Yor finished her—how many was this now?— glass of wine and looked up to seek a passing server for a refill but was surprised to find that the restaurant was practically empty. Nearly, except for the two of them. "Loid!" She said with a nervous laugh, "What time is it?" She couldn't help the blush as she reached over the table to grab Loid's wrist, glancing at his watch. She gasped, "It's nearly ten thirty! We've been sitting here for over three hours!" They couldn't have possibly been talking for that long, could they?

One minute she was bone stiff with anxiety at having to spend an evening alone with Loid, and then the next, he's grabbing her hand, apologizing, and professing his feelings for her. What on Earth was she supposed to do with that? Three bottles of wine. That's what. God, had she really been talking for three whole hours? If Loid was semi-interested at all in the beginning, she for sure killed it, brought it back to life, just to beat it to death again by talking his ear off. She leaned back in her chair, still in disbelief.

Loid waved his arm towards the server signaling for the check before he turned to look at her with one of his charming smiles. "Relax, I could listen to you talk all night. Plus, I got to know more about my wife." He winked at her and she flashed him an embarrassed half smile before thanking him for one of the best dinners she ever had. And it truly was. Each course was absolutely sublime—albeit a little too expensive for her taste, but still, she found herself for the first time genuinely relaxed around him. Maybe it was the liquid courage or perhaps it was him lowering his defenses that made her ease up. Either way, she had opened up to him and shared so much of herself over the evening.

She told him about how hard it was when her parents passed away, leaving her to be the sole caretaker of her younger brother Yuri. He was six at the time and she was only thirteen. They bounced around from orphanage to orphanage and even though she was still a child, she took on whatever job she could find just so that they could have some bread or anything at all to eat. Of course, she might have left out some minor details such as being recruited by the Garden a few years later and being trained to be an assassin for hire.

The conversation from there naturally turned towards her wanting to clear some things up as she thought back to the first dinner party she had invited Loid to. The one that had originally been the whole reason for this charade where Camilla had blurted out that Yor worked at a massage parlor. "I know that there are certain assumptions about massage parlors, but I just wanted to assure you that I—" Loid had raised a hand, stopping her mid-sentence.

"I know you never did anything in that manner, but Yor…" he reached across the table to place his hand over hers, "Even if you did, whatever you needed to do, you did to take care of you and your brother and that is something I cannot find fault in." Her eyes began to water at his acceptance of her life choices. He believed her ideals to be true and genuine, and his approval brought about a happiness that Yor never knew she wanted from him.

When Loid finished paying for their dinner, they exited together, her arm hooked in his as they strolled down the quiet cobble-stoned pathway. Loid had suggested a short walk down to the pier, which wasn't too far and Yor welcomed the extra time with him. Besides, the night air was refreshing, and it cooled her skin that was still warm from the wine. They walked past a handful of couples and Yor couldn't help but wonder if this was what it was like to have a…normal life. When was the last time she even got to enjoy doing something so simple as having dinner in the company of a man? Let alone a handsome man? Or having a night stroll with somebody arm in arm? Never, she thought dryly. Either her work got in the way or she would regretfully turn down dates due to fear of being caught for her extracurricular activities.

She looked up at Loid then, the lights from the streetlamps casting soft beams on his face and he looked almost angelic, even for a man. Her thoughts drifted and she wondered what his first wife was like. Was she sweet-tempered or was she bold and confident like Fiona? What did she look like? She must have been breathtakingly beautiful if Loid had married her. She was caught off guard when he glanced down and smiled, "We're here."

Embarrassed for having been caught staring she immediately looked away, wanting to focus on anything but him. They had reached the pier, boats and little fishing vessels were tied up along the dock, and the half-moon reflected off the dark water's calm surface. It was quiet, peaceful. No cars or city life, no gossiping colleagues or loud crowds talking over each other. Just the gentle sound of water lapping beneath them.

She continued to look out into the darkness, soaking in the calmness of the night. "Thank you again for a wonderful evening. I can't remember the last time I went out and actually enjoyed myself."

Loid raised an eyebrow, "Well then, that is something I will have to rectify if we are going to be in a happily married relationship."

Yor almost choked on the comment her eyes searching his face, "We will…do this more often?"

Loid laughed, "We should. It would make the story more believable plus…" He turned towards her, "I enjoy seeing you like this. You were so relaxed at dinner and smiled a lot. I could get used to that."

