I was supposed to have this out way before Christmas but it got held up with editing which is like my biggest downfall when it comes to releasing anything in a timely manor. It's actually quite frustrating. Anyway this is a mini arc of stories which will be on going through the story. It will only be in a couple parts but you'll see why later. I hope you enjoy this one the others should follow shortly.


"So you got the popcorn?"

Naoto nodded as she settled in next to her long term boyfriend on the couch. She motion the bowl over to him which he stuck his hand in with glee, pulling out a handful and popping a few in his mouth. Once down he gave his significant other a small kiss causing her to relax into him. She found herself happy to settle down for the movie that he just put on. She'd been away for a week on a high profile case and had managed to bust a high profile gang ring which included people trafficking of foreign migrants. The case broke her heart how they were treated and seeing them resettled (Even at the resentment of the government) was worth it. It was a tough case but this was one of the times where she was just happy to be home.

She sighed as she felt Souji's arm wrap around her shoulder. His comfort all too needed.

"Feeling better?"

She took a minute to think about the question, using her time to fill her mouth with popcorn. "Yeah I am. I'm just happy to be home."

He kissed her hair causing her to purr in his grasp. "I'm happy to have you back."

She settle back down as her eyes concentrated on the movie Souji put on. The room was dim so the only thing was illuminating the room was the TV and the various scented candled situated around the room. Naoto's significant other went out of his way to make the room cosy so she could relax, but something about today just kept her brain going at full speed. She couldn't put her finger on it. She checked her phone quickly wondering if it wasn't something on her calendar. She raised an eye brow, curious why she had no reception.

"Souji-kun..."

Souji hummed in acknowledgment of his name but kept watching the TV. "...I have no signal."

The former leader's face looked at her in confusion before he decided to check his own. Just like Naoto's the 'No Service' message was on the front. That's unusual.

"Me neither. I'm assuming there is some issues with the network at the moment."

"Mmm." Naoto took another handful of popcorn and was about to pop it in her but her ears twitched.

"Did you hear that?" Souji looked at her in slight concern.

"No... Are you sure you are ok?"

Naoto hesitated. "I'm sure I heard some..."

*clang*

"GET DOWN!"

Naoto roared as she dragged Souji to the floor, a couple seconds later several bullets ripped through the apartment of the living room from the adjacent wall to the other. Naoto brain went into over drive as she kicked up the mini table so it was up on its side as her and Souji crouched behind the sofa. Several slams were heard against the door trying to kick it in. Thank heavens she had the foresight to get it reinforced.

"The fuck was that!?" Souji panicked as his eyes scan the room of any more incoming lethal projectiles.

"Shit, was I followed?" Naoto whispered to herself, her own eyes searching the room frantically that could give her answers as the slams against the door got more aggressive.

"We need to get in there and verify. The boss would not be happy if we didn't get them after all this information." The shouting from beyond the door paused any thoughts of her mind as she concentrated on what they said. From the conversation Naoto assumed there is at minimum two, at most five. She didn't like those odds at all.

"Souji I need my revolver." Naoto asked urgently. Souji immediately pointed to the draw under the TV allowing her a small sigh of relief. "Excellent, we don't have much time."

The couple could hear the reinforced wood and metal start to stress from the increasingly powerful impacts it was absorbing from the other side. "Should we escape from the back window in the bed room?"

Naoto shook her head, frowning that could be a trap. "That could be a lure to box us in. If we leave through the back it might be a trap and we'll be too exposed out there making us easy targets."

"Shit you're right."

Naoto crawled over to near the TV cabinet and quickly attached the holster and shoving an extra clip in her pocket.

"Fucking hell! How much does it need to fucking open?"

"Move out of the way, I'll shoot the lock open."

*BANG* *BANG* *BANG*

The bullets crashed into the house as they ricochet off the floor and across the hallway taking out the light and plunging the doorway into darkness. Chips of wood scattered everywhere from the resulting fire leaving holes in the floors and walls in the wake of the bullets trajectory.

"You idiot it's still not open. Just keep trying."

"I think there is four." Souji hissed to where the Sleuth agreed. Together they crawled across the joint kitchen area and behind the counters which had a blind spot from the doorway. From the table top Souji took two of the large cutting knifes from their stable top sheathe while Naoto took a steak knife herself and tucked it into her back pocket.

"From here they wouldn't be able to see us when they come in. It's too dangerous to cross over to the living room. If they decide to shoot in again we'll be sitting ducks."

Souji nodded, noticing the panic in her eyes. The way she looked at him even with a harden face; calculating their actions and chances, in her eyes he saw she was scared. He was aware that he was just as frightened too.

