Warm, soft silk surrounded Mai's body when she awoke. Here was quiet, almost in an alienating way. She was so used to the roars of cars racing down the streets at all hours of the day that actual silence was like she had been thrown into a whole new realm. And then she felt it; another presence lying in bed with her. Slowly, she turned around, almost scared of what she'd see until she stared right into the sleeping face of Geese Howard.

She noticed signs of age across his features and short strands of blonde hair hanging over his forehead. The blanket had been pulled down to his waist, revealing that the rest of his body was hard and strong, well-defined, and muscular. Covered in scars including a large one across his chest. Mai knew Terry had given that to him. She didn't know about the others. Considering the life he had, she could only make guesses. Either way, they were signs of adversity. And yet, when he was here, he looked at peace.

It occurred to her that last night they had slept together.

It was the ultimate betrayal. Mai should feel ashamed. She almost did. After all, she had given her heart and body to another man not named Andy Bogard. She was aware of the treason. She had cried when Geese kissed her because the guilt began fighting with the wants. In the end, she gave in, succumbing to his affection when she quickly understood they were mutual. Even now, when she should feel regret, Mai's thighs quivered with delight at the memory.

It occurred to her that maybe, she had moved on before she even realized it. Mai was being selfish; she was well aware of that. She had come to terms with the fact when she chose to accept the people within the tower, aware that they were capable of kindness and immorality in equal measure. She'd always love Andy…but she loved Geese too.

Geese who now stirred himself awake. His eyes fluttered open, staring directly into hers. Despite just waking up, his gaze was striking and clear. Or maybe it was the deepness of his blue eyes. He sat up, then carded his fingers through her hair, an easy smile resting on his face. It was the warmest expression she had ever seen from him ever since the drive back from the airport. She liked it when he looked at her like that.

He shifted to the end of the bed, stretching his arms for a bit. The way his shoulder blades moved under his skin was mesmerizing. It reminded Mai of Andy after training. But she had come to understand that they were very different men privately. Opposites really; Andy was reserved whereas Geese was bold. Different personalities, yet equally likable.

Vastly different when it came to the act of carnal pleasures.

Mai didn't hate the differences or the sex. She didn't hate it with Geese, she came to realize. Maybe it was because it had been so long since another man had touched her like that, and she just had this itch that she wasn't aware of until now. She rather enjoyed the event, noting how attuned their bodies were. So much that it made her wonder what Geese had been doing ever since his wife perished. That would explain why he appeared to be a bachelor for decades.

He had been in the same boat as her, dealing with the same emotions. It also made Mai curious as to what had occurred to Geese's wife. That would be a mystery left unsolved until the time was right. Still, the bit of knowledge made Mai happy. She understood the pain he had dealt with much as she did. They could relate to each other so well.

They found comfort in one another when they felt like they didn't deserve such luxuries. Through the other, they understood that they indeed deserved such luxuries in life. Who knew that Geese Howard of all people would be the one to fill the hole Andy had left? Oh, the burden of having to explain this to Terry…

Until then, Mai wouldn't mind the dinner dates ending like this. It was soothing even if it was shameful. But Mai was already on the road to hell anyway. She wriggled a bit where she lay with the blanket twisting around her body as she inched closer to Geese, stretching her arm to ghost her fingers over the curve of his spine, almost reaching the scar on his back before her arm landed on the bed with a soundless thud.

"So about…that. Last night…" Mai began, heaving a deep sigh with no idea of what to say next.

"Mm?" Geese looked at her over his shoulder before he lay down across the bed, the top of his head brushing against her stomach. "Do you regret it?"

"No. I don't think so. I feel guilty but…"

"That's a natural feeling to have. I reckon you also do know what you want though."

Indeed, she did. She was practically aching for it. Yet she lay with a burning question that kept her passions a tad cooled. Obviously, Geese desired her, but did he actually love her?

"What do you want?" she asked, anxious for his answer.

