Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership of Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha Series or Characters.

Author's Note: This was my second attempt at a story and sat on my computer hard drive for over a year being ignored in due my little flights of fancy. I had three chapters completed and a vague idea of where the story was going but have long ago thrown out the outline. I hope for your continued support to help me complete this story that I had hit a dead end with but has since become a labor of love. Please read and review, give me feedback on where y'all think this story should be moving too.

Side Note: Sorry everyone about the OOC'ness of Einhart, I really meant to make her more serious but she kind of took on a life of her own. I combined the prologue and first chapter together as they really need to be read together to get a feel of where the characters are coming from but please do not expect all chapters to be anywhere near as long as this on a regular basis.

**Edited 1/29/17: Thanks to elfbs for beta reading and helping pummel my brain into fixing some of the areas where I got lazy the first time around. Hope y'all like this update and I hope to have a new chapter up soon.**

~"~"~"~

Prologue: The Making of an Angel

50 km outside Florence, Italy, 18 years ago

A blonde child of nine was lying on the ground, the blood that had run down her back onto the dirt floor of the cellar was now dried and caked. In the bleak darkness of the subterranean room the sounds coming from upstairs seemed both close and faraway. The monster that lived upstairs had long ago taught her crying would not bring help. Only being silent and ignoring the pain, ignoring her own existence could forestall more torture.

The heavy steps of Mother coming from above creaking the floorboards, the crashing noise of a bottle being dropped and the cursing that followed let her know a new day had begun. This would be just another day in the life of horror that had started three years ago when her father left with her older twin.

Shifting against the packed dirt she once more fell into her fever dream, the retreating figure of a blonde child had her silently pleading, 'Alicia, Onee-chan please don't leave me.'

All the tears the sisters had cried the day they were separated had made no difference to the outcome. Father took Alicia away and left Fate behind, that had been the agreement between their parents. Father had wanted Fate, she was like him an artist, but Mother wouldn't let him have their youngest daughter in her anger. So Father and Alicia went to Japan leaving her behind. It had been three years and everyday Mother was getting closer to killing her.

At first it had been simple neglect, a missed meal or two, and then it was a slap. Then the needles and straps came out forcing chemical solutions into her body all in the name of her Mother's twisted scientific curiosity. Now Mother wasn't just experimenting on her, she was using various tools to punish her daughter for being like him. How much more of this treatment her small body could endure she wasn't sure. She wasn't even sure in her child's mind why she was enduring it, wouldn't it be better if Mother just ended this? No one would care if she disappeared.

Fate thought about her classmates at school before the divorce, did any of them even wonder what happened to her? She hadn't been to school since that first year. Leaving school for the holidays she hadn't expected not to return. She hadn't even gotten to say goodbye to her... friends. Squeezing her eyes closed she tried to focus but no faces came to her mind, there were no friends, no one who cared, she was all alone.

All alone in the windowless cellar; she wished there was one, if she could just see the sky she could pretend she was laying in the grass after playing with Alicia. She couldn't even see the dirt floor, if she had been able to she would have drawn in the dirt but Mother didn't leave the lights on anymore, it was a waste of electricity.

Mother had moved them to another family estate, it was rural and remote, no neighbors within five kilometers or more, now they were alone. There was no phone, Mother didn't like to be disturbed. What few letters they received Mother got to first, there would to be no contact for her daughter with the outside world. The girl had to learn no one cared, all she had was her and that meant she had better behave.

There was a knock at the front door, the girl lifted her head from the dirt floor to hear better but she made no attempt to cry out. Doing such a foolish thing would only make Mother angry, no help could be expected. There were some distant mutters and then the sound of unfamiliar footsteps. Blinding light flooded the cellar before Mother descended the stairs carrying a wash cloth and a clean long sleeved dress. The blonde was yanked to her feet as her Mother wiped her face and back to remove the outward signs of her recent punishment. Then the dress was pulled roughly down her head and she was lead out of the darkness.

In the living room was a blonde child, beautiful and cheerful, she was sitting next to a blonde man on the worn couch. Fate's heart was pounding but her face stayed blank, she didn't know what was expected of her, her mind in turmoil. The blonde child jumped up and tried to embrace her sister but Mother stood between them.

In her shrill voice Mother spat out, "There, you've seen her. We don't want anything to do with either of you, so go away. Now."

Alicia's face fell, she wanted her little sister back. She'd spent the past three years badgering her father to return to Italy and force their mother to release her twin. Father had dragged his feet, he knew his ex-wife wouldn't make things easy but surely for the sake of the girls they could come to a new agreement.

"Precia, please… let the girls spend some time together, they're twins, surely you know they've missed one another," the tall blonde man pleaded.

"You're the one who left, you're the one who separated them, not me," she fired back hotly.

As her mother was distracted with arguing with her father Alicia scampered around the irate woman and clamped onto her sister. The girl was thin and despite the quick clean up she had been subjected to she smelt of blood and dirt. Alicia was young but she was not naïve, she knew her mother was capable of hurting people. She'd seen her strike their father and in the last days of the marriage pull a knife on him. In the years they had been separated she had increasing terrifying nightmares involving her sister. Now the girl who had been her closest confidant was standing staring at her blankly. What had their mother done to the girl who had once been her other half?

Pulling Fate closer to their father and not knowing why but knowing she had to look she pulled the dress her sister wore up to expose her back. The sight made her young mind shut down and as she let out a choked scream their father saw the horror sending him into a rage.

~"~"~"~

Young Fate had been taken to the nearest hospital by the Polizia after her mother had been arrested. Her father had restrained the mad woman until they could arrive. The aftermath of the investigation made it clear Fate had been suffering at the hands of her mother for years, how the child had survived was a miracle, malnutrition and severe beatings resulting in large amounts of blood loss had left her life dangling by a thread. If they hadn't arrived that when they had she may well have died within days if conditions continued. Alicia overheard the doctors talking and became fearful her little sister would still die, from then on she refused to leave her side.

Alicia curled up next to her sister, wrapped her childishly thin arms around the frail form as if she could protect her from all harm. "Imōto-chan, I'll never leave you again, I promise, we'll always be together." Fate didn't reply, but shifted and clung tighter to her sister, afraid it was all a dream.

For the first few months after her recovery she didn't speak, she had been taught by Mother that children should be seen not heard. Alicia eventually brought her out of her shell, not so much with her incessant happy chatter but her constant dedication. While it was clear her sister wasn't being punished for her exuberant behavior that wasn't enough to give her the courage to speak. It was only the loving presence and stubbornness of her elder twin that eventually lead to her speaking her first word in months.

~"~"~"~

Alicia made it her life's goal to make her sister happy, to teach her it was okay to smile and laugh but some days were harder than others. It seemed only when her sister had a pencil or paintbrush in hand that she really was free from the pain. Their father felt guilty for having abandoned his daughter to torture and not even with family counseling was he able to overcome the emotional walls built from the horror she endured. Unable or unwilling to put the effort in to rebuild their relationship he tried to make up for it with every art supply the girl even showed the slightest interest in.

By the time the timid girl reached puberty it was clear she was an artistic prodigy, she could bring to life her creations with vibrant colors never seen before. She seemed to be pouring the life dammed up in her into her paintings and drawings, while outside she was as quiet and remote as the grave. Where her father failed to be the mentor she needed, she found the support she longed for in another man and his family. Their loving guidance allowed her to develop the rudiments of social skills when it came to her craft.

Which was why her losing that bond with her adoptive family hurt her all the more. It was a loss which affected her deeply and left her questioning what kind of life she really wanted. Her adopted family had see her through some of the roughest years of recovery and development but as she was on the precipice of adulthood they were gone.

As she faced a future without them in it she couldn't help blaming herself for letting their relationship deteriorate to the point it had. Maybe someday she'd have the strength to face them again. As it was she felt like she really was her father's daughter, a coward who could only run away from painful situations. It didn't help matters that her sister with zero consideration immediately blamed others for her shortcomings further creating tension.

It was also thanks to Alicia and tutors that Fate was able to graduate from high school early along with her sister. Despite the time she had been neglected Fate had caught up with then surpassed their peers with their help. The duo in school balanced each other well, Alicia being stronger in Math and Science while Fate excelled in Languages and the Arts.

Worried about her sister's future Alicia asked, "Ne, Imōto-chan, what do you want to do when you grow up?"

Fate buried in one of her artbooks answered with a sigh, "I don't know, I just want to be able to paint, but I also don't want to be dependent on anyone else. I got the scholarships to Kyoto University of Art and Design and The Florence Academy of Art, but I don't know if I want to go back to Europe."

Not wanting her sister going anywhere near Europe Alicia sat down next to her and gripped her hand, "Well, I got into the University of Kyoto, so we can live together in an apartment there. It will be fun, come on. Just the two of us without dad being a pain."

Surprised by the offer Fate tried to dissuade her sister, "Cia-nee, you don't have to take care of me. You should go to Tokyo University, it's your first choice."

"Un-uh, I promised we'd always be together. I want to be with you, I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to you," she replied while hugging her sister tight.

