I would like to thank all of those who reviewed for the last chapter. Any questions asked will be answered in the authors note after the story

Serenity Komoshiro, Anime Moon Gurl, watergoddesskasey, koldy, SachiNyoko, kittydemon, winter, jaz7, Quinn, setsuna-3000, Machiko, Dust to Dust, Hyper Bunny16, loupgarou7, yami

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Chapter two:

Friendly Interactions

Serena woke to a strange sound. Cracking an eye open, she looked around her bedroom for the sound. It wasn't something she was used to hearing, but it wasn't foreign either.

Sitting up, she threw her legs over the side of the bed, and stood. Where was it coming from? she asked herself, as she moved to the bedroom door, but hesitated on entering the hallway.

Was that a growl?

Easing out, she looked down the hall, to the living room. She could just make out the front door. It was closed, that much was obvious. But what she wanted to know was if she had locked it or not.

Sucking in a deep breath, she tried to manage to collect some of her nerves. You can do this Serena. Its probably just a dog. That thought sparked back the memory of yesterday. "Oh my god," she breathed, while she sagged against the wall in relief. And here she had almost thought someone might have broken in.

Shaking her head, she reached up to massage her temples. "You're losing your nerve O'Donnell" she berated herself. "Nathan raised you into one of the best journalists, and your acting like a chicken in your own home."

Serena pushed herself from the wall, and started down the short hallway. She entered the living room, and caught sight of the sound she had heard. A cross between a growl and a snore, the gorgeous creature was fast asleep on her couch. The spot she had placed him when she had brought him home.

One of these days she was going to learn that bringing animals home was a mistake. But then she had yet to follow her own advise.

With a quick shake of her head she turned from the sight, and headed back to bed. It was still early, and she had plenty of more hours to sleep before it was even remotely near the time she should get up.

Till then, she planned to dream.

----

Lifting his head from where it rested on his paws, he stared after the human. She had taken him in, gave him water, and fed him. He turned his head slightly to look behind him. His back leg was still bothering him, but the pain wasn't as bad, as when he tried to walk on it.

Snorting, he laid his head back down, resting it on his paws once more. He sniffed the air, letting the smell that lingered on the cushions assail his senses. It smelled, just as the rest of the house did.

It wasn't a bad smell, but a heavenly one that made him relax even if he wasn't willing to. His body loosened up, his tense muscles releasing, while his eyes began to droop.

Shaking his head, he forced himself to wake up. He should leave, now before she came back. He yawned, his legs stretching, and his spine arching, before he fell back into a comfortable position. He could always find time to leave tomorrow. With his mind made up, he let his eyes fall shut.

His breathing slowed into a steady rhythm, and he soon fell fast asleep.

----

"Oh no!"

His eyes snapped open at the cry. Lifting his head, he looked around the quiet living room. Where had that sound come from?

Pushing himself up, he leaped from the couch, taking care not to land on his back leg. With his head kept low, he stealthily made he way across the living room.

"This is all wrong!" The voice shouted again. "I knew I should have called Lita." There was a hint of a pout in the voice.

He reached the kitchen doorway, and froze at the sight. Yesterday when he had woken to find himself not in the alleyway but in some home, he had been worried. But when the owner of the place had come back, he hadn't been prepared for who he saw. She had come in carrying bags, that appeared to heavy for her small form to carry. And even though he had been careful, she had somehow sensed him there with her in the room.

At that time, the kitchen had been relatively clean, as if it was hardly used. Now, it looked as if a pack of wild dogs had gotten a hold of it.

What was she trying to do?

Smoke billowed out from a frying pan on the stove. "My bacon!" she lunged for the pan, lifting it and cried out. She threw it into the sink, before jerking back from the mess on the counter.

Sniffing the air, he caught a hint of bread, and pig, and a strong dose of smoke. He sneezed, his sensitive nose unable to stand the thick black smoke that rose up from the pan in the sink

"It's hopeless," the girl cried. She sank to the floor, sitting on her legs. She was cradling her hand to her chest as she sniffed pitifully.

He sat back, not daring to move any closer to her. He watched as she slowly turned her head, and their eyes met. There was a fine line of red, circling both of her eyes. The corner of her mouth lifted into a watery smile.

"Sorry. That was supposed to be breakfast." She motioned to the charcoal bacon, and burnt pancakes. "I always was a horrible cook. I can only cook noodles." She sighed long and hard, before looking away. "Leftovers sound good?"

