Disclaimer: I still don't own Prodigal Son song "Misfit Parade" by Mackenzie Porter which Dani quotes later in the chapter.

The ride away from Jessica Whitley's house was silent, Dani driving with Malcolm in the shotgun sheet, sitting ramrod straight glancing in between her and his changing surroundings, while Dani stared ahead.

While he was trying not to stare, Malcolm examined his new mistress closely. Dani Powell was actually quite beautiful, smooth toast brown skin, her hair falling in onyx curls. She still seemed nervous, her posture and the way she gripped the steering wheel tense. It made him anxious. He couldn't possibly have already done something to upset her, surely. He also wasn't quite sure what to make of her asking him to call him by her first name. He'd do it of course, he had just never heard of anything like it happening before. Not even Ainsley did that.

"Your car is nice." Malcolm finally said softly, trying just to break the silence. Normally he would have waited for her to speak but he didn't see that happening any time soon.

"Thanks." Dani replied, still looking ahead. Even though she knew what she came there for, at least part of her didn't think she would be leaving with a pet. Now that she was really driving away with real person, it made everything seem so, well, real . Finally she glanced over at him. "You going to be okay?" She doubted the situation was any easier for him. This had to be so sudden, and now he was going who knew where with a complete stranger.

Malcolm turned his head slightly to look at her, smiling politely. "I'm fine, thank you."

Dani was silent, not sure if he was being sincere or just polite. "Listen Malcolm," She spoke up again finally, "There are some things you need to know. For starters, I'm not…I'm don't…I'm a detective with the NYPD. Vice to be specific. I don't mean to be condescending, but do you…do you know what that means?"

"You work for the police and you're fairly high ranking." Malcolm responded, "I mean, I don't know the exact details but that still very impressive. I'd like to hear more about that. And Vice…"

"Mostly we deal with drugs, pimps." Dani cut him off, "I wouldn't say I'm that high ranking…." Realizing she was getting off topic, she got to the point as she turned the corner, "What I'm trying to say is, the reason I was looking for a pet is I need one for a case."

"I'm not sure I understand." Malcom responded, and he didn't. What sort of police investigation required a pet? What use would one be?

"There's this drug smuggler who has a pet and will only give you the time of day if you have one, too. " Dani explained, "With you I can get in undercover and catch him in the act, put him away for a long time." The way she said it made it sound so simple, but she knew it was going to be anything but.

Malcolm's mind was still spinning with questions. "What do you need me to do?"

Well, at least he's willing. Dani thought, I think. Who am I kidding? He doesn't think he has a choice. "You know, Malcolm you don't have to do this if you don't want to. I can always get another pet, or find some other way…" Even as she was saying it, she wasn't sure how they would achieve either feet, but she wasn't going any further until she at least tried to get Malcolm's consent to go into potential danger. If there was any way to get consent that wouldn't be questionable in this situation.

Malcolm blinked a few times, unsure of how to respond. It wasn't that no one had ever asked him if he wanted to do something, but it was rare. What he wanted wasn't suppose to be important. And, if he was understanding correctly, wasn't helping on her on this case the very reason she bought him?

"Look, I'll do everything in my power to keep you safe, but there's always some element of risk." Dani explained finally, "So, I'm not taking any further until I have your consent, and I'm reasonably confident you actually understand what you're agreeing to."

"I understand." Malcolm told her, "It does sound dangerous, but it wouldn't be the first time I've been in dangerous situation."

Dani went silent a minute, thinking about the bruises, the healed fractures, the murder. "Jessica told me what happened to your last…owner." Ga, I can't believe I just had to say that. "What he did to you."

My last master was…strict." Malcolm answered, choosing his words very carefully.

"Strict."Dani huffed bitterly under her breath, "That's one way of putting it."

"It wasn't as bad as she likely made it sound, Mis…Dani." Malcolm objected as politely as it could, "I usually earned it. I walked too slow and we missed the train, or I spoke out of turn., embarrassed him." Or if I made eye contact or the housekeeper let dinner burn. He looked away, staring out the window. "Anyway, he still didn't deserve to die like that."

Dani was silent another moment, hitting the breaks as they came to a red light. "Do you want to talk about it? For the record it's okay if you don't. That had to have been…horrible for you. Seeing that."

"If it's all the same to you, I'd rather not. "Malcolm admitted, "And it was." He looked down, his mouth going dry. "At first I thought he was just hurt until I saw his eyes. They were red and there was no...no life in them anymore. And then he came after me." He closed his eyes, taking a breath and managing to work up some saliva to wet the inside of his mouth. "I was able to hide in a garden shed someone left open. I was sure he was going to find me…" Unable to talk about it anymore, he tried to change the subject, "I'm sorry, you never explained what you need me to do."

Dani knew what he was trying to do; she let him do it anyway. "Really just…sit still, look pretty, I'll be doing most of the work." Ga, now I can't believe I just had to say that.

"And after the case is over…" Malcolm began, a knot forming in his stomach as a terrible fear crept inside him again, his voice trailing off. He was overstepping his bounds as it was and he just couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.

The light turned green. Before she had to take off, Dani glanced over to him. "Then Jessica finds someone who's going to spoil you rotten. It won't be like last time."

As much as Malcolm would like to believe that, he knew better. Even with the bruises and the broken bones, he had got lucky last time. But he was older now.

For a tense block, no one said anything. Finally working up her courage, Dani said, "Listen, I -I don't mean to pry but was Mr. Harker your first? First owner, I mean?" Ga, I can't believe I just had to say that. Again.

