Disclaimer: I do not own Witch Hunter Robin, but if I did. . . .I'd be wearing a giant button that says "I own Witch Hunter Robin." Obviously I'm not wearing the pin, so I don't. Enjoy!
Chapter 8: Resurrection of a Devil
It had been two hours since the three had arrived at the STN-J headquarters. They were greeted by Michael, whom looked worried about Robin's current condition. During the remainder of the ride, she had not once stirred. Amon chalked it up to the pure exhaustion the girl was experiencing. She had been running from some unknown group of armed men, hid in an underground tunnel for god knows how many hours, the car chase, and now Nagira.
Amon had thought about his brother off and on. He hoped Nagira wasn't dead, but the chances of him surviving that wreck were slim to none. One of the local tv stations had aired information about a recent wreck. Supposedly bodies were found, but Amon suspected that there were no bodies. It was SOLOMON, trying to cover up what happened. Chances are his brother was in a hospital or in SOLOMON custody. There was still the chance he was dead, but Amon wouldn't accept that.
He kept asking himself the same question over and over. Did SOLOMON cause all of this? It wasn't like SOLOMON to do such a messy job. The question of how they found both of them was still at hand. Who could have possibly given away their position? Did Jonathan, whom Amon still hadn't grown to trust, betray them?Or was Haze playing them both? Could Father Juliano have been setting them up? There were just far too many possibilities.
The ex-hunter shook his head, clearing his mind of all the mind numbing questions that had been plaguing him. He turned his attention towards Haze and Michael, whom were both staring at him. Neither said a word, but Amon could tell they wanted to say something. They were looking at him as if he'd drop dead any second.
"What!?" he barked angrily.
Michael jumped, not expecting the man's sudden outburst. He was glad to see Amon alive, but he surely wasn't glad to see his old rancorous attitude. The boy could have lived without it. "Nothing. . .nothing. Um. . .we're just wondering how you're doing. You've been fairly quiet since you got here," said Michael with a worried laugh.
Amon just eyed both of them and grunted. "I'm fine." He watched as the two nodded and walked off, leaving him standing at the entrance to the medical room. They had to know he was lying, just by the way he answered them, but he wasn't going to admit how he felt to either of them. He was worried about Robin, the baby, and of course Nagira. The entire world seemed to be going after everyone he knew and cared about. Maya Hirogawa, the old lady that both he and Robin had lived next to for the past month, was in the medical room tending to Robin. Neither Nagira nor Haze ever informed him that Mrs. Hirogawa was a witch healer. Not in the sense that she had healing powers like himself.
He at first didn't know whether to trust the woman or not, but he soon found out that she was an old friend of Father Juliano. Still he wearily put his trust in the woman, but seeing as Robin needed to be looked at, he'd just let it slide for now. Amon began to wonder why he distrusted the woman in the first place. She had done nothing to prove her distrustfulness. Perhaps it was just his usual untrusting self that was causing him to be so cautious.
After standing at the door for nearly thirty minutes, Amon decided to make himself comfortable on the sofa. He leaned back onto the cushions, laying horizontally across the sofa. It didn't seem like anything could send him to sleep at that moment. There were far too many things on his mind. Amon found his eyes slowly drooping down as he lay there. 'No! You're not tired. Stay awake you idiot,' his mind yelled ferociously.
Amon couldn't fight off the weariness any longer. He gave in, his head lolling to the side, his chest slowly rising up and down as his breath slowed. Haze and Michael stood watching him, a relieved smile on their faces. Both had hoped Amon would rest after the day they had experienced. Thankfully he did.
"You should get some rest too," said Michael, turning towards Haze.
"Nah, I've got far too many things to do right now.I need to go talk with someone. Could you call me if anything comes up?" asked Haze with a sweet smile.
Michael felt his cheeks turn crimson as the girl smiled at him. He'd never had a girl look at him that way before. "Sure," he choked, his voice slightly high pitched. 'What in the hell just happened to my voice?' he thought to himself.
"Thanks Michael." Haze smiled once more and walked off, leaving the young ex-hacker by himself. He watched as she boarded the elevator and disappeared from sight. Michael sighed as he realized she was gone from him again. Truth be told, Michael had taken a liking to HazeNever had he found himself fumbling words when a woman smiled at him. Normally he'd just smile back, but Haze's smiles were mind numbing. Her smiles were like a tranquilizer, leaving him immobile and woozy.
-Witch Sanctuary-
News of the raid and Nagira's supposed death had reached the witch sanctuary by way of Haze. She had come to visit him, hoping he could provide assistance with Robin and Amon's current predicament. Unfortunately with Jaden still at large, he couldn't harbor both witches. Instead, he could provide assistance in way of being bodyguards. He and the others had already been planning this, which worried Haze.
"You knew the raid was going to happen?" asked Haze suspiciously.
"Well, I suppose you could say that. It was bound to happen eventually. Someone would slip up or someone would have spotted them," he said, throwing a cinder block into the fireplace. He smiled as he watched the flames engulf the wood.
"Do you know who those men were that attacked?"
Jonathan smiled and glanced over at the girl. "Have you not figured it out yet? You should know who those men were." Telling by the look on her face, Haze did not very well know. He sighed and threw another cinder block into the fire. "You know Jaden wants Robin at all costs. . .and you know that when he wants something, he'll do the most absolutely stupid things," he said, rolling his eyes.
"Yeah, like turning in Robin. So if Jaden's the one that initiated the raid, who were those men? Colleagues of yours?" she asked curiously. She grinned as she saw the insulted look that had come to the man's face.
"Oh please, you know I don't associate myself with such ruffians," he smiled. "My brother on the other hand, loved being around those sorts. Disappointing to say the least. To think we're actually twins and we have nothing in common, except for our devilishly good looks," he laughed. He noticed the way Haze was looking at him. "Hey, I was only kidding."
"Right," she said, rolling her eyes.
"Anyway, Michael and I were trying to figure out how to keep the others from coming to work tomorrow. I don't know where to send them,"she sighed, pooching her bottom lip out.
"Well, you told me that one girl hates work. There's one person down," he said with a smile.
"Yeah well, she's easy to get rid of. Can you think of anything that would work?"
Jonathan grinned a devilish grin, one that Haze had never seen on him before. "Just call them and ask them to meet you. Michael can give you some crazy case to go work on. All you gotta do is make sure it lasts all day."
She looked at him as if he were the world's biggest idiot. "You know, that sounded incredibly idiotic Jonathan. How would a case last the entire day? Hmm? Have you ever heard of a case lasting that long?"
"You can get it to work. Get Michael to search for a tough case. Anything to keep them out of the office."
"What about Chief Kosaka and Hattori? Plus the security guy that I can never remember the name of" she said, scratching the top of her head.
"Umm. . .wait, scratch the case. Tell them Michael is working on the security system and he needs the building cleared out. It wouldn't be a lie of course. He does have to work on the security system and I guess tomorrow would be a good time to do so."
"Well, I'm sure it still won't work, but it is worth a try. I'll talk to Michael about it when I get back to the office. So, I suppose I'll need to stay out of the office too? Too make this lie seem authentic?" she asked drearily.
