Disclaimer: Don't kill me, or sue me for that matter.

Rule Number Two

Harry didn't put a dreamless sleep potion in Natasha's drink. He really didn't because it would have been one of the last ones he had - having not been close enough to any magical community recently to restock - and he didn't waste precious potions. He didn't put in her drink and then lay her on bed after she fell asleep at the table. He certainly didn't tuck her into bed, because as previously mentioned he didn't have anything to do with her sudden lethargy. He was completely innocent.

But, if he had; he would have had a good reason.

Harry's mind fled that train of thought the instant he hit the narrow and dirty streets of New Orleans French Quarter. There was an ambiance to this place that penetrated his very bones. The old angry magic of the place still wasn't resting, but had calmed as the centuries passed. It drew people to the place whether they knew it or not, provided a little touch of magic inspiration to those not in the know.

For people like him, it provided more than just a touch of magic. The entire place sat on a leyline - a magic generator - and those that accessed its magic could do great things with it, and terrible things. Inferi were created by the witches and wizards that found his place and others like it, they drew from the very soul of the world to give life to things that shouldn't live.

Harry looked at the cracked buildings and missing tiles in the sidewalk and couldn't help feel at home. The people that did magic here weren't light - not at first - and the reciprocal magic sharing between these witches and wizards had lead to one of the most tainted leylines in the world.

It didn't feel tainted to him; of course, it wouldn't to all those with dark magic in their system or on their body. Harry could almost feel his curse marks absorbing the very magic in air he breathed. He felt both lighter and heavier, a heady mixture.

He slowed his walking pace to a crawl. No wonder they called it the big easy, everything about the place just made you want to relax a little, like there was no real hurry to get anywhere.

He focused after a few minutes, because despite the comfort this place provided him he did have something to do today.

The tiny doorway of the shop was dusty, but there was a red neon sign in the window that said 'Open' so he pushed on. The door creaked when it opened and a bell dinged from inside the shop. The room was cramped, shelves filled most of the space of the room and Harry doubted that any normal sized person could make their way through it without knocking something over - which is maybe what the owners wanted.

It's wares were nothing special, more tourist souvenirs, than anything really. Tiny yarn voodoo dolls hung from key chains and plastic colored beans hung in all shapes and sizes from the walls. Harry didn't let it deter him though, because once he spotted wormwood hidden on one of the shelves he knew this wasn't a regular muggle store. Of course, that's why he had come there in the first place.

"Sorry, I was just in the girl's room." The colorful woman entered the front room via a grimy pink tapestry that covered a doorway. "Welcome, I am Madame..."

At this point she trailed off because she had finally gotten a full view of Harry's form. Harry didn't sigh or say anything at all because he knew he had screwed up, that's why he was here in the first place.

"Madame...what?" Harry asked with a grin, flicking one of the key chain crosses idly.

"I..." She cleared her throat and then straightened up to her full height - under five feet. "You may call me Eve, young man." She pushed some of her grey hair back to her bun and clipped it there.

"I'm assuming you know who I am then, by your startled expression."

"It's not every day someone meets a celebrity..."

"Or a wanted fugitive." Harry cuts in.

"Never again shall I complain about a boring life."

"Boring is not an adjective I've ever heard attached to your person, Eve." Harry stepped closer and was pleased when she didn't tense.

"Little boy, when you've been alive as long as I have, you too will think life is boring. Everything becomes dull after you've done it a thousand times already, even sex." She moved passed Harry in a quick shuffling motion that had him smiling. She flicked a switch on the sign and locked the front door. "I'm assuming you are here for my less advertised services."

He looked at the prices sign on the back wall that placed hand and tarot card readings at fifty dollars a pop. He whistled lowly. "That's pretty steep."

She shot him a look, "Of course it is, my readings are accurate. You should see the prices for magicals, much steeper. The future is always finicky around magic, something about it just disturbs entire timelines." She looked him up and down, assessing. "You couldn't pay me enough money in the world to read you, deary. Just standing next to you is giving me a headache. Too many paths for you to take. Your timelines are a spaghetti bowl the size of North America." She squinted at him then. "Though, I'll tell you this, you've got a big decision to make soon. One that will alter the course of your entire life."

