The phone ringing startled Louisa out of sleep. Coming around enough to sit up by the third ring, she groaned, squinting her eyes to block out the blinding sunlight filling the room. She had left the curtains open last night so she could stare at the crescent moon while thinking.

She could not stop thinking about that man. Yuri Briar repulsed her as much as he captivated her. Using the excuse of professional curiosity, she allowed herself to ruminate on him until she fell asleep sometime well after midnight. She feared her curiosity might lead her into developing an unhealthy obsession with the man. Almost as unhealthy as his obsession with his sister.

Just remember...not everyone wants to be saved. The combination of his words with the determination in his eyes made her take pause. It was as if he somehow sensed she wanted to make him a pet project; to rehabilitate him from his sister complex. But he saw absolutely nothing wrong with being so attached to his sister or that he hated her husband and wanted her all to himself.

Louisa sighed, kicking off the blanket to swing her legs over the side of the bed. Without bothering to slide on her slippers or grab her robe, she ran to answer the phone on the seventh ring. The tenacity of the as of yet unknown caller led her to believe it could only be one person.

"Good morning, Mr. Briar," she answered the phone without waiting to hear his voice to confirm.

"Goo - how did you know it was me?" he asked, his tone betraying that strange mix of astonishment, bewilderment, and suspicion.

"Just a guess."

Louisa had a way of confounding him that bothered him. Yuri could usually easily read most people and nothing they said or did surprised him because he could anticipate both. He was glad she is not a spy. At least he did not think she is spy.

Shaking his head to clear it, he brought himself back to the task at hand. He had done a lot of thinking during his mostly sleepless night.

"Would you like to meet me for coffee?" he inquired to be met with silence from her end. "I saw a nice little café just down the street from your apartment."

Louisa had been in the middle of yawning, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep, when he asked the question. As soon as he requested what could be construed as another date, she was wide awake but too stunned to speak.

"Uhm...you are still coming with me to my sister's house for dinner tonight? Aren't you?" he asked, not sure too sure at all. Perhaps she had changed her mind about the arrangement.

"Ah, y-yes, yes," she replied, clearing her throat. "Yes...to both. Coffee would be good. We never had a chance to get our story straight last night."

"Get our story straight?"

"Well, yes, the story of how we met, how long we've been dating, dates we've been on, those kinds of things. Our story," she reiterated, emphasizing our.

"Ugh," he groaned, slapping his forehead.

How could I not have thought of that?, he asked himself. As a member of the secret police who interrogates spies, he knew the importance of a convincing backstory to make others believe it when questions are asked. Creating a fake relationship would take more effort than he had initially anticipated. Louisa Eleazor was not the type of woman to sit quietly while smiling and nodding. The fact that his sister and brother-in-law knew her, even as an acquaintance as the guidance counselor at their child's school, would make this even trickier.

"That's exactly why I wanted to have coffee with you," he said to quickly recover his composure. For some reason, he could not think clearly when around this woman. "We can discuss the details then."

"All right. That sound good. Meet you in about an hour?" she asked.

Yuri glanced at his watch. That would give him plenty of time to stop by the florist and make the train ride there. He knew the flowers would be unnecessary but he liked the way her face lit up when she received them. She also knew the subtle and meaningful language of flowers which was important to him.

"See you in an hour," he confirmed.

As she approached the café, Louisa saw Yuri sitting at one of the outside tables for two. Dressed in a white dress shirt with a dark green tie, black dress pants, and black wingtips. If the sleeves of his shirt were not rolled up to his elbows and his jacket hanging on the back of his chair, she would swear he was here for a job interview.

A bouquet of magenta and purple hydrangeas wrapped in green paper with a pink bow around it lay on the table in front of the empty chair across from him. When he saw her, he immediately stood up, giving her a charming smile. Taking a few steps forward and extending his hand, he took hold of her arm to assist her with stepping up on the curb.

Louisa was glad for his assistance because seeing him in the brilliant daylight and that smile of his dazzled her weakening her knees a little. She forced a smile to her face hoping it did not look too plastic. She was happy to see him - and that was exactly what made her feel so awkward and nervous.

"Oh, these are beautiful," she said, taking a seat in the chair he held out for her.

"Just a little token of my appreciation," he said, sitting down in his chair across from her.

"Appreciation? For what?" she inquired, taking a sniff of the flowers.

"For being willing to help me. For being so understanding. For not being judgmental. Well, not too judgmental," he corrected himself, raising his hand to signal the server to come over.

"Unfortunately, as a psychologist, being judgmental is actually part of my job," she sighed.

However, when it came to her job, being judgmental had a different definition: coming to an informed conclusion or a decision based on the facts given to her by a patient. It was her duty to listen, assess, then make a judgment on what was wrong and how to proceed to help. But not everyone needed or wanted her help. And Yuri was not a patient, or a child, seeking counseling.

Louisa watched Yuri as he ordered for the both of them. He had not even asked what she wanted. He ordered her an affogato, espresso poured over a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Why in the world would she be upset about drinking that?

"I hope that was okay. I apologize I did not ask before ordering," Yuri said quickly after the server walked away.

"It's fine. That sounds great. I'm not going to be offended or make a fuss," she assured him, feeling her cheeks heating up. "Besides, it's kind of nice having someone take care of me for a change."

"Oh, that's right," he remarked, folding his hands in his lap while sitting back in chair to carefully consider her as if seeing her for the first time. "I do suppose you are the one accustomed to doing all the care taking."