"We should get the jump on them; I'm hoping the ruckus they are causing means the neighbours are calling the police. They are making too much noise for them not to go noticed."

Souji agreed.

"Yeah it seems sloppy. But maybe they aren't interested in not getting caught?"

"Possible." With that a one final crash the door was kicked off its lock, barely hanging on its hinges it swung open violently with enough for that it almost bounced off the wall back at the intruders. Naoto quickly leaned up and kissed her boyfriend.

"Whatever happens I love you all my heart."

He kissed her back, it was brief but enough to know she wasn't alone. "I love you too. We'll get through this."

The both ducked down and stayed silent as four pairs of footsteps promptly walked into the hall way. Naoto peered around the corner seeing two with their guns raised. The other two from what she could see was unarmed with ranged weaponry but one had a knife in hand and another with what seemed to be baton. The two with firearms were her key targets. Turning to Souji she did the hand sign for two then guns which he nodded.

"She must be in here somewhere. Her car is still outside."

"Think she escaped out the back."

"No, Sosuke would have seen her by now and let us know. No way could she have gotten out in time, spread out and check the house, we've probably caught the little skank off guard that she doesn't have much time to react. Either that or she is already dead."

Naoto turned to Souji and gave him a knowing look which he only frowned at knowing she was right in such a dire situation.

"Go check the living room and the kitchen we fired into there so we probably caught her. Remember no survivors if she has someone with her. It doesn't matter who it is. Heard rumours that's she hangs around with that slut idol that's gotten famous recently." Souji and Naoto crept along parallel to the counter to make sure they weren't seen by the two new intruders to the room.

"We need to be quick because we've made enough noise and mess. Cops will be here soonish!" What seemed to be the leader calling from their bedroom. Naoto looked on at the two in the living room noticing that only one of them armed with a gun was in the room as they held it loosely, the other was with a baton as they searched behind the sofa and inspecting the wall where the bullets from earlier embedded themselves. The one with the baton quickly noticed something that caught his eye.

"Hey the TV is still on."

The other armed with the firearm saw the popcorn on the floor and put his hand in and flinched when he realised something.

"She's are still here and I don't think she's alone."

"Really?"

"Yeah the popcorn is still warm; no way had they made it out in time. This is a lot for one person." Naoto looked to Souji and held up a small X to signify that they should kill if necessary. Something she's only ever used once when they've worked together involving a serial killer a couple years ago. Souji eyes widened at the thought at what he might have to do to get out of this situation. Naoto just pressed her forehead against his softly.

'Stay strong my Souji-kun.'

She nods against him in a gesture to be sure of himself. While she knew how strong Souji is as a person he didn't have the resolve to end someone else's life under any circumstances. From the time with the midnight channel case to various cases they've worked on together he's always suggested the route to keep people alive, even if he was more dangerous. For her, the means were to an end and aspect of the dealing with the criminal world was survival. From everything she knew was taught by the situation her family was in today.

Pulling away from him softly, she kissed his cheek. To which he nodded in kind. Understanding that this might be one of those situations he has to put his morals away if they wanted to stay alive. Moving away as silently as could, Naoto took position by the edge of the counter they were hiding behind.

"Check behind the kitchen counter. Saito! Is there anything in the bedroom!?"

"The bathroom and bedroom are both clear! Where the fuck can she be!? We staked this place out for hours!" Naoto turned to Souji and give him to the count of three as the footsteps slowly closed in on them. She released the safety on her revolver.

She stuck up one finger...

...One...

Then a second...

...Two...

The footsteps were almost there as the both braced themselves...

...Three...

With a nod the both sprung up from behind the counter startling the man with the baton causing him to stumble back. Naoto with pin point accuracy fired past him to the unfortunate soul armed with the firearm in the background catching him in the leg with the first shot and in the lower chest with the second. A morbid vermillion was the back drop of the living room as blood sprayed across the walls and the window giving the room a red tint through the shade of the evening light outside. As he dropped to the floor with a thud, the weapon sprawled out of his hand skidded across the ground.

"Guys!-" The man with the baton was cut short as Souji threw one of his knives into his lower chest before he had time to react. He heaved from the full brunt of the thrown weapon, spewing blood from his mouth before he double over giving Naoto an opportunity with her free hand throw the nearby stool counter, catching him on the head, breaking a bone in his nose and knocking him to the ground out cold. The pair ducked behind the counter as the one in the bedroom shot blindly across the apartment missing them and hitting the glasses and plates on the table top, shattering them to pieces.