Yor didn't know what to say to all of that, so she simply nodded. How could she tell him that getting used to this was exactly what she was afraid of? She knew this couldn't go on forever, either her work with the Garden would eventually come to light or this little charade of theirs would come to an end. This was just a temporary agreement to get the SSS off her back and for Anya to settle into Eden. Yor looked out into the dark horizon. What seemed peaceful just a few moments ago, now felt cold and daunting, reality ready to swallow her up at any moment and yet…she didn't want this to end.


Anya groaned as she slouched deeper into her chair. What did she do to deserve such punishment? She already had so much to worry about at home, making sure that Mama and Papa stayed happy together was a full time gig, but now she had this to worry about? She looked over her shoulder to meet the scowl of Damian Desmond. So, he wasn't thrilled to be her partner on this school project either it seems. She closed her eyes and could imagine her Papa jumping for joy at this perfect opportunity. Damian was the son of her father's target, and this was their chance to gain more information on Donovan Desmond. She sighed in defeat. This was her chance to really help with the mission!

Housemaster Henderson quieted the classroom as he explained the project. "Together you and your partner will choose a fable or story that you think conveys a worthy moral lesson and display your findings on a poster board by the end of the week. The team that produces the most elegant and stylish of presentations will both receive a Stella Star." The housemaster straightened his tie and cleared his throat, "You may now pair up with your partner to begin brainstorming."

The students all got up at once, the excited chatter and chairs scraping across the floors as they pulled seats together filled the classroom. Anya however dragged her feet as she made her way to Damian, receiving a supportive wink by Becky as she walked by. Scooting an empty chair closer to Damian's desk she sat down nervously.

Great. I'm stuck with the densest girl in our class. I'm surely going to fail and Father will never notice me now. Damian's thoughts stung Anya as if he had just slapped her. Did he really think so little of her that he was giving up before the project even began? And what does he mean dense? She wasn't dense! No matter, she would just have to change his mind! More importantly, if they were to be top of their class Papa would be so pleased! Gathering her courage, she let out a huff and balled her hand in a fist, slamming it onto his desk. He turned to her startled, eyes wide.

"I may not be the smartest in the class but we are going to ace this assignment and get those Stella Stars! I promise you!" She wasn't sure if Damian believed her or if he was just agreeing because he was stunned by her declaration. "Now, do you have a favorite story in mind?"

Damian thought for a moment, "I'm not sure. There are so many to choose from. How do we pick the best one that will please the Housemaster?"

Anya turned to look at the front of the class, the older man was watching his students carefully. She focused on his thoughts, silencing the other voices around her until she could hear only his. Most children will choose classic tales such as Little Red Riding Hood or Goldilocks. The more popular the story, the more they think it will impress me. However, I will actually be impressed by a less common tale that focuses on deeper life lessons. Besides, no age is too young to learn about human decency and moral principles. That is the standard I hold for all Eden Academy students.

Anya smiled back at Damian. "We should pick a story that isn't too well-known, that way our project stands out from the others."

"That…is actually a clever idea. Okay! Let's do it!" The pair high-fived each other and began to brainstorm. Those Stellar Stars were going to be theirs!

Three excruciating days later it was time to present their projects. The confidence they had in the beginning had quickly fizzled when they couldn't come to an agreement on what story to showcase. They had lost two days just arguing over which story seemed best. The next problem was assigning who would do what for the presentation and it didn't help that Damian said her penmanship was offensively terrible and that her drawings were just as bad. The insults infuriated her and she called him an unimaginative bore with no sense of artistic style at all, which in turn didn't sit well with the boy.

Their constant bickering had also gotten the attention of the Housemaster and not in a positive light. He had docked them overall points for failing to work productively as a team which only made them angrier with each other. It wasn't until yesterday after classes, when Anya heard Damian's thoughts that she began to feel bad for him.

What will it take for Father to notice me? I can't even remember the last time I spoke or saw him. Does he even remember that I'm alive? I perhaps would have had a chance to see him if I got one of those Stellar Stars tomorrow, but our project is terrible. I can't work with that girl, she knows exactly how to push my buttons to get me riled up and now…Father will have no reason to answer my call. I'm just a failure to him.