The man nodded and smiled. "It's not that hard to do. I'm sure you all will find something to do with your time. Isn't there anything you do for fun in your spare time? Anything you've wanted to do for so long, but haven't?"
Haze grinned and shook her head. "Nope, unfortunately I don't live a fun life. I never have free time. There's always my work waiting for me. When you live a life such as mine, you don't have time for fun and games. It's surprising that someone such as yourself isn't the same. Doesn't work prioritize amusement?"
"Sometimes, but I take out the time to have fun. You should try it sometime," he said with a wink. Jonathan glanced up at the Victorian-style clock that hung above the fireplace. "Looks like your time's up here. You best be getting back to the office."
The woman looked over at the clock and sighed. "Well I best be getting off. Have a pleasant night Jonathan," she said, leaving out the bedroom door.
Jonathan watched as the door slowly closed behind the raven-haired hunter, waiting for the door to completely close. He closed his eyes, his back facing the balcony. His lips sneering, his right temple shaking, Jonathan balled his hands into fists as he felt a pair of eyes staring at him. "What do you want?" he said ominously.
"You know what I want," said a voice.
He turned around to face the balcony, his fingernails digging into the bare skin of his palms. "Was it you!?" he growled angrily.
A figure emerged from behind the long white curtains, that swung as the night air blew into the room. "What do you think? Am I capable of doing such a thing?" said the figure, sarcastically.
His teeth ground together, Jonathan spun on his feet, turning towards the intruder. "You bastard! I know it was you that sent out the raid. How could you do such a thing? Do you realize that you could have killed the three of them!?" he hissed.
"Those men were not going to kill them you idiot! Do you think I'm that stupid?"
"Yes I do."
"Very harsh Jonathan, very harsh. Sadly you've overseen my true intentions. I don't care for the girl. It's that bruting companion of hers that I'm interested in."
Jonathan looked at the person dumbfounded. "Amon? Why him?" he asked inquisitively.
"You don't know? Well, isn't that rather surprising. Besides being the loathsome bastard I've learned him to be, he's a Démos and a top level Démos at that. Seems he's now in the same category as the abomination growing inside the girl."
"An abomination? How can you say that?"
"Because anything that has been created by that monster is an abomination."
"What do you have against the man?" Jonathan asked irately.
"You'll should know dear brother. He's hurt us both before." Jaden stepped away from Jonathan, heading back towards the balcony. "Oh and Jonathan," he said, reaching into his coat pocket. "Let's not divulge this little meeting to anyone. Understood?"
"Yes, now get the hell out."
-STN-J Headquarters-
The night had been fairly quiet and still. Everyone within the office had fallen asleep, including Michael. Mrs. Hirogawa had long left, telling Michael to call her if they needed her again. Everything seemed fine and for the first time in a long time, everyone was having a good night's sleep.
Robin, whom had been asleep longer than Michael and Amon, stirred in her bed as the moonlight slipped through the curtained window. She slowly opened one eye, glancing over at the window. 'Where am I?' she thought to herself. It was quiet, still, which Robin wasn't use to. The last few months had been hectic and not once had she had a moment's peace. Now, it just seemed awkward lying in that bed, having nothing but the sound of the outside world emitting through the room.
The usual queasiness she experienced each morning had set in, but it wasn't as severe as usual. She sat herself in the bed, glancing around the room as she propped herself up against the headboard. Robin had been in this room once before, but she remembered Amon saying this room was rarely used. It was old and didn't have the proper equipment needed to meet today's standards. They had long dismissed the medics that had worked in this office, once The Factory was developed. Now it was just a room, sitting there without a purpose, until now.
It had taken Robin only a moment to remember the events of the previous day. Her friend, the one person that had helped her through the bad, the one whom sheltered her from SOLOMON, was now gone. She wanted to believe he was alive, but Robin felt deep in her heart, that it wasn't at all possible. Nagira was gone and there was no bringing him back.
The only reason he was killed was because of her. All of this, was because of her. She couldn't help but blame herself for all of this. First it was Amon and now she had caused the death of his only stepbrother. Robin wondered how Amon was feeling about this. Did he feel guilty or sad for what happened? Was there any feelings of resentment towards her? Had Amon started to feel the same as she was? That she was the only reason his brother was dead?
She pulled the covers back, exposing her bare legs to the night air. It hadn't occurred until she had pulled the sheets back, that Robin was completely nude. If she planned on finding Amon, she thought it best to put clothes on. Across from the bed, hanging on a coat rack, was her pilgrim dress and a smaller black dress.
Robin got up from the bed, walking over to the small dress. She lifted the material into her hand, glancing over every stitch and button. It wasn't Robin's normal fashion and exposed too much skin to Robin's liking, but she'd have to live with it. Her pilgrim dress was damp, meaning the old woman had washed it. Of course Robin was appreciative, but she wished she could put her old dress on right at that moment.
After slipping the dress over her small figure, Robin slowly and quietly pulled the door back, glancing into office. She automatically caught site of Michael, whom was asleep on one of the pullout sofas. He was snuggled under a large comforter, which she guessed Haze had thrown over him. Haze was reclined back in a chair beside him, covered up with her black jacket. Glancing over towards the computers, she caught sight of Amon. The man was on his back, asleep on one of the sofas.
She smiled as she watched him sleep. Robin knew it was the first time in a long time, that the man had slept. Often when she was up during the night, she could hear Amon working from within his room. He looked peaceful as he slept and a few times Robin caught him shiver a bit. The night air had been quite chilly. She glanced back into the medical room, noticing a pile of folded sheets and comforters sitting in the corner. Picking out the thickest comforter she could find, Robin carried it over to Amon and covered him up with it.
He shifted a bit under the comforter, but quickly settled down. She watched him a few more moments, until she made her way back into the medical room. As she was about to enter into the room, a voice spoke up. Robin quickly turned around, nearly tripping over her own feet as she spun.
"How are you feeling?" asked Amon groggily, one eye glancing at Robin.
"Fine," she answered with a nod. She walked back towards the sofa, seating herself in a chair next to him.
"You should be in bed," he said, pulling himself up.
She smiled and shook her head. "I'm alright." Her smile faltered as she thought about Nagira.
"It's hard to believe," breathed Amon.
Robin nodded, noticing how Amon's eyes began to shake. He was looking at her with such intensity. She didn't know whether he was sad about what had happened, if he was mad at her, or if he was thinking about something totally different. "I'm sorry that it happened Amon."
"It's not your fault Robin."
"I just can't help but feel that way Amon."
"He chose to save us. You didn't make him do it. It was his own choice to help." Amon gave her a concerned look. Robin looked as if she were about to breakdown in tears once again. "If he hadn't done what he had, we might all be dead right now," his tone not as reassuring as he believed it to be.
"I know," she said sadly. She glanced over at Michael and Haze, whom were still fast asleep. "All because we're witches, a man had to die. I fear that they'll be next if SOLOMON figures out they're helping us."