"Careful Shibata, the little bitch is armed." Naoto frowned at the name as she took one of the broken glasses fallen from the table top in her hand and tossed it over the counter. Almost instantly bullets rained back in retaliation at the thrown item. Bits of granite and wood from the countertop kicked up in the air as the bullets ricocheted around the couple.

"Fuck, I need to conserve." Naoto took that moment to add two extra bullets into her chamber before nodding to Souji again. The former leader rounded the counter to his right to get around nearer to the door while Naoto went around the back end so she could get a clear shot through the door.

"Call Sosuke, we might need him. Anyway got my back Saito!?"

"Yeah! Just don't get in the fucking way!"

With knife in hand, he crosses the hallway as he tried to slink into the living room-kitchen combination. The crunch of wood and glass under his feet from the debris of the furniture gave away any attempt for him to sneak in silently. Turning from left to right not knowing where there mark was, he growled when he saw his two accomplices on the floor. One knocked out with a knife embedded in them while the other coughing blood struggling to reach to their firearm.

"Saito! Two Down!"

"Shit. Sosuke, we need you up here, things are going south!"

Shibata tried to go for the gun still on the ground just out of the grasp of the other gang member before feeling he made a big mistake. From the corner of his eye, he saw Souji peering out to take aim and couldn't react in time as another ceramic blade shot through the air and embedding itself in his left thigh as he fell back in pain before Naoto still perched on the other side behind the counter, shot him in the right shoulder with enough force to cause him to spin place. The thug's body was sling shot away from the abandoned weapon as he hit the ground hard. The blood spurted out from the impact, splashing their furniture a different colour.

"FUCK!" He screamed. "I've been shot!"

"Shit-shit-shit -shit... Shit!" Saito said as he fumbled with his clip hiding behind the doorway to the bedroom. "We are dead if we don't hit this mark."

"Alright you bitch! Come out so we can settle this!" He came in, gun raised into the elongated room scouting to make sure they were visible.

"B-Behind..." Shibata struggled as he could feel himself start to fade into unconsciousness as the loss of blood was becoming too much to keep himself awake. By the time he turned to the counter, Souji lunged at him, striking him with a fierce punch knocking him on his back. Naoto took aim, patiently waiting to get a clean shot from the opening Souji was giving her.

Souji mounted him raining the punches on him as Saito braced trying to defend himself. Through the hits he could see the blue hair figure poking her head out from behind the counter.

"You!" With a fierce growl, he half shoved Souji out of the way to give himself enough time to fire blindly in her direction. Quickly he took a shot.

"No!" Souji dived back at him but it was too late, he fired. Naoto only just about saw it coming and she moved as quickly as she could but it still caught her. Souji heard her voice crying out in pain from behind the counter. For the next couple seconds, his whole world went in slow motion.

Something in his brain cracked.

"NOOOOO!" He roared at the top of his lungs as he rain punches even harder with one being a very hard hitting body shot cause Saito to completely drop his guard and dropping his gun. Knocking it away, Souji's elbow hit the man square in the face, breaking his nose and his cheek instantly, feeling the bones crack under the sheer force of the impact. His head bounce back with such velocity that his head pinged back into another punch knocking him out. Souji could feel the crunch from under his knuckles as it caught the eye socket knowing he hit his mark. His vision was tinted red with rage, and was planning on taking his revenge however he could as his attacks was turning his target into a bloody and battered mess. He cranked his arm back for one last decisive blow but the noise of a gun's safety pierced through the air as her felt a barrel pressed against the back of his head.

"Off him. Now." A voice ordered.

'The last one, fuck!'

Souji slowly raised his hand but was interrupted as he was promptly knocked off of Saito with a swift and powerful kick to his side, completely winding him. It felt that kick might have broken a rib.

"Argh..." Wheezing and groaning in pain, struggling to get his breath back. Opening his eyes, he was staring down the barrel of a pistol.

"You've made quite a mess in here and I don't appreciate it. We don't appreciate it. And neither will my boss so you know this is time to make amends. I can't believe it's taken five of us just to deal with the two of you..."

The exasperated sigh was more than enough to tell Souji this guy was done for the day.

"...Anyway, no hard feelings..."

Souji closed his eyes as he saw the hand on the firearm flex knowing the shot was imminent. Only one thing was going through his mind…

…Naoto…

...

...

...

*BANG*

The booming noise of a firearm was let off but Souji didn't feel anything other than droplets of liquid rain on his face. Slowly he opened his eyes to see the person who about to send him to the afterlife was stood still, motionless. His eyes glazed over, lifeless. Then Souji noticed the bullet hole in his chest, right through his heart. Souji looked on in horror as the body just fell to the floor in a heap as Naoto was revealed standing behind him, eyes cold as ice, gun still pointing where the assassin stood just seconds before, barrel still smoking from its discharge as her left arm bled against her clothes.

