~A year later

"Here you are Annika," my partner, Murph, said as he plopped down some papers on my desk. "By order of the Chief, you are to do all of this."

"Great," I groaned. "More paperwork…"

Murph laughed at me. "Don't worry Annika. Knowing you it'll be done in no time." He left me at that.

It had been a full year since the last time I had seen all my friends in Europe. Kaylita and I had managed to keep in contact through letter or a telephone call every once in while. Carmelita would sometimes send me a letter with Kay's whenever she wasn't chasing Sly Cooper around. As for Sly… I haven't heard much from or about him. Especially not here in the States. I really missed him most to be honest. He really made it possible for me to figure out my family history. I couldn't be more thankful for all he had done for me. And the death of Archimedes spread like wildfire all around the place. The Chief was just happy that he wouldn't have to risk us in trying to catch him anymore.

I had also managed to get in contact with Bill Hastings, my mother's partner in crime. I had located him after a few months of searching the Police Database. Thankfully he wasn't in jail. You'll find this surprising but he actually has his own business in catering. He brings a team and usually handles the drink bar and such for huge functions such as the ball that Interpol has each year. Crazy, right? He told me that it keeps him busy and honest for the most part. He still thinks about my mother a lot. Needless to say, he was so happy to hear from me. The fact that he finally knew that I was alive and well sent him into tears over the phone. Poor guy… I haven't met him yet but we've been making plans to meet up soon. He even offered me a job so that he could be closer to me and get to know me as a grown woman. I couldn't help but laugh and make it a possibility to accept his offer.

I started to fill out the paperwork when there was a knock on my door.

"Come in," I said without looking up.

"I see that they put you to the papers," the voice said from above me.

I glanced up to see Sly Cooper himself, the last person I expected. He was in regular clothes instead of his usual thieving wardrobe. For a moment I actually couldn't breathe. He was really here… I tried not to show anything.

"I'm surprised that Carla let you in." I thought for a moment. "Actually, I take that back. I'm not surprised at all. You sweet talk Carla and she's putty in your hands." I eyed him. "That's exactly what you did, isn't it?"

He chuckled. "Guilty as charged. You know me so well, Annika."

I looked back down at my paperwork. "Unfortunately I'm not quite sure why you're here. Care to enlighten me?" Why did that even matter? He was here after so long of not knowing where he was. Surely the reason he was here should have been the last thing on my mind.

He moved to sit in the chair in front of my desk.

"I need your help with something. Something big."

He sounded so serious… I immediately looked up at him.

"What's going on?"

He leaned closer to me. "There's this job that we are about to pull. And I need your help to pull it."

"And what could you possibly need my-"

"Murray, Bentley and I are pulling a team together to do this," he interrupted. "We're going after my inheritance. Right now, it's in the hands of Dr. M. We plan on taking what's rightfully mine back from him."

M… That name rang a bell.

"My mother mentioned M in her diary," I told him. "He used to run with your father back in the day right?"

Sly nodded.

"And again, why am not surprised?"

"In any case, we need your help."

I rubbed my brow. "Who do we have already?"

"Murray, Bentley and I to start. We recently picked up the Guru from Australia."

"His specialty?" I asked.

"Mind control and he speaks to animals."

I was quite impressed.

"Who else do you need?"

"An RC specialist, explosives-"

"What? What do you need explosives for?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I told you, it's a big job. Dr. M has the island locked up tighter than Fort Knox. There is no way that me and the boys can get there on our own."

"Whoa, wait a second. Just what kind of inheritance are we talking about here?"

Sly was silent for a moment. "Well… It's known as the Cooper Vault."

"Are you serious…? We're going after a vault?"

He nodded.

"You must be out of your ever loving mind if you think that I'm going to go on a suicide mission with you."

He pouted playfully at me. "It's not even a little bit tempting?"

"Not even a little."

Who am I kidding? It was VERY tempting.

"Please, Annika? It would mean everything to me. Besides, you'll be able to see Kaylita after a year of being without her."

I went back to my paperwork. "I'm not doing it, Sly."

I heard him sigh and get up from the chair.

"If you change your mind, we'll be at Liberty Island." He left at that.

What a mess… Just when I was getting back into a routine, he throws a wrench in the works like he always has… Not that I mind though. It was kind of nice to see him asking me for help and not the other way around. Hell, just seeing him was amazing.

I had to make a phone call…

I dialed in the number on my office phone. On the first ring they picked up.

"Hello?" the voice answered on the other side of the phone.

"Bill? It's Scarlett."

"Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, everything is fine I promise. I actually just got a visit from Sly Cooper."

"Really?" he seemed very intrigued by what I told him. "And what did he say?"

I sighed. "He wants me to go on a huge job with him and a few others. I'm not too keen on the idea of going after M and retrieving Sly's inheritance."

"I understand," Bill replied. "I wouldn't be all excited about it either. Why come to you?"

"Because he knows he can count on me. I want to help but at the same time-"

"Go," he said simply.

I was surprised. "What?"

"Go with him, Scarlett. He's going to need you. And, quite frankly, there hasn't been a phone call yet that he wasn't mentioned in."

I blushed at that. "But I could get-"

"I have no doubt that you'll be fine. You have too much of your mother in you to not be. Besides, Sly won't let you get hurt. I have faith."

"You're a much better person than I am then…"

Bill chuckled. "Go to him. Give him a chance. Give yourself a chance."

I smiled and nodded. "Thanks Bill. You're the best."

"Anytime sweetie."

I hung up with him after that.

I sat back in my chair and looked at the paperwork on my desk. As far as I was concerned, there was only one thing left to do…

~Sly

We waited patiently for Annika to show up. Actually, it was more like deeply hoping that she would join us. Bentley seemed to think that she wouldn't be showing up at all. But I had faith… How could she refuse?

"Sly," Bentley said as he rolled up behind me. "We can't wait for her. We have to go."

"She'll come," I said.

"Sly-"

"She'll come," I repeated in a harder tone.

Sure enough, we heard the roar of a small jet-ski. Just as I said she would, she came flying by on the small watercraft. She got to the dock and met us.

True to her mother, she was dressed in her old outfit and her mask as well. It wasn't the same though. This mask was much simpler. She still looked amazing...

"I'm glad you could make it," I said to her. "We were getting worried."

"I'm sorry to keep you all waiting," she said. "I know we have a deadline to keep." She turned to Bentley. "Right Bentley?"

Bentley nodded. "We have no time to lose."

Bentley and Murray went ahead of us to our small boat. I looked to Annika.

"You have no idea how grateful I am that you came," I said. I reached up to her mask and took it off of her. "You don't need that. I promise."

A light blush tinged her cheeks. "I'd feel better with it on…"

When she tried reaching for it, I pulled it away and shook my head. "You look fine without it."

She gave up on the mask and turned to follow Murray and Bentley. I wanted to say so much more to her. I wanted to tell her how happy I was to see her. And to tell her how much I've thought about her in the last year…

"Sly?" she said. She turned to me and smiled. "Thank you for coming to find me."

My heart fluttered. All I could do was smile back.

"Anytime."

With that, we both went to the boat. Beginning our big heist together.