Again, sorry for the break before a pivotal chapter.

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As Anne opened the door, she caught a glimpse of Ace laying haphazardly on the couch, staring at the ceiling and doing nothing in particular. Then the girl saw who had opened the door and straightened her posture considerably, sitting up and leaning forward, resting her elbows on her knees and letting her hands dangle loosely between her legs. The scowl that bloomed on her face was ample evidence that the discussion to come wasn't going to go very well.

As if Anne had needed that assurance.

Ace addressed Knives, looking over Anne's shoulder and trying to dismiss her completely. "What is she doing here?" If one was basing an impression of Anne on Ace's tone, one might think that Anne was in the last throes of a highly communicable disease.

Knives didn't say anything. He stepped into the room just enough to close the door behind him, then leaned up against it. Anne walked forward a few steps, until the hate in the glance caused her steps to falter, then stop. "Ace, we need to talk."

The girl's eyes narrowed, and it didn't take a mind reader to ascertain that she was trying to decide if she should deign to talk to Anne, or if there was some way she could force Knives to do it for her. The silence lengthened, the sounds of bodies moving and people laughing in the next apartment an ironic counterpart to the stasis.

"Isn't that just a nice way of saying that you need to talk, and I need to listen?" she said finally.

Anne bit back a sigh of relief. "No," she said calmly. "It means we need to talk. If you like, you can go first."

"I'd rather not speak to you any more than I absolutely have to."

Anne bit her lip, then blurted, "Knives and I are back together."

Ace stayed silent for a couple seconds, then arched a brow. "Are you? Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Funny. He didn't say anything of the sort when he was in my arms this afternoon. Did you two just make up in the hallway?"

"We made up last night."

"And you're sure he hasn't changed his mind since then?" Ace shook her head and tsked. "Men can be so fickle."

Anne didn't even grant her accusations enough weight to turn and look at designated male. "You lie. You aren't going to hurt me, or make me doubt him."

Ace settled back on the sofa and allowed a small smile to cross her face. "You are just too trusting, aren't you?"

Anne stepped forward until she was looking down at the girl. Ace tilted her head back, the smile turning lazy as she treated Anne's looming form as no threat. "I'm not trusting," she said quietly. "You're just an awful liar."

Again the arched eyebrow.

"Don't lie to an empath," Anne said without heat. "We can always tell when you're trying to play with the truth."

The smile faltered. Ace sat up straight, then stood, trying to diminish the distance between them. Her chin tilted up, and she met Anne's eyes, demanding, "So what do you want?"

"You to be happy."

That wasn't what Ace was expecting. She actually took half a step back before recovering, her shock evident before she pulled the cloak of her pain around herself again. Thusly armored, she attacked again. "Then die," she snarled. "That would make me happy."

"Why? What did I do to make you so angry with me?"

""You left!"

"I'm sorry." Anne's voice remained calm, soothing.

"I don't care!" Ace's eyes narrowed, and her mouth spewed vile words. "You don't just get to leave, and then come back, and have all of us pretend that all of a sudden everything is better. It isn't! You left, and you made damn sure that no one could come after you, and then you have the gall to think that after all that we would actually want you back! Well Knives might, and Vash might, but I don't! I'd be happy if you had died! So go die!" Ace shoved Anne in the chest, but she was prepared for the assault and was barely rocked. Ace scowled at the lack of reaction and stomped off to the door to the bedroom. She took up sentry by the door, back against the wall, arms across her chest, and staring at her feet.

Anne turned and sat down slowly on the couch, sighing a bit. "What do you want me to do?" she asked quietly, rubbing her palms on her cheeks.

"Go away. Leave us alone."

"You do not decide for me," said Knives quietly, but in the silence of the room it echoed like thunder. "And I want her around."

"I don't." She looked at Knives, a lost look in her eyes. "So that doesn't matter? You get what you want, and she gets what she wants, and everyone is happy but me? That's not fair."

"And fair is when you get your way all the time?"

"This is not like me asking for candy, Knives. I don't want her in my life!"

"We're plants. We're in each other's lives whether we like it or not."

"She wasn't! She can just go back to being not in our lives."

"She has been. Have you any idea what she's been doing here?"

"Aside from working for those bastards who tortured me?"

Knives ignored that. "She's been working to ease the burden on out sisters. They are dying. She didn't stay away out of spite, but out of a sense of duty."

"Then let that sense of duty keep her company. Because I sure won't."

"Ace." Anne's quiet voice was unexpected, and surprised both of them into looking at her. "I'm sorry I left you. I'm sorry I left for so long. It was cruel to you, and I'm sorry."

"You're selfish, is what you are. Why did you have to leave anyway? We all loved you."

"That was the problem."