Author's note: What will happen now? I hope nothing bad.I hope.But am I the
author or not?! Sesshoumaru, Anna!!!! Stop do what you want!
CHAPTER 16
A CARELESSNESS
The morning after, Anna woke up under the attack of a ray of light. She
opened her eyes, trying to cover her face from the light. She was against a
tree. Near her there was nobody. Anna sat suddenly, looking around.
Sesshoumaru, on his feet at a short distance, looked at her with lightly
interest.
"You're awake." he said.
"Uh.yes." Anna said, puzzled, passing an hand through her uncombed hair.
Like she had thought, Sesshoumaru had attended she fell asleep, than had
left her against the tree. This was not a surprise, but she had had the
strange feeling to felt his body's warmth.and his head over her one, the
beautiful sensation of his hair through her fingers. Madness, as ever, a
nice dream broken by the hard reality. Anna sighed, raising up. Better not
sleep from now on. Her dreams were dangerous, if only she had spoken in her
sleep she were been surely dismissed.
"Can we go?" Sesshoumaru asked. Anna looked at him, noticing his polite
tone, then nodded with a smile. Sesshoumaru turned and started to walk,
being sure she would follow him immediately.
What Anna didn't know, was that Sesshoumaru was still amazed about his
lucky. He had waked not more than five minutes before her, finding himself
in a strange position. She was laying against his chest, a lock of his hair
in one hand. He had his head against her one and hugged her with one arm.
Waking up, he stood one moment paralyzed feeling a body so near to his one,
a new experience for him, than he was filled another time by that strange
feeling from the past evening. Unthinking, he had sniffed her smelling
hair, and she had moved in her sleep, carrying him on the Earth again.
If Anna'd wake up, she'd surely think that.What? By the way, that.something
would transform all bad.
So, he had used all his cold self-control to come unlaced from the girl's
hug and lean her against the tree, making some steps away to recover his
coldness. She had woke up after a while. Really a fucking lucky.
While he run with her to Inuzuka, he felt her presence in a way that was
pretty painful. Sesshoumaru didn't understand what he felt, if not that all
was laced to the warmth. Yes, the warmth of her body against his one, the
warmth in his veins when he sniffed her smell, the warmth that filled his
chest and grabbed his stomach when she smiled or looked at him right in the
eyes. Sesshoumaru had never known the warmth. His life was made of ice deep
inside.
Now, all his senses desired that experience he had avoided. Sesshoumaru had
ever tried to be superior about those sort of things, and had despised who
was their victims, judging them weak and slaves of who they desire. Hs
father was like them to his eyes, when he was returned with that human
wench. Who love, fell pain. Love was useless and weaken the power. That was
his thought. But now he suffered not touching that girl. He had to feel
weak, but he felt a peace in his soul that puzzled him. Why, why was she
able to do this to him? What kind of spell had she cast over the great
Sesshoumaru?
The youkai, in those two days, thought intensively over that thing, but
Anna didn't understand anything. He took the decision to satisfy his lust;
after that he could be free from that intriguing fire, but something
stopped him. He was not more able to act with Anna in the same way he acted
with the other inferior creatures, more or less all the creatures on the
Earth, he could not think to hurt her. That annoyed him and made him feel
uneasy. But he tolerated this thinking about the warmth he felt when she
looked at him with those eyes, that seemed to say: " You are important."
And she was the first, maybe the only one, that thought this about him as
Sesshoumaru and not as Lord of Western Lands. Sesshoumaru was really under
a spell.
He started to worry about her. He was carrying Anna just in front of the
Big Family. When the other inu-youkai had know her origin, they surely
would hurt her. He had never protected anyone, apart himself. Rin had
partially changed him, but now the thought of the cruel words the Family's
members had ready for Anna filled him of a cold anger.
Sesshoumaru didn't want to be defeated by those smiling eyes, but he
neither wanted to have a debt. He would protect Anna from those damned. But
he surely didn't have to give out, really not. He needed just that Anna
could become important for him.
