Moi-Moi: Congratulations! You've completed the first act to this story! :D

Now, we will be continuing with the second act. From here on out, the story will be rated M. The second act will be answering some questions as well as tying up some loose (romantic) ends.

I am extremely excited about the second act. It's where the fun will REALLY begin. The first act was more of an introduction to the real story that's about to begin. I hope you guys are ready for the roller coaster ride that's about to happen... evilly rubs hands together

~:~

Hitomi sighed as she lounged on the wall of the largest fountain in the palace. This was not how she pictured her life going. She had always thought that if or when Chase ever showed her any affection or care, she would be the happiest girl alive. Honestly, she just felt ticked off.

He was smothering her! Demanding that she always have at least six jungle cats with her at all times and his Crow or that she basically follow him around all day. Hitomi was at her wit's end. She understood that he was just worried for her after what happened months ago. But it's not like she was a defenseless damsel in distress. She could fight well and protect herself. He should know. He had taught her...

"Hitomi."

She sighed and sat up from the fountain. Chase was approaching her with a frown. "Oh, darn. A furball just tried to choke me, but you just missed it. It's a shame you weren't there to keep an eye on me. I might have suddenly exploded if you left me alone for too long," Hitomi scoffed and laid back down.

Chase bristled. "You're hilarious."

"And you're overprotective and smothering. At least we know that neither of us is about to change at any time soon," Hitomi huffed.

"You feel smothered?" Chase asked before scoffing. "You're too young to understand."

Hitomi sprang up from her spot before approaching Chase dangerously. He narrowed his gaze at her in warning, but Hitomi was already in his face with a glare of her own. "What's so complicated about it? You're worried that something else will happen to me, so you feel that you must keep an eye on my like I'm some sort of prisoner!"

"Have you forgotten that you are my captive? This is your prison," Chase snarled.

"So, you always fall in love with your "captives"? Or am I just special?" Hitomi mocked with air quotes. She could tell that she was bordering on dangerous territory. Chase had already come clean about his history with Mei. He'd made it abundantly clear that he was moving on. She didn't need to throw it back in his face, but she couldn't help what she said when she was frustrated. Despite Chase's warning growls, she didn't back down. "I may just be the only person who's not completely turned off from or terrified by your presence. I think I deserve some type of award for going this long with such a narcissistic and paranoid jerk who only has time for me when he feels like it!"

"That's because I can't go too long in your presence without sustaining hypertension and chronic migraines! You're not perfect, despite your belief of that. You're a disrespectful, loud smart-mouth and you're lucky I haven't fed you to the jungle cats by now," Chase growled.

"As if you could! You'd be lost without me and you know it," Hitomi declared before walking away from him.

"I've gone fifteen hundred years without you! What makes you so special," Chase finished with a hiss. He was boiling mad. He couldn't believe her. Hitomi knew just what buttons to press to get him really fired up. He'd have to leave and go somewhere isolated and vent later. Probably the Land of Neither Here Nor There...

"Why can't you just admit it? We both know you care about me! You're just being too pigheaded to admit it," Hitomi said before practically stomping away from him.

With low growls that we're slowly building in volume, Chase grit his teeth as literal steam rose off his head. Why did she have to be so frustrating? With a whip of his long hair behind him, Chase stomped away in the opposite direction. He needed to cool down before he did something they would both regret.

~:~

Dinner for Hitomi took place in her quiet bedroom. She wasn't up for sitting at the table with Chase after the harsh things she had said to him. She pushed her rice around the plate with a frown. They had been fighting so much lately. But why? They'd been able to go for months in each other's presence before. But now that Wuya and Hannibal had threatened their lives, she and Chase were always at each other's throats.

It wasn't fair to Chase. He was only trying to help in his own awkward way. He probably didn't know how to show that he cared other than to smother her in overprotectiveness. It was a little sweet just how concerned he was for her. But that didn't mean that she needed it! A little protection would be okay, but Chase was going overboard. Hitomi could protect herself just fine.

When she heard the knock on her door, Hitomi froze. It was two, firm knocks. She stared at the door for several seconds before calling out, "Come in."

Chase pushed the door open and strode into the room totally composed. Hitomi watched his dignified pose and nearly rolled her eyes. She decided not to speak the first words that came to mind. Chase had called her disrespectful. She could at least try to-

"Despite your ungratefulness, I have decided that you are still worth protecting," Chase started.

"I'm so glad you still find me worth protecting. I had been so worried that you would kick me out. Or worse, that you would let me defend myself. It's not like I've been training my whole life and then training with you for weeks," Hitomi said and glared down at her plate.

"Is that what this is all about? Don't be foolish. Of course I know that you can protect yourself. I am going through the extra effort so that you don't have to. Have you ever considered that some of my enemies have lived for thousands of years? I highly doubt that they're going to keel over at any time soon. If you were to fight them, it would surely be a fight to the death- your death," Chase explained through narrowed eyes.

Hitomi pursed her lips, but didn't look up at Chase. He did have a point. "So, what you're saying is... You do care?" Hitomi asked and shot Chase a sly look. Chase rolled his eyes at her while releasing a breath of exasperation. "Admit it, Chase. You like me. I promise, you'll feel so much better once you face the truth," Hitomi said with a grin.

Chase glared down at her. "I think I liked you better when you were shouting at me," he said before leaving. Hitomi shook her head slowly. Chase was so in denial.

~:~

He wasn't in denial. He knew full and well what he felt for Hitomi, but she didn't need to know that. Not yet, anyways.

Chase had other things to worry about- specifically Hannibal Bean and Wuya. He had been keeping an eye on them with his Crow, going so far as to completely ignore the Xiaolin monks. Up until this point, Wuya and Hannibal only looked to be avoiding him while still trying to collect Shen Gone Wu. They probably thought that they would be able to use them the next time they faced him. Chase scoffed.