Some Dance to Remember

All was quiet in the apartment that early morning. The sun was just a few hours away from rising on the new day. It had only been a few hours since Celty reclaimed her lost head, but even now, it sat out of sight from where she lay. She rested on her side, loosely curled in the fetal position. Her neck rest on Shinra's arm; he lay next to her, resting his other arm over her side. Sleep had so quickly found them that night, energy sapped from their bodies. No effort had been made to adorn nightwear, so now they lay in their usual attire. A soft breeze passed over their bodies from a cracked window.

Shinra stirred as hair tickled his face from the wind. He slowly roused from where he lay, making sure to not wake the sleeping beauty beside him. His gray eyes focused as well as they could, without his glasses perched so neatly cross his nose. There lay his world: heat faintly transferring between them, muscles gently twitch from an unknown dream, a breath that couldn't be taken rose her chest and lowered it a second later. Scattered light refracted off of her bright skin, partially wrapped up in blanket. Shinra gently ran his fingers down her exposed neck, only leaving contact to skip to the material of the blanket. He continued running his fingers across her curves, taking in every detail of her figure.

Replacing his arm at her side, he drew in breath and sighed a long sigh; not of dismay, but bliss. In that moment, he was perfectly content. There was no need to do anything; no reason to move from where he was or changing what he was doing. He stared so longingly at the gentle smoke that was issuing from her neck, as if it were a face. Minutes became hours as he looked at his sleeping world.

Her neck rose slightly and a small wisp of smoke poofed out from her neck. She turned to look at the man staring at her, movements slowed by still-present fatigue. Their gaze met and though she had no eyes, he smiled that moment. And deep down, she knew he could see her smile back.

"Good morning sleepy head" he whispered. Her neck turned as she stirred more out of her sleep. "You were out quicker than me. The sun came up a while ago." With the blinds closed, it was hard to tell what time of day it was. The light barely shown through the dark curtain and sounds seemed to be muted even more so.

Shinra got up and slowly shuffled over to the closed window. Upon opening the curtains, they were both met with a harsh, white light of mid-afternoon. Celty sat up, still mostly covered by the blanket, her hand propping her up.

She immediately threw the blanket over her neck and proceeded to escape the sun and return to her dream.

"Hey now, you've slept enough today Celty," Shinra said playfully.

A slipper smacked his face.

He threw himself onto the bed and wrestled Celty out of hiding and poked her sides. Unfortunately for her, she was ticklish. Her limbs flailed about and contracted as she lost most control of her body. She was sure that Shinra could hear her laughing and crying out for him to stop. She threw her hand up and landed a solid blow to his arm, collapsing him onto her. Now was her turn.

She reached around him and started pressing hard on his sides, causing him to shout out in a mix of discomfort and hilarity. Shinra rolled over, taking him with her. Both tired, Celty hung over Shinra, staring deep into his gray eyes. She hugged him tightly and he her, just as equally.

Shinra had just left home on a job across town. With Izaya incapacitated, Celty didn't have very much work for the next few days. She strolled around the apartment for a few hours, stopping merely to do some small thing, like check her PDA or move a stray object back into place. She finally collapsed on the couch and flailed her limbs about like a small child.

There's nothing to do, she thought. After three excruciating hours of walking the same path around the coffee table, it was definite that she was getting stir crazy. Maybe there was someone she could go and talk to. That would surely cure her of her boredom.

She checked online, but nobody was there: Izaya was in Ikebukuro General and Anri, Mikado and Masaomi were in school. She decided from that to go to Russia Sushi; at least there, she wouldn't be showing symptoms of cabin fever.

The mid-afternoon flood of people across the streets had already begun. Subway entrances were swallowing and spitting out dozens of people each passing minute. There was a lingering smell of fresh asphalt and deep-fried food. Simon was passing out his fliers, greeting everyone with his wide smile and heavy accent. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary as far as a normal day outside of Russia Sushi. Simon noticed Celty standing on the sidewalk, her bright helmet blinding from the high sun.

"Hello, Celty," he said. "How goes?" She pulled out her PDA.

[I'm fine, thanks Simon. Business good?]

