My distorted thoughts at first think it's R, to take me out of this world and to the next. However, as I squint at the figure leaning in front of me, I banish the thought as I figure out, with confusion, who it is. What...?

My arms thrown over his neck, his mouth set in a grave, uncharacteristic frown, Kaito drags me to my feet. "Len, hang in there. I'm getting you out of here." He says, his smooth voice strangely comforting in my hazy state of mind. "Just hold on."

"K-Kai-?" I rasp, my mouth dry and my throat raw from screaming, peering at him through bleary eyes.

"Don't try to speak, it will make it worse," Kaito silences me, helping me out the door and slamming it behind him. The light from the hall makes me wince, and I begin coughing heavily.

"Damn... Are you coughing blood? I was hoping to get here in time..." Kaito says, leaning me up against the wall and looking into my face anxiously. "You've inhaled quite a bit of poison, but... I think I managed to pull you out of there before it could escalate into anything too serious. It was only a few minutes, and the amount of gas they use is usually low enough to make you suffer awhile..." He reaches into his deep uniform pocket, handing me a plastic water bottle. "Drink this, it should help your throat some."

Still regaining productive thought processes, I take the bottle gingerly and suck at the lukewarm liquid, quickly draining the bottle. I cough once more, feeling slightly better.

"Kaito...? How...?" I manage to say, my voice quiet and slow with soreness but able to fully pronounce words without sounding like an old man.

"I overheard your whole exchange with Kagamine." Kaito says. "I don't think there's a single person in this jail who doesn't know about your rule-breaking. No one- at least, no inmate- that deals with Kagamine is the better for it. As of late, he's been much more unforgiving than usual. Anyway, I distracted the guards, and came to save you."

"But you... you could l-lose your position here, and get found out... they might try to kill you...!" I protest weakly.

"Whatever. I hate this job anyway," Kaito says curtly. "Seeing all these people being beaten and subjected to different levels of torture, while they look as if they think they deserve it... I can't stand it. I only stayed because I wanted to try and make their lives a little easier." He grits his teeth.

I take another quick breath to reply, but I end up causing another rattling coughing fit, and Kaito looks down the far end of the hall cautiously. "It's not safe here. We'll talk about all of this later. Come on, Len. It's about time you got out of this hellhole." He says.

"What...?" I say, as Kaito helps me stand once more. "You... You're going to...?"

Kaito nods, putting his arm around my waist to keep me standing as I shakily take a step forward. He starts guiding me down the hall, keeping as fast a pace as he can without pushing me too far. "Come on. It's not too much farther. Can you walk alright?" He asks.

I shake my head, not necessarily trusting my limbs to do as I tell them. "Okay, it's fine. Just lean on me," Kaito instructs, and I do as he says, the handcuffs tying my wrists together feeling like heavy, uncomfortable weights.

Together, we straggle down the hall. I follow Kaito's lead, forcing my still-fuzzy thoughts to be coherent enough not to stumble and make this harder on both of us. We turn a corner, revealing many more cell doors whose inhabitants are either gone or being as quiet as possible as not to bring the wrath of a soldier down on their head.

As we near another corner, a guard steps in front of us, on his way to another part of the building when he sees us. Vaguely, I catch sight of the criss-crossed scar above his lip. The man from this morning.

"What the-?" He says, taking in my rough appearance and Kaito's aid. "Shion! What the hell are you doing with that kid?" He barks out at us, starting to fumble into the pocket of his blue uniform for something. "I knew you were bad news, you little-"

Kaito's arm leaves me, and I force myself to stand on my own as I watch my blue-haired friend stride forward and send a powerful uppercut into the other man's mouth before he can pull out whatever he was reaching for. Criss-Cross Scar hits the ground with a large thump.

The bluenette returns just as fast as he left, and easily replaces his arm around me, steering me the way the soldier came without looking back. I would say something about Kaito's quick and almost angry dispatch of him, but my eyes are getting increasingly hard to hold open, and I only want to sleep.

