Robin Sena's breath came out in low shallow gasps. There was pain everywhere; her head, hands, legs, ribs…everything, well except her toes but she was unsure of how that helped her situation. She tried moving her hands which were held by something hard and cold to the side of her. Metal clinked as she struggled: handcuffs. Her feet were on each side tied with what felt like rough rope, in simplest terms she was bound to a chair. Her eyes had been covered tightly with a putrid-smelling rag. She could smell dry sweet chloroform on her upper lip and nostrils.

Her sense of sight had been taken but her other four senses seemed intact. She could feel the November frost biting cold all over her small body. Her ears picked up the sound of dripping water far away, wind beating on the walls of where ever she was, and rats scurrying about. The smell of the rag, the chemical on her and the stale taste of dust floating in the air were making her nauseous by the minute. She was glad she hadn't eaten anything at Harry's earlier.

How early had that been? How exactly had she been out of it? Robin shook her head forcefully feeling her hair ribbons smack her on the face, they felt damp. A faint image of falling on a wide puddle flashed on her mind for a split second. She remembered seeing her pale reflection on the dark water before falling face-first on it. Shadows were behind her then accosting her.Vague memories returned, such as the shadows turning her face up from the puddle. She had tried to fight but the chloroform had reacted instantaneously. With her back on the damp, freezing ground Robin used her craft in mid air incinerating the fire escape above her. The light of the fire had warmed her for a second then darkness. Just darkness…

A sound startled her, it had come too suddenly as if something had manifested out of nowhere. Robin gritted her teeth to keep them from chattering of cold—and fear. There was a presence, she was not alone.

"Good to see you are awake, you hit your head hard, we thought you had a concussion," a deep voice echoed in what now Robin suspected to be a huge room. "Don't try using your powers, that handkerchief on your eyes, it's smeared with flammable gel, your face will get toasted."

Robin felt bile rise on her throat. She had never been a really good judge of character but this stranger sounded obviously amused, he was having fun. What was worst he knew of her powers, how? How was that possible? He didn't sound like anyone from the STN or anyone she knew.

"Well Robin Sena, why don't you take a little nap again, you'll be here for a while. It'll be no fun to sit around and wait, will it?" Footsteps sounded until she felt him standing in front of her.

"Who are you? How do you know my name?" she gasped fresh panic forcing her to struggle. "What do you—ah!"

Out of nowhere a strong prick of a needle stung her right on the nape of the neck. For the second time she knew of her head begun to spin. Her eyes were cloaked in darkness but she was positive they were going blurry.

"Shh, relax you revolting little hunter," the man hissed on her neck. His smoldering breath made her shiver. Her head felt heavy, so heavy…

The last concise, desperate thought in her head was the memory of him, the one who always gave her hope, the one who always had her back…

Fifteen hours earlier

"Robin—Robin!"

Robin looked up with a start at her partner Amon who was openly glaring at her.

"If you are going to sleep on the job then I'll just ask Sakaki to replace you," Amon said harshly, "He would probably be of more use."

"I was just resting my eyes," she said rapidly feeling stupid. But still, Amon had to admit this was the dullest stake out they had ever had. They were at an all-elderly neighborhood that consisted mostly of condos occupied by old retired folks. Even though they were after a witch with an astonishing power to melt any type of matter, the day didn't have any excitement in it. The most they had seen had been a couple of old ladies standing by their mailboxes gossiping and an elderly man with wobbly knees curse himself hoarse as the trash truck passed ignoring his trash can. Since four in the morning, sitting in the same position till the afternoon. Wasn't there any justice in the world?

"Robin, you are doing it again."

"I'm okay!" she gasped lifting her drooping eyelids.

"No, you're not," Amon sighed irritated turning on the engine.

"This was a total waste of time," he grumbled casting one last look before leaving their parking space.

Twenty minutes later they were pulling in front of her apartment building.

"Are you sure we shouldn't return to Raven's Flat? Maybe we'll get new leads," Robin offered remaining on her seat not yet unbuckling.

She waited for a response but Amon seemed in a trance looking at the entrance to her building. That day long ago when she had seen him walking with her roommate in the rain came to mind and her insides went cold. Touko was a great person, she really was and yet…

"No, go home I'll ask Michael to restart from scratch. I don't need you," he finally answered turning away from the building.

I don't need you.

The cold turned to ice and yet she remained stubbornly in her seat wringing her hands on her lap. "I understand you don't," she said softly, "but you probably will."

Amon turned quickly opening his mouth but no sound came out.

She unbuckled and dashed out the door fumbling for her keys. Why did it hurt? She didn't understand. He was her partner who happened to be dating her roommate. He was cold, distant and dictatorial.

Reaching the elevator Robin dashed in relieved there was no one in it already. As it went up all strength left her, she slid to the ground putting her forehead on her knees and hugged her legs.

The first time she had seen him crossing the hall in Harry's and made contact with his steel grey eyes Robin had felt it. A sensation in her chest, something she couldn't quite place. It could be something pleasant at times and then there were others when it just ached and tears stung her eyes.

