A/N: Sorry the last chapter was so short and Ema-centric. D: Poor Klavier barely got in there at all, huh? AARGH this took me forever. I know where I want to go from here, but this chapter was just…empty. I needed something to happen. It ended up being longer than I expected, I put waaaaay too much effort into it. (dies)

Disclaimer: All characters belong to the almighty god game company CAPCOM. I haven't played it, etc etc etc.

Edit: Fixed a couple of glaring plot holes.

Wednesday : Invitations

I shuffled papers around on my desk without any real ideal of organization, just attempting to look busy. I really needed to go check out the crime scene again before doing anything else, but those idiots in Forensics were taking forever to analyze the evidence I'd already collected and it would be smart to know the results before I went. If it was me in there, I would have finished the tests days ago. But I wasn't in there.

"Guten morgen, Fraulein!" My door opened and Klavier set two cups of coffee down on my desk with a flourish.

"You know, some people knock."

"And some people say thank you when their boss brings them coffee." He flashed one of those stunning- I mean stupid, stupid is what I meant- grins at me and whistled a few bars. "It's black, so you can put in whatever your heart desires."

"Thanks," I muttered reluctantly, reaching for one. Considering how sleepy I was feeling, black was probably the way to go this morning. I grimaced and slurped some of it down. Ahh, it's still hot. Scientifically speaking, that means he must have come straight from the coffee place. But he's not late, which means he purposely left time to go there. Which means he's been thinking of me all morning, and maybe even last night when he set his alarm… You stupid brain, that's not scientific! He probably just wanted coffee for himself and got me some on the spur of the moment! And it doesn't make a difference to me even if it was on purpose!

"Actually, I thought about calling you last night and asking how you wanted it, but it was so late that I was afraid you would figure out how to fit a Snackoo attack through the phone if I did."

I choked, dripping coffee down my front. I scrubbed at it with an evidence list from last week. "W-what? You- how do you even have my phone number?!"

Klavier blinked. "You don't have to look so surprised. You're my employee, of course your number was easy enough to find on file. And we're going back to the scene of the crime for a little more investigation today, I need my detective alert and ready to go!"

"Oh. I mean, of course you do."

Suddenly he leaned across the desk toward me, so that one of his honey-tan cheeks was practically brushing mine, and whispered, "Of course I do. But of course, I also want to know simply for…future reference. Because I care about you, meine Liebe."

I could feel the warmth radiating off of his body, could sense his cheek lifted up in a seductive smile, could have turned slightly and kissed him softly, just like in my freakish nightmare from yesterday. Couldn't stand the burning in my cheeks and the feeling that he was only toying with me.

I shot up so quickly I sent my chair spinning away behind me, and quickly shoved some papers into my bag. In reality, I didn't have the slightest clue of what I was grabbing, because something about being around that man puts a lukewarm fog into my mind. Snatching up my coffee, I snapped, "Let's get going," and stalked out the door.

"Ah! Mach langsam, bitte!" I could hear him call out behind me, but I didn't hesitate.

My cheek was still warm from his, and the sensation took longer than my coffee to cool.

I crossed the street as fast as I could and stood impatiently in the shade of the bus stop. Please come soon please come soon please come soon…"There is no need for meine Detekivin to use public transportation." Damn, he caught up to me. Must be those long legs.

"Mr. Gavin, the crime took place at a bus stop. There's no faster way to get there."

"Ah, I'm afraid you have been misinformed, Fraulein Detekivin. Not only is there a much faster way to travel, but the bus no longer runs to that particular stop. It can hardly pick up passengers at a crime scene, after all."

"Fine, I'll walk." I was determined to avoid him for the rest of the day at all costs, even if that meant arriving at the scene long after he had finished up.

He chuckled. "No need. "

"But I've never- no way!"

"You haven't ridden one before? Don't be afraid, it's-"

"I am not afraid."

"Then ride with me, Liebe. It will be much faster." I had to be careful, or the beautiful melody of his voice would make me give in, just so I could hear it a little while longer. Grudgingly, I gave him credit for probably being a pretty good singer.

"No. No, no, no!" Not with you.

"Ah, not even for these…?" I stopped, knowing even before I turned around what I would see:

Snackoos. Four bags of my precious, precious snacks. Mmmm, they did look good, and I could really, really use some this morning. Sometimes a girl needs chocolate, and sometimes she needs Snackoos.

But does a girl ever need Snackoos from the glimmerous fop that is her boss?

