AN/ I think I mentioned this in a previous chapter, but everything that happened while Riku and Namine are gone happened in Can't Escape chapter 32-37. It's some good stuff, honestly. And features the first (chronological) introduction of 37 and L as... themselves.

Chapter 72: Quick! Run!

"Well, I'm glad things didn't go too terribly," Riku muttered. 29 had just informed him of how things had gone during his absence. There'd been a raid while he and Namine were gone, but it sounded like things could have gone a lot worse. Joseph was currently bragging about how he was a hero, though Riku had long since tuned him out. Namine was probably the only one still listening, and only with mild interest.

"It's a pity 37 and that Larxene Replica escaped," Riku sighed.

Joseph stopped abruptly. "Actually, it's probably a good thing," he said, and made a face. "They were being gross…"

"Gross how...?" Riku asked, squinting.

Joseph shook his head, making a face like he really didn't want to be thinking about it. "Trust me, you don't want to know," he said. "You just- you really don't." And that, punctuated with gagging noises.

Riku squinted a moment longer, trying to decide what it could possibly be to make Joseph have a reaction like that. But then he came on one possible conclusion, and his face scrunched up reflexively as well. Joseph was right. He didn't want to know.

Namine, meanwhile, was barely paying attention to their conversation. She had just noticed 19, who was sitting on a nearby couch, holding his face in his hands. She frowned, and then headed over and sat down next to him.

"Hey," she whispered. "Are you alright?"

"Ah! Miss Namine!" 19 exclaimed, glancing up in shock. He quickly wiped the tears from his eyes. "Forgive me," he muttered. "I don't mean to-"

"What's wrong?" Namine interjected before he could finish.

"This last raid was hard on me, that's all," 19 replied. "We lost 22, which is painful enough." He was silent for a second, and then added: "We were part of a set. There was me, 20, 21, 22, and 23. 20 failed shortly after creation, 21 joined Saix, 22 was just-" he swallowed, not wanting to finish that thought. He shook his head and then said: "And 23's been acting weird lately… it's… hard…"

"I- I'm sorry," Namine stuttered, not sure of how to properly respond to that.

"And to make things worse," 19 continued. "Tulip was the one who killed him! Tulip! That stupid Larxene L went and kidnapped him, and then 37 rewrote him and- I mean- I know Tulip had his quirks but-" He sighed. "It's hard on me. I helped build a lot of Replicas. And seeing one of them like that…" he trailed off.

Namine sat there, silent, unsure of what to say or even if she should say anything.

"I'm sorry," 19 said after a moment. "I didn't mean to spew all of that at you."

Namine laughed then, slightly, and shook her head. "It's alright, go ahead and spew," she told him. "I don't mind."

"Well, I'm glad," 19 laughed. "I would have felt bad if you had minded." He turned to her then, and raised his eyebrows slightly. "But, perhaps, you have something on your mind, too?"

She blushed and fingered the edge of her skirt nervously.

"Well, I- I'm just- confused," she whispered, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I've noticed something lately, when I'm around Riku-"

"Did I hear my name?"

Namine glanced up in shock as Riku walked over. She quickly looked down to hide the fact that her cheeks were absolutely red with embarrassment. "It's nothing!" she said quickly. "Nothing! Just- just nevermind…"

Riku frowned, concerned. She stole a glance up at him, but turned away again, ashamed. How was she supposed to explain this to him? Could she even talk to him about it? It would be so awkward.

"You sure?" Riku asked, sitting down next to her.

She nodded.

"You can tell me later," 19 whispered, and then smiled. "I'll leave you two alone." And then he rose to his feet and walked off.

"What was that about?" Riku laughed.

Despite the turmoil of emotions running through her, Namine laughed, too. "Nothing," she said, trying her best to keep her voice from betraying her feelings. "He was just talking about how he felt about Tulip being Reprogrammed."

Riku nodded, understanding. A small pang of guilt surged through Namine. She felt bad for not telling the entire truth, but-

"I wonder how bad it is…" Riku sighed.

"It sounds bad," Namine whispered. She had heard very little, though. But 19's feelings had shaken her, and the thought itself wasn't pleasant. She would imagine that if the same had been done to her- then-

That thought wasn't a pleasant one, either.

She didn't have to think about it, though. Riku had suddenly hopped to his feet and brought his blade up to block a scythe. Namine gasped and turned around. Tulip stood there, though he didn't look the same. Gone was the confused and frantic look in his eyes, it had been replaced, and his eyes were narrowed in anger.

"Namine!" Riku gasped, glancing over at her. He was still holding Tulip back. "You should get out of here! It's not safe!" He managed to push Tulip away, then, and rushed forward to attack.

