Just Keep Talking

"Maddox, you need to wake up."

The Asian groaned, but by the fact he actually moved around on the couch, Heidi knew that he was waking up. She set down a breakfast nearby to help convince him as she continued on her search to find iMarcus' remote and free him from his silence. It had to be driving him crazy. If it was possible for a computer AI to go crazy. Heidi was not certain.

She certainly felt crazy. Heidi had been looking so forward to yesterday for so many reasons and the most important out of all of them had not come to pass. Where was Natalia? Why did she not face Alfred, or at least tell Heidi she could not do it? It was not as if Heidi would have gotten angry if Natalia told her she could not do it then. These things took time. Just because she was trying to push Natalia along did not mean she was going to push her against her will. Definitely not.

"Where is Vash?" Maddox asked sleepily, hiding his face in his sleeves, likely hiding an actual expression. Heidi fought the impulse to run over and move his sleeves so she could see.

"I don't know, he must have left earlier." She would know if iMarcus could say. Which she would find out as soon as she found that remote...

"He must have left us to decorate the house while he is gone."

"I don't think so."

"With photos. Of him. I have plenty. I will go get them."

Heidi giggled despite herself. She knew if she encouraged it at all Maddox would do it, but she could not help herself. Though it would be rather creepy if Maddox really did have enough photos of Vash to cover the walls. She would not put it past him.

A knock at the door distracted her. Knowing the likelihood of someone waiting around for iMarcus to say they were there before giving in and knocking, she rushed over to the door as quickly as possible.

"I'm so sorry! Vash put iMarcus on mute and I have not been able to find the remote yet!" she explained to Ivan. He nodded, glancing inside.

"So Vash not here?"

"No, he left earlier." She preferred knowing when and being able to give a time when he might return, or where he could be found at. Vash usually left her with that information. Perhaps he forgot iMarcus was on mute? "Can I help you?"

"Actually, yes." Ivan brightened. "Can you come see Nat?"

Suddenly all of Heidi's worry assaulted her once more. "Is there something wrong?" she asked, hoping dearly for Ivan to tell her she was overreacting. But Ivan was not responding immediately. "Is she all right?"

"Natalia... says she saw ghost."

Heidi blinked. "A ghost?"

"I zink she is panicking over somezing else. She's just saying she saw ghost. Vould you know?"

Natalia had been so scared in facing Alfred she had convinced herself she had seen a ghost so as to escape it? Heidi felt guilt well up within her. Why had she thought that Natalia had run away? Why? "Oh! I was... we were going to... I was helping her with something, I must have made her think she could not wait! I'm so sorry! I'll go see her right away!"

Ivan looked extremely relieved. "Good. She is at my house vith Kat. I'll tell her you're coming?"

"Yes, of course!" Heidi nodded, rushing back inside to search as quickly as possible. As soon as she found the remote she would leave. Oh, and make certain Maddox was out of the house, because Vash would not likely be happy if she left Maddox and iMarcus alone together.

"This is the remote, right?" Maddox asked as she passed him. She nearly tripped over her own feet stopping as fast as she did.

"Yes!" she exclaimed, taking it from him carefully and pressing the mute button. "iMarcus?"

"You have a lot of explaining to do, young lady."

"What?"

"Oooh. You are in trouble." The teasing tone was lost in Maddox's voice because the tone was mono. Of course.

iMarcus made a tutting noise. "I'd never think he'd wear that."

"He?" Heidi asked for clarification.

"I'd get muted forever if I said!"

"Vash is wearing something?" Maddox asked. "How could he? I thought we had made a deal. No more clothes."

Heidi was confused, but it was easily enough fixed by deciding both Maddox and iMarcus were messing with her. So she quickly managed to get Maddox out of the house before rushing off to see Natalia.


Notes:

DeLurk, the first part to your request is up now. It is titled 'Lovino Wants To Retire'. I will try to have it finished soon.