"It's not very different from the others." Anna said, walking at Sesshoumaru's side through the grass of Inuzuka and looking at the other hills all around. "It's enough." was Sesshoumaru's deadly cold comment. Anna sighed. From that morning, Sesshoumaru was returned silent. Now they were at Inuzuka and surely the youkai's mind was on the meeting that would start after a while, but Anna felt a bit of pain thinking about the attention Sesshoumaru had given to her in those past few days. They had just passed a little temple, with its good aura completely dispelled by the yuki of the ground. Sesshoumaru had said that a bit ahead, through the trees, there was a big house that was the meeting's place. "Don't talk if you're not asked.- Sesshoumaru remembered to her for the thirtieth time- Stay near me and don't provoke them." "You've said this one hundred times. Do I seem so stupid?" Anna asked annoyed. Where was all that consideration of those past days? Sesshoumaru gave her a cold glance, than returned to look in front of him. Anna noticed a light of worry in his eyes and stood. Was Sesshoumaru worried for her? It was a thing named MIRACLE. "Don't be worry. I'll do as you wish." Anna said. Sesshoumaru looked at her another time, then nodded. Anna remembered to herself about write about this miracle as soon as she had possibility to do it. Sesshoumaru was really worried for her, because he hadn't buried her words under a ton of his cold irony. They reached soon a little spot of trees, where the house was. Anna's nose was suddenly full of the smell of many inu-youkais, maybe twenty and some very powerful, that attended their Lord. "Don't go away from." Sesshoumaru repeated, with an absent voice. "From you, I know it.- Anna said, approaching him- It's time to know my kind." In the trees all the movements stopped. They had adverted their Lord's presence. Sesshoumaru and Anna appeared in front of the big house, a bit ruined and old, decorated with red lines. Curios and impatient, the inu- youkais stood in silence. Anna noticed that they were very different one to the other. Many of them was a bit older than Sesshoumaru, two or three seemed of her age and others were old. Their eyes passed over Anna, than focused on Sesshoumaru. "Sesshoumaru-sama, you're dead on time.- said one of the older- I hope you've convoked us for an important reason." "I don't waste my time.- Sesshoumaru said, coldly- And I don't like someone take my control over this thing. I've not ask you to speak." His words hit them like lashes. They all bowed their eyes and stood in silence. "Go inside." Sesshoumaru said, looking at them with arrogance.
The Big Family's meeting went on for all the day and the night after. The youkais, sit on a big table, listened to the news from East and, like Sesshoumaru had thought, reacted with indignation. No one of them liked his role as Lord but they were very proudly of their kind. This could unify them like nothing else. So, everyone was ready to give all his power and alleys to their Lord. This thing was long because Sesshoumaru wanted a precise list of everything. Anna wrote it as ever. At the sunrise, the list was finished and they all relaxed. The inu-youkais started to chit-chat, asking only sometimes Sesshoumaru's attention. He was inside the reading of Anna's list. "And when do you want to attack him, Sesshoumaru-sama?" the older youkai asked. "I want to wait him, not attack him.- Sesshoumaru said, without raise his eyes from the list and making silence all around- It's better we fight on a known territory. We haven't a solution about those humans with spiritual powers, yet." "You're right, Sesshoumaru-sama.- a youkai woman with red hair said, with arrogance- Humans, weakly and useless! There's not insult worst than be compared to a human." Someone laughed, the others started again to talk. Sesshoumaru didn't answered. Anna stood with an uncaring face, looking the sky out the open door. She had to take habit with that sort of phrases, but she still felt annoyance for them. Her soul, by the way, was still painfully human. Thinking about what Inuyasha had suffered from those youkais made her blood fire in anger. The red woman's eyes focused on her. With a lightly and evil smile, she walked to Anna, passing near Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru tensed, feeling her combative aura. He turned half, ready to rip off that woman in two if only she had tried to hurt Anna.that appeared beautiful at his eyes, while she looked at the sunrise with her golden hair fluttering over her shoulders. Anna noticed the woman, but didn't care. That youkai was a fool. There's no need of a genius to understand she had aggressive intentions. "Sesshoumaru-sama, you've carried a little cutie doll.- said the youkai, with her hands over her side and bowing to look at Anna's face- She seems an inu-youkai, but she wasn't of this Family. Isn't she?" Sesshoumaru darkened and Anna gave him a glance. Anna had reason, better to say it loud. "Anna is a new inu-youkai.- he said, coldly, laying Anna's list over the table- She was a normal human woman, but she had some powers. For this she was attacked by one of us, who tried a fusion's spell. He failed and Anna have absorbed him. Now she is a youkai like you." Whispers and glances were flung to Anna, who didn't change her face. Sesshoumaru started to ask to himself what was changed in her. It was possible she didn't feel much inside of her? From when he had hit her, Anna's feeling were so feeble. "Beko is disappeared sometimes ago.- the older said, corrugating his forehead- Is he?" Sesshoumaru nodded. The red woman laughed. "Well, I'm damned if he's not more cute now!