Loid had been staking out the Forger townhome throughout the day in various disguises, wanting to be absolutely certain that there were no agents—WISE or SSS—waiting in the winds somewhere to apprehend him. Satisfied on the third stakeout of the day he decided that now was as good a time as ever to make his move. The wooden cane clacked against the cobblestone as he made his way down. Taking on the guise of a helpless old man made it easier to walk at a snail's pace to scan the area up close without looking suspicious. Balding at the top with a long white beard, and thick burly eyebrows, he was completely unrecognizable.

Entering the building he carefully made his way up the stairs, stopping directly in front of the apartment before pulling out a tiny sensor reader. He ran it along the frame of the door, reading for any...Blip.

The sensor picked up a tiny energy reading by the foot of the door. A trip wire. He hadn't put it past any of the agencies to try and catch him on a return visit. Grabbing what looked like to be a pen from his vest pocket, he pushed a side button and aimed it near where the transmitter was located. He heard the soft cackling noise on the other side of the door and then silence. He'd have to remind himself to thank Franky for this little invention of his. A portable EMP in the form of a pen that could quickly disarm any electronics within range definitely came in handy.

Quickly he made his way inside. The apartment was dark, empty. Most of the things that made it "homey" were gone, save for a few pots and pans still left in the kitchen. The family portrait in the living room no longer hung; the shelves were bare of any decorative trinkets. Even the TV that Anya had plopped herself in front of nightly was gone.

Anya… He felt his heart drop at the thought of her being taken back to an orphanage as guilt overwhelmed him. Even if Handler promised that she would be in good hands, it felt wrong after all this time, to toss her back to strangers as if she were nothing but a disposable tool.

How did things go so wrong so quickly?! Three months he dedicated to deep undercover work, and for what? They didn't get any information on Desmond, their only opportunity was completely lost. Anya was dragged away on her birthday, and Yor was taken by the SSS! Damn them! How did they find out who I was?

He felt himself frowning, even underneath his thick beard. There were too many unanswered questions. He continued to make his way around the apartment and he couldn't help the questions that raced through his mind. Was Yor still being held in interrogations? Or did Yuri already come to her rescue? How much did the SSS tell her? What was she feeling right at this moment? Was she sad, furious? Did she totally and utterly hate him?

He shook his head, focus. The faster he tied up loose ends with Yor, the faster he could go back to Sylvia on hands and knees apologizing. He always intended on meeting Fiona…just, at a later time than originally set. Sylvia wouldn't understand but he needed to do this. The old Twilight would have never strayed from the path, and he always obeyed orders without question. But ever since Yor came around, she had this ability to completely unravel him. Made him lose focus. Made him...feel.

He couldn't have that moving forward. If he had any hope of succeeding in future missions, he needed to clear his conscience of her. That meant bringing whatever they had, to a proper end. Closure. Perhaps by staying in Ostania for a couple more days, he might also uncover the truth as to how his cover was blown. It was a win win in his eyes.

The first step in this plan was to lure Yor to someplace private so he could explain everything to her. He was certain that at some point, she would return to the apartment. He was positive that her brother would inform her that the apartment was already cleaned out by the time the SSS arrived, but he was willing to stake his life that she would want to see it for herself. Call it years of intuition but his gut was hardly ever wrong. If he wasn't wanted by WISE or the SSS, he would hang around until she showed up, but since that wasn't the case, he'd just be asking to get caught. No, he needed to get a message out to her so that they could meet someplace private. So that he could at least talk to her one last time. He continued to look around the apartment for anything useful. WISE agents did in fact take everything. His mind began to drift again. How would they send back her things? Would they have to keep tabs to find out her new living situation? Perhaps she'd stay with Yuri for a bit? Would they send her belongings over to Yuri then? Or would they just keep everything of hers?

You're doing it again. Loid rubbed the bridge of his nose. What was he turning into? Just hurry up and find something to leave a message and get out. And like an answer to his prayer, out of the corner of his eye he saw it. The perfect vessel for Yor's message. Now, all he had to do was wait.

A stout man with dark brown hair, dressed in a black suit stood beside Yor as they waited inside the grand hallway. After being released from SSS headquarters, and then quickly ditching the two agents her brother sent to tail her, his way of protecting her she figured, the only place she could turn to was here.

