I'm sorry for not posting in a while, things got out of hand where I couldn't log in for some reason T_T

Hopefully it won't happen again.

Weeks passed since their late night conversation, Perry still haunted by those words, unable to look at any cop the same way.

When the weekend rolled in, he brought the kids over, meeting Seri, Dennis' gorgeous and excitable wife.

When he met her, it helped explain where the man must've learned Arabic just by her manner of dress and the décor in their home.

It was as expected, the Arabic woman kept the children entertained, namely having a few video games and movies they could choose from.

Those not interested in either or couldn't in Baljeet's case, she shared a few books and stories from her homeland, clearly happy doing so.

She definitely would make an excellent mother some day with that bubbly attitude, maybe a teacher if she wished.

The older members of the group joined Dennis in a separate room as he explained to them all he knew about the diclonii starting with where it originated.

When asked how it spread to America, he told them about how the queen of that time managed to spread her vectors out to slaughter thousands. But with it, a madman had launched missiles to infect millions with what is known as the Vector Virus in order for more to be born.

Despite their best efforts, between a temporary global birth ban, the vaccine created has since stopped working.

Therefore, those infected now are given a choice to either become sterile, face imprisonment, or join a research facility to breed specimens scientists could study.

By the end of it all, the teens felt sick, looking that they'd be having nightmares for weeks, but they held strong. They felt bad for the diclonii, promising that if they see one or what looks like one, they would call him right away.

Since then, they also managed to, with much help from the Durani couple to explain to the children regarding the chances of death being more common.

It upset the kids, Phineas especially, but they reluctantly accepted it.

Although, when they got home and it was time for bed, the redhead begged Perry to let him sleep with him. Ferb had done the same thing as did the other two boys with Jeremy seeing as Perry had his bed full.

When they slept, Perry would find himself haunted by his own thoughts, his own dreams between having gotten past one hurdle with the death topic.

Now the next hurdle would have to somehow explain the chances of finding others from Danville or any part of their realm, their dimension, alive.

The thought alone tore him apart, knowing he may have to reveal more of what happened to him to even know such information.

Thus led his mind to wander back to Peter and Heinz, knowing those two must be suffering so much, unsure if they were even alive at this point.

For all he knew, they could've died, one from being raped and possibly driven to suicide as he had nearly been. As for the other, it could very much be the same, but instead dying from being repeatedly raped, could've died from the experimentations.

It made him sick that to some extent, he's relaxing and having fun with his family while they suffer.

Didn't help whenever he remembered the scientist's photos, having seen those glassy hopelessness eyes staring vacantly at whoever photographed him.

There were nights Perry would curl up in his bed, thankfully alone, silently sobbing, biting into his hand or wrist to keep quiet.

He didn't want to feel so weak, but couldn't help it.

Despite his training, despite all he's gone through back in Danville, what he's gone through now was too much for him to handle at once.

Sure, he has Candace and Jeremy to talk too, usually when they see him stressed, seeing close a breaking point, it still wasn't enough. They're still technically kids; he shouldn't be burdening them with this, they don't deserve that.

All he wanted was to find this Shadow Queen soon and get things back to normal, find out that the bomb thing was a lie to break him and return home.

He didn't care about retirement, about memory wiping; all he cared about was his family and stopping the nightmares.

Eventually he pulled himself together, mostly thanks to his friendship with Dennis, the man having bonded with him as they shared tales.

Mostly it was tales the agent would share regarding his kids while the other would share tales regarding ones he's rescued and are living happily.

At some point, he and the others found themselves visiting the household more and more, vice versa at their tiny unit.

It felt like back home when the boys' parents would host parties or events at home or the other families would. And if it wasn't them, it was the boys' with their wild inventions and creativity bringing people together.

While the kids were tormented less at school, not sure if other kids are starting to get bored or something finally had been done, it was still rough on them.

They only brightened up whenever the Durani couple visited or they would learn they would be visiting them.

Perry would've thought he'd get jealous that the couple did something he couldn't for his family and their friends, but he didn't.

If anything, he was relieved, knowing there was only so much he could do to help them, especially since in many ways, he needs help himself.

It was here they were visiting the couple again, the two having invited them over for lunch and dinner.