She appreciated the help everyone had given her, but they were doing so at a great price. Helping her, meant they're life was at risk. SOLOMON would surely imprison or kill them if they found out about their assistance in harboring two fugitive witches. Especially when one of those witches was supposedly carrying the most powerful witch in existence.
"Would you rather they not help?" Amon asked, putout by Robin's attitude. Her depressing demeanor was starting to gnaw at him.
"That's not what I'm saying. I just hate that they'll suffer because they're helping us. They're help is most appreciated." She sighed and leaned back against the chair. "Who do you think those men were that attacked us?" she asked curiously
"I'd say SOLOMON, but it didn't seem like their style. The Factory wouldn't just send out a firing squad to take us out, so I don't believe its them. My guess is that Jaden has a new armada of men at his disposal. Though I'm not sure why he'd get them to shoot at us. I mean, he did want to turn you into SOLOMON. Unless he's changed his mind all of a sudden." Amon was starting to wonder if Jaden even cared about witches anymore.
He glanced over at Robin, whom's eyes were settled upon her hands, fingers interlaced together. "Nagira had told me something yesterday. Something I hadn't quite expected to hear." His eyes softened as he looked at her. "He told me that you were considering turning yourself into SOLOMON after the baby was born. Is that true?" he asked, his voice slightly shaky.
Robin felt tears stinging at her green orbs. She slowly nodded, feeling a tear slip down the side of her face. "Yes, I had considered it and I've been planning on doing this ever since I found out about the pregnancy. I just want both of you to be safe," she said sadly, glancing up at the man. Her heart skipped a beat as she met Amon's eyes. His face, which normally remained emotionless and cold, was soft and sad. Never had she seen him look that way before. It was as if she was looking at a completely different person.
"You can't," he said sternly.
"Why?" she asked innocently.
"I will not let you do this Robin. There is no way I'm allowing you to turn yourself into SOLOMON!" he hissed, trying not to awaken the two sleeping figures across the room.
"And why not? You and the baby's safety is important. Doing this may keep SOLOMON from hunting both of you."
"I won't allow anything to happen!" he said angrily, his voice raising.
"You can't assure that."
"And neither can you and your plan. I will do everything in my power to make sure you're both safe. Did I not promise that I'd watch over you when I became your warden?"
Robin's eyes hardened as she heard him speak those words. Those words weren't coming from a man truly concerned about his new family, but a man acting as a warden. A man watching over a fugitive. She looked down at her hands, trying to hide her look of hurt from him. "I suppose you did," she answered sadly.
Amon realized the sudden change in the girl. He didn't know what it was he had said to make her mood suddenly change. Could it have been about he being her warden? It did sound harsh the way he put it. The man went from sounding like a concerned family man to a warden of a prison. 'Don't you sound like a caring man.'
"I didn't mean. . ." he stopped as Robin got up to leave him. "Where are you going?" he asked confused.
"Back to bed," she said, her face turned from his gaze. She walked back to the bedroom, quickly shutting the door behind her.
Amon glanced at the door, mentally kicking himself for what he had said to her. 'She probably thinks you don't really care. You do, don't you?' he thought to himself. He did indeed care, but he could only admit that to himself. Amon went to stand up from the sofa, but stopped when he noticed two pairs of eyes staring back at him. "What!?" he snapped.
"Yes, you sounded oh so sincere," Haze said sarcastically.
"You were listening in?" Amon asked angrily.
"Obviously. You know, you really need to lighten up a little. Did you not see what just happened? Robin was starting to cheer up, knowing you were going to watch over her and the baby. . .and then you had to drop the warden crap into her lap. Bad, bad Amon," she said, shaking her finger at him.
"I meant what I said."
"God, you are so hardheaded! You're lucky if Robin wants to stick around with you. Amon, she doesn't need a warden, she needs someone who cares. Can you at least act like you do for once?" she spat.
Amon glared at the woman, throwing himself to his feet. He walked past her, his boots beating against the floor. Haze grabbed him by the arm as he was at arms length. She pulled him towards the chair, nearly pulling him off of his feet. The woman ignored the deadly glare she was getting from the cold man.
"Please lighten up, for her sake. She doesn't need all of this Amon. Things are stressful enough with her being hunted. Robin doesn't need you stressing her out more than she already is. It's not good for her or the baby. Just. . .just quit being you for the time being."
The man looked at her strangely. Quit being himself? He had never heard such a stupid thing before in his life. Why would he quit being himself? What good was that? If he wasn't himself, then who would he be? Was she wanting him to be some pompous little prick?
He pulled himself away from her, not bothering to comment on her outrageous request. Amon walked off towards the elevator, stopping when he reached the gates. Maybe he could lighten up and be less. . .Amonly. Nagira had told him how inhuman he acted around others. Perhaps he could give this a shot, but his only problem was that he only knew how to be himself.
Robin stood at the window, staring out at the quiet landscape of Raven's Flat. There wasn't a soul out on the street, not even a stray dog or cat. The air had grown quiet, colder than it was before. It seemed like a fitting atmosphere for the way she was feeling at that moment. She felt cold inside, all alone. Amon was exactly what he had told her he'd be, her warden. Was she expecting more from him? Why did she expect so much from him? The guy that treated her like trash the first time she walked into this building months ago, why did she expect so much from him now?
She leaned her forehead against the icy glass, wincing as the coldness stung at her skin. Below her, the wind picked up a few stray leaves, shuffling them into the air. They blew past the gates, which had begun to shake from the wind and the falling rain. The weather had been like this for quite a while. It wasn't normal for their to be storms this time of year, but there were. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a figure that stood out beyond the shadows of the night. Her eyes turned, meeting a pair of cold, grey eyes. Amon stood there, watching her from down below.
Robin quickly turned away from the window, pulling the curtains back. She walked off, pretending that she had never caught sight of the man. Why was he out there? Had he been watching her the entire time she stood there? Amon should have known to not be standing around there. What if someone spotted him and reported it to SOLOMON? As much as she wished she could, Robin would have ran down there and dragged him back in. Unfortunately she knew Haze wouldn't allow her to get past the elevator. Instead, Robin opted to go back to bed. It was surely too early to get up for the day.
Amon watched the small glass window where Robin once stood. The rain was beating down on him, threatening to wash the man away into the streets. He just stood there, looking at the window that divided he and Robin. She was mad at him, he was sure of that. Now he knew how it felt being her, when he shut her out. Though their reasons for leaving the other out in the cold was entirely different.
He knew what he was now, something he had feared for so long. When he first learned of his witch powers, they seemed dismal to him. Healing powers harmed no one, therefore he was no threat. Amon just found it odd that SOLOMON still wanted him, even though his powers weren't dangerous. Now he understood why. Those powers, the ones he'd grown to accept, weren't his only powers. The scientists that worked for Zaizen, had done more to him. Now, he was a Démos, something he despised. This is why he'd hidden himself from Robin for so long. His powers were threatening to take over him, something he couldn't allow to happen. That night in Robin's room, he felt himself slipping away, his powers taking over him. Those powers, he feared he wouldn't discover until it's too late.