We approach a thick, barred metal door, and Kaito walks us over to it, reaching his gloved fingers into his own uniform while mumbling under his breath. "Hold on, hold on," I think he says.

Finally he retrieves the key and pushes it into the almost invisible keyhole. As if it triggers it, behind us we can hear sudden shouting and sharp-edged orders.

"Sorry, Len, but we need to move just a bit faster," He says hastily, and after sliding the metal lock out of the way, yanks open the door, leading out into the setting sunshine.

I let out a small, almost girly noise of fazed shock when Kaito scoops me up into his arms. My head spins crazily when he kicks the door closed, and starts sprinting away from the building.

"Where are... we going...?" I say, trying to stifle my coughing as my hands grasp at his shirt for dear life.

"Don't worry, we're almost there," Kaito says, almost to himself more than to me.

I close my eyes, almost feeling sick, my thoughts a blurred mess from the gas. I can hardly absorb anything going on. I must be dreaming. Maybe I've already died?

"Len? Hey, don't start falling asleep on me!" Kaito says, but his voice sounds strange, and I'm finding it harder and harder to keep myself awake. Was I even awake in the first place? Is any of this real? I don't know... But, I'm so tired...It's getting more difficult to keep my thoughts together...

Involuntarily, I find myself drifting out on black waters, and my mind goes blank.

Bits and pieces of what or may not be reality make their way into the murky depths of my thoughts.

Being set inside something strange and metal, and hearing what reminded me of the call of a roaring monster, trying to find its prey.

Being jerked about while strapped down, making my stomach churn nauseously. A torture device of some kind?

Hearing someone calling my name again, their voice sounding muted and distressed.

Hushed exchanges between two people, and light fingertips brushing my skin, tugging and causing slight pain, then relief.

The softness of cloth being pulled up over my shoulders, and sinking into something warm and welcoming. Swirling blue-green is the last thing I glimpse before finally losing myself in a restless sleep.

Len.

R...?

Len, are you alright?

R, my throat stings, and my chest kinda hurts... Where are you...?

Len, wake up.

Wake up, Len.

You have to wake up, now.

"Len...?"

My eyelids slowly, painstakingly crack open, and I look up into the concerned blue orbs of Kaito.

"Kaito...?" I start, my mouth dry and cottony, my voice sounding like it's been rubbed with sandpaper.

"Ah! You're awake!" He says happily, his face lighting up. "I was really starting to get worried..."

"Where am I...?" I ask, sitting upright and looking away from him to take in the room. The space is small, but not uncomfortably so. The walls around me are covered in shelves upon shelves of books, and small pieces of the walls peeking out from behind them are a powder blue. A thick red blanket comes up to my chest, and I can see I'm in a large bed with a dark wood frame.

"This is my house," Kaito answers, turning to the small bedside table I had scanned past. He removes a clay cup from its sitting place, handing it to me carefully. "Here, drink this, I'm sure you're feeling pretty dry."

I nod, gratefully taking the cup of water from him. "Huh...? My handcuffs are gone..." I notice after I've emptied the mug, my voice sounding much better after being doused with liquid.

"Got them off you while you were sleeping." Kaito offers a small grin.

I pause, then I nearly drop my cup to the floor as I panic. "W-wh-what-" I stutter in my confusion. "S-so, I'm- I'm really out? I'm not... I'm not in the prison anymore?" I finally ask.

Kaito shakes his head at me. "No. Not anymore."

I force myself to absorb my reality. It's harder to swallow than castor oil, but much, much sweeter. All my life, I thought I would be stuck inside that never-ending nightmare of pain... The thought of being out, really and truly being free, is like a gentle, loving slap to the face. Somehow, I'm out. And I'm alive.

The high, cloud-like feeling of having successfully escaped from that place is short-lived. "But... what now?" I look at Kaito worriedly. "Aren't they going to come after you?"

"Possibly. Not that they scare me." He answers, but his bright eyes are darkened with unsaid anxiety. "We'll need to be careful. I'll explain more soon, but first, there's someone I'd like you to meet."