Louisa nodded, picking up her glass of water to wet her dry throat. Although she had worn a short sleeved dress and no sweater, the sun felt awfully hot this morning.

"Besides, you don't strike me as the type of woman who can be easily controlled," he said, picking up his own glass of water. "So where did we meet?"

"On the subway," she answered to begin constructing their story.

"I know that but where do we want to tell them we met?"

"On the subway," she repeated. "We could say we met on the way home from work. Then it's not a complete lie. We just leave out the parts where you were black out drunk, injured, and I took you home to mend your wounds."

"Although you have to admit, that part of the story, you coming to my rescue, is kind of romantic," he chuckled causing himself to blush darkly.

Louisa gulped down the remaining contents of her glass of water.

"I suppose it is," she agreed, staring at the purple and magenta hydrangea flowers. Hydrangeas can symbolize gratitude for understanding. Maybe that's what he was conveying by giving them to her. Or perhaps apology. Surely not deep emotion.

"So our first date was dinner?" Yuri ventured, noticing she was fixated on the flowers. "We can leave out the part about it being at your apartment."

He wondered if she caught his meaning that he was grateful for her willingness to go along with the charade and apologizing for it as well. She seemed like a genuinely nice woman who wanted to help him. His only hope was that she did not fall in love with him only to get her heart broken. He could never love any other woman than his dear Yor.

Their coffees arrived. The mound of white ice cream only half melted poked above the surface of the black espresso like an island in the middle of the cup. Louisa poked at it with her spoon then poured coffee over it to melt the ice cream and make the marks disappear.

"Coffee is our second date," she added, picking up the cup with both hands.

Yuri looked around. "It's a lovely day. We could take a walk in the park. You know, for an extra nice second date."

"Okay," she agreed.

They were having to construct a fake relationship in only a few hours before meeting his family. Might as well take every opportunity possible. Besides, he wasn't a horrible person to spend time with. He was actually quite pleasant and agreeable for the most part. Otherwise she would be at home reading or perhaps taking a walk in the park by herself.

At least they did not have to make up fake jobs and lifestyles. All of that could be completely true. Everything else was only half a lie. They decided they would keep their relationship as it is, fairly new.

"Well, won't they think it's suspicious that you're already bringing your girlfriend to meet the family?" Louisa inquired, stirring her coffee.

"No. Yor knows how important she is to me. If I found a girlfriend, it would only be logical for me to hurry up and introduce the second most important woman in my life to the first."

Louisa's stomach clenched tightly. Making a concerted effort to keep her breathing slow and relaxed, she counted how long it took her to inhale then counted on the exhale as well. If their relationship was real, she would still be second. Why did that bother her?

She brought the cup to her lips taking a sip of the cool, sweet, and creamy coffee.

"Mmmm, this so nice. Thank you for ordering this."

"You're quite welcome." He ran his finger around the rim of his cup. "I ordered it because it reminded me of you."

"Oh? How so?" She took another sip, glimpsing at him over the rim of her cup. She feared she might regret asking that question. However, she would employ every ounce of professionalism and practice restraint in order to hear him out.

"The espresso is hot, harsh, and bitter. If you're not careful, it will burn your tongue as well imparting a terrible taste."

Louisa ground her teeth together to keep her mouth shut. Years of being a psychologist had taught her to hold her tongue but something about this man made it difficult. It's like he knew which buttons to push and enjoyed pushing them.

"But there is the vanilla ice cream hidden underneath, melting. It cools the coffee so it won't burn you. It also adds an unexpected bit of sweetness and creaminess too making the entire experience all quite enjoyable," he said, picking up his cup to take a drink without stirring in the ice cream completely.

"Huh," she murmured into her coffee, taking another sip. Just like the ice cream, she felt like she was melting and not just from the sun overhead. "What did you say your job was again?"

Yuri cleared his throat and sat up straighter as if suddenly adopting a businesslike posture.

"Diplomat for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," he answered stiffly as if the reply had been rehearsed and repeated a thousand times.

"Uh huh," she muttered, spooning up the remainder of the soft coffee infused ice cream at the bottom of her cup. "You're a very interesting man, Yuri Briar. I feel like there's so much you're not telling me."

Yuri's eyes narrowed into slits of suspicion as he glared at the woman. Could she be a spy after all? Maybe she was working with Twilight. The spy could be hunting for him as well, wanting to root anyone trying to blow his cover and discover his true identity.

"What would you like to know?" he asked.

Louisa shrugged, setting her empty cup down on the saucer.

"I don't know," she sighed, closing her eyes and turning her face up to the sky. "I kinda hope I'll be around long enough to get to know you better naturally."

Yuri inhaled sharply trying not to stare but failing. She was so beautiful in that moment. With her eyes closed, hiding their gold brown color, he would swear Yor was sitting across from him. His heart thumped heavily in his chest. Reaching across the table, he took her hand that lay on the table, her fingers curled into a loose fist.

"Yor," he whispered, squeezing her hand.

Louisa lowered her chin, opening her eyes to look at him.

"What did you say?"

She had heard him loud and clear. He called her by his sister's name when he touched her hand. Pretending not to hear enabled her to avoid making a fuss or publicly embarrassing the both of them.

"Uhm, you're getting a little bit pink," he said, mentally patting himself on the back for a great recovery. He quickly released her hand and pulled his back to his lap. "I think you might be getting sun burned. We should find some shade in the park."

