"Do we really have to walk back to the apartment in this?" Haven asked as she looked outside. The snow was coming down in big flakes at high speed. She shivered at the sight.

Fia pouted. "If we don't go now, we're going to have to go through it later! It's supposed to get worse after an hour."

"Can we just sleep in the student center?" Haven asked.

Karma and Nagisa simultaneously sighed.

"No offense, but I don't want to be stuck here any longer than I have to be. This place is boring as hell and the people here never have anything interesting to say," Karma complained.

Nagisa frowned. "I think Haven's right and that we shouldn't risk going out right now, but all of my textbooks are back in my room."

Fia looked between the three. "The apartment is really just down the street…"

"But it's cold." Haven complained. "Wally, is it a good idea to go out in this weather?"

"The conditions are not ideal, however the earlier the departure, the better," Wally replied.

Fia nodded determinedly. "Then we're going to brave the cold! Everyone grab your jackets and hold hands! Staying together is key in a blizzard when visibility is close to none - " The girl looked as if she were ready for an all-out war. No one could blame her, she was from a place that was warm almost the whole year round. Fia took Karma and Nagisa's hands and began walking outside, Haven trailing begrudgingly behind them.

About half-way home, Fia noticed the disappearance of one of their group.

"Angel," she called. "Angel! How are we supposed to find her in this weather? She'll blend right in with the snow!" Fia panicked.

Nagisa looked around but he couldn't see anything past the sheets of snow falling from the sky. "I don't see her anywhere!" he worriedly shouted over the wind.

"She'll find her way home," Karma muttered and tried to continue walking, but Fia held him back.

"We do not go on without her!" Fia protested, "What if she gets hypothermia? DIDN'T I TELL EVERYONE TO HOLD HANDS?!"

"It's her own fault for not holding on to us," Karma protested. "Besides, she's got Wally. She'll be fine!"

Nagisa frowned. "I hate to say it, but we're not likely to be able to find her on our own in this weather - we should head to the apartment and wait for her. If she doesn't get back soon enough and we can't reach her by cell, we can call campus safety!" he assured her.

Fia tried to frown but her lips were more or less turning into ice cubes. She nodded hesitantly and began leading the troupe back to their apartment.

Once they returned to the warmth of the building, Fia flipped out her phone and dialed Haven's number on her cellphone.

"Angel, where are you?" she cried as soon as the line connected.

"Hello, Fia. This is Wally. Haven in currently asleep in the computer labs between the student center and the apartment," Wally replied.

The girl face-palmed. "Why am I not surprised? At least she's safe and warm, right?"

"Safe is a relative term, however she is most certainly warm," Wally replied.

Fia laughed dryly. "Well… Please keep looking out for her Wally. I'll see you both when you get home." Fia smiled.

"Of course, I do not wish anything to harm Haven," Wally replied.


The next morning, the snow had stopped and the sky was blue. Haven walked into the apartment as quietly as she could.

Fia was tapping her foot impatiently and standing with her arms crossed over her chest. "Do you know what time it is, young lady?"

"7:45 am," Haven replied.

Fia sighed. If that had come from any of her siblings, it would have been sass. But this was Haven, so Fia waved it off dismissively. "There's cider waiting for you on the table - please try to warm up."

Haven nodded and darted to the kitchen before walking to her room with a pink mug in hand.

Fifteen minutes later, the boys had awoken and were sitting at the kitchen table.

"Campus is closed due to yesterday's blizzard. What should we do?" Nagisa asked.

"We enjoy the snow!" Fia said, excitement sparkling in her eyes. "I want to enjoy a twin-less winter while I still can! No ice-balls, no ice-bras! Angel, let's go!" she called.

"I'd rather say here and work," Haven called from her room.

"Come on, Angel, let's go!" Fia tried again.

"She doesn't want to come. Don't make her," Karma said as he waited by the front door.

"We'll go ice skating," Fia said coyly. Suddenly, there was a whirl of action and Haven was standing by the front door, a pair of white skates slung over her shoulder.

"I'm ready to go when you are!" Haven smiled. She was in a black pea coat and wore a pink scarf and a matching beret.

After changing into their respective winter gear, the group went to a nearby outdoor rink.

Luckily for them, the outdoor rink wasn't busy at all and they practically had the rink to themselves.

"I take it you ice skate a lot?" Nagisa asked Haven as he tied the laces of his rental skates.

"Yeah," Haven replied, "Have you ever been skating before?"

