Meant to Live: Shiro Kitsune

Rating: PG-13

Teaser: (Post-Series) Everyone deserves a second chance, right? But second chances are not simply handed out; they are fought for. The destruction of identity is not the end of life. And everything inside screams for second life.

Summary: After the destruction of Factory. Amon and Robin will not be content to remain hunted forever. How much strength, how much trust, can make a person? How much strength does it take to break a person?

Disclaimer: Touch my pocket lint and expire a nasty, messy, death.

Meant to Live

by ShiroKitsune

Chapter 2: A Measure of Freedom

"Hurry," Nagira said twitching his eyes left to right. "Hurry. Let's get you inside before anyone sees you." Amon's brother ushered the pair quickly into the building and up the stairs. "I'm glad you made it here. I had wondered," he had rushed on breathlessly. "They sent out hunters. They knew you didn't die and now their main priority is to make sure that you do." They ascended the stairs with a sharp staccato of footsteps. Hanamura opened the door to the office as they reached it and the three slipped quickly into the room. Nagira placed a trembling hand on the frame and locked the door quickly behind them. His nails, clipped down to nearly nothing, seemed to scramble for a hold on the wood beneath them.

"What has been happening?" Amon, cool, crisp, and desperate. Nagira shook his head helplessly.

"Where to begin?" Nagira mused. He absently scratched his arm with his useless fingernails. Amon waited expectantly, his breathing still erratic though not from the flight to the office. Robin, in her terrible calm, stood patiently beside him with the hem of one bell-shaped sleeve brushing tentatively against her partner. Her feet were apart to brace the weight of the bag on her shoulder and her skirt rippled as she swayed lightly in place.

"We begin," came the scolding voice of Hanamura, "by offering our…guests, a seat and a drink. Or has all the time in the casinos totally erased what little you knew about common conduct?" Her eyebrow rose like a red flag before a bull. Her mouth taunted. Nagira look at her for a moment in surprise then turned his gaze away. He managed to look slightly embarrassed and Robin lifted one hand to conceal her slight smile. Amon's expression didn't change but Robin imagined she could see a bit of the tension drain from his eyes and his shoulders.

"Yes," Nagira said. "She's right. We are safe, for now. Oh Hanamura," he called as though an afterthought and his mouth quirked into a smile. "You can bring the drinks to my office while I see to our guests' comfort." Hanamura looked at him with narrowed eyes while he tried his best for a look of oblivious innocence. Her tongue darted quickly over her lips before settling tightly beneath her teeth.

"Insufferable oaf!" she declared then proceeded to stalk out of the room.

Robin let out a small giggle which managed to escape past her hand and both men quickly turned their attention to her. The faintest hint of color flushed her cheeks and her eyes sparkled beneath downcast lashes. Nagira tossed a teasing smile at his brother then closed the distance coming to stand right before Robin. Like a gentleman, he bowed lightly and offered her his arm.

"May I escort you to the office?" He asked and Robin giggled again. With a swift nod she linked her arm in his.

"Of course, thank you. I would never have found it without help," she said attempting a dry tone which was ruined by the smile she seemed unable to contain.

"Well then," he said. "Let us go my lovely little Robin." He took a few steps toward his office before tossing a single word back to his scowling brother.

"Coming," Nagira asked innocently. Amon followed them into the office with all the sociality of a winter thunderstorm.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

That curtain of normalcy that had been softly draped over the trio's shoulders was torn off upon entering the office. As soon as Nagira and Robin passed through the doorway, she removed her arm from his and walked to sit on the couch facing Nagira's desk. Nagira moved toward his desk but chose instead to sit upon it rather than behind it. Amon entered directly behind them and sat down beside Robin without even a glance at his brother. He sat close enough to breathe for her; so close he could feel her heart pumping blood in time with his own. One body breathed. One heart beat. Amon studied the words in his mind carefully. Then with that deliberation dealt with, he tossed the words away and spoke the words that were to block them from the past forever.

"What has happened?" Amon asked. He could feel the bolt of excited tension in the body beside him. His own body fought to respond and meet that tension. Her heart pumped a bit quicker while Amon fought to control his own heartbeat. After a few choking moments he realized he could no longer feel his heartbeat. His lungs no longer pumped for air. The body beside him breathed deeply in and out while Amon waited for the painful tightening of his own lungs and the world of black that would induct him into the night.

He waited and wondered what to do with the last moments of his life. Robin turned her face toward him and breathed into him deeply.

"I'm sure Michael would help us. Don't you think?" Robin asked her partner. He blinked in confusion for a few moments, his mask never slipping as he realized he had missed a part of the conversation.

"Ah," Nagira began actually looking a bit sheepish and tossing a quick glance at Hanamura as she entered the room. "I've actually already spoke with him. He called here right after it happened and asked about you two. He's the one who helped with the information on Solomon."