"Okay," she agreed, standing up then picking up the bouquet.

Louisa waited on the sidewalk beside the street while he settled the tab and grabbed his jacket. After draping it over his arm, he offered his other arm to her which she slid hers through for him to escort her to the park.

As they drew closer to the entrance, they began to encounter other couples out for a casual stroll as well as families with children. She smiled broadly at a couple walking arm and arm, the father proudly pushing a baby carriage holding their sleeping new born.

It was fair to assume Yuri had not desire for children of his own since he was so hung up on his sister. Besides, children would draw her attention away from him. How did he feel about having a niece? Surely he had to feel resentful toward his niece who was not even his sister's daughter but that man's by another woman. Maybe that's why he had not met her yet - he did not want to. But she shouldn't jump to conclusions.

"What are you thinking about?" Yuri asked her.

"Why? Oh," she gasped when he wiggled his arm making her aware of how tightly she was clinging to him. "Sorry."

"It's okay," he assured her, patting her hand resting lightly on his forearm. "What's on your mind? And don't say nothing. It's obvious something is bothering you."

"I have to admit I'm a little nervous about tonight," she told him, which like most of the things they were going to tell his family was not a total lie just part of it.

"You don't have to do this. I won't force you to." He chuckled wryly, kicking a rock off of the sidewalk. "I can't force you." He stopped, dropping his arm which in turn caused her to let go and turn to face him. "Why are you doing this?"

Her face became a darker shade of pink. She squinted, placing her hand over her eyes as if to shield them from the sun despite the fact they were standing in the shade under a tree.

"Honestly, I'm not sure. I could say partly out of curiosity. To get to know you better. To learn more about you. And your sister, Yor," she added, noting the smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth when she spoke her name. "I guess it's in my nature to help people. That's why I chose the profession I did after all."

What Louisa did not tell him is it was nice not to always be alone, to have someone to drink wine with, and to have something to look forward to besides her empty apartment and dusty books she had read a dozen times over or crying over romantic movies all by herself.

"You are a very noble woman indeed, Ms. Louisa Eleazor." He bowed deeply in front of her as if she were royalty. "I will treat you with all of the respect you deserve."

"Stop that," she hissed when passers by stopped and pointed, one of the women giggling.

"Just try to not to fall in love with me," he said, standing up straight. When he saw her face, crimson to the point of almost turning purple, her lips compressed into a straight white line, he knew he had overstepped.

Louisa cleared her throat. Tossing her hair over her shoulder, she raised her nose in the air determined to keep up her noble appearance by adding a bit of arrogance to it. But what could be more arrogant than what he just said to her?

"I will do my best not to fall in love with you, Mr. Briar," she said with icy formality. "Keep saying thoughtless things like that, and it will not be a problem, I assure you."

"I didn't mean - "

"Oh, but I'm sure you did," she interrupted him, shoving the bouquet into his chest. "Here. Give these to your sister. I'm sure she will appreciate the sentiment of deeply heartfelt emotion."

"But I always give her red roses. Two or three dozen."

"Hah," she scoffed. "Of course you do."

When he did not take the bouquet from her, she allowed it drop to the ground. Apology not accepted. Dammit. Yuri bent his knees to pick it up.

"Just because this is a fake relationship doesn't mean you have to be condescending. I am aware of what to do and what not to do so please don't be completely insulting," she said, pivoting on her heel to walk away.

Yuri stared at the flowers. She was right. There was no reason to be blatantly cruel or outright rude. She already knew where she stood in this sham.

He jogged to catch up to her, attempting to take her by the arm. When she flinched away, walking faster, he did not try to touch her again but sped up to continue walking beside her.

"I will meet you at the subway platform at six. There is no need for you to come to my door," she informed him when they reached the corner of the street where she lived. "I can go by myself from here. Thank you for the coffee. It was lovely. See you tonight, Mr. Briar."

Yuri said nothing in return, only nodding mutely. What could he possibly say? Anything at this point would probably be the wrong thing. He continued to stand on the corner, watching her trot down the sidewalk. He observed as she looked both ways to check for cars then proceeded to jaywalk, running across the street in her high heels.

Once she disappeared inside the building, he went on his way to the train. He would have to be more careful tonight so things would go well. If she got angry and told the truth, all of his carefully laid plans would be shot to hell in a hurry.

~\'/~

After arriving home from their aborted walk in the park, Louisa had washed her hair and pinned it while wet which made it hung in defined waves with the pins removed. She wore a long sleeved drop waist dress in a gray blue color. Her jewelry was simple and austere pearls. Her shoes were as modest as her dress, but basic black with short chunky square heels like the shoes she wore to school. A white lace and velvet shawl with long fringe hanging off the edges was her only fancy adornment.

She clutched the red strings around the white bakery box in her hand. Since the bakery was on the way to the subway stop, she went in to buy an assortment of cupcakes, tarts, and cookies. A guest should never show up at a house empty handed. So her mother said.

She had considered wine but since she did not know what was for dinner and the fact Yuri really should not drink, she decided dessert would be a better gift for the hosts.

Having arrived on an earlier train, Yuri waited for her on the platform. He was dressed the same way as when she first met him: a khaki trench coat over a suit. With his back to her, he checked his watch then glanced around. Upon seeing her, his eyes widened.

