Disclaimer - I do not own Megamind

Noire et Bleu
Black and Blue

WARNING ::: Contains graphic smut, gore, evilness, shadows, torture and demented fluff.

And here we are with another chapter, doubled revised so I hope it doesn't sound like shiat. XD Anyway, from here on out I hope to be updating at least once a week, probably on Thursdays, keep it regular so you know when to expect the next chapter. I'm working on improving my writing and I encourage you to be harsh in your reviews, tell me what you like and what you don't like. That way I know what I'm doing right and what I'm doing terribly, terribly wrong. XD

I'm still not entirely happy with this chapter, I see a few points that could be fixed up but I'm having trouble actually doing the fixing. I'm also making Wayne a decent guy, I don't like the idea of him just giving up on her but I also think he should be at least a little troubled by her actions, I hope I'm doing okay.

Reviews are down the bottom like the previous chapter and if you have any ideas for future chapters feel free to share. Anyway extra luffs to those who commented, luffs to those who favorited and similar and I hope you all enjoy the chapter!

OH! And If you haven't read the last two chapters since they were put up you may want to take a look, major changes in the first chapter, minor in the second and some information down the bottom. Anyways... TO THE STORY

Chapter 02 : It's Time to stop Crying

Song: None

She'd dressed quickly once he'd left, the cool fabric soothing both her nerves and her water scalded skin, courtesy of the lovely hot shower. She could still hear Wayne pacing in the next room, his heavy steps echoing loudly in the otherwise quiet house. It surprised her to think he had so easily missed everything that went on between herself and Megamind but she reminded herself that in all honesty, there was no comparison for the blue genius. She wondered, if only for a moment, why he didn't use devices like that more often. If he could so easily stop sound why didn't he use it in all his plans, surely it would increase his success level considerably. She knew he would have his reasons but it still seemed rather odd to her. Though she supposed the two aliens had a twisted love for this demented tango, of course she was also sure she had gone and ruined any fun in it now.

Because I'm a murder, her mind added and she seethed at her own conscious, as if she needed reminding. Pulling the door open with perhaps a tad too much force than intended she made her way into the living room, her hands in the pockets of her trackies, or more specifically, Janey's trackies. Her hair was still wet and clung to her face in intricate patterns and the large ring of grey surrounding each eye gave her a haunted look she'd rather have gone without. She couldn't look at anyone and instead opted for staring at her toes as they burrowed into the soft carpet. She kneaded it tentatively, feeling oddly intimidated by the large man before her.

For a full minute neither of them spoke and the trio simply stood in an awkward silence, Wayne's breathing the only noise in the still room. She knew he was troubled, his breath was coming out in heavy, hissing pants. She wasn't sure if it was an alien thing or just a Wayne thing be she decided it didn't really matter, beside the fact it made her just that much more uncomfortable, if that was even possible. He massaged his brow, clearly uneasy with the situation.

"I'll just, leave you two alone then?" Janey finally whispered, already making a hasty retreat into the kitchen. Roxanne wanted to ask her to stay but knew better. If they were in opposite situations she would have made a getaway too, which didn't comfort her at all to know. The two stayed silent for a further minute before Wayne sighed deeply and sat himself down on the couch, petting the seat beside him. She hesitated for a few moments but eventually obeyed and with a weary gaze sat beside him, leaning away as though he were a dirty object. This didn't escape his notice and for a brief moment he looked hurt.

"Megamind," he started, exaggerating the name "escaped barely an hour after he was apprehended. We've had police patrolling through the night but he still hasn't been seen. I don't need to tell you how… Concerning this is."

She nodded and he continued.

"Well, the warden seems to believe you may be in some kind of trouble. The situation between you and him has changed considerably since the… The event." He avoided saying the murder but she knew it was implied, the way his eyes narrowed and seemed to dilate, as if lost in a torturous memory, made her turn away again.

"It was… Advised… That you be watched particularly close until he is found and dealt with accordingly. For your own safety, you understand?"

"For my own safety?" she hissed, looking back into those wide, ashamed eyes. "What do they think he's going to do to me? Converse me to death?" she scoffed, suddenly rather irritated that anyone could even think he would try and harm her. "And what do you mean dealt with? What- what are you going to do to him, Wayne?" She practically snarled, her hands gripping at her arms with force, leaving little pink crescents against her skin.

"Roxy, you need to understand that Megamind is a criminal-"

"Really? Fancy that!" she snapped "But that's never concerned you into dealing with him before!"