At first, he chuckled. "You already know."

"…I still want to hear it."

"I want you, Mai," Geese said directly, instantly summoning an intense blush on Mai's face. He shifted somewhat until he had her pinned underneath him and she got the honor of staring directly into his eyes. "I want all of you, the good and bad. It's been a very long time since I wanted someone so badly and it's an awful feeling because it's constant and it hurts."

His eyes darkened somewhat in unrestrained yearning. He had looked at her with those same eyes numerous times during their last meal together. Feeling the intensity was enough to send warmth spreading all over her body as he continued.

"When I want something, someone, I take it and I keep it. I have a bad habit of getting bored with things quite easily, but people are a different matter. I keep them when I like them. And I want to keep you but out of respect and because I do care about you, I won't force your hand."

With the way, Geese had Mai pinned under him, he already had her – literally. A smile spread over Mai's face in light of his chivalry. "Geese Howard respects women, who would have thought."

Surprise washed over his face before he grinned like a Cheshire Cat. He sat back with a light laugh, taking the spot next to her. "I'm not some heartless, barbaric rube."

"Teehee, I know," she stretched under the blanket, resting her head on her elbow. "So what now?"

"I'll be taking the pleasurable duty of doing whatever it takes to make you happy," Geese answered, turning his head to look at her. His eyes darkened as he continued. "I'll snap the neck of anyone who dares to hurt you with my own two hands."

Something told Mai that was a promise to be taken seriously. Which reflected on the world that they were currently in. He could do that, just as someone could do it to him. Mai was struck with the fear of losing him then.

"You won't die or something with the work you do, right?" she inched closer to him, noticing another scar on his thigh, before resting her head against it. Instantly, his hand ran through her hair, stroking her head like one would pet a kitten. She whined a bit when he moved out of the bed, making his way to a nearby chair where all their clothes lay neatly folded.

"I've stayed alive for so long. I can do so for another four decades. That's a promise I'm willing to make," he answered, sorting through the bundle, before dumping what appeared to be Mai's woolen dress, thighs, and some lingerie on the mattress.

"Now, get dressed. You got a chance to have fun in the kitchen."

It felt nice to wake up to something.

Mai found herself brimming with energy while she stood over the stove, listening to the exhaust vent sucking up the scent of fried eggs. Geese had left momentarily, retreating into his study to look at emails and whatnot. "That's what it's like to own a business," he had said before he left, and Mai wished he'd be back as she was done with the cooking. After finishing the eggs, cleaning everything she had used, and slicing tomatoes in half, Mai took the plates and left the kitchen.

She could settle for the dining room, but she instead took a detour and headed for the indoor Zen Garden. It didn't quite beat the real thing at ground level with the birds tweeting in harmony with the sōzu but Mai enjoyed it regardless. She hoped the next business trip would be to Japan. It had been so long since she was there.

Feeling more nostalgic than what was comfortable, Mai decided to surprise Geese instead and left the garden. Maybe she should put some tinfoil over the plates to keep the food warm; a thought that quickly dissipated once she walked down the elaborate corridors. The door to the study stood open and a look through its opening revealed Geese sitting in a comfy office chair with his back turned to her. Mai had walked past this room plenty of times, but she had never actually seen its interior.

Suffice it to say, it was more subdued than the rest of the estate and it had a rather calming atmosphere. As instilled into her due to the ninja training, Mai did what she could to sneak into the room, figuring it would be fun to surprise Geese. Of course, with two plates in her hands instead of her butterfly fan, it was a testing process, but she was impressed at her prowess. She slipped into the office, easing her breathing to silence her presence. It helped that the scent of food lingered in the air still.

"I guess you've been busy, Miss Mai," Geese said as he spun the chair around to face her. "I gotta hand it to you; you're eerily quiet."

He wore a happy albeit self-serving smile on his face, one that made his eyes seem warm like the ocean on a hot summer's day. He had since pushed the strands of hair back from his forehead and looked as sleek as he always did. More impressively, he had managed to see through Mai's stealth.