Caught in the loving embrace and unable to argue against something she desperately wanted Fate leaned into her sister and relented.

~"~"~"~

So the pair proceeded to university, Fate to the prestigious Kyoto University of Art and Design and Alicia to the University of Kyoto to study chemistry and obtain her teaching certification. The confidently beautiful Alicia also took on a job as a model in addition to her studies.

When asked by work colleagues why she bothered with school she replied, "One won't always be young and beautiful, besides I really like children and want to be a teacher someday."

It didn't take long for the sisters to become something of celebrities within the city. Fate's art work winning many awards and Alicia's presence in fashion magazines brought them both into the spotlight. Alicia became the spokesperson for the sisters, Fate always standing a step behind the bolder blonde with a quietly impassive look on her face. At openings for Fate's art shows Alicia and the few close friends the pair had ensured Fate didn't hide in the shadows. Instead pushing her to further develop her semblance of confidence when it came to presenting her work.

One friend in particular seemed to have a flair for the dramatic and constantly pushed Fate to be more open. Wanting to become stronger and frightened by her ever growing dependence on Alicia she revealed the truth behind her reclusive behavior. The relationship failed miserably shortly there after leaving Fate with even more trust issues. Trust issues she had to deal with when others decided to confront her.

Alicia looking back on her sister's rocky first year at University couldn't help wishing they could redo the whole thing. Not just because of the emotional trauma but because she was now having to deal with some very annoying people all for Fate's sake. Considering the low point of the year she had to thankful Fate wasn't hiding in a closet refusing to come out. She also had the added bonus of having two additional people who not only knew Fate's secret but accepted her fully, even if one in particular drove her nuts.

With the help of of her new friends Fate learned how to balance her social awkwardness better. Though everyone who knew her could still see her hesitation to let people too close. Before long Fate was able to hold dynamitic conversations when it came to her artwork and techniques making more than one man (and woman) fall in love with her to her utter befuddlement.

Her gentle, "Thank you for your kind regard but I'm not interested in a relationship at this time," was a mantra many heard as the years went by.

Throughout High School those who sought out the sisters romantically found a dead end, neither wanted to date. In University Fate could see Alicia was becoming more conflicted over saying no. Not wanting resentment to develop Fate pushed her sister to accept the offers. Not wanting Fate to feel abandoned Alicia insisted she come on the group dates or parties she was invited too. So began a new battle with social interaction that Fate was ill prepared to deal with.

By their final year in school Alicia's playgirl behavior had driven many a woman to despair. When asked why she refused to settle down she would say, "No one is more important to me than my sister. The girls I date are fun but they can't replace her in my life."

Many girls took her behavior to be a challenge trying to seduce her and in the end the relationships imploded with them screaming at her, "Alicia, why?! Your sister doesn't need you, damn it you have a right to be with someone, to have your own life!"

Alicia tried to make them understand it wasn't Fate who held her back, "It's not my sister's fault. She's made it clear that she understands one day we'll have separate lives but right now I would rather spend my time with her, that's just the way it is. I'm sorry but I just don't love you."

Upon graduation they joined the workforce in earnest, Fate found a position with an ad design marketing company where she quickly rose within the ranks. She had learned to communicate with people within the context of her craft but interpersonal exchanges still left her floundering. She kept everyone at arm's' distance which in the end led to more than one of her co-designers to call her a stuck up ice queen and demanding to work with someone more human. Before long she was being called behind her back throughout the company the Ice Angel, cold as ice and perfect as an angel.

"Shush here she comes….man, just her walking by can make the room's temperature fall. God damn Ice Angel, if she wasn't so good at her job they'd have fired her years ago since she can't keep a partner for more than a month."

~"~"~"~

The sisters were twenty-two when they were asked if they would take in an orphaned cousin, Alicia was hesitant after all Fate didn't get along with others very well. How would she respond to a strange child suddenly being dropped on them? Learning of the girl's circumstances Fate asked to meet the child and found herself liking the quiet girl. Almost instantly she felt a strong kinship to the orphan and agreed to take her in.

It didn't take long for the shy eleven year old girl to become the second person to ever reach inside Fate's hard shell. As if cut from the same quietly serious cloth both soon blossomed at home under Alicia's increasingly childish influence. With Einhart, Alicia now had an excuse to tease and joke. As if giving the elder twins a second chance at their ruined childhood both sisters embraced a more relaxed manner at home. Fate still didn't trust other adults but with certain children she found she could be open and even laugh.

"Ein-chan, come here, let's see your grades…mmhhm you've done very well."

Smiling at the praise Einhart accepted the hug from her favorite cousin.

The soft hearted blonde gave the girl a squeeze before asking, "Considering all your hard work what would you like as a reward?"

Shrugging the green haired girl asked, "Um, can we go to the Art Museum?"

Looking down at the girl Fate pointed out with an amused smile, "Hmm, you know we can go somewhere more…lively."

Shaking her head to emphasize her rejection of that idea Einhart replied, "Un-uh, I rather go somewhere where we can both be happy."

Giving the girl another tighter squeeze Fate laughed, "You're a sweetheart Ein-chan."

~"~"~"~

Over the next five years Einhart changed the way they lived and interacted with each other. Ein-chan loved to tease Alicia and was very protective of Fate. In time Fate learned to tease her sister too and would hide behind the laughing child trying to look innocent when her sister in shock finally grasped the subtle barbs flung at her by her quiet twin. In this small conclave Fate was happiest until she met her art students.

Two years into Einhart's residence with the sisters found Fate being chosen as Artist of the Year by the local guilds. As such she was requested to give presentations to young artists in some local schools. Einhart joined her and soon Fate found herself with two then later four students whom she would teach on weekends and holidays.

If anyone from her work had seen her with her students they would not have believed it possible that she was the same woman they worked with everyday. She smiled and laughed with her students, she was a gentle teacher guiding them through various styles and techniques. But even they did not know all of her secrets, as she would not burden them with all her pain. So even in the dead heat of summer she wore long sleeves and pants, never showing an inch of skin more than necessary as they worked away in the studio she rented. Even with the windows open and the large fans running it was not comfortable to the children and they all wondered at her stamina in the stifling heat.

Moving around the large space and managing the handful of children in her charge, Fate found the work could be exhausting but rewarding. Especially since all the young people seemed to see her as more of a big sister than a teacher. Each child gave their all to please her and to be as helpful as possible to the soft spoken woman.

Seeing her petite pink haired student struggling she pointed another over to help her out, "Erio-kun, please help Caro-chan with the supplies. Thank you sweetheart."

Without a single grumble the red haired boy responded and was happy to accept the warm smile she bestowed on him. Along with the grateful look the cute pink haired girl gave him which had him blushing.

Looking across the room to her older students she couldn't prevent the sigh escaping her lips, "Teana-chan, please don't be so serious, you need to relax or you'll make more mistakes…"

Suddenly eyes wide she tried to prevent another disaster by calling out to an overburdened blue haired girl, "Ah no wait, stop!"

The resounding crashing noise filled the room as half a dozen open canisters of paint went flying. Groaning at the sight of two girls now covered in paint, "Ugh…Subaru-chan, Teana-chan are you okay?"

The hyperactive Subaru wiped her paint stained face and gave a feeble laugh which had her red haired friend smacking her and growling, "Don't laugh you idiot, we are in so much trouble."

Shaking her head at the pair Fate said, "If you two can still bicker then I guess you're alright. Now I think it'd be best if you both go home and get cleaned up. Don't worry about the mess, I'll take care of it…"

The overly serious Teana tried to object, "Ah no, Fate-sensei! We should at least clean up before going."

Carefully avoiding the paint splattered parts of the girls Fate guided them both to the door before saying, "Go home, you're not in trouble. But I would appreciate it if you two could try to be more patient next time. Both of you are in too much of a hurry."

~"~"~"~"~"~

Chapter One: First Impressions

Einhart was walking to school when she saw a moving truck across the street and various workmen carrying furniture and boxes into the formerly vacant house. She tried to look into the house to see the new tenants but wasn't able to see anything but stacks of boxes. Giving up she proceeded on to the bus stop, but when she got home after school she planned to drag Cia-chan and Fate-nee to meet their new neighbor, whether they liked it or not.

The school day was going so slowly, Einhart was smart and as the work being discussed was something she readily grasped. Letting her attention wander she was looked out the window when she saw a woman and a girl walk up the school's front path to the administration building.

Trying to get a better look she couldn't help thinking, 'Hmm a new student? It's unusual at this time of year so the poor girl was going to be the center of attention. And it's not gonna help the girl being a foreigner with that blonde hair. Well depending on where she's put I might need to intervene to protect the newbie,' smiling to herself she settled back in her seat when the pair disappeared from view, 'After all I'll need to do my good deed for the day and I do love blondes.'

The girl in question wasn't starting school that day but went through the motions of getting registered, obtaining her class schedule and necessary school supplies. She would start school the next day but before they left the vice-principal gave them a quick tour. The girl and her mother were the object of attention through the windows and it was quickly determined that the next day she would be joining class 1-B, but who she was, was still a mystery.