"Business always good. Customers try food, they come back. Most don't believe it won't make them sick."

[That's good to hear. Did you hear about Izaya?] His facial expression didn't change, but his voice did. It was monotone and serious, so contradicting to his tone a few seconds ago.

"I hear you fight him over head. You have it now?"

[Oh, no. It's not part of me] she said, lifting the transparent visor slightly to show the empty inside. [But I do have it. I hope you weren't involved in that fight too.]

"I was, but it mostly for breaking fight up. Fighting bad. Fighting happen when you hungry. I give young man sushi, he feel better."

[Well that's good. Can you believe I don't have any work today?]

"It not very often you have off. What you plan on doing with your day?"

[I really don't know. I just spent the last few hours pacing around the house. I almost went stir crazy. I was thinking I would maybe just walk around, see what Shizuo is up to.] Just as Simon read the small letters on the screen, a familiar aura permeated Celty's body and she turned to find Shizuo.

"Hey Simon, Celty."

"So you finally got your head back" Shizuo asked, sitting on a large rock in South Ikebukuro Park. There weren't as many people as now that lunch had passed. Things were quiet, at least for the city's standards. The occasional bird chirps and faint breeze were, surprisingly, the dominant sounds in the environment around the two.

[Yeah, I did. It seems that without Izaya, things are finally beginning to quiet down.]

"He get killed or something?"

[No. Though I might have paralyzed him… I broke a lot of his bone while trying to get my head back. It turns out that he had it for a while.]

"He's gonna' find a way to keep pissing me off til' the day I finally kill him," said Shizuo, beginning to get excited at the thought.

[Hey now, Shizuo. Calm down. He won't be bothering anyone for a while. He'll be in the hospital for a few weeks, maybe months. And with Namie ratting him out, I wouldn't be surprised if the cops were checking out his office in the next few days.]

"I still wish that flea was dead" grunted Shizuo, exhaling tobacco fumes from his mouth. His eyes were shut behind his purple-tinted glasses, taking in the surroundings. As much as his reputation made him out to be some sort of monster, once someone got to know him (provided they didn't regularly piss him off), they learned that he was really a good guy. The only difference between him and any other person in town was his strength.

Celty seemed to stare off too; there was a plane passing overhead. She thought back to her home in Ireland, how far away it was. She missed it, but she couldn't bring herself to leave her friends, Shinra, anyone. She began to daydream about her last days before coming to Japan. She thought of waking up in the graveyard, of her horse, of her...head?

Wait a second! How the hell am I remembering this? As more memories began to return, she suddenly found herself talking to Shizuo in South Ikebukuro Park. She looked around, confused, anxious, scared.

"What's gotten into you?" Celty pulled out her PDA.

[When did we get here? How long has it been?]

"That's a weird question. We just came from Russia Sushi like an hour ago. We met up, started walking and now we're here."

[Ok…]

"Why, what's up?"

[I don't know…. But I think I need to pay someone a visit]. She hopped on her bike and in a blink of an eye, she was gone.

Everything was white; the walls, the floors, the ceiling, even the curtains. Electronic beeps kept a mellow tempo and the sound of respirators layered beneath. Celty looked about, not quite sure where to start. She'd never been in a hospital before, but then again, she never had a need to. The awake patients and staff tried their best to conceal their curiosity and bewilderment. Why was the headless rider walking around the hospital?

[Do you know where Izaya Orihara is? He's a friend of mine and I wanted to visit.]

The nurse looked at the screen and with a timid voice, she said, "I can take you to him".

Izaya lay in the bed, partly elevated. Bandages and slings covered the majority of his visible body. His hospital gown seemed so out of place on his body. For so long, Celty had only ever seen him in black or at the least, dark colors. Had she a face, she'd find herself trying not to laugh. For anyone else, she would've controlled herself, but this was Izaya; she laughed to herself, trying to conceal that fact. Izaya looked at her with his trademark smile and his crimson, piercing eyes. Even with the bandages and his… contradicting attire, Celty still felt that ominous shiver she got from him; she still feared his capabilities.

