Chapter Two: Caroline

April 7th, 2008

If there was one thing Adelle Dewitt usually liked more than anything else, it was a challenge.

Not that she would ever let anyone know this about her. After all, she had spent the better part of a decade cultivating her reputation as a ruthless but fair businesswoman. As head of the top secret organization known only as the Dollhouse, she was known for her calm demeanor and impeccable manners. She was also quite beautiful and intelligent, which only worked in her favor. She was used to having everything run smoothly in an operation.

Very few people knew about her personal life or her past, or of the hardships she had endured, and of the people she had lost. She kept her anguish, every emotion she felt on a daily basis, locked away from the rest of the world. After all, it wasn't any of their business.

Besides, to be the head of a rather controversial organization did require a great deal of ruthlessness, not only to do the job, but also to know where to draw the line. She did it very well, thus keeping her House off of the radar, and those under her employ out of Rossum Corporation's line of sight. And she did it with her customary grace and confidence.

But as she walked down the hallway, for the first time in a long time, the woman felt a shiver of concern go down her spine, tempering the excitement she felt quite a bit. The next candidate for the Dollhouse was different from any other she had encountered before. Most of the Actives were people who were trying to get away from their problems, or were suffering from some sort of mental disorder that couldn't be treated with conventional medicine. Many of them came to her, asking for help. Half of the time, she gave them the name of a good psychiatrist, instantly recognizing that it would do more harm than good to sign them on. The other half were given five years, the running limit for any person to serve there. No fuss, no worries. In the end, it helped them find peace, and a desire to do something with their lives.

But this latest one; oh she had been more of a challenge. Even though it had taken only two years to bring her in, which was considerably shorter than some of the others she had seen, those two years had been etched indelibly into the minds of those who had been beaten into the ground by her. Up until two days ago, every force sent after her was ultimately sent to the hospital with broken bones, and their vans taken. Sometimes, they were found on the side of the road, stripped of tires and any equipment that was inside them. More to the fact, this woman had also been a perpetual thorn in the side of Rossum, destroying their properties, moving through security checkpoints like she was nothing more than air, and escaping detection where others had failed. She had even managed to get into Adelle Dewitt's own office to acquire confidential files without being caught. It was a level of skill and daring that was absolutely incredible.

It reminded her of herself when she was younger. When she thought she could change the world. It was absolutely thrilling.

But the war was now over. Caroline was in their custody, cooling her heels in their Interview Room. It was a psychological strategy that always worked. It made it far easier to sign a potential Active on. They now had to do that here, just so they could save face in front of her. For once, she had all of the power.

There was also Rossum Corporation's co head to consider. Clive Ambrose himself had made the demand to Adelle; either bring Caroline in and make her an Active, or to eliminate her and bring the body in for tests. She had agreed reluctantly, though she didn't agree with it. She always tried to avoid murder whenever possible, always seeking another way. Half of the time she was given such an order, she was able to turn it around, either destroying that person's history so they were untraceable, or hiding them until Ambrose lost interest.

In this instance, neither option was doable. Ambrose had been rather anxious to meet her for some reason. Why, she didn't know, but she was grateful for that little hint of mercy. Sometimes, she had found herself wondering if Ambrose had any compassion in his body, considering some of his policies concerning the Actives.

But despite the expenses they had had to pay, as well as the moral qualms it invoked, Adelle had loved the battle, and the chase. Absolutely loved it. She loved this one's strategy; how she simply didn't hide or run, but stood her ground and fought back. She wouldn't hide from them, and she wouldn't stop fighting even when they finally met face to face.

In short, Adelle Dewitt felt more alive than she had in a long time. And she wanted to talk to this woman herself.

The concern wasn't just for the candidate. It was also for her. She had taken her first look at the woman in that hallway, and had almost keeled over in shock. She had recognized the face immediately, and for a second, wondered what cruel deity was playing this trick on her. Only the file she had immediately read afterward had helped her recover, putting her doubts to rest.

As she reached the interview room, she mentally prepared herself for whatever came to pass. She wasn't really expecting a warm reception when she entered. The psychological profile for her was clinical depression, tired, and even ready to die.

In short; she had just about given up all hope.

In the Dollhouse's eyes, that made her perfect for them. She would do anything to get rid of the pain, even surrender her freedom for a few years. And Ambrose wanted her in the House, as if she were a stallion with great potential.

