Chapter 3

"Ms. Takatori, what are you doing here?" Yohji asked Fay.

Fay looked surprised as Lark stood next to her, "I just bumped into these guys earlier and they invited me for dinner." She explained.

"Oh," Wren smiled, "I guess I invited my own company as well." Grinning, he walked to Fay and offered her his hands, "I'm Wren."

She smiled, "Fay."

"These are my friends…" Wren introduced.

"I know them already."

Lark stood by the side watching the group, he felt a bit uneasy, something was not that right.

"This is Lark, my younger brother." Wren introduced.

Aya, Omi, Ken, and Yohji all looked grim, this is the guy we have to kill, Omi thought sadly.

This cant be right, Ran thought as he shook Lark's hands.

"Let's go to the living room and I'll check on Rayven." Wren offered.

They all followed.

Fay started walking when someone held her hand and pulled her towards him, "Ken?" she asked surprised as he held her lightly.

"How are you?" he asked sincerely, "Not hurt? You left without saying goodbye."

She looked at him smiling, "I'm not hurt." She said softly, "Thanks for caring."

He kissed her cheeks lightly, "Anytime." walking back with her to the living room.

"This is interesting." Schuldig whispered looking through the binoculars in Wrens home.

He had just witnessed the exchange between Ken and Fay, his eyes trailed lightly to where Crawford looked as well, but he didn't show any emotion. "Are you ready to do this?" Schuldig asked, "Our orders are to kill everyone in that house."

Crawford cocked his gun, "So be it." He said determinedly.

Schuldig smiled.

"This is delicious." Yohji smiled, "Much better than Omi's cooking." making Omi choke on his soup.

Rayven giggled lightly, "I try."

"My Rayven is the best." Wren said proudly putting an arm around her shoulders.

"Keep your distance from my woman." Lark said firmly.

Ken smiled at that, his eyes went to where Fay sat quietly eating her soup; she seemed to be smiling too.

Ran sighed, "This is not bad." he spoke, "You're doing good, Wren."

"Yes." He said seriously, "I usually have another one around as well, but she's in Tokyo with some friends of hers."

Lark was about to say something when his ears perked up, he looked up suddenly and towards the window.

Wren caught that look, "Lark…"

"Everybody get down!" he yelled, as something broke through the window and hissed.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOM

Ten Minutes Later

Rayven coughed as she opened her eyes, there was smoke everywhere as she tried adjusting her eyesight. "Lark..." she whispered hoarsely. "Lark…" coughing. She almost gasped when someone held her lightly.

"Are you alright?" asked Yohji.

She nodded as he helped her stand up. "Let's get to an area where there is less damage."

They walked along where they could see and stumbled across another body, "Omi! Omi!" Yohji spoke shaking him lightly.

Omi stirred and opened his eyes.

"Speak to me, damnit!" Yohji yelled.

"I'm…fine…" he muttered sitting up.

Rayven looked at his leg and gasped, "He's hurt his leg." she spoke.

"I'll carry him, Rayven." Yohji said as he helped Omi up and they went on their way.

Wren was on the floor as he opened his eyes, he moved a bit and found two bodies next to him. He shook his head lightly trying to make the pain go away and sat up groaning.

He spotted Ken lying half dead next to him while Lark on the far end, "Get up you two! This place is going to collapse." he ordered.

It's as if somehow his voice got through to them, they both immediately sat up and looked at each other.

"Damn, that hurt." Lark muttered.

"Damn right." Ken agreed sarcastically.

"Just a bit more and I'll be finished." Fay said softly as she held Ran's waist, he had hurt his chest in the attack, not bad, but it was painful for him to walk. "Are you alright, Ran?"

"Yes." He spoke as they walked to the kitchen, where they found everyone else.

"Thank God!" Rayven whispered, "Everyone's alive." she said with tears in her eyes.

"Not for long." said a voice.

All turned to the door where Schuldig and….

Crawford? Fay thought, Is he…responsible for this? Watching him with pain in her eyes.

"Why you son of a bitch…" Yohji swore looking at him.

Crawford crossed his arms, "We had orders to destroy the house , regardless of any circumstances." Crawford answered looking at him with calm eyes.

"Orders?" Fay's spoke. "You destroy a person's home because someone tells you to?"

"What you couldn't think for yourselves and realize that you could have murdered several people, but that would have been alright, it's not your fault, you were just following orders." Was the sarcastic comeback from Fay.

