A/N: Guys... I've hit 100,000 words... (0_0)

P.S: This chapter is longer to make up for my idiocy last chapter. It seemed shorter because I forgot some plot points. Whoops. They're in this chapter now. Ahaha, also, you guys are getting another chapter out of me because I'm behind in what I planned. As usual.

Also, I'm seeing some new users in the comments, and I just have to say 'welcome to the chaos'. And you're all amazing and lovely. And I also see that only one person wants a happy Shizaya ending.

Whelp. Looks like it ends depending on how I feel. xD

And just because Pft made the great comment about the whole Aliens VS Predators... I'm laughing. I'm still laughing. Because every time Izaya refers to the demon and 'that movie' he's referring to Aliens, and worried that one day the demon will just up and claw its way out. It was my own personal joke, because while searching for movies about Satanic pregnancies (Dear God don't watch any of them) I actually had one recommend me to watch Aliens. And I laughed. So hard. And I realize now that the irony continues, because my title is Predator, which was the title of the original lame one-shot (which was the unedited version of chapter 1 & 2) that started this all.

Ahahaha~ I guess it's an inside joke (until now) and now we can all share it! Izaya's just comparing his problems to movies, even though they're not alike, and here I am being evil and morbid about it all. :D (I mean, the demon is getting bigger and turning out to be more interesting than I originally planned.) And also, I do not picture the demon like anything out of Aliens or Predators, I will actually tell you what it looks like... later. ;P

I've talked to much! Please read on!

I shivered as we walked outside. There was a lot on my mind at the current moment, like how the little thing in my belly was getting bigger but quiet, and judging from what Shingen had been saying about it, I got the impression that it might not be removable. He couldn't even see it, how would he be able to remove it? To add this on top of the fact that I somehow had to confront and deal with the five fears – confronting being unhelpfully one of them – as well as Shiki, Hajime, and Kai...

I had bit off more than I could chew.

"You okay?" Shinra asked, pulling out his cellphone and glancing at it. He flipped it open, going through a couple of text messages. "We'll figure something out. I just didn't want my father to poke or prod at you anymore than he had too. You looked a little..."

His words trailed off as he squinted at his cellphone.

We were standing just outside, the outside light still on to illuminate our surroundings. It was getting darker, and the first signs of whispering could be heard. Let's just go, I don't want to get caught out here with these things! I shifted from foot to foot, glancing around nervously. The shadows were beginning to flicker as the sun steadily continued to disappear behind the skyline. We had come here in a cab, so the obvious route back to Shinra's would also be by cab. How long would that take? I wasn't moving from underneath this light source until the vehicle showed up. Calm down, calm down. Why am I so nervous? My hands were shaking in my pockets, and I shivered at an invisible breeze. Don't think about it, just pay attention to Shinra right now. Is he was trying to get a ride from Celty?

"Izaya," Shinra glanced up quickly from his phone like had bit him, his eyebrows furrowed. He seemed to be looking past me, rather than at me, no doubt the wheels in his brain turning quickly. He looked uncomfortable enough to make me uncomfortable.

"Yeah?" He looked conflicted.

"Shiki is at my place. Apparently he is waiting for us to get back."

I stared at him incredulously. "What?"

Shinra sighed. "Look, I can -"

"I can't go there." I said simply, shaking my head. I wasn't ready to deal with him. Not after everything that happened, and now the little hellion... "I can't. I don't want to." I crossed my arms over my stomach, a sweat breaking over my forehead. The nervous tremor in hands only picked up, and now it was effecting my knees. I might be on his cleanup list. How was I supposed to trust him? He might kill me and Shinra both the second we walk in!

Shinra sighed. He didn't seem surprised at my blatant display of refusal. "Well, unless I send you to Shizuo's, there's nowhere else you can go that's safe."

I contemplated his words for only a moment. "Then I'll just have to go there. Shinra, the only way to fix this is if I live. I can't face Shiki. Not yet. I need a plan."

"You always need a plan." He muttered before calling a cab, my fate decided.

I wrapped my jacket around me tightly, shivering as the wind began to pick up. It was late evening, not quite night, and I couldn't shake off the terror that was building in me; the realization that I might not make it, that I might not survive all of this. One mistake at any point could end it all. It was like the world around me was made up of glass, and I was nothing more than a dead weight, cracking the surface every time I tried to move, tried to escape.

