Train woke up to find Saya in his lap with her arms wrapped around his neck. He smiled and felt tenderness overpower his heart. He looked up to find Eve standing in front of him.

"What is it, Princess?" he asked her.

"You like Saya a lot more than she knows, don't you?"

"Yeah."

"Why haven't you told her yet?"

Train was silent for a minute.

"Are you afraid?" Eve asked.

"Yes."

"Of what?"

Train sighed. "If you promise not to tell Saya, I'll tell you."

"What about Sven?"

"You can tell him. Just make him promise that he won't tell Saya either, okay?"

"Okay."

Train wrapped his pinkie around Eve's and said, "I'm afraid that if I tell Saya about my feelings for her, it'll scare her away and ruin our friendship."

-

Eve sat on the edge of the couch and was thinking back on what Train had said when Saya was still sleeping. Train and Saya had gone after a bounty after Saya had woken up, and Sven was back from collecting a bounty they had caught earlier this morning. Eve remembered her conversation with Train.

FLASHBACK

Eve had found Train's reasoning a little out of the ordinary. He was usually straightforward with his opinion about things, so why did he suddenly hesitate to tell Saya about his feelings for her?

When she asked him about it, he had replied, "Like I said before, I'm afraid of losing our friendship."

"You can always rebuild it," she had said.

"Maybe, but she could always remember the fact that I had feelings for her and then she might not want to engage in a friendship with me again. I don't know what could happen, and I don't want to risk it—not right now, at least."

Eve nodded. Since Train had made up his mind, she decided not to bug him anymore. She went into the kitchen and got herself a chocolate chip cookie. She didn't know why, but she had a sudden craving for them. Train fell asleep with Saya's head pressed against his.

Eve was studying Train and Saya intently as they slept. Train would occasionally twitch as most people do in their sleep, and Saya gave a quiet sigh of contentment. Eve had watched them until Sven came home.

END OF FLASHBACK

Train and Saya came back from their bounty, but Train's shoulder was bleeding. Saya sat Train down and made him take his shirt off so that she could put the bandages around his shoulder. All the while, Train and Saya's hearts were fluttering wildly. After Saya was done, Train put his shirt on and thanked Saya. Train walked away and sat on a chair in the kitchen. Eve had a sudden urge to be evil and stuck her foot out in front of Saya when she was right in front of Train's chair. Saya tripped and fell on top of Train, who went red instantly.

"What was that for, Princess?" Train asked as he helped Saya out of her uncomfortable position.

"I wanted to see what would happen, that's all," Eve said. Train sighed.

"Are you okay?" he asked Saya.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Saya fixed her yukata.

She's okay, Train thought as relief swept over him. His heart had a hard time calming down after being so close to Saya. Saya's heart was also racing after being so close to Train.

Sven said, "How much did you guys get?"

Train grinned. "One million!"

There was nothing that Sven could do but gape because of his speechlessness.

"That just got rid of all our debts," Eve said.

"He nearly killed us, though," Saya muttered while looking at Train.

"I did not!" Train said, thoroughly annoyed that Saya would accuse him of almost killing them.

"I meant the bounty, Train," Saya said.

"Oh," Train mused.

Saya went to the fridge and got out a bottle of milk, then drank it within a matter of seconds.

Train reached for the bottle, but Saya pulled it away from him and asked, "Are you trying to seduce me with your empty milk bottle?" When Train didn't reply, she said, "I'm on to you." Train groaned while turning away and blushing. Sven looked up from his newspaper to see what made Train groan. Train got a milk bottle from the fridge and downed it. Saya watched him from the sink.

She compared Train to a cat—quiet and calm one minute, fierce and protective the next. He had claws that could tear anything apart, and fangs that could pierce the hardest of flesh.

It took her a minute to realize that Train was looking at her in a questioning manner that seemed to ask, "Why are you staring at me like I'm the best thing since sliced bread?"

Saya blushed and apologized. Train blinked and smiled understandingly. He put the milk bottle in the recycling bin and while he did so, his hand somehow found a way to brush Saya's. He blushed from the contact and hoped that Saya hadn't seen him. Train looked up at her, smiled in a slightly embarrassed way, and walked away to ask Sven if there were any bounties that were quick and easy to catch.

Saya felt that she was being watched, so she went over by Eve and sat down next to the bioweapon. Eve looked at her for a second, and then whispered in Saya's ear, "Something's wrong." Saya looked around and saw Train looking out the window. Train was giving someone a death glare. For a second, the phrase if looks could kill ran through Saya's mind.

-

Saya was singing Konoyo no Uta to herself silently as she was cleaning the kitchen. Her mind was racing, and she was cleaning in an attempt to soothe it. However, it was useless, as Saya felt more and more anxious as the minutes dragged on. She had just seen an episode of some show that dealt with stalking, and Saya was secretly scared that someone was stalking her. Her gut was giving her bad vibes, and Saya wished that she had gone with Train, Eve and Sven to catch their bounty. She had felt safe when Train was there, and he had stayed a few extra minutes in an attempt to convince her to come with them, but she had refused, saying that she was going to be fine and that she had her gun.

Train had finally left her, but not without reminding her to give him a buzz if she was in trouble. Ever since last Monday, she had felt eyes bore into the back of her head, but she had decided not to say anything just in case it was her mind playing tricks on her. It was now a week later, and Saya still felt those eyes in the back of her head. She had the feeling that her pursuer, whoever they were, was getting closer, and that she should do something about it. Unfortunately for Saya, there was a storm going on, and the lightning made Saya abandon the idea to do something about the current situation that she was in. She turned around to see a man standing there, staring at her. Saya gasped and backed away in fright.

She immediately thought of Train and what he would do in this situation. In Train's case, he would beat the crap out of the guy until he left. Saya wasn't as strong or fast as Train was, so she would just have to make do with her abilities until Train and his friends got home.

"Who are you?" She asked.

"Tom Nookshire." The name rang through Saya's mind as she remembered that he was on the list of high-bounty fugitives.

"You seem frightened," Tom said in an attempt to soothe Saya. "It's alright. Don't be afraid." He extended his hand to Saya, but Saya slapped it away feebly. Tom reached out and pulled her close, then whispered into Saya's ear, "I won't hurt you. I'll protect you from your friends. You'll be safe with me." It's more like my friends will protect me from you, Saya countered in her mind.

"My friends are coming back soon," Saya said as bravely as she could. "They'll show you not to mess with us. Besides, I'm armed."

"With what, a peashooter?" Tom asked condescendingly.

"A Beretta 93R isn't a peashooter," Saya said. "Besides, I could blow a leg off of you if I had to."

"Yeah, right," Tom said. He knew that Saya was bluffing. There's no way that you can do that. It isn't possible. A Beretta 93R? Give me a break. That thing's hardly worth anything. It couldn't even scratch me.

Come back soon, Train, Saya pleaded. Please come back soon. I need your help.

-

When Train came back, Saya wasn't there.

"Dammit!" he muttered. He gasped when he saw a note on the wall. It said:

Black Cat,

If you wish to retrieve your friend, she will be at the church at 57th street. Good luck finding us there. She won't live for much longer. I'll end her life at midnight.

Tom Nookshire

It's written in Saya's blood. Train's anger started to increase as each second passed. "Sven," he said wrathfully, "stay here with the Princess. I have to get Saya."

With those words, Train stalked out of the apartment and ran at full speed towards the church on 57th street.