A few days passed of little note. Maya did her best to avoid Shizuo. Anni spent the occasional evening walking about the city with him. Her nightmares still woke her at least once a night, alternating between who was captured. Sometimes it was Anni, as usual. Sometimes it was Maya. Sometimes the scumbag pulled a gun on her guardian. Despite this, Anni didn't let herself indulge enough to spend the night at Shizuo's apartment again. It wasn't her place to use him like that, if he cared or not. She got enough sleep to sustain herself, and in the end, that was all that mattered to her.

It was around that time that Anni found Kanra's invitation to a chat room in her inbox. She knew what it was, and hesitated to accept. If she accepted, she would have to deal with Izaya, but she would also be connected to everyone else. They'd all met her in person, and it's not like she had to reveal her identity anyway. There was also the threat of her interfering. She might influence the plot unintentionally, but what the hell. If she hadn't screwed up anything already, she wouldn't as long as she was careful. So she accepted. The moment she opened the chat room, she was pulled into a private conversation with Izaya.

[Kanra~ Hello Anni-chan!

How's life with the monster?

Lizzy~ What's with the invite?

Kanra~ I just wanna keep tabs on you.

I'm sure you don't mind~~

Lizzy~ Are we really the only ones on now?

Kanra~ Everyone else is off being busy without us ( T_T )

Lizzy~ I'll leave you alone with your misery then]

After leaving an introductory message for everyone but Kanra, Anni closed out the chat. In spite of Izaya, she was looking forward to being able to hang out with Celty, Mikado, Masaomi and Anri. She would be able to keep up more easily on what was going on in the plot this way, not to mention having more than two friends and her brother to really talk to. This was going to be fun.

-!DRRR!-

"You're kidding" Anni told her phone. She was tired enough from the training she'd just finished, she didn't need this.

"Just for a few days" Alex bargained. "I just wanna check up on you."

"Bull. You're coming for Izaya."

"I won't have anything to do with that crazy bastard, I swear" he promised.

"Riiiight" she drew out sarcastically

"I miss you, that's all. Have you gotten so used to living without me already? Have I been forgotten?" His attempt to distract her probably would have worked if she wasn't already certain of an ulterior motive.

"No, far from it. I miss you too, but you're planning something for when you come back. Don't think I can't hear it in your voice after all these years" Anni accused. She was met with silence. "You're obviously not planning to mess directly with me."

"I wouldn't, not after I screwed up like that."

"Then who are you after?" Anni almost answered her own question aloud. There was only one person other than Izaya that Alex would care about at this point. "That's not your style."

"What's not my style?"

"You want to come out here just to talk to Shizuo?" Silence fell on his line again. She was right. "You don't have to fly out for that. I'm not the only person who can use my phone."

"You think I would have missed that? No, I need to be there in person" Alex asserted.

"Three days, max" Anni bargained. It was easier than fighting to get answers at this point.

"I love you too" he said before hanging up. Apparently it was more than enough time to do what he planned. He'd probably tell her when to expect him later. Anni stuffed her phone back in her pocket and pushed herself off the wall she'd been leaning against. Around the corner a little ways down the street, she found Celty and Shizuo. The bodyguard was reading what looked like a longer message, which is probably why she hadn't heard the pair talking.

"Hello again Celty-san. Were you both waiting for me?" Anni asked, tolerating what had become Shizuo's default greeting for her. Having her hair ruffled like a little kid hurt her pride, but the fond gesture proved he wasn't afraid of breaking her so easily. It balanced out.

"That's just me. Celty was passing through and stopped to chat" Shizuo explained as Celty typed something new out.

"It's good to see you again. You look much better."

"Thanks, I feel much better. How are you doing?" Anni asked in return.

"I'm fine. I'm just heading home from a job" the fairy tacked out. She mounted her bike and added something else that she showed exclusively to Shizuo.

"Got it" he said curtly.

"I'll see you around later" she showed Anni before riding off.

"Later then" she called after the fairy. Once Celty had silently disappeared, Anni turned back to Shizuo, who was pondering her quietly from behind his sunglasses. "Yes?"

"It's nothing. You seemed upset when you walked up. Is something wrong?" Shizuo redirected.

"No, nothing, my brother is just being stubborn again. I had just gotten off the phone with him" she explained.

"I see" he said, starting to walk. Anni was quick to follow. "You usually have Fridays off work, right?"

"Yes, but what does that have to do with…?" she trailed off as he ruffled her hair again. Instead of letting him get away with it this time, she grabbed his wrist and pulled him to a stop. "Shizuo, you're acting weird. What's going on?"

"It's nothing you need to worry about" he replied simply.

"Not you too! Why are the people around me hiding things from me so suddenly?"

"Anni" Shizuo growled in warning. His eyes were harsh behind his glasses. Anni realized she'd moved. She held her friend by the front of his shirt with her left hand, her right still holding his wrist. When did I do that?

"I'm sorry" she said, letting go and backing up a step. Shizuo silently adjusted his glasses and pulled out a cigarette. "That was my fault" she admitted simply as he took a drag. A cloud of smoke accumulated as he emptied his lungs.

"Then be more careful next time" he advised. The cigarette was tucked between his lips and he walked off with his hands in his pockets. Anni didn't follow him this time.

-!DRRR!-

The familiar squeak of her front door yanked Anni from sleep immediately and completely. It was amazing how quickly adrenaline could take over your system. The moonlight flooding in through her window was more than enough to see by, so she found her knife with ease. Alex had only called her that afternoon, it was far too early for him to show up. Shizuo would've made enough noise to wake her before opening her door, and the hinges probably wouldn't have been intact to squeak by then. Maya had no reason or way to be opening her door in the middle of the night. Celty maybe, but why? Anni was surprisingly calm as she waited just beside her bedroom door.

It seemed to only be one person who was trying to be quiet, from the sounds coming from the other side. There was a muffled *thump* as something was dropped, then they started moving closer. As soon as the door was slid open enough to admit the intruder, Anni grabbed one arm and flipped them over her shoulder. They landed with a muted thud against her carpet and a gasp. Her knees landed on their chest, driving the rest of wind from their lungs in a great huff. The voice and lack of extra squishiness on their chest told Anni she was dealing with a male. All the better. She pressed her blade against his throat, and waited.

"-Fuck!" was his breathless curse. His gray eyes screwed shut and his teeth mashed together at the shock of pain.

"There is no way in hell you could have managed to buy a ticket to Japan and fly out here in less than twelve hours. What the hell Alex?" Anni demanded, only moving her knife.

"Get off and I might tell you" he choked, trying to push her knees. She obliged, getting up and plopping on her bed to the sound of her brother refilling his lungs. He coughed a few times as he sat up, before speaking again. "You weren't kidding about training."

"Why would I? I'm fully intent on being able to disable any threat to me or the people I care about" she explained mechanically.

"So you really wanna know why I'm here so soon?" Alex asked, climbing to his feet.

"Yes" came her curt reply.

"I lied. I had just gotten off the plane in Tokyo when I called you."

"You're an asshat. You weren't going to give me any say in the matter to begin with" Anni accused emotionlessly.

"I wasn't going to change my mind no matter what you said anyway" Alex said, heading to the closet to pull out his futon.

"I hope you don't plan on sleeping much these three days" she advised, lying down and curling back into her blankets.

"Still having nightmares? It's been what, two weeks?"

"Yup. It's your problem now too. Goodnight" Anni bid, letting herself crash back into sleep.

-A/N-

Edited by my dear friend Faded Phoenix