The sun reflects off of Celty's yellow helmet as she speeds down the busy highway. Her trusty steed, Shooter, lets out a ghostly whinny when Celty revs the engine. The Dullahan's mind races through all of the tasks she must complete. The first was to deliver a package to a client of Izaya's, then she was to report back to Izaya's with yet another package from the client himself. After that, she was to talk to a witness about a recent kidnapping of various Raira students, per request of Mikado. And finally, she needed to deliver a letter across the city from one of Izaya's Yakuza acquaintances to another. After she was finished with her jobs, Shinra wanted her to meet him at Russia Sushi for dinner so they could talk.

Celty sighs to herself and weaves in and out of the busy traffic. "Izaya has been working me like a dog lately. I wonder what's got him in such a giving mood?" she wonders sarcastically. She wasn't going to deny she needed the money, but because of the frequency and the number of jobs he was giving her, she barely had any free time since she would be riding around the whole city all day. She was grateful she was at least able to spend some time with Shinra when she got home, but there was one person she missed spending time with over the past few weeks.

That person was Shizuo, her best friend. Usually she could find some time in between her jobs to hang out and talk to him for a bit, but Izaya was keeping her so busy that she wasn't able to. There were times when she wondered if the info broker was doing that on purpose. But at least she was able to text him every now and again, just to let him know she wasn't ignoring him intentionally. Usually Shizuo will understand, but there will be a day every now and again where he's in a foul mood and will be convinced for whatever reason that Celty is lying. Then, after talking it over for a bit, he will calm down and apologize for lashing out.

On top of all of the jobs she has been doing lately, and trying to make time for Shizuo, and making time for Shinra, she was having less and less time to look for her head. Though, the last few times she has tried looking, she came so close she could almost hear it calling out to her. Maybe tonight she would try again if she finished early.

Celty completed her tasks in record time, but still cut it close for meeting Shinra for dinner. She pulled up to Russia Sushi, where an eager Shinra had been waiting for her. He greets her with a grin and a quick hug, which the Dullahan was quickly warming up to. "Hello, my Celty! I was wondering when you were gonna get here."

Celty typed a quick reply to the doctor after she dismounted her bike. [You worry too much. I still made it on time, didn't I?]

Shinra shrugged and offered her his arm as they entered the restaurant. "Well yeah, but usually you're a bit early. It was strange waiting on you for a change." He chuckled softly and led her to a seat toward the back. When they sat down, Shinra rests his chin in his hands, with a bit a dreamy look in his eye, and asks Celty, "So, how was your day? Not too stressful I hope."

Celty heaved a silent sigh as she slipped off her gloves, but kept her helmet on, and replied, [Stressful, no. Busy, yes. Izaya had me running all over the city to get his stupid stuff done. I've been running back and forth so much lately I feel like I'm repeating myself! I'm glad you suggested coming here, though. I miss spending time with you.]

Shinra beamed and took Celty's hand in his, then lightly kissed it. "I know, I do too. I feel like you're away too much. The apartment is starting to feel a bit empty without you."

Celty shook her head and typed out a response with her free hand. [I'm sorry. I don't mean to be away from you so much, it's just that I'm getting so close to finding my head and...I can't help but to keep looking.]

Shinra sighed softly, getting a bit discouraged when she brought up that head of hers again. He never liked it when she talked about it too much. If he had a dollar for every time he told Celty she looks perfect without her head, he'd be a rich man. But, he tried not to let his discomfort show too much and tried to offer words of support when needed. "Oh, really? Closer than usual?"

Celty nodded. [Closer than I've ever been. I feel like I'm getting turned around less often, and the pull is getting stronger. I'm so close I can practically feel it in my hands, Shinra!] She began to tremble slightly with excitement, and a tiny wisp of black mist found its way out of the visor of her helmet.

Shinra stroked her hand lightly, trying to calm Celty down. "Hey, easy. Don't get too worked up. You know how you get when you're excited."

Celty seized her hand back and got herself under control. [Sorry about that. I'm just happy about how close I'm getting.]

"I know," Shinra replied with a chuckle. He loved seeing Celty so happy, but wished she wasn't quite so happy about that. Soon, his sushi came, and he hoped eating would take his mind off of things for a bit.