The man hoped that there was something that could be done, something that could keep his powers from taking over. Those men had changed him, he was sure they could change him back, perhaps if he threatened them to do so. Perhaps that old woman knew of someone that did testing with the Factory. He would do anything—anything to get control of himself again.
The morning sunlight drifted through the offices of the STN-J, greeting Haze very unwelcomely. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, noting the aroma of coffee drifting through the room. At the coffee maker stood Michael, just pouring himself a cup of coffee. Amon sat in a chair next to the coffee maker, drinking coffee out of a large black mug. He didn't look pleased, nor restless. It appeared the man had gotten a good amount of sleep during the night.
"Good morning," she called over to the two, stretching as she stood up from her reclined chair.
"Morning," said Michael with a smile, pulling out another mug. He poured Haze a cup of coffee, bring it over to her.
"Thanks," she said, blowing the rising steam away from the top. She took a small sip, her face squinched as she tasted the bitter brew. Haze had grown use to a special coffee back home in Italy. It was extremely hard to find in Japan and much preferred over the brand Michael bought.
"Is Robin awake?" asked the woman, sitting her mug upon Michael's desk.
"Yeah, she's awake. I made her some tea earlier. She isn't feeling too well this morning." Michael winced as he remembered the sounds that had come from the restroom earlier that morning. "She really isn't feeling well."
"Well, what do you expect? She's pregnant. Morning sickness is normal for pregnant women."
"I know, but I'm not use to hearing her get sick in the morning. Nor anyone for that matter," said Michael with an uneasy smile.
Amon stood up from his chair, sitting his coffee mug next to the coffee maker. It was empty, but he hadn't bothered to sit it in the sink. Michael wasn't at all pleased, but wasn't going to dare scold the man for it. He feared Amon and his ferocious temper.
"The others will be here fairly soon. It's best that you two get going, but I don't know where to send you both," said Haze, rubbing her temples. "Do you have any good ideas?"
"My apartment," he looked at Haze curiously. "Is there been any surveillance over it?" he asked curiously.
She shook her head, her raven locks flapping across her pale face. "Nope, they never had it under surveillance actually. I was put in charge of looking over the place. So any usage of power, sewage, etc. they think came from me. SOLOMON knew you were too smart to go back to your apartment, knowing there was a hunt against you. I guess they didn't know you really weren't that smart," she said with a mischievous smile.
Before Amon could give Haze his signature stare, the elevator caught both their attention. It was moving up to the top floor, where they all stood. Amon knew it was one of the STN-J crew and they had no where to go. "Grab Robin now! Go down the stairs and head towards the bottom floor. There's a car parked down the block from here," barked Haze, handing him a set of keys and pushing him towards the room.
Robin and Amon went flying down the staircase, both nearly tripping over their jackets. Michael had luckily unlocked all of the doors, keeping Amon from having to input the security code. The keys Haze had given him weren't for just one particular car. They could be used on any of the STN-J vehicles.
Both of them made it to the bottom floor, luckily no one was in clear sight. Amon pulled Robin behind him, running over to the entrance to the tunnel. Robin didn't watch Amon as he attempted to open the entrance. Instead, she glanced at the brick wall, the one she had brought down all those months ago. It had been a diversion, which thankfully Amon had thought of. He was the reason she was still alive.
"It's been a while," Amon said to himself, pausing from his work as he glanced up at the distracted Robin.
She nodded and smiled sadly. "Yes it has. All those months ago. I thought they'd killed you."
"I'm lucky they hadn't," half-joked the man. "It was just pure luck that they'd used rubber bullets." The door to the tunnel slid open, Amon signaling for Robin to step in.
Robin found herself hesitating, remembering the last time he led her into the tunnel. 'He's not going to leave you again," she thought, mentally reprimanding herself. She grabbed the arm he held out for support, stepping down onto the small set of stairs. When her feet met the bottom, Amon's tall figured fell in front of her, the tunnel door quickly closing.
A few times Robin found herself wishing Amon had asked her the way out of the tunnel. Unlike the tunnel back at their previous home, this tunnel contained many passageways. It had taken her quite a while to get out of there. She heard Amon grunt every few minutes, as he hastily made his way through each and every wrong turn. Finally, she decided to help the lost man.
"Amon, I think we should have gone through that last passageway to the left. If I remember correctly, going through that passageway leads you out of the tunnel," she said softly, hoping his sudden temper didn't flare up. Thankfully he merely nodded in agreement.
They both walked a little ways back to the passageway Robin had mentioned, turning right as they reached it. Robin had indeed been correct about it leading to the exit of the tunnel. Soon they approached a small stairwell that led to the surface. Neither had ever been so happy to see the daylight. Amon pushed the small door open, the sunlight shooting into the tunnel, nearly blinding them both.
The tunnel had lead into an alleyway, which Amon recognized automatically. It was not that far from Touko's old apartment. Touko. He hadn't thought about her in quite a while. Amon began to wonder where she was and how she was doing. Then reality set in; he had no time to stand there and think about such a trivial thing. They needed to get to his apartment. Behind him, exactly where Haze said it would be, was the black car Amon knew all too well. It had been his old car, the one he had driven on many a hunt.
It hadn't taken them long to find Amon's old apartment. Both felt quite uneasy entering the apartment building. Luckily none of his neighbors had been out as they made there way towards the top floor. Everything seemed fine, until a little old woman stepped out of the apartment next to his. Robin would have ran and hid, but the old woman had been carrying a cane, which Robin realized was for her blindness. She looked over at Amon, whom looked quite annoyed.
"Good afternoon," said the woman, bowing her head in courtesy. "You haven't been here in quite a while young man," her voice cracking.
"How do you know it is him?" Robin asked shocked.
The old woman smiled and muffled a laugh. "It's not hard picking out his presence in a room. He's like a block of ice. You can feel the coldness radiating off of him."
Amon grunted, sneering as he glared at the woman. He would have scolded the old woman for saying such a rude thing to him, but he was stopped by the small, delicate hand that had placed itself upon his shoulder. Robin was looking at him, her expression telling him to backdown.
"You must be an amazing young woman to be able to keep his mouth shut," she joked, her laugh booming through the hallway. The woman calmed her laughs down, clearing her throat. "I'm sorry dear. It's just exceptionally funny to me. Please forgive an old woman's rudeness. I'm Uta Saya, a long time neighbor of the young man you're standing next to."
"Nice to meet you Ms. Uta," Robin replied, bowing slightly.
"And your name dear?" asked the woman curiously.
Robin wasn't sure if she really should answer the woman, but the decision was made once Amon grabbed her by the arm and pulled her forward. "That is quite enough," he snapped, dragging her towards the apartment door. The old woman huffed in annoyance, sticking her tongue out at the dark-mannered man. It was taking all the energy within Robin to keep from laughing at the scene.
"It was nice meeting you," chirped Robin, being pushed into the apartment.
Mrs. Uta stood there for a moment, grinning as she heard the door to Amon's apartment slam shut. "He's being his usual self," she said, shaking her head. "Oh well." She made her way down the hall until she reached the elevator. "I wonder what such a nice young lady would be doing with a brute like him?"