"Come now, Fraulein, don't discriminate against your beloved Snackoos," he grinned temptingly…and by that of course I mean tempting me to take the snacks. I can't believe I'm considering this, but…

I snatched them out of his hand and ground out a "Fine, I'll ride your stupid bike."Klavier positively beamed at me. "Wunderbar!"

"Glimmerous prosecutor with your smooth-talking," I muttered as I followed him to an extremely gaudy motorcycle, complete with his angular G trademark.

"Don't think about how you're going to look on this, Ema, just get on," I instructed myself.

He grinned and climbed easily over; I scrambled up after him and clenched my hands in my lab coat. "You're going to have to hold on, Fraulein," he said without being able to keep the humor out of his words, grabbing my hands and wrapping them tightly around his waist. I was pressed up against his back.

I squeezed my eyes shut and yelped as he gunned the engines and sped forward. I could feel his shoulders shaking as he suppressed laughter. "Don't let go of me, Liebe," he called back to me and we raced out of the parking lot. "Achtung, Baby!" The speed was incredible and exhilarating and terrible.

"N-nothing should be able to go this fast!" I whimpered, holding him tighter against my will and praying to somehow survive. Please, God, I'm too young to die. I felt like it would be far too easy to simply lose my grip and fall off the side to my death. Just when I thought I couldn't stand it any longer, I felt Klavier's hand against one of mine and he turned partway around to comfort me.

"Almost there, just hang on a little longer. Don't worry. I will never let you fall," his sapphire eyes sparkled reassuringly. As we slowed down near a suburban area, I was finally able to relax a little, almost forgetting who I was riding with- it felt good to hold someone like this. I had forgotten how warm people were, and there was something about how broad and soft Klavier's back was that was comforting. I hadn't really hit it off with any of my co-workers, Lana didn't exactly live nearby, and, I realized, I was lonely. But not lonely for Klavier Gavin! I pulled away a little and in response he sped up, forcing me to clutch him tightly again.

"What are you doing?" I shouted helplessly. "This isn't a game, Mr. Gaviiiiin…" But I only caught a faint snatch of German, and my words were lost in the current of the wind we created. I will never trust a prosecutor again!!

The instant the Motorbike from Hell stopped moving, I tumbled off and staggered away. "I AM NEVER RIDING YOUR DEATH CONTRAPTION AGAIN!!" I shouted back at him as he finished parking. He looked disappointed and shouted something back which I promptly ignored, instead lurching away to look for someone who would know if anything had happened at the scene.

"Did anything else turn up since I was here last, uhm…?" I addressed a new-looking recruit with a charm pinned to his collar.

" OFFICER MEEKINS SIR!! NO SIR NOTHING TO REPORT SIR!!"

Please…turn down the volume… "Did anyone think to check down the street?"

The policeman blinked. "SIR NO SIR!! We thought you might like to do the honors yourself, SIR!"

So they were lazy. If his first shot missed, it was probable that the bullet was somewhere in the surrounding area. "Okay, thanks sir- Uhm, Meekins." His enthusiasm was way too contagious. "I guess I should go check it out." Whatever, I'd still take boring over life-threatening any day.

I was barely three feet down the alley when a hand secured itself on my arm and pulled me into a tight embrace. "Pretty young girls shouldn't go wandering off," a silky male voice warned me. "This is not a freundlich neighborhoooof!" I couldn't see my attacker because I was pressed so tightly against his chest, but I had a pretty good idea of who it was- the self-satisfied way of speaking, the German accent, the cold medallion pressing into my shoulder, even the spicy sweet scent of his cologne. Still, one could never be too sure. Hey, a little knee where it hurts won't kill him.

He staggered back against a brick wall and leaned against it for support.

"Oh, Mr. Gavin, it's you," I said in a falsely sweet voice. "I am so, so sorry, I had no idea." That felt way too good.

"T-that was hardly called for," he choked ruefully. "Heftige Fraulein."

"That's just my defense mechanism against glimmerous fops who invade my personal space. It might be an allergic reaction."

"My apologies, I was unaware of your…disability."

"Thank you very much, I- wait a minute, it's not a disability! It's common sense!"

He seemed to have recovered, waving a finger at me with his usual genteel humor. "Ahh, but it is a disability. It means that you cannot attend dinner and a concert with me Saturday as I had planned."

"That's how I- but you- what? When did you just decide this was going to happen?" I spluttered. And does it count as asking me out if you do it in such a roundabout way?!

"Well, obviously the plans are off now, Fraulein Detekivin," he said sadly, "I would never wish to make you ill or give you spasms of the knee like just now. I'm afraid I will have to take someone else; perhaps those beautiful girls in my fan club would be willing to assist on such short notice."