"You look beautiful," he said when she came close, extending a small bouquet of a half dozen pink carnations tied with a white ribbon.

Louisa smiled and accepted the bouquet which conveyed his message of 'I messed up and I'm sorry.' The white ribbon could mean surrender or truce. One thing she already both liked and abhorred about Yuri Briar was everything he did, especially where flowers were concerned, had meaning. There were no meaningless gestures with him.

She noticed there was a single red rose in his other hand hanging by his side. At least it wasn't the two or three dozen he said he usually took her. Perhaps he had tamed down his gift to make it appear to his sister another woman had taken that top spot in his heart.

God, what a terrible and huge lie. She buried her nose in the carnations, pretending to smell them.

"What's that?" Yuri inquired, nodding toward the box in her other hand.

"Dessert. A gift for the gracious hosts," Louisa added. She refrained from saying your sister and brother-in-law because she did not want to him wince as if in physical pain from referring to Lloid Forger as such a close relation.

"Are you feeling okay about tonight?" he asked her.

"As good as I can be," she returned without saying 'considering we're total frauds.'

Louisa gazed at Yuri's profile while he stared straight ahead. What did he hope his sister's reaction would be? Shock and disgust? Anger and hurt? Did he think Yor would drop her husband, leaving him and her adopted daughter so the two of them could live together again? And as what? He is her brother for God's sake! What exactly did he expect to happen?

"What?" Yuri asked, turning to look at her. "What's wrong?" He swiped his hand across his cheek. "Is there something on my face?"

"No. I was just...thinking." She looked away, a blush heating her cheeks. "I didn't mean to stare."

"You think I'm crazy don't you?"

"I didn't say that."

"I could hear you thinking," he snapped, looking straight ahead again when she refused to meet his gaze.

"I'll try not to think so loudly next time," she retorted, trying to hold back a giggle and failing with a snort.

Yuri chuckled in response which caused them both to start laughing. When the metal wheels of the train could be heard clacking on the tracks, he reached over to clutch her elbow in preparation to escort her onto the train.

"You are a perfect gentleman, Mr. Briar," she complimented him, as the train appeared at the opening of the tunnel to the platform.

"You're quite the lady, Ms. Eleazor," he returned, putting his arm around her shoulders when she jumped at the hiss and squeal of the train braking.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, taking a step forward so his arm would fall from her shoulders.

The train slid to a stop in front of them a deafening shriek and grind of the brakes. The steam released surrounded them like a cloud.

"You don't need to apologize. The sound frightened you so I just acted on instinct." Actually he had surprised himself. He believed his instinct was to kill, not protect. Maybe it was because she reminded him so much of Yor he had felt the need to protect her.

When the doors opened, Louisa stepped inside the full car. A man stood up to offer his seat to her. Yuri was left with no choice but to stand and hold the only free handle on the opposite end of the car with people packed in like sardines. Since it was Saturday night, many people were out going places.

From the opposite end of the car, Yuri studied her without worrying about her catching him staring. Her fingers traced the frilly edges of the delicate petals. She bent her head to inhale their clean, refreshing scent that was never overpowering like some flowers. A soft smile formed on her lips. The light pink color of the carnations matched her lipstick exactly.

He found himself smiling watching her take such immense pleasure in the simple flowers he had given her. But she seemed to do that with everything. The way she had enjoyed her coffee with all of her senses had been a marvel to observe. He forgotten how to truly enjoy every day pleasures through touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing.

Through the years, somewhere along the way, he had dulled his senses in order to endure the interrogations. The sight and smell of blood and fear along with more repulsive odors such as excrement and burned flesh. The sound of the cries of pain and the last gasping breath before dying. The sensation of bones breaking in a finger when it is bent the wrong way or a knife slicing easily through skin and sinew. The taste of his own bile he had to hold back in order not to appear weak.

His job is horrifying and distasteful but someone has to do it to keep the country safe. To keep people like Yor and Louisa safe. He would do any number of horrible things, kill anyone, for them.

"Are you all right?"

The voice sounded far away like it was coming to him in dream. It was a familiar voice. The spark of recognition gradually pulled him back to reality. He blinked to clear his vision while the fog of memories lifted from his mind.

Louisa stood in front of him. Her hand was on his cheek. A single large wrinkle had formed between her eyebrows where they had pulled together in worry.

"Those were the first words you ever said to me." He chuckled lightly. "And here you are saying them again. Why? Did I look strange?"

"Yeah, you did," she responded, lowering her hand from his cheek. "You looked like you were a million miles away. Lost and...and afraid."

"Afraid?" he scoffed in disbelief, reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder to steady her when she bumped into him due to the swaying of the train.

"Terrified," she said to be more specific, grasping the handle more tightly in an effort to keep from moving around so much. "Bad memories?"

"Very," he answered honestly but did not add details. The train car shifted again, throwing his body into hers.

"Sorry," she apologized, moving away from him quickly. "I hope the dessert isn't crushed."

"I'm sure it's fine. I doubt it will break the taste regardless," he joked. "We're almost there."

When the train finally came to a stop at their appointed station, Louisa held the box above her head in an effort to keep the baked goods from getting smashed as they joined the throng shuffling out of the car onto the platform. When the bodies spread apart offering sufficient room to walk with being pushed against someone, she lowered the box. It was then she noticed one of the stems of her flowers had been broken and the bloom hung limply to the side ready to break off and fall any second.