"Well hello there" he said. His eyes pierced through her black suit like a scalpel. "What're you in for? Broken bone?"

[Nope. Is that why you're in here?] She felt feistier than normal and she didn't know why. Maybe it was the fact that he looked so…unintimidating wrapped in bandages and strapped to the bed and various machines. [Are you sure this is the right type of hospital for you? Shouldn't you be wearing a straight jacket or something?]

"So you have your head, now. What do you plan on doing with it? Still working out how to get your memories back?" Celty's helmet turned slightly away from Izaya. "Or are you more concerned about the most recently lost memories?"

[How the hell do you know that's happened?] He smiled.

"In all truth, it was a guess...until about five seconds ago." She turned away from Izaya as his Cheshire grin only grew more across his thin face. "So are you getting memories back in return?" She stayed turned from him, thinking long and hard.

[….Do you really think I'm getting memories replaced? It's kind of far-fetched but… I mean that's what it feels like.]

"You'll probably lose the memories you do have, up until you and your head were separ-". He winched as a shadowy bind wound around his broken arm and squeezed tightly around it. Celty began to shake, helmet hung low. Did she really believe what he was saying? Was she going to forget Shinra? As much as it contorted her still stomach, she wanted only to clear her mind of the matter. Izaya continued to rattle off possibilities, only causing the pain in her stomach to grow. He became hysterical as he watched Celty become more anxious and concerned. His cutting voice elevated in tone to a laughter that made her shutter with discomfort.

A loud thump rang through her body.

Izaya now lay unconscious in his bed, nose bleeding; Celty's fist was in front of her, where his face was a split second ago. She walked out of the room, fist still clenched tightly. Her limbs shook as she sobbed tears that couldn't touch the floor; whimpered inexistent whimpers. She strode to the elevator with a ghostly aura around her; simply gliding across the floor. The elevator doors shut and as the room descended, she punched the wall repeatedly, crying out inaudible cries of sorrow and anger. She left the small box, speeding off to who knows where; there were dents in the steel walls of the elevator and knuckle prints at each center.

Flashbacks continued as Celty rode erratically through street after street. She flashed back to a dirt road in Ireland, dusk setting in slowly. Wind gently wrapped her body and spun off the ornate decorations of her pitch black gown. So immersed in the sensations, she heard no sounds of the ragged lane beneath the wheels of her carriage, nor the grunts of her horse, nor the grass rippling at the faintest breeze.

She snapped back.

The bike swerved, only narrowly missing a large truck that she'd meandered in front of. Shocked, she sped down these streets, slowly becoming stranger and stranger. Familiar buildings seemed unfamiliar. Streets became less weighted by experiences she'd had affiliated with them. Her memories were gently wafting out of her like the dense, black smoke that wafted from her neck. She'd forgotten where she'd come from. Where was she going in such a hurry? Why was she there at that time? What led up to this instant? Celty only grew more anxious with the passing seconds of gaining memories, only to have them replace existing ones. She became scared. She gripped the accelerator tighter and sped towards a building that she was slowly losing memory of.

Celty walked into the apartment, but something felt different. Besides her rapidly fading memories of this frequent path, something beyond that seemed out of place; something sounded out of place. There was music playing somewhere; very faint, but still… Her home rarely resonated with any sort of sound, let alone something so… elegant. She crept down the hallway, the music getting louder. Shinra rarely seemed interested in something as recreational as music. It was soothing, intricate, angelic. She turned the corner quickly to find Shinra with his hands in the air, eyes shut gently and a sliver of smile. When he saw Celty staring at him, he threw his arms about, fumbling with a remote to turn the music off. He looked embarrassed as he stood, hunched over the living room furniture.

"How long have you been there" he asked.

[Long enough. What was that you were doing? What were you listening to?]

"It's nothing. Just something to pass the time until you got home."

She paused in her typing; she felt the room becoming unfamiliar. She sat down in a chair and stared at the floor in front of her.