Anya held the large poster board in her hands as she walked up to the head of the classroom, eager to show off their masterpiece. Although her and Damian had taken turns drawing the beginning and middle parts to the story, the ending was all her and she worked diligently throughout the night to perfect the grand finale. She waited for Damian to reach her side before placing the project on the desk. When she opened up the poster board the entire class let out sounds of shocked amazement. She could even swear that the Housemaster's jaw fell to the ground.

She elbowed Damian to begin the presentation. He was still staring at the board when he turned to face the class. He coughed into a fist, gathering his courage. "This is the tragic tale of The Wolves and the Sheep. It begins with a pack of cunning wolves lurking near a sheep pasture that was protected by a pack of loyal dogs. The wolves came up with a plan to trick the sheep, convincing them that they simply wanted to play and that the dogs wanted to keep them locked away from the rest of the world. The dogs tried to argue with the sheep…defending that they are only looking out for them because they are friends, but the sheep were easily swayed by the wolves' charms and sent the dogs away despite their loyalty throughout the years. Later that night the wolves had the grandest feast they ever had. The end."

Damian finished the story, but nobody clapped. Complete and utter silence. That was until the Housemaster twirled about across the classroom, stars in his eyes and shouted, "Such a harsh lesson years beyond your age! How tragic indeed! How deep! How moving!" He stopped in front of the display board eyeing the rather doom and gloom presentation. It was not the usual light-hearted storyboard he was used to but it was impressive nonetheless. His attention was mostly at the bottom of the board. Anya had drawn a flock of sheep with giant x's for eyes, inside the mouths of giant wolves, implying that they were dead. Although you couldn't have missed that fact seeing as the sheep were surrounded by swirls and swirls of bright red that she crayoned in to represent the blood. She had even added red paint splatter for a more dramatic effect. Damian's writing in block letters were posted underneath, conveying the moral of the story, 'Do not give up friends for foes. Do not trust blindly.' At first glance the gruesome presentation could be rather concerning but he found their understanding of the tale quite impressive for their age.

He turned around and faced the classroom arms wide in marvel, "The moral of this tale children is that you should not be so easily fooled by the lies of a charmer for you never know their true intentions! Remember also who stood by you. Loyalty is hard to find." He started to clap and the rest of the class followed suit, cheering and yelling at how "mature" Damian and Anya were for choosing such a morbid story. "Excellent job the both of you. Though quite a dreary lesson, it is an impactful one all the same! This indeed surpasses the standards of Eden Academy!" Anya beamed and she winked at Damian, hopefully now she had earned at least some respect from him.


"Can we go on the ferris wheel Papa? Can we? Can we?" Loid let out a chuckle as Anya tugged at his hand, pointing at the giant structure in front of them. As part of her reward for earning another Stellar Star he suggested they go on a carnival family outing. Full of endless amounts of peanuts and thrilling roller coaster rides. Rewards were necessary as a means of encouragement so that Anya would continue to do well in her studies. He glanced at Yor who was staring up at the ride, seemingly deep in thought. "Are you afraid of heights?"

"No, I just…" She shook her head seeming to disregard her original thought and turned to face him, a beaming smile on her face. "I would love to go on the ferris wheel." Anya squealed in excitement and pulled at the bottom of Loid's jacket, leading him to the line. He laughed and grabbed Yor's hand in his, not wanting to leave her behind. To anyone watching, they seemed to be the perfect loving family. The past week he had to admit had gone by so much easier once he stopped tiptoeing around Yor's feelings. Gone were the doubts to spare her feelings, the mission came first, and it was up to him to separate his emotions from the case, which meant fully committing to the act as husband. He was realizing however, that the "act" of playing her loving partner was getting harder to differentiate between pretend and real. It was just so easy to be around her, he didn't need to put on a show, enjoying her company seemed as natural to him as breathing. It didn't help that by knowing more of her past, he began to admire her loyalty and resolve. Like him, she had to endure so much at a young age. Most children would have cracked under the pressure, but not her. There was strength behind that soft demeaner, and he was drawn to her.

When it was their turn to get on the gondola of the ferris wheel, Anya couldn't wait to climb in. The pod swayed as they all entered, one by one and she chanted, "Up! Up! Up!" They waited for another family to enter the second booth before they were able to lift off. Loid was just settling into his seat but was surprised to see Anya's confidence begin to waver as her body completely stiffened out of nowhere.