The Garden, for all its secrecy was not so secret at all. The building itself stood in the center of town, where hundreds of people walked by every day. What once used to be an old bank was now a private luxurious estate...at least to the outside world anyway.

When she had asked the Shopkeeper before why he chose this location and not one a little more hidden his response was simply, "Sometimes the best hiding place, is to hide in plain sight."

A low voice interrupted her thoughts, "He will see you now."

Yor nodded and thanked the man that stood guard. While the property had many entrances and secret passageways, this was the only way to see the Shopkeeper. Turning the knob, he opened the door and a blinding light shot through the entrance. She rose her hand up to shield her eyes and walked in. No matter how many times she visited this place, she would never get used to the serenity before her. Vast greens of lush surrounded her. Flowers of varying colors: blues, yellows, reds blending into each other like a water painting while trees of green stood tall. It was as if someone had captured the most beautiful parts of a forest and bottled it all somehow into this room. The bright lights that shone above were representative of the sun, bright and beaming, it was this that helped make all of the garden possible.

A man wearing a fedora with a thick veil sewn into the brim that protected from the heat of the sun-lights greeted her, a gentle smile on his face. From head to toe he looked harmless, were it not for the pair of giant garden shears in his left hand. Average height and middle-aged, one wouldn't expect him to be a formidable opponent, but Yor knew better. For a man his age he was as spry and quick as any of the younger assassins he's trained. Add in his shears, one snip and it would cleanly cut through bone.

"Thorn Princess? My, this is a nice surprise. I didn't think we'd see you so soon after your last visit."

Yor fought strongly against the tears that threatened to fall, she would not allow herself to cry over Loid's manipulation. "Something urgent came up."

The Shopkeeper raised a brow curiously, raising the sheers to cut some vines that had overgrown. They snipped away with ease as Yor continued to struggle with her words. "It's my husband…or rather, well…this might sound ridiculous…" Bracing herself she blurted everything at once, "he's actually a spy for Westalis and goes by the name of Twilight. Anya is in fact not his real daughter, and he has been using us as a cover to gain information on Donovan Desmond, of the National Unity Party."

Yor waited for the outrage, the yells of disbelief…the disappointment in her, but it never came. His only response was a simple, "I see." Her eyes darted towards the grand hallway half expecting fellow assassins to come and haul her away for being so easily tricked. Yet…there was nothing, the man in front of her hadn't even flinched. In fact, he was still pruning bushes, edging the leaves as if she had just told him something as mundane as the weather.

"You don't seem as upset as I'd imagine."

"Upset? Why would I be upset?"

"Because he's the enemy?"

"Whose enemy?"

Yor stood there, mouth wide, completely stunned. Could she be hearing him right? Had the Shopkeeper gone completely mad? "Our enemy! Are you not listening? He's an agent from Westalis!"

Raising a gloved hand to his brow, he wiped the sweat that beaded across his forehead before returning to the bushel in front of him, "I'll admit I wasn't expecting you to say that this agent was masquerading as your husband, but what has this man done to be seen as an enemy to Ostania?"

Yor opened her mouth just to shut it again. She…she wasn't sure exactly. All she knew was what Yuri had told her. There were hundreds of reports, statements, incidents…surely, they had to be crimes against the country? "My brother, Yuri…apparently works for the State Security, he showed me an entire file filled with his exploits." She ignored the curious glance Shopkeeper shot her. She'd have to fill in the details about Yuri later. "Loid, or rather, Twilight has stolen top military secrets, broken into government officials' homes—"

"So?"

"So?" With every new question asked she felt even more confused. She studied the Shopkeeper carefully, wondering why he was seemingly so unbothered by all of this. She watched as he gently set aside his shears and motioned over to the large veranda in the middle of the garden. Cool refreshments had just been set and she took a seat opposite from him at the table. They sat without speaking a word as he poured them both fresh glasses of lemonade. The whole scene was baffling to her. Here she was telling him that the man she spent the last three months married to was actually a spy, and he was pouring lemonade?

"Every target that I assign to you Thorn Princess, are traitors to the nation are they not? While I love Ostania, I'm not ignorant to the fact that there is corruption from the inside, and like a cancer it cannot be allowed to spread. While I do not know of this Twilight personally, his name has come up once or twice, but from where I stand, I have never posed him as a threat."