Adelle saw her just as she was; a poor soul that tried to take on a major company, and found herself in something almost beyond her comprehension. A technology that was potentially destructive if it ever fell into the wrong hands, and what it may mean for the world if it ever found out about it. It meant this woman had morals, a code of conduct that she followed religiously, and the courage to take risks, even with her freedom and life. If she chose to say no, then Adelle would help her find peace with her decision, and try to remove the risk of reprisal from Rossum… if there were any.

Besides, she had actually delved a little deeper into this one's life, which was something she rarely did. Despite everything that had happened, Caroline Farrell would not surrender her freedom so easily. Not without a good reason. She would most likely die than be used as a play toy by some rich, corrupt bureaucrat. Such resolve was commendable. All she needed to do was convince Caroline that this was the right choice for her, that she would get a second chance to make her all of her dreams come true.

That was her plan until she entered the room, taking in the back of the woman's head for a few minutes. "Hello, Caroline," she said in greeting, closing the door behind her. She kept her professional demeanor intact, letting none of her internal thoughts leak out onto her face. "I'm Adelle Dewitt. We met once before, about two days ago."

Caroline didn't respond, didn't do much of anything. She just sat there, staring at some point of the wall that only she could see. For some reason, that wasn't surprising in the slightest. She was emotionally on the verge of collapse, had been since Fremont. It made treading carefully here all the more important. In fact, she was surprised that the younger woman hadn't tried to take her own life.

Sitting down, the older woman set the folder she had been carrying on the table, watching Caroline, observing her really. She took in the slightly hunched posture, the deadness of the eyes, the lack of facial twitches, and felt that concern shift into worry. Apparently, Caroline was either deeper in depression than she had originally thought, or she was a far better actor than they had all thought. Finally, after a moment longer, she said very gently, "I'm going to make you an offer."

"I told you, all I want is to be left alone," Caroline replied, her voice flat. It was devoid of the fire that had made her who she was.

"We both know that we're past that. That we have been past that for years." That much was true. In fact, they had been past that when Ambrose had issued his ultimatum. Adelle just hadn't thought about it, hadn't questioned it. She rarely questioned anything anymore. It was safer that way. Also, there was a good chance that, if she didn't convince Caroline to sign the contract, the next time she heard about her, it would be when she read her obituary in the newspaper.

Caroline, on the other hand, was beginning to show signs of life, if not fire. She made eye contact with the other woman for the first time in the conversation, eyes almost dull. "Gee, what gave it away? The big black van? Or the being held in this room for two days without any frickin idea where I am?"

Adelle had remained quiet through each question, her worry growing. On the other hand, her first impression was somewhat off the bat. Caroline wasn't that far into depression, but she was getting close. Now all she had to do was keep it from raching that point. "My offer is this," she said. "Your life… for your life." She heard Caroline scoff in derision, but ignored it, continuing on. "I get five years, you get the rest." She leaned in. "You'll finally be free from Rossum. Free to live your life the way you want to."

"Is that you talking… or the Rossum Corporation? 'Cause I can't really tell the difference. It all sounds like the same bullshit to me." When her captor didn't reply, she leaned in slightly. "Why me? Why did you pick me?"

Adelle picked up the slight note of desperation in her voice, and guessed that she was at that point where she believed she was worth nothing at all. "Caroline, you picked us, not the other way around." She smiled slightly. "This is a good thing, Caroline." And she honestly believed it with all of her heart. This was probably the only thing that could help this young woman through her pain. Perhaps she could even grow a little.

"I know what I saw… what started all of this. I know what you really want."

Stubborn as a mule. If she didn't know any better, she could have sworn that she was staring at her long dead friend. Sighing, she let her smile drop from her face. This one was definitely going to be a challenge, and babying her was the worst possible way to handle her. So she decided on brutal honesty. "What do I want? Can you, of all people, tell me that? Caroline, you and I have been doing this dance for two years," she said bluntly, picking up the small pot on the table. Pouring some white tea into one of the cups, she pushed it over to Caroline, who had begun fiddling with a piece of fabric. "I thought you would have learned by now. Not everything is as it appears to be. It never has." She willed the younger woman to believe her. "It never will be."

Caroline ignored the cup, her eyes staring at the table for a second longer. "It seems pretty clear to me," she said at long last.