Nagisa shook his head. "But there's a first time for everything!" he said optimistically. Nagisa followed Haven out onto the ice. He was a little shaky at first, but with a little practice and the help of the wall, he finally got the hang of it and was gliding by his fifth round around the rink. He waved to Karma. "Aren't you coming out?"

He shrugged, seemingly indifferent to being on or off the ice. He turned to look at Fia. "What about you?"

Fia nodded as she laced up her boots. She waddled her way to the rink and began skating, but fell after only a few seconds on the ice.

Haven raced over gracefully and sprayed her with a wave of ice. "How long have you been trying to learn to skate?" she asked with an exasperated sigh.

"Two years," Fia replied, slightly red in the face.

"And how much have you improved?"

"A bit!" Fia protested at a gliding away Haven. "Show off," Fia mumbled.

Karma skated over to where the Italian was sprawled out on the ice. He squatted to get closer to being at eye-level with her. "You okay down there?" he asked, grinning.

"F-fine!" she spat. Fia slowly pushed herself onto her feet and struggled to stand straight. As she fell forward again, Karma caught her with a laugh. She shot him a dirty look. "Don't look at me like that!"

"You have the grace of dying chicken."

Her face flushed. "I can rollerblade j-just fine. I don't know why I can't ice skate at all," she whined defeatedly.

Karma smiled and released the girl. She yelped as she began falling again and clung to him to literally save her own ass. She glared up at him in a fluster. "KARMA!"

Nagisa skated past them and sweat-dropped. He soon caught up to Haven and was glad to see that she seemed to have the traces of a joyous smile on her face. He admired her confidence as she set up for a lutz loop jump combo. "Haven!" he called. "You figure skate?"

"Yeah. I started when I was in elementary school," she shrugged after she landed her jump.

Nagisa smiled. "I'm impressed. The only thing I've stuck with for that long is… Well, assassination."

Karma shook his head as Fia landed on her face once again. He heard a whimper and came face to face with a red-nosed, teary-eyed girl. "Who's the Rudolf now?" he laughed.

She sniffed and rubbed her nose gently with the back of her fluffy white mittens. Sneezing violently, Fia slid back on the ice a couple of inches. "Ow…" she moaned. Fia took Karma's outstretched hand and forced herself onto her feet. "Again!" Fia stomped her foot in determination, but the instinctive action backfired on her because she began slipping again. She flailed her arms and leaned forwards and backwards until she regained her balance. "Phew…" Fia smiled in relief.

"You look awfully content for a girl who can't stand for more than five minutes without falling."

"Sh-shut up!" Fia yelled through chattering teeth. "I'm going to get it! I swear!"

"We've been out here for almost two hours," Karma informed her. Fia looked as if she'd just gotten an arrow through her heart. He laughed and pinched the girl's nose, much to her discomfort and annoyance.

"Shtahp it!" she protested in a nasally voice.

"C'mon, I'll show you how to do it."

"You say that, but you're just going to make me fall again, aren't you?"

"I can't make you skate like that superstar show-off over there, but I can probably help you get the basics down. I promise not to trip you - but I'm not saying I'll catch you if you fall either~."

She smiled cheerfully. "I'll take what I can get. Now come on, before my feet fall off!" Fia grabbed Karma's hand and began pulling him on the ice using the side rails for balance.


Nagisa sighed. "Fia, you're going to catch a cold." He watched the girl wrap her scarf around a snowman's neck.

"Will not!" she protested childishly as she rubbed her runny red nose. As if to show her annoyance, Fia roughly put the black button eyes in place.

Fingers cupping his chin in thought, Karma tilted his head slightly. "Nagisa, is it me or does this snowman look like Koro-sensei without the tentacles?"

Nagisa hummed. "Maybe the face does, but Koro-sensei just isn't the same without his tentacles."

Haven handed Fia her scarf, but Fia refused on the principle that she had to make sure everyone else was warm first.

"Fia, I'm overheating," Haven said flatly.

"You're a better liar than me but I still don't believe you." The girl turned her nose upwards and away. "Hmph."

"I got this," Karma smirked. He had somehow turned his scarf into a noose and was hanging it over the unaware girl's head.

"KARMA!" Nagisa face-palmed.

"AKABANE!" Haven yelled. "Fia, just take my scarf! I can turn up my collar."

Fia scowled. "I don't want you getting sick! I haven't gotten sick in years. There are perks to having snot-nosed siblings," she pouted.