Robin had never seen such a dreary and plain apartment in her entire life. She always believed her room back at the monastery was plain, until she caught a glimpse of Amon's room. Everything was black and brown, including the curtains that hung over the Victorian-style windows. Everything in the bathroom, including the toilet and bathtub, was the same as the rest of the house. 'He really likes black and brown,' she thought to herself. On his night stand sat piles upon piles of mail, which apparently had been brought in by Haze. Seeing as Amon was no where in sight, Robin skimmed through some of the letters. Towards the bottom of the pile sat a manilla envelope with no written return address.
Normally Robin was against prying in other people's business, but curiosity was getting the best of her. She tore the back of the envelope open, slipping out the small folded piece of stationery paper. The words on the paper were messily written, meaning the person that had sent the letter had been in a hurry. Robin read over the letter, eyeing Amon's bedroom door every so often.
Dear Amon,
It's me. I hope you are doing well. As you can see, I harbor no ill will towards what happened those few weeks ago. I would like to know why? Why did you have to be the one to tie me up? What were you and those men planning to do with Robin? My father said I'm not permitted to see you ever again. I'd like to know why. If I have the chance again, I shall send you another letter. Please do not throw that one way, as I am sure you are about to do just that with this letter. Please Amon, just answer me back.
Touko
Robin folded the letter back up, slipping it back into the torn envelope. She had long forgotten about Touko, how the woman had once had a relationship with Amon. Or could that have ever been called a relationship? Surely both felt something towards one another. Perhaps that relationship faltered once Amon was ordered to hunt Robin. Touko was just something in his way of hunting her. Yet, he saved her instead of carrying out his duty. Maybe Amon never felt the way about Touko, that Touko felt about him? 'Or maybe you're trying to find reasons why he doesn't want Touko and wants you,' she thought to herself bitterly.
She skimmed through the remaining pile of mail, noting that all that remained were bills and junk. "Maybe she doesn't plan on mailing him back after all," she said to herself. Sitting the mail back onto the night stand, Robin made her way out of Amon's room and into the livingroom. On the couch, skimming through a box of old folders, was a very angry Amon. It seemed whatever he was looking for, wasn't there. "Is something wrong?"
"No," he snapped, shuffling through the box.
"It looks like something's wrong."
He threw the box into the floor, anger seething through him. "Nothing is wrong!" Amon closed his eyes, giving a heavy sigh. "Some of my old case files are missing. I think your friend Haze took them," he said drearily.
Robin knelt down and gathered the scattered folders back into the cardboard box. "Why do you think Haze took them?" she asked curiously. It didn't seem like Haze would do something that low, but then again she was a tricky individual.
"She was the last person in here," he spat.
"You don't know that."
Amon eyed the girl as if she were completely mad. "Well, then whom took the folders?" he said in a mocking tone.
The girl frowned as she stared at him. 'He always has to be so rude.' She shook her head, sitting the box of folders beside him on the sofa. "I don't know, but I just don't think it could have been Haze."
"You're just too blind to see the deceitful side in her," he growled.
"And you're too quick to judge. She's done a lot for us, hasn't she?"
"Yes, but there's something about her I just don't trust. You shouldn't put so much trust in her."
Robin shook her head, closing her eyes as a smile came to her face. "This is where we completely differ. You put little trust to so few." She sighed and looked towards the hallway, grinning. At the end of the hall, sat Amon's bathroom. Surely he wouldn't mind if she wanted to take a bath. A bath would soothe her spirits and get her out of Amon's hair.
"I'm going to go take a hot bath, if that is alright," said Robin, slowing walking away.
Amon nodded, not knowing what he was agreeing to. For all he knew, he was agreeing for her to jump out the window. He was far too busy seething over Robin's incompetence. 'She really is too trusting. It seems like she wants to put herself in harms way. Haze is the path to getting her killed, I just know it.'
He sat there a while, glancing at the box of folders that sat next to him. After flipping through a few of them, he heard nature calling. The man grimaced in annoyance, wondering why he just had to go. Amon had just stumbled upon an old case folder, one he had long forgotten about. He walked towards the bathroom door, noticing it was cracked open. Of course he wouldn't have thought Robin would have been in the bathroom with the door cracked, so he pushed the door open. Unfortunately for him, Robin was laying out in the bathtub, covered in bubble bath. When both their eyes met, their faces turned the brightest hue of crimson imaginable.
"Sorry!" choked Amon, quickly turning on his heels, desperately trying to throw himself out of the bathroom. Unfortunately when he turned around, his feet became tangled in the rug that lie on the linoleum floor. Amon soon found himself lying on top of a naked Robin, in the bathtub.
The man looked like a fish out of water. Amon arms were flapping around, desperately trying to pull himself out of the bathtub. When Amon finally got a hold of the edge of the tub, he threw himself out and into the bathroom floor. He had never been so embarrassed in his life. Unfortunately he wasn't having an easy time of hiding that embarrassment. It had taken Amon a moment to realize what had just happened. "Are you okay?" he asked, wondering if he had crushed the poor girl.
Robin nodded, trying her best to fight off the grin that threatened to consume her face. "I'm alright," she said, slipping an extra towel over herself. She slightly smirked as she saw the look of confusion and embarrassment that had come to him. "Are you alright?" she asked softly.
"Yeah," he said, glancing down at his soaked form. Every inch of him above his knees was soaked in bath water and covered in bubble bath. He got to his feet, quickly making his way out of the bathroom. Amon didn't think he'd ever ran out of a room so fast in his life. 'Dear god, you fell on her and she was naked! You're not going to start those perverted thoughts again, are you?' he thought to himself.
Robin stepped out of the tub, shutting the door as she made her way to the mirror. Apparently Amon had been in such a frenzy to leave, that he'd neglected to shut the door back. She towel-dried her chestnut locks, grinning as she thought about what had just occurred. 'I'd never seen him look that way before. He was absolutely embarrassed.' "I guess he forgot I was in here," she said, slipping her pilgrim dress back on. As she slipped it down her chest, Robin grimaced as she felt the slight snug at her waist. "I'll have to get new clothes before long. It's strange that I'm starting to show this early."
She decided to leave her hair down for the day, seeing as she wasn't going out any more that day. Carrying two large towels, Robin proceeded towards Amon's room, where he was changing into some new clothes. The door had been opened, Robin catching a glimpse of Amon slipping a pair of pants back on. Her cheeks were turning crimson once again.
Amon caught sight of her at the door. "What are you doing?" he asked half embarrassed.
"I. . ." She stepped into the room, holding out the two towels for him. "I thought you may need these after your little fall."
Amon took them, nodding appreciatively. Robin gave him a slight smile, quickly turning to leave his room. Before she made it to the door, she felt a hand wrap around her wrist. She turned around to see Amon, staring at her quite intensely.
"You're sure that you're okay?" he asked worriedly.