Harry smirked. "I hope you don't except me to pay for that, that's practically a daily occurrence for me. Besides, I don't put too much stock in seers." With good reason.

"Ah, one of those." She nodded as if he had explained the entire universe to her in a nutshell. "Well then, never mind that, let's get down to real business."

"You know what I want?" Harry asked her curiously.

"I have a fairly good guess," She shrugged off a knitted red shawl and pulled her hair up tighter, gaining years in the process. "That's mostly what I do anyway - guess - so I'm pretty good at it."

"I hope you are good at other stuff too."

She glared, "Boy, my entire line can be traced back centuries with witches and magic. My grimoire is taller than you are."

"No, offense meant." He put his hands up mockingly, because despite what she had implied he could definitely get her if he wanted to. "So, do you know how to do it? Can you?" He asked seriously, because his entire life might change right here, with her.

"What you are asking from me isn't easy." She pulled something from behind her desk, a notebook. She flipped through it and then paused. She held it up for him to see a familiar face. "Harry Potter, wanted dead or alive. Extremely dangerous, do not approach. Call authorities immediately upon sight. The immediately is underlined a few times, so I'm fairly sure they mean it."

Harry grabbed it from her hands. The black and white moving picture wasn't a very good image of him, moving quickly with only a split second look at the camera. Harry recognized the image from the time he had escaped the authorities with Natasha in tow. He did wonder where the actual picture came from though, because he certainly didn't remember any camera's lying around. Not that he was that good at spotting them anyways; he rubbed his temple.

"What's this book?"

"Wanted posters in book form. They have existed in these parts long before either of us were born. They are updated weekly and given to all the magical shop owners and officials. You are kind of a celebrity purely because of your longevity, not many people stay on those books longer than a year, you've been in there three." She smiled and rubbed her hands together. "That's neither here nor there. Let's get down to business. You want to disappear." A statement, not a question.

"I'm good at disappearing. It's not that I'm looking for. I need a permanent solution to the monitoring ward."

"Oh, the monitoring ward," her eyes gleamed at the challenge. "You mean the one that most magical countries put up to find out exactly where a certain magical signature is used? That ward?"

"The one that has prevented me from using my magic fully for going on two years now. I want it gone. I don't want it to find me, ever." Harry stated. He had felt empty without his magic and the few times he had dared had been quickly followed by escape. He could do the small stuff, but any battle magic would be picked up almost instantly. He had been lucky enough to place most of his hidey holes before it went into full effect and had spent months afterward trying to figure out a way to power them up without alerting the authorities.

Madame Eve wasn't his last resort - he did have a list - but she was one of the more likely ones. Her family had one of the more colorful histories in the wizarding world, so much so that they had many biographies written about them. Her magic was neither light nor dark and was extremely powerful just by inheritance alone.

"This is no school ward trick, boy. It's not like removing a monitoring charm from a underage wizard's wand. It will require powerful magic." She stared at him seriously now, searching his soul. Harry wasn't afraid, there was nothing there to show. "It will hurt and pull more from you than you probably have to give. There is no guarantee that it won't kill you outright. Pulling from the Earth Magic is wild, raw, untamable. It may not want to cooperate."

"I'll do it."

"You're awfully quick to agree." She smiled matronly. Her wide lips held too many teeth and looked like they belonged more on a shark than an old lady. "Didn't you hear the part about dying?"

"I'm as good as dead without it. I need to use my magic and I refuse to play the muggle anymore." Harry didn't know if his eyes flashed red, but the rush of tantalizing anger that laced through his system certainly made him think they had. He looked away from her a second just in case, no need to scare the help.

"Well, I can do what you ask then. Just be prepared for the consequences." She turned and pulled the curtain back to show the rest of the house. A crooked hallway lead to creaking stairs and stained wallpaper.

Harry looked at the room she had lead him to, unimpressed. "Don't we have to be outside or something, sacrifice a goat?"