"You've…heard of him?"

"Through the grapevine as you will, he has put an end to many criminal plots to topple positive standings with the government..." Shopkeeper laughed, "I don't know the details exactly, but I have heard of one mission where he ended a toupee scandal that could have started a major outcry and the removal of the Prime Minister himself were it to be exposed."

"A toupee?" Ridiculous. Yor shook her head still not quite sure what to believe. Could Yuri have it all wrong? Could Twilight actually be working to help keep Ostania safe? But that made no sense. Why would a Westalis agent be working to help maintain the peace of an enemy country? "But he knew about the Garden. I saw it in his file back in SSS headquarters!" Lowering her head she felt the heat from her cheeks, "It's why he singled me out. I was merely an assignment."

For the first time since their conversation began, she was finally able to get a reaction out of the man sitting across from her. His amused smile was gone, and his lips were pressed in a tight line. "Do you know what this file said about us?"

She shook her head. "It was a thumbdrive labeled The Garden, so I have no idea what information it held."

"Where is this drive now? May I see it?"

"I panicked and kicked it behind a cabinet."

"Hmm…and you are certain the drive had information about us?"

She shook her head. "There was only a label attached that said 'The Garden, Mission Details.' What the details actually were I'm not sure. There is a chance that perhaps The Garden is code for an entirely different meaning other than us but, I don't believe in coincidences."

"…Nor do I. Perhaps our interests are not in alignment as I previously thought, if Westalis is trying to uncover us."

Yor sat up in her chair. "So I have your permission to take lethal action?"

The older man pondered her question for a while. She could see him weighing in all possible benefits or disadvantages were Twilight to remain alive. Perhaps he wanted to bring him in for questioning, although in their line of work an interrogation would be rare. After what seemed like an eternity of waiting, he finally gave his answer.

"There is nothing more important than this organization's secrecy. We are the shadow government within the government, protecting Ostania from the dangers it poses to itself. Were we to be exposed would mean that Ostania would be left without its gardener…to say the least. And without proper maintenance and tending to, well…" The Shopkeeper stood up then, adjusting his hat and picked up his shears. "You have my permission to do what is necessary Thorn Princess."

Nodding she understood the assignment.

Forger, Loid - Alias. Real name: Unknown. Codename: Twilight. Terminate.

...
...

Yor looked up from the drawing in her hand and up to the building ahead of her. Dark grey with sleek windows, gloomed high above. The last time she was here was to patch him up, but this time…

She glanced down at the paper again before crushing it into a ball, shoving it into her coat pocket. Reaching for the blades that were strapped to her thighs, she slowly walked up the main entrance of the building, reveling in how good it felt to have her weapons once again. She was afraid when Yuri mentioned that WISE agents had cleared everything out of the apartment that meant her twin blades were gone as well. Lucky for her they missed the loose board in the floor of her closet.

When she went back to the apartment she didn't intend to stay or reminisce. The plan was to grab the blades and get out…that was until she saw it. She had to admit however that it was clever. A message only she would have been able to decipher were anyone to happen upon it. Aside from the blades they missed, WISE agents also happened to leave behind the picture Anya drew. The one that she tried to hang when Loid came barging in on her that night after the park. The one of the three of them, holding hands, happy, and beside them, a perfect triangle on top a square which was their home…except, somebody had altered the drawing. Now, instead of the house, was an ominous dark grey building with black windows. Much like the one they stayed in after that fight in the alley. That night they…

Cautiously she walked into the lobby of the building and slowly made her way to the elevators. Obviously, this is a trap but…the doors opened and she stepped inside, pressing for the top floor. She rubbed her thumbs along the side of her blades, allowing the cold metal to bring her comfort. Clearly the drawing was to lure her here, and now that she was, what was Twilight's intentions? Did he mean to capture her? Torture her for information of the Garden? Or did he mean to tie up loose ends and finish her? She readied herself. Whatever his motives, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of acting on them.