"Huh...?" Kaito moves from beside me, and turns away. Before he reaches the doorway, I call out, "Who?"

He glances back. "A special friend of mine," He winks, and disappears out the door.

Feeling frustrated, I run a hand through my matted strands, sourly noticing my ponytail has been taken out and the blonde tendrils are splayed out all over my head. Why does he have to act so mysterious...? His act only proves to make me more nervous of whoever he's bringing up here. The prospect of meeting someone strange doesn't sit well with me, and I play with my fingers aimlessly, casting occasional looks at the door for any sign of anyone appearing.

When Kaito doesn't come back right away, I grow even more antsy. Tired of waiting, I throw the warm blanket off my legs, not wanting to stay in the bed any longer even though it's very tempting. My ragged brown clothes greet my vision, a bitter reminder of where I was just last night. Or... was it last night? I forgot to ask Kaito how long I was asleep.

I get to my feet right as the door reopens, and Kaito appears, grinning. I'm about to remark on his long absence when someone else walks in behind him.

A girl, who looks a few years older than I, gazes at me thoughtfully. Her eyes are a bluish green, and match the long twintails trailing down to her waist. She's dressed in a white button up smock, and a small light blue jewel amulet adorns her throat.

"Oh, please don't get up!" She instantly says, walking over to me. "You haven't fully healed."

"W-who are you?" I say, taking a step back from her and throwing an unsure look at Kaito.

The girl smiles at me. "My name is Miku Hatsune. It's a pleasure to meet you, Len. I've heard so much about you." She bows slightly.

"Huh...?"

"She's the one who has been taking care of you." Kaito says, his sapphire eyes twinkling and flitting between Miku and I.

"Yes." Miku turns to look at Kaito. "Now, shoo, let me take care of my patient. He's been riled enough this morning," She says seriously, but with a hint of a smile.

Kaito raises his hands in mock-surrender. "Sure, sure, I'll let you two talk. I have some things to do, anyway. I'll come check up on you in a bit, Len. Don't make any moves on my girl," He teases, and the door shuts behind him.

Miku turns to me, and a soft smile settles on her lips. "He's a bit too enthusiastic," She sighs. "He seems to have really taken a liking to you. Here, may I see your wrists? They were still quite a bit red from the cuffs..."

I don't speak for a moment, unmoving, and she chuckles lightly. "I'm sorry, this must be such a change for you." Miku says apologetically. Her pretty eyes gaze at me sympathetically. "Please, I want to make sure you're healing well. I also took care of your... scars, on your back," She says hesitantly, as if the remembrance of my beatings will make me upset. "If you don't mind..."

"...Okay." I finally allow. I don't know this girl at all, but there's a calm, relaxed feel about her, and my initial guard begins to slowly fall.

She carefully takes my hands, reaching to the side where a pile of different things lay on the bedside table, retrieving something puffy and white. As she wets it and presses it to my skin, she glances at me. "If it hurts, let me know."

To be truthful, it does sting, but I nod and stay quiet, letting Miku do whatever it is she's doing. No one has ever taken the time to tenderly take care of my injuries, vying instead to slap some dirty gauze over it and pretend that it would fix it. If it were to get infected... I saw inmates who missed whole limbs. It's always your job to make sure it stays clean.

"You know, you were asleep about two days," She says, eyes turned down as she speaks. "We were starting to get a little worried... Luckily, you seem to be healing well. Hopefully all of the poison in your system will be fully gone in no time. Kaito got you out of the gas chamber before you were exposed to too much poison."

Two days?

"You're a nurse?" I ask her.

She nods. "Mm-hmm. It's been a dream of mine," Miku tells me. "My mother was one as well, and she always took pride in her work. I wanted to be just like her. I still do." She spreads something strange over my wrists, gently rubbing it into my skin. "And I've always really liked helping people... So, it seemed natural to want to be a nurse."

She goes quiet, and I watch her tend to my wrists. "...Why?" I say, staring at her.

