Finding Hope

Lover?

Chiaki fell onto the bed, staring at the ceiling as if he was waiting for something interesting to happen.

He kept on thinking about that day's event. Why had Maron helped Satsuki and not him? Whatever the reason, it made him look like a fool.

He finally took his eyes off the ceiling and stared at the time. 10:45pm…School was tomorrow and he didn't even bother opening his book to study for a big test tomorrow.

Access floated above Chiaki's head hoping that he'd see him. After a minute he grew impatient and kicked Chiaki's head.

"Hello! You've been quiet ALL night! We didn't even eat dinner!" Access sighed, "It seems like we completed most of the pieces already."

Chiaki paid no attention to him. He got up and headed out of the apartment. A walk would be good…

Maron walked onto her balcony and stared at the moon. She knew Chiaki was mad at her. She couldn't do anything about it; she knew Satsuki would kill her!

She looked down and saw Chiaki leaving the apartments. She really wanted to follow, but she was waiting for her 'father' to come home. He decided to go out during the day, so she hadn't seen him since his arrival.

There was a knock on the door and she let the person know that it was okay to come in. Satsuki walked in and went out onto the balcony with her.

"I should have got this room because of the balcony…oh well I have my own restroom." He stared at the moon with her.

She kept quiet and noticed Chiaki was already out of sight. Satsuki turned around and faced her.

"So, everyone in our school thinks you and I are an item now." Satsuki grinned, "It will be nice, since we already live with each other."

Maron made a disgusting face, "You're my step brother."

Satsuki laughed, "Doesn't mean we're blood related. Plus, we're practically married anyways!"

Maron turned around and didn't want to look at him. Images of her being by Satsuki side weren't the most pleasant thoughts to her. They stayed outside for a long time, not speaking to one another. Maron stood there staring at the moon and the stars while Satsuki just sat on one of the chairs that were out there.

After a while, Satsuki stood up and grabbed Maron's waist. "This body…is still pure right?"

Maron glared, "If you're asking if I'm a virgin…YES I am."

"Good…I wouldn't want you to be touched by another…especially since everyone is filthy."

'Your filthy…you piece of…'

He turned Maron to face him. "Got that?"

Maron's eyes started to water. She didn't like the way he was staring at her. It was as if he was staring right through her, and the lust in his eyes didn't make it any better.

He leaned forward and brushed his dry lips against hers and she gasped. She tried to pull away, but he pulled her closer and held onto her tight.

'If I pretend this is someone else…it might not be that bad…' That's when the tears started to fall.

They both failed to see a pair of shocked eyes staring at them from below. Chiaki (AN: who else would it be!) finally understood. They were lovers…not related.

The next night, Maron regretted not seeing anyone that day. She spent all day in her room, waiting for Satsuki to leave the house, but he never did.

She quietly snuck out of her house, and made her way to her next target, The Kanshin's mansion.

Now transformed into Jeanne, she stood on top of a roof and planned her route. Her new mission was another beautiful painting. The picture hung nicely over a fireplace that was in a cozy living room. She grinned when she saw a bunch of police cars starting to surround the land.

"I take it your challenging me again, Fin?"

The little angel grinned, "Of course! I knew you needed some cheering up!"

Jeanne smiled. She needed a challenge, and definitely needed to get her mind off her so-called family.

Jeanne watched her watch. 'One minute.'

She looked back down at the police, and she spotted someone familiar. 'Mi…Miyako?"

Her new friend stood by some police guards, and it looked like she was giving instructions. Jeanne glanced back at her watch; the second hand hit the 12 and it was now 10pm.

Jeanne carefully jumped onto the roof, avoiding the guards that failed to notice her. She found a window that was kept a little open. She paused for a second and chuckled. The window was meant to be open. She grabbed a stick and opened the window open (a/n: The window opens like a door, so it opens horizontally). Once it was opened fully, a bucket of glue fell from the top and spilled all over the floor. Way too easy.

She then made sure everything was clear. She jumped in the window, avoiding the glue. She looked around to find any more traps. There were three doors that led to different rooms and she thought for a second. The room she wanted was south of the house, so she had to choose the left one. She slowly turned the doorknob and peeked into the next dark room. There, she found the painting hanging neatly on the wall. After a while, she looked around and got worried when no traps were set.