The kids were playing some board games, Buford putting Baljeet and Phineas into headlocks, giving them rough noogies. But based on their laughs, they were having fun, even if there was an occasional "ow" from one of them.

Ferb was playing a videogame with Jeremy, the girls playing some games of their own that when the three wrestling were done, got drawn in. Well more two did, Buford followed to see what it was, deemed it boring and decided to sit and watch the other two play, waiting for a turn.

"Hey, mind if I steal this guy for a bit?" Dennis joked as he looped an arm around the agent lazily, a grin on his face.

"What are you up too?" Seri teased, knowing how close the two have become, grateful her husband has managed to make such a good friend.

She was sitting on the floor, dressed in jeans and a light sweater, a shawl draped around her head out of tradition, but her beautiful face still showed.

She had been in the process of helping Phineas hook a new video game up she had gotten from a friend.

She explained that sometimes they get the diclonii children visiting, so they try to make it feel welcoming, feel as if they at home.

"Oh nothing huge, figured we could hang at a bar and talk about guy stuff these kids are too young for. I'd invite Jeremy, but he's underage and it'd be pretty awkward having "mature" conversations at a fast food joint," the white haired man laughed.

"It's fine, it would've still been awkward since I am younger than you two," the blonde teased, getting a playful glare from the men.

"Just don't do anything stupid," the Islamic woman teased as the others told Perry to have fun as they left.

The two walked, reaching a nice looking bar, and right across from it was a small market that sold lots of produce, the bar even selling some in their drinks or food.

Taking a seat in the back of the place, they settled on a couple of beers, the platypus not use to drinking, so nursed his to avoid getting drunk on the spot.

Dennis on the other hand just about downed his in one go, a big stupid grin on his face as they tossed jokes back and forth at each other.

"There's a reason this place is a favorite of mine aside being close to home to hang alone or take Seri to," the white haired man snickered, his face beginning to turn red after his fourth beer was gone.

"Pray tell," Perry joked, feeling giddy from the drinks, having finished about half of his third one.

He could get used to this, sure he's never been a drinker in more ways than one, but a few fun rounds like this, he wouldn't mind. It helped relax him far more than any soda and water ever did since coming to this terrifying world.

Then again, he always felt more relaxed when he got chatting with Dennis, even hanging out with him as they are now. It was if the other knew just how to cheer him up whether he was upset or not.

"The market across the street, they always seem to have the best damn carrots I ever laid my eyes on. If I didn't have Seri to keep me in line, I might've made myself completely broke buying them all," he laughed nervously, waving a waitress over to order two more refills.

After their drinks were replenished, Perry couldn't help but start laughing at the irony of his friend's words.

"You know, you remind me of this guy I knew back in my old town. He loved carrots in an obsessive level too. Even had the same name as you," he hiccupped, the effect of the drinks starting to get to him.

"Glad to know you still remember me," Dennis joked softly, his face appearing more sober as he held a serious, but playful look. "Been a long time, hasn't it, Agent P?"

Perry nearly choked on his drink as he stared at the other in shock, instantly sobering at those words.

There was no way this guy could be him!

There was no way he would even know about his real identity, he made sure everyone kept their lips tight.

Hell, he hasn't even told them everything from his secret agent life since some of it was uncomfortable.

And despite how drunk he felt before, he was sure as hell careful not to let anything slip, or if they did, it was mixed perfectly with a lie.

"D-Dennis?" he stuttered, eyes wide as he stared at the other in shock, still not believing that the man he's considered as a friend is actually his enemy. "How? Why? What happened?"

"If you remember, I managed to bust out of prison a second time, without your nemesis' help this time."

"I remember, but then you simply vanished."

"Exactly, it wasn't my intention to do so… I'll admit, when I got out, I wanted to make you pay for everything. I even planned on going after your family to get my revenge," the other started, seeing the other tensing before giving a look. "I don't have those thoughts anymore; I can assure you on that."

"Then what happened to you?" Perry asked, mindful of how loud he is than he had been previously.

"To put it bluntly, I got kidnapped by a whore. She found me and offered to help me get revenge against you and the O.W.C.A. But since the last time didn't go so well and I got this horrible feeling off of her, I tried to escape. Next thing I knew was being grabbed and restrained, unable to get myself free."

