Disclaimer: No I do not own Gunslinger Girl. Raphael and his other aliases yes but the rest of them no.

"Raph… we shouldn't be doing this."

"What's wrong no one will catch us."

"The handlers might find out."

"Triela they won't. It's not like the come by to check on us all the time."

"Yeah, but it's just that… I am nervous Raphael, I have never done this before."

"Relax and enjoy you're self."

"What if something rustle rustle… bad happens?"

"Don't worry I have protection."

"It's not enough, you know that."

"It's a magnum relax."

"Sigh ok Raphael… I trust you."

"Yeah, trusts me on this… now enjoy you're meal."

"Come on Raphael just because we were told to guard a fine dining restaurant does not mean we have to dine!"

Chapter 15 Voi E Me

You & I

"We don't get to eat like this all the time. So let's just enjoy ok?" I told Triela.

Today's assignment is to protect this VIP restaurant since Intel says that there is going to be a hostage take over attempt. Triela wanted the two of us to just stand and watch but I had a better idea. I booked us a table earlier. So it's like a date and an assignment in the same time, what could be better than that?

"But I am not used to this kind of food, and we are sort of underdressed… your wearing a sports jacket."

"As long as we can pay, they can't complain. The jacket is to appease my Kevlar insecurity. Jean said it would be suspicious when a kid is seen wearing Kevlar so he told me not to wear. I am wearing the jacket so that I won't feel as naked."

"Sigh young love. Honey look over there, aren't they the sweetest thing? It's cute to see young lovers. I am waiting for the part when they get the bill. I mean how would you expect a kid dressed like that to cough out 500 euros.

"How much did you bring Raphael?"

"2000 euros, excuse me my love. Waiter! Waiter!"

"Can I help you sir?"

"How about some fine wine, I like years falling under 1975-1980."

"Um sir… how old are you?"

"50… euros." I said, slipping 50 euros in his pocket.

"Old enough I guess." Said the waiter as he went off.

"You drink Raphael?" Triela suddenly questioned.

"I was a borderline alcoholic, if my memory serves me right my parents did not really stop me. Don't get me wrong I am just after the taste." I explained.

"Well that's news to me." She said.

"Relax, I won't get drunk on the job. Actually I hate getting drunk, like what I said I just like tasting wine not getting drunk."

"Ok…" not wanting to bring up his pass again, I took note of the food. "we should do this more often, food here is definitely better than the food in the agency."

"I told you. Listen maybe I could think of something for tonight. How about dinner under the stars huh?"

"How do you plan to do that?"

"I don't know I'll just figure something out."

"Sir you are in luck we have a 1975." Interrupted the waiter.

"Why thank you."

"You drink Triela?"

"A bit…"

"Well here's some. I would like to propose a toast."

"For what?"

"For fate… for fate bringing us together. Come to think of it we were just strangers on separate journeys, never dreaming what we will become yet here we are here with each other."

"You said a mouth full Raph, Cheers."

We drank to our heart's desire when suddenly we heard it:

"Everybody get down! Or else we will shoot!" cried a number of people barging into the restaurant.

Well it looks like Triela and I get a free lunch. We were given orders to comply so we followed and got down with the rest of the people.

"Jonathan, do an accounting! Count the men, women and children if there are any!" shouted one of the men, who was probably the leader.

"Steel we have a full accounting: 10 men 12 women and 2 children." Answered Jonathan.

"Have the men and women empty their pockets and purses. We had reports that there are two agents here among them."

"Steel how about the children?"

"Don't waste you're time just check the adults."

It's times like this that I'm thankful of youth. When they finished checking the men and women, the leader, who is named Steel, gave a signal and they wheeled in a large box. Sh*t it's a bomb; Jean did not say anything about disarming a bomb! Damn you Jean!

"All right everybody! We just need all of you to behave and no one gets hurt. To make sure none of you do anything stupid, this is a bomb. Not just any bomb it's 300 Kg. worth of C4, enough to blow this entire block, so for those who want to be a hero, please don't try it today." Shouted Steel.

Our mission was just to neutralize the target. When section 1 makes the attack I was ordered to knock Steel out and keep him for interrogation.

"Chase, are we on air? Get the camera ready. On air in 5…4…3…2…1 go!"

They got a camera they were on air. They were broadcasting themselves!

"Greetings fellow Romans, this is a live feed from one of you're beloved aristocrats only restaurants. We come with simple demands, we want the release of certain funds for our… activities…"

13:30 pm it's time for action!

"… It is either that or these people die! We are looking to crack what was that?"

It looks like one of the people joining the assault is Rico. That was definitely her Dragunov's work. Instantly one of the terrorists fell and all of the other terrorists began to panic.

"You're foolish government has chosen to give deaf ears to our cause. Now they are trying to save the people as we speak. Witness how we make them regret this. Jonathan, kill the hostages!"