The doors opened with a ding, and she peered out into the hallway. She wasn't sure what exactly to expect but if Loid had evaded capture from the government this long than surely, he would be a formidable opponent. Quietly she creeped down the hall, careful not to let her heels tap across the floor. She wasn't going to give him any chance to be alerted of her presence. Reaching the apartment she entered the numbers on the keypad she had seen him use that night. The door made a whizzing noise as it unlocked.

She peeked the door slowly, making sure not to make any noise as she walked into complete darkness. The automatic lights that turned on the last time must have been disabled, and she was completely blind going in. She made it a few feet before suddenly, she felt a presence behind her and she spun on her heel, daggers up and swiped. The figure dodged easily and took a step back, but Yor was quick to advance. Lunging forward she made a wide swoop with her blade once again aiming for what she was hoping was the face. The figure blocked her arm with their own, and Yor smiled smugly as she hooked it with her other, and yanked down as hard as she could, knocking the assailant off balance and sent her knee flying, connecting with a man's chest. She was met with satisfactory coughing as her opponent stumbled backwards.

"Yor, please." The lights suddenly dimmed to a soft glow as Loid turned the dial. Even with all the mental preparation, hearing his voice…seeing him here in front of her, made everything so much harder. Anger, pain, the hurt…everything came flooding back to her in full force and she lunged forward again, desperate for a fight. She continued to jab at him with her blades, but he evaded her with ease, remembering to take steps backwards, as to not get trapped within her short-ranged attack again.

"Yor. Can we please sit down and have a civilized conversation?"

She paused, mid-stance, daggers still raised in his direction. "Civilized? Like how it was civil of you to toss me to the SSS?!" She noticed that he was still rubbing at his chest, and it brought some joy to know that she hurt him.

"But your brother was able to get you released so everything work—"

Yor's hands fell to her side, a stunned look on her face. How did he know Yuri worked for the SSS when she had only just found out? Was he trying to get to Yuri as well? Was her brother in danger because of her? She flared her nostrils like a bull ready to strike and all she saw was red. Do what he might to her, lie to her, use her, throw her away as if she were nothing. But endangering Yuri? That was unforgivable. She felt her pulse speeding and she pointed the tip of her dagger. "Normally I ask for the honor of taking someone's life but for you? I'm going to take great pleasure."

Loid straightened immediately and raised up his hands, "Yor…whatever you're thinking it's not—" He didn't get the chance to finish. She speared one of her blades and sent it flying directly towards his head. He managed to sidestep in time but not before the tip had grazed his cheek. She sent him a cheerful grin as he wiped blood from his face.

She twirled the other blade in her hand before returning it to the holster. By the end of the night, Twilight would be dead but for now she needed to let out some steam. Killing him could wait, she was going to beat him within an inch of his life first. Especially after threatening the only family she had left.

She sent a barrage of high kicks, and then a pack of left hooks that he barely dodged. He was quick, but she was faster. He crossed his arms together in an X and she leaped up, kicking down against his arms violently, the bottom of her heels leaving small cuts all along his forearms.

"Please, let me explain!" Using his weight he pushed against her, sending her back. "I don't want to hurt you."

"Little too late, husband." She dashed forward again. The anger fueled her strength as her fist connected directly into his cheek, sending him staggering against the kitchen counter. This is my opening. Fingertips at the end of her blade she was just about to draw it from its holster when Loid's next words halted her immediately.

"If there was anything real between us, anything at some point, please, at least hear me out."

"GAHHHHHHHH!" Yor spun in a half circle and slammed her fist into the wall, smashing straight through. "How dare you use my emotions against me!" Pulling her arm from the wall, she turned to face him. "I know about Anya. About Desmond. How you only needed to pretend to have a family so you could get close to him. And I know that you approached me not only to help you with your mission at Eden, but to also find out about the Garden. You've been manipulating me since the beginning! All of this," she exclaimed, her arms waving in the air, "Us, was all a lie just so you could get to Desmond and the Shopkeeper!"

"The what?"

She rolled her eyes, "You don't need to keep pretending. I know who you are Twilight. My brother told me everything." He was about to speak when she put up a hand. She was the one asking the questions here. "So tell me, how and when did you find out I was an assassin?"

"I'm sorry, you're a what?" He focused on the woman in front of him through furrowed brow. His blank expression seemed to further irritate Yor.

"You don't need to continue lying. I know, you know."