Miku looks up from her work, perplexed. "Hm? Why what?"

"Why are you helping me? I'm... a criminal. You're not supposed to help me. You're supposed to turn me in, right?" I say, an accusatory tone slightly coloring my words. "Aren't you and Kaito both putting yourselves on the line? Why?"

Miku blinks at me. "Len..." She says sadly. "You're not a criminal. You never did anything wrong, nothing to even remotely deserve to be put in that- that-" Her voice shakes with emotion. "- that place. You never deserved to be treated this way. No child should ever have to be left in a prison, not for any reason." She takes a deep breath to calm herself, and her teal eyes flash up to mine. "One day, I'm going to watch every child be free from their prisons." She smiles.

"You're... You're going to try and free everyone?" I ask her, bewildered.

"It's also part of my dream. I told you; I like helping others. One day..." Sighing, Miku nods to herself. "It seems like a pipe dream, but really... I don't want to see anyone suffer anymore."

I study her for a minute. "...I hope that you can," I say sincerely, looking down. "I really, really hope you can do it."

I freeze up when Miku hugs me tightly, taking me completely off guard. "Thank you, Len." She breathes.

Unsure how to react, I slowly return the hug. I've never done something like this... Is this natural? Do people hug all the time?

Miku pulls back, and her gaze softens as she looks at me. "You... remind me a lot of someone." She says quietly. "Someone who said those exact words... She's always so supportive," She laughs.

"Huh? Who?" I wonder, confused.

"Oh, one of my patients. She's a really sweet girl. She actually looks a lot like you," Miku remarks thoughtfully. "She's very sweet, and always so cheerful, smiling even when she's in pain. She loves to sing, and her voice is high and airy, really beautiful sounding. But, I'm afraid she doesn't sing as much anymore... Now, she just writes a lot of the time."

Why does this seem kind of... familiar? My hands gripping into the blanket, I ask with interest, "What is her name?"

Miku tilts her head. "Ah, her name is R-"

A loud crash from below makes Miku and I both turn our heads toward the door. Miku almost leaps from the bed, worry written on her face. "Oh, no..." She shakes her head. "Kaito can be so clumsy! I hope he hasn't hurt himself... I'm sorry, Len, let me go check on him." She says, gazing back at me. "It was nice talking with you. I hope we can be great friends! For now, why don't you wash up? The bathroom is down the hall, the first door on the right. When you're done, if you feel up to it, come downstairs. I'll have some food prepared by then; I'm sure you're hungry." She half-waves at me, and then rushes out the door. I hear her calling out to Kaito, then her footsteps fade away.

I sit there in silence, my mind ticking away with thoughts. I hope we can be great friends!

'I hope we can be wonderful friends!'

I gaze down at the floorboards, memories of her resurfacing. Pushing them down, I get up, glancing out of the window above the nightstand. A fenced in yard greets me, and I see other houses scattered about. In the yard opposite Kaito's, a little brunette boy plays on a metal swingset under a tree with fall-colored leaves, a taller man with a cap happily pushing him high into the air.

It's so... normal looking.

This must be how families are...

Shaking my head, I tear my eyes away from the strangely captivating sight and walk to the door, deciding to do as Miku suggested and bathe. I catch a glimpse of the band I used to hold my hair up, and take it in my hand, shoving it into my pocket.

I open the door and head to the bathroom. When I step inside, light blue walls greet me. Everything is clean, and I take a moment to marvel over this. Prison bathrooms are dirty, the drains in the showers always clogged and the nasty yellow walls caked in mildew. The difference between this pristine bathroom and the bacteria-filled ones back there is a drastic change.

After figuring out how to use the shower, I step in and let the hot water wash away the grime that coats my skin. It's a welcome feeling to be free of that dirt. I'm so used to cold, quick showers that last about a minute.

When I get out, a towel is waiting for me, as well as a change of clothes someone set out for me. I change quickly, a bit surprised to find that the clothes- a pair of jeans and a yellow short sleeved shirt- fit relatively well. I throw my wet hair into a sloppy ponytail, gather up my old clothes and the towel, and exit the room.

