"Love does not appear with any warning signs. You fall into it as if pushed from a high diving board. No time to think about what's happening. It's inevitable. An event you can't control. A crazy, heart-stopping, roller-coaster ride that just has to take its course."

Jackie Collins, Lucky

Chapter 7

"Papa! Papa! Look at this one!" Anya called to me excitedly as she ran a few paces ahead. "Oh and this one! PAPA, THIS SHOP HAS PEANUTS!"

"We've gotten five bags already, Anya," I reminded the pink haired ball of energy.

Despite last night's scare, this morning started out relatively normal. Anya was a bit more attached to Yor this morning, sticking by her side with every movement she made. I scolded myself last night for not being more considerate. I'm used to being constantly on the move, but it doesn't mean they are. Anya had the luxury of resting for most of the trip, but Yor seemed much more alert than usual. I wasn't sure if she was actually excited like she had said or if she was anxious.

Anxious or suspicious?

I've been doing quite well ignoring this delusion that has been stalking me lately, but it persists. I'm beginning to wonder if I have a tumor that has onset this vision of perpetual unrelenting criticism.

Joke all you want, but you know I'm right. You've uprooted this woman from all she knows.

"But this is a different flavor! Pleeaaaaasee Papa!"

"We already got regular, garlic, cheese, nori…I'm not particularly confident that you'll like any of these other than regular."

"Come on, Loid," Yor insisted as she squeezed my arm, "Let her try new things. She won't know what she likes until she tries."

I grabbed the bag of peanuts Anya was looking at and held it up for Yor. "You really think she'll like wasabi flavored peanuts?"

"Ok, maybe not those," she chuckled. "But you should still let her explore. She's getting older and she's going to be more and more curious about the world. Let her live and learn."

She's getting older.

I never thought that those three words would frighten me as much as they are now. I never thought about how I would feel knowing that my fake daughter was becoming a young lady. I also didn't think that I would be around this long. Anya turned nine not that long ago. She's grown taller. Her hair is longer. She's seeing the world through different eyes. Feeling new…emotions.

When I think about it, when she talked about Damien Desmond there was a change in her tone. After Donavon Desmond was arrested and she asked if she would still be able to see Damien, she looked sadder than a girl that lost her friend. Did she like that boy? My daughter liked that boy? Did he do something to make her like him?

She's been talking about boys, dating, and lovers a lot more lately. Was it really just Becky in her ear? How old are girls when they go through puberty? It's too soon right? There's no way she could like that Desmond boy. Right? Did he do something to make her like him? That little shit. I'll kill him!

"Loid?" Yor repeated as she shook my arm. "Are you ok? You look upset."

I slowly returned to reality, shaking the hundreds of torture methods I'd inflict on some stupid little boy hitting on my daughter from my mind. My wife looked concerned and Anya's eyes were wide and round.

"Papa's scary," I thought I heard Anya whisper.

"I, um, I just got distracted," I lied. "You know what, Anya, pick out anything you want and Papa will get it for you."

"This sounds like a bribe," Anya noted with narrowed eyes.

"It's not a bribe without an incentive."

"Is this really something we should teach her?" Yor whispered to me.

"Papa, what are those?!" she asked excitedly. She stood in front of a shop window, completely enamored by the fabrics displayed on the mannequins.

"Papa, those robes are pretty."

"Those are called yukatas. They're kind of like robes, but they can also be worn outside to festivals."

"Can I have one?"

I looked over at my wife, whose eyes were also glued on the garments on the other side of the shop window. I imagined how beautiful she would look in one of those yukatas and couldn't help but smile.

"How about we all get one?" I suggested.

Yor looked over at me. She must have only now heard what I was saying. She's seemed distracted for some time now. At first, I thought it was because of the inquiry into Yuri but if anything, her unease intensified after the deposition. Whatever was on her mind caused her to even forget to care for herself, leading to her collapse yesterday. Will my plan blow up in my own face? She was having a hard time and I've essentially kidnapped my wife and daughter, running off to a foreign country where they can't speak or understand the native tongue. Damn it, Loid. What have you done?