"Roxanne, calm down." He boomed over her and she stood to point a trembling hand at his chest.

"Don't you dare raise your voice at me you great buffoon!"

His expression changed from apprehension to complete and utter hurt and she felt instantly guilty. She swallowed dryly and quickly sat back down, cradling her stomach. When had she taken to yelling? That wasn't her, Wayne knew it wasn't. She felt horribly guilty.

"There are several officers stationed by the front door who will be taking shifts patrolling the streets and monitoring all contact to and from the house, at least until the court decides your fate or Megamind is re-captured."

"Wait… You won't be- You aren't going to be around?" she stifled a brief sob.

"No." he said firmly but the hurt was still in his eyes.

She was at a cross-road between being furious and upset, neither emotion winning over completely. What did they think he was going to do to her? He was Megamind for god's sake, he wouldn't harm a hair on her pretty little head and he had told her so on several occasions. Unless- god. Did they think that Megamind would seek her out to help him with his evil plans? She slumped and buried her head in her hands. She had ruined her life, completely and utterly. This is what people were thinking now, what would her family say? What would the media be saying? She suppressed the sob that threatened her dignity and instead looked up at Wayne, as if silently begging for his guidance but he was purposefully avoiding her gaze.

"Roxy…" he murmured, still looking everywhere but at her. "Don't worry, we'll… We'll get through this." With that said he stood quickly and turned for the door, shutting it silently behind him and after a few moments Roxanne found herself alone.

Janey found her shortly after, crumpled in on herself as she sobbed into her lap. A tender hand began rubbing circles on her back but it didn't help to soothe the troubled woman. They stayed there for an hour or more, neither of them speaking but secretly Roxanne was grateful for her friends company. She needed her now, more than she ever had.

After a few kind words from her best friend Roxanne finally pulled herself into bed an under the covers, or more appropriately was dragged there by Janey. She fussed over taking her bed but Janey was as stubborn as ever and eventually the bedroom door was pulled shut and Roxanne's world was plunged into darkness. The click of the lock made her shudder involuntarily and she began glancing around the room. Suddenly everything seemed sinister, the shadows on the walls and the noises outside. The wind as it whistled through branches and the rustle of the plants outside. She didn't know what exactly had scared her or even if it was fear and not… Something else she couldn't pinpoint.

She whimpered pathetically as the memory's started to reply in her mind, clearer now than when they had occurred. She saw that look in the young officers eyes when the force first hit him, his eyes growing wide before he witnessed his own insides splatter out and onto the crowed. Did he know he was going to die? Did he know he'd never see his family again, never see the sun again… And what of his family?

She started crying again and almost hit herself, she was sick of crying, it was ridiculous. She could remember every time she'd ever cried, she was emotionally strong, always had been but here in the darkness with nothing but her treacherous mind to comfort her everything hurt. She was tired, scared, guilty and horrified at what she had done. She shouldn't even have emotions; killers didn't feel anything, why did she have to? She sat up and curled her arms tightly around her knees and attempted to calm herself but her body continued to tremble from the emotional stress. She didn't even know what to do anymore.

She heard a noise outside her window, a familiar noise that didn't trouble her already wreck nerves. She had heard that noise a million times before, when you were blindfolded to a chair you got used to knowing those things, it was him, those soft leather boots of his crunching the crisp grass outside her window.

The glass slid open with a click and she could hear someone shuffle about as they climbed through the small gap before drawing the window closed again gently, locking it as he did so. She wondered briefly how he had managed to get passed the cop car stationed outside but a voice in her head happily reminded her just who this man was, even he could be consider such.

He settled himself carefully at the edge of her bed, propping his weight on his arm as he faced her. "Are you alright?" he asked softly and she nodded meekly, looking up into those liquid pools of green and a feeling of safety overwhelmed her. He looked as concerned as Janey and Wayne but there was no room for coldness there, no uncertainty or mistrust. Everyone else seemed so… Afraid of her and here he was as confident as ever, looking down at her kindly, protectively. She didn't know why he was so content, she just knew that having him here with her now was the only way she'd make it through the night.

"Could you… Tell me something" she whispered, leaning her back against the wall, legs still drawn tight but her body now visibly more relaxed.

"What would you like to know?" he soothed and she felt warmer.

"Anything."

He smiled and it was an honest smile. "I could teach you mathematics?"

She giggled. "Okay, tell me something interesting"

"Quantum physics? Now that's a fascinating subject."

"I doubt I'll retain much of it in this state" she admitted with another soft giggle and a half-attempt at a serious look.

