Darien's POV

"Hm…you're a bit tenser than usual Darien. Something the matter?"

"Not at all. Just pardon me if I'm not all relaxed and happy when fighting you, Katori." I chuckled lowly, mentally assessing the damage the girl had done to me during our usual scuffle. Only a few harsh bruises on my arm and a few scratches here and there, nothing major. But as my eyes flicked over to the female opposite me who was panting and dusting herself off, I noticed I hadn't done much damage to her either. Oh well. Doesn't matter.

She quickly regained herself and murmured lowly, raising her head and straightening her posture to look up at me, hands on her hips. Her now messy red and yellow hair was tied back into a ponytail and she only wore a simple black vest-top, denim shorts and heavy black boots. Her face wore an ignorant cocky smirk, one eyebrow raised. "Well, dear. I must say this was fun, but I can't stay. Got a family to look after y'know, friends to see, stuff to do. We'll have to do this again sometime soon, however." She clicked her tongue and winked, turning her back on me to leave.  

I laughed at her ignorance. "Kat, I doubt you'll be going anywhere anytime soon."

This triggered her suspicion. She whirled her around to glare at me, leaning against the brick wall of an old building on this street.  The street in itself was pretty much abandoned, so nobody's here to call the police on a man and woman fighting publically. "What is THAT supposed to mean?" She demanded.

I picked up my leather jacket from the ground and dusted it off before slinging it on and stuffing my hands into the pockets. Keep her entertained until the others show up. They'd better hurry the freak up, Kat's patience runs dry pretty quickly unless with her children. And I'm not exactly her favourite person.

"Wouldn't you like to know, sweetie." I stated with a low chuckle and moved in closer towards her. She tensed and let out a low snarl, backing away.

Perfect timing.

They emerged from the corner just at that moment, 3 of them. 3 of my lower assassins. And she slammed right into them. And her own lower assassins were nowhere to be seen to help.

The largest grabbed her and held her from around her waist, causing her to scream and struggle in protest, so the other two grabbed an arm each and held them down while the largest tightened his grip on her. Rendering her defenceless and useless before she could do any damage. Her legs were still free though, and she managed to kick them in the legs, but it wasn't enough to free her.

Her groans and yelling ceased for a minute as I strolled over in front of her. Her head was hung low, and her face veiled by her brightly coloured hair. I could hear her laughing, a somewhat insane sound for someone in her situation. But her hair shielding her face wouldn't do.

I stretched one hand out to reach through her mass of fiery hair from her pony-tail to slowly put my hand under her chin and lift her face up to look at me. I was half expecting her to bite me, but she didn't. She just stared up at me defiantly with those blue eyes of hers.

"What have I done now?" She glared up at me.

I wasn't about to answer that. Mainly because I had NO idea. These were my orders only. Capture Zillah's head assassin. I was not informed why, but I intended to find out. But for now, stick to the mission. It's almost over. And it was easy.

I gave her no reply, and instead took an old cloth out from my jacket's pocket. It looked normal, but instantly her eyes widened, knowing what I intended to do with it. She pressed her lip into a firm line and tried and failed resisting as I tied it around her head, gagging her. What she was unaware of was that it had been soaked in with a rather strong sleeping drug earlier.

"There. That'll shut you up." I smirked triumphantly at her, taking pleasure in the rage that I could practically feel waving off her.

But it didn't last. She was sound asleep by the time we got her into the car and had started driving.

--------


"Maybe it's time you went to see her now?"

I shook my head. I wasn't feeling too eager for it. I'd surely be in for an argument with her. Plus, I had done my job. Brought her to my boss. What he decided to do with her was his own business, but he got us ALL involved. An old abandoned warehouse in the middle of nowhere in this blaring heat.

A warehouse. Of all the places. I had seen the place; it looked rather threatening to me. But if it looked simply threatening to me, it must have been far worse for Kat.

I suddenly had a change of heart. "Actually…do you mind if I do go and see her?" Of course I'd be allowed by my boss. I'm his head assassin, and from my earlier refusal to go inside that place, the others may have been thinking I was chickening out. They had quite eagerly gone inside to taunt and beat Zillah's head assassin that had always evaded them. Evaded them all, but me. I could fight her. They couldn't. She's smart and fast when fighting, and her temper does wonders to her.

But now I doubt that fiery temper I was used to was doing anything for her. I was granted permission to go and see our captive, so I quickly hopped into my car from the hotel that we were staying in, making the short drive from the tiny, somewhat run-down town to the warehouse in the middle of what may seem like a desert. But it wasn't really, that was just this summer heat. Close enough, however. The guards who were perched outside the warehouse dismissed me and waved their hands, allowing me to go in. You could tell the heat was getting to them.