He chalked it up to the first-time jitters and he tried to calm her, "There's no need to be scared Anya, these rides are safe!" The girl completely ignored his comment and her eyes slowly widened and her face turned pale. She looked up at Yor and he raised a brow curiously. Had she said something to Anya to accidentally frighten her? Yor frowned, apparently unsure of how to handle this new sudden behavior. She tried to reassure Anya that everything would be fine but the girl quickly begged to be let off the ride.

"Please Papa! Can we get off? I want to play some carnival games instead!" Loid didn't even get a chance to answer when Anya ran across his lap and out of the booth, swiftly hopping back to solid ground and wiped her brow as if she had just narrowly escaped sudden death. He and Yor quickly rushed after her and apologized to the attendant.

"Anya? What's wrong?" Loid bent to a knee so that he was eye-level but she only shook her head in response. He shot another glance at Yor who only shrugged, seeming to be just as confused as he was. "Okay…" He started, not knowing what to make of the outburst, "It's your day, we can do whatever you wish to. Carnival games it is!" He picked her up and gave her a light tickle, immediately changing her frown into a smile. They walked through the crowds until they reached a strip of colorful booths, all containing different games. "Which would you like to do first?" Anya pointed at the stall with the giant stuffed animals. "Okay, shooting." This should be a breeze. He pulled out a few dollars and handed it to the game master. "How many targets to win the giant giraffe?"

The game master smiled, "You have eight shots and must shoot 8 targets exactly."

Loid took a breath, eight perfect shots shouldn't be too difficult. It was a carnival game after all. How hard could it be? He stepped up to the podium and was handed the bb gun. He took position, steadied his breathing as he aimed down sights ready to shoot, when all of a sudden the targets started to move at breakneck speed, some of them spinning behind blockades to prevent from being hit completely!

Ah. So this was the trickery of carnival games he was warned of. He finished his round, shooting only seven out of eight targets. The game master let out a whistle, clearly impressed that someone had even hit that many and offered Loid a smaller sized giraffe plushie as his consolation prize. He let out an embarrassed laugh as he handed it to Anya. "I'm sorry I couldn't hit the last one, it went right behind a barrier at the last moment." The little girl assured him that this prize was perfect, and hugged her new toy. Loid was about to ask Anya which game she would like them to try next when Yor stepped forward, lips firm, and her eyes focused.

"I would like to try for the giant animal." The game master clapped, unable to hide his eagerness to con another sucker into playing his game. Loid paid for her round and crossed his arms clearly amused. The look of determination she had was adorable but there was no way that she was going to be able—

Yor shot eight shots with such speed that Loid didn't even get to finish his own thought. He had to hard blink to make sure he was actually seeing what he thought he was seeing…she had hit each intended target perfectly! The game master was just as stunned as Loid because he didn't even move, his mouth wide open. Yor jumped up and down in victory, and reached for the giant giraffe herself, not waiting for the shocked man to hand her the prize. Giggling, she handed it to Anya who disappeared under the giant toy, only her laughter indicating that there was a child beneath all that fluff. Loid still couldn't believe it. Not only did she shoot so precisely, she shot each target with rapid succession that he had barely caught all of it. How did she…? This woman was nothing but surprises.

"Beginner's luck I think they call it!" Yor remarked as if that was a reasonable explanation. Loid felt his competitive spirit begin to swell and his curiosity was growing. What else could she chalk up to "beginner's luck?" It was about an hour later and they were still in a heavy contest with each other, winning so many rounds that a small crowd began to follow them from one booth to the other, excited to see who could outmatch who. First they had played darts to see who could pop the most balloons and they had both lost count as the tally grew higher and higher. That game had officially ended in a draw however as the game master of that booth apparently ran out of targets for them to hit.

The next game was bounce balls, where they had to bounce a single ping pong ball into a cup at the center of the board. It took Loid three attempts and Yor four. He was so pleased to have bested her finally in a game, he karate punched the air in excitement, losing himself in the moment. He felt the crimson in his own face begin to warm at his childish behavior and tried to ignore the chuckles that the girls were giving him. He pulled at the vest of his suit, gathering himself, his solemn face returning, "I'm sorry I got carried away. That boast was uncalled for." He glanced at Yor who to his surprise was smirking at him, her eyes daring…she was clearly enjoying this little competition.