Eve laughed so deeply Harry didn't know if it was real or not. "Oh dear, it's not that kind of magic. You don't need to be any closer than this to get full effects. It might actually help to be higher. The leyline is stronger closer to the ground and if you get too close magic becomes almost impossible to control. Here I'll have more luck." She pulled away an overskirt and tugged off her shoes, wriggling her toes. "It's a good night to do magic. Kneel." She pointed to a rough circle that had been drawn out with salt. Her tone was all business. "Arms up." She pushed him into position when he didn't hit exactly where she wanted.

She dabbed her finger in some kind of oil and grabbed his wrist roughly. She positioned it just right and started to draw.

Harry had done some work with runes before, had to with warding, but he had never seen the one that she drew on his wrist. The lines crisscrossed his wrist connecting two tick marks that were placed there.

"Great Mother, bless us this night." Her voice was saturated with magic. He could feel it spinning in the air, pulling together and pushing apart. Her hand grabbed his other wrist and before he knew it she was scribbling away. He resisted the urge to pull away or to push closer. The magic in the air was getting stronger, increasing. "Find your loyal daughter. Help her in this quest."

Harry would have laughed at her usage of the word 'quest' if he wasn't so out of it. The magic in the air had started twisting now, twirling. It was like a ballet in the air that only he could see, front row seats. Except it wasn't, it was more like a car crash, all terrible forces and agonizing surprise and mind numbing intensity. No, it was more like a whirlpool, spinning, spinning, spinning, pulling him in deeper; too deep. It was like falling into an abyss and flying above the clouds without a broomstick.

He tried gasping, he didn't know if he succeeded. The air was too thick - molasses - no one would be able to breathe this. He spared a glance at Eve draw to her visage dancing it the air, enticing, mesmerizing, and she seemed to be able to breathe just fine. Her mouth was moving quickly now, not that Harry could hear it. There was sound in his ears, but it wasn't words.

His entire mind was stuffed with cotton balls, there was no space for any more words.

No space for more anything.

He passed out.

He flexed his wrists. His arms. His legs and chest. He stretched his neck. He shook out the tension and then tightened up again.

His body felt different. He had been changed in some indiscernible way. He didn't feel stronger or weaker. He wasn't more flexible. He didn't feel gills on his neck and his legs hadn't turned into fins. Something was different though.

It was like trying on a new pair of pants. They fit and were comfortable, but they weren't like his old worn in ones that had survived years with him. There was nothing wrong with getting a new pair of jeans, but no matter how much they fit you still had to get used to them.

"Are you done lazing about?" The cranky and graveled tone called from across the room.

Harry's eyes that were his - but not - found the older woman lounging on a rocker on the other side of the room. She looked older and more tired than she did before, but at the same time buzzed with an energy that seemed immortal.

But that was magic - beautiful contradictions.

"Did it work?" Madame Eve's voice wasn't the only one that was hoarse. He tried to clear his throat and chugged down the glass of water that was placed conveniently on the bedside table.

"I don't know. No way to tell without trying." She coughed a little. Harry raised his hand to flick, "No." The stern voice broke his concentration. "If it didn't work I don't want to be and accessory to whatever it is that you have done." The grandmotherly voice made it odd to hear it from her mouth.

Harry stared at her for a second before nodding. The woman had done more than enough to get her in his good books and that was hard enough.

"Why help in the first place?"

"Plenty of reasons, Mr. Potter." His last name didn't make him tense, but it was a close call, the first time he had heard it in almost four years. "Your existence has mitigated a number of world ending timelines - though it has caused many headaches for me and mine. I am not the only one who remembers what you did for our world, not just how you did it. You still have much left in front of you and infinite number of headaches and choices. A destiny whether you want it or not. Whether for good or ill, you having access to your magic makes life a tad more interesting. Not that I'm much looking for interesting at this time in my life, but the world needs shaking up and you are an earthquake in mortal form. Yes, mortal, though you do seem to forget it sometimes. You are mortal, Mr. Potter, and I would much like to see you survive the next week."

Harry took her forewarning for what it was. Though he would never fully trust a seer.