He crossed his arms defiantly. "I assure you I do not." He continued to stare at her as if she had suddenly grown another head. Wrinkles forming on his forehead as he studied her intently. He shook his head repeatedly. Unwilling to accept this newfound information.

Yor rolled her eyes. "So, you're a spy but me being an assassin is too extreme to believe, is it?"

Slowly his lips curled up into a smile. He let out a soft chuckle. "Ohhhh, I get it. You're trying to get back at me for lying to you." He placed both hands against the counter, excitedly as he leaned forward, "You really had me going for a second!" He continued to laugh at the idea until he realized she didn't share the same amused look on her face as he did.

"Wait, don't tell me you're actually serious?"

Again, silence. Closing his eyes, he rubbed his forehead. "Let me see if I have this correct. You're an assassin...I'm a spy. And we've been hiding this from each other this entire time? You have to see the irony in all of this."

He didn't think it was possible, but she looked even more upset. "Though I suppose…this does make a lot of sense." He thought back on several instances starting with the night of their engagement fighting the men from the smuggling operation. Yor had just saved him from being stabbed by sending the assailant flying with one powerful kick. No normal person could have done that. Not to mention single-handedly fighting Anya's kidnappers against two men double her size. There was also the carnival games…her skills in speed, precision, and observation. That week she disappeared for "work." The fight in the alley after the parent-teacher conference, tending to his wounds and stitching him up with complete expertise…he dropped his head defeated.

Okay. I might actually be an idiot. Loid let out an embarrassed breath. How did I miss all of the signs? He planted his face in his palm. Sylvia will never let me live this down.

"You can stop pretending as if you didn't know. I saw your mission file about me."

"My mission?" He brought his head back to look at her. "What are you talking about?"

"Your mission details. The one about The Garden. It's what made you choose me to play your wife wasn't it?"

"And you think I just leave my coded mission briefs laying around for anyone to grab?"

"I don't know what you spy people do!" She yelled and grabbed a nearby coffee mug and whirled it straight at Loid's face. Not to her surprise, he raised a hand quickly enough and caught it, gently placing it down.

"Yor. Let's think about this clearly. I had no idea you were an…" He waved his arm still finding it hard to say the word. "An—an assassin. If I didn't know until right this moment, why would I turn you in?"

"Well…that just means you meant to turn me in as a scapegoat so you could disappear! Imagine! Handing in an innocent woman into the SSS in your stead.

"What? No! It was a shock to me as well that they thought you were Twilight!"

Yor stared at him with wide eyes, not sure what to believe. "Then—why did you want to meet with me if not to tie up loose ends?"

I do want to tie up loose ends but not in the way you're thinking… "I told you. To apologize for how things took a dive. I need closure so I can get you out of my head. I'm not me when I'm with you."

"I don't understand."

Loid looked away frustrated. He didn't understand either. What the hell was he trying to say? He didn't have the words. Honesty. Be honest with her. But how does one tell the truth when lying had become so natural for him?

"Look. I needed to meet with you because it didn't sit right with me to leave Ostania without making things right between us. Explain everything. I felt like I owed you at least that."

"Yes. Mighty kind of you after all the lies you've told me. What a saint." Yor rolled her eyes and he felt frustrated. He hadn't planned this far ahead. Of course she wasn't going to make this easy.

"I'm not entirely sure what Yuri told you, but it was probably along the lines as an enemy of Ostania. That couldn't be further from the truth. I want peace between the countries, I swear it. And I never intended for things between us to…evolve the way it did.

"How am I supposed to believe anything you say when everything you've told me was a lie? How do I know this isn't another act? And what about Anya? She isn't even your daughter."

Loid looked away. He knew she wasn't really asking a question, merely stating what she already knew. Closing his eyes he gave a slight nod, "She's an orphan. WISE had me adopt her to play the role as my daughter so that we could infiltrate Eden Academy and potentially get information on Desmond. She only played along because in turn she was provided a home."

Yor gave a disgusted grunt. "Using a child? That's low even for Westalis." He looked into Yor's eyes then, they were filled with nothing but hostility, yet he held her gaze. He needed her to understand that there were never any ill intentions.

"My mission was to get information on Desmond whom we believe to be planning a war between Westalis and Ostania. A war that could end up killing countless innocents. When threatened with that, using a child was the lesser evil."