Celty watched Shinra as he ate, and felt that slight envy again. There were times when she couldn't stand seeing him do things she could not because she had no head. Things like speak, smile, laugh, cry, scowl...even eat. She was never sure if she would even be able to eat if she got her head back, considering none of her organs – though present – did not function. So for that matter, could she taste? Smell? See? Well, if she could do all of these things now, she was almost positive she would be able to with a head.

While Shinra continued his meal, Celty decided to ask, [So Shinra, how was your day?] So, he told her about his day. He cleaned around the apartment for a bit, then went to work. He even mentioned some amusing stories about patients he'd helped, which was rare for him since his position as a doctor wasn't exactly...public. But, Celty was glad he was opening up a bit more about his job, and himself as well. She felt that their relationship was so full of secrets, like her jobs with Izaya and his job as an underground doctor, that it was hard for them to share things about their lives. But nowadays, they shared what they could, and still kept in mind that some things are not meant to be shared.

After Shinra had finished talking and was finishing his dinner, Celty received a text from who else but the man she was dying to see: Shizuo.

[Hey. How'd your day go?] The message read.

Celty was touched that he took the time to message her every now and again. Usually it was she who texted him first, which she never liked doing because she felt like she was bothering him. He never complained though, so she figured it was alright that she did so.

In fact, Celty would never know this, but Shizuo felt the same way when she texted him. He rather enjoyed the fact that there was someone who actually cared about what was going on in his life, but he felt like texting her first would somehow bother her if she was out on a job or having alone time with Shinra. But Celty never complained, because she was always happy to hear from Shizuo.

[It went okay,] she replied back. [Busy as hell, but everything went smoothly. How about you?]

[Same old crap. People pissing me off constantly. It's getting annoying.] Celty was about to reply when she got a second message. [I miss talking to you.]

This caught Celty completely by surprise. He missed her? Since when did Shizuo Heiwajima miss anyone? Though she didn't let herself get too shocked. She remembered that he once confided in her that he does tend to get lonely every now and again, so she supposed it was only natural for him to miss her.

[I know. I miss you, too. I hope you're managing alright without me.]

[More or less. If you're not too busy, you wanna come over?]

"Celty, are you alright? You seem distracted." Shinra had finished eating and was getting money out of his wallet when he noticed that Celty looked preoccupied with something. "Is something on your mind?"

Celty snapped to attention when Shinra spoke up. She had been so absorbed in her conversation with Shizuo that she almost forgot Shinra was still there. She exited out of the chat to type Shinra a reply. [It's nothing. Shizuo messaged me and wondered if I was free to hang out.] She didn't bother to tell Shinra about the other part of the conversation. Shizuo did have his reputation to keep, after all.

Shinra smiled and nodded. "I see. So what did you tell him?"

[Nothing yet. I still wasn't sure if I wanted to or not.]

"Celty, it's alright. If you want to go see him, go. You and I can hang out anytime since we see each other at home. But I feel like you and Shizuo haven't hung out in a long time. Plus you've been working hard lately, so I think you deserve it."

It was times like this that Celty was grateful that Shinra was such an understanding person. She wasn't sure of anyone else's boyfriend would casually grant their girlfriend permission to go hang out with their best guy friend. Celty stood up and threw her arms around Shinra. [Thank you! Do you want me to drop you off at home first?]

Shinra hugged Celty back and replied, "No, I'll be fine. You just get going before it gets too late. I'll see you later." He kissed Celty's hand again and paid his bill, then walked her outside to where she parked Shooter.

[I'll try not to be too late.]

Shinra chuckled. "Celty, it's fine. Take as much time as you need. I won't wait up...unless you want me to, of course."

Celty shook her head. [Don't be silly. You need to be up early tomorrow. I'll be quiet when I come in though. If I don't see you when I get home, I'll see you in the morning.] She slips her gloves back on and mounts Shooter, then replies to Shizuo's last message. [I'm on my way. Be there in a few minutes.] She then waves goodbye to Shinra and pulls away from the curb, Shooter sounding his haunting whinny as she does so.