I rubbed at my stomach, feeling how hard it had become and how stretched out it was. It was about the size of a watermelon, hidden against my body due to how much weight I had actually lost. According to Shingen, I was just a few pounds lighter than my normal weight. But the protrusion of my collar bones, hips and shoulders, the fact that each rib could be counted, spoke otherwise. Shingen was worried, but at the same time he had been confused. He told me to eat more, just like Shinra had, but how was I supposed to dothat? It was obvious that the little shit wasn't being nourished by regular means – it was feeding off of something else. Could it be? That it was getting steadily bigger because it was feeding off of -

"Izaya, are you coming?"

"Huh?" I glanced over a Shinra. When did the cab get here? "Ah, yeah!" I jogged from where I stood, quickly passing through the darkness to get closer to Shinra, and then inside the safety of the cab.

We both slipped into the back, Shinra giving out Shizuo's address. It wasn't until we were both comfortable that Shinra began to talk.

"Okay, you need to do a few things while you're at Shizuo's though." He glanced over to me in serious doctor mode. "I sent him a text and he said it's fine if you stay there. But you need to relax. I've already sent Shizuo the longest message he's probably ever received, and basically you need to sit down and be normal. Do normal, low intensity things. No moving around too fast or unnecessarily. No jogging like how you got to the cab. No stress, okay? So no plotting and pacing at two in the morning because you don't know who to torture how. I need you to sit down, and eat food, and relax."

"Okay, mom." I said quietly, glaring at the window.

Shinra seemed to perk. "Speaking of which, you need to talk to Shizuo about some stuff, I think. I think he'd be the best person to discuss it with."

I wasn't sure if he was talking about Hell or the rape, but to be honest, I didn't really care.

I didn't want to talk about it.

"I mean, Celty can probably help you with the whole business that she saw..."

Why were we talking in code? Dancing around the truth? Was I dancing around the truth? Wasn't the whole reason of talking to get everything out in the open so that they could be fixed?

"But you can stay at Shizuo's for the night. We'll see what happens tomorrow and with Shiki I guess." Shinra lulled off, lost in thought. He had to go there and deal with the Yakuza for me, after all. I felt a twinge of worry at the prospect of him getting into severe trouble for me.

We arrived at Shizuo's about ten minutes later. The apartment complex was dark, the sun setting too quickly for my liking. There were spirits lurking and moving, low moans echoing through the steadily growing shadows. I shivered as we stepped out, Shinra paying for this part of the ride and then explaining to the driver that he would be right back.

"Let's go,"

The lobby was... simple. For lack of a nicer description. It wasn't as fancy as my place, but then again, simple was nice too. But I had been here before, right? It was weird to acknowledge the fact that I hadn't been paying attention to my surroundings on that day, when I stormed out on Shizu-chan, desperate to fix my life so that I wouldn't end up in Hell.

Look how far I've come.

We took the elevator, Shinra lecturing me on how I shouldn't be taking the stairs in my condition. "You also need to eat." Didn't he say that back in the cab? He was staring at me intently, like he knew somewhere deep down that I had already forgotten about that command, order, whatever you wanted to call it. I wasn't exactly here, my mind was wandering, eyes darting every now and again. Was I safe? Would I be safe? The demon could murder me at any time, as far as I was concerned.

"Yeah, I heard you." I sighed, just as the elevator dinged. We stepped out, easily making our way down the empty and slightly smelly hallway. "But don't forget, I don't chose when I get to eat." I rubbed at my stomach hoping that it would explain everything.

Shinra merely sighed in exasperation. "Come on, let's just get you settled in, okay?"

I nodded, Shinra not even waiting for me when he knocked on the small apartment door.

Shizuo was opening it in the matter of seconds, like he had been waiting for us to finally get there. He looked scruffy, standing in the door way, dressed up in casual black jogging pants and a tight white t-shirt. If I hadn't known better, I would have thought he had been sleeping. "Took you guys long enough." He huffed, like eight at night was too late for him to be waiting for mosquitoes and fleas. Shinra was already eagerly buzzing around him, skipping into his apartment with me in tow by a grip to my forearm.

"Eh, sorry! Dad took a little longer than I thought." He dragged me into the room, before grabbing me by my shoulders and not so gently forcing me to sit on the couch. Shinra crossed his arms, eyes going from playful to stern abruptly. "Now, you. No moving around. Shizuo, don't let him move around too much, and did you get my email?" He asked, glancing over to the blonde. I sighed, flopping back in the couch dramatically. What was this? An intervention?

