Disclaimer: I don't own it, dum-nuts.

Understanding

Ah, who was I kidding? I was just too eager to get the hell out, Misa thought, running down a street God knows where. I don't got money, a plan or a job.

Light kept us cut off, Misa realized. He didn't tell me where we lived or even what country we're in. He didn't tell me where he worked or anything. So I couldn't run away.

So Athala couldn't run away either.

Thinking of the young woman made Misa's heart hurt.

She reached a street corner and bumped into a guy. He was a big dude, looking like one who was more muscle than brain and all that. "Oi, lookit da lil girl I got 'ere," he said aloud and Misa whimpered. He gripped the end of her skirt and tore it a bit. "You wanna play wit me, lil girl?"

"N-no. I r-r-really don't," she started to cry. She knew she wasn't a strong person. She knew. So she struggled, remembering what she learned in a self-defense class she took when she was a teen. When that didn't work, she went limp, he just shifted her weight. She them began to scream. Loudly. This got somebody's attention. A few passing people glanced over but none of them stopped to lend a hand. They stayed out of it.

"Let her go," a voice spoke calmly, from behind Misa.

"An wat if I don't?" the man asked.

"Well," the other guy said. "Then there's not much I can do but call the police and," he motioned to a big gray and white building not far in the distance. "Do you know what they do to rapists in prison?"

He took out a cell phone and the guy dropped Misa hard on the ground, walking off. "Fine. Whatever then," he said, with the air of somebody who just lost, trying to pretend that he won about him.

"Are you alright, miss?" he asked, once the guy was gone.

"I think so..."

"Where are you staying?" he helped her up. "I'll walk you home."

"Well, I just a-arrived in town and—" she began but he cut her off, not needing to hear the rest.

"I see, well, would you like to stay with me? I'm currently residing in the hotel just up the street from here," he motioned to it.

"Um, yes. I'd love to," she said, not quite entirely sure what she was doing.

"My name is Ryuuzaki, may I have yours, miss?"

"Misa," she decided it was high time to get a look at the man. He had messy hair and was hunched over, but there was something handsome about his rugged looks.

"I see, so Misa, what are you doing in this part of town, anyway?"

"Well, you see I. Uh."

"You don't have to tell me, now, if you don't want," his voice was rough and calm and oddly soothing to Misa.

They walked in silence for a few minutes until Ryuuzaki looked over at her, "What happened to your arms, Misa?"

"Wha? This? Well, I...fell," she stammered.

He looked at her incredulously. "You fell?"

She just nodded and he rolled his eyes.

They reached the hotel where he was staying. It was one of those fancy ones that rich people stay at. The kind Misa used to love to stay at. In the room, there were two beds with white sheets. The curtains were pink and matching the rug. There was a TV on the table. It was a typical hotel room, but Misa loved it.

She sat down on one of the beds. "Do you think Misa is worthless? Are you pitying me?" she asked him and he looked over at her.

"Worthless?" he asked. "You're joking, right?"

She shook her head 'no' and buried her head into a pillow.

"Misa, nobody is worthless," his calm voice was firm and reassuring. "Misa, just remember that we – all humans – are shadows in the world. We look different, but we all have our beauty. We are cast according to the light that hits us, Misa. The light that is cast upon you dictates what you become. But you can stand in a different light. I don't believe you are worthless, merely cast in a bad light. Now, you've been given the opportunity to stand in a different light, but Misa, remember that the choice will always be yours."

She stared at him, blinking back a threatening river of tears. Those were the kind of comforting words she'd been silently begging for. Trapped against her will in a cage of lies, pain, fear and abuse, this man, Ryuuzaki had opened the lock nobody else could notice and set her free.

XXXXXXXXXX

Author's Notes: Okay, I'm just getting this now, "Light". Whoopsies. Maybe a different metaphor would work better? Ah, I'll just stick with it.