"Do not. Threaten my Souji." She growled as she looked down at the lifeless body adding the count to five on the floor. Souji touched his face then realising that it was blood. Glancing down, his white shirt was splattered red.

"..."

Naoto briskly walked over and crouched down next to her boyfriend who was covered in blotches of red.

"Oh my god! Are you ok?" She asked in a panic as he nodded, then he felt the pain from his ribs shoot up his body causing him to wince. The detective growled in frustration as she wiped some of the blood off his face.

"I'm ok what about your arm." Naoto frowned as she moved her hand away to see the bullet just skimmed her, it was bleeding but Souji breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh good, we should call the emergency services."

She noticed that Souji couldn't keep his eyes off the dead body behind her. "I'm sorry about that Souji-kun... I had no other option..."

Souji blinked as he tried to get his mind back in order at what just happened. "I-I get it... I understand..."

Leaning over to pick up their mobiles that fallen off the side of the sofa, Naoto shoved his phone into his hand. "You should have reception now, call the ambulance. I need to ring the Estate." Her business voice back full on, even colder and darker than usual.

Using the internal Shirogane network she mashed the screen a few times until Yakushiji's name popped up. Pressing the receiver to her ear, it only rung once before there was a reply.

"Naoto-sama? Why are you ringing on -?"

"We have a code black."

"Holy hell! I've been dreading this day. Right, I'll send multiple cars over and get the local police authorities systems and records channels back hacked. Are you both ok?"

"We have some minor injuries but we have four suspects bleeding out, with one fatality here. If not seen to soon two of them might not make it." Naoto told him as she surveyed the room.

"We'll make sure we'll have extra medics over as well. Is an ambulance on its way?"

"Y-Yes... Souji-kun is on the phone to them now..." Just on the edge of her vision she could see her boyfriend on the phone as he recounted what was littered around him. She gave a sigh of relief knowing he was safe.

"Ok good. Make sure you take all the laptops and server drives and disconnect them from the network, we will be cutting all internet access from apartment and remotely wiping memory of all devices still connected to it in 10 minutes. Don't take anything else. We'll bring you essentials at the safe house within a couple hours. I've already made sure there is an escort for your travel and arrival. I'll also let the Master know what's happened. I'm sure he'll contact you as soon as I'm off."

Naoto nodded. "Got it."

She saw Souji come off the phone as Naoto ended her own respective call. "They said there will be here within five minutes."

Naoto nodded as she looked on with a frown. "We need to grab our laptops and the server kit. We have to be ready to leave this place now."

Souji feebly rose to his feet, Naoto catching him with her good arm before he stumbled. "I'll grab the server stuff, where should I put them?"

Naoto helped him lean against the wall. "We'll pile them on the bed. Just need to keep an ear out just in case anyone else shows up."

As they hobbled together to the bed room the Sleuth heard Souji sigh in what seemed like disappointment.

"Naoto I'm so-"

"Save it." She took a moment to soften her tone. "You have nothing to apologise for. We are alive, that is what matters. Come, let's stay vigilant."

With that the paired for to their bedroom and as quick as their bodies would allow they quickly disconnected the server drives and the Estate laptops and pilled them before the bed before they heard a voice in the hall.

"Shirogane-sama!?" It called as they heard various footsteps by the door shuffle through the debris of broken door and wall plaster.

On reaction Naoto brandished her revolver and aimed it at the door with one hand while the other threw the steak knife she had in her back pocket to Souji who got ready to throw.

Three men in suits holding up their Estate IDs while the other was seemingly Yakushiji, face paled at the destruction in the apartment. He looked on at the at the battle couple, arms ready, seemingly not caught on that they weren't threats.

"It's me." Quickly removing his tinted glasses, he saw their eyes soften before they slowly lowered their weapons.

"Sorry, we are still on edge from what happened." Naoto explained. She pointed to the tech that has gathered on the bed. "That's all there is here. How come you decided to come personally?"

"I was stationed here because of your case because I had a completely different errand I needed to do where the master wanted me to see you but I don't think this was what either of us had in mind." He looked back at the open door motioning for more people.

"Atsumi-san, Ido-san. I need a couple of you to treat the young master and her spouse. Everyone else, work with the ambulance services for the bodies in the living room."

"Got it sir!"

"Yes sir!"

