*Fade to school a month later, Latin class.*
Shiko:  *sits and draws on the homework for tomorrow, which she's already
done*
Damien:  *sits and works on it dutifully, not looking at San*
Alison:  *works on her homework*
Damien:  *hasn't said a word to San or looked at him the entire month*
San:  *has noticed that*
Man:  *comes in and says something to San in Sumerian*
Shiko:  *looks up, recognizes man*  ^-^V!
San:  *looks up*  Nn?
Man:  "I need to speak with Shiko."
Shiko:  *waves at the man happily*
Man:  *smiles at her*
San:  *points to the waving girl*  "She's over there.  Take her."
Shiko:  *gets up, starts speaking a mile a minute in Sumerian*
Man:  ^-^;;;  "Let's go into the hall - this is a CHAD matter..."
Alison:  *wonders what's going on, but shrugs and keeps on with her 
homework*
Shiko:  Oh, okay...  *follows him into the hall*
Damien:  *faced with the task of handing his classwork in to San in 
person*
Damien:  *whispers to Alison*  Could you please give this to - to the
teacher?
Alison:  What's wrong?
Damien:  Nothing - but would you, please?
Alison:  *shrugs*  Okay, sure.
Damien:  *smiles at her again for real*
Damien:  *gives her the classwork to hand in*
Alison:  *takes it and goes up to San's desk*
San:  *looks up*  I'm sorry, Alison, but you can't turn your homework in
early.
Alison:  It's not mine, it's Damien's.
San:  Oh.  *takes it*  Well...  Thank you.
Damien:  *sighs in relief that it was accepted*
Shiko:  *comes back into the room, looking grim*
Alison:  *sits back down*
Shiko:  *to San, still in Sumerian*  "Shadows.  I need to go with Tim."
Shiko:  "Permission?"
San:  *face darkens momentarily*  "Granted."
Shiko:  *nods, goes over to Alison, looking concerned*  Alison?
Alison:  Huh?
Shiko:  *dead serious*  Go straight home after school.  Don't stop for
anything, stay with Tamisha as long as possible, and DON'T go out after 
the sun's started to set.
Alison:  Word of a new murderer, huh?  Don't worry.  I'm not stupid.
Shiko:  ^-^  Yes, that's it exactly.  I know.
Shiko:  Just - be careful.
Alison:  I promise I won't go looking for trouble.
Damien:  *troubled*  Kage desu ka?
Shiko:  Un.  But you stay in school.  Tim and I will deal with things...
Damien:  Wakatta.
Shiko:  *leaves with Tim*
*Fade to Tamisha, Alison, and Damien walking home from school.*
Damien:  *keeping a watchful eye out*
Tamisha:  Where's Shiko?
Damien:  She left early.
Alison:  With some guy.
Tamisha:  Huh.  Didn't figure her for that type...
Damien:  -.-  She ISN'T.  It's not like that at all...
Alison:  He's some old guy.
Damien:  *almost laughs*
Alison:  He seemed nice, though.
Tamisha:  Still...  I mean...
Tamisha:  Ah, what the hell.  She's over sixteen.
Damien:  *sighs, unable to explain without blowing everything*
Alison:  *wasn't thinking that way at all*
Tamisha:  *has an overly cynical mindset at times*
Tamisha:  Well, see you guys tomorrow.  *goes to her house*
Alison:  See you.
Damien:  *bows*  Bye.
Damien:  *walks home with Alison, still keeping an eye out for things*
Damien:  About Shiko-san...
Damien:  You know she wouldn't really do that, right?
Alison:  Of course I do.
Alison:  Shiko isn't that kind of person.
Damien:  That's good...  I don't wish to criticize Miss Tamisha, but she 
can be very cynical, can't she?
Alison:  Yeah.  She's just like that sometimes.
Damien:  *is quiet for a minute, until they reach Alison's house*
Damien:  You will be careful, won't you?  And listen to what Shiko-san 
said?
Damien:  *looks all worried and adorable*
Alison:  *can't help but smile at him*  Yes, I promised her, didn't I?
Damien:  *smiles back, a real smile*  That's good.  It would be awful if
anything happened to you, Miss Alison.
Alison:  *smiles back*  I happen to agree with you on those lines.  Well, 
see you.  *walks into her house*
Damien:  *suddenly embarrassed*  Anou - well, I'll see you tomorrow!
Damien:  *walks away, breathing a sigh of relief*
Damien:  *makes mental note to come back at night and check to make sure
Alison's house is secure*
Alison:  *switches on news while munching on snack*
TV Announcer:  "The breaking story tonight: two criminals have escaped 
from the local prison and are currently on the loose.  They are being 
pursued by police, but have not yet been captured.  Please, there is no
immediate danger, so stay in your houses, don't go anywhere alone.  Take
sensible and safe precautions, and there will be no danger to you."  *goes 
on to explain who they are, what they look like, and so on*
Alison's Mother:  *comes into the room*  Oh, I see you've heard about 
those criminals...
Alison:  Yeah.
Mother:  Perhaps I should drive you to school tomorrow.  I know the walk
isn't great at the best of times, but with these people on the loose... 
well, I just worry, dear.