The little bell announcing her destination sounded but Robin remained in the ground until the double doors shut again. Shielding her from the rest of the world.

Outside, Amon hit the steering wheel causing the honk to sound. People turned to look at the pale man glowering at his dashboard.

He didn't have the slightest idea as to why it hurt any more than the girl in the elevator did, but he wanted the pain to stop.

Robin laid on the living room couch staring at the plain ceiling. Her cell phone had been clutched on her hand for a long time but no sound came out of it. It remained a cold piece of plastic and wires. The shadows moved getting bigger and darker. By the time the sun had gone down Robin had remained in the same posture without moving. Her mind swirled but she let it be. Why wonder on things if you couldn't find the answers no matter how hard you looked?

The phone rang piercing the darkening room. Robin gasped pressing the 'talk' button on her cell phone. It took her a few seconds to see it was the apartment phone. Slightly disappointed and disgruntled Robin answered, "Hello?"

"Robin, hi, I didn't think you would be home. I was just going to leave you a message," Touko said breathlessly.

"I got here earlier than usual."

"Oh, okay, I'm going to be late so don't wait up okay? Something came up."

Robin frowned at the ear piece, her roommate sounded a little bit too cheerful, "Is everything okay?"

"Nothing!" Touko laughed gaily, "I'm going to have some drinks with some of my co-workers. I have to go; I'll see you tomorrow morning!"

There was a click and the sensation in Robin's chest began to throb. No, Amon was going to work on the case, and Touko was going with co-workers…

'There is no reason to worry,' Robin chastised herself fixing her rumpled hair in the bathroom mirror. 'What am I worrying about?'

Her reflection's eyebrows contorted in confusion. In her fifteen years of living in the convent she had never experience this.

The sky was pitch black by the time she headed to Harry's. The cold made her naked hands and face freeze in seconds but she didn't mind, it was something that distracted her. Instead of getting a cab Robin walked on letting her mind go on overdrive.

How many times had she thought of running away?

Once she had discovered her craft and her only choice of survival, Robin's life had come to a standstill. She was no longer Robin Sena but a stranger even to herself. The Inquisitor had said it himself; she only lived now to do what she was told to do. Like a puppet or an empty body that had lost its essence, its soul. She had never actually given it a thought to leave the convent to pursue other worldly things but once labeled as a possible witch, everything had been torn away from her even the simple choice. Then they had sent her to Japan and she knew it was all gone, Robin Sena had left this world never to return. She had been replaced with an emotionless robot that followed orders and didn't have a mind of its own.

She did this to survive all while feeling completely dead inside. And then she met him. He was like the others who gave her orders she had to obey; he was part of the system that had enslaved her.

Then what was the difference? Maybe the way his eyes had gone through her in the hallway on the very beginning or maybe that when he said or did something she felt it. It would make her feel angry, depressed, even appreciated in uncanny times. He gave her the weird sensation in her chest. Amon just made her feel like a live Robin Sena, like a puppet regaining its own strings.

She sighed heavily a white puff forming before her face. It was moist; she wiped it with her hand suddenly wishing she hadn't forgotten her gloves. Harry's was few blocks view when she heard it: footsteps. She was positive they hadn't been there seconds ago. Instinctively Robin quickened her pace. Her breathing quickened as soon as she turned and saw no one behind her. She continued walking to her destination, it was nothing but she could hear them clearer than ever. Harry's was just ahead, people milling in the inside warm and content by the looks of it. There was a tall man on the bar with his back to her: Amon. Warm relief swept all over her almost thawing her frozen body. He was there; it would be all right he was mere yards away. She halted, breathing hard, there were repulsive aromas coming from the trash cans in the alley she was standing by but she ignored them. It would all be okay after all.

Amon turned and gestured to the stool next to him to someone…to Touko. She had appeared out of nowhere. Robin's chest clenched and cold began to seep in. Touko was smiling as she took the seat next to the brooding man. Robin had to admit Touko looked beautiful even from far away…

Robin didn't hear the footsteps that continued to stalk her. She didn't even feel someone from behind, not until they had gotten a steel grasp on her left arm. A hand covered her eyes, while the other one dragged her vehemently into the alley. Her voice had deserted her and her mind went blank. The only thought that occurred to her was, 'Why is he covering my eyes?'

"I'll hold her you do it," a wheezing voice ordered from behind. The chloroform awoke her senses of fight once a third hand pressed the soaked cloth to her mouth and nose. Robin began to struggle. The person holding her hadn't been doing a good job on the grip letting her shake both off. The hand came off and the cloth went flying. For the surprisingly first time in her life Robin cursed her lengthy dress which twisted around her legs. She fought to stay up but everything was spinning even the shiny trash cans. The puddle was before her glowing in the dim light from the street. She saw her reflection…theirs.

Once they turned her and the fire escape shone in the dark night, Robin knew it was a lost fight. The stars were above her even if she could only spot a few. Their weak light shone like she had never seen before, then just flickered off. The world simply went off.

'Amon…'