11 weeks and 3 days. This chapter was important in character growth. No one can go through this much hassle and walk away unaffected. It was an interesting write. You know the drill. Thanks for reading all!

Four days had passed since the trip to Darkfalls and things had been… calm. Eerily so. That's really the only way Andrew could describe it.

Aside from the fall damage and slowly creeping vine growth the mansion had been returned to a near pristine condition. This was largely due to the captive human's efforts to keep himself busy and make the days go faster, but he couldn't say he'd done it singlehandedly. Leann had actually started helping with the cleaning. She claimed he wasn't going fast enough and that she could take time out of her schedule to get him back on track, but he knew the truth. She just wanted to be around him.

Since the return she had been acting oddly. Helping him had been one of many new behavioral quirks she'd picked up. The biggest was her near constant presence. Before she had wandered around doing whatever suited her current mood but now she seemed to almost follow him as he worked. Honestly it was just as annoying as it was unnerving. He still continued playing the part though, often making jokes in an attempt to get her to laugh or switching his attention to help her on whatever she was working on. It was easy to be his usual joyful self, but he didn't dare let himself relax. He knew the truth behind her smile and the danger behind her eyes.

When she wasn't lingering around she would disappear into her room or go stalk the tunnels for hours on end, usually showing up before the next meal time. Despite his growing sense of curiosity Andrew kept his questions to himself. He couldn't afford to humanize her this early in the game.

Aside from the odd behavior there really hadn't been anything exciting. It was an odd feeling to get into a routine again especially considering the circumstances of said routine.

The fifth day came with the usual happenings. He had just sat down to his plate of food when Leann walked into the dining room. She walked over and took her seat while pulling her own still steaming plate towards her.

"I'm going out for a while Trase." She said as she cut into her eggs.

"Let me grab my blade and-"

"No." She cut him off. "I need you to stay here." He cocked his head in a questioning manner.

"Someone or something has been sneaking around the maze." Andrew looked at her in surprise. "How do you know?"

"Two of my statues were broken and there's nothing big enough to do that running around in my territory."

"Maybe they just crumbled on their own?" he offered.

"No, the stone from a gorgon made statues doesn't crumble. Wear away in rough conditions, yes, but being left shrouded from the elements in a tunnel would leave them perfect. Besides, their heads were ripped off and taken." Again Andrew's features were shrouded in confusion.

"Why would you take stone heads?" She shrugged pushing her now empty plate away.

"I have no idea, but I plan on finding out. I'll be back towards dinner. Feel free to do whatever until I get back. Usual rules apply, so you can't escape through the tunnels." Andrew leaned back in his chair smiling at her.

"Oh, and here I was hoping you'd take this thing off so I could run to your rescue if needed." He pointed to the collar. She laughed and shook her head.

"Not a chance. Nice try though." She got up and left the room still chuckling as she went. As soon as her back was out of sight Andrew's face dropped into a thoughtful frown. It bothered him that someone running around the grounds willy nilly. Right now he had the situation under control but with an unknown variable mucking about things could get more difficult. Even more perplexing was the theft of the statues' heads. Why? What do you possibly gain?

Andrew heaved a heavy sigh. There was too little information at the moment to do anything about it. He figured that he might as well continue with the current heading until the problem rears its head again.

It was at that point Andrew realized he had a day off. The house was near immaculate, the water had been fixed and the one person who could possibly have anything for him to do was probably on their way to make someone beg for their life. He was totally free to spend the day how he liked. Well… This is weird. He thought as he leaned back on two of the chairs legs. What do I do?

Minutes later Andrew was sitting on a rock along the underground lake's shoreline. The water was completely calm aside from the ripples caused by the stream a few yards away. The atmosphere was peaceful and allowed the human a moment of respite from the world around him.