"That's because you're only seeing part of it. I'm talking about a clean slate for you. A second chance, as it were."

And suddenly, Caroline was looking at her, really looking at her, and Adelle felt a jolt of shock go through her once again. Damn it, even that ironclad gaze in her eyes was the same. It almost like her friend was right in front of her, arguing with her about something or other. "You ever try and clean an actual slate?" she heard her ask. "You always see what was on it before." The eyes looked as though they were boring into her very soul. It was quite eerie. Just like her. "You see what it's really like. Every imperfection, every weakness, every mistake that it's ever made, every terrible choice. You wonder if it's even worth keeping, or if you should just throw it away with the rest of the garbage."

Adelle was becoming uncomfortable with the attention. That last comment had especially struck entirely too close to home. Caroline was obviously far more perceptive that they had given her credit for. She had flashed back to an earlier time. A happier time. A time where she had felt no pain, where metaphorical observations were among the many she enjoyed talking about. It was very unsettling.

Looking down, she focused her attention on the manila folder. "Are you volunteering…" she began.

"I don't have a choice, do I?" Caroline interrupted, standing up. "I don't think I ever did with you people." For a moment, the fire that had seemingly burned out reignited as she glared at the other woman. Adelle could even guess what she was thinking. How dare this woman think that this was nothing more than a business transaction? But then again, that was all it was. And what about the other's discomfort? Did she find these proceedings just as disturbing?

"How did it get this far?" the younger woman muttered to herself, pacing the room. "How did it all go so wrong? What did I do wrong?"

Adelle simply watched her as she paced restlessly, wanting to help her, but not knowing how to. How did could you tell someone that everything was going to be okay, when they already knew otherwise? "Caroline," she began quietly, as gently as she possibly could, "actions have consequences."

"Oh, God, you're loving this, aren't you?" The fire in her eyes was glowing brighter. It was truly amazing to watch. It was like watching someone come back to life, being pulled back from the brink. "You've just been waiting for something like this to happen, for me to screw up."

"I'm sorry that you don't understand what I'm offering here."

"I don't give a damn about what you're offering! All you offer in enslavement and humiliation! Death is actually preferable to that!" Ah, there it was. This was the Caroline who had managed to sneak into Rossum Corporation, who managed to learn the truth behind their experiments, and who had decided not to surrender, instead choosing to wage a one woman battle with the best of them. Even when there was no chance of victory, she was defiant to the last. She would never surrender to anyone without good reason.

Adelle decided to address this stronger Caroline, seeing so much of her long dead friend in that will. "What we do helps people. If you become part of it, it could very well help you." Silently, she prayed that the younger woman would hear the honesty in her words, to accept her proposal.

Caroline just smirked at that. She was so deep in her pain that everything sounded like empty promises and lies to her. "Yeah," she said sarcastically, "you're just looking out for me, like some fucking guardian angel."

"Perhaps even better than you have."

As soon as the words had left her mouth, Adelle wished she could call them back. She would have given her very soul to take them back. Caroline seemed to almost collapse in on herself at the harsh truth, her eyes becoming shuttered as she emotionally reeled from that simple, inescapable truth. She wanted to smack herself for being so careless. "We can take care of this mess," she said far more gently, hoping to salvage what was left of this conversation. "After your five years are up, you will be free to…"

"I don't deserve this," Caroline interrupted for the second time, the fire almost gone once more. "I was just trying to make a difference, to take my place in the world, you know, just like she said… and now I'm…"

Adelle could only guess who she was talking about. And she sympathized. Mothers were the ones their children tried to impress the most. Caroline was trying to live up to her mother's expectations as much as her own. And now they were being ground into dust under Rossum's heel. At that moment, she wanted to go to Ambrose, and give him a piece of her mind. Instead, she just watched Caroline.

Caroline finally plopped back down in her seat, utterly exhausted spiritually. The two years of conflict had obviously inflicted a great deal of stress on her. "I know, I know. Actions have consequences, right? These are mine."

Adelle remained silent as the younger woman began playing with her cup, not even picking it up. She knew she had one final shot in convincing Caroline that this was a good thing. Otherwise, there was a good chance that she wouldn't even make it out of the Dollhouse alive.

Of course, the question became; exactly how much damage would be done before they finally stopped her? How many lives would be taken in the process?

