Evelyn : It's so lovely just writing Jin and Nina having a good time with each other and I love the idea of them just exploring a city together and both healing on the way.

You always have interesting things to say. I really enjoy reading your reviews and thanks! I'm thinking of writing a chapter for Jin's birthday. Any ideas what Nina would give him?

Chapter Ten

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Julia is the one who answers the door.

"Good afternoon Julia." Jin warmly greets his childhood friend.

She smiles and returns the greeting. When he asks for Nina, he learns the woman is having a nice shower so Julia happily offered him a seat and a drink while he waited. There was something different about Julia and they stopped having the same dynamic as kids. She was one of the kindest and smartest people he ever knew. She reminded him of his mother in some ways.

"I am sorry for what I said to you during the third tournament. I am ashamed of my actions."

It was a late apology but a sincere one. Julia hadn't treated him any bad and he was ashamed to bring up the past. But today he was feeling a little confident. As if he'd probably never see his friends again.

The brunette was taken aback at his words.

Julia nods. "It's been a while since that incident."

"I should have trusted you when you warned me about Heihachi. Instead I called you a liar and jealous of my new lifestyle." Jin reminded her. "Some friend I was."

"Why did you not believe me?" Julia asked, curious, trying her best to conceal her hurt.

At that time it hurt that one of her childhood friends trusted the words of a man he only knew for four years over someone he knew since he was an infant.

"To be honest, I thought I'd never see you again as my life was different now. I wasn't that country boy Jin you were used to. I got swayed by the wealth available to me and when I got stronger, I felt so invincible that….," He drifted off, unsure of how to finish that sentence.

"Basically that old man spoiled you that you felt like a new Jin? An untouchable Jin who deserves Heihachi approved friends only?"

He hated how that sounded and even more than that, how it was the truth. He had no intention of seeking Julia out and apologising to her about that ever. He was too ashamed to see her again but it was fate that presented him an opportunity to make amends.

A deep disappointed sigh leaves his lips.

"I've long gotten over that insult Jin." Julia replied. "I guess it's important you realized what a horrible man that Heihachi Mishima was."

"I ended our friendship because of him." Jin's voice is barely a whisper as he gazes into his cup. "I actually did something wrong."

Julia observes the man. He was much bigger now and was no longer the lanky boy she was used to. If his mother could see him now what would she think? Would she see a Mishima or just her little boy? Who did Jin class himself as? The hot headed cocky Jin who ended their friendship was long gone. The shy but sweet Jin would never be killed off like she believed before. That part of Jin had to stay. Her mother always said as much as she hated that Jun bred with the demon named Kazuya, it was important to raise the offspring with love and care so he couldn't become a demon.

"Did I miss something?" Nina's voice floats through the room.

They look at her stepping in and wiping her damp hair. His eyes notice a lovely flush of pink on her cheeks. Beautiful.

"Nina." Jin replied breezily, as if he had been waiting for her all along.

The blonde shoots a welcoming smile to him.

"You didn't miss much apart from Jin talking about how nasty Heihachi is."

"So I heard. I don't remember if I ever encountered the man."

"It's better if you didn't. The old fart has a habit of bringing out the worst in people." Jin replies.

Nina caught the venom behind Jin's words and raised her eyebrows, she vaguely remembered Jin's words after they had a small battle weeks ago. Julia quickly excuses herself to wash her empty cup leaving the two alone.

Jin's eyes found hers and he gestured something that Nina doesn't get until he pat the space beside him on the couch. With his other hand he held his cup and sips. The whole thing looked so odd while Jin was doing his eye thing with her. His eyes peeked from his bangs while the mug covered the rest of his face. She slowly sits beside him, wary.

"I still remember what you said after we fought by the river." Nina broke the silence, chuckling as she did so.

"What did I say?"

Clearing her throat, she uses the tone he used in her memory. That stoic, firm and deep voice laced with a passionate anger.

"I've unlearned the Mishima Fighting Style. All of it. Now this is what remains. I'm not one of them. I'll never be one of them." She says with a straight face.

Jin's eyes widens at her attempt of mimicking him and she erupted into soft laughter.

"So no-nonsense you were not that long ago." Nina says with a grin.

"I'm no longer no-nonsense?" Jin asks, raising an eyebrow. That was bad. If he wasn't intimidating, how could he take his revenge?

Nina tilts her head to the side and observes the Japanese man. "You've come a long way from that attitude. I mean you if carried on, you would have missed out on so much fun with me."

He ponders on those words, what did she mean by that? Jin was confused. Sensing this, Nina uttered something in Japanese using his thick accent again and it makes him grin this time.

He was slow but just getting the gist of what she was on about.

"Careful there Williams, you might see that side to me again."

