(Three)

Fallen was in the isle, leaning up against the seats and holding Kimble's limp body when she felt him shudder and come back to himself. He scrunched up tight and covered his ears with his hands. He squeezed his eyes shut and was making grunting noises as he fought back a scream of terror. He began to twitch and kick with his feet, slashing out in front of him defensively with his toe claws out. He'd had the same ending dream as Remy had, falling down into a lake of purple water, and he had been just as alone as Remy had been. He had gone through the lovemaking, the being stabbed to death and zapped, only to fall through the black to drown. He was a wreck.

"It's okay, Kimble. It's over. Wake up. Wake up and come back to me," Fallen whispered.

He didn't seem to hear her. He was working too hard at containing the hysterical tempest of emotions that swelled inside of him.

"Let it go, Kimble. Let it go," Fallen ordered gently, pulling his hands from his ears. She jerked reflexively when he began to scream. It was a long, jagged, horrible sound filled with pain, rage and terror. He wasn't as emotionally mature or stable as Remy was, his agony came out in a torrent of ragged sound, unchecked and true. He didn't attack or fight Fallen as he did this, but lay there screaming and screaming until his voice broke and he couldn't get any more out of himself.

Seth had reached his limit. Kimble's screams had cut him like nothing else. He shut down and fled to the Black Room, his side of the screen winked out with a flash. Fallen watched him go with a soft cry of dismay but she knew he had been very brave and had been out a long time, all things considered.

Kimble groaned and turned his head down to the floor, sobbing. His arms had wrapped around his belly and he looked like he was hurt.

"Oh, Kimble...I'm so sorry!" Fallen whimpered, crying herself. His pain and misery was more than she could bear.

"Fallen, ya gotta let 'im go," Logan said, putting his hand on her shoulder. "I understand that it ain't always been easy fer him an' it ain't all his fault, but he's just too dangerous. He's gonna kill somebody. He's gonna kill Valentin. Let's just bleed him out again and take him down while we still can."

She looked up at him with red swollen eyes. "Why? Because all he ever wanted was to be loved? I don't think so, mister. You might think that because he's a hologram that he's not real, but he is real and alive to me! He's no dog or dumb animal that you can just kill and not think twice about it! How dare you! The only thing that's going to happen is from now on is no one yells at him or hits him or stabs him with a sword, is that clear? Can you handle that!"

Logan took a step back and crossed his arms, glaring at her.

Fallen didn't give him a chance to reply. "That's why he fell apart. From the first moment he got stuck out here with us, he's been yelled at, abused and generally unappreciated by all of us...including myself. Well, it stops now."

"What're you gonna do? He's got no control!"

Fallen's eyes flashed with anger, but her voice was level as she replied, "I'm going to help him and make sure he knows just how valuable he is. This won't ever happen again."

"It won't be good enough," Logan cautioned. "He's too far gone. He's gonna freak out again!"

"So? Who are you to judge him? Don't stand there and look at me like you've never lost it like he did. Still your friends have accepted you and helped you with it. No one's trying to put you down or lock you up." He didn't answer, but the look in his eyes cooled a little. "You don't know him like I do, just like I don't know you as well as Henry and Gambit do. Same thing. Still, I've never judged you, just the opposite, actually. I've never once treated you with disrespect or condemned you. How could I? We are all guilty of something aren't we?" she challenged. Logan cursed softly and left the cage in a huff. He walked over to one of the seats and sat down heavily. "He just needs help and I'm going to see that he gets it," Fallen finished, making sure he heard her.

Henry came to Fallen's side with a cup of water. He set it in front of Kimble where he could see it. Kimble didn't notice his approach and didn't look up until Henry gently tapped his shoulder. The Siskan snatched at the cup and drank greedily, spilling it over himself without caring. Henry put a hand on his shoulder and Kimble looked up at him, thanking him with his eyes.

"You okay?" Henry asked softly.

Kimble nodded and put his head back down on the floor. He was exhausted.

"Talk to me, Kimble. Please. I need to know you're really all right," Fallen pleaded.

He raised his head and lay it in her lap so she could pet him. He stared sightlessly forward and was still as tears continued to stream from his eyes. "Wh-where's Remy?" he rasped weakly.

"He's a little sick and in shock, but I think he's okay. He wasn't quite ready for you," she joked softly in his ear.

"I'm so sorry!"

"It wasn't your fault." She kissed him gently and whispered again, "Talk to me, Kimble Bee. Tell me, why did Sheyman want you to play the files back?"

He spoke in a dry scratchy voice, "I sawr my father...Sheyman...in the light. Not the Black Room. We wuz somewheres else. He said an angel's gonna come ta me. I gots sumpthin' left ta do but I ain't gonna know what it is till my angel comes." Kimble sobbed a little. "I wuz dead but he wouldn't let me go with him! I hafta stay here! I wanted ta go so bad, Fallen, but he wouldn't let me! I loves him so much an now he's gone again!" Kimble put his head down again and bawled.