Shizuo sighed before nodding. "Yeah. It was long." He muttered, scratching at his head absently. He probably didn't read it all.

Shinra nodded, anxiously pulling out his phone from his pocket and checking the screen. "Okay, I need you guys to behave. Like really behave. Izaya, take it easy, talk some stuff out, I need you to remain very calm, okay?" Shinra shoved his phone back into his pocket, worried eyes flicking over to me. Shizuo perked slightly at the change in tone. "I will deal with Shiki, so don't worry about him. And no one is stupid enough to come after you with Shizuo here."

I nodded. This was potentially a life or death scenario.

"Is there... anything I should be aware of?" Shizuo asked almost hesitantly. He probably didn't even want to know, but unfortunately for him, he had to. I wasn't sure what Shinra had told him, but at the same time, I didn't really want to know either. There was just something about telling your worst enemy your secrets that didn't make any sense.

Shinra nodded. "To be brief, the most important things are that he eats, and that he's comfortable. No stress. So you can't get mad. We don't exactly know what's going on inside of him right now, and I'd rather not spook the little creature into making it's way out and into our world."

I violently shivered, both sets of eyes instantly looking over at me. Couldn't he have put that better? I glanced over to Shizuo. He was standing at the door rigidly, eyes now staring intently at Shinra. He looked displeased. I couldn't imagine why.

Maybe we had given him too much responsibility.

"Alright," he finally said after a delayed pause. "I think we'll be fine for the night."

Shinra nodded in approval, checking his phone once again and sighing. "Alright, well I have to go. Please call me if anything, and I mean anything, happens."

Both Shizuo and I nodded together. How hard could this be? I had spent the night with him once already, I was sure that I could do it again. And actually, the more I thought about it, the more I remembered that...

"Okay, well I'm leaving. Celty is getting nervous. Apparently Shiki brought the whole posse with him to my house." Shinra sighed, rubbing at his forehead in frustration. "I swear, if they touched my darling -"

"Just go, before I go with you and kick them all out of your window." Shizuo snapped, not liking the idea of Celty being alone with such men. He practically shooed the doctor out of his apartment.

Shinra quickly headed out, hands gesturing as he went. "I know, I know, I just hope I don't die, I mean, I did tell Shiki off the other day, ah! That should be san! Shiki-san! Shiki-san! I need to make sure that Celty is the only headless being in my house by the end of the night!" He crossed the threshold, and I was surprised that Shizuo didn't slam the door closed in his face.

"Just get over there and make sure that she's alright." The blonde snapped, shoving Shirna further out the door. "If she's not alright, I will kick your ass!"

Shinra all but squeaked as he took off down the hallway like the idiot he could be. "I'll text you later!" was the only farewell either of us got.

Sighing, Shizuo kicked his front door closed before locking it – not that he really needed to do that. It wasn't like anyone was stupid or brave enough to break in... unless I was behind it of course.

But as far as I was concerned, no one was coming after me, and no one was coming after Shizu-chan.

I should be safe, right?

"Uhhg, he's so noisy." Shizuo complained, pinching at his nose before crossing the room and flopping down onto his couch beside me. "He's more noisy than you sometimes."

"Hah," I leaned back on the couch, rubbing at the lump in my belly. "He's not that bad. You should be nicer to your friends, lest you lose them."

He snickered. "Friendship advice coming from you, huh?"

I rolled my eyes. "I do have friends, Shizu-chan." No. No I didn't. Shinra was basically it.

Just as expected, the brute wasn't buying it. Instead of arguing though, he glanced over my way. "Whatever. Let's get you eating first." He stood up just like that, not even waiting for my response. It was kind of amusing to see him act so casually towards me.

Which would have been a yes. Obviously.

I had been able to eat so much last time I was here. Surely, that would happen again. Right?

"Sure." I said. I wouldn't have been lying if I said that I was a little bit skeptical. "What are you making?" I got up from the couch – to which Shizuo shot me a dirty look – so I could walk over to the little kitchen with him. I stripped myself of my jacket in the process, ignoring the weight of my phones. It would be better if no one knew that I was here. Shizuo couldn't force me to sit down all night, I would go mad. "Do you even have anything to feed me?"

He scoffed, passing me and entering the room. "Shinra told me nothing fancy. So I'll make you rice."

