HI! I'm so sorry for taking forever, but the power went out for two minutes, and deleted all this, and I had all of it done except the last paragraph. Sorry again for taking so long, hope you like this! Time for thank yous!

Miss Fee: Thanks for Story Alerting me, and thanks for reviewing, and I'm glad you like it! I thought it was kind of a weird idea too when I first thought of it. But I'm glad you're hooked!

jo: I try, I really do, but I usually have to apologize for taking forever, and I like to thank people. I'm sorry if I distract you from the story, I don't mean too. But thanks for reviewing!

IMSLES: Gibbs does have his work cut out for him, but if anyone can bring Scipo around and get him home, it's Rupert!

bookwormgirl382: Thanks for Story Alerting me, and I hope you like this chapter!

wolfdragonful: There will definitely be more! Thanks for reviewing!

By the way, one more thing. There will be a little flashback, and it will be obvious that it's there, but everything in bold is the flashback.

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Rupert's POV

I raced down the stairs, and out the door. Ohh, poor Scipo. He had been so scared. Master would never do him, I just knew it. He had only been trying to help. But he didn't understand Scipo, not like I did. I looked around, and saw a scrap of cloth on a bush. I picked it up, and headed off in the direction it was pointing. You could tell which way a person was heading by the length and shape of the rip in the cloth. And Scipo had been going fast. I looked around, and saw a little playground. Seeing a little figure on top of one of the closed, winding slides, I ran over.

Scipo looked down at me, and smiled sadly. "Hey Rup." I let out the breath I hadn't realized I had been holding, and started towards the bridge that was near the slide, and jumped up. Then I scrambled up onto the slide. I got up, and slid, and Scipo grabbed my arm. I saw how far up we were, and gulped, shrinking back into Scipo. He held me close. "It's okay Rup. I got ya."

I looked up at his face worriedly. "Ho-how are you feeling?" For some reason, I stuttered less when I talked to Scipo; I was a nervous wreck talking to anyone else, always worrying and picturing in my head how easy it would be for them to hurt me, and how they could do it. Other people scared me. But Scipo didn't. Scipo was nice. Scipo kept me safe.

He heaved a heavy sigh. "I… I dunno Rup. He scared me real bad; I've never been more frightened in my life! Not even when my father did me the first time." Venom dripped off the word father, scaring me. But I knew what that man had done to Scipo, he had told me. And Scipo had full right to be angry. More than angry. He started again, and I perked up. When Scipo was quiet, it either meant he was planning something, or something was very, very wrong. And this was the second type. "I dunno Rup… it's different. I mean, at least it was what I was used to when I was used before."

He looked sadly at me. "Was Master really going to use me?"

I shrugged silently. I really wasn't sure. Our brief experience with him said no, but that was just it. Our experience with him was brief. I couldn't say for sure.

Scipo heaved a sigh, making me vibrate. "I… I dunno Rup. I knew what to expect with Master. Brutal, harsh treatment. No mercy. No caring, no regard for either of us, like we were nothing."

I shuddered, shrinking back into him. I remembered that. It tortured me sometimes. In my sleep, in my waking hours; there was no escape. Worse, I had truly believed that I was nothing for a while, and that empty pit of… of nothing came back to haunt me the most.

"But at least we knew what to expect, right Rup?" I nodded up at him. "I mean, we knew how bad our life was going to be forever, and then it would get worse, and we'd get used to that. But… it was different when he used me. That was Master. But this is Master. Right?"

He sounded lost and hopeless. I turned and twisted so I could face him, and stared up at him. I knew what he meant. With Master, we had known how horrible he was, and so it had been no shock to either of us that he had used Scipo. But with Master… he respected us, helped us, was kind to us… and when he had been on top of Scipo, and Scipo woke up, it was a shock to both of us. Was he just as bad as our old Master? Because there was no way he could be worse.