Fallen gripped him tightly. "You'll see him again, don't worry. He's waiting for you."

"It hurts so bad, Fallen. Why...Why does it hafta hurt so bad?"

Fallen laughed a little. "You really don't know? I would've thought a smart guy like you would have figured it out by now."

He turned slowly on his back to look up at her. "Tell me."

She wiped his tears away and kissed him again. "Because you have something the others didn't. I saw a few Courtesans with the Dognan. You're not like any of them. I knew it from the first few times I spoke with you even though you were broken. I could see it there. You've got something not everyone has. Valentin had it -" she said, looking up at the monster chained to the cage, "- but he gave it away, I think, or someone stole it maybe. I see it in Seth and that's why I love him so. He wouldn't have it if it weren't for you. See, Seth isn't just your brother, he's more like your son because you gave him a piece of yourself that he wouldn't have if you didn't possess it in the first place."

"What're ya talkin' 'bout?"

"Your soul, silly. You have a soul, my Kimble."

"I do?" Kimble asked, the disbelief plain in his voice. He knew enough that only real things had a soul, not fake inorganic things like himself.

"Or course you do," Fallen insisted, being very firm. "I know you think only living things have a soul, but think on this. If you weren't alive, you wouldn't have almost died. You may not be organically alive like us, but you're real in every other way that counts. I swear you are more alive than most people I know. You're real because you have a soul. It's why most things feel so good, but it's also why all this fighting and pain hurts you so. But you know what? I wouldn't have you any other way. This is who you are and I love you for it."

He looked up at her and reached up to touch her face. "But I done a vera bad thing, Fallen. I killed all a them guys. What I done cain't ever be fixed. I cain't ever fergets it..."

She put her hand over his. "You shouldn't forget it, Kimble. That's how the trouble begins. We have to remember who we are and what we've done so that we learn from our mistakes. All we are now is because of who we've been."

"That's what Sheyman said only I didn' know what he meant."

"Then he must've been as smart as you say. You see, you and me, we're the same. Even Logan and Remy, too," she said glancing in Logan's direction, speaking to them both. "We've all done things we aren't proud of, but we've made up for the past by doing good things now. You have, too, Kimble. You have the Honor Sword. You didn't get that by default or because it looks so pretty on you. You helped out with the raids on the pens just as much as Seth and Kane. You've helped us fly in and out of some of the worst fighting the Clan has ever seen. You have Courage. More courage than most men. Courage and Honor. You and me, we're a team. I don't want to fly with anyone else. You have a gift and you've shared it. You heard May call out and you saved her life. See? She's here safe and sound. That's Sacrifice and Loyalty. You know the meaning of the Four, my Kimble. Say it. Say them for me."

He sniffed. "Honor, Courage, Sacrifice an' Loyalty," he recited softly.

"Very good. You know these not just as words, but in your heart. In your soul, Kimble. That's what makes you special. That's what makes you good." She smiled. "I saw this in you. It's always been there. I think Sheyman knew it, too. He must have been very smart and very good. He was your true Father, Kimble, because he must have given you a piece of his soul." She paused and collected her thoughts for a moment. "When we get home, back to Earth, I mean, I'm going to set you free. You can go where you want, love who you want, be who you were meant to be. Whatever it takes to make you well again. You were broken when I found you and you've grown so much since then. I see now that you were healing, but now all of this has set you back. I want you to be free, Kimble."

He gripped her arm. "Don' wants ta be that free," he corrected in a scratchy voice. "I don' wants ta fly fer nobody else."

"Good. Then stay with me. Stay with me and Seth. Run around, play, have fun. Then come home to us. I'll make a deal with you, my precious Kimble. You watch over me, look out for my Hunter, and I'll look after your Zander. This is about Second Chances, Kimble. We've both been given one and we shouldn't waste them. We'll live them together."

He thought about what she'd said for a moment. "There gonna be enough fer me ta do where we're goin'?" he said, with a weak laugh. His way of accepting her offer.

Fallen threw her head back and laughed, pleased. "Of course. I'll be your personal Kimble Fun Committee. I'm going to buy you a motorcycle, some roller blades. It'll be great. Remy will show you all the places to pick up girls. Whatever you want. I mean, a handsome, charming bi-sexual creature like yourself will never go lonely on a planet with six billion people on it," she laughed. "Besides, chicks dig a guy with wings."

Kimble laughed, rubbing his cheek against her leg. "I loves ya, Fallen. Yer th' best friend a guy could have."

"Why's that?" she asked gently. "Cuz I let ya get drunk 'n pet me?"

He laughed again and cried a little more. He was exhausted from the emotional and physical exertion of this day. He closed his eyes and heaved a weary sigh. He felt Fallen pick him up and lay him down on her bed. She lay down beside him and held him to her, laying his head down against her neck as always. He sighed again and whispered to her softly in Siskan. He told her that he loved her again and was instantly asleep.