"Yes, I'm sure," she said with a nod. Once Amon lessened the grip on her wrist, Robin slipped herself out of the room. 'For someone that claims to not care, he sure does care a lot,' Robin thought to herself. She walked back towards the bathroom, stopping as she heard a knock coming from the front door.
Amon rushed past her, nearly knocking Robin into the wall. He peeped through the peephole, sighing heavily as he caught a glimpse of the person outside the door. Haze's small figure stood in front of the door, her body tilted with one hand on her popped hip. His eyes became tiny slits as he slowly began unlocking the door.
Haze rushed in, carrying bags upon bags of food and other items. Amon helped her by taking most of it, carrying it into the kitchen. Most of what he saw in the bags, were junk food, something he was really getting tired of. A few moments later, Haze stepped into the kitchen with a few more bags. Those bags were easily identifiable. It was food from Harry's.
"You won't believe what news I just received," said Haze, sitting the bags up on the counter.
"What?" asked Robin, whom had just stepped into the kitchen.
"Stretten has called off the search," she said happily, handing the phone over to Amon. "He sent me the email just a little while ago. I don't know what made him do it, but he's called it off! You guys are safe!" she cheered.
"They called it off?" Robin asked confused. "That means Jaden no longer has a reason to hunt us, correct?"
"Yes! I'm so relieved that this is over. Our only concern now is the Factory. It seems they're still looking for you. So I think it's best to lay low just a bit longer, until SOLOMON can arrest those men. You can go out in public, but just don't make a big spectacle of yourselves. Stretten said that once Zaizen recovers, he'll be put under arrest. Though that may be a while. Last I heard, Zaizen was in bad shape. One of his doctors said he looks nothing like he did before the Factory went down. He's like a burnt piece of meat, sitting in a hospital bed," said Haze with a grin.
"Has. . .has Touko been to see him?" asked Amon curiously.
Robin looked over at him, biting her lower lip at the mention of her old roommate's name. 'Why do you have to feel so hostile towards Touko? She has done nothing to you? All you have to do is hear her name and you get aggravated!' It wasn't like her to feel that way towards anyone.
"No, she hasn't been to see him. The last I heard, she was living in the United States, under a new name. I did a little digging a while back and found out she's seeing some wealthy lawyer. Seems she met him right after she arrived."
'That's why she hasn't written him back,' thought Robin. 'She met someone else. I guess she doesn't plan on mailing him again, unless she and this lawyer separate. Am I hoping they don't?' Robin was starting to hate these thoughts that were quickly invading her.
"Though," added Haze "there has been a woman coming in and leaving flowers for him every so often. No one knows her name, but the nurses at the hospital say she looks to be in her early fifties. She's been leaving him white lilies during each visit, a sign that she's hoping for his passing. It makes me wonder whom this woman is."
Haze sighed and glanced over at the two ex-hunters in front of her. "Well,"she said with a smile. "I think we have a lot to celebrate tonight. An end to the hunt, a baby, and a birthday!"
"Birthday?" asked Amon confused
"Yes, today is Robin's 16th birthday! It hasn't been much of a birthday, has it Robin? I bought a little cake for you. Master was kind enough to make it for me. Oh and don't worry, he doesn't know it was for you. I haven't told him about you being in town," she said with a wink.
Amon nodded, feeling dread overcome him. 'It's her birthday and you've been an asshole to her practically the entire day? Maybe Haze is right. I have to quit being myself. . .for now. The only question is, how do I do that!?' his mind yelled.
He glanced over at Robin, whom was positively beaming as Haze was talking to her about what she had planned for the evening. 'Just for tonight,' he thought. 'Just for tonight, I'll not be me.'
Dinner had been quite an awkward event for the three. Haze had brought dinner from Harry's, which Robin greatly enjoyed. Amon on the other hand, could care less where the food had come from. He was too busy thinking about Robin. Today she was of legal age, something he was beginning to find very intriguing. She appeared to be happy, with the small dinner Haze planned out for her. It seemed odd for him to be the one that hadn't bothered to do a thing for her. 'You should do something, anything,' his mind berated.
Haze seemed to be reading his thoughts. She looked over at him, smiling a mischievous smile. "So, I was wondering. You know that spare room down the hall? Are you planning to turn that into a nursery?" she asked curiously. The woman giggled as she saw the confused looked that formed on Amon's face.
"That'll be Robin's room," he said flatly.
"Really," she plucked a piece of beef from off of her plate with her chopsticks and tossed it into her mouth. "Because," she said swallowing, "I was sure you needed a nursery. It's a nice enough room to be one."
"If it's a nursery, then where will she sleep?" he asked irritated.
"With you," answered Haze with an evil smile. She nearly fell in the floor laughing as the two choked from her comment. Haze was having too much fun. Even Amon's powerful, but deadly glare didn't bother her.
"The room could always double as a nursery," said Robin, breaking the silence that had quickly consumed the group. She could feel the negativity emitting from Amon's cold form.
"I suppose it could." Haze sighed and tilted her head to the side, staring at Amon. "You're a real sweetheart."
"What!? " he asked confused.
"Not even offering," she said, popping another piece of beef into her mouth.
Robin glanced over at Amon, from the corner or her eyes. She could clearly see that he was ready to end this conversation. Of course she didn't mind if they ended it either. It was plain to see that Haze was up to her usual antics of being the trouble maker that she was. Often when they were living in Italy, Haze would be reprimanded for anything and everything she did. There wasn't a moment where Haze wasn't misbehaving.
"So, will you be returning to the STN-J after the Factory workers are caught?" asked Haze curiously, glancing back and forth at the two.
"I suppose I will," answered Amon, his eyes settling on his half eaten plate of food.
"And what about you?" she asked, eyeing Robin.
"Well," she said, picking up her cup of tea. "Hmm. . .I suppose I will."
"You will not," he snapped.
"Why not?" Robin asked innocently.
"I still don't think it would be safe for you to return in your current condition," he stated in an icy tone.
Robin just looked at him, confusion contorting her pale face. 'Condition? I'm pregnant, not incapacitated,' she thought to herself. "I could do work around the office." She hoped that he'd at least agree to that, but somehow she knew he wouldn't give in so easily.
"No."
Haze sighed heavily, nodding in agreement with Amon; something that never happened. She could see why Amon didn't want Robin to return to work. There still was a chance she'd be in danger. Someone, anyone, could still be after her, even with the Factory workers being gone. Maybe Robin would be better off not returning after all.
"Fine," breathed Robin irritated.
The remainder of dinner had been quite silent between Amon and Robin. Amon could tell Robin wasn't at all pleased by his decision. He was looking out for her and the baby. There was always the chance that something could happen to her on the job. In no way was he allowing her to go on any hunts with him.
Now that the hunt had been called off, they didn't have to live like fugitives any longer. They could go where they pleased, without worrying about SOLOMON catching them. It had taken him quite a while to think of what he could give Robin for her birthday, but he'd finally figured it out. Seeing as Robin would be staying with him, he would have to make a lot of changes around the house. Tomorrow he'd take her to get a few things. Hopefully they wouldn't have to worry about being chased by anyone.
