The only upside to the general numbness that lasted most of the day was that it mitigated the bitter cold of Keterburg in winter. It was only midday and dark out when the door to the solitary confinement cell at the Keterburg penitentiary opened for the first time in six months.

"Who's there?" the cell's occupant sneered half heartedly, straining to see in the unlit darkness of his cell. He heard the door shut and lock again as a fon lamp was lit, casting a weak glow.

"Hello, Saphir,"

Hearing his former name shocked him back into reality because at first he thought this was another hallucination- that his former friend was visiting him. Saphir knew that he himself did not look his best- prison took its toll on him- but it didn't compare to the Jade's state.

"H-hello," he started nervously, wondering what sort of cruel, cosmic joke was being played on him. Jade was in a wheelchair, for goodness sake. Instead of a uniform he was wearing civilian clothes and a plain blanket spread over his lap. And his glasses were gone, in fact, his eyes were closed-

"How have you been?" Jade asked easily, throwing the other off.

"Prison is prison," Saphir said as casually as he could manage, still unsure of what was going on at all. "You… Are you sick?" he blurted out, shrinking back in embarrassment. This was the man who single handedly ruined his life and he was inquiring about his health? He really should just chase him out, but the cell door was locked… Why would the warden do that anyway?

Jade laughed, though its sound was unfamiliar to Saphir. To him, Jade's laughter always contained an element of cruelty alongside mirth, but this laugh was simply resigned. "You could put it that way. Last stages of fonslot contamination, I'm afraid," Jade said simply, relieved he didn't have to explain it all to the other.

"How?" Saphir asked, suddenly sick to his stomach.

"It seems I was a little careless breaking that fon-slot seal… it went for my eyes first, which I assume is because of the self-inflicted adjustments I made,"

"When?"

"You remember, we were about eight-"

"No! I mean when did you find out?" Saphir shouted, perhaps a little louder than he should have. But he couldn't help it, the knot in his stomach was just tightening as each minute passed, chilling his blood.

"Spring,"

Saphir took a moment to count the months before bursting out incredulously, "You waited this long to come and see me? You're unbelievable, Jade, but of course I expected as much from… from someone like you!" he spat, the heat rising to his face.

"I don't know what difference it would have made," Jade said quietly, looking so infuriatingly frail- he didn't have the right to look so weak, Saphir thought. Jade had always been a fixture, however unpleasant at times, in his life, and he wasn't sure how he was suppose to face a future without it. Brilliant beyond comparison- that was what Jade was. Not quiet, not resigned, not crippled, not dying.

"Well for one," Saphir said bitterly, "You more or less left me to rot in here and it might have made me happier to know you are getting what you deserve." He knew full well how hateful those words were, but Jade deserved it. Didn't he?

"Speaking of, I've arranged for your parole. I know you couldn't obtain one without someone to vouch for you, so I went ahead and signed the papers. Of course, if you screw up and end up back here after I'm gone, you're out of luck,"

After I'm gone

Freedom.

Saphir almost cried out of frustration- once again he was being jerked around from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other and once again it was all this four eyed bastard's fault. Everything was his fault. Or so he tried to think, but then wished he could take it all back, because no matter what Jade may have done, he didn't want to be left alone.

"Why?" Why would you do this for me?

Jade looked thoughtful, choosing his words carefully. "Because keeping you here is a waste of resources. There are problems out there and after myself, I can't recommend anyone else to solve them," he said evenly, giving Saphir probably the closest thing to a compliment for the first time in a decade.

Saphir bit his tongue, holding back the pleas that threatened to spill out. Don't leave me, don't give up, don't look like that-but it was all useless. He couldn't help thinking Jade came to him at this time because he didn't want to hear any of that. It's the same as when he finally gave up on bringing back the Professor- and once again, Saphir couldn't do anything about it.

As if sensing his despair, Jade told him simply, "Come here."

Saphir hoped his legs could carry him those three short steps- they were shaking so badly he really wasn't sure. Jade motioned for him to lean down, before awkwardly embracing him, his motions stiff and uncoordinated. At this, Saphir broke down, knees giving out beneath him, his thin body shaking with sobs. His voice was muffled somewhat by the blanket he chose to bury his face in, the same covering Jade's lap. The bridge of his glasses was digging painfully into his nose, but when he felt trembling fingers run slowly through his hair, he couldn't care less.

Eventually, he calmed down; at least enough to wipe his nose and stand on his own. Someone knocked on the cell door, indicating it was time for Jade to leave.

"Your parole starts tomorrow morning," Jade informed him as someone gently wheeled him out. Saphir tried to find the words he wanted to say before his last chance disappeared.

"I'm sorry, Jade!"

"I know."