"That's it? You helped me because you wanted more entertainment?"

She cackled a little and showed her wide smile again, fully capable of eating another human he was sure. "You could do great things, Mr. Potter." Harry's déjà vu fit him full force. "Terrible or not, good or not. The world needs you in it, Mr. Potter, and you are half a man without access to your magic. For what lies ahead we will need all of you, not just the Boy-Who-Lived or the Basilisk or that other part that must not be named, all of you." Harry didn't glare at her, but his hand did twitch closer to his wand. Only to find it not there. His eyes sharpened on her. "No need to get your trousers in a bunch, it's right there." She pointed a long finger to his bedside table and the skinny piece of wood sitting on it. His hand grabbed towards it, "No!" The sharp tone brought his eyes back to her. Despite his instincts screaming at him, he didn't pick up his wand.

His eyes flickered between the lonely wand and her, mind racing. "The ritual?"

"There are costs to everything Mr. Potter. You should feel lucky you got off cheap."

"Cheap? I don't get to use my wand!" the exclamation shot from his mouth unbidden.

She shrugged. "You don't fool me, Mr. Potter. I know you are capable of wandless magic."

"Small stuff or spells I've practiced until I knew them like my shoe size, nothing big." Nothing near big enough for what he needed now. "That's why I came to you in the first place." He almost growled.

Her smile was vicious. "Dear, despite what you might think of yourself, you are not the most dangerous person I've ever met. You are damaged and I'm sure if you wanted to you could probably kill me, but I didn't get my reputation for being easily intimidated." She laced her fingers together. "That is why you came to me, right? My reputation precedes me."

"I could already do the small stuff." He didn't whine.

"Quit complaining. Be happy that the magic went in your favor. So you lost your wand," she shrugged, " get over it. You already knew some wandless magic, all you have to do is practice. It should at least be easier for you now."

"Is that why I feel off?"

"Yes. The magic channels in your body moved around a bit. It should be easier to do magic without a focus now." She leaned closer. "However, if you pick up that wand and try to do magic with it the entire night will be for naught. The second your magic goes through a focus it will realign to how it was settled before, their by negating your invisibility."

"Not exactly what I would call it." He told her.

"You are hidden from view by Auror standards. You can do magic all you want and it won't trigger the monitoring ward. Apparate all over the world for all I care, but you can't use a wand to do it."

A tiny part of him broke. That wand had been with him through thick and thin, through the worst and the nastiest parts. He could feel the blood of the fallen sticking to it still. He didn't think he could ever live without it. "Can I pick it up? Keep it on me?"

She shrugged again. "Don't know. Wouldn't recommend it though, too much temptation."

He nodded and pulled up a bit of cloth to wrap around its handle before lifting it. He tucked it into its holder for the last time.

He pulled a miniature sized duffle bag out of his pocket. The magic that exploded from his hand certainly felt different from what he was used it, but it did seem to flow easier. There wasn't much resistance. The resizing charm was one of the small ones that he had practiced until it practically didn't need anything to work. It attached to the miniature duffle like an old friend, reverting to its original form. He handed the resized bag to Madame Eve who stood from her rocker.

"That should be enough." There was plenty of money in the bag, it wasn't like he was using it for anything really. She put it down beside her and Harry wasn't really surprised when it disappeared.

"Thank you, Mr. Potter. Your business is always appreciated. If you would recommend me to your collogues I would appreciate it."

"You're an interesting woman, Madame Eve."

"No need to insult me, Mr. Potter, we were just starting to get along." Her too wide smile again took up her face. "Now, I think it's time for you to go, deary." She looked out the window at the rising sun and he nodded. "Just one more thing." He faced her serious and dangerous face. "You aren't the only one with a destiny, Mr. Potter, your girl has one too."

He swept out the door without another word. He had a lot to do today.

The hotel room was small and cozy. Warm, vibrant colors complemented deep ones. The deep red of Natasha's curly hair only made the room that much better. Everything seemed to fit perfectly - except him.

Harry let the door shut behind him and stripped off his clothes.