I wandered my way over to the large, ominous doors, laying my hand on the handles, but not pulling them open yet. I knew she lay in there, my victim and the one I am now holding captive. She must have stopped struggling against the handcuff that kept her in place for I could no longer hear the clang of the metal cuffs against the pipe, and her screams of fear have stopped. Of course she wasn't screaming in fear of my lesser assassins...of course not, she has too much pride, knowing she's above them to be in fear of them. She doesn't fear me. But she's wary. We're on the same level, equally matched, and she knows that.

But no, her screams...were due to her fear of the place she was now being held captive in. A big, old, abandoned warehouse. She hated them; she fears them, for reasons unknown. Well, apart from the reason that her screams and every other single little noise echoes everywhere.

Yes, Katori certainly hates it here. And god knows how my boss found out her fear of this place. All I knew was my mission. Take the others, ambush her, and hold her captive here, in a warehouse in the middle of nowhere.
I sighed and opened the doors; they creaked loudly, making the female in the corner raise her head.

Geez. She was a sight for sore eyes. Usually perfectly pretty with a cocky smirk on her face, she was now beaten down...a train-wreck. She had a black eye and various scratches and bruises all over her body...I even noticed a small trail of dried blood coming from her mouth. She glared at me as I walked in towards her.
"Hah. Hahahaha. Come to gloat, have we?" She leaned her head back before jerking it forward to spit at me. Ew. There was blood mixed in with her saliva.

Ok, the others did NOT go easy on her, that was plain to see.

"No, really, just came to...inspect what we're going to do with you. Or maybe…what THEY'VE already done to you."

She raised a sceptical eyebrow. "I don't even see the point in dragging me here in the first place. I haven't done a thing to any of you. Nor have my own assassins. Or even Zillah." She narrowed her blue eyes at me. "So unless I have a valid reason, I'm not letting any of you do ANYTHING to me."

So stubborn. I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Anyone could come in at this moment and punch her belly in and she would be defenceless, but I held my tongue. I actually didn't feel like provoking an argument with her.
Instead, I kept silent, and when she realised I held no answer, she slumped her body against the radiator behind her with an agonized moan. I couldn't help but notice how hoarse her voice was...or the marks on her neck and shoulders. One was in the shape of an x. Well, at least they weren't bleeding anymore.

She mumbled something out now, and she was repeating it, yet I could barely make out what she was saying. Eventually she got louder. "I want to go home...I want to go HOME."
I sighed and bent down to glare into her face, and as per usual, she responded with a glare back and a low growl.
"Unusually quiet today Darien. Strange."

"I have nothing to say about...you." I expected her to bark back a snippy response as I looked her beaten body up and down, or at least to spit at me again. Instead she sighed and released her tensed muscles, slumping again, but being held up in that awkward sitting position due to the handcuff.

I sighed, standing up again; nothing too interesting going on at the minute. Nobody's hurting her and nobody's here to rescue her...yet. Because she's certainly not getting out of this by herself. Nobody drilling her with questions to get information about Zillah's motives. Nothing. Leaving her to rest for now. And my boss...he'll be here soon. And THEN the questions, arguments and torture will begin. I didn't eagerly anticipate it as much as the boys, but instead just wanted to get it done and by with.

"Alright." I drew myself from her, stepping back. "I will inform you if I find out why you were brought here."

I turned to leave, but stopped near the entrance when I heard her frail cry 'wait' from behind. Turning my head to look at her, her face was obviously panicked- I was leaving her here, in the dark warehouse of her nightmares. But then she regained her normal attitude and looked at me disdainfully. "Thanks."

"Try not to scream too much."

Now she was angry.

I quickly walked out the door and shut her back into darkness, just after catching her breathing out in a low, deadly, hoarse tone, "I hate you more than I can EVER scream."

Jesus. She really knows how to creep someone out.

--------

I didn't sleep well in the night. At all, really. For one, my bed is seriously uncomfortable. And the sheet's too thin for the temperature-drop in the night. And I can hear the others. Oh dear god, they won't shut up. Screaming, yelling and cheering and ughh. They won't be quiet. It's impossible to get sleep here. And I swear, they're partying because the 'red-headed devil' has been captured…

I wonder if she's sleeping…nah, probably not. Chained awkwardly to a radiator. Must be hard to sleep…not to mention that my boss allocated guards to make sure she behaves herself. And they were given full permission to put her in her place if she makes any remarks. Though we all know they'd hurt her without her even breathing a word.

I groaned and flipped over, lying on my belly and pulling the pillow over my head, trying to block out the noise.