"If that is the way the real you thinks then I'm an even bigger fool."

"Yor…" He stepped closer but she took two steps backward. He raised a hand as if he were approaching a stray cat. Trying to seem calm as if he intended no harm. "Please. I was only doing my job, I had no intention of hurting you or Anya. As for my personal feelings…that night…I never should have let it get as far as I did, and for that, I am truly sorry."

"Say I do believe you. That doesn't explain how my brother found out who you were or why there's a drive in your file about The Garden."

"And what is this Garden you keep speaking of?"

She let out a snort. "I don't trust you to tell you any details. Let's just say the Garden is important to me."

He crossed his arms and stared out the window. None or this made sense. Until just a moment ago he had no idea of Yor's secret identity nor of this Garden. So how could it be in his file? He added it to the ever growing list of unanswered questions he had tacked to the back of his mind. He brought a finger up to his chin. "Do you have the drive? Maybe if I see it we can figure out why it's in my file."

Yor shook her head softly, "It's back in SSS headquarters unfortunately."

Loid leaned against the counter deep in thought as to what his next move was. So far it seemed that the answers lay with the SSS. How did they come to find out his identity? Who was their source? As for tying loose ends up… it seemed to be going rather well with Yor. She had calmed down a bit and at least she wasn't trying to kill him. Well, at least for the time being.

"We need to find out what the SSS know."

Yor cocked an eyebrow, "We?"

"Yes. I could use your help retrieving my file. In turn, I'll help you find out the truth about whatever this thing with your Garden is and who is searching for it." Loid saw a glint down on the floor and he leaned down to pick up the blade that she had thrown at him earlier. He handed it towards Yor as a sign of good gesture. She leaned it to grab it but he pulled it back just slightly out of reach, "Promise you won't try to assassinate me though?" He flashed her a coy smile.

"I don't make promises I can't keep." She snatched the blade from his hold. "And I still don't see why I should help you. If anything, I should turn you in. You're the enemy."

Loid shrugged, "I'm not. Everything I've ever done has been to maintain peace between the countries. Give me the chance to show you. I'm not the bad guy."

"No, just a liar."

"As opposed to…" He waved a hand in her direction. If she thought she could point fingers without any towards herself, she was gravely mistaken.

"I get rid of traitors to the country. I'm doing my duty as a civil servant and if you think—"

He raised a hand interrupting her. "I don't think any less of you." He took a step closer, but she took one back. "In fact, I think you and I are really quite alike. Even more so now..." His voice was quieter as he stepped forward, and her another one away from him. "We wish to see others happy, a world at peace. No matter the cost to ourselves. It's probably why I was drawn to you to begin with." He closed the space between them and Yor had nowhere left to go. Her back against the wall she let out a tiny gasp as he placed both hands beside her, blocking her from running away. "Yor…" His face inches from hers he could feel the heat from her body, her breath kissed his lips. Standing this close to her sent tiny shocks all across his arms with anticipation.

"I came here to say goodbye, but you keep reeling me back in. How is that?" Gently he brushed a strand of hair from her face. Her eyes widened, and he found himself lost in her velvety auburn gaze. She was a siren calling, and he was unable to resist.

Damn it.

He wanted her. Craved her. He fought against everything he had but he couldn't resist her. He yearned to run his hands all over her body. Kiss every inch of her. His eyes fell to her lower lip as she gently bit down nervously. A maddening hunger to cover her mouth with his own was starting to take control. His blood raced with desire. God, to be this close to her. He lowered his head and leaned in.

Suddenly a resounding smack echoed across the silence and an incredible stinging pain he had never felt before burned his cheek.

"We'd better get going if we plan to break into SSS headquarters before dawn." Yor stuck her nose up to the air, arms folded as she forcefully pushed past him.

Loid stood there stunned. Perhaps I was too quick to assume that it would be easy to gain forgiveness. While this wasn't how he pictured the night turning out, it did fill in some of the blanks to the mystery that was Yor. Though at the same time it did bring up many more questions. Either way, this mission was necessary, not only for his identity, but also the opportunity to bring things to a proper end with her. Whatever a proper end even meant. Turning, he followed the fiery woman in front of him. This was going to be an interesting night indeed.