By now, Celty knew the roads of Ikebukuro like the back of her own hand. She knew all of the twists and turns, memorized every block, even familiarized herself with all the shortcuts and back alleys. After living in this city for 20 years, these streets had become hers. Everyone came to know, and some fear, the Black Rider. As much as she rode around on her trusted steed, no matter how many times a day, she still preferred to ride at night. Not just because she was in her element amongst the shadows, but because of the lights. The city came to life in the night, the buildings and even the streets were set ablaze in a rainbow of neon, headlights, and street lights. It was truly a beautiful sight in her eyes.

Celty savored the chill of the early autumn air as she dodged around the weekend traffic and approached her destination. She figured Shizuo would be home by now, so she headed straight for his apartment complex before checking anywhere else. Sure enough, the light on the third floor was on, which only meant that Shizuo was in for the night. However, what she did not expect was to see him already standing on the front stairs, waiting patiently for her arrival.

Shizuo smirked at the Dullahan, the last bit of a cigarette in his mouth, then he quickly snuffed it out as he walked up to her. He knew she hated his smoking, even though she never said anything, so he wanted to get rid of it before they got to talking. "Geez Rider, took ya long enough!" He playfully punched her in the arm and chuckled softly, something he rarely did around other people.

Celty chuckled silently and replied, [Hey, cut me some slack! You know how weekend traffic is!]

Shizuo chuckled again and shook his head, then leaned against the back end of her bike. "Relax, I'm just messin' with ya. So, how are things? I feel like we haven't talked in forever."

[I know,] Celty said. [I've just been so busy lately that I have almost no free time anymore.]

"The flea keeping you busy?" he asked with a sneer. Whenever he referred to "the flea," he was talking about Izaya. It was a nickname he came up with for him when the two first met.

Celty nodded. [Unfortunately, yes. He has me running back and forth all day long, almost every day. It's driving me nuts!]

Shizuo shrugged. "Well, at least you're getting paid, right?" As much as he hated the fact that Celty was working for him, he was glad she at least had a steady job in this crazy city.

[I guess so.] Celty sighed. [Just sometimes, it's too much. Sometimes, I wish I could take off for awhile. You know, just take Shooter and drive to nowhere in particular. I just want to feel free again, even if only for a little while.] It took her a moment before she realized she was rambling, something that usually got on Shizuo's nerves rather quickly. [Sorry. You probably don't want to hear about my problems.]

Shizuo just laughed and shook his head, then nudged her shoulder with his. "C'mon, Celty. You know I don't mind. It's fine, really."

If Celty had a mouth, it would be turned up in a smile about now. She was never sure why, but he acted differently around her. She knew that she was one of the few people in this entire world who could calm him down, even from his foulest of moods. Perhaps that was why he acted this way around her: because since she could calm him like she could, he valued her as an important person in his life. Of course, there was the fact that Celty and Shizuo were kindred spirits, in a way. Both of them know what it's like to be feared and alienated because they were different from everyone else. With the strange abilities they both possessed, people came to steer clear of the Black Rider and the strongest man in Ikebukuro. It was hard, because neither of them had many friends to confide in and be themselves around. For that reason, they felt like being friends made the loneliness easier to cope with. It made them feel like they weren't alone in the world, and that someone understood their pain, their struggles. Being friends was perhaps the most important thing in each of their lives.

After a moment of silence, Shizuo asked, "So, how's the head hunt comin'?" He always made sure he asked Celty about that, which always made her day. It made her feel like he cared, unlike Shinra, who almost never asked.

Celty eagerly typed back, [It's going well! I haven't had too much time to go out lately, but when I do, I've been getting really close. It's kind of exciting, really.]

Shizuo smirked and adjusted his blue sunglasses. "Good to hear. You think you'll ever find it?"

Celty nodded. [This time, I really do. But...]

"But what?"

[I feel like if finding it gets delayed any longer, it might disappear. I know it sounds like paranoia, but that's just how it's worked out for me, at least in my dreams. I'll get so close, I'll be right there, and then it'll vanish right between my fingers. It scares me, Shizuo. I need to find it!]

Shizuo read the message and thought for a moment. Then he looked right at Celty and asked, "Well...what if you had help?"