Yep, there was definitely a twinkle in his eye. "If you think I'm jealous and that I'll beg you to let me come, you are absolutely deluded, Mr. Gavin." I spun on my heel and started down the alley again.

I could hear his soft footsteps padding after me like a sleek tomcat and instantly an image of Kitty Klavier popped into my mind. I shook my head furiously to dislodge it, instead concentrating on looking for clues. "But Fraulein, you need to take a break from work! It will be fun, ja?"

"No. Are you too cheap to hire actual employees or something? You're just going looking for an excuse to stick me in a security uniform again, aren't you?"

"Ah, you were very cute in that uniform, Fraulein. It showed off your waistline."

"WHAT?"

"But that is not why I am inviting you this time. This time, you will be only a member of our joyful, enthusiastic audience." Klavier beamed at me. I glared suspiciously at him. Did he actually compliment me? Whatever, it doesn't matter! He just wants to make me want to volunteer to be a security guard at his stupid concert.

"No."

"There is no need to be so obstinate, Fraulein. I've already bought you a ticket, it won't cost you anything but a little of your time."

I regret to admit that my resolve cracked just a little when I heard that. "Free?"

"Natürlich! I would never be so impolite as to make my date pay for one of my own concerts."

"Watch it! I am not your date!"

He just shrugged confidently. "If you insist." But he was wearing me down. Memories of being at concerts with my best friends ten years ago poured into my mind: dancing, laughing, the moving colors and collective adrenaline all around us. I could only imagine how that sweet voice of his would sound amplified in a microphone, lilted in song. And as a woman whose food pyramid consisted largely of beef ramen, chicken ramen, vegetable ramen, and Snackoos, I was not one to turn my nose up at free.

I gritted my teeth, unable to believe that I was accepting an offer from this insufferable fop of boss. "Fine."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I said Fine, I'll go with you to your stupid concert."

He frowned and bent to pick something up off the ground with one gloved hand. "No no, I wouldn't want to force you to accompany me against your will. It is no trouble for me to arrange something with another Mädchen; even Herr Forehead may know someone who would be happy to attend."

"Don't push it," I snapped. "What's that you've got?"

Then his face turned positively coy. "I'll trade it to you for a kiss."

"What about my fop allergy?" I reminded him coldly. "The reaction tends to get stronger each time I'm exposed, you know."

"A hug?"

"I feel an attack coming on now…"

He chuckled, but also backed up a few feet. "It's all the evidence we need, Liebling: the second bullet." It was already dangling in a plastic bag from between two of his slim fingers, and I could feel my irritation turning into anger.

"It looks like you can even do my job, so why do you keep me around?" I demanded angrily. I would have found that if he hadn't been distracting me! "Just to humor me? You don't even need me, do you, you glimmerous fop?"

"Meine Leibe-" I could hear the bus pulling up on the other side of the wall; it drowned out anything else that stupid German might have had to say and gave me a sign. It was time to leave. I had meant to walk calmly away from him today, but somehow I ended up running.

The instant my front door closed behind me, I ripped my dictionary from my bag and started to rifle through it. Meine, meine… "My, mine. Okay, so he's saying I'm his something." Liebe. L-I-E-B-E. I had no idea if it was going to mean idiot or scientist or something completely irrelevant like learn. But I was definitely not expecting anything like…

Love.

Apparently it could be used in many ways- out of love for, love at first sight, be in love with, lovers- some of which sounded familiar. He's hasn't been insulting me, he's been calling me pet names?! I couldn't help it, I just started giggling. "That's, hahaha, that's not- hahaa- funny, Mr. Gahahahavin…" I laughed and laughed until all my raw energy was completely spent and I collapsed into a chair.

What was it about him? Was it the smirk on his handsome face? The way his eyes sparkled when he tried to make me jealous? Or the way he touched me so casually? What was it about Klavier Gavin that just gave me a terrible headache? I started to massage my forehead and was surprised to find my palms getting wet. Pulling back my hands, I realized I was crying.

You ask me for a kiss, but your smile says it's just a game.

I tell you I'm allergic to you, but I can still feel your arms around me.

You call me your love, but you can't stop talking about 'those beautiful girls'.

I say I can't stand you, but…

A/N: Translations galore

Mach langsam, bitte! Slow down, please!

freundlich friendly

Heftige Mädchen! Violent girl!

Natürlich Of course

Liebling Darling

Also: This chapter had a lot more dialogue, so it was struggle for me to keep them in character. Please write to me if you notice any parts that bother you where they're really OOC!