As I near the stairs, I hear voices talking in serious tones, and a strong, delicious smell wafts up to my nose. I walk down the wooden steps with renewed energy into what looks like a dining room. An entry to my right I think is the kitchen, and to my left is the front door.

"Kaito? Miku?" I call out.

"Ah!" Miku appears in the doorway to the kitchen. "There you are! Do the clothes fit alright? I was hoping that I was close at least in guessing your size. Kaito told me your favorite color is yellow, so I picked out what I thought you may like more."

"They're okay," I say, feeling a bit awkward.

"Oh, that's great! Come in, come in," She wanders to me and pulls me into the kitchen, which is painted a sunshine yellow and lined with bright white cabinets, and a glass door leading to the bakyard is near the stove.. A steaming pot sits on the stove, surely the source of the mouthwatering smell filling the house, and Kaito is leaning against the countertop stirring it. A small bandage wraps around his middle finger.

"Here, let me take those. You'll never need those rags again," Miku promises, taking the bundle of cloth out of my hands. "We have some more clothes for you. But for right now, go ahead and get a bowl of soup. It's a bit late in the afternoon for breakfast, I'm afraid, but it's never too late for Kaito's soup." She smiles warmly at me, then walks out of the room.

Kaito reaches into the cabinet above his head, retrieving a glass bowl. "How are you feeling?" He asks me as he opens the pot and ladles out brown liquid into the bowl.

"Much better..." I tell him.

"That's good." He hands me the bowl of really, really good looking soup, and sweet-smelling steam wafts into my face. "Silverware is in the drawer right there," He points.

While I search for a spoon, he continues. "So what do you think of Miku? She's really pretty, isn't she? And her voice is so nice, I could listen to it for weeks. She took really good care of you while you were unconscious. In someone else's hands, you might not have been so lucky. She's such a good nurse, always helping people, it's one of the reasons I like her so much, among so much else- Hey! Are you listening?"

As he had been chattering away at me, I had already started spooning up the beefy broth, savoring the rich textures of the meat chunks and vegetables mixed into it. It's been so long since I've had anything that tasted this amazing. "Sorry... just hungry. It's really good!" I say between mouthfuls.

Kaito laughs. "Wow. I've never seen someone so eager to eat my soup before." A hint of pride colors his voice, even though the slightest sign of pity flickers across his face.

A loud ringing nearly makes me drop my bowl. "W-what is that?" I say, startled.

"The doorbell. Bet I know who it is." Kaito says, glancing towards the doorway. He turns the stove top off, give the pot one last stir, and then heads out of the room. I follow behind slowly, going to sit at the four person dining table while watching the door curiously.

Miku comes down the stairs at the same time Kaito opens the door. A man dressed in a black suit walks right in, immediately removing his jacket. His purple ponytail swishes about as he talks animatedly.

"Hey, Kaito. You won't believe the day I've had. It's been nothing but newbies all week, and I'm exhausted. None of them have any idea how to use a sword." He shakes his head in disgust. "One of them actually about sliced my hand off, swinging it around like a baseball bat."

He turns around, and his ice-blue eyes settle on me. His annoyed expression morphs instantly into shock.

"Damn... Kaito, you really went through with it, didn't you?" The man says, whistling under his breath. "You actually rescued the kid."

"I told you I was going to." Kaito says. Seeing my worried look, he reassures me. "Don't worry, Len. This is Gakupo. I told you about him, remember?"

"You're... the one who's obsessed with eggplants." I say with realization, remembering the tales Kaito told me about their ventures in strange food.

"Not 'obsessed', per se. I just love them, that's all." Gakupo defends quickly. "I can't believe you actually broke the kid out of prison! You've done a lot of odd things, Kaito, but you've outdone yourself with this." He steps closer, arms crossed over his chest. "Why now?"