Scipo lifted his arm, and traced the long, twisting scar on my stomach that our old Master had given me. It wasn't the only one, and Scipo had them too. But we both had scars that you couldn't see as well. Scipo hugged me close, and I melted into him. "Remembered when I first came to Master's home?" Scipo murmured, and I nodded into him.

"You… you sc-scared me." I whispered, remembering how frightening Scipo had been.

Scipo stroked my hair. "I didn't care about anyone, and I hated the world for what it had done to me. I thought no one cared about me, and couldn't think of a single reason why anyone should."

"Because you needed to be." I whispered. I could feel Scipo's grin. "Everyone ne-needs to be cared about, even if it's just by one o-other person. You ca-can't survive if no one c-cares about you."

Scipo grinned again. "I know Rup. Because a person, who only has himself to care about him, is a pretty sad person."

I nodded. There was silence for a moment, and then Scipo asked, "Do you think anyone cares about Master?"

I thought for a moment, and then said, "His team does. I, I know that."

Scipo sighed, making my heart flutter. He looked up at the moon, and so did I. It was a full moon, and very pretty. "I think it's kinda sad though, that he doesn't have anyone who cares about him who doesn't work with him." I didn't need to see his face to know that he had an evil grin on. "Do you think he's got a girlfriend?"

"I don't know." I answered, and then quickly said, "But if he does, we mustn't mess with them!"

"We won't."

"Or just her."

"We won't."

"Or booby trap the be-bed."

"We won't."

"Or do anything to her f-food or dr-drink."

"Aw man Rup; you're takin' all the fun out of it!"

"Or trash her ho-house."

"But-!"

"Or her ca-car."

"Aw man, but Rup…"

"Or send her car through an in-industrial size me-meat grinder."

"Hey, that worked wicked well last time!"

"Or do anything to hurt her or her be-belongings, or anything she to-touches."

"What if she does more than touch it?"

"S-Scipo!"

"Fine, fine, we won't. Besides, we don't even know if he's got a girl. I haven't seen any pictures, have you Rup?"

I shook my head. "No-nope."

There was silence for a little bit, and then, "Damn!"

I looked up at Scipo worriedly. "Wh-what is it?"

"I can't find a damn loophole in anything that you said about not messin' Rup! How'd you do it?"

I giggled. "I, I know you Scipo. I know what y-you can think up."

He pouted. "Not. Fair."

I giggled again. We looked at the moon, and suddenly, Scipo gasped. "Look Rup, a shooting star! Gloria taught me that you can make a wish on one. But you can't say it out loud, or it won't come true. Make a wish Rup."

As the star arched across the sky, I watched it, and thought. What could I wish for? Suddenly, I knew. I closed my eyes, and with all my heart, wished, I wish that-

Scipo's POV

I opened my eyes, finished with my wish, and looked down at Rup, who still had his eyes closed. What was he wishing for? Was he wishing for the same thing I had? I mentally shook myself. Of course he wasn't. That's why it was called a wish. Because it would never come true.

I had a little flashback to when I was only four years old, and Gloria had tried to take me outside, outside the mansion grounds for the first time.

"It's alright Scipo, don't be scared." Gloria reassured me, but I shrank back, holding onto her big, billowy skirt with an iron grip.

"No no no!" I cried, whipping my head back and forth. "No, I can't! Only bad boys go outside! Sir said not to! Sir said no!"

She huddled down, and cuddled me. "Sir will never find out, I promise. Do you really think I would do anything that would get my little Scipo hurt?"

I was silent for a moment, and then whispered, "No."

She smiled at me, and brushed some hair out of my eyes. "That's right. I would never do anything to hurt you Scipo. You're my little boy. You need to learn about the outside world."

I looked at her, and then peered around her at the open gates. The gates that led to the outside. The gates I had never gone through, and was forbidden to go past. I bit my lip worriedly, thinking. "What's out there?"

She smiled, and straightened up. "Lot's of things Scipo. Other kids that you could play with, shops, where they sell things, new things for you to experience, lots of things."

"If it's so good, then why did Sir say I couldn't go out?"

