*from Aryndel's perspective*

I hear the shout and turn around. A man is standing in the doorway, wearing a nicely pressed suit. My first thought is, he doesn't belong here. He walks up to the doctor and rips the form from his hand, proceeding to tear it in half.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?!" the doctor shouts.

The man turns to him with a fierce glare. "My name is Frank Fontaine, CEO of Fontaine Futuristics. And you will learn your place."

The doctor visibly cowers in fear at this.

"Now," Fontaine continues, turning to look at Jer and me with a smile, "Mr. Lyons and Ms. Corinne, I am indebted to you two for what I put you through this day. Atlas returned to my office and explained what happened. I am truly sorry for that. Allow me to return the favor and pay for the procedure."

I knew I could have accepted his offer without another word. But it felt wrong, forced. "Mr. Fontaine, sir, what happened to my brother was a tragic accident. However, I am an honorable woman and I cannot accept your generous gift like this. Please, allow me to pay for the procedure and instead, send my brother to the surface. I will remain here to work off the debt." Jeremiah is squeezing my hand tightly now. "Jer, I love you, but you need to go to the surface. I'll join you as soon as I can."

Jeremiah begins to tear up and plead with me. "I can't leave you, sis. Please don't do this. I won't be able to make it without you."

In the corner, Fontaine has pulled out a checkbook and has written a check, throwing it at the doctor who scoops it up and scuttles off down the hall with it as the nurse reenters the room. "Miss Corinne, an accident though it was, I will not separate you two and allow to be alone in this city. I understand that you are a woman of honor, as am I a man of honor. I cover all my employees' injuries, including those I hire. Allow me to fulfill my job as a CEO, and instead I will have you repay me by doing me a favor once you reach the surface."

"Anything you ask, I will do," I respond, wondering what could be so important, yet so unattainable for Frank Fontaine, the richest man in Rapture.

"I have a letter," he explains, "A letter that would require me to pay an arm and a leg to send from this location. It's to a Mr. Comstock. All you need to do is go to the top of the lighthouse and sound the gong. Something will show up to take the letter. It may not sound like much, but you'll see why it's a heavy price."

My mind is spinning at 120 miles an hour. Suddenly, words are spilling out of my mouth that I never wanted to say. "I understand. I will do it, whatever you wish. Although I do have a favor to ask of you as well."

"What would that be, Miss?" Mr. Fontaine asks. Jeremiah looks incredibly confused.

"Mr. Fontaine, would you join me in the hall for a moment?"

"Of course," he replies, walking out the door into the hospital hallway.

I shut the door behind us and turn around, heart beating like a drum in my chest. "Mr. Fontaine, sir, I'm in quite a bit of trouble and I need your help."

"What seems to be the problem?"

I take a deep breath and rattle off my story as fast as I can. "Two years ago when my brother and I first arrived here in Rapture, we had no contacts, no money, nothing. It was a bad time for everyone. Jobs were scarce."

He nods in agreement. "I understand. Everyone struggled back then. I was a simple assistant at a diner back then."

"My first night here, I was approached by a group of men who offered me food, a place to stay, work for my brother and myself, anything we needed. Their only requirement was that we worked for them and did some extra work on the side to pay for what we were given. I turned them down and was attacked and beaten for refusing their 'generous gift'. After that, I agreed to whatever they wanted in order to keep my brother safe. He never knew what they did or how they treated me."

Fontaine's face has fallen and he is staring at me with a reproachful look. Suddenly, I'm feeling quite ashamed of my actions. "Who were these men?" he asks.

"I do not know," I reply, "Nor do I wish to."

He is silent for several moments and I can feel the tension in the hallway rising. Finally he looks up again at me with a sorrowful glance. "I understand why you did these things," he says, putting a comforting hand on my shoulder. "You are looking at the second most powerful man in all of Rapture. I can assure you safe passage home and that these men won't be able to hurt you or bring harm to your brother. I promise you these things."

