sound she could hear coming from within.

Suddenly the sound of a lock was heard unlatching itself and the door opened a little to two tired dark blue eyes gazing at her. They gave a blink at her as surprise flitted across them.

"What are you doing here?" he asked as he opened the door more before glancing around, reached out, and pulled her inside before closing the door behind her.

"I uh...came to return your clothes you left at my place from a couple of days ago," she replied holding up the small bag. She was trying to ignore the fact that Hei was shirtless. He gave a blink as he took the bag and looked inside to see that sure enough, his clothes from the other day were in there. "I washed and left them out for you to grab if you stopped by at night but when you didn't take them, I figured I'd bring them to you."

"Oh, um...thanks," he replied as he turned with the bag and headed over towards the table in the far corner. He pulled them out, setting them on the table before grabbing another stack of folded clothes beside it, setting them inside the bag along with the book he borrowed. Coming back, he handed it to her as she blinked. "The clothes you let me borrow. And the book."

"Oh, um...thanks as well," she replied. "D-did you like the book?"

"It was good," he replied with a nod. He paused looking over his shoulder hearing the slightest jingle of a bell. Mao was outside. He looked back towards her. "You should probably go."

"Is something wrong?" she asked curiously.

"It's dangerous coming around here right now," he replied with a small shake of his head. "And it would be best to not be seen together for a few days until I can figure out who's on my trail." He gave a small pause. "I don't want you to get caught up in anything."

"Oh um, okay." she nodded. "I understand." He opened the door for her and let her go back outside. She paused glancing at him. "Um...be careful okay?" He nodded as she walked towards the stairs before shutting the door again.

"What was she doing here?" Mao asked as he jumped up into the window then down onto the floor.

"None of your concern," Hei replied as he went back over to the stack of clothes he'd set down and grabbed them before going to put them away. The cat Contractor gave an annoyed look as he turned his ears backwards at him.

"Whatever. I have word Yin's been spotted," Mao spoke up. "And those other FSB Contractors that are out to get us. So you better get your ass moving."

Hei didn't hesitate as he quickly grabbed his black shirt and threw it on before grabbing his gear from its hiding place. Strapping everything on, sliding his arms into his coat sleeves, then grabbing his shoes and sliding them on, he went over to his window, glancing out and around it to make sure no one was around. He couldn't go running out the front door looking like this of course. Plus, Mitsuki wouldn't have gotten too far down the street from here and he didn't need her asking questions about what was going on. Seeing it was clear, he jumped to the wall behind the building and down behind it unseen. Mao followed right after him and they took off in the direction that the cat Contractor told him he had heard where she had been spotted while Hei slipped his mask on.

"Hello Yin," Mitsuki said as she stopped at the tobacco shop where Yin sat as usual. It had been a couple of weeks now since she'd last seen Hei when she'd stopped at his place to return his clothes. But she'd passed by Yin's and left her a gift or treat while she had been out or on the way to work if time allowed. "How are you today?" The silver haired girl only nodded once silently and Mitsuki knew it was her way of saying she was fine. "I brought you something. Would you give me your wrist?"

Yin tilted her head slightly before lifting her left arm and held it out towards Mitsuki outside the window. Mitsuki pulled out a little silver bracelet and fastened it around her wrist that had several charms on it. Yin looked towards it with her usual blank expression but even Mitsuki could tell she was curious what it was.

"It's a charm bracelet for good luck," she smiled softly and pointed out each of the charms. "See there's a little silver crescent moon for me, a little silver star for you, and a little black cat for Mao. I chose a little yellow canary bird for Huang since I wasn't sure what could represent him other than something yellow since that's what his name means." She gave a small pause as she touched the last charm. "And this purple lightning bolt is for Hei."

"Hei," Yin spoke up quietly as she touched the charm then looked up in Mitsuki's general direction.

"Yeah. Hei," she smiled softly. "Um will you tell him next time you see him that I said hello and hope he's doing well?" The silver haired girl nodded once. "Thanks Yin." She paused glancing to the time on her phone. "Well I better get to work then. I don't want to be late. I got a bit of a later shift tonight so I'm hoping to be out before too late. I'll see you later."

"Mitsuki," Yin spoke up just as she was turning to head off. Mitsuki paused and looked back to the silver haired girl. "Mitsuki sad? Her smile is sad. Not like when she sees Hei." Mitsuki gave a blink at the younger girl's words. "Mitsuki misses Hei?"

"Yeah I guess I do," Mitsuki replied with a small, sad smile. "He's been a good friend. Just like Yin has been a good friend to me too."

"Friend?"

"Yes. Friend." She gave another small smile again. "Enjoy the good luck bracelet."