My nights continued like this in the following days.
And in the mornings, I had dark circles under my eyes that intensified each day. I groaned, leaning against the wall inside the warehouse, my cigarette hanging out of my mouth. I had sent the others outside, and judging the mood I had been in recently, they left without argument. So now it was just me and her.

I watched her for a long while, and she watched back warily. I had been coming back; a bit more comfortable with seeing the one I hated the most fade even more each day.

But I was never one to enjoy dragging silences, and before long, I was in front of her again.

I chuckled and knelt down over my victim. She squirmed slightly, but the exhaustion and weakness had gotten to her. Her wounds from earlier days were still there but her neat hair that had been tied up was now loose and messy, sprawled over her shoulders and face.

"Get away from me."
Her voice was cracked and hoarse; hm. I know they hadn't been feeding her, but they were forcing her to drink, not wanting her to die yet. Her voice must be hoarse from all the screaming and yelling and arguing she's been doing. I wonder how she gets to sleep at night.

Actually, they definitely don't let her sleep. Oh well.

I raised my hand to stroke her cheek gently, before removing the cigarette from my mouth and blowing smoke in her face. She winced, turning her head away from me now, grinding her teeth in disgust.

I couldn't help but laugh softly as I leaned into her ear to whisper, smoke still spewing from my mouth as I did so, "Shhh...hush now. Don't think you'll be leaving any time soon..."

The response I got was not expected. She slumped as far as the handcuff would let her with a long, low moan.

I rolled my eyes. "Nothing better to say?"

She shook her head in response. Pathetic.

I think I surprised her however when I sat down next to her against the cold radiator.  "Don't sit like that for too long, you'll do even more damage to yourself."

She sat up silently, closing her eyes for a moment while I simply smoked my cigarette, watching her. Her eyes suddenly snapped open and she turned her head with a ferocious snarl and a deathly glare.

"W-why…do you c-care?"

Her voice was all stutters and hoarse, I could barely make out what she was saying, despite the water they had been forcing her to drink. "Care? I don't." I shrugged lazily, turning my gaze from her horribly bruised and scratched face, blowing more smoke, away from us this time.

But she shook her head at me. "Nonono…y-you haven't even t-touched me. I would of t-thought that y-you would…at least k-kick me or something while I c-can't fight back."

I raised a brow at her. "Yeah, but that would be easy. The only reason those guys like beating you is because you keep getting away from them. They've never fought you before, and are just relishing the time whilst you're defenceless. I, however, find no fun in that. I prefer you fighting back; it's so much better than beating a half-dead person."

She sat in silence, watching me for a long moment, so I watched her back. Her usually bright blue eyes were now dull and almost-lifeless, yet there was still a spark of defiance and hope in them. She was fading, and fading fast, but not quite at the same time. Her irises twitched in a few directions, looking at me; searching for something. What though, I have no idea. It must have been difficult, as her black eye was now swollen so she was squinting a little.

I got tired of the silence easily however and turned around, avoiding her gaze. "However, I'm not here for much. I just want to know what you done to end up here."

"Nothing." She sighed.

"Don't lie to me." I folded my arms and glared at her. She glared back, moving her long, bruised legs- with some difficulty, I noticed. They seemed stiff.

"Not l-lying."

"Well, you must have done something. Why else would you be here?"

She suddenly glared accusingly at me. "T-that's what you t-told me you'd find out f-for me."

Okay, true. And I hadn't exactly bothered.  "Eheh…oops?"

She sighed again, raising her one hand to rub at her throat. "Forget it."

We sat there for a while, and I could feel her gaze staring at me. Eventually I turned around and leaned up into her face, snapping, "What? What is it you want from me? I could easily leave you for dead here, and I'd be rid of you for good."

"You won't though. And th-they won't either. They want something from m-me. I just d-don't know what."
Smart. "Sorry. I should of found out, I just haven't bothered." I shrugged again.

"Y-you're horrible."

This pathetic insult was all it took to make me burst out laughing. She raised an eyebrow at me I spluttered smoke and took the time to regain my breath.

"Ohhh geez. You sound just like normal. Insulting me."

"Well duh." She shrugged, before moving her handcuffed wrist back and forth. "Darien…"

I pursed my lip, throwing my cigarette on the ground and moving on leg to stomp on it. "Yeah?"

"How long has it been now?"

I should have seen this question coming. I cleared my throat. "Uhh... a week and a half."

This seemed to evoke more emotions for her. She dropped her head so her messy hair covered her face. Her shoulders began shaking and it was only when I heard a sob I realized she had burst into tears.

I stood up now. She stopped the loud sobbing and instead looked up at me pathetically, tears still streaming from her face. She mouthed some words, but no sound came out, but I realized what she was trying to say.