"Oh god, you were turned human by that child…that monster, Anax…"

"Exactly, she turned me into this among other animals and aliens they've captured. However, I had been deemed valuable for some other experiments that crazy brat had going on. I only got away because someone fucked up the records and mixed me up with another rabbit they experimented on. Seems she never found out or by the time she did, it was too late as you can see."

"But how did you escape though? I doubt they would've let you go."

"When the mix up occurred, I had been sent to a brothel. I had dozens of men and women, mostly men touching me in places I never wanted to be touched before. I had so many inside me it. When I think about it now, I just want to vomit, not just for what was done to me, but my lack of resistance. I just let it happen, as if I asked for it, that I had begged for it!"

Perry felt his heart break as he heard the other starting to crack, the cheery mask he always wore falling away, a mask even he fell for.

Taking his hand into his, he gave him a sympathetic look, giving him a reassuring squeeze that seemed to settle the other down a little.

"I don't know exactly how I escaped, but one day I just snapped. One of the regulars wanted to try something with me. I don't remember what it was, but it made me lose it. I started screaming, kicking and fighting, all the things I wanted to do since I was first brought there. Somehow in the struggle, one of them got behind me and struck me hard, probably thinking they killed me or left me brain dead."

"So they threw you away, like trash?"

"Exactly, they must've opened a portal or something and threw me into it. I don't even know if they did it or why exactly. They easily could've fed me to the Hollows or other demons as they've done with dozens of others."

Instantly, Perry remembered the redheaded man who gave him the bloodied map, wondering if maybe he showed up to save him last minute. And if not him particularly, maybe Dennis at that moment had his own fallen angel come save him.

"When I finally woke up, I literally had no memory. I didn't remember the agency, that I was a rabbit, I had been tortured and raped repeatedly."

"Oh god…"

"All I knew was my name, a few of my likes and dislikes. My head hurt horribly, bleeding even as I stumbled around. I was cold, I was scared, I was barely clothed, covered in wounds that should never have been there in the first place."

"What happened to you?"

"As I said, I simply stumbled around, trying to get my bearings without even knowing why. I was near a part of a city that was popular for tourist groups to go and learn history. That's where I first met Seri, though it was a rather interesting first encounter for both of us."

"How so?"

"At the time, she was a tour guide, using it to help her study to become a nurse with the money she earned. Plus it gave her a chance to learn other languages than what her home offered, what her parents could teach her themselves."

"But how did you two meet exactly?"

"She was showing a couple of idiots around, they tried to take advantage of her and I heard her screaming. Something inside me snapped though. When I saw what they tried to do to her, my mind went blank. All I saw, all I could see was myself in her position, begging and pleading for my assaults to stop as she had been."

"You must've saved her then?"

"Of course I saved her, idiot. Somehow, despite my state of mind, I somehow retained all my skills. I really gave those guys a thorough beating, breaking their bones, nearly killed them if Seri hadn't stopped me. But I didn't listen to her right away though, not because I didn't want to stop, or maybe I didn't, but it was more I didn't know she wanted me to stop."

"I can understand…on both parts. But with the latter, she wouldn't know what language you spoke. She was likely scared and not focused, and if you weren't speaking coherently, it'd be hard to know what language you spoke to."

"Pretty much."

"But, what finally got you to stop though?"

"She grabbed my arms before I could grab a discarded pipe to smash them further. I was ready to hit her, my mind high on fear, thinking, believing that she was going to hurt me next. But when I saw her terrified face, what mine must've looked like, may have always looked like, I stopped. I just stared at her and broke down. I broke down and cried like a little kid. When I think about it now, I probably looked like a mentally challenged man with the mindset of a child that day."

"Dennis…" Perry whispered sadly.

He could see how the other was upset, but he held a bitter smile on his face, even poking fun at himself.

The white haired man continued, the smile remaining on his face, watching as it slowly became more warm than bitter.

"With most people I'm sure, they would have had me sent to some psych ward, believing I could be a danger, but Seri wasn't like most people."

"What do you mean?"

