There were few things I hated more than getting woken up in the morning. Especially when it was this unpersonal. Whoever had the gall to wake me up at this ungodly hour didn't have the courage to face my wrath.

The phone got that pleasure this morning. That stupid hotel phone with its loud cheerful ringing. I glared at it. I searched through the phone lines psychically to the reception desk. If this was just some sort of mistake, there was going to be hell to pay. It didn't seem like this call was a mistake. Very intentional. Almost familiar.

I stretched my arm across the bed to reach the night stand. I picked the phone up from its cradle and held it on my face.

"Good morning, princess! This is your wake up call," the voice on the other side said.

"I'm going to kill you," I promised Danny.

"Do you know how much trouble it was just to figure out where you were? Hurry up and get down here," he said. "Your coffee's going to get cold."

I hung up on him and rolled over. I wanted so badly to go back to sleep, but Danny had ruined everything. I sunk further into the mattress in protest. I embalmed myself in the covers, but it still didn't work. That had better be some damn good coffee.

I got ready in an angry daze. I flopped around on the bed as I stripped out of my pajamas. I slipped on a dress and pulled on a cardigan. I brushed the morning breath from my mouth and the bed head from my hair, stuffed everything into my bag, and headed towards the elevator.

As soon as that door dinged, I was stomping through the lobby. Breakfast wasn't even open yet, that's how early it was. Danny wasn't hard to find. He was holding two coffees and arguing about the receptionist about that stunt he had just pulled. He was trying to explain how he was a detective and this was official police business.

He turned as I approached him and opened his mouth to say something.

"Nah-ah-ah-ah," I warned him. I was not someone to be trifled with in the mood I was in. I took my coffee from his left hand. I sipped. It was still warm, thankfully.

"How'd you know which one was yours?" he asked.

"I'm psychic." I took one more sip before I flicked his head.

"Ow!"

"Don't ever do that again," I demanded.

"What? Get you coffee?" Danny rubbed the area where I flicked him. "Sorry to break it to you, princess, but we've already crossed that bridge."

"Don't you EVER wake me up."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I was under the impression that you wanted to find your sister quickly."

I narrowed my gaze. He did have a point. I took one more sip there in the lobby. "Okay, let's go."

Danny had forcibly checked me out of my hotel room, which was what he was arguing with the receptionist about, so we simply headed outside. I was glad I had put on a cardigan. The morning was a little chilly. Fog had rolled onto the streets and the parking lot. Danny clicked the bob and unlocked his red convertable.

I took another sip of my coffee. "Haven't the Chus already seen us in this car?" I had expected Danny to know that his car would be too noticeable.

"Don't worry. I changed the plates. They won't be able to track us."

I really didn't think it would be enough, but it took too much energy to argue this early in the morning. The sun hadn't even come up yet. I threw my bag in the back and sat in the leather passenger seat, coffee still in hand.

Danny left the roof open, but rolled the widows up slightly before backing out of his parking spot. "Okay, which way are we going?" he asked.

"Head north on the highway." It was faint, but definitely a northward pull.

"Got it."

Danny maneuvered through the back roads easily to get onto the highway. The wind passed harmlessly over my head. The temperature was cool, but not uncomfortable.

"Can I ask you a question?" Danny asked after we were a couple of miles outside of town.

"You just did," I clipped.

"Yesterday, you had said that Yao Chu had 'blocked' you," Danny said, choosing to ignore my snarky comment. "What did you mean? How could he do that?"

"It's a pretty simple concept. First, you have to internalize and understand all of your thoughts and memories. Then, you disconnect from everything. Doing so creates a sort of void between spirits, making it extremely difficult for psychics to get a read."

"Wow, really? That doesn't sound simple at all."

"It's not." I placed my coffee in the cup holder. "I just said the concept was simple. It takes a lot of training to hold the barrier for more than a few seconds," I informed him.

"So, how did Yao Chu learn how to do it? Is he psychic?" Danny just couldn't seem to get over the mechanism.

"You don't have to be psychic to meditate. I mean, it's easier if there's a psychic around to make sure you're doing it right. Naturally, I'm the one who taught Yao."

Danny was shocked. A hint of betrayal bubbled through his emotions. "You?! Why?! I thought the Chus hated you!"

"This was before they hated me, obviously." It was weird to think of things from then. Back when my mother was alive. Before the Chus were fully invested in crime...

"I-I feel like I'm still missing something here..."

"Yao Chu and I had an agreement. He wanted mental and spiritual defense. I wanted physical defense. He has a black belt in several martial arts, and I come from a prestigious line of psychics. Once everything happened, we trained separately on our own. He was better than I thought."

"Yeah, but... Weren't you like ten?"

"I was twelve," I corrected. "I would head over to the Chu syndicate after school."

Danny laughed. His mind was a complete mess that I had no desire in investing myself to straighten it out.

"What's so funny?" I asked instead.

"It just seems so absurd now," Danny answered. "I mean, he was about ready to kill you last time you just 'headed over to the Chu's.'"

"Things change," I sighed. "Fifteen years is a long time."

The car ride was silent for a bit. Only the sound of the wind as we passed each mile marker. The sun was coming out. The sky was flushed with orange and pink. I hadn't realized how nice it was to ride along in a car with no roof. It was very freeing. I found that the cold didn't really bother me.

Danny cleared his throat. "You know, I wasn't trying to bring up any bad memories or anything..."

"It's okay. I can search through the bad memories of practically anyone I come into contact with. You're a detective. You were just curious."

"Was Emily always curious too?" Danny asked. Being detectives was one of the only things Danny and Emily had in common. I suppose the occupation did share similar traits.

I closed my eyes and nodded. "Too much for her own good."

The peaceful morning silence lasted for about a moment when Danny said, "Look are we still going in the right the direction?"

"Yes. I'd tell you if we needed to get off anywhere." His impatience was slightly aggravating me.

"Then, do you mind if we make a quick pit stop? You haven't had any breakfast, right?"

"Why, detective? Need a donut break?"

Danny had a mixture of disbelief, disgust, and his usual dose of unrequited adoration. "Was that a cop joke? You think just because I've got a badge, I've also got a stereotypical addiction to glazed donuts?"

"You're more into Danish, but it's close enough." I cheated and peeked at what he was hungry for. His guilty pleasure pastry shop was only an exit away.

"I didn't even know you were capable of making a joke, princess." He veered right as he exited the highway.

I laughed once and allowed my lips to turn upward. It sent Danny pulsing with affection, but I didn't care. I was damn funny.