"Oh, no! Tch!" she clicked her tongue in disappointment.

"It's okay. That gives me an excuse to buy you more flowers later," Yuri said, smiling down at her.

Louisa hoped he did not notice her gulping as her heart jumped and galloped away like a skittish horse. Her belly turned somersaults of joy but managed to make her nauseated at the same time.

Just try to not to fall in love with me, his words of warning came back to her.

"Tch!" she clicked her tongue again, this time in annoyance with both herself and him. Asshole. You're not supposed to be this charming to make it possible to fall in love with you, she thought bitterly.

"What's wrong?" Yuri inquired, once again placing his hand on her elbow as they started the climb up the stairs to reach the street.

"Just really annoyed my flower is broken," she lied.

"I know what to do," he said, pulling her to a stop.

Turning to face her, he plucked off the flower before it fell. Before she could protest or chastise him, he pushed it behind her ear to turn it into a hair decoration. His fingers drifted over the curve of her ear, gently touching the single round pearl in her earlobe. When his eyes met hers, her entire body heated as if she were experiencing a full body blush.

"Perfect," he murmured, color rising in his cheeks under his eyes which seemed to almost glow appearing more red than their usual cinnamon color.

"Uhm, ah, th-thank y-you," she stuttered, resisting the urge to push her hair behind her ear in an anxious gesture which would only push the flower out.

"You stutter whenever you're nervous. Do I make you nervous?" he inquired, his fingers bracing under her chin so she could not look away from him.

"Yes," she answered truthfully and succinctly.

"Don't be. We should at least be friends, right?"

"Right."

"Let's go," Yuri declared, standing alongside her and offering his arm. "But tonight, we have to pretend to be lovers."

They both blushed at the use of that title for what they were pretending to be.

"It really is shameful," Louisa sighed, not meaning to say what she was thinking aloud. She had a bad habit of doing that too when she was nervous.

"I know," he agreed. "But sometimes drastic measure are required to protect what you love."

"I don't think I've ever loved anything, or anyone, enough to resort to such tactics," she admitted freely, leaning closer to him.

He patted her forearm reassuringly. "Maybe one day you find that something or someone. I hope you do."

If this is the kind of thing it makes a person do, I'd rather not, she thought to herself.

"This is it," he announced, pausing to look up at the five story building of apartments. "128 Park Avenue."

"Oh, it's nice," she commented as he directed her up one of the flights of stairs into a particular set of apartments. She held onto him tightly, growing more anxious, as he led her to their door.

"Are you okay? We can do this, all right?" He patted her arm again then formed a fist to knock on the door.

Her belly tumbled anxiously while waiting for someone to come to the door. She heard a child squeal, assuming it to be Anya.

"Wait, Anya!" a deep male voice called out.

Louisa knew that had to be Lloid Forger's voice by the way Yuri blanched and pulled his arm tighter to his side and since she was attached to it, pressed her arm hard into his ribcage. This poor guy was beyond her scope of help, and her she was feeding his obsession by willingly playing a part in this farce to deceive his sister.

What the hell am I doing?, she asked herself. But it was too late. The doorknob turned and the door opened to reveal the object of her brother's obsession. Her large eyes, a dark maroon brown like Yuri's opened wide.

"Yuri!" she exclaimed happily.

"My dear sister!" he yelled joyfully in return, almost shoving Louisa away when he threw up his arms and lurched forward to embrace Yor.

He stepped into the small entranceway of the apartment, swinging her around. When he set her down on her feet, he held out the rose to her within inches of her face leaving her no choice but to take it so her eyes would uncross.

"A lovely rose for my lovely sister. I've missed you so much!" he hollered, jumping forward to hug her again but she took a step back with her nose buried in the rose.

"It's only been a week, Yuri. I'll get some water for this," she announced, going to the kitchen.

"But Yor," he whined, following her while obviously having forgotten all about Louisa.

"Oh, Miss Eleazor," Lloid said, stepping forward to greet her.

"Missy, why are you here? Is Anya in trouble?" Anya inquired referring to herself in third person like she often did.

"Anya! It's not proper to refer to an adult in such a way," Lloid scolded her.

"No, you're not in trouble," she assured the child as tears formed in her big bottle green eyes. "Mr. Forger she was calling me Miss E," she explained, carefully the miss and the letter E. "My last name is a bit difficult for some of the small children so I allow them to call me Miss E."

"I see. So what are you doing here?" Anya's father inquired.

"I'm actually - "

"She's Unkie's pretend girlfriend!" Anya declared.

"WHAT?!" Yuri shouted, running out of the kitchen and sliding across the hall in stocking feet to hit the wall. "She's my very real girlfriend."

"Oh, really? When did this happen? Isn't this an interesting coincidence?" Yor commented, coming out of the kitchen while wiping her hands on a dish towel. "I'm sure you know Miss Eleazor is the guidance counselor at Anya's school."

"Of course I'm aware. She's my girlfriend, isn't she?" Yuri returned a bit defensively.

"What's up with you?" Loid asked him.

"Nothing. What's your problem?" he snapped back before he stop himself.

Louisa stepped forward to place herself between the two men. She held out the box toward Yor.

"I brought dessert. I hope it didn't get smashed to pieces on the train ride over here. There were a lot of people out on the town tonight," she said, feeling the tension slowly draining away.

"Oh, thank you!" Yor exclaimed excitedly reaching for the box. "Please, do come in. Yuri, take her to the living room to sit down."

