Author's Note: This chapter is a little slower and hopefully a little humorous. A little comic relief goes a long way. Well here goes…

FBI National Academy

Behavioural Science Graduate Course Lecture

Part 4

"A minor act of kindness on the part of the captor, which can include simply not killing the prisoner yet, positions the captor as the prisoner's saviour, as "ultimately good," to quote young Anne Frank's famous characterization of the Nazis who ultimately led to her death. In the traumatic, life-threatening circumstances in which the prisoner finds herself, the slightest act of kindness – or the sudden absence of violence – seems a sign of friendship in an otherwise hostile, terrifying world, and the prisoner clings to it for dear life."

Golden Mile Chinese Restaurant (Big 5).

Chinatown.

San Diego, California.

Day 2 of 7 of Ransom Time Limit.

6:04 a.m.

The black night now make way for the emergence of a very dark blue as the California sun prepares to make her debut. But inside this now disproven 'safe house', Theo and Miley are fast asleep. She is still in his arms and subconsciously refuses to leave the safety of his protection. Theo found this out many times throughout the night as Miley would have none of Theo's attempts to let her sleep by herself.

Despite it being only 4 in the morning, Theo is now only half asleep.

Theo's POV

"Ohhhh, sweet merciful crap…my body…," I silently groan to myself.

Because of the incredibly awkward way I slept, I'm now aching in muscles I didn't know I had.

But that's nothing compared to what I would like to call the equivalent of a psychological hangover. The amount of raw emotions last night hit me like too much brandy.

Stupid emotions.

Like a hangover, I'm still trying to figure out what would possess me to feel such horrendous emotions.

Over a woman of all things.

As I try to move my arm, I hear the dried blood, temporarily acting as the adhesive gluing my body to my bed, tear apart. I feel the old would re-open and now feel the wound starting to bleed again. I try to move my arm, twisting the muscles while bending the joints.

Bad idea.

Really bad idea.

The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.

Or in this case giveth back the pain.

He took away the sense of pain last night, just to give last night's pain all back to me, and then some, this morning.

Along with this morning's pain, I was going through one hell of a time.

I clench and tear up. Such was the pain that could make me lose compunction.

But I have to stay still. Miley needs her rest.

Not wanting to face the early morning, I try to go back to sleep…

Wrong again.

Just as I fall back to sleep, a tantalizing aroma tickle and tease my nose like the fingers of a young slave girl from a Persian Sultan's harem.

It almost makes me smile, yet I shift over to get more comfortable and find something's not right.

I can move…

I can move too freely!

Where's Miley?

Theo jerks himself awake in a cold sweat as he gets up too quickly to orient himself.

"Gaah," I winced in pain as the jerking twisted my bad arm.

I'm thankful that Miley didn't hear, or else I would be able to watch her right now.

What I see stuns me.

Miley is quietly running around, trying to do three things at once, none of which I expected Miley to do for me, none of which I could fathom even suggesting her to do.

I watch silently, amazed at what Miley's doing for me. The fact that I am awake and sitting up is something Miley doesn't seem to notice.

As if someone had flipped a special 'on' switch in the back of her neck, Miley is busy cooking, pre-washing the dishes for use, and cleaning up the mess that the courier made last night.

However the look on her face troubles me. Miley is sporting a look of worry and desperation. Try to cook, clean up, and trying make things nice.

I'm convinced she's doing it for me; she looks too desperate to be enjoying this.

But why on earth would she do this?

What troubles me more is the fact that she grows more desperate every passing minute.

I have to stop this.

"Miley!" I snapped.

Miley stops dead in her tracks and sports Theo a shocked and scared look.

"What are you doing?"

How she answers is even more shocking to me…

"Te…Teddy. You awake? I…I thought that after last night, you would still be asleep."

"Nah, couldn't sleep…the arm" Theo replied matter of factly.

"Oh dear, I knew I should've woke you up to fix it, but you know how you always want your breakfast on time. And you know how you hate to be woken up…and…and"

Where did she get those (the assumptions) from?