Amon nodded his head shortly with regained composure. "Tell us what you know," he said. All business.

"Well," Nagira scratched his head. "I told you that Solomon has sent out hunters. Quite a few actually. They know your faces, your 'special' skills, and all of your identification codes. Right now, you couldn't even take out a twenty without them surrounding you like vultures."

Amon frowned at this. How far could they get with what little money they had on them. Nagira raised a hand to forestall any questions.

"I've taken care of that part already, so don't worry." He sighed. "The point is, Solomon is watching every airport and every dock just waiting for you two to try to escape. There's no way you can get out of the country right now. Now these hunters are making sweeps through the country looking for you. They know you aren't dead. No report on your whereabouts, official or not, have been released. As far as the world is concerned, you two are MIA."

"Take care of my car," Amon instructed. Nagira nodded approvingly.

"An accident then. That's probably for the best. It may help a bit. By the end of the day, you two will be officially dead."

"Fine," Amon said.

"What do you mean?" Robin asked. "What accident?"

"We're going to take his car and stage a little scene," Nagira's grin was wicked. "We'll make it look like you two were run off the road, perhaps over a cliff, and the car caught on fire. Then, with Michael's help, we'll enter an article on the accident and an obituary into the paper. It probably won't throw Solomon off, but it will help. They won't be able to use the open media to look for you two since you'll be 'dead'."

Robin bowed her head, organizing her thoughts. The practicality of the plan was understandable and yet…

It seemed as though, through their deaths, Robin and Amon would truly be gone. Her teeth bit at the corner of her lip absently as she sat deep in thought and oblivious to the fact that everyone was watching her. Hanamura was the one to break the silence.

"Robin," Hanamura said, "come here a moment." Robin released her grip on her lower lip and looked from Hanamura, to Amon, then back to Hanamura. Robin rose in a single fluid movement and went over to Hanamura. Nagira noticed the layer of tenseness that seemed to fall over his brother as Robin walked off.

"You don't have to be so worried." Nagira admonished. "It's not as though she'll disappear if you look away from her for a moment." Amon turned to his brother with fiercely pained eyes.

"She almost did," he said and closed his eyes for a moment. Nagira's own eyes widened at his brother's admission and he watched Amon closely. When Amon's eyes reopened, there was no trace of emotion in them and they went back to their passive scrutiny of Robin.

Did he mean the factory?

Nagira's mouth opened to question Amon but shut quickly with an audible click. There were some things that he had no right to question. Some injuries were still too new to separate the wound from the gravel and dried blood.

Hanamura had undone one of Robin's hair twists and was unwinding its twin. Robin stood blindly and allowed her ministrations.

"Your hair," Hanamura admonished, "is too distinct. I could recognize you a mile away by your shape." The other tie came undone and Robin's hair rippled forward over her shoulders with the feathery tips like wings. Hanamura pursed her lips and lifted Robin's chin.

"Much better," she said and pocketed Robin's ribbons. Robin opened her mouth to protest but she was cut off. "No," Hanamura said, "from now on you won't be wearing your hair like that, so there's no need for these ribbons."

"They have another value," Robin whispered with downcast eyes. The older woman paused for a moment in confusion before understanding registered in her eyes.

"Fine," she said and held the ribbons out to Robin. "But only if you promise not to wear them. You have to be careful." Robin nodded and snatched the ribbons away. She looked back at Hanamura with eyes like mirrors. Reflecting faithfully.

"You two must stay here tonight," Nagira broke in and stood. "It's far too dangerous for you to be out. You can stay in the same room Robin used while she was here. I'll have someone take a couch up there for sleeping on. Unless…you'd rather share a bed?" Nagira smirked.

It took all Amon's considerable willpower not to physically remove the smile from his half-brother's face. His eyes glanced uncertainly toward Robin, afraid how she would react to Nagira's crude innuendo. Robin was…

She was smiling and shaking her head. She was amused.

"I think the couch would be welcome," she said in a level tone then began to walk toward the stairs.

"I wish that woman would stop changing every minute," Amon thought.

"Bah," Nagira said, startling Amon as he realized he had spoken out loud. "Who says she's changed. Maybe you just stayed the same." Amon sniffed dismissively and turned to the stairs. He began up them, ignoring the last crude call of his brother.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do," Nagira called up.

"Like there actually is anything you wouldn't do," Amon muttered.

She's just a girl.

// I wish that woman would stop changing every minute. //

Amon looked up at his partner as she neared the top of the stairs. He watched her finish ascending, her hair floating softly behind her.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A/N: Yay, let's play "find the hidden imagery and symbolism". Feh. I don't want to be here all night. Next chapter will be a little lighter (as any chapter in which Amon and Robin share a room is bound to be.) This chapter is a bit longer than the last. It looks like this story is going to be a long one kiddies so settle in.

All loves to my reviewers.