"Okay!" he called out happily, saluting her.

Louisa made a concerted effort to keep her mouth closed and not gape in astonishment when he took her by the hand practically skipping to the living room. She took a seat in one of chairs across from the sofa. Yuri sat down in the chair at the end of the table between the sofa and the chair she presently sat in.

"Lloid, will you pour the wine and put out the appetizers?" Yor asked her husband who was in the small kitchen with her. The could both be seen and heard due to the open design that encompassed the kitchen, dining, and living area all in one room with no walls. "Dinner is almost ready. Yuri, I made the stew mom used to make."

"Mmmmm," he hummed, rubbing his belly and licking his lips.

He acted like a five year old around his sister from the way he followed her like a puppy to the juvenile aggression aimed at Loid in jealousy. It was if everything about him was arrested in time when he reconnected with his sister. From a psychological standpoint, it was fascinating to watch the regression to his childhood self. Apparently those years with her, when it was just the two of them against the world, were the happiest for him.

Lloid sat down a tray of fancy looking appetizers including cream cheese on crackers with thin slices of smoked salmon, whole pickled okra, and the teeny bite size fruit tarts she had brought among the variety of sweets. He handed each of them a glass of wine. As Yuri brought his to his lips, Louisa deftly snatched the glass out of his hand by sliding the thin stem from between his fingers.

"Oh, none for him, thank you," she said, pouring the wine into her glass and handing the empty one back to Lloid.

"Hmmm, it seems she does know you quite well," Lloid remarked, returning to the kitchen with the empty glass.

Yuri glared at Louisa but she ignored his lethal stare while taking a sip of the wine.

"How long have you two been dating? For a little while I'd guess since you know Yuri cannot handle his alcohol well," Yor said. "I have to confess, neither do I really."

Louisa raised an eyebrow and smiled triumphantly. Her actions seemed to validate their relationship making it more believable.

"For a couple of weeks. I'm not sure how many exactly. Who counts when you're madly in love?" Yuri commented, reaching over to touch her hand as if to strengthen the illusion.

Anya stood nearby, watching them carefully.

"What is it, Anya?" Louisa asked her.

"Nothing, Missy," she replied, blushing darkly.

"It's weird seeing me away from the school and especially at your house, huh? I'm sorry," she apologized, reaching out to take her small hand. "But I'm really not here as your counselor okay? Oh!" She remembered she had not been formerly introduced to her uncle. "This is your Uncle Yuri. He's really been wanting to meet you. He didn't get the chance to meet you before did he?"

"No, ma'am. It was so late I was already asleep." She let go of Louisa's hand and turned to him to bow. "It's nice to meet you, Unkie."

Yuri audibly gulped. He looked flustered and unsure of what to do next. He stared at the child as if she were a venomous snake who was about to strike him. Louisa wanted to kick him in the shin but did not.

Please don't let him act a like a freak right now, she silently prayed to no god in particular.

"Just say hello, Yuri," she encouraged him. She glanced at Anya, giving her a smile. "He's a little shy sometimes too."

No, you think he's a little bit of a weirdo like I do, Missy, Anya thought to herself having read her mind.

"Nice to meet you, Anya," he said, extending his hand to her.

Anya quickly shook his hand then ran to the kitchen where her mom and dad were finishing up the meal.

"You better be careful. That child is highly perceptive. I've always heard children and dogs can sense evil. Obviously some can sniff out deception and bullshit too," Louisa warned in a low voice only he could hear.

She would swear she heard a small gasp from somewhere but surely Anya could not hear her with the crackling of something frying and the clattering of dishes and utensils. She picked up two of the salmon appetizers, one in each hand. Leaning across the gap between them, she shoved one in Yuri's open mouth while putting one in her own.

"Here. Try this," she said, pushing the cracker onto his tongue.

Yuri seemed to snap out of his daze when her finger touched his tongue. Luckily she removed her finger before he bit down on it. Instead his mouth filled with the crunchy and creamy textures as well as the salty, smoky, and slightly sour flavors of the combination of the smoked salmon, cream cheese, and cracker.

"Oh, Lloid, this is fantastic!" she complimented him, reaching for another.

Yuri did not look pleased with her complimenting his perceived enemy but he reached for another one himself. Apparently, he thought they were delicious as well as he proceeded to polish off half of what was on the tray.

"Would you like some more wine?" Lloid asked, lowering the bottle toward her empty glass. He placed a glass of water in front of Yuri who did not bother to thank him for it.

"Please," she requested, lifting it so he could pour more easily without having to bend over so far. "Thank you, Lloid. For the wine and the water." She picked up a piece of the okra and took a bite. "Did you pickle this okra yourself?"

"I must confess I did not," he admitted candidly, rubbing the back of his neck self-consciously. "It came from the store in a jar. I would like to experiment to figure out how they get that flavor."

"It's so good. I like the hint of spice along with the sourness of the pickling."

"It is good isn't it?"

"And those salmon appetizers are divine! I can't stop eating them." She reached for another, putting the entire thing in her mouth, as if to prove her point.

Yuri groaned and rolled his eyes, picking up the glass of water Lloid had brought to him.

"Dinner's ready!" Yor announced.

"All right!" Yuri exclaimed excitedly, jumping to his feet to go to the table. "I'm starving!" He clapped his hands and rubbed them together. "I can't wait to eat my sister's delicious cooking."