- she giggled- You're such a cute doll. It's unsurprising Sesshoumaru-sama takes you in his home. Really a kawaii knickknack! Doesn't speak, doesn't move." "A jealous woman.- Anna murmured, looking at her with a bored face- Ridiculous." The red woman stood, purple. "Wh.What?!" she asked, out of breath. She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times, unable to digest those words. ""How do you dare, human scum?!" "A boring insult.- Anna said, turning her face to the sky again- Your jealousy's smell is so strong that I'd felt it even if I was still a human." Sesshoumaru couldn't restrain a little smile. Anna didn't ever let that woman win on her using words. "Bitch!" that woman growled, throwing her hands to Anna's neck. The girl disappeared under her eyes and appeared behind her without showing care. "It's not my fault if Sesshoumaru hasn't ever notice you.- Anna said, passing some fingers through her hair- I'm not the one who has create you, you useless wench." "Kima, stop." someone said. "I challenge you, damn bitch!" she screamed. Anna nodded, shaking her shoulders. "Kima!- said one of the older- You know well that no one could make someone bleed over this ground!" "No problem. I'll eat her and the ground will not have to protest!" the youkai growled. "Sesshoumaru-sama, stop them!" someone said. Sesshoumaru stood up. "If Anna will win, you'll accept her inside the Family." were his words. They all stood in silence. Kima became more furious. "Go out, girl.- she growled- You'll understand who Kima is." Anna followed the woman outside with a cold face. The two stood one in front to the other, surrounded by the other inu-youkai. "You'll understand what terror is, brat!" Kima growled, taking her dog's form. Anna looked at her with conceit. She was the half of Sesshoumaru, if not less. If Kima wanted to make an impression to her, she had to work much. "And you? Don't you transform yourself, girl?" said one of the inu-youkais. "A human is enough to defeat such a dog." was Anna's cold reply. The red dog growled, tracing tracks on the ground with her claws. Kima throw herself against Anna mouth open. Anna jumped with uncaring and landed over Kima's back, who turned suddenly, surprised. "You are slow." Anna said, jumping away when the youkai tried to squeeze her on the ground rolling over her back. Sesshoumaru looked at the fight with an unexpressive face, not listening to the cries of incitement from the other youkais, caught by the battle. Anna's actions weren't normal. He didn't feel her combating aura, and it was not possible. Anna was been insulted and Sesshoumaru knew very well how temperamental she was. He had proved over himself her anger. Now, this way of act was too much similar to his one. Something was wrong. Anna played with Kima for a while, hearing with one ear the cries about 'that weakly human', 'that little bastard' and pleasantness of this kind, and she was getting angry. Anna was more than happy about her new power of restrain her emotions. She had never let them feel her pain at those words.and at the lack of reaction in Sesshoumaru. "It's enough. I'm tired." she whispered, after she had avoided an attack. Anna jumped to Kima's head and put her hand over it. A big yuki went out and passed to her, while the red youkai collapsed to the ground. Anna left her and she remained there, breathless, really near to death. "I won't kill you.- Anna said, coldly- But learn to restrain your tongue, big and scaring Kima." "She's.powerful, Sesshoumaru-sama- said one- You are wise taking her by your side." Sesshoumaru nodded without thinking, looking at Anna. It was possible that. "She powerful but not pure.- another replied- We can't accept her inside our Family." "But haven't you seen how she has defeated Kima?!" said a girl. They started to argue. Anna, very annoyed, turned and walked in the forest, ignoring deliberately Sesshoumaru's orders. Sesshoumaru had looked at her for the entire time with an unexpressive face, without say a single word to defend her. What had he? Was he annoyed because she had fought a pure youkai? Well, she had deserved it! Why, when she needed him, he was so damned cold?! "What am I for you?" she hissed, leaving her anger free of show itself. Luckily, there was no danger. Sesshoumaru was with the other youkais and he was surrounded by their angry auras. She was surely passed unobserved. Annoyed, she punched a tree, making a big hole in it, than she went on to walk, restraining another time her feelings. But Anna didn't know that Sesshoumaru had left the others and had flied to follow her. In this way, he had seen her action from a not very far distance. "She has fooled me." Sesshoumaru whispered, seeing her disappear in the forest. Anna was able to restrain her feelings. She had broken their agreement. Since when? Since when did she fool him? It was obvious. Since the time he had hit her. "She showed an happy face when I told her to remain with me.but she didn't smell the same." Maybe she was fooling me. "She was gentle and calm." She was fooling me. "She looked at me like I'm important for her." She was surely fooling me. Anna had fooled him from much time, and he was near to fall in her trap. Nothing of what she had showed to him was the truth. Maybe she hated him. She remained with him because he was enough stupid to give her food and a beautiful home. She had nearly find her way into his soul with an incredible and scaring speed. "Damned wench.- Sesshoumaru murmured, while he squeezed his fists- You have dared to fool me!" Now she had to pay. No one could do this to the Great Sesshoumaru without pay with the higher price. The thought of her warmth was still a sting in his chest, but Sesshoumaru drove it away. The only warmth in his life from now on would be only the anger fire.