Celty shook her helmet. [Trust me, I could use it, but don't know how useful it would be. I'm kind of the only one who knows what it is I'm looking for, so I don't know how much good it'll be.]

Shizuo scoffs and rolls his eyes. "I'll figure out a way! I don't care if it takes us forever, we'll find your head in some way or another!"

Celty was shocked. Where did all this enthusiasm come from? What exactly did he expect to accomplish by helping her? [Shizuo, that's very sweet, but I'm not sure this'll work. I mean, where would you even start?]

"Like I said, I'll figure it out! I mean come on, is it so bad that I wanna help you?" Shizuo turned his body to fully face her, and his stance shifted defensively.

Celty waved her hands in front of her slightly, not wanting to irritate him further. [No, no, not at all! I would love it if you helped me! I just – ] She quickly backspaced before she finished typing that sentence, not wanting to start an argument with him and have an innocent bystander get hurt because of it. [It is true what you said, I do need help. It would be greatly appreciated, thank you.] Celty paused briefly, then typed, [You're a good friend, Shizuo.]

A light pink blush colored his cheeks, but Shizuo turned his face away so Celty didn't see. For some time now, Shizuo's feelings for Celty have blossomed to more than just friendship, but he didn't want her to know just yet. He knew her heart belonged to Shinra, as much as he couldn't stand the guy, so he didn't want to say anything in fear of compromising their friendship. So long as things stayed the same between them, he was happy, and he always would be content with that. Shizuo chuckled softly and replied, "Yeah, yeah, I know. So, you wanna come inside? It's a little chilly out here."

Celty debated this in her head for a minute. She didn't want to stay too long, in case Shinra was waiting for her, but he had already told her to take as much time as she needed, and it has been far too long since she has had a real conversation with her best friend, so...[Sure, I'd like that.] she finally replied. She then rolled Shooter into the alley so he would be safe, then followed Shizuo into the building. After walking up three flights of stairs, they reached his apartment. Celty had never actually been inside before, so when Shizuo opened the door, what lay on the other side didn't really surprise her much.

It wasn't very big, but it was at least big enough to live comfortably. From what Celty could see, even though the living room and kitchen were somewhat connected, the bedroom and bathroom were separate. In the living room, Shizuo had a small TV in the corner, maybe about 12 inches, and a dark red loveseat in front of it. As she looked around some more, Celty noticed that the apartment looked...cleaner than she had expected. Sure, there was a stray dish here and there, and of course the occasional article of clothing, but it definitely was not what she had imagined Shizuo's place to look like.

When Shizuo moved inside and shut the door, he caught Celty looking around. He chuckled and asked her, "Expecting a disaster area, were ya?" Celty became embarrassed and tried to type a response, but couldn't think of what to say to defend her case. In the end, Shizuo just laughed and smacked her playfully in the arm. "Relax, Rider, I'm just joking. So, you just gonna stand there, or you wanna make yourself comfortable?" He kicks his shoes off at the door and moves farther inside, then takes a seat on the couch. Celty slipped off her shoes as well, then joined Shizuo on the sofa. She removed her helmet upon sitting down and set it on the floor. She knew Shizuo didn't mind the fact that she didn't have a head, nor did he mind actually being reminded of the fact. Celty knew that, like Shinra, Shizuo thought she looked fine without her head. However, the only difference was that Shizuo was actually supportive of her search and didn't try to keep her from it. For that, Celty was forever grateful to him.

Meanwhile, Shizuo was looking over at Celty with a barely noticeable smile on his face. He loved seeing her with her helmet off, because as cute as it was, he preferred seeing the real her. The black smoke that elegantly curled forth from her neck was really quite relaxing for him to watch. He could sit there all day and watch it for hours. To him, everything about Celty was relaxing; her silence, her actions, her cool touch, and of course the smoke from her neck. She had this supernatural ability to calm him down without even trying, and that was one of the main reasons he kept her around, as selfish as that sounded. But in reality, he had no idea what he would do if she were to ever leave. Sure, Tom and Kasuka could still talk him down from his rampages, but Tom was his boss, so they talked on a more professional level, and Kasuka he almost never saw anymore, since he was busy with his movies and such. Celty was the one friend he knew he could count on, no matter what, and felt that being with her was the best thing for him – not to mention the city.