Crawford turned to her, his eyes showing emotion for a moment, but he kept himself in control.

"Yes, orders." Schuldig agreed. "That is what we are paid to do, the boss tells us what he wants us to do, and we do it."

"So what? You're some kind of lapdog now?" Ken said angrily.

Crawford raised an eyebrow, "You're one to talk, Weiss."

Rayven held onto Lark, "Are they assassins too?" she asked.

Assassins? Fay's mind swirled.

What the hell was going on? Crawford and Schuldig are saying that Ran, Ken and the others are assassins, was the thought running through Fay's mind.

"What do you mean assassins? They run a flower shop; they don't run around killing people and bombing peoples' homes." Fay told Crawford.

"Oh my God, that is the funniest thing I've ever heard." gasped Schuldig as he fell to the floor laughing.

Fay looked over at the guys and noticed they could not look her in the face.

"They are not right, are they guys?" asked a puzzled Fay to Weiss. "Tell me they are lying, you couldn't do anything like this, could you?"

Ran looked at Fay, a small sad smile on his face as he answered her in a cold, even tone. "Yes".

Fay looked like she wanted to throw up, as she looked at the guys who had been there for her for years. She thought back to all the times she had cried on their shoulders when her latest boyfriend had dumped her or any other major problem had happen to her.

Wren looked at Crawford, "Forgive me for interrupting your small soap opera, but I want to know who ordered my death, as well as the deaths of my younger brother and sisters."

Crawford answered Wren by saying "Reji Takatori."

"And I am suppose to know who this Takatori person is?" asked Wren.

That I do not know, all we were told to do was destroy the house and everyone in it." Crawford replied.

"Well, I need to tell you guys, you screwed up by not killing me the first time." "Because you will not get a second chance." Wren told Schwartz as he made a move towards them.

"Before you jump too far, there is something you need to see" smirked Schuldig. "Farfie, bring our surprise in."

Farfarello came in dragging a crying Robin. She had shallow cuts on her arms and a bruise on her face.

"You son of a…." screamed Wren, "I will kill you for this."

Wren then calmed down and spoke to Robin. "Robin Bobbin, look at me." "Nothing is going to happen to you; didn't I tell you I would protect all of you?"

Robin stopped crying and looked at Wren. "Yes, Wren. You told me no one would ever hurt us again and no one would ever take us away from you."

Wren then smiled and winked at Robin.

"Aww" crooned Schuldig as he walked over to Robin, playing with her hair. "Guys, doesn't that just warm your heart?' "Sweetie, I wouldn't place to much hope in him right now, because if you look around, we kinda have all of you in a bad spot."

"Schu just shut up and quit trying to scare the girl." Crawford snapped at Schu.

The room got quite as all of the assassins were trying to plan how to get their party out of trouble, and Fay was quite trying to deal with what she had learned tonight about people she thought she had known.

"Great," muttered Ran as he sat in the basement of Wren's house, he was tied up with the rest of the people and he was not happy. "This is great," he repeated sarcastically.

"Shut up." Omi snapped angrily, he hated being all tied up, it pissed him off. He looked around and found Ken and Yohji at the back, Wren chained to a wall, Rayven and Lark tied together, and Fay on the corner by her self.

"I am going to kill him." Wren said angrily, "What the hell is this? You guys brought this to my home!" yelling at Weiss.

"No." Yohji spoke, "Wren, try to understand." He began, "It's Lark."

Rayven stopped, "What?"

"Lark was the target," Ken repeated, "I understand now, it was a decoy." He began, "Somehow there was a decoy that Persia…."

Fay looked up and gasped, "Persia?" she asked, and then she stopped remembering, Why aren't you involving me in your work? What do you do, father? Why is there all this secrecy? All her previous conversations with her father rushed back to her. Does he…..is he in charge of this group? Looking down, my own father.

"Great going, asshole." Ran muttered when Ken let Persia's name slip.

"Fay?" Ken began.

"Shut up," she said softly her face to the side, "Don't call me by my name, Ken. That's if that what your name is."

"It's not like that!" he snapped.

"I don't care." Tears rolling down her cheeks, "Just shut up." She said softly.

"Well, well…" Schuldig began, "What's going on?" he asked with a grin on his face. "Are all the little kitties and their friends not getting along?"

Wren looked up and spat towards him. "Where the hell is Robin?" "So help me God, if you touch her I will follow all of you to hell if need be, and then I will slowly and painfully kill all of you."