Anna returned only on that evening. The sun was already gone. Anna knew that all the inu-youkais was sleeping, taking the right rest after the meeting, so she walked through the corridors with plushy steps. She sighed thinking about her foolishness hoping the impossible, than she opened her room's door. Not really visible in the shadows, Sesshoumaru waited for her, laying against a wall. He looked at her with his amber eyes. "Sesshoumaru?" Anna said, uncertain. Sesshoumaru had never entered in her room without her. Surely, not after the sunset. Sesshoumaru stood unmoving and silent. Anna felt that something was wrong. There was too much tension. "Sesshoumaru, what." she started. "Come in and lock the door.- Sesshoumaru said, and she shivered at his cold voice- We have to talk."
"It's not very different from the others." Anna said, walking at Sesshoumaru's side through the grass of Inuzuka and looking at the other hills all around. "It's enough." was Sesshoumaru's deadly cold comment. Anna sighed. From that morning, Sesshoumaru was returned silent. Now they were at Inuzuka and surely the youkai's mind was on the meeting that would start after a while, but Anna felt a bit of pain thinking about the attention Sesshoumaru had given to her in those past few days. They had just passed a little temple, with its good aura completely dispelled by the yuki of the ground. Sesshoumaru had said that a bit ahead, through the trees, there was a big house that was the meeting's place. "Don't talk if you're not asked.- Sesshoumaru remembered to her for the thirtieth time- Stay near me and don't provoke them." "You've said this one hundred times. Do I seem so stupid?" Anna asked annoyed. Where was all that consideration of those past days? Sesshoumaru gave her a cold glance, than returned to look in front of him. Anna noticed a light of worry in his eyes and stood. Was Sesshoumaru worried for her? It was a thing named MIRACLE. "Don't be worry. I'll do as you wish." Anna said. Sesshoumaru looked at her another time, then nodded. Anna remembered to herself about write about this miracle as soon as she had possibility to do it. Sesshoumaru was really worried for her, because he hadn't buried her words under a ton of his cold irony. They reached soon a little spot of trees, where the house was. Anna's nose was suddenly full of the smell of many inu-youkais, maybe twenty and some very powerful, that attended their Lord. "Don't go away from." Sesshoumaru repeated, with an absent voice. "From you, I know it.- Anna said, approaching him- It's time to know my kind." In the trees all the movements stopped. They had adverted their Lord's presence. Sesshoumaru and Anna appeared in front of the big house, a bit ruined and old, decorated with red lines. Curios and impatient, the inu- youkais stood in silence. Anna noticed that they were very different one to the other. Many of them was a bit older than Sesshoumaru, two or three seemed of her age and others were old. Their eyes passed over Anna, than focused on Sesshoumaru. "Sesshoumaru-sama, you're dead on time.- said one of the older- I hope you've convoked us for an important reason." "I don't waste my time.- Sesshoumaru said, coldly- And I don't like someone take my control over this thing. I've not ask you to speak." His words hit them like lashes. They all bowed their eyes and stood in silence. "Go inside." Sesshoumaru said, looking at them with arrogance.