"How boring." I muttered. He looked like he wanted to hit me, but refrained. He turned his back to me, pulling open a cupboard. "It's rice or nothing. Go sit. I'm not listening to Shinra bitch just because you can't be bothered to follow instructions.

I rolled my eyes. "How boring." Doing as I was told, I went back and gently reclaimed my seat, throwing my jacket over the arm rest of the couch. "Don't burn it! Or poison it for that matter!" I yelled over my shoulder, grabbing for the remote which had been sitting on the coffee table. I'm sure the little demon would get a kick out of poison, right? Wouldn't that be hilarious?

I flipped the television on, rubbing at my belly with one hand. The demon didn't respond.

Frowning, I surfed through the channels until I landed on some peculiar looking Anime featuring little kids and talking animals. It would have to do.

It didn't take him too long, but eventually, Shizuo was coming out and being a better door than a window in front of me, blocking off the TV just to hand me a small bowl of steaming rice and some chop sticks. "Don't hurt yourself." He said stiffly, no sign of a smile on his face. I couldn't tell if his was really being nice, or just going through the required motions.

"Oh how kind of you." I grinned, accepting the bowl and the chop sticks without hesitation. My stomach – my actual stomach – was roaring with anticipation, reminding me that my eating habits had become borderline non-existent. Shizuo simply hummed in response, before disappearing from in front of me and ducking back into the kitchen.

Shifting until I got comfortable with my legs crossed, I glanced back up to the colourful display on the television before picking at the rice.

It wasn't anything special, but it was edible, and I ate like I hadn't eaten in days. Which I hadn't.

Shizu-chan joined me not too much later with a cup of instant noodles. I couldn't help but snicker. "Don't judge." He said plainly, the traces of tension lining his forehead. I left it at that, allowing us to eat in silence, me on one end of the couch, Shizuo at the far opposite.

Apparently old habits die hard.

I made it halfway through the bowl before my stomach started to cramp. The demon was still silent and unmoving, and Shizuo had ditched his empty noodle cup on the coffee table. Sighing, I placed my bowl on the table as well, gently lying the chopsticks atop it.

"Are you mad at me?"

I glanced over, suddenly confused. We had sat in silence for the majority of the night, so what was he going off about now? "Huh?"

"About the other night?" He got up with his noodle cup, grabbed my bowl before standing straight and glanced down at me almost hesitantly. "Are you done?" He motioned the half eating bowl in my direction.

"Yeah I'm done, and no, it's fine." I shrugged, looking back at the show before yawning. "It did happen after all, what I did. I just got over dramatic about it, that's all. It's fine."

"Do you want to talk about why?"

"No."

Shizuo grunted in response, disappearing from the living room to dispose of my leftovers. I was almost surprised that he didn't complain about my lack of eating. I rubbed at my belly, slightly disappointed in myself.

He came back out just as I yawned again. I was really tired. But how were we supposed to do this? Was this going to be a repeat of last time I had stayed here?

I really didn't feel like having a panic attack.

"You should sleep. You're looking rough again." He muttered, coming to stand at the end of the couch. It was getting late, after all. His words weren't exactly inviting, but they weren't cold either.

I nodded, rubbing at my eyes. "I can sleep out here again?" I asked, rubbing gingerly at my back. It was starting to get sore, and I wasn't sure why. It could have been from the demon. It felt stupidly heavy right then.

He looked at me in horror. "On the couch?" He asked, head tilting. "You, Bastard King of making people miserable, will gladly take my couch?"

I glanced up to him. I blinked.

"Firstly, that was rude. Secondly, yes. I quite enjoy your couch. It is safer to sleep outside the beasts' lair, rather than in it." I proclaimed, waving a finger at his first reaction. Bastard King? Really? "And if we want to get technical, Shi-zu-chan, my parents were married when they had me, making me not a bastard child. And yes. I am a king. A God."

His face twitched again and he groaned. "Flea. You can sleep on my bed. I don't care." He shrugged like it was no big deal, ignoring the majority of my sentence. How boring. "It is more comfortable than the couch, and I know that we both know that."

I stared at him. Really Shizu-chan? Really? "It's fine." I insisted. "Because in case you forgot, I broke your lamp the last time I was here."

He sighed. "So?"

"So." I said, still not moving from where I sat because no, I was not going in there and sleeping in the dark where the ghosts could yell at me and touch me and steal me, "there is no lamp."

He was arguing with a petty child, and we both knew it.