About that time, Crawford came down the stairs. "What is going on down here?"

"That one" Schu pointed to Wren, "is threatening to kill us if we harm the pretty one upstairs."

"Nothing is going to happen to the little one; even I draw the line sometimes." Crawford replied.

"Yeah, that's why I saw that psycho bastard of yours with his hands all over her." Wren said.

"For the last time, she will be fine." was shot back by Crawford.

"Let me see her then" Ran said, "then maybe we will believe you."

Crawford looked over at Ran, and then nodded to Schu. Schu went up the stairs and came back with Robin in his arms.

"What is wrong with her?" asked Ran.

"We don't know, she started breathing very heavily, then passed out." Crawford answered back.

"Shit" answered Wren, "She has asthma, there is an inhaler in her bathroom, she needs tow puffs of it. How long has she been passed out?"

"About 20 minutes now." Crawford said.

"Then you jackass, get her to a hospital or she will die." Wren screamed at him.

"Why should we care, just one less problem to deal with" Schu said as he threw Robin at Wren.

Wren looked at Schu with murder in his eyes. "You have signed your death warrant, so don't turn your back….telepathy or no telepathy."

"Let's go" Crawford told Schu.

"Wait a minute, Jesus!" Schuldig said, "We don't know the first thing about taking care of a little girl.'

"I said, let's go to a hospital." Crawford repeated. "Killing the little girl was not on the list."

"I don't know how to care for her." He spoke, "We need a woman." He argued.

Crawford rubbed his jaw and sighed, then his eyes went to Fay, he walked towards her and unchained her, he held her arm lightly, "Don't touch me." She snapped angrily at him.

"You're going to come with us to the hospital for the girl." He told her firmly.

"I will not…" she said stubbornly.

"Fay please." Wren pleaded, "This is my baby! Go with them."

She stopped and sighed crossing her arms, "Why the hell did I get involved with you guys." She said softly as she went along with them.

Later at the hospital

Fay waited with Schu and Crawford as the doctors in the emergency room looked at Robin. Not wanting to seem like she looking at them, Fay wondered how they could look so normal when they did what they did for a living.

It's easy, kitten. Did you think all bad guys walked around looking like the commit all the things that they do? If you hadn't found out what all of us do, how would you have felt about us? You already loved the kitties like brothers, but that changed as soon as you found out what they did. You had been in bed with Crawfie and probably were starting to fall in love with him. So who is wrong in this situation? You need to decide what is important to you. Schu had been talking in her mind, never looking at her.

"Who is here for the little girl that was just brought in? asked the doctor to the group waiting.

"We are how is she doing?" Crawford said.

"Well, she has come to, and we have her breathing regulated. You may want to put a humidifier in her room with the medicine I will give you." was the doctors' reply.

"Can we take her home?" was the question heard from Schu.

"Yes, but just follow the instructions I gave you. She must not be excited in any way, another attack could kill her." was the doctors' reply.

Schu picked Robin in his arms and took her out to the car, with Crawford and Fay following.

"Schu, you sit in the back with the girl, Fay will sit up front with me." Crawford said as he got to the car.

"Why should I sit up front with you?" asked Fay. "I was brought because you needed a woman for her, not as company for either of you."

What the hell kind of game are you playing now? You know damn well I can't deal with this child. came to Crawford's mind from Schu.

Listen to me…the child will have to get used to us all. was Crawford's reply.

What? Did you have a vision tonight while we were waiting? came back from Schu.

Yes, we were set up by Takatori, and I don't like it. It was one thing to go along with the orders, but my vision showed that we will join the others to take down Takatori. That child with you should not have gone through what she did. We let Farfarello mutilate that child and cause her to almost die, yes I can be a son of a bitch, but damn it we went to far this time, do you not agree? was the comment from Crawford.

Brad, I agree, but what about the others? Will they? Schu asked.

They will have no choice. Crawford looked at Schu through the rear view mirror and Schu felt a chill go down his spine. The last time he had seen that look was the night Brad found him in Paris and helped him clean up….the look of determination, and Schu knew then that Takatori's days were numbered.

About that time Robin opened her eyes and looked at Schu.

"Don't be afraid, little one" Schu told her, "we are taking you back home to your brothers and sister. Guess I wrong, your brother did protect you and really didn't let any one else hurt you."

"I knew he would, Wren always protects us." was the sleepy reply given by the girl.

"Something is not right." Yohji muttered, "Why would Crawford agree so easily on to help Robin?"