"Sure," Yor finally responded with a smile. Ah that smile. It's brighter than the sun. It's impossible not to smile back when seeing it. "It'll be like matching family outfits."

"I guess we'll have to get matching ones as well," I laughed as I opened the door for my family. Anya happily skipped into the shop as Yor followed behind.

"I'm not sure I'll be able to pass in one of these," Yor giggled as she approached me.

"It's quite impossible for you to look anything other than beautiful in anything," I reassured before leaning over to whisper in her ear. "Though I'm sure you'd look amazing in nothing at all as well."

I didn't wait for her response. I put my hands in my pocket and went to catch up with Anya with a playful grin plastered on my face.

We spent a good chunk of time at the yukata shop. After picking out the fabrics we wanted, we needed to get measured for the tailors to make our garments for us. When it was my turn, the shop owner and her daughter whispered to each other in Japanese not realizing I understood every word they were saying. I pretended to be oblivious as they talked about my looks and how handsome I was, but Yor - who didn't know a lick of what they were saying - was not amused. I simply smiled at her, making her pout more. It was actually quite adorable.

When we were leaving the shop, she quickly held onto my arm. Anya followed her lead and grabbed my free hand. My two women dragged me out of that shop ensuring that everyone knew we were a family. It was heartwarmingly hilarious when you think about it. I risked everything for these two; I could never leave them now.

The walk to the hina doll shop took us about twenty minutes. Today would only be a quick tour of the shop as the shop owner wasn't available. When we arrived, we were greeted by a teenage boy with short black hair. He was actually quite tall, barely an inch shorter than me. I'm positive I had never met him, but there was something familiar about his face.

"Hello," he said in a shaky voice. His English isn't too bad. "My name is Gojo Wakana. Welcome to Gojo Dolls."

"Thank you for having us," I thanked as I bowed back to him. "We appreciate you taking the time to show us around. I'm sure your schedule must be busy with the owner away."

"Well, it has been a bit tight, but we're always happy to show customers our work. We're very proud of our hina dolls."

I can tell he truly meant it by the way his face lit up and how excited he was as he brought us to the showroom. He took a little more time speaking, likely due to a mix of wanting to explain things properly and wanting to be sure to use the correct English terminology.

"These dolls are gorgeous," Yor praised as she examined a pair that sat together. "Did you make any of these?"

"Unfortunately, I did not," Wakana replied. "My grandfather made all these. Some of his best work will be displayed at a festival later this week to commemorate nearly fifty years of service to the community."

"That's quite the accomplishment," I praised. "You must be proud."

"Oh I am. I hope to be half as talented as he is one day."

"Papa and Mama are talented," Anya announced proudly. "Papa is really good at almost everything. Mama…tries her best. But she's still the best Mama in the world."

"Oh Anya," Yor cooed. She looked like she could burst into tears any moment.

I took her hand and gave it a light squeeze. "My wife is definitely the best," I smiled. "Mr. Gojo, do you happen to have some work that you've done we can see?"

"M…my work?" the boy stuttered. "I don't think you'd want to see that. It's not as good as…"

"We'd still like to see. Whether it's good, bad, amazing or not, we would love to see what you're passionate about."

A look of conflict washed over his face. It was almost as if he wasn't sure what to show us despite his enthusiasm about being a hina doll maker.

"What I'm passionate about…" he said in a whisper, almost as if he was asking himself. "W…wait right here."

He didn't hesitate to leave three strangers in his family's shop. This young man is quite interesting.

"Papa," Anya called as she tugged on my sleeve excitedly.

"What is it, Anya?" I asked.

"It's him," she whispered.

"Who?"

"The boy. He's the lover."

My heart stopped. What in God's name was she talking about? Whose lover? Why was she so excited? I thought I had done my research when I looked into the owner and this kid. Did I unintentionally walk us into a sex ring? Have I lost my touch already?

"I'm sorry to make you wait," Wakana said as he hurried back into the showroom. He was sweating and a little out of breath, but he still had a huge smile on his face. "If you could, please follow me."