He walked into the livingroom, where Robin sat on the sofa, watching a local news program. Haze had longed left, saying that she needed to stop back by the office and tell the others the good news. She told him that he would be able to start back at the STN-J soon after those involved with the Factory were caught, which he greatly appreciated. Amon had really missed work, the one thing that for a long time, kept him going.
Sitting next to Robin, Amon leaned his head back against the sofa, staring up at the textured ceiling. He was tired, stressed from anything and everything that had been happening the last few months. Finally they would have peace again and live somewhat normal lives. All they had to worry about now, was the baby. Somehow Amon didn't think this was going to be so bad after all.
"You're happy to be returning, aren't you?" asked Robin.
Amon nodded, closing his eyes. "Yes, I am happy to be returning."
"I'm glad you are."
"Tomorrow I'm taking you to buy a few things," he said plainly.
She slightly smiled and nodded, her chestnuts locks bouncing across her back. "You know, I don't have to stay here anymore. We're both free now," she said, in a somewhat sad tone.
His eyes fell open, his head quickly turning to look at her. Was she saying that she didn't want to be around him any longer? Had he done something to make her uncomfortable? 'The question is more like, what haven't you done to her.' "Where would you go? The old apartment you and Touko lived in?" he asked in a sarcastically.
Robin squinched up her nose at the sound of Touko's name and because of Amon's sardonic question. 'You're doing it again!' "I don't know where I'd go, but it wouldn't be back to the apartment. I just don't want to intrude on you any longer," she said softly.
"You're not intruding," he said flatly.
"I feel like I am."
"Well you're not." Amon felt his cheeks turn crimson. "I don't want you going anywhere else." There, he said it. He wanted Robin there with him, where he could see she was safe. Her leaving was not an option.
"Thank you." She felt tears stinging at her emerald eyes.
"Amon?" she asked.
"What?"
"Why do you have two rooms in your apartment?"
"I just do."
Robin looked at him curiously. She'd never heard of someone having two rooms in an apartment and not having a purpose for the second room. Perhaps the other room served as an office or training room. Or maybe someone had once been staying with Amon.
"The other room isn't set up yet. You can take my room for now. Tomorrow we'll go out and pick up some furniture for the other room."
It felt odd to be receiving things from Amon, when he wasn't expecting something in return. Here he was, offering her a place to live and even buying for her. How would she ever thank him? Surely there was something s he could give him, but what could it be? Someday she'd figure it out.
"Don't you find it odd?" asked Robin absentmindedly.
"Find what odd?" he asked.
"That SOLOMON suddenly stopped the hunt. Why would they? What made Stretten change his mind?"
"Maybe it was Juliano." Amon had to agree with Robin. It was certainly strange that Stretten, a man that had tried his best to capture them both, suddenly stopped the hunt for them. Was this maybe a trick?
"What if he's doing this to draw us out? Get us while we're vulnerable?"
"Possibly," he answered. Amon looked over at the clock that hung over the television set. It was a little after eleven. "I think it's best that we get to sleep."
Robin nodded and sighed. "Can I ask you something?" she asked curiously.
"What?"
"Do you only think of me as some prisoner you have to watch over?" Her voice was slightly quivering.
Amon looked at her, his icy cold eyes softening. She was speaking of the previous night, what he had said to her about he being her warden. Normally he'd just lie, pretend that he didn't give a damn about her, but he couldn't find himself doing it then. Just looking at her, her small frame sitting on the sofa, her soft green eyes staring back at him, they was melting his cold exterior.
"No I don't," he answered.
"I'm glad to know," she said with a smile.
The morning had been remotely quiet for both of them. After an hour of debating, Robin finally took Amon's room for the night, which he'd been telling her to do all night. As soon as Amon was finished with his daily phone call with Haze, both headed towards Kichiba Furnishings. They walked through the doors to the store, staring at the plethora of furniture and accessories that was scattered throughout the show floor. It was going to be hard to pick out a bed quickly. Amon had never been in such a huge store before. All the furnishings in his apartment had been purchased through a small store that had closed down only a few months ago. If it was still opened, he would have just taken her there. Unfortunately, this was the only store in the city that was opened.
Robin had looked through an enormous variety of beds, before she settled on a bed set, similar to the one she'd had at their previous home. The only exception was that it had draperies hanging from the top. Amon was ready to pay for it, until he and Robin passed the baby section. He had caught a glimpse of the cribs, remembering what Haze had told him the previous night. Eventually they'd need a nursery.
"Is something wrong?" asked Robin.
"What do we do about the nursery?" he asked.
"Well, like I said last night, my room can double as a nursery. We don't have to worry about it for a while though."
'What? You want her to sleep in your room with you?' He mentally chastisized himself for having those thoughts. Though he really didn't like the idea of Robin having to share a room with the baby. The room was small enough as it was. Having her bed and a baby's crib would be too much. "It's too small."
"We'll manage," she said, tugging at his coat sleeve.
He nodded and walked off with her, quietly sighing. It couldn't be helped. The nursery was already bothering him. Sure they had a while until the baby was born, but didn't expectant parents usually start planning early? How early did they usually start? As much as he hated to admit it, he and Robin would have to share the same room. Did he really find the thought of it that disturbing?
"Haze got to you."
"No," he said flatly, throwing a few stray strands of raven from his face with the palm of his hand. True, Haze was getting to him, but he wasn't going to admit that to Robin, nor anyone for that matter. "She isn't getting to me."
Robin knew better than to believe him. It was fairly obvious that Haze had gotten to him. She wouldn't push him any farther about it, knowing very well that it would flare up his vicious temper. Instead, she'd pretended that she believed him, though she was sure that it was obvious that she was lying too.
They both walked up to the counter at the front of the store, being greeted by one of the cashiers. She was a tall woman, nearly two inches shorter than Amon. Her bleached-blonde hair was pulled back into a bun, her face plastered in powder that was far too light for her complexion. Amon wasn't aware that he had been giving the woman a disgusted look, until Robin tugged on his jacket sleeve. It had been her bright red lipstick that made him look at her the way he did.
"Can I help you?" asked the woman, quite irritated by the look Amon had just given her.
"Yes, I'd like to buy this bed set," he said, sitting down a piece of paper, listing all the information that was posted on the bed set ticket.
"Fine," she said, grabbing the ticket and looking at it. After giving Amon an unrecognizable look, she walked into the back office.
"I think this may take a while," sighed Robin.
After nearly an hour of utter frustration, nail biting, and yelling, they both emerged from the store, furnitureless. It seemed the bed set, much to Amon's distress, would take one week to ship. Unfortunately being the only furniture store in town meant that it had an over-exuberant amount of business. Now Amon had to figure out a way to get Robin furniture and the search was looking bleak. The nursery was bothering him again.
"I suppose I could sleep on the sofa for now," whispered Robin, knocking the man out of his trance.
He shook his head disapprovingly. Amon could be cold, but not cold enough to make a pregnant woman sleep on a sofa, whilst he slept in a nice comfy bed. The man wasn't that heartless. "No, you'll take my room for the time being," he said stoically.
"I don't want to," she said defiantly.
"You will."