"Wow, how did you know I was there?" she asked, genuinely curious rather than dejected over her surprise failing. After all, she had been quiet as she always was when employing the techniques taught by Master Jubei. Mai put the plates on the table and opted to just sit on the surface since the study only had one chair, occupied by Geese.

A proud smile formed on his lips as he poked at the eggs. He broke a piece off it while Mai chewed on the hashbrowns, listening in. "I happen to have a knack for noticing the presence of others. It's a blessing, really. I'm still impressed, however."

"Good! You should be! That's the prowess of the Shiranui-ryuu Ninjutsu!" Mai exclaimed, stabbing the tomato and consuming it in victory.

It was a peaceful if not a bit unorthodox breakfast, Mai concluded, when she emptied her plate, happy with the result of her cooking. When she turned around, she saw Geese had already finished, mulling over some papers. He looked…tired all of a sudden. Slowly, Mai reached out her hand and brushed her fingertips against his ear. Without moving any other part of his body, his eyes looked at her.

"I'm all right. I've tried worse," he stated with a quiet sigh as if he had picked up her worries before she even managed to think them through, let alone voice them.

Mai believed him when he said that, even as the concern lingered. She would have to get used to it; this was the life she had chosen. This was the reality of the man whom she allowed into her heart. As it was his world, it would be hers as well. Gingerly, she rested her palm against his cheek, and he put his hand over hers.

"If you want to know my biggest weakness yet my greatest comfort, it just so happens to be you," he said, closing his eyes for a moment.

"Hehe, I like to pride myself in charming others," Mai smiled before she hopped down from the table, gathering the plates. "I'll take dishwashing duty."

She headed to the kitchen, washing the plates despite the presence of a dishwasher, probably used by the maid staff. Afterward, she put them back into the cupboards before she made her way back to the study. Pushing the door open, revealed it to be occupied. In the rather modest room stood Billy and Hein with undefinable expressions on their faces. In the chair, Geese still sat, now holding a piece of paper. His brow was deeply furrowed, irritation plainly written on his features. It reminded Mai of the incident on the drive back from the airport.

"Hello? What's happening? That face tells me it's not something good," Mai entered the room, worry and curiosity driving her forward. When the men looked at her, she suddenly felt as if she was intruding on something sacred.

"It's a letter from Krauser," Geese uttered, folding the letter, and putting it on the table. He rested his head against his closed hand as he sat back in the chair.

A clear visceral expression came over Billy's face. "Huh? Wolfgang Krauser? What the bloody hell does he want?!"

The silence was allowed fuel the tension in the room like a slow pour of gasoline on a sparking flame before Geese looked at Mai, his expression souring even further. "He wants Mai to pay him a visit in Germany."

Ten words, it was. Ten simple words that, when put together, amount to stunned silence as their meaning was allowed to set in. The shock came immediately afterward as Billy, Hein, and Mai all stared at Geese, equally stunned yet curious as to; "…Why?"

"I don't know why," Geese answered all three of them with a shrug. "It doesn't give any reason. He's just blackmailing with the recent conflicts, saying that he'll aid to end it all if he gets what he wants."

"Are you going to send her to him?" Billy asked and Mai stood, feeling overlooked despite being the topic of discussion. Geese looked at her again and she suddenly feared what he was about to say next.

"Does she want to go?"

The room feel quiet as it occurred to Mai that it was a question directly asked to her as opposed to about her. She drew a deep breath to think things over for a moment. Honestly, Mai could not remember if she had ever met Wolfgang before. The name sounded only vaguely familiar to her, but she could not put a name to the face. Maybe that was for the better if his mere name brought such a reaction out of the others.

Then again, he had offered to help bring an end to the coalition – if Mai spent some time with him. Ignoring the biggest question of why and how he even knew Mai was here, a worrisome feeling began to settle uncomfortably in her stomach. She didn't want to go but she should. Just for now, she'd stop being selfish.