"Help me."

I left her alone again.

--------

Normal POV

Zillah was fuming.

"How LONG have you known where she's been?!!"

Her angry voice rang out across the room and each of her assassins remained in silence.

"Tell me or I'll have every last one of your heads sliced off."

Amadeus cleared his throat then. "Not for long Zillah. We found their written plans when we broke into their old quarters. They accidentally left it behind, and nobody was there so we can assume they've gone where they took her."

Zillah snarled and turned on him. "Stupid! It was NO accident that much is obvious!" She shook her head, clenching her fists into balls. "They want something. And they want to lead us right up to her."

"So what do YOU say we do Zillah?" Alec asked, absently watching Celeste file her nails. "I mean…there will obviously be guards and stuff there. And then we figure out how to get her out."

"Oh please. It's simple. We take them by surprise, fight our way in; someone grabs her and makes a bolt for it while we finish off whoever fights back. Amadeus, I think it'll be better you help her out, you're stronger and could carry her easily and ward off anyone who tries to take her back. "

Amadeus nodded. "Sure, sureeee."

"Quite a simple plan if you ask me, Zillah. I guess we won't be sticking around to find out what they want." Celeste murmured.

"Certainly not. They want something and they're not getting it, regardless of what it is. I couldn't care less the reason why they took her alone, but as long as we get her back without stopping for conversation, things will be fine, aye?"

Her assassins all murmured their agreement, turning to talk in small groups amongst themselves except for Rei, one of the youngest, who sat with a tired gaze towards Zillah. She sighed and turned her head to her boss's nephew Ares, who was also partly her mentor along with Kat when she had been younger and still in training.

"Ares. Do you think we'll lose anyone trying to get Kat back?"

"I doubt it Rei, don't worry. It's a pretty straightforward plan. They won't see us coming, and we'll get Kat back to her family."

"They worried." Rei sighed again, her gaze drifting to her hands. "I bumped into all her siblings in the one go…Karoki, Haiku…Sandi. Even her two half-brothers Jay and Rydian.  They were all tired…and they looked so sad. Apparently her children are even worse. They want their mother back."

"Yeah, and don't worry. We'll get her back to them. What could go wrong?"

--------

Darien's POV

"They're on their way."

"What?" I yawned; drowsiness was ebbing at my head and a good amount of my limbs were aching from a lack of good sleep.

"Darien. They're finally coming to pick their girl up."

It took me a few seconds to comprehend what my boss was saying. "Oh." Zillah had come to pick her up. "That's great." I tried to sound enthusiastic, but I was tired and it came out sounding rather sarcastic.

I turned to face him; he was looking at me with a concerned frown. "Darien, have you been alright? I know you haven't been getting much sleep...but…"

"I'm fine. I can still fight and all. Just tell me the plan, and I'll be set."

"No…" He frowned more, but I noticed a speckle of suspicion glinting in his eye. "Darien, for the first few days you refused to look at her, while your fellow assassins took advantage of the situation. I expected you to do the same, but for the past few days, you've been going in there and taking up shifts to watch her. Really, is everything ok?"

Oh hell no. Now I'm angry. The previous tiredness in my face and voice is replaced by a scowl and seething sarcastic words. "Oh, everything's just dandy. Y'know, for the past few days, I was just sitting there, lazing around and not doing my job, having a nice little conversation with our hostage? It's nice, isn't it? Who knew, it turns out I can actually have a conversation with her, and we have stuff in common, wow!"

Well, alright, the majority of that was true, and it had snaked out of my mouth before I could think of what I was saying. Yes I had been sitting talking to her, but it was still a hostile conversation. We do not get along. And really, we have no common ground. Well…I know Kat hates her boss, and I might just be joining her on that boat. One common ground, then. I could only hope he didn't take this seriously.

He didn't seem to.

He held his two hands up. "Easy, Darien. I'm not questioning your loyalty." Hah. Yes he was. "I just wanted to make sure…"

I stuffed my hands into my pockets and glared at him. "Make sure of what, eh?"

"That you were not befriending the enemy. Bad things happen when you do that. I've seen it all before. Traitors." He narrowed his eyes. "Traitors, backstabbers and rebels."

Rebels? Tch, he doesn't want a rebel amongst his assassins. Well, if he continues the way he's going, I might as well just get Kat, take her out of here myself and we'd rebel ourselves.

The fact that that's a rather inviting idea at the minute scares me.

"Whatever. Just give me the plan." I rolled my eyes.