Louisa slowly stood up with her wine glass in her hand to join them at the table. She took a seat beside Yuri who sat across from his sister.

"Thank you for the food," he said, placing his hands together and nodding.

"Thank you for the food," everyone else said while he was already digging in.

Louisa placed her napkin in her lap but paused with her spoon hovering over bowl. Yuri dug into his food with gusto, slurping and grunting his appreciation and compliments while shoveling his mouth full.

"How did you two meet?" Yor asked, unfazed by her brother acting like a starving man who had not eaten in weeks.

"Uhm, ah, uh," Louisa said almost too horrified to stop staring at the shameless man sitting beside her. "We actually met on the train on the way home one night. He was concerned about my safety so he walked me home. It began as simple as that."

"How many dates have you been on?" Lloid asked, looking at her to avoid staring at Yuri.

"Just a few. We both have very busy schedules. Unfortunately my day isn't done when the last school bell rings," she chuckled mirthlessly. "Just like the job of a diplomat, it doesn't really begin at nine or at five. Does it, dear?"

"Dear?" Yor repeated questioningly, staring at her brother who had stopped eating.

"Oh, Yuri, I know you love your sister's cooking but really," she chastised him mildly, dabbing at the stew he had dripped on his chin. "I'm sure she will allow you to have seconds."

Yuri glanced at his sister who was staring at him in gape mouthed awe. His heart jumped. Did Louisa actually make her jealous by calling him dear? The intimate and affectionate gesture of wiping his mouth was absolute genius!

"Yor, may I have seconds, please?" he requested, picking up his mostly empty bowl to hold out it out to her.

"Of course," Yor said, reaching for his dish.

The rest of the conversation at dinner revolved around them exchanging stories about how they met, their dates, and their jobs. Surprisingly, Lloid and Yor had very few date stories. She figured they would have more anecdotes having been married for a little over a year.

Even though theirs was a whirlwind romance with an extremely short courtship, surely in a year they would have experienced more funny or cute interactions. Instead they were like an old boring married couple right from the get go, settling into married life and parenthood with dedication and seriousness not allowing for much fun except the occasional trip to the zoo or park.

"So where do you think your relationship will lead you two?" Loid inquired.

"Son of a - ow!" Yuri exclaimed when Louisa kicked him in the shin to cut off the expletive he was mumbling under his breath.

"It's too soon to tell," she replied. "It's only been a couple of weeks."

"Well," Lloid said, reaching for Yor's hand. "It only took a few weeks before we knew and got married."

She blushed when he held her hand. How sweet! They were so cute and seemed so in love.

"Yeah without even bothering to tell her only brother," Yuri grumbled, receiving another kick in the shin. "Ow!"

Anya giggled then tried to hide it with a cough. Reaching for her glass of water, she took a long drink as if she had been choking. She knew what he had been thinking, and it was ugly. She was glad Miss Eleazor kicked him. She did not understand why her uncle was so upset with her Papa, but she did not like it at all.

"Yuri, is there something wrong?" Yor asked him.

"I keep getting these stabbing pains in my shins," he said, glowering at Louisa who continued eating her food as if nothing was wrong.

"Do you need pain medication? I can get you a few pills," Yor offered, standing up to get them.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," he assured her, waving her to sit back down. "Sit, sit, sit, please."

"Lloid, are you a member of any of professional societies or clubs. I belong to a society of psychologists. I would be happy to give you a recommendation if you would like to become a member," Louisa said.

Lloid shifted in his chair, his facial muscles tensing while his jaw muscles writhed under the skin at his ear. The expression flashed across his face for just a second before he relaxed again and smiled.

"Sure. That would be great. Since I did not know anyone when I moved here, I did not have any connections to sponsor me for one of the groups. Thank you," he said, nodding to her in gratitude.

"No problem. I'll bring over the application the next time we come for dinner."

"The next time?!" Yuri, Yor, and Lloid exclaimed in unison, all equally surprised by her assumption.

"Well, since Yuri and I are dating, I just thought..." She allowed her words to trail off while the humiliation mounted and colored her face red. Jumping to her feet, she bowed in apology. "I am so sorry for being so presumptuous."

"No. It's not that," Yor said, walking over to her guest.

Louisa stood up straight, looking at the woman who now stood in front of her. When their eyes met, she noticed the tears in Yor's reddish brown eyes.

Yor smiled and continued speaking. "I'm just so happy Yuri was able to finally find someone to love." She bowed deeply, making Louisa step back and almost buckle into her chair when it hit her behind the knees. "Thank you for taking care of my little brother. I love him, and he means the world to me."

Louisa jumped when she felt Yuri's hand take hers. She gritted her teeth when he squeezed it so hard she thought he might break it. He should be thrilled. His plan was working fantastically.

"Who wants coffee with dessert?" Lloid asked, standing up to begin stacking the plates.

Louisa was able to exhale at last when Yor stood up after Lloid broke the stifling air that had settled upon them.

"Can I have milk?" Anya asked, raising her hand as if she were in class.

"You need to get your bath and brush your teeth. It's bed time," her father reminded her.

"Awwww," she whined, poking out her bottom lip. "But I wanted dessert."

"You can have your dessert for breakfast," Lloid promised her.

"Yay!" she yelled excitedly, sliding from her chair to run to the bathroom.

"But only this once!" he called after her. "Because it was a special occasion!"