"I have a feeling that it's for the greater good if I do – even if I don't want to. So, I'll go!" Mai declared, while the voice in the back of her head telling her that this was a bit idea got muted. At least until she saw the concern mirrored in the faces of the three others. As anxious as it made her, she could take comfort in their worry and their respect for her autonomy.

"Wolfgang is bit of a prissy asshole. You might get bored to death," Billy grinned, easing the tension a bit.

"Ah, maybe I'll charm his pants off," Mai declared with pride. Despite the confidence she exuded, this was not what she had in mind or wished for when the thought of traveling abroad came. "Better get packing!"

By that same afternoon, Mai had been sent on a plane to Germany where a black car was ready once she landed in Munich. The driver was a man in black, without the shades, reminding Mai much of Geese's bodyguards. He looked equally scary, however; he towered over her, staring at her open the door to the backseat and putting her luggage inside before entering.

He didn't appear to be the gentlemanly type, rather awkward with a tight expression on his face. Mai thought nothing of it, even if she would have to admit that she found the lack of actual greeting from him rude. Soon after, the car drove off, past the airport and through the city of Munich.

Mai had learned from Geese hours before her flight that Krauser lived in a massive, isolated castle located somewhere in the mountains. As it was still dark outside, Mai could only let her imagination do the work for her while the car drove out of the city, down a busy highway that lay covered in complete darkness. It wasn't helped that the car itself was rather dim.

In a strange way, it reminded Mai of her first car ride with Geese and how dark it had been out when bullets began flying at them. She still shuddered at the memory, feeling the residue of panic tie a small knot in her stomach. She remembered Moira getting shot dead because they were attacked once again. Mai still had a weird feeling, but she chose to push it away. When she got back to South Town, things would hopefully get better, and she could drive around with Geese to social functions without worrying about death hanging over their heads.

Everything would be okay.

Without anything to look at except everlasting darkness and the headlights of passing cars, time itself felt frozen and Mai found herself exceedingly edgy, fidgeting with everything within her general vicinity to stave off the anticipation. In the end, she took her phone and a pair of headphones. This driver wouldn't spend his time talking to her so she could get away with plugging her ears in.

As she was about to put on some music, a notification of a message flashed over her screen, which read; "If anything happens, you get out of there as soon as possible. We'll send some men to stand ready in the area and they will find you if you go."

It had been from Geese, and it eased the worry inside of Mai. She made sure not to smile while she typed in a response. "I'll be careful but only if you tell me what type of man Krauser is. What charms him the most?"

Mai could imagine Geese was possibly low-key seething at the question. She wasn't sure why but he struck her as the type of a man who was very protective of the people around him. That didn't surprise her, however, because he had lost people in his life. He had known pain. He did what he could to keep those special few alive when he had a chance. He probably also didn't want Wolfgang to get any fancy ideas with her; he was probably also a bit jealous too. He had to be if he vowed to murder people for Mai's sake. She still wasn't sure how to feel about that, much less the response she finally.

"Typical arrogant, cruel noble who cares about blood purity. Old money. He has a habit of passive-aggressive rudeness to women. That said, he might be infatuated with you, assuming he's not gonna shower you with backhanded comments. Be yourself is my best advice but be mindful of whatever trash comes out of his putrid mouth."

The biggest question was where that infatuation came from. Mai hoped she'd get an answer from this.

"Thanks, dearest! If he tries something, I'll kick his ass to the sun with my Shiranui ninjutsu!"

It felt quite odd to call Geese a pet name like that, which had been reserved for Andy. It just sort of came to her and she was only aware of it when she saw her own message flash over the screen. Geese's response came quicker, this time.

"And if you can't?"

"Then I'll be back before you can say rice cake soup."

Instantly the next message arrived, and it read, "Rice cake soup."