"When she calmed me down, she managed to retrieve her phone and call the police. I can only guess those bastards threw it from her reach when they attacked her before I came onto the scene. The police tried talking to me, even got doctors, psychologists to talk to me, but I went mute. But it wasn't just that, I also wouldn't let go of Seri, it was like I imprinted on her. When they tried to pull us apart, I started screaming, thrashing, trying to reach her. I don't entirely know why I did that, not sure if I'll ever know."

"It could be your animal instincts, I still have mine despite what I am, you must've kept yours as well. We can both agree that our instincts are far more sensitive than a human's, where we can basically see into one's heart in a sense."

"That might be true, and let's not forget that reiatsu thing people likely blabbed on about when we were prisoners."

"That too."

"But getting back on topic, whenever I flipped out, Seri came to comfort me. Just through simple gestures, I settled down, focusing on her while I was examined for injuries. Doctors determined I had PTS, no surprise there, and obviously a concussion thanks to the lump on my head."

"Did they think amnesia too?"

"Not at first, not until they finally got me to talk and I told them I didn't remember anything past waking up in the sand."

"It must've puzzled them."

"It did because of my clothes, but figured I must've been trafficked and somehow got away or abandoned for whatever reason. But since I had no documentation, and very little of my memory to help them learn anything about who I was, they were at a loss."

"Even if you did have your memory, wouldn't help since you weren't born here in a literal sense."

"Yeah, probably a good thing I had amnesia at the time or it would've gotten a lot weirder answering questions."

As the former Rogue talked more, Perry took it all in, still shocked that the man he called his friend had actually been his enemy. He never saw it coming, nor expected that this kind, gentle, helpful, honorable man was the very same rabbit.

It was pretty hard to believe that this was the same person, the same animal who had betrayed the agency and tried destroying it multiple times.

Although, now that he thought about it, the agent felt like kicking himself for not seeing the signs sooner.

Both versions had white, one with fur, the other soft hair that felt like the very same fur few times he's touched it. They both had the same eye color, course now the former Rogue's were bloodshot between the drinking and crying.

Upon closer inspection, the platypus noticed that two of his front teeth seemed to protrude out a bit more, but it was mostly hidden.

He guessed that he might've gotten braces when he had amnesia while staying with Seri. If he didn't get them fixed then, it is likely Anax had a hand in it very much as she did regarding his eyesight.

He nearly did a double take, staring at the other in shock, "Wait, she didn't know any English at all?"

"I know, it's a bit surprising, but where she lived in didn't really have that many American tourists, not even businesses. So the language wasn't as heavily focused, instead focusing on the ones that were important. Of course, Seri had been learning, having wanted to go to America to learn more medicine, maybe even work there if she couldn't here. But what she learned wasn't enough for us to properly speak, so yeah, in a sense, she didn't know any at all."

"And yet, despite that, something still grew between you two if you became so close, marrying each other even."

"You're right about that. It was difficult when it came translating, but she helped me regardless. Even her parents helped out, opening their home to me than forcing me to stay in some sterile hospital, poked and prodded. They all helped me learn, they helped me build a new life, a new identity if you will. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be where I am right now."

"That's amazing," Perry spoke, completely in awe at what he heard.

Part of him couldn't help but wonder if he had been influenced by Seri and her parents in regards of generosity. It would certainly explain how he helped him in the hospital, not batting an eye at the expense.

"Over time, with help of a translator to guide us both, we eventually learned each other's languages. It was amazing learning her culture, so different from American culture, and while it has violent parts, what culture doesn't, am I right?"

"That's true, even back home, it wasn't always peaceful. We had wars time to time because of some issue."

"At least it was more tamed than here."

"Yeah."

"Which brings up how we got where we are helping diclonii," Dennis spoke as he took a rather deep breath.

"It would be interesting to hear it," Perry spoke with a thin smile, seeing the other roll his eyes, though did appear serious as was he.

"For whatever reason, there weren't that many in the Middle East compared to most other countries. I don't know if it was due to less men being infected or more were killed than what's recorded, who knows. But the few that did live long enough, that I got to see, meet and help when they needed it as did Seri, we started to hear about support groups for them."

"So the groups attracted you two?"

"Yeah, I don't know why, but the more I learned about them, I felt something, like some sort of kinship, especially those who had been experimented on."