"Fia, I'm an ice skater! Stop being stubborn!" Haven pointed out.

"Well… I might put it on… if… if you make a snow Angel," Fia grinned, satisfied with herself.

Haven gave Fia the scarf and plopped herself in the snow, moving her arms and legs in order to form a snow angel, a very unamused expression on her face.

Fia laughed as she wrapped the pink scarf around her neck under her green parka. "I was being punny," she giggled.

Haven shot her a glare from her horizontal position. Nagisa leaned over to help Haven up but he received a huge ball of snow to the face. He stood stunned for a moment before turning to face the culprit with an annoyed expression. The culprit whistled innocently and pointed to the girl crouched by the snowman by his feet.

"AKABANE!" Haven yelled, unamused.

"Snowball fight?" he proposed with a devilish grin.

"EEP!" Fia dove behind her snowman. She was terrified that he would be like her little siblings - cunning, relentless, and heartless.

"I'm going inside," Haven called as she got up and walked towards the apartment. She received a snowball to the back before she disappeared.

Nagisa and Karma both jumped back and began making snowballs. Fia squeaked as she frantically tried to build a fort around her and Koro-snowman. Karma paused when he saw her.

"You know, Fia. Your fort looks like it's just had its back broken. Leaning Tower of Pisa much?" he laughed.

She glared at him. "I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW THAT IT IS STRUCTURALLY SOUND ENOUGH THAT IT ISN'T LIKELY TO FALL FOR - " Fia received a snowball to the face from a cackling redhead. "THAT'S IT! IT'S ON!"

"It's been on," Karma chimed as he threw another snowball. Nagisa took this as his opportunity to send a quick volley towards his roommate with a happy grin. An all out assassination snowball fight broke out between Karma and Nagisa, going after each other with powdery snow grenades and icicle daggers. Out of concern for her safety, Fia teamed up with Nagisa - neither really trusted Karma to not backstab them both - she was in charge of the projectiles while he would focus on the closer range attacks.

Karma smiled darkly from under the fur-lined hood of his jacket. "Is that the best you got?"

Nagisa returned Karma's smile with a happy one of his own. He approached Karma slowly but calmly.

"You really think I'll fall for that, Nagisa?" Karma smirked. "I've known you too long." In truth, Karma was never really sure what Nagisa would try to pull when he acted like this, but better to let the bluenette think he was unphased.

Nagisa shook his head. "Of course you're expecting an attack from me," he said with a light chuckle, "but what about her?"

Karma turned around to see that Fia was standing directly behind him with snow cupped loosely in her hands. As soon as he'd turned, she blew the icy powder into his face. Blinded, he stumbled before being grabbed by both Nagisa and Fia.

The door to the apartment was kicked open and an annoyed redhead stormed in. He looked like Santa Claus with both the snow beard and snow-filled barrel belly that stuffed his jacket. Nagisa and Fia stumbled in together, both laughing. Karma growled and shook all of the snow from his body, destroying his beard and ripping his jacket free.

"BE QUIET, AKABANE!" Haven called from the living room.

Fia discarded her boots and ran back with a bunch of towels and blankets. She passed one of each to Nagisa and then took to towel-drying Karma's hair.

"What are you doing?" he growled.

"Making sure you actually dry off," she responded flatly. "Knowing you, you were planning to just go and sprawl out on the couch." His lack of a reply told her she was right.

"I can still do this myself," he grumbled as Fia began brushing off his snow-covered shirt with the towel. He grabbed it from her and turned to go back to his room and change.

"Did I do something wrong?" Fia asked Nagisa with a confused smile. The bluenette shook his head and the two headed into the kitchen to make apple cider and hot chocolate for everyone.

Karma came back out in a black turtleneck sweater. Fia immediately rushed up to him and pushed a blanket at him. He tried to shove it back but the girl persistently pushed the fleece back at him until he relented and draped it over his shoulders.

"Haven was right, you're incredibly stubborn," Karma sighed.

She laughed. "You did say I have the thickest skull here." Fia smiled as she put her hands on Karma's cheeks.

His eyes widened. "What are you doing?"

"Hm… You're still really cold…" Fia rubbed his cheeks lightly with her thumbs in an attempt to bring some color back into his face. "Ah well." She turned and handed him a cup of hot chocolate. "That should help~."

He sipped at the rich drink. "Yeah, thanks," Karma smiled slightly.