Miley starts to stutter. I can tell she's now really scared.

"Sooo…how is the breakfast coming?"

Miley then bursts out…

"I'm so sorry, Teddy. I didn't have time to finish it…the breakfast isn't ready yet…p…please let me make it up to you"

Theo is more perplexed than ever…

"Look! Miley, first, who said I wanted breakfast…"

"S…so you don't want breakfast," Miley said worriedly.

I could see by the look on her face, I was torturing her…

And it's almost breaking my heart because she's gotten it all wrong…

"No, no, no…I'm sure the breakfast's wonderful…really…but…what're doing all this for? You need your sleep," I responded very quickly trying to comfort Miley.

"But I have to do this. I'm the woman and…and…if I don't do what I'm supposed to…you'll..."

Then it hit me…

"Ryan…" I said softly under my breath, slightly facepalming and finally understanding.

That garbastic piece of amphibian s-t.

This was his fault. He had broken Miley like this. If I could, I'd go back and raise him from the dead just so I could f-k him up again.

I try again.

"No, no….Miley it's ok…you don't have to…"

But Miley just kept on…after turning off the burner, she was making one more sweep with a broom.

I got up and confronted her. I grabbed her stopping her. Looking to her eyes, I said…

"Miley, you've done plenty…"

"But Teddy…"

"No buts…you've done a great job…I really…like what you've done to the place."

I wasn't lying. I really did.

But Miley looked at me in disbelief.

Right...Ryan…she's probably not used hearing that.

A minute passed.

"Really?" Miley asked one last time

"Really." I finished.

Miley slowly starts to smile at me and we both slowly walk toward the table. Miley steps aside to get the food while I sit down.

Miley serves a hot grilled veggie and onion dish on top of what I soon realize was a bed of instant meat and pasta.

Not wanting to trigger anything more I say my grace before meals as Miley begins to pour it to my plate.

The dish is good.

It's really good.

And that's not just my unsophisticated palate talking.

This was a perfect choice. After what both of us had been through, this particular meal was hot and best of all comforting. I would choose this over any high class Parisian restaurant fare any day…especially now.

I find myself smiling and relaxed.

There is no f—king way Ryan ever deserved such a nourishing meal like this.

I really needed this.

But when I glance up at Miley, I realized she had read me like a book and knew what I had been thinking all along.

Miley needed this too.

She needed this approval…she never had gotten it from Ryan.

She continues to eat in silence.

No, scratch that, she eats in peace.

Probably been a while for her in that area too.

But the moment she smiles at me, my silent approval, while nothing to any other person, was all Miley needed to feel appreciated.

I'm sorta mesmerized by her smile… if only because it came so rarely and for very good reason.

When I finish, I fetch a first aid kit, to re-patch my bad arm.

While I am doing so, I realized that Miley has just taken away my bowl.

Miley's POV:

Words can't describe how I feel right now…

I finally cook a meal…a meal for a well deserving, selfless man (Teddy), instead of an ungrateful one (Jake). And he likes it. He really likes it.

I know I'm getting too giddy...but I don't care anymore.

The last time I cooked this, Jake threw water into my face. (A/N: The first chapter)

I just hope that Teddy's ok with this dinner dish for breakfast. I'm still not sure about that.

I have to clean up, so I pick up my bowl and Teddy's as well

"Miley, no, you don't ha…"

But I feel as if I must…please Teddy...let me. Don't make me stop…

I shoot Teddy a pleading look…

Theo looks into my eyes and finally relents as he lets go of the bowl.

I'm happy he understands why I must. Jake never got my looks, probably too wrapped up in himself to care.

Theo's POV:

I begin to handling my shooter and begin to take it apart, trying my best to fix the problem.

Yet, in my frustration in taking apart my shooter I can't stop thinking about Miley.

I really wish I could help her more, and I will, but about this morning, that'll take some time in therapy.

The sooner this'll be over, the better.