"So?" He asked again, clearly getting annoyed. He crossed his arms over his chest, glaring my way. "You need a lamp? Why would... oh." He suddenly looked guilty, a hand coming up to scratch at his head.

There we go.

I raised my eyebrows in a 'I told you so' fashion, the smug smirk sitting on my lips even though we were discussing one of my own current weaknesses. I didn't need to be smug, but I was anyway. He rubbed at his face like I was the most stressful creature on the face of the planet. "Oh. You need a light because of those shadows things, right?" He dragged his hands down his face in exasperation.

"Bingo!" I said, grinning and pointing at him. "And the lucky winner is Shizu-chan! Yay!"

He scoffed, glaring. "Cut that out. Why can't you just face it?" He moved closer, apparently not happy with the distance between us, either that, or the way I was handling the situation. What did he expect?

"Face it?" I chuckled, expression darkening. "I do not wish to get dragged into the pits of Hell again, Shizu-chan."

"How do you even know that will happen?" He asked, sitting down at the opposite end of the couch.

I regarded him carefully. He... did have a point. Is that what would happen? Did I know? Did I want to find out? I raised an eyebrow. "How do I know it won't?"

He shut up for a moment, staring at me even harder. "Okay, can you explain this again?"

"You don't understand? Uhg, of course you don't understand." I sighed, grabbing the remote and turning off the show so that I could indulge his protozoic brain. I idly scratched at my nose, twisting where I sat to tell him my nice story. "There are things, ghosts or spirits or whatever, who come out of the shadows. They can talk. They very clearly state that they do not like me. And they can grab me. I've tried to face them once already in my apartment, but I ended up being drowned in darkness and their cursing. I don't know what else they can do, but I really don't want to find out." I said quietly. "I'd... it just makes everything easier because I can sleep with the light on, it's fine. I can stay out here."

Shizuo took a few moments to ponder my words. "Okay, but if I'm here, then they can't take you." He said, like his word was law and not subject to any logical fallacies.

"Really?" I was almost baffled. I shook my head. "Just because you're here doesn't mean that they can't grab me."

"They can't take you anywhere if I'm holding on to you." He said angrily, looking irritated. I blanked at his comment. Could it be that he cared?

Pffft.

"What?"

"Just come," he stood up and came closer, suddenly stopping a few inches away and reaching out his hand like I would break if he touched me, "they won't bother you."

I was almost appalled, but at the same time, my chest felt pleasantly tight. It took me a second to regain my bearings because Shizu-chan was just so unpredictable. "Are you proposing that we sleep together?"

He raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "If you want to put it that way, then yes?"

The demon shifted uncomfortably in my stomach.

This is so stupid, I shouldn't do this.

I took his hand.

He helped me up to my feet, hand wrapped comfortably around mine. It was warm, I noticed, and not cold like Hajime's and the rest of them while they were touching me. I didn't flinch, even though I figured skin to skin contact would now be a no-no. "Is this fine?" He asked, not budging from where he stood.

Why did he have to be so awkward? I kicked him in the shin with a soft smile. "Yes, you idiot, this is fine." Why was my face heating up? How was I supposed to sleep beside this monster? What happened if I suddenly freaked? Would I? "Just lead the way."

Snorting, he dragged me through his tiny apartment and into his bedroom. He flicked on the light before stepping in, letting go of my hand disappearing to shut off the rest of the lights in the apartment. I leaned against the wall, contemplating the logic behind my decisions. I was starting to feel nervous again, and panicky.

He appeared back in the doorway, "Do you need anything?". When I shook my head, he glanced to my attire, before asking "Can you sleep in that?"

I was still in my jogging pants from earlier. I could change when I went back to Shinra's – I had slept in worse things. "Yeah,"

He hummed in response, daringly grabbing my hand again and pulling me close. I didn't resist. "Are you sure?"

I nodded. He was the one who argued the idea in the first place. I had just spontaneously agreed. I'll be okay. I can do this. I couldn't back out now. What was I thinking?

"I'll turn off the light."

I nodded, just as he flicked it off.

Whispers of my name suddenly could be heard, like they were rising from the floorboards themselves. My hand tightened around Shizuo's as he pulled me along and towards the bed.

"Izaya,"

"Izayaa"

"You okay?"