"True, but I have a better idea" he soothed, though his eyes twinkled with mischief.

"If you suggest anything rude I'll kick you, mark my words."

"Oh" he pouted. "No fun"

She smiled and began rubbing the dry tears from her eyes. He watched her for a moment and Roxanne felt her face burn under his gaze, she probably looked like an utter fool. She hiccupped and felt her body flinch, as though expecting him to laugh.

"Lie down." He ordered her, firmly but gently.

"I thought I told you it wasn't going to happen" she teased but slid down into the covers, rolling onto her side and cradling the pillow in her arms. He chuckled and she felt the bed move as he shifted his weight. "Get some sleep, you'll need it Miss Ritchi."

"You aren't going are you?" she asked rather frantically, looking up and over her shoulder, those green eyes met hers again and she instantly calmed.

"I hadn't planned on it, I can if you-"

"No!"

He laughed with a wide grin before placing a gentle hand on her ankle. "I'll stay here," he soothed "but I'll leave before dawn."

"Thank-you…" she murmured, pulling the pillow closer as she settled herself into the thick covers. He didn't answer but she felt his thumb stroke the edge of her foot comfortingly and despite her attempts to stake awake she quickly dozed off.

Roxanne opened her eyes slowly, a knock on the bedroom door stirring her from a peaceful sleep and in the hazy moments before complete consciousness she glanced across the unfamiliar bed and wondered where she was. The second knock her her sitting up slowly, the orange morning glow pouring into the room from the open window, little golden flecks floating in the air as they caught the suns first rays. In a moment all that had happened over the last two days came pouring back like a cold shower on full bore and she shuddered under its weight. She could still feel last night's tears dried to her face and her throat ached from all the pathetic sobbing.

"Rox, honey? How are you feeling?" Janey asked through the door, her voice already filled with concern.

"Like I killed a man" Roxanne joked back in poor humour and instantly regretted her words as she heard her friend shift uncomfortably on the other side of the door. With a quick sigh she rubbed the bridge of her nose and called "I'll be up in a minute. Janey didn't answer and instead shuffled away down the hall, probably back into the lounge. Roxanne didn't move for a while, her thoughts elsewhere as she worried herself over what she needed to do. She looked around the room slowly, her eyes finally resting on the edge of the bed where her blanket ruffled messily from a figure having spent the night there, it looked like he had been sitting most of the night but it also looked like he had laid back at some point but any trace of him now was long gone and she felt a pang of sadness. She stretched carefully, closing her eyes at the memory and knowing full well that had he not been there she wouldn't have slept a wink. It seemed… Such an odd thing for him to have done, she hadn't ever picked him as the supportive type but she couldn't think of anything he would have gained from sitting in the darkness all night. Surely there was something, she was just not thinking clear enough to clue on yet.

'Stop being so cynical' her mind added cheerfully and she grumbled to herself. First it felt the need to make her feel like crap each chance it could and now it was telling her off for doing so herself, blasted subconscious.

She slid her legs over the side of the bed, unable to avoiding thinking how she would have preferred to do this in her own bed where she would have flopped onto her side for several minutes, silently complaining about her job. It's funny how you never miss things until they're taken away from you. She cleared her mind of the unpleasant thoughts, she needed to stop wallowing in self-pity, she had brought this on herself and one way or another she was going to get through this. She needed to do something, to fix this, she scoffed. How idiotic did she sound? How could she possibly fix this? That man's family couldn't fix it, what if he had a wife? Children? How could anything she do possibly fix what they would be going through, what they wouldn't ever forget. She had done it before dozens of children, families, they would be scared forever and here she was telling herself she'd pull through, she'd fix this? She wished someone would yell at her now because she couldn't exactly do it herself and the worst part was if she could go back and do it all over, she would still aim that gun and she would still save the life of that inhuman creature.

And for all her bitterness and guilt she couldn't hate him, couldn't hate herself because she knew what she did was right. Maybe not for metro city, for the people, for that man's family but it was right for her and it was right for Megamind and his safety was all that mattered. God, she couldn't believe she could justify herself like that. It was like… She was guilty because she wasn't guilty for killing him. That was why she had been so upset. She was a horrible person and yet… He had still looked at her like she was the only person in world, like she mattered more than anything else ever could…

She ruffled her hair in an attempt to clear her head of the thoughts before pushing herself up onto shaky legs. She struggled to stay up as she approached the door, feeling like she had spent the last year hiding away. She would probably actually be spending the next year doing exactly that but she tried to avoid those thoughts too. Turning out of the hall and into the kitchen Roxanne instantly noticed the exhausted woman still leaning over a hot stove and it was enough to tell her Janey had been up all night, too stressed or too worried to sleep.