Einhart made her way home and saw the moving truck was gone and the house looked dark, 'hmm, looks like they're out, well I'll keep an eye out and when they get home I'll make sure we greet them properly.'

A few hours later Fate made her way home from work, it had been yet another day of working quietly in her office, the second desk within still empty but her boss had called her in to tell her she would be getting a new partner the next day. The position had been open for months, as the minimum requirements to work with her were so high. Fate didn't want to work with an amateur marketer or a half-baked haughty artist who didn't know the first thing about advertising, both types having been pressed upon her in the past. The resume of her new partner when presented to her was quite impressive and left her wondering why the woman had come to Uminari when her skills could be better served in New York or London where she had previously worked.

When she entered the house she could hear arguing and couldn't help rolling her eyes, 'Sometimes Cia-nee really can be such a child; she really needs to learn not to let Ein-chan get under her skin.' She kicked off her shoes and made her way to the kitchen and the sight of two females covered in flour and the sticky mess on her counter tops made her head began to ache.

"Um…Ein-chan what's going on here?"

She had asked the teen as she knew her sister would only give her excuses. So when Alicia tried to start in she lifted a hand to stay her while keeping her eyes on the teen.

"Well, I wanted to make some cookies to give to our new neighbors and asked Cia-chan to help me but we kind of got into an argument over what type of cookies we were making and one thing led to another," the girl replied guiltily.

"Ah, now we all know none of us can bake to save our lives Ein-chan so what made you think this time would be any different?" Fate asked as she rubbed her forehead.

"Um I... I found this cookbook in the library today and it looked pretty simple, and besides I've been getting good grades overall in my cooking classes so I thought it wouldn't hurt to try again," Einhart tried to explain with an awkward smile.

Sighing, "I'm going to take a bath, when I get out I want to see my kitchen clean and the two of you looking like normal human beings and not someone's bad idea of a ghost. If everything looks okay I'll take you to the bakery after we have dinner and we can buy something for our new neighbors rather than risking food poisoning, does that sound fair to everyone?"

Both of the miscreants murmured their agreement and Fate left them to the clean up. She made her way to her room to find a change of clothes and then proceeded to the bath. Under the harsh lights of the bathroom she could see the trailing scars that ran down her back, arms and legs. They had faded over time but it was clear no one would miss them if she wore shorts or a tank top, let alone a swimsuit. She wasn't really interested in what others might think of her scars, but she also didn't want to deal with the questions.

She wanted to be left alone, the desire to be with another person intimately was a concept that never appealed to her. While others were looking for their soul mate she wanted to get on with her work. Other than her small circle of friends and family she really didn't feel the need for anything else, it was best to stay safe. After all she didn't want to go into the past, it was the past and nothing anyone said or did could change what had happened. Best to move on and take what little enjoyment she could find out of life without dredging up her murky history.

After a soaking bath she dressed and came down to find her kitchen once more clean and her housemates missing. She began cooking dinner and by the time it was done they both reappeared cleaned up. They ate a quiet family dinner where the two "children" kicked each other under the table when there was a dispute over who would get the last piece of chicken. Fate settled the fight with another roll of her eyes by cutting the piece into two equally and placing the meat on their plates, 'Really, they're such babies sometimes,' she thought morosely.

Dinner dishes were finally washed and put away so Fate grabbed her purse and keys to head over to the closest and best bakery in the city, Midori-ya Café. When they pulled into the parking lot the business' lights were off, "That's strange, they're already closed. I hope nothing happened to the Takamachis."

Einhart looked disappointed and sighed, "I really wanted a cinnamon roll too."

"And here I thought we were here to get a welcome-to-the-neighborhood gift, not something for your own sweet tooth." The blonde replied with an eyebrow lifted in irony.

"Well it's not like we couldn't get both, besides you ate the last of the rolls I bought so you owe me," the girl pouted.

"It's getting late. How's this, I'll pick up a dozen cinnamon rolls on my way home from work tomorrow and we can take half to our new neighbors and keep the rest for ourselves. I'll even ask Momoko-san to put extra frosting on yours," she offered to pacify her young cousin.

The girl brightened up immediately and jauntily replied, "That sounds like a wonderful idea," then gave her a big hug, "You're the best!"

A small smile came to the blonde's lips, "Okay, now that's settled let's go home and get ready for bed, it's going to be a long day tomorrow."

~"~"~"~"~"~"~

The next morning came quickly and Einhart was surprised to see the blonde girl from the day before running out of the house across the street with a piece of toast in her mouth and her bag hanging haphazardly from her arm. Einhart looked at her watch and knew the bus wasn't set to arrive for another ten minutes, plenty of time for her to get to the station, so what was the rush? She followed the rapidly retreating figure at a more sedate pace and wasn't surprised to see the girl huffing for breath looking around for the bus.

"We still have a few minutes before it arrives," she spoke with more than a hint of amusement in her voice.

The girl turned to look at her with a blush, "Ah, I thought I was late, isn't it suppose to be here at eight o'clock?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah on weekends, during the week it comes at eight-ten," she replied distractedly as she had been slightly entranced by the girl's eyes, they were like hers, heterochromatic.

"Won't we be late then? School starts at eight-thirty." The girl looked worriedly up the road searching for the bus.

"Nah, it will get us there in less than ten minutes, we'll have plenty of time to get to class. Um, by the way I'm Stratos Einhart. I think we're neighbors and might be in the same homeroom, 1-b right?" she replied then gave a little bow to the blonde.

The blonde girl blushed again then politely introduced herself, "I'm Scrya-Takamachi Vivio, it's nice to meet you."

Einhart was about to say more when the bus made its turn around the block and lumbered towards them. Vivio seeing the bus began to frantically search for the bus pass in her bag. She pulled out her wallet only to drop it in her haste, Einhart quickly bent down to scoop up the item and spotting the bright blue of the pass pulled it out before handing them both to the agitated girl. 'She must be really nervous, she's hopping about like a Mexican Jumping Bean.'

"Thanks Einhart-san, I'm a mess this morning, I really wish my mom could have come with me today but she started her new job at seven so I'm all on my own in a new city and a new school, I feel like my heart is about to burst with how fast it's thumping."

"Vivio-san please calm down, it's going to be okay, if you have any problems I'll be happy to help you. Like I said we are in the same homeroom so it's likely we'll be in a lot of the same classes so if you need a guide or anything just ask me," Einhart said with a warm smile that made her stormy violet and blue eyes appear soft and friendly.

The friendly gesture seemed to freeze the blonde so Einhart ushered the girl onto the bus and into a pair of open seats after they flashed their passes at the driver. Helping the frazzled girl settle down with a soft pat on the arm she was moved by the gratitude that shone in her bright green and red eyes.

The blonde took a deep breath to settle her nerves and gave her a watery smile, "Thanks again Einhart-san… oh is that alright?" then frowned in worry that she had offended the helpful girl, "I'm probably being presumptuous in calling you by your first name. Nanoha-mama is trying to teach me proper Japanese etiquette but I get pretty confused most of the time."

Einhart laughed at this then took her hand to give it a gentle squeeze, "It's fine, I'd like for us to get along. You can even call me Ein-chan like my other friends."

Vivio beamed at this, "Then please call me Vi, um I guess it would be Vi-chan."

~"~"~"~"~"~

Fate had arrived early to work, normally the staff was expected to be in the office by seven but she was in at six as she liked to leisurely drink her coffee and read her emails before starting on her work. So when her office door opened at six-thirty she was surprised to see her boss and an auburn haired woman behind him. "Good morning Testarossa-san I'd like to introduce you to your new partner, this is Scrya-Takamachi Nanoha."

The auburn haired woman stepped forward and bowed to the now standing blonde, Nanoha was surprised at her visceral reaction to the woman and was struggling to hide her emotions. 'Oh my god she's gorgeous! Those eyes are so unique, I've seen anyone with burgundy colored eyes before.'

Fate waited for her to rise and then made her own introduction before bowing in return, "It's very nice to meet you Scrya-Takamachi-san I hope we will work well together."

Nanoha's eyes couldn't help taking in the rigidity in the woman's stance and wondered at it. There was something closed off and a feeling of a person being in tight control that made her think for a moment the woman was going to be high strung and that the gossip she had overheard had more than a drop of truth in it.

Fate on the other hand couldn't shake the feeling there was something familiar about the woman before her. It was almost like they had met before but that couldn't be, her resume made it clear she had been living abroad for most of the past decade. Then the second part of her name clicked in her head, 'Takamachi? As in the daughter of Momoko and Shiro, whom they both rave on about all the time?'

Eyes widening briefly and with a slight catch to her breath Fate asked, "Um excuse me but are you related to Takamachi Momoko?"

The woman blinked her enchanting sapphire eyes at this, "Yes, she's my mother, how did you know?"

"Well you look remarkably like your mother and I've been going to her bakery for years. She talks about you quite a bit, I'm sorry I didn't make the connection sooner," she replied with a rather disturbed look in her deep burgundy eyes, "My condolences on the passing of your late husband."

