We were attacked the next morning.

I was barely awake when Vincent came through the window, grabbing me roughly & tugging me into the other room.

"It's Adam & Edmund." he whispered urgently, wrapping his arms protectively around my waist & under my knees, suddenly knocking my legs out from under me & cradling me in his arms. Then he raced out of the room, nearly taking down the front door. I had yet to ask him what he was doing.

"They seemed to have Earth under surveillance, since we had already been here. They tracked us amazingly quickly, barely twenty-four hours." Vincent continued as we rushed down the stairs. I was still trying to comprehend what was happening. My brain hadn't caught up with my body yet. I shut my eyes.

"What are we doing?" I said groggily, burying my face into Vincent's chest absentmindedly.

"We are going to meet them, & try to slow them down-" he cut off then, stopping abruptly. His arms were the only things keeping me from pitching forward onto the ground. I raised my head, looking confusedly at him. He was looking back at me.

"-Right?" he finished, asking me a question. It took me a second or two to understand. I shook my head, trying to rid of the tiredness.

"Yeah." I said, not really knowing what I was saying. I winced when we suddenly stepped into a direct ray of the sun. When I finally opened my eyes again, I realized that we were on the roof. I looked around the area, & saw two figures standing toward our left, farthest from us.

Adam & Edmund.

"Good morning, Remi-chan! Your nightgown is very attractive on you, you know." I heard Edmund say from the other side of the roof. I looked over at him & noticed that he was grinning. Next to him, Adam was glaring in my direction. I cursed under my breath.

Vincent snarled.

He let me down then, & I slowly took a few steps forward, a little wobbly. 'Crap, this will be a problem.'

Vincent handed me my ninjato, which I didn't notice that Vincent had until now. I stretched my legs as I reached over & took it.

"Would you start the portal in Saya's hotel room, please? Remember to wake up the kids." I said to him, still kind of groggy.

"I already did. They're waiting for us. I'll go down now." he replied, disappearing into the hotel. Adam reacted almost immediately.

"Edmund, follow Vincent." Adam ordered, & I shut my eyes.

'One on one, eh?'

Edmund slowly began his way across the rooftop, & both Adam & I stood stock-still. Edmund passed me, & I felt his shoulder brush my arm. I didn't reopen my eyes when I attacked him suddenly.

I brought my ninjato around my body fast, aiming to strike him in the back. He blocked with his hand, blood dripping down his arm idly. Time seemed to slow at that moment, the only things moving being our hair, which was being tousled playfully by the wind, & our chests, which were moving up & down to the beating of our hearts. We met each others' eyes, & we just stood there for a moment.

Then I spun out of the semi-failed attack, getting into position, blocking the door. Edmund stood straight, then flexed his arm muscles, & attacked.

He came at me quickly, & I barely caught his fist before it slammed into my face. I staggered a few steps back, then ran at him, my ninjato raised. I aimed to bring it down on his shoulder, but he blocked it with his bandaged wrist. I growled angrily, spinning in a full circle & attacking his left shoulder. He blocked again, injuring his arm in the process. Then we both jumped back, me landing inches away from the wall, & him landing a few feet away from Adam. I shivered from the morning chill. My thin nightgown barely reached my knees.

That's when Saya suddenly burst through the roof's entrance, the door centimeters away from crashing into my cold figure. Haji followed behind her almost immediately, not even glancing back to look at me. I let out a slow breath as Saya swung her katana at Adam, who blocked & threw her back a couple inches. Haji had caught her just as I whizzed past both of them, attacking Adam straight on.

I brought my ninjato toward his rib cage, but he dodged out of the way, pulling out one of his many guns & aiming at me. I flipped back & behind the roof door as he shot two rounds at me. I grit my teeth as I felt a bullet fly past my arm, barely grazing it. I felt the warm, crimson liquid begin its journey down my arm. I shivered again as I jumped out from behind the door a second later.

Saya was still attacking Adam uselessly, with Haji protecting her from every weapon that was swung or shot at her. It reminded me, just for a second, of Vincent & me. I could see it, Haji being Vincent & Saya being me. It was only there for a moment, but when it was gone, the thought seemed to linger in my mind for a few more seconds before I was attacked by Edmund, who only half-heartedly punched at me. I blocked it easily, first grabbing his wrist, & then the inside part of his elbow, slamming his back into the stone wall next to the roof entrance/exit. We stood there for less than a second, just staring. I could see the regret in his eyes for not joining Vincent & my group, but I could also see the other part of him that was telling him that he was safer without us.

I gave him another second to protect himself in some way, & then I bluntly hit him in the face, aiming to hurt him but not knock him out. I heard the impact of the back of his head on the wall, & I saw the wince of pain flash across his face. I could feel the momentary guilt invade my senses, but I pushed it out of my mind. We were enemies now. He was with Adam.

He recovered quickly, pushing me away from him hard & swinging again at me. I could see the regret vanish from his eyes, his stony face telling me that he believed he made the right decision of staying with Adam. It was all bullshit to me, but that's not my problem.

His punches & kicks were forcing me to back up hurriedly, as to not be struck by the strong attacks. I was backing up toward Adam, Saya, & Haji quickly. Haji must have saw my problem, because he was suddenly in front of me, attacking Edmund so I could get away. I barely had the chance to thank him before I sensed Adam coming at me in a quick sprint. I spun around & blocked with my ninjato, but his fist came in contact with my gut when I left it unprotected while I blocked his katana. I flew back a couple of inches, centimeters away from Haji & Edmund. When I recovered seconds later, Saya had attacked Adam yet again, protecting me from him. It was then when a thought hit me.

Everyone was trying to protect me. Everyone.

Haji & Saya were keeping Adam & Edmund occupied so that they wouldn't get to me, or anyone else in their hotel room, I guess.

Then back in Konoha, Ken had managed to get Adam away from me before he could get to me & attack me.

& of course Vincent, who'd been there to protect me for so many years. He was in the hotel room right now to get us all out of here, to keep us safe.

So many people here who were ready to give it all to protect me & my human acquaintances. It was so...weird. Yet so very familiar.

I looked up at Saya just then, & I saw that Adam was doing his running-so-fast-that-you-can't-see-me thing. Saya was looking around wildly, searching for Adam, who was hidden by his speed from her. I looked over at Haji at that time, & saw that he was so preoccupied with his fight that he didn't see what was happening. I don't blame him; everything was happening so fast.

I saw Adam start closing in on Saya, who was completely oblivious to this. I knew what I had to do the split-second before I had to do it.

I stood quickly, rushing over to Saya as fast as I could. When Adam got in my way, I jumped right over him, my hands on his shoulders to boost me up. Then I grabbed him by the shoulder of his jacket, slowing him down drastically. I pulled him back hard, but it wasn't hard enough. I let go quickly, sailing over toward Saya, blocking her with my body, my ninjato raised to a significant height. Saya turned to me just before Adam attacked, & I blocked as well as I could.

I was thrown back a couple of feet, knocking Saya to the ground, but I kept my footing. I shut my eyes tightly, putting more pressure on the blade of my ninjato. Then I felt a sudden whoosh of aim on my right, & that's when I knew the fight was over.

I felt the blade of Edmund's kunai press against my neck hard, but not breaking skin. It felt cold against my flesh.

That's when I opened my eyes, nearly nose-to-nose with Adam, who's grin was slowly spreading across his face.

"Got you."