"Morning" she croaked, her voice rough with emotion.

"Morning" Roxanne replied uneasily, quickly realising that the awkward silence between them was going to last.

She was get tired of it, not because her friends had little to say, sauve how disappointed they were, it was because she had nothing to say, what could she tell them? Look, I know I've done wrong but don't worry, I'll work this out. Yeah, she could imagine what would happen then and it involved a snugly white jacket and some serious alone time. She slumped where she stood, lifting a hand to her head as she dragged her fingers through her hair.

"How are you feeling?" Janey barely mumbled from what looked like the third set of bacon to be crisping in the frying pan.

"Better" she answered reluctantly, unsure how she should be acting.

"You, ah, hungry?" she asked, turning, spatula in hand.

Roxanne took another glance at the quickly piling food that covered the benches and decided it was probably in Janeys best interest if she ate, not that she thought she could stomach much. From the looks of it Janey wasn't going to stop anytime soon either because she quickly began pouring flower into a large metal dish.

She settled herself onto a barstool by the counter that divided the kitchen from the dining room, propping her head on her hand while her friend hurried around the kitchen, piling up two plates with various foods, and a piece of cake… and slid them in front of Roxanne.

"Ah, you could probably feed half a third world country with this" she commented, casually stabbing her bacon with her fork. When Janey noticed she visibly cringed and Roxanne quickly stopped.

"Sorry, I cook when I'm nervous."

Roxanne nodded and narrowly avoided saying that her friend need not be so worried.

For the next half an hour Roxanne barely ate anything and spent a majority of her time rearranging egg to form the continents. Eventually Janey came swopping over and practically snatched the plates from her, a brief flicker of amusement behind her amber eyes

"My food is not a school project, Roxy."

Roxanne smirked. "Sorry about that"

"Sorry indeed" Janey grimaced but there was another flicker behind her eyes. "Just hurry up and get in the shower, before you stink up my kitchen"

"Yes, mummy" Roxanne beamed

"Oh shut up you." Janey smiled back and Roxanne felt instantly better. They were still friends, she was here for her if needed and for a moment it felt like everything would be okay. Right up until Janey threatened her with a spatula and Roxanne scurried from the room.

Her heart sunk at the sight of the bathroom, it seemed her mind had associated this with her feeling of complete misery. The air was coldest here of all, nothing but harsh white tiles, glass and ceramic. She avoided looking at herself in the mirror, worried who might be looking back, and instead opted for the shower right away. She slid her clothes of quickly and ran the water as hot as she could, cringing as it scolded her cold skin. What was she going to do now? She couldn't go back to her old life, who would trust her?

She needed a job but she doubted anyone would hire a criminal and that was indeed what she was. What would her boss think? And Hal? Not that she particularly cared for his opinion, but it was still a moment she would rather have not let him see. Or the mass of children that had probably been in the crowed. Or the old ladies. She hoped she hadn't caused any heart attacks but she quickly shoved that thought aside with a giggle. Of all legitimate worries that troubled her most?

When she finally crawled out to wrap the fluffy towel around herself she dared a glance in the mirror and frowned. Those eyes again, they were not her eyes. Dreary, grey, soulless eyes that bore into her until they left two burning scorches, those eyes belonged to a monster and she knew it. She scowled and quickly looked away, surprised to see a familiar bag propped against the bathroom wall. Was that hers? Wayne must have dropped it off last night. She crossed her arms at the idea of him going through her lingerie. Creepy, over-toned alien.

The day itself was uneventful. She had spent a majority of it watching mid-day movies, those old ones that were usually in black and white, and talking with Janey. The two didn't say anything particularly important; mostly they talked about cooking and pets. Roxanne had expressed how much she wanted a cat, to which Janey laughed and insisted she preferred dogs to 'rodents'. After another terrible movie about a man eating plant Janey left the room and came back with a plate of pre-cooked food and two glasses of water, offering one to Roxanne she began picking at various food items.

Roxanne refused, "It's okay, I don't like water."

Janey looked at her skeptically for a moment and offered again. "How can you not like water, it doesn't even have a taste."

"Yes it does" Roxanne laughed, "It tastes like chemical."

"Water doesn't have chemicals in it."