I didn't answer as he pulled me onto the bed, the close contact only briefly uncomfortable. I found myself curling up on my side while he threw a blanket over top of us, facing Shizu-chan while the spirits awoke from whatever slumber they had been in. I clenched his hand tighter, curling up closer to him as he got comfortable on the bed, the mattress shifting beneath his weight only.

"They can't take you." He said again, quietly, pulling me closer. We were face to face, but there was just enough light from outside for me to see the movements in the dark.

Oh if he only knew.

They were swarming me, silent cries and screams while tendrils of shadows curled around my limbs. They were all over me, a mass of darkness swallowing me whole. A cursed string of my name was the only thing that could be heard as they started tugging and pulling at me, shadows creeping up my skin and leaving goosebumps in their wake. I curled up tighter into myself, my grip on Shizuo's hand intensifying. My chest suddenly constricted, and I coughed weakly.

I was panting.

Threatening to pull me into the depths of hell, several of them gave a few good tugs and I swore I felt my body move.

"Shizu-chan, this isn't okay." I was clinging onto him for dear life. If this was all just some joke, and he let go now, I was done. Gone. All of my struggling gone because I stupidly left my life in the hands of another. How could I trust him? How could I be so stupid? How could I let this happen? You see, stupid decisions are the reason why these things happen.

I was suddenly being pulled, body moving across the bed and I screeched, before realizing that Shizuo had just pulled me closer, arms wrapping around me protectively. "Shush," His chin rested on my head while I clung to his shirt, eyes squeezed shut. He held onto me tight, fingers lacing behind my back. "You're fine." I really don't feel fine! This was a stupid I idea! The shadows were becoming increasingly loud, and I shuddered as their appendages wrapped around my ankles and then started to crawl up my pant legs. It was just like before, in my bedroom. It felt like insects were crawling all over me, some teasing at my clothes, others at my skin. One was bothering my ear and another was prodding at my mouth.

I was going to die.

Shizuo started to hum.

It was a deep and melodic, sounding like it came straight from his chest. He was humming to a tune that I didn't know, but it was slow and almost calming. I clung to him tighter, curling up smaller and crossing my legs to try and stop the wandering. Tendrils continued to explore, and I realized that I was shaking violently.

He continued to hum, hands tightening around my back.

It wasn't long until the voices began to die out, the threat of shadows calling my name and claiming my body slowly dispersing back into the darkness in which they had come. I found myself fading, the darkness once again becoming peaceful, and exhaustion finally won out.

I had never slept so great.

"Yeah, he's still sleeping."

I pried open my eyes, content to see that the morning sun was drifting in from the window. Yawning, I rolled over from my side and onto my back, lazily blinking at the ceiling. Damn, I felt good. When was the last time I had slept that great? Last time I was here, right? There had been no nightmares, no bad dreams, and even though Shizu-chan was already gone from the room, his spot was still warm. I actually don't feel too bad today.

"No. He didn't want to."

I glanced over to the open bedroom door. Who was he talking to? I was going to say he was on the phone with someone. Probably Shinra. Who else would call him? Carefully sitting up - the stitches were starting to itch, I noticed - I squinted at the door before removing the blanket from my self.

"... I guess I could try and talk to him again."

Clearly, Shizuo was having a phone conversation about me. And clearly, it was with Shinra. I doubted he would admit to anyone that he was talking to me on the phone.

I threw my legs over the edge of the bed and carefully stood up. I stood up slowly, taking the time to gather my strength and stand without swaying. It was getting harder and harder to get up, I was noticing. The weight in my stomach holding me down, and my legs were starting to threaten to give out on me. Glancing down, I noticed that they were getting quite thin.

I tsked.

Taking careful, dangerous steps, I moved closer to the door.

"Or I could just not talk to him again, and you can just do what you plan on doing anyway. Yes! I know you better than this!" He was getting angry, voice rising from what sounded like the living room. Briefly smiling, I made it to the open door and carefully glanced around the frame to confirm my suspicion.

Shizuo was standing behind his couch, one hand on his hip as he stared out the parallel kitchen window. From what I could see of his face at this angle, he looked irritated. Just like normal.

"Yes. Fine. I'll bring him over – why didn't your nut of a father do that last night? Don't you think that's important?" Scoffing, Shizuo finally nodded. "Yeah. See you in a bit." He hung up, orange phone slamming closed as he shoved it into his pocket. "Damn doctor," He began to rummage through his pocket, probably for his pack of cigarettes, when he noticed me standing in the doorway.