"Hmph! One more game to break the tie. Think you can best me, husband?" He felt his pulse race at the coy tease, fighting the sudden urge to kiss her playful smile and show her exactly what he was capable of. Damn it, why did he have no self-control where this woman was concerned? He shoved those desirous thoughts down. He had a competition to win after all.
Devilishly, he smiled back, "Oh it's on, wife."

The final game was a simple game of observational skills, where a single ball was placed under one of three cups, which were then shuffled quickly and finally ending with the player selecting the cup that held the ball. Loid and Yor took turns but had gotten every single round correct no matter how quick the shuffle. The game master eventually added more cups hoping to increase the difficulty. They had gone up to twenty cups being shuffled and still at the end of each turn, they both continued to select the winning cup.

"Tis impossible to best either of you! You both have eyes of a hawk!" Exclaimed the game master, both shocked and amused. "I declare this battle…a tie!" The crowd that gathered to watch the competition whooped and cheered at the conclusion of the games with the final game master gifting them each a giant stuffed animal, one bear and one lion. Loid and Yor both laughed and held it for Anya who could no longer hold anymore toys in her arms.

As they walked towards the exit grounds, Loid still couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that this sweet little woman by his side had pretty much gone toe to toe with him in every single game. Shooting, precision, awareness…God, she was such an enigma to him. Anya ran ahead of them to sit down on a bench, claiming that the "animals" needed a walking break. Loid sat down next to her and was surprised when Anya climbed into his lap, her head resting directly over his heart. "Thank you, Papa, I will never forget this perfect day."

He tried to shove those pesky stirrings of affection down. Deep, down, desperately trying to ignore that roaring parental bond he was beginning to have for the girl. He should have completely disregarded the comment, pretend he didn't hear her say it, and wiped it from his memory. Instead, he brought a comforting hand to her head and kissed her on the forehead, "Me too Anya." She didn't respond and he wasn't that surprised to see that she had already fallen asleep. Outdoor activities, especially around a lot of people really seemed to take a lot out of the girl.

He looked up then to see Yor's face, caught in the golden beam of the setting sun. She looked like a goddess staring down at them. How exactly was he supposed to walk away from her when this was finished? Why would he want to abandon this family? Because…this is not real, you idiot. You are NOT Loid Forger, she is not your real wife, and this is not your real child. They are a means to an end, and that end's name is Donovan Desmond. Get it together Twilight. Loid let out a deep exhale as he let logic repair the cracks in his defenses. It was time to go home.


Yor watched as houses and people passed by her in a blur of colors, her head resting against the glass of the car window. She had gotten the call from the Shopkeeper early in the morning that she was being assigned a case, noting that she probably wouldn't be home until late, since the target lived deep in the country. Normally she wouldn't mind a visit outside of the city, in fact she often enjoyed those little getaways but after the previous day's outing at the carnival, she found herself rather disappointed. She didn't want to leave Loid or Anya, especially not so soon after having that much fun together. She wanted more of those moments, more memories. Rolling her head to the side she brought it against the seat and stared out the other window, her gaze longing to be home and her mood depressed. She didn't even get the chance to say goodbye to either of them, not wanting to wake them and instead left a handwritten note on the dining room table that something came up with work and she had to go in early.

Yor dipped her head and looked at the rear-view mirror, the angle of her slouch made it easy to see the driver's eyes. "Can't you drive a little faster?" The driver sent an annoyed glance her way before turning his attention back to the road but not before Yor noticed that the car had begun to pick up speed. "Thank you," she muttered softly. The faster the mission was completed, the faster she could get back home. Even if home was not really home.

It was about another few hours before they finally reached their destination. The driver pulled into a large driveway reminding her that he will be parked just outside of the property, watching for her signal to be picked up. Yor thanked him and stepped out, admiring the lavish mansion in front of her. It was a grand home that stretched out as far as she could see. Wonderful. Yor thought sarcastically. The larger an unknown location meant more spaces for her target, or enemies, to hide. Four pillars atop stone stairs led up the front door. She took in a deep breath of the morning air, the scent of dew and freshly cut grass filled the air as she made her way up the steps, recalling the mission details:

"Thorn Princess. A ruthless crime boss by the name of Charles Moretti, has put out a hit on his own pregnant wife and unborn child. She is to be an eye-witness in a case and the only person willing to testify against her husband in court. Obviously, he cannot let her get on that stand. Your mission is to eliminate him. If there is no one to offer the reward for the hit, then the contract will be null and void. He resides in his secluded mansion away from the city but be warned...he has a small army of guards, which I'm sure you'll dispose of easily, but it's the three deadly mercenaries he just brought on to his security detail that I'm worried about. We don't know their exact identities so it's best to approach them with extreme caution."