Sluggishly, she picked herself up off the floor. She dragged her feet as she moved to the fridge and pulled the door open. "Here, this should be good and ready for you." She pulled out the pork she had put in that strange contraption of hers, yesterday. She tossed it to the floor halfheartedly. "I'm going back to my noodles, I'll worry about this mess later."

While keeping one eye on the girl, he sniffed at the slab of meat. It smelled delicious. Just as the chunk of cow had last night. Tearing into the food given to him, he gave up on watching the girl while he devoured the offered food.

"Umm nothing like a cup of noodles." The girl had seated herself at the table with a bowl. He had just finished off his meal, when he caught the scent of something new.

"This stuff is instant, and I can never go wrong in making it." she lifted the bowl to her lips, and sipped. He watched closely, his eyes straying to the bowl she held.

That smells wonderful. He could feel his stomach cramp from the lack of food. Even though he had just eaten he was not even close to being full. Especially since it had been a long time since he had really gotten to eat even before he had come here. The past month he had lived off scraps, and carcasses he could find.

Unconsciously he licked his lips, his nose sniffing the air. "You cant still be hungry!" she was looking at him from over the rim of her bowl. "Argh, what are you, a vacuum!" She pouted, setting the bowl down on the table. "Fine, have it!" She crossed her arms over her chest and looked the other way.

Tilting his head slightly, he studied the girl carefully. She was offering him her food? It wasn't a treatment he was used to, usually he had to fight for what he wanted. Standing, he hobbled forward, and with one graceful leap jumped up onto the table.

"Oh!"

He looked at the girl sharply, his body tensing. She was staring at him in surprise, her mouth slightly opened in shock.

He sniffed the air, and caught her scent. It was the one he had fallen asleep to, last night. The smell that lingered in the bed he had slept in, and everywhere else in the house.

Looking away, he directed his eyes to the bowl. It was brown in color, and smelled foreign, but good. Inching closer, he sniffed again, before lapping at the hot liquid. He decided he liked its taste, and quickly devoured the contents.

When he finished that, he lifted his head catching the girl staring at him. He almost growled in annoyance, but the look in her blue eyes stopped him. "God you're beautiful," she breathed.

He was taken aback by that statement. His eyes shifted to her hand when it moved. He watched with slight apprehension as she inched it slowly forward. His golden eyes shifted back to her face, and then back to her hand.

A growl formed at the base of his throat, and he felt his lips curl back. What did she think she was doing? Her hand hesitated slightly, her fingers curling into a fist before relaxing.

Even though the thought of a human touching him, let alone petting him was enough to make him want to sink his teeth into flesh, he didn't. Instead his tensed muscles relaxed as soon as her hand touched his neck. Her fingers ran down and along his side, in a soothing manner.

He had to suppress the urge to curl into her touch, and wag his tail. Instead he opted to just stand there, and ignore the urges he felt. Her other hand touched the other side of his face, running up along his muzzle. "You're so beautiful," she said again, her voice hardly above a whisper.

His eyes never left her face, as she petted him. Her fingers were gentle and soothing. His muscle seemed to loosen beneath her touch, and her scent drove his senses crazy.

"What is something like you doing in a city like this?" she asked, her hands cupping his face. "You should be free, running where there are trees, and flowers. You belong in a paradise, not this dump."

He stiffened slightly at that word. How did she-? Narrowing his eyes on her, he waited to see what else she would say. Did she know where it was?

"But I guess you're free to go wherever you like. Even to a place like this." she pulled away, her hands stopping the delightful scratching at his ears. She shoved back her seat, and slowly rose from where she had been sitting. "I'll get you some more food, and water. Then I'm going to take a shower."

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With her feet silently padding along the floor, she left the kitchen. Moving across the living room, she started down the narrow hallway. Passing the bathroom, she slipped into her bedroom.

Running her fingers through her hair, she sighed. Day to day life was getting quite old. There had to be more to life than this, right? She was a damn good journalist. So then… Why would she want something more? Wasn't that good enough?

No! Her mind screamed at her. It was never going to be enough. She wanted more. No matter how many times she told everyone, or herself, that she had all she needed, it was never enough. She wanted more, much more.

She wanted her fantasy; she wanted her knight and shinning armor. She wanted her adventure.

Serena dropped onto her bed, and tugged her socks off. Her life was passing her by, and soon she was going to run out of time, for all the things she wanted to do with it.