Malcolm was silent for a moment, unable to look at Dani. "No," He admitted, finely looking up again and swallowing thickly, "No, ah, I originally bought from the kennel by a family that came down from Virginia, the Tylers. They had …. they had a son, Christopher. He was four and just the sweetest little boy ever." He felt another lump forming in his throat, water threatening to pour from his tear ducts at a moment's notice again. No one had ever asked him to talk about his first family, and just thinking about Christopher, he still missed the child more than he could say. Did Christopher still remember him?

Dani caught the change, glancing with one eye. "You really cared for the kid, didn't you?"

Malcolm decided to be honest. "Yes." He loved Christopher like a little brother. Still did.

Dani clenched the steering wheel as a hot rage ran through her at the injustice of it all. That those people would take the boy who had lived with them, who adored their son and sell like piece of merchandise to a brute. That Mr. Harker laid hands on an innocent boy for the most stupid of offenses it sounded like. That he was able to get away with it. Seeing Malcolm shrink back in his seat, she realized he had caught on. "I'm not angry at you. I'm angry at how those…people treated you. That you can own a human being in modern day America and it's legal…do you understand how sick this is?"

"It's all I've ever known." Malcolm told her in a neutral voice that could either mean It's all I've ever known, so how could I? Or Yes, but it's all I've ever known.

The rest of the car ride was mostly silent, with Malcolm staring out the window as their surroundings changed, a collection of brink buildings and gray, brown and red. Some that appeared to be made of cement. Some in pretty decent shape, others shabby. It looked similar in some ways from neighborhood Mr. Harker would take him to when he went too far, in other ways it was different. He honestly had no clue where in the city he was now. Of course, it would help if he could read the signs.

Dani pulled into a parking lot across from a well-built, neatly maintained red brick building. "This is me." Dani told him, putting the car in park, "Well, I guess this is us now."

After using a key to get into the front door of the lobby, Dani lead Malcolm into the elevator up the second story, opening the door of the first apartment on the left revealing two rooms, one a combined kitchen/dinning room aera, lined with a stove, fridge, sink, cabinets and counter, the focal point a green Formica table with a few stains on the top and four matching chairs, the other a living room, with neatly arranged furniture in it including a dark brown resin coffee table shaped like a kidney bean.

"My roommate's out of town this weekend, so we have the place to ourselves." Dani began, locking the door. "I know it might not be up to what you're use to, but it's what we have to work with."

"Actually," Malcolm began, drinking in the apartment, "I think it's nice." And he meant it. True, he had seen grander places, and the sterile walls weren't the most inviting, but there was just something about the way she had set it up that made it cozy.

Don't get too comfortable. He reminded himself, You might not be here that long.

"Okay," Dani responded, not sure what else to say, "I guess, I should probably…show you around." She gestured towards the kitchen/dinning room aera. "So, this is the kitchen, um, me and my roommate have a system, anything that belongs to us we label, anything unlabeled is fair game, so, feel free to help yourself to anything without a label on it, also, since you're my reasonability, you can have anything with my name on it. I mean, I'm sure if you ask her, Twyla would share," She already got the feeling that he would have her roommate eating out of the palm of his hand in five minutes, "Just ask her permission."

Trying to shake off the shame that came over him when she brought up the subject of label Malcolm asked, "Twyla, that's the woman who she lives here, too?"

"Yeah, but like I said, she's gone for the weekend, her and her boyfriend are doing this—wine tasting thing." Dani explained, adding softly, "Even those she doesn't drink wine." Suffice it to say, she did not like Twyla 's boyfriend. Didn't like the way he treated her. Dani didn't think he was physically hurting her or anything, but he was so pushy, low-key controlling. And she didn't care what Twyla said, the way he called her 'country mouse' did not sound like a term of endearment to her. Not exactly in a position to do anything about it, she got back to the task at hand, gesturing toward the other room, "And this is the living room, we're ah, kinda tight on room, so you're going to be sleeping there, on the futon." She pointed to burgundy mattress on a black metal frame both sat upright so they could be sat on.

Malcolm however, was more interested in the blob of cloth sat next to it. "Can I ask what that is?" He pointed to it.

"That's a bean bag chair." Dani explained, turning her head to look at him as she realized, "Have you…have you never seen a bean bag before?"

Malcolm lowered his eyes, feeling his cheeks burn. "No, Mis—un, Dani." Yeah. Referring to his owner so casually was going to take some getting used to.

Dani began to laugh at bit at Malcolm's naiveite- seriously, who didn't know what a bean bag was—then her face fell as she remembered the reason he was so sheltered. Suddenly she didn't know how to respond.

Fortunately, Malcolm's curiosity saved her. "What about that basket?" He pointed towards an old wicker fishing creel filled with little brightly color bobbles that was placed on the other side of the futon.

"Cat toys." Dani answered, "Twy's got a cat."

Just then as if on cue, a lean medium-sized, soft gray cat turned the corner and walked up to Malcolm and began rubbing up against his leg, startling him a bit.

"Hey, I think he likes you." Dani smiled, "It's alright, he just wants a pet, go ahead."

Malcolm tentively leaned down, stroking the soft fur on the top of the cat's head, breaking into a smile himself.

"You like that, huh?" Dani commented, feeling a pleasant heat seep into her at the sweet scene, "Come on, guys, the rest of the place is this way."