The queen size bed was cozy for two and the feel of Natasha's clothed body beside him seemed to make everything better. It was just one more day. A quick contract and they were done in the city. Natasha was peacefully asleep and getting so much stronger everyday.

Which made him feel that much worse. It was only a matter of time until it all went to shit.

Harry whistled as he walked down the still narrow streets of New Orleans. He had finished a job and wasn't covered in blood, a good reason to be happy. The job had been easy, a quick unlocking charm, a sleeping spell, and a prick with Basilisk venom. It was so easy with magic and Harry had almost forgotten how good it felt.

Natasha had been a little disappointed at the quick kill, but had gotten over it quickly when Harry gave her a night of complete freedom on Bourbon street. It wasn't like he kept her locked in a cage or anything, but the last few weeks had been spent running from place to place as soon as a job was done. Harry was feeling good though, magic running through his veins unchecked and easy job and easier paycheck, all the while in a city that made him feel alive. A night off wasn't that much really and it was a great day.

He should have known better.

"Basilisk. So good to finally meet you." The click of footsteps on tile followed the smooth voice.

Harry froze, his hand hovered over the vacant spot where his wand once lay. He had left it in the hotel room with the rest of his stuff. For good reason.

"Wish I could say the same about you." He turned slowly on the spot because he knew a predator's voice when he heard it. And because the red dot that had settled on him burned like a laser on his body. He stared at for a second before focusing on the man. The suit was tailored, the blond hair pulled back. His face was handsome in an unremarkable way. "Little excessive don't you think." He gestured lightly to the dot, not to fast, never too fast.

"No, Basilisk, I don't think so. I think one is too little." The snake-like non-smile that settled on his face belonged there. "Which is why there are more, lingering about. I always thought the red lasers where a little dumb, after all the good ones don't need them. It serves for this purpose however." Intimidation.

"I don't think we've been properly introduced." Harry gritted his teeth and tried to ignore the tremors crawling up his spine in anger.

"Yes, of course, you can call me Mr. White." He straightened a cuff on his suit. "I take care of acquisitions, Mr. Black takes care of day to day operations. We are interested in you."

"Weird place for a job interview." Harry snarled.

"We're not a normal company." Mr. White's grin widened. "I like you, which is why I want you for this job. Mr. Black wasn't completely convinced, but your little performance at Ryder Industries sealed the deal."

"Sorry, I'm not looking for a job right now."

"I'm afraid it wasn't an offer." His eyes sharpened.

"The answer is still no."

"You haven't even heard me out. That's a bit rude."

"I try."

The suited man laughed. "You are just delightful." His face turned into a smile looking at Harry. "My company is in a bit of a bind, Mr. Potter. We need some new talent. You might not have heard, but the American's are started a new war that is bound to be just as oversized and unnecessary as they normally are. Which makes people like me very happy. It means money in the bank in the best way possible. It also means I get new toys." His gaze on Harry brightened. "Your particular brand of destruction would be very useful to me."

"You're like Black Hull Securities."

The man scoffed. "We are nothing like that disgusting man's company, which we happily absorbed after that job of yours. I must thank you for that, you certainly made life easier for me. Mr. Shinsky is one of our slimier employees, but he certainly has initiative. Don't you think?"

"If that's one of your employees I don't think I'll fit very well."

"Nonsense, you are perfect for us. You are powerful in ways that others are not, and you aren't afraid to use that power or revel in it. I can feel your constricted power from all the way over here. Which is exactly how I like my employees." He took a step closer, draw in by Harry.

"Black Widow and I are just fine, but thanks for the offer."

"Ah yes, the gorgeous Black Widow." He pulled something from his pocket and showed it to Harry. Natasha was at a bar throwing back a beer, at least five different guys were trying to get her attention. Harry could see the familiar lights of Bourbon Street in the background. It had been taken that night. "Such a pretty little thing, what a shame."

Harry tensed, froze in almost horror. "What did you do to her?" His voice didn't catch in his throat as it growled out, which he was proud of.

"Nothing, it's what you are going to do." He tucked the picture back in his pocket and smiled at him again. "You should have split with her years ago, then none of this nastiness would be necessary."

