Ricky walked out from the bathroom after just having a shower. After the amazing sex we had earlier in the night, I had taken his button down shirt. I was sitting in that and my booty shorts. Ricky stopped in place, just staring at me for a moment.

I looked back at him blankly, "What?"

He smiled brightly, "You are so beautiful."

Somehow, even after all the time we've spent together, it still makes me blush. I shyly diverted my eyes from his, "I'm a lot of things, but I'm not beautiful."

"Oh, stop it." Ricky sat down beside me on the bed. He kissed me gently, holding my face. "Trust me, Baby, you're fucking gorgeous."

"I love you." I responded and kissed him again.

After a moment, Ricky pulled back. He hesitantly said, "You were going to tell me something."

"What?" I asked.

"When we were in the club, you said you had something to tell me."

Oh, shit. I forgot about that. At the time, I thought I should tell him about what Ryan told me. About the agent that tried to kill me. Maybe I shouldn't though. He could already know, if he knew Ryan wasn't supposed to tell me the info he did.

"Um, I forgot." I told him. It was halfway the truth.

His expression was hard to read. I couldn't tell if he thought I was lying or he was worried or what. There was a knock at the door, distracting him. He got up and looked through the peephole. Then he opened it, letting Michael in the room.

"It's a little late." He said.

"Sorry. I didn't want anyone to see me coming up here. I'd like to talk, if you're both willing to listen." Michael responded.

"As long as it doesn't take all night. We have a flight in the morning and I'd like to get some decent sleep." Ricky spoke as he walked back to the bed. He sat down beside me.

Michael grabbed the chair under the desk in the room and sat in it backwards. He fiddled with his hands, seeming tired and nervous. "I know you weren't too happy with me when the CIA decided they needed their own version of the suicide squad. A few months ago it disbanded. None of them could get along."

"I told you it wasn't going to work. You can't just take any psychos and stick them together. They have to have an already-"

"An already established relationship. Yeah, I know. I remember." He sighed heavily, "We've run into a problem. At the conference today, you mentioned that it was only a matter of time before these supernatural occurrences spread. Well, they did. The rate of child abductions in Guatemala skyrocketed in the last three weeks. It came on our radar when an American child was taken. The local government was more than happy to let our agents have the entire damn case. Which raised some red flags.

They've been down there about a week and a half. One of the first days they were there, one of the guys mentioned to me that the locals were all insistent that it wasn't a human that took them. We deal with this shit all the time in countries that have a lot of folklore or superstition. Well, a few hours ago the same agent called me in a fucking panic. He told me that an fucking ghost attacked him. Any other time I'd send him to the psyche ward, but after what you guys have seen, I'm taking this seriously."

"And let me guess," I said, "All your agents are too scared to deal with it themselves?"

"Yeah, well, besides that, whatever it is down there isn't afraid of humans. What I saw you do in that conference room, that wasn't fucking human. Before I thought you were just some bitch with a gun but after today, I understand why Ricky has always been so insistent on keeping the program, no matter how many people told him it was a bad idea."

"We've got enough problems of our own. I can't just let you start borrowing them. It's your fault you lost your team but you can't steal mine." Ricky responded.

"We have plenty of people to spare." I told him.

He was a little peeved I dared to argue with his authority, "Who, exactly? Chris, Kuza, and Vinny are all in the hospital. Angelo and Ryan aren't going to leave them. From the sounds of it, Ashley has to babysit Chris now too. As soon as we get back, you'll go back to staying with Kuza too. I can't trust Manson and Twiggy to go on missions without me yet. That only leaves me with four available agents and I have to be able to have them in case there's another massive emergency, like a fucking pumpkin head destroying a prison!"

I gave him a wifey glare, "Calm down, jeez. I do want to see Kuza but he's doing fine with the support of the others. Angelo could use a break and from the way Ryan made it sound, he's more than willing to take one if it was offered. We'll take Twiggy with us, then you still have plenty of people if they're an emergency. I'd think you'd be happy about this."

"Why would I be happy about it?" He snit.

"Look, I don't want to fight another supernatural anything, but we're learning more and more about this situation with each case we take on. I'd think you'd be happy we would have another chance to learn more about what we're up against." I replied.

Ricky sighed, pressing his fingers against his temple, "Fine. We'll go home, take a day or two to recollect ourselves, then I'll send them down to your agents' location. Deal?"

"Deal." Michael stood up, "Thank you. I'll let you get some sleep."

"Thank you." He responded, monotone. Once Michael was gone, I hit Ricky's arm. He grabbed it, rubbing over where there will now be a bruise. "Owe. What was that for?"

"You know." I said. Then I turned over and turned off the lamp.

He laid down and wrapped his arm around my waist. "Even when you're mad at me, I'm just glad to finally have you caring about me again. You got to a point where you didn't care and I never thought I'd get you back. That's part of the reason I don't want you to leave again. I just got you back."

"Just because we're not psychically next to each other, it doesn't mean we're apart. You'll always have my heart." I reassured him, "I love you. Goodnight."

Ricky pulled me closer and kissed my shoulder. "Goodnight, my angel. I love you."

| | |

It was around dinner time when we landed. Nearly everyone was in the common room eating. We said our hellos and all, but I was mostly focused on seeing Kuza. Josh told me he's remembering Ryan and Nikki now, which means it's just a matter of time before some of the bad memories come rushing in. It's probably a good thing I won't be here when that happens.