Nanoha wasn't sure what had her more confused, the fact that her new coworker knew her family or the strange look she was now receiving from her. It would be just her luck if her insane family had given this woman a very biased opinion of her and ruined any chance of them working together.

Bowing her head again she replied awkwardly, "Thank you, I guess you really must know my mother. I haven't mentioned my marital status with anyone outside my family and close friends. I hope we can work well together too, if you're a friend of my family I think we should get along quite well."

Their boss clapped his hands together and jovially stated, "Wonderful! I'm so glad you two have some common ground to build a good working relationship on. Now Testarossa-san I'll leave you two alone to get better acquainted, please take good care of your new colleague."

Fate felt like the room was suddenly filled with some kind of viscous fluid making it hard to move or speak. She had hoped to keep her relationship with her new partner purely professional but if she was the daughter of Momoko and Shiro that really wasn't likely. Those two were as inquisitive as a pair of five year olds, always poking at her to open up and smile. They knew things about her that she really didn't want the rest of the company to know and now their daughter had a front row seat to monitor her at work. The gods only knew what the pair would do to her if they found out about her company nickname or the true extent of her poor social skills.

They stood looking at each other for a few moments after the door closed behind their boss, trying to decide what to do or say next. Nanoha had no clue what to say at this point her mind stuck on the thought of this woman knowing her family. How much had they really told this stranger about her and how the hell was she supposed to retain the semblance of professionalism with someone who might have seen her baby pictures?!

Fate decided to fall back onto their mutual work and not think about the multitude of stories or pictures she had been exposed to over the years, "Um, this will be your desk. I made sure it is fully stocked with all the materials needed for our current project. You'll need to log into the computer and set up your passwords. The phone number for our line is listed right under the keypad so if you need to give it out just read it off. I have the layouts for what I have come up with so far on your desk. Please review them and let me know your opinion and any changes you'd like to make."

Nanoha made her way to the desk and looked everything over, the supplies and documents were all neatly arranged and easily accessible. "Thank you Testarossa-san, I'll take some time now to get familiar with everything then maybe in an hour or so we can discuss the project."

Thankful the shorter woman's penetrating sapphire eyes were no longer on her Fate said, "Very good, I'll be reviewing the work of our apprentice designers in the meantime, just let me know when you're ready."

Fate then turned to her computer monitor and began to flick through various documents and layouts losing herself once more in work. Nanoha couldn't help glancing over from time to time at the woman amazed at the complete lack of attention she was receiving. Normally a new coworker would be asking questions or talking about themselves to try and break the ice. Instead it was like the woman had dismissed her from her attention and was now in her own little world. The strange thing about the situation was she didn't feel any dismissal or rejection from the blonde. Shaking herself Nanoha turned to the computer and tried to concentrate.

Over the next hour the office was strangely hushed. Nanoha felt like there was no one else in the room. The blonde seemed to have no physical presence, if there wasn't the quiet click of the keyboard or mouse she would have sworn the woman had left the room. It was like Fate had put on an invisibility cloak that made her blend into her surroundings, 'how was it possible for such a beautiful and talented person to just fade into the background?'

Two unnerving hours later Nanoha turned to her colleague, "Testarossa-san?" and found the blonde had disappeared. Nanoha looked around the room and there was nothing, leaving her to mutter, "How the devil?"

The woman in question had gotten up and left nearly twenty minutes prior to resolve an issue she'd found in one of the layouts that had been submitted. Fate wasn't used to announcing her comings and goings to anyone and thinking she'd be back before she'd be missed just slipped out of the office quietly as to not disturb her new partner. Nanoha had just gotten up to open the door and check for the blonde when she heard her talking outside the door.

"How's it going Testarossa-sama? Getting along with your new assistant?" a snide voice asked.

"Good morning Niijima-san, she is not an assistant, she will be my partner, her abilities and work experience put her quite a bit ahead of me. I for one am proud that someone so gifted has decided to come to work at our company. Please excuse me I must get back to work, have a good rest of your day," a quiet voice replied.

"Ah, Testarossa-sama, perhaps you and your lovely partner would like to go out for lunch, it'd be my treat, we can celebrate someone finally meeting your approval," replied the voice filled with maliciousness.

The door swung open gently and the woman appeared to be calm and as if she hadn't heard the last words spoken to her. Noticing her new colleague was standing by the door looking at her Fate nodded in greeting before shutting it in the face of whoever had been speaking to her. Nanoha hadn't liked the way the man had spoken to the blonde, even if the woman could be a bit elusive that guy made her sound as if she was stuck up. Nanoha had met people who put on haughty airs, had married into a family of pompous perfectionists in fact, and she wasn't getting that vibe from the blonde. In fact she was coming to understand the woman more by just looking into her eyes. That dark look she hadn't quite placed before she finally recognized, loneliness. There was no way she'd ever be able to confuse that look with any other, it was a look she faced every morning in the mirror.

Not sure how to address the woman she blurted out, "Where'd you go? I didn't even hear you leave."

Avoiding Nanoha's eyes Fate walked back to her desk, looking over the documents she'd left on her desk she then forced herself to turn to look at her speaker, "I had to deal with Ono-san's submission, the young man seems to think he can get away with submitting crude and provocative drawings in place of real work. I'm not sure why he was hired, he isn't very professional."

"Are you in charge of the apprentice designers in addition to our normal duties?"

"Yes and no, there is a manager who oversees their day to day training but I review all their projects before signing off for presentation to the client. Unfortunately the manager and I don't get along very well, she likes to let things like this work their way to me."

She held up an ad, it was almost a slap in the face. It had a blonde woman in a tiny red bikini top that barely covered erect nipples, she was wearing thigh high red leather high heeled boots, and there was a tiny piece of signage held between her legs covering the crotch area, and the slogan written thereupon was risqué in its double meaning. It was pretty tasteless and borderline sexual harassment considering the woman depicted was clearly drawn with Fate in mind.

Nanoha took the document from Fate and had the urge to crush it or tear it up, couldn't these people see the pain and sadness already in her beautiful burgundy eyes, why were they trying to add more? Instead she walked over to the shredder and fed the document into its sharp teeth. They probably should have taken it to the director and had him deal with the offender but the very idea of such a picture being allowed to exist made Nanoha's stomach ache.

Glaring at the resulting confetti she said, "Trash, I hope you told him to start over and to be more professional. I for one won't tolerate this kind of behavior, I didn't in my prior companies and I'm not about to start now."

"Hmm, well enough on that matter," she replied as she watched the document being destroyed, then looking at the woman in front of her with a placid face, "let's get down to our own work."

"Right, I was thinking…" Nanoha began her presentation of ideas on where to take the project next with a look of determination and a warm smile.

~"~"~"~"~"~

The morning flew by for both mother and child with their respective guides, though Vivio was clearly having the better day in regards of making friends. Fate introduced Nanoha to the other women in the office right before lunch time and then excused herself. Nanoha watched her leave and wasn't surprised when the women she'd been left with began to gossip. She listened halfheartedly for a while as they spoke about the men in the office and management. But when the topic moved on to the blonde she felt her interest surge.

"Umm, the woman could have any man in the office but she is soo frigid. I don't think I've ever seen her give anyone the time of day, not even that heartthrob Acous-kun was able to make her blink."

"Maybe she's a lez? She's awful close to that sister of hers, and I know for a fact she is a lez. Alicia Testarossa is such a whore, she jumps from woman to woman, quickies in closets while she's on those photo shoots she does for our company. I have heard so many stories about that one, I wonder if maybe some of those cases were Fate and people just assumed it was Alicia."

"They probably do have something going on between them, the only one good enough for Miss Perfect would have to be her sister. The Ice Angel only smiles at her twin, the Hot Devil, they make quite the pair. Hey Scrya-san what's she like?"

"My name is Scrya-Takamachi, and she is very diligent. Excuse me, I'm going to get something to eat," she replied chillily to the bunch of squawking chickens before walking to the elevator.

Nanoha knew she probably just offended those women but they really didn't seem like the kind of people she'd want to be friends with anyway. She hated people who spread rumors and talked about other people's love lives. She was walking up the block looking at the store fronts trying to determine if there were any restaurants or fast food establishments when she saw a familiar length of blonde hair coming out of a building. She was followed by another blonde and they were walking towards the park. She walked up to the door they had just exited and saw it was a deli so she decided to go in for a sandwich.

Thirty minutes later she saw the duo returning and she exited the restaurant just as the sisters crossed the street. Fate spotted the auburn haired woman immediately, she had just spent the last half hour freaking out to her sister about her. Alicia felt her sister tense and noticed the woman standing on the sidewalk looking at them, it only took a glance to see she really was a younger and if possible prettier version of her mother.

The older twin began to laugh at her sister internally, 'Well now, isn't this an interesting development. Up until now the only person able to get under little Fate-chan's skin was Takamachi Momoko, that woman can make the little fool do the most out of character things. Heh heh and now there is a younger and single version running around, oh this is going to be fun.'