"None of what?"

"You are going to kill her - tonight." The man spoke as if it was small talk about the weather, just something that will be.

"No, I'm not." Harry choked out. His mind trying to focus on Natasha, trying to think of a plan to get them both out of this.

"Yes, Basilisk," He hissed the name, "you are. Do you want to know why?"

"Why?" He growled.

"Because I told you to." His grin snaked back onto his face. "Then you and I are going to get on a plane and we will fly off to your new job."

"No."

"Stop being so obstinate, it's unattractive."

"I could kill you."

"I suppose you could try, but it would be a waste of a good asset." His I-know-something-you-don't face was obnoxious. "You don't think we investigated you, Basilisk. Your particular brand of energy was difficult to pin down, but Ryder Industries did quite well. It was in fact your little spider that helped them there. She was covered in the stuff, simply coated with it. Almost like you slept with her, you naughty boy. We haven't quite fixed up a perfect defense yet, but enough that I am standing in front of you today without worry. Nevertheless, if you try then my other little assets will have to kill you." He gestured to unmoving dot on his chest. Harry's face must have given away something because he sighed a little. "Please, you didn't think we grabbed her just because one of our lower tier employees had a grudge. You are the catch here, not her."

"Why not just make her an asset of yours too."

"Don't insult us." He scoffed. "She's nothing. She's only good because she's hanging onto you, dragging you down. You could be so much more without her, and she is a waste of space without you. See, I thought in the beginning if we could just separate the two of you it wouldn't be a problem. I know better now of course. She needs to be gone and you need to be the one to do it."

"Why?"

"Because once you cut ties with her, you could be beautiful. You are okay right now. You have potential. Without her, you would be magnificent. You need to kill her, because if anyone else did it you would turn her into a martyr. Try to get revenge on whoever did it. You are in too deep, she's got her pincers in you and you don't even see it. She's a different kind of monster than us. It's not about the killing for her, it's about getting her victims to give up something they don't want to give, that's what gets her off. I can see the potential in people, it's the reason I have the job I do. You are perfect for us and we for you. She is not."

"I won't do it."

"You weren't listening, Basilisk. This isn't an offer, it's an ultimatum. You go and kill her then take your place in the company, or you both die. You are no good for us alive and the company doesn't leave loose ends."

"I won't." He growled again. "You'll have to kill me." Madame Eve's warning was screaming in his head.

"Save me from stubborn men." White sighed. "Basilisk, we aren't so different."

"Sure we are. You like wearing suits."

The man chuckled. "Why are you doing this job?" The question caught Harry off guard. "You don't need to anymore. You have more than enough money to retire to some place like Florida like the rest of the old wrinkly people. So why are you still doing it? Killing people?" His reappeared, sharpened. "You do it for the same reason the rest of us do. You like it. You couldn't stop if you wanted to. The rush is undeniable, unavoidable, addicting. You are a junkie like the rest of us."

Harry didn't correct him. The urge was there, the bloodlust that had never truly disappeared. It raced through his system, forcing him to pay attention to it - to kill. It was a part of him. It was also the part that seemed to be winning most days. The part that had appeared right before he had killed Voldemort and had never disappeared. The corrupted part. He didn't like his job, but he certainly didn't hate it and at times he needed it. "What makes you think I won't just run?"

"I could tell you it's impossible. That's not really true though. You have been running for a long while, you are even good at it - another reason we want you - but you can't run forever. It wears out even the toughest soul. Black Widow won't last that long anyway. Then all it takes is one mistake and you are both dead anyway." He straightened up and stepped closer. "The opportunity of a lifetime lays ahead of you. Legal killing for money and no one would punish you for it. The easy life. All you have to do is get rid of your barnacle."

It didn't sound appealing he tried to force himself to think - it didn't work. The offer was nice, good even. No running, just a job following orders. A part of him rebelled at the following orders bit, but the rest of him just wanted a break for a while. Three years constantly on the run, didn't he deserve it? "I..."

The man smiled, his fish had been caught. "Easy. Just follow me."

