Has anyone heard the new MOTHY song, Escape of the Witch, Salmhofer, by MEIKO? I love it, personally. I also - wait for it - owe absolutely nothing! Isn't that a slap to the face? *sarcasm*

The pounding at the door continued. Someone outside had been smashing their fists against that flimsy, weak door for over three minutes, and Meta Salmhofer was scared. She was all too familiar with just what people could do. She curled up even further into herself.

A grunt of frustration could be heard, and then her eyes widened at the clicking, rattling sounds coming from the knob. The person was picking the lock!

Meta tumbled off her bed, and stumbled towards the door, mind set on jamming the door by placing the chair next to the entrance under the knob, the piece of furniture kept there for that very purpose.

As she gripped the wooden back, the lock let out a loud snap and the door swung open. She nearly threw the chair at the intruder, but froze at the familiar face.

"Pale?" Meta half-shrieked, eyes double their usual size. "Pale Noël?!"

"Meta?" he whispered, his voice hoarse from lack of use. His normally narrowed eyes were wide, no trace of murderous intent in them for once. Instead, they were filled with shock – shock and yearning.

Meta stared. She stared, focusing all of her senses on the man in front of her. Brown hair, pale skin, glasses over the brown eyes she loved so much, worn clothes, lean muscles…

"Pale?" she choked out. "Is it really you?"

Pale Noël nodded, still staring at her as if he was transfixed. Staring like this, so open and honest-like, Pale could have easily been mistaken for a normal man.

Was this a dream? Many times, Meta had dreamed that he would come back to her, would look at her like this. The only person in this cruel world who had cared for her, loved her, it wasn't hard to drift off into the land of fantasies, and bring them into the real world to lessen the pain.

Hand trembling, she reached out slowly towards his face, careful not to rush the movement. Even if she loved every part of him, Pale was still an infamous criminal, wanted for the murders he had committed oh so carelessly.

Her hand settled on real flesh, not passing through what she had thought to be an illusion.

"Oh, Pale," Meta murmured, enveloping the man in a sudden hug impulsively. She wasn't killed, only held back firmly. "I missed you so much."

It may have been her imagination, but while she sobbed into his shirt, he seemed to be shaking as well. Was he crying, too?

"You're not leaving me again," his voice was muffled in her hair and skin as he trailed kisses down her neck and face. "Come with me. You won't have to help me with anything. Please."

"No," she whispered back. He began to retreat, probably to convince her otherwise or just kidnap her (the second option seemed more likely) but she held on. "I am going to help you with whatever you do. I'm not going to be a bothersome, useless burden."

"They'll call you a witch," he warned, but she felt his arms tighten around her, heard the relief in his voice.

How could she disappoint him?

"I don't care."

And that took her down the path of sin, but Meta was happy, was with Pale, and that made it easier to fall asleep at night.

Him sleeping next to her had that effect, too.

Unlike my other Evillious Snapshot fics (Others are Clockwork Bonding, A Lost and Lonely Killer, Empty Feeling, Echo of the Original Sin, Shot by Love, and Thoughts of the Sorceress), this one might be continued. Depends.

Well, if you hear the song, you'll realize that MOTHY, that brilliant troll we all love and hate, has screwed every Evillious fanfic over - again. Now, the Mother Bear in Moonlit Bear actually has a backstory! She actually knew Eve Moonlit before! GASP!

But I'm happy, because he finally put canon Kiyoteru/Meiko in the damn series, and those who read my works know I love me some Kiyoteru/Meiko! Well, the song implies it was one-sided, but it's me we're talking about here. A hint will grow.

If you read all of the author's note, congratulate me in the review for reaching my fifty-first fic.