"Is that so?" She asks in a sultry tone, shifting a little closer to him on the sofa.

That woman. She was so….brazen. It surprised him that he wasn't even mad about that. Their eyes met yet again and he was starting to notice what a splendid shade of blue hers was.

"I'm serious." Jin sighs. "Did you hear about the doctor you visit?"

"Bosconovitch? Yes, I heard." Nina responds. "Didn't go there obviously. Would have gotten the blame."

Should he reveal that to her? No. She'd be afraid of him. He would not be able to stand it if Nina looked at him as if he was a monster.

Nina notices the anxiety on Jin's face. Something was wrong but he was holding back. She waits for him to say something.

After Julia returns, Jin began telling the two women of the strange note he received at night. Nina was annoyed that he hadn't confided in them before about this. This was something major. It thew a wrench in things.

"You're going to still stay at the apartment?" Nina asks incredulously.

"Doesn't matter where I go, it's likely they'll find out." Jin replies.

The truth was, he grew attached to his place with the swimming pool. It was no problem to pack up and leave when the occasion called for it but something about staying put seemed more favorable to him. Besides he wasn't a coward. If someone could foolishly think they could best him, he'd happily humble them.

"That's strange. It occurred on the same night we went to the bar." Nina exclaims, holding her chin with one hand. "I caught someone looking at me and fleeing when they noticed me."

"What did they look like?"

"It was a woman in her fifties I think? Asian woman tall with long hair in a braid. I didn't think too much of it at the time."

Jin was at a blank. He didn't know anyone who matched that description.

"What will you do Jin?" Julia asks.

"I don't want to but the most logical thing to do is to cease meeting you two altogether and lay low." Jin admits. "But I need both of your inputs. What do you two make of it?"

"I would say carry on." Julia answers. "Don't give up on your social life because of this. I heard things about your father before. If on the off chance, he cares about you, he won't be a threat."

"I'll be putting you guys and others at risk." Jin says quietly.

Nina hated to admit it but the most logical thing he could do was to distance himself from everyone but she didn't want that option either. She found peace after a long time and didn't want to give it up. But then again, Jin was part of her peace. How big of a part, she didn't know. But she knew things wouldn't be fun without him and deep down , she felt as if Jin also would feel the same about her.

Julia is surprised Nina wasn't saying anything either and hopes she could steer the conversation so her friend would find it okay to share her opinion, ugly or not. She didn't know which out of the two was actually being stalked. It could be that they were both targets. At least no one had blamed the other for the disruption in their lives…yet. She'd hate to see such a lovely friendship break because of this mishap.

"No you won't Jin. I can lift a man twice my size so I'm not afraid." Julia says. "Also, tomorrow I am going to testify against this huge beastly guy called Marduk."

Marduk.

For Jin, memories of the bar fight flooded his mind. That was the first fight he'd had since coming over to the country. A fight not moderated by his sensei. Of course no one knew how much he had to hold himself from transforming into the devil. The excitement of beating that bigger man to a pulp, to render him into a complete mess…if it wasn't for that wrestler known as Armor king, Jin might have lost control.

Jin couldn't help but think that poor man's death could have been prevented if only he was able to control his devil.

Nina hadn't said anything and he felt anxious. Did Nina no longer want to be a part of his life?

Jin exclaims. "Nina, I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to stay away."

She lifts her eyes and meets his gaze. There was something worrying about what her eyes held. There was silence between them that felt like an eternity before Nina spoke.

"Let things continue the way they are." She says gently, feeling a little guilty after seeing the sadness in the eyes of the Japanese man.

Jin sighs in relief, as if a huge storm had finally ceased.

Julia firmly adds. "We don't abandon our friends."

Truth be told she would have been slightly disgusted with Nina if she left Jin on his own. Julia was also relieved she didn't have to look at Nina in an unfavourable way and possibly terminate their friendship. She was curious however, to know what made Nina agree not to abandon Jin. She really wanted to know what was on the blonde's mind.

When it was time for him to go, Nina caught him at the door and stopped him by grasping his arm. Perplexed he looks at her and finds concern in those eyes of hers. She didn't know what he thought of her after her hesitation but her conscience made her approach him. So her presence would reassure him.

"I hope you're not staying there so you can watch me swim Kazama." She jests, still holding onto him.

It was a good feeling that she was holding onto him…Jin gently runs his hand over hers, the one that's on his arm. That touch didn't go unnoticed by Nina who felt shivers beneath her skin.

"There's plenty of apartments with swimming pools." He shrugs, smiling faintly at the blonde.

There was a little mischief in his eyes that almost takes her breath away. Since she doesn't know what else to say, she settles for two words.

"Stay safe."

He nods and when he's gone, she looks at the empty space where he was standing a moment ago. Folding her arms, Nina leans against the wall and imagines she can hear his retreating footsteps.