As the three entered the livingroom, Haven called to them. "Is now a good time to call Karasuma?" she asked. Haven had hooked her computer up to the television, currently, Wally was meandering around on it. Nagisa and Fia nodded. "Wally, call Karasuma," Haven ordered from her spot on the couch, not waiting for Karma's reply.

"Yes, Haven. Dialing Karasuma," Wally replied. Momentarily, the man picked up and his face appeared on the big screen.

"Hello, Haven."

"Good afternoon Mr. Karasuma. I'm starting to get bored over here. I haven't hacked for about a month now!"

He sighed. "We'll see what you say after your training starts. Is Fia with you?"

"Yes," Haven replied as Fia sat on the couch next to her.

Fia shyly placed a cup of apple cider in front of Haven before turning to the screen. "H-Hello, Mr. Karasuma." Nagisa and Karma sat down on the couch opposite the girls. She laughed nervously. "I'd offer you something to drink, Mr. Karasuma, b-but I don't think teleportation devices exist yet… Unless your government is working on something like that - I won't tell," she joked.

Haven looked at her with an amused face, 'Well… last year, I hacked into the Japanese government…"

"Haven," Karasuma had a firm, warning tone.

"It was last year! I wasn't under contract yet!" Haven protested.

"But you're under contract now, so I would appreciate if you didn't just go off disclosing our highly sensitive information. In any case, I would like to address what you'll be doing in the upcoming weeks. As you'll be aiding Nagisa and Karma on their missions, we want to make sure you're both mentally and physically prepared for what you might encounter."

Nagisa looked at Karasuma with a concerned expression. "What kind of work will they have to do?"

Karma gave the girls a look. "No offense, but I don't think those two are the most inconspicuous, and they don't exactly strike me as the assassin types."

"Nor does Nagisa," Haven pointed out with irritation.

Karasuma nodded. "I understand your concerns. Irina and I believe that Haven will do best working tech support whereas Fia should be working on reconnaissance. In any case, they both need preliminary training. I'm suggesting that they stick to a physical training regimen schedule of four times a week with daily exercises. Is that reasonable?"

"That may be just a bit too much…" Haven looked at Fia.

The girl paled and nodded slowly. "S-sure… I guess I can… do that..."

"This was meant to be a lighter load, considering that you are both still full-time students," Karasuma sighed. "Can I trust to see you this Saturday at 7 hundred sharp? Nagisa and Karma should know where the location is and escort you both there. Until then, Haven, I'll send you an assignment as soon as I sign off," With that, Karasuma disconnected the line. Wally appeared, doing the chicken dance.

"WALLY!" Haven face palmed.

"Sorry, Haven," Wally stopped, a slight blush crossed the mod's cheeks.

"Open the most recent file from Karasuma," Haven sighed.

"Of course!" Wally said as a window opened on the screen. Haven unplugged the computer and walked to her room, typing furiously.

Fia sweatdropped. "Is it me or did he make that sound way scarier than it had to be?"


Fia sat at the kitchen table with a slightly annoyed face. She had called an apartment meeting half an hour ago but no one had showed up yet due to a minor argument that had broken out between Haven and Karma. Sighing, she rested her forehead on the table. Haven walked into the room and sat at the table. Slowly the other two boys filed into the kitchen as well, one looking more cross than the other.

"H-hi, everyone," Fia waved at her housemates. "I wanted to talk to you guys about Thanksgiving Break. I'm going home to celebrate with my family next week. First, I wanted to know if you needed me to cook and freeze food ahead of time. Do you trust Karma to cook for you? Are you going to order in for all of break? It would be helpful to know." She sweat-dropped as she talked.

"You're going away?" Haven stared at her friend.

Fia nodded slowly. "Yeah, I couldn't get away this year. My older sister's birthday is kind of… around now… and so my mom is in a really pissy mood. I'll just cook some food. You guys can survive without me here for 5 days, right?" she asked hopefully

"Yeah, we'll be fine," Karma locked his hands behind his head and leaned back in his chair.

Nagisa looked at Fia curiously. "You've mentioned an older brother and sister, but they didn't visit on Parents' Weekend," he observed aloud.

She deadpanned, looking like she had just been hit by a truck. "U-um… My brother is… and my sister left so… I just…"

Nagisa patted her back reassuringly. "We don't have to talk about it, I'm sorry for asking," he smiled regretfully.

"N-No, don't worry about it." Fia waved it off. "So now that that has been settled. I have another matter of business I'd like to discuss with you guys~" she hummed cheerfully. "Because it's going to be Thanksgiving - and I don't trust you not to kill each other - I want you each to tell each other one thing you admire or appreciate about them. EVERYONE."