For the first time in the past thirty minutes the pair relaxed. Souji collapsed to the floor while Naoto perched herself at the edge of the bed. Atsumi came in, face mask and gloves with an extensive kit of medical supplies and sat down next to Naoto. Her assistant in similar clothing and equipment came down to treat Souji.

"Where?" Atsumi asked quickly, Naoto removing her hand from her arm showed the gash with the blood still dripping from it. "Near miss with a bullet?"

All Naoto could do was nod as Atsumi got to work. "I'm happy you are ok Shirogane-sama, it's been eight years since we last met, and this is not how I would imagine us seeing each other again."

Naoto chuckled but kept an eye on her boyfriend who was now topless and receiving attention for his ribs. Whenever ever the nurse put on pressure she heard him wheeze.

"Don't mind me, I'm a delicate flower." He told her causing the nurse to laugh. Naoto couldn't help but smile how cute he was being even with brush with death a few minutes prior. She jumped as she felt the prick of a needle.

"Sorry Shirogane-sama, you are going to require a few stitches but you should be good after a couple days." Naoto was about to reply when the blare of the ambulance run from outside with a sound of what seemed to be a police siren.

"Yes make sure there is a full perimeter around the apartment complex. I need you to check the status on the next door neighbours to see if anything has happened. Ah! Finally you are here; yes everything is in the living room..."

Yakushiji stepped over some of the strewn items as he got into the room. He looked on at the pair being attended too. With a snap of the fingers two more suits stood at the door way making sure no one else got in.

"I'm so glad you two ok." The secretary said with earnest concern. Naoto looked up, eyes still distant from before.

"Same... What has Grandpa said?"

"He's already questioning the local municipal authorities. He was quite furious once the distress code went out. He's scared that your location might have been leaked from an insider or just poor coverage by them not to catch them tailing you on the way back." His eyes zeroed in on the stitches she was receiving. "What happened?"

"Gunfire." She said simply. Her Grandpa's assistance winced. Knowing that's an extremely close call. He turned to her boyfriend he was still strewn on the floor, having his chest bandaged.

"What's the status on Seta-san." He gave a feebly thumbs up but his nurse looked at the Yakushiji.

"I'm certain he has a broken rib or two and definitely has some internal bruising. He needs to go in for an X-Ray at some point."

"I guess you have some time off Seta-san." Souji chuckled but it came off more like a set of violent coughs and wheezes.

"Settle down and take it easy." His nurse chastised, taking extra care to apply the bandages.

"Not like I have a choice."

The secretary looked at them both after a moment of on consideration. "For the time being you both are being moved to a safe house until this is fully investigated. Shirogane-sama you will have your calendar cleared for the foreseeable future. Other detectives from the estate will fill in your work for now. We cannot risk anything happening to you until we know who did this."

"Yes Yakushiji."

"Seta-san, we'll write you off teaching for the time being. We will make sure you keep your job and pay you at a higher rate for the time you've missed. Don't worry; we'll make sure you will have your job for when you return. Considering you are the young Master's significant other, you are just as much of a target as she is."

"I-I understand."

"While I know this seems pointless but due to the administrations and your ability to work with police Shirogane-sama I need you to fill out a report due to the fatality at the crime scene. Considering the circumstances this is just a formality but it still needs to be done."

"Yeah..."

The Estate Secretary sighed.

"The fact you don't seem pleased about it makes me happy."

"Huh?"

"What you done is not an easy thing to do. Just the pressure-"

"He was going to kill Souji-kun!" Naoto growled. Everyone in the room stared at the heir to the Shirogane Estate at her outburst including the two guards at the door. She took a quick second to compose herself. "If I didn't of act then Souji-kun would have been killed... Never mind..."

"I wasn't reprimanding you..." The secretary clarified.

"Thanks Naoto." Souji's voice pierced through her conscious causing her to face him. His soft smile making her cheeks bloom in warmth. "If you didn't act fast I wouldn't be here. I owe you my life."

Souji reached out to her and Naoto was just magnetically drawn to him. Before Atsumi could say anything she slid off the bed and crawled to her knees to take his hand in hers before bringing it to her head. She started to sob uncontrollably before breaking down and crying.

Yakushiji motioned to one of the men at the door to come over for a second.

"We'll need these two moved quickly so they can have their privacy. Make sure all the preparation is in place for their transport."

"Yes sir."

"Also make sure you have mental physicians on standby as well, I think they will need it for now."

"Yes sir." With that he took off to make sure to do that task given to him. The secretary looked on at the scene of Naoto sobbing into while clutching Souji's hand broke his heart knowing that she was so overwhelmed at what just happened.

At least they were ok.

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