Yin looked down towards her wrist as she touched the charms as Mitsuki turned and headed off to work. A small tug of her lips barely curled up into the beginnings of a smile though she couldn't form a full one.

"Friend," she repeated quietly to herself.

"Here Yin," Hei said as he stopped by on his way to one of his mundane jobs he had for another mission. He placed the treat he'd brought her on the windowsill. Yin reached up with her left hand to take it and Hei spotted the little bracelet on her wrist right away. He gave a small furrow of his brow. "Where'd you get the bracelet?" But by the charms on it, he knew exactly who had given it to her.

"Mitsuki gave it to me," she replied looking towards it as she held her hand up. "She said it was for good luck." She gave a small pause touching each of the charms. "Mitsuki is the moon, the star for me, Mao the cat, Huang the bird, and Hei the lightning bolt." She gave another pause. "She called me a friend. Just like Hei is her friend."

Hei gave a blink at the words as Yin turned her blank gaze up towards Hei's direction of his face.

"Mitsuki has sad smile. Like Hei. Hei's smile sad. Hei miss Mitsuki like Mitsuki miss Hei." Hei gave another blink in surprise at her words. "Hei makes Mitsuki smile happy. Does Mitsuki make Hei smile happy?"

Hei blinked again before looking away quietly. Yeah he'd honestly been thinking of Mitsuki the past couple of weeks after getting Yin back safe and sound. But he'd kept his distance, hoping that would keep his emotions at bay, delving himself into his jobs and anything to keep himself busy. However, it had only left him at the end of his day when he went to sleep in his empty apartment longing for that night he'd spent sleeping wrapped in Mitsuki's warm and protective embrace. He'd been plagued again by nightmares and it had left him restless not having heard her laugh or seen her smile since the day she'd come to his place to return his clothes he'd left that night. Somehow Mitsuki's presence had slid underneath his skin and caused his heart to question itself of the cold, icy wall he kept up around it to keep from being betrayed again like he had with Amber. And to keep everyone at arm's length because he was a Contractor.

"I've got to go before I'm late," Hei replied quietly before slipping a piece of paper to her. "I'll be here until at least midnight."

Turning, Hei quickly made his way down the street and towards his job, head down a little as Yin's words echoed through his mind.

"Are you sure you'll be fine getting home by yourself?"

"Yeah I'll be fine," Mitsuki replied to her boss as she gathered her things and got ready to head home. It was nearly midnight and her shift had run a little later than she expected since they got busy later in the evening. She'd stayed to make sure food got out on time and then help clean up with everyone so they could all get out and head home. And also she helped her boss with preparing for the next day by staying a little later than the rest and make sure he wasn't stuck with the last minute bits all by himself.

"Are you sure you don't want me to call a taxi?" her boss asked a little worried as he frowned slightly at her.

"Really I'll be fine," she replied with a smile. "I've taken plenty of walks later in the evening by myself before." She gave a small pause. "Plus I have my cell phone with me so if anything happens, I can call someone." Except Hei didn't have a phone. But then again, she also had her powers to help protect her as well. Not that anyone else knew about it though.

"Well...okay," he sighed still giving her a worried look. "Just text me to let me know when you get home so I know you made it safely alright?"

"I will. I'll be off now," she replied with a nod before heading out the door and down the street, avoiding from stepping in the many little puddles left by the brief afternoon rain shower that had come through. She was nearing halfway home as she walked along the deserted street she was on, when a small scuff of a foot was heard from behind her. She turned and saw a guy come walking out from an alleyway she'd just passed by.

"Well, what do we have here?" he smirked as he gave her a once over. "A chick out this late at night by herself huh?" Mitsuki's eyes widened a little as she took a step back before she turned to run. But she ran right into something blocking her way.

"Where do you think you're going sweetie?" said the man she ran into as she looked up at him. He gave a sneer as he grabbed her arm. Another guy was standing right off to his side.

"L-let me go!" she spoke up trying to pull her arm away from his grip but his was firm. The first guy gave a small chuckle before grabbing her other arm and tugged a little at her button up shirt she was wearing, causing the first couple of buttons to pop open.

"Now, now. We're only wanting a little fun," the first guy spoke up smirking as he groped her chest. "We promise to be gentle."

Mitsuki's panic started to set in and she forgot all about her Contractor powers. Images from before on the day she had become a Contractor with the other man having tried to drag her off into an alleyway to have a little fun came flickering back through her thoughts. She could feel the tears starting to well up in her eyes, feeling defenceless. Right now she really wished she'd taken that taxi instead. She wished her brother was here with her to protect her. No. She wished Hei was here to protect her. A small cry escaped her lips just as one of the men grabbed her upper thigh.