"I'm still young, I still have a lot I want to do with my life." She sat there on the edge of her bed with a frown on her face. Sure this animal, who made himself comfortable in her home was a new development… but it wasn't permanent. This, he was only a temporary thing in her life.

She had gotten the job she had strived for, had gotten the kind of boss she had always wanted. She had great friends, had the best apartment. What more could I want? she asked. So much more, maybe something to excite her boring life.

Her bedroom door creaked open. Looking up, she caught sight of her new guest. He stood boldly in her bedroom doorway as if weary to enter.

Shaking her head, a soft smile played on her face. "Well don't just stand there, come in." she offered gently to the beautiful creature.

Serena patted the mattress next to her, when he stopped close to her feet, and looked up at her. With one graceful leap, he landed stealthily on the bed. Scratching him behind the ears, like she had in the kitchen, Serena murmured, "I want a lot more out of life. And now is a good a time as any, while I'm still young." Standing, she moved to the doorway. "You go ahead and relax. I'll just take my shower."

She left her room, and slipped into the small bathroom. She first moved to the tub, and started the water. When the temp was right, she turned on the shower. Leaving the door open a bit, she began to strip.

First slipping out of her jeans and shirt, she stood before the mirror in her underwear. "I need to go shopping again." Turning one way, than another, she sighed heavily. She was not to thrilled about her hair, she didn't exactly hate it, she just wasn't used to it.

Looking away from her reflection, she slipped out of her undergarments. Moving back to the shower, she slipped inside, shutting the curtain to conceal her body. Drawing her head beneath the spray, she stood still. The heat of the water felt great against her body.

She reached up, and ran her hands against her head. Her fingers smoothed back her hair, and she lifted her head up towards the showerhead. There was no hurry. No sense of rush, to get in and out, before too much time slipped by. Time always had a way of slipping through her fingers, before she could catch up to it. Always behind, and always late.

Smirking, Serena turned her back to the soothing jets, and opened her eyes. Reaching out, she searched for the bottle of shampoo. Time once again was passing her by.

When she finished, she shut the running water, off. Reaching out into the moist bathroom, she found her towel hanging on the wall. She tugged it free, before pulling it into the shower with her. Wrapping the white cloth around her shivering form, she finally wrenched the curtain aside.

She gasped, her foot slipping on the wet tub, and she fell. Her back slammed against the wall, as her head smacked against the tile, causing stars to burst before her eyes.

Blinking, she cleared her vision, and instead of seeing a flashing light, she was seeing the bathroom's fluorescent bulbs. Not only that, but she was lying in her tub, her legs in the air, and her towel falling loose.

Serena struggled to sit up, and when she managed, she caught sight of what had startled her. "You scared me half to death!" she accused him. He sat in the bathroom, with the door hanging wide open for anyone to look inside.

"Don't you know when to give a girl some privacy! God you're worst than Nathan." She scrambled to her feet, and climbed out of the tub. "Now out! You can at least wait till I get dressed," she shouted.

Serena was startled when her guest actually did what she had told him to. He stood, and with a light limp, walked out into the hallway, and entered her bedroom, which she could see into easily from her spot. He hobbled quietly, to her bed and laid down. "I- err, thanks."

Shaking her head to clear it, she slowly shut the door, making sure it latched. How… odd.

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All right, I lied to you guys, and I feel extremely horrible about it. I didn't mean to do it intentionally. But the fact slipped my mind. And when I realized what I had done I could not correct the mishap until I added the next chapter, which is this one.

The mistake if the time frame. This story does not spin off from the first episode. Reason being because later on, Kiba refers to Toboe, who he doesn't meet until like episode two. So, I wanted to correct my mistake. This story spins has a beginning and an end of its own.

Hopefully only once, which I know about already will this story collide with the regular show. Reason being, is because I have not seen the last four episodes of Wolf Rain, so I cant write something similar to the plot unless I do. So plan to be surprised by most of this stories twists and turns.

I hope none of you are deterred from this story because of this. I'd prefer to put this story more into my words, to help me get ready for the next Wolf Rain crossover I plan to write. But that wont come until much much later.

Reviews:

Serenity Komoshiro: Hmmm good question… to not give too much away, but to make your to antisipate more, I will say, yes and no… she has something, but necessarily her Senshi like powers… there is no crystal though…

Dust to Dust: Yes this is a Kiba/Serena couple… I also have a plan to write a Toboe/Serena couple, in another story.

Thank you for sticking around, and reading chapter two, and this author's apology for her untimely mistake in times. I hope you can forgive me. Thank you all.

LP