Kuro had no idea where she was. She'd grabbed a flight to somewhere, and as she stepped out of the airport's gates, she was glad to see that it was a somewhat peaceful looking place.

She looked around, and noticed a sign. She squinted her eyes, tilted her head, and read it. It looked like Russian, but...

'Georgian?' Kuro thought, 'I'm in Georgia?' She shrugged, and turned to walk down the street, 'Fine. So long as I'm far away from Japan, I'm fine... I'm fine.'

"I thought that for a few weeks." Kuro said, softly, "I thought I was fine. But every time I went to sleep, or even closed my eyes, I saw you. And what's- his- face. Sometimes... sometimes, you were dead. Other times, I was watching you being tortured, and I couldn't do anything to help you...

"About the second month, I went downhill pretty fast."

The bass resounded in her temples, the flashing lights bright against Kuro's eyes. The nightclub was alive with heated bodies and thrumming pulses, and Kuro welcomed it.

She tilted her head back, the alcohol going down her throat. It burned, but Kuro ignored it.

She waved at the barteneder, and he brought the bottle. He gave her a sorrowful look, and decided on just setting the bottle in front of her.

"I was drunk nearly ninety percent of the time." Kuro said, "Sometimes I still get drunk. It is- was- the only way to get your face out of my mind, if I blacked out. But that lead to other problems... Fights, drunken one night stands... Hell, probably more than half of them weren't even consensual."

Bao blinked, once, at her, "Do you think you need to go see Nefertiti-"

"No." Kuro bristled, "I... Well... maybe."

"You don't sound very convincing of yourself. What's holding you back?" Bao asked, voice barely above a whisper.

Kuro inhaled, shakily, before sighing.

"About six months ago..."

Kuro stared at the test in her hands. Two pink lines...

Positive.

She was pregnant? How in the hell...?

Kuro let her head drop into her hands.

'There's no way I can raise a kid right now... Not with the way I am', she thought. 'But I can't abort... that's... no. Abortion is not an option.'

She inhaled, her body shuddering.

She couldn't do it... She couldn't do it...

Kuro didn't miss the way Bao's eyes fell to her stomach, or the flicker of confusion on his face.

Kuro chuckled, bitterly, "The life of a spy isn't easy. Especially for a woman spy. I was four months in..."

The wind was cool, but not cold. Kuro slipped her hands into her jacket pockets. It was night time, the moon was full, and the stars shining.

It was peaceful, and Kuro was relaxed for the first time in forever. Her stomach, just starting to show, and Kuro smiled softly, relaxing more.

The footsteps were loud, but they were Kuro's first clue. She whipped around, startled-

And went stumbling backwards as a fist met her jaw.

Caught off guard, Kuro shook her head, dazed. She slid to the left as her attacker- just a teenage kid- laughed, and moved to strike her again.

"Come on, lady." The kid showed off a yellow toothed grin, and Kuro winced at the smell of alcohol on his breath. She hadn't touched a drop since she'd found out about being pregnant, and the smell in of itself nearly knocked her off her feet, "How about I show you a good time?"

"If your idea of a good time is beating up a pregnant woman," Kuro growled, dodging another punch, "Then I'm gonna have to say no."

"Aw, bullshit!" The kid laughed, "You ain't pregnant! You don't look it!"

Kuro felt more annoyance than anger, thinking, 'I'm only in the beginning of my second trimester, idiot.'

Before she could voice that, however, the kid got in a lucky shot: a swift kick to her stomach.

Kuro yelped, and stumbled backwards, hunching over, arms immeadiatly wrapping around herself.

Her attacker took the moment of weakness to launch into another attack, laughing as he descended on Kuro with a rain of punches and kicks.

Kuro fell to the ground, curling up in pain.

Please... please... I can't deal with another loss... Please...

"You lost the kid, anyways, didn't you?" Bao asked.

Kuro laughed, sharp and only once, "Yeah. Spent about a month in the hospital because of some stupid brat." She sighed, "It was my fault. I shouldn't have been out at night, yet I was."

"Do you blame yourself for everything?" Bao asked, suddenly.

Kuro blinked, and turned her head to look at Bao, "What do you mean?"

"You blame yourself for the miscarriage. You blame yourself for what happened to me. You blame yourself for not giving your team a better life... Is there anything you don't blame yourself for?"

Kuro thought about it, "I don't blame myself for the life you lead."

Bao looked confused, "What?"

"Even at a young age, I knew you were gonna be a spy. What profession... well, that was what always tripped me up. You stole my stuff, hid it away like the little thief you are. And then, you were always coming up schemes and plans, even as a little kid. Like a mastermind." Kuro's voice became softer, "Like me."

"I always looked up to you." Bao said, quietly. He sighed, "I miss the old days."

"Old days?"

"You know- when we were kids, and you were always looking after me, when mom and dad weren't. You took care of me, and we watched each other's backs." Bao sighed, "What caused us to turn into enemies, Kuro?"

Kuro sighed, "I have no clue. We just... grew apart, I guess. Right now... I'm wishing we hadn't. Maybe... maybe if we had kept in contact, instead of letting whatever was wrong between us grow... maybe niether one of us would be fuck ups right now."

"Niether of you are fuck ups."

"AHH!"

Both Bao and Kuro screamed and jumped, stumbling over the stuff in the closet and each other and out into the hallway. They landed in a heap at someone's feet.

"Ow..." Bao muttered, rubbing his head.

"What the hell- Chris?!" Kuro exclaimed, shooting to her feet, "Please tell me you weren't the one who scared us!"

"Nope. That one is me."

Kuro startled as Christina dropped down through the vent in the ceiling and landed beside her, "Sorry about that."

Kuro gave her a deadpan look, "Sure you are. You've never been sorry when you sneak up on people, I doubt you are now."

Christina shrugged, "I'm a thief, what do you expect? It's the-"

"Philosophy we live by." Bao finished, pulling himself to his feet, "Just, next time- maybe even the tiniest bit of noise, just so we know you're there. In case you haven't noticed, I don't take sudden things very well. I'm still adapting. Therapy and," Bao paused, as if searching for the right word, then said, "Stuff."

"I just need a warning in general for you." Kuro said.

"And you two are not messed up." Christina shot right back, "Every spy in the world has their own sob story, some worse than others. Nero Konzern? He was in a mental ward, because he was supposedly psychotic, until he was about thirteen. Wales and Luke McKandless? Abused by their bastard parents. Chris?"

"Don't drag me into this-" Chris started.

"Ran from home, because our parents put too much pressure on him. Me? I ran because of that." Christina's eyes softened, "You guys aren't alone, and don't forget that. There are a lot of people who could probably relate to you, and it may not be the same person for the same thing, but I'm sure if you ask around... You'll find someone you can talk to."

So we see what Kuro went through during Bao's "death". Not what you were expecting, was it?

Auburn: *meow*

Me: Excuse me guys. My kitten is seeking attention. Leave a review while I deal with this adorable little devil...

Review!