That was my cue. I got up and drew both my pistols out and killed Jonathan. Triela stood up and pulled her H&K P7M8 pistol and her SIG-Sauer P230 SL pistol and helped me out. Steel was definitely surprised but he was more surprised when all the windows broke and section 1 came in. Steel made a move to run but I shot him in the leg before he got far. I dragged him towards the bomb and pointed at it saying.

"I s_ck at defusing bombs care to do it for me?"

Steel glared at me and said, "Not a chance kid! We're all going to die because of you!"

Without hesitation I shot his kneecap as he screamed in pain, "Aside from excruciating pain, I have put you on a crutch for the rest of you're life, don't make me put you on a wheel chair."

He cursed me and grabbed a pair of pliers. He opened up the bomb and cut the red wire; at that moment the bomb stopped ticking. I told Triela to give the guy a break and get him a morphine shot and she left. When she did I grabbed him and helped him to a chair where I handcuffed him.

"Lesson of the story, everyone is a threat even the two teenagers out on a date."

Aside from being scolded for using inhumane tactics to get a guy to defuse the bomb, everything was fine. Besides the bomb was reading 30 seconds till boom time, I could just say I was in a hurry right? I took a rest in my room and Triela came along. So there I was sitting on my bed watching Triela comb her hair by a mirror. Something drew me towards her and I undid one of her ribbons.

"Raphael what are you doing?"

"You look a lot better with you're hair down, Triela."

"Sigh ok fine I'll undo the other one."

But I was not done. I spun her around to face me and I helped her take her black coat of to reveal her white blouse beneath.

"Raphael… you're not going too—"

"No I am not. I am stopping with the blouse. I just want you to feel more comfortable when you're here."

With that she stood up and we kissed. There was nothing in the world more real than Triela kiss it was ecstasy, every single moment of it. I had one hand on her back and the other in her beautiful hair. I carried her to the bed where I first pinned her down and continued kissing her. However, she rolled over and I ended up on my back as she climbed on top of me and we continued making out. I felt her hair as I touched her back and I felt her skin beneath her blouse. It was a turn on, but I am capable of suppressing my desires. It's still mind over matter anyway.

"I love you Raphael." she said.

"I am lost with you Triela."

"Lost?"

"I am lost, I am a different person with you. You're the only person who I can't hurt, the person who I just want to make happy and the person who I am willing to die for."

Our kisses got more passionate after that but we finally broke it as she laid her head on my chest. It was then that she caught sight of my old necklace around my neck [Chap 5].

"You never really told us what that means."

"I never really knew what it meant. But something tells me it symbolizes protection."

"Does it work?"

"I don't know, but I do feel safer… with you."

"Well that's very sweet of you, oh yeah, what do you plan for tonight?"

"I'll think of something. While I think, I'll need you to get up and do you're thing. Meet me at the roof of building B at let's say 7:00 PM?"

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He told me to wear the dress he bought me yesterday. I seriously did not want anyone to see me in it because it made me look…girly. Unfortunately how could I say no to Raphael? However, I am so use to wearing suits now that I actually had trouble putting a dress on; I kept getting my hair undone when I tried putting it over my head. I eventually got it on and climbed to the roof. When I got there I saw him, his back was turned looking into the night sky. There was a small table, candles and what looks like a tripod with a couple of pots. He turned around, saw me and smiled. He was wearing a coat and tie, I started thinking that maybe we should have just worn these to the restaurant a while ago.

"What were you looking at Raphael?" I shouted.

"The height of this building. It's a great hang gliding spot." Raphael commented.

"You're planning to hang glide now?" I asked.

"No, I was just looking, maybe next time."

I sat on the chair and saw a bottle of wine in a chiller.

"You have no idea how hard was it to get that back." Raphael said.

"Are all these other things take-out?"

"No, I spent sometime in the kitchen awhile ago. These are the fruits of my labor."

We had salad, a putanesca, and some steak. Afterwards he filled our wine glasses again and held his in front of mine.

"Toast for all the stuff I said awhile ago." He said.

I laughed at him and said cheers and for a second time we had a drink. He stood up and reached for my hand. I hid it from him and said:

"Raphael I don't dance."

Raphael laughed and said, "Neither do I, I just want a closer look at you."

"O, sorry about that."

So I got up and kissed him under the stars. Everything was great in its own special way until suddenly Jean and Lorenzo barged in on us.

"Raphael, Steel talked!"

Raphael sounded as annoyed as I was when he said, "Good what did he say?"

"He told us the leader of the terrorist cell we've been trying to locate." Lorenzo said as he placed a picture on the table and as Raphael looked at it.

"Steel said he does not know his full name but they all called him Mr.—." but Jean was cut short when Raphael screamed:

"Benoit!"

We were all surprised that Raphael recognized the picture and as we looked at him we could see a different Raphael, not the high and domineering Raphael, nor the hard and cold Raphael but a surprised and fearful version of him.