She leaned in, deciding to take a chance. The only chance she had left to prevent potential bloodshed. "What if they didn't?" she asked gently.

"Excuse me?" She wasn't sure if she had heard Adelle right. How could her actions not have consequences?

"I should be a little more specific. What we offer is not a way to… set you up for a fall, or to forget your problems. Anything that happens… well, the responsibility of it falls upon my shoulders."

"I don't…" Suddenly, her gaze darkened as she figured out the basic line of it. And then she understood, only too well. That gaze suddenly locked onto the other woman, and that woman almost reeled from the sheer force, the sheer will and fury behind those eyes. "Is that what you call 'free?'" she snarled, rising from her seat once again. The fire that had almost died suddenly blazed once more, almost uncontrollable in its intensity. "By wiping me clean, turning me into one of your little 'dolls,' so I won't ever bother Ambrose again?" Her hand gripped the cup tightly, bringing it up. "Turning me into a fucking zombie that you can use for your personal entertainment?"

Adelle was already moving as the cup left Caroline's hand, smashing into the far wall. For some reason, she hadn't expecting that kind of reaction. She found it somewhat exhilarating.

On the other hand, she was less enthused about Caroline's response, and was now rapidly spiraling towards fear. Somehow, she had figured out how they did what they did without her saying anything. Her intelligence and deductive skills were absolutely astonishing. But more to the fact, Adelle knew, just knew, that she had just about used up her last chance. "Caroline, please calm down!" she exclaimed, pleaded really. "I don't want to see you killed!"

"I don't care anymore! I'm dead either way!" Caroline roared. Climbing on the table, she launched herself at the other woman, tackling her to the ground. Nothing mattered anymore, not even her. Leo was dead, murdered by one of Rossum's guards. Her friends were gone, having moved away after the fact. Her family was gone, having been killed by a burglar while she was at college. She had sacrificed her credibility, risked her freedom and very soul for her cause, and had almost lost her friend as a result. She had absolutely nothing left to lose. And now these people wanted to strip her of her very identity, what made her, her? She would rather die, and she'd go through this haughty British woman to do it. She'd give that guard a reason to kill her, Ambrose, Arrowny and their promises be damned!

Except that this haughty British woman quickly blocked the first fist almost instinctively. She quickly retaliated with a solid jab to the jaw, snapping her head back. That was followed up with a powerful right hook, forcing her off. A high heel found temporary residence in her chest, forcing her back a few feet.

Adelle scrambled to her feet, getting into a defensive posture that she had rarely used in ten years. She watched as Caroline turned around as the door suddenly opened, and the guard entered, gun being drawn. She watched as the woman lashed out, kicking him in the side of the head, then shoving him back outside. The door was closed forcefully, and a chair shoved into place under the door knob, preventing anyone else from immediately interfering. "Caroline, we're not trying to destroy you!" she exclaimed, as the young woman went at her again. "Damn it, none of us want you to die!"

"Tell that to your boss!" Caroline struck again, this time connecting with a solid right hook that landed with more force than she should have been able to bring to the fore. Adelle's head snapped back. "You want to cut me open, and rip out everything that makes me, me! Then you wanna use my body as your little plaything!" Another blow made it through Adelle's defenses. A gout of blood flew out of her mouth as a result. "You might as well grab a gun and pull the trigger!" With that roar, she speared Adelle, slamming her into the wall.

Adelle immediately drove her elbow into Caroline's back, kneeing her almost immediately afterwards. The lust of battle, the thrill of combat, threatened to overwhelm her, as it once did so many years ago. Keeping it firmly under control through sheer will and discipline, she pushed the younger woman away. "Caroline, please! It isn't like that!" She blocked a kick, getting another punch for her trouble. "Damn it, listen!" She finally punched Caroline as she came in, a right hook with enough force to bruise her knuckle. It was also strong enough to knock the other woman back onto her butt.

"I don't want you to die!" the older woman finally shouted, bracing herself against the wall. "If you die, then your beloved's death will have been for nothing! Rossum will win!"

"You don't get to talk about him! You have no right!"