"Hey," I said casually. It's not like I had been eavesdropping or anything. Let's just not talk about this night.

"Hey," he said gruffly, out of patience for the whole day already. "We gotta go to Shinra's." He didn't sound happy about it.

"When?" I asked, sliding along the wall so that I was standing in the living room. I needed to sit down for a moment. I was still pretty tired.

Shizuo rolled his eyes. I laughed. "Shinra's genius father forgot to do some blood work. You know? Important stuff? He also wanted to do some other test. Said we should go over as soon as possible."

"Sure." I pushed myself up from the wall, taking a few secure steps over to the couch. I sat down carefully, grabbing my jacket which was still lying over the arm rest. "Are you calling a cab?"

Shizuo sighed. "Yeah. Just give me a minute to get cleaned up. All your stuff is still at Shinra's? And he said you can't get the stitches wet still."

"I know." I was being very unsociable, but there was just something so weird about the day? Shizuo walked past me, heading to the hallway while I was caught up in my musings. Could it be because I had gotten such a good night sleep? Or was it the fact that I was feeling more sore then ever before? My stomach was hurting and heavy, and my thighs were already burning from moving around. And my back.

My damn back wasn't feeling pleasant, not at all.

"Are you okay?" He caught my attention, and suddenly I realized that he looked worried. I wasn't acting like myself.

Chuckling, I nodded. "I just haven't slept so well in a while." I made sure not to look at him, but I saw that his cheeks burned too.

He hummed, the melodic sound music to my ears. "I'll be right back."

And with that he was gone to shower and get ready.

Sighing, I pulled my jacket onto my lap, shoving my hand into one of my inside pockets to fish out my work phone. I hadn't seen or heard from Namie in a while, even though she had apparently been by Shirna's a few times.

I wasn't exactly complaining.

I pulled the cell out and flipped it open, not overly impressed to see that I had four messages, and several missed calls from Shiki.

They were all from last night when I had avoided going over there. Rolling my shoulders and slumping back into the couch, I went through the messages.

The first one was from Namie. A simple: [I keep missing you at Shinra's, but the Yakuza are up to something shady. I'd watch my back if I were you.]

"Thanks, Namie," I said, almost sarcastically. Awwwh. She was looking out for me.

The second message was an incredibly long lecture from Shinra, which I had promptly skipped over. Yes I had eaten. Yes I had relaxed. And yes I had slept. Check, check, check. He could of saved himself five hundred words.

And last but not least I had a very pleasant, and what looked to be, a long message from Shiki. Scratching at my nose, I decided to open up the text.

[Orihara, it would be in your best interest to set up another meeting with me. There are several things we need to discuss, and I would like your input on what we should be doing about a certain group of people. I'm sure you will be more than eager to decide their fates. Please call me with a convenient time. Thank you.]

It wasn't as long as I had thought it would be, and it was more polite and formal than I had expected.

But interesting. Now why would I set up yet a third meeting with Shiki, after he already had me murdered, and then almost murdered once again? Clicking my tongue, I stared at the message, half conscious of the bathroom door opening. I need to stop making mistakes.

Carefully, I tapped out a quick message back to Namie. [Awwwh~ Thank you for your concern! And, speaking of the devil, he is asking for an appointment. Is there any day that I can get you in for a shift?] There was a plan forming in my mind, and a cruel smiling twisted my face.

"You're plotting again."

I jumped so bad that the cellphone fell from my hands. "Shizu-chan!" I glanced up, smile still present. "Aha, and you're soaking wet!"

"What are you doing?" He wasn't actually soaking wet, his hair was just damp still. He was dressed in casual black jeans and a faded blue sweater.

I shrugged. "Setting something up so that I can fix this mess."

Face twitching, Shizuo pulled out his cellphone before sitting down beside me. "Fix this? Last time you tried to fix anything, you ended up in a bigger mess than the one you started with!"

I snorted. "That's why you're going to help me."

He groaned, shaking his head. "Tell me later. I'm calling a cab."

The trip to Shinra's was mostly in silence, mainly because Shizuo had warned me from talking unnecessarily in the cab. He didn't want to hear anything about anyone shady while in the company of another person.

I couldn't blame him.

As soon as we were out the door, in the lobby, and standing in the elevator, I just couldn't contain myself anymore.

"So I have a plan." I said with a huge grin, just as Shizuo pressed the button to the top floor. The doors weren't even closed, and I was pulling out my work phone and flipping it open again. A new text from Namie lit up my screen and I beamed.