Theo finishes his dis-assembly. He realizes that it wasn't a jam. Just a bad primer. A defective bullet. Who'd thought, all this caused by a single, solitary bullet.

"Now about my arm…" I said to myself silently.

But out of nowhere, as if she could read my mind, Miley quickly placed in front of me a steaming bowl of hot water, a towel, a clean needle and thread, and bandaged gauze.

I look up and watch in amazement as Miley shoots me a sympathetic smile and silently returns to tidying up.

I'm speechless. Miley knew what I needed. Miley'll do that for me?

But what the hell is she doing, anyways?

It has to be her way of buying more time.

I really wish I could tell her not to be afraid of me…I'm sure that her father will pay up. And I couldn't do anything to her thus far.

But I can't. It would be game over if I did. If I did, I'd lose what little authority I had left over her.

(20 Minutes later)

Before I know it, I'm almost done cleaning myself up. It's still as sore as hell, but must cleaner. I give myself a grin of self satisfaction as I know it's only a matter of time before I recover.

I give a relieved sigh, but as soon as I look up, I see Miley looking back at me with cautious and nervous eyes.

Yet again, sitting down and looking at me, waiting for me to tell her what she has to do for me next.

You can't imagine the discomfort and guilt at having a girl so broken she craves to serve you.

That ends now.

"Miley, you should go back to sleep. Other than Devil Dogs (Marines) like me, no-one should have to be up at 4 in the morning.

"But Teddy, this place's still a mess, and you might need me to wash that."

She refers to the blood stained shirt Theo was wearing.

"No, Miley, you need to relax"

"But Teddy…," Miley softly whined to me.

"No Miley, really, the best thing you can do for me is to sleep. I don't need your help anymore."

Miley nods her head but not before lowering it in dejection and sadness.

Oh crap, not that again.

"Miley! Listen to me. Look I didn't mean that. It's just that you've done a lot and you need…hell you deserve a break"

"Really?" Miley asked, being foreign to that concept because of years with Jake.

"Yes, and I'm demanding that you get you're beauty sleep"

Uh oh. Did I just say beauty sleep?

I meant to say it, yeah, but in a figurative and sarcastic tone. The way I actually said it sounded serious. In a way…

Oh, crap.

Luckily, in whatever tone I said it in, it was enough to convince Miley.

As I watch Miley drift back to sleep, I can't help but linger longer than I should.

(faint beep in the background)

I almost miss the honk of the horn. I quickly and quietly make my way outside and check on the awaiting vehicle.

Outside was a large and hollow van with two men standing right outside of it.

Before I go on I check the van. It reads 'Yao Tan Supermarket'

This is the right one.

Words can't describe how grateful I am that the family was 'kind' enough to send this.

First, I drag and load up the dead cook into the vehicle, almost feeling sorry for the man's horrid irony that after countless a number of meals with toxic heroin precursors, he meets his end this way.

The courier isn't as easy. Weighing at over 300 pounds, not to mention having a huge body size, saying it was a challenge for a man with a sore arm was an understatement.

Usually I could do this, especially with two other people, but with my level of fatigue and soreness, I resorted to using the Escalade to literally drag the courier out of my 'apartment' and onto the alleyway.

I let the other two men deal with the courier as they eventually load up and drive away with both bodies.

As I look on at the van driving away, I take time to think deeper about…

What was all that?

Who was the hell was this courier and what did he want?

Miley cooking, cleaning and helping me?

After all she's gone through because of me.

I have to get answers. It was agreed that I wait for Tom to call me. He has a phone line scrambler, its safer that way.

How can I safeguard Miley if I can't rely on Tom to find a safe place for us to sleep?

It starts to rain…

I don't care that I'm standing in the rain.

How is it that I even deserve to be dry and comfortable now.

And I want to punish myself. I deserve to be tormented.

All I've done is put Miley through absolute hell. Placed her time and time again in mortal danger, and for what? Just so I can have what I want? I'm no different than the rest of my family. Tormenting another soul just to free my own.

Hell, I deserve to die from pneumonia from the rain.