Followed the cat they walked down the hall, where Dani pointed out the final three rooms. "So, that's the bathroom, not much to say about that, you know what to do, these two rooms are mine and Twyla's bedrooms. Quick house rules, ask me before you go into mine, " She pointed to the room on the left , "And ask Twyla before going into hers. Just a privacy issue. " She felt a twinge of guilt that being in the living room it would be hard to show Malcolm the same consideration. "So, um that concludes the tour, I guess. Listen I have to go make some phone calls, get some things in order, so, um, just make yourself at home, okay? You…you good on your own?"

"Yes, I should be fine." Malcolm assured her. As he felt the cat rub against his legs, he added, "Anyway I don't think I'll actually be on my own."

That was how Dani wound up in the living room, pacing the floor on the phone with her superior while Malcolm invested the bean bag, the cat by his side.

"Be strait with me detective." A woman's voice saying on the other end of the line, "Did you steal one of these things?"

"No, no, Sergeant, I swear," Dani began, "Someone from Major Crimes put in contact with women who brokers sales for…he called them tarnished pets, she loaned me Malcolm here." She glanced over to where Malcolm was on his currently walking around the bean bag, carefully sizing it up and carefully pressing into it. It was good to see that his thoughtless owners hadn't destroyed his curiosity. Putting a hand over the receiver, she told him in a low voice, "You know, you can sit in that thing."

Malcolm stared down at the furniture dubiously. It was tempting, but he wasn't sure there was anyway to sit in there that would be very dignified. And that was what he was meant to be. Dignified, composed, elegant, perfect. The perfect show piece. In the end, he just stood there, continuing to walk around it. As the cat rubbed up against his leg again, he stroked his head.

"Wait, it's a man?" Her sergeant asked, "I thought…"

"Yeah, me too, boss," Dani responded, still watching Malcolm, concerned.

Suddenly the cat turned away from Malcolm, walking towards the bedroom and down the hall. Where are you going? Malcolm thought, following them.

The cat turned the corner's into Twyla's room, causing Malcolm to stop short, remembering what Dani had told him. However, she never said not to look in the room, now did she? You could tell a surprising amount from how a person set up their room.

With the light turned off it was hard to see, but he could see a black metal framed bed draped in dark colored quilt decorated with different pictures and words, a wooden nightstand next to it with a thing lamp with dark shade, and gilt-farmed picture of five people, presumably Twyla's family. Off in one corner of the room was a plain, brown guitar placed on a plastic stand. So, she liked music, or at least she could play. A few feet away from it was small but stout, plain wooden bookshelf and three rows neatly covered with books. His eyes wend over the sleeves almost wistfully, wishing he could crack them open and discover their secrets. He was so distracted he almost missed the gray and green covered litter box and the sound of whizzing coming from it.

"Oh, sorry." Malcolm said, before realizing he was apologizing to a cat. Still he turned around, beginning to examine Dani's room.

Like the car, Dani's room seemed to scream young professional, with an emphasis on making the most of space. The focal point of room was burgundy draped bed that seemed to come out of the two selves flanking it, three spaces on each side topping off three drawers at the bottom. The sleeves were strategically littered with an electric clock, a few pictures that he had to assume was her family as well, a few books—so she liked to read too- her badge and gun that she had deposited shortly before calling her Sargent—placed right where she could get to them easily, should the need arise- and a strange lamp, on the base a statue of a pale skinned woman with light chestnut hair, scathingly clad in a blue one piece bathing suit, the strap dripping on one side.

"Like what you see?"

Malcolm whirled around. "Dani. I wasn't…I didn't go in, I just…"

"Malcolm, relax . " Dani urged, moving her position to stand next to him, both of them looking into the room, "So, anything interesting?"

"The lamp is…nice." Malcolm told her. It was so different from the rest of the room. There had to be a story there.

"I wanted something that stood out a little bit." Dani admitted, "Seely Booth has his socks, I have my somewhat sexist lamp I got at the Salvation Army a couple blocks over."

Just then the cat rejoined them, rubbing against Dani's leg. She picked him up, turning to face Malcolm. "Malcom, why won't you sit on the beanbag?" It wasn't that big a deal, but something about it raised concerns in her.

Malcolm looked down, then up again, moving his lips as he thought of a way to explain. "There doesn't really seem to be a way to sit in it…properly."

"Properly?" Dani repeated in a state of almost disbelief.

Malcolm nodded.

"And what exactly is the proper way to sit may I ask?" Dani almost deadpanned, stroking the cat's head.

"We're meant to be….elegant, dignified, at all times." Malcolm explained, "Imperfection isn't tolerated. "

Dani squinted with a furrow brow. Seriously? "Well, as long as you're under my roof, you can sit however you want, so long as it's appropriate for mixed company. In fact, you know what?" She sat the cat down. "You stay here with Blue while I go make a quick run. Hey, what clothes size would say you where?"

Fifteen minutes later, Malcolm was sitting on the futon, reaching out to stroke Blue's back, the cat by his side. Two pets on a futon, one comfortably sat in an almost loaf, the other with one leg over the other, spine straight, a stem on a flower, formal, but not dominant. In spite of what Dani had said, he couldn't bring himself to sit any other way. Besides, if she was giving him back when all was said and done, he shouldn't get too use to it. He knew Dani was only being kind, but she wasn't doing him any favors.

With really nothing else to do, he thought back to all those Poise classes at the training center. Since many of the poses were different, it was one of the classes they separated the few boys they had from the girls. He remembered the thirteen-year-old ironically named Twelve, a fact that stood out in Malcolm's mind for some reason, taking him by hand and leading him to the divans. He remembered leading two twelve-year-olds Three and Four, by the hand himself when was thirteen. No one told him to do it, know one told Twelve to. It was just a ritual that had been developed among the boys. He remembered hours of sitting still in various poses, learning to quiet their bodies and sit like statuaries, the trainer reading dry books on etiquette and decorum, occasionally the biography of some "great American" someone like the powerful men and women who would be their masters or mistresses one day.