Namine nodded, though it was probably pointless, and quickly got to her feet. She did steal one glance around the room though, before she left. Joseph was hacking away at a Vexen Replica with his wooden sword so that he wouldn't notice Amaryllis. 19 was fighting a Larxene Replica, though he looked more worried than angry. His eyes darted over in her direction once, and Namine frowned, finding this odd. He was shouting something, but she still couldn't understand what.

She stood there a second more, trying to decipher it. That, was, however, her mistake. For by the time she tried to form a dark corridor, something hit her from behind. She let out a gasp that was between surprise and pain, and the dark corridor shorted out. She made a face, bit her lip so she wouldn't gasp again as to not worry Riku, and then formed another dark corridor.

But it didn't come.

It shorted out, just like the last one.

What the-? she thought, and then gasped in surprise.

Lightning was dancing across her fingertips, very faintly. Again, though as an experiment mainly, she tried to form a dark corridor. The lightning flowed with it and then canceled it out.

"Crap," she whispered. She shook her head, though, and started to run.

She stumbled before she got far, and fell to her knees and clutched her side.

Now she understood what 19 had been saying.

Run.

Quick, before it's too late.

Get out of here!

Shoot, Namine thought. Shoot shoot shoot shoot!

She could feel it now, the lightning surging through her. It wasn't enough to be extremely painful, but definitely enough to be disorienting. She couldn't form a dark corridor. She couldn't run. And as she started to call for Riku, she realized that her words wouldn't come out either.

An unbelievable amount of pain washed through her, then. It was like someone had taken the lightning inside of her and made it ten times worse. She collapsed with the pain, and a small scream escaped her lips.

"No! Please!" she could hear Riku shout, from the depths of her mind. He sounded absolutely terrified, and she shuddered. "I- I didn't mean-"

His voice was lost in his cries of pain as another lightning bolt struck.

"Stop!" he screamed.

Namine found herself screaming with him. The pain didn't lessen, though, and the only response was laughter. The cruel laughter from the memory echoed within her brain, but soon she realized it wasn't only inside her head.

Someone really was laughing.

"Oh my," they laughed, voice sickly sweet. "Did I hit you? I swear, I didn't mean to. Here, let me help-"

Namine's eyes opened wide in shock as a hand closed around her arm. She glanced up, finding Larxene L there. Quickly, she pushed herself into a sitting position and wrenched her arm away.

"Get away you-" she shouted, but the rest was stifled. Larxene L had covered her mouth.

"Now, now," she hissed. "No need for that. I don't need Riku worrying about you." She pulled Namine to her feet with ease, despite Namine's struggling. "Don't worry," she laughed. "I promise it won't hurt!"

A larger amount of lightning surged through Namine then, and her thoughts began to blur. She screamed, though her consciousness soon faded.

Her scream, though muffled, did catch Riku's attention, however. He turned in shock, and was hit in the side by Tulip's scythe as a result. He ignored that, though. His attention was only on Namine, who was now dangling limply in Larxene L's grasp.

"No!" he shouted, rushing forward and stabbing-

-his blade was blocked by 37's shield.

"Let me through!" he screamed, bringing his blade crashing down hard on the shield. 37 didn't even flinch.

"You will hurt her," 37 whispered.

"I-" Riku began.

"You are not taking another one!" 19 shouted, interrupting him. He was storming forward, eyes fixed angrily on Larxene L. "You already took Tulip! I will not allow you to take anyone else!"

Larxene L laughed. "Really now?"

And then she maneuvered herself so the unconscious Namine was between her and 19. 19 stopped dead in his tracks, disgust on his face.

"You are cruel," he hissed.

"'Fraid so!" Larxene L chuckled, and formed a dark corridor-

"NAMINE!" Riku screamed, and shoved 37 aside, dropping his blade as he did so. He lunged forward and grabbed Namine, gently pulling her out of Larxene L's grasp. Before anyone could react, he and Namine were gone.

xxx

They reappeared in her room. Riku stood there for a moment, holding her close, not wanting to let go. His heart was still racing from the shock, and he was shaking slightly with fear. A small amount of anger was rushing through him, but it was drowned in his relief.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, though he knew she couldn't hear. "I shouldn't have- I- I don't want to lose you."

He touched his forehead to hers and squeezed his eyes shut.

"I wish I could be here for you when you wake up," he breathed. "But I can't. I want to- though- I want to, I swear, I just…" He trailed off. After a moment he sighed and then gently laid her down on her bed.

"I'll be back as soon as I can."