"Well…they'll obviously slam their way in, grab her and leave. Or they'll want to. But we're not going to let them. I'll have everyone ready and waiting outside the warehouse…when you hear the yells, that means they've arrived and started fighting without conversation.

"Right. Wait, hear the yells? What will I be doing then?"

"You will be the only one inside the warehouse. You will have to be prepared for anyone who tries to break in. Don't let them get her."

He's sticking me in there? He's testing me then.

How dare him. I decided then and there I didn't like him. Well, I honestly never have. But this is even worse now.

I'll have to choose how I act on this situation.

"Sure. When do I go down there?"

He checked the clock on the wall. "Everyone's already positioned." Really? Zillah must be on her way fast then. "Go now." He reached for my hand and dumped the keys to the warehouse and Kat's handcuffs in my hand. I shoved it in my pocket and turned gruffly to leave without another word until he stopped me.

"Darien Quinn. Don't mess this up. Or there will be hell to pay."

Right. Got that.

-----

It had taken ages, but it finally started. I could hear them screaming and shouting as they ran straight into our little troops. We must have warded them off pretty well at first because it took a while until the first bash to the door occurred. I stood up from where I was crouched; beside Kat. She was whimpering and shaking; on the verge of tears I could see. But I was surprised at how calmly she had listened to me. She had learned to do that over the past few days, I guess. She realized I talked more sense than she realized. Tch. I really didn't want to be nice to her. But I had to.

"Shhh…" I awkwardly leaned over her to brush her mass of hair out of her eyes. "It'll be over soon, I swear." 3 more bashes to the door. She let out a hoarse squeal and curled up into a ball as much as she could.

I sighed and glanced at my knife, reluctantly putting it back in my pocket. It only took a few more bashes until one of Zillah's larger assassins made his way in, took one look at me and prepared himself to fly across the distance between us and the entrance and slash my throat.

"Close the door."

The male stopped short then and raised an eyebrow and I held up both my empty hands, showing I was unarmed. "What? What's your game?"

"Amadeus...d-do it."

He hesitated and gazed down at Kat; I noticed his mouth gape open at the sight of her, before he snarled and slammed the door behind him. Nobody followed.

He stalked over to us warily, his eyes flicking over me, still clutching his rather large knife. "What the hell have you done to her? I swear I'm gonna cut you up-"

"Calm down stupid. I haven't even touched her." I rolled my eyes, dropping my hands to place them on my hips. "And I'm going to need your cooperation if we're going to help her AND get out of here unscathed." I reached into my pocket and then dangled the keys from two fingers. When I his face still looked somewhat blank, I scoffed, "Handcuffs, stupid."

Realization dawned over his face and he let out a low snarl, obviously thinking he would have to fight to get them, and not taking in anything else I said. I sighed and chucked the keys at him, smirking at his confused expression as he caught it. "Were you not listening? Jesus. I'm HELPING you. Did you not get it the first time? Sheesh."

"Darien." Kat's frail voice made me snap my gaze back to her. "D-don't hassle Amadeus. Amadeus, he i-is helping us, a-alright? N-now let me out. They've g-gone quiet outside."

It was true. You could only hear voices outside now. Zillah's crew must have been pushed back and were forced to converse over the 'issue' that must be resolved. This means they'll know Amadeus is here, and are counting on him, whilst my group doesn't know and are counting on me to bring the prisoner out to taunt them.

Screw that, I never was one for following rules anyway.

I chuckled and nodded my head towards Kat and Amadeus quickly bent down and fumbled clumsily with the keys. It took him quite a while to get those stupid handcuffs off her wrist that had kept her in place, chained her to a radiator for so long. She gasped, more out of relief than anything else and let out a semi-laugh sort of noise. Her breathing increased slightly, though the sound was raspy as she looked at her wrist- rubbed red raw from the handcuffs.

"C'mon…up you get." Amadeus spoke softly to her; why? I'd just order her around, no matter what state she was in. But then again…I guess he's used to taking orders from her.

Kat coughed and spluttered a little before rasping harshly, "M-my legs. T-they hurt s-so much…I c-can't stand up."

Oh yeah. Just a few days ago they were pretty stiff, but from being in that position for so long without having the energy to stand up, it must be excruciatingly painful for her to walk. She was his head assassin, but due to her state, I guess I would have to fill in for her.

"Listen. I don't like you, and you don't like me, but we need to get out of here, so you will do as I say because I know the place more than you. Agreed?" He nodded. Surprise, surprise. "Right. Pick her up for starters."

He did as he was told. He picked her up as gently as he could, wincing whenever she made a small yelping noise of pain.

"Right, here's the plan. My car is around the back of this place. Are you fast?"

Amadeus shrugged his shoulders somewhat. "I'm not slow."

