Teena: *moderate mad giggling* Okay, the part I'm SURE you've all been waiting for! The arrival of Edward!

Duo: I'm going to KILL that damn cat... Edward's a fucking PSYCHO.

CNShini: Hah, you can't kill me. I'm the Cat of Death!

Teena: Cat of Death?

CNShini: Cat is equivalent to God, so it doesn't matter.

Teena: ...Point taken. And Duo, HEERO is a psycho. So are you. He'll fit in.

Duo: Say it with me, Teena. Master vampire Heero. The supernatural bounty hunter will NOT fit in.

Danse Macabre-Part 3

By the time Anita and Quatre were finished, it was hours past dawn. As
Anita led the exhausted blond into a bedroom, she saw Heero sitting in
a corner of the office, cleaning a gun. Anita tucked Quatre into bed,
then walked out into the main office again. She walked over to sit near
Heero.

"Beretta?"

"Hai."

"I don't speak Japanese, Taichi."

"Hai means yes."

"Thanks. Beretta's a bit bulky for me. I've got a friend that uses it,
though."

"Hn. My hands are bigger than yours."

"No, really?" Anita replied sarcastically. "What's with you? You were
a lot more talkative before."

Heero sighed and put the gun away as he looked up at Anita. "My friends
are used to certain behaviors from me. I've been slipping back into my
old habits since coming back here, but if I keep acting the way I once
did, they'll worry. The only me they know is the icy, silent bastard
who cares about nothing but the mission. I can't afford to shake their
image of me, because they have to trust me to get them back where they
belong."

"It hurts you to act that way, doesn't it?" Anita asked with sharp
insight. "I can tell you care about them. You're afraid they'll reject
the real you, aren't you?"

"Anita, they are the first friends I've had in a long time. They don't
know what I am, so they treat me like I'm human. I'm sure you've been
with Jean-Claude long enough to know how much that can mean."

"It's like chocolate, Taichi, too much of it isn't good for you. Sooner
or later, YOU'LL start thinking you're human, but you're not. You were
human once, but you never will be again."

"I know that. I've known it for centuries. I don't think a few decades
of being treated like I'm human is going to rub out all of that."

"Better safe than sorry. You're gonna have to tell them after this.
Quatre knows now, I told him like you wanted me to. You're going to have
to do things to get them home that aren't normal to them. You can't hide
any more."

"I know," Heero said with a sigh. "Everything has to come out now. All
because of some fucking accident. I would've had to leave in a year or
two, anyway, before they could notice that I don't age."

"Shit happens. Look, I'm exhausted, Taichi, I need some rest. I'm heading
home. I'll be back tonight."

"Ryoukai."

"And stop with the Japanese. I've already got Jean-Claude trying to teach
me French, I don't need anymore languages."

"Naturellement, ma cherie. I'll try to stop," Heero replied with a wicked
smile. Anita huffed and shot him a glare as she headed for the door.

"Why are all the masters I meet bastards?"

"Luck of the draw? Or perhaps it's simply that all masters are bastards."

"I think I'll go with the second one," Anita replied as she walked out.
"It seems more likely."

Anita caught Heero's chuckle as she left, shaking her head. Once she
was down the steps and safely out of earshot, she let herself laugh quietly.
"Charming bastards, but bastards nonetheless."

Anita walked out to her car, climbed in, and started the ignition. With
one last look at the club, she drove off. Weaving through the traffic, she
took off for home. She had had complaints about her driving, but as far as
she was concerned, if you had enhanced reflexes, why not use them? It sure
made getting places faster.

Soon enough, she reached the turnoff to her house. It was back from the
road a little way, for safety. She'd never quite been sure just WHOSE
safety, though. Screeching to a halt in front of her house, Anita climbed
out and slammed the door. Rummaging for her keys, Anita walked up to the
porch.

"Ha! Found 'em!" Anita exclaimed triumphantly as she pulled out her house
keys. Anita unlocked the front door and walked into her house, only to be
confronted by the sight of a man sitting on her couch.

"Dammit Edward, can't you ever just wait outside?"

"Why should I? It's much more comfortable in here."

Anita sighed. "Forget it. Why are you here?"

"I'm working."

"What are you after?" Anita asked.

"Wereleopard."

"Edward, I'm Nimir-Ra, their protector, I can't-"

Edward held up a hand, palm outward. "Hear me out. It's not one of yours,
it's a rogue from another state. I tracked it here."

Anita relaxed. "Oh. Sorry, but I don't know of any new leopards in town.
It's probably hiding."

"Probably. I just thought I'd let you know."

"I appreciate it. I've met another Beretta fan, by the way. I'd introduce
you, but you'd probably kill each other."

"Oh? Tell me more. What makes you think I couldn't just take him out?"

"He's a master vampire, for one thing. Old, too."

"A master who uses guns? Unusual. I think I'd like to see that. Would you
take me if I promised to behave?"

"Depends. You gonna keep the promise?"

"If he doesn't attack me, I won't attack him. Good enough?"

"I guess. Come back tonight, and I'll take you with me."

Edward nodded. He looked Anita up and down critically. "Get some sleep,
Anita. I'll see you tonight."

Anita waved him off with a yawn, and he slipped out the door. She locked
it behind him, then went to bed. Slipping between the sheets, Anita dug
Sigmund, her favorite penguin, out from his hiding place between the
pillows. She'd gotten to the point where she always slept with him. She
never knew when someone was going to try to kill her, after all. Besides,
he was cuddly.

"Well, tonight should be interesting," Anita said to herself, yawning.
Snuggling down into her nest of sheets, she hugged Sigmund and fell asleep.

tbc...

Teena: Yes, Sigmund. I LIKE the idea of the Executioner sleeping with a stuffed penguin. *pulls out a button that says 'No one can look at a penguin and be angry'* I think Anita subscribes to that theory...

Duo/Heero: *look at each other and sweatdrop*

Duo: We need to take that button catalog away from her.

Heero: Ninmu ryoukai...

Teena: *pulls out a meddled with button that says 'You'll only get my catalog when you pry it from my cold dead fingers'*

Duo/Heero: *sigh*