The world seemed so simple back them. Their lives had one purpose: The enrichment of their owners lives, their lifetime companions. Well, it turned out a lifetime was shorter than anyone thought, but they were still stuck in their purpose.

Where they now, the boys who had sat with him in those classes. The girls from his batch. Where they still with the people who took them home that they? Were they being treated well, spoiled even? Or had they all been tossed around too, endured their own trails, their own pain?

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound and movement of the door being unlocked. Holding two translucent plastic bags in one hand and a long thing beige bag over her shoulder, Dani paused as she stepped inside, staring at the table before her, causing Malcolm to quickly get to his feet. Deciding to table it for now, she shut the door behind her and went up to the coffee saying as she placed the bags down, "They guy at the checkout looked at me like I was nuts, but I got it. Just—pick out what you like, you can change in my room."

After a grabbing a top and a bottom, Malcolm was standing in front of the full length mirror on the inside of Dani's closet, staring at himself, feeling so strange. In the gray tee-shirt and jeans he was wearing, in his bare feet, he didn't look like a pet at all.

When Malcom stepped outside, Dani was waiting for him. "There you go." She smiled, "Looking sharp. Now come."

They walked back into the living room, a few feet away from the bean bag chair.

"There you go," Dani said encouragingly, "Come on."

Malcom just stared at it, tentively shifting his feet. He wanted to try, but he still wasn't sure. How was he even suppose to get that low to the ground?

"Alright, I'll show you." Dani began, approaching the bean bag, "Like this." She fell into the bean bag with a soft plop of stuffing and fabric. "Okay, maybe a little less dramatic."

Malcom smiled as Dani got up and he approached the bean bag. Copying her movement, he pratically fell into the soft, mailable fabric that seemed to wrap around his body.

"Okay, what do you think?" Dani asked.

"I like it." Malcolm grinned, shifting in the bag.

Dani had to fight back a chuckle at his excitement, but she couldn't help but smile. Something about it just felt right as some sort of strange thrill went up inside her. Not like she was corrupting him, but was giving him this wonderful thing.

Still rooting in the bag, Malcolm said, "Can I ask what you Sargent said?" That was when Malcolm realized he wasn't giving her the proper attention and stilled, looking at her.

"She wants me to bring you in tomorrow to…" Dani began, the realized something, "Oh, crap!" She had been so distracted with Malcolm, she forgot she still had work to do. She pulled her phone out of her pocket, explaining, "I have to call the guy in charge of Harker's case!"

"Wait, wait, what you do you mean she lent you Malcolm?" A man's voice, slightly gravelly, demanded on the other end of the line.

Dani was once again pacing the floor, though her range of movement was now truncated by Malcolm, who had left the bean bag for the moment and was spread out like a big kid on the floor, cat teaser with the purple plush thing on the end back and forth as Blue tried to catch it.

"I mean she made it clear that I was suppose to bring him back to her when I was done." Dani recapped, "And she made it clear what would happen if anything happened to him. Lieutenant, I know it's not really any of my business, but how do you know this woman anyhow?"

"Some crazy activist stole her pet, her personal one," Gil Arroyo began, "Property crimes ," He spat the term out like it was a dirty word, "Wasn't my aera, but I happened to see the girl sobbing in the middle of the street, she was able to give me the address and I took her home, now me and Jessica can't stop running into each other to save our lives."

"Listen, sir, I know he's a witness, and I don't want to mess your case, I'm sure something can be worked out," Dani told him.

"I would appreciate it. " Gil said, "Because they're no legal precedent for a pet testifying, prosecution's hopping to avoid putting him on the stand, but the rest of the case against Whitley is circumstantial." After a beat Gil realized, "I should not have told you that."

Dani had caught the name of the suspect. "Wait, Whitley? As in—"

"Her ex-husband." Gil explained, "He and Harker were in business together, apparently, because it turns out it really is a small world after all." He sounded none to please with the size of the world. Changing the subject, he asked, "How is he? Malcolm, I mean?"

"He doesn't quite know what to do with himself, but he understands what's going on and I think he's settling in." Dani glanced down, unable to keep the smirked off her face. "He's basically become the cat's new best friend. " That smirk fell a little as she remembered why he was so enthusiastic. Had Malcolm even been allowed to just play before? Even as a kid?

Ever be anything but a perfect statue?

"Mind if I talk to him?" Gil asked, breaking Dani out of her stupor.

"S-Sure," Dani got out, shaking herself fully from it before holding phone, "Hey, Malcolm, the Lieutenant wants to talk to you."

Surprised, Malcolm got into an upright position, taking offered phone. "Um…Hello?" He didn't think that was right, didn't like how unsure his voice sounded, but phone etiquette was the one aera the training center had skimmed over. He guessed they didn't think the pers would be making that many calls.

"Hey, kid," Gil greeted him, "Can you, um, can you speak freely?"

Malcolm glanced at Dani. "I think can."

"Alright, Detective Powell, she treating you alright?" Gil asked as if the matter of was of some urgency.

"She's treating me very well, thank you." Malcolm replied, perplexed by the question. The whole time he was with Jessica, Gil had inquired about how Malcolm was fairing ,but never inquired about how she was treating him. Shouldn't he be more confident Malcolm was safe with another cop then a woman who was just biding her time until she was allowed to sell him? Then again, he had caught a stray comment, one of the few interactions he had witnessed between them, he had to wonder if the two knew each other. Maybe that was it.