"That'll have to do." I groaned. "Right, as soon as we hear someone coming to get her, I'll warn you. Then when whoever it is, I'll sort them out and we run like crazy behind the warehouse to my car. We'll get through that run down town and to her home…well, not home, a hospital first. From there you can phone Zillah and say you've got her, and we can tell her family."

He nodded. "Got it. You've thought this through. I still don't get why you're helping people you hate, though."

"To be honest, I don't know myself…wait…get ready to run, someone's coming."

We fell silent, Kat's hoarse nervous breathing the only significant sound.

"Darieeeeeeen! Time to bring her ouuut!"

I groaned. It was Calyx. Stupid idiot. He was probably one of the more 'favoured' assassins. Bloodthirsty. But he's a total twat in my eyes. This is why I certainly didn't regret jamming him in the stomach with my elbow and running like a mad person to my car with Amadeus right behind me.

I heard them yelling as I forced my car to screech into overdrive, getting away from them as quickly as possible. But nobody followed. Not yet.

But this would be a long drive until we got home.

And Kat? Curled up in the back of my car. I don't know if she was sleeping or had passed out.

-------

Normal POV

The silence in the room was almost unbearable. The only sound that could be heard was the quiet beeping of the heart monitor. She wasn't dead. Just sleeping.
Attached to her arms were many different complex devices, also a drip filled with water. Just yesterday it had been changed from blood to water, however Kat's body was still bruised and beaten.

And she seemed to struggle to stay awake. She would only be awake for about 10 minutes until she blacked out again. And even when she was awake, she didn't have much sense to talk properly, or know where she was and what was happening.

But she was never quite alone.

Darien never left her side. He made sure Amadeus let Zillah know what had happened, and to his smugness, Zillah said how impressed she was when he left and his boss had been screeching bloody murder after him.

But when her family had been alerted, chaos was sprung. With such a large family, they couldn't all see her at once, so it had been a long, torturous few days, requiring Darien to repeat over and over to each group what had happened. Plus there was nothing really happening, all she was doing was resting her aching bones.

Today it was her siblings. Karoki, Haiku, Sandi, and her half brothers, Jay and Rhydian.

She was still asleep, but now the eldest, Rhydian, sat next to her bed stroking her forehead and face with his fingertips and murmuring things to her that she couldn't hear-something he used to do when she was a baby that comforted her. Jay stood behind him watching, but clutching Sandi's smaller form in a tight hug as they watched their sisters' heart monitor. Haiku sat at the end of the bed, watching her, and also watching Karoki, who had grabbed a chair and placed it next to the bed. His face was covered by his hair, as he had face planted into the bed and had not moved, besides gripping his little sisters hand.

While Darien sat in the corner, watching. He grimaced slightly, and turned his head, not wanting to watch the 'happy' family who love their sister so.

And it stayed like that for another ten minutes…until she stirred.

The doctors had said she should be waking up properly around this time, and it would seem they were right. Karoki's head raised as he felt his sister grip his hand back, and Rhydian's stroking stopped. The others tensed up and they watched her slowly move her head an inch back and forth before her bright blue eyes flew open.

Darien strolled over now; taking in her face. It was the look of shock, but as she blinked her vision clear, he noticed her eyes moving slowly from side to side, taking in the environment she was in, and the faces around her.  She gripped Karoki's hand tighter.

"It's…bright…where am I?"

Her voice was clear now, not hoarse. She was still in bad shape, but nowhere near that broken, defeated, dying person she had been just about a week ago. Her before diluted and hazy eyes were now bright and alive once again.

And suddenly they were all upon her, laughing and soothing her. Karoki nuzzled his face into her cheek and Rhydian began stroking her forehead again as Haiku, Sandi and Jay all rushed in for an awkward hug with their sister, whose expression was completely baffled.

And that's when Darien's phone rang. He reached into his pocket, looked at the name on the screen and grimaced. Karoki looked up and raised a brow.

"I need to take this…" he sighed and walked out of the room, prepared for the wrath of his boss's voice down the phone.

Kat mumbled as her thoughts cleared up and she began to realize what had happened and where she was. She sat up, trying to suppress a groan at the ache in her back as she did so as she took in her lower body. Her arms were full of cuts and bruises that would heal in time. She realized she was wearing one of those baggy, ugly hospital gowns and tugged at the collar of it. "I wanna go home."  

Karoki laughed. "Sis, you've just woken up properly. We're just glad to have you back. You've been gone for ages, and now you've been sleeping for ages."

Kat frowned at him. "Well, that was a nice rest, but now I feel alive and better than ever, so make the doctors let me go home."