Yor rang the doorbell and heard its echoes inside. Sometimes missions called for stealth and sometimes…she found the direct approach to be much quicker. Although it wasn't recommended, but she was still basking in how good yesterday felt that she just couldn't wait to get back home. Besides, she could take on three mercenaries, easy. She didn't have to wait long after the bell had been rung, as an armed man dressed in a suit answered the door. She didn't hesitate for a second, unsheathing her blade and dug it right into the guard's throat before he could even ask who she was.

She stepped over his body and calmly walked inside as two more men rushed her from the left. She fell into a crouch, extending her leg, sweeping the man as she spun in a circle. He crashed onto his back and she brought her blade down into his chest with ease. The other guard swore loudly and aimed his gun at her, firing relentlessly. Yor had counted on upsetting the guard. Anger led to mistakes in a fight...mistakes such as wasting one's bullets like this guard was. Yor shielded herself with the dead man's body as she counted the shots. The guards all carried standard Glock 19s and if they weren't modified should hold 15 bullets until they needed to be reloaded.

The last bullet fired and Yor seized her window. She tossed her human shield knocking the guard to the ground. She quickly grabbed the dead man's pistol from his holster and shot three rounds into the fallen man. She could hear backup on its way, and she needed to get to higher ground. She ran up the stairs to the second level, making quick work of eight more guards that greeted her. She alternated between pistol and blades as she made her way down the long hallway. Crimson blood soaking into the carpet as she left a pile of dead bodies in her wake. More shouts from the first floor as guards hurried up the steps but Yor met them at the top with one swift kick, knocking the men down as they fell into each other like dominoes. She shot a single bullet into each of them before turning on her heel and continued back down the hall, the carpet sticky with blood. She was about to turn the corner when a heavy fist sucker punched her, catching her off guard. Yor stumbled a few feet back, "That wasn't very nice," she called out.

A burly man emerged from the shadows. His hair was pulled back in a slick ponytail and his beard was thick. His tongue licked the top of his lips, although the beard hid most of it. He eyed Yor hungrily, and she felt a shiver run down her spine. "Such a shame that I'm going to have to rip apart such a pretty little thing." He shifted his weight to one foot as he took a step to the side, admiring the trail of bodies behind her. His whistle pierced the air and he let out a laugh.

"You did all that by your little lonesome? Well now, I'm glad I rolled out of bed early after all." A large blade extended from the arm of one jacket and in the other…Yor stared at the medieval weapon with caution. The blade she was used to fighting against, but this? The handle was made of hard wood, thick and heavy, with leather wrapped tightly around for grip. At the end of the bat, was a chain with a spiked metal ball hanging at its end. This weapon was used for striking even if the intended target was some distance away. She would need to be careful. One hit with this and any part of her would be splattered.

He lunged at her suddenly and Yor was surprised that a man of his size could move with such speed. She dodged each swing but he was leading her back into the den of dead bodies, and going backwards into the slim hallway was a deathtrap. She was guaranteed to trip on one of the corpses making it easy for this beast of a man to strike her then. Playing on his terms wouldn't do. She had to set the pace and go on the offense. She let him lead her to the hall and just as he swung his weapon, she ducked, the metal ball impaling the wall, and it stuck within the concrete. This was her chance.

She stabbed at the wall with one of her blades using it to hold herself steady and ran quickly up the other, the man shocked by the evasion. She kicked off the wall and spun in a half circle, landing on top of his shoulders. Wrapping her legs around his neck, Yor applied as much strength and pressure as she possibly could. His hands tried to grab her but she swiftly brought down her blades, piercing through both of his upper shoulder joints, rendering his arms completely useless. He screamed in pain as metal met flesh, and his arms fell limp to his sides. She tightened her grip on his neck and the beast fell to the floor. That had to have been one of the three mercenaries the Shopkeeper had warned her of. One down, two more to go.