And Theo just stood there, the rain helping him contemplate, think, and reflect in an almost surreal and most of all in a way profound to Theo.

Silently screaming eternal apologies to Miley Stewart.

The rain does a great job at masking my pain and hopelessness, which up to now I was able to convince myself was just the rain on my face.

I couldn't imagine how my honour would torment me if it wasn't for the rain.

If Miley curses my eternal soul, it still wouldn't be enough punishment to fit what I'm doing to her.

Miley's POV (Inside)

I'm exhausted yet I can't get back to sleep just yet.

I'm almost mesmerized by Teddy.

All the doors were left open and I can see Teddy outside the garage from where I'm resting.

Just standing there in the pouring rain, not caring how wet he gets.

Theo cares for my health and well being, but he doesn't seem to care about his own.

I want to help him, but I know he wants me to sleep. He doesn't want me to get sick.

Theo gets increasingly wet, yet in a way Theo needs it. It helps him…

Teddy's always been a mystery to me. But I know now he's a good man, caught up in a bad life.

He didn't choose this. He was born into this.

It's not your fault.

Darling, it's ok. We'll get through this.

Remembering what Teddy told me in L.A. I'm sure Dad'll pay. Then Teddy can let me go. Then Teddy can let himself go.

As I watch Theo becoming more and more soaked, I subconsciously turn on the radio beside my 'bed'. Again classics must be Theo's favourite. But the words are perfect. I hope Teddy can hear us (Her heart and the music as one).

Miley watches with real concern at Theo without him knowing.

(Radio)

(A/N: Outside Sources: Umbrella by Rihanna)

In reality, the music is far too low for Theo to hear it from the outside. Plus if it did reach him, Theo would be angry at Miley for the attention it would attract.

But I still wish that Theo could hear me. Hear this. Not because there actually is an umbrella in the room (I found it while cleaning up), but I wanna help him.

All I need him to do is ask. Somehow.

Miley then stops watching and climbs back into bed and falls asleep.

If all this had to happen to me, I'm grateful it was with someone like Teddy to help me.

Theo's POV.

Theo brushes the rain from his eyes and suddenly realizes something very wrong. Something potentially lethal to me.

"My mask, s-t!, my mask! I haven't been wearing it," I screamed to myself in shock.

After all of this, I forgot that Miley had seen me.

She knows who I really am.

I panic as a million thoughts go through my head…

"Good God, now what? Miley knows who I am. Now nothing's gonna be the same! How can I walk away now? She goes to the cops after all this…I could be finished…"

Theo sports a look of desperation as he continues to pace back and forth. Other things come to mind…

I realize the other mistakes that I made. First, all this time Miley had access to kitchen knives and chemicals.

How can I have been so stupid. There was nothing to prevent her from getting to me or escaping, or both…

But then Theo abruptly stops pacing back and forth and realizes...

I was so dead asleep that Miley could have done so many things.

She was already up for a while, yet despite having kitchen knives and who knows what else.

She didn't use them. Her whole focus was on making my breakfast. Hell, she didn't even bother to run.

But why didn't she?

I then realize that Miley was broken. So broken by all of this that she can't seem leave.

Anger changes to even more horrible guilt. How's she ever going to go back to living a normal life after this?

Have I really done so much to break a life that she no longer has hope in herself and hope in the future?

Or was it Ryan's fault first. I mean I've done my best in helping Miley feel comfortable. And all the pep talks I gave her.

Wow, I must've really confused Miley.

I'm desperate to find out what Miley really thinks of me. Stupid as it sounds, I have to know at the end of the day, what she'll think of me.

Yet, it's an answer I know I can't get myself. She'll have to tell me.

Theo then walks back in and shuts all the doors as he gets back into the apartment.

He quickly gathers all the knives and other dangerous things and locks them in a closet. He barricades the broken door with the broken chair. Theo takes on last look at Miley, making sure she's asleep. He strips to his boxers, glad he can shed his blood stained and abused clothes, and grabs a blanket before falling asleep himself.