"I found that weird too." muttered Omi.

Ken didn't bother answering.

Wren sighed, "I don't care," he muttered, "As long as my baby's alright."

Ran just swore softly.

Rayven hugged Lark through her chains, "I'm so cold," she whispered as he embraced her lightly.

"It's okay, sweetie. It will be over soon." Lark calmed her down.

"I don't get it!" Yohji snapped up, "Why are they helping us."

"Because we were played like amateurs." Schuldig spoke walking in with Robin, "Takatori is going to pay for this." untying them all.

Ran rubbed his bruised wrist, "How do we know it's not a trick."

"This is where you decide." Nagi answered.

"Let go of me?" Fay asked surprised, she was going to walk into the house when Crawford stopped her.

He put a gun in her hand, "Get away from this place, to somewhere safe," he told her, "Don't go back in the house."

Run away from the truth? Fay thought, or face my father? Her eyes softened thinking about the consequences. She hesitated but gave Crawford his gun back, "I won't need it," she told him, "I'm going back in." walking away from him.

He grabbed her arm and pulled her roughly towards him, "This is not a game for a spoilt brat!" he yelled at her.

"How dare you call me a spoilt brat? Just because I found out everything I thought was right in my world was a lie? That my friends and even my father are assassins? What the hell did you expect from me? Smiles." yelled backed Fay.

"No, but I expect you to act like an adult and not a child, and deal with what you can change and try to accept what you can't." Crawford answered quietly.

After he said that, Crawford walked into the house and down to the basement to talk to the others.

The Basement

Everyone stood around trying to figure out what to do, and if they should trust each other.

Schu had taken Robin over to Wren and put her in his arms.

"I apologize for bringing the child into this. Following orders is not an excuse. The doctor said to keep her quiet and stress free and she should be fine. I promise you this; Takatori will pay for all of this. As an assassin, you know we only obey orders and never really question who or what the job is, but this time he went way too far. The information given to us was completely false, and I do have my own honor code." Schu told Wren while looking down at Robin.

"I don't know what to say, I have calmed down and what you have said has some truth in it, but using children is about as low as you can go, especially letting that psycho bastard of yours do that to her." Wren answered.

Schu, is everything alright down there? Do you think they will help us? Crawford asked.

I have scanned Wren and the rest, I think they will help us, but we will have to be upfront with them. I want that bastard Takatori taken down. Schuldig told Crawford.

"What now?" Ken muttered.

Yohji rubbed his jaw, "I think were all wiped out for now, let's regroup tomorrow and discuss."

"And it looks like we're homeless." Wren muttered.

Rayven smiled, "You guys can come to my place." She offered.

"With you here everyday, twenty four seven, I keep forgetting you have your own place." Wren joked.

She blushed slightly.

"I'm going home for now." Ran said walking.

The rest followed, each going their separate ways with separate thoughts.

Schuldig walked out hands in his pockets, and sighed. It had gone better than he had anticipated, he stopped when he saw Fay standing by his car, and he walked towards her, "What's up?"

She looked at him, "How did it go?"

"Good." He said firmly, "What are you doing here?"

She hesitated, but then looked up, "I realized you guys don't have anywhere to go." She admitted, "So I couldn't go, My uncle…" then she stopped and had a stubborn look to her delicate features, "Reiji Takatori probably blew your place up by now too."

He whistled, "Smart woman."

She crossed her arms, "Yeah, well…." Her voice trailing off, "I want to be involved in your meeting tomorrow." She told him, "I want to know what's going on."

"It's really your business."

"No, it's not!" Crawford said firmly, "Are you stupid or what? You think if you get involved with us, you're going to end up happy?" he demanded.

"This is not about you, but about me." She argued.

He narrowed his eyes "And this is no place for a woman of your caliber."

She stopped, "What? My caliber?" she asked, "You think I'm here for the thrills? This is my daddy involved and my uncle, I have the right to know what's going on!" she snapped angrily at him.

"Then ask them!" he shouted back.

"Is that why you keep pushing me away!" she demanded tears in her eyes, "Because you think I'm a high snooty brat? Or are you too good enough for me?"

"Its not…" he began, but she slapped him and walked away unaware of all the dangers that lie on the streets.

Crawford looked at Schuldig, and Schuldig just looked at Crawford and smiled.

Here is Chapter 3 and we are now working on Chapter us know what you think, we are waiting for your comments. Oh by the way, we don't own anything but the new characters.