"Because your father is an evil man, as you know well. He wants to keep you in here, because there are people out there who can help you."

I looked up at her, wide eyed and shocked. "There is?"

She nodded. "Yes. Your father's afraid you will find them, and expose him. But without proof, we can't. But you're four years old now, and restless. You need to see that there is something in this world besides this mansion."

I shrunk back again, a thought striking me. "Is there bad stuff out there?"

She took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. "There is, but I will protect you sweetie. Plus, you've survived for four years in this hell of a household. You can survive anywhere." Looking down at me, she smiled gently and encouragingly. "Do you want to go outside?"

I bit my lip again, thinking. Finally, I nodded. "Yes."

She smiled. "That's my boy." Grinning widely, I walked with her to the gates. Gloria was more my mother than Ma'am was, and I loved, adored, and worshipped Gloria. I would do anything for her, but that didn't stop me from feeling scared as we got to the gates. Sir had forbidden me from setting foot outside the gates, and had explained very thoroughly what would happen if I did.

I stopped in my tracks as we stood in between the gates, and Gloria smiled encouragingly. Taking a deep breath, I took my first step outside the gates, holding tight to Gloria's skirts.

I flinched, and cowered, hunkering into a ball, expecting something to happen to me. When nothing did, I straightened up. And slowly, a huge grin came to my face. Nothing had happened! I was alright! This was awesome! This was great! Why hadn't I tried this before?

I looked around. We were in the middle of a street, and there were stands, and stalls, and lots of people! I gripped Gloria's hand, and then whispered, "Why aren't they in bed?"

She smiles down at me. "It's alright Scipo, don't be scared. These people are theives, homeless people, and those considered by others as ne'er do wells. Considering the people who come to visit your father, I thought you had had enough of self obsessed, pompous, snitching idiots to last a lifetime. And unfortunately, that's what most of the daylight people are. These people will teach you life skills, and you'll get along with them. Their attitudes are much like yours. I grew up with people like this."

A boy three years older than me runs up, with a boy my age at his heel. But just because we were the same age, didn't mean we were alike. His hair, a pale red, is ruffled, and messed up, and filthy beyond belief. Chunks of it are missing. He's only wearing ragged shorts, so dirty I can't tell what color they used to be. They're too small for him, and I get the feeling they're the first article of clothing he ever got, along with the only clothes he has. They're nowhere near enough to protect him from the winter cold, and he unconsciously supports that thought by shivering violently. His face is dirty, along with the rest of his body and his bare feet. He has cuts and scratches, like he's been in a fight. No- I catch sight of a scar I recignize as from a knife- he's been in many fights. But he doesn't look scary. He looks scared. He looks like he wants to dissappear, to hide from my gaze. He looks kinda cute.

I turn my gaze to the boy three years older than me. He has blond hair, and a scar running from his left temple, to his chin. He only has filthy shorts too, and he's really dirty too. His eyes are blue, and-dispite his intimidating apperance- kind. His hair has chunks missing too, and it's spiky and dirty. He smiles at me, and then at Gloria. "Hey, I'm Samuel. Who's the squirt Gloria?"

Gloria smiles at him. "Nice to see you again Samuel. This is Scipo; my boss' son. He's never been outside the house before, so you be nice to him."

He looks at me, shocked. "You've never been outside the house? Dude, how have you survived? I couldn't, no way. How have you survived? Aw man, if you haven't been outside the house that means we've got a lot to teach you. How to steal, build bombs, trick people… you'll let me teach 'im, won't ya Gloria?"

She smiles. "Of course."

He grins, relieved. "Alright! Come on kid, we got a lot o' work to do."

"Wait!" I cry. I have to know. For some reason, it's important. "You haven't introduced me to him." I point at the boy my age, and he shrinks back, as if my finger's loaded, or like it's a signal for people to hurt him.

Samuel grins. "Whoops! Sorry 'bout that. This kid? His name is Rupert."

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Hope you like it! Please review, and tell me this. Should Gibbs take the boys to therepy, or not? Tell me what you think!