"That's good." Gil commented, sounding pleased, "And you understand what she wants you to do?"

"Yes, sir. "Malcolm answered, "I understand it's dangerous, but I think I can do it. " Suddenly an awful thought occurred to him, "This isn't-"

"We'll figure it out." Gil assured him, "We're going to do everything we can to put that bastard in the cage he belongs in." He sounded determined, angry, almost like it was personal. "Speaking of which, I hate to cut this short, but I still need to work out some things with Detective Powell, mind handing the phone back to her?"

Malcolm wordlessly handed the phone back and Dani got down to brass tacks, "Okay, I'm assuming you're going want to my Sargent's information…"

Malcolm watched, rapped at attention as Dani talked on the phone for a few more minutes, repeating several numbers.

"Thank you again, Sir." Dani finished sincerely. She was familiar with the in and outs of putting together a case, the risk they were at managing to tank both investigations was grateful the Lieutenant was willing to work with her. She hung up and turned to Malcolm, "Okay, we're going to work it out so we can use you and you can still testify if they need you to." She hated that sentence. Like he only existed in terms what others needed him for.

"Thank you," Malcolm replied softly. The sooner Dr. Whitely was out of the world the better and he would do whatever he could to help that along. Even if the thought of facing the fiend again utterly terrified him.

Dani lowered herself to the floor, sitting next to him. "You're being really brave right now, you know that?" It wasn't a platitude, she meant it. She could tell he was anxious, scared even, confused, having a lot thrown at him in a short amount of time, but he was still willing to trudge through. To her, that was pretty brave.

"I don't—feel brave." It came out before he could stop it, and the moment it did, he covered his mouth, not believing he had just said that.

"Let me guess," Dani said, "That's not the 'proper' way of speaking."

Removing his hands from his mouth, he shook his head. "That pretty much went against everything I ever learned in Conversation class. So did that actually." What was wrong with him?!

Dani laughed in spite of herself, the notion so ridiculous to her. "They actually had Conversation class?"

Malcolm nodded, afraid to open his mouth again, less something else inappropriate come out. Maybe three months of not being around regular humans that often had dulled his skills.

"Okay, time for another house rule," Dani declared, "Under this roof, it's like that stupid country song my roommate plays on repeat until I can't it anymore; 'It's okay to wear your heart out on your sleeve, and we'll be who we'll be." She felt like a bit like a hypocrite, saying that; she was hardly a shining beacon of openness; but Malcolm shouldn't be scared just say how he felt because he had to follow a bunch of rules.

But Twyla could never know she quoted that cursed song. In fact, she would be sure to swear Malcolm to secrecy on that before she got home.

Malcolm couldn't meet her gaze. "Respectfully, I'm not…I'm not sure that's a good idea." There he went again. But there was no way around it this time. Then again, it wouldn't be the first time the conversation skills he learned at the trailing center failed him. In fact, the only skills that had never failed him was body language class, with one exception.

Dani cocked her head to the side. "Why not?"

Malcolm began to reposition himself so he was little further away, his shoulders slightly dropped, not so much that it was bad posture, but enough to show he knew who was in charge. Blue began rubbing up against him, but he ignored it for the moment. "You're…you're going to give me back and then Miss Whitley's going to sell me to someone else who won't…they won't be as gracious as you, in all likelihood. At the very least, they're going to expect me to act like a pet. I can't afford to forget I'm not one of you."

Dani didn't respond for a moment, her heart breaking. "Oh Mal…" She got out finally, wrapping an arm around him and pulling him closer to her in a side hug. What else could she do? What else could she say? She couldn't tell him it was going to okay; that would be a lie. And it wasn't like she could just buy him herself.

But then again…before Jessica offered to loan him for free, that was exactly what Dani had gone there to do.

Malcom stiffened in Dani's hold, unsure of what to do, or what she was doing.

"It's okay." Dani said, her voice surprisingly weepy, "You can hug back."

Malcolm raised his arms, carefully placing them and around Dani and pulling himself closer until they were both tightly wrapped in the embrace.

They stayed like that, locked in the embrace in the silence, for what felt like forever. It was in that silence that Dani made up her mind, knowing exactly what she had to do. "Malcolm, would it be okay with you if bought you." She half-murmured into his ear, "Like, actually bought you permanently? For keeps?"

Not expecting that, in fact, it was the last thing he was expecting, Malcolm pulled away, looking Dani in the face. "You'd do that?"

"I still have the fifteen hundred I was going to use to buy a pet before Jessica made me that offer." Dani told him, "I don't know if that's enough, but I could figure out how to get the rest of the money. This could be your forever home." It sounded incredibly sappy, but it was the only way she could think to word it. "And I mean forever, even if I…I don't know, have to will you to my children or whatever and make keeping you in the family a condition of them getting anything else from me." She wasn't entirely sure what else she would exactly be leaving, but she would cross that bridge when she got to it.

Malcolm wanted to believe her. He wanted so desperately to believe that there was life where he could feel relatively safe; where he might not even have to be perfect, even. He wanted to believe Dani was what she appeared to be, even if he couldn't really figure her out. But it was just too good to be true. And there was one other nagging question. "But why ? Why even bother with me?"

"Because I'm starting to see what could happen it I don't." Dani admitted, "And you don't deserve that." No one deserved that, but she couldn't save every pet on the face of creation. But she could save Malcolm.