The sisters came to a stop in front of the shorter woman and Alicia stepped forward to introduce herself with her suave smile in place. "You must be Scrya-Takamachi Nanoha, my dear sister Fate-chan was talking about how wonderful it is to have you working with her. I'm Testarossa Alicia, please call me Cia."

The new blonde woman bowed to Nanoha and she had to blink at the complete contrast between the sisters. Alicia had a physical presence that made you sit up and take notice the moment she appeared. She also radiated confidence and sensuality that would make less self-assured people feel like she would swallow them in one bite if not careful. They weren't exactly identical to Nanoha's eye, Fate appeared to be slightly taller than her sister then looking down at their footwear, Alicia had to be wearing three inch heels while Fate was in conservative flats. It was then she realized Fate must be in fact two or three inches taller if they took their shoes off, how'd that happen? Fate's face was also the slightest bit thinner and longer than her sister's, she actually looked as if she was a stretched out version of her twin the longer she stared at them.

Snapping out of her blonde induced stupor she nodded at the older twin and replied, "Nice to meet you Cia-san, please call me Nanoha, it's my understanding you and your sister know my family pretty well."

"Yes, hmm it is quite remarkable, you really do look like your mother and I have to say she is one of the most beautiful women I've ever met. If there is anything the Testarossa family can do for you please let us know," Alicia gave her a rather licentious smile and wink.

Fate seeing what her sister was doing acted without thinking, smacking her sister lightly across the head with her palm and then giving her a stormy look, "Cia-nee I think it's time for you to get back to work, please forgive my sister for her impropriety, Scrya-Takamachi-san."

She then took Nanoha's elbow and pulled her away towards their work building. They had only gone ten steps when Alicia called out, "You still have to pick up the cinnamon rolls on the way home, say hi to Momo-chan for me!"

Nanoha's eyebrows went up at that, looking at her partner, "What was that about?"

Fate had stopped at the words, closed her eyes and with a sigh of weariness pinched the arch of her nose. Scrunching her eyes like a child hoping it was all a dream for a moment then opening her eyes she looked over to the woman speaking and then looked away again and began to walk rather quickly. In an odd tone of voice she said, "My cousin and sister wanted me to pick up cinnamon rolls as a welcome to the neighborhood gift for our new neighbors, but I suspect you are our new neighbor so it would be rather paradoxical to be given pastries from your own family's bakery."

"We're neighbors?" Nanoha asked confusedly.

"You said something about living near the Isumi Line, there was only one house in the area for sell and that's the one across the street from us." Fate said as she opened the door to their building then held it open to allow Nanoha entrance before her.

Nanoha was quiet during the walk back to their office trying to decide how to proceed with the conversation, 'Come on it's not like she's royalty, hell she doesn't even give off a "mightier than thou, you are not worthy to speak to the likes of me" air like Noriko.'

Once the door to their office was closed Fate spoke quietly, "Scrya-Takamachi-san, I apologize again for my sister and if my words made you uncomfortable. Please forgive Alicia, she has a tendency to behave like an unruly child but she was right in saying we both welcome you to the neighborhood and I welcome you here, if there is anything I can do to help you please feel free to ask."

"Nanoha," she blurted out, then blushing, "Please call me by my given name, we're partners and neighbors, there's no need to stand on formalities."

Now it was the blonde's turn to blush, she didn't even dare make eye contact but hurried over to her desk and while shuffling documents finally responded, "Okay, then call me Fate."

~"~"~"~"~"~

"Vi-chan!" a voice rang out in the hallway, it was Rio another of Einhart's friends whom she had introduced her to earlier in the day. The young blonde turned to smile and made her way through the crowded hallway to the purple haired girl. "Hey Rio-chan, where is Ein-chan?"

The girl giggled, "She got held back by Scaglietti-sensei, she fell asleep in his class and started snoring. I can't blame her it was really boring today, he is such a weirdo."

Vivio's brow crinkled, "He's the science teacher right? I have him after lunch, everyone tells me he's like a mad scientist and really creepy."

A pair of hands clamped themselves over the blonde's eyes and a soft voice asked, "Guess who?"

"Um, that crazy girl who's been following me around all day, Ein-chan!" she teased her friend.

The hands left her eyes and caught her cheeks instead, pinching them the soft voice now took on a peeved tone, "Crazy huh? Following someone around, making me sound like a stalker, blondie here is getting awful full of herself?"

She let out a small whimper of pain and grabbed at the hands pulling her cheeks, "Ah, I'm sorry Einhart-san!"

The hands released her immediately and then spun her around, the elegantly beautiful girl's face had a frown of concern, and the hands that had been pinching before were now rubbing gently, "I'm sorry Vi-chan did I hurt you? I was just teasing you back but I know I can get carried away."

Vivio felt her heart skip a beat, Einhart Stratos was one of the most popular girls in school, after they separated for class earlier all her new classmates pounced on her asking of course about where she came from but then went on to ask how well she knew Stratos-sama. 'Sama' the word echoed in Vivio's head as the other students went on to innumerate her charms and abilities; the best at athletics, beating the guys even. The top student grades wise, she even tutored other students sometimes. And she had a remarkable talent for painting, she has already won a scholarship to the Kyoto University of Art and Design just like her famous cousin. Then there was the obvious fact that she was the hottest girl in the school, with her measurements 82cm-58cm-80cm being proclaimed by the love-struck, or was that lust-struck?

She was also very picky when it came to friends, only two girls in their year could really count themselves her friend and another two in second year. So how had the new girl gotten so friendly with the reclusive Stratos-sama? As Vivio took in the concerned look on her new friend's face she thought, 'How did I get so lucky?' Capturing the hands that were now rubbing her pink cheeks, "Really, it's okay Einhart-san."

The frown deepened and her dark mismatched eyes glowered, "Ein-chan!"

Feeling unsure about the situation, never having been all that popular Vivio looked down, "Um, is that really okay…I mean a lot of people were telling me about how popular you are and I was being really forward…I shouldn't be so…"

A hand clamped her mouth closed then another took hold of her arm and began to drag her off with their other friends following giggling. When they finally got outside and to a secluded grassy area Einhart finally released her.

Plopping on the ground she sprawled out and with a look of aggravation she stated, "I really hope you're not the type of person to take other people's opinion so seriously. We're high school students, there is nothing about me that makes me any different from anyone else, I still need oxygen, food and water just like everyone else. So don't think you need to go all polite and treat me like the other knuckleheads around here."

The two other girls who had trailed after them settled on the ground next to their friend before Rio started, "Vi-chan, please don't take all the rumors and gossip so seriously, Ein-chan is really a big dork, she acts cool most of the time and considering who her family is she kind of inherited a lot of popularity."

"I'm not a dork! You're supposed to be my friend Rio-chan," a grumpy voice mumbled.

Then the light brown haired girl Corona spoke, "I have to agree with Rio-chan you are a dork, if the kids at school saw how you act at home they probably have a heart attack from the shock. Vi-chan, to tell you the truth you probably remind this idiot of her cousin which is why she latched onto you. She has a crazy cousin-fetish…"

The girl in question clamped her friend's mouth closed as soon as the word fetish made its way out. Blushing terribly she looked at the blonde and tried to think of something to cover up the embarrassment. She had a trapped 'oh shit!' smile on her face as she stuttered, "I…I…I"

Laughter chimed out and Vivio knew that her friend was exactly who she had thought originally, a really goofy, clingy and slightly childish girl with a big heart. She walked over to the stuttering girl and knelt to hug her, "I'm sorry Ein-chan, I was being silly, but it was worth it to see you so flustered. Nyahaha, will you introduce me to your cousins after school? They sound like great people."

The silver-green haired girl released her friend and smiled, "Of course! I wanted us to come over yesterday night but you and your mom must have been out and we weren't able to get a welcome to the neighborhood present. But I know Fate-nee is getting cinnamon rolls from the best bakery in town, Midori-ya Café!, before she comes home tonight. I'll make sure both Fate-nee and Cia-chan come with me."

The blonde began to laugh again, everyone looked at her quizzically, "What's so funny Vi-chan?" Corona asked.

"My grandparents are the owners of Midori-ya Café, that's where Nanoha-mama and I were all last night. "

~"~"~"~

The day finally came to an end and Nanoha had come to the conclusion that Fate wasn't a stuck up bitch but she was a very confusing person to deal with. About ten minutes after she had completed her outline of where to take the project and Fate had accepted her suggestions or made self defense of or compromises for the work done and they had begun to work on their own then once again it was like she was working with the invisible woman. Thinking it would be nice to talk a bit so they could get better acquainted she started asking questions, but all she got back was short to the point answers, and when possible yes or no answers.

After being rebuffed with simple questions about schooling and work history she was wondering if it was even with worth trying to talk about her family. Then again that would open the topic to her own family and that wasn't one she wanted to delve into. She was about to try once more with question about local food options when Fate turned to hand her a new draft of the work they had discussed. Looking over the document she was shocked with the quickness and precision. But it was the honest request for feedback that left her confused, 'if she doesn't like me why is she asking for my opinion?'