Roxanne arched an eyebrow "it's got fluoride in it."

"Huh?" she examined the water for a moment. "What's that?"

Roxanne laughed again. "You're the one that got me researching this kind of stuff! Just, go google it or something."

Setting the cup aside Janey instantly ambled into the other room and Roxanne decided she had indeed gone and googled it. She waited a few minutes and when there was a loud "Those pompous idiots!" from the other room she couldn't supress another laugh.

The two discussed other atrocities for a short while before it became apparent that Janey needed to sleep. "Look, you can have your bed tonight" Roxanne urged, helping her friend to her feet.

"No it's fine, I don't use it anyway. The room makes me uncomfortable."

"Oh, well thanks for letting me use it." She joked casually. "Where do you sleep then?"

"Couch" she grinned, pulling a blanket and pillow from a small cupboard under her t.v

"Fair enough" Roxanne replied with a smirk.

"Will you be alright?"

"Yeah." She answered, stretching and yawning. In truth she didn't want to go to bed, she didn't want the time to think. She needed distractions but it was obvious her friend needed a good night's rest and it was already getting late.

"Alright," she started. "I'd better head to bed as well. Get some decent sleep tonight, kay? You already cooked an entire fridge, not much more you can make."

Janey laughed and stuck her tongue out playfully.

Roxanne said her goodnights one last time and trudged back to her room obediently. She changed quickly, or really just slid out of her clothes and crawled into bed in her lingerie. The covers were cold against her skin and she shivered pleasantly. Again the sounds of night quickly began to trouble her and she snuggled down under the covers like she had when she was a child.

There was a noise outside her window again, one she knew only too well. He slid the glass open and slithered his way inside, virtually noiseless as he moved. She didn't peek out until she felt him begin patting down the blankets at the edge of the bed.

"No!" she whimpered, bolting up and reaching out but for what she didn't know. He looked at her with curious eyes, still arched over the bed, "Would you like me to leave?"

"No!" she exclaimed again, just as determined. He studied her for a few moments before smiling kindly and straightening himself. With a few graceful steps he walked up towards her and she instantly slid down slightly dragging her pillow with her. He sat down carefully and she quickly and shamelessly wiggled her head into his lap and settled, wrapping her arms around his leg pitifully.

"While you're down there", he joked in a husky tone and she dug her nails into his thigh, he just purred in amusement and it sent a pleasurable tingle down her spine. "Careful now Miss Ritchie, I just might like that"

She ignored him and relaxed her grip a little as he rested a hand on her shoulder and began smoothing her hair with the other, almost protectively. "Why do you keep coming back?" she whispered and he soothed her further with a gentle rub of her shoulder.

"You're in this mess because of me." He answered truthfully, his voice gentle.

"That doesn't mean you need to do this." She continued and he hushed her with a slow a purposeful hiss of his breath.

"I never said I'm here because a need to be, I'm here because I want to be."

"You don't owe me anything." She added hastily.

"I know."

Her brow furrowed and she heard him chuckle above her, his body vibrating against her and she felt that much safer, that much more cared for.

"Tell me something?" she asked for the second time in a tone that gave him little choice to argue.

"Are you feeling up for some quantum physics yet?" he joked and she squeezed his leg again. "What would you like to hear?"

"Tell me how that little metal thingy works."

"Metal thingy?" he asked and she could just imagine that quirked eyebrow look he would be giving her. After a few moments he sighed and ran the back of his finger across her cheek and she let her eyes flutter shut. "It's quite simple really, I'll give you a hint."

"Is bedtime really an appropriate place for riddles."

"Well I'm not going to start rhyming just to make you feel better."

"Bah"

He huffed in amusment. "If a tree falls in an empty forest does it make a sound?"

"You can't explain things with rhetorical questions." She huffed this time and he chuckled.

"Okay, what is noise then?"

"Er… Vibration?"

"Any ideas?"

"No," she complained, "and I'm not sure I follow you anyway. Emotionally distraught, remember?"

He took a deep breath and she knew it was going to be one of those long winded explanations, oh how he loved those. "Sound is essentially vibration that our brain recognises when it hits the ear, I'll I've done is created a device that emits such a high frequency that it acts like a wall of solid noise, when any sound within hits this wall it is drowned out."

"That's really quite ingenious of you." She murmured, wiggling against his leg as she got more comfortable and she felt his chest puff out proudly, well she knew that was definitely human. He continued with a slightly more sure tone. "Admittedly it's not fool proof, if Wayne tried to listen in he wouldn't hear your breath or you're heartbeat so he could very well come barging in thinking you were dead."