Celty glanced over at Shizuo for a second and caught him looking at her. [What is it?] she asked.

Shizuo quickly looked away and smirked. "It's nothing," he replied. "Mind if I turn on the TV?" he asked as he picked up the remote.

Celty simply shrugged and replied, [I don't mind. It's your apartment, go ahead.]

So, Shizuo turned the TV on and flipped through the few channels he had, since he didn't actually have cable, and eventually decided on watching the news for lack of anything else to watch, even though watching it did tend to piss him off. But, he hoped that having Celty here would keep him level-headed.

They paid attention for a little bit, then Celty started to get discouraged. [Seeing all this really gets me down sometimes. What is this city coming to?]

Shizuo just shrugged. "Hey, 'Bukuro's always been a crazy place. Just lately it's gotten crazier."

Celty chuckled silently and replied, [No thanks to us, huh?]

Shizuo scoffed, shaking his head. "Yeah, I guess you could say that." He let a small laugh escape his throat and looked back at Celty. "You and I really are somethin' else, aren't we?"

[Definitely not normal, that's for sure. I still wonder how the people in our lives put up with us sometimes.]

"Speaking of putting up with people, how does your precious doctor feel about you lookin' for your head all the time?"

The smoke rising from Celty's neck came out in one large cloud for a moment – as it did whenever Shinra came up in conversation – then it receded back to its normal flow. [I don't really know, to tell you the truth. I mean I'm sure a part of him is happy for me, but I feel like overall, he doesn't want me to find it. He always keeps telling me "You don't need your head, you're perfect without it!" But he's been telling me that for years now, and honestly I'm a little sick of it. I may have come to terms with how I look without my head, but my memories of my life back in Ireland are within it, and whatever it was that connected my body to my head was severed when Shinra's father used Saika on me. I've determined that getting my head back is the only way to retrieve my memories and remember who I was.]

He didn't let Celty see, but Shizuo smiled softly, then wrapped an arm around her shoulders and said, "Well, that's what you've got me for now. I'm gonna help you get it back, Celty, no matter what. I mean, it's not like I've got anything better to do."

Celty was overcome with happiness at Shizuo's words. She was so exhilarated at the fact that someone was willing to go out of their way to help her in her search that she could barely contain herself. The Dullahan flung her arms around Shizuo and hugged him tight. Without even needing a typed reply from her, Shizuo knew she was thanking him. Even though he was blushing slightly from the fact that she was hugging him, he didn't care. All he wanted was to see her happy. He brought his arms around Celty and said, "Yeah, you're welcome. You know you're the only person I'd do this for."

Celty's curiosity was sparked from his statement. She released her hold on him and typed, [Why's that? Is it because I'm the only headless person you know?]

Shizuo sighed and shook his head. "Well...yeah, that, but also 'cause...well...you're my best friend, Celty. I just wanna see you happy."

Celty's elegant black smoke swirled around the base of her neck, almost in a happy manner, and she said, [Thank you, Shizuo. That means so much to hear you say that. And I just want you to know...you're my best friend, too.]

Shizuo smiled and returned his attention to the television, but still kept his arm around Celty's shoulders. "So then, do we begin the search tomorrow?"

Celty shrugged and returned to her previous sitting position. [Whatever works for you. I'll keep you posted.] With one final nod from Shizuo, they watched the news for a little while longer, sitting in silence. Celty didn't even mind the fact that Shizuo's arm was around her. In fact, she rather liked it...a lot. It almost felt right, sitting like that with him. She glanced over at him and heaved her shoulders contently, then rested on his shoulder. Shizuo simply smiled at the gesture, happier than anything to be in Celty's company, and flipped through the channels a little more until setting on a movie that was playing. It was a romantic comedy about two best friends, who wind up together in the end. Celty ended up falling asleep about halfway through, and Shizuo followed suit during the credits. Not wanting to disturb her, he slowly shifted so that they were now lying down with her settled comfortably on top of him. He slipped off his sunglasses and set them down on the floor, then shut his eyes and drifted off to the most peaceful, rested sleep he's had in years.