After another quick discussion about their work Fate turned away again and once more became the invisible woman. This process happened twice more and suddenly the realization that the woman wasn't trying to freeze her came to her. Others might have interpreted her behavior as a hint to back off, but Nanoha finally decided the woman apparently didn't understand the concept of small talk, which was odd and mystifying but that was her only conclusion.

With the end of the day upon them Fate began putting materials away and saving her progress on the computer. She was about to pull out her brief case when she got a call on her cell phone. Nanoha couldn't help herself and tried to listen in on the conversation, hoping to learn something about her new co-worker.

"Hello Testarossa speaking," she answered, the phone held between her shoulder and chin while she completed the last of her tasks.

There was a tension to her shoulders as she responded to the caller,"Yes sir…yes sir…no, I'm sorry sir…yes but that will take more time…two weeks…yes sir…thank you, I'll see you then, good bye."

With a quiet snap the phone closed and Fate slid it into her jacket pocket with a tired sigh.

"Everything okay?" the auburn haired woman asked.

Fate had picked up her brief case and located her keys, at the sound of Nanoha's voice she turned to look at her, "Hmm? I'm sorry I didn't catch that?"

'You really do live in your own little world don't you Fate-chan?' she thought with a smile, out loud she voiced her question again, "Is everything okay Fate-san? You sounded stressed out."

Burgundy eyes opened wider in surprise, "Everything is fine, I have a patron who can be a little demanding is all. Well I have to be going, um…ah I'm going to your parent's café to pick up some pastries, but after that I'm going straight home, did you need a ride?"

Blinking in surprise Nanoha asked in reply, "How do you know I don't have a car?"

Fate smiled faintly, "Two observations, the first is I didn't hear a car last night or this morning. The second is I didn't notice any strange vehicles in the parking lot at lunch. So do you need a ride or will you be taking the train?"

Fate had decided she had to offer if she wanted to survive the judgment of both their families, oh she could try to leave her behind and then be "guilted" by Nanoha's parents and her sister later on. She could even hear the "pained" tones in Momoko's voice about her abandoning her daughter to the "dangers" of world. If she wanted to retain even the vestiges of her former quiet life she would have to make some concessions, find a new balance. Besides it wasn't like Nanoha was a horrible person, she was actually very pleasant… and had a strangely calming yet enticing presence.

Nanoha was surprised at the woman's attention to details, but decided to file this new puzzle piece away for further scrutinizing later. "Yes, thank you. It will give me a chance to say hello to my parents and drop off some things I have for them. I had planned to go straight there from work anyway."

They gathered their things and proceeded to the parking garage. Nanoha was suddenly nervous as Fate came to a stop next to a seriously expensive sports car. She knew about people having insanely overprotective issues regarding their vehicles, especially when they were expensive. Fate unlocked the door and opened it for Nanoha, when the woman failed to step forward she looked at her questioningly.

Nanoha felt the unspoken question, "Um is it really going to be alright for me to ride in the vehicle with you, I mean do you need me to take my shoes off or something?"

A sculpted eyebrow shot up, "Why in the world would that be necessary, it's a car, its purpose is to get one from one location to another comfortability?"

Staring at the intimidating red beast she asked, "What kind of car is that?"

Not sure why Nanoha was asking this Fate answered, "A 1990 Ferrari Testarossa. Why does that matter?"

Nanoha might not know much about cars but she recognized Ferrari and swallowed hard, "How much did it cost you?"

Sighing and rubbing her forehead Fate said, "Nanoha-san, I think I might know where you are going with this so let me short-circuit this foolishness. Yes, it is an expensive car. Yes, I love it. I wash and wax it every weekend in fact. I keep it in my garage and baby it, but it's an inanimate object. I am not one of those obsessive people who expect a car to be kept in pristine condition and will jump down your throat if you sneeze in it or something. I have met such people and they annoy me. So please get in, enjoy the ride, it runs beautifully."

Nanoha was surprised by the small speech, it was the most she had heard from the woman regarding her personal opinions on something other than work. She couldn't help but smile at the words. Fate wasn't like her in-laws, she wasn't a stuck up control freak when it came to her personal possessions. The thought that she also found such people annoying made her feel a stronger bit of kinship with the quiet woman.

Smiling softly she apologized, "Thank you, I'm sorry for causing so much trouble."

Nanoha slid into the leather interior of the vehicle and was surprised at the small toy sitting against the stick shift. It was a small plushie made to look like the blonde and was wearing a rather outrageous superhero costume. Fate saw her looking at the object and blushed before pulling it out of her hands and stuffing it in the glove compartment.

Afraid she had offended her new friend she tried to apologize. "Sorry, I shouldn't have…"

"Stop," the blonde's weary voice cut her off, "Please Nanoha-san, I don't want you to keep apologizing to me. You didn't do anything wrong, that silly thing was put in here by my cousin and it embarrassed me for you to see it. I fear my family and yours for that matter will likely keep embarrassing me, they all seem to find enjoyment in seeing me squirm. As long as you don't join in then I shall be quite happy."

"They embarrass you too? My mom and dad?" Nanoha couldn't help asking.

"Yes, your mother especially likes to make me blush. Your father likes to tease me and trick me into doing things for him. He got me to paint a mural in the café with nothing more than…ah never mind," Fate answered as she gave her steering wheel a tension relieving squeeze.

She heard giggling at that, looking at her seatmate she could see a pair of sapphires twinkling with humor and for an instant the beautiful woman looked like a mischievous child. Fate felt something stir in her chest, she'd felt it a couple times throughout the day with this woman and wasn't sure what it meant. But stronger than the fluttering feeling was the fear that her life was about to be turned upside down.

Looking away again to concentrate on the road Fate asked wearily, "Am I to assume you are going to join the bandwagon and make my life even more uncomfortable?"

The laughter died at that and a surprisingly tender voice said, "No, I won't do that. I would rather you smile. I was laughing at the thought that we're both victims of my parents, I know they can be pretty overwhelming. I guess even beautiful blondes aren't safe from teasing."

Fate's body tensed, hands gripped the steering wheel tightly causing her knuckles to whiten for a moment before she forced herself to relax.

"I'm not beautiful," Fate stated, her voice was firm but soft.

There was a deafening silence in the vehicle as they had arrived at the café. Fate immediately pulled into a space, parked and exited the car. She was halfway to the entrance before Nanoha even moved. The soft refute wasn't the kind she was used to hearing. She'd complimented beautiful women before and the denials they had given were of the type that demanded the speaker to go on to "convince" the listener of their honest admiration. Fate had denied her beauty as if there was some hidden flaw that she couldn't see that would destroy the illusion once discovered. Nanoha climbed out of the vehicle carefully and followed her companion, the noise of the café barely audible over the cacophony of her mind.

"Nanoha-chan!" a bright voice called out to her from behind the counter, the black haired woman who wore glasses already had a grip on Fate's arm holding her tight in place.

Nanoha made her way through the crowd to her sister and received a one armed hug which pulled her closer to Fate who was sporting a resigned smile in regards to the manhandling. It appeared Fate was used to her family's outrageous behavior and had learned it was better to grin and bear it than try to escape and be tackled to the ground.

Then she heard her father's stern voice, "Fate-chan, Nanoha, where are the children?"

Confused Nanoha frowned to herself, 'Children? Huh? I only have Vivio so where does the plural come in?'

Clarifying the situation Fate replied earnestly, "Ein-chan is at home sir, we came straight here from work. Ein-chan threatened me this morning that she wouldn't let me in the house without a bag of cinnamon rolls as toll. I promise I'll bring her by this weekend."

The strict façade faded and his face broke into a smile as he pulled the blonde into a hug then released her to hug his daughter. Nanoha was surprised again, she was second to the blonde in order of hugs, 'dad must really like her.'

Then she heard her mother, "Girls! You came together, that's wonderful."

Once again Fate received the first hug then Nanoha was clasped tightly.

"We thought you might be Fate-chan's new partner but didn't want to spoil the surprise. Isn't she the cutest little thing?"

The cute little thing was nearly three inches taller than her and her mother. Together they turned to look at the blonde, Fate was standing at attention listening intently to her father talk. The look of dawning horror on her face made Nanoha step over and ask her father rather frostily, "Daddy you aren't teasing Fate-san are you?"

Her father gulped and smiled innocently, "Of course not sweetie pie, I was just asking Fate-chan to keep an eye out for you. She is a very responsible and kind person so I want you two to be friends, I wouldn't do anything to…"

Nanoha had just raised her eyebrow, giving him a look so reminiscent of her mother's you-are-in-trouble look he shut up and actually hid behind the blonde. Fate actually twitched a small smile at his antics before turning to Nanoha with a look of gratitude.

In her calming soft voice she said, "Thank you Nanoha-san, but don't get too upset with him, he was just being an overprotective father. It was actually very sweet… in a very intimidating way."

Shiro had begun to relax at her words until that last bit and flinched before looking at his daughter with concern. Fate had taken a step out of the way to allow Nanoha free access to her father and as the auburn haired woman began to make her way to her father he lifted his hands before her in a placating gesture. "Now, now Nanoha…please?"