The Big Family's meeting went on for all the day and the night after. The youkais, sit on a big table, listened to the news from East and, like Sesshoumaru had thought, reacted with indignation. No one of them liked his role as Lord but they were very proudly of their kind. This could unify them like nothing else. So, everyone was ready to give all his power and alleys to their Lord. This thing was long because Sesshoumaru wanted a precise list of everything. Anna wrote it as ever. At the sunrise, the list was finished and they all relaxed. The inu-youkais started to chit-chat, asking only sometimes Sesshoumaru's attention. He was inside the reading of Anna's list. "And when do you want to attack him, Sesshoumaru-sama?" the older youkai asked. "I want to wait him, not attack him.- Sesshoumaru said, without raise his eyes from the list and making silence all around- It's better we fight on a known territory. We haven't a solution about those humans with spiritual powers, yet." "You're right, Sesshoumaru-sama.- a youkai woman with red hair said, with arrogance- Humans, weakly and useless! There's not insult worst than be compared to a human." Someone laughed, the others started again to talk. Sesshoumaru didn't answered. Anna stood with an uncaring face, looking the sky out the open door. She had to take habit with that sort of phrases, but she still felt annoyance for them. Her soul, by the way, was still painfully human. Thinking about what Inuyasha had suffered from those youkais made her blood fire in anger. The red woman's eyes focused on her. With a lightly and evil smile, she walked to Anna, passing near Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru tensed, feeling her combative aura. He turned half, ready to rip off that woman in two if only she had tried to hurt Anna.that appeared beautiful at his eyes, while she looked at the sunrise with her golden hair fluttering over her shoulders. Anna noticed the woman, but didn't care. That youkai was a fool. There's no need of a genius to understand she had aggressive intentions. "Sesshoumaru-sama, you've carried a little cutie doll.- said the youkai, with her hands over her side and bowing to look at Anna's face- She seems an inu-youkai, but she wasn't of this Family. Isn't she?" Sesshoumaru darkened and Anna gave him a glance. Anna had reason, better to say it loud. "Anna is a new inu-youkai.- he said, coldly, laying Anna's list over the table- She was a normal human woman, but she had some powers. For this she was attacked by one of us, who tried a fusion's spell. He failed and Anna have absorbed him. Now she is a youkai like you." Whispers and glances were flung to Anna, who didn't change her face. Sesshoumaru started to ask to himself what was changed in her. It was possible she didn't feel much inside of her? From when he had hit her, Anna's feeling were so feeble. "Beko is disappeared sometimes ago.- the older said, corrugating his forehead- Is he?" Sesshoumaru nodded. The red woman laughed. "Well, I'm damned if he's not more cute now!- she giggled- You're such a cute doll. It's unsurprising Sesshoumaru-sama takes you in his home. Really a kawaii knickknack! Doesn't speak, doesn't move." "A jealous woman.- Anna murmured, looking at her with a bored face- Ridiculous." The red woman stood, purple. "Wh.What?!" she asked, out of breath. She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times, unable to digest those words. ""How do you dare, human scum?!" "A boring insult.- Anna said, turning her face to the sky again- Your jealousy's smell is so strong that I'd felt it even if I was still a human." Sesshoumaru couldn't restrain a little smile. Anna didn't ever let that woman win on her using words. "Bitch!" that woman growled, throwing her hands to Anna's neck. The girl disappeared under her eyes and appeared behind her without showing care. "It's not my fault if Sesshoumaru hasn't ever notice you.- Anna said, passing some fingers through her hair- I'm not the one who has create you, you useless wench." "Kima, stop." someone said. "I challenge you, damn bitch!" she screamed. Anna nodded, shaking her shoulders. "Kima!- said one of the older- You know well that no one could make someone bleed over this ground!" "No problem. I'll eat her and the ground will not have to protest!" the youkai growled. "Sesshoumaru-sama, stop them!" someone said. Sesshoumaru stood up. "If Anna will win, you'll accept her inside the Family." were his words. They all stood in silence. Kima became more furious. "Go out, girl.