"I'll say whatever I have to, if it will get you to listen to me! Caroline, Ambrose wants you dead because of what you know! I had to offer him an alternative. If you sign that contract, if you let me try and help you, he can't touch you. I can at least try and protect you from his people! And in five years… you can go back and try to take Rossum down, and I won't stop you!" Adelle paused, taking a breath. "You can't do that… you can't avenge him if you die yourself, right here, right now. Please… don't let Ambrose win this time. Don't let him decide your fate."

That last comment stopped her where nothing else could, and she stared at the other woman in surprise. She was aching for oblivion, but she also wanted to lash out at everyone around her. And there was nothing anyone could do to help her.

But as she looked at Adelle Dewitt, looked into her eyes, she saw nothing but pure, untainted honesty, and a genuine desire to try and do just that. To give her a chance that no one would have. But she also saw pain within that gaze. Pain that had nothing to do with her bruised fist.

She had lost someone she had cared for. She had failed to save that person, and it had almost destroyed her. And she hadn't really recovered from it.

The fight drained from her as she made that revelation. She would have collapsed if Adelle hadn't caught her, gently leading her to the other chair. "Oh god," she whispered, the fire dissipating once more. "Why?"

"Stay here. I have to let them know that I'm still alive, and then I'll try and explain," Adelle said calmly, straightening her shirt out a little as she made her way to the door. Removing the chair, she opened the door.

Laurence Dominic immediately stumbled into the room, having been in the process of kicking the door in. To his credit, he righted himself rather quickly, taking in the room. "Ma'am, are you all right?" he asked immediately.

Adelle smirked at him, as the answer was blindingly obvious to everyone present. "Seeing as how I was the one to open the door, I imagine I am, Mister Dominic," she replied easily. "Miss Farrell was simply pointing out an inherent flaw in the contract I showed her… quite violently, as you can see. Fortunately, it was a short lived one."

"If you're sure…"

"I am. Please wait outside. I will talk to you before I go home tonight." She waited until he had left, closing the door behind him, before turning around. "Any questions?" she asked, as if she used to it happening all of the time.

"Yeah… Do you usually have fights with potential employees?"

"Actually, you're the first one. I very rarely get the thorns in Rossum's side."

"Oh."

"On the other hand, you definitely know how to fight."

"Had to know."

"Of course."

Several hours later, Caroline still couldn't believe what had happened over the last forty eight hours, nor how she had ended up like this.

She been captured, and taken to Rossum Corporations because of orders from Clive Ambrose. He and his co-founder talked to her, told her how she was special, about some genetic sequence of hers that they were interested in, then ushered her into a black van and sent her to a room in the middle of an undisclosed location, a room that had no windows to think about her choices and make a decision. She had expected to be met by a cold businessman who would dictate the terms to her, and then force her to sign the contract anyway, even if she said no. That was how she thought it was going to go down.

Instead, Adelle Dewitt had entered the room, and in a polite, congenial tone, offered her a choice, and that it would always be her choice. Then, after a brief scuffle, she had prevented security from killing her, and even offered her dinner. That was her first surprise.

Her second surprise was where they had dinner. Instead of some high frills, expensive restaurant where the wine was as smooth as a politician's tongue, or remaining within the virtual prison that was the Dollhouse, they had Chinese takeout at Adelle's surprisingly small but well furnished apartment. She was curious as to why.

She didn't ask though, and they ate in silence.

But as the older woman began cleaning up, Caroline could remain seated no longer. She began exploring the living room, making note of everything around her. The furniture was old, but in a historical kind of way. A wide screen HD television was mounted on the wall, a DVD player set up near it on a small entertainment center. There was a desk with several pictures resided, as well as papers piled haphazardly. Apparently, this woman was a bit of a workaholic.

She decided to take a look at the photographs on the desk. She couldn't very well shift through her desk. That would have been just plain rude.

They were pictures of Adelle Dewitt when she was younger. One of them was a picture of her at possibly her college graduation, decked in dark red robes. It was possibly one of the proudest moments of her life, standing tall and proud before her fellow classmates as she accepted her diploma. Then there was one of her standing next to a man, a child in her arms. A gentle smile graced her face, one that held no sadness, no despair. 'Her family, no doubt,' she thought. 'Could she have lost them to someone, like I lost Leo?' It was somewhat humbling to think about.

Her gaze shifted to the last picture; that of a young girl of around ten years old with raven hair. Picking it up, she looked at it more closely. Something about that picture was very familiar to her, like she had seen it before somewhere.

