Author's Note: Just an idea that came a long time ago, but only recently found a way out. Mireille told Kirika not to get others involved. She sounded like it was from personal experience, and I was curious to know how.

Enforced Detachment

Deadweight

She remembered the first time she held a gun.

It looked so light in Uncle's hand, so bright and silver. He waited till her small hand wrapped around the diamond textured handle, then let go. She almost dropped it, eyes wide with surprise. How could something so small weigh so much?

"Mireille, don't drop it. Hold it like I showed you."

She tried, she really tried, but her fingers just barely met around the grip and the muzzle wavered at an imaginary target. He made it look so easy. Six-year-old arms started to shake at the effort.

"Put your finger on the trigger."

Her small index finger reached for the tongue of metal and squeezed. Nothing happened. She tried harder.

Click.

"Well done, Mireille. Now we'll just have to work on your stance and build up those muscles of yours."

She looked up at her Uncle, her hero, and sensed something troubling him. The feeling was not uncommon since they had left home over the ocean, but this was darker. A moment later he smiled at her, his face so very familiar to one she last recalled being full of sorrow.

"Uncle Claude? Did mommy ever shoot a gun?"

He blinked at the question before gently taking the pistol away from her. "Yes, she did. She was a brilliant markswoman, your mother. Better than me."

She giggled. "No one's better than you, Uncle Claude."

He smiled distantly before standing up from where he knelt beside her in the grass. Gathering up the remnants of the picnic, he tucked the gun into the bottom of the basket. She watched as he folded the red checkered blanket before picking up her brown stuffed bear and moving to stand next to him. For a long moment the pair stood looking out over the peaceful blue lake.

"Mireille, there is something you must know, even as young as you are."

She clutched her bear, sensing that he was about to say something hurtful. "What?"

With a sigh, the man bent and scooped her up with one arm, the basket balancing out her weight. "Emotions can be dangerous."

She stared at his good-natured profile before looking down at the bear in her hands. "Even love?"

"Love is the most dangerous of all."

"Why?"

Uncle Claude had smiled and kissed her on the forehead before answering, "Because it makes people do things that they shouldn't."