"Something wrong?" Celty took off her helmet, smoke barely seeping from her neck. She took a while just to stare at her blank PDA. Shinra pulled up a chair and sat down next to her, hands cupping hers. She immediately threw her arms around him. He embraced her, trying to comfort as best he knew how. She stayed silent, even to him. There had always been a connection between the two that allowed Shinra to hear her speak, but even now, he could not hear the faint voice. She was truly silent. As he held her in his arms, Shinra could only sit there, hoping that what he was doing was helping, even in the smallest amount. He'd rarely seen her shaken like she was at this moment; that made it all the more concerning.

Why does this have to happen? It started as really small things, but now… now I'm forgetting memories…. With you.

"What do you mean?"

[I'm slowly getting memories, only to have them replace existing ones. If this keeps up…] Shinra stared at the bright screen, held in such precious hands. He turned his gaze so that Celty couldn't see his face. Drops began budding up on his white lab coat; his face was concealed by light brown hair. He sniffled, then rubbed the ball of his hand underneath his glasses.

Shinra stood up, looked at Celty and extended his hand. She took it slowly, timidly. He motioned for her to stand and with a few clicks, that smooth, harmonious tune began to play.

"This is kind of embarrassing" he said, slowly moving his feet. His hand held hers while his other found a comfortable spot about her waist. The music grew slightly louder, Shinra stared deeply into Celty's would-be eyes and she into his. "It's really easy to pick up. Just watch my feet and it should work out just fine."

They started slow and gradually picked up speed to match the lulling tempo. The movements, so fluid, caused a tranquility to seep into the air like the black fog that slowly poured from Celty's neck. The atmosphere was blissful as the two slowly danced in the living room. The smooth waltzes of Renaissance past echoed, not only through the room, but through their bodies. The feeling of hand about waist eased her anxious muscles, but could not ease the dread welling deep in the pit of her stomach. She proceeded to rest her bare neck on the shoulder of the man she danced with, so passionately.

She saw him as a young boy, discovering her aboard the ship, bound for Japan; such innocence, such happiness, such mischievousness. She felt his embrace upon his leaving for school, only to do remind of his affection more so upon his return. She heard his voice as he whispered to the space of an ear 'I love you'. She felt a warming sensation in her unmoving chest when she lay on top of him in the chair as she held her PDA reading 'you really are an idiot'. She felt her unmoving stomach jump and heat rush to a face she didn't have upon questioning from Shingen. "I always knew Shinra had feelings for you, but have you grown feelings for him as well?" Heat bubbled up from her stomach and at the peak of her neck, a large, heart-shaped cloud plumed into existence. These memories seemed to play through her mind like an old home movie.

And she dread them; she dread losing them, losing Shinra. They continued dancing, but Shinra felt her grip tightening around his hand. He could feel her uneasiness. He held her closer to his body as they danced to the symphonies of old and the music so tranquil. It was too much.

Celty fell to her knees, neck hung down and arms limp at her side. Her shoulders shook, but there were no eyes to be flooded with tears; no tears to roll down her cheek; no cheek to lead the tears off of and into a growing puddle on the floor. Shinra could only hold her shaking body as she felt her happiness, joy, energy draining. Celty continued to lose more and more memories. Something was eating away at her earliest memories up to present; she could no longer remember when or how Shinra met her, his childhood. She cursed Izaya for the fate she'd been given. She cursed her head for making her lose everything that had given her life purpose. She stood up and walked to the side room, a long blade as black as night materialized from the bursting fog exiting her sleeve. As she walked towards her head, she cried out. I'd rather die with my memories than live without them! I can't do this to Shinra anymore!

She grabbed light brown hair in her fist. She looked upon the shut eyes she'd seen in her dreams so many a time. She reached to caress the cheek. Shinra held the arm with weapon in hand. He knew full well that she could easily subdue him. But he would not let her do this. He wouldn't let her sacrifice her life for his happiness. Celty grabbed the cheek and began to shake even more violently. The blade disintegrated her body spasmed as if possessed. Shinra cried out for her to hear him as tears poured down his face.

Suddenly, all was still. Celty stood there, hand cupping her cheek. Shinra stood next to her. Smoke stopped billowing from her neck. She fell backwards.