"She would have been your age," Adelle said from the kitchen doorway. "If she had lived, that is."

Startled, the young woman whirled around, almost dropping the picture. "I'm sorry," she said, putting it back on the desk. "I was just…"

"Having a look around. That is completely understandable. I was actually wondering when you would." Adelle joined her at the desk, taking a look at the pictures as well. "I graduated with Masters in bio science, psychiatry, and business. My parents couldn't make it, but then again, their jobs both required them to be there every day. Eating, keeping a roof over our heads, and clothes on our backs was difficult, but they managed." She smiled at the fond memories that surfaced as she talked. "They threw me a surprise party afterwards. A week later, I was on a plane to America with their blessing. My scientific background ran along the lines of human anatomy and genetics." She pointed at the second one. "That is my brother and his daughter. He worked in the family business, though it's certainly expanded over the years." Her eyes became distant. "He and his family died about three years ago. A car crash."

Caroline nodded in understanding. She had been wrong about the source of Adelle's pain, not about the pain itself. The pain she had seen was far older than that. "Then who is she?" she asked.

Adelle looked at the picture for a few moments, her eyes growing distant. Memories of the past were rapidly surfacing, as they always did when she wasn't working. "She was… lost," she said after a moment. "Her childhood was almost nothing but beatings, sexual and verbal abuse by either her mother, her father, or one of her mother's sex partners, or being tormented by the schoolyard bullies. I found her on the streets, hungry and very much alone, trying to find someplace warm to stay. So I took her back to my apartment for the night… and that turned into some of the best years of my life."

Blast it all, it was everything she could do not to cry. How was it that even after all of this time, she hadn't stopped grieving? That the pain hadn't lessened in the least?

Caroline was quiet, having heard her voice break as she spoke about it, as well as the pride and joy in that voice. It was obvious that she had loved the child, like she had been her own daughter. Her own heart thawed a little as she realized this. "What happened?" she asked quietly, though she had the feeling that she already knew.

Adelle took a deep breath, calming herself down a bit. "She was murdered… by a monster. He broke into our apartment, and… I don't remember much after that. I had lost consciousness, due to blood loss. But the police found a body in the living room, burned beyond recognition." She held up her left hand, revealing a rather old looking band with emerald's encrusted in it on her finger. "I gave her the sister to this one mere moments before the break in, for her seventeenth birthday." She sighed, rubbing her eyes. "In the end, I moved to Los Angeles, and began working for Rossum in their genetics department, in the development of cloning body parts. Hearts, lungs, that sort of thing. About a year later, Mister Ambrose offered me control of this branch of the Dollhouse."

"And you use it… to help people fulfill their fantasies?"

Adelle looked relieved at that, grateful that Caroline had moved away from that painful subject, but was also showing an interest in the Dollhouse. "Actually… that is so we have the funds to continue our research, and to continue operating. What we actually offer are tactical experts, hostage negotiators, babysitters…"

"Babysitters?" Caroline interrupted, a smile beginning to form. That she hadn't been expecting. "You imprint babysitting skills?"

Adelle shrugged, returning the smile. "It's a service I would do for free if I could get away with it. Despite what some of the common folk think, quite a few of the rich and famous are like me; they simply work too much. But they love their children, and don't want to leave them alone at charity auctions and other important events. We simply give them a babysitter they can trust explicitly."

"What about ethics? Legality?"

"Ethically? Either controversial or immoral. Legality? Definitely not."

"… And yet, you're involved in it?"

"If not me, then it would be someone else. Someone who would most likely just let you die." Adelle replied sadly. "Caroline, Ambrose did issue a capture-or-kill order on you, due to what you saw in that lab. I practically had to beg him to bring you into the Dollhouse after the meeting. Though now that I think about, I don't think I needed to worry about it. He seemed… overly eager for your participation." She frowned. "What were you doing in that lab, anyway?"

Caroline thought back to that fateful day, forcibly pushing the consequences of that day to the back of her mind. "My friends and I had heard that Rossum was experimenting on animals," she explained. "We were going to get the testing on tape, and show it on the internet." She lowered her head. "Obviously, we weren't successful."

Ah. Apparently, she had heard about the experimentation that had been going on behind closed doors. She just hadn't known the full extent of it. "Actually, you were very successful in your plan. Your exit strategy was a little vague, on the other hand. You should have… well, you know."

