Chapter Four

Lian made the final fold to the Post-it note, unfolded once, and pulled it apart to reveal a paper crane. Then she stood. Night looked at her, then pointedly down at the cranes littering the floor around her feet. Then he looked back up at her face, features thrown into sharp contrast by the flickering torchlight.

"Col has told me about what happened earlier."

"You mean the thing in the alley?"

Night nodded abruptly. "How you drew the attackers' attention away from him so that he could escape, and, when he failed to take the chance, helped him do so." He stopped.

Lian shrugged. -If that's how the kid interpreted it. I did help him get out, though, so one out of two isn't bad.- "Yeah." Then, half-challengingly: "what about it?"

Night shook his head and continued. "Also, on the street, you defended him."

Lian nodded.

"Why?"

Lian attempted to hide her surprise, and failed miserably. "Wait, what?" she asked, disarmed. "Wha'do you mean why?"

"Why did you defend him? It was nearly to your own detriment: you saw how Darius was acting; he nearly had you killed for interrupting his coronation parade. The guards had weren't exactly you allies either. Not to mention that the child's fate had nothing to do with your own. Why did you defend him?"

Lian shook her head and decided to answer honestly. "Empathy, I guess."

Night raised an eyebrow but made no other change in his expression. Lian hastened to explain.

"It pissed me off that the guy was insulting a kid just because of something the kid can't help. I know he must get that reaction a lot, but it's still shit when it happens. What pissed me off was that the guy couldn't even hold his f—" –okay, calm down, quit cursing- "frickin' reaction. He didn't have to act that way, I mean it's not like a disease or something, it's just how the kid looks, and, like I said, it's a not thing he can do anything about."

Night was silent for a moment longer.

"I'd like to thank you."

"What? Why?"

Night shook his head, turned, and started walking toward the hallway opening. The torch disappeared, and the light in Lian's cell began fading as Night, and the torch that was with him, receded down the hallway.

Lian wouldn't let it go. She jumped up and grabbed hold of the bars, straining to catch a glimpse of Night's back. "Answer me!" she called. "What the hell d'you have to do with Col?"

Night stopped and spoke without turning around.

"He's my brother."

PTG: Don't you love technology? I wrote all this up, then the computer erased it and I had to rewrite it from memory. The whole damn thing.(Begins cursing so that even Lian is overshadowed. Stops cursing. Looks around.) What?

Reviewer Responses!

Loki: Yes! I made her curious! And thank you and thank you! Yeah, cliffie there, another cliffie here. Lots of cliffies! Sorry so short a chapter. I was writing it at school and had to post it before I got out Friday. Been working my way through an Evil!Block. I much hope it dies. So sad about the grammar thing. O well. Enjoy the update!

So! I shall do watch anime now. Ever notice how Yugi's voice would be more fitting for a wannabe Robin Hood? Yeah, I noticed that too. So bye!