So that's it. Malcolm thought, a sour feeling in his stomach. Pity. Part of him wanted to reject her offer just for that. To push her away and tell her he wasn't going to be her project. But another part wanted to fall to his knees-well, technically he was already there-and thank her . Yes, please, let him stay. That part won. "Yes," He said finally, tearing up even though he wasn't upset, though certainly he was overwhelmed, "Yes, it would be okay."

A lose strand of hair fell into Malcolm's face and Dani reached out and put it back almost instinctively. "Alright, well, I already signed the contract, so when the case is finished I'll go to Jessica and tell her to name her price."

With that declaration, no one spoke, not sure of what too day. Did this really just happen? Were they really doing this? Finally, the silence was broken by the phone ring. Pulling it out with somewhat shaking hands, Dani checked the caller ID. "It's Twyla." She announced perplexed. That was when it hit her. "Twyla. Oh, she is going to kill me." Seeing Malcolm's face fall, she assured him, "We are still doing this, she's just going to kill me." With that she took the call. "Twy?"

"I broke up with Rick." Twyla declared, and Dani thought she could hear sounds of the road in the background.

"What?" Dani exclaimed, jerking more upright and pulling away from Malcolm. Sure, she didn't like the guy, but this was an unexpected development. "Wha—are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine it's …I'm going to be back earlier than expected." Twyla explained.

"Well, how are you getting home, exactly?" Dani asked, concerned. Twyla didn't have a car, so they had taken Rick's.

"I got ride to the next town, taking a bus into the city from now." Twyla said, "I won't be back till late, so don't wait up. Look, I'll tell you everything the morning okay?"

Dani glanced over to Malcom, who was watching the call with baited breath. She had really been hopping to have the weekend to explain his presence to Twyla, especially given the sudden development. "Okay, but there's something you need to know. We have a—a guess. He'll be sleeping on the futon whenever you get here. He might be a more permanent fixture, actually. Look, that's something I'll explain in morning, just—far warning."

"Alright," Twyla responded, sounding unsure, "I'm sure that's going to be an interesting story."

"I could say the same of you." Dani pointed, then got serious for a minute, "Hey, you gonna be alright?"

"Yeah, I'm too angry to be heartbroken right now." Twyla assured her, "You were right about him, by the way. You were right about everything." After a beat, she said, "I'm sorry, I have to go. Talk to you when I get home, okay?"

"Okay." Dani agreed, "But be careful out there."

"Roger, Danno." Twyla agreed before hanging up.

Malcom watched as Dani sat the phone down. "Is your friend alright?"

"Yeah, she's just coming home early." Dani explained, adding after the beat, "Okay, when I tell her about this, I'm going to need you to make your eyes as big and blue as possible."

Malcolm smiled genuinely. "I can do that."

"Okay, well, there's a plan I guess." Rubbing her forehead, she glanced down at the phone and saw the time. "Ga, is it that late? You've got to be starving."

"It's fine, really." Malcolm assured her.

That statement was followed up by a howl from Blue, who was less accommodating.

"And you're not the only one." Dani noted, looking from the cat to Malcolm. "Think you can get Blue his dinner while I figure out something for us?"

Dani had to tell him how to use the can opener, but soon he was twisting the nob until the lid almost fell into the can.

"Watch out for the edges." Dani warned, spreading the sizzling butter in the pan adjacent to the small steer on the stove, its smooth red contents already starting to bubble. "They're sharp."

As if to prove a point, Malcolm felt a small stinging prick. It wasn't severe, more of a prick then a cut, he was able to staunch the bleeding by pressing his thumb to it, before pressing the lid back and dumping the can unappealing looking meat mush into a blue plastic bowel next to a matching bowel of the water, filled to the brim. To his surprise Blue immediately walked over and began to eat.

"Okay, I think this is about done." Dani announced, placing a golden brown sandwich on a plate, next to a plate holding an almost identical sandwich.

Malcolm turned around, examining the kitchen/dinning room. There was only one table, so there was really only one place for him, if experience served. "Is it alright if I take the plate?"

"Sure." Dani said, leading the way into the dinning room.

Carefully taking the plate with the sandwich and bowel of red soup on it, his mouth watering at the smell, Malcom followed Dani into the dinning room, carefully lowering the plate down in front of the table, kneel and begin to take a spoonful of soup and blowing.

"What the Hell are you doing?!" Dani exclaimed so shocked she nearly dropped her own plate. Seeing Malcom wince, she changed her tone, though it was still tense. "I'm sorry, "She told him, going for the plate on the ground, "It's just…I really wasn't excepting that. Okay, house rule," She sat the plate on the table, "You will eat proper meals, sitting at the table like the human being you are."

Malcolm rose up, sitting down in the chair, but didn't make a move to eat again, internally kicking himself. He had seen the stunned, uncomfortable looks guess gave whenever he would kneel to eat. He should have known Mr. Harker's requirement was an aberration. Certainly from what he had experience he should have known Dani wasn't expecting it.

Would she want him now? Or would his bone-headed mistake make her call the whole thing off.

Dani was silent a moment, then asked, "Have—have all of your…owners made you eat on the floor like that?" Frankly the whole incident gave her an even lower opinion of them than she already had.

"Just Mr. Harker." Malcolm told her softly, beginning to slowly stir the soup, any appetite he had gone, "The Tylers…I wasn't allowed to eat with them, but there was a little table, I-I usually ate there. At Miss Whitley's unless they took us outside we never usually left upstairs, there were these little folding trays we used. Except Ainsley, I'm not sure where she ate, usually not with us."