Yor continued to make her way deeper into the mansion, slicing her way through one guard after another until finally she made her way up to the conservatory. Moretti's favorite part of his home, and last room of the house according to the reports. She rolled her neck in a circular motion, wanting to release whatever tension had been building. A calm mind was an abled mind in a fight. She carefully gripped the handles of the door, and placed an ear against the wood, listening for any movement inside. The cock of a gun came from the other side and Yor instantly tucked and rolled out of the way as shots penetrated the door. A man's bellow came from inside, "Where is Dimitri? Where is my brother?"

Yor could only assume it was that ogre of a man downstairs. "The one with the swingy ball thing? He's taking a nap." She called out, daring to peek inside the room and could only see one man. He looked similar to his brother, broad shoulders, and heavy-set. But that was where the similarities ended. This brother was built like an ox and all muscle whereas Dimitri was portly but especially in the middle of his gut. The other noticeable difference was that the man in front of her was clean shaven revealing a gruesome face, marred with scars.

The man let out a deafening yell at the ceiling, damning her for killing his brother. Yor kicked open the door then, flinging one of her blades into the man's hand, knocking the gun from his grasp. He roared out in pain as she sped towards him but like his brother, he was quick, quicker even, and caught her, easily tossing her against the wall...the other blade slipping from her grip. The crash against the solid wood had dazed her for only a second but that was all the man needed. He had charged across the room reaching her in two steps and stuck a punch deep into her gut, the air choking in her throat. Yor immediately regret underestimating these mercenaries. This brother was proving to be much more difficult. He was bigger, stronger...He grabbed her hair and tossed her once again to the side as if she were nothing but a ragdoll.

"Dimitri is dead..." She could hear the pain in his voice, his nearing footsteps blurry as she tried to focus her vision. She heard the sound of metal sliding across the wood floor and she knew he had picked up one of her blades. Get to your feet Yor. Get up! A large hand gripped her neck, choking her as he dangled her in the air. The man was strong, and by God he was massive. She clawed at the hand that held her, but the toss had weakened her more than she wanted to admit. The corner of his lips twisting from a scowl into a wicked grin, and he traced the blade slowly along the inside of her thigh. "My brother would have granted you a quick death…" He buried his face into the side of her neck, taking in the scent of her, his hot breath against her neck. "I, however, enjoy playing with my food." Suddenly, his tongue began to lick at her ear greedily, saliva dripping from his mouth. She felt her stomach tighten in disgust as she tried to slip from his hold, kicking and flailing only to be met with laughter.

"You've got some fight left in you I see." Without warning he slammed her against the floor, this time, her head crashing into the hard wood with a resounding crack. Pain shot through her and she tried to fight it but could barely move. "I don't mind beating you, but for now, be a good girl for Nikolai, hmm?" She heard the sound of his belt buckle loosening and the sudden realization of what he intended, hit her harder than any wall.

No, this is not how it ends. She turned to her side, as another sear of pain shot through her skull. Loid… She felt like her entire body was on fire. She blinked past the pain and began to crawl. Anya… She dragged her body against the floor. She didn't even get to say goodbye…

A low growl of a laugh loomed over her, "Where are you going sweetie?" She felt Nikolai's vicious hand grip her ankle and she braced herself for another toss. She tucked her head as close to her chest as she went flying through the air once again. This time she was ready for the impact, though it still hurt like hell. Her eyes widened suddenly as her fingertips brushed the familiar cold metal behind her. The oaf had thrown her back to where she originally dropped her blade. She gripped it tightly, she would only have one chance to deliver the death blow. She pretended to be paralyzed by the pain and Nikolai took his time approaching her, his smile wavering between lust and hatred. "I am going to enjoy making you scream over and over until you beg me to kill you." His laughter was sickening, "And even when you beg, I still won't give you the sweet release of death."

Patience…fight through the pain, almost there…

"And when I finally tire of you," He continued, a devilish snarl on his face, "as penance for killing my brother, I am going to hunt down anybody that you hold dear in life and make them suffer a death you couldn't possibly even imagine." The last few words were dripped in hatred. Reaching her, he once again grabbed her by the neck, lifting her to her feet. "Any last words before we begin our fun?"