"Not happening," Haven replied flatly.

Fia, ignoring Haven, clapped her hands together. "I'll start! Haven, I appreciate that you put up with all of my weirdest quirks and that you forgave me after that huge chem spill last year~. Nagisa, I wanted to say thank you for the books and say I appreciate that you're always a great listener. Karma - ..."

"What?"

"Karma, I appreciate that you - that - that …" The boys both sweatdropped. Fia's cheeks darkened in response. "I-I appreciate that you always help me out… Even when you're the one who got me into trouble in the first place…" She coughed. "Nagisa?"

Nagisa thought for a few moments. "Fia, I admire that you're always looking out for us, even if it is a little overbearing at times. Karma, I admire how quick you are on your feet. I have since we met. Haven - " he blushed slightly " - I like how you're straightforward and easy to get along with. I really like hanging out and talking with you."

Karma laughed. "Nagisa, I admire how girly you are. Fia, you're just so easy to tease. I gotta love that. Haven, I appreciate that you're just a wall that I can ignore. And you're as flat as one too so I don't even have to look at you if I don't want to." He smiled cheerfully. He mentally counted down the seconds it would take for Fia to explode at him. 3 - 2 - 1? Karma looked to the Italian.

Fia's bottom lip was trembling and she wouldn't make eye contact with him. Her cheeks swelled red and her eyes watered. "J-jerk…"

"Wait, are you actually crying?!"

She crossed her arms and childishly turned away from him. "No!"

"I can see you, you know."

She pulled her hood over her head. "No, you can't!"

"You're not going to win this as an ostrich."

She shot him a hurt look and she stuck her tongue out at him. "Bleh! Meanie!"

"You're acting like you're 5…"

Nagisa sighed. "You aren't being much better."

Karma grumbled. "Fine, fine. Nagisa, you're a pretty bad-ass assassin. It was really cool the way you took Takaoka down. I know I never told you that. Haven, you're still a wall, but it's kinda neat the way you can hack into international governments and companies. Of course, if it were me, I'd be using that information to get whatever I want, but to each their own," he shrugged. Karma pulled Fia's hood off of her head, much to her annoyance. He held the flailing, protesting girl back with his hand and laughed as she started brooding instead. He ruffled her hair. "You're not so bad to be around."

"For your entertainment?" she pouted. "Thaaaaankks. Means a whole lot."

"You're a good cook, caring for your friends and family, and not hard to talk to, even if you are yelling at me most of the time. Thanks for putting up with me." He patted her head.

She blushed and pushed his hand away. "S-sure… Angel?"

"Karma, thank you for not poisoning me yet," Haven rolled her eyes. She received a pointed look from Fia. "Fine! Karma, I admire how open you are. You really don't apply a filter to that mouth of yours. Tsu-chan, thank you for putting up with my hyperness and crankiness and weirdness. And Nagisa…" Haven's cheeks turned slightly pink, "thank you for always being around to give me advice." She pulled her hoodie up and walked away.


Fia: (smiling brightly) Doesn't everyone feel better now?

Haven: Not really… (walks over to her computer and begins typing)

Karma: What was the point of that?

Fia: (annoyed expression)

Karma: Kidding. So you're really going to be gone all of Thanksgiving break? Well, this is going to be boring. Who else am I supposed to mess with?

Fia: If you cause trouble while I'm gone, Nagisa and I will totally bury you under snow again!

Karma: Ha-ha…

Nagisa: (chuckles) We'll gladly take you on again.

Fia: We better not lose Angel in the snow again.

Haven: I was never in any danger or lost.

Fia: E-either way, Angel, you think we'll be okay during training? Mr. Karasuma seems intense.

Haven: I'll be fine. I'm not sure about you, though.

Fia: (nervous laughing) I hate P.E….

Narrator: Sometimes, I want to hit Karma with a snowball too. Anyway, in the next chapter, you can look forward to seeing the girls train hard! Haven has some more hidden talents? Fia is even more inept than we thought?

Fia: (blushes) I SAID I'M IMPROVING! I MADE IT A RECORD OF 3 MINUTES WITHOUT FALLING THANKS TO KARMA!

Haven: Only three minutes?

Fia: I-it was better than the three seconds! … Will you skate for us sometime? (glittering puppy face)

Haven: (sigh) I am sooooo done with this.