I hesitated. Maybe we shouldn't be following him if we don't know an exit route. My reservations didn't seem to matter because Yor and Anya were blissfully and blindly following this boy into a different room.

"Right this way," Wakana said excitedly. "No need to be shy. It's just right through here."

My instincts were screaming at me to grab my wife and daughter and run out of this place. No way I was willingly walking down a dark hallway, following a complete stranger. There was no turning back at this point, I'll do whatever it takes to protect my family if the need arises. Wakana slid one more door open. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but this definitely wasn't it. The room we entered was filled with dress mannequins with different outfits. But they were…human size.

"These seem a bit big for hina dolls," Yor commented. "They're absolutely gorgeous, but they can't be for those tiny little dolls."

"They're not," someone said. "They're for me."

I turned my head toward the voice just as a young woman in a school uniform entered the room. Much like Wakana, her face looked vaguely familiar.

"Papa," Anya gasped.

I looked down at her. She looked shocked and excited at the same time. Was I missing something? "Anya, what is it?" I asked.

"It's her!"

"Who?" Yor asked.

"Hi," the blonde girl smiled as she held her hand out to me. "I'm Kitagawa Marin."

"I know you!" Yor said excitedly. "You're that girl. The one in the magazine!" She rummaged through her purse and pulled out one of Anya's magazine's. "You're the cosplayer Marine! Our daughter loves you!"

I looked at the costumes displayed around the room. Wakana had a photo reference of the inspiration along with a photo of Marin by each costume. The petite girl standing next to her towering boyfriend looked unrecognizable. This kid put so much detail and effort into these.

"You did all this on your own?" I asked.

"Y…yes sir," Wakana stuttered.

"Make-up too?"

"Yes sir."

"Incredible." That's all I could get out. This kid, just a teenager, was simply incredible. At his age, all I did was lie about my age. He was completely transforming his girlfriend's identity at a whim. I'd even say he could rival my skills.

"You're too kind."

"My Gojo is just being modest," Marin beamed as she hugged his arm. His body visibly tensed up and he started to shake. "He's amazing at everything he does. The true art is the costumes he makes. I'm just a doll he dresses up."

"K…Kitagawa!" Wakana groaned nervously. "Don't say such things! And don't you think this is too close? The little girl might get the wrong idea."

"Oops, sorry sweetie," Marin smiled as she released Wakana's arm. She squatted down so she was eye level with Anya. "You should only be this close to someone you really, really love, ok cutie?"

"KITAGAWA!"

"Mama and Papa really, really love each other and they're going to make a baby. You should too."

"Anya!" Yor and I shouted as I covered her mouth.

Other than Anya, I think I was the calmest person in the room. Her words were meant to be innocent (I think), but with them brought an awkward tension that descended on this tiny space that seemed to have gotten smaller. Marin was frozen in place with a shocked impression stuck on her face. I'm pretty sure Wakana's heart completely stopped. And Yor was awkwardly smiling, trying to brush off our darling daughter's outburst/suggestion.

"Kids these days," I laughed trying to change the mood, "they say anything that comes to mind now."

"We're still kids," Wakana blurted out. "I…I mean, we're just teenagers. We don't do…stuff like that."

"Yes! And you shouldn't until you're married!" Marin added as she sprang to her feet. "I'm so sorry, sir and ma'am. I didn't mean to put any ideas in your daughter's head."

"It's alright," Yor laughed. "She tends to come up with some crazy ideas on her own. And you don't have to call us sir or ma'am. I'm Yor Forger. This is my husband Loid and our daughter Anya. As I said earlier, our daughter loves you Miss Marin."

"Thank you, I'm always happy to meet a fan."

Marin had a bright smile. It wasn't surprising that she was so popular. She seemed to be the type to make friends with everyone she encountered. Wakana Gojo, on the other hand, looks like he would die of fright if he heard a mouse sneeze. I let Yor and Anya chat with Marin and took a closer look at the costumes.

"It must have been difficult switching from hina doll clothes to dressing an actual person," I commented without looking at the young man.