"Ordering everyone around and having a moan. Yep, we have Kat back. She's gonna be fine." Jay sniggered.

Kat huffed. "I'm hungry too." Suddenly she snapped her head up straight. "My kids. Where are they?" She whined, looking around back and forward.

"Calm down, they're back at home. Everyone's been visiting you, but you were sleeping. We didn't want them to see you in such a state so we waited a little before bringing them here. They're happy. They missed their mother."

This seemed to calm her down a bit more, as she rested her head against the pillow again, but she was still frowning.

"I want to talk to Darien."

Haiku grumbled. "Look, I know he helped and all…but I still don't like him."

Kat smiled. "I know. He's horrible." She was earned a few strange looks. "But I still want to talk to him."

"Right…well, we're starved. I really hope you don't mind us leaving you with him sis, we'll be back soon and see if we can get you out." Karoki stood up properly and leaned down to peck his sisters' cheek.  

"…Could you bring me some food too please? Pleeeeeease?" Kat pouted.

Rhydian smirked back at his little sister as they all stood up to leave. "We'll ask and see what the doctor says."

And they left her, relieved that their sister was alive. But as Kat waited for Darien to return, she began to get bored and began testing her limits. She stretched her arms out as far as they would go, and wriggled around. She eventually came to the conclusion that the only areas that were hurting that would set her back were her legs which ached only slightly, her back which was hurting like hell and the pounding headache she got from turning her head too quickly.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. You could pass out, y'know. You haven't got a bandage on your head for nothing."

Darien's sarcastic voice announced his return, and Kat slumped her head in his direction, pursing her lips. "Gee. Thanks. I'm already prone to passing out, I know how to deal with that. Stupid."

"Ouch. I wouldn't be calling the one who helped save your life stupid, y'know. I'd be on my knees thanking them." He smirked.

"Uh, no. No, you wouldn't, and I would never do that either."

"I guess not." Darien sighed and pulled up the chair that Karoki had been sitting on before and sat next to the bed. "I just got off the phone to my boss. He said I'm in trouble, but he wants me back with him."

Kat raised a brow. "And you're going back?"

"…Yes, but not for long. I'm not staying with them, no. And I had to lie about staying here in the hospital with you." He groaned, before yawning. "Didn't get as much as a peaceful sleep as you did either."

"Sorry." She shrugged her shoulders before sighing and slumping her posture down onto her bed. "What now?"

"We go back to how it was before."

"But it's not like before. Not anymore."

"Well, pretend until we form a new plan. I'm not staying with my little assassin 'clan'. I'm going to gather the others who dislike our boss's orders to see if we can rebel and create something of our own. Something better. Are you going to be involved with this or not?"

Kat hesitated before nodding. "Yes. I will and even if you DO gather some of your little rebels, there's still some who will refuse, right?"

"Right. Some are too stuck up in the head to leave. Like Calyx. He was coming for you, he wanted me to hand you over to him, probably so he could kill you in front of Zillah."

"Ew. I wouldn't have let him."

"You weren't exactly in the state to even protest then, Kat. But what about YOUR losers?"

"MY losers follow ME not Zillah. Seems I have more control out of the two of us. They listen to me."

"Well, goodie for you." Darien rolled his eyes. "Even less of mine will listen to me, after what I done for you. "

"Heh." Kat folded both her arms behind her head with a cocky smirk. "So why did you do it? I knew you cared."

"I don't care Kat. I could of left you to die there, and would of. But I knew I would miss our fights. I wouldn't miss you." He crinkled his nose. "But I would miss our fights. It's fun, nobody fights like you."

"I know, I'm pretty darn amazing, aren't I?"

Darien groaned. "Don't make me take that pillow from underneath your head and smother you while I have the chance."

Kat giggled. "Hey, Darien?"

"Yeah?"

"Y'know how you busted me outta that warehouse? Could you do that again, and bust me outta this hospital?"

Darien smirked. "Don't count on it. Be patient, you'll be out sooner than you think. And you'll be home…with your nice big family that loves you…and your brothers and sisters…and your kids…" Darien trailed off and sighed.

"…You don't have any family, do you?"

Darien blinked twice, turned his head to Kat and frowned at her. "No. I don't know what it's like. The closest thing I have to family is the clan. I was raised to be head assassin."

"…And now you're leaving it behind?"

"I guess so. But I'm leaving it because I want to. I find I have no ties left within the clan."

"That's sad."

"Oh, don't pity me."

"Fine, I won't."

"…You gave up too easily."

"Oh that's right, I need to put up a fight, don't I?" Kat grinned. "Because that's something that'll return to normal soon, right? Punching each other as soon as we lay eyes on one another?"