Nanoha leaned in and kissed his cheek before grinning, "Just like that Fate-san? Very sweet in a very intimidating way."

Fate had taken in the display with more than a hint of concern as the Takamachi family was a very physically demonstrative family. Always hugging and kissing, giving pats on the back or arm. She never got out of the building without at least two embraces from everyone. Then when they were teasing each other a small smack to the head or punch to the arm wasn't unusual. Nothing that would leave a mark or even really hurt, just something to make an emphasis to the words spoken. So when Nanoha teased her father making him think she was going to, well Fate wasn't sure what, but instead tricked him with behavior in line with Fate's prior description it made her laugh. The sound was soft like the tinkling of bells and just as sweet. Everyone nearby stopped what they were doing and looked at her flabbergasted, she had never laughed before them, oh a soft "ha" noise had escaped her but nothing like this.

She smiled a real warm smile normally reserved for her family and students, it lit up her face making her look even more like an angel. Her burgundy eyes held humored amusement and seemed like warm spiced-wine to Nanoha, making her feel intoxicated with delight. 'Oh, I knew it, she really does look best smiling, she is so very beautiful no matter what she may say. I promise Fate-chan I will make you smile more, laugh more, someone wonderful like you deserves happiness.' Their eyes locked and for a brief moment it seemed like there was no one else in the world. Then the world intruded roughly in the form of Miyuki jump hugging the blonde.

"Oh Fate-chan you are just the cutest thing ever! Nanoha-chan you better take good care of her at work okay, she's really shy so don't think she's rude or anything stupid like that." Her sister planted a warm kiss on the blushing woman's cheek and it looked like she was about to blow a gasket if this kept on.

Nanoha felt an unexpected surge of jealousy at the kiss, she wanted to yank the blonde out of her sister's hands and yell "mine!" like an angry five year old. She didn't but because she didn't want the blonde to suffer any further she gently pulled her away and released her to stand on her own before replying to her sister, "Fate-san and I will work well with each other."

"Pish, Call her Fate-chan, she's like a cute little puppy," Miyuki said as she squeezed the woman's face making her mouth pucker up and began to lean in again.

Nanoha's heart nearly burst out of her chest, without thinking she jumped forward and knocked her sister aside. "Don't touch her!"

Again the room at large turned to look at the outburst and Nanoha felt heat flood her face. Miyuki's face took on a sly wicked look for a brief moment then straightened out into a normal smile, "Good Nano-chan, I knew I could trust you to take care of Fate-chan."

Nanoha wished the floor would open up and swallow her up at that moment. There was no reply she could make that wouldn't make the situation worst. Then her mother came to her rescue or at least that's what she thought.

With a smirk Momoko said, "Nanoha, you still need to learn to share I see, don't worry your sister has no intentions of stealing her away from you."

It was at that moment Nanoha decided the saying, kicking someone while they were down, could apply to everything her family had ever done to her. What in the world would Fate think of her after this night she didn't even want to imagine. Not even the hug she received from her mother after this tease was enough to sooth the sting to her pride.

Fate wasn't sure what was going on, all she knew was she was now the subject of discussion and was somehow being used to tease Nanoha. Seeing how they had the attention of most of the patrons she decided it would be best to deflect it by changing the subject.

Putting on her best puppy dog eyes she addressed the elder Takamachi women, "Momoko-san, Miyuki-san, I need to bring home some cinnamon rolls, could you pack up a dozen with extra icing?"

Momoko smiled at her and patting her face before catching hold of her oldest daughter dragging her back behind the counter. Shiro followed them and soon the family of bakers was back to filling orders and acting professionally. Nanoha was thrown by this, her family normally never backed off once they had you against the ropes. The package of baked goods was made up and handed over the counter.

Fate made to pull out her wallet and Momoko waved her away, "You're practically family Fate-chan, don't worry about it this time. We will see you again Saturday right?"

Fate didn't argue and nodded to the older woman, "Yes ma'am, Cia-nee and Ein-chan are very excited about having a family luncheon, we plan to go to the movies afterwards."

"Good dear, it's so nice to see the three of you together," then the older auburn haired woman smiled to her daughter, "You should bring Vivio-chan over this weekend also, we need more time to spoil our granddaughter properly."

"Yes Mama, I'll talk to her about it when I get home."

"Momoko-san, Shiro-san, Miyuki-san, thank you and have a good evening," Fate said in farewell then bowed her head.

All three of them beamed at her, and bid her a good night. Thankfully they didn't come back around to hug her, it seemed like they knew they had already pushed her to her limits and didn't want to made her feel uncomfortable. Nanoha was surprised they let her go just as easily once she passed over a packet from her briefcase. Instead they made do with blowing her kisses and reminding her to come back soon. The two women left the café and quietly walked back to the car.

Settling into the soft leather seat Nanoha sighed out a breath of relief, "That was bizarre, they never let me go without making my life miserable for at least thirty minutes and embarrassing me until I want to crawl under a rock and die."

Fate hummed at that, "Really and I thought I had it bad. Usually they just tease me until I blush for a few minutes then gossip for a while. Though your sister really was being more physical with me than usual, thank you for stopping her, I was really worried she was going to kiss me. On the lips I mean, they have all kissed me at one point or another but never on the lips."

They were driving sedately home, and Nanoha looked out blindly through her window. She thought about Fate's words and found she was happy and disturbed by the reason for that feeling. When she learned her sister had never kissed Fate on the lips it allowed the knot in her stomach to loosen.

Playing with her hands she asked, "Are you very close with them? I haven't seen them in years, I never had the time."

"Not really, I mean I consider them friends but I… I'm not very good at being social, they tend to overwhelm me if I spend more than a few minutes talking with them." She wasn't sure why she was admitting that, maybe because she wanted Nanoha to know her family was important to her even if she hadn't opened up to them fully.

"You're not alone there, even when I lived with them they were always…sigh…happy together, it was easy to see they were always having fun." She felt the familiar bubble of loneliness rise to the surface.

Fate felt Nanoha's mood shift, there was a hint of pain in her voice, of melancholy and loneliness when she spoke about her family. The blonde was confused by this, the Takamachis always seemed to be so happy, shouldn't all the members share in that contentment?

"I…" she didn't know what she was going to say, she just wanted the auburn haired woman to smile, the gloomy mood rolling off her was unsettling.

"Hmm?" Dull sapphire eyes looking at her quizzically.

It was that look that made her decide to be honest, "I know sometimes our families can appear to be doing alright without us, like if we disappear they'd move on and just forget us. But that's not true, your family loves you a great deal, they talk about you all the time. Miyuki-san especially, she treats me like a little sister because she has missed you so much."

Nanoha frowned at the words, "What about Kyoya-nii? Don't they always hang out together, don't they seem to get wrapped up with what's happening at the dojo?"

It felt strange to defend the woman's family from her but necessary, "Kyoya-san seems to be lonely and guilty at times. When he talks about you he seems to think he didn't do enough for you as a child, if he had just spent more time with you maybe you wouldn't have ended up marrying so young. He doesn't spend as much time at the bakery as your sister, and they don't seem to get along very well sometimes. They argue over little things, your sister hasn't gone to the dojo in a few years, gave it up to help in the café. As happy as they all are most of the time it feels like there was something missing. Like a missing tooth, the tongue keeps going back to touch the gap, sometimes making it bleed."

Nanoha felt her heart quiver, she wanted to believe her family had missed her, that they hadn't just moved on and forgotten her. Since returning she had gone to the bakery nearly every day and had felt a stranger amongst her family, but tonight with Fate there it was like she had time traveled back to her childhood and was once again one of them. It was like Fate had been the bridge that allowed her to see them as they had been so many years ago.

The car came to a stop in front of her home, seeing the lights weren't on she frowned as she looked at her watch. It wasn't late yet, only six o'clock but she had told Vivio to turn on the porch light when she got home. Fate hit the garage door opener and pulled the car in. She had noticed the dark house too, she suspected she knew where Nanoha's missing daughter was. "Nanoha-san, would you and your daughter like to stay for dinner?"

"I have to find her first," she replied worriedly.

"Come into the house, I have a feeling she's closer than you may think."

~"~"~"~"~"~

"Hey Cia-chan! It's my turn, come on move!" Nanoha heard an unfamiliar voice call out and the sounds of a scuffle and the unique sound of her daughter's laughter.

Fate took hold of her arm to stop her from entering the living room making Nanoha turn to look at her, "Nanoha-san, I just want to apologize in advance for anything my family may do or say, they are…hmm," she broke off trying to find the right word, other than insane.

"It's okay Fate-san, you put up with my family's silliness, there's no reason I can't put up with your family's silliness too," she reassured the frazzled blonde.

They walked down the hallway and came to the living room, two blondes and a mint green haired girl were playing a video game. Well the two blondes were and the other girl was hopping back and forth messing with the older blonde's gamepad while trying to avoid getting hit. They seemed to be in their own little world, Nanoha noticed how happy her daughter was with these near strangers. Their life before hadn't had much room for games or playing around, the Scrya family matriarch Noriko hadn't much tolerance for "silliness."