- she growled- You'll understand who Kima is." Anna followed the woman outside with a cold face. The two stood one in front to the other, surrounded by the other inu-youkai. "You'll understand what terror is, brat!" Kima growled, taking her dog's form. Anna looked at her with conceit. She was the half of Sesshoumaru, if not less. If Kima wanted to make an impression to her, she had to work much. "And you? Don't you transform yourself, girl?" said one of the inu-youkais. "A human is enough to defeat such a dog." was Anna's cold reply. The red dog growled, tracing tracks on the ground with her claws. Kima throw herself against Anna mouth open. Anna jumped with uncaring and landed over Kima's back, who turned suddenly, surprised. "You are slow." Anna said, jumping away when the youkai tried to squeeze her on the ground rolling over her back. Sesshoumaru looked at the fight with an unexpressive face, not listening to the cries of incitement from the other youkais, caught by the battle. Anna's actions weren't normal. He didn't feel her combating aura, and it was not possible. Anna was been insulted and Sesshoumaru knew very well how temperamental she was. He had proved over himself her anger. Now, this way of act was too much similar to his one. Something was wrong. Anna played with Kima for a while, hearing with one ear the cries about 'that weakly human', 'that little bastard' and pleasantness of this kind, and she was getting angry. Anna was more than happy about her new power of restrain her emotions. She had never let them feel her pain at those words.and at the lack of reaction in Sesshoumaru. "It's enough. I'm tired." she whispered, after she had avoided an attack. Anna jumped to Kima's head and put her hand over it. A big yuki went out and passed to her, while the red youkai collapsed to the ground. Anna left her and she remained there, breathless, really near to death. "I won't kill you.- Anna said, coldly- But learn to restrain your tongue, big and scaring Kima." "She's.powerful, Sesshoumaru-sama- said one- You are wise taking her by your side." Sesshoumaru nodded without thinking, looking at Anna. It was possible that. "She powerful but not pure.- another replied- We can't accept her inside our Family." "But haven't you seen how she has defeated Kima?!" said a girl. They started to argue. Anna, very annoyed, turned and walked in the forest, ignoring deliberately Sesshoumaru's orders. Sesshoumaru had looked at her for the entire time with an unexpressive face, without say a single word to defend her. What had he? Was he annoyed because she had fought a pure youkai? Well, she had deserved it! Why, when she needed him, he was so damned cold?! "What am I for you?" she hissed, leaving her anger free of show itself. Luckily, there was no danger. Sesshoumaru was with the other youkais and he was surrounded by their angry auras. She was surely passed unobserved. Annoyed, she punched a tree, making a big hole in it, than she went on to walk, restraining another time her feelings. But Anna didn't know that Sesshoumaru had left the others and had flied to follow her. In this way, he had seen her action from a not very far distance. "She has fooled me." Sesshoumaru whispered, seeing her disappear in the forest. Anna was able to restrain her feelings. She had broken their agreement. Since when? Since when did she fool him? It was obvious. Since the time he had hit her. "She showed an happy face when I told her to remain with me.but she didn't smell the same." Maybe she was fooling me. "She was gentle and calm." She was fooling me. "She looked at me like I'm important for her." She was surely fooling me. Anna had fooled him from much time, and he was near to fall in her trap. Nothing of what she had showed to him was the truth. Maybe she hated him. She remained with him because he was enough stupid to give her food and a beautiful home. She had nearly find her way into his soul with an incredible and scaring speed. "Damned wench.- Sesshoumaru murmured, while he squeezed his fists- You have dared to fool me!" Now she had to pay. No one could do this to the Great Sesshoumaru without pay with the higher price. The thought of her warmth was still a sting in his chest, but Sesshoumaru drove it away. The only warmth in his life from now on would be only the anger fire.
Anna returned only on that evening. The sun was already gone. Anna knew that all the inu-youkais was sleeping, taking the right rest after the meeting, so she walked through the corridors with plushy steps. She sighed thinking about her foolishness hoping the impossible, than she opened her room's door. Not really visible in the shadows, Sesshoumaru waited for her, laying against a wall. He looked at her with his amber eyes. "Sesshoumaru?" Anna said, uncertain. Sesshoumaru had never entered in her room without her. Surely, not after the sunset. Sesshoumaru stood unmoving and silent. Anna felt that something was wrong. There was too much tension. "Sesshoumaru, what." she started. "Come in and lock the door.- Sesshoumaru said, and she shivered at his cold voice- We have to talk."