Hopefully things would not take a turn for the worst.

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"Drinks on me, Stephanie."

From behind the bar, Nina looks up, searching for who just uttered that name. That name…it was her mother's name. Anna said so. She hadn't heard that name since she parted ways with Anna. It was so long ago, that sad melancholic feel of loss seizes her in the moment. It was like reading a Haruki Murakami novel. That feel of being hopeless. The customers were busy around the tables, chatting and drinking while some were busy bowling. A scene Nina saw everyday and felt so alone.

"Wendy, please take her order I'm on my break now." Her co-worker interrupts her, brushing past without another word.

Nina sighs and goes towards the till. The impatient female customer glares at her. Like a memory muscle returning to life, Nina returns the glare. She was sure she had outgrown this place and her heart was desperate for another venture. Something was missing.

After her shift, leaving through the back door was what staff did, her included. Nina took a few steps away from the building. She was about to get to her bike until the sound of whistling makes her stop in her tracks. Being the only woman around, she knew that whistle was directed at her.

"Look at that blonde bombshell. Wonder when she was going to turn up." A thick aussie heavy voice floated across. Nina turnes her head to the side and found a group of men exiting from their convertible.

"Waited all day for you blondie."

She narrows her eyes. They weren't regular customers but she had seen them sometimes. Were they the ones following Jin and her? Did they have something to do with that strange woman in the bar? She'd have to find out. The men were tall, brawly, rough and sporting tattoos all over their arms.

"Wendy is it?" Another one of them taunts. "Wendy from Peter Pan?!" He says throwing his cigarette on the ground and stubs it out.

Nina remembers seeing people do such a thing before. She didn't smoke but but was so easy to mimic that stubbing move. She counts them, estimates their heights. She was five foot six. Her boots gave her a two inch advantage. And they were protective.

"She ain't sayin nuttin'" An American accent chimes from one.

"Remember Marduk? You got in his way. Made us all agro."

Ah. So these were the goons of the big guy.

"Who could ever forget that beast?" Nina finally speaks, a taunting scoff escapes her lips. "I gave him a sound beating didn't I? Are you all his bitches?"

"Shut up, Wendy. You will pay for him being in jail."

"Why? If anything, he's at the place he belongs. You all should be kissing my boots."

"Why you…!" A man growls with fist raised and he swings at her.

Nina dodges. Her body thumps with adrenaline. Oh how she missed this! They circle her.

"You will not go to court and make a statement against Marduk, okay bitch?"

They swing another, she ducks and smirks. This was so much better than practising by herself. The fact that they thought she was able to be taken down on her own would be their own mistake. Didn't they learn anything at the bar during the incident?

Nina scoffs again. "C'mon bitches, show me what you got."

A battle cry thunders out and three of them charge at her at once. In one swift motion, she rams her bike boot in one stomach, grabs the second man by a nipple and twists it hard before elbowing the third man in the solar plexus. The man whose nipple got pinched is screaming out and rubbing his chest. She laughs.

An elbow goes to her face and remember an aikido move, she gracefully moves out of the way and locks a leg with him so he loses his footing. She then slams her foot down onto him in the manner one did to crush the fire out of a cigarette. He squirms in pain.

Someone yanks her by her ponytail from behind and Nina yelps in pain as a slap hits her face. Stunned, she staggers back, her hand goes to her sore cheek. There's laughter ringing out and someone mentions something about a 'bitch slap'. Like a wounded animal, a painful sensation washes over her, as if she'd been slapped before, in another lifetime. By Anna? Someone attempts to grabs her again and in reaction, she raises her own fist to punch the guy in the face so hard.

What followed afterwards that each of these men got their ass handed to them by this lone blonde. All five knocked out on the ground.

"Tch." Nina shakes her head. It probably wouldn't be the last time she'd see them but there was no way in hell she would stop Julia from testifying against Marduk. Because she fought the man, all eyes were on her. It was good Julia wasn't targeted.

Come what may, they were losers and she left them on the ground. Nina observes her surrounding, there wasn't a soul in sight to witness what just happened and the CCTV camera wasn't positioned to focus on this area. It was dark and she was tired as hell. Warily, Nina trudges towards her bike.

A Korean woman in her forties, sitting in a car observes Nina. It was the same woman at the bar. She was well away from Nina but still had a clear view of the blonde from where she was. Her orders were to follow and report to her superior at G-Corp on the former assassin's activities.

It was her idea to get those guys to fight her. She wanted to see if the Irish woman still had the fighting prowess in her. It would be a shame to let a legend be forgotten and live a life of normalcy. She missed the good old times. Informing her superior, her orders are to remain incognito until further notice. What a shame.

"Don't worry Nina, your life will be back on track."

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