Nodoka let out a tired sigh, today she was receiving a new patient, she entered the building where the child was been held, she didn't understand why a child would need to be held in this place, only the more dangerous patients were contained her until they were either no longer a danger to themselves or others, the only other reason for someone to be here would be having endured a severe traumatic experience of one form or another and the patient was unstable.

'Why would a child be here…surely it can't be that bad' Nodoka though to herself, hoping she was right and he was only in here by mistake or some form of technicality, perhaps a risk assessment but she doubted it, she knew in her gut how wrong she was, this facility was used to determine if people needed to go to an asylum or just in case the patient was too dangerous.

Nodoka headed up to the floor she was told her patient would be, glancing over his file one last time before approaching his room. From the picture Nodoka could see the boy couldn't have been more than eleven or twelve, the file described him thoroughly, he shunned away from all forms of human contact and constantly showed fear when approached, she soon read the reason he was here, apparently those who found him, lying in an alley, half dead, tried to take him to a hospital ended up in hospital with several broken bones and even some torn muscles and internal bleeding.

Nodoka hesitantly reached for the door, unlocking it before slowly entering, closing it slowly once she was within the room, the room was bare, light blue stone walls, little light, two chairs, one for her and at the opposite side of the small room one for him.

Nodoka slowly made her way to her seat, not making eye contact or making any sudden, fast, movements, once she took her seat she looked towards the chair to find it empty, she heard the rattling of some chains, she turned to locate its source.

What she saw brought tears to her eyes, for before her was the young boy from the file, huddled in the corner, curled in on himself, one eye peeking out, shaking with fear as was his entire body, his hands were cuffed together allowing near no movement, the chain attaching them to a wall, Nodoka knew the chains length would only stop him from reaching her and the door, not the chair or most of his side of the room.

Nodoka could clearly see the tears been held back by sheer force of will alone, he reminded her so much of her own son, but she hadn't seen him for a decade or so now, she thought of him constantly, she tried not to think of him, she had to focus.

"Hello, my name is Nodoka, I have come here to help you" Nodoka said, using the kindest tone she could muster, the boy only curled up tighter and pushed further against the corner.

"Can you tell me your name?" Nodoka asked.

No reply.

"How old are you?" she tried again.

No reply.

"Do you know where your mother is?" she asked, hoping for some form of reply, the boy looked up from his knees, revealing his cyan eyes, Nodoka fought back a gasp when she saw a single scar going through his left eye.

"Mother?" the boy croaked, his voice hoarse as if he hadn't used it in a while.

"Yes, do you know where she is?" she asked.

"What's a mother?" the boy croaked, Nodoka stiffened, his question echoing throughout her mind.

'He doesn't…even know what a mother is' Nodoka gasped within her mind, tears beginning to swell up within them.

"Your mother is who gave birth to you, a mother is supposed to protect you, show you're loved" Nodoka replied, she saw no realization within the boys eyes.

"Then I don't have one" the boy replied, his eyes dropping, Nodoka let out a small sigh.

"What about your father?" Nodoka asked, hope appearing in her eyes, the boy visibly flinched and pushed himself further back against the wall, Nodoka decided to avoid that topic for now.

"Where do you live?" she asked.

"Nowhere" came the reply.

"You mean you're homeless…did you run away from home?" Nodoka asked.

"I ran away…but I never had a home" the boy replied.

"Where have you been living?" Nodoka asked.

"Everywhere" came the reply, his voice a little less hoarse but still ruff.

"What do you mean?" Nodoka asked.

"We travelled" came the reply.

"Oh…why didn't you stay in the same place?" Nodoka asked.

"We had to keep moving…keep…training…" came the reply, his voice became weak and full of emotion with the last word, Nodoka noticed.

"What did the training consist of?" Nodoka asked.