She laughed and his hand began running across the length of her upper arm. She smiled into his lap.

"I feel sorry for all you're bots." She added after a short silence and his laughed boomed through the room.

"Of all things to concern yourself with!" he said and she could hear the laughter in his voice. "Don't worry, they were all mindless, only a simply program with a single objective. Swarm and bite."

She giggled from his lap but the comfort was getting to much for her, she didn't want to sleep, she wanted to savour every moments with this man, this alien, but as she dozed off she slept more peacefully than she ever had, safe in the comfort of the intelligent blue arms of the 'man' she had protected herself.

Izzi M 6/17/12 . chapter 2

Here's your chapter XD I'm glad you're enjoying it. 3

Talani Silverwolf01 6/11/12 . chapter 1

It was rather gruesome, wasn't it? Not that I find it to be a bad thing :3 I'm glad you're liking it so far and I hope you continue to like it XD I've stopped bolding, it was rather distracting. Oh an I'm glad you liked that! I was thinking of giving him something a bit more elaborate but I figure less is really more. X3

Writer Anonymous

First things first, don't concern yourself about me stopping my writing, wouldn't happen. I actually really appreciate your honesty, I'm here to get better not protect my ego and I'm glad you took the time to review it.

I've gone back and fixed up parts of the chapters already up and worked hard to proof read this one though I'm still spotting mistakes all the time, originally I was just in a rush to get the idea down and the story up and it was a bad idea to do it. I'm taking more time now and hoping I get better at spotting poor sentence structure and getting rid of those ridiculous spelling and grammar mistakes, I should be ashamed really XD It's still not at its best but hopefully I'll get better and be able to fix things up as I go. I hope it reads easier now and is not so hard or frustrating to follow

I started bolding the speech to help me while writing the story, it made it easier to instantly locate it when I was tweaking and when I uploaded the story I didn't bother removing it. Going back now I've realised it was really annoying so it's all unbolded and luffly now.

When I first got the idea for this fic I hadn't read Dreamflights story but I looked into it after a friend pointed it out for me, I was a little crushed I'll admit but I read the full thing and realised I'm taking my story in a completely different direction, which is good. You're right, she is an excellent writer and it makes her comment that much more appreciated now that I've read her work. Had I known about her story prior I doubt I would have posted mine but It's helping me improve my writing (at least I really hope so)

Chapter End

Notes on the Criminal Mind / Contains Spoilers

Okay I know the water part seemed completely out of place, and it is, I added it last minute and though it has no real relevance now it will in future chapters. Anyway for those of you who don't know what it does here's a little snippet I found online.

""Fluoride can be one of the most volatile and active harmful chemicals in the body. Fluoride can attack mercilessly, against any age group, but its effects are especially harmful to developing children and the elderly. The detrimental effects of fluoride are varied. Below is a list of some of the recently documented, harmful effects of drinking fluoridated water:

1) Fluoride is known to cause dental fluorosis, a defect of the tooth enamel caused by fluoride's interference with developing teeth. Its visible signs are mottled or yellowed teeth. Nearly 30% of children drinking fluoridated water suffer from dental fluorosis on two or more teeth (Hileman, 1988).

2) Fluoride is associated with Alzheimer's diseaseand other forms of dementia. Fluoride enters the brain and enables aluminum to cross the blood-brain barrier, resulting in increased risk for these diseases. Fluoride has also been associated with low IQ and mental retardation in children (Hileman, 1988).

3) Fluoride can cause a crippling bone disease called skeletal fluorosis. In more mild forms, symptoms of this disease include chronic joint pain, similar to the symptoms of arthritis. Arthritis has now reached near epidemic levels in the United States, and the connection to fluoridated water should be considered.

4) Fluoride depresses the activity of the human thyroid gland and has been commonly used as an effective treatment for patients with overactive thyroids. Fluoride may depress the activity of the healthy thyroid, as well, resulting in an underactive thyroid, a common cause of obesity. More than 20 million people in the United States receive treatment for thyroid problems.

5) Fluoride disrupts the activity of normally functioning hormones. Fluoride can reduce levels of melatonin, the sleep hormone, in the body, causing chronic insomnia (Hileman, 1988).

Most European countries have now rejected the process of water fluoridation. Their children's teeth have not suffered from this rejection. The cost/benefit ratio of fluoridated water no longer warrants the presence of fluoride in drinking water. ""

THANKS FOR READING