"That's understandable; I feel the same as well."

"Yeah, but this is coming from someone who didn't even remember he was an experiment at the time. Didn't even remember what he really was, that he wasn't always human," the other half joked as he toyed with his glass a little.

"But you felt something regardless, and you wanted to help as much as Seri did?"

"Exactly, we finished any schooling we had to take. We helped one another prepare for tests to get our citizenship, to get green cards so we could safely fly to America and start our new lives there. As we worked to that goal, Seri helped contact the support groups, proving we honestly wanted to help."

"So they helped you get here?"

"Yup, without them, it would've taken a lot more work getting all the necessary paperwork filed for our green cards and passports. They even helped us out by loaning some money so we could buy a home and get settled when we first came to town."

"When did you and Seri get married though? In all the chaos, I doubt you had time to get it done when moving."

"I know it'll sound nuts, but while the two of us had just met, something between us clicked and knew we were in love. So before we moved here, before things were set, we got married. While it is traditional for her to take my name, I didn't really have one than what was given to me for my new life."

"So you asked to take hers instead?"

"Yeah, I felt more at home with their name than what was put on my papers."

The two afterwards sat in silence; the former rabbit letting everything he said sink into the other's brain.

He knew that it was probably far greater than what he told him regarding the diclinous problem itself.

Eventually, the former platypus decided to speak, finding his voice cracked a little from the wave of emotions threatening to bust through and make a scene.

"Dennis, when did you get your memories back?"

"First mission Seri and I were on after coming here and joining up with a group to save a few kids. I remember it pretty well, we were successful, but I took a hard hit, almost costing me my life. It was too damn close, but somehow it brought back all my memories from when we were in our world to that hellhole."

"I don't want to sound rude, but what about the O.W.C.A.? I know how much you hated the agency, how much you hated everyone, me especially. If you got the chance, would you still destroy it? Would you still try to make my life miserable, try to kill me?"

Shaking his head, he gave his former rival and enemy, now a best friend a comforting look, as if a weight had been lifted.

"No, I hold no desires for revenge against you guys anymore. It's all in the past now, I made a new life here. I'm doing something I honestly believe is right, something that's dangerous, but right no less."

"I'm glad to know things have worked out for you," Perry sighed happily, letting a few droplets of tears fall. "You're so much braver than I had been, when I had been held captive and experimented on."

"I still have nightmares, feigning amnesia whenever asked if I remember anything when I wake up crying. I feel horrible lying to Seri, but I know she wouldn't believe me if I told her that I was raped and beaten by actual monsters than figurative ones."

"I hadn't been raped, I can't say, nor will I say I know how it feels, but I know the pain you endured being beaten, being experimented on. They were going to make me kill innocent people too, possibly put me through more of their sick experiments to make me stronger, make me into a freak of nature. However, I broke far worse than you had and possibly far sooner than you must have."

At this, before Dennis could question, Perry lifted his sleeves up, careful no one else was watching, showing the scars.

"My god, Perry, what the hell did you do?" the other asked, grabbing an arm to examine, horrified at the sight.

"Isn't it obvious?"

"But still…"

"I would've died back then when I actually did want to die, when I sliced my arms up. All I wanted when I was there to end my pain and suffering, wanting to reunite with my family. I honestly believed they were dead, not having any faith that they could've survived."

At that, he began to go into deeper explanation from the pain he went through, the lessons, the training, meeting Nerea, then great detail about his escape.

He watched the rabbit's expression, seeing horror in his eyes at what he endured, the risks he took, using his suicide attempt for his escape.

He told about the files he found relating to their world, finding faces that were also captured. He even mentioned the mysterious redhead who saved him, before roughly ending his tale when he landed here much like him, only far closer to his loved ones.

By the time he finally finished, the tears he tried holding back were coursing down his face, feeling his nose growing wet as he cried.

He didn't think he would break down so badly, having already done so many times now, having cried a little when listening to Dennis.

Despite any potential stares sent their way, the former Rogue shifted in his seat where he was next to the other, pulling him into a hug.

"It's alright now, it's over."

"Maybe for us, but not for Peter or Heinz…" he hiccupped, face buried into his friend's shoulder.

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