He caught her as she fell, unconscious. No matter his efforts, Shinra could not coax his sleeping beauty out of her trance. Slowly, Shinra carried Celty down the hallway. For whatever reason, he somehow found the strength enough to carry her this time over other attempts. He slowly stepped towards her room, where he would lay her to sleep and wait until she awoke.

Celty lay, frozen in unconscious slumber. Warmth of blanket covered her collar bone down. Shinra sat next to her, hands grasping one of her own. How long would she be like this? Is she ever going to wake up? What happens if she never wakes up? Thoughts of doubt and fear began to race through Shinra's currently-delicate mind. He began to cry again, longing for the invisible gaze of his partner. How he wished she would wake and punch him in the gut for embracing her unabashed. How he wished that he knew that she would be alright by the time this had passed.

Shinra sat by her lifeless body as evening grew darker and darker and morning grew lighter and lighter. His body shrieked at him, begging for rest. But he would not. He would not leave Celty, even for a second.

The point came when he could no longer hold his eyes open. He gently kissed the bare neck of the sleeping woman lying in front of him. He leaned forward slightly and rested his head on the mattress. "Just one minute to rest my eyes. I won't go to sleep…" he thought. He quickly fell into a deep sleep. He dreamt of Celty; her emotions, her love, her. As he sat, head resting next to her neck, Shinra cried as he slept. He never thought he'd have to face losing her. Now, that possibility was all too real.

Her head was perched on top of the dresser across from the bed, sleeping just as sounding as its body. Why did she fall unconscious when she touched it? So many unnerving questions flooded in and out of Shinra's already fatigued mind; there was hardly any restraint to the grotesque possibilities that popped into his mind, making him cringe and tense. Only after his fatigue bettered his mind did he become relieved from his haunting fears.

His dreams were perhaps worse than what his conscious mind could muster. He winched and tensed and jumped in his sleep as horror seemed to come alive in his sight.

He threw his head up into the air, waking from another horrible nightmare; it is daytime. Celty is turned towards him and as he opens his eyes, Shinra realizes; she's staring at him.

"You know, this wouldn't be the first time I woke up to you staring at me," he said. Fatigue still riddled his bones, muscles and every tissue within his body. Celty reached out and touched his cheek; the warmth of her hand only lulled Shinra closer to sleep once more. He smiled a tired smile, eyes gently closed together. It was only a second later that he found them opening wide as he felt his body leave its perch and almost fly into the air.

Celty pulled him closer to her own body and wrapped her arms tightly around his frame, only relieving pressure when Shinra began to gasp for air. He held her close to him, gingerly, like trying to comfort a small child. It was silent, despite beating heart and non-beating heart. In the rhythm of deep thumps in Shinra's ears, he couldn't help but feel a similar muscle spasm of the breast touching his. He reexamined this peculiar feeling, but no nerve ending revealed another such feeling. Despite this, Shinra was content; the single instance of that feeling was all he needed to justify to himself that it had happened.

"I'm glad you're still here too…."

All was quiet in the apartment that early morning. Celty lay on her side, loosely wrapping her arms round her companion. He lay next to her, resting his other arm over her side. So much had happened within a few short hours; their bodies were sapped of energy. As they lay in their usual attire, Celty reveled in the feeling that would've otherwise disappeared, along with her other memories. She cried silently; not of sadness, but joy. She was elated that this feeling had not vanished or even diminished. She was confused, but she was happy, like a man who narrowly escapes death. And she did just that: She escaped something that would've made her a mere shell with a withered soul, hidden, dead. A soft breeze passed over their bodies from a cracked window.

[Hey Shinra?] He looked up, smile widening across his compressed face against pillow.

"Yes my dear?" Celty couldn't help the large heart-shaped cloud that immediately billowed from her neck.

[This is going to sound weird….]

"Celty, how many times have I said something weird?" She began counting such occasions on her free hand, only having to put the device down to continue counting with her other hand. When it got to 37 fingers, Shinra said, "Ok, I get it! My point is that whatever it is, it's ok to tell me if you want to."

She hesitated.

[I was losing my memories…I'm just glad I didn't lose you].

"Awwwwww, Celty" Shinra cooed. His stomach was impaled by a swift punch, landing his face into the blanket.