Ashley walked down to the medical wing with me. The days have worn on Angelo so much, she's become a keeper to both of them. She brought him down some of the dinner Ryan-Ashley and Josh had cooked. Hospital food sucks ass. It was the least we could do. He doesn't want to leave Chris' side, despite what has happened. I completely understand. When I walked in that room, Angelo nearly knocked me over with a hug.

"Why are you hugging him? I'm the one that brought you food." Ashley joked.

"Sorry," He grabbed the container from her, "Thank you."

I peered past him, seeing Chris was asleep. "How is he?" I whispered.

"Oh, you can talk normally. You don't have to whisper. He's under heavy sedation. Nothing could wake him up." He set down his food on the table beside his chair. Then he readjusted the sleeves of his sweater, replying, "They can't keep him this way all the time. It's not good for the body to always be under that much sedation, so they do let it wear off and let him be awake for a few hours in the mornings. He's not really himself though. I hate to say it, but I like him better right now when he's asleep. At least then I can pretend he's still my Chris."

"He still is, he's just gotten buried. I'm so sorry any of this had to happen to you."

"Nothing lasts forever. I'm a firm believer in that. This will end, someday." His words were so heavy and I think he quickly realized that. Angelo changed the subject, walking around the end of the bed, "C'mon. I'm sure someone would like to see you."

Is it bad to be insanely nervous? Josh did say he kept asking for me but how do I know that was for a good reason? I'm overthinking things. Stop doing that, dumbass. With a sigh, I followed Angelo through the curtain dividing the room. After weeks of seeing Kuza unconscious and near death, it was bizarre to walk in on him sitting up in bed with a smile on his face.

"Hey." I softly greeted him.

He looked me up and down curiously. His mind can't really remember me being this way, I guess. All he ever saw of me back in Graham was either me with little to no makeup, or the period I went through when I grew out a beard and looked like Charles Manson. Seeing me with a full face, dreads, and a dress must've been almost brand new to him.

"Hey, Beautiful." He grinned.

"I'll leave you two alone." Angelo playfully said, slipping out.

I walked up to the side of his bed, picking up his hand. "I'm sorry I've been away. Josh told me you were asking where I was."

"Yeah, that's right." Kuza still was talking rather slowly and softly. What else do you expect after someone suffered a massive brain bleed? The recovery he has made is remarkable. "He told me you were off doing something important. He told me what happened to me... And that we're not in that place anymore..."

"That place?" I asked, "You mean Graham?"

His wonder filled eyes looked up at me, "Yeah... I couldn't remember the name of it... Sometimes that happens... I know things but it's just like... My brain is full of boxes and sometimes I just can't find the right box to open."

"Oh, Baby. I'm so sorry this had to happen to you, but the doctors said it'll all come back to you eventually. They're amazed by how fast you've recovered so far."

I took my free hand and cupped his face. He placed his calm over mine, closing his eyes. His hand came over mine, "Your hands are cold."

"I'm sorry, Sweetie." I said as I pulled it back, "I was just outside not too long ago. That's probably why."

"It's okay. I don't mind... I just like feeling you, your touch... Can I tell you something? Please don't think I'm crazy..."

I observed his almost child like nature curiously. "Of course."

"There's some stuff I can't remember... And I'm scared to tell the others... I don't think they'd believe me..." He replied.

"It's okay, Honey. You can tell me anything. I'll believe you." Though, I'm not sure I want to.

"I... I can't remember what I did to be put in prison... And," He raised his hand near his mouth, "I can remember my teeth being this sharp before... But I can't remember how they got this way."

"Do you remember what your job was before you went to prison?" I asked.

Hesitantly, he nodded, "I was a waiter during the day and I worked at a club during the night. I remember the lights of the club... And the other entertainers... I only had one friend there... His name was Bret."

Yeah, I remember Bret too. I never met the guy but Kuza had a picture of him in his cell. It wasn't to preserve their friendship, though. He's told me the story. "Do you remember what happened the last time you saw him?"

He tried to think about it but apparently nothing would register. "...No... Did something bad happen?" Kuza looked up at me with tears quickly meeting his eyes, "Did I do something bad? Is... Is that the reason they arrested me? Did I hurt him?"

"Oh, Sweetie, Sweetie. Don't cry. Don't get all worked up. What happened to him, it wasn't your fault, but some very bad people thought it was. And they blamed you for the bad things, and that's why they put you in prison. Shh, it wasn't your fault." I continued to reassure him. It became clear to me pretty quickly what had happened. Kuza wasn't remembering the rapes and murders he committed. I think it's because he wasn't the one that did it. It may have been his body but it wasn't his soul.

Kuza pulled on my arm, resting his face against my shoulder, "What happened to him?" He asked through his whimpers, "What do they think I did?"

...Fuck. What the fuck am I supposed to tell him? I can't let him get anymore upset or easy he could hurt himself. His mind is extremely delicate right now. I know I've already fucked myself over though and I can't skate around the topic. He'll keep worrying about it constantly if I do. How do I tell him the truth?

He wasn't lying. Bret really was one of his few friends he had before Graham. Unfortunately, he was also the reason he got caught. It was the one mess Kuza forgot to clean up. He raped and murdered Bret in his apartment but he didn't get rid of the evidence like he usually does. Instead, he fell asleep next to the dead body. Bret's girlfriend came home later that night and it was the end of Mike. He always had a bad habit of hurting the people he loved...

Bad people hurt the ones they hate. Bad souls hurt the ones they love.