Unable to stand it any longer, Mai tipped her head just a bit to hide the wide grin on her lips while a comforting warmth spread over her. She would be safe somewhat and she could return to her sanctuary. She just needed to come to terms with the possibility that the conflict might not end at all.

"You worry too much. I'll be okay! 3" Mai wrote, receiving an answer just a few moments later.

"I'll hold you to that. :-("

Geese using smileys was odd, surreal, and endearing. Afterward, Mai was left in the darkness, staring at her phone when she wasn't looking out the window to see absolutely nothing right outside the glass. It truly felt as if the world had vanished into the void.

Around midnight, the car rolled down a spiraling road which ascended further and further until the road ended and the vehicle came to a stop. Mai gathered her belongings and exited the car, standing in the middle of the cold night. Light from several windows revealed that she was standing in the middle of a wide courtyard with an accompanying garden that vanished into pure darkness.

Next to one of the unlit windows, a door stood open and a figure was watching from the doorway, obscured by the outpour of light. Without bothering with telling Mai where to go or what to do, the vehicle did a U-turn around her and drove off out of the courtyard, leaving her alone to stand here and gawk. She huffed, souring until the figure in the doorway greeted her.

"Good evening, Fraulein. Graf Stroheim has looked forward to your company. Come this way, please" A woman spoke and Mai walked towards her, able to see the figure clearer. It turned out to be a butler, dressed in a similar outfit as Hein. She was nothing like him, however. When Mai looked at her, she appeared to be gentle and polite with a jolly smile.

Once inside the warmth of the castle, Mai was awestruck at the sheer elegance of her new surroundings. It looked like something plucked straight out of a fairytale with spotless floors, and grand chandeliers that hung from the ceiling. Large windows were like doorways into darkness, but Mai had a feeling that she'd be seeing a lot more of this castle once daylight rolled around.

"You may call me Heidi, Fraulein," the butler said and Mai blinked for a moment, then nodded while she was led through hallways and staircases that descended further into the castle.

Paintings began adorning the walls depicting various Stroheims throughout history. One painting did catch Mai's attention, though not for the right reason. It was a large portrait of a woman with pale, purple hair. She bore a mournful expression on her face despite her striking beauty and elegant gown.

Under the portrait, it read Elza Stroheim. Next to it was a painting of a man with dark hair. He was strong and stalwart with a piercing gaze that caused Mai to stop for a moment and inspect it further. The more she looked at the man, the more she had a slight ping of familiarity. He looked…a bit like Geese.

"Ah yes, this was the previous Earl of Stroheim," Heidi said a bit flippantly, gesturing at the nameplate underneath the painting. Written on it was Rudolph Krauser von Stroheim. Probably Wolfgang's father. Mai followed Heidi down the hallway and up another staircase, taking in every detail until they reached a wide door made from wood. Heidi opened the door and lead Mai inside.

"Please, I'm sure you're tired. Have some rest," the butler said before closing the door, leaving Mai alone. The bedchamber looked just as magical as the rest of the castle or at least what Mai had seen so far. It even rivaled the hotel room back at the tower. There were plenty of comfortable-looking chairs, a fireplace, and a wide window that probably provided a great view during the daylight. Most striking was a wide bed that looked like it could fit at least three people.

Slowly, Mai let her fingers run across the surface of the sheets, feeling the softness linger on her fingers. Around her, the silence was booming; a stark contrast to the neverending buzz of South Town. It was a little jarring honestly. Mai sat on the bed and removed her clothing before she crawled under the sheets. She was getting a little restless, briefly wondering if she should place a call to Geese but considering it was past midnight, he was no doubt asleep.

Jetlag wasn't much of an issue; she had been used to it before. It was the anticipation that kept her awake, even as exhaustion from the journey began creeping up on her. She never thought to ask Geese who exactly Wolfgang was or how they knew each other. She could ask Wolfgang however, not sure if she'd like the answer.

Soon after, Mai fell asleep, hoping that she wouldn't come to regret coming here.