"I said, let me GO!" she finally yelled out as an image of Hei's face flicked across her thoughts. Her eyes gave a red gleam as the blue synchrotron radiation appeared around her. But before the three men could let go of her, she activated her power, giving them all a good dose of electricity running through their bodies. They all let go of her and fell to the pavement unconscious as she stood there, eyes still gleaming red but the blue light already starting to fade. She took one look at them as the red faded from her eyes before taking a step back away and turned, running as fast as she could away from them.

Finding herself running into a nearby park, Mitsuki ran straight for a willow tree that was sitting near the little pond there. As soon as she got to the trunk, she turned, placing her back against it, and slid down until she was sitting on the ground. She pulled her knees up to her chest and started crying.

Suddenly, she felt like she was being watched and brought her head up to see a spectre in the water watching her. She realised it was Yin. Her breath caught in her throat as she made eye contact with it and knew that Yin now knew she was a Contractor. But she couldn't help the tears that continued to pour down her cheeks as she gave a hiccuping sob.

"P-please d-don't t-tell Hei that I'm...I'm a C-Contractor Yin," she sobbed. "I-I d-don't w-want to h-hurt his f-feelings. I-I was g-going t-to tell him s-sooner or l-later. B-but n-not l-like this." She gave another hiccuping sob. "H-he's t-the only f-friend I h-have b-besides y-you w-who I t-trust w-with th-this s-secret. S-so p-please..."

Giving a small sway, the white blob disappeared. Mitsuki had no idea if Yin would listen or not to her plea. She couldn't afford to have Hei mad at her for not telling him. But worst of all, she felt horrible from being touched by those men just now. She gave another hiccuping sob as she put her head back into her knees and let the tears flow down her cheeks some more.

Hei headed out from his job he'd finished for the night into the darkened shadows. He took in a breath of the still dampened night air of the rain that had come through earlier for a bit. At least it had stopped raining, though the clouds still hung in the sky, obscuring the stars from being seen. He figured by now Mitsuki would be at home and either in bed or getting ready for it.

Suddenly, Yin's spectre popped up in one of the puddles nearby and he turned his head towards it. "Yin?" He gave a blink. "What's wrong?" Her spectre disappeared and reappeared in another puddle a little further away. He realised she was trying to tell him to follow her.

Quickly following after the spectre, Hei found himself come up to a park. He spotted the spectre appear in the pond there floating by a willow tree. It was then he noticed there was a figure sitting there underneath it at the trunk. The person had their knees pulled up to their chest and head down, but he couldn't mistake the black haired figure with white strands mixed in the front. He quickly went over towards Mitsuki, stopping just in front of her. She slowly raised her head after a moment, eyes red and puffy and tears still streaming down her cheeks. He saw the way her shirt had been ripped open at the top a bit and knew exactly what had seemed to have happened. His blood suddenly boiled with anger and he saw red as he wondered whoever had put his hands on her in such a manner.

Dropping down to his knees in front of her, he pulled her into his embrace. She tensed for a second then wrapped her arms around him, fisting his jacket and shirt underneath in her hands, burying her face in his shoulder and started sobbing. He held her in his arms, glancing over to see Yin's spectre still floating on the surface of the pond.

"What happened?" he asked as she finally pulled back after a few minutes of sobbing into his shoulder. He pulled off his jacket and quickly put it around her shoulders.

"I was w-walking home from work," she spoke up with a hiccuping sob. "I-I stayed l-later from a busy e-evening t-to help my b-boss. T-three guys c-came o-out a-and...a-and..." She gave another hiccuping sob as more tears started falling down her cheeks again.

"Did they touch you?" he asked, indicating if they had fully had their way with her or not.

"N-no," she replied with a shake of her head. "I-I m-managed to g-get away b-before t-they..." She gave another hiccuping sob. "I j-just r-ran as f-fast as I c-could and f-found myself h-here." Her eyes slowly came up to look at his. "H-how d-did you...?"

"Yin," he spoke up as he turned his head towards the pond where the spectre still sat watching.

"Y-Yin?" Mitsuki gave another hiccup as she turned her head in the direction where Hei had turned his, making sure not to seem like she saw Yin's spectre to Hei.

"She led me to you." He gave a nod towards the spectre to say a silent thanks. The spectre swayed a little before disappearing and he turned his head back towards her as she looked back at him. "Come on. Let's get you home."

Getting up and helping her to stand slowly, she went to take a step but collapsed back towards the ground. Hei caught her and realised the shock of the ordeal must have made her weakened and unable to stand properly. He picked her up in his arms, despite her silent protest, and carried her back to her apartment that wasn't too far away. She kept her head turned into his shoulder as she wrapped her arms around his neck the whole way, only moving her arms long enough to pull out her keys from her pocket when they reached the door to her building.