"What special occasion?" she asked, poking her head out of the bathroom.

"Because it was the night you met your uncle and his girlfriend."

"Okay!"

Louisa and Yuri sat in their chairs, heads bowed to hide their blushing faces.

"So how did I do?" Louisa asked, slapping his hand when he tried to hold hers again. She was not interested in having any broken bones.

"A little too well maybe," he whispered, before Lloid and Yor rejoined them.

She did not have the heart to burst his delusional bubble by stating she believed his sister was genuinely happy for him and not jealous in the least.

They had their coffee and dessert along with pleasant conversation. They made plans to visit the park next weekend as a family for a picnic. They said their good byes at the door with parting hugs between the siblings.

"That was a stunning success, Ms. Eleazor," Yuri said as they walked down the street with at least a foot of space between them.

Her arms were crossed over her chest. She had discarded the wilted carnations, including her hair decoration, before leaving.

"Are you angry?" he inquired.

"I'm not sure how to feel. We successfully deceived your family. I just don't understand what you're after here. Lloid seems like an amazing man. A devoted and loving husband. A doting and affectionate father. I mean he's just so damn perfect. I'm a little jealous of Yor," she confessed, sighing heavily.

"Maybe that's my problem with him, Louisa," he said, shoving his hands in his pockets. "He's too perfect. It's like the man stepped out of a damn fairytale and my Yor is his princess."

"Are you really so selfish that you would rob her of a happily ever after?" she asked, her annoyance showing through her scathing tone.

"How do we know what goes on behind closed doors? He could be abusing her, and it is my duty to protect my sister."

"Oh, my God, Yuri!" She stopped, turning to face him. "There are no signs of systemic abuse. Physical or emotional. Her and Anya both are extremely happy. They are the cutest family I have seen. I am positively green with envy, and I can see why you are too. Well, I understand your jealousy to some extent," she corrected herself, quickly remembering his sister complex. "Why can't you just be happy for her?"

Yuri stepped forward to come face to face, toe to toe with her in the most literal sense. Lowering his face toward hers until he was almost nose to nose with her, he spoke.

"There is something about that man I don't like. It feels off. I intend to find out what it is," he said, coming just short of telling her of his suspicions that Lloid Forger is actually Twilight, the elusive spy he has spent his entire career in the secret police chasing bent on capturing him. If he should 'accidentally' kill Twilight in order to prevent him slipping away, all the better.

"You don't scare me, Yuri Briar. I should probably be afraid, but I'm not," she informed him, staring back at him stubbornly. At this time, she really wasn't afraid. He had pissed her off which enabled her to ignore her misgivings and fear.

"God, you are so unbelievably stubborn," he said, taking her by the arm to lead her down the street.

"What are you doing?" she demanded, snatching her arm out of his grip with a twist of her upper body.

"I'm taking you home whether you like it or not."

"Oh, why do you even care?"

Yuri grabbed hold of her arm, spinning her around to face him.

"Because I like you, okay!" he yelled in her face.

Louisa's mouth dropped open leaving her to stare at him stupidly in gape mouthed shock.

"I'm not in love with you, but..." He was breathing hard as if struggling to breathe as well as find his words. "I genuinely like you. When I said we should at least be friends, I meant it. Because I like you."

She closed her mouth, her teeth snapping together. She had heard him the first time he said it. Although he said he liked her three times, she still found it difficult to believe.

"Do you..." He hesitated, audibly gulping. His eyes lowered then rolled back up to meet hers. "Do you like me too?"

"I suppose I do. Yuri, I really want to help you. The best way I can do that is by being your friend," she said, stepping back from him. "Since you're a man who protects those he cares about, take me home."

Yuri smiled, holding out his arm to her. "Yes, ma'am."

The ride home on the deserted subway car was blessedly quiet. Exhaustion and the late hour did not allow for any awkwardness to set in amid the silence between them. Louisa slumped against him, sliding in and out of sleep. His arm moved around her shoulders to hold her head securely on his shoulder. During one of her glides between consciousness, she thought he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. But she was probably dreaming.

Yuri walked her to her door where he stood behind her like a guard while she took out her key and unlocked it.

"Well, good night, Yuri," she said, opening the door.

"Hey, uhm, Louisa," he said before she could close him out. "Could we retry to the coffee and walk in the park date tomorrow?"

"Sure. What time?"

"Not too early."

"No. Not too early," she agreed with a chuckle.

"About ten?" he asked, a hopeful lilt in his voice.

He was being so cute and boyish right now, his eyes huge and pleading like a puppy's.

"Sounds great. Good night."

She tried to close the door but he pressed his hand against it to hold it open. She was tired and quickly becoming grouchy leaving her in no mood for a late night guest. He needed to go home before she called off their date for tomorrow.

"Can I...can I pick you up here and walk you to the coffee shop?"

"Sure."

"Great," he said with excitement but not loudly so as not to disturb the other tenants. Giving her a big smile, he nodded and backed away a step while lowering his hand from the door. "See you then. Good night."

"Sweet dreams."

Louisa watched him walk away before closing and locking the door. Leaning against it, she sighed and closed her eyes. Pushing off with her foot, she went to the bathroom for a quick shower. Once her teeth were brushed and she crawled into bed, she snuggled into her soft pillows and cool crisp sheets for what she hoped would be a good night's sleep. The day had been - a lot.

"Sweet dreams, Louisa. But don't dream about him."