Theodor looked back on how he had gotten into this situation. He had been walking home from work like usual, but had taken a shortcut as it was getting colder and he didn't want to stay outside longer than he needed to. He was in sight of his apartment building when he heard a groan coming from somewhere. Despite his better judgement, he started looking around for the source.

After a few minutes of searching, he found what made the sound. In a pile of garbage bags was a woman with short orange hair. By all accounts, she was a beautiful woman. She was wearing a dangerously short skirt and a top that showed off ample skin. Not suited for this weather at all. He supposed it would be considered fashionable if it wasn't so disheveled. Getting closer, he could detect the smell of alcohol and the skin discoloration that indicated that she was recently in a violent incident. There was still the faint scent of sex, or death as some people would put it. It had something to do with chemistry and supposedly a dead body released the same kind of scent but that kind of stuff went over Theodor's head. He would be afraid that she was dead if he hadn't heard her moan earlier.

"There's no helping I guess," he sighed to himself as he kneeled near the woman "Alright, one, two..."

And easily, he dragged the woman up. Putting one of her arms around his neck, he supported her as he slowly started moving out of the alleyway to his apartment. He would call the police once inside and they could take this drunk off his hands.

It wasn't until he started fiddling with the lock, struggling to get the key in that he realized just who this was.

"Anett..!"

----------------------------------------

Anette woke up slowly, her head pounding and her body aching all over. She supposed she had gone overboard once again. She tried to push against the hard ground to get up and go to the place she was squatting at to freshen up when her hand sunk in.

"Huh?"

It appeared that she was in a bed. This almost never happened

"Where the hell-" she started saying before a polite cough interrupted her.

"You've finally decide to wake up huh?" a familiar voice said, though she couldn't quite place it.

She squinted her eyes as the brightness made it hard to see. Disheveled red hair, green eyes, somewhat tall figure, handsome face.

"Theo?" she asked in disbelief.

"How'd you guess?" he asked her sarcastically.

"Well, I mean you haven't changed at all and we haven't seen each other in like forever," she said with a laugh before wincing and holding her head.

"I'd say the same but..." he trailed off with a meaningful look at her.

Anett pouted.

"Asshole," she said annoyed "You haven't changed at all."

"Whatever," Theodor said not wanting to get into an argument with her "Look I made enough breakfast for two if you want, so just go clean yourself off real quick."

Anett debated it for a bit before shrugging.

"Alright sure," she said "It better be good."

She slowly got out of the bed and made her way to the exit.

"Ehe, the bathroom is where?" she said sheepishly dragging out the last syllable.

Theodor rolled his eyes before pointing to the door.

"Don't take too long now," he said as he headed to the kitchen.

----------------------------------------

"So let me get this straight," Anett said to him across the table "So like for two years, you've been looking for Katia?"

"Uh yeah?" Theo replied, devouring his eggs and bacon.

Despite being the most basic of basic breakfasts, there was no denying that it was tasty and filling.

"You could have at least..." Anett said more to herself.

Theo didn't bother dignifying it with a response. An awkward silence settled on the pair.

"This tastes pretty good you know?" Anett said trying to start conversation again.

"Well I've been living alone," Theo replied "Had to learn to take care of myself."

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"Haha you? Alone? You mean you haven't gotten a girlfriend yet?" Anett laughed "Not even from your job? Come on I know you're lying Theo. Where are you hiding her."

Theodor grew red from embarrassment.

"I didn't bring you here to make fun of me," he said somewhat hurt.

After she exhausted herself laughing, Anett started talking again.

"So you were being serious?" she finally said "Wow, I'd think you already found someone."

She giggled to herself.

"What's so funny?" Theodor grumbled.

"Oh nothing~," she said as she went back to eating her food.

Theodor didn't want to interrupt her so he stayed quiet and just watched her eat. He wished this peaceful time could stretch on to eternity.

----------------------------------------

It had been a few months and somehow, Anett started coming over to sleep in Theodor's apartment, staying longer and longer every time. Eventually, he learned to get used to her presence. However, every time she came home in worse condition than the last time, Theodor couldn't help but become worried for her. He promised himself one day he would confront her about this. If he wasn't so preoccupied with Katia, he would have done it a long time ago.

The phone suddenly started ringing, breaking his thoughts. He got up from the chair he was in and walked to the ringing phone, picking it up annoyed.

"Hello?" he grumbled.

Didn't they know how late it was?

"Ay yo man? You gotta come here and get your crazy bitch out of here!" the man said hysterically, loud obnoxious party music playing in the background.

"What in the hell?" Theodor said before connecting the dots.

"Where are you?" he asked urgently.