Fate made her way to the pair half playing half fighting and caught them both by the ear, "What have I told you two about fighting? Do you want to hurt yourselves or our guest with your flailing arms?"

Both her charges stopped dead at the words and the slight pressure on their respective ears. The blonde twin decided to make things worse for herself by flinging herself on her sister causing them both to fall ungracefully onto the couch. A soft "uff" noise was heard then the slightly higher pitched voice of Alicia cried out, "Imōto-chan! You're home, I missed you sooo much!"

Groaning, "Cia-nee we had lunch together, you haven't had enough time to miss me yet."

The sister rubbed their cheeks against each other like a kitten, "But I always miss my imōto. It's so lonely without you around."

Fate decided the only thing to do was to tickle her sister or she'd never get off. Jamming her forefingers into the sides of her sister's ribs caused the woman to squeak and fall off her and the couch. The two teens and Nanoha had been watching the byplay and laughed at the interaction.

"Nanoha-mama, I knew Ein-chan was right, once I told her where you work she just knew you had to be Fate-sama's partner." Vivio chirruped happily as she came around the couch to hug her mother.

Fate stood up at this and cleared her throat making the mother-daughter pair turn to look at her, "Hello, I'm Fate Testarossa, please don't use sama when addressing me, san is fine."

"Umh! I'm Scrya-Takamachi Vivio, it's very nice to meet you. Your cousin and sister have told me so much about you. I hope it's not too presumptuous to ask, but can I see some of your artwork? Ein-chan and Cia-chan showed the works hanging up in the house but told me no one was allowed to go into your workroom without your permission," the girl asked as she practically hummed with excitement.

Fate blinked at the 1000 watt smile and exuberance oozing from the girl. She couldn't help thinking, 'oh yeah this kid is a Takamachi, hyperactive as the day is long.' Mentally shaking herself she decided it was best to go along with current, "Of course, please follow me upstairs," turning to Nanoha, "did you want to see this too Nanoha-san?"

Nanoha gave her a warm smile at the offer, Fate felt that tingling feeling again and decided to escape the strange sensation by leading the two females to her work room and avoiding eye contact for awhile. This day was turning out to be even more emotionally fatiguing then she had anticipated. Right now looking at her work would be a welcome comfort as it was the one thing she felt competent in. Taking a small key ring out of her pocket she unlocked the door and reached in to flick on the lights.

The room was originally two rooms but had been converted into a permanent work space for Fate. A large drafting table and an impressive computer with accessories took up the entire back end of the room. There were multiple easels set up with partially completed paintings spaced out around the room. On the walls near each were sketches and photographs pinned as guides or inspiration with track lighting positioned over each space. The walk-in closet's doors had been removed and rows of paints and various drawing and painting supplies were neatly arranged could be clearly seen. Drying racks and shelving for finished work were installed running up the closet walls. There was even a working wash basin with both hot and cold running water. Nanoha's jaw dropped at the insane amount of money that had to have been invested in such a room. It was as if her wildest dreams had been fulfilled, no she thought this room was beyond even that.

Her daughter hopped from one easel to the next staring avidly at each before moving on, the vibrant colors attracting the girl like a magpie. She knew her daughter was interested in painting but was too self-conscious to actually display her own work. Nanoha had tried to teach her but it had always ended with Vivio getting frustrated and destroying the painting. Fate was now talking with the girl about some point of interest within the picture, she was gesturing and speaking quite easily. Then she held up a hand and went to the storeroom/closet and pulled out a clean canvas, paint brush and palette before returning to the girl. She poured out some paint from the bottles sitting next to the easel then handed both the palette and brush to Vivio. Picking up her work-in-progress she sat it against the wall before settling the clean canvas onto the easel. She then gave the girl some instructions, Nanoha saw her daughter's face pale and her body began to turn into itself. Fate put a gentle hand on her shoulder and said something very softly into her ear.

Nanoha was surprised when Vivio nodded and stepped forward to make a tentative brush stroke. Fate then took her hand and repositioned it on the brush then guided her into another stroke. Vivio then tried again and was rewarded with a warm smile. The girl's face immediately flooded with color and was suddenly very self-conscious once again. Fate patted her on the head and nudged her attention back to the canvas. Before long the canvas was filled with various strokes in various bright colors. Vivio beamed at the work, it appeared very modernistic and strangely hypnotizing. They had been working together for nearly a half hour, the longest Vivio had ever taken instruction from anyone and it hadn't ended in tears. Nanoha felt jealousy creep up on her, how was it possible that the blonde woman had been able to reach her daughter so easily?

"She's really good at that, right?" A soft voice asked Nanoha suddenly making her jump.

She turned to look at the speaker and saw it was the teenage girl from downstairs, "Yes, she's a great artist. Um I'm Scrya-Takamachi Nanoha, nice to meet you."

The girl chuckled at that, "Sorry, I'm Stratos Einhart, I'm technically Fate-nee's cousin, but she and Cia-chan are more like big sisters to me. Uh, I meant she's good at teaching by the way. She isn't very good at most social things but teaching people how to paint or draw is her forte."

"Hmm, How did that come about?" she asked with more curiosity than she really wanted to admit.

"Fate-nee will have to tell you about that sorry, just know that she isn't trying to be rude or cold to you if try to make friends with her. She doesn't really understand other adults very well, at least the stuff adults normally talk about, she lives in her own little world of art." The girl replied while rubbing her neck in a nervous gesture.

"Ah, well I'll keep that in mind when working with her. You know it's strange my family said something similar to me earlier when we were at the bakery."

"Ha, was it your mom or sister?"

"My sister, why do you ask?" she asked wondering if there was something more going on between the blonde and her sister.

"Well, if it was your mom then it's because she understands Fate-nee is like a shy five year, which is about right when I think about her naivety when it comes to most adult things. But since it was your sister it's because she practically had to sit on my cousin to get her to talk. Fate-nee made the mistake of trying to run away when your sister decided she was tired of her stone-walling and was pretty much wrestled to the ground and tickled until she spilled the beans, so she knows more than most about my dear cousin. Your sister is very persistent, I hope you're not as bad or Fate-nee may quit her job. She can normally only handle Takamachis for a few minutes before she is burnt out."

"No, I'm not like my sister, at least not to the point of physically accosting people until they spill their secrets. When I was younger maybe but now I have more self control," then thinking about what Fate has suffered at the hands of her sister laughed, "nyahaha poor Fate-san."

"Well, Cia-chan ordered Chinese food, it was just delivered so I think it's time to break up this impromptu art lesson, otherwise Fate-nee will have Vi-chan working all night."

Walking over to the two blondes Einhart clamped her arms around her cousin and began to whine, "Fate-nee, come on put the art stuff away, it's time to eat."

Fate looked over her shoulder and down at her cousin smiling at the childish behavior, sliding an arm around the girl she pulled her forward and hugged her properly. "Oh, did you and Cia-nee burn down my kitchen again?"

The girl giggled at that, "No, we ordered Chinese food, come on before Cia-chan eats everything."

Vivio was surprised at the gentle interaction between Fate and Einhart, she had spent the last two hours listening to the teen bicker and tease her other cousin and had assumed she'd treat Fate in the same manner. "You really do have a cousin-fetish huh Ein-chan?"

The girl choked and Fate laughed at this, "Oh looks like she's got you pegged." Then softened the tease by hugging the girl tighter and placing a kiss on her forehead.

Einhart was blushing like a tomato and pulled away muttering about being hungry and retreating out of the room. Fate watched her go with a faint smile on her face then turned to Vivio, "let's clean up then we can head down for dinner.

~"~"~"~"~"~

Dinner was a noisy affair, the two teens telling their seniors of their day together, and then turning on the elder blonde twin to tease her mercilessly. Causing her in turn to look to her sister for protection from the "bullies." Fate quietly admonished the girls before adding her own barb on how Alicia was a "big baby" who can't take too much teasing. Bringing laughter to everyone who saw the hurt look on the elder twin's face. Fate then excused herself as she wanted to take a bath before bed. With a tired smile she bowed herself out telling the guests to feel free to stay and spend more time with the others.

Nanoha decided now was a good time to leave, unsure how Alicia would behave without her sister in the room. Vivio was a bit disappointed at having to go but knew better than to try to beg to stay longer. Einhart told her they would see each other again the next day and asked if it would be okay with Nanoha-san if they looked around town for a while after school. Nanoha gave her permission and made a mental note to give her daughter some money so they could get something during their outing. The walk back to their home was pleasantly quiet and once they got inside Vivio caught her mother around the waist in a tight hug, "Thank you Nanoha-mama for bring us here, this city, all my new friends, it's wonderful."

Nanoha felt herself relax, she hadn't been sure the move had been a good idea but they had both needed to get away from the Scrya family and coming home was the only idea of where to go that came to her. This day they had both made strides towards a new life without fussy people breathing down their necks. "I'm glad you're happy here, I think we'll both be more comfortable now."

"Uhm! I'm going to take a bath before going to bed, I love you. Night-Night."