The mention of the girl from earlier, Jessica's assistant or whatever, distracted her for a moment. "Hold up, you're telling me that girl from today was a pet ?" Her mind involuntarily went back to the pictures and clips she has saw while doing research. Ainsley was a far cry from pretty little girls in princess dresses she had seen. Then again, at the moment at least so was Malcolm.

"Miss Whitley's pet." Malcolm explained, "Not for sale. I didn't realize either at first, not until they told me."

Changing the subject for a moment, Dani declared, "Well, from now on your place is right here, next to me." She gestured to where he was sitting caddy corner from her, watching him stir the soup. "It's okay, go on, eat."

Malcolm finally a small spoonful of the steaming soup, blowing on it before carefully sipping. It tasted like tomatoes, but it was smooth, liquidly. He picked up the sandwich and put it the corner into his mouth, his teeth breaking the crusty surface as his mouth filled with the rich, buttery flavor, mixed with a mellow flavor, presumably from the cheese. After a lifetime of the same fifteen meals it might have been the best thing he ever tasted. Forgetting all about proper etiquette for a minute, he picked up his pace, stuffing a larger bite in his mouth.

"Malcolm, Malcolm, slow down!" Dani urged, worried he was going to make himself sick.

"Sorry," Malcolm said, coming back to himself and setting the sandwich back down. "That—that's delicious."

"I'm glad you like it." Dani smiled, before taking a bite of her own, making a mental note of her new charge's apparent fondness for grilled cheese. They ate in silent for a moment, "So, Malcolm other than conversation and body language, what exactly did they teach you guys at the kennel."

Malcolm didn't answer for a moment. "Well, there's etiquette, poise, grooming…"His voice trailed off as he thought back to those days at the training center, "Music, some of us at least, dancing… that was really much it." He looked down, really hopping the sudden embarrassment didn't show. For so long it had just been his life; now it seemed so vapid.

"What, no reading, writing, arithmetic?" Dani commented, pratically being sarcastic, until she noticed Malcolm shifting uncomfortably, seeming to almost shrink before her eyes. "Malcom, do you—do you not know how to read?"

Malcolm shook his head. When he first got out into the world, he had consoled himself by telling himself that if they needed to read and write the trainer would have taught them. Now it was a point of embarrassment.

"What if your owner wanted you to take notes or something?" Dani asked, having trouble comprehending what she was hearing, it was just so shocking and appalling to her.

"That's…never really come up." Malcolm said, "Ainsley taught us letters while we were there, but we never got to putting them together to make words. Maybe the girls will get a chance to learn." Humiliated and missing them, even with the opportunity set before him, he wanted to be with them more than ever.

"Okay, I think I have a couple of the books my Grandma used when she was teaching me somewhere, after dinner, I'll find them and tomorrow I'll find Hooked On Phonics on the way home." Dani declared, "At least I think that's still a thing. I'm not sure where to get it, but I'll figure it out."

Realizing what she was saying, a thrill of stunned excitement broke through Malcolm's melancholy. "You mean you'd really teach me to read?" He asked, his face lighting up.

"Of course." Dani replied, "I mean, if you want me to." After a beat she added, "I'll take that look on your face as a yes."

After cleaning up from dinner, Dani and Malcolm were sitting on the futon, two small books and a pad of paper in front of them on the coffee table. "Okay let's start with something simple." Dani began, "You said you knew your letters, right?"

She had no clue whether or not she was doing this right; she had never taught anyone to read before. But this was as good a place to start as any.

Malcolm nodded, still in one of the standard poises, straight spine, his legs straight, next to her, still unable to bring himself to sit any other way.

She drew an uppercase D and a lower case a. "Okay, sound that out."

"Sound it out?' Malcolm asked, tilting his a head a little, not really understanding.

"D-a—" Dani demonstrated, enunciating the sounds. "Okay, now you try."

"D-a-" Malcolm began, making the sounds the letter meant, then combining to say, "Da."

"Nice, " Dani complimented, "Now, I'm going to add and n, and an I," as she spoke she wrote down both words, "Now sound out the whole word and what do you get?"

"D-a-n-i," Malcom sounded it, then putting it together, "Dani." He smiled looking at her and repeated the word, "Dani. Your name."

"That's right, that's my name." Dani confirmed, "Now try it again, just to get some practice."

He looked back down at the paper. "Da-ni…"

They practiced the name a few more times, Dani was stratified he had a reasonable enough grasp on it to move on. "Okay, this one might be a bit tricker, but it's important for you to know." She wrote down an capable M next to a lower case al . "Okay, sound that out for me."

Malcolm complied. "Ma-l. Mal."

"Alright, now I add on this." Dani said, writing out col.

Having caught on by now, Malcolm started sounding it out without any planning. "Mal-col…"

"Alright, I add on one final letter." Dani said, writing out one last, m .

"Mal-col-m." Malcom sounded it out ," Mal-colm." His face lit up as it dawned on him, "Malcolm." He smiled. "That's my name." He laughed. "I just read my name!" Was he dreaming?

"Yeah," Dani smiled, "Yeah, you did."

By the time they put up for the night, Malcolm could read the names of everyone in the house, including Blue.

"I guess we're have to figure out something more permanent now." Dani mused, walking back into the living room with wine-colored woven blanket and tope bedsheet, sitting them down. "Let me know if you need any more."

"You've been kind enough already." Malcolm told her, both meaning it and not wanting to be too might maintenance, lest she change her mind and send him back once all was said and done.

"You're very easily pleased, you know that?" Dani quipped her countenance changing as she got more serious, "You know I'm not going to change my mind, right? I gave you my word, I'm not going to take it back."