"The guard. Yeah, well…"

Adelle grinned. "You wouldn't have changed anything, and Rossum would have killed you for trying. Big business won't change unless they start losing that business. It is a fact of life." She led the younger woman back to the couch. "On the other hand, it takes a great deal of courage to do what you did. Changing the world usually means you have to take risks, even if they are unsuccessful. It is a fact of life. And sometimes, those failures can lead the way to a far more successful campaign later on."

Caroline nodded. "What about the Dollhouse?" she asked. "Why did you say that I picked you?"

"Well, that's a little trickier to answer. You see, I said that simply because… you did, in a sense. You didn't try to kill yourself, which meant you still want to live." Adelle shrugged helplessly. "It's not a complete answer, and it's probably not even the right answer. But it's the only answer I can think of. I really don't know what you and Mister Ambrose talked about behind closed doors, and it is none of my business." She looked at Caroline, a light shining in her eyes that hadn't been there before. "But from a belief standpoint, if you survive long enough… I think you can still change the world."

"And why do you care what happens to me? Is it because of that girl?"

"… Yes. Actually, I care about everyone that comes through those halls. I either sign them up, or refer them to a good psychiatrist. But… when I look at you… I see something of her in you. I see the same resolve, the same fire… the same potential to be more than you already are. I think you're special… and you are definitely better than I will ever be." She leaned in. "I won't lie to you, Caroline. You will be used as a date, a weapon. You will be placed into situations that will most likely put you in great danger, where the loss of your life is a distinct possibility. And you will never remember any of it. … But one day, you will have your revenge. You will have justice for what has happened to you… and for all you have lost. And if you wish it, on that day, I will help you achieve it."

Caroline just stared at her for a moment, blinking in surprise. She couldn't understand why, but she was beginning to believe this woman. More importantly, she was beginning to trust this woman. The fire began to burn once again as a smile began to grow on her face. Suddenly, she had a lot to live for, a second chance to fight back waiting to happen. "So," she began, "what does the imprinting entail?"

Adelle returned her grin, feeling lighter than she had felt in over a decade. "Well…"

Three days later, after Caroline had read up on everything she could concerning the Imprint Technology, as well hammering out and signing a new contract, Echo walked out of the Imprint room, taking her first steps into the Dollhouse as an Active. If they were all lucky, it would be an existence that would end in five short years.

Topher Brink carefully slid Caroline's imprint wedge into an empty slot, and the back up into an air tight container. Even now, a good decade of working in the Dollhouse, the boss lady's ability to bring anyone in was nothing short of amazing. "I still can't believe you managed to talk her into signing that contract," he said. "I thought for sure she was going to make Mister Head of Security shoot her six different times, if she didn't kill him first. I mean, how'd you do it?"

Adelle shook her head at him, always amazed by his boundless energy. "I didn't feed her lies," she said. "I just told her the truth. What it entails, what she would be called upon to do. Everything. I even showed her the schematics to the chair."

"And she still signed it?"

"Yes… after we made quite a few changes to the contract. And I made a promise to her." She pulled out a piece of paper, handing it to him. "This is a set of instructions concerning her Tabula Rasa state. Read them carefully, then destroy the paper. I want nothing for Clive Ambrose to use against this House or anyone in it."

He read the instructions, nodding in understanding. He was a little confused, but he understood. "I can do that, Boss. Just one question; Why? I mean, why have me alter the wiping process so she retains a small level of self awareness after each engagement? If I do that, she'll eventually become self aware. Echo will evolve into a full fledged personality."

"That will happen eventually, anyway. Caroline Farrell, and Echo by extension, is a strong willed woman. Her mind will eventually rebel against the man made blocks we use, and it will bring her incredible pain as her personality, and the multiple personalities we imprint her with reassert themselves. Whatever is in her spinal fluid, it will help her evolve into something new. If we try and speed the process along slightly, she will be able to control the process on a purely subconscious level, and the pain will be virtually nonexistent for much longer. Not only that, she will be able to fool everyone, including her Handler. Echo will eventually become fully aware. We have to be ready for when that happens."

"Ah. I'm guessing this is going somewhere, then."

Adelle nodded. "Caroline saw something that concerns me, though I didn't mention it to her. Rossum is still experimenting with the Imprint technology for some reason. And they're experimenting on both animals and humans. What is more, I'm having the feeling that Ambrose may have struck a deal with her, and is using my house to see it through."