I shrink slightly towards my soup under his scrutinizing gaze as Kaito speaks. "He caught Kagamine on a bad day, they found out about his letters and they gave him a death sentence. You know I couldn't just let him die."

"You always were good at getting involved in things you shouldn't, but... I get it." Gakupo extends his hand to me. "Hey, Len. Good to meet you finally."

I gingerly take his hand, and wince as he shakes it vigorously. "Um, hello... Did you tell everyone you know about me?" I ask Kaito pointedly.

Miku speaks up for the first time. "He hasn't told anyone else but us." She promises. "Don't feel concerned, we're all your friends."

"Have you told him about our plan yet?" Gakupo says, frowning at the two standing by the door. "About the-"

"Gakupo!" Kaito silences the purple-haired man with a sharp voice. "I haven't gotten around to it yet. He's only just become conscious today."

A little uneasy at the suddenly tense atmosphere, I pick up my empty bowl. "Um, you go ahead and talk... I'll go outside..." I say, before heading into the kitchen hastily. I turn the faucet on, let it rinse out the bowl, before leaving it in the sink and stepping out the glass door, which opens out onto a short cement patio with an overhang. A black metal bench is to my right.

The moment I close the door, a gust of wind lashes around me, making me feel slightly cold. I rub my arms slightly, but marvel at the air; it smells sweet of leaves and flowers, and I find myself walking out from the overhang into the sun. Bright blue sky spreads out overhead, slight wisps of clouds floating by breezily. Even though it's nearing winter, the temperature is still fairly warm.

I jerk back as two colorful things fly by me, but relax when I see that they're both beautiful purple and black butterflies, their wings beating furiously side by side. I smile slightly, watching them spin away and flutter at the edge of the white picket fence, as if they're not sure they want to depart just yet.

A warm rush flows through me suddenly as I notice that, even though I'm fenced in even here, I'm as free as the butterflies. I don't have to stare at the fence in hopes to get out anymore. I am out. I don't have to look through the chains, watching life pass me by. I'm wearing actual clothes, able to eat real food, talk to others without the threat of punishment. I don't have to be afraid anymore.

A jolting thought hits me then; R said she was moving away. But, if I'm out of the prison... could it be possible for me to find her? The mere idea of finding her and talking to her again sets my heart soaring far higher than the butterflies. Could I do it? Would there be a way? Maybe Kaito and Miku would help me find her? If I could talk to her just one more time, I would be happy.

What if I can't find her, though? What if she's moved too far from me? What if her father won't let her see me? Troubling thoughts invade my happy ones, turning my hope into lead as different scenarios strike me.

No. I have to focus on her. I have to find her; it's the only way I can keep going. I'll ask Kaito as soon as-

"Len?"

I turn around, seeing Miku in the doorway. She wears a slightly strained smile. "If you would come in, the three of us need to talk to you."

A spinning feeling starts in my stomach, and worry gnaws at the back of my mind. Something makes me think that whatever they're going to tell me isn't very good...

"Ah, okay." I nod despite the uncertainty I feel.

Miku moves out of the doorway, and I head inside. Right before I enter, I cast a quick glance backwards toward the sunshine-filled lawn, and catch sight of the purple butterflies floating over the fence and disappearing from view.

The door shuts behind me with a loud clatter.

Author's Note: Holy bcjsahvah, I finished chapter 2! WHOA! Yes, it's half as short as the first chapter, I know. I think my average amount of words will be from 4,000 to 10-11,000 a chapter. Those are some large chunks, but oh well.

I hope you all enjoy this new chapter! I had fun writing it, and I'm starting to get into the thick of the story! What exactly do Len's new friends seem to want to talk about? Who knows? Find out next chapter! I can't wait to see you there!

Anyways, leave a review/PM if you like! Let me know what you think, and how you like the story's progression. I like improving, just don't be harsh. :)

Until next update! (Haha in like eighty years when I actually finish chapter 3 ha *nervous laughter*)

Disclaimer: I own not anything but the plot and character personalities~ Otherwise it's all Crypton.