"It was at first," Wakana admitted. "Mostly taking mobility into consideration. This dress was the first I ever made for Marin." He started at what looked like a maid's outfit. "I wanted it to be perfect for her, so I worked on it whenever I had the chance - day and night. I can still remember how beautiful she looked in it."

I could see him smiling fondly at the memory in the corner of my eye. He's got a real soft spot for that girl. I looked over my shoulder at Yor as she laughed at something Marin had said. I don't blame the kid - there are some people you just can't help but love.

"You're not a fan of public displays of affection are you?" I asked.

He shook his head. "I'm not even used to the idea of having a friend, let alone a girlfriend. People think I'm weird because…" He let out a sigh. He didn't need to finish his sentence. I didn't need to be a spy to know his distrust of people stemmed from his odd hobby. "But not Kitagawa. She didn't judge me or laugh. She actually likes me. So I want to do the best I can for her. These costumes…they're the only way I know how to show the world how much I care for her."

Wakana Gojo - a seventeen year old introvert that blushes at the word "kiss." Somehow this kid ended up with the ball of energy behind us and it seems she wants the world to know about how she feels. So he's doing the same but in his own way.

"If these costumes are a testament of how you feel, then it may be the greatest love story in Japan."

He looked over at me with wide eyes. "Love?"

It dawned on me that he may not have actually told that girl he loved her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…"

"No, it's ok. I just…how do you know that's what it is?"

I thought for a moment. Really, I'd never been in love before myself. Love isn't a priority when it comes to spies. We don't form unnecessary attachments. So how did I find myself running from a spy agency with my family in another country? Is this love?

"You just know. It'll dawn on you one day when you least expect it. You'll be sitting there and suddenly realize that you love them." I wonder if these guesses I'm making now are true. How can I tell this kid I don't know what love is when I have a wife and daughter?

"Thank you," was his response just above a whisper. He suddenly laughed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry. We've only just met, so I shouldn't ask such things."

"No, it's alright. You were kind enough to show us this when we only came to see hina dolls. My daughter has been dying to meet your girlfriend. What are the chances we would meet her here of all places?"

"It must be luck. You're welcome back anytime, Mr. Forger."

"We appreciate that," I said with a smile. I held my hand out to the younger man.

He happily took my hand and shook it. We spent the next few hours looking at the costumes. Wakana even brought out his sketch book and showed us a few of the costumes he was working on - including one for Princess Honey. I happily provided insight and tips on the costume and character. They were approached by the Ostanian studio and asked to help promote the show. Apparently, they would be remaking episodes in addition to creating new story lines. Rebooting they had called it. In exchange for our help, Wakana offered to make costumes for us as well if we decided to come to the convention. I was weary about showing up at an event that people from Westalis and Ostania could possibly recognize or photograph us, but Anya was so excited. I told the young couple we would see if it fit into our schedule.

We spent hours at the shop without realizing it. As we prepared to leave, something had caught my eye. It was one of the dolls that Yor had been looking at when we first arrived. Maybe I was seeing things. Or perhaps it was a coincidence.

"Mr. Gojo," I called.

"Yes, Mr. Forger?"

"Are your dolls for sale?"

"Most are."

"How much for that one?"

Wakana looked over at me with a puzzled look. "That one? Are you sure? It's quite old. My grandfather made that before I was even born. It may even possibly be older than you."

"I'm positive."

"Then he went into the room where his very new baby daughter was sleeping. He picked her up in his arms and very slowly rocked her back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while he rocked her he sang. I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always. As long as I'm living my baby you'll be."

Even from the living room, I could hear Yor's gentle voice reading to Anya. The book was below Anya's reading level. We should be encouraging her to read more difficult books, but she really liked this one - especially when Yor read it to her. She was better at these things anyway.