"Which explains the capture-or-kill order." Topher moved over to his computer, tapping in the commands. "I gotta say, I've never seen you take these precautions before with anyone else. You keep an eye on every last one of them, remain apprised on any serious injuries they get, even handled a few of the more dangerous engagements yourself, but with this one, you're acting more like a…"

"A mother?" She had give Topher Brink credit for one thing above all else. He was a kid trapped in a man's body, but he was a smart kid. Frowning a bit, she looked down at the house, as Actives and Handlers walked across the large room, catching sight of Echo as she introduced herself to Whiskey. "Perhaps it's because whenever I look at Caroline, I see everything that I've lost. Perhaps… she will help all of us in the end. And I can finally end this farce I have been forced to play for so long." She smiled. "Now on your way. I believe you need to prepare Victor for his next engagement."

Topher was on his way without another word, as Adelle continued to look down at Echo. There had been so much to say, but she hadn't had the courage to tell the young woman everything. But then again, how could she? It would only make the pain worse for her. And she doubted the younger woman would have believed her.

'Perhaps I will tell her one day,' she thought, heading for the elevator. 'Perhaps we will both be free of our pain on that day. In the meantime, I must remain the cold, professional businesswoman I have become… and pray for the day when that is no longer necessary.'

She could only hope. Hope was all she had left.

Only a few weeks after Echo joined the Dollhouse, the Active known as Alpha went mad, and killed half of the Actives, as well as several Handlers and their physician. He also slashed Whiskey's face up, and destroyed hers and his own imprint as well. He would forever remain a mystery to those who came after him, as well as elusive.

The only Actives that were there who survived the massacre were Whiskey, November, Victor and Echo.

Adelle, moving swiftly to save Whiskey from the Attic or worse, altered the contract and had her imprinted with medical and technical information, hiring her on as a member of the staff, leaving the door for her to learn who she was later on, if she chose to. And thus was Doctor Claire Saunders born.

Echo, who managed not only to survive without physical injury, also managed to escape emotionally and psychologically sound, which was incredible. A new Handler, Boyd Langton, was hired to replace her former one. It turned out to be the best thing to ever happen to the House. Boyd proved himself to be completely loyal to Echo, performing above and beyond the call of duty on numerous occasions to protect his charge. He also helped Adelle retain her own moral compass when it was in danger of tilting, and protected the House from potential threats from both outside and within.

Echo began to show signs of understanding and ingenuity within a month. In several engagements, she performed beyond Rossum's highest expectations to become their most sought after Active, as well as their most adaptive. Ambrose congratulated Adelle for her decision to bring Caroline in… without ever suspecting the truth. The modifications made by Topher worked flawlessly, and escaped detection by even the most thorough probe. Unknowingly coupled with the genetic sequences in her spinal column, the core of her personality was slowly beginning to integrate. Echo remained largely ignorant of what was happening, living life day by day in a cloud. But she did recall many things on a purely subconscious level, including Laurence Dominic's attempt to kill her, as well as memories of her many engagements.

Within those few short months, the Dollhouse acquired another Active by the name Sierra. The new Doll immediately began forming attachments with both Echo and Victor, a bond that would extend beyond their Tabula Rasa states. And, without either one realizing it, Victor and Sierra began to fall in love. But other than that, and the added aggravation that was FBI Agent Paul Ballard, the Dollhouse continued running smoothly.

That would all change in a few short months though, when an experimental drug was stolen…

Chapter Two was somewhat shorter, though that is for good reason. I never believed that Caroline would ever sign anything unless it would help others in the end. And Adelle Dewitt always struck me as someone who was always treading a thin line between caring about her people, and staying on Rossum's good side. She also always kept a closer eye on Echo than anyone else. In all respects, Adelle Dewitt was a good person who simply made a bad choice. I did go to Wikipedia to learn what I could of Season Two of Dollhouse, and was pleased to hear that they managed to seamlessly blend in Epitaph One, which I believe never aired on television. I find myself liking Dollhouse even more than before.

Well, Chapter Three will shift to Tru Calling, and will finally get the story rolling. It will take place around the same time as this chapter, and I will definitely try and have everyone from that show in there, even if in passing. So please stay tuned.