Coming in to her apartment with her still in his arms, Hei kicked his shoes off and took her over to the couch and set her down. He pulled off her shoes as she sat there, taking her keys and shoes back over to the door; shoes sitting besides his and keys going on the little table there. Locking the door, Hei returned back to her side where she was gripping his jacket closed like it was protecting her. Pulling his lips into a thin line, he got up, went to the kitchen, and looked in the fridge, finding a couple bowls of rice. He grabbed one and heated it up before taking it out to her.

"You should probably eat something," he spoke up quietly as he sat beside her with the little soup spoon he'd found in the drawer. He knew getting something to eat to help with the shock would help a little bit. She didn't make any move to take the bowl so he scooped a little into the spoon and held it up for her. Her gaze slowly went to the spoon then to his. "Please."

Opening up her mouth, she leaned over a little and took a bite, chewing it slowly before swallowing. Hei scooped a little more and held it out to her; she taking and eating it as well. He continued until she'd ate it all and went to take care of the bowl and spoon to the sink.

"Can you stand now?" he asked gently as he helped her to her feet. She was still shaking a little but was able to stay standing. He helped her down the hall to her room and to sit on her bed before grabbing out a clean pair of pajamas for her and handed them to her. "I'll wait out in the hall okay?" She nodded and he turned to wait in the hallway, shutting her door down to a crack to give her privacy to change.

Part of him wanted to go stalking out after the ones responsible for doing this to her but he had no idea who would have done it and what they looked like. He wondered if Yin would know if she had seen the whole ordeal. It was evident she had been watching Mitsuki as she headed home, probably to make sure she was okay. He had to admit that Yin's quirkiness to keep an eye out for him and for Mitsuki had saved her from even more trouble had someone else come along and found her in that state instead of him.

Hearing the door open, Hei looked over to Mitsuki standing in the doorway, face still a mess of dried tears. She had his jacket in her hands as she held it out to him. He took it as she gave a sniffle and a small hiccuping sound.

"Why don't you go wash your face alright?" She gave a silent nod before heading towards the bathroom to do so. Hei waited for her there until she returned. Then he followed her back into her room and helped tuck her into bed. But as he turned to leave, she reached out and grabbed his hand.

"S-stay..." she spoke quietly as she gave another hiccup; looking up at him with that desperately pleading look that said she definitely didn't want to be alone right then. It was the same look he probably had the night he'd had his own emotional breakdown and he'd asked to stay with her.

"Alright," he replied softly. "Let me go make sure everything is turned off and locked up for the night okay?" She gave a small nod and he turned, heading back out and down the hall, double checking the door and turned off the lights after hanging up his jacket by the door. When he returned back to her room, she pointed towards a little box by her closet. He went over and found it held the clothes of her brother's in it. Grabbing the pair of lounge pants he'd worn before, he excused himself and went down to the bathroom to change before coming back.

Flipping the lights off, he went around to the other side and slid in underneath the blankets. She rolled over and scooted closer to him, wrapping her arm around him in the same clingy manner like he had that night. He pulled her into his embrace and held her, feeling the slight wetness of silent tears starting to fall from her eyes as she buried her face into the crook of his neck and upper chest; breathing a little shaky as he held her close.

Yeah, tonight she needed him just like he had needed her that one night. And he wasn't going to leave her to cry alone like he had to do many times after his parents died and during the first couple of years being brought into the Syndicate to train as an assassin. Especially the first several big missions he'd had to do with taking out his targets. He'd cried himself to sleep silently, the horror of taking each life weighing heavily on his mind each time he wound down to sleep. He had never wanted to kill anyone, but it was either that and stay at his sister's side, have M.E. done to erase his memories and send him back to his family, leaving his sister in the hands of the Syndicate alone, or be killed. And since the latter one wasn't something he wanted and he couldn't exactly just leave her by herself unprotected, he chose to stay. And that meant he had to learn to protect her and himself from others out to make sure they were taken out first.

Feeling her silent, shaky sobs slowing down before becoming evened out into soft breaths against his chest, Hei knew she'd finally fallen asleep. Still, he wasn't going to leave her side until she wasn't so distraught. He would stay with her all night, making sure she was protected in his embrace, just as she had done for him that night he'd broken down. Closing his eyes, Hei pulled her a little closer, letting himself rest while making sure she was going to be alright.

Well that's the chapter. I feel bad making Mitsuki suffer through that. And even with her powers, panicking took over at any rate. And no, she didn't kill the guys. Just stunned them. But now that Yin knows, will she keep Mitsuki's secret?
Anyway, thanks again for reading. I truly appreciate all of my readers and the reviews you give! *hands out cookies*