"Or what?" Robin stopped, giving Amon the glare he had commonly used as a mental weapon against anyone and everyone.
Amon lifted a brow, amazed that Robin was showing such protests against sleeping in his room. What was wrong with it? In all honesty, Amon didn't have an answer to her questions. He hadn't planned on the discussion reaching this level. "You're staying in there and that's final!" he hissed, grabbing her by the arm, pulling her towards the car.
Robin sighed, relaxing as Amon dragged her to the car. They were parked along the street, not too far from Nagira's lawfirm. Neither had acknowledged that fact to the other, rather they kept it to themselves. She wished that she could just walk into the lawfirm and find Nagira, fixing to step out for Pachinko.
After spending nearly ten minutes finding Amon's car keys, which had accidentally been left at Kichiba, they both made their way to the next stop for the day. The drive would be like every drive between the two, quiet. Robin just wondered how the next few days would be. She didn't exactly like taking Amon's room from him, but he insisted on her doing so.
"Are you scared of becoming a father?" she asked out of the blue.
Amon eyed her, wondering what had brought up this sudden discussion. Had he said or done anything that made her think that? "No," he answered nonchalantly
"I'm afraid of becoming a mother."
Amon looked at her peculiarly. "Why?"
Her eyes settled down at her abdomen, a sad smile coming to her face. "I just am." She was scared for many, many reasons. Mostly what troubled her was her own childhood. Robin wanted her child to have a family, a loving family for that matter. Surely the child wouldn't get it between the two of them. All she could do was try her best and just love this child.
"You don't have to be." Amon brought the car to a sudden halt. They were sitting in front of a department store called 'Morinaga Clothing.' "It's not like you're going to do this alone."
"I know," she said, interlacing her fingers together. "I just can't help but feel this way."
"You're worried that it will grow up without a mother or father," he said, turning off the ignition to the vehicle.
Robin nodded and gave a sad sigh. "I don't want it to be raised like I did, well, in the non-parental sense. Growing up, I often wondered what my parents were like. What if something happened to both of us and this child was all alone?"
"It won't be." Amon's hands rested on top of the steering wheel. His eyes settled on the large, sienna-bricked building in front of him. "I'll do my best to make sure that doesn't happen," he said reassuringly.
"Thank you."
He nodded, opening the door and stepping out. "Come on. We need to get you some new clothes," he said, slamming the door shut. Amon made his way into the store, not even waiting up for Robin, whom was struggling to catch up with him.
'Sometimes I wonder why he always leaves me having to chase him,' she thought drearily. Robin glanced around the Morinaga Clothing store, amazed by the plethora of clothing that sat out in the show floor. She wondered if Amon had noticed her 'tight situation' with her dress. It was funny that she was already getting too big for her clothing and she was barely 8 weeks yet.
Amon sat quietly, waiting for Robin to finish trying on the different dresses he'd pretty much thrown at her. She'd been back in the dressing room a while, which had further annoyed him. 'How long does it take a woman to try on a damn dress!?' he thought irritably. He wasn't a picky person when it came to clothing. As long as it was a black pair of pants or a loose-fitting shirt, he'd wear it.
As he sat there, staring out into the crowd of women shuffling through the clothes racks, a pregnant woman and assumably her husband, passed in front of him. They looked happy and carefree, as if nothing could destroy their happy little world. Amon thought he and Robin must look like the epitome of depression. Here they were, two people expecting a baby and neither looked overjoyed like that couple. Instead, they looked like two convicts about to spend a lifetime in prison.
'There is a way to quit being you. Just free yourself a little. Quit being a block of ice all the time. Act like a human being,' his mind berated. His attention, which had previously been on the couple whom were exiting the store, set to the figure standing next to him. Robin stood there, holding a small pile of dresses in her arms. She didn't look at all pleased.
"Did you find anything?" His face scrunched up as he watched her head shake. "Well, what's wrong with these clothes!?" he asked quite irrate.
"They show too much skin," she said softly.
"Too much skin?"
"Yes, too much skin. My arms and most of my legs aren't even covered by those dresses."
Amon's left temple twitched in annoyance. 'You mean to tell me that this girl, whom sleeps naked, can't wear a dress that exposes her arms and below her knees?' "You'll have to bare with it," he said, grabbing the dresses from her.
Robin whimpered in protest, but stopped as she was given Amon's glare of silence. "Fine," she sighed. She followed him up to the front counter with the few other little items that Amon had permitted her to buy. One of those items was a pair of slippers, which Robin would wear around the house. Amon's apartment floor had fairly rough carpeting, which Robin disliked.
-Somewhere in Tokyo-
The sound of reconstruction filled the ears of all those that passed through the streets in Tokyo. Across from an old cathedral sat the construction site, the building of a much larger edifice than the cathedral. Men worked hastily, taking the skeleton of the building and making it into something much finer, much more than just a skeleton. This building, one that would surpass all those that surrounded it, was to be the new headquarters for The Factory. On the outskirts of the construction site, stood three individuals, watching the contractors work their magic.
One of those individuals, his body half wrapped in bandages, sat in a wheelchair, staring blankly at the bare-boned building. Parts of his charred skin, exposed to the air, sent chills down the two standing next to him. Just as before, Zaizen's eyes had nothing left in them. He was like a lifeless puppet, sitting and watching the world around him move.
"How long?" said Zaizen, his voice croaky and lifeless.
One of the men standing next to him, cleared their throat. "We were told only one week. These men work fast." He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small picture of a woman. "I thought I should inform you. She shall be returning this week," said the man, dropping the picture to eye level with Zaizen. "And your wife," he cleared his throat, pausing to see the look Zaizen would give him for mentioning the woman. "She says it's a shame you didn't die in the hospital."
If the man had smiled or frowned, it was not apparent through the torrent of bandages surrounding his face. He barely nodded in acknowledgment. Sticking out his index finger, which looked like a piece of burnt wood, he signaled for the other man to take him away.
"Sir, are you sure you should be out of the hospital. I mean, your doctors said. . ."
"I'm fine," grunted Zaizen.
The man stepped away, allowing the other, a much taller bruting man, to push Zaizen away. He watched as the two left, a few of Zaizen's bandages going astray. As the two made it past the end of the site, Zaizen's eyes shifted back over to the building.
"This time I'll put an end to it all."
That's the end of Chapter 8. Kind of a filler chapter I guess you'd say. ; Yes, it's been quite a while since I posted a chapter. It's been quite a bad month for me and I've been depressed for quite a while. The other morning I finally got up and started writing and also managed to work on my new web site. visit my profile to get the link. The new layout should be up soon
The next chapter is. . .well. . .sad I guess. We still have quite a few more chapters until we enter the second part of this story. O.O "Like OMGWTFBBQ, did she says there's a second part!!!!?????" XD watches someone cry and run off Lol, I'm still debating whether it will be just 2 or 3. .O
Anywho, the next chapter will hopefully be out a lot sooner than these last few chapters have.
Preview of next chapter:
Old Heartache. . . . . Consequences of one's lies. . . . . .Dying Flames. . . .