He lazily cast his line out into the water and smiled as the bobber hit with a comfortable plop. The only thing that could have improved the situation would have been some warm sunshine mixed with a calm breeze. He couldn't help but switch his smile to a frown. He missed fresh air, the sky, and weather in general. His mood slowly started to plummet as he began thinking of all the other things he missed. His job, his own bed, the bar, Din, Jack and Aldeena… home… his mom and dad…

A wave of depression washed over him and churned up all the emotions he'd been repressing. The fatigue and stress he'd felt only added to the flood of sorrow that began pouring from his heart.

I can't… I can't fall apart right now…

The tip of the fishing pole shook in time with his shoulders and the world began to blur around him.

This place is amazing but… but I didn't think… I didn't think it would end up like this.

Hot tears escaped the corners of his eyes and rolled down the length of his cheeks before falling on the sandstone below. The young man set his pole to the side as he pulled up his knees and put his head against them. Hiding his eyes did nothing to conceal the quiet sobs wracking his body nor the occasional ragged breath that escaped through his shrouding arms.

I thought I could handle this. I thought that five years would be a breeze and I'd get to see all the things I've only dreamed of! And now… now I've killed men and monsters… I've been tortured and beaten… and I'm stuck as a pet to a freak that can murder me at a glance. This wasn't how it was supposed to be.

He rubbed his arm across his face in a vain attempt at clearing away the tears. New ones quickly took their place a second later. This deal, was it really worth it? I don't know anymore. This situation is just too… twisted. I don't wanna die here. I want to see my family again! I still need to tell them that I love them..

"My dear boy, you look absolutely pathetic." Came a voice from beside him. Andrew jolted and jumped to his feet. Sitting on a rock of his own only a few feet away was the man in purple. The human wiped at his eyes again before scowling at the intruder. He was one of the last people he wanted to talk to at the moment. The shark toothed entity just smiled back in his usual unnerving fashion.

"Yeah, well you're a goddamn creeper." He retorted as he returned to his seat and grabbed his fishing pole. He just shrugged.

"True, I suppose, given the circumstance. I just thought I'd drop in to check how you were doing." Andrew scoffed, the last bits of his former mood disappearing and getting replaced by annoyance.

"What, haven't you been watching this seasons latest episodes?" The man chuckled at his comment.

"Oh I have. Everything from the action filled chase to you finding love under the lichen. I didn't take you for a forest green, tentacle kind of guy. I'm a straight, raven hair chaser myself you see. Ah, but love works in mysterious ways!" He cackled towards the end making Andrew grit his teeth.

"Yeah. No. She wasn't my first choice."

"Well sorry to disappoint but gorgons only come in female here." Oh you motherfu-

"Just go with it lad! She's pretty hot for mortal standards. You know, if you can get over the whole hair thing. I don't know why you're hesitating."

"BECAUSE THAT'S WEIRD!" He yelled. The sound bounced off the cavern walls and caused an echo of "weirds". "Not to mention the whole torture and slavery thing!" The strange man just tutted and waved him off.

"Please. Nothing weird about trying new things in a new place. Besides, think of the variety you have! Humans sure, but then there's smooth skinned elves, voluptuous minotaur, curvy loxodons and if you like tongue then viashino are right for you! Watch the merfolk girls though, they can get kinda fi-"

"FOR THE LOVE OF GOD PLEASE STOP." The devilish man burst into laughter which only continued to grate on Andrew's already shredded nerves.

"Fine, be that way. But your human, and five years is a long time to go without." Andrew snorted and began reeling in his rod in preparation for another cast.

"Was there any REAL reason you decided to show up? Or were you just trying to order skinemax?" Again the man laughed.

"Heavens no, I have no want to see your acts of debauchery. I was merely telling you that you should try new things with the time you have. Once the five year buzzer rings that's it. No, I came here for another reason."

"Which is?" Asked Andrew as he reached over for a new piece of bait.

"Are you going to kill yourself?"

The question caused the young man to pause, bait in hand. He looked over at the enigmatic dealer whose face had changed from a playful smile to a solemn mask. Silence had taken over the surrounding area with only the stream making the barest of noise. It too seemed muted by comparison. Andrew looked down at his hands as if they would answer for him.

