DISCLAIMER: All characters saving for the so-far nameless girl are property of Cornelia Funke!

(A/N) This is my first one, so go easy on me, huh? Actually, criticisms are welcome. Flames are…just…not cool. :P Also, sorry if I've got my time period a bit off; I lost my copy, and I couldn't remember when exactly it was placed… .

Scipio sprinted down the alleyway, acutely aware of the carabinieri close on his heels. His breathing was growing ragged, and he was losing ground. Trying to ignore the growing pain in his side, he put on an extra burst of speed and hurtled down the road into the darkness. A small crack between buildings offered him a temporary hiding place. The carabinieri rushed by, but he knew he had only minutes before they would be back. Waiting a few seconds to make sure the coast was clear, he slowly crept out into the open. A winding alley offered him the only path going distinctly away from his pursuers. He padded down it as quickly as he dared, walking toe-heel to stop his shoes from clicking on the stones.

The danger having passed for the moment, he allowed his thoughts to wander. He hadn't meant for this raid to get so out of hand. The Correr Museum was the house of some great works of art. The security was reputedly decidedly tough to evade, but he thought he could take the challenge. Judging from his current predicament, apparently not. At least the others got away while he drew the attention away from them. Hornet, Riccio and Mosca should all be safe back at the Stella by now. Prosper had stayed behind with a disgruntled Bo, so they presumably had met them there.

So gradually that at first he didn't notice, the sounds from the other street were growing louder again as the carabinieri backtracked, realising they had missed their quarry. Quickening his pace, Scipio wondered vaguely where the road he was on led. Pressing into the darkest shadows offered by an old brick building, he strode onwards. Suddenly, rounding a corner, his eyes widened and his heart dropped to his feet. The end of the road consisted of a trash can and a brick wall. He had trapped himself in a dead end. The sounds grew steadily louder; he could hear dogs barking in the medley. They were coming down this street. There was no escape now.

Cursing silently, he tried to calm his racing heart. They didn't know for sure that he was here. He could hide, and maybe they would miss him. Thankfully the crescent moon was hidden by thick clouds, making it so dark he had to squint to see through the gloom. He looked again at the garbage can. It was his only hope. Hurrying over, he tried the lid, but it was rusted shut. He pulled it about a foot further from the wall and went to sit behind it, but found his way was blocked. A shadowy figure materialised before him and Scipio bit back a yelp of alarm. There was someone already there.

As Scipio stared in dismay at the person huddled behind the trash can, they stirred and turned to look at him, speaking in a hoarse whisper.

"Who are you?"

They shouting and barking was only a few seconds away now, and suddenly Scipio had a crazy idea. "Are you a girl?"

Shock, fear, and a bit of amusement showed in the figure's reply as it answered, "What kind of question is that?" Scipio bit his lip in agitation. He didn't have time for this. "Please, don't ask any questions. I need you to help me; this could be a life or death situation." He could dimly see her eyes glittering as she stood, stretching her legs agonisingly slowly.

"I guess so, if it's that important to you. Wha-" her reply was cut off as Scipio seized her hand and dragged her out and to the corner of the street, where there was a gap of several feet as the wall met the side of a building. A scant second later, a large group of shouting men burst into the clearing, calling loud reports to each other as they scoured the place for Scipio. Two of them headed towards their hiding place, and Scipio's heartbeat quickened. The girl smashed into the interstice across from him stared at him, her voice shrill in contrast to the booming tenors of the men.

"What are you doing? Are you a criminal or something? Why are the police after you?" Her voice rose to a dangerous pitch, barely masked by the cries of the men. Scipio felt like slapping her in his frustration. She was going to give him away! Suddenly, he heard a sentence that made him go ice cold.

"Hey, did you just hear something over there in that corner, by the wall?" Scipio held his breath as footsteps approached, judging his timing carefully. A flashlight shone around the corner just as he swiftly put his arms around the girl, pulling her close and smashing his lips against hers just as she began another outburst. This move had a double purpose; it shut her up and hopefully disguised his identity. She stiffened and tried to fight him, but he just pulled her closer, and she was powerless in his strong grip. A man peered at them with his flashlight, shaking his head before turning away. Scipio heard someone speak.

"You find anything?"

The man answered in a disgusted tone, the clamour already growing softer as the search party moved away. "Nah, just a couple of kids. Their parents shouldn't let them roam like that, it's not respectable-"

His partner cut him off. "It's also not our problem. Come one, let's go look somewhere else. I told you I saw someone going down the street on the other side…" Scipio waited breathlessly until their voices faded entirely. Realising with a jolt that his lips were still pressed against hers, and she had stopped struggling. He sprang backwards, rubbing the back of his head as it collided painfully with the building behind him. The girl said nothing, only watched him warily. An awkward silence passed before Scipio spoke. "You just saved my life."

"Yeah, well, no problem, right?" Her voice was dripping with sarcasm, but alarmingly weak as she pushed past him and into the open. He started to follow when the girl stopped abruptly. She swayed and fell, and Scipio caught her reflexively. He felt her forehead; it was burning. He wondered for the first time what she had been doing sitting behind a trash can in a deserted alleyway. Hoisting her up, he slung her over his shoulder and started for his Star Palace. After what had just transpired, he figured he owed her a favour. As he started back down the road, he reflected dryly to himself. He had just kissed the girl, yet he didn't even know her name.

(A/N) R&R, please! Btw, I considered many different openings, but decided on this one. I do have alternatives, if it's that bad…