I stared out the window at the night sky. The stars seemed brighter in the countryside. There were no towering buildings or street lamps to dull their beauty. It would be nice to stay here, but how long can we hide here in this safe house? True, we can build a home here, live a meager and uneventful existence in the countryside. We can get mundane jobs, send Anya to a transfer school for foreigners. We can live happily here…that is until we're caught. How long will that be? 5 years? 2? 1? I don't regret running, but I do regret not telling Yor and Anya the truth. This precarious situation with the National Unity Party can serve as a catalyst to escape Ostania and Westalis. We can say we no longer felt safe in our home country. People would understand with one exception: WISE.

The moment I called for extraction without HQs knowledge, I branded myself a deserter. These people, this life…it was a lie and I clung to it desperately. Again, I don't regret my decision. I will always choose them.

Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum.

I rubbed my chest as I felt my heart beat quicken. This feeling is odd and unfamiliar. I should be worried that my heart is racing, but I feel like adrenaline is coursing through me.

"Everything ok, Loid?"

I looked up and realized that Yor was standing in front of me. When did she get here?

"Does your chest hurt?"

I stopped the motion I was making and smiled up at her. "Just a little heartburn I think. No need to worry." She sat next to me and rested her head on my shoulder.

Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Is my heart beating faster now?

"You looked like you were really having a good time today," she said. "It's like a change in setting really loosened you up or something."

"I'll assume that was a compliment."

I felt her entire body shake as she giggled.

Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum.

"Did you take Bond out for a walk?"

I nodded and pointed to the sleeping mass of fur near the kitchen island. "He didn't stay out long. We let him roam around while we were out all day. He seems to enjoy vacationing as well."

"I wish we could live like this forever. No worries, no responsibility. Just us. We've only been here a few days and I'm already dreading going back home."

"What if we didn't?" What was I thinking? Why did I say that? I blurted the words out before I could stop myself. Quickly now, Forger. Say something.

"That would be nice," she giggled as she slid her arms around my torso. "It's a nice dream. Maybe one day we'll win the lottery and we can live in this fairy tale, but we still have people that rely on us back home. But I think as long as I'm with you, anywhere can be paradise."

Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum.

"How do you know it's love?"

"You just know. It'll dawn on you one day when you least expect it. You'll be sitting there and suddenly realize that you love them."

"Mr. Franklin?"

"That's me," I replied as I poked my head around the corner of the stand to see who was calling me. What's a mail carrier doing here this late?

"This was a late arrival." He held out a small package to me. "Have a great evening."

There was no return address on the envelope, but the initial processing stamp was from Shellbury.

"Evening," another voice greeted me. This guy looked familiar, but I couldn't remember where I'd seen him. Tall, blonde, minimal facial hair…he looked like an average guy. So why do I feel like I should know him? "You're not closed yet are you? I was hoping to get a paper."

"Oh, yea sure." I reached out to grab one of the newspapers for this guy.

"Not that one." My hand froze. "Two rows up, four papers to the right."

Specific paper? There's only one type of person that needs specific papers. "Here you go sir."

"Thanks," he smiled as he handed me money. He pointed to the crossword puzzle on the front page and laughed. "This had a crossword puzzle on the front. Isn't that funny? It's gotta be a print error! I wonder if you get something for this. Like when they make mistakes on toys and they become collectors items."

I take it back. This guy isn't a spy. He's an idiot.

"Crazy stuff in Shellbury, huh?"

Is he still here? Why is he reading that paper now? Wait, Shellbury? "What happened in Shellbury?"

"You haven't heard? A train headed for Fregis derailed in the mountains a few days ago. They're almost done cleaning up the mess. Most passengers were found and ok, but it seems there were a number of passengers missing."

My heart stopped. Wait. Wasn't Loid and his family on their way to Fregis this weekend? It couldn't be. Wait, that package. It was from Shellbury. I grabbed the package from behind the stand and quickly ripped it open. The only thing inside clattered to my counter.

"Oh man. Seems a family of three from Berlint is among the missing."

I stared down at the pin as the blood in my veins felt as if they turned to ice. It couldn't be.

"A doctor, a city hall secretary, and their young daughter."

I knew this pin. I've seen it pinned to my best friend's shirt without fail for over a decade.

"The Forgers."