More was going on more than they both wished at the beginning of all this 'supervision'. Shelly never wanted to get involved with the small town's lives, but one decision had made everything make a divine 180 turn on the lot of them. Anya was known now, and she had given them a story that was far more truthful than fabricated. So it was unknown if the full truth would be carefully recieved…

Anya waited again, until the entire homestead was dead asleep. It felt she was waiting for two hours, granted. Anyway, she was too stressed to sleep. Her heart tightened and welled for this couple in question, and perhaps it was her own fault for being curious… Or perhaps this was fate? If one is set out to protect someone, that person would basically form some sort of relationship with the one they were watching over. Staying close. Something had to be founded… Anya silently repeated what she did the previous night and reformed beneath the blanket.

The silent winged beauty soared across to the Barber's roof again, awaiting far more than a firm word.

She found Shelly sitting against the chimney watching the stars above, seeming off put.

"Shells?" Anya whispered.

"Hey…"

"Have you eaten again, today?"

"Is that what you are really worried about right now?" Shelly asked, sporting a sharper tone.

"Yes, actually."

"No, I… I'm fine. Someone was sweet enough to feed me some cream and a fillet earlier." Shelly admitted, wiping her eye.

"Good. Look, um… Shell ~ I—"

"Everyone's taken a liking to you." Shelly cut off, suddenly. "You know that song you sang was used to control you and everyone else back at that circus. Why did you sing it?"

"It was for them, not to use them."

"But why though?"

"Shelly, I flew earlier after my interview to fish and… I saw the ground outside the gates where we left the caravan. It's been burnt. Someone burnt it down." Anya told her friend, at close proximity.

"So you made a new protective barrier around the block."

"That someone who came to you, they're keeping us in here." Anya warned.

"Well, firstly, they want him. Keeping us closer to him would be proving more trouble for themselves." Shelly spoke, wisely.

"Maybe so… or they want us to feel comfortable. Safe. Before striking…" Anya guessed. "Shells, there is no need to be hiding anymore, eating scraps. Why don't you come hang with us here?"

"I get it. You told them about me. Anya, I can't… You know why I can't."

"I don't see why not though. Charlot and Hannah, they genuinely want to help."

"We were supposed to be observing in the first place. This whole fiasco was your idea, not mine. So you must lie in your bed the way you made it. I want no part of it." Shelly argued.

Anya narrowed her eyes at her. "Yes, you do." she answered before sitting herself down.

"Anya, please…"

"It will be very simple —"

"No…"

"I will go about my day, we find each other in the market —"

"Don't~"

"And I will introduce you to the family…"

"This is ridiculous!"

"No it isn't." Anya stood her ground on that front. "Michelle, if you want to have some form of stability, being with those who support you is the way to go."

"They won't support me."

"Who says they won't?"

"There is a murderer out there, seeking to take his life away, Anya. This is exactly why I was against this idea. If I get close… and we lose him. And we fail." Shelly's voice almost shook from the rising emotion of that awful thought. "I don't think I can live with that… I know, Anya, he is the sweetest person ever to walk on this earth."

"We will not fail." Anya stated.

"Yeah? You always say that…"

"It is because I mean it. This is it. The Ministry has no say, it is our decision… We will keep the timeline stable, and we'll have the one thing we always wanted… A family."

Shelly sighed, nibbling on her thumbnail.

"Besides, there's nothing left for us back there, anyway."

"It's hell going through that system again…" Shelly said.

"Tell me about it…"

For Shelly, it took some considering of just offing the Ministry so simply felt like a nice rebellion by never returning to their proper time. They were two friends on their own, against a society who boasted yet seldom helped them find stability. Being dumped at one place after the other was not an ideal livelihood.

"Okay, fine…" Shelly groaned. "I'll do it."

Anya's eyes widened. "You would-you will?"

"Yes, yesss, what do you suggest?" Shelly looked tiredly at her, as if giving up her stubbornness which only happened once in a lifetime, it seemed. "You're the leader of this operation,"

Anya was overjoyed and hugged her. "Oh! You will not regret this, I promise!"

"You promise? Man, you are brave… dive bombing like the birdbrain you are…"

"Stop it~ okay… At dawn, that is when we all rise up, eat breakfast and then we attend business. Charlot cleans and opens his shop, Hannah tends to the block's laundry and I go and make my savings at the milkers until noon, than I come and help with the laundry. At noon, go to the dock, and we will make it seem like we're reuniting after the war."

"Great, acting."

"Not really… well, technically yes."

Through the night, the only sleepless one was Shelly, who was not feeling too ready at first. However, when she came to the Barber's sill again, where she could see him sleeping, her worries slowly flooded away. Swift, she lightly jumped to the floor, and arched her back in a tired stretch. This was as close as she previously tolerated. He was not aware of her yet, but she enjoyed his company on the first night. She managed to sleep by his side, while not being in the cold. This was something she felt a little embarrassed to share with Anya earlier… As Anya bonded with their protected, so did she, in silence.

Beyond the barrier, a black mass kept trying to fly through, only to get blocked off by the force. Shelly was able to hear the sound of the ricochet. Inside here though, it was warm, safe and welcoming. Quiet, she hopped to her chosen spot on the bed. If this was the last time doing this, mind as well make it count. At once, she instinctly began to purr as she loafed down against the cold wall.

The man felt a presence and lightly woke up, a bit confused at first, until he caught sight of the little calico loafed against the wall beside him. Skittish, Charlot gasped and hoisted himself up in surprise.

"My goodness gracious~!" his small voice piped, his eyes suddenly wide at this.

Shelly did not move, but she gave a helpless little 'mrewer'.

"Surely, I had not expected company tonight." he commented.

'I am not in the mood.' Shelly thought. "But make this our official meeting, I suppose?'

"Very peculiar… Not too indifferent, however…" Charlot rolled over and sat up.

She watched him go to the basin to rush water over his face. He was rather short for a typical man. One could mistake that he was younger than he actually was. 'You have no idea, sir. No — Idea.' she thought again. 'Well, maybe you do…'

"Needed to be certain this wasn't another dream, forgive me…"

'Man, I wish it was.' Shelly yawned in response.

"I wonder where you came from. Perchance we've met before —"

'We might have.'

He returned to her on the bed and merely sat, brushing some of that graying hair back. He looked overstressed, more than he let others on. He was unfailingly kind and being so was harder than anything in a world so wrecked and twisted.

"I need some company. I tend not to ask for it. I fear of being a bother. My mind feels so muddled…" he spoke, not knowing that this was no ordinary cat neighbor roosting. "Since the war, I cannot place where I was before. Something feels very wrong, as if something was taken from me… Besides that dream ~ why I haven't the foggiest…"

'No, not taken.' Shelly stretched a paw at him before she came and began to nuzzle herself against his rested arm. This was very corny, but even she hated to see pain. 'Just hidden.'

He was slightly off put as she cuddled against him as if he wasn't fairly used to this. A couple of fragmented memories flashed by though, one of a puppy, a little boy and lastly a long lonely road toward the mountains, and he was arm in arm with Hannah. He soon smiled, giving the calico a nice back scratch while she curled about, flexing her claws out, yawning.

"Yes, you are right. The sun is rising again, which is something we always should look forward to. We have the Ghetto, Hannah… now Anya. I am glad you came in. It has been a pleasure… Do make yourself at home."

Shelly snuggled more closely as he rested himself down again. This time being closer, the warmer and Shelly was feeling fine with that. He rested his head in the nook of his arm over the pillow and began providing a nice scratch over Shelly's head. Minutes went by and she was dozing before she heard him say ~ "Good night…"

'Good night. Charlie. See you soon.'