She made her way through the dark room and raised an eyebrow. No traps, what kind of policeman do they have in the city? She took one step forward and paused when she heard a sound. She quickly turned around and sighed when she saw whom it was.

"Oh, why it's the guy that insulted me the other night." Jeanne said while crossing her arms.

Sinbad stood against the door and glared at her. "You're a woman, shouldn't you be in a kitchen?"

Jeanne's anger grew, "What is that suppose to mean! Wait, why am I talking to you?" She turned around and noticed that one more step will lead into a trap.

She paused and grabbed her pin.

She turned around to stick out her tongue at the rude man; except he wasn't in the location he was at last. Now he stood directly behind her and picked her up. She gasped and he set her down behind him.

"Being a thief requires not having a lover. If you were to die, what would the other to do?" Sinbad then took a few steps forward.

"I wouldn't do that if I were…" Too late. He stepped in the trap. "...You." Jeanne finished.

The set went off a purple gas formed. Sinbad started to cough and fell to the ground. Luckily, Jeanne was far enough, and she put on a mask. She quickly checkmated the painting, and helped Sinbad up. She then noticed he was unconscious.

"I heard a thump! She fell for it!" A voice said in another room.

She cursed mentally and regretted what she was about to do. She picked up her new enemy and threw his limp body out the nearest window. She then jumped out the window, and grabbed the unconscious body. She leaped up onto a tree and jumped to a roof where she knew they would be safe.

She softly put the body down and made sure he hadn't gotten any injuries. She studied his features, and found him to be very handsome…almost as handsome as Chiaki. She frowned when she noticed the veil (a/n: I don't know what it's called, and yes I know its girly…but you know what I mean!). She slowly touched it and took it off, curious to see what was underneath. Maybe he had bad lips?

She was wrong; he looked more heavenly without it. She jumped when she heard him coming back into reality.

"Thought you were dead…" Jeanne teased.

Once Sinbad noticed his surroundings, he cursed.

"No need for language! I just saved your sorry ass!" She then shut her mouth with her hand.

"Whatever, it was a careless decision I made at the last second." Sinbad tried to get up but his body felt numb.

"The gas you inhaled makes your body numb for a few minutes." Jeanne pointed out.

"Whatever." Sinbad was embarrassed; he was supposed to be the hero.

They sat there for a minute and Sinbad noticed something on her neck. "Active are we?"

She is confused for a second and notices he's staring at her neck.

'Crap…'

After their kiss, Satsuki pulled her into a hug and bit her neck and sucked on it roughly. She forced herself to pull away and successfully slapped him. When she looked in the mirror, a mark was left.

Now her enemy thought she was active. She rubbed her neck and refused to make any contact.

"It's not what you think…"

"Like I said, you get weak when you have a lover."

Jeanne was confused, "What lover are you speaking of?"

"Yours."

Jeanne laughed, "I am not in love, and I do not have a lover."

"Then you have a friend with benefits?"

Jeanne choked, "NO! It's...ah what do you care?"

Sinbad finally started to wiggle his legs and jumped onto his feet.

"Well, it was nice chatting with you! Well, tell him or THEM to stop leaving noticeable marks! Okay?"

She watched as he jumped to the next roof, "WAIT! You don't think I'm some sort of slut or anything do you?"

He laughed, "If you were, you would of tried to make out with me while I was unconscious!"

He then jumped out of sight.

At home, Fin danced with the new piece that Jeanne had caught.

"I knew you could do it!"

Maron sat at her desk, and studied herself in the mirror.

"Maron cheer up! You caught a demon, and there's only a few more!"

Maron sighed, "There isn't going to be a few more, Fin."

Fin flew up next to her, "What does that mean?"

Maron stood quiet and tears started to fall. She was weak. Her strength was good, but her mental strength was pathetic. With stuff happening in her life, she wouldn't be able to be fully strong as people expected.

She looked at her neck and started rubbing it. A few seconds later she started scratching it, till it started bleeding.

"Stop Maron! You're bleeding!" Fin grabbed her arm and tried to pull it away.

Maron scratched faster till her whole neck was bleeding, and the mark was gone.

She then punched her mirror and it broke.

"Fin…I'm not going to be Jeanne anymore."

It was her final decision and Fin's word wasn't good anymore….

Authors note:

Bleh only 6 pages. Oh well!