Six months...nine days...four hours...twelve minutes...that's how long I spent in a cage, a cell where needles and probes would enter through my skin, my muscles, my bones till I was finally the perfect shape, design, creation that he had made. When he was done with me, when I was his creature, he put me in a cage and there I grew, physically, mentally, emotionally. I watched as others some my age, some older, some younger go through the same torture, I heard them scream in pain and I heard them cry in dispair. I watched as their faces, bodies, limbs, mind turned into something unknown, I truly can't tell you if it was something beautiful or disgusting.

Then I was found, finally, and taken here to a hospital. I don't know much about what's going on, I don't know why everyone is in such a rush to put IV's in me and run blood tests and psych evaluations, but everything comes and goes in a blur so by the time they're done I'm still wide awake. Finally, for the moment I'm alone, I look in the mirror for the first time in six months. My hair is longer, it goes only an inch past my shoulders, it's greasy and matted down to my paled skin, it looks so pastey now. The two cat ears that had grown during the last three experiments were perched perfectly on top of my head, they are the same color as my hair, a tail had also come to be at the small of my back, it was slim with a shade lighter tip like my ears. My left eye is a shade darker than the other, a slit replaces the round pupil, it's hard to see out of it; this was his last experiment. I had grown only four inches taller, my features were a little more detailed now, the little bit of chubbiness that had always seemed to be present just under my chin was gone, my fingers were longer, slimmer now. I'm thinner now, lack of food for the past few weeks will do that to you, I'm hydrated so I'll be fine once they bring me something edible.

I jump when the door slams open, I rush out and I'm frozen. I can't breathe, I can't feel my legs, anything...

He's in front of me, his eyes are piercing through me, and those arms are wrapped around me so tightly, "Misaki," he whispers into my human ear, for the first time in six months...nine days...four hours...twelve minutes..."I've missed you...you're alive...you're alive..." my heart is breaking..."I love you...oh god, I love you...you're alive..." but this time it's breaking because I'm so happy.

Silver hair is burried in my neck, tears are falling on my skin and sliding down in tiny hot rivers, the arms that are wrapped around me are shaking, trembling. "Usagi-san..." I haven't heard my voice in so long, it's raspy and quiet, "Usagi-san," but I want to use it, I want it to be louder, "Usagi-san," my arms wrap around his neck, cradeling his head, "Usagi-san," that's the only name I need to say, the only thing I want to say.

For a moment, I'm not that man's creature, I'm not his monstrosity, I'm the old me; short and innocent and naïve. I'm his Misaki again, I'm the sophmore almost junior college student in economics, I'm a younger brother and in-law, I'm a nineteen going on twenty year old. I'm this man's lover for just a minute longer...

We stay like that for a little while longer before he pulls away, I think it's then that he realizes the changes. I look down, taking a step back away from him, his hand grabs my arm not hard but just enough to pull me back. His hand touches my left cheek, caressing it gently while his thumb strokes just under my eye, I feel my face go hot as I bring my hand to cover his nuzzling it with my face. I missed how cool they were, how gentle and tender they were against me. The hand on my arm trails up to my cat ear, it flicks as his finger barely touches it, he massages the back of it making me relax my muscles. His hand on my face goes down my back and pulls me closer to his, he rests his chin on my head while the other hand cradles the back of my head.

"I love you," I whisper, there is no I think or maybe, there is solid truth in my words. I think he knows because he hugs me even tighter, I can almost feel his smile, "Do you still love me?" the question caught us both off guard, but suddenly the answer feels so crucial to me.

He pulls away for a moment before placing his lips over mine, holding me so firmly as he did so, "I love you more than life, I love you more than my family and friends and job, I love you more than the first day I met you, more than I did six months ago,"

I want to cry, but I want to hug him more, "I'm not the same person you know, I've changed,"

"I don't care, I don't care if you've changed, I still want you, I still love you," I rest my head on his chest, my throat feels tight, my shoulders heave. His hand rubs my back while dry sobs grind my body to dust and ash.

"Hate me," I whimper, my cat ears go back, my tail goes limp, "hate me for being so pathetic, for being so weak," I grip his shirt, "hate me for not fighting hard enough to stay with you. Hate me for putting you through hell. Hate me for turning into this monster,"

A harsh jerk makes me look into firm, sympathetic eyes that have strands of silver falling in front of them, "You are not a monster," he growls, "this isn't your fault," the words go through me like knives, his hand goes through my oily hair, pushing it away from my face. His eyes turning softer, "I can't hate you, Misaki, I can't. I love you, more than you know...and I know you love me too. So don't ask me to do something that I could never do,"

I lowered my head as a blush forming on my cheeks, his arms wrap around me around me again. I melted against his chest as exhaustion finally settled in my body and mind,"Usagi-san..." I was off the ground, he was carrying me to the bed, laying me down to the lumpy mattress. Wordlessly, he climbed in with me, after getting an extra pillow and blanket, and snuggled up closer to me. His body against mine, his shallow breathing, the smell of cigarettes and soap; I was home here. I nuzzled into his chest, my ears tickling his chin and my tail curling around us to keep warm.

"Go to sleep, Misaki," I looked up at him, fear had begun to churn in my chest.

"You'll...You're not a dream right? You'll be here when I wake up?" He kissed me on the lips, his were slightly chapped and tasted like smoke, but they went from my mouth, to my cheeks, to my nose, too my eyes, and then to my forehead.

"I'll be here," his arm went around my thin waist, his hands were moving against my ribs. I saw the concern in his eyes, "I promise, I won't even let the nurses pry me out of here," I smiled, laying my head against his chest.

"Good,"

As I closed my eyes, as sleep took hold of me, I heard him whisper one more time, "I love you."