The moment he was given the address, Theodor was already running out the door and putting on his coat, not bothering properly putting the receiver back in.

"Anett, hold on!" he thought to himself as he bolted through the snowy night.

----------------------------------------

The two of them sat side by side in the empty metro train. Theodor was still trying to comprehend the scene he walked in on.

"Listen Theo, I can explain," the slightly intoxicated woman next to him tried to say before getting cut off.

"I don't want to understand what that was," Theo said, barely holding back his anger.

He knew that things weren't okay with Anett, but he didn't know that they were this bad.

"Just what do you think you're doing!" he said finally "You leave me as soon as we make landfall and you've been doing that stuff on a daily basis ever since! I've been worried about you ever since you disappeared!"

He was starting to vent his frustrations on her. It seemed that their talk was going to happen earlier than planned.

Anett had started crying. She wasn't exactly in her right mind and her final pillar of support lashing out at her was the final straw.

"You want to talk about me, you should worry about yourself!" she shrieked "We lost everyone there in Berlin! ALL OF OUR FRIENDS! LOOK AT YOU WITH A JOB AND NOT A CARE IN THE WORLD! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU! DO YOU FEEL NOTHING!"

"You know nothing!" Theodor was shouting now too "The only thing that has kept me going.. the only person.."

Tears started to come from Theodor's eyes. All the crying he hadn't done two years ago was catching up to him.

"OH, there you go again," Anett yelled "Katia, Katia, Katia! What about everyone else! What about me!"

"You?" Theo yelled "You abandoned me!"

"I-I only," Anett started before falling on her knees.

At some point, both of them had stood up in the empty metro car in their fight. Anett was sobbing on the ground of the car now.

"Anett, look I'm sor-" Theo tried apologizing, his senses coming back to him before being interrupted.

"Theo, I have a problem," she sobbed "Please help me."

Theo was taken aback slightly before he smiled. She finally admitted her problem.

"Well," he said somewhat shakily "I'm not too sure I'm all there either. But since you asked. I guess I don't have a choice. Both of us will get over this together. Now get up and wipe your face. Runny mascara and snot isn't a good look for you."

Anett stuck her tongue out at him before taking out a handkerchief and cleaning off her face. She got up from the floor and walked over to where Theodor was sitting, closer this time than before.

"So... you're jealous of Katia?" Theodor asked.

Anett turned red "O-Of course I am. Any girl would get jealous of her. Having such a handsome guy be so devoted to her. I mean why else do you think I joined the army with you dummy..."

She trailed off as Theodor ruffled her hair and pulled her closer, into a hug. Anett 'eeped' in surprise before nuzzling her head in closer.

"You never asked how that guy knew to call you?"

"Wanna enlighten me?"

"I had your number in my purse as an emergency contact," she explained somewhat embarrassed.

They both didn't talk after that but the silence wasn't an awkward one. It was somewhat comfortable, the two of them sitting together, alone in the metro car. Theo realized that they would have to reevaluate their relationship once they get back home. Rather than worrying about what is to come, he decided to enjoy what he had with her now.

----------------------------------------

It had been a few months since their fight in the that Metro car. After getting home, they were both too exhausted to do anything and ended up going to sleep together. After being somewhat flustered waking up next to each other, the two of them had breakfast together before having a long talk on what to do next. Over the next few weeks, their relationship progressed as they both fought their demons together. Anett slowly stopped drinking as much and kept away from the drugs she consumed although at times, it was difficult for Theo to keep her away from them and... satisfy her urges to sate her. And now here he was, waking up from a good night's rest. He could still feel...

No matter. He leaned from his upright sitting position and planted a kiss on his girlfriend Anett's lips.

"Time to wake up," he whispered "or we're going to miss our flight."

Just recently, Theo's hunt for The Saint finally turned up results. All signs pointed to the citadel city of Caen. As soon as he found out, he had told Anett. She supported him going over there and even volunteered to go with him, as Katia was her comrade as well. Theodor took her up on her offer and both of them called their respective workplace and took out vacation time.

"Mmmh, one more," Anette sleepily mumbled.

Theodor rolled his eyes before indulging her and giving her one more kiss. Anett smiled before her eyes snapped open. They were unusually sharp and focused for the late riser.

"Alright, let's go!" she said with pep.

Theo took a few seconds before responding.

"You weren't sleeping at all were you?" Theodor asked annoyed.

Anett's response was a sheepish "ehe".

Theo sighed, smiling, before getting out of bed. Whatever might come his way, with Anett at his side he could deal with all of it. With new resolve, he prepared for his trip to humanity's final Western holdout against the BETA.

[END]