[I can come in tomorrow, I guess.]

Grinning, I slapped my phone closed.

"You have a plan?" Shizuo asked, glancing over to me warily. The doors slid closed, and we started to move.

"I do." I grinned. "You made me think of it last night." I nodded, Shizuo rose an eyebrow at me. "Basically, the only way to get rid of fear is to face fear, right?"

"Yeah?"

"So I just have to keep facing my fears so that I can over come them!" I grinned, shooting him a sly look. "You'll help me, right?"

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I would say that sounds healthy, but knowing you, you'll do this in the worst way possible."

I stuck out my bottom lip, hands rubbing at my swollen belly. "That's so mean."

"How do you know it will work?" He asked, face not amused.

Ah! I had an answer for that one. "Because." I scratched at my nose. "I had this terrible fear in the beginning of people asking me personal questions, which is what drove me to this point." I admitted, grinning, "but because it has happened so many times, and because I have overcome it once by telling both you and Shinra everything, I don't feel so stressed out about people asking me things anymore."

He eyed me carefully, just as the elevator stopped. "So do you want to talk about being raped?"

All of my glee and self-confidence suddenly went out the door. I stared at him coldly, chest aching. My mouth went so dry so fast that I couldn't even answer him.

The doors slid open, and Shizuo stepped out looking casual, hands shoved into his pockets. "I didn't think you would be able to." He admitted, glancing slightly back over his shoulder.

I scuttled out of the elevator, a frown settling onto my face.

Was that what they had been talking about earlier?

I shakily followed after Shizuo, who had already knocked on the door, catching up and standing beside him irritably.

He just had to go and ruin everything, all the time.

Shinra answered the door, looking as pleasant as usual. "Hey! You guys made it!" He stepped aside, ushering us in. "Come in, come in!"

Shizuo took on look at me before glancing away. "Actually, I was going to run to the store to go and get some stuff while he got his tests done."

I rolled my eyes, stepping past Shinra.

Shinra eyed me carefully, before glancing back to Shizuo. "Um, okay! You're coming back after, right? Celty will be out until later, but I'm sure she'll be back at a decent time. And, there's something I'd like to discuss with you, okay?"

Shizuo all but sighed. "Alright. I'll be back." He turned away, but paused, glancing back at me harshly. "Don't cause any trouble, flea."

I snorted. He left and Shinra closed the door.

"So, how was your night?" He asked with a huge smile.

"Great." I muttered, no longer feeling as happy as I had when I woke up.

As soon as I had my shoes off, Shingen was at my side, ushering me to the spare bedroom. Shinra simply shrugged, letting the man lead me off.

Just as Shinra had said, Shingen had forgotten to take blood. He also took another listen of both my chest and stomach, before asking me various questions that I had already answered. Height, weight, eating habits, sleeping habits, stress levels, pain levels, etc. I mentioned that I was becoming increasingly sore, and my favorite part of that conversation as probably:

"You want to put what where?" I glanced at Shingen, who was holding a long tube that was actually a camera.

"It goes inside you, and we see what's going on." He explained a little too happily.

I was momentarily horrified.

Until I realized that it was just going down my throat.

Shinra sat in for that one, and just like the rest of the tests, he came back empty handed.

"Well that was exciting," Shinra said happily, helping me from the examination bed. Shingen had already run off, after briefing Shinra on what he had discovered.

Which was nothing.

"More like a waste of time." I muttered, gingerly making my way across the room.

"Are you okay?" He asked, opening the door for me.

I groaned, walking through it and heading straight towards the couch. "Mostly. Feeling a bit tired." More like weak.

Shinra regarded me for a moment, and was just opening his mouth to lecture me when there was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it!" He yelled, like I could possibly do it for him. Sinking into the cushions, I put a hand against my forehead. I was feel a bit warm, and a bit annoyed. Damn Shizu-chan, just asking me that out of the blue.

"Ah, you're here!" Shinra could literally be heard from anywhere in the house. "He's in the living room."

Groaning I rubbed at my face. "Shinra, who did you -"

I caught the sight of long black hair and green in my peripherals, and I instantly scowled. Namie? Really? Why is she here again? The woman moved around the couch easily, with more grace than I was used too. I turned to chastise her as she sat beside me, a grin placed on her lips.

I choked, because it wasn't Namie.

"M-mom!?