"Sure." Darien chuckled. "Better let that black eye fully heal first, though."

Kat laughed and shoved his arm. "Stop it, you're horrible. I don't feel pretty anymore." She made a whimpering sound whilst pouting her bottom lip.

"You don't look it anymore either." He laughed as she shoved him again.

"I hate you, Darien."

"I hate you too Katori." He smirked as he ruffled up her fluffy red-and-yellow hair.

"Miss Whitewater?"

A doctor had appeared from seemingly nowhere, and he looked at the duo with slight nervousness. Kat raised an eyebrow, noticing this but not knowing why, but Darien knew it was just because he had threatened this same doctor 3 days ago, for doing incorrect tests on Kat's blood. He had apparently been 'interested' in her elongated fangs (which were retractable, but seeing as she had been asleep, she couldn't hide them), but Darien made sure he did was he was supposed to do, and no more.

"Actually…I'm a Mrs, but then my second name wouldn't be Whitewater, so. Yes, I am the infamous Miss Katori Marah Whitewater, how can I help you today?" She flashed the doctor a wide smile, showing off her teeth. Her fangs were retracted now, but due to her being a shapeshifter, her canines were still longer than the average person. Darien couldn't help sniggering as he watched him waver before going to detach her from her drip and from the heart monitor.

"Er…you've been discharged from the hospital, Miss."

"So quickly?! Woah."

Darien chuckled and nudged her with his elbow. "I told you so. I can work magic."

The doctor cleared his throat. "Yet you still have to keep that bandage on your forehead for another two or three days. Any others are irrelevant and you are free to take them off. You still may have aches and pains in your legs and back and if it gets worse, come back…and you'll still have head trauma, so try and take things easy in case you pass out."

Kat rolled her eyes impatiently. "Yeah, yeah, I KNOW that. Get to the point!"

The doctor began stuttering over his words, clearly put off by Kat's rude and hostile attitude. "You've been prescribed painkillers. The instructions are on the box…your brother has taken it home for you. And he also dropped off some of your clothes for you. So you can get changed in that changing room over there and leave as soon as you're ready, thank you!" He rushed the last sentence and dumped Kats bag of clothing on the end of her bed before darting off.

"…Jesus, Darien. I'm not sure about these 'professional doctors'. They seem like such twits. I think I would make a GREAT nurse though!"

Darien rolled his eyes and stood up as she slid out of bed, brushing herself off. "Yeah, you've got the look, but that's about it. You'd just overdose everyone."

"Exactly. Put them out of their misery." She grumbled, throwing the hospital gown over her head, leaving her in her underwear. "To hell with this ugly thing!"

Darien sighed. "Kat, he said there's a changing room right there, you stupid girl."

"Oh, who needs changing rooms?" She smirked. "Or am I distracting you from being your normal grumpy self who stands in corners and broods over stuff nobody will understand?" She giggled, grabbing her sweater from the bed and pulling it over her head.

"Of course not. You have nice tattoos by the way."

"Aww thank you! I have six of 'em. My friend Zach did them for me!"

She threw on the rest of her clothes, snuggling into the warmth. "Ahhh…clothes. It feels nice." She frowned before brushing her hair quickly with her fingers and fixed her fringe over her slightly purple-ish coloured eye.

"Right. Ready to leave the hell-hole?"

"Darien. This isn't a hell-hole. A hell-hole is that…WAREHOUSE…that you stuck me into."

"Sorry. I didn't even realize you had a fear of those places. But he did so eh."

"Well, you wouldn't understand." Kat said as they walked out of the hospital. Darien was about to answer, but Kat just gulped in mouthfuls of air. "Ahh feels like forever since I've been able to breathe!" She laughed.

Darien rolled his eyes. "Get over yourself, Kat. You're such a drama queen."

"You would be the same." Her expression suddenly turned serious. "But Darien, thank you. You really have helped me."

"Sure." He shrugged. "Whatever, now can we please just go away from this stupid hospital?"

"Right!" Kat grabbed his wrist and dragged him off. "You're coming home with me by the way!"

"Oh god help me, I have to suffer the Whitewater household…"

"We're not that bad, actually." She laughed. "I swear, nobody will punch you."

"Well…that's alright I guess. But after this…until we have a better plan, Kat, we act normally."

"Got it, no worries."

As Kat dragged a protesting Darien down the street towards the secluded area that held her large house with an expecting family awaiting a member to return, a figure watched from a distance.

Zillah shoved her hands into the pockets of her long jacket. Her scarred face was twisted into a horrible grimace as she watched with her icy eyes. She tutted.

"Oh dear, Katori. You always did choose bad company, didn't you?"