Alison:  It's okay, mom.
Alison:  If you're really worried, I'll call and ask one of my friends to
walk with me.
Mother:  Well - if you're sure...
Mother:  And if it wouldn't be too much trouble for them...
Alison:  I don't think so, mom.
Alison:  *goes to call and ask Tamisha*
Mother:  I suppose it's all right, then.
*Fade to the next morning.*
*Tamisha and Alison are walking to school when Shiko and Damien run to 
catch up.*
Shiko:  Morning, Alison, Tamisha!
Alison:  Good morning.
Shiko:  *looks more tired than usual, but is still her genki self*
Tamisha:  Morning.
Damien:  *bows*  Good morning, Miss Tamisha, Miss Alison.
Shiko:  Well, everything's okay now!
Shiko:  The criminals are back in custody!  ^-^V
Alison:  They caught them already?
Damien:  I believe there were special forces sent out...  *gives Shiko a
pointed look, which she ignores*
Shiko:  Yep!  Isn't that great?!
Tamisha:  *yawns*  Sure.  Remind me to rejoice once I'm actually awake.
Alison:  *rolls her eyes at Tamisha*
Alison:  That's good news.
Shiko:  ^-^  Yep!  Now everything's okay!
Tamisha:  Why'd you have to leave early yesterday?  I heard you went off 
with some guy.
Shiko:  ^-^;;;  That's my uncle Tim.  My aunt got sick and we had to go 
visit her...
Damien:  As she says.
Alison:  I'm sorry.  I hope she gets better soon.
Shiko:  ^-^  Well, things look good right now, so I'm sure she'll be fine!
Tamisha:  Riiiiiiiiiight.
*Fade to the beginning of Latin class.*
Shiko:  *is half-asleep at her desk*  e.e...
Alison:  *copying down that day's exercises and starting on them*
Damien:  *pokes Shiko in the back, whispers*  Shiko-san... wake up...
Shiko:  Nyao...  e.e
Alison:  Shhhh...
Damien:  *pushes his homework around on his desk*
Shiko:  *dozes*
Alison:  *works*
San:  *checks papers*
Damien:  *scrunches to one side of the desk, pushes his papers to the 
other side and as far away from him as possible*
Alison:  *looks up, sees this, and looks at him questioningly*
Damien:  ^-^;;;;;;;;;;
Shiko:  *keeps dozing*
Shiko:  *completely oblivious to anything that might go on between San, 
Shal, and Alison*
San:  *straightens up*  All right, whoever has their homework, please come 
up here and give it to me.
Alison:  *goes up before Damien can ask*
Damien:  ;.;  *pokes Shiko*
Shiko:  Snrfgmlf...
Damien:  ;.;
San:  *smiles at Alison*  Thank you.
Alison:  May I go get a drink of water?
San:  Of course.
Alison:  *leaves*
Damien:  *pushes homework around*
Shiko:  *sleeps*
San:  Any homework I don't get in the next five minutes with be given an 
F, whether it's done or not.
San:  *mostly talking about students who are frantically finishing their
homework*
Damien:  !.!
Damien:  *finally sees no other recourse, takes Shiko's homework and his 
own up, keeping his eyes firmly fixed on the floor*
Damien:  *holds the papers out stiffly, not daring to say a word*
Shiko:  *sleeps*
San:  *looks at the papers, then takes them from Damien, unwittingly 
brushing his hand in the process*
Damien:  *inwardly*  !.!
Damien:  *outwardly*  !.!
Random Student A:  *whispering to another student*  I think the little 
fag has a crush on the teacher!
San:  *blinks, then blushes and looks down at his desk*  S- sorry...  
*acting strangely shy, then hears the student, and sees red*
Random Student B:  Yeah, no kidding!  *snickers*
Damien:  *blushes furiously, flees back to his desk*
San:  *stands up, glaring knives at the student*  Young man, you are NOT
permitted to speak in my class.  Furthermore, namecalling is STRICTLY 
against the rules!  Therefore, you shall report to detention immediately 
and STAY there for the REST of the day!
Shiko:  *still taking a well-earned nap*
San:  Dismissed!
Both Students:  *make faces, but leave*
Damien:  *puts head down on the desk to hide the fact that his entire face 
is bright red*
Shiko:  *waking up*  e.e?
San:  *sits down at his desk, just sits there for several minutes, 
blushing furiously and leaning over his papers to hide that fact*
Alison:  *comes back into the room*
Alison:  *sits down, looks at Damien, then at Shiko questioningly*
Shiko:  *looks at Shal and San, then shrugs*  Don' ask me - I was asleep, 
I think...  e_e
Other Students:  *wisely decide NOT to say anything else*
Shiko:  Thanks for taking up my homework, Daemon...
San:  *manages to gain control of the temperature of his face and sits up
again, corrects papers*
Damien:  *still hiding face*  Welcome, Shiko-san...
Alison:  *does the exercises on the board*
Shiko:  *sighs and sets to work*
Damien:  *decides to just ask Shiko for the work later*