"Sir, with all due respect, you may be able to protect us here in Rapture, but on the surface…they will still find us. I don't care what they do to me, but my brother…I can't let them hurt him. He doesn't know what I had to do. He doesn't know about them and what they're capable of."

Fontaine thinks for a minute more. "I see. I'm sorry that I can't defend you all, but I know someone who can. Somewhere you can escape to that only a few know about. And those few are the people who live there. A city that has not fallen to the greed Rapture has succumbed to. A city that you can go to as soon as you deliver my letter. A city that you two can help form and be safe in for the rest of your lives."

"Sir," I reply, on the verge of tears, "You have already blessed us so richly, I fear I will never be able to repay you for this kindness."

He smiles and leans in a little closer. "Miss Corinne, it's the least I could do. That package you delivered may be what saves Rapture. Plus, the people who can help you have been trying to get ahold of you for the past 2 years. Andrew Ryan hasn't been allowing any messages from the outside world into Rapture, saying that 'this city will not grow with any contact to the old world'. The damn fool has been keeping these people isolated. I only wish to repay you for the job you did and answer a pleading family's prayers. It really is the least I could do to repay you."

"People have been trying…to contact us?" My blood has run cold in my veins, and my heart feels like a block of ice sitting heavily in my chest.

"Yes, they have been trying for quite some time. Thought at first they were filled with panic and worry, the most recent letters have been about the city I'm talking about and how they wish you were there. They are hoping you are still alive and that the letters are not reaching here in vain. Unfortunately, the latter has been proven true."

"I feel like a damned fool," I mutter, clenching my fist in the fury that is spreading in my being. All the emotions of being forgotten, the pain and hatred I held in my heart for those who I believed abandoned me. All for nothing, because they were looking for us the entire time.

He smiles sadly. "Why is that?"

"I believed that they had forgotten us. That they hadn't even tried to make contact. I thought they were dead or worse, and I fostered hate in my heart for the friends who had abandoned me…abandoned us. Now I know that it was in fact I who abandoned them."

Fontaine pats my shoulder. "I see. Well, find comfort in knowing that they are waiting for you. You and your brother have two years to make up with these people. I can send you to be with them tomorrow. For tonight, I will have my best guards defend your apartment against any creatures that may be seeking to harm you. And Miss Corinne? I think tonight you should tell your brother what you have been hiding from him. I understand that secrets are sometimes best kept secret, but I saw the look in his eyes when he looked at you. The look of endless compassion and forgiveness. Love and adoration. Understanding. He of all people should know the truth. Though, that is your decision. As for your friends in the city, you will be meeting them soon. I think it is best that we head in and help Jeremiah up. Then we'll take you two back to your apartment for the remainder of the night."

The tears roll down my cheeks as I shake his hand. "Thank you, Mr. Fontaine. I promise, I'll tell him everything tonight. I can only hope that he is as forgiving and understanding about this as you are."

"I'm sure he will be. Now come on, best not to keep him waiting."

We enter the room again and Jeremiah has pulled himself out of bed and is standing next to it, holding onto the nurse's arms for support. He grins. "I told you I could stand." I run to his side and help him sit back down on the bed. "I'm okay, sis," he says proudly. "I just needed to remember why I move each day and stand this life." He pulls me into a tight hug. "I stand for you. I swore to always stand by your side, and I'm not going to let a damn splicer change that and make a liar out of me."

By this point, I'm sobbing in his arms, confused and drained both emotionally and physically. Jeremiah puts his hand on the back of my head and holds me, pressing his face into my collarbone. "I love you sis," he whispers. "Forever and always."

Remembering that the nurse and Fontaine are still in the room, I control myself and pull away. "We should be getting back to the apartment. Mr. Fontaine has enlightened me with some important information and I'll explain when we get back." Something that has been bothering me since the Bathysphere ride clicks in my head, and the anger returns. I turn to Fontaine with a terrible gleam in my eye and revenge in my heart. "Do you know where I might find Atlas?"