In truth, he had thought about it. Behind the smile he put on for Leann there was only anger, hopelessness and disgust. He was sickened that this was his life now and that he had to keep biding his time in hopes of an exit. An exit that didn't involve his death.

When she had collared him and explained the one way life link, she had expected his will to live exceed his desire for revenge. In part she was right. He loved life. Breathing, eating, running, every part of everyday was a blessing to him. However, she had taken away a large portion of what he loved. And anyone who would take from him immediately made it on his shit list.

Several times he had been in the perfect position to take her life and end his own. When she was walking away from him, during their casual chats, when she helped him clean, he could have easily ran her through, shoving the blade through her spine and ending it quickly. Yes he would die… but so would she. But something held him back.

He looked back at the purple suited man. His expression hadn't changed, he hadn't even blinked. Andrew let out a little sigh before shaking his head.

"No. I'm not."

"You're sure?" Andrew finished baiting his line and cast out again before answering.

"Yeah. I thought about it for a while, but then I realized that it was the easy way out. It takes a pro to get out a situation like this alive and I'm one of the best. Besides, I've still got a long time here. Why would I shorten it because of some little speed bump?" The man's face became thoughtful before returning back to his usual shark like grin.

"I suppose you're right sport. Now let's see you keep that fighting spirit!" It was Andrew's turn to grin.

"Shouldn't be a problem."

"Uh huh, says the kid who was crying a few minutes ago." Andrew's smile immediately dropped and he turned to give the man a deadpan stare.

"No one's meant to repress emotion. It has to come out sometime." He just chuckled and spread his hands out while he shrugged.

"Whatever you say bucko. Oh look, you got a bite." He pointed out towards the bobber which was jerking underneath the water before popping back up. Andrew quickly yanked the pole and set the hook. He felt the fish try to take off as he slowly reeled it in.

"Hey I've got a question." Said Andrew as he continued reeling in the line. When the man didn't answer so he turned to where he was sitting. He was gone. Andrew saw that the plant life where his feet had touched, along with the moss and fungi on the rock had all blackened and died.

"Yeesh. Dude's freaky." He mumbled as he finished pulling in a decent sized catfish.

Leann appeared shortly before dinner. Andrew was in the middle of frying the fresh fillets when she wearily walked through the kitchen door. With an exhausted sigh she practically collapsed into one of the chairs.

"Rough day at work dear?" He asked jokingly while turning the fish.

"They're bounty hunters." She replied resting her elbow on the table. This gave Andrew pause.

"Bounty hunters? Why did they want statue heads, where they the bounties?" Leann shook her head.

"No, they thought they were and took them." She pulled out a piece of folded paper from her a pocket hidden in her chest then handed it to Andrew. He unfolded it piece by piece until it was whole once more. His eyes did impressive impressions of dinner plates when he found himself looking at his own portrait.

"Me?!" He asked incredulously. He quickly read the bounty description.

6' to 6'3 carrying a rapier like weapon. Last seen in Brackinlit. Bounty is dangerous, approach with caution. Reward of 1200 gold if brought in alive, 600 dead.

Damn, 1200? Who wants me that badly?

"Who put out the bounty? And how did they get my picture?" He asked looking over the paper.

"Some Simic bigwig. As for the picture they probably did a memory view. Basically turning a memory into a picture."

"Well shit." Said Andrew as he refolded the picture and stuffed it in his pocket. "So now what?"

"Nothing, we do like we normally do. I'll just be patrolling a bit more often." She stretched and leaned back in the chair sighing as the food's aroma washed over her.

"I'll still need to send my letter in a few days." He reminded.

"Yes, yes. I know."

"I am curious though." She said. "What did you do to anger the Simic so much?" He quickly plated the food and set one down in front of her.

"Well…" He said sitting down to his own meal. "That goes back a while. It started when one of my friends wanted to go on a fishing trip…"