Yor found her strength then, pushing through her body's agony, a furious rage in her eyes. Nikolai had just threatened to kill her loved ones. That label no longer belonged to just Yuri. No, there were two more people she cared for. Two more people she would fight to the death to protect. She flashed him a sly smile and nodded, "Yea, say hi to your brother for me." In one quick motion she plunged the blade into the apple of his throat, pushing deeper until she was met with satisfaction as the other end protruded from the back of his skull. His grip loosened around her neck and she stepped out of the way before his body went tumbling to the floor. She touched the base of her throat and winced in pain. There was no way she could go home right away now, not after this fight. There would be too many bruises to explain away. The cuts and scrapes she might get away with, but the deep purple and black that will surely bruise around her neck? There's no way to explain away being strangled.

She limped over to the other side of the room, picking up her second blade. There were supposed to be three mercenaries, weren't there? Perhaps the last one was in the safe room with Moretti. Although Yor wasn't too thrilled about fighting one more opponent in this current condition. She walked through the conservatory, the morning light shining viciously through the sunroof. She held a hand up to her eyes, normally the sun didn't phase her, but right now, after being tossed around like a dog's chew toy, all she wanted was a deep bed and a dark room. She reached the doors at the end of the room, yanking them open. An older man, with a rugged face and thick eyebrows stood in the center, his mouth in a firm line.

"So. You've killed everyone then?" Yor nodded. The pain was starting to become unbearable, and she didn't trust herself to speak. She had to make this quick, for both of their sakes. She made her way to him and he didn't even bother putting up a fight. He simply stood there, hands clasped behind his back. She looked at him curiously…was it regret in his eyes? Reaching him, she slowly slid both blades into his sides, upwards through his chest, his eyes filled up with tears. "Tell my wife…I'm sorry…" Yor stared at the ceiling. Wife…here was a man who promised to cherish, love, and protect his partner for all the rest of his days. How did it end up this way?

Yor glanced around the empty room. There was no third mercenary. She thanked the stars and let out a sigh of relief. She was in no condition to fight. Another searing burst of pain shot through the back of her head and she was grateful the mission was over. Making her way back into the conservatory, she searched Nikolai's pockets for a phone. Entering a series of number she spoke at the beep. "Mission…a success. Need a cleanup crew sent…right away. And notify the Shopkeeper I will be staying at the Garden." She hung up and tossed the phone to the ground, smashing it into pieces.

Getting to her feet she pictured Loid with Anya, the two of them waiting for her at home, and that was enough to give her the strength she needed to make her way out of the house. She had been on plenty of missions before, some of them had even come terribly close to ending her life, but never before had she been as scared of dying then she was today. To never see Anya's bright smile, or be held by Loid ever again. It brought tears to her eyes. She always assumed that she would be in this line of work either until she got too old or killed while on the job, but after everything that happened this past week...she was starting to question what her future could be. Could she give up this life for a chance of normalcy? To settle down and live out the rest of her life...happy? Would Loid and Anya even want that? She swiped away the tears, as her driver sped down the driveway, drifting into an abrupt stop in front of her. She jerked the car door open and thrust herself into the back seat with the last of her strength, as darkness suddenly took over.

...

The observer waited until the woman was completely gone before opening the latch of the sunroof and jumped down to Nikolai's lifeless body. A million questions racing through their mind. What the hell just happened? How did this one woman manage to clean out the entire mansion? Not to mention slay both Dimitri and Nikolai? And what was…The Garden? They bent down, reaching for Nikolai's head to get a closer look at the gaping hole in his neck. She pushed the blade clean through to the back of his skull. That takes some strength. Impressive. They dropped the body with little care and got up, wiping the blood on their pants as they made their way to the backroom.

The observer stopped as they got closer to Moretti and chuckled at the sight. "You're actually still breathing? Mighty sloppy of her to not make sure you were dead first. Though, to be fair, she did get her ass beat a little out there."

Moretti reached out a hand, grasping at air. "Wh—why…did you…not…intervene?" His voice gargled in his throat, as he tried to speak.

The observer laughed and waved a hand, "Because...things just got interesting!" Reaching to the side of their holster they pulled out a silencer and shot two bullets directly into Moretti's chest. Turning on their heel they exited the room, an amused grin on their lips, "Things just got a whole lot interesting…"