The red dot disappeared from his shirt. That didn't fool him though. He could feel the others still stuck on him, like insects crawling on his body.

They walked barely two streets before they stopped in front of a doorway with two men standing outside.

"Now?" Harry asked surprised, but he forced his voice steady. He knew exactly who was on the other side of that door. Natasha had been taken here, that much was sure. His entire body was tensing and loosening. Was he seriously considering this? Was this path really his destiny, his way to survival?

"No time like the present. Might as well get this over with quick, rip the band aid off. Then we can get to the fun stuff." He looked almost giddy at the upcoming death.

Harry nodded slowly and steeled himself.

The door opened for him. The room it lead to wasn't large, but it was empty except for the few large men milling about and the teenage girl sitting on the chair in the middle. She wasn't tied there, but Harry figured it was because they knew she could get out of it anyway.

"Basilisk!" Natasha stood from her seated position in almost shock. "I was wondering where you were."

"Just a little busy is all." He crossed the room in a few strides. He stopped a little closer than he would normally. Her face was there, in front of him. It shone with brightness and sharpness, imprinting itself on his mind. He soaked it in, taking her entire visage into his mind. He would never forget her like this. Her hair fell in perfect curls around her face. Hazel eyes pushed into his, cementing themselves in his mind.

"So what's going on?" She glanced behind him to the still milling thugs and the newly appeared Mr. White.

"I got a job offer."

"Oh," She relaxed a little and Harry screamed at her in his head. Had they seriously become this complacent, this vulnerable? "Just that? Why didn't they just contact us through normal means. This is a little melodramatic and they interrupted my night off." She didn't pout, but Harry could see past the emotionless facade to the annoyed teen.

Harry smiled at her. Her youth was showing itself. It drew to Harry like a moth. He stepped closer to her. "Do you trust me, Natasha?" He whispered into her ear. He wasn't sure if anyone else could hear, but at this point he didn't care.

"Of course." Her bewildered tone drew him in.

His hand latched on to her cheek. His face drew closer to hers. His other hand settled around her waist and rested on her lower back, pressing there tightly. It pulled her flush to him, he soaked in as much of her as allowed in present company. He took a deep breath to lock in her scent - never to forget it. The hand resting on her back seemed to heat up, drawing power.

He pulled his face in. His lips touched hers.

It was soft and pliant and perfect. The world didn't explode around them, but in the tiny bubble in which they resided it was perfect. Their bodies fit like jigsaw pieces. It was like coming home and going on the best adventure of his life at once. They fit together perfectly. He could understand the songs now, because frankly he wanted to start singing for no reason too.

It made him mourn.

He didn't know how long they stood together, it would never be enough. He pulled away from her reluctantly. He savored her taste as much as he could. His entire body screaming at him to not do what he was about to do.

There was no other options.

"You shouldn't have." Natasha's eyes widened, that was all she had time to do.

The burst of light that came from Natasha's body disappeared in a second along with her. It was anticlimactic.

Harry looked down at the pile of ash on the floor where Natasha once stood. He never should have gotten that close to her. He had known the only way to distract her and he took it without remorse. He looked down at the small pile of ash that lay in the palm of his still burning hand. He let it drop to the floor unceremoniously.

The laughter of the man behind him didn't surprise him. He was too exhausted to be surprised.

He straightened his shoulders and turned to the man apathetically. "We good to go?" His hoarse voice asked the still laughing man.

The man settled to a chuckle. "I think we are going to get along just fine. Welcome to Yin-Yang Industries."

AN: There we are. Pretty nice chapter. Some mistakes I'm sure, if you want to point them out I would be happy to fix. I'm headed back to school so we'll see how the updating goes, but don't forget about me.

Also, I wrote a Teen Wolf one-shot, but it appears that no one reads Teen Wolf, which make me slightly sad. However, if you want to check it out I wouldn't mind (unrepentant advertising).

Enough of that now, hope you are having a good new year. Feel free to leave any comments about the chapter in the review box, they are much appreciated - I read all of them gratefully. I know it's not perfect though, but I like it well enough. Just like I like you,

~Rain