Malcolm wasn't sure how to respond, so he fell back on another lesson from Conversation class : When the conversation goes in a direction that makes you uncomfortable, change the subject. It was one of those that had failed him, but he didn't think it was going to here. "It's fine, really." So saying ,he took the sheet and began to spread it out on the futon, which had been flattened and slightly pulled out from the wall, turning it into a bed.

Realizing she wasn't going to get anywhere at this point, Dani told him, "You need anything, anything at all, I'll be right down, okay?"

Malcolm nodded, having finished making his bed and currently climbing into it. "Thank you." He met her gaze, "Really." After a moment of heavy silence passing between them, he smiled pleasantly. "Goodnight, Dani."

Dani smiled back. "Goodnight, Malcolm." With that she made her way to her own room.

That was when Blue jumped up on the end of the futon. Malcolm reached out, giving him a rub. "How could we forget? Goodnight, Blue."

Hours past, but he just couldn't get to sleep. He was too tired and wired, scared and excited at the same time. Starting to think back, it occurred to him that he had never been able to sleep very well in a new place the first night, not even when it came from the move from the kennel to the training center, nervous and adjusting to the new environment, even if it was very similar to the kennel. He had been so young then, so innocent. They had all had been. His first night with the Tylers he had been so nervous, trying to sleep elegantly, a little afraid they would change their minds about him, excited even. Not unlike right now, minus the part about trying to sleep elegantly. Right now he'd just settle for sleep . The first night with Mr. Harker he was so overcome, scared and grieving, shocked from the first time being slapped across the face, the chain cutting into his wrist. The night after they found him, waiting for Mr. Harker's niece to come get him, he didn't sleep at all. Not at the station, not at Gil's apartment when the kind Lieutenant took him in for the evening. The first night at Jessica's he woke up screaming ,then he couldn't get back to sleep because it was one of the rare nights Sophie screamed in her sleep. Normally she wouldn't cry out, but she'd be jumpy and on edge for hours afterwards.

They had taken to sleeping in the same bed, the three of them, him and the girls, even though no one bed was really big enough to comfortably house three people. They were afraid of hurting each other, but there was something comforting about it, being able to feel each other's breath, hear each others' heartbeats. Now, alone, he missed the girls. He wanted to be with them. He wondered what they were doing right now, if they were getting any sleep tonight. It has been over the month since Sophie's last attempt to maim herself, but what if she tried again? Yes, Ainsley and Eve were still there, but Ainsley couldn't keep her eye on them every second of the day, and Eve was in way over head. How long would they be allowed to stay together? Until they were sold as well? Eve was young enough she had a chance of ending up with people who would be decent to her, at least until they tired of her, but Sophie, the oldest of them, the one with most sorted history, including two goes at running away…he feared for her fate. It made him feel guilty, that he had been the one who got the reprieve and not them.

That was about the time he heard the door open and someone step inside, locking the door behind them. He kept his eyes squeeze shut at first, pretending to be asleep, but dared to open them just a slit as they pasted. There was just enough light coming through the translucent curtains over the window that he could make out a slight figure of a woman with long red hair covered in some kind of knitted hat, freezing as she realized she had been caught. Hi," She whispered, waving, "You must be Dani's mysterious houseguest. Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's alright." Malcolm assured her in a whisper, "I was awake anyway. You must be Twyla. I'm Malcolm."

"Nice to meet you, Malcolm." Twyla whispered back, "Tell you what, why don't we get better acquainted at a less ungodly hour."

"I think that would be best." Malcolm agreed.

Twyla crept back to her own room, leaving Malcolm alone once again. Sticking his hands in his pockets, he traced his fingers over the engraving on Eve's pendent. Having that part of the girls with him seemed to bring him a bit of comfort, and he was able to console himself to sleep.

"What I tell them about your little side business, ey?!" A tall man with slat and pepper hair demanded, his arms raised, standing in front of a man with slightly shaggy dark brown hair and a beard in similar condition.

The man with the dear got a devious, dangerous look in his eye. "I don't think you want to do that, Harker, or I just might have to tell the authorities about how many times you've used that business. All the times I've stitched that boy up, all the broken bones I've set."

The boy in question was Malcolm, who was huddled in the hallway, pulling his head back for a moment.

He didn't hear what was said after that, but when he looked again it appeared that Mr. Harker had won, Dr. Whitely heading for the door, until he saw the man near an end table on which sat an alabaster table lamp, suddenly grabbing it which such force the cord was ripped from the wall, raising his arm high above his head as he rounded on Mr. Harker…

Malcolm shot up, shouting, turning. Suddenly he was falling over the side, hitting the metal arm of futon as he fell on the floor, aware of none of it.

Awoken by the scream, Dani shot up in the bed, instinctively going for her gun when she remembered. Jumping out of the bed, she ran out into the hallway, Twyla appearing in her own doorway, alarm and confused.

"Stay here." Dani ordered racing down the hall.

When Dani got into the living room, Malcolm was rolling on the floor, arms failing as if trying to fight an invisible attacker. She immediately stopped down just in time for him to throw himself at her. "Malcolm, it's okay." Dani pratically shouting, grabbing and shaking him, "You're just dreaming."

His fingers wrapped around her, Malcolm finally woke up. His eyes darted around the room frantically, still terrified, as it dawned on him where he was.

"It's okay." Dani repeated, pulling him into a somewhat aggressive hug, "You're safe." Malcolm reciprocated the embrace, clinging on to her for dear life. "It's alright, Mal, I got you."