"He…would beat me, said it would build up my stamina…make me stronger…when we had food I would have to defend my food while eating it or I wouldn't eat…we'd get up with the sun and…train…" he responded, Nodoka couldn't believe what she was hearing.

'What kind of monster would do this to him…he's never had a home, been beaten and he doesn't even know what a mother is' Nodoka practically screamed within her mind, salty tears beginning to slide down her cheeks.

"Who did you…train with?" Nodoka asked.

No reply.

"How long has he been training you?" Nodoka asked.

"Ever since I can remember" came the reply, Nodoka right now just wanted to go over to the small boy and hug him, tell him everything will be alright and take him home but she knew, not only could she not do that but she also doubted it was going to be alright.

"Did he do anything else besides beating you?" Nodoka asked.

No reply, Nodoka noticed the boy close up into a tighter ball.

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" she asked hoping to get him to uncurl or…something, anything.

"Brother? Sister?" he questioned, Nodoka couldn't believe this the more she asked the worse it got.

"Where do you go to school?" she asked.

"I don't" came the reply

"Why?" she asked.

"Po…he said it was a waste of time…that all I…need is the art…that school is pointless…I went for a week once…but not since" he replied, Nodoka noticed his slip of tongue, noting it down for later, at the moment though it was growing harder for her to control her rage, she couldn't believe what this boy was telling her, then again she'd heard worse in terms of abuse but she had a bad feeling that she'd barely scratched the surface.

"Are you thirsty?" Nodoka asked, noticing the water provided hadn't been touched and she was hoping to see the boy uncurl, he didn't reply only nod.

"Then have some water it's yours" Nodoka replied as she indicated to a large clear plastic bottle, filled with water, the boy licked his dry lips but was hesitant to go towards it, Nodoka watched as the boy stood up and approached the small table where the water was, eyes widening when she saw the condition of his body.

He was covered in dirt and dark maroon stains, blood stains, the flesh of his arms were decorated with scars and bruises, her shirt and pants torn in several places, showing a few glances of more scars on his body, Nodoka's eyes widened further when she saw he was malnourished, his skin was fairly pale and when he had been getting up his shirt had lifted and she could see an almost perfect outline of her ribs, from the look of him she was surprised he was able to stand yet he walked barley hindered by his injuries.

The boy took hold of the water, lifting both his hands up to drink it, downing it in a single breath before panting heavily as he dropped the bottle.

'Poor kid…he was dying of thirst and it looks like he hasn't had a decent meal in weeks maybe even months' Nodoka sighed within her mind, tears streaming down her face once again, unable to stand seeing a child about the same age as her own so badly beaten, the mother within screaming out to protect the child.

"When was the last time you ate or drank anything?" Nodoka asked, the boy headed back to his corner.

"I haven't eaten for four days and last I drank was…" he trailed off "When did it rain?" he asked, Nodoka stiffened once again, the boy had been living on rain water.

"Three days ago" Nodoka answered on instinct.

"How did you get those scars?" she then asked, doubting a human could have made them, the boy flinched, eyes widening in terror, Nodoka could practically see images playing behind his eyes, remembering how he got the scars, he curled back into a ball, tighter than before, Nodoka was alarmed by this reaction, afraid to even think about what had been done to him.

Beep, beep.

She glanced down at her watch, her time was up, she'd been talking to the boy for two hours now and still didn't know who he was, where he was from, who his parents are or how he ended up in the city.

"I'm afraid I have to go now…but I'll be back tomorrow…a man will come and take you to your room in about half an hour" Nodoka said before taking her notes and heading out the door, closing and locking it once she was out, hating herself for doing it but it was a precaution that everyone had to follow or risk losing their jobs, Nodoka head down the hallway and once she was certain there was no way the boy or anyone would hear or see her she opened the flood gates, sobbing violently as tears gushed out of her eyes, her legs shaking as she continued to